#every single evening when the weather is above 55 and they don’t stop and they left their dogs outside in the rain the other night

[wardencommanderrodimiss]

There’s too many characters for me to be able to write a good Discord chat-style fic for the Three Frat Houses AU, but if I were to write one, the plot would be like:

It is winter break for Garreg Mach University. A server has been created for everyone in the frats, plus some other friends, to keep in touch while they are all away from campus. Approximately 55% of the gang immediately stake their sanities on this group chat while they are forced to live at home with their families for four weeks. Major plots that the chat all comment on include these:

Hubert has been forced to return to his father’s house for the first time in -checks notes- two or three years? Hubert’s been AWOL for a few years, before he showed up at university, and his father insists that he come home or else he’s going to be cut off from the family bank account and written out of the will. Hubert now has to survive four weeks with his father, who he hates, or else all of the frats will be out of their primary source of financing, which is Hubert just buying shit for anyone who asks him because he hates his father and this is his father’s money.

Leonie is a key fighter in the battle of “stop Hubert from murdering his father because we need Hubert’s credit card”, because she’s broke and works part-time as a barista and Hubert tips her $50 in cash every time she makes one of his 12-shots-of-espresso crime against the goddess drinks, and she has no desire to lose that stable source of income. Also, Leonie spends three of the four weeks of break on the road in her camper, because she got sick of her family asking her how her degree is coming and what she’s going to do with it and when she’s going to get a real good job with it, so she took her camper and drove out to pick up Lorenz and now they’re on a road trip across Fodlan seeing how many of their friends they can visit and also trying not to kill each other while stuck in a small space for three weeks. (Lorenz got fed up with his father shittalking all of his friends. Lorenz is allowed to dunk on Claude, and more than allowed is required to, but his father saying a single bad word about Claude or the Reigans is a mortal offense that Lorenz cannot stand for, so when Leonie was like “hey I’m going on the road” Lorenz was like “I am begging you to take me with you.”)

Meanwhile, Dorothea is the only one of the Adrestians really having a good time on break because she went with Petra back to Brigid. Caspar is really ambivalent on being home; Linhardt is mad that he’s being deprived of GMU’s library; Hubert’s situation has been described above. Ferdinand contributes mostly to the chat with messages like “Just got in another political argument with my father” (Dorothea sends :thumbs-up emoji:). Bernadetta has barely left her room since she got home and she’s subsisting mostly on takeout passed to her through her window in the dead of night by Ferdinand or Yuri. (Dorothea: “why is Yuri in Enbarr?” Yuri: “don’t worry about it”). Occasionally she climbs out her window to spend a night out on the city with Hubert and Ferdinand.

Meanwhile, up in Faerghus, Rodrigue has found himself with care of five college students, none of whom are his own son. Felix is staying in Fhirdiad with Annette, because Felix hates his dad and didn’t want to go home. Meanwhile, Edelgard was supposed to go spend this break with her mother in Fhirdiad, but she and Dimitri quickly decided that they did not really want to spend all that time at home and they and Dedue all fucked off to Rodrigue’s house. Sylvain offered Mercedes to come stay with his family because she didn’t want to stay at the frat house by herself and then on the drive up Sylvain’s like “haha wait my family sucks, let’s just go to Felix’s place” and so they do. Felix didn’t know that Sylvain was going to do this and then the group gets pictures of Mercedes and Sylvain going out horseback riding and Felix is like “wait those are my dad’s horses, why are you at my dad’s house”, and then in the passenger seat of Dimitri’s car, Dedue is reading this off like “wait, Felix is not even at his house, are we still going?” and Edelgard’s like “Felix not being there is one of the perks of going to Felix’s house” and Dimitri’s like “That is very rude but I guess in some manner you are still correct” and then later Rodrigue is making a grocery list for the fact that his house now has two 20-somethings back in it for four weeks and he looks out the window to see Dimitri’s car coming up the driveway and he just like. sighs. and doubles the amount of everything on the shopping list.

Byleth does not have any social media at all and she is not part of the chat. Any updates about what she’s doing on her break come in the form of Flayn posting the pictures that Byleth emails her of large fish that she and Jeralt have caught. Byleth may be spending the entirety of the break on several successive fishing trips. Go figure. Flayn is stuck at Garreg Mach and is very upset about having made friends only for them all to be gone, and she’s living vicariously through everyone demanding pictures of what they’re up to even if it’s boring.

