#stage 1 playoffs

[freshthoughts2020]

[excludedmiddle]

I think this basically ends the sc2 GOAT debate

[overwatch-1eague]

2018 (Inaugural Season)

Stage 1 Playoffs

Final: London Spitfire vs New York Excelsior

[pucksandpower]

This is gonna sound really weird, but is it alright if you give us (or me realistically) a crash course in ice hockey? I want to start watching it but idk where to start

Is it alright? I would love nothing more than to introduce everyone to one of my favorite sports. I find that fans of Formula 1 tend to really enjoy ice hockey as well because it has a similar feeling of speed and adrenaline, so there tends to be a lot of overlap between fans of the two.

The first thing you need to know is that the NHL (National Hockey League) is the highest level of hockey in the world. There are plenty of other high-level leagues around the globe with entertaining hockey and incredibly passionate fans, but the best of the best players can be found in the NHL.

The second thing you need to know is that, despite what the name may imply, the NHL actually spans two countries — the United States and Canada. There are 32 teams in the league, with 7 of those located in Canada.

Now, the answer to the question I’m sure most new ice hockey fans want to know is how do you choose what team to support? I can’t speak from experience because I was brought up a fan of my favorite team from a young age, but a lot of my friends have had success in joining hockey spaces on social media and finding what team’s fanbase they most vibe with. Some are crazier than others. Some are more laid back. Some are more traditional and conservative. Some are more progressive. This is a great way to get a feel for your fellow fans and see where you can imagine yourself belonging.

On that note, every team in the league is going to be in a different stage of an inevitable cycle. Some teams are contenders — those that have a realistic chance of winning the Stanley Cup. Some teams are in the midfield — they might make the playoffs, they might not. Some teams are in a rebuild, which means that they are playing some, uh, not so great hockey at the moment and giving up “present” assets for “future” assets like young prospects and draft picks.

And one of the most important things every new fan needs to know about (men’s) ice hockey is that fighting is an integral part of the game. Is it legal? No. Is anyone really going to break up a fight? You’ll be hard pressed to find a referee about to do that. Hockey is an incredibly physical game. Fighting acts as 1) a deterrent 2) a form of self-policing 3) a way to make sure what happens on the ice, stays on the ice so grudges aren’t carried over. In addition to fighting, there is an abundance of checking and plenty of hits.

To end this, I leave you with the single most important rule of hockey: never touch the goalie.

[cosmic-carpals]

actually the worst part about this year's world series is that the rays aren't in it 😔

ngl i think the worst part about this year's world series is the unreasonably toxic and aggressive discourse about whether or not both teams actually deserve to be there and how nobody besides yankees fans, dodgers fans and the mlb themselves actually wanted this world series.

[3416]

re: your mitchy post

it's sooooo tiring . like mitch has been The Guy since he was in london.. i don't disagree that the 4 nations was good for his confidence but like he was playing well ( and confidently might i add) before that too . people drive me crazy !! shut up abt mitch marner!!

it's just true!!! like i'm not going to deny that there have been lulls in his production in the playoffs but like......... there have been for every single core member on our team? for some reason the excuses for them are always okay bc they have like. a couple more game 5-7 points in the last 4 years, but i find it absurd that people's takeaway from that is that mitch is just the one incapable and everyone else shows up. like if everyone else showed up so robustly or consistently 1) they would've eclipsed him in points by now, and 2) we might not have needed all those late stage series games. we're going to live and die by this core's production no doubt, but he's not uniquely stifled and there's a reason people cut off the stats where they do when they talk about him specifically. because he came into the league performing and he typically can show up early in a series and is a reason we have blowout games at all, lol. that matters to people when they when they watch but never the Second it's over, and it's been so frustrating to see how he's specifically characterized, lol.

anyway, i am EXTREMELY pleased with the leafs tonight, and probably just most of all with the powerplay and taking the opportunity to bury them when we got the chance. we've already scored triple the powerplay goals we did in the entire boston series, ad that's just a really promising front from the entire core. i hope they keep rolling like this for sure and gaining confidence but like.......... you don't make it to the nhl by lacking in that tbh!!!! and the leafs might have demons about playoff runs or whatever but THEY'RE being characterized as the veterans who have been through all of this before and maybe that will be good for them this time around :')

[hockeygossipunhinged]

https://www.tumblr.com/hockeygossipunhinged/777364431474737152/httpswwwtumblrcomhockeygossipunhinged7773264

Hello me again, let’s hope this time I don’t write a full in essay about my take. Tbh I think it’s gonna take some time, I don’t personally know Jack idk how he is right now psychological talking, I can guess he is beyond frustrated and reflective about his career and what he could’ve done differently, basically he is gonna pass through the stages of grief bc no matter what he has had a loss, realistically speaking he has lost the chances of going to the playoff two times now, has lost the possibility of him finish a full in session so boy it’s gonna go through all this 5 stages. And in this 5 stages his mental health can be affected, I don’t personally know him I don’t know how he confronts this types of situations but one thing I noticed is he is deeply loved by his brothers and parents his friends also, he has a good support system to fall in to. This is good specially when you are in a toxic relationships bc you have people to fall back with. Now he might reflect (this is part of the grief stage) what does he have to different to change his current situation. Based on the whole wag jacket saga on the playoffs and Jack not paying her the jacket when that boy has some real money to fall back and a jacket doesn’t make a dent on his money I would guess that things were starting to get rocky between them, and I kind of think that he has been keeping her bc:

1) he doesn’t have the psychological strength to go through a break up bc he was in mid season, he had a lot of pressure upon himself the four nations, trying to get a spot at playoffs, ah trying to get back on his grove after his surgery (it was noticed how he wasn’t as confident as he was before the surgery)

2 he feels like he owns her something.. bc good or bad she was there for him at his lowest (back when he had is injury and continue playing before the surgery) if I remember correctly your ex anon had have mention this. So he feels like he owns her something like a debt.

