#74 he was born in 77

[despazito]

crazy macron factoid

[fagsarecool]

Ah shit enoch's older than my dad...

[voxofthevoid]

April Anniversary Final List

I've compiled the 15 fics/ideas you guys picked in response to this post into a detailed list (under the cut). The numbers (51, 43, etc.) are now obsolete because I've added another idea to the list—yes, the total is 94 now, 77 untouched—and plan to keep doing it, which will alter the numbers owing to the way they're organized by ship(s). The doc will stay publicly available (...though I should really go through it and fix all the typos and errors).

Like I said in the OG post, I want to write a scene of approximately 1k for each of these. That's easy enough, usually, but I also want these to be coherent, standalone scenes—connected to the overall fic 'verse, yes, but a self-contained short story nonetheless. And we all know that's not my forte. So, yeah, it's gonna be a hell of a challenge.

These WIPs are not getting struck from my list once I'm done though. I'll be poking at them later, the way I do now—one at a time, until I'm out of the fandom.

Also, the usual disclaimer: If health/IRL fuckery pops up, I'll postpone or cancel the project. Hoping that won't happen, but you never know.

#1. 51 @nearalways

Canonverse pet play featuring a developing relationship, in which Yuuji jokingly says Gojou’s like a puppy and Gojou takes it and runs with it. Yuuji discovers the dubious joys of pet ownership.

#2. 43 @naeldeus

Satoru and her bigass tits single-handedly turn Yuuji from an ass woman into a chest woman, and Satoru’s reaction to Yuuji staring at her tits is to basically smother Yuuji in them in the guise of a hug. It escalates predictably.

#3. 31 @fluffys-nightmare

Yuuji makes a binding vow with the Angel to let her kill him and Sukuna after Gojou’s unsealed, except it doesn’t go as planned and the end result is Yuuji and Sukuna completely merged.

#4. 55 @laughing-sock

A curse user’s failed technique leaves Yuuji with a plush-like replica of Gojou, which Gojou lets him keep. It’s harmless until Yuuji accidentally activates a connection between the doll and Gojou.

#5. 36 (anon)

Sukuna kills the Angel so they can’t unseal Gojou. Teen!Gojou drops into the timeline and retrieves the PR, but they can’t open it. Yuuji has complicated emotional sex with teen!Gojou and spends every spare hour gazing plaintively at the PR. Teen!Gojou is in it mostly for the sex at first, except that doesn’t last.

#6. 45 (anon)

Post-canon where defeating Sukuna still leaves Yuuji with all his loved ones dead. He’s trying to busy himself by helping rebuild society when a new 6E+Limitless user is born, named “Satoru” to honor the last one, and a few years later, the Gojou clan asks for him to be the kid’s bodyguard.

#7. 71 (anon)

Gojou dubcons Megumi in his dorm room while mocking him about his crush on Yuuji, and when Yuuji bursts in after hearing concerning noises, Gojou offers Megumi to him.

#8. 67 @yaoshifollower

Canonverse breakup-makeup AU in a no-Shibuya context, spanning the time from Yuuji’s first year to his early-mid twenties. The sukuita parts are hatesex culminating in cannibalism; goyuu is the endgame.

#9. 03 @lo-55

Gojou tries to seduce Yuuji by rapebaiting him—sleeping on and near him in provocative clothing. Yuuji resists until he doesn’t.

#10. 73 (anon)

Yuuji semi-accidentally seduces Higuruma after their fight in the Culling Games, and during the one-month time skip after Gojou’s unsealed, he manages to semi-accidentally romance both men to the point of inevitable heartache.

#11. 74 @kubo-chan

Pre-canon where Kenjaku pays their favorite child a few in-person visits, finds that Yuuji’s body is rejecting Sukuna’s fingers, and lets their scientific curiosity run a little wilder than usual. Years later, Gojou finds Yuuji while investigating unusual curse activity.

#12. 08 @cunt-recesses

Omegaverse-canonverse alpha/alpha where 20-something Gojou adopts Yuuji, who was being raised by a Sukuna-focused cult.

#13. 50 @zalondra

Omegaverse-canonverse alpha/alpha where becoming Sukuna’s vessel triggers Yuuji’s rut early, a couple of days after he’s accepted into Jujutsu Tech, and since the higher-ups aren’t willing to risk Sukuna’s vessel losing control during that hormonal mess, Gojou volunteers to help him through it.

#14. 42 (anon)

Someone makes the mistake of letting Gojou teach sex-ed to the first-years. It’s a pretty typical class for Nobara and Megumi, but Yuuji's living a different porn scenario every week.

#15. 24 (anon)

Sukuna–Yuuji role reversal where Yuuji’s more interested in his vessel’s teacher than the vessel himself, and Gojou gets too much of a thrill from playing with fire.

[velteris]

Frieren timeline

The only timeline available on the wiki isn’t super fleshed out with exact dates and counting backwards etc. So I decided to make my own.

Notes:

1. Spoilers for up to manga ch119 (the most recent at this time)

2. Even if it’s likely just a rough measure (“three hundred years ago”), I’m gonna assume when doing my math that it was exactly 300 years, because otherwise I can’t do most of the math

3. I skip most events that don’t have an exact year, eg Fern and Stark respective being taken in by Heiter and Eisen. I do make some estimates (eg Sein’s birthday, we only know he’s in mid-30s so he can’t have been born any further back than year xx).

4. Standardised year 0 as the year the demon king was defeated

5. Realised about 2/3rds through that I could be writing down chapter citations but at that point it was too late lol sorry

behold!

-3,000: Earliest mentioned date, by Frieren re: dwarf beliefs; most people believed the dead turn to dust, so pre-Goddess. Unclear when Goddess actually starts appearing.

[Emperor Boshaft alive, so is Milliarde, Frieren in village]

-1,000: Frieren becomes Flamme’s apprentice

-950: Flamme passes away*

-510: the last time Frieren fought a demon (quite likely Macht, as in year 80 she says 600 years ago, which would be -520. What’s a decade here and there?)

-420: Frieren restores her golden arm

-422: Aura became one of the seven sages of destruction

-322: the last time Frieren saw another elf, Grandfather Voll starts to protect village

-222: the last time Kraft saw another elf

-120: Fass finds Emperor Boshaft’s alcohol, Gehn starts working on his village’s bridge

-26: Himmel is born

-11?: Hero of the South visits Frieren and dies a year later; tells her she’ll meet Himmel soon**

-10: Hero Party sets out from capital

[Hero Party kills Immortal Bose and pushes back Aura sometime during this period]

-3: Goddess arc (Himmel is 23), Hero Party seals Qual***

0: Demon King defeated, Era Meteors, Macht starts to serve^

2: Denken born

20: Macht is braceleted

28: Continental Magic Association started (at latest), Lernen was first first-class mage

29: Denken came to Auberst with his wife (who died when he was in his twenties); Denken’s wife presumably passed away very soon after

30: last sighting of a Darkness Dragon (per random apothecary); Weis turned to gold and sealed

39: Earliest possible Sein birthday (he would be 40); humanity learns to fly

45: Wirbel born

50: 2nd Era Meteors; Himmel passes away; Aura reappears, demon activity increases in north and baby Wirbel makes promise

61: Stark is born earlier in the year after winter; Fern is born some time after harvest festival but before the last three months of the year

68: Graf Granat’s son dies in war against Aura

69: Sein’s friend Gorilla left

70: Frieren and Fern meet

74: Heiter collapses

75: Stark runs away from Eisen

76: Heiter passes away; Frieren and Fern set out on their journey

76.5: half a year spent looking for blue moonweed

77: Fern turns 16 (after spring, latest autumn)

78: 3+ Months spent at seaside town cleaning beach

79: wintered with Kraft, Stark’s 18th bday (after spring), meet Sein around harvest festival (time is a bit funky since it gets cold and then warm after this?)^^

80: El Dorado arc

81: first chapter after El Dorado. As of ch119, we are here, 31 years after Hero Himmel’s death!

and in the future…

97: Tod’s “curse” will engulf the star?

100: Next meteor shower. Fern and Stark would be 39.

149: Frieren promised to be back at hero’s sword village by this time

1079: Frieren may return to the Continental Mage Association :)

*Assuming she died soon after Frieren’s last shown convo with her where she said “it’s only been 50 years”

**Unclear just when was the Frieren/Hero of the South meeting, so it could technically be anywhere before, but -11 is the most recent it could be

***Frieren says it’s been 80 years in year 77. If she’s being precise then this is the date—but I have doubts as Qual was sealed in the Central Lands, and Hero Party should be well into the Northern Plateau near the goddess monument by this point.

^Technically I think Macht starts to serve a leetle bit before the demon king is defeated, but no time frame given for how long it took Macht and Glück to have those convos

^^To be more precise: they start the year’s winter with Kraft. Then it gets warm, and Stark’s birthday happens. Harvest festivals are usually in autumn, which is when they meet Sein, and then it gets cold enough for the gang to wear their winter gear again, and they spend a winter (or a cold snap?) with Sein. When they get to Auberst they spend an additional two months training with Fern while waiting for the exam to start. But when they finally leave Auberst in ch61, and aren’t wearing their winter clothes anymore, it’s still listed as 29 years post-Himmel death??? There’s a mention of it being because they’re in the volcanic belt… But seriously, year 79 goes on and on. I honestly think the authors just forgot to find a good spot to switch that over lol

[violant-apologia]

The Airs of Pilgrim's Dawn

a randomiser quality: 38 little snippets from life in my silver city

0-4: A gust of smog from the East.

5-9: A jade figurine is thrown from a window, smashing into fragments onto the cobbles.

10-14: A preacher and a tracklayer stand at a street corner, chatting about the lack of weather.

15-19: A tracklayer walks down the street with a pushchair, laughing at her infant’s babbling.

20-24: The most recent Hour of Dance lasted all night. Limbs are still sore, but there is a sense of solidarity in the city.

25-29: The Burrow-Church is bright and looming.

30-33: A ginger tom slinks into a nearby alley.

34-37: Urchins run through the street, flicking pigments at one another. Their graffiti is left half-complete on a high wall.

38-41: A mechanical failure: this street’s red night lamps haven’t turned off. The buildings are illuminated in a sleepy orange-pink.

42-45: The whistle of a locomotive. A tracklayer reacts with a grumble — her partner with a nostalgic sigh.

46-49: A couple of gendarmes patrol a street, chatting amicably as they go. Pilgrim’s Dawn may have fewer laws than London, but what is sacred must still be protected.

50-52: A particularly forceful drum beat startles a group of pigeons from their roost. They mingle with bats in the cavern air.

53-55: A spirifer (is that the right term, where spirifage is not a crime?) bows to a passerby, trenchcoat clinking as he does so.

56-58: A stall offers ‘REAL HADDOCK PIES’ – though they smell like Evenlode angler.

59-61: The smell of roses and sulphur is thick today.

62-64: Yet another frieze is carefully carried up to the Burrow-Church. Theology, it seems, is an active process.

