#and i truly believe in what my work is doing and how we're helping youth and community

[jayswing101]

.

[carpememes]

10 Minute Power Hour Starters

"You gotta warn me because I was just about to yell 'Remember who made you cum?' and how embarrassing would that shit have been?"

"We've got ____ here. Can you believe it?"

"Alright, shut the fuck up, everybody."

"No, not the stegosaurus!"

"Oh! We're giving samples. I've done this before."

"Can you Urkel your way to a win?"

"I don't love this."

"Glug glug glug, now I'm drunk."

"WOO! Show us how it's done, baby!"

"It's what all the kids on youtube are doing."

"Where is this piece? Did you steal my piece?"

"Bro, I'm killing it."

"Am I right, the youth?"

"You didn't even savor the peelies."

"You just ripped it off like a barbarian."

"Sizzle sizzle, baby bitch."

"It's gonna be really dramatic and cool!"

"I don't want a pumpkin growing in my belly."

"What a fool he is, to get wood confused with food items."

"I told my mom to help me clean it up and she said 'no thank you'."

"___ said I look like the floor of an arcade."

"My heart is beating so fast right now."

"Spin the wheel, you bitch."

"We're visible to lots of people, but it feels great to be truly seen by someone special."

"Well, not like my BEST best friend but he's definitely in that class."

"That's too much plastic crap."

"You look like something they'd serve at 2 in the morning at iHop."

"I feel like i just came back from a mythical creature bukake."

"This is what the ladies are into. A big ol brain horn of goo."

"I'm an ex-man. Which means I used to be a man."

"Yeah you won. Everyone's great. Three people need to go to the hospital but hooray you won."

"Thanks for invalidating my win, dude. I worked hard for this."

"You popped which means you are legally obligated to not stop."

"Please. No laughter."

"I feel you should've said something."

"I has bro! Do you has bro??"

"Well, I think you get double points for that."

"You got a serious buttchin and you need to admit it and use it!"

"YOU DID THIS!"

"We're losin it. We're losin it! ___, we're losin it!"

"This shirt's better now."

"No don't! ___, fucking, god damn it!"

"That was the most legit anger I've heard out of you in so long."

"Why is it filled with chestnuts?! And a lemon!"

"Thanks for celebrating my birthday. This was really fun and not depressing."

"Hold on! I have to do some research."

"Jesus. Reginald. Christ."

"You did it! It's a nightmare."

"What do you think? You think i look sexy?"

"Am i out kissin vandals and vagrants?!"

"Imagine I'm rubbing your thighs."

"I'm going to open a tube of goo now."

"You're a sucky friend!"

"I'm doing all of the colors, you fuck!"

"I know what makes green! Magic and jesus!"

"Oh cool! It looks not that great!"

"It looks like somebody's pancreas exploded over here."

"Anyone wanna be on camera?"

"Drink it, you armadillo."

"Have you witnessed me?"

"Ew, ewww- EEEWWW!"

"Nooo, I don't wanna be the hulk anymore."

"There we go. That's a big boy."

"Are you gonna attack or are you too scared?"

"Admittedly you wield a lot of power that I was not aware of."

"It makes magic fun!"

"That's not what I wanted at all."

"I feel like a cat that just fell in the bathtub."

"YES! Eat the worms!"

"Early 2000s is retro?"

"What is the best time of day to shake a baby?"

"Oh no! It's making the connection that I'm it's mother!"

"We dont have all day. Im becoming sterile wearing these jock straps."

"So you can stick your little emoji faces in here when you write your diary about how much God has betrayed you."

"That is one of the worst shirts I've seen in my life. Put it on."

"What? Oh, I suppose you want to KISS about it?!"

"I dunno. I guess cuz I'm an asshole."

"What do you mean 'is that really what it looks like'? It looks magical!"

"In this world we must all tilt.... But we also a-whirl."

"Look around you. All you see is death and chaos... Here is a kirby."

"Every birthday is like the grim reaper moving one peg on the abacus of your life."

"Everytime I try to solve it i'm just making things worse. Which is just an analogy for my life."

"I was brewin' in the nutsack of an older man."

"It was like having Chuck-e-cheese right in your house."

"The ooze doesn't smell great."

"Parents killed each other to get this thing."

"I threw up a lot more in the 90s than I do now."

"It's about to erase your memory."

"____, Im so sorry, but there's something your mother and I have to tell you."

"It's not your fault! Don't ever think it's your fault!"

[bobbiworks]

Beyond the Bell's Chimes | Part 25

RIIZE fanfiction: Wonbin, Eunseok, Seunghan, Shotaro, Sohee, Sungchan, Anton, Original Characters

Genre: Youth, Teenage Romance, High School, Friendship, Angst, Fluff, Fanfiction

Jiwoo woke up from her nerve-wracking dream about Wonbin and Seunghan confessing their feelings and questioned her own emotions, particularly her feelings for Eunseok. She felt a little disoriented and sweaty, but she was relieved to see that she woke up early. Her night hanging out with her friends had left her physically exhausted.

As she recalled her dream about Wonbin and Seunghan, she couldn't help but dismiss it as improbable. They were genuinely nice, good-looking guys, and she felt like they were out of her league. Her thoughts then shifted to Eunseok, and her excitement at the thought of him made her heart race.

Right then, she remembered the portrait she had been working on for Eunseok, and she decided to check on it. She went to her mini art studio and uncovered the portrait board. She had almost completed the painting. It was a labor of love for someone who had unknowingly captured her heart.

As she stared at the painting, Jiwoo pondered what it meant to truly like someone. Eunseok was the first guy she had ever had a crush on, and her feelings were undeniable, even though she tried to hide them. But when it came to Wonbin, she felt a different kind of warmth and comfort. "But he's just my friend," she mumbled.

Jiwoo had never really had male friends before, so she found it difficult to understand how boys interacted with girls. She wondered about the dynamics between Suyoung, who liked Wonbin, and her. She questioned if Suyoung's feelings were the cause of his unease when she was around.

"Jiwoo?" Her mom knocked on her door. "You're up early. I made some pancakes. Come downstairs," she said.

Before Jiwoo could respond, she hesitated and asked her mom, "Mom, how did you know that you loved dad?"

Her mom seemed slightly surprised by the question but sat on Jiwoo's bed. "Why? Did someone tell you that he likes you?" she asked.

Jiwoo shook her head. "I admit, my heart races whenever my friends do nice things for me. They're all so nice, but they haven't said anything like that. I'm just curious."

Her mom gently fixed Jiwoo's hair as she listened to her questions. "You're not difficult to love, my dear," she assured. "I knew your dad was the one when we encountered the most impossible situation. Believe me, it was like a roller coaster ride of emotions before you really realize what that person means to you."

Jiwoo smiled, feeling reassured by her mom's words. "I thought I was already mature enough to understand these things, but I still have a long way to go. Thanks, Mom."

Her mom kissed her cheek and gave her a hug. As she noticed the portrait on the table, she asked, "That's Eunseok, right?"

Jiwoo almost forgot that her parents had met Eunseok yesterday. "Oh, I forgot. He's the son of your dad's boss," her mom added.

"Ehh?" Jiwoo exclaimed. "Really???"

"Yes, your dad recognized him," her mom confirmed. "Why do you have a portrait of him?"

Jiwoo explained, "I made it. He was like the person I liked on the first day."

Her mom raised an eyebrow and inquired further, "What about Wonbin? Seunghan? Sohee? I'm pretty sure that Wonbin boy likes you."

"Eeeeeh???" Jiwoo exclaimed, her face turning red. "H-How?"

Her mom couldn't resist teasing her. "He didn't tell you yet?" Jiwoo whined and tugged at her mom's hand.

"Stop teasing me! We're just friends!" Jiwoo insisted, and her mom playfully warned her not to write it off so easily. She then left to prepare breakfast, leaving Jiwoo wondering about her own feelings and the relationships with her friends.

Jiwoo gathered her courage and approached Class 2-A's booth at the event. She hadn't expected that she would be approaching Eunseok first. She stood by the hallway, slightly hiding from the crowd, with the portrait she had prepared for him discreetly tucked away.

It didn't take long for Sungchan to spot her, despite her attempt to blend in with the crowd. Jiwoo greeted him with a friendly nod.

"Huh? Shim Jiwoo?" Sungchan recognized her and was quick to address her. Jiwoo acknowledged him and waited for him to continue. "Wait. I'll get him," Sungchan said.

Sungchan entered their classroom and whispered to Eunseok, who was preparing for the event. Eunseok nodded and excused himself, following Sungchan outside. His face lit up when he saw Jiwoo standing near the locker door, looking slightly anxious. Jiwoo signaled him to go somewhere quieter, and he willingly obliged.

"Wow, this is new," Eunseok remarked as he noticed Jiwoo's nervousness. She seemed hesitant around him, and her cheeks were tinged with a rosy hue. Eunseok leaned in closer, his voice soothing. "Are you okay? Are you uncomfortable with oppa? Do you not like me?"

"It's not that," Jiwoo stammered, struggling to find her words. She kept glancing around as if she was afraid someone might overhear. Her grip on the portrait behind her tightened.

"I'll try harder then," Eunseok smiled warmly. "Wanna have lunch with me?"

"Huh? N-No," Jiwoo quickly declined, shaking her head. "I'm here to give you this," she said, attempting to hand him the portrait, but Eunseok halted her midway.

"After. Lunch," Eunseok suggested and playfully ruffled her hair. "I'll drop by your class," he continued.

"N-No," Jiwoo stammered once more.

"No? Is your boyfriend going to get mad?" Eunseok raised an eyebrow teasingly.

"No, I don't have a boyfriend," Jiwoo replied, her face flushing with embarrassment due to the conversation with him.

"Well, that settles it," Eunseok grinned and playfully winked at her before heading back to their booth. Jiwoo remained where she was, still flustered by the exchange.

Jiwoo returned to her classroom and found both Wonbin and Seunghan busy preparing for their performance. She couldn't help but admire how good Wonbin looked in his stylish attire, topped off with his infamous beanie. Jiwoo greeted him with warmth as she approached.

"Did you just come?" Wonbin inquired, looking at her.

"Yes, you look nice," Jiwoo complimented him, referring to his appearance. Wonbin couldn't hide his smile and, in a surprising and endearing move, pinched her cheek. Jiwoo was caught off guard, and she instinctively cupped her cheek where he touched.

"What was that for?" she asked with a puzzled expression.

"You are cute," Wonbin stated, his tone affectionate. "Should we have lunch together later?" He suggested as he pulled out his guitar from its stand.

Jiwoo politely declined, shaking her head, "Sorry, but I have plans for lunch," she said, clasping her hands together as she apologized.

Wonbin nodded and seemed understanding. He then came up with another idea, "How about we hang out during the closing ceremony? I heard there will be a concert on the field. We just got an invitation from Shotaro."

Jiwoo was enthusiastic about the idea, raising both her thumbs up, "Yes! That would be great. What about Seunghan?"

Wonbin looked over at Seunghan, who was engrossed in his preparations, and shrugged. "I just want the two of us," he admitted. "I want to tell you something... important." He flashed her his lopsided smile.

"Okay," Jiwoo smiled in response, her curiosity piqued.

"I'll go get rehearsed, then," Wonbin said as he returned to his group. Jiwoo watched him go, still wondering about what he might have to say to her later. She left the classroom and headed to the council room, as she had been told that she was needed to help facilitate the closing ceremony with Miyoung.

In the dimly lit hallway, Jiwoo found herself surrounded by a group of unfamiliar girls who obstructed her path. Initially, she attempted to step aside, assuming they were simply passing through, but her hopes were shattered when one of the girls forcefully seized her arm and pushed her aside, leaving her in stunned silence.

Jiwoo was then forcibly taken to the rear of the building, and it soon became clear that it was Yuri's gang responsible for this unwarranted intrusion. Jiwoo had no prior knowledge of these individuals.

"What is this?" Jiwoo demanded, her voice quivering with trepidation. She was well aware that trouble was brewing, and she desperately wished to avoid it. After all, today was meant to be the highlight of the cultural festival, and these girls were intent on spoiling it.