Now to ask the fundamental question anon ask

Is he going to change patterns and realized this girl only uses him for clout.. I’ll give it a 50/50 it all fall back on how hard he works his mental health, he has got a lot bad hits constantly he need to be remained that he is the Jack Hughes the first overall pick of 2019, but right now I feel he feels down. But based on his post (if he wrote it himself and not his pr team) bc his mom is big on pr , he wants to rebrand himself he wants to come back stronger, so Sammy is someone who gives me the impression likes things beneficial and right now she is not getting the benefits of being Jack Hughes girl, a wag.. so toxicity will shine through bc that’s just who she is..

Again I think I wrote a whole essay, sorry! This is just my take on what’s been comment here, and the patterns this girlie has done, wouldn’t be surprised if for jacks birthday she goes all post and all that bc as I state before she is trying so hard to push a narrative, and this is the way she gets the benefits she so hard wants.

^^

[thehughesbrotherslover]

Am I OKAY? Luke Hughes x Singer reader

Song am I okay and Third times the charm is made by the wonderful Megan Moroney. Karma is owned buy the beautiful Taylor Swift

Tonight was a big night. It was your last stop of your tour before you go on a 3 month break. And it was New Jersey Night 3. You had so very special people in the crowd Luke Hughes your boyfriend of 1 year his two brothers Jack and Quinn His parents Ellen and Jim and of course you Mom and Dad. You had just released your 5th studio album and lets just say half of the songs on that Album are about Luke.

You and Luke have been keeping a good job at hiding your relation ship from the public. However rumors were going around that you two were dating when you him and Jack got spotted by the paparazzi over 2 months ago walking around New York for Jacks birthday. And a week after you were spotted at a Devils vs Rangers game with Luke's parents. So tonight you had the perfect idea to hard launch your relationship with Luke.

After you finished doing some promotion for tonight's show you went back stage to see Luke , his family , and your parents. You were very excited to see Luke because he had been finishing off playoff season and you were busying on tour. You were walking out when Luke spotted you. He was talking to Jack and he ran off when he saw you walking. You were looking at your compacted mirror and closed it when you heard running and when you looked up you saw Luke. He picked you up and spun you around and you had your hands around his neck than you kissed him. "We get it you guys love each other" you heard Jack say and Luke gave him a hard glare. You gave everyone hugs and talked to your family for a minute till you had 10 minutes left before you pulled Luke aside to tell him your plan and make sure he is okay with it. You whispered it into his ear and he grinded ear to ear nodding with approval. You said your good buys to Luke and his family and yours. You were so ready for tonight.

Once you got on the whole time Luke would not stop smiling at you. He was in aw of how you looked and how you sounded. Jack and Quinn kept teasing him for it but they were really happy Luke found you. You made his life 10 times better. and you loved Luke sooooo much. Now it came time for your final three songs songs that were very anticipated by Luke.

"Ok Jersey these next two songs are very near and deer to my heart" you said. "But first I need a outfit change real quick I will be right back". The crowd your parents Luke's parents and his brothers were confused. But when the lights turned on the crowd went wild. Over your dress you put on Luke's hockey jersey. Everyone in the VIP tent was going wild. "Ok so i really like this one it is called Am I Okay.

End of the song

"Am I okay I think I am okayyyyy. Than Oh my God he walked in (you pointed to Luke"). Like a six foot 2 dream heaven sent he say's what he means and means what he says."

"Ok so this next one is probley my favorite song I have written so I am just going to play it it's called Third times the charm" and the crowd went wild again

Third times the charm

"I could probable get back up if this goes south and I lose your love but I don't want to know a world where your not mine and I am not your girl". For the whole bridge of the song you and Luke keeped eye contact and and you pretending that it was just you and him.

Now the final little song twist for the night was your song karma from your previous albums you worth it about your ex who only lasted about 9 months but you were going to switch up the ending.

Step by step from town to town Sweet like justice, karma is a queen Karma takes all my friends to the summit Karma is the guy on the devils Coming straight home to me

You couldn't help but giggle a little because of how loud the venue got and you saw everyone whip there phones from you to Luke to get his reaction. Once you said your goodbyes you ran right off the stage.

When you walked out you saw Luke standing there with your family and his. You knew people where still in the stands so you wanted to give them a little cute moment of you and Luke. You full speed ran to Luke and wrapped you legs around his waist and gave him a kiss. And again the crowd was awing and cheering.

[16archive]

chris johnston of the athletic and luke fox of sportsnet on mitch's 4 nations face-off overtime winner against sweden in the tournament opener (articles published february 13th, 2025)

"[mitch marner] arrived [at the 4 nations] as the nhl's fourth-leading scorer — tied with canadian teammate connor mcdavid at 71 points. but he also arrived here as the guy with six playoff goals to show for his last 37 stanley cup playoff games, which fairly or not has created a narrative about his knack for navigating big moments.

well, they don't get much bigger than the one he authored after twice watching his team squander two-goal leads to sweden."