65-67: A young bohemian reads poetry on a street corner. The imagery is beautiful, but his delivery could use work.

68-70: An effort is made to align phonograph music with the earthen drum beats. ‘Close enough’ is achieved, and a small dance floor forms on the street corner.

71-73: A tracklayer’s hanging garden falls as he tends it. Porcelain, roses and soil scatter over the cobbles.

74-76: A fire breaks out – the accompanying screams are only of tourists.

77: There are no door knockers in Pilgrim’s Dawn.

78-79: A Starved Man lumbers through the streets. Dancers swerve to avoid him, snatches of suspicion visible from within their pirouettes.

80-81: ‘The Bun: A hairstyle for the working man!’ a poster proclaims.

82-83: A green-eyed devil sighs as he watches a couple dance. One tries to spin away from her partner but stumbles – she falls into his arms, laughing.

84-85: A pair of Clay Men tango slowly in a crowd; their quavers are the others’ semibreves.

86-87: A rat lingers by a carving of your face. It scratches its back using your nose.

88-89: A rose-scholar looks over a balcony at the dancers below, jots down notes of their movements.

90: Morning prayers: north, east, south, up, down.

91: The sound of the sea – not the zee, the real thing – seems to emanate from the south.

92: A young deacon tries to explain what a ‘Judgement’ is to a curious Clay Man. It’s clear that she doesn't entirely understand the concept herself.

93: A fox? No, just your imagination.

94: ‘My daughter!’ cries a tracklayer, eyes wild and regretful. ‘No, I—’ And then he snaps back to himself.

95: An Infernal Tourist protests – the Rose Giveth Its Verses to Devils – but the tracklayers dance on, heedless.

96: A black, shuttered palanquin is borne through the streets by two weathered Clay Men. There are whispers – surely not the Empress? … Another royal? – but nobody impedes their progress.

97: A dolorous devil stalks the streets. He tries to keep to the sparse shadows and startles at dancers of the Terpsichore.

98: Trumpets at the gates; a regiment of devils pass through on their way to the Burrow-Church.

99: A bulky figure in a glittering cloak sweeps through the streets. Insults are hurled in its wake.

100: The ever-present drumming has a lazy, contented quality to it today. Is the Drummer… happy?

[bratshaws]

through the hourglass 124. brb x oc

a/n: my day is going a bit intense and I don't know how to feel about it. hah. just...send good vibes guys, pls. reblogs and comments are super encouraged <3333

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: none.

goodness gracious (pls read this one to know more what this fic is about!!)

chapter

1/

/70/71/72/73/74/75/76/77/78/79/80/81/82/83/84/85/86/87/88

/89/90/91/92/93/94/95/96/97/98/99/100/101/102/103/104/105

/106/107/108/109/110/111/112/113/114/115/116/117/118/119/120/121

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-

Nicole loved going out with her parents, it was one of the few things her still developing mind could connect with fun. That and spending time with both of her grandparents. She was still six months old, still a baby but she was very alert.

Her doctors often told her parents how smart she was for such a young age, in fact they mentioned that she might expand her vocabulary really soon, maybe sooner than any of them expected. So to her, looking out of the window from her little seat as her father drove them somewhere was enough to catch her attention, “Aa?” she stares at the window, making Beatrice look at her then to see what she was so intrigued by.

There was a huge billboard with a dog on it, a pitbull that resembled Jolene a whole lot. “I know, honey. It’s a dog.” her mother says, “It looks like Jojo,doesn’t it?”

“Buh buh buh.” she giggles, kicking her little legs, those tiny Mary Janes were making their daughter look like a little doll, “Ha!”

Beatrice smiles, rubbing her daughter’s leg fondly before she goes back to her original position, “Well, at least she’s having fun.” she sighs, sinking a bit in her seat, “I’m so…nervous.”

Rooster hummed, dropping one of his hands from the wheel to land on her thigh, gently rubbing the denim covered limb with his thumb as he paid attention to the road, ‘I know,me too.” he says, “I don’t know why, considering the why was dealt with.”

“I think it has to do mainly with the fact we are coming back to the clinic six months after Nicole was born?”

A pause.

“That could be it.” was his muttered reply, followed by a clearing of his throat that turned into a short chuckle as he removed the hand from her leg to hold onto the steering wheel, it’s twin coming up to his face to hold his head up as his elbow stayed on the window, “It’s not that weird,there are people who had babies three months apart.”

“That’s…” she frowns, “I don’t know how to feel about that.”

“I mean at least we waited– well not waited because it wasn’t planned but uh…we didn’t did it so soon.”

The silence that followed was humorous and worrisome, because both of them just looked so confused by this situation it was hilarious. So much so that Nicole herself started giggling, even if she had no idea what was going on,”I mean I guess.” Beatrice’s mouth curved into a smile when she heard Nicole’s laughing, there was no way to be worried when that little girl giggled, she just made all the fears melt away, “I just hope it goes well, you know? And figure out how far along I am.”

“How far along do you think you are?” he asks, “Any idea?”

“I’ve looked it up on the old flier I got at the clinic and apparently it’s one month along…I think.” she didn’t seem to trust her own words, in fact she looked even more conflicted, “I’m trying to remember if I got my period last month….um…” she holds her forehead and clenches her eyes, “I don’t know if I did, I could check my calendar but I don’t know.”

“I think it’s better if we just check at the clinic,gorgeous.”

“Yeah…yeah you are right.”

Beatrice just chewed the side of her mouth in thought, still mentally counting the days in her fingers, calculating, moving her fingers in a square, then a circle, with her brows furrowed because obviously there was a way of knowing.

Bradley just offered his wife a little smile, then patted her thigh fondly because he knew she was trying to soothe her nerves. The rest of the week was…fine. People still questioned if everything was okay because both of them looked way too happy but quickly dropped it once they mentioned anything about Nikki.

Was it wrong?

Not really considering their daughter was getting bigger and bigger and achieving so much so soon.

Speaking of her, Rooster looked at her through the mirror, her sandy brown hair was pulled into two low pigtails and her pink dress with shorts made her look like a little princess. She just looked out of the window, with pure amazement because everything was so new to her, everything infatuated her so nicely, she was an amazing little baby.

And Rooster didn’t want to miss those moments.

He hadn’t told Beatrice about the…possible special mission after the holidays, whatever it was it needed a lot of research. If they had time to figure out how to do it, it meant they got the advantage…possibly. The last time they had at least a few weeks to prepare, maybe even a month if he wasn’t wrong and it was dangerous as fuck.

Whatever it was he had to mentally prepare for when he had to leave…which part of him didn’t want to, not really, he wanted to stay but he couldn’t. He had been having a lot of these thoughts lately, these conflicting moments in his mind that sometimes weighed too much for him to handle.

He decided to focus on always coming back home, as safe as he could be. It was what he could do at the moment, nothing more.

“We’re here.” his wife says, looking out of the window as he turns the car towards the parking lot, there weren’t a lot of people from what they’ve seen, “...well…are you ready?”

“I’m ready.Are you?”

“Hrrm.”

Her little noises always made him smile, he couldn’t help but lean down and kiss her forehead, kiss that little furl between her brows and chuckling when she just blinked up at him in confusion, “We’ll be okay, gorgeous.” he reassures her, opening the car door and walking around it to open her own.

Beatrice smiles in thanks, standing to her feet and clenching the flier in her hand as she looked towards the building. How odd was it to see it again in…such a short period of time. The lady who scheduled their visit didn’t seem to judge either of them, she just laughed and said they were ‘always welcome’ there. 

It was nice…a bit overwhelming but nice.

She taps the flier against her palm, her anxiety climbing up to her shoulders and making them tense up. She paced around a bit as she waits for Rooster to pick Nicole up, looking back at him with a little frown when she hears the passenger door close and the obvious tinkling of her rubber monkey echo around the area.

Her husband shouldn’t look so good while carrying their baby girl and yet he was.

And he was just wearing his usual shirts, nothing out of the ordinary but she always said that Rooster could make a potato sack look nice if he wore it. He locks the car while holding Nicole on his opposite arm and pulled his sunglasses to his scalp after shoving the keys into his pocket, smiling up at Bea, ‘You good?”

“Hrrmmm…” she says again, rubbing her eyes, “I guess.”

‘It’ll be fine.” the tinkling gets louder when he approaches Beatrice, “You’ll see.”

Nicole babbled almost in agreement, shaking her little monkey in hopes to make her mother smile, which did work but Beatrice’s eyes were still nervous, she was wringing the little pamphlet in her hands with such force that the shiny paper squeaked under her grasp, “Yeah, okay…we better go inside.” his hand on her lower back was a comfortable reminder that he was still there, being her supporter every single moment of their lives and she couldn’t be more thankful.

He just pressed her back a bit harder to push her forward, never hurting but just enough to sign that she should walk and he’d follow. Nicole was mesmerized by the surroundings, the huge plants adorning the outside, large windows with colorful stickers from the children’s rooms and with the windchimes moving with the wind.

She brings her monkey to her mouth, turning her head to keep the windchimes in her vision until they got inside. And then she looks around again and this time she vocalizes happily because there’s a lot of fun colors in there.

She bounces a bit on Rooster’s arm, happily giggling at the different posters and pictures on the wall, making her father smile, “Yeah? Nice isn’t it Nikki?” he says quietly seeing there were a few people there “But, hey,shhh,” he brings his finger to his lips, “We can’t be too loud here.”

Nicole babbles a bit more, her tone going quiet but she smiles because her dad was so silly! Beatrice approaches the front desk with Rooster right behind her, tapping her fingers on the cold surface as the secretary looks up at her, already typing something in her computer, “You’ll be seen soon.” she says, “Please take a seat.”

“Thank you.” she is surprised at how stable her voice sounded, still holding the little flier in her hand as Rooster cups her lower back, guiding her to the empty black chairs tucked on the wall, “Hrrmm…”

“Bea, it’s okay.”

“Hrrmmm.”

“Baby.” he laughs, kissing her head and waiting for her to sit first, Nicole immediately wanting to trade places and stretching her arms to Beatrice, “Baby it’s okay…it really is.” she just remained silent, nuzzling her daughter’s hair and closing her eyes with a soft sigh as he sits down on her left, grabbing her free hand to bring it to his lips, “Gorgeous…come on.”

“I feel like…I don’t know what I’m feeling.” she whispers just so he could hear, holding Nicole up with her hand behind her small back, keeping her upright and safe as she shook her noisy monkey happily, completely oblivious to what was happening, “It’s…unreal? I think…or too real, or maybe both- Rooster I’m not making sense.”

He chuckles, kissing her hand again, “It’s okay,gorgeous…you are nervous,I’m nervous,Nikki isn’t nervous because she’s having such a huge blast with her toy she couldn’t care less,” cue to more shaking,”We’ll just…check how things are, see if everything is okay with the little bean and then we’ll go home and have something good to snack on.”

“Hrmm…”

“Maybe even Mr.Scoops.”