"Shim Jiwoo, isn't it?" Yuri taunted, her voice laced with malice as she sat regally on a chair, her long, ebony hair cascading down her back. To describe the girl before her, who seemed to wield power over those around her, Jiwoo couldn't deny her striking beauty – porcelain skin, large eyes, crimson lips, and an enviable figure. But her smile was tainted with malevolence.

"You dragged me here without being certain if you had the right person?" Jiwoo challenged, her fear palpable. She scanned the surroundings, realizing that this place was off-limits to most, with some allowed in only for disposing of trash.

"Trying to be clever?" Yuri raised an eyebrow, restraining herself from grabbing Jiwoo's face out of sheer anger. "I simply want to get to know you better. After all, I recently had a little fun with your friend."

"Friend? Are you referring to Miri?" Jiwoo inquired.

"Was that her name?" Yuri smirked. "I playfully brought her here, thinking she was you, but alas, she was indisposed," she chuckled.

"What did you do to Miri?" Jiwoo's anger flared. "I swear, I will report this to the principal!"

Yuri and her companions exchanged sly glances before erupting in mocking laughter, ridiculing Jiwoo's voice and emotions. Jiwoo began to dread what these girls might have subjected her friend to. Could it be the reason Miri had distanced herself from her?

"What do you want from me?" Jiwoo inquired.

"Simple. I want you gone," Yuri stated with a wicked grin. "It seems like the boys, those handsome boys, are all over you. I wonder why."

Jiwoo was perplexed. "What are you talking about?"

"Why are you pretending not to know?" Yuri continued, her tone dripping with disdain. "You've entrapped every guy you know, playing with their emotions. Just like how Eunseok, tsk. My dear fricking Eunseok. Oh how amusing it is to watch him play with you. " Yuri laughed.

Jiwoo's fists clenched in annoyance. "No, you're wrong. I don't appreciate you spreading falsehoods about people."

"Oh, I'm not lying," Yuri declared. "I'm just giving you a glimpse of what kind of person he is. Do you really believe he cares about you? You're just a pawn in his game, my dear. Just be gone. Avoid him and I'll let you go merrily."

Jiwoo shut her eyes briefly. She knew Yuri was attempting to inflict emotional harm. Jiwoo had been taught not to judge people solely based on others' opinions. "No. I won't do what you're asking."

"Then I won't be your friend."

Jiwoo stopped when she heard a voice, turning to find Miri.

"Miri! What are you doing here?" Jiwoo asked, rushing toward her. However, Miri ignored her and stood by Yuri's side. "Miri, what's going on?"

Miri's face was dark and cold, void of the life Jiwoo once knew. It was the same look she had observed in Miri recently, and it pained her deeply.

"I resent how you're enjoying your life while I'm suffering," Miri stated. "I despise that you never thought of me while you had fun with other people." Miri said as she was constantly bullied by her classmates and even Yuri's friends.

Yuri laughed as Miri began to assail Jiwoo.

"Miri, what are you talking about? Whatever she's told you... it's not true. None of it is true," Jiwoo pleaded. "Miri..."

"I loathe that a loser like you has such good friends. It should have been me... not you," Miri continued with her bitter wishes, further breaking Jiwoo's heart. She bit her lip and struggled to hold back tears. "I wish you could experience the pain I've endured. I truly wish you would."

"What did they do to you? Miri, please, we can talk about it. Okay? You're my best friend," Jiwoo implored, clutching Miri's hands. "Miri, don't believe whatever she's saying. I'm not even angry with you."

"You should have suffered like I did," Miri continued her bitter tirade, and Jiwoo took a deep breath, having heard enough for one day.

"What do you want me to do to make you happy?" Jiwoo asked in defeat. "Our friendship is stronger than this. You know that. I'll do whatever it takes for us to be okay. Okay?" Jiwoo began to tear up as she reminisced about the times when she and Miri were inseparable, even promising to be best friends forever. She retrieved the friendship bracelet that Miri had made. "See? You've never left my thoughts, Miri."

Miri's response was harsh. "You're nothing but trash. Just be miserable and alone. I don't want to be friends with you anymore." She pushed Jiwoo away and angrily flung their friendship bracelet in Jiwoo's face.

Yuri, in the background, continued to laugh and approached Miri, embracing her. "Well done. She's going to be my best friend from now on, right, Miri?"

Jiwoo lowered her head, her emotions a turbulent mix of anger, sadness, and betrayal. As the girls departed one by one, she remained in silence, contemplating the shattered bond of friendship.

[write-r]

Sometimes I feel as if I live in a world where expecting better is considered senseless naivety. Who decided that this misery, this pessimism that I see in my peers and superiors alike was the status quo? Who ruled that what we have is all we deserve, and to want more, to expect better from the people around us is hopeless optimism? Who decreed that optimism was hopeless in the first place? The society around me becomes more and more melancholy, more hopeless, more bleak as time passes. How did this pessimistic world view become the norm? When did we, as a people, stop wanting more?

In a digital age, all the horrors and tragedies of life are on full display for our youth, creating what I believe to be the most pessimistic generation. We are not taught to hope, or dream, or reach for a brighter future. Every day, we are shown terrorist attacks, political instability, global genocide, and the rapidly collapsing global economy, side by side with images of dead children, and burning cities. Not once in this morbid exposure are we advised to hope, to aspire for better things, to work for a future we can be proud of. Instead, we are encouraged to wallow in our own misery, our helplessness in a world with a million injustices.

When I speak to my peers of my hopes, of my dreams of being the best person I can be, I receive scoffs. To my generation, I am obnoxiously positive, unrealistic, and unwilling to accept reality. When I speak to the older generation, I'm naive, idealist, and soft. My optimism is considered lofty, and unaware. To aspire for a better world, to aspire for kinder people is to be considered ignorant. Tell me, what happened to hope? Why is this quality that has built cities, saved lives, and inspired billions now null?

I keep writing. I write whatever I can think of, and hope desperately that it reaches somebody, and somebody out there dares to ask themselves, dares to ask the people around them, what happened to hope? Why are we settling for the life that we're given without question? Why is peace such a radical concept, and what world do we live in where condoning violence is a political statement? Find the desire to leave the world better than we found it, set the stage for the future generations, help and love and CARE, just care because it is all that is really important.

There is so much that can be done, and it may seem overwhelming to the average person. We can't fix everything at once. But we need to truly, really care. And if that is too difficult, then we need to sit back and ask ourselves; "What happened to hope?"

[footballingreenwich]

Football: More Than Just a Game

Interview with Bobby Walker, Jr. by Drew Falla

Bobby Walker Jr, born in Dallas, Texas, grew up around football, and puts his understanding of young minds and athletics to work. Growing up around football, Walker always had a love for the sport. It wasn’t until he turned 12, where he put on a helmet. This decision would change his life forever. He would go on to play college football, and coach after. Starting a young family before moving to Greenwich, CT, was a challenge. However, Walker looked to sports in order to help his kids develop. Working in the education systems across Texas and Connecticut, he learned a lot about the ins and outs of sports and how it ties in with the classroom. Walker, after coaching for some years in Texas as a defensive coordinator and line coach, decided to continue coaching at the youth level in Greenwich. Working for the GYFL as a volunteer coach for kids ages 8-14 has allowed Walker to have very unique views on the game he loves. He believes that, Working in Greenwich actually allowed him to be one of my personal coaches during my time as a young football player. I always looked upon our times together fondly, as he was truly one of the people who helped me fall in love with football. Having such an adept understanding of the game and how kids develop gives what he talks about a unique twist. He talks about football in Greenwich as a whole, as well as its benefits in school and socially. His son, Miles Walker, currently attends Ohio State and plays football there, so his experiences are touched upon a lot in this interview as well. 

Q1 [00:00:56] Can you talk about what you think football means to young children and what it, what it helps them develop and stuff like that.

Bobby Walker Jr. [00:01:08] Absolutely. So first of all, I can't tell you the numerous benefits that I believe football holds for kids. And, you know, not only for young kids, but I think it's just about a sport that teaches you a lot about yourself, which teaches you a lot about life. Right? Right. So for young kids, you know, I think, first and foremost, I think football teaches discipline, which I think is really important. Right? The discipline of coming to practice every day, of having all of your gear and learning how to line up on what you think of there are, at the most basic level, it teaches discipline. But when you go further, it begins to teach you about, you know, teamwork and working together and relying on other people and being relied on. And so it teaches you this concept that we're all in this together. And the more we work well together, the better off all of us ultimately are. And then, you know, I can tell you you're going to win all the time. The other thing about you is that sometimes it doesn't go right. Sometimes your goals that you want don't work. And so what do you do then? You can quit. Or you can work a little harder. Or you can change your goal, change your attack, change your approach. And the more you learn that early on, on the field, I think it just applies to everything in school home life, your grades, your job. So I love it there. And it just teaches you I know transport right. It also teaches you just to have pure, unadulterated fun. And I think in today's world, man, we need to teach kids to do that more often.

Q2 [00:02:51] So you touched on school, can you mention a little bit more about how football helps with school? And maybe, you know, why it's important for young kids to not just get into just football, but sports in general and how that can help with their education.

Bobby Walker Jr. [00:03:08] So there are a couple of things, man, that you need to keep in mind. Right. And so some of this unfortunately you did ask the wrong person because I'm also a teacher and an educator. So I do a lot of studies about some of this stuff. Right. So all of those basic level, I think that like I said, it teaches you discipline. So if you're going to play a sport, particularly the older you get, time becomes abstract and you got to learn how to utilize the time. You have to do all the things you watch. So that includes how do I get my school work done, how do I practice, how do I live, how do I train? And so the older you get and the deeper you get with sports, you find yourself working on these schedules and you become really rigid about it. And you learn that I can squeeze everything I want. If I can learn how to manipulate and manage my time well, at least for me, that was one of the best things I learned. Even in high school, I knew that I was going to practice to X amount of time, and I lived pretty far away from home, so I knew I'd get home by this time and then it would take me this much time. So I'd always been thinking about my schedule. And how to, you know, use my schedule to my advantage. But also I'm switching things that I wanted to do, how to go have fun on, how to be with my friends, but also how to make it to the weight room and sometimes everything. So sometimes you know what I mean. So that's part one. But the other part of the number of studies is just talk about the connection between being physically fit and learning about movement and learning. You know, sometimes I know it sounds corny, but like if we had some training to do, instead of focusing on how hard it was and think about a test later that day, and as your body is exercising, you're able to retain a lot of the information that you're trying to cram into your brain a little bit. You know what I'm saying? So that's how I used to do that when we did gases, right? Instead of think about the gases, I try to think about work or I think about a history test, or I think about math problems or something as a way to try to get that deep into my memory.

Q3 [00:05:11] You mentioned being in the, education field and you talk a lot about football. Can you talk about what you do for a living and what, like go into detail about each thing that you've done? I know you've been a coach and I work in the Education Boys and Girls Club. So can you touch on that?