"team canada's most criticized star (fairly or not) is wearing a different shade of leaf this week. and, dang, it looks good on him.

'those are the plays that he makes, right?' says teammate mark stone. 'I think he gets a bit of a bad rap sometimes, right? how do I word this?'

stone allows himself a long pause before choosing his next words carefully.

'I would take him on my team any day.'"

"[jon cooper:] 'if you really watch that game, the plays he made in tight, the plays he made in traffic ... it's really hard to sit here and say: 'was there a better player?''"

full transcripts below the cut

the athletic article:

montreal — after swapping one maple leaf for another and sharing a dressing room with his boyhood hero, mitch marner figured he'd packed more than enough pinch-me moments into these first few days with team canada.

then sidney crosby found him on a reload in overtime and put the puck on his stick as he gathered speed through the neutral zone, and that set the stage for a moment that was literally years in the making for the 27-year-old winger.

marner secured a massive 4 nations opening victory for canada on wednesday when he stared down erik karlsson and neatly tucked a shot over filip gustavsson's blocker. that froze the clock at 6:06 and sent the bell centre into a frenzy. but it also brought a seldom-seen level of emotion out of an all-world player who has perhaps endured the worst of the toronto maple leafs' repeated playoff defeats over the years.

"I mean, you tell 8- or 10-year-old mitch that he's scoring an overtime goal assisted by sidney crosby, a guy he looked up to since day 1, yeah, it's pretty crazy," said marner, his voice growing hoarse after the 4-3 victory. "and I'm sure my family's gonna be very excited about that one, and it's gonna be a really cool thing to have now."

let this serve as exhibit a of why players across the league fought so hard for the long overdue return of top-tier international competition: it's about these unforgettable moments. it's about testing yourself against the absolute best of the best. it's about setting everything else aside and playing for something much bigger than a paycheck.

while this may seem like a forced attempt to make it about the maple leafs, consider all that marner has been through professionally before getting his star turn after a fantastic 4 nations face-off opener.

he arrived here as the nhl's fourth-leading scorer — tied with canadian teammate connor mcdavid at 71 points. but he also arrived here as the guy with six playoff goals to show for his last 37 stanley cup playoff games, which fairly or not has created a narrative about his knack for navigating big moments.

well, they don't get much bigger than the one he authored after twice watching his team squander two-goal leads to sweden.

"I think it can obviously grow his confidence," said teammate mark stone. "I think he gets a bit of a bad rap sometimes. how do I word this? I would take him on my team any day. the way that he plays, unbelievable teammate from what I've experienced."

that's the other thing about marner: absolutely everyone he shares a dressing room with adores the guy. both in toronto with the maple leafs and here with team canada.

jon cooper, the canadian coach, has been raving about him ever since they spent a few weeks together at the 2017 iihf world hockey championship — an event in which marner was among the canadian players to miss a shootout attempt in a heartbreaking gold medal loss to sweden.

"that kid oozes confidence," said cooper. "I thought it was a big-time player making a big-time play at a big-time moment. that's why guys like him are on this team. he was fabulous."

a game like this reinforces marner's standing in the larger hockey universe. it adds a little more context. he said the pace was so fast during the first period that he had trouble regaining his breath between shifts on the bench.

but when everything was on the line and sweden had struck twice early in the third period to tie the score 3-3, he found himself among the select players cooper leaned on hard while significantly shortening his bench.

marner saw five shifts in the second half of the third period alone, including helping canada deliver a key penalty kill, and then got three more overtime shifts before finally sealing the deal.

he was mobbed by teammates after the puck went in and cheered in a building where maple leafs are accustomed to being booed.

"that's a big-time goal, that's a big-time play," said stone. "just the way he can create space for himself and then make that play. the game's hard. those kinds of moments can build your confidence."

sportsnet article:

"I mean, you tell eight- or 10-year-old mitch that he's scoring an overtime goal assisted by sidney crosby, a guy he looked to up to since day 1… it's pretty crazy," marner says, following his exclamation point on a 4-3 opening-night victory for team canada over team sweden.

"super cool. tried to just really enjoy that moment after, to be honest. the building was rocking. It was nice to have them cheering for me instead of against me."

marner was, of course, referencing a montreal throng that has long taunted the toronto maple leafs' most polarizing playmaker. but he could just have easily been speaking generally about the feeling that the masses may be against him.

it is a weight the 27-year-old has borne as the playoff losses have piled and the frustration both inside the player and surrounding his club team have swirled.

but team canada's most criticized star (fairly or not) is wearing a different shade of leaf this week. and, dang, it looks good on him.

"those are the plays that he makes, right?" says teammate mark stone. "I think he gets a bit of a bad rap sometimes, right? how do I word this?"

stone allows himself a long pause before choosing his next words carefully.

"I would take him on my team any day," stone states.

"that's a big-time goal. that's a big-time play, just the way he could create space for himself and make that play. but the game's hard. so, those kinds of moments can build your confidence."

plenty of players came here looking for an olympic audition. a few came for one last taste of best-on-best before they get too old to qualify for such a title.

some, like marner, could use this tournament, this stage, as a springboard.

an image makeover.

flourish here, and that momentum could bleed into the stretch run.

marner has the coach in his corner.

jon cooper has been a marner superfan since they shared silver at the 2017 world championships.

here, cooper has plopped the right winger on his top line alongside connor mcdavid and sam reinhart. marner is used on canada's power-play, penalty kill, and — evidently — with the game on the line in period 4.

