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tenroseforeverandever · 5 years

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The Perfect Blend Chapter 2

Characters: Tenth Doctor (aka James Noble); Rose Tyler; Clara Oswald; Amy Pond; Jeanne Poisson; Donna Noble; Sylvia Noble; Wilfred Mott

Tags: Human AU; fake relationship AU; coffee shop AU; stalkerish!Reinette; hurt/comfort; angst; romance; fluff; Christmas; New Year; New Year’s kiss

Story Summary:

Trying to escape from an predatory ex-girlfriend who will not accept their break-up, James Noble (aka The Doctor) finds himself in a coffee shop where he meets a barista (aka Rose Tyler) who makes him the perfect cup of tea and lends a sympathetic ear to his tale of woe.

Chapter Summary: James successfully manages to avoid Jeanne in the days leading up to Christmas, but when he arrives at his family’s home for Christmas dinner, as surprise awaits him.

Chapter Notes: My love for my betas knows no bounds. @rose--nebula and mrsbertucci, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy holiday schedule to help me make this chapter better.

In addition, this chapter needed a wee bit of help from my fantastic French-speaking Fangirls… just to make things sound more natural: @melusine0811 kindly read over this story and gave me some brilliant suggestions; and @elialys also gave me some advice through the grapevine. Merci, mes chéries!

Finally, many thanks to a bunch of the Fangirls for brainstorming with me! I am surrounded by brilliant women!

Read also at: AO3; Tsp; FF

CHAPTER 2

James was unreasonably proud of himself. Somehow over the last few days, he had managed to avoid Jeanne almost completely. Weeell, after all, he was a genius and one of the hallmarks of a genius was being able to think outside the proverbial box. In order to avoid run-ins with his rapacious ex-girlfriend, he had determined he simply needed to be outside his box.

In short, he needed to be where he was least expected to be.

James Noble had gone Christmas shopping.

As much as he hated navigating the throngs of humanity and the capitalist over-commercialization that was an unfortunate feature of the Christmas season in the 21st Century, shopping not only hid him from Jeanne Poisson, but it meant that his family would actually receive proper gifts from him this year, and not just ‘gifts-in-kind’.

Aunt Sylvia had not been impressed with his in-kind gift of the previous year, improvements to her old blender. Although to be honest, he couldn’t really blame her. It had leaped off the counter, spewing her (disgusting) pea soup everywhere and nearly taking Donna’s toes off when the blades, in a bid for freedom, had rushed across the kitchen floor and torn through her slippers. This year, Aunt Sylvia would receive a brand new, state-of-the-art blender (completely unimproved by him), and Donna was getting a new pair of steel-toed slippers (extensively improved by him) as an extra precaution against rogue blenders, and with the added benefit of protecting his cousin from stubbing her toes.

Gramps was the only one in the family who truly appreciated James’ attempts at tinkering, but this year, instead of making him a cobbled-together gadget, James had bought him an ultra-high-tech, backyard telescope. No tinkering required. His old spyglass had taken a beating over the years, and while James had (mostly) managed to repair (and enhance) it multiple times, there was no doubt it needed replacing. James saw it as his familial duty to provide the dear old man with a means to escape the constant harping from his daughter and get lost among the stars whenever he needed to.

On James’ first day of hiding, after responding tersely to a text message from Jeanne, hoping she would finally cotton-on to the idea that he was no longer interested in pursuing any sort of relationship with her, he had gone into tech-silent mode, keeping his phone turned off, and only occasionally responding to emails from his Grandad and Donna.

Despite trying hard to stay hidden in plain sight, James had still managed to find time to return to his usual habitat, working in his lab (improving Donna’s slippers, among other things,) but he had always slunk in by the service hallways, after hours, and made very sure that no one had seen him coming or going. He even slept on the sofa in his office at the back of the lab to avoid detection.

All in all, he had had a rather productive few days.

He had only two regrets: one, that he hadn’t had the guts to confront Jeanne in person; and, two, that he had also been too cowardly to return to Pete’s Coffee Dimension, even though there had been plenty of times over the days of his seclusion that a good cuppa (and a smile from the pretty barista) would have gone down a treat.

That was him, though: a coward every time.

His mind had been drawn to the girl from the coffee shop more times than he would like to admit. But despite the lovely blonde barista’s friendly demeanor, he was quite certain she would never want to see him again, after the way he had practically vomited his tale of woe at her. He was frankly embarrassed by the entire event, despite how much better he’d felt having had someone to share his frustrations with. It had not been the best first impression, all told. She must have thought he was nothing short of a spineless catastrophe.

She wouldn’t have been wrong.

Not that it mattered. He was not interested in getting involved with any girl at the moment, no matter how kind and smart and lovely she was. He was still reeling from his experiences with Jeanne, and he’d be doing the barista a favour by not getting to know her any better. With his emotions running high at the time, he hadn’t even bothered to find out her name. Clearly, he was utterly useless at initiating (never mind maintaining) a healthy, romantic relationship with any woman.

And yet, he couldn’t stop thinking about her: how easy she was to talk to; how her bright, brown eyes had gazed at him with compassion and understanding; and in that brief moment, when she had covered his hand with hers, he’d felt as though her soul had touched his.

But then she’d withdrawn her hand, and there’d been a moment of emptiness and awkwardness before he’d resumed telling her about his early infatuation with Jeanne. But she’d still listened to him and it seemed she’d understood him in a way no one else had ever been able to.

… It felt like she could read into my soul and see how lonely I was… The memory of the words he had spoken to her about Jeanne’s effect on him flared in his mind.

He bolted upright from his place on the lab office sofa, mental alarms thrashing against the inside of his skull. It was all so frighteningly familiar, the draw he had to the barista. He couldn’t allow himself to be sucked into another toxic, infatuation-driven relationship. No, he would stay away from Pete’s Coffee Dimension and the pretty barista at all costs.

He dragged a hand through his hair and glanced at the clock on the wall. Eleven o’clock in the morning. December 25th. He hauled himself off the sofa. He needed to get back to his flat for a proper shower and some fresh clothes before heading over to his family for Christmas tea.

A few hours later, he was staggering up the front walk of his family home under the weight of several brightly wrapped parcels and a pretty Christmas bouquet he had picked up for Aunt Sylvia. He was under no illusion that she would be furious at him for his unnotified disappearance over the last few days and would be hell-bent on making his life miserable while he was trapped under her roof. He understood it was just her rather unique way of showing how much she cared but he still hoped the flowers (and the new blender) would help to blunt her sharp tongue a little.

The front door flew open just as he was juggling his packages so he could reach the doorbell. “Oh, you owe me big time, Space-dunce,” Donna snapped, standing before him, red hair crackling around her face, hands on her hips. “I’ve had to entertain that psychopath all day.”

“Happy Christmas to you too, Donna.” He offered his cousin a bemused, sarcastic smile as he tried to sort out what she’d meant by her strange declaration.

Aunt Sylvia’s severe face appeared in the doorway from behind Donna’s left shoulder. “Oh, he’s bothered to show up, has he? After days of us not knowing where he was, bearing actual gifts, no less. No doubt they’ll all kill us in our sleep.”

“Oi!” James shifted his weight to balance the pile of gifts more effectively, “they will not kill you or even maim you. And I’m sorry about my radio silence, but I was trying to avoid–”

“Mon cheri! James! T’es arrivé!”

“–Jeanne…” He blinked in disbelief at the face that appeared over Donna’s other shoulder. (Presumably Donna’s aforementioned psychopath.)

“Oh, and you brought to me des fleurs,” she exclaimed, pushing past Donna and plucking the bouquet off the top of his pile. “They are magnifique! Merci!”

“Wait! No! Urrrrghh…”

“Oh, they are lovely!” Sylvia remarked. “It would be nice if someone brought me flowers once in a while…” She shot James a pointed look.

“But… I… urrrrghh…”

“Oh, I have missed you so much, James!” Jeanne leaned over the top of the gifts and planted her mouth over James’ in an impassioned kiss. He recoiled and sputtered as she finally broke away, desperate to wipe the taste of her from his lips.

“How about we let him come in?” Sylvia suggested. “Come dear,” she led Jeanne away, “let’s put these flowers in some water, shall we? James, hurry up, then!”

Jeanne tossed James a coy smile over her shoulder as she disappeared into the house with Sylvia, her eyes smoldering. “See you soon, mon cheri. I cannot wait to get my hands on you properly…”

Donna fixed him with a rather frightening gleam in her eye, then leaned toward him, jostling the packages in his arms, nearly causing him to drop them. As she wiped Jeanne’s lipstick from the side of his mouth with her thumb, she whispered in his ear, “Great. Outer space. Dunce.”

“But…”

“Oh, just get in here,” she hissed, “you bloody idiot! Gramps is waiting for you!”

“I am trying, but someone seems to be blocking my way.” He made a show of shoving past her, down the hallway and into the lounge. “You gonna help me, or what?” he called back to her.

“There he is! There’s our boy!” Gramps stood up from his armchair next to the fireplace, arms outstretched, to greet James. He was wearing two mismatched sets of reindeer antler headbands.

“Thought you’d be happy, Dad, now that he’s here,” Sylvia snarked, coming into the room from the kitchen with a vase full of flowers and Jeanne in tow.

“Too right, I am!”

“James, you should have heard him moaning, wondering when you’d turn up.” She rolled her eyes and glanced over at her father, who was helping divest James of some of his parcels. She huffed, “And, Dad, would you take those bloody things off your head?”

“No, I shan’t! It’s Christmas.”

“And maybe put on some nicer clothes. Honestly! We have company; you’d think you could dress up a bit.”

James opened his mouth, ready to leap to his Grandad’s defense, but the old man beat him to it. He straightened up from where he was stuffing one of James’ gifts under the tree and fixed his gaze on Sylvia. “Well, this is my house, young lady, and the company,” he nodded toward Jeanne, “will have to be content with me dressed as I am. It’s Christmas and I’m comfortable. So there!”

James glanced at Jeanne who was observing Gramps with a critical eye. “Oui,” she conceded in her typical condescending tone, “it is your home, I suppose. Of course, you can wear what you like.”

James glared at her as she pursed her lips in distaste and felt his heart wrench when he saw the hurt on his dear Gramps’ face at her contempt. “Quite right too!” James declared, smiling fondly at Gramps as the older man took another armload of gifts from him. He was wearing his traditional Christmas berry-red cardigan over a checked, red and green shirt, and his usual brown trousers. The outfit was a bit shabby, but familiar and comfortable, a Christmas day staple.

“Oh, I should say,” Donna piped up, entering the room and taking the last of the gifts from James. “Christmas is supposed to be about family and giving and tradition, yeah, and anyone who thinks otherwise can stuff it.”

Jeanne gasped and uttered a French oath under her breath, and Sylvia barked, “Donna Noble!”

Gramps mollified Donna, “Oh, sweetheart, that’s enough. Nothing to get fussed about. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.”

“Their wrong opinion…” Donna grumbled just loud enough for James to hear.

“Let’s all just try to get along, yeah. How about we open some pressies and open a bottle of Christmas cheer?”

James took the opportunity to pull a Santa hat from the deep pockets of his coat. He arranged it on his head with a broad (if forced) grin. “Sounds perfect! I’ll be Santa, then, shall I?”

He looked pointedly at Donna, who grudgingly got the message. “And I’ll be barkeep!”

“Try not to poison Aunt Sylvia or Jeanne, hmmm?” James muttered privately to her.

“Oh, I’ll let Mum live… this year. That French bint, though… no guarantees. And let’s face it, it would solve any number of problems.”

James choked back a chuckle and situated himself on the floor by the unusually posh-looking Christmas tree.

“A fine plan,” Jeanne sniffed as she promenaded toward the sofa. There she stopped and swept off one of the seats with a disdainful hand, before perching herself coquettishly on the edge.

James had to bite his tongue to keep himself from scolding the blonde upstart and a low rumble emanated from Donna.

“James, come ‘ere and sit with me,” Jeanne demanded, patting the cushion beside her. “I’ve been so lonely without you by my side, and it’s unseemly to sit on the floor like that.”

“No thanks,” he replied with a forced smile, “I’m fine right where I am.”

“You are playing (… ‘ow you say?) ‘ard-to-get, comme d’hab. T’es filou!” she simpered, making James feel as though he might vomit. He had just opened his mouth to contradict her, when she spoke again in an imperious tone to Donna. “And I will have a Kir Royale.”

Donna’s eyes narrowed, shooting daggers at Jeanne. “Oh, I’ll just go fetch the champagne and Cassis, then, shall I?” Sarcasm dripped from her words. “It should be right next to the caviar and quails’ eggs. Try again, Blondie.”

“I’ll have a martini, Donna,” Sylvia quickly interjected, her gaze darting between the two fiery young women. “You know how I like it.”

“Oh, I suppose, if you do not ‘ave the Cassis, a martini could be refreshing,” Jeanne conceded. “Very dry. Shaken, not stirred, with two small olives, exactement. And don’t use one of those ‘orrible wooden picks. They change the flavour of the drink. Plastic only for me.”

“I’ll give you a wooden pick, right through the heart,” James heard Donna mumble as she turned to the sideboard to mix the drinks, and he stifled another laugh. “Gramps, a scotch, neat, for you?”

“Right you are, my darling!”

“What about you, Spaceman?”

“I’ll just grab a beer from the fridge,” he said, jumping up and moving to the kitchen. “Want one?”

“Yeah, please.”

As he cracked the two bottles open, he asked, “Glass?”

“Nah, the bottle’s fine, ta!” Donna’s response elicited a pair of identical haughty sighs from Jeanne and Sylvia. James and Donna smirked at each other when he reappeared from the kitchen, and they clinked their bottles together in triumph.

“Right then! Time for presents!” James returned to his place by the tree, took a swig from his bottle, and adjusting his Santa hat, pulled a present toward him. “Aunt Sylvia! This one’s for you!”