He could see the faint curve of a smile, her eyes meeting his, “They are having the Christmas Bundle again…I think it’s okay…” she whispers, “I just…I don’t know I…I mean,it feels more real now,you know?”

“I know.”

“Like,” she looks at Nicole, “Look at this. We made this little baby.” Nicole stops chewing her monkey to stare at her parents, “And-and we made another one that’s growing in me right now.” she blinks, ‘And I…I have been having symptoms and I ignored and I thought it was just because of,I don’t know, stress but it was just the birth control failing- I need to check with the ladies too,so I…I don’t know, figure out another type of contraception because this…was surprising.”

Rooster uses their interlaced hands to keep his head up, eyes so filled with love and care he felt like he was ready to explode from inside out. She still enamored him so much, nothing changed from that moment at the bar, at all, he still loved her and thought she was the cutest human being ever, “You are precious.” he coos, kissing her knuckles then her cheek, “You are going to be okay, one thing at a time,gorgeous.”

“Yeah…”

“Don’t trigger the anxiety now, okay?”

“I’m trying.”

He smiles, kissing her again and leaning back on the seat with his hand still latched with hers, his opposite one was on his lap as he looked around the clinic. In fact there were very few people there, just another couple not too far from them and another one that just arrived, the soft music over their heads brought him back to Nicole’s ultrasound.

Speaking of Nicole, she was moving her head around curiously, trying to focus on something in such a big space was hard but she was trying her hardest. She brings the monkey’s arm to her mouth and gnaws on it, the squeaking from her gums rubbing against the soft material making Rooster look over to her…and his eyes narrowed, tilting his head just a bit, “Nikki.” he begins, “Nikki, hey,look at dada.” she looked back at him, she could identify that ‘dada’ was him and mama was Beatrice, a huge feat for such a young baby, “Let me see your mouth.”

Nicole keeps on chewing, the question making Beatrice snap out of her thoughts and look down, “What?” Rooster gently pries the little girl’s mouth open and smiles when she giggles, moving her lips just a bit, “What’s wrong?”

“She’s teething.”

“What?” she tries to keep her voice down, leaning her head to look into Nicole’s mouth herself and seeing two very faint white dots on her lower gum, not breaking the skin yet but very close to, ‘Oh my God.”

“Yep.’ Rooster pulls his fingers away and smirks a bit more, leaning on his elbow against the chair, “You are growing,little bird, you are going to get your first teeth.”

“Aa!”

“Yeah! It’s exciting!”

“We need…to get fluoride and, and some ice,” Beatrice mutters, her eyebrows furrowing, “And some things to soothe the teething pain and…” her hand automatically coming up to her chest, “And to myself, she’s still drinking from the source after all.”

Rooster drops his eyes from her bust to her face,earning an exasperated glare from his wife, “What?”

“Don’t start.”

“I’m not starting anything.” he smirks, but then his face relaxes, “But no,you are right, we can get some stuff already and keep it saved up for when the chompers,” he gently wobbles Nicole’s chin, making her vocalization vibrate and her laughter get louder, “Come out.”

Beatrice looks down at Nicole, who once her father let her go, looks back at Bea with a gummy grin. Nicole reaches for her mother, grabby hands and all, and Beatrice pulls her up and tucks her against her neck, closing her eyes, “She’s teething.” she whispers, “She’s already teething,Roos…I-I’m too imbalanced hormonally to handle this, I feel like I’m going to cry!”

“Bea…” he smiles, even though he feels pretty much the same way upon noticing that yes, their daughter was indeed growing bigger and bigger every day. Soon enough she’ll be able ot walk and talk fully, have full on conversations with them and hell, in a blink she might leave for college.

He didn’t want to think about that.

Thankfully, they wouldn’t have to, because their names were called. Beatrice’s head snaps up then back at Rooster, her brows low,”It’s okay,gorgeous, give me Nikki.” she does, not before kissing the little girl’s head, standing up with her husband following suit. He coos Nicole, who whines because she was oh so comfortable in her mother’s grasp, walking alongside Beatrice as the two wander to the ultrasound room.

Beatrice already knows what to do, she’s already sitting on the bed as the lady tells them the doctor is coming soon. Beatrice huffs, adjusting herself while pulling the elastic of her sweat pants down the curve of her stomach, looking down at it, “Do you notice anything?”

Bradley looks up from Nicole to his wife’s stomach, then furrows his brows, “Not really? It looks the same, gorgeous, not that different.”

“Hrrmmm.” she sighs, dropping her head back down onto the bed and blinking at the ceiling, “We’ll be okay. We’ll be okay.”

“We will.” he looks around for the chair and immediately sits down when he finds it, thankfully it is right next to the bed so he could reach out for Bea and touch her hand if she feels too anxious, which he knew she would. “Nicole is excited.” he tries to distract her with a conversation and when it involves Nicole it really helps.

Beatrice turns to look at the two, seeing their little girl looking behind Rooster to a large Sesame Street poster, vocalizing and bouncing a bit in Rooster’s arms, “She is.” Bea smiles weakly, “She loves Sesame Street.”

“More than Dr.Chimp.”

“She might be into more…vintage stuff.” she says, “Like her parents.”

Bradley wouldn’t mind that. The thought that Nicole would share more of their interests was really nice to think about. They stop their chatter when they hear the door open, the same woman from before - when she saw Nicole in the womb - appears and she’s delighted to see that the little baby will join them.

After a short greeting she takes place on the little stool, pulling on her gloves with a grin, “Well,I guess I don’t have to repeat the directions,do I?” Beatrice laughs weakly but shakes her head negatively, pulling her shirt a bit higher to expose more of her stomach, “Let’s begin then.”

The first touch of the ultrasound was always the one that made her wince the most, it was cold and sticky and it was a bit uncomfortable but she could handle it. She drops her hand from the bed to reach towards Rooster’s, smiling when her husband grabbed her fingers and brought her hand to his lips, kissing her wedding ring.

He keeps his hold on hers, rubbing reach of her knuckles with a gentle brush of his thumb as Nicole chews on her monkey, watching the strange lady rub the strange thing on her mama’s belly. There’s silence for a few seconds, before they hear the woman say,”So, you want to know how far along you are,yes?”

“Yes,I uh…I was really busy these past months so my period wasn’t the greatest.”

“Right so,” the woman leans back a bit, showing the little dot on the screen, “From the size I’d say around six weeks.”

Beatrice blinks, “Six weeks? That’s one month.” she tells her husband who just looked confused, then arched his eyebrows when she explained, “Oh,huh,well,that explains a lot.”

But the woman kept moving around a bit, then pulled her stool closer to the screen and then smiled, “Ah…I guess the pregnancy was a surprise.”

“Yeah,” Bea laughs,”It was…we didn’t plan it.”

A pause.

“Would you guys like to know the second surprise?”

Both of them just stared at the woman, who pulled her head back and angled her hand on Beatrice’s stomach. It took a while for them to see through the blobs of gray and white, the little dot still looking a bit wobbly.

And then,suddenly, Beatrice’s eyes widened, “...No…no way.” she whispers, clenching her husband’s hand, “Rooster.”

Brad, however,was having a harder time figuring out what was going on. He had to stand up to approach the screen, all the while holding Nicole to his chest…and when he noticed it, his jaw dropped.

“...holy shit are those two?!”

[fierceawakening]

Picking up Sister Outsider again, and here are a few quotes that make me think that Black feminists (or at least, Audre Lorde) doesn't see the liberation of oppressed men and the liberation of oppressed women as separate spheres:

From Man Child: A Black Lesbian Feminist's Response:

Sisters:

Ten years as an interracial couple has taught us both the dangers of an oversimplified approach to the nature and solutions of any oppression, as well as the danger inherent in an incomplete vision.

Our thirteen-year-old son represents as much hope for our future world as does our fifteen-year-old daughter, and we are not willing to abandon him to the killing streets of New York City while we journey west to help form a Lesbian-Feminist vision of the future world in which we can all survive and flourish. I hope we can continue this dialogue in the near future, as I feel it is important to our vision and our survival. (pp. 77-78)

This is the main bit that leads me to think that Black feminists were not using intersectionality to say that oppressed men matter less than oppressed women, and therefore why I don't understand the reasoning behind the claim that they would say transmisogyny (prejudice against trans women) is a thing but transmisandry (prejudice against trans men) is not.

What was I not reading closely here? This is Lorde expressing concern for a man who is oppressed on one axis she's oppressed on (being Black) but not on another (being a woman.) She says nothing here about how ONLY being oppressed for being black should make him matter less or how he has it easy. She doesn’t want to leave him exposed to “the killing streets!”

More quotes:

And our sons must become men--such men as we hope our daughters, born and unborn, will be pleased to live among. Our sons will not grow into women. Their way is more difficult than that of our daughters, for they must move away from us, without us. (p. 73)

Raising Black children--female and male--in the mouth of a racist, sexist, suicidal dragon is perilous and chancy. If they cannot love and resist at the same time, they will probably not survive. (74)

I wish to raise a Black man who will not be destroyed by, nor settle for, those corruptions called power by the white fathers who mean his destruction as surely as they mean mine. I wish to raise a Black man who will recognize that the legitimate objects of his hostility are not women, but the particulars of a structure that programs him to fear and despise women as well as his own Black skin. (74)

The question of separatism is by no means simple. I was thankful that one of my children is male, since that helps to keep me honest. Every line I write shrieks that there are no easy solutions. (78)

Both Beth and Jonathan need to know what they can share and what they cannot, how they are joined and how they are not. And Frances and I, as grown women and lesbians coming more and more into our power, need to relearn the experience that difference does not have to be threatening. (78)

Most likely there will always be women who move with men, women who live with men, men who choose men. I work for a time when women with women, women with men, men with men, all share the work of a world that does not barter bread or self for obedience, nor beauty, nor love. And in that world we will raise our children free too choose how best to fulfill themselves. For we are jointly responsible for the care and raising of the young, since that they be raised is a function, ultimately, of the species. (78-79)

So... yeah. The idea that Black feminist theory supports an understanding of intersectionality that says "ignore oppressed men because they use silly words that don't mean anything" just doesn't make sense to me.

Which Black feminist theorist ever said anything like that?

[tildeathiwillwrite]

My OC's in the Knights Radiant Quiz

@illarian-rambling did this thing recently where she took the Knights Radiant Quiz for her ocs. Thought it was cool so I'm doing it too lol.

The Legend of Orian Goldeneye:

Jas: Willshaper (81%). Considering what her motives are in the story, this tracks nicely. Killian: Skybreaker (78%). I feel he'd be more of an ancient order Skybreaker, operating within his own moral code with an understanding of how rules are imperfect. Orian: Edgedancer (77%). It kind of fits his personality, and he would love to slide around. Henrik: Skybreaker (74%) and Stoneward (74%). Man was born to be a Skybreaker, he's a garrison captain after all. Stoneward also fits him, as a soldier. Diana: Lightweaver (74%). She is a musician, her morals can be questionable, and she disagrees with Henrik about many things. Azura: Lightweaver (57%) and Elsecaller (57%). She is very much into the subterfuge aspect of the Lightweavers. She's also decent at tactics, a theme of the Elsecallers, and dreamshaping is somewhat similar to moving through Shadesmar. Morpheus: Elsecaller (63%). Very similar to Azura, but he's much more on the cautious side.