"when you're that size, you have to have something. you have to be unique in something. you have to be better than everybody else at something," cooper explains. "and if you really watch that game, the plays he made in tight, the plays he made in traffic — and he's not the fastest kid in the ice. doesn't have the hardest shot on the ice. doesn't do a whole bunch of things that a lot of guys out there on both teams do better than him.

"but then it's really hard to sit here and say: 'was there a better player?'"

cooper believes in marner, as do his national teammates.

keep coming up clutch, shining among a sea of stars? well, maybe that belief will follow marner home.

"mitch can do it all," cooper says. "I've just watched this kid grow from when he was a young kid in pro hockey to what he is now — and just keeps getting better."

[brodygold]

The Playoffs: Semifinals

Quarterfinals here

The Golden Army’s march toward the championship continued, and now they found themselves in the semifinals. The tension in the air was palpable as they prepared to take on the Crushers, a physically imposing team known for their aggressive style of play. The Golden Army had earned their spot with skill, teamwork, and heart, but they knew the Crushers were a different kind of challenge—one that would require everything they had.

In the locker room, the team sat in silence, lacing up their sneakers and mentally preparing for the battle ahead. Captain Richard paced the room, his eyes sharp with focus. “This is it, lads. We’ve got ninety minutes to book our place in the final. The Crushers play rough, but we play smart. Stick to our plan, stay tight, and don’t let them bully us.”

Brody nodded. “We can’t let them control the tempo. We keep possession, move the ball quickly, and they’ll be chasing shadows.”

Roman, standing tall near the back, chimed in. “They’re physical, but they can’t match our pace. We’ll wear them down.”

Scott, always the optimist, grinned at his teammates. “Let’s give ‘em something to remember, eh? This is our time.”

Caleb, Bruce, and Henry listened intently. Caleb had impressed in training with his lightning-fast runs, while Bruce and Henry had been rock-solid additions to the squad. They were eager to prove themselves on the big stage.

The team had one last huddle and cheer before heading towards the pitch, as brothers and a team.

---

The whistle blew, and the semifinal was underway. From the start, the Crushers lived up to their name, using their size and strength to disrupt the Golden Army’s rhythm. The first ten minutes were scrappy, with hard tackles flying in and neither team able to establish control.

In the 15th minute, the Crushers struck first. A long ball from their goalkeeper was headed down by their towering striker, who muscled past Bruce and laid the ball off to their winger. The winger sprinted down the left flank and fired a low cross into the box. The Crushers’ forward slid in, beating Henry to the ball, and slotted it into the back of the net.

Golden Army 0, Crushers 1.

The crowd roared, but the Golden Army wasn’t rattled. Richard clapped his hands, urging his team forward. “Heads up, lads! We knew they’d come at us hard. Let’s hit back!”

Brody, determined to take control of the midfield, began to dictate the tempo, spraying passes out wide to Scott and Caleb. Caleb’s pace was causing problems for the Crushers’ defense, and it wasn’t long before the Golden Army started to find their rhythm.

In the 30th minute, their persistence paid off. Brody won a tackle in midfield and immediately looked to play the ball forward. He found Caleb in space on the right wing. With a burst of speed, Caleb beat his marker and whipped in a dangerous cross toward the far post.

Logan, timing his run perfectly, leaped into the air and connected with a powerful header, sending the ball crashing into the top corner.

Golden Army 1, Crushers 1.

The stadium erupted as Logan was mobbed by his teammates. Scott jogged over, grinning. “Perfect ball, Caleb. Keep ‘em coming!”

Caleb, his eyes gleaming with excitement, nodded. “They can’t keep up with us.”

---

With the game now level, the Golden Army began to dominate possession. Roman and Brody were controlling the midfield, while Bruce and Henry had tightened up at the back, cutting off the Crushers’ long-ball strategy.

The second half started with the same intensity, but it was clear the Crushers were beginning to tire. The Golden Army’s quick passing and relentless movement were wearing them down. In the 60th minute, the breakthrough came.

Brody, once again at the heart of the play, received the ball just inside the Crushers’ half. He dribbled forward, drawing two defenders toward him, and then slipped a perfectly weighted pass through the gap to Roman, who had made a clever run into the box.

Roman didn’t hesitate. With a single touch, he controlled the ball and fired it low into the bottom corner, past the outstretched arms of the Crushers’ goalkeeper.

Golden Army 2, Crushers 1.

The Golden Army players celebrated as the momentum swung firmly in their favor. Roman jogged back to his position, a determined look on his face. “Let’s finish this.”

---

The Crushers, now desperate for an equalizer, pushed forward, leaving themselves vulnerable to the counterattack. With ten minutes left to play, the Golden Army seized their opportunity.

Scott, tracking back to help the defense, won the ball and quickly launched a counterattack. He sent the ball out wide to Caleb, who had been terrorizing the Crushers’ left-back all game. Caleb sprinted down the wing, his blistering pace leaving the defenders trailing in his wake.

As Caleb approached the edge of the box, he cut inside, drawing the attention of the Crushers’ center-backs. But instead of going for goal, he slipped a clever pass to Layton, who had ghosted into the box unmarked.