James was living his worst nightmare, trapped in the same house as Jeanne, who believed he was still her boyfriend, and Aunt Sylvia, who was determined to make it so. Jeanne had pouted once the gifts were all opened that she’d received no present from him, but (in her clearly delusional state) had concluded that he intended to give her something privately, later. “Une bague, peut-être?” she had teased with a cheeky conspiratorial wink. “Quel allumeur!”

Donna had groaned in response. James was sure he’d caught the words “stupid bitch” from under her breath as she rolled her eyes aggressively. He was in full agreement with the sentiment. A ring? Seriously? He could not fathom under what circumstances Jeanne could ever suspect he would be planning on asking for her hand in marriage.

Tea was (impossibly) even more excruciating than the gift exchange had been, filled with many failed attempts at awkward conversation and Jeanne playing footsie with James under the table, her silk-stockinged foot, creeping up the right leg of his trousers. He eventually resorted to squirming into a cross-legged position, which resulted in his knees hanging over the edge of his chair, his left one continually poking Donna, who shot him murderous glances from the corners of her eyes. The only bright spots throughout the entire meal were that Jeanne had brought a rather superior wine to the table, so there was no complaining from her about the quality of the drink, and that Aunt Sylvia had truly outdone herself with a sumptuous meal.

James frowned. When he thought about it, Aunt Sylvia had outdone herself in many ways this year. Looking around the house, he noticed that the Christmas décor had been transformed from the usual naff but homey selection. The posh-looking, designer-decorated Christmas tree sported none of the usual cherished ornaments from his childhood; the staircase and mantel were festooned with garland matching the tree; and there were numerous other, similar changes throughout the house, some subtle, some grandiose, all of them impersonal. She was trying to impress someone, and James had a sinking feeling that someone was Jeanne Poisson.

He was jostled from his musings by Aunt Sylvia’s voice from the end of the table, “…the University’s New Year’s Gala. What do you plan to wear, Jeanne? Not that it matters. You’ll look so beautiful on James’ arm, no matter what.”

“No, she will not!” James blurted.

“How could she not? Look at her. Lovely.”

“I don’t think anyone is denying that she’s beautiful, Aunt Sylvia. But she will not be beautiful on my arm. She will not be attending the Gala with me!” He felt his cheeks flush, and from the heat of his ears, he knew they must have been burning red. But even though it had been embarrassing, his outburst had at least been cathartic, and he no longer felt quite so cowardly. The words were out there for everyone to hear, and they just seemed to keep coming. “You are no longer my girlfriend, Jeanne. You haven’t been for a very long time. I do not love you. I don’t know how many other ways I can convince you. Why do you think I didn’t get you a gift? Why do you think I didn’t want to see you the minute you got into town? Why do you think I’ve been basically ghosting you? Hmmm?”

“Oh, such nonsense!” Sylvia retorted. “Don’t be so stupid, James. Of course, she’s your girlfriend, and you’ll be taking her to the gala.”

“I will not!”

“Oh my God, Mum!” Donna shouted.

“Oh, don’t worry, Donna,” Jeanne said. “’E likes to play these little games. ‘E knows, deep inside, we are perfect for one another, don’t you, James?”

Donna sputtered.

James was dumbfounded. He sat looking across the table at Jeanne, his mouth opening and closing stupidly, trying to find the words to express the turmoil of emotion inside him.

Donna elbowed him in the ribs. “Say something, Dumbo,” she gritted out. “Anything!”

The silence clamoured in his ears as all eyes turned on him, and he looked at everyone in turn, lastly at his Grandad who offered him a silent, sympathetic gaze.

“I cannot take you to the gala, Jeanne.”

"N'importe quoi! Mais pourquoi pas?"

Everyone’s gaze was fastened on him, anticipating his response.

“Erm… erm…” he stammered.

“Well?”

“I already have a date.” The words (pure fiction) spewed from his mouth, bypassing his brain entirely. “My girlfriend. I’m taking my girlfriend.”

The silence crashed down around him again, for several long, strained breaths.

“Well, right then…” Gramps stood up suddenly, pushing his chair back. “I’ll be up on the hill, assembling my new telescope, if anyone should need me.” He nodded significantly at James. Then, he retreated at an unreasonable speed for a man of his age, gathering up his parcels and throwing on his coat and hat. Within seconds, the slam of the back door resounded through the house.

And, all around James, there erupted a barrage of astonished cries and screeches of anger.

#ten x rose #human au #fake dating #coffee shop #stalkerish ex #romance #hurt/comfort #fluff #angst #christmas #new year #new year's kiss #tenroseforeverandever's fic

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thequeenintheeast · 5 years

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Another steller season. I love Slasher so much. Yes more trigger warnings thats literally the point. No one gave a shit Kit was getting murdered except Amy and Angel who were sadly not in positions to help until jt was too late. That was the point everyone was being cruel for crueltys sake. The reason innocent people were killed was bc the killer was so keyed up at that point they were angrier at the good people who did nothing to help then the people who actively hurt.

Bc the good people should have known better...and as effed up as that is thats a powerful message to send. Evil thrives bc good people stand by and do nothing. I love the messages from the Slasher seasons. I just kinda wish they werent so ultra violent bc it polarizes the audience to like people like me. Horror fans wont get the subtle messages and viewers who would wont watch bc of the over the top kills.

I felt for killers this season and how they went out was epic for 1 heartbreaking for the other.

Some highlights

Angel all of Angel

The Dan/Angel anger conversation bc yeah I feel ya.

No one actually believing Kit was actually getting murdered and Wyatts wtf reaction to it...yeah why did it take a year to find him? Bc as the killer said none of the higher up police gave a shit.

Xanders coffee shop bullshit bc Im a grassfed organic ethical girl and I frequent places like Xanders. Except I eat dairy free cheese...its not an abomination.

Amys entire deal...bc yeah Amy I feel u too. Except Im not asexual but one of my best friends is..and I laughed way to hard when Xander called her a robot bc thats my pet name for my friend. Shes the conceal dont feel..Im more hide in my work...I would love to be beta tester who never had to leave home.

The clues of who the killers were esp. are you ok Mrs Dixon? That was subtle but a huge clue.

Saadia refusing to run from the final confrontation.

All the acting in the last 2 eps. Everyone except maybe the kid who played Caleb was flawless. Special mention Jenn, Saadia, Dan, and Angel.

Saadia taking back her phone off Jenn lol.

Saadias parents are never ever letting her out of their sight again.

Dont be a drug using attention seeking douche or else no one will think your getting murdered.

Also stand up for others.

#others and rants #slasher solstice #slasher season 3 #spoilers #another flawless season #i love this show so much

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grigori77 · 5 years

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Movies of 2019 - My Pre-Summer Favourites (Part 2)

The Top Ten:

10. GLASS – back in 2000, I went from liking the work of The Sixth Sense’s writer-director M. Night Shyamalan to becoming a genuine FAN thanks to his sneakily revisionist deconstruction of superhero tropes, Unbreakable. It’s STILL my favourite film of his to date, and one of my Top Ten superhero movies EVER, not just a fascinating examination of the mechanics of the genre but also a very satisfying screen origin story – needless to say I’m one of MANY fans who’ve spent nearly two decades holding out hope for a sequel. Flash forward to 2016 and Shyamalan’s long-overdue return-to-form sleeper hit, Split, which not only finally put his career back on course but also dropped a particularly killer end twist by actually being that very sequel. Needless to say 2019 was the year we FINALLY got our PROPER reward for all our patience – Glass is the TRUE continuation of the Unbreakable universe and the closer of a long-intended trilogy. Turns out, though, that it’s also his most CONTROVERSIAL film for YEARS, dividing audiences and critics alike with its unapologetically polarizing plot and execution – I guess that, after a decade of MCU and a powerhouse trilogy of Batman movies from Chris Nolan, we were expecting an epic, explosive action-fest to close things out, but that means we forgot exactly what it is about Shyamalan we got to love so much, namely his unerring ability to subvert and deconstruct whatever genre he’s playing around in. And he really doesn’t DO spectacle, does he? That said, this film is still a surprisingly BIG, sprawling piece of work, even if it the action is, for the most part, MUCH more internalised than most superhero movies. Not wanting to drop any major spoilers on the few who still haven’t seen it, I won’t give away any major plot points, suffice to say that ALL the major players from both Unbreakable and Split have returned – former security guard David Dunn (Bruce Willis) has spent the past nineteen years exploring his super-strength and near-invulnerability while keeping Philadelphia marginally safer as hooded vigilante the Overseer, and the latest target of his crime-fighting crusade is Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy), the vessel of 24 split personalities collectively known as the Horde, who’s continuing his cannibalistic serial-murder spree through the streets. Both are being hunted by the police, as well as Dr. Ellie Staple (series newcomer Sarah Paulson), a clinical psychiatrist specialising in treating individuals who suffer the delusional belief that they’re superheroes, her project also encompassing David’s former mentor-turned-nemesis Elijah Price, the eponymous Mr. Glass, whose life-long suffering from a crippling bone disease that makes his body dangerously fragile has done nothing to blunt the genius-level intellect that’s made him a ruthlessly accomplished criminal mastermind. How these remarkable individuals are brought together makes for fascinating viewing, and while it may be a good deal slower and talkier than some might have preferred, this is still VERY MUCH the Shyamalan we first came to admire – fiendishly inventive, slow-burn suspenseful and absolutely DRIPPING with cool, earworm dialogue, his characteristically mischievous sense of humour still present and correct, and he’s still retained that unswerving ability to wrong-foot us at every turn, right up to one of his most surprising twist endings to date. The cast are, as ever, on fire, the returning hands all superb while those new to the universe easily measure up to the quality of talent on display – Willis and Jackson are, as you’d expect, PERFECT throughout, brilliantly building on the incredibly solid groundwork laid in Unbreakable, while it’s a huge pleasure to see Anya Taylor-Joy, Spencer Treat Clark (a fine actor we don’t see NEARLY enough of, in my opinion) and Charlayne Woodard get MUCH bigger, more prominent roles this time out, while Paulson delivers an understated but frequently mesmerising turn as the ultimate unshakable sceptic. As with Split, however, the film is once again comprehensively stolen by McAvoy, whose truly chameleonic performance actually manages to eclipse its predecessor in its levels of sheer genius. Altogether this is another sure-footed step in the right direction for a director who’s finally regained his singular auteur prowess – say what you will about that ending, but it certainly is a game-changer, as boldly revisionist as anything that’s preceded it and therefore, in my opinion, exactly how it SHOULD have gone. If nothing else, this is a film that should be applauded for its BALLS …

9. PET SEMATARY – first off, let me say that I never saw the 1989 feature adaptation of Stephen King’s story, so I have no comparative frame of reference there – I WILL say, however, that the original novel is, in my opinion, easily one of the strongest offerings from America’s undisputed master of literary horror, so any attempt made to bring it to the big screen had better be a good one. Thankfully, this version more than delivers in that capacity, proving to be one of the more impressive of his cinematic outings in recent years (not quite up to the standard of The Mist, perhaps, but about on a par with It: Chapter One or the criminally overlooked 1408), as well as one of this year’s best horror offerings by far (at least for now). This may be the feature debut of directing double-act Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer, but they both display a wealth of natural talent here, wrangling bone-chilling scares and a pervading atmosphere of oppressive dread to deliver a top-notch screen fright-fest that works its way under your skin and stays put for days after. Jason Clarke is a classic King everyman hero as Boston doctor Louis Creed, displaced to the small Maine town of Ludlow as he trades the ER for a quiet clinic practice so he can spent more time with his family – Amy Seimetz (Upstream Color, Stranger Things), excellent throughout as his haunted, emotionally fragile wife Rachel, toddler son Gage (twins Hugo and Lucas Lavole), and daughter Ellie (newcomer Jeté Laurence, BY FAR the film’s biggest revelation, delivering to the highest degree even when her role becomes particularly intense). Their new home seems idyllic, the only blots being the main road at the end of their drive which experiences heavy traffic from speeding trucks, and the children’s pet cemetery in the woods at the back of their garden, which has become something of a local landmark. But there’s something far darker in the deeper places beyond, an ancient place of terrible power Louis is introduced to by their well-meaning but ultimately fallible elderly neighbour Jud (one of the best performances I’ve ever seen from screen legend John Lithgow) when his daughter’s beloved cat Church is run over. The cat genuinely comes back, but he’s irrevocably changed, the once sweet and lovable furball now transformed into a menacingly mangy little four-legged psychopath, and his resurrection sets off a chain of horrific events destined to devour the entire family … this is supernatural horror at its most inherently unnerving, mercilessly twisting the screws throughout its slow-burn build to the inevitable third act bloodbath and reaching a bleak, soul-crushing climax that comes close to rivalling the still unparalleled sucker-punch of The Mist – the adaptation skews significantly from King’s original at the mid-point, but even purists will be hard-pressed to deny that this is still VERY MUCH in keeping with the spirit of the book right up to its harrowing closing shot. The King of Horror has been well served once again – it’s may well be ousted when It: Chapter 2 arrives in September, but fans can rest assured that his dark imagination continues to inspire some truly great cinematic scares …

8. PROSPECT – I love a good cinematic underdog, there’s always some dynamite indies and sleepers that just about slip through the cracks that I end up championing every year, and 2019’s current favourite was a minor sensation at 2018’s South By Southwest film festival, a singularly original ultra-low-budget sci-fi adventure that made a genuine virtue of its miniscule budget. Riffing on classic eco-minded space flicks like Silent Running, it introduces a father-and-daughter prospecting team who land a potentially DEEPLY lucrative contract mining for an incredibly rare element on a toxic jungle moon – widower Damon (Transparent’s Jay Duplass), who’s downtrodden and world-weary but still a dreamer, and teenager Cee (relative newcomer Sophie Thatcher), an introverted bookworm with hidden reserves of ingenuity and fortitude. The job starts well, Damon setting his sights on a rumoured “queen’s layer” that could make them rich beyond their wildest dreams, but when they meet smooth-talking scavenger Ezra (Narcos’ Pedro Pascal), things take a turn for the worse – Damon is killed and Cee is forced to team up with Ezra to have any hope of survival on this hostile, unforgiving moon. Thatcher is an understated joy throughout, her seemingly detached manner belying hidden depths of intense feeling, while Pascal, far from playing a straight villain, turns Ezra into something of a tragic, charismatic antihero we eventually start to sympathise with, and the complex relationship that develops between them is a powerful, mercurial thing, the constantly shifting dynamic providing a powerful driving force for the film. Debuting writer-directors Zeek Earl and Chris Caldwell have crafted a wonderfully introspective, multi-layered tone poem of aching beauty, using subtle visual effects and a steamy, glow-heavy colour palette to make the lush forest environs into something nonetheless eerie and inhospitable, while the various weird and colourful denizens of this deadly little world prove that Ezra may be the LEAST of the dangers Cee faces in her hunt for escape. Inventive, intriguing and a veritable feast for the eyes and intellect, this is top-notch indie sci-fi and a sign of great things to come from its creators, thoroughly deserving of some major cult recognition in the future.

7. DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE – S. Craig Zahler is a writer-director who’s become a major fixture on my ones-to-watch list in recent years, instantly winning me over with his dynamite debut feature Bone Tomahawk before cementing that status with awesome follow-up Brawl On Cell Block 99. His latest is another undeniable hit that starts deceptively simply before snowballing into a sprawling urban crime epic as it follows its main protagonists – disgraced Bulwark City cops Brett Ridgeman (Mel Gibson) and Tony Lurasetti (Cell Block 99’s Vince Vaughn), on unpaid suspension after their latest bust leads to a PR nightmare – on a descent into a hellish criminal underworld as they set out to “seek compensation” for their situation by ripping off the score from a bank robbery spearheaded by ruthlessly efficient professional thief Lorentz Vogelmann (Thomas Kretschmann). In lesser hands, this two-hour-forty-minute feature might have felt like a painfully padded effort that would have passed far better chopped down to a breezy 90-minutes, but Zahler is such a compellingly rich and resourceful writer that every scene is essential viewing, overflowing with exquisitely drawn characters spouting endlessly quotable, gold-plated dialogue, and the constantly shifting narrative focus brings such consistent freshness that the increasingly complex plot remains rewarding right to the end. The two leads are both typically excellent – Vaughn gets to let loose with a far more showy, garrulous turn here than his more reserved character in his first collaboration with Zahler, while this is EASILY the best performance I’ve seen Gibson deliver in YEARS, the grizzled veteran clearly having a fine old time getting his teeth into a particularly meaty role that very much plays to his strengths – and they’re brilliantly bolstered by an excellent supporting cast – Get Rich Or Die Tryin’s Tory Kittles easily matches them in his equally weighty scenes as Henry Johns, a newly-released ex-con also out to improve his family’s situation with a major score, while Kretschmann is at his most chilling as the brutal killer who executes his plans with cold-blooded precision, and there are wonderful scene-stealing offerings from Jennifer Carpenter, Udo Kier, Don Johnson (three more Zahler regulars, each having worked with Vaughn on Cell Block 99), Michael Jai White, Laurie Holden and newcomer Miles Truitt. This is a really meaty film, dark, intense, gritty and unflinching in its portrayal of honest, unglamorous violence and its messy aftermath, but fans of grown-up filmmaking will find PLENTY to enjoy here, Zahler crafting a crime epic comparable to the heady best of Scorsese and Tarantino. Another sure-fire winner from one of the best new filmmakers around.

6. SHAZAM! – there are actually THREE movies featuring Captain Marvel out this year, but this offering from the hit-and-miss DCEU cinematic franchise is a very different beast from his MCU-based namesake, and besides, THIS Cap long ago ditched said monicker for the far more catchy (albeit rather more oddball) title that graces Warner Bros’ latest step back on the right track for their superhero Universe following December’s equally enjoyable Aquaman and franchise high-point Wonder Woman. Although he’s never actually referred to in the film by this name, Shazam (Chuck’s Zachary Levy) is the magically-powered alternate persona bestowed upon wayward fifteen year-old foster kid Billy Batson (Andi Mack’s Asher Angel) by an ancient wizard (Djimon Hounsou) seeking one pure soul to battle Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong), a morally corrupt physicist who turns into a monstrous supervillain after becoming the vessel for the spiritual essences of the Seven Deadly Sins (yup, that thoroughly batshit setup is just the tip of the iceberg of bonkersness on offer in this movie). Yes, this IS set in the DC Extended Universe, Shazam sharing his world with Superman, Batman, the Flash et al, and there are numerous references (both overt and sly) to this fact throughout (especially in the cheeky animated closing title sequence), but it’s never laboured, and the film largely exists in its own comfortably enclosed narrative bubble, allowing us to focus on Billy, his alter ego and in particular his clunky (but oh so much fun) bonding experiences with his new foster family, headed by former foster kid couple Victor and Rosa Vazquez (The Walking Dead’s Cooper Andrews and Marta Milans) – the most enjoyably portions of the film, however, are when Billy explores the mechanics and limits of his newfound superpowers with his new foster brother Freddy Freeman (It: Chapter One’s Jack Dylan Glazer), a consistently hilarious riot of bad behaviour, wanton (often accidental) destruction and perfectly-observed character development, the blissful culmination of a gleefully anarchic sense of humour that, until recently, has been rather lacking in the DCEU but which is writ large in bright, wacky primary colours right through this film. Sure, there are darker moments, particularly when Sivana sets loose his fantastic icky brood of semi-incorporeal monsters, and these scenes are handled with seasoned skill by director David F. Sandberg, who cut his teeth on ingenious little horror gem Lights Out (following up with Annabelle: Creation, but we don’t have to dwell on that), but for the most part the film is played for laughs, thrills and pure, unadulterated FUN, almost never taking itself too seriously, essentially intended to do for the DCEU what Guardians of the Galaxy and Ant-Man did for the MCU, and a huge part of its resounding success must of course be attributed to the universally willing cast. Levy’s so ridiculously pumped-up he almost looks like a special effect all on his own, but he’s lost none of his razor-sharp comic ability, perfectly encapsulating a teenage boy in a grown man’s body, while his chemistry with genuine little comedic dynamo Glazer is simply exquisite, a flawless balance shared with Angel, who similarly excels at the humour but also delivers quality goods in some far more serious moments too, while the rest of Billy’s newfound family are all brilliant, particularly ridiculously adorable newcomer Faithe Herman as precocious little motor-mouth Darla; Djimon Hounsou, meanwhile, adds significant class and gravitas to what could have been a cartoonish Gandalf spoof, and Mark Strong, as usual, gives great bad guy as Sivana, providing just the right amount of malevolent swagger and self-important smirk to proceedings without ever losing sight of the deeper darkness within. All round, this is EXACTLY the kind of expertly crafted superhero package we’ve come to appreciate in the genre, another definite shot in the arm for the DCEU that holds great hope for the future of the franchise, and some of the biggest fun I’ve had at the cinema so far this year. Granted, it’s still not a patch on the MCU, but the quality gap does finally look to be closing …

5. ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL – y’know, there was a time when James Cameron was quite a prolific director, who could be counted upon to provide THE big event pic of the blockbuster season. These days, we’re lucky to hear from him once a decade, and now we don’t even seem to be getting that – the dream project Cameron’s been trying to make since the end of the 90s, a big live action adaptation of one of my favourite mangas of all time, Gunnm (or Battle Angel Alita to use its more well-known sobriquet) by Yukito Kishiro, has FINALLY arrived, but it isn’t the big man behind the camera here since he’s still messing around with his intended FIVE MOVIE Avatar arc. That said, he made a damn good choice of proxy to bring his vision to fruition – Robert Rodriguez is, of course a fellow master of action cinema, albeit one with a much more quirky style, and this adap is child’s play to him, the creator of the El Mariachi trilogy and co-director of Frank Miller’s Sin City effortlessly capturing the dark, edgy life-and-death danger and brutal wonder of Kishiro’s world in moving pictures. 300 years after the Earth was decimated in a massive war with URM (the United Republics of Mars) known as “the Fall”, only one bastion of civilization remains – Iron City, a sprawling, makeshift community of scavengers that lies in the shadow of the floating city of Zalem, home of Earth’s remaining aristocracy. Dr. Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz) runs a clinic in Iron City customising and repairing the bodies of its cyborg citizens, from the mercenary “hunter killers” to the fast-living players of Motorball (a kind of supercharged mixture of Rollerball and Death Race), one day discovering the wrecked remains of a female ‘borg in the junkyard of scrap accumulated beneath Zalem. Finding her human brain is still alive, he gives her a new chassis and christens her Alita, raising her as best he can as she attempts to piece together her mysterious, missing past, only for them both to discover that the truth of her origins has the potential to tear their fragile little world apart forever. The Maze Runner trilogy’s Rosa Salazar is the heart and soul of the film as Alita (originally Gally in the comics), perfectly bringing her (literal) wide-eyed innocence and irrepressible spirit to life, as well as proving every inch the diminutive badass fans have been expecting – while her overly anime-styled look might have seemed a potentially jarring distraction in the trailers, Salazar’s mocap performance is SO strong you’ve forgotten all about it within the first five minutes, convinced she’s a real, flesh-and-metal character – and she’s well supported by an exceptional ensemble cast both new and well-established. Waltz is the most kind and sympathetic he’s been since Django Unchained, instilling Ido with a worldly warmth and gentility that makes him a perfect mentor/father-figure, while Spooksville star Keean Johnson makes a VERY impressive big screen breakthrough as Hugo, the streetwise young dreamer with a dark secret that Alita falls for in a big way, Jennifer Connelly is icily classy as Ido’s ex-wife Chiren, Mahershala Ali is enjoyably suave and mysterious as the film’s nominal villain, Vector, an influential but seriously shady local entrepreneur with a major hidden agenda, and a selection of actors shine through the CGI in various strong mocap performances, such as Deadpool’s Ed Skrein, Derek Mears, From Dusk Til Dawn’s Eiza Gonzalez and a thoroughly unrecognisable but typically awesome Jackie Earle Haley. As you’d expect from Rodriguez, the film delivers BIG TIME on the action front, unleashing a series of spectacular set-pieces that peak with Alita’s pulse-pounding Motorball debut, but there’s a pleasingly robust story under all the thrills and wow-factor, riffing on BIG THEMES and providing plenty of emotional power, especially in the heartbreaking character-driven climax – Cameron, meanwhile, has clearly maintained strict control over the project throughout, his eye and voice writ large across every scene as we’re thrust headfirst into a fully-immersive post-apocalyptic, rusty cyberpunk world as thoroughly fleshed-out as Avatar’s Pandora, but most importantly he’s still done exactly what he set out to do, paying the utmost respect to a cracking character as he brings her to vital, vivid life on the big screen. Don’t believe the detractors – this is a MAGNIFICENT piece of work that deserves all the recognition it can muster, perfectly set up for a sequel that I fear we may never get to see. Oh well, at least it’s renewed my flagging hopes for a return to Pandora …

4. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD – while I love Disney and Pixar as much as the next movie nut, since the Millennium my loyalty has been slowly but effectively usurped by the consistently impressive (but sometimes frustratingly underappreciated) output of Dreamworks Animation Studios, and in recent years in particular they really have come to rival the House of Mouse in both the astounding quality of their work and their increasing box office reliability. But none of their own franchises (not even Shrek or Kung Fu Panda) have come CLOSE to equalling the sheer, unbridled AWESOMENESS of How to Train Your Dragon, which started off as a fairly loose adaptation of Cressida Cowell’s popular series of children’s stories but quickly developed a very sharp mind of its own – the first two films were undisputable MASTERPIECES, and this third and definitively FINAL chapter in the trilogy matches them to perfection, as well as capping the story off with all the style, flair and raw emotional power we’ve come to expect. The time has come to say goodbye to diminutive Viking Hiccup (Jay Baruchel, as effortlessly endearing as ever) and his adorable Night Fury mount/best friend Toothless, fiancée Astrid (America Ferrera, still tough, sassy and WAY too good for him), mother Valka (Cate Blanchett, classy, wise and still sporting a pretty flawless Scottish accent) and all the other Dragon Riders of the tiny, inhospitable island kingdom of Berk – their home has become overpopulated with scaly, fire-breathing denizens, while a trapper fleet led by the fiendish Grimmel the Grisly (F. Murray Abraham delivering a wonderfully soft-spoken, subtly chilling master villain) is beginning to draw close, prompting Hiccup to take up his late father Stoick (Gerard Butler returning with a gentle turn that EASILY prompts tears and throat-lumps) the Vast’s dream of finding the fabled “Hidden World”, a mysterious safe haven for dragon-kind where they can be safe from those who seek to do them harm. But there’s a wrinkle – Grimmel has a new piece of bait, a female Night Fury (or rather, a “Light Fury”), a major distraction that gets Toothless all hot and bothered … returning witer-director Dean DeBlois has rounded things off beautifully with this closer, giving loyal fans everything they could ever want while also introducing fresh elements such as intriguing new environments, characters and species of dragons to further enrich what is already a powerful, intoxicating world for viewers young and old (I particularly love Craig Ferguson’s ever-reliable comic relief veteran Viking Gobber’s brilliant overreactions to a certain adorably grotesque little new arrival), and like its predecessors this film is just as full of wry, broad and sometimes slightly (or not so slightly) absurd humour and deep down gut-twisting FEELS as it is of stirring, pulse-quickening action sequences and sheer, jaw-dropping WONDER, so it’s as nourishing to our soul as it is to our senses. From the perfectly-pitched, cheekily irreverent opening to the truly devastating, heartbreaking close, this is EXACTLY the final chapter we’ve always dreamed of, even if it does hurt to see this most beloved of screen franchises go. It’s been a wild ride, and one that I think really does CEMENT Dreamworks’ status as one of the true giants of the genre …