Bobby Walker Jr. [00:05:29] I was fortunate enough to be able to play football in college, but my going to a Division three school, I was able to also play another sport I love. Track and field hockey were shot put, discus and they learned how to put the hammer in college. So sports literally I did sports. You know, you think of weekends on that college 85% of all weekends. I had a competition. And you know, for track and field, you know what I'm saying. So that's how much I love sports. And then when I left college aged 22, I went straight into teaching. So I went back to my hometown in Dallas. And I taught fifth grade humanities at an all boys private school. But I also was forced to be a coach where I did a lot of defensive coordinator stuff. But I also work even with the O-line, the D-line or the linebackers or sometimes all three, you know, just depending on what the team needed and what coaches we had on staff. And so when I left, I worked in Dallas from 95 to 2000. Then I left there and moved to Maryland. So school called McDonough school and then went up the McDonough school. There was a middle school, Dean Ambrose, who taught history as well. So I taught seventh grade and then eighth grade history. They both, were making history, different parts of it. But I was able to coach J.V. football, a little varsity football. And then it also comes fast track. And one year I go out periodically helping the beat. Great football team do whatever they needed to coach for day. So, you know, again, you know, you can see sports always played a role in where it went. We were there from 2000 to 2005 that we moved to Connecticut and in Summer 2005, I became the head of middle school for the middle school principal at Haywood Summer School in Stamford. I was there for nine years and I always worked with the football team. I couldn't do it full time, but I would do it and I would coach, the offensive line and the defensive line. And then every Saturday, I was sort of the spy in the sky, always in the press box, looking down their formations and helping a whole line coach try and identify places. And, you know, any time I do, I would move. And then on the defensive side of the ball, my job was to not only look at those patterns, but were there like any kind of clues that they would give us, like as one team, every time the running back didn't get the ball, he was upright, a two point stance. Every time he got the ball, he was down in the three point stance. You know, that was my job. I was like, find those patterns and then try to lead up to the defensive coordinator. Right? Right. And then, when I go to the Boys and Girls Club in 2014 and not being able to go to school, that's what gave me time to jump to the GSM. I wasn't working at a high school anymore, and so I was able to dedicate my time to helping young people get ready for football. So for the six years that I was at the Boys and Girls Club, you know, I coached, I think I coached at the junior level for four years and then senior level for two, and that was a lot of fun. Then when I moved to Greenwich Academy in 2020, I think that was sort of the end of my coaching career.

Q4 [00:08:52] I was coached by you on the Cos Cob Crushers. Do you have any unique memories from our time together, on the Crushers staff, or Miles this time or anything? Could you just touch on those experiences and what it meant to you?

Bobby Walker Jr. [00:09:13] Where do I start? The first thing I remember. I remember when I first started coaching and I was teaching people. Were you probably I don't know what you guys, we call it one step through it. We literally take one step to make sure you're in good position right? And doing it over and over and over and everybody is like, this is boring, coach, can we do more? And me trying to get you guys to buy into the system that this is going to work. I promise you it's going to work. And then as you guys got older, by the time we got to game time, all of a sudden we realized that it didn't work like that. And just the way in which, you know, you play on a team for two years and for Miles, he's a year older than you are, right? It was cool that every time you all came together, y'all won as bantams and then, you know, the juniors, they didn't win. You guys moved up. The next year we won. After juniors even went to seniors. You guys weren’t there, they didn't win. You guys moved up. And so what I realized was that I had this really unique combination of guys with Miles and Cliff and then you Teddy and Jake, and what it was was by the time you guys got to me, you know, that's what I was trying to do. And that became fun. Y'all saw it y'all again to see what it meant to move people out of the way. All of a sudden we had like the best rushing team around, you know, couple that were really good running backs. That comes from the things going undefeated man. You know Miles’ last year you guys just dominated everybody. So you know guys that were really close right. Right. And this is sort of was like bragging when other coaches came to me to tell me how good the line was. And everybody kept saying it was because you guys were big and y'all were. But the truth is, man, I have another coach who understands football. And he goes, man, you get those guys are really well coached. And that was the biggest thing. That was the biggest compliment to me is that you you guys are big. But I'm a huge fan of big guys too. But they were big. They weren't good. You guys were big. You were good. You were athletic. And y'all worked together as a unit for sure.

Q5 [00:11:29] Can you just talk about the connection between the GYFL, and either Greenwich High School or Brunswick or both, and what it means to each respectfully.

Bobby Walker Jr. [00:12:05] Let me tell you, man. So the GYFL has a lot of respect in particular from the high school level programs in this area. Whether it's Greenwich, it's Brunswick, or Greenwich Country Day. Every time I talk to a coach from there, and I mean, one of my favorite things I loved as a coach was when all those high school football coaches came out. And what it did, man. And you were one of the games where it was like a community event, right? Right. Not so much that it was just a bunch of boys. But then you have the guys that used to play. They come out, you know, guys that, you know, played ten, 15 years ago, come out in their jerseys every once in a while to come watch the teams. Obviously they have their own kids. There's the level of pride that you have there, you know. And that was cool to be there. And so it took a little while. I remember when Miles was in middle school. And, you know, for Brunswick. And so I probably could get in trouble for people who would come to Brunswick. Right. I kept trying to tell the coach from Miles in middle school. I knew him personally. He was a good friend of mine. I'm like, listen man, there is some serious talent on this roster, right? And you need to come check this up. Even if he's not trying to recruit people, at least come watch your Brunswick boys play and see how well they're playing the game and how well they know the game. Right? So it wasn't about recruiting. It was about coming to support those kids who play at Brunswick, who live in Greenwich, who work out there every single weekend, three days a week, you know, practicing. And so I remember the first time, his name was Coach Sean Gerard signed. And when Gerard came over, him being blown away by the level of skill that was out there and what he saw. It was actually really good football. And that was one of the first things he said to me, man, those kids are really well coached. And then all of a sudden I think Brunswick now comes out. And again, it's not always about your support. Take people away from the public school. A lot of people see that's what's going on. It's actually not what it is. A lot of coach, too, to support those boys at Brunswick, because he wants to see, you know, who are we at school? All right. So that was really fun for me, man. And then, you know, I got on the GYFL board. And so being able to sit with those guys, and it was women talking about the program and how we, you know, bigger impacts on boys. That was really cool to me.

Q6 [00:14:30] Can you talk about some moments where you may have seen a challenge in the population of the league or the amount of kids who signed up, or if there were any challenges with rules or, an uproar from the community with any issues that they had or any moments where you might have experienced, some difficulty.

Bobby Walker Jr. [00:14:58] We had some big scares in the league, right? The first one being when the first reports, were being recorded in the NFL anaboutd a connection between CTE and people constantly having head collisions and working those windows and people. A lot of parents, parents and the number of kids dropped to really dangerously low levels to sustain, you know, six teams with three levels each. And so as a team. We have to talk to parents, but be very honest. You know, we weren't going to say, oh, he's not real, right? We're not going to tell falsehoods, but we have to talk about what things were we doing as coaches to try to make sure that we're stable young boys heads. Right. And so, you know, this whole movement went out to cause youth football in general. Coach, you behaved out of the game. And we made it a priority that we retrained all our coaches. How to teach tackling, how to teach, blocking with all modern ways, and not from the, you know, those of us who played in the 80s and 90s where you were taught to be with your head. And so I thought that was actually really cool, not only as a come closer community that we come into that, but you saw the GYFL as a team, try to get everybody to commit to this new way of teaching. And so it became mandatory that if you were a coach, you also had to be certified. And, you know, while I was in youth football, I forgot the name of the, Federation, but we all had to be certified. And if you are certified, you could not get on the sideline. Coach. I thought that was a genius move. I thought it was a great way to to acknowledge the fears that people have and, and and to acknowledge what the studies were revealing. But it was also a way to, let us know that we do have your best interests in mind. And no, we're not going to put him in any kind of, you know, life threatening, life changing situation. So that was one. And then obviously the biggest one recently being just Covid and how that we, you know, how we conduct how we conduct practices during Covid, how we keep kids safe during Covid. You know, that was a big major challenge where like and there was just one of the guidelines were allowed to operate under was the high school and other people doing so? You know, things like that.

[drewfalla]

Football: More Than Just a Game

Interview with Bobby Walker, Jr. by Drew Falla

Bobby Walker Jr, born in Dallas, Texas, grew up around football, and puts his understanding of young minds and athletics to work. Growing up around football, Walker always had a love for the sport. It wasn’t until he turned 12, where he put on a helmet. This decision would change his life forever. He would go on to play college football, and coach after. Starting a young family before moving to Greenwich, CT, was a challenge. However, Walker looked to sports in order to help his kids develop. Working in the education systems across Texas and Connecticut, he learned a lot about the ins and outs of sports and how it ties in with the classroom. Walker, after coaching for some years in Texas as a defensive coordinator and line coach, decided to continue coaching at the youth level in Greenwich. Working for the GYFL as a volunteer coach for kids ages 8-14 has allowed Walker to have very unique views on the game he loves. He believes that, Working in Greenwich actually allowed him to be one of my personal coaches during my time as a young football player. I always looked upon our times together fondly, as he was truly one of the people who helped me fall in love with football. Having such an adept understanding of the game and how kids develop gives what he talks about a unique twist. He talks about football in Greenwich as a whole, as well as its benefits in school and socially. His son, Miles Walker, currently attends Ohio State and plays football there, so his experiences are touched upon a lot in this interview as well. 

Q1 [00:00:56] Can you talk about what you think football means to young children and what it, what it helps them develop and stuff like that.

Bobby Walker Jr. [00:01:08] Absolutely. So first of all, I can't tell you the numerous benefits that I believe football holds for kids. And, you know, not only for young kids, but I think it's just about a sport that teaches you a lot about yourself, which teaches you a lot about life. Right? Right. So for young kids, you know, I think, first and foremost, I think football teaches discipline, which I think is really important. Right? The discipline of coming to practice every day, of having all of your gear and learning how to line up on what you think of there are, at the most basic level, it teaches discipline. But when you go further, it begins to teach you about, you know, teamwork and working together and relying on other people and being relied on. And so it teaches you this concept that we're all in this together. And the more we work well together, the better off all of us ultimately are. And then, you know, I can tell you you're going to win all the time. The other thing about you is that sometimes it doesn't go right. Sometimes your goals that you want don't work. And so what do you do then? You can quit. Or you can work a little harder. Or you can change your goal, change your attack, change your approach. And the more you learn that early on, on the field, I think it just applies to everything in school home life, your grades, your job. So I love it there. And it just teaches you I know transport right. It also teaches you just to have pure, unadulterated fun. And I think in today's world, man, we need to teach kids to do that more often.

Q2 [00:02:51] So you touched on school, can you mention a little bit more about how football helps with school? And maybe, you know, why it's important for young kids to not just get into just football, but sports in general and how that can help with their education.

Bobby Walker Jr. [00:03:08] So there are a couple of things, man, that you need to keep in mind. Right. And so some of this unfortunately you did ask the wrong person because I'm also a teacher and an educator. So I do a lot of studies about some of this stuff. Right. So all of those basic level, I think that like I said, it teaches you discipline. So if you're going to play a sport, particularly the older you get, time becomes abstract and you got to learn how to utilize the time. You have to do all the things you watch. So that includes how do I get my school work done, how do I practice, how do I live, how do I train? And so the older you get and the deeper you get with sports, you find yourself working on these schedules and you become really rigid about it. And you learn that I can squeeze everything I want. If I can learn how to manipulate and manage my time well, at least for me, that was one of the best things I learned. Even in high school, I knew that I was going to practice to X amount of time, and I lived pretty far away from home, so I knew I'd get home by this time and then it would take me this much time. So I'd always been thinking about my schedule. And how to, you know, use my schedule to my advantage. But also I'm switching things that I wanted to do, how to go have fun on, how to be with my friends, but also how to make it to the weight room and sometimes everything. So sometimes you know what I mean. So that's part one. But the other part of the number of studies is just talk about the connection between being physically fit and learning about movement and learning. You know, sometimes I know it sounds corny, but like if we had some training to do, instead of focusing on how hard it was and think about a test later that day, and as your body is exercising, you're able to retain a lot of the information that you're trying to cram into your brain a little bit. You know what I'm saying? So that's how I used to do that when we did gases, right? Instead of think about the gases, I try to think about work or I think about a history test, or I think about math problems or something as a way to try to get that deep into my memory.

Q3 [00:05:11] You mentioned being in the, education field and you talk a lot about football. Can you talk about what you do for a living and what, like go into detail about each thing that you've done? I know you've been a coach and I work in the Education Boys and Girls Club. So can you touch on that?