Layton took a touch and calmly slotted the ball into the net.

Golden Army 3, Crushers 1.

The Golden Army players erupted in celebration, knowing they had sealed their place in the final. The Crushers, deflated and exhausted, had no answer. The final whistle blew minutes later, and the Golden Army had done it.

Richard gathered the team in a huddle, pride shining in his eyes. “That’s how we fight, lads. We didn’t let up, we didn’t give them an inch. One more game, and we bring that trophy home.”

Brody, still catching his breath, grinned. “We’re not done yet.”

Caleb, Bruce, Roman, and Henry all exchanged excited glances. They had proven themselves on the biggest stage, and now they were ready for the final battle.

The Golden Army left the field with their heads held high, knowing that they were just one game away from glory. The camaraderie that had carried them this far was stronger than ever, and with the final looming, they knew that no challenge was too great as long as they had each other.

[whiskeyapologist]

was looking through my camera roll & realized i never posted about this?? but i did a check please theme in my bullet journal back in april & i am still beyond obsessed with how it turned out!

task list & cover page

april was all about finishing my fucking thesis (i earned my mfa in stage automation in may) & i used the task list to break down each section of my thesis & make it less intimidating. i still pulled a bitty & had to marathon write most of my thesis within a like 36 hour period. i slept so good once that draft was finished!

when i started planning this theme, i flipped through the comic & decided pretty quickly i wanted the cover to be this view of faber from 4.25 "faber". i filled the outside with some of my favorite details from throughout the comic, including (clockwise from top left) the "text from chowder: i'm shouting!" from 4.2 "nonstop celly", jack's "oh" moment from 2.17 "graduation", the jack lego (?) figure from 3.1 "wag", dex & nursey's background roach & house bubbles & (i think it's) ransom's "et tu lardo?" bubble from 2.12 "post i: roadie", one of my fave senor bun appearances that didn't make it into a weekly from 1.16 "linemates", & bitty's phone (i don't think there's a specific appearance of bitty's phone that looks like this, at least not that i'm finding in the flip-throughs i've done to write this post. i think i did a lil freehand moment with it, but if anyone happens to find it in the comic, let me know!), as well as my usual little calendar & monthly focuses section

monthly calendar & habit tracker

the monthly calendar & playlist is inspired by the smh team roster hanging on the bulletin board in the haus at the beginning of year 2

the habit tracker features a few other details from 2.1 “moved in”, namely the “haus sweet haus” rug & the sock pinned to the bulletin board. the shopping list bubble is a callback to the “jizz!” speech bubble also pinned to the bulletin board next to the sock

meal & time trackers

the breakfast, lunch, & dinner headers are a callback to the hockey puck taped to the bulletin board

not much to add here, but it’s a great time to mention the “it’s tough but you’re tougher” speech bubble from 4.20 “spotlight on eric bittle” which was the quote i used to decorate my grad cap ❤️

weekly #1 is modeled after y1 & features my favorite y1 senor bun appearance (1.18 “playoffs - i”) & line (1.8 “checking clinic”)

weekly #2 is modeled after y2 & features my favorite y2 senor bun (2.10 "shinny") & line (2.4 "hazeapalooza")

weekly #3 is modeled after y3 & features my favorite y3 senor bun (3.3 "meet the falconers") & line (3.26 "cup v - post")

weekly #4 is modeled after y4 (the layout of the top panel specifically is modeled after the first panel of 4.16 "christmas in madison - iii" which shows a bunch of the christmas pics/posts from the rest of smh & tater) & features my favorite y4 senor bun (4.17 "senior thesis") & line (also 4.17 "senior thesis"). i has some extra space, so i included some excerpts from bitty's y4 tweets

camp nanowrimo tracker, before the pen. the left is just a table for tracking time spent on & words written for my thesis & the novel i've been working on forever. my camp nanowrimo goal was to write 1 hour every weekend day & 2 hours every week day, for a grand total of 50 hours, which i am proud to say i achieved! the right is a visual tracker, where each pie was equal to an hour of writing. i included 50 pies for my 50 hour goal. the bubble near the top is from 1.4 "the haus" with 2 footnotes i added; one on "kitchens" that says "word docs", & one on "pies" that says "words". clearly i think i'm very clever lol

visual tracker, filled in. i surpassed my 50 hour goal with about a week left in the month, & i wanted to include that additional progress on my tracker. once the month was done & i knew how much i needed to add, i made a tip-in (although this might just be a fold-out lol) to tape in. on one side, i included the dialogue bubbles from a panel of 3.19 "keagster"

on the other side of the tip-in/flip-out, i included jam jars for the additional 10.25 hours of writing i did, plus "it's gonna be two trips" also from 3.19 "keagster"

& that's all the spreads! spreads were done in an archer & olive b5 notebook. supplies include: mildliners in the colors vermillion, dark blue, beige, & gray; a black papermate flair, a white gellyroll pen in size 08, and stabilo pens in gray and brown. oh, & a piece of masking tape, bc i couldn't find any clear tape lol

[overwatch-1eague]

2018 (Inaugural Season)

Stage 1 Playoffs

Semifinal: London Spitfire vs Houston Outlaws

[elminx]

Energy Update: March 2024

March is a "2" Universal Month [3 (March) + 8 (2024) = 11 = 1+1 =2] in an "8" Universal Year. 2-months are associated with building connections and the beginning of a path forward. They are often also associated with breakthroughs - this is very in line with the astrology of March which is highlighted by an intense once-in-a-decade conjunction between Chiron and the North Node, and the beginning of Eclipse Season.