3. US – back in 2017, Jordan Peele made the transition from racially-charged TV and stand-up comedy to astounding cinemagoers with stunning ease through his writer-director feature debut Get Out, a sharply observed jet black comedy horror with SERIOUS themes that was INSANELY well-received by audiences and horror fans alike. Peele instantly became ONE TO WATCH in the genre, so his follow-up feature had A LOT riding on it, but this equally biting, deeply satirical existential mind-bender is EASILY the equal of its predecessor, possibly even its better … giving away too much plot detail would do great disservice to the many intriguing, shocking twists on offer as middle class parents Adelaide and Gabe Wilson (Black Panther alumni Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke) take their children, Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Jason (Evan Alex), to Santa Cruz on vacation, only to step into a nightmare as a night-time visitation by a family of murderous doppelgangers signals the start of a terrifying supernatural revolution with potential nationwide consequences. The idea at the heart of this film is ASTOUNDINGLY original, quite an achievement in a genre where just about everything has been tried at least once, but it’s also DEEPLY subversive, as challenging and thought-provoking as the themes visited in Get Out, but also potentially even more wide-reaching. It’s also THOROUGHLY fascinating and absolutely TERRIFYING, a peerless exercise in slow-burn tension and acid-drip discomfort, liberally soaked in an oppressive atmosphere so thick you could choke on it if you’re not careful, such a perfect horror master-class it’s amazing that this is only Peele’s second FEATURE, never mind his sophomore offering IN THE GENRE. The incredibly game cast really help, too – the four leads are all EXCEPTIONAL, each delivering fascinatingly nuanced performances in startlingly oppositional dual roles as both the besieged family AND their monstrous doubles, a feat brilliantly mimicked by Mad Men and The Handmaid’s Tale star Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker and teen twins Cali and Noelle Sheldon as the Wilsons’ friends, the Tylers, and their similarly psychotic mimics. The film is DOMINATED, however, by Oscar-troubler Nyong’o, effortlessly holding our attention throughout the film with yet another raw, intense, masterful turn that keeps up glued to the screen from start to finish, even as the twists get weirder and more full-on brain-mashy. Of course, while this really is scary as hell, it’s also often HILARIOUSLY funny, Peele again poking HUGE fun at both his target audience AND his allegorical targets, proving that scares often work best when twinned with humour. BY FAR the best thing in horror so far this year, Us shows just what a master of the genre Jordan Peele is – let’s hope he’s here to stay …

2. CAPTAIN MARVEL – before the first real main event of not only the year’s blockbusters but also, more importantly, 2019’s big screen MCU roster, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and co dropped a powerful opening salvo with what, it turns out, was the TRUE inception point of the Avengers Initiative and all its accompanying baggage (not Captain America: the First Avenger, as we were originally led to believe). For me, this is simply the MCU movie I have MOST been looking forward to essentially since the beginning – the onscreen introduction of my favourite Avenger, former US Air Force Captain Carol Danvers, the TRUE Captain Marvel (no matter what the DC purists might say), who was hinted at in the post credits sting of Avengers: Endgame but never actually seen. Not only is she the most powerful Avenger (sorry Thor, but it’s true), but for me she’s also the most badass – she’s an unstoppable force of (cosmically enhanced) nature, with near GODLIKE powers (she can even fly through space without needing a suit!), but the thing that REALLY makes her so full-on EPIC is her sheer, unbreakable WILL, the fact that no matter what’s thrown at her, no matter how often or how hard she gets knocked down, she KEEPS GETTING BACK UP. She is, without a doubt, the MOST AWESOME woman in the entire Marvel Universe, both on the comic page AND up on the big screen. Needless to say, such a special character needs an equally special actor to portray her, and we’re thoroughly blessed in the inspired casting choice of Brie Larson (Room, Kong: Skull Island), who might as well have been purpose-engineered exclusively for this very role – she’s Carol Danvers stepped right out of the primary-coloured panels, as steely cool, unswervingly determined and strikingly statuesque as she’s always been drawn and scripted, with just the right amount of twinkle-eyed, knowing smirk and sassy humour to complete the package. Needless to say she’s the heart and soul of the film, a pure joy to watch throughout, but there’s so much more to enjoy here that this is VERY NEARLY the most enjoyable cinematic experience I’ve had so far this year … writer-director double-act Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck may only be known for smart, humble indies like Half Nelson and Mississippi Grind, but they’ve taken to the big budget, all-action blockbuster game like ducks to water, co-scripting with Geneva Robertson-Dworet (writer of the Tomb Raider reboot movie and the incoming third Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes movie) to craft yet another pitch-perfect MCU origin story, playing a sneakily multilayered, misleading game of perception-versus-truth as we’re told how Carol got her powers and became the unstoppable badass supposedly destined to turn the tide in a certain Endgame … slyly rolling the clock back to the mid-90s, we’re presented with a skilfully realised “period” culture clash adventure as Carol, an super-powered warrior fighting for the Kree Empire against the encroaching threat of the shape-shifting Skrulls, crash-lands in California and winds up uncovering the hidden truth behind her origins, with the help of a particular SHIELD agent, before he wound up with an eye-patch and a more cynical point-of-view – yup, it’s a younger, fresher Nick Fury (the incomparable Samuel L. Jackson, digitally de-aged with such skill it’s really just a pure, flesh-and-blood performance). There’s action, thrills, spectacle and (as always with the MCU) pure, skilfully observed, wry humour by the bucket-load, but one of the biggest strengths of the film is the perfectly natural chemistry between the two leads, Larson and Jackson playing off each other BEAUTIFULLY, no hint of romantic tension, just a playfully prickly, banter-rich odd couple vibe that belies a deep, honest respect building between both the characters and, clearly, the actors themselves. There’s also sterling support from Jude Law as Kree warrior Yon-Rogg, Carol’s commander and mentor, Ben Mendelsohn, slick, sly and surprisingly seductive (despite a whole lot of make-up) as Skrull leader Talos, returning MCU-faces Clark Gregg and Lee Pace as rookie SHIELD agent Phil Coulson (another wildly successful de-aging job) and Kree Accuser Ronan, Annette Bening as a mysterious face from Carol’s past and, in particular, Lashana Lynch (Still Star-Crossed, soon to be seen in the next Bond) as Carol’s one-time best friend and fellow Air Force pilot Maria Rambeau, along with the impossible adorable Akira Akbar as her precocious daughter Monica … that said, the film is frequently stolen by a quartet of ginger tabbies who perfectly capture fan-favourite Goose the “cat” (better known to comics fans as Chewie). This is about as great as the MCU standalone films get – for me it’s up there with the Russo’s Captain America films and Black Panther, perfectly pitched and SO MUCH FUN, but with a multilayered, monofilament-sharp intelligence that makes it a more cerebrally satisfying ride than most blockbusters, throwing us a slew of skilfully choreographed twists and narrative curveballs we almost never see coming, and finishing it off with a bucket-load of swaggering style and pure, raw emotional power (the film kicks right off with an incredibly touching, heartfelt tear-jerking tribute to Marvel master Stan Lee). Forget Steve Rogers – THIS is the Captain us MCU fans need AND deserve, and I am SO CHUFFED they got my favourite Avenger so totally, perfectly RIGHT. I can die happy now, I guess …

1. AVENGERS: ENDGAME – the stars have aligned and everything is right with the world – the second half of the ridiculously vast, epic, nerve-shredding and gut-punching MCU saga that began with last year’s Avengers: Infinity War has FINALLY arrived and it’s JUST AS GOOD as its predecessor … maybe even a little bit better, simply by virtue of the fact that (just about) all the soul-crushing loss and upheaval of the first film is resolved here. Opening shortly after the universally cataclysmic repercussions of “the Snap”, the world at large and the surviving Avengers in particular are VERY MUCH on the back foot as they desperately search for a means to reverse the damage wrought by brutally single-minded cosmic megalomaniac Thanos and his Infinity Stone-powered gauntlet – revealing much more dumps so many spoilers it’s criminal to continue, so I’ll simply say that their immediate plan really DOESN’T work out, leaving them worse off than ever. Fast-forward five years and the universe is a very different place, mourning what it’s lost and torn apart by grief-fuelled outbursts, while our heroes in particular are in various, sometimes better, but often much worse places – Bruce Banner/the Hulk (Mark Ruffallo) has found a kind of peace that’s always eluded him before, but Thor (Chris Hemsworth) really is a MESS, while Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) has gone to a VERY dark place indeed. Then Ant-Man Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) finds a way back from his forced sojourn in the Quantum Realm, and brings with him a potential solution of a very temporal nature … star directors the Russo Brothers, along with returning screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, have once again crafted a stunning cinematic masterpiece, taking what could have been a bloated, overloaded and simply RIDICULOUS narrative mess and weaving it into a compelling, rich and thoroughly rewarding ride that, despite its THREE HOURS PLUS RUNNING TIME, stays fresh and interesting from start to finish, building on the solid foundations of Infinity War while also forging new ground (narratively speaking, at least) incorporating a wonderfully fresh take on time-travel that pokes gleeful fun at the decidedly clichéd tropes inherent in this particular little sub-genre. In fact this is frequently a simply HILARIOUS film in its own right, largely pulling away from the darker tone of its predecessor by injecting a very strong vein of chaotic humour into proceedings, perfectly tempering the more dramatic turns and epic feels that inevitably crop up, particularly as the stakes continue to rise. Needless to say the entire cast get to shine throughout, particularly those veterans whose own tours of duty in the franchise are coming to a close, and as with Infinity War even the minor characters get at least a few choice moments in the spotlight, especially in the vast, operatic climax where pretty much the ENTIRE MCU cast return for the inevitable final showdown. It’s a masterful affair, handled with skill and deep, earnest respect but also enough irreverence to keep it fun, although in the end it really comes down to those big, fat, heart-crushing emotional FEELS, as we say goodbye to some favourites and see others reach crossroads in their own arcs that send them off in new, interesting directions. Seriously guys, take a lot of tissues, you really will need them. If this were the very last MCU film ever, I’d say it’s a PERFECT piece to go out on – thankfully it’s not, and while it is the end of an era the franchise looks set to go on as strong as ever, safe in the knowledge that there’s plenty more cracking movies on the way so long as Kevin Feige and co continue to employ top-notch talent like this to make their films. Ten years and twenty-two films down, then – here’s to ten and twenty-two more, I say …

#movies 2019 #glass #glass movie #pet sematary #prospect #prospect movie #dragged across concrete #shazam!#alita battle angel #how to train your dragon the hidden world #us #us movie #Captain Marvel #avengers endgame #awesome sauce

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indigo474 · 2 years

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91722-

i smelled that dead smell again. also dog shit- i can't find dog shit anywhere and yet i smell it- not all the time -thank GOD!! today while running i could feel the air changing temperature. sometimes i'm ultra sensitive to touch and sound and smell-even sight-i see things i swear other people don't. crazy sleep- i see a door-blue. also me looking up and seeing the treetops- very small leaves. i wake up for what seems like a minute or 2 and i remember- i close my eyes and drift back to sleep- this goes on all night- i remember - i sleep- i dream- i wake - i remember- when i wake for the last time in the morning- it is all gone- bits and pieces come to me.

Amy got upset i didn't say goodbye when i left work. i got a text- thanks for saying goodbye.. i wsdone and i wanted to get out of there. i'm not always the most thoughtful person- i was in my own head , not thinking of anyone but me- for the first time in my life i am putting myself first.. and yeah i'm not always the most thoughtful person. i apologized.

Mads is now just taking a break from her boyfriend. they've been dating 3 months- she's slept at his house, and they haven't had sex- she wants to wait until she is 18. She is excited for our trip. She doesnt want to go to college. she's not sure what she wants to do.. she has time.

things get to a terrible place a little at a time- i think of this saying and how true it is. this is weird but i pray for x's girlfriend. i pray she sees him for who he is before he destroys her. but things get to a terrible place a little at a time- sometimes so slow you don't even realize it's happening- it all just seems normal. i pray for my kids- my grandkids- despite not having them in my life i am the happiest i've probably ever been- i wish they could see me happy.. i wish i could tell them about my job and my friends. i think they would be proud of me- i imagine they would be proud of me. i wish i could buy my grandbabies cute things. i can wish it were all different- i have to accept what is- all it takes is one person to say one thing to set things in motion for things to be different. i'll just keep on living the best life i can-

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hits1000 · 2 years

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Best Songs of 2008 - Hit Songs 2008 - Greatest Hits of 2008 [2000s Hits]