Tales from Valaria:

Octavian: Windrunner (77%). Like me! And it also fits his role in The Watcher and the Thief, though by the time The Hunter the Myth and the Cure comes around it's changed drastically. Draven: Willshaper (73%). He does what he wants, doesn't really care for rules but he does have his own moral code. Reese: Lightweaver (62%). I'm not too sure about this one, mostly because her morals align closer to a Willshaper or Edgedancer in my opinion. But she does tend to hide her true self from others. Luc: Windrunner (78%). Fits his morals and his job, he's quite protective. Hector: Windrunner (79%). Same as Luc, makes sense since he's Luc's mentor, but I'd say Luc has a little bit more Skybreaker in him than Hector. Damian: Edgedancer (70%). Bodes well for Caenum to have a heir that cares for his people. He was also willing to give up his freedom if it meant his captor didn't get what she wants, so he's fairly selfless. Kaira: Lightweaver (57%) (Also -20% for Bondsmith apparantly???). She's very good at deception, but that's the only thing that would be Lightweaver about her. Personally I think she'd be a better Elsecaller, due to her search for power. Rift: Elsecaller (54%). I don't know how he got this one, he has average wisdom and intelligence is his dump stat. But he would definitely make good use of Shadesmar (for "borrowing" purposes).

(Forsaken: The Doomed City):

Rowan: Elsecaller (74%). Makes sense, he's fairly cautious, he's the leader of the group (not very good at it), and he's willing to do anything to get what he wants. Victoria: Windrunner (63%). She definitely likes working in a team, and is really attached to and protective of those she cares about, to the point where she'd do anything to save them. Ollie: Truthwatcher (81%). Considering their powers make them a great spy, fueled by their natural curiosity, this fits. Sam: Stoneward (61%). She's the group's tank, the most reliable out of all of them, and fairly optimistic. Whisper: Elsecaller (70%). What is with my villains and getting Elsecaller? Is it because they all seem to be selfish bastards who do anything for what they want? (Nevertheless this does fit him).

[nightsidewrestling]

D.U.D.E Bios: Uinseann Rhydderch

The Clurichaun King of C.R.C Uinseann Rhydderch (2020)

Kirby's uncle and the brother of Hywel, Uinseann. An Irish-Catholic living in Wales and a hard-working, tough and standoffish (at times) father. He takes his work seriously, as serious as humanly possible.

"Don't you dare call me a fuckin' Leprechaun."

Name

Full Legal Name: Uinseann Garbhán Bedwyr Ailill Rhydderch

First Name: Uinseann

Meaning: Irish form of 'Vincent', from the Roman name 'Vincentius', which was derived from Latin 'Vincere' meaning 'To Conquer'

Pronunciation: yoon-SHAWN

Origin: Irish

Middle Name(s): Garbhán, Bedwyr, Ailill

Meaning(s): Garbhán: From Old Irish 'Garbán' meaning 'Little rough one', derived from 'Garb' 'Rough' combined with a diminutive suffix. Bedwyr: Welsh form of 'Bedivere', possibly from 'Bedwen' 'Birch' and 'Gwr' 'Man'. Aillil: Means 'Elf' in Irish

Pronunciation(s): GAR-a-wan/GAR-a-van. BEHD-wir. A-lyil

Origin(s): Irish. Welsh, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Romance. Old Irish, Irish Mythology

Surname: Rhydderch

Meaning: From the given name 'Rhydderch' from the Old Welsh name 'Riderch', derived from 'Ri' 'King' and 'Derch' 'Exalted'

Pronunciation: HRUDH-ehrkh

Origin: Welsh

Alias: Clurichaun King, Uinseann Rhydderch

Reason: This is Uinseann's ring name

Nicknames: Sean

Titles: Mr

Characteristics

Age: 74

Gender: Male. He/Him Pronouns

Race: Human

Nationality: Welsh. Irish-Welsh Mix. Dual Citizenship ROI-UK

Ethnicity: White

Birth Date: May 14th 1946

Symbols: Clurichauns, Alcohol, Crowns

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Religion: Irish-Catholic

Native Language: Irish

Spoken Languages: Irish, Welsh, Scottish (Scots Gaelic), English

Relationship Status: Married

Astrological Sign: Taurus

Theme Song: 'Wild One'- Jerry Lee Lewis (1964-)

Voice Actor: Brendan O'Carroll

Geographical Characteristics

Birthplace: Tullahought, Kilkenny, Ireland

Current Location: Llanfaethlu, Anglesey, Wales

Hometown: Llanfaethlu, Anglesey, Wales

Appearance

Height: 5'10" / 177 cm

Weight: 200 lbs / 90 kg

Eye Colour: Blue

Hair Colour: (Born Blond) Black

Hair Dye: None

Body Hair: Hairy

Facial Hair: Goatee

Tattoos: (As of Jan 2020) 10

Piercings: Navel, Ear Lobe (Double, Both)

Scars: None

Health and Fitness

Allergies: None

Alcoholic, Smoker, Drug User: Smoker, Social Drinker

Illnesses/Disorders: None Diagnosed

Medications: None

Any Specific Diet: None

Relationships

Allies: (As of Jan 2020) The Rhydderch Clan

Enemies: (As of Jan 2020) None

Friends: Naoise Rhydderch, Rhodri Rhydderch, Yorath Rhydderch, Bran Rhydderch, Delwyn Rhydderch, Fergus Rhydderch, Hywel Rhydderch, Conall Pritchard

Colleagues: The C.R.C Locker Rooms / Too Many To List

Rivals: None

Closest Confidant: Odharnait Rhydderch

Mentor: Gearalt Rhydderch

Significant Other: Odharnait Rhydderch (75, Wife, Née MacCarthy)

Previous Partners: None of Note

Parents: Gearalt Rhydderch (R.I.P, Father), Angharad Rhydderch (101, Mother, Née MacMathan)

Parents-In-Law: Duncan MacCarthy (R.I.P, Father-In-Law), Virve MacCarthy (R.I.P, Mother-In-Law, Née McQueen)

Siblings: Naoise Rhydderch (80, Brother), Rhodri Rhydderch (77, Brother), Yorath Rhydderch (71, Brother), Bran Rhydderch (68, Brother), Delwyn Rhydderch (65, Brother), Fergus Rhydderch (62, Brother), Hywel Rhydderch (59, Brother)

Siblings-In-Law: Talulla Rhydderch (81, Naoise's Wife, Née MacGinnis), Grania Rhydderch (78, Rhodri's Wife, Née Kavanaugh), Deryn Rhydderch (72, Yorath's Wife, Née Heffernan), Meinir Rhydderch (69, Bran's Wife, Née Gallagher), Rhosyn Rhydderch (66, Delwyn's Wife, Née Dougherty), Aoife Rhydderch (63, Fergus' Wife, Née Daugherty), Oda Rhydderch (60, Hywel's Wife, Née Gilchrist), Costas MacCarthy (72, Odharnait's Brother), Gyöngyi MacCarthy (73, Costas' Wife, Née Vantchev), Enikő Viktorov (69, Odharnait's Sister, Née MacCarthy), Gianis Viktorov (70, Enikő's Husband), Emilios MacCarthy (66, Odharnait's Brother), Patrícia MacCarthy (67, Emilios' Wife, Née Yordanov), Jolánka Zahariev (63, Odharnait's Sister, Née MacCarthy), Konstantinos Zahariev (64, Jolánka's Husband), Ioannis MacCarthy (60, Odharnait's Brother), Tündér MacCarthy (61, Ioannis' Wife, Née Zdravkov), Rózsa Andonov (57, Odharnait's Sister, Née MacCarthy), Panagiotis Andonov (58, Rózsa's Husband), Mihalis MacCarthy (54, Odharnait's Brother), Iglé MacCarthy (55, Mihalis' Wife, Née Cvetkov), Virág Danchev (51, Odharnait's Sister, Née MacCarthy), Charon Danchev (52, Virág's Husband), Panayiotis MacCarthy (49, Odharnait's Brother), Nijolė MacCarthy (50, Panayiotis' Wife, Née Filipov)

Nieces & Nephews: Too Many To List

Children: Kathleen Mulrennan (44, Daughter, Née Rhydderch), Sean Rhydderch (41, Son), Wyn Rhydderch (38, Son), Haf McFarlane (35, Daughter, Née Rhydderch), Tydfil McFarland (32, Daughter, Née Rhydderch)

Children-In-Law: Fachtna Mulrennan (45, Kathleen's Husband), Yvette Rhydderch (42, Sean's Wife, Née Plamondon), Ragnhild Rhydderch (39, Wyn's Wife, Née Perreault), Keaton McFarlane (36, Haf's Husband), Keith McFarland (33, Tydfil's Husband)

Grandkids: Eachann Mulrennan (24, Grandson), Aurora Mulrennan (25, Eachann's Wife, Née MacDonald), Daffodil MacDaniel (21, Granddaughter, Née Mulrennan), Grant MacDaniel (22, Daffodil's Husband), Calanthe Mulrennan (18, Granddaughter), Baggi Mulrennan (15, Grandson), Abel Mulrennan (12, Grandson), Zinnia Mulrennan (9, Grandson), Yolanda Mulrennan (6, Granddaughter), Xerxes Mulrennan (3, Grandson), Walker Rhydderch (21, Grandson), Henriika Rhydderch (22, Walker's Wife, Née MacColuim), Velvet Rhydderch (18, Granddaughter), Unni Rhydderch (15, Granddaughter), Talfryn Rhydderch (12, Grandson), Ragna Rhydderch (9, Granddaughter), Queenie Rhydderch (6, Granddaughter), Samson Rhydderch (3, Grandson), Pacey Rhydderch (18, Grandson), Ogden Rhydderch (15, Grandson), Naomi Rhydderch (12, Granddaughter), Madonna Rhydderch (9, Granddaughter), Lachtna Rhydderch (6, Grandson), Kal-El Rhydderch (3, Grandson), Jane McFarlane (15, Granddaughter), Idalia McFarlane (12, Granddaughter), Hall McFarlane (9, Grandson), Gael McFarlane (6, Grandson), Fallon McFarlane (3, Granddaughter), Easter McFarland (12, Granddaughter), Dalton McFarland (9, Grandson), Cadell McFarland (6, Grandson), Barbara McFarland (3, Granddaughter)

Great Grandkids: Eija Mulrennan (4, Great Granddaughter), Gordon Mulrennan (1, Great Grandson), Gregor MacDaniel (1, Great Grandson), Hilla Rhydderch (1, Great Granddaughter)