All characters not mentioned may be inferred to be having a very normal break and every time they come back to the server to find like 120+ messages since they’ve been away for an hour but not a single one of those 120+ messages is anything that can be in any way construed as good. Hubert and Ferdinand are Bernadetta’s shoulder devil/angel trying to convince her that patricide is good/bad, actually. Felix has somehow ended up back at his own house because Annette wanted to visit Mercedes there. Claude sent a video of himself falling off the back of a wild wyvern and the person taking the video just laughs instead of trying to help him. (It was Nader.) The only indication that Claude is alive at the end of it is that from where he’s lying on the ground he just sticks up his arm and gives a thumbs-up. Yuri asked who might hypothetically be willing to pay bail for him without asking any questions, in case it comes to that.

On the side, there are recurring subplots of other standard server nonsense. Someone is called out for using light mode. Bernadetta is seen playing Stardew Valley for 20 hours straight. Everyone is always yelling at each other about time zones and who’s supposed to be asleep at some point (often and especially regarding Dorothea and Petra in Brigid, and Claude in Almyra, but also why does Linhardt only message at 3 am). Felix and Bernadetta want to know how the campus cats are doing and Flayn sends blurry photos. Someone is always complaining about the weather in Faerghus and Edelgard is going to freeze to death one of these days.

Anyway yeah, that’s what I’d write if I hated myself to try and wrestle like, it would be at least twenty characters? into one long chat fic. But while I make poor choices in what I decide to write, I don’t hate myself this much.

[padfootagain]

It's Christmas season all over again! It's time for warm cups of hot cocoa, and cold weather! Welcome to winter!

This is my favourite time of the year, so to celebrate, I'm hosting a little event! I'm going to do prompts!

What is it all about?

Under the cut are gathered a list of prompts. Simple lines of dialogue that you can choose to combine as you wish. You basically pick up a few prompts that you like, you choose a character, and I will write you a short fic based on these prompts. As I'm celebrating winter here, the prompts are related to this season.

Although, I know that everybody doesn't celebrate Christmas around here, but have no fear! I have included prompts that also fit the season and New Year's Eve. So I'm sure everyone should find a few things that they like :)

What can you request?

You can choose 1 to 5 prompts from the list (not more than five prompts per request though, otherwise it's difficult to fit them all in one one-shot). You also choose a character for the fic to be about. You can choose any character on my masterlist.

If you'd like, you can also include more details about a particular plot you would like to be included in the fic, and I will write this in your request as well. You can add any detail that you would like to be included in your request (male or female reader, OC, platonic relationship, or any detail concerning the plot…).

A few notes about that event…

- You can send me requests as anons or not, I don't care. If you're a little shy, don't hesitate to switch on the anon button, don't let this stop you from sending a request.

- Please, send me your requests only through my askbox, it'll be much easier for me to get organized

- If I receive too many requests, I may not write all of them. I will write at least 10 of them. I am sorry in advance if I can't write your request, but I am only human, and cannot write an infinite amount of fics for this event. I will try to write as many fics as I can though.

- I'll probably keep your request in my askbox until I get to it, just to be sure to not forget it. If you are worried about me getting your request (as we all know about how well these messages are delivered by tumblr sometimes…) feel free to ask me to tell you when I receive your request in your message. I'll send you a little pm or make a little post for anons to tell you that I have received your request just fine right when I get it.

- As I've mentioned, I've tried to put quite a lot of prompts that can be used for people who don't celebrate Christmas at that time of the year. Feel free to tell me in your message that you don't celebrate that holiday, I'll make sure to not write your request during Christmas then.

- The requests for the event will be open for a week, starting today! They will thus close on November 28. I may change the date, judging by how popular the event is and how many requests I get.

I hope you all have fun with this event! Enjoy the end of the year :D

Prompts – you can request between 1 to 5 prompts for your fic. Don't forget to choose a character from my masterlist as well :)

 1. "This is a snowball attack! Prepare to get frozen!"

2. "I need hot cocoa, and a ton of kisses."

3. "Let's decorate the Christmas tree!"

4. "You look cute with that thing on your head."

5. "Let's eat cookies and spend the day in bed."

6. "IT'S FUCKING FREEZING!"