Bobby Walker Jr. [00:05:29] I was fortunate enough to be able to play football in college, but my going to a Division three school, I was able to also play another sport I love. Track and field hockey were shot put, discus and they learned how to put the hammer in college. So sports literally I did sports. You know, you think of weekends on that college 85% of all weekends. I had a competition. And you know, for track and field, you know what I'm saying. So that's how much I love sports. And then when I left college aged 22, I went straight into teaching. So I went back to my hometown in Dallas. And I taught fifth grade humanities at an all boys private school. But I also was forced to be a coach where I did a lot of defensive coordinator stuff. But I also work even with the O-line, the D-line or the linebackers or sometimes all three, you know, just depending on what the team needed and what coaches we had on staff. And so when I left, I worked in Dallas from 95 to 2000. Then I left there and moved to Maryland. So school called McDonough school and then went up the McDonough school. There was a middle school, Dean Ambrose, who taught history as well. So I taught seventh grade and then eighth grade history. They both, were making history, different parts of it. But I was able to coach J.V. football, a little varsity football. And then it also comes fast track. And one year I go out periodically helping the beat. Great football team do whatever they needed to coach for day. So, you know, again, you know, you can see sports always played a role in where it went. We were there from 2000 to 2005 that we moved to Connecticut and in Summer 2005, I became the head of middle school for the middle school principal at Haywood Summer School in Stamford. I was there for nine years and I always worked with the football team. I couldn't do it full time, but I would do it and I would coach, the offensive line and the defensive line. And then every Saturday, I was sort of the spy in the sky, always in the press box, looking down their formations and helping a whole line coach try and identify places. And, you know, any time I do, I would move. And then on the defensive side of the ball, my job was to not only look at those patterns, but were there like any kind of clues that they would give us, like as one team, every time the running back didn't get the ball, he was upright, a two point stance. Every time he got the ball, he was down in the three point stance. You know, that was my job. I was like, find those patterns and then try to lead up to the defensive coordinator. Right? Right. And then, when I go to the Boys and Girls Club in 2014 and not being able to go to school, that's what gave me time to jump to the GSM. I wasn't working at a high school anymore, and so I was able to dedicate my time to helping young people get ready for football. So for the six years that I was at the Boys and Girls Club, you know, I coached, I think I coached at the junior level for four years and then senior level for two, and that was a lot of fun. Then when I moved to Greenwich Academy in 2020, I think that was sort of the end of my coaching career.

Q4 [00:08:52] I was coached by you on the Cos Cob Crushers. Do you have any unique memories from our time together, on the Crushers staff, or Miles this time or anything? Could you just touch on those experiences and what it meant to you?

Bobby Walker Jr. [00:09:13] Where do I start? The first thing I remember. I remember when I first started coaching and I was teaching people. Were you probably I don't know what you guys, we call it one step through it. We literally take one step to make sure you're in good position right? And doing it over and over and over and everybody is like, this is boring, coach, can we do more? And me trying to get you guys to buy into the system that this is going to work. I promise you it's going to work. And then as you guys got older, by the time we got to game time, all of a sudden we realized that it didn't work like that. And just the way in which, you know, you play on a team for two years and for Miles, he's a year older than you are, right? It was cool that every time you all came together, y'all won as bantams and then, you know, the juniors, they didn't win. You guys moved up. The next year we won. After juniors even went to seniors. You guys weren’t there, they didn't win. You guys moved up. And so what I realized was that I had this really unique combination of guys with Miles and Cliff and then you Teddy and Jake, and what it was was by the time you guys got to me, you know, that's what I was trying to do. And that became fun. Y'all saw it y'all again to see what it meant to move people out of the way. All of a sudden we had like the best rushing team around, you know, couple that were really good running backs. That comes from the things going undefeated man. You know Miles’ last year you guys just dominated everybody. So you know guys that were really close right. Right. And this is sort of was like bragging when other coaches came to me to tell me how good the line was. And everybody kept saying it was because you guys were big and y'all were. But the truth is, man, I have another coach who understands football. And he goes, man, you get those guys are really well coached. And that was the biggest thing. That was the biggest compliment to me is that you you guys are big. But I'm a huge fan of big guys too. But they were big. They weren't good. You guys were big. You were good. You were athletic. And y'all worked together as a unit for sure.

Q5 [00:11:29] Can you just talk about the connection between the GYFL, and either Greenwich High School or Brunswick or both, and what it means to each respectfully.

Bobby Walker Jr. [00:12:05] Let me tell you, man. So the GYFL has a lot of respect in particular from the high school level programs in this area. Whether it's Greenwich, it's Brunswick, or Greenwich Country Day. Every time I talk to a coach from there, and I mean, one of my favorite things I loved as a coach was when all those high school football coaches came out. And what it did, man. And you were one of the games where it was like a community event, right? Right. Not so much that it was just a bunch of boys. But then you have the guys that used to play. They come out, you know, guys that, you know, played ten, 15 years ago, come out in their jerseys every once in a while to come watch the teams. Obviously they have their own kids. There's the level of pride that you have there, you know. And that was cool to be there. And so it took a little while. I remember when Miles was in middle school. And, you know, for Brunswick. And so I probably could get in trouble for people who would come to Brunswick. Right. I kept trying to tell the coach from Miles in middle school. I knew him personally. He was a good friend of mine. I'm like, listen man, there is some serious talent on this roster, right? And you need to come check this up. Even if he's not trying to recruit people, at least come watch your Brunswick boys play and see how well they're playing the game and how well they know the game. Right? So it wasn't about recruiting. It was about coming to support those kids who play at Brunswick, who live in Greenwich, who work out there every single weekend, three days a week, you know, practicing. And so I remember the first time, his name was Coach Sean Gerard signed. And when Gerard came over, him being blown away by the level of skill that was out there and what he saw. It was actually really good football. And that was one of the first things he said to me, man, those kids are really well coached. And then all of a sudden I think Brunswick now comes out. And again, it's not always about your support. Take people away from the public school. A lot of people see that's what's going on. It's actually not what it is. A lot of coach, too, to support those boys at Brunswick, because he wants to see, you know, who are we at school? All right. So that was really fun for me, man. And then, you know, I got on the GYFL board. And so being able to sit with those guys, and it was women talking about the program and how we, you know, bigger impacts on boys. That was really cool to me.

Q6 [00:14:30] Can you talk about some moments where you may have seen a challenge in the population of the league or the amount of kids who signed up, or if there were any challenges with rules or, an uproar from the community with any issues that they had or any moments where you might have experienced, some difficulty.

Bobby Walker Jr. [00:14:58] We had some big scares in the league, right? The first one being when the first reports, were being recorded in the NFL anaboutd a connection between CTE and people constantly having head collisions and working those windows and people. A lot of parents, parents and the number of kids dropped to really dangerously low levels to sustain, you know, six teams with three levels each. And so as a team. We have to talk to parents, but be very honest. You know, we weren't going to say, oh, he's not real, right? We're not going to tell falsehoods, but we have to talk about what things were we doing as coaches to try to make sure that we're stable young boys heads. Right. And so, you know, this whole movement went out to cause youth football in general. Coach, you behaved out of the game. And we made it a priority that we retrained all our coaches. How to teach tackling, how to teach, blocking with all modern ways, and not from the, you know, those of us who played in the 80s and 90s where you were taught to be with your head. And so I thought that was actually really cool, not only as a come closer community that we come into that, but you saw the GYFL as a team, try to get everybody to commit to this new way of teaching. And so it became mandatory that if you were a coach, you also had to be certified. And, you know, while I was in youth football, I forgot the name of the, Federation, but we all had to be certified. And if you are certified, you could not get on the sideline. Coach. I thought that was a genius move. I thought it was a great way to to acknowledge the fears that people have and, and and to acknowledge what the studies were revealing. But it was also a way to, let us know that we do have your best interests in mind. And no, we're not going to put him in any kind of, you know, life threatening, life changing situation. So that was one. And then obviously the biggest one recently being just Covid and how that we, you know, how we conduct how we conduct practices during Covid, how we keep kids safe during Covid. You know, that was a big major challenge where like and there was just one of the guidelines were allowed to operate under was the high school and other people doing so? You know, things like that.

[aenesthesian]

March 2024 favourites

Throughout the past few months I've seen several people catalogue their monthly interests in this way, and it's intrigued me as I don't know anyone else who likes to categorise things as much as I do. Maybe I'm just an immensely nostalgic person who is terrified of forgetting things from my youth, which, I'm not going to lie, is starting to hinder me a little! Anyways, this is my first try at this, bear with me.

Film(s)

Saw Dune: Part Two in theatres and holy shit, what an experience that was - it truly is the blockbuster franchise of our time. However, no matter how good the movie itself was, it still left me confused as i hadn't made any effort beforehand to understand the plot. I remember feeling the exact same sense of confusion when I came out of the cinema in 2021 after seeing the first part of Dune. Turns out all I had to do was watch a single Youtube video explaining how the Dune universe works in order to be completely engrossed by the world! If only my stubbornness and refusal to give sci-fi movies the time of day, a genre i've never enjoyed much, hadn't stopped me from wanting to understand it all these years.

Another thing that kept me on my toes all month was the promo for Challengers starting, which releases in theatres next month!! I can't believe we're actually getting a love triangle on screen where ALL corners touch. What a monumental event in history indeed.

Also, special mention: Swann Arlaud, Twitter's It-Boy of the Month!!! Well, at least my TL is flooded with pictures and interviews of him, which I'm actually not mad about, not mad at all.

Bars

Usually March is a really tough month, one full of despair and stress. While that was still the case this year, I tried balancing it out by spending more time with friends. It's been lovely spending long Friday evenings in bars, even if I did feel a little distant at times. Strange how one can feel dissociated in a large group and yet still feel like they belong - it only starts being unbearable the moment you begin to feel like an anomaly that is entirely out of place. Our brains work in fascinating ways; regardless, I'm just glad to have spent more time outside of my home. Is this what enjoying my youth feels like?

Skincare

I only properly began about a week ago, but i've been having so much fun establishing, or rather enhancing my skincare routine. I used to brag about not taking care of my skin at all, which looking back was absolutely tragic. Now I'm very pleased with how far I've come in terms of taking care of my own body, at least with this little routine I have.

Music

I've been finding so much new music lately!! Over the last two weeks, there genuinely hasn't been a day where I didn't find at least two songs to my liking. Been listening to a ton of German music as well as any other genre I can think of - from rock, alternative/indie to hip-hop, rap, techno, pop, just anything that comes my way. Here are some of my favourites from this month:

babybreath - Lovesliescrushing Tommi - AnnenMayKantereit Junge - Die Ärzte Another life - PinkPantheress, Rema Subterraneans - David Bowie alone - Cavetown Tumblr Girls - G-Eazy, Christoph Andersson Will I See You Again? - Thee Sacred Souls Beautiful Boy - The Last Dinner Party Cellular (Live) - King Krule Leben leben - OG Ti Philadelphia - Matt Maltese, Searows Pretty Girls - Reneé Rap Am Weg in die Villa - BIBIZA Too Sweet - Hozier Never Wanted To Dance - Mindless Self Indulgence Lottoscheine - AnnenMayKantereit i like the way you kiss me - Artemas nichts - makko Souvenir - boygenius Ssaliva's entire discography

Books

I read How To Get A Girl Pregnant by Karleen Pendleton Jimenez, a memoir of sorts about a queer butch woman trying to get pregnant, and oh my god. The grip that book had on me was unbelievable, it simply felt so distinctly human and helped ease my anxiety about my future as a queer person a little. It's advice that straight parents cannot give their queer child, and I couldn't help but soak it all up. It's available online in pdf format, btw.

Also, I finally finished my third reread of my first All the Young Dudes copy that I started reading in November I believe? I'm afraid those characters, that story, and that fandom will always be a part of me, as it's been three years now, and my fixation isn't waning one bit. Forgot to mention that I began reading The Secret History after putting it off for literally a year or two, which I'm very excited about. So far it's incredible, however pages 44 and 45 left such a deep pit in my stomach that I had to put it down for a few days. Hopefully I'll be done with it by the end of April, as next month may be the most stressful of my entire life so far.

Special mention

The forcemasc tumblr tag has taken over my body and mind. Not sure whether I'm willing to go into more detail, but i just. i just. i. holy fucking shit. Never has anything validated my gender identity along with my sexuality more than that goddamn tag.