Wrestling

Billed From: Kilkenny, Ireland

Trainer: The C.R.C Wrestling School, Gearalt Rhydderch

Managers: Odharnait Rhydderch

Wrestlers Managed: Odharnait Rhydderch

Debut: 1964

Debut Match: Uinseann Rhydderch VS Gearalt Rhydderch. Uinseann won via pinfall

Retired: N/A

Retirement Match: N/A

Wrestling Style: Technician / Powerhouse

Stables: The Rhydderch Clan (1964-)

Teams: No Team Names

Regular Moves: Back Body Drop, Bearhug, Bearhug Into A Thrust Spinebuster To The Ring Post, Big Boot, Chokehold, Corner Clothesline, Flying Clothesline, Rebound Clothesline, Arm Twist Ropewalk Chop, Over The Top Rope Suicide Dive, Reverse STO, Running DDT, Running Elbow Drop, Running Leg Drop, Running Leg Drop To An Apron-Hung Opponent, Sidewalk Slam, Snake Eyes, Standing Dragon Sleeper, Arm Drag, Dropkick, Headscissors Takedown, Knee Lift, Running Crossbody

Finishers: Ropewalk Diving Elbow Chop, Heart Punch, One-Handed Clawhold, Elevated Powerbomb, Triangle Choke, Chokeslam, Tombstone Piledriver, Figure-Four Leglock, Flying Forearm Smash

Refers To Fans As: The Fans, The Family

Extras

Backstory: Uinseann Rhydderch of the C.R.C (Welsh Wrestling League / Cynghrair Reslo Cymru) owning Rhydderch family. Uinseann has a 1/8th ownership of the promotion and is the head 'Clurichaun Style' (Technician mixed with Powerhouse) trainer. He's Half-Irish, Half-Welsh

Trivia: Nothing of Note

[grimaussiewitch]

100 warlock patron pack ideas: part 8

71: Okay so you were born a sorcerer, grew up as a bard, study to become a cleric for a god, trained to become a paladin for their rival god and now you made a pact deal with a genie because you got lucky with finding its lamp. What the hell are you doing with all this magic. Don’t you dare look at the wizard schools or artificer tools!

72: Your patron is made of love! They want to spread love across the lands! You were once a matchmaker but now with the help of your patron you will help the world! The more love you create between others, the stronger your pack gets. With your trusty bow and great smile, you will swoon the world. Love is good for the soul.

73: You worked in a giant library. Researching information about gods and the old ones is your passion. You could spend days reading books about higher beings. Little did you know, that attracted a certain patron. Unknowingly you opened up their tome, summoning them in front of you. They are impressed with your dedication towards researching knowledge of gods, so they want to send you on a mission. Create more books around gods and powerful entities. They will offer you power and some sweet gossip. There goes your quite librarian life.

74: Burnt out gifted student phenomenal is very real. You know it well. So much stress was put onto you when growing up, you needed the perfect grades, be perfect at fighting and perfect presentation. If you weren’t putting yourself at 101%, were you ever truely trying. That’s rough buddy. You just wanted freedom, no more stress. How do you go about it? Signing your soul to a fiend who helps you fake your death. Sure you can never see your friends and family again but you get to explore! Doing little tasks for your patron! I just hope you have a good excuse if you ever so happen to run into someone from your past.

75: You and your patron are in an arranged marriage. Cults be damned and now you’re married to a god like being. You do not have romantic feelings for each other, heck, probably don’t have platonic feelings either. Are you the only one married to your patron or are there others in this marriage pack? How does your patron partner treat you and this marriage? What’s your relation with your cult? Do you have anything to do with them or do you still have contact!

76: You come from a kingdom that is ruled by a great king and an amazing god. There’s been an ongoing war with a litch for many, many years. The clerics will speak to the god to pick a chosen one to defeat the litch or similar foes. Many come back victorious, others never return. One day, the king held a great meeting with all of the young teenagers of the kingdom. A new chosen one was to be picked by the god themselves. That so happens to be you! Very exciting indeed! You’ve been training for this for years. You pack your bags, say goodbye to your kingdom and head off as the chosen one. You defeat small bosses, monsters and finally get to the litch. You try to strike him while he’s distracted but you are too slow. You hit him again, strike after strike but it does no damage. The litch signs and asks why did they send another “chosen” one. According to him, there is no chosen ones for there is no god. Other chosen ones that have survived the journey have stayed with the litch. Why not go home? Well, those who know the truth don’t get to go home. You may leave if you wish, but the moment you step into the kingdom, the clerics will know, and you will be dealt with. Might as well make a pack with a “real” god instead of continuing following a ruling church’s lies.

77: You use to work on a pirate ship. Your captain was a totally ass. One night, your ship was attacked but other pirates. The fight was looking pretty bad so you made the quick decision to get the hell out of there. While hiding, waiting for the perfect chance to escape, you spot your captain’s sword. They never leave their sword. You said screw it, grabbed it and some how escaped. Well, it turns out your old captain had some secrets. After being in a seaside town for a bit, the sword started speaking to you. What ever this patron was, it’s now a badass sword. Instead of selling the sword, why not keep it around. Maybe it’ll grant you some powers. Just be warned, you have no clue if your captain or old crew are dead.

78: You were training your whole life to dance/play sport. You began training as a child and well into early adulthood. But one day, you were involved in a major accident. Your dreams crushed. Welp, you gotta pay your debt from training so tap that mirror baby, here comes your fiend patron.

79: You were unwilling turned into a vampire. You want a cure and after searching and asking around, you end up making a pack with a powerful patron. They might be a fey or a genie or something else. You just know it’s not a litch. They will help you create a cure as long as you do small chores for them. Typical warlock and patron relationship.

80: So this one patron really, REALLY, hates certain gods. However, they are currently in a Cold War. They can’t make a huge attack without everything turning to hell. So they just be sneaky about their plan. Enter you. Just some random dude walking on a forest path and the next thing you know you are dragged into a Cold War among the gods. Go figures, how else would your day could of gone. You were reluctant at first. But after a few stealth missions and small fights, you have come to the decision that this is merely children fighting.

[justforbooks]

John Motson: The unmistakable voice of football known simply as ‘Motty’

John Motson, who has died aged 77, was BBC television’s “voice” of football for almost half a century, commentating for Match of the Day from 1971 until his retirement in 2018 and becoming affectionately known as “Motty”.

“I remember my first game, Liverpool against Chelsea,” he recalled. “They kicked off and my heart sank because I thought, ‘What do I say now?’ I still remember the feeling. I realised I had a lot of work to do.”

Alongside the energy and passion he brought to the game, that work was evident in his trademark style of reeling off statistics written on an A4 sheet of card in felt-tip pen for each match. Motson put this “obsession” for facts and figures down to being “terrified of not knowing enough or making a mistake” in his early days. He admitted to “overdosing” on it, and gradually used less background information in his commentaries.

Nevertheless, his filing system continued to grow – as did his library of more than 500 football record books. On top of the stats, he displayed an eloquence for describing the occasion. When Liverpool were beaten 0-1 in the 1988 FA Cup final by the unfancied Wimbledon – known for the eccentric behaviour of their players and fans – he spontaneously summed up: “The Crazy Gang has beaten the Culture Club.”

Earlier, at the end of the 1977 FA Cup final, when Manchester United – captained by Martin Buchan – beat Liverpool 2-1, Motson must have been silently thrilled that it enabled him to put his research into action and say: “How fitting that a man called Buchan should be the first to ascend the 39 steps to the royal box”, recalling “ The Thirty-Nine Steps” celebrated spy novel by John Buchan.

His ability to remember every detail of each game he covered also made Motson ideal company away from the pitch. If, for example, he was asked about a Division One Southampton v Birmingham City match at the Dell in the 1973-74 season, he would not only recall the result and those booked, but describe in detail Peter Osgood’s perm and the pattern made by a set of studs on a shin.

However, he was not averse to the occasional “Colemanballs”, emulating the verbal gaffes of his fellow football commentator David Coleman, who was presenter of Match of the Day by the time he started on it himself. Among Motson’s were: “The World Cup is truly an international event”, “The goals made such a difference to the way this game went”, and “For those of you watching in black-and-white, Spurs are in the yellow strip”.

In his long career commentating on more than 2,500 televised games, Motson covered nine World Cups (1974-2006), 29 FA Cup finals (1977-2007, missing just two) and nine European Championships (1976-2008).

He stepped back from his position as the BBC’s lead commentator in 2008, saying he had thought about the forthcoming World Cup in South Africa two years later and “just didn’t feel quite up for it”. His last live commentary was the Euro 2008 final, with Spain beating Germany 1-0 in Vienna.

However, he continued commentating both for football highlights on Match of the Day and for BBC Radio 5 Live until 2018. His final TV commentary was for the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion.

Motson’s standing meant that he became part of the impersonator Rory Bremner’s repertoire of characters, complete with the sheepskin coats that became another of his trademarks on screen after he reached for one when horizontal sleet started falling during an FA Cup tie at Wycombe Wanderers’ ground in 1990.

He had them made to measure in Savile Row, central London, able to afford them on an income that he said gave him security after growing up in a family where his father’s income was “very modest”.

John was born in Salford, which was then in Lancashire, to Gwendoline (nee Harrison) and William Motson, a Methodist minister, brought up in London and educated at Culford school, near Bury St Edmonds, in Suffolk.

His father took him to a Charlton Athletic football match when he was six and, spending childhood holidays in Lincolnshire, his mother’s home county, he supported the non-League team Boston United.

As a teenager, Motson played the game himself in the Barnet Sunday League, as well as becoming a Barnet and Potters Bar youth table-tennis champion.

On leaving school, he began his career in journalism as a reporter on the Barnet Press in 1963. He then moved to the Sheffield Morning Telegraph (1967-68), where he started covering football, qualified as an FA preliminary coach and freelanced for BBC Radio Sheffield.

In 1968, he moved to BBC Radio Sport in London and was first heard nationally as presenter of Radio 4’s Saturday-evening after-match Sports Session (1969-70) before commentating on live matches for Radio 2 (1969-71).

He switched to television and Match of the Day in 1971 following Kenneth Wolstenholme’s departure – becoming TV’s youngest football commentator, aged 26.

Motson found himself describing the disaster at the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield for the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, which resulted in the deaths of 97 Liverpool fans.

During three seasons from 2001 when the BBC lost rights to Premier League highlights to ITV, Motson commentated for Radio 5 Live. On leaving the BBC in 2018, Motson commentated for talkSPORT, as well as appearing regularly as a pundit on the commercial radio station’s football shows.

Ten years earlier, reflecting on the influence of money in football, he had observed: “It’s true that the game has changed so much, and in many ways not for the better, but it is still the game. It is still beautiful and it still has the power, as few others things, to move nations and continents and, every four years, the world.”

Motson, whose autobiography, Motty: 40 Years in the Commentary Box, was published in 2009, was named the Royal Television Society’s commentator of the year in 2004 and won a Bafta special award in 2018. He was made OBE in 2001.

In 1976 he married Anne Jobling, and she survives him, with their son, Frederick.