Best Songs of 2008 - Hit Songs 2008 - Greatest Hits of 2008 [2000s Hits] A list of The Best Hits of 2008 - Hits of 2000s, including: 3 Doors Down - It's Not My Time, AC/DC - Rock N Roll Train, Amy Macdonald - This Is The Life, Beyoncé - If I Were A Boy, Britney Spears - Womanizer and many more! Subscribe to our channel to see more of our content! Related Searches: Best Songs of 2008, Hit Songs 2008, Greatest Hits of 2008, Top 2008 Mix, Best 2008 Non Stop, Best 2008 Playlist, Back To The 2008 Quiz, Classic 2008 Playlist, Late 2008 Non Stop , Greatest 2008 Non Stop, List of 2008 Lyrics, Top 2008 USA, Top 2008 Non Stop, Late 2008 UK, Top 2008 Bollywood, Best 2008 List, Mix 2008 Playlist, List of 2008 Mix, Best Jukebox 2008 List, Best 2008 Video, Mix 2008 Compilation, Back To The 2008 Lyrics, Best Jukebox 2008 Playlist, Best Jukebox 2008 UK, Greatest 2008 Video Related Channels: K-Music, Music Express, Francis Pelletier, Younger days, DJ Crayfish, Some Random Guy, Music Hits, Ultra Lists, Younger days, Redlist, Top Culture, MarioMex International Mixes, Related Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldW7U02vGWg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teK0iNj9VxE 1. 3 Doors Down - It's Not My Time 2. 4Taste - Sempre Que Te Vejo 3. A Fine Frenzy - Almost Lover 4. AC/DC - Rock N Roll Train 5. Adele - Hometown Glory 6. Alan Jackson - Small Town Southern Man 7. All Time Low - Dear Maria, Count Me In 8. Amaia Montero - Quiero Ser 9. Amy Macdonald - This Is The Life 10. Beyoncé - If I Were A Boy 11. Brandi Carlile - The Story 12. Britney Spears - Circus 13. Britney Spears - Piece Of Me 14. Britney Spears - Womanizer 15. Chris Brown - Forever 16. Christina Aguilera - Keeps Gettin' Better 17. Cidinho & Doca - Rap Das Armas 18. Colbie Caillat - Realize 19. Coldplay - Violet Hill 20. Coldplay - Viva La Vida 21. Daughtry - Feels Like Tonight 22. Daughtry - What About Now 23. Dima Bilan - Believe 24. Duffy - Mercy 25. Duffy - Rain On Your Parade 26. Fireflight - Unbreakable 27. Gabriella Cilmi - Sweet About Me 28. Giò di Tonno e Lola Ponce - Colpo di fulmine 29. Giusy Ferreri - Novembre 30. Grégoire - Toi + Moi 31. Hey Monday - Homecoming 32. Ich + Ich - So soll es bleiben 33. Incubus - Love Hurts 34. Jason Mraz - I'm Yours 35. Jorge Palma - Encosta-te a mim 36. Jovanotti - A te 37. Juanes - Gotas De Agua Dulce 38. Kate Ryan - Ella Elle L'a 39. Katy Perry - Hot N Cold 40. Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl 41. Kid Rock - All Summer Long 42. Kings Of Leon - Sex on Fire 43. Kylie Minogue - In My Arms 44. La Oreja de Van Gogh - El Último Vals 45. Lady Gaga - Just Dance 46. Lenny Kravitz - I'll Be Waiting 47. Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love 48. Leona Lewis - Run 49. Lifehouse - Broken 50. Linkin Park - Leave Out All The Rest 51. Luis Fonsi - No Me Doy Por Vencido 52. Madcon - Beggin' 53. Madonna - Give It 2 Me 54. Madonna - Miles Away 55. Madonna feat. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland - 4 Minutes 56. Maná - Si no te hubieras ido 57. Mariah Carey - Touch My Body 58. Mark Medlock - Summer Love 59. Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse - Valerie 60. Markus Becker - Das rote Pferd 61. Mélissa M - Cette Fois 62. Metallica - The Day That Never Comes 63. NX Zero - Pela Última Vez 64. Oasis - The Shock Of The Lightning 65. OneRepublic - Stop And Stare 66. P!nk - So What 67. P!nk - Sober 68. Panic! At The Disco - Nine In The Afternoon 69. Paramore - Crushcrushcrush 70. Paramore - Decode 71. Per7ume - Intervalo 72. Polarkreis 18 - Allein Allein 73. Rihanna - Disturbia 74. Rihanna - Rehab 75. Rihanna - Take A Bow 76. Rise Against - The Good Left Undone 77. Rosenstolz - Gib mir Sonne 78. Schnuffel - Kuschel Song 79. Shaggy - Feel The Rush 80. Sheryfa Luna & Mathieu Edward - Comme Avant 81. Shinedown - Second Chance 82. Shy'm - La Première Fois 83. Simple Plan - Your Love Is A Lie 84. Snow Patrol - Take Back The City 85. Söhne Mannheims - Das hat die Welt noch nicht gesehen 86. Stefanie Heinzmann - My Man Is A Mean Man 87. Take That - Greatest Day 88. Taylor Swift - Love Story 89. The Killers - Human 90. The Killers - Spaceman 91. The Offspring - You're Gonna Go Far, Kid 92. The Pussycat Dolls - When I Grow Up 93. The Script - Breakeven 94. The Script - The Man Who Can’t Be Moved 95. The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name 96. Theory of a Deadman - Bad Girlfriend 97. Thomas Godoj - Love Is You 98. Tiziano Ferro - Alla Mia Età 99. Vasco Rossi - Il Mondo Che Vorrei 100. Weezer - Pork And Beans Relate Hashtags: #bestsongsof2008 #hitsongs2008 #greatesthitsof2008 #top2008mix #best2008nonstop #best2008playlist #greatest2008nonstop #listof2008lyrics #top2008usa #best2008list #mix2008playlist #listof2008mix #bestjukebox2008list #best2008video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XwA2GgUFTw

#80S Greatest Hits #Songs Of 1980S #Old Songs #80S Songs #80S Music Hits #80S Hits #80S Songs Playlist #Grea

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therunningphysicist · 3 years

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Scenes from today's long run featuring a baby danger noodle and a random crawdad (???) that was just casually walking across the trail. I have so many questions lmao

#my runs #personal #my comeback story #me #my face #trail running #Amy runs an ultra take 2

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cooldavidkentposts · 3 years

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ABB wins contract to support Sydney Water infrastructure project

ABB has been awarded a contract for a range of drive and motor products and services as part of Sydney Water’s Prospect South to Macarthur (ProMac) water and wastewater infrastructure project.

With Greater Sydney’s population expected to reach ~8 million by 2036, the city’s existing water network will be stretched beyond capacity. Via the ProMac project, Sydney Water will upgrade and expand Sydney’s water and wastewater infrastructure to service development in the South West Growth Area and future growth in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis. This includes construction of a new reservoir at Liverpool and two new reservoirs at Oran Park, to allow for a total of 100 million litres of additional reservoir capacity.

An aerial view of the area in Sydney where the project will be taking place. Credit: Sydney Water.

Sydney Water is also building 15 km of additional pipework and three pumping stations and augmenting the existing network to transfer water to the new reservoirs and to service growth. Construction began in September 2020 and the project will be delivered in stages over two years with the new assets to be commissioned in late 2022.

ABB’s products and services will form part of the project’s water pump station upgrades. The equipment will be installed to power and control nine pumps across the various locations in this project.

The contract includes ACS580MV medium-voltage drives, ACS880 ultra-low harmonic single drives, spares and commissioning. These advanced technology drives have been engineered to operate without disrupting the power network due to harmonics, which pollute the electrical network and make equipment connected to it behave erratically. Harmonics can also cause damage to sensitive electronic equipment and interference in communication equipment and give false readings on measurement devices.

Sydney Water recognised that the ACS880 drives were naturally designed to reduce harmonics in the network and could easily integrate into their existing system without concerns of wider disruption. This meant there was no need to oversize the electrical system or account for higher investment costs in additional infrastructure. By using clean technology such as this, the need for any additional filters or power quality equipment is eliminated.

Like all water utilities, Sydney Water must sometimes connect to residential power networks. Standards that regulate interference by industrial equipment require stringent levels to be maintained so that these connections don’t interfere with everyday devices like mobile electronics and televisions, for example. ABB’s ACS580MV and ACS880 drives are category C2 rated for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), which gives Sydney Water compliance to operate their pump stations with shared networks so that the drives can be run on residential networks without any concern of interference to the general public.

Sydney Water also purchased ABB’s AMI 450 high-voltage modular induction motors and M3BP low-voltage process performance motors with IE3 premium efficiency. About 80% of energy usage at water plants is attributed to the operation of motors for pumping. ABB’s high-efficiency motors can deliver significant energy savings because they use less energy at the same power output, which concurrently lowers CO2 emissions.

The AMI 450 motors are packaged to fit precisely with ABB drives and are optimised for variable speed control to deliver an energy-efficient solution for Sydney Water. These modular induction motors will also be customised to meet the needs of Sydney Water to offer them a low-loss, high-power-density solution that is more efficient, yet smaller and lighter when compared to other alternatives on the market.

M3BP cast iron motors provide protection against the harsh environmental elements found in water applications and will also afford Sydney Water lower running costs, low noise levels and low maintenance costs all in a smaller footprint.

Mike Briggs, Head of Motion for ABB in Australia, said, “Thanks to the ProMac project, Sydney Water will now secure future water sustainability for even more residents in Western Sydney and ABB is proud to be a part of supporting that investment.”

ABB’s solutions offering and design framework surpassed others that were put forward for the project, and demonstrated ABB’s ability to confidently stand by a complete performance guarantee. ABB’s ability to manage the product lifecycle of the equipment by assuring service, parts and labour, combined with full load testing facility capability all with a guarantee of 24/7 support via ABB’s global network, is expected to extend the lifetime of these products for up to 20 years.

Image caption: Liverpool Reservoir upgrade – part of Sydney Water’s Prospect South to Macarthur (ProMac) project.

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/water/news/abb-wins-contract-to-support-sydney-water-infrastructure-project-340327265

from WordPress https://davidkent.home.blog/2021/07/16/abb-wins-contract-to-support-sydney-water-infrastructure-project/

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keywestlou · 4 years

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WIVES HAVE TO OBEY HUSBANDS IN EVERYTHING

Big day in the life 0f Amy Coney Barrett yesterday.

Big day for America, also. Though not a good one.

With her nomination to the Supreme Court, Trump has set the Court on a path unhealthy for America. She will lead the Court in destroying the basic freedoms that have taken years to attain.

She is the personification of a far right ultra conservative. Her judicial philosophy is based on rigidity rather than flexibility. Her approach to the Constitution is to read it precisely as written. From my perspective, wrong.

The Constitution was adopted in 1787. What was then is not necessarily now. There were no planes, cars, dishwashers, women voting, computers, the internet, nuclear weapons, birth control, tampons etc.

The Constitution should be read in conjunction with today’s life style. Not that of 250 years ago. The Court decided cases that way from the late 1930’s till recent years when the conservative block began taking control of the Court.

Barrett gives the Republican conservative block a 6-3 majority. It cannot lose. Since Supreme Court Justices are elected for life, a whole generation will pass before some degree of flexibility returns.

Note Barrett is only 48. She will sit for a good 30 years.

Barrett’s life style bothers me a bit. Not sure bothers is the correct word. However, it does make me uncomfortable.

She and her husband have had 5 children and adopted 2 more. Severn kids! A stay at home Mom would have her hands full with such a brood.

Barrett does not. She said yesterday she also drives the children here and there, and does everything other mothers do. Runs a house, besides.

All the while having been a full time law professor and in the past 3 years a sitting federal appellate judge.

Impressive. She’s unique. I appreciate today’s women can walk and chew gum at the same time. They are multi-faceted. Thank God because we men could not do it.

She is considered an intellect. Based on her accomplishments to date, it is obvious. Her intellect is not enough, however. Heart is required also.

Barrett is not Ruth Bader Ginsburg. A liberal. She had a major hand in opening the door for women in many ways over the years. Barrett will not. She will close the doors Ginsburg helped open and will make sure further such doors not open again.

It is generally agreed she will vote to repeal Obamacare. Roe v. Wade will be gone. What happens to the 23 million who rely on Obamacare today? How will their medical bills get paid? A woman’s right to choose will be limited to a back room and coat hanger.

A return to yesteryear.

Religion should not be a factor in how Barrett will vote. She is expected to separate her religious beliefs to what the law requires in a particular instance.

Kennedy made it clear such was the way it should be in 1960. The Republicans were saying he was Catholic and would listen to the Pope in making decisions. During the campaign, Kennedy hit the issue head on. Basically saying render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s and to God that which is God’s.

It is not going to be Barrett’s way.

She and her husband are members of a religious group known as People of Praise. Relatively small. Began in South Bend, Indiana. Seventeen hundred members in 22 cities covering the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean.

One of the group’s covenants is that the wife must obey the husband in everything.

Wow!

What happened to the women’s rights that have been recognized in the past 50-60 years. Recall Virginia Slims cigarettes. Came out late in 1960 or early 1970’s. A woman’s cigarette. Specially designed for her. Advertised: You’ve come a long way baby!

No more advancement. The women’s movement will become a train running in reverse.

During her speech yesterday, Barrett made a comment something to the effect that every morning upon awakening, her husband asks what he could do for her today. Strange. Does anyone know of such an occurrence in other marriages. I assume the husband’s question is based on a belief of the People of Praise religious group.

Another strange thing about her “church”is that all members are assigned a personal adviser of their own sex. For Barrett, it would be a “woman leader.” Members become close to their “leaders” for many reasons. A requirement is the member and leader be in a constant ongoing relationship involving advice.

Will Barrett rely on her leader as to certain decisions she must make as a Justice?

Praise the People has been a slowly growing movement. I assume it will grow more rapidly now that a person of fame is a publicly known member.

For only 1700 members, the group has accomplished much. Praise the People has established 3 Trinity Schools. Private Christian schools. In South Bend, Indiana, Falls Church, Virginia, and Eagan, Minnesota.

In 2003, the group also established Praise Academy in Lakeside, Louisiana. A middle-high school. Built in the “poorest neighborhood.”

People of Praise members are encouraged everywhere to move into the poorest neighborhoods.

It is reported Barrett failed to disclose her religious affiliation in 2017 when she appeared before the Senate Committee as part of the acceptance process for election by the Senate to the federal Circuit Court.

Although Barrett appears sweet and tender and may very well be so, her mental machinery is not. It is prepared to return the U.S. to the country’s thinking as far back as 1787. Respectively, she is a Donald Trump in disguise as to the damage she will do.

Though I wished this to solely be an Amy Coney Barrett blog today, it cannot. I MUST speak of Syracuse’s victory over Georgia Tech yesterday. Syracuse won 37-20.

Simply stated, it was the finest game Syracuse has played in years. It performed as expected when it was expected. Another way of saying, Syracuse did what it had to do when it had to be done.

I will not bore you with the details. Again, it was not just the victory. It was the way they performed. As close to perfection as a team might.

Enjoy your Sunday!

WIVES HAVE TO OBEY HUSBANDS IN EVERYTHING was originally published on Key West Lou

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the-real-tc · 7 years

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Review Ep. 1101: Baby On Board

(Cross-posted over on Facebook.) Loving the ultra-widescreen opening sequences, as always. I think my heart was in my throat at that near-miss with the Briar Ridge trailer and the big rig truck and pickup. Yikes. Glad there was no actual collision (like in the Season 3 opener, ‘Miracle Girl’.) Nice CG with the reflection in Flame’s eye as the rig flew by: it gave a visual impression of the traumatic experience being imprinted on the horse’s memory. (I like that the same effect was utilized later when Georgie was first trying to bond with Flame.)

I liked seeing Amy’s unabashed joy at riding Spartan again, and Spartan looking as handsome as ever.