A quote that defined my month

[madstars-festival]

Creator Spotlight: Tescia Deák

Tescia Deák, a renowned Global Creative Director, is a powerhouse in advertising. Her career spans diverse projects, from TikTok Period Dramas to LGBTQ+ advocacy children's books. With over 100 international awards, Tescia has led campaigns for Google, YouTube, Dole, and more. In 2023, she ranked #12 in The Drum's Global Rankings and received acclaim from D&AD, Cannes Lions, and The One Club. Beyond advertising, Tescia volunteers with PERIOD.org and co-founded Mentorship Matchmaking, supporting women and non-binary professionals.

MAD STARS is privileged to have Tescia Deák as one of our juries, providing unique insights into the world of advertising and creativity. We had the honor of sitting down with Tescia to discuss her thoughts on MAD STARS, her creative journey, and more.

MAD STARS: Tescia, we're thrilled to have you as part of MAD STARS 2023. Can you tell us what you personally bring to the judging room?

Tescia Deák: I'm thrilled to be a part of this global awards show and look forward to learning from and discussing some of the best work from this past year. I started my career in editorial, print, and product design, so with a knowledge of those processes and what I value in great advertising, I will bring the ethos of Charles Eames's great quote, "Details are not the details. They make the design."

MAD STARS: What, in your opinion, makes a piece of work truly worthy?

Tescia Deák: Craft, surprise and inevitability, and simplicity. Does the work make me feel, "Damn. I wish I did that."

MAD STARS: Are there any creative trends that you can't wait to see among the entries?

Tescia Deák: I love seeing traditional media reimagined in new ways. For the Print and Design category, we have seen a massive trend with ideas that do this, like the Tampon Book, Addidas Liquid Billboard, Annahar Newspaper Elections Editions, Mastercard's Touch Card, and Harley Davidson's Tough Tuban. I also look forward to the classics with the best craft and beautiful design.

MAD STARS: Why do you think MAD STARS is supporting the advertising industry?

Tescia Deák: I first heard about MAD STARS through a colleague who used to work and live in Dubai. Although the show is global, I assume most entries lean more into the APAC, EMEA regions. For the advertising industry, it provides an opportunity to encounter diverse cultural perspectives and communication styles. Exposure to different cultures, high-context and low-context communication, and humor are priceless. This type of awards show also exposes creative talent, brands, and agencies to a global market.

MAD STARS: Can you tell us about a campaign that you were personally involved with this year and believe deserves more awareness?

Tescia Deák: This past year at BBH USA, we produced "The Courage to be Truly Free," a children's book that helps fight the oppression LGBTQIA+ youth face in the United States. We worked with a team of LGBTQIA+ illustrators from Beuren Studios, plus a group of LGBTQIA+ youth activists, to help bring the project to life. They donated their time and talents to create this 50-page educational tool for "The Alliance for LGBTQ Youth," a non-profit organization based out of Miami, Florida - one of the most affected states when it comes to anti-LGBTQ policy. You can learn more about the project at TheCouragetobeTrulyFree.com.

MAD STARS: Tescia, your creative journey has some really interesting twists and turns, from a family in television and radio to performing in musical theater and even working as a makeup artist during college. Can you tell us how these unique experiences eventually led you into the world of advertising?

Tescia Deák: I stumbled into advertising from design and storytelling—it wasn't the exact plan, but I am glad I am here now! Ever since I was a makeup artist, I enjoyed helping people live a fuller life authentically. You're never going to sell a full face of makeup to someone telling you, "I don't feel like myself." You will sell it to someone you talk to, listen to, and, ultimately, who recognizes themselves but feels more powerful and in control. And I think the same thing goes for advertising. I don't want to sell you something that makes you feel like you have more stuff. I like to find out why you need it.

MAD STARS: Your commitment to advocacy and projects supporting a more equitable world is inspiring. Can you tell us more about your work with PERIOD.org and Mentorship Matchmaking, and how these experiences have shaped your perspective as a creative director?

Tescia Deák: Menstrual Equity advocating will always be a throughline in my life. In 2017, I met Mari Cobra, an incredible director based in Brazil, and she opened my eyes to the many menstrual inequities happening globally. I was shocked. I had been lucky to have never experienced period poverty, and my heart broke for the many who have. I volunteered as a community leader for Period.org in LA, and while advocating, one day, I met a member of the executive leadership team — Dama. While at TBWA Chiat/Day LA, we brought them in as a non-profit client, launched a social-led awareness and fundraising campaign that we are very proud of, and even brought it back to Brazil. I continue to work on menstrual equity projects and hope to have some incredible work launched in the next year. Stay tuned!

MAD STARS: You've creatively led campaigns for a wide range of brands, from Google to FitBit to Covergirl. What is the common thread that ties your approach to such diverse clients, and how do you adapt your creative vision to each brand's unique identity?

Tescia Deák: The way my team and I like to approach big ideas and campaign platforms with any brand is by tapping into cultural, and behavioral insights while keeping up with the pulse of social media, current events, news, etc. Rather than blanketing a one-size-fits-all strategy across different markets or demographics, we always look for cool insights that help create a genuine emotional link to the audience — something they will want to return to for more. Great client partnerships make that approach so much more accessible!

MAD STARS: Tescia, looking ahead, what exciting projects or plans do you have in store for the future of your creative journey?

Tescia Deák: I want to do my best work as a creative as well as a creative leader by continuing to build solid teams that thrive off of autonomy and trust. From NYC and LA, I have had the fortune of working alongside the best creatives, strategists, account leads, and designers in our industry — but there are so many I haven't met that I am looking forward to working with. I hope to make greatness with a great group of people. I hope to live globally in the next few years, and incredible platforms like MAD Stars make networking with extraordinary global creative leaders easygoing, so thank you for having me this year. I hope to return.

MAD STARS is honored to have Tescia Deák as a judge, and her insights and creativity continue to inspire us. We look forward to celebrating excellence in advertising and creativity with her and the entire MAD STARS.

[nj-ayuk1]

NJ Ayuk on How the Civil Rights Movements Can Influence Energy Policy

As the chairman of the Africa Energy Chamber, NJ Ayuk works to piece together large-scale deals worth trillions of dollars. But his concerns aren’t financial. The most important part of good energy deals, he said, concerns people. 

That may sound like a boilerplate platitude pushed by corporate public relations experts, but NJ Ayuk has the background and track record to back it up. From his humble beginnings as one of six children born to a single mother in Cameroon to his education at the feet of icons of the American civil rights movement to his work on international energy deals, his biography reflects his commitment to benefitting underserved people. 

“I know what it’s like to be looked over for reasons that you cannot change,” he said. “My entire life, people have looked down on me for where I came from, or how I talk, or how much money my family had. And I was fortunate to have a family that never accepted those as excuses for not doing my best and trying my best. So I can’t help but believe that many people could be so much greater if they were just given more opportunities. I’ve seen it happen.”

NJ Ayuk draws inspiration from both his family and from the team of mentors he found when he attended college and law school in the United States. While attending the University of Maryland, Ayuk took a class with Dr. Ronald Walters, who had been president of the Wichita, Kansas, NAACP Youth Council and organized the famous sit-in at Dockum Drug Store. 

Walters’ passion for justice and drive for change resonated with Ayuk. Like his protégée, Walters was born into a large family and suffered from exclusion early in life. 

“Ron worked for the Rev. Jesse Jackson during his '84 and '88 campaigns, so he was an important and well-known person, and he really took me under his wings when I was a college student. It meant so much to see this person I respected and admired, who was known everywhere and had so much talent, to take an interest in me and encourage me to do great things,” NJ Ayuk said. “He really gave me a big, big shot at thinking and looking at life differently. I responded to how he talked about using the law to bring about change that truly helped people.” 

Ron Walters not only encouraged NJ Ayuk to attend law school; he also espoused a people-centric philosophy that continues to guide how Ayuk thinks about the policies and deals he works on. 

One critical component of the civil rights philosophy that undergirds NJ Ayuk’s work is how people can effect change even when they are disenfranchised, he said. 

“I approach many policies and deals with the understanding that, in Africa, we’re going to have to be people that bring about the change we want to see,” he stated. “And I’m sorry to everybody that is hoping that the White House or some other house or organization is going to do it for us. It will have to come from our house, much like it did in the United States during the 1960s. The government has a role to play. It can assist us, but when you look at our energy situation and the energy crisis in South Africa, for example, we are in the dark. We're spending six to 10 hours a day in the dark in Africa. That is something that we can fix and we will have to fix. It will not be done for us by someone outside.”

That kind of mindset has led NJ Ayuk to advocate for African people to become beneficiaries of the money brought in by the natural resources of their homelands. 

While Africa is home to vast amounts of fossil fuels, like oil and natural gas, most of the money made by selling and exporting energy hasn’t spread to all people equally. NJ Ayuk hopes to fix that. He believes the profits from new wells, drilling locations, and exports can help deliver electricity and opportunity to people across the continent. 

“We have a chance to extend opportunities to Africans. Right now, there are 600 million people in Africa who do not have [electricity] in their homes. They live in the darkness, and they lose out on the abilities that other people have,” he said. “We can help students study at night. We can help small business owners. If we can get electricity into more communities and villages, we can greatly increase the kind of health care people can access. There are many, many ways that energy can help people. And not just getting energy into homes and businesses, but using the profits from energy sales to invest in education and opportunities for women and girls and people who have never had a shot.” 

[last-of-cheese]

So I hear you like to fetishize trans people. Do me a favor and choke on a fat one and die you piece of shit. ;) You're like 30 you should know better. But don't worry, I've already let everyone we're mutual with know this and to steer clear of you, peace.

How can I fetishize trans people when I myself am a trans person. Like how in the actual fuck does that make any sense.

Lets have a huge breakdown as to why it took so fucking long for me to come out as a tranmasc individual. Not that I should have to fucking explain myself to anyone, but just because I'm feeling spicy let's fuckin go.

So for many years before coming out as fully transmasc I identified as genderfluid which still falls under the fucking trans category you dumbass. Anytime you identify as a gender that is not your assigned gender at birth you're considered within the trans category. Yes I tended to use feminine pronouns because I just didn't want to argue with people, but that doesn't really mean I felt comfortable with them. From about 2010/2011-2019 when I finally came out I had a full on gender identity crisis, and while going through therapy with my current therapist she thinks that I probably was most of my life actually.

I was the first AFAB person born to my family name in almost a century (I think it was like 98 years or something like that.) That kind of shit sticks with you when your grandfather parades you around like the family crown jewel because of that shit. Like for a very long time that kind of fact was drilled into my fucking head by my family that that's what I was. That was my status and basically my identity. So when I started feeling very out of my skin and not like I'm supposed to be what everyone has drilled into me it made me feel very much like I was letting the family down. Like I was not allowed to be my true self. I HAD to stay a female because of my status to the family name. I really hate to say it, but now with my grandparents being dead, along with my dad, I feel less of that pressure. Along with age and seeing a lot of my other trans friends just being themselves and truly living the life they want and being happy I figured I deserved that too. I'm not really super close to my dad's side of the family anymore which sucks. I've mentioned I've come out as trans to them, and they're all very supportive of me which is a great relief to me. Both sides of my family have been rather supportive of me actually. My grandparents on my mom's side still misgender me once in a while, but they're catching themselves, and correcting themselves quicker without making a big deal out of it which is great.

As I stated above talking with my current therapist she actually believes I've always known I was trans, but with all the trauma and I guess you could say family guilt it was just pushed to the side. I also grew up in an incredibly small community so I had no fucking idea that was a thing that was possible as a child. I just thought I was a weird fuckin tomboy ass girl growing up. It's not like my therapist is just throwing out theories either. She works very closely with the transgender community. Both youth and adult. And she works closely with the trans center at the University of Minnesota. (Be it referring her patients for hormones/surgeries/further therapy, or the center recommending her as a therapist to their patients.) She's really helped me come a long way and honestly I don't know where I'd be without her.