The Set Up

We begin the month with the Sun and Mercury in Pisces, Venus Mars and Pluto in Aquarius, Jupiter and Uranus in Taurus, and Neptune in Pisces. Note here the cluster of planets from the sign of Aquarius to the sign of Taurus (with Chiron and the North Node in the otherwise unoccupied sign of Aries in the middle of this cluster). This shows that we have a lot of work, individually and as a society, to do in the areas represented by the last two (Aquarius/Pisces) and first two (Aries/Taurus) signs in the zodiac. The times are changing (Pluto just shifted signs back at the end of January) and there may be some adjustments that need to be made.

By month's end, the Sun and Mercury will have moved on into Aries, and Venus and Mars will have moved into Pisces. Note here that both Venus and Mars are lagging behind the Sun which puts relationships somewhat in the rearview mirror.

The Nitty Gritty

All eyes are on the lunar nodes which will finish off their transit of Aries and Libra at the end of this year.

For those that need a primer, the North and South Nodes of the Moon are not physical objects in the sky but rather mathematical points in which the Sun, Moon, and Earth have the potential to line up with one another to create the solar and lunar eclipses. Both of these two points carry a certain weight to them and are best likened linguistically to the idea of "fate". The North Node is considered to be forward-facing fate, that which is yet to come, and the South Node is considered to control the fate of what has already happened. They always occur as a pair with one another, each occupying one-half of opposing signs in the horoscope wheel. As our North Node (forward-facing fate) is in Aries and our South Node (past fate) is in Libra, we are all being encouraged to think more independently (Aries) and to move away from group think and other forms of codependency (Libra).

This cycle is going to be highlighted all month long and beyond as all of our personal planets enter the sign of Aries and work toward their inevitable conjunction with our North Node. This month Mercury and Chiron will conjunct the North Node, in April the Sun and Venus will conjunct the North Node, and, in May, Mars will conjunct the North Node. This is it - the time to decide. We may be forced in the months ahead to make choices to better our own lives BEFORE the choices are made for us. If you want to be in control of your own fate, the time to act and set intentions is early in March BEFORE eclipse season. Once eclipse season has arrived, all bets are off.

As I have stated many times, the first of the month tends to set the stage for the energy of the month ahead as a whole and 3/1 does not disappoint with our Sun in Pisces sextile with Jupiter in Taurus (good vibes all around there) and Venus in Aquarius sextile to both the North Node and Chiron in Aries. Note here: the North Node and Chiron will be conjunct to one another within a degree for THE ENTIRE MONTH OF MARCH - this shows that although there is a way forward, it might be a painful one. This is pretty in line with some of the relationship ick we might have left from a very poorly aligned month in February and the general feeling that Pluto, newly in Aquarius, is bringing to the table.

If Change Before You Have To is the name of the game, we've passed into the Have To part of the playoffs.

There is definitely a way forward during this time, but you absolutely will not be able to bring all of your baggage with you.

Put that shit down, if you can.

The first weekend of March may prove volatile as both Mercury and Venus play with Uranus in Taurus through a supportive sextile for the former and a tougher square for the latter. Uranian energy can feel fairly similar to lunar nodal/eclipse energy as it tends to feel larger than life and unavoidable. It carries much of the same energy as the Tower card in the tarot or the Hagalaz rune. Keep your eyes wide open and try to practice radical acceptance of what is coming up for you in your life. Keep an eye on this energy as it is going to show up big in Taurus season two months from now.

On Monday, 3/5, we experience our exact conjunction between our Asteroid Chiron and the North Node at 16° Aries. Chiron, often known as the wounded healer, tends to represent the pain point of an old wound. In Sign #1 Aries, this wound is centered around how we have all been forced to abandon our uniqueness and individuality to fit in with the pack. The North Node is highlighting the need to be who YOU really are - not who society has told you to be, not who your parents have told you to be, not who your partner would like you to be. If you have trauma around conforming - either wanting to and not being able to or being forced to when it wasn't in your nature, this is the transit to watch out for this month. The combination of North Node and Chiron energy can be extremely healing but it's going to take some work and dedication to see through the muck to the other side. It is worth the reminder here that the secret to Chiron moments in life is to lean INTO the pain rather than away from it.

The next day, Mars in Aquarius sextiles both of these two major stress points in the skies. I think that this may open up some avenues of reconciliation between couples that may be on the outs after a rough February (romance-wise). This is a cosmic reminder to let your partner be who they really are, or leave. (Quite frankly.) With such a heavy influence on the individual over the couple (Aries North Node), there's going to be a lot of impetus to just go it alone. And that's not a bad decision right now if we're being honest.

Better alone than with somebody who keeps you small, that's a lesson of the North Node in Aries FOR SURE.

The second weekend in March is even more volatile and Uranian than the first with our Sun in Pisces sextile to Uranus in Taurus and Mars in Aquarius in direct square. This is RED FLAGS weather. Any Mars-Uranus transits are and the square is by far the worst of them. Lie low, stay out of the fire, and avoid explosives of all kinds if you can. Fate is heavily in play still and Uranus never holds its punches. It's the dark of the moon, as well, which tends to make the energy deep and murky.