First look at five-month-old Baby Lyndy, and it’s precious, as expected. She’s sitting up, alert, and getting some solid foods (though we learn later she’s still getting bottle-fed with milk Amy’s been pumping.)

It quickly becomes clear Ty is not keen on having Grandma Lily come see Baby Lyndy. It’s already been five months, and she still hasn’t made an official visit? That’s not normal, Ty! It’s not like your mom’s living on another planet. Vancouver really isn’t *that* far away. We soon learn that Ty is highly over-protective, irrationally unable to relinquish care of the baby to his mother, whom he considers unstable and unfit to look after an infant, even for one evening.

I loved the exchanges between Lily and Ty in this episode. It’s never been smooth sailing for these two, and Heather Conkie gives Graham Wardle and Megan Follows some good lines to chew on. Harsh words are spoken, and hard feelings come to the surface, forcing both mother and son to confront long-buried events from the past. Was Lily a “bad mother”, as Ty seems to infer? Is that why he won’t trust her, or take her advice, or accept her gift of a harmless lamb blanket?

Another powerful scene was Tim and Lily having a heart-to-heart about their respective addiction problems. It’s these details about the characters the fans know, but it’s the first time these two have acknowledged this commonality, and it was great. Further, I like that they schemed to put up a baby gate. That baby gate later leads to a funny scene that partially defuses a very tense moment between Ty and Lily. It’s the kind of scene that seems like it could have been ad-libbed and was left in because it worked so well, but was probably scripted.

Staying with Ty for a moment, there’s his need to buy a new truck. We can recall Jack went through similar pains in Season Three’s “Man’s Best Friend”. Ty, eschewing all help from well-meaning (but pushy) Tim, decides he’s going to buy a used truck from a guy who claims he’s selling it because his wife wants a van, instead. (Ten-to-one that was a line and he’s probably not even married.) The truck predictably breaks down after the deal has been made, leaving Ty with a truck he can’t fix, and a previous owner who won’t give him a refund.

It’s Jack to the rescue this time (isn’t it always Jack to the rescue in these matters?) He secures the refund for Ty; it’s only later we learn Jack threw in one of Ray Phillips’ old longhorns to sweeten the deal.

Ty ultimately ends up buying a truck from Mitch (his father’s truck), something we knew from the very beginning would happen. Mitch, it seems, has got himself a job in Calgary. Lou is apparently unaware while she’s off in New York with Katie. (Mitch, buddy, I love the beard. I wish you’d keep it; alas, I know you do end up shaving it off. Also, stay away from Lou until she sorts herself out and learns to be less petty and self-centered. You deserve a woman who knows how to be compassionate and less hypocritical.)

It wouldn’t be a great episode of Heartland without something to do with horses, and we get that box checked off in the form of Flame, the traumatized horse that belongs to (the much-maligned) Val Stanton. My, she’s come a long way since her Season One sneers and doubting ways. Not only is she confident Amy can work a miracle on champion jumper Flame, she pretty much demands it! Luckily, she also has Georgie on the case, as the plucky teen wants to see what she can do to help. Somehow, she manages to form a bond with Flame, obviously having learned some techniques from Amy over the years. Georgie fortunately has that “fearless” gene that grants her the ability to tackle the challenge of this unruly horse who refuses to jump. Going bareback, Georgie “The Natural” manages to do what the Briar Ridge trainers couldn’t: she takes him over the jumping course, impressing Val Stanton enough to grant her the opportunity to ride Flame in an upcoming competition. (This ticks off Flame’s original rider, Chad, who couldn’t get him to do squat except squeal and skitter around the jumps.)

Now, time for some “opinionating”:

I know there’s a portion of the fandom that absolutely despises Georgie for seemingly usurping Amy’s position. I could see Georgie’s bond with Flame as being another reason for folks to hate the kid even more, but I think it works well for the show to have someone other than Amy who’s able to jump horses well. Otherwise, Amy just turns into some mythical Mary-Sue who can do everything right and everything well, and nobody else can or should, because Amy is the best! (Look up the definition of a “Mary-Sue”, if you don’t know the term. You don’t want Amy to be a Mary-Sue.) I’ve said in the past that unless the show takes risks and is willing to change, it’ll become a parody of itself with repetitive story lines. Amy has already “healed” crazy-expensive jumpers that won’t jump. I’d like to think of Georgie as Amy’s protégé, and now she’s getting a chance to show what she can do. It doesn’t diminish Amy’s gift by any means (in my opinionated opinion) and gives the writers a chance to explore new avenues. Young kids who are only now discovering the show can appreciate Georgie more readily than they might appreciate a grown-up Amy.

We know from tweets from the set that the Georgie and Flame thread runs through the season, so expect more of this duo. Hopefully, Val’s investment starts to pay off, because as she pointed out, there are a lot more experienced riders who would jump at the chance to be in Georgie’s position right now.

Side notes:

1) They acknowledged that Lily wasn’t at Ty and Amy’s wedding (Val meets Lily for the first time and she comments on the absence; Lily claims she was “ill”. Val says that’s a shame since the wedding was beautiful.) As viewers, we knew Lily and Wade were not present; a valid reason was not forthcoming. To hear from Lily’s own mouth a sort-of reason was interesting, indeed.

2) I *loved* the heart-to-heart Jack had with Ty about how he's been treating his mother. Jack brought up that dream Ty had back when he was nearly dying of pneumonia, along with his own latent fears about not being a good father. Jack points out that Ty's overcompensating, and that he needs to let go and enjoy these precious moments with his daughter, because they go by far too quickly. (And just as I write this, I'm struck by the fact Jack has had to deal with the loss of his own daughter, Marion.) They are words Ty takes to heart, because there's this amazing bond of trust and respect between Jack and Ty that's been fostered through all these years.

3) Amy got to ride Spartan not once, but *twice* in this episode! And one of those times was on the jumping course

So check off “Amy works with horse(s)” and “Amy rides Spartan” in your little “Things I Expect to See in Each and Every Heartland Episode”.

Final thoughts: Glad Ty learned to relax a little. Hopefully he’s dumped that goofy “Baby App” for good. Amy seemed a little reluctant to go along with Ty’s obsessiveness with regimenting Baby Lyndy’s every move, but she humoured him, something I thought was a nice touch. Since it wasn’t really doing the kid any harm, new mom Amy seems content to roll with whatever her crazy husband deems necessary for their first child’s development.

If you didn’t feel even the slightest tug on your heartstrings at that final scene of Amy, Ty, and Baby Lyndy slow-dancing on the back of the “new” truck, then I have to conclude that A) You actually don’t have a heart; B) You haven’t seen “Man’s Best Friend” to get the significance of that dance, or C) Both A and B, or D) You’ve never seen an episode of Heartland before now and you’re not at all invested in the characters.

So a huge "Welcome Back!" to Heather Conkie, cast and crew of Heartland; it's a delight to have you on my screen again. I'm looking forward to what else Season 11 has to offer.

#Heartland #Season 11 #Baby on Board #Review #Recap #Flame #Amy Fleming #Ty Borden #Baby Lyndy #Lily Borden #Tim Fleming #Jack Bartlett #Mitch Cutty #Val Stanton #Heather Conkie #Graham Wardle #Megan Follows #Spartan #spoilers

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therunningphysicist · 3 years

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Training Log - Phase 3 Week 2

Monday - 4.09 mile easy run, 9:50 pace + upper body

Tuesday - 4.11 mile easy run, 9:45 pace + core

Wednesday - 7.72 miles - 12x2′ IR (7:30 ave pace for RI) + upper body

Thursday - 4.07 mile easy run, 10:03 pace + lower body

Friday - 7.42 miles - 12x2′ IR (7:31 ave pace for RI)

Saturday - off, rest day

Sunday - 13.30 mile trail long run, 11:41 pace

Total: 40.71 miles

4/6 on strength training this week. Been slacking the last few weeks on it! Will try for 5 days next week. Also my long run this week was a bit shorter than planned - was super hot and humid today and I started to overheat and feel a bit woozy/lightheaded so decided to cut it a bit shorter than planned. Hopefully the weather will be a bit better next weekend!

#my runs #training log #my comeback story #Amy runs an ultra take 2

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junker-town · 5 years

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What to watch at the U.S. Olympic marathon trials

Des Linden is trying to become the first woman to make three U.S. Olympic marathon teams. | Photo credit should read RYAN MCBRIDE/AFP via Getty Images

With three Olympic spots up for grabs, both the men’s and women’s race are set for high drama in Atlanta.

Every four years, elite marathon runners in the United States gather for a one-shot race to earn one of three spots apiece on the men’s and women’s Olympic teams. On Saturday in Atlanta, more than 700 of the fastest marathoners in the country will take aim at one of those coveted berths.

Not every country has a trial race. In fact, most have committees that simply pick qualified runners and send them to the Games. The U.S. race is a uniquely democratic competition in a sport filled with stifling bureaucracy.

For a time there was some concern about whether the American way of doing things would survive a change in Olympic guidelines established by the International Association of Athletics Federation. However, in July, the IAAF announced the American trials would serve as a “Gold Standard” event. Translation: the Americans could keep their qualifying race.

Running has lots of rules and governing bodies, many of them arcane and arbitrary. But in Atlanta, things will be much simpler. The top three male and female finishers earn a spot on the Olympic team. Of course, just earning the right to race is a major accomplishment.

To qualify, male runners need to clock a sub-2:15 marathon. That’s the “A Standard,” which is the top tier. The “B Standard” allows runners who ran 2:15-2:19 to gain a spot in the field. Additionally, runners who knocked out a half marathon in 64 minutes or less also qualified.

For women, the A Standard is a 2:37 marathon with B Standards coming in at sub-2:45, or less than 73 minutes in the half. By any standard, these are some seriously fast people who have earned the opportunity to run the race of their life.

Here’s who, and what, to watch for Saturday.

The shoes

For the whole history of the marathon, from Pheidippides to Haile Gebrselassie, the 2-hour marathon seemed an insurmountable barrier. Then in October, Eliud Kipchoge ran into history wearing gaudy neon shoes called Alphaflys. They were an updated prototype of Nike’s Vaporfly, the shoe that has led to an astonishing string of record-breaking performances.

Kipchoge had previously set the official marathon record of 2:01.39 in a version of the Vaporfly and Brigid Koseigi was wearing Vaporflys when she shattered the women’s mark that had stood for 16 years by a staggering 81 seconds with a 2:14.04 marathon in Chicago.

Independent research has shown the shoe delivers a measurable boost in performance, which gets to the heart of a major philosophical argument in running circles: Is technologically-enhanced performance worth the price of competition?

There are parallels between the fast kicks and those full-length bodysuits swimmers wore in the 2008 Olympics when they smashed records. Those suits were subsequently banned and there was some thought the shoes would come by the same fate.

However, the shoes were deemed legal for competition in January when World Athletics, track’s governing body, released what it called modified rules that placed limits on stack heights (40 millimeters) and embed plates. This gets very nerdy, but those limits just so happened to closely mirror the Alphafly’s specs.

The ruling, not surprisingly, sparked controversy. In a long, fascinating post, the sports scientist Ross Tucker wrote:

The failure to regulate “super shoes” hurts running. It undermines one of the sport’s most valuable qualities, namely that the outcome, the title, the victory, goes to the athlete whose physiology is optimized through training and genetics, then enabled by tactics, to cross the finish line first.

Is it the shoes or the runner that make the race? The marathon trials will offer clues.

The women’s race is wide open

In 2016, only 198 female runners qualified to run in the Olympic trials. This year, there are more than 500 competitors. You’d be hard-pressed to find a favorite in the crowded women’s field where more than a half-dozen runners could claim that mantle.

Among them: Des Linden, best known for surviving dreadful conditions in 2018 to be the first American to win Boston in 33 years. Linden is also trying to become the first U.S. woman to make three Olympic marathon teams. She’ll have competition from Sara Hall, whose relentless schedule is the stuff of legend.

The accomplished Molly Huddle, owner of 28 national titles and American records in the 10,000 meters and half marathon, seems poised to record a breakthrough marathon. Her training partner and fellow Providence Friar, Emily Sisson, ran a sizzling 2:23 in London in her first marathon.

It wouldn’t surprise anyone if Jordan Hasay, Amy Cragg, or Kellyn Taylor earned spots. Emma Bates, who lives off the grid in Idaho, is an inspiration for runners who would rather be nowhere than anywhere in particular.

The elite men

Galen Rupp, one of the country’s greatest distance runners ever, won the trials in 2016 in his first-ever marathon and earned a bronze in Rio. He is considered the favorite despite several setbacks including recovery from Achilles surgery. Rupp was also coached by Alberto Salazar, the disgraced former head of Nike’s Oregon Project who received a four-year ban by the US Anti-Doping agency.

Leonard Korir has only one marathon under his belt, but it was the fastest debut ever by an American: 2:07.56. That was the second-fastest qualifying time behind Rupp.

Another 2016 Olympian, Jared Ward, happens to run for Saucony. He will be an interesting test case for whether the Vaporflys provide an unfair advantage. Ward and friendly rival Scott Fauble dueled at both Boston and New York last season and it would be a treat to watch them battle again for an Olympic spot.

A pair of 40-somethings — Bernard Lagat and Abdi Abdirahman — are sentimental choices for this 40-something runner.

The course

Atlanta offers an interesting layout in two respects. Rather than going point-to-point for 26.2 miles, it’s an eight-mile loop run three times with a finishing kick through Centennial Park. Running loops can be something of a mental challenge, especially if a particular section gives you trouble. You know it’s waiting for you again and again.

Also, there will be hills with 1,389 feet of climb and 1,382 of descent. There isn’t a lot of flat on the Atlanta course, so runners will either be going up or down for the duration.

That’s markedly different than say, Chicago, which is notorious for being flat and fast. Boston, known primarily for the soul-crushing Heartbreak Hill, is actually a downhill course with the climbing back loaded toward the end.

The unique layout of the Atlanta course may benefit one runner in particular ...