Out of these past three and a half years of coming out as trans... these past four and a half months have probably been the best of my entire 31 years of life. Wanna know why. I've been on testosterone. I for the first time in my whole life really feel like myself. I actually have the energy and the will to do things. My depression is manageable for the first time in I don't even remember how long. A lot of my other health issues are also more manageable than they have been in a really long time. The only thing being on testosterone hasn't fixed are my seizures, and that's because I don't think hormones can fix a TBI. Yeah I'm a little more irritable right before my next T shot, but that's, once again, something I'm working on with my therapist to find ways to cope through and work on managing.

I did for a period of time in the beginning question myself a lot too. Amongst the whole first AFAB person born to my family name in so long, and basically 90% of my friends circle was within the trans umbrella... there was a short bit of time in that gender identity crisis where I felt like I was just feeling how I felt because I was just wanting to be like all my friends. And trust me that was the very FIRST thing I addressed with my therapist even before I came out. Like I wanted to really know this was me and not just my wanting to be a part of the crowd. I know that can happen sometimes, and if that's what I was going through at the time then I would have accepted it, worked through it, and moved on. However, that is not was this was. I. AM. TRANSGENDER

All in all coming out has been the BEST decision of my life. I cry with joy over every new facial hair I see pop up. Every time my voice cracks I laugh because it sounds hilarious, and I know it means good things are coming. Whoever you are.... I'm sorry you feel this way about me. I hope this makes you see differently, but if not... I really don't care. Because I'm happy with who I am. I'm living my life for me. I don't fetishize the trans community, or trans people for that matter. Besides how the fuck would one do that when their asexual anyways. It just took me a little longer than most to be tired of hiding their real self behind the self they were assigned. I hope you're living you're best life too, and you're able to accept this.

[rpmemesbyarat]

RP Meme Lines from "AHS: Coven" Episode 2: "Boy Parts" Part One of Two

Every hook I baited with that jerk chicken got a gator.

It's the odor, I tell you.

Yeah, either way it's a death sentence.

Come on, come to Papa/Mama, baby.

Well, we're cooked if she already made the call

This is wrong. All wrong.

All rot and black.

This will not be forgiven.

Why would you kill God's innocent creatures?

You play with dead things, you're more than likely to join'em.

He should be canonized.

How can you be such a bitch?

I understand people, and that guy would have happily taken a turn on me if he had the chance.

He wasn't like that.

It's guilt by association.

I'm sorry I killed your boy candy, okay?

Given your black widow status, he was living on borrowed time anyways.

I'm kind of busy right now.

My God, what's that smell?

I went to a Chinese doctor, he gave me some herbs to boil. I know it's kind of pungent.

If you scream, I'm gonna put you right back in the ground where I found you.

I want you to tell me right now how it is you're still alive after all these years and not some moldering corpse.

Jesus, woman, it's a cell phone, all right?

Now you just stay quiet, and when I get back, we're gonna continue our little chat. And you better make it worth my while.

I got an "A" in math. All of 'em. Calculus, trig, advanced algebra.

Look, I'm sure you're a genius.

Look, Pencil Dick, I'm not stupid, okay?

You ate that extra piece, and now you want a freebie.

Get the manager!

I am the manager!

Did they send you to jail?

Help! She's burned me!

You didn't want to join us at first.

So, technically, I'm part of your tribe.

Is this where we all sing "Kum-Bah-Yah"?

Bitch, I will eat you!

You guys have got to start taking care of each other.

We have enough enemies on the outside.

How could they possibly do that?

I'm just looking for someone who had a motive to hurt those guys, who could've screwed with the brakes.

Maybe whatever happened in that room was upsetting.

Shouldn't we have a lawyer here or something?

Had you met them before?

They took me in the back room to try to get me high, but I said no.

She's come a long way with her addiction issues.

I felt bad for him.

He died right after you left.

I have no idea what she's talking about.

She's clearly lost her mind.

She can move things with her mind.

I killed that asshole in the hospital.

I have powers, too.

We're witches.

I have powers, too. We're witches.

[NAME] has clearly suffered some kind of mental break.

Everyone here is a witch.

Please don't send us to jail.

Nobody's going to jail.

Are you in charge here?

I'm in charge everywhere.

Oh. Tough guy.

Come on, give up.

I'm barely trying, you know.

In about ten seconds, I'm going to turn the heat up in that chubby melon of yours, and I'm gonna turn your brains to scrambled eggs.

Frankly, it's been a hard morning, and I'd really rather not work up a sweat.

Just drink the damn water, will you, please?

Do you think [NAME] can fix it?

You're such a goddamn idiot.

I can't believe you told them everything.

I'm supposed to be cleaning up my act.

When this gets out, I'm screwed.

Who cares? This is murder.

Who cares? This is murder. Like, multiple murders.

They're not gonna find any evidence that we messed with the bus because we didn't mess with the bus!

What did you do to that shit-dick in the hospital though?

Now, I forgave your ham-handed mass murder business with the bus-- overexuberance of youth and all that-- but if you haven't got the goddamn brains to know that when strangers come asking questions, we close ranks, then I fear our line is truly at an end.

I couldn't toast a piece of bread with the heat they were putting on you.

You are soft. You're emotional. You care what people think.

Now, if there's one thing you learn before leaving this place, it's that we, even the weakest among us, are better than the best of them.

Are we gonna get arrested?

You are missing the point.

In this whole wide wicked world, the only thing you have

to be afraid of is me.

I know what you did for me, dealing with that asshole, so I'm gonna return the favor.

Resurrection spell. We're gonna bring your boyfriend/girlfriend/dog/father/etc back to life.

Guess that crash was even worse than I thought.

He's still kind of cute though.

I see potential.

I wonder if he's a shower or a grower.

Is this just a joke to you?

All we have to do is follow this recipe.

Find me a saw.

How's the oven?

I wish I could say yes.

She goes through hell and it doesn't even work.

We've been at this for a year.

All I can do is stand around like an asshole while you get sick.

If you want to try this, I'll support it.

I'm not ready to give up.

I should be able to have a baby just like any other woman.

I know it's horrible, but a lot of women do this.

This is about us having a family.

You don't know what you're asking me to do.

This kind of magic-- it's. . . dark.

It's about life and death, and I don't want to play God.

So you're gonna let [NAME] play God instead.

Doesn't that smell good?

You probably don't need to eat, being immortal.

Of course, sometimes we just like to do things because we enjoy them.

[sebastianshaw]

RP Meme Lines from "AHS: Coven" Episode 2: "Boy Parts" Part One of Two

Every hook I baited with that jerk chicken got a gator.

It's the odor, I tell you.

Yeah, either way it's a death sentence.

Come on, come to Papa/Mama, baby.

Well, we're cooked if she already made the call

This is wrong. All wrong.

All rot and black.

This will not be forgiven.

Why would you kill God's innocent creatures?

You play with dead things, you're more than likely to join'em.

He should be canonized.

How can you be such a bitch?

I understand people, and that guy would have happily taken a turn on me if he had the chance.

He wasn't like that.

It's guilt by association.

I'm sorry I killed your boy candy, okay?

Given your black widow status, he was living on borrowed time anyways.

I'm kind of busy right now.

My God, what's that smell?

I went to a Chinese doctor, he gave me some herbs to boil. I know it's kind of pungent.

If you scream, I'm gonna put you right back in the ground where I found you.

I want you to tell me right now how it is you're still alive after all these years and not some moldering corpse.

Jesus, woman, it's a cell phone, all right?

Now you just stay quiet, and when I get back, we're gonna continue our little chat. And you better make it worth my while.

I got an "A" in math. All of 'em. Calculus, trig, advanced algebra.

Look, I'm sure you're a genius.

Look, Pencil Dick, I'm not stupid, okay?

You ate that extra piece, and now you want a freebie.

Get the manager!

I am the manager!

Did they send you to jail?

Help! She's burned me!

You didn't want to join us at first.

So, technically, I'm part of your tribe.

Is this where we all sing "Kum-Bah-Yah"?

Bitch, I will eat you!

You guys have got to start taking care of each other.

We have enough enemies on the outside.

How could they possibly do that?

I'm just looking for someone who had a motive to hurt those guys, who could've screwed with the brakes.

Maybe whatever happened in that room was upsetting.

Shouldn't we have a lawyer here or something?

Had you met them before?

They took me in the back room to try to get me high, but I said no.

She's come a long way with her addiction issues.

I felt bad for him.

He died right after you left.

I have no idea what she's talking about.

She's clearly lost her mind.

She can move things with her mind.

I killed that asshole in the hospital.

I have powers, too.

We're witches.

I have powers, too. We're witches.

[NAME] has clearly suffered some kind of mental break.

Everyone here is a witch.

Please don't send us to jail.

Nobody's going to jail.

Are you in charge here?

I'm in charge everywhere.

Oh. Tough guy.

Come on, give up.

I'm barely trying, you know.

In about ten seconds, I'm going to turn the heat up in that chubby melon of yours, and I'm gonna turn your brains to scrambled eggs.

Frankly, it's been a hard morning, and I'd really rather not work up a sweat.

Just drink the damn water, will you, please?

Do you think [NAME] can fix it?

You're such a goddamn idiot.

I can't believe you told them everything.

I'm supposed to be cleaning up my act.

When this gets out, I'm screwed.

Who cares? This is murder.

Who cares? This is murder. Like, multiple murders.

They're not gonna find any evidence that we messed with the bus because we didn't mess with the bus!

What did you do to that shit-dick in the hospital though?

Now, I forgave your ham-handed mass murder business with the bus-- overexuberance of youth and all that-- but if you haven't got the goddamn brains to know that when strangers come asking questions, we close ranks, then I fear our line is truly at an end.

I couldn't toast a piece of bread with the heat they were putting on you.

You are soft. You're emotional. You care what people think.

Now, if there's one thing you learn before leaving this place, it's that we, even the weakest among us, are better than the best of them.

Are we gonna get arrested?

You are missing the point.

In this whole wide wicked world, the only thing you have

to be afraid of is me.

I know what you did for me, dealing with that asshole, so I'm gonna return the favor.

Resurrection spell. We're gonna bring your boyfriend/girlfriend/dog/father/etc back to life.

Guess that crash was even worse than I thought.

He's still kind of cute though.

I see potential.

I wonder if he's a shower or a grower.

Is this just a joke to you?

All we have to do is follow this recipe.

Find me a saw.

How's the oven?

I wish I could say yes.

She goes through hell and it doesn't even work.

We've been at this for a year.

All I can do is stand around like an asshole while you get sick.

If you want to try this, I'll support it.

I'm not ready to give up.

I should be able to have a baby just like any other woman.

I know it's horrible, but a lot of women do this.

This is about us having a family.

You don't know what you're asking me to do.

This kind of magic-- it's. . . dark.

It's about life and death, and I don't want to play God.

So you're gonna let [NAME] play God instead.

Doesn't that smell good?

You probably don't need to eat, being immortal.

Of course, sometimes we just like to do things because we enjoy them.

[sarcastically-defensive17]

Youth - A. Irwin

For the lovely @starshonerose who requested a songfic from Blue Neighbourhood and thankfully didn’t roast me when I said BN was a song in my sleep-deprived state. Hope you like it, love!

Original story by Sarcastically-defensive17

Ashton knew love once. The purest form of love he had ever felt from a person not related to him. The kind of love that made your heart swell simply in anticipation of being in the presence of the other person.

Even now, 6 years on, his heart still swells when his mind lands on Y/N.

They were young but they truly believed they had found the truest love. They had been joined at the hip since they met at 10 years old, and had started a relationship at 15.

They didn’t part on the best terms when Y/N made the decision to move to the city for University. They knew the consequences of her application to her dream university, but Ashton didn’t expect it would end their relationship; he simply thought they would work it out long-distance until he was ready to follow her. That was until his mum got sick.

What if, what if we run away?

What if, what if we left today?

What if we said goodbye to safe and sound?

Anne-Marie was sick for a year, then made a full recovery and now maintains better health than she did before. Unfortunately, that time was enough time for the man to spend apart from his love.