Our new moon is on Sunday 3/10 at 20° Pisces and carries with it the energy of 6 and 7. It is also still sitting in the Uranian energy of the day beforehand. The unpredictability of Uranian energy and the darkness of the unconscious 12th house may be on full display here so expect some immature/shadow behaviors to rise to the surface. Check yourself before you wreck yourself. In its mature form, Piscean energy can be the most selfless of the entire horoscope - tap into that if you can. Watch out for selfishness and avoidant behavior of all kinds. Though it is a wide conjunction, this will bring some of the energy of Neptune in late Pisces into play. Great for a game of role-play, but not so great for honest discussions or accountability. This energy supports divination, dream work, and spirit communication, but little else. This is also the last major lunar event before our eclipses so the most sensitive among us will already be feeling it.

The energy will shift a bit as Mercury enters Aries and Venus enters Pisces but we'll still have the same general energies in play, so it may go unnoticed amongst the angst. We're drawing close to the Spring Equinox and the start of Aries season which will include two eclipses so the energy may seem to build every day leading up to the 19th. If you are feeling the anxiety of "something about to happen", know that you are right on time.

It's going to happen in a flash. On 3/18, Mercury enters its pre-retrograde shadow at 15° Aries. On 3/19, the Sun enters Aries, and Mercury conjuncts the North Node. On 3/20, Mercury conjuncts Chiron.

Though Chiron and the North Node no longer share the same degree, they are still in close conjunction with each other and Mercury is like the cherry on top of this powerhouse stellium. If you have a relationship that you want to save - this is the time to talk it out. But - AS STATED ABOVE - you gotta be willing to let the other person be who they need to be. And vice versa. That is the bare minimum right now.

For the rest of us, words may hurt during this time, but they might also be quite cathartic. This is a hard "Go" for all of your writers out there. What comes up now isn't going anywhere, we will have to experience these degrees of Aries multiple times during Mercury's retrograde cycle as Mercury moves back and forth between 15-27° Aries thrice. This can be a boon or a bane and some of that will likely be up to your perception (Mercury) of these events. This is wildcard energy and as we enter Aries season, the lunar nodes are ready to go.

Aries is our first sign of the zodiac and it is a moving/cardinal sign ruled by Mars, the planet of action. Expect the pace to pick up faster by the day the Sun sextiles Pluto and Venus conjuncts Saturn on 3/21, and Mars enters Pisces on 3/22. Our lunar eclipse on 3/25 at 05° Libra is a neon billboard already shining in the sky. We're in the event horizon.

To understand eclipses you must accept that you will never understand eclipses. They exist in a space that appears to exist a bit out of time and create a feeling of heightened liminality to the world. This is why many astrologers explain the energy of an eclipse as opening and closing the doors of fate. Some opportunities seem to materialize out of nowhere with eclipse energy whereas other things in your life might drift permanently away. The general rule of thumb is to trust eclipse energy as the Nodes of the Moon, in the natal chart, are supposed to show us our destiny/path.

I have found that not all eclipses create drastic change in my life, but eclipses that strongly aspect my natal chart are far more likely to. I will write more about this specific eclipse energy in its own post but it is THE transit of the month, for obvious reasons.

Note here that this is a full moon (lunar) eclipse so our moon in Libra is conjunct to the South Node in Libra and opposed to the Sun and North Node in Aries. This is a release/release eclipse energy that will highly augment any magic or rituals done to let go of things and move the fuck on.

It is time. Spring has sprung. The world is reborn anew for another growing year. April will be a "3" month. "3" is the number of creation. Let's get ready.

The Details

3/1 - Sun in Pisces sextile Jupiter in Taurus, Venus in Aquarius sextile North Node in Aries/trine South Node in Libra, Venus in Aquarius sextile Chiron in Aries 3/3 - Venus in Aquarius square Uranus in Taurus 3/4 - Mercury in Pisces sextile Uranus in Taurus 3/5 - Chiron conjunct North Node in Aries/opposed South Node in Libra 16 Aries 3/6 - Mars in Aquarius sextile North Node in Aries/trine South Node in Libra, Mars in Aquarius sextile Chiron in Aries 3/8 - Mercury conjunct Neptune 27° Pisces 3/9 - Sun in Pisces sextile Uranus in Taurus, Mars in Aquarius square Uranus in Taurus 3/10 - New moon 20° Pisces, Mercury enters Aries 3/11 - Venus enters Pisces 3/17 - Sun conjunct Neptune 27° Pisces 3/18 - Mercury enters its pre-retrograde shadow 15° Aries 3/19 - Sun enters Aries, Mercury conjunct South Node in Aries/opposed South Node in Libra 3/20 - Mercury conjunct Chiron 19° Aries 3/21 - Sun in Aries sextile Pluto in Aquarius, Venus conjunct Saturn 12° Pisces 3/22 - Mars enters Pisces 3/24 - Venus in Pisces sextile Jupiter in Taurus 3/25 - Eclipsed Full Moon 05° Libra 3/28 - Venus in Pisces sextile Uranus in Taurus

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[aerinfrankellove]

May I have Tapani thoughts?