The outsider

Jim Walmsley is the closest thing ultrarunning has to a crossover star. He’s torched courses, setting records in 50 miles (4 hours, 50 minutes) and at Western States in back-to-back years, the oldest and most iconic race on the circuit. Walmsley has never run a road marathon, but he qualified for the trials with a 64-minute half in Houston.

Road runners and trail junkies have lots more in common than they’d like to admit, but there’s some goofy tribal battles between the two camps. Obsessed as they are with splits and trying to shave seconds off their times, road runners view ultra runners as weirdo hippie amateurs, while ultrarunners think road warriors should chill and take it down a notch.

Because of his elite speed, Walmsley has the potential to bridge the two worlds. To be sure, it would be a long shot if he made the Olympic team. Still, no one in the field puts in the kind of training he does — 200-mile weeks at altitude with thousands of feet of climbing. In a recent profile in the New York Times, Walmsley offered a quote that sums up the ultrarunner ethos.

“A lot of people train to have their best day ever,” he told the Times. “In ultrarunning, you learn to train for your worst. I’m looking to get to the most painful spot I can.”

Anyone else?

Yes. Shoutout to my friend Brian Harvey who qualified for the trials running a 2:17.50 at Sacramento. A seriously good dude who runs/commutes to work and makes a mean butternut squash risotto, Harvey is the kind of hardcore semi-pro runner who makes this event so unique.

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fakesurprise · 7 years

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Bends in the Road: the writer’s epilogue

Bends in the road (the finished version) can be found here (starting at the sept 11th entry). It began as a short story, but once I fleshed out the town of Oscars Bend a bit - to the tune of over 800 words - I realized it was going to be longer and a bit more than that. This summation is going to be chalk full of spoilers, and a fun exercise on my part I think. Overall goal: I wanted to do a longer form piece with Anya, Noah and Wilbur. The first draft switched POVs every section/chapter but I realized that wasn’t working as well so scrapped it at the 15K mark. The second draft was about 18K long since giving it one POV - Anya’s - helped focus it more. That, and the characters splitting up initially made no sense, there were several scenes in the first draft I knew needed more in order to be less bland. What follows is the outline I had originally (including the poorest town map ever made) and my notes in italics after each entry. Bends in Roads – INFO STUFF TOWN LAYOUT: OSCARS BEND to Appleford | __________1_|_2_____3 (STORE) (CEMETERY) 4 | 5 | | 6 (MOTEL)

to Rivercomb First off: there is no plot listed. I had some bits in my head, but not enough actually worked out. One reason why it took over 2 months to write such a short story. I tend to write novellas far more off the cuff, and the lesson here is to do less of that :) Gerry and Edith Truman (#1) (‘95)Gerry and Edith are perhaps the heart of the town, given they’ve been here the longest. They’ve been married over fifty years, Gerry – 82 – is a retired logger and Edith – 81 – worked for the Wakefield Fire Commission in accounts. They settled here officially in ‘95 because the house was very cheap, it was quiet and Edith wanted a large garden. Gerry, for his part, wanted a space for his private life to remain private. That being that he’s a lumberjack who likes to dress in women’s clothing. Almost no one knows this, because the jokes would be unbearable. Edith does, and doesn’t judge. Her ability to accept without judgement is the closest thing Oscars Bend has to a Talent, and she is the main reason the Outsider has not taken over. It can’t find a hold over her and has no desire what to make of that. (Of course, her husband and the town are a hold but the Outsider only thinks in terms of Secrets.)

The importance of Edith is emphasized, though not to the extent it became in the actual story when she is closer to being a Fisher King than anything else, bound to the land to protect the town. This is, of course, not done often because the price she paid (or chose to pay) was extremely high. One major limitation of the magician series is that it set a specific limit to magicians and the places they generally exist in, so the series tends to explore the other ways places protect themselves. The McTavishes (#2) Scott, Amy, Peter (+Jenny), Kris, Susan, Paul, Mark, Becky (‘01)Scott and Amy McTavish moved to Oscars Bend in 2001. Because the world didn’t end, and they’d sold everything in the name of the Church of the Final Truth, believing angels would come down. And the world just went on. Their children went with them, Peter and Kris growing up in the middle of nowhere. Peter got a bride online – Jenny – and they’ve had three children of their own (Susan, Paul and Mark). Kris moved away, got married and moved back after his wife died with his daughter, Becky. They all live in the same large, sprawling house because Scott and Peter are both carpenters and keep it in better shape than the rest of the town. Additionally, they have a YouTube channel run mostly by Peter about living off the land that brings in a nice bit of income. Susan, Paul, Mark and Becky all go to school in the town of Appleford an hours north of Oscars Bend. It’s a bit further than Rivercomb, but no one talks about why they avoided the larger town.

The McTavishes had no Deep Secret, nor were ever meant to. I had hints toward it - why their grandparents moved there, why everyone moved back - and something is clearly going on, but it’s left as more an exercise to the reader since the length of the story didn’t permit most of them to actually be involved in it. That Edith wanted more people in the town is definitely a major part of it however. but the extent to which they were aware of what she was is probably not much at all. Greg Sutcliffe and Daniel Wray (#3) – Store. (~4)Daniel runs the local store while his boyfriend Greg works online as part of Anonymous. They don’t care what everyone else thinks of them, but neither do their advertise their relationship. It helps that Greg pretty much never leaves the apartment above the shop and Daniel used to run with some nastier gangs; he is why they’re hiding out in the middle of nowhere, or as close to it as they could find.

I never planned to do much with them; they were here somewhat to shake up the view the characters would have of an ultra-small town being very conservative and a fun exploration of how the shop - and town - actually made enough income to survive, The story took it into darker places than I’d intended, but I left it open-ended if the PCs would ever do anything about the situation. Using food banks to stock a convenience store struck me as an interesting form of opportunism that highlighted the extent the town would go to in order to survive. Bob Plint (+Alvin) (#4) (10 years) Bob Plint made money in the banking industry, and accepted retirement when it was accept early retirement at 35 without any package or end up in prison. He and his common-law wife Tina moved to Oscars Bend since no one would know about Robert Plint here. Their son, Alvin, is severely disabled and kept at home. Tina died 5 years ago – 5 years after the move to Oscars Bend – and Bob keeps Alvin at home. He believes his son is just punishment for his crimes, and keeps him out of school because he doesn’t want Alvin to be a drain on the system. Bob is, also, immune to the influence of the Outsider because there is nothing in him for it to effect.

Bob and Alvin didn’t change; it was intended to be the darkest part of the story where you could understand what Robert Plint did even if you couldn’t sympathize with him at all. Jennifer (nee John) Smith. (#5) (4 years)John Smith was a psychic. The kind who did tarot readings, tea leaves, cold reading. He ran into a magician, was terrified out of his mind and fled with the ghosts of those whose lived he had ruined on his tail. With several living people he’d tricked after him as well, he’s been lying low as Jennifer in Oscars Bend for 3 years now, repairing the last viable house (#5) and using the fact that people know Jennifer as a man to alleviate questions and suspicions. Even now, John is a conman at heart. As a con man, John Smith dressed as a woman - badly - to make people not ask too many questions about who he was, and everyone in town figured he was transitioning. Which was part of his con. Like Bob, he is hiding from crimes. Unlike Bob, he is doing even more crimes (essentially) in the process of hiding. Bend in the Road Motel (#6): Hogan Baxter and Petunia Graves (7 years)The bend in the Road Motel isn’t much to look at. It’s even less to own. It was, however, the only thing left to Hogan and Petunia by their father, Arthur, when he died seven years ago. Unable to find a buyer, they’ve ended up running it. Petunia’s ex-husband Ray won’t find her here, and Hogan – well, he’d never found a job or girlfriend or anything that fit him. They get along, mostly, and Petunia’s gift for accounting means they sometimes turn a profit. This was just notes for me, since I had no plans for them to be in the story beyond Noah renting the room from them. I was going to have them questioned in the first draft, but it ended before I got to that point and I mostly ignored them in the second one. Eesh An entity from Outside the universe, Eesh appears to to be a shadow wreathed in fog, often as large as 8’ tall with a cartoonish body and wide white eye. The form is entirely a convenience as the real Eesh is the creepy cold fog about the projection. Eesh gets sustenance and enjoyment from pushing people to mental breaking points and joy from testing them. Mr. Pickles knows this, and Eesh is a test of the MCs as much as anything else. Eesh never shows up. Or exists. I was ¾ done the second draft, still trying to figure the Outsider out at all, and then realized the story worked even better if there was no Outsider at all. Accomplishing this just involved altering a couple of lines when the characters first probe Oscars Bend. At that point, the last of the story came together in a single day of writing.

I don’t subscribe to the idea that characters tell the story or do what they want to, but it does come from the fact that writing a story is the easy part: you’ve subconsciously done the leg work already, and the trick tends to discovering that, and merging it all together and trusting you know what you are doing when it feels like you don’t at all. I once did a novel for nanowrimo where things went off-rails and I was left going ‘Why ARE the characters going to Mars? That wasn’t in my outline … oh well. I can write it and take it out if it doesn’t work.’ It turned out to be a major and important part of the resolution near the end. Plot should always be in the service of story, and it was a good example of that for me.

#writing #prose #Bends In The Road #writing about writing

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iviaggidianica · 5 years

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giorno uno: metropolitan panic & luxury fashion stores

My flights were not pleasant, but not abhorrently intolerable. On the 5 hour stint I watched Vox Lux (weird & unnerving) and then some of The Princess Diaries (familiar and comforting). A chicken curry & pot of ice cream later, I managed to get myself on a skybus to the right terminal, and after asking for help at an info centre (yep I did actually ask), I went to the next gate. I passed Amy Ross on the way, who was going to the USA - an unlikely coincidence!

On the 12 hour flight I was determined to sleep the entire time but drifted in & out due to meals, coldness, discomfort and turbulence. I would wake up every time thinking ‘surely it’s time to get off now’, but alas. There was some passive aggressive gentle elbowing of the large old man sitting beside me encroaching on my personal space, and at one point some orange juice went flying as I knocked it in its holder in my attempt to get comfortable. That’s about as descriptive as a 12 hour flight can get.

Arriving in Milan was the part I was most anxious about. I stood in the passport line for about 30 minutes, awfully dehydrated. Eventually got in, stood at the wrong baggage collection for an embarrassing amount of time, traipsed through the airport to find the Malpensa Express and kissed goodbye to £13 to buy tickets. On the train we passed lots of green shrubbery, crumbling graffitied walls, yellow painted houses, and then all of a sudden we hit the city.

I walked around for almost an hour trying to find the hotel which was purportedly 10 minutes away from the station (it was, just not when you factor in the incompetence of Google Maps). I asked a man at a fresh drinks vendor & a lady in a chemist for some vague Italian-inflected directions, clinging onto every ‘sinistra’ and ‘destra’ I picked out, and eventually pulled my case up the stairs to reception. Proceeded to have a major panic as I couldn’t find my passport hidden in my bag lining - an Australian Consulate building flashed before my eyes in those few moments - and then entered my...room. A sink, bed, table, window, fan - a single toilet and shower located down the hall. Not going to lie - after my disheartening rigmarole throughout the city trying to find the place, running on few hours sleep and little food/water, the room was the yucky little cherry on top. I called Mum, which of course made me feel better, and pulled myself together.

(Already a MESS!)

(The holy fan)

(View from my room)

I contacted a girl, Aaliyah, who I met at UWA at the leaving meeting. I suggested we have dinner together, and so we planned to meet at 3PM at central station to go to Duomo. I was very nervous considering I’d only talked to her for all of 20 minutes in the past.

Whilst waiting for 3 to roll around, (it being around 12 at this point) I decided to walk to the station to have lunch before meeting her. The following sentence will not please Tonya: after wandering around and mainly just being unable to understand the cuisines/prices/formality of the restaurants & cafes, I stumbled into Maccas. And I felt a strange sense of peace, as even the interiors are exactly the same as at home. I ordered a burger, proud of myself for understanding Italian, and then walked to find somewhere else to sit as Maccas was packed with hungry travellers with suitcases. (Quality report: both the chicken and the bread bun in Italian McDonalds, it seems, are actually real).

I had really over-estimated the amount of time I would need to eat one burger. So I walked back to my hotel as a practice run, so that I wouldn’t endure that horrific goose chase from the beginning of the day again. Ended up resting in my hotel for a bit more and then went out to properly meet Aaliyah.

Was still early. And Aaliyah a little late. And my phone charge dying. Went and read some non fiction books about space and time in a shop at the station, called Mum again to express my nervousness, and then went to sit firstly near the steps that go down to the metro, before a cigarette-smoking bogan family drove me to another more isolated bench (more first impressions of Milan as a city in a moment).

Finally went down into the bowels of the metro, pretending to know what I was doing by walking fast and swerving at the appropriate signs. It was surprisingly easy. I bought tickets from a tobacco shop, where the Italian man was more than willing to help and graciously wished me a wonderful day. “Grazie” is beginning to roll off the tongue like second nature now, ah yers.

Aaliyah’s train would stop at my station, and then would go straight on to Duomo. I waited for Aaliyah at the tracks, but due to bad coordination I got ON the train and she got OFF to meet me. It was quite funny. Then when we arranged to just meet at Duomo, meaning she had to follow me a few minutes after on a separate train, she accidentally got off on the stop after. Truly a comedic sequence of events. Once she took a train back in the opposite direction we met beside a massive regal horse statue directly in front of the Duomo which probably has great significance which I’m overlooking. Stepping out to see the cathedral, in fact, wasn’t so much of a “wow, there’s the cathedral!” moment, but just a blind frenzy of trying to find a “girl who looks like a cow”, as Aaliyah self-described her animal-print outfit.

We met and were immediately barraged by street sellers, coming up to us and tying rainbow strings - yes, strings - around our wrists in the name of ‘peace and love’, and then asking for money. As Aaliyah is originally from Sudan, many African sellers sucked up to her, giving her discount offers. But we declined the £20 carriage ride and professional photography in front of the cathedral.

We took some pictures ourselves (better ones of me fully standing there, plus us together, are with Aaliyah and will come through at some point. These don’t do justice and I’m making weird faces, I know).