He still found it hard to believe how they could go from cuddling on his bed, whispering about how they would one day run away and leave the monotonous life behind to breaking up for fear of losing each other.

He planned to give her his all.

She didn’t want to force him to settle.

And what if, what if we're hard to find?

What if, what if we lost our minds?

What if we let them fall behind and they're never found?

She never thought she’d see the day when she returned to her hometown, and to the boy she never forgot.

Y/N had earned her masters degree in Psychology, and she was planning to return for her doctorate after spending some time with her family she had left behind for 6 years.

Her parents had gone all out. She hired out the largest function area in the town, and organized for everybody to attend a welcome home party. Including the one person she was most nervous to see.

She had been forced to dress up nicely, although she managed to get away with her black doc Martens with her best little black dress, and as she walked through the entrance, arm linked with her mother, a camera flashed and sent her vision spotty.

And when the lights start flashing like a photobooth

And the stars exploding, we'll be fireproof

The only face she could make out amongst the dots in her vision.

Ashton Irwin.

His sandy blonde hair was slicked back, and his dimpled smile shined brightly beside his mothers matching one.

For a moment, Y/N and Ashton could have both sworn they were 17 again, cuddled together playing video games or relaxing as Ashton pelted the drums with his sticks, or as Y/N forced him to sit through various serial killer documentaries that interested her.

My youth, my youth is yours

Trippin' on skies, sippin' waterfalls

My youth, my youth is yours

Runaway now and forevermore

He could feel her eyes linger on him for longer than they should have, but he turned his attention to his younger sister who had been ranting about how beautiful the woman looked.

She was no longer the girl of his youth, but now a woman who looked as stunning as she did 6 years prior.

It was as if he was experiencing the same love he did when he was younger, simply by looking at the woman he once loved so intensely.

My youth, my youth is yours

A truth so loud you can't ignore

She had to fight the urge to latch onto the man. He looked very similar to how he did before, but he no longer had the youthful glow on his face. He was now a chiseled man who looked confident in himself.

She had heard from her mother that he had become a teacher, after attending a local university and following his passion for helping kids.

Y/N did always tell him that he would be an amazing father; if only he gave enough of himself to somebody to settle down.

He gave himself to one woman long ago, and it was too loud a truth to ignore.

Just as she had given herself completely to him.

My youth, my youth, my youth

My youth is yours

Hours had passed, full of mingling and reconnecting with people she had lost contact with, all while avoiding the hazel-eyed gaze focused on her.

That came to an end when a deep but incredibly familiar voice flooded her ears.

“So, did you ever get your license?”

She could hear the smirk in the mans voice, and she was not surprised to see the expression plastered on the face of Ashton.

“For your information, public transport is much easier to navigate the big city,” she mirrored the gesture, improving hers with a smooth draw on the straw. Her mother had forced a vodka and midori into her sweaty palms to help her relax and open up.

“You can’t tell me that I really scared you out of driving that much?” He chuckled, and she felt the familiar tingle in her stomach and the swelling in her chest.

She couldn’t help the laugh that fell from her red stained lips.

“You drove 10kms blindfolded just because Michael dared you to!”

“Yeah well, I got that $100.”

“I see you’re no less insane,” she quipped downing the rest of her drink.

“I see you’re no less gorgeous.”

Her drink caught in her through and she all but sputtered it onto ashtons jacket, causing the man to let out the loud laugh that she adores.

It’s music to her ears and instantly makes her feel at home.

What if, what if we start to drive?

What if, what if we close our eyes?

What if we're speeding through red lights into paradise?

The remainder of the party was spent with the two young lovers rekindling and remembering why they were so enamored with each other years before.

The music died down, the patrons left, and the final photos had caused their vision to be spotted from the flashing lights.

They couldn’t be more at home despite the public setting. They couldn’t feel younger despite their adulthood.

'Cause we've no time for getting old

Mortal body, timeless souls

Cross your fingers, here we go

They walked in sync, their feet striking the same rhythm as they dawdled across the uneven ground of the local park ground.

They always found solace in the area after hours. The certain serenity that eased every worry and every racing thought in their minds.

Where they found themselves, six years later, fingers laced together as they did in their youth.

“Yknow, there hasn’t been anybody permanent since you,” she found herself whispering to the man, watching as his hazel eyes shifted their intensity to her face.

“Really?” He was dumbfounded, mouth agape at the thought of the woman he found so gorgeous spending the long period of time alone.

Just as he did.

And when the lights start flashing like a photobooth

She made a noice of agreement, “couldn’t find myself loving anybody as much as I love you.”

He took note of her choice of words, and his heart thumped against his rib cage at the confession.

“There hasn’t been anybody since you for me, either. Nobody could keep my attention anywhere near as long as you have,” his hand rested against her cheek, something he had longed to do since she walked out six years before.

She nuzzled her head into his hand, eyes boring into his, “I’m sorry I left you.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t follow you.”

My youth, my youth is yours

Trippin' on skies, sippin' waterfalls

My youth, my youth is yours

Runaway now and forevermore

“Ashton?” He grunted softly, signaling for her to continue. “Your my favorite part of my youth”

He leans close enough that his nose brushes against hers, resting his forehead on hers and she smiles brightly.

The act was a complete nostalgia trip, and try both reveled in the feel of one another after so long.

My youth, my youth is yours

A truth so loud you can't ignore

My youth, my youth, my youth

My youth is yours

“Darling, I realized long ago that I was happiest when I was 17. I was happiest with you,” his voice was louder than hers, and more serious despite the smile.

“Ash, I’m going back to the city soon,” she was sorrowful, not wanting to walk away from him again. The first time was painful enough and she didn’t want to hurt him again.

“Y/N, the last six years have made me realize something; I would follow you anywhere so long as you will have me,” he pulled back both hands on either side of her face.

She beamed at him, pulling him into a hug that he hadn’t felt in so long.

“I don’t want to let you go again, Ash.”

“Darling, I’ve been wrapped around your finger since we were 10, if I have my way, you won’t need to even consider letting me go ever again.”

My youth is yours

My youth is yours

My youth is yours

[aceandpetty]

why are you trying to explain internalized homophobia to a bunch of gay people? people are allowed to be disappointed and even quit watching this show. we don't have to justify to you why a character we're so supposed to root for being so disgustingly homophobic is not something we feel comfortable with. just because we understand internalized homophobia doesn't mean we aren't hurt by his actions. so tired of how every remake seems to double down on homophobia even more just to be 'realistic'

“why are you trying to explain internalized homophobia to a bunch of gay people?”

I was not trying to explain so much as talk through my thoughts

Internalized homophobia isn’t discussed enough

Not everyone in the fandom identifies as gay or not straight

“people are allowed to be disappointed and even quit watching this show.”

Absolutely you are and I would never contest that fact

But I am not and I will not be doing that, and this is my blog

I just want people to empathize as it is the point of Skam: empathy for teens struggling and fucking up

“we don't have to justify to you why a character we're so supposed to root for being so disgustingly homophobic is not something we feel comfortable with.”

I didn’t ask anyone to justify anything, especially not to me, I just have thoughts

I shared said thoughts

No one is comfortable with it but just because it’s disgusting or uncomfortable doesn’t mean it isn’t worth discussing

I find the opposite is true

“just because we understand internalized homophobia doesn't mean we aren't hurt by his actions.”

Precisely because you understand homophobia is why you’re hurt by his actions

He’s hurt, Sander’s hurt, Noor’s hurt, everyone is hurt; that’s the whole point

To see the hurt, feel the anger, live the disgust with how he feels and how he makes others feel

“so tired of how every remake seems to double down on homophobia even more just to be 'realistic'”

Realistic is that 60% of people who come out, become homeless

Realistic is that 40% of queer youth attempting suicide

Realistic is the rampant drug use among queer people

Realistic is gay bashing, bullying, and outings that happen everyday, in every country on earth

Realistic is denial that keeps people in the closet for decades

Realistic is that while queerness should be a place of joy and freedom of expression, it is more often not

Realistic is violence, and discrimination, and self loathing

Realistic is that teenagers do not know how to process and communicate complex emotions most of the time

Realistic is that coming out is a life long process

Realistic is our capacity to forgive and understand

Realistic is starting from where Robbe is now and ending where Isak left off, because it’s possible

Realistic is Sander’s agony over what Robbe said

Realistic is Robbe’s agony over what Robbe said

Realistic is not knowing whether or not you truly believe anything that you are saying and doing as a teen; not being able to trust yourself

Realistic is in the journey from harming yourself and others to helping yourself and others

Realistic is in apologies, empathy, anger, and disappointment all existing at the same time

“I believe that feelings are real and substantive. I believe many of our big words and politics and ideas can be distilled down to, ‘I am hurt.’ I am inspired most by the people who are fluent in the language of hurt - people who have the language and skills to navigate complex feelings with sincerity and conviction, people who understand and respect that we do not always move from reason, but from pain. I am most impressed by people who can process jealousy and loneliness and fear. I wish we could take off work to deal with heartbreak. I wish we could understand work as another form of heartbreak. I often look forward to the debrief of an event more than the event itself. I think “how are you?” is simultaneously the most beautiful and tragic questions in the world: the promise of engagement, the reality of ennui. I hate the way we are required to cleave ourselves from our feelings in order to be regarded as legitimate. I hate the way we are celebrated for doing this. I believe that there is a bruise there - a deep and sustained grief that lives in the space between what we feel and what we are able to say. That’s why it is often hard for me to tell the difference between a mouth and a gaping wound, a word and a drop of blood, a belief and a funeral.” ~ Alok Vaid-Menon

[cherryblosssoo]

My life

Introduction

For many years I have been solving problems through a journey. In my life, I have become a better person and I have found ways to make our world a better place.

Solving your problems through a journey.

I have a few things to say to you, my friend. First and foremost, you are not alone. You may feel like no one understands your situation and that is because it's difficult for anyone else to fully understand the inner workings of your mind—but there are many people who will try their hardest to help you find your way.

Secondly, don't let yourself be defined by your problems! It's easy to become consumed by them when we're in a state of emotional distress; however, it's important that we don't lose sight of all the good things in our lives: family members who love us unconditionally; friends who put up with our quirks; pets who treat us like kings/queens (or at least give us unconditional love). Keep those moments in mind when life feels overwhelming because they truly do exist!

Finally, remember this: being responsible isn't easy but it IS necessary if we want our lives back on track again someday soon."

A better approach to life.

What is it that makes the true meaning of life? It is a question we all ask ourselves at some point or another, whether it be in our youth or as an old man. I believe that the answer is quite simple: to live your life with confidence and pride, while also being kind and giving to those around you. It's not easy, but it is possible if you follow these steps:

Be more proactive

Be more positive

Be more open

Be more flexible

Be more patient (don't rush things)

Be more understanding (don't judge others)

Your last goal.

My final goal is for you to find your purpose, your passion, your mission, and the meaning of your life. You don't have to follow the same path I did—you can choose whatever path suits you best. There are infinite possibilities out there in our world; let's see what they have in store for us!

Creating real change.

There are many things that you can do to create real change in the world.

For example, if you're upset about how your life is going or how your community is treating its citizens, there are lots of ways to make things better for yourself and others. For example:

You can choose to be responsible for yourself and your actions. If something happens that makes you upset or angry, it's up to YOU whether or not you want to do something about it. It's also up to YOU if someone else has done something wrong (or right), when what they did only affects them alone—not anyone else around them! The same goes for being nice and helpful toward others too—if they say "no thanks" then there's no reason why anyone should force anything on another person who doesn't want it! It may sound simple but this idea will help people feel like they have more control over their own lives instead of feeling helpless against other peoples' choices...

Another way would be finding ways where both sides benefit from each other rather than just one side having all benefits while another side has none (this could mean sharing resources equally among everyone instead just focusing on one group at a time). This might sound difficult because sometimes we forget about other peoples' needs before thinking about our own wants first - but think about how much happier everyone would be if everyone had equal access at all times!

Life gave you a reason, a journey and an idea so you have to be responsible and find ways to make things right.