🔔 John Walker Motson, football commentator, born 10 July 1945; died 23 February 2023

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com

[whynotbread]

Growing up in in the Ome Edo

The Many Nations War was the civil war that resulted in the fracturing of the once mighty Xenifojan empire into 16 nations. It lasted so long and its effects upon the nations of Exodsa are so profound that time is reckoned with the terms Soroxka wogo (SW), Soroxka ko (SK), and Soroxka pogoza (SP), meaning before, during, and after the war. But these effects are not only felt on the national scale, but by individual people as well. That said, this is a biographical story of child in a nation that doesn't feel many of those effects at first, but is hit hard later on.

67 SP- A girl is born into a small, well-off but not wealthy family in Sawa, the capital of the small nation of Notoxosra. Her father, Serse Motosna, is the owner of a few stores in the merchants' district, and had recently gained the opportunity to form a contract with the mages' guild to sell them spellcasting materials his suppliers found. Her mother, Wafwo Azobelna, was a well educated woman who had given up her job as treasurer for the University of Sawa due to Notoxosra's lack of laws protecting working mothers. The girl's parents decide to name her Peyayxa, meaning "strong tounge", since they want their daughter to always speak her mind. Following Sonexyan tradition, Peyayxa takes her mother's surname, Azobelna. She is a healthy baby, and is well taken care of by both of her parents.

72 SP- Peyayxa is 5. She is now considered old enough to begin going to the local temple with her father. She hears the holy scholar tell stories of the Ome Ekobe, the four major deities. She listens to how Odse, the god in the sky, makes day and night come on time. She learns about Serse, the god in the ocean who her father is named after, controls the currents that help ships come to Notoxosra's ports. She listens intently to the stories of Wewo, the goddess in the earth, who makes the soil that farms grow on and the earthquakes that destroyed an ancient city. When the holy scholar mentions Cosega, the goddess in the underworld, he skips any stories about her. This frustrates Peyayxa because she wants to hear lots of stories from the scholar, and she doesn't understand why he won't tell one about Cosega. She asks her father why while they're walking home, and he simply says "Peya, we don't talk about Tofo Loyo unless we want bad luck".

74 SP- Peyayxa is 7. It's time for her to start her first year of school. As she gets ready for her first day of school, her mother warms up one of the special koho that she made for Peyayxa the previous night. In addition to the normal minty chicken filling, her mother made these koho with diced vegetables and goat cheese. The steamed bread is hearty enough to carry Peyayxa through the school day until she gets home, later than her normal lunchtime. When she arrives at the school, she greets her teacher, who introduces themself as master Kawfora Sosorenta. Throughout the year Peyayxa learns how to read and write the 22 letters of the Xenefoya script, the names of the seasons and months, when each of the holidays are, and how to count to 100. But what interested Peyayxa the most was that when her teacher taught the class about the deities, they didn't shy away from talking about Cosega. She learned that Cosega is the goddess who rules over the afterlife. Because of her association with death many people are superstitious about her, and even go so far as to call her Tofo Loyo to avoid saying her true name.

77 SP- Peyayxa is 10. It's her final year in the lower school, next year she'll move on to the middle school. When everyone introduces themselves, one student introduces himself as Gotaj Rewadjoxar from one of the Xnifjan nations way up north. Peyayxa tries to introduce herself to him, but she can't get his name right and ends up saying "Hi Ko-ta-ya, I'm Peya, wanna be friends". They do become friends. Later in the year, final exams are handed out and both Peyayxa and Gotaj get high enough grades to qualify for harder classes at the middle school next year.

78 SP- Peyayxa is 11. It takes some effort, but Peyayxa is able to convince Gotaj to join the harder class with her. Peyayxa helps Gotaj with cultural and religious studies, and Gotaj helps her with math. Halfway through the year, a new student named Kokya joins Peyayxa's class. Both Peyayxa and Gotaj quickly befriend Kokya who turns out to be a genius at writing and literature, and so with his efforts added they pass nearly every test with flying colors. Later in the year the year Peyayxa overheard her parents talking about how Notoxosra had finally given in to pressure from its neighbor nation of Ascepfohena and joined Owesonexya's Ome Edo alliance. Peyayxa didn't know what a lot of those words meant, but from the way her parents' voices sounded it made her worried.

79 SP- Peyayxa is 12. On her way to school Peyayxa sees a big column of soldiers wearing Owesonexya's flag march into the navy base at the docks. This makes her worried, but her school day is uneventful and dispels her worries a little bit. When she goes to Gotaj's house his parents seem really on edge, and he tells her that because of the Ome Edo's travel bans, he won't be able to visit his grandparents in the north anytime soon. Later in the year, Peyayxa has her first period. Because of Sonexyan taboo surrounding anything related to puberty, Peyayxa had no idea this was coming and thought she was dying. Her mother was able to calm her down and help her through it, and got her father to send a letter to the school telling them Peyayxa was sick and wouldn't be attending the last few days of school that week. After a few days, Her mother told her that since she had begun becoming an adult, she had to choose wether to be a manexya, a woman like her mother; or a wanexya, someone who conceales their birth sex and took upon a differnent set of gender roles like her first teacher master Sosorenta. Even though her mother teller her that she has a year to decide, Peyayxa chooses to be a manexya after two weeks. Once she's made this decision she goes shopping with her mother for women's clothing, and donates all of her old children's clothing to the lower school charity.

80 SP- Peyayxa is 13. When she gets to school, she notices that Gotaj is dressed in men's clothes, signifying that at some point over the break he'd chosen to be a panexya. When she greeted him his voice was noticeably deeper, but she laughed when it cracked a few times while he spoke. Kokya's voice had also deepened, but Peyayxa noticed that he was still wearing children's clothing, signifying that he hadn't chosen yet. About were dressed in wanexya clothing, and when they sat down they kept accidentally sitting on their veil. The three of them were joking about Kokya's seeming inability to manage their veil when a Owesonexya soldier barges into the classroom. He tells their teacher that while she hasn't done anything wrong, she must leave the classroom at once. An hour later, a man walks into the classroom. He says in a matter of fact voice that he is their new teacher, master Tovozda Kokyona, assigned to their class by the Ome Edo education administration.

83 SP- Peyayxa is 16. For the past three years, the Ome Edo education administration has overseen Peyayxa's school. Peyayxa and her classmates had been told that the northern nations were being bankrolled by the Salidek Federation in the archipelago to the west to destabilize the Ome Edo. Most of her classmates, especially Gotaj, ignored these messages. Many Notoxosran merchant ships still illegally traded with the north and Notoxosra still maintained a friendly relationship with the north, although now unofficially. But each year there had been one or two of her classmates that had fallen for the propaganda, mostly those in the junior government and military programs. Peyayxa snapped out of her worry, today was a day she couldn't let her mind be clouded. Today was the day when everyone had to decide wether to go on to a pre-college specialization school, or to go for an apprenticeship. She had been thinking about this for the past few months, and already knew that she wanted to go to a specialization school. The question remained of what kind to go to. Mathematics? Science? History and culture? literature? Religion? Peyayxa didn't care much for math or literature, so those two were easy to rule out. She was good at history and culture, but they weren't particularly interesting to her, so those could also be ruled out. The final two options are what made the choice hard, science and religion. She loved both the academic and spiritual aspects of nature, and was passionate about both. After much deliberation, Peyayxa decided to join her temple's built-in religious specialization school. Science was appealing to her, but none of the careers available to scholars of nature appealed much to her, and none paid much. She talked to Kokya after class, and they revealed that much to Peyayxa's expectation, they had chosen to go to a specialization school for literature. She couldn't find Gotaj after class, so she went to his house and asked his parents where he could be. They told her that Gotaj had already secured an apprenticeship on a merchant ship, and had left school early to leave on an expedition.

86 SP- Peyayxa is 19. After completing specialization school the previous year, Peyayxa joined the temple as a junior holy scholar. She focused her studies on Cosega, the fearsome underworld goddess who had started her religious fascination, as well as the patron deity of Sawa, who happened to be a nature deity. Suddenly, the calm music that had been playing stopped. Peyayxa thought that the device playing it had broken, like it had many times before. The holy scholar who had bought it had said it was this new thing called a "radio", and while Peyayxa did like the on-demand music, she didn't really care that much about it. Suddenly the radio turned on, and a deep voice announced that this was a special broadcast from the government. She sighed, more news about the tensions between the Ome Edo and the northern nations was not what she wanted to hear about right now. The voice introduced himself as Odse Asronsa, the host of the local news broadcast. Peyayxa hadn't known that Sawa had one of those, radio being so new and all. The voice continued, saying that this was a special announcement concerning Notoxasra's future, because the incredible commonness of illegal trade with the north in Notoxosra had been discovered by the Ome Edo trade commission. Another voice, this one just as deep but somewhat nervous, almost pathetic sounding, chimed in. It introduced itself as Pabega Pasna, Owesonexya's head of diplomacy. After a good deal of incomprehensible nervous muttering and mumbling, the voice spoke clearly. Owesonexya was going to blockade all of Notoxosra's ports as punishment not only to the government but to the people of Notoxosra for participating in illegal trade on such a large scale. Peyayxa's jaw practically fell off, Notoxosra's ports were its main source of income, this would cripple the nation. She fell asleep in her quarters tossing and turning, and awoke not feeling rested in the slightest. When she gazed out of her window to the ports, she could see two ironclad steamers flying Owesonexyan flags make their way into the sea just outside of the port. Someone in a fishing boat threw a brick at a soldier standing on the deck of the ironclad, but the brick just thudded off the side of the ship and into the sea.

87 SP- Peyayxa is 20. Rioters had gathered around the Owesonexyan embassy again, and like the last few times they were forcefully dispersed by the security force. Peyayxa sighed, she was tired. The temple had given two thirds of the scholars' quarters to merchant families as small apartments. She didn't mind helping the families, they needed all the compassion they could get, but the living situation for the holy scholars had gotten much, tighter. Funds for maintenance of the temple had also dried up, almost no one had the money to pay for their services anymore. They still hosted a regular congregation for monthly services, and many more people attended than before the blockade, straining the temple's resources even farther. Peyayxa was also worried about her friends. Kokya had joined a state-run newspaper out of fear of persecution for working for a private one. They maintained a stable life, but told Peyayxa that they hated helping to spread propaganda, even if almost no one believed it. Neither of them had heard a word from Gotaj since the blockade, and all they could do was hold onto hope that he had found his grandparents in his home nation and was living with them.

89 SP- Peyayxa is 22. It was too much. All of it, the economic downturn, the temple falling into disrepair, everything. Kokya had been found out to be secretly writing for an anti-Ome Edo paper, and no one had heard from them since. Peyayxa still hadn't heard from Gotaj, and neither had his parents. Peyayxa felt like she had to do something, doing nothing was killing her on the inside, it had been slow at first but now it was getting faster, threatening to eat her in a single bite if she continued simply bowing her head in defeat. She'd bought a small revolver, it was all she could find. She didn't any plan for what to do with it, but she'd bought it nonetheless. Later in the year, she heard her fellow holy scholars mention that the prime minister from 11 years ago who had led Notoxosra into the Ome Edo had been reinstated, but was old. They said he was sick, and seeking spiritual guidance. A plan formed in Peyayxa's mind, not one she liked at all, but one she felt she had to do. She penned a letter in carefully practiced cursive, the kind of neat and fast writing that took years of practice to achieve. She offered her spiritual services to the sickly official for a low, but not unreasonable price.