(You asked for pics with my face in them, this is what you get)

Then we went to the Duomo shopping place, which was art in itself. Looked a lot like the Melbourne arcades, but...far more impressive. We went inside the luxury stores including Prada, Chanel, Georgio Armani, Michael Kors, etc...and I suppressed my shock as Aaliyah seriously contemplated buying her parents £300+ gifts. And she probably will end up going back and doing so.

(Aaliyah + me looking like I’m grimacing, because that’s what happens when your phone is on the lowest possible brightness setting and you can’t see yourself.)

The shop assistants are SO friendly. They obviously want to sell you things, but they take a legitimate interest in you. The man in Georgio Armani talked to us about Australia & growing up in Italy & our respective interests in fashion & his fear of flying - it feels like you can just make friends with anyone and everyone in Italy. Nobody really keeps to themselves. This is great, but also a bad thing when you’re running on maybe 5 hours of sleep over 2 days and being friendly seems like the biggest chore on earth.

Aaliyah went and got prescriptions for Ray Bans, as you do, whilst I thankfully sat on a couch and pretended to go on my phone - pretended, because it was now on 5% and I was desperately trying to preserve power for my journey home. Here is an unnecessary pictorial documentation of this incident.

We went to a pizza place someone had recommended Aaliyah, got some large slices, then went and sat inside McDonalds (don’t worry, it was just a place to sit). Then Aaliyah accompanied me to the station so I could go home, around 7:30PM; but then the most bizarre thing occurred.

A man with spiked up hair walking hurriedly suddenly stopped as and said something in Italian, to which we responded ‘parlo inglese’ and continued on our way, but then he started asking for directions for somewhere, or asking us if we knew something, and then suddenly said he worked for a modelling company and we were both really great candidates and there was going to be a party at a well known club in Milan (Aaliyah knows of it) and wants us to come, and because Aaliyah had been receiving compliments all day from shopkeepers etc for her appearance I wasn’t so much doubtful of that compliment, but it was dodgy how he stopped us randomly and didn’t even seem to know what he was talking about at first. He continued for about 20 minutes and Aaliyah showed genuine interest whilst I was thinking nononono ALERT, and in the end it ended up sounding actually real but no way my spiky haired friend. He’s going to send Aaliyah an invite for it, so she can go along and have fun - not I sir!

We parted ways and I felt very snazzy remembering how to do the whole ride back, and then walking back to my hotel without any Google prompts at all.

Now, first impressions of Milan: an ultra-busy Fremantle. Humid and hot, you can’t walk far without putting on a sweat. Metro lines, trams etc are very efficient, if a little ill-labelled. The people are all very extroverted, happy to talk, and happy to translate. Friendships could be made from a 5 minute ride on the metro - something impossible in Perth. There is an eclectic cultural mix, with many Indians, Africans, Muslims. All the business men always look like they’re off the cover of GQ with blue suits and slick cosmopolitan haircuts. There are many gracious, slender looking women, but mainly the girls all have that curly hair black rimmed glasses sportswear look. Everyone always looks like they have somewhere to go, and are going in confidence.

I wrote the following summation of the day about halfway it:

Throughout the entire journey thus far, I’ve found myself constantly asking the question: “why am I doing this?”. I don’t know if this is a normal thing to think. I just hope I can start to feel a bit less overwhelmed.

Yet at the same time, I haven’t really registered that I’m in Italy; anywhere of particular note. In that sense, I’m both numb and also overwhelmed at the same time. I’m looking forwards to Uni, where there’ll be plenty of English-speaking people to feel comfortable with.

A good sleep & food should restore me.

...and whilst today was by no means perfect and there were a lot of bad moments, I feel somewhat more hopeful tonight.

Now, let’s see if these posts will continue at this length, or at all!

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ambitiousfeegirl-blog · 7 years

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Interview with ME!

- What is your Full name? Include any maiden names, aliases, or nicknames. Serafina Lynn James. Sera, usually. Fee, evidently, as well. Thanks, UK. - When is your birthday? Do you know where you were born and at what time? May 10th. Born in Panama City, FL... I think at 10:20AM? - What is your star sign? Do you know your Chinese Zodiac too? Taurus!! And Horse. :)

- What is your earliest memory that you can remember? Eating Shrimp Chow Mein with my dad. I think I was three, maybe? - Where was your childhood home? Was it more urban or rural? Not on the beach, but close. Definitely not urban, though. That’s not really how Panama City works. - How was your childhood in general? Did your parents treat you well? Did you have a lot of friends? I had a decent childhood, I guess. Parents divorced when I was young, but they were both good to me as a kid. I was sort of a loner, though, if I’m being honest. I had friends, but I was perfectly content just playing outside by myself. - How was/is school? What is your favorite and least favorite subjects? What were your grades on average? School was miserable and I absolutely abhor the entire experience, with the exception of the internship it landed me and... eventually the job it landed me. The less said about it the better. I majored in business administration, minored in sociology. - Did you have a best friend growing up? What was their name? Are you still in touch? Amy Lynn. We bonded over a shared middle name and the fact that I accidentally made her puke on a merry-go-round. We are not in touch as much as I would like. She’s got a husband and a kid with another on the way and I’m... you know... working. We talk when we can. - Were you in any cliques? I hung out with anime fans and comic book fans and tae kwon do kids? I don’t know, are those cliques? Probably not. - Best childhood memory you can recall? The first time I ever saw a live wrestling show. My dad took me to Fall Brawl 97, and at seven years old, it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. The first match set me up for the rest of my life. Jericho vs. Guerrero. I never looked back after that. - Worst childhood memory you can recall? The day my dad moved out. - Name an event in your childhood that has shaped you into the person you are today Uh... yeah, Fall Brawl 97. True story. - What is the dumbest thing you have ever done to impress someone? Were they impressed or was it all for naught? Probably taking this job all on my own. This is definitely a task for more than one person, but... I can do it. I know I can and I’m going to show Regal that he was wrong to waste me for so long. - Did you ever have any sweethearts or lovers? Do you have a boy/girlfriend? Sweethearts, lol. Who even says that? I had boyfriends in high school, but nothing serious. And only one long term relationship that started in college. Four years down the fucking drain. Ugh. - Are you a virgin? Lord no. LOL - Do you ever plan on getting married in your life? Do you want kids? See above statement. I’m too busy for that ish. - Would you rather have your own kids or adopt? How many kids would you want? You know... if I DID decide to have kids... I don’t know. Adoption is a wonderful thing, because lord knows there are already so many unwanted babies in this world. Sad, but true. I think adoption is a wonderful option, really. - Do you think you'd be a protective parent or a relaxed parent? Uhhh, given how I am with the boys? Protective. Like... ultra protective. - How would you prefer to pass away? Surrounded by loved ones and at peace, or while doing something heroic? Having mindblowing sex with my mortal enemy. ‘Cause not only do I get to go out hatefucking someone (!), but it’s bound to ruin the experience for them and that’s not something they will forget EVER. - Generally, how healthy are you? Do you get sick or injured easily or are you fit? Thanks to WWE medical, I’m healthy and chugging down vitamins like it’s my job. - Have you ever been badly injured before? Broke my wrist as a kid and I have a nagging ankle issue, but nothing SERIOUS, no. - What is the worst injury you have ever gotten? What was it and how did it happen? Were you ever close to death? Honestly, I’ve been really lucky. The broken wrist was probably the worst, but honestly, it wasn’t even that big of a deal. - How many times have you been to the hospital/doctor's? I avoid them at all costs. Let’s not even talk about it. - Have you ever had a concussion or brain injury? Have you ever had amnesia? Nope, though that’s surprising as hell since Coach Brookside decided I needed to learn how to bump once I actually started working for the company. - What was the worst illness you ever contacted? Do you know what it was? How long were you sick? I just really don’t get sick. I think maybe I had strep a few years back, but I literally did nothing about it, so I don’t even know if it was actually strep or not. - Ever had any extended hospital stays? What for? Nope! - Have you ever had to give yourself or someone else emergency first aid? What happened? Yes. I have stitched up my dad when we went camping (not fun), I definitely had to put a hole in my toenail to drain the blood when I smashed it (extra not fun), and I have changed about a hundred bandages for various injuries to myself, my mom, my dad and a few of the boys. - Are you employed? Where do you work and who do you work for? What do you do? I am currently a member of the WWE Talent Relations office, based in the UK just recently. Like literally three days ago. It’s still sort of surreal. Previously, I was a personal assistant to Mr. William Regal. I sometimes feel like I was sent here as a rib, because that’s one hell of a freakin’ leap, but... here I am, so. Make the most of it, right? - Are you happy with your current job? I literally couldn’t be happier. - Did you have any previous jobs? What were they and what did you do? Mostly small stuff, office management, retail BS, bartender... - Most dangerous thing you have ever done? I’m sure my mom would say something about texting and driving (which I don’t do, mom, and neither should any one else!) but honestly... probably insisting on WWE giving me something more to do, because we see how that turned out. - Do you consider yourself a more active person or a more relaxed person? Active? I mean, I’m not going out running every day... not that kind of active. I stay in shape, but I am literally always doing things. I am constantly working, so... active in that sense, I guess. - What is your dream come true? How about your worst nightmare? To be in charge of NXT. <3 Worst nightmare? Failure. - What is the biggest and most important goal you have set for yourself? To be in charge of NXT. You’re only as good as the person you help to get a promotion, Mr. Regal... :) - How persistent would you say you are? How much does it take to get you to give up on a task? I’ve been told I’m obnoxiously persistent and it must be true, because here I am. And I don’t ever quit on any goal. I’ve always accomplished anything I’ve set my mind to. - Would you surrender yourself to your enemies or fight to the very end? Surrender is a tool of war that is either a signal of defeat or treachery. - When do you usually do your shopping? What is currently on your shopping list? Literally, everything is on my shopping list. I am moving into my new flat on Wednesday, so like... ALL of the groceries. Mostly organics. - Top three things on your wishlist? To be in charge of NXT... though I can’t really buy that at the store and I’m pretty sure that’s what they were going for here... 1.) Body Shop Banana Shampoo & Conditioner 2.) Another Key Lime Pie smoothie from the place down the street 3.) And maybe it makes me a mark, but I want a Kenny Omega bear, damnit. (sorry boss!) - Currently, what is something you want but do not need? That damn bear, for sure. - Do you like shopping? What is your favorite thing to shop for? I mean, I guess? I don’t really get to just go shopping all that often. Just like... typical clothes shopping? Maybe?? Is that really a priority in people’s lives? - What is the most expensive thing you have purchased? Was it worth it? My old TV. 4K. It was nice. SIGH. I miss it. - What would you do if you were suddenly given one billion dollars out of the blue? Uhhhhh... wow. I’d do the typical stuff. By my mom a house, get a new car, by MYSELF a house, too, pay off my student debt, donate a shit ton of money to charity... start a wildlife rescue and refuge! - What would you describe your style of clothing as? It depends. I’m definitely business casual at work, but like.. more towards the business end. Outside of work, if I’m WEARING clothes, it’s gonna be a baggy tank and jeans, sandals, sunglasses. - Do you have any hobbies? Name all of them if you can. I used to sing a lot, but honestly work has consumed my life and I am a-ok with that. - Do you like and appreciate art? What is your favorite piece of artwork? I DO! And I can’t put that on here, because his head will get exponentially bigger than it already is. - Do you like music? What is your favorite style of music? Oh gosh, I like everything. I’m currently wavering between Kenny Chesney and Kaleo right now. But I like a lot of different things. Bluegrass, EDM, Classical, Hip hop... if it’s good, I like it. - Have you ever seen any musicals? What is your favorite? PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. - What are your top three favorite animals? What would you say your "Patronus" or "Spirit Animal" is? Hm. Top three favorite animals... Florida panther, giraffe, panda My spirit animal is 137% a bear. - What are your top three favorite colors? Deep dark purple, Emerald Green and Maroon - What is your favorite season? Do you prefer hotter or colder weather? Do you like snow at all? Summer. Always summer. Fuck the cold. - What kind of flavors do you prefer: Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Spicy, Dry, or Umami (savory meat taste)? I like them all, but... I’m going with Sweet and Sour, baby. (12 LARGE). Damn, I just made myself sad. - Can you cook at all? Yes, though the quality of that cooking is always up in the air. - What is your favorite dish? Can you prepare it? Do you have the recipe handy? Shrimp Chow Mein. I’ve never even attempted to make it nor do I have a recipe. You know, I probably SHOULD try to make it, though. - What is your favorite fruit and vegetable? Fruit: Peaches Vegetable: Asparagus - What is your favorite dessert? What is your favorite type of candy/treat? Key Lime Pie. <3 Candy is always always gummi worms. - What is the best thing you have ever had the opportunity to eat? What is the worst? Frog legs, freshly caught and sauteed in garlic butter. Only really good if you catch them yourself, though. Worst thing ever? Any frozen green tea things. Popsicles were the WORST. - Do you like to drink tea or coffee? Any favorite flavors? I love hot tea, Earl Grey or English Breakfast. And yes, I am a coffee addict. - Describe your sense of humor. Sarcastic. - What is one thing you are justly proud of? My persistence paying off and landing me the job of a lifetime. - Do you have any religious beliefs? If not, have you ever been to a church service? Not my bag, no. I have been to church and actually grew up attending a baptist church every Sunday for years. It was enough to kill any interest in religion. - What would you say is the worst thing someone has done to you? What is the meanest thing someone has ever said to you? The ex did some messed up shit. - What is the worst thing you have done to someone? What is the meanest thing you have said to anyone? I also did some messed up shit, based on the ex’s messed up shit. - Share the latest entry in your diary/journal. Basically me whining about having slept 20 hours. Thanks, jet lag! - What is the most precious thing you own? Is it valuable at all? My sense of self and my drive. It’s invaluable. - Talk about someone you know. It can be someone you either like or dislike. Hm. I think I’m going to save this question for it’s own little post someday this week. - FREE QUESTION NO! IMPRISONED QUESTION IS BEING HELD FOR JUSTIFIABLE REASONS AND WILL NOT BE FREED!

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