7. "Here, take this, you look like you're going to turn into an ice cube."

8. "Here, come for a hug, it'll warm you up."

9. "I want to cuddle near a good, warm fireplace."

10. "Let's share the blanket."

11. "If you don't get closer, we will both freeze to death, is that what you want?"

12. "I can't believe I'm spending this evening stuck here with you…"

13. "Are you drunk?"

14. "I think I drank a lil' bit too much of that liquor…"

15. "Look at all these lights!"

16. "My resolution for this new year is to make you happier than you were last year."

17. "Let's start the year the right way. Give me a kiss."

18. "The dawn of a new year always makes you think about the things you did wrong and would like to change, right?"

19. "I don't know what next year has in store for us. But as long as you're in it, then it's fine by me."

20. "Mistletoe… well… that's tradition… can't run away from it…"

21. "Did you set this piece of mistletoe above us right now? In purpose?"

22. "Are you trying to kiss me?"

23. "Look, a shooting star! Make a wish…"

24. "It's snowing!"

25. "We have only one bed… and one blanket… and it's freezing in here…"

26. "One should never lie on Christmas. It should be a rule, like offering ridiculous sweaters."

27. "We should bake more cookies."

28. "Okay, this thing is just delicious. Actually… you're delicious too."

29. "Let's sing Carols all night long, until we're too tired to stay awake."

30. "The stars look different tonight. I wonder why… is it the cold, or you?"

31. "This is the stupidest idea I've ever heard. Let's do it."

32. "Hold my hand, I don't want to fall."

33. "Look at me and tell me it isn't true."

34. "HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

35. "Would you like to dance?"

36. "This outfit is ridiculous."

37. "You look… breathtaking…"

38. "Champagne, champagne… I need more champagne…"

39. "You have snow all over your hair. It looks cute."

40. "I'll have to teach you how to make a proper hot cocoa, I guess."

41. "There's this party… I wondered… would you go with me?"

42. "Is this really for me?"

43. "Let's spend Christmas together, and New Year's Eve… actually… actually let's spend every single evening together for the rest of our lives."

44. "Let's spend New Year's Eve together, and the night after that… actually… actually let's spend every single evening together for the rest of our lives."

45. "I know I'm a bit clumsy sometimes… perhaps I should have told you all this a long time ago."

46. "We're both going to die of hypothermia…"

47. "I need body warmth. And you're just like a heater on two legs."

48. "Here, take my gloves. I don't want you to lose a finger."

49. "Do you think that we're going to die?"

50. "I can't believe you got us lost in here…"

51. "And I could have been drinking cocktails under the sun instead of freezing in this weather!"

52. "This gift is for you."

53. "Can I have a hug? And a cookie? I'd really need a cookie right now."

54. "Gingerbread! Gingerbread!"

55. "Who ate the last piece of gingerbread?"

56. "I'm going to kill you… with kisses."

57. "Are you sure that this is a good idea?"

58. "Sledding down that hill is a bad idea."

59. "I love sledding!"

60. "All these lights in the street… it looks like magic, doesn't it?"

61. "I think I love you even more than I love chocolate. And that's saying a lot."

62. "I think… I think I love you."

63. "You don't hate me. You like me, actually."

64. "Hold me tight, and never let go."

65. "If we die in here, I need you to know…"

66. "Once we are saved and we get home, I promise, I'll pay you a drink."

67. "Wow… I think I've met the Grinch in person."

68. "We are stuck together in here, with a snowstorm outside… how could things go worse?!"

69. "You're adorable, and I love you."

70. "I already have everything I wanted for Christmas. You're here with me after all…" 

[anaceinthecrowd]

Let’s get personal. 100 Questions!

1: 6 of the songs you listen to most?

"I'm Only Sleeping" by The Beatles

"No Exit" by Childish Gambino

"Friend" by C418

"Beauty" by Tim Minchin 

The old NBC Olympics closing credits mix by various artists

"Rey's Theme" by John Williams

2: If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?

Damn! I was hoping to meet someone from another Earth. Well I guess if I have to meet someone from THIS Earth it would have to be Stephen Colbert. He seems like a super nice guy. He's also smart and hilarious.

3: Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, give me line 17.

“him.” How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere by Larry King

4: What do you think about most?