90 SP- Peyayxa is 23. The revolver felt cold on her left thigh, and walking around with it cocked made her anxious. Luckily, she was able to hide it under her holy scholar garb. Her bag of various spiritual implements and theological books felt heavy in her hand. It was obvious that she had overpacked, but she just told the escort that you can never be overprepared for these kinds of things. In reality, she was just to nervous to realize how much she was putting in the bag while she packed. Peyayxa arrived at the door to the prime minister's office after a short walk from the entrance to the capital building that had felt like an eternity. The ornate door was easily twice her height, and was made of red-colored tropical wood that used to be imported from the central regions before the blockade. Seeing that only furthered her resolve. The feeling of cold metal on her thigh became an affirming presence rather than an anxious one. The door opened, and in a weak voice the elderly prime minister beckoned her to enter. As soon as stood at his desk, Peyayxa's hand shot down and pulled out the revolver. before the escort was even able to react the bullet had already exited the opposite side the old man's skull. For how small it was, it shouldn't have made as large of a hole as it did, it was almost as if this bullet had carried with it the force of four years of an entire nation's anger and desperation. Peyayxa didn't even stand long enough to register her success. The escort had pulled his gun, and shot her in an attempt to stop her, but his bullet found her a split second too late.

95 SP- Peyayxa would be 28. Notoxosra, after a bloody four year long revolution, had escaped from the grasp of the Ome Edo. Xawye, another nation in the Ome Edo's grasp, was still revolting. On the edge of Sawa, near the temple where she was rumored to have studied, stood a statue. It depicted the figure a faceless woman standing in front of the flag of Notoxosra. Her only identifying features being the only two things about her that the nation had managed to find out, her scholarly clothing, and the small revolver held in her right hand. At the base of the statue knelt an old couple, who laid down a small bread roll that smelled of chicken, vegetables, and goat cheese. The wife broke down sobbing, and the husband appeared to be barely maintaining composure. After they left, the roll was quickly discarded by temple staff to avoid attracting animals.

[lindsaywesker]

Good morning! I hope you slept well and feel rested? Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day. Welcome to Too Much Information Tuesday.

People who are in love get fewer colds.

On average, 12 new-borns will be given to the wrong parents daily.

By 2050, about half of the world’s population will be short sighted.

A zoilist is someone who gains pleasure from finding fault.

Women who snore are more likely to struggle to orgasm.

About one person in twenty can't visualise images in their head.

Until 1899, the list of official diseases at the Royal College Of Physicians included nostalgia.

In 2002, actor Vin Diesel saved an entire family from a burning car wreck.

The annual awards ceremony of the UK porn industry is called the SHAFTAs.

According to a recent study, procrastination can be a sign of poor physical health.

750,000 tons of cigarette butts are dropped on the ground around the world each year.

The phrase ‘pipe dream’ originates from the fantasies induced by smoking opium.

Many Japanese bathrooms have a button that, when pushed, plays the flushing sound to mask the sound of you doing your ‘business’.

A single share of Coca Cola stock that was purchased in 1919 for $40, would be worth $9.8 million today.

To try and be a better person, Tolstoy wrote a list of rules for himself that included, “Visit a brothel only twice a month.”

Scientists have observed male bottlenose dolphins masturbating by wrapping a live eel around their penis.

A 99 year old man divorced his 96 year old wife after having been married for 77 years because he discovered an affair she had in the 1940's.

In 2014 Margaret Loughry won the Northern Ireland lottery jackpot which consisted of £27 million. She donated 26 million of it to her own hometown to help transform it into a tourist destination.

In 2013, a man in Michigan whose house was set to be demolished, switched his house numbers with his neighbour. The demolition crew never realised until it was too late.

A 2009 study found James Bond has had ten times as many lovers as the average British male has in a lifetime, with a doctor reporting that, “the likelihood of him having chlamydia is extremely high.”

The African Union intends on having a single, continent-wide currency modelled after the euro. The most popular proposed name for the currency as of right now is the afro.

Edward 'Boy' Jones was known in the Victorian era for getting caught breaking into Buckingham Palace when he was 14 years old and stealing Queen Victoria's underwear.

In 2013, the 'Breaking Bad' team were offered $75 million to produce three more episodes after the final season concluded, which was estimated to be more than their earnings in 5 years. They declined.

The Hanover Country School Board in Virginia tried to ban ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ in 1966. When she heard about this, author Harper Lee sent a letter to the school board asking if they were literate and offered some money to enrol them in first grade.

In February this year, at an art exhibition in Russia, a security guard ruined a painting worth $1 million by drawing a pair of eyes on it with a ballpoint pen because he was "bored". It was his first day on the job.

In 2012 a man sued Pepsi after he found a mouse in his Mountain Dew. However, Pepsi fought and won the case. They knew the can was 74 days old and could prove that any mouse would have easily dissolved in Mountain Dew after 30 days.

How do farmers party? They turnip the beets.

Sadie Renee Johnson from Oregon started a wildfire in 2013 in order to give her bored firefighter friends some work, except that it spread to 206 square km and cost nearly eight million dollars and two months to bring under control.

In the late 1900s, Howard Hughes bought an entire casino named Silver Slipper just so that he could tear down their neon sign. It was visible from Hughes' bedroom and apparently it was keeping him up at night.

In 1988, a woman named Jean Terese Keating disappeared while awaiting trial for drunkenly killing a woman in a car crash. She was arrested 15 years later after bragging at a bar about having gotten away with the crime.

In 2012, a nineteen year old teen secretly lived in AOL's headquarters for two full months in California. He ate free food, used the gyms and showers and even slept in the conference room while working on his own startup.

And, finally, a quiz. What does this list of acts have in common? Loose Ends, Doug E. Fresh, Steely Dan, Lee Dorsey, Otis Redding, Sly & The Family Stone, Hall & Oates, The Turtles, The Detroit Emeralds, The Monkees, The Emotions, Sly Stone, Funky Four + 1, Johnny Cash, Syl Johnson, The Fatback Band, Eddie Murphy, Run DMC, Cymande, The Commodores, Bo Diddley, The Real Roxanne, Five Stairsteps, Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor, Jefferson Starship, Gregory Abbot and Cerrone. If you know the answer, well done! Keep it to yourself!

Okay, that’s enough information for one day. Have a tremendous and tumultuous Tuesday! I love you all.

[onearmedlegend]

Top Gun: Maverick Notes Part 2!

Tagging: @crooked-jes @merieltla

56. Question: Is Rooster ready?

57. Maverick makes the decision to never leave again; he’s moving on from his past.

58. Phase Two:

a. Coming to an end fast.

i. ‘Act Two’ is ending soon. Characters must develop now, or they never do.

b. Miracle One + Miracle Two: double meaning.

i. Teams must be on target for the next team to deliver the shot.

ii. If one person can move on from the past, the other person must move on, too.

c. “This is where you’ll be at your most vulnerable.”

i. The steep climb:

1. Stay on mark, get out.

2. Move on and be better.

59. Because they are moving ahead of schedule, nobody is ready.

a. Coyote almost died in G-LOC: will he die on the mission?

b. Bob + Phoenix almost died due to a bird strike: will they die on the mission?

60. Rooster + Maverick fight.

a. “Don’t think, just do.”

i. Maverick’s second to last warning because Rooster. Has. To. Change.

ii. Be the leader that he was meant to be. Be better than Maverick.

61. Rooster says that he won’t make the same mistake his father did.

a. This is a minor callback to Penny’s statement about Amelia.

i. Penny lets Amelia make mistakes.

ii. Rooster won’t let himself make mistakes. (No parents, hesitation to let Maverick be a father figure).

62. Iceman dies.

a. B Story ‘gives’ their life for the main character. Maverick cannot turn back now.

b. Shot shows Rooster before Maverick.

i. Rooster knows that Maverick is vulnerable. He understands the pain Maverick felt for Goose.

63. “Take some time.”

a. Theme: Time.

i. For Maverick, the past is finally gone. He cannot waste anymore time.

ii. He had the chance to be a teacher, but he blew it. Now, he’s grounded forever from the Navy.

64. Movie flaw: Dark Night of the Soul is super short.

a. All movies have this flaw, though.

65. Maverick shows up unexpectedly to show the class that this mission is indeed possible.

a. In less time than they were initially given.

66. Maverick shows up at The Hard Deck.

a. He’s finally comfortable as opposed to how he was when he first arrived.

i. This is his element, where he belongs.

67. “Captain Mitchell, you’re where you belong.”

a. He’s where he should be: a teacher + in the Navy.

68. Warlock + Maverick.

a. Warlock doubted Maverick, now he’s confident in him. Development fulfilled.

69. Hangman + Rooster.

a. Rooster is chosen as wingman, Hangman is on standby.

b. Hangman understands. According to screenplay, he says that he is fine with this arrangement. He understands now that Rooster is a natural-born leader.

70. Maverick + Rooster.

a. Rooster wants to apologize/thank him, but they are interrupted; it’s an unfinished storyline.

i. Either one dying, before they talk, will be devastating.

1. Maverick with the intention to die since the beginning? Now that the Navy has accepted him, the Daggers all trust him, and Iceman is passed?

2. Goose’s son Rooster with the love of flying coming back to bite him, since he may or may not be ready for this mission?

ii. Rooster answers to ‘Bradley’ instead of ‘Lieutenant Bradshaw’.

1. Callback + character development.

iii. Nobody is wearing sunglasses, as opposed to the first time.

1. “Eyes are the window into the soul.”

71. Maverick says, “You got this.”

a. He may not be Rooster’s father, but he can be the father figure.

72. “I don’t like that look, Mav.” “It’s the only one I got.”

a. Callback. First time he says this, he is confident. Now, he is scared.

73. “Thank you, Hondo, if I don’t see you again.” “It’s been an honor, Captain.”

a. An attempt to close the relationship between the two. We know that they’re on good terms if Maverick dies.

74. Act Two coming on its end: “Send them.” “There’s no turning back now.”

a. 2:30 – double meaning.

i. Time to get in/get out.

ii. Timer for things to go awry.

75. Rooster’s anxiety.

a. Will he speed up or no?

b. “Come on, Rooster. Move it or lose it.”

76. “Talk to me, Dad.”

a. Like Maverick, he uses Goose as a calming tactic.

77. “Don’t think, just do.”

a. Last time. If Rooster doesn’t speed up, his character is rendered useless.

78. Cyclone uses the ‘come home’ line. He understands Maverick now.

79. Coffin Corner: all the Daggers are communicating as a unit.

a. Development fulfilled.

80. Maverick risks his life for Rooster’s.

a. He is Rooster’s B Story.