@bombusternarius

I give nothing but what the people wish so here they are

Honestly I didn’t really know who Susanna Tapani was when the season first started bc she played for Minnesota and I’ve been a Boston fan since day 1 (not counting me also rooting for New York but). That being said, having gathered knowledge, she just sounds wonderful. She has several medals on the international stage while playing for Finland and is a duel sport athlete, playing ringette for several years and while I know nothing about the sport she captained the national team for a bit and has several medals there as well

She’s had notable production for the Finnish team and is a pretty well established player, but in Minnesota she was a bit eclipsed by players from the US national team (zumwinkle, heise, coyne etc). She played a total of 9 games for Minnesota and I dunno maybe I’m biased but I’ve seen a few clips and she just didn’t seem to fit in there. I can’t for the life of me find any time on ice stats but I do remember that she wasn’t playing as much as a player of her caliber could.

Then, she gets traded she’s headed to Boston and I’m over here getting immediately attached to the two new players. Like imagine being the first trade, there’s no precedent, you and two other people in the world know exactly what you’re going through and one of them is on a plane to the place you left. I do think she’s a professional and would understand the trade from a logical point of view, but it’s still gotta sting, to be one of the first people to leave your team and be shipped off.

I think it definitely is nice to be moving with not even your teammate but your roommate, a bit of familiarity in a new city, in navigating the situation for the complete first time, but I still imagine it was definitely an adjustment. Luckily for her she adjusted with an exceptional amount of grace and thrived and Boston, becoming a steady player and getting increased time on the ice. She’s really been able to show off her skills, and ended the season with the highest +/- of anyone in the league, an understandable showing of how her presence on the ice is a good staple.

I definitely feel she meshed very quickly with Boston and quickly grew into her green jersey, to the point where when i think of Boston as a team, she’s definitely a core part of it. I think she’s proved her value in the trade head over shoulders, (Courtney kessel who is whispering in her ear), and I think she made the best of a less than ideal situation, adapting to a new city and team with grace.

Then, come along playoffs and in 2 out of 3 games she’s been responsible for the overtime winning goal, getting in near the goal and finishing off good offense by her team. She’s just had so much potential to struggle as being part of the very first trade, moving to a whole new city and she dealt with the curveball and made herself near indispensable to Boston and becoming a core part of their team and offense. Also her nickname is “suski” and I just think she’s wonderful

[devilsupdates]

Update on trade

Again this is coming from ESPN and the Devils app

We got a goalie!!!!

The New Jersey Devils announced today that the team has acquired goaltender Jake Allen from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for New Jersey’s conditional third-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft. Montreal will retain 50% of Allen’s salary both this year and in 2024-25, the last year of his contract. The announcement was made by President/General Manager Tom Fitzgerald.

The conditions on the pick are as follows: if Allen plays in 40 regular-season games in the 2024-25 season and his club qualifies for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the 2025 third-round pick becomes New Jersey’s 2025 second-round selection.

Allen, 33, joins New Jersey after spending the last four seasons with Montreal. The 6’2”, 195lbs. goaltender recorded a 41-68-15 career record with the Canadiens, while also earning three shutouts and a 3.30 goals-against average (GAA). Allen posted 6-12-3 record in 21 games this season for Montreal and owns a 6-1-0 career record playing at Prudential Center.

Before Allen was traded to Montreal on Sept. 2, 2020, he played in parts of eight seasons with the St. Louis Blues from 2011-12 to 2019-20. Allen earned 148 career wins with St. Louis, which ranks second all-time for Blues franchise history. The Fredericton, New Brunswick native logged his first career regular season start on Feb. 13, 2013, in a 4-3 win at Detroit. He recorded a career-high 33 wins in 2016-17 with St. Louis and earned a career-high six shutouts in 2015-16.

The veteran netminder also carries Stanley Cup Playoff experience, after playing in six postseasons with St. Louis, and was a member of their 2019 Stanley Cup championship team. Allen has played in 29 career postseason contests and owns an 11-12 overall record with a 2.06 GAA.

Born on Aug.7, 1990, St. Louis selected Allen in the second round, 34th overall, in the 2008 NHL Draft. He also represented Canada on the international stage at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) U18 World Junior Championship (WJC) in 2007-08 and 2009-10. Allen helped Canada win a Gold Medal in 2008 and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. He also earned a Silver Medal with Canada at the 2010 WJC.

[newtypezaku]

P-P-P-Power Rankings!!

Gundam GQuuuuuuX (Last: 1): Kycelia made short work of Gihren before attacking A Bao A Qu, forcing Challia to recalculate his entire plan.

Go Go Loser Ranger (Last: 2): Despite overwhelming numbers of kaiju, the faux boss monsters continued to get chopped down by the rangers.

The Too Perfect Saint (Last: 3): Philia was a match for Asmodeus at partial strength but needed assistance after getting pulled into limbo.

The Apothecary Diaries (Last: 5): Shisui dropped the niceties with her parents as Jinshi and the Royal Guards stormed the stronghold.

Fire Force (Last: 4): Shinra flew out to fight the giant robot wading ashore but mostly caused problems for the 2nd and Haijima.

Catch Me at the Ballpark! (Last: 7): With a trip to the playoffs on the line, the Motorsuns lost a close game in dramatic fashion.

Once Upon a Witch's Death (Last: NR): Meg cured another Stage V magic infection and one-upped herself by saving all of Aquamarine.

From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman (Last: NR): Allucia increased the guard for another royal outing that was predictably attacked.

Aiming for eight each week cuz eighters gonna eight. [Full Watch List]