Life is a journey, not a destination. It's not just about getting somewhere, but being there.

When you are responsible for your own life and the lives of those around you, it's important that you find ways to make things right. You have to find ways to make things better. If something isn't working out in someone's life or if something is making their life more difficult, it's up to you as the person with responsibility for them (whether it be as a parent/guardian or an employer) to step in and fix what needs fixing so that everyone can be happy again.

Conclusion

Life can be tough, but it is also worth being lived.

There are many reasons why we should live in the present and not dwell on past mistakes or regrets from what has happened before.

Life will give you a reason to live, a journey and an idea. And when that happens, you have to be responsible and find ways to make things right again with yourself first and then everyone else around you as well. So let go of everything that is holding back your progress!

[kprciffdw]

Kim Possible: The Extremely Secret Files-Finale

After a long flight through space, they managed to return to Earth. There, they landed the space shuttle on the runway at the space center, which sat underneath a gorgeous sunset. The shuttle stopped in front of a large crowd of people cheering at them. The shuttle opened up, Kim and Ron stepped out, they made their way towards the crowd which included Ron's parents and Kim's family. They both had a heartfelt reunion with their families as they were warmly embraced. Kim's mom was very emotional as she embraced her daughter. Mrs. P.: "I've missed you so much, sweetie." Kim: "Mom…" Dr. P.: "It's good to have you back, Kimmicub."

They then looked over and saw Ratchet and Clank stepping out of the space shuttle. The crowd immediately reacted as they murmured random things. He hesitated before taking his first stepped on Earth then looked around at the crowd. Ratchet: "Um…hello, everyone…uh, nice…planet…you have here…"

The crowd then began to cheer at him. He seemed flattered but was a bit coy. He looked towards Kim who was waiting for him as she stood along with her family. Clank walked over to him. Clank: "You go over towards them, I will turn Drakken and Shego over to Global Justice." Ratchet: "OK…you do that…Clank…"

Clank walked back into the shuttle while Ratchet walked over towards Kim and her family. He then stood along with them with a nervous grin on his face. Mrs. P.: "You must be Ratchet. It is so good to finally meet you." Ratchet: "Uh…great…to meet you, too…Mrs. Possible…and…"

He looked at Kim's dad who smiled back at him. Ratchet: "Dr. Possible. So good to see you alive and well." Dr. P.: "I am thrilled to finally see you in person, Ratchet. I've wanted to thank you for everything you've done for my Kimmicub." Ratchet: "It…it was no trouble at all. I'm just sorry we had to blow up your space station. You must have spent a lot of time building that thing and to have it all be wasted? That must be devastating." Dr. P.: "Ah, think nothing of it. That project was merely a crazy dream of mine during my youth. Let me tell you something, building a family with these 4 amazing people; that is my greatest life project. I never asked for anything like this, but I wouldn't have wanted it any other way." Ratchet: "That…sounds wonderful and you have done a terrific job, especially considering how amazing Kimberly turned out to be."

They then looked over as Drakken and Shego were arrested and being sent away. Drakken: "YOU THINK YOU'RE ALL THAT, BUT YOU'RE NOT!"

They were eventually removed by Global Justice. Clank joined up with Ratchet and everyone else. Clank: "Good riddance to those ruffians." Jim: "Hey, cool! A robot!" Tim: "And one from outer space, too!" Jim, Tim: "Hoo-sha!" Clank: "I…beg your pardon, gentlemen?" Kim: "Uh, Clank? These are my twin brothers Jim and Tim, the tweebs."

Jim and Tim were then all over Clank. Jim: "Where were you built?" Tim: "Did you come with a serial number?" Jim: "Who built you?" Tim: "Were you made in a factory?" Jim: "Were you built on another planet?" Tim: "Or perhaps even a space station of sorts?" Clank: "I was from an assembly of robot that were built to destroy." Jim: "You? Built to destroy? Are you serious? You don't look like any killer robot I've seen before." Tim: "You're too short to be able to destroy anything." Clank: "That is because I am a defect model." Jim: "A defect? You were built by accident? That's kind of lame." Tim: "Hm, defect or not, you're still a robot from another galaxy; that's still cool." Jim: "I'll say." Tim: "So, tell us everything about yourself, Clank. Can robots eat? Are you like a total math whiz?" Clank: "I am capable of calculating more than 100 trillion algorithmic equations faster than the speed of light and possibly 10 billion more within the speed of sound and all before breakfast." Jim, Tim: "Cool." Kim: "Well, I have to say, that is most certainly one very, very interesting mission." Ron: "Yeah, one for the books, that's for sure." Kim: "I never thought in all my life that I would actually meet someone in space and it was a very pleasant surprise for sure. I'm so glad that we were able to meet you, Ratchet." Ratchet: "So am I. I had a great time watching you do those amazing things that you've done during our missions. Kimberly, you're phenomenal."

Kim smiled. Mrs. P.: "You know what, Ratchet? You are also phenomenal. From what I have heard, you have been wonderful to Kim. I couldn't hear enough of how you have gone above and beyond for her." Ratchet: "Well, like I said, it was no trouble. Although, I…hardly did much." Dr. P.: "Are you kidding me? You've been a colossal help to her; perhaps even a lot more than you realize. You have done some things that Ronald here couldn't do." Ron: "Oh, yeah, I would agree on that." Ratchet: "Well, I guess I…yeah, I really did…I mean…I didn't need to…get myself involved…but…I felt that…I…" Dr. P.: "But of course. You didn't need to get yourself involved, but you did anyway and I could not be more thankful for it. In fact…Ratchet, my boy, you are more than welcome to date my daughter anytime you like." Ratchet: "Whoa, now hold on there for a sec., Dr. Possible." Kim: "Dad!" Ratchet: "It's nothing like that. I mean, me? And her? Are you…? You cannot be…! We're…not even the…same…uh…"

At that moment, he noticed Ron and Clank glance at him in a discontent manner. He then looked at Kim in a nervous manner as she glanced at him with the same nervous look on her face. He looked back towards them. Ratchet: "Uh…why are you both looking at me like that?" Clank: "It is apparent that you and Miss Possible lack the realization towards your mutual fondness for one another." Ratchet: "What? You…mean to say that…I…I have…feelings for her…I mean, she and I…are we really…?"

Clank nodded. Kim: "Ron? You also believe this?" Ron: "KP, you allow him to call you by your real name. Your real name! You don't let anyone outside your family do that, not even me and I'm your best friend!"

Kim and Ratchet then looked at each other in awe. Kim: "Ratchet…? Is…is this really true…? Are you…do you really…" Ratchet: "Kimberly…I…I have to admit…that I…I do really care about you…a lot…every time I saw you upset, broken up, or angry, I…I wanted to help you, I wanted to do everything I could to…when your dad was taken by those men, you were so distraught that you couldn't even think straight. I couldn't stand seeing you like that, so I had every single one of these people brought here to rescue him; it seemed like the only way for you to come to your senses." Kim: "You did all of this…for me?" Ratchet: "Yes…and to see you return to your old self; I don't regret any of it one bit, and I never will."

Kim was touched but was hesitant for a bit. Kim: "You know something? I felt absolutely terrible for how badly you were treated during your mission. To find out that you were just being used the way you were, it…it made me so angry that I wanted to help you get back at that jerk for using you."

His eyes shifted over to his side as he thought for a bit and then he looked back at her. Ratchet: "When…we were back at that factory, you told me that your highest priority for breaking into that place with me wasn't to rebuild your dad's space shuttle but to help me get even for what I have been through. Did…did you really mean all of that?" Kim: "Yes…at that brief moment…my mission didn't mean anything to me. All I could think about at that time…was you." Ratchet: "Kimberly…"

They then touched each other's hands and then they smiled at each other. Ron: "Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it!"

Soon enough, the entire crowd joined in on Ron's chanting, except for Ron and Kim's parents and Clank. Ratchet and Kim looked around at the crowd as they chanted, then looked at the parents, Ron and Clank. The parents watched in suspense as Ron kept chanting and Clank signaled them to go for it. Kim and Ratchet looked at each other again, hesitating as they stared at each other for a bit. They then closed their eyes, leaned closer towards each other and brought their lips together. The entire crowd cheered. They then pulled away from the kiss and looked around at the cheering crowd, including the parents and Clank, who applauded, and Ron, who whistled in celebration. Kim and Ratchet looked at each other again and smiled.

After that, everyone talked Dr. Possible into rebuilding his space station. At first, he was very hesitant, but after much encouragement from his family, including Kim, he decided that he was going to rebuild the Impossible Space Station of the Future and make it even better than ever, but what truly inspired him to do so was so that Kim and Ratchet could have the opportunity to be closer together. Everyone else wanted to pitch in and help him out, including Kim and Ratchet. Ratchet and Clank decided to stay on Earth for an entire week to help out with the project and to see Kim's domestic life. He stayed at the Possible residence where he had dinner with them that first night. He and Kim had spent a lot of time hanging out together and really getting to know each other a little more. Throughout the week, he visited Middleton High School where he met Kim and Ron's classmates, including their upbeat friend, Monique, who thought Ratchet was cute and Kim's nemesis Bonnie, who didn't hesitate for a second to insult Kim and Ratchet for liking each other, but Ratchet immediately told off Bonnie for being a jerk and did not step down, hesitate or even flinch as he stood up for Kim. Everyone around them cheered at his courage with Bonnie so upset that she insulted everyone and ran off. Ratchet had spent a lot of his time with Kim while Clank spent most of his at the space center helping Dr. Possible with building the second ISSF. Ratchet and Kim would stop by and help out every now and then. Ratchet repaired Clank's admirer and she stayed with the little guy, working on the project with him as well.

Ratchet, during his time with Kim, would walk with her through the hallways, sat down with her at lunch, he would even watch a lot of her cheer practices, much to Bonnie's annoyance and dismay. Her concentration broke several times because she could not stand having him around, but after some convincing from Kim and the other cheerleaders and, if all else fails, make a lot of readjustments to their choreography, they were able to get past that difficulty. Bonnie was very unhappy regardless. After every cheer practice, Ratchet would ask Kim to teach him some of their dance moves, which she would gladly do. Not surprisingly, this disgusted Bonnie so she walked out on them.

There were, however, some times in which Ratchet had some issues with things that were part of Kim's life, such as with Club Banana when he complained about their clothes, despite being made by the same company as Smarty Mart, a massive store that sells lots of things, not to mention is a less favorite store to Kim's peers to shop for clothes, were very different just because of a banana sticker. He was thrown out of Club Banana for complaining too much about them, but he didn't care and believed that Smarty Mart was a better store. He even did some maintenance work for the store when they asked him to. The people at the store were so grateful that they wanted to repay him for his services. They would just offer him discounts since he didn't really want anything from them. However, the only things he asked from them were some banana stickers. He used them to prank Bonnie by giving her clothes from Smarty Mart when she thought they were from Club Banana just because of the banana stickers he placed on them. After she found out about the prank, she became distraught and overly dramatic about it as though it was like the worst thing ever. Kim, however, found this to be very amusing and gave Ratchet a kiss on the cheek for it.

And of course, Ron and Rufus finally got their Nacos. Kim, Ratchet and Clank would join them but Ratchet would lose his appetite the second he set his foot through the door. On Ratchet and Clank's last night on Earth, Ratchet and Kim sat on the roof of Kim's house, looking out at the stars, talking about their adventure together and what they saw out there. They were both very uncertain of what the future could hold for them or even when they will possibly see each other again, but they were hopeful to face the challenges together. Wade interrupted them to inform them that he will present them with a way for the 2 of them to stay in touch with each other wherever they would be. The next day, Ratchet and Clank were to return to space but not before Ratchet said his goodbyes to Kim. After Ratchet and Clank left, Dr. Possible made a promise to Kim that she will see him again. Kim and Ratchet have kept in touch with each other ever since. Despite the distance, or light years between them, they were never too far apart from one another and remained as such, but they would look forward to the day when they will meet again. Kim: "See you again, Space Case."

                                                       THE END