81. Rooster needs to go back for Maverick, Cyclone says no. Hangman requests permission to go, Cyclone says no. Warlock requests search and rescue, Cyclone says no. Hondo says Maverick is out there, Cyclone says no.

a. If anyone disobeys Cyclone, they are disobeying Maverick’s wishes to make sure everyone gets home back to their families.

82. Rooster lost his father, his mother, Ice, and now possibly Maverick. He cannot lose Maverick.

a. He doesn’t think, he just goes after Maverick.

i. Rooster + ‘Slow Ride’: Development fulfilled.

83. Act Three: Maverick waking up in a new, uncharted territory. But now, he knows how to defeat the enemy.

84. Rooster risks his life to save Maverick, and he is hit.

a. Everyone on the carrier knows about Goose, they are devastated.

85. Rooster and Maverick are leaders. This is why both wanted to save each other.

86. “I saved your life!”

a. This is how Maverick was supposed to die, like he wanted. But the world had other plans; people cared too much about him. He thought he didn’t have anyone left that did.

87. “What were you thinking?” “You told me not to think!”

a. Rooster + ‘Don’t think, just do’: Development fulfilled.

b. Maverick didn’t mean like this, though.

i. Audience laughed and applauded during this scene. The irony.

88. Frame Within a Frame

a. Rooster + Maverick in center, two trees ‘blocking’ the edges.

89. (See 7b): The answer to the major problem in Act Three – an F-14.

90. When they go up in the air, there is a shot of the wheel. This is a quick foreshadow for the wheel being broken off mere seconds later. We would have figured out what happened to the wheel without the ‘breaking off’ shot.

91. Singular note plays right before Cyclone says, “Maverick.”

a. This way, if someone missed all the beginning of Act Three, they know who’s about to show up.

i. Leitmotif.

92. Maverick tells Rooster about the ejection handle.

a. Audience has memories of Goose dying. Will Rooster make the same mistake?

93. “It’s not the plane, it’s the pilot.”

a. Rooster used this line before, except it’s used for Maverick and not redirected at himself.

94. “Don’t think, just do.”

a. Another callback now meant for Maverick, not Rooster.

b. Maverick + his hesitation with Rooster: development fulfilled.

95. “Come on, Mav. Do some of that pilot shit!”

a. Callback to Top Gun. Goose said this to Maverick.

96. One last fight. Who will win?

a. Out of bombs, missiles, and flares.

i. Both still haven’t talked. Either/both dying will crush the audience; they were so close.

97. Maverick tells Rooster to eject, but it’s not working.

a. If it doesn’t work, he could die like Goose.

98. The beeping of the incoming missile, the breathing/panic of Rooster, the sadness in Maverick’s, “I’m sorry, Goose,” line.

a. Rooster will die by the same mistake Maverick pulled. Even worse, he will die scared. It’s over.

99. Smoke reveals Hangman, the savior.

a. Like Iceman being the guardian angel for Maverick, Hangman is Rooster’s.

b. Hangman didn’t leave them hanging. Development fulfilled.

100. The lack of the front wheel comes full circle. Minor thing, but it stayed consistent.

101. Maverick and Rooster get out of the plane.

a. Maverick looks at Rooster; they still have to talk.

102. Hangman + Rooster.

a. Both smirk and shake hands. Past is forgiven. Development fulfilled.

103. Hangman + Phoenix.

a. He goes in for a hug, and she accepts. She is proud of him. Development fulfilled.

104. Maverick + Cyclone.

a. Both share a smile and a nod. Respect is earned on both ends. Development fulfilled.

105. Maverick + Rooster.

a. Rooster shows respect by calling Maverick ‘Captain Mitchell’.

b. They hug for the first time.

c. “Thank you for saving my life.” – double meaning.

i. Maverick is grateful. He doesn’t say, “I saved your life!” this time. Outright, we take this literally.

ii. Maverick also means to thank Rooster for a new purpose in life.

1. Maverick + suicidal tendencies: development fulfilled.

d. “It’s what my dad would have done.”

i. Rooster has forgiven him for his past. Development fulfilled.

106. Maverick.

a. Almost cries. Hugs Rooster. He forgives himself completely. Development fulfilled.

107. Rooster + Maverick working on the plane.

a. Callback to the first scene with Maverick. They are now father and son figures for each other.

108. Amelia shows up.

a. She looks around in a yellow glow.

i. She must be in the next generation of pilots.

1. Theme: Hope.

109. Maverick + Penny.

a. Both find each other.

b. Callback to the first film: go on a flight in the end.

i. Development fulfilled.

110. Rooster.

a. Knocks his knuckles on a picture of his father.

i. He knows he’s made his father proud. Development fulfilled.

111. ‘Hold My Hand’.

a. About having each other’s backs equally and supporting.

112. Closing Image: picture of Maverick and Rooster smiling at each other. Maverick is no longer alone.

[carolinemillerbooks]

New Post has been published on Books by Caroline Miller

New Post has been published on https://www.booksbycarolinemiller.com/musings/thoughts-on-invictus/

Thoughts On Invictus*

Surrounded by books in a well-trafficked bookstore, I sat down to coffee with a former student.  We’ve been meeting this way for many years.  By now, he is in his early 70s while I am staring down at 87.  Happily, we are both in robust health, and I always look forward to our conversations, particularly on that day as he’d recently returned from a year in Japan.  As he related his experiences about life aboard, I noted he spoke in a  booming voice as though his words needed to carry to the back of a large hall. As we were seated at a  pedestal table no more than 3 feet apart, I took exception. “Why are you yelling at me? I can hear you perfectly well.”    My companion paused, his features creased in a puzzled expression. “I’m sorry.  I thought you might be hard of hearing.” He was right in his assumption.  I am hard of hearing which is why I wear earbuds that are as expensive as diamonds but without the glamor. At 104, my mother could hear a fly drop on a marshmallow at twenty paces.  Sadly,  I follow in my father’s footsteps.  His hearing loss began in his 50s. Even so, he refused to see a doctor and seemed to delight in forcing friends and family to shout at him. Rejecting his example, I take pity on those around me and wear my hearing aids when I’m in public.  The doctor says I should wear them all the time, but they make my ears itch.  In any case, my point about the difference between my mother and father makes one thing clear.  People don’t age in the same way.  Hopefully, my mother’s genes will bestow a long and healthy life on me but science gives me no assurance.  Genes, they say, have a  10-35% influence on longevity.  The rest depends on diet and exercise.    Those born at the tag end of the Baby Boomers and the generations that followed probably see 80-somethings as prehistoric.  Born before the advent of television, we are folks presumed to live in the shadows, figures bent like candy canes who shuffle about unobtrusively with the aid of wheelchairs, walkers, or canes.  Would it surprise them to learn that  Helen Mirren, age 78 and two years younger than President Joe Biden, made 5 films this year? (“Up/front Watch,” AARP, Aug/Sept. 2023, pg. 12.)   Or, that in his two years in office, Biden has fulfilled so many campaign promises historians predict he will be remembered as one of the country’s ablest presidents?  Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia’s Republican member of Congress, disagrees with that assessment.  She roots for Donald Trump,  age 77,  to win the 2024 Presidential election.  Not only blind to Trump’s age, his previous presidential failures, and the many court indictments pending against him, she insists a higher power works in his favor. God has plans much bigger than this.  (“They Said What?” FreeTought Today, September 2030, pg. 2)  If the past is a prelude to the future, I shudder to think what these plans may be. True, a significant swathe of the country shares Greene’s view.  Like her, they don’t have the force of the pulpit behind them, but they claim to know God’s will and are determined by means fair or foul to convert the rest of us to their religiosity. They proselyte on social media, shout their hallelujahs over public school and prison speakers (Ibid pgs. 5-6), as well at sporting events–any place where they find a captive audience. Nature thrives on diversity, but their God demands conformity.  With each book banned from a school or library, these zealots celebrate– as if free will and free thought were worthy of a public hanging.  By degrees, their successes rob the world of color.  Once invention, imagination, and originality become exiles, we find ourselves confined to a grey pallet– a place of shadows where fear and hatred are free to spin their mischief.    The average lifespan for our species is 74 years.  Measured in days, that represents 272,000 sunrises.  Compare this number to the life of our sun which will burn another 4. 57 billion years.  Given the contrast between it and ourselves, a question arises.  Can we afford to be profligate with our brief hour upon the stage? Whether young or old, rather than busying ourselves judging others, we’d do better to contemplate our common destiny and how our actions make either heaven or hell of the earth. The journey each of us takes may be private, yet we know it has public consequences.  A good rule of thumb might be to consider looking inward and holding ourselves accountable for the good or ill we do.  Only when we have shouldered that burden as a compass can we claim to be captains of our souls. *Poem by William Ernest, Henley

[nevermore-the-kitsune]

BOTW Headcannons. Because I'm on my third playthrough and the sequel is coming out soon (OMG), Spoilers

#68

Wolf Link is the spirit of the Hero of Twilight. Others and definitely see him, but act like they can't because they don't know how to react to a wolf traveling with a 20-something young man.

#69

After Wild fell the spirits of Courage past decided to help him however they could once he woke up from The Shrine of Resurrection. This is where the DLC items come from.

#70

Zelda and Mipha had a mini rivalry over Wilds affection. However he was oblivious to it.

#71

Gorons reproduce acsexually and don't have gender or sex

#72

When a Gerudo has a kid with a member outside their species the boys end up the fathers species while the girls the mother's.

For example if a female Gerudo and a male Hylian had kids the sons would be Hylian and the daughters would be Gerudo.

This is because of how their X and Y chromosomes work. But every now and then a mutation happens where a male Gerudo is born.

#73

The shopkeeper of the GSC is a male Gerudo. He isn't trans like the woman who sold Wild the Gerudo Garb. No he hids his sex because of the controversy of male Gerudo. Gannon gave them a very bad name.

#74

Rivali didn't have any kids or any family. He was an orphan and grew up alone his whole life.

#75

Wilds sister survived the calamity and lived a long life but passed before he woke up.

#76

The three dragons are the spirits of Triforce itself. Only the holders and children and see them.

#77

Part of the reason why Zelda couldn't awaken her power was because Calamity Ganon had corrupted the Dragon spirit of wisdom (I can't spell her name, sorry).

Normally, this Dragon spirit would help guide the princess, but as The Calamity gained power, he corrupted the Dragon so Zelda couldn't learn the magic needed to seal him away (again).

#78

The hero that sealed the Calamity Ten Thousand years ago was a Gerudo. He was the only Non-Hylian hero of courage in recorded history.

#79

Riju, the new Gerudo Chef, is Urbosa's great great grandniece.

#80

Wild Link has the ability to slow down and speed up time in certain circumstances. This is why his weapons break. Their atoms are constantly being slowed and speed up, making the integrity unstable.

#81

All Links have Autistm.

#82

Wilds' special interests include horses, weapons, and cooking

#83

The BOTW timeline takes place in all three branches. Somehow, a hero in the past merged the broken timelines before the first Calamity.