If I'm wasting my life doing what I'm doing.

5: What does your latest text message from someone else say?

"Ask Alexa to play Valentine music. It's good and grandma will love it" from my mom.

6: Do you sleep with or without clothes on?

With

7: What's your strangest talent?

Idk if this is a talent but I have a near-encyclopedic of all things Disney World.

8: Girls... (finish the sentence); Boys... (finish the sentence)

Boys are good but some are assholes. Girls are good but some are assholes.

9: Ever had a poem or song written about you?

Idk but I don't wanna say no just in case someone did and I just forgot xD.

10: When is the last time you played the air guitar?

Today

11: Do you have any strange phobias?

I have an immense fear of missing out.

12: Ever stuck a foreign object up your nose?

Yes

13: What's your religion?

Not religious, nor spiritual.

14: If you are outside, what are you most likely doing?

Going for long walks

15: Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?

Behind

16: Simple but extremely complex. Favorite band?

The Beatles. Almost every song they ever put out was great. They became the biggest influencers on music in the last century and they did it in just a few years. Most musicians work their whole lives to have an ounce of the influence and raw talent each of them had. Plus they had an incredible effect on culture, notably helping facilitate the change that came from youth for the first time having enough money to buy what they wanted, not what they got from older people. The youth got to decide what they wanted and they wanted the Beatles. Not just the music but their fashion, art, movies and so on. 

17: What was the last lie you told?

I've never told a lie! (He says as his nose doubles in length)

18: Do you believe in karma?

I used to.

19: What does your URL mean?

It's a pun on "a face in the crowd" which is a saying about being unknown and hidden in plain sight and I felt like this applied to my experience with being asexual. Also I typed "ace" into a pun generating website.

20: What is your greatest weakness; your greatest strength?

My greatest weakness is fast food. My greatest strength is n/a I'm weak as hell.

21: Who is your celebrity crush?

I like some famous people but I don't really have crushes on any.

22: Have you ever gone skinny dipping?

Yeah but I didn't like it.

23: How do you vent your anger?

Complaining to friends (still not sure why they put up with it)

24: Do you have a collection of anything?

Mistakes? XD   I used to collect snow globes but they started to brake and get green water so I stopped.

25: Do you prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online?

I'm so damn lonely I'll take anything. I wish that were a joke.

26: Are you happy with the person you've become?

I hope to be one day.

27: What's a sound you hate; sound you love?

A sound I hate is the smoke detector going off when I'm cooking and a sound I love is that sound (like I think only Disney world fans will get this) when you're out in front of test track and the cars go by on the track above. 

28: What's your biggest "what if"?

What if I'm actually the villain of my story?

29: Do you believe in ghosts? How about aliens?

No and yes

30: Stick your right arm out; what do you touch first? Do the same with your left arm.

Right: fan. Left: laptop.

31: Smell the air. What do you smell?

Pine scented candle. I love scented candles.

32: What's the worst place you have ever been to?

My middle School. It was the border between two gang territories. We'd have gun and bomb threats every day.

33: Choose: East Coast or West Coast?

I live on the east coast but I gotta go with West coast just because I've been to more of it. 

34: Most attractive singer of your opposite gender?

Idk

35: To you, what is the meaning of life?

To find what you live to do and do it as much as you can.

36: Define Art.

If someone makes anything and calls it art, it's art. I think that's how it works now. 

37: Do you believe in luck?

I believe I don't have it.

38: What's the weather like right now?

Sunny and in the 80s. Way too hot for winter.

39: What time is it?

9:33pm EST

40: Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed?

Yes and no

41: What was the last book you read?

Steve jobs by Walter Isaacson

42: Do you like the smell of gasoline?

I shouldn't but yeah xD

43: Do you have any nicknames?

Drew

44: What was the last film you saw?

I saw Chris Rock's new stand-up special this morning. It was really good!

45: What's the worst injury you've ever had?

I ran on the top of some bleachers, tripped, and fell all the way down, breaking my collarbone along the way. 

46: Have you ever caught a butterfly?

I can't remember

47: Do you have any obsessions right now?

My most recent obsession has been with anything made by Donald Glover/Childish Gambino

48: What's your sexual orientation?

Ace. I mean... It's in the name.

49: Ever had a rumour spread about you?

Many

50: Do you believe in magic?

Depends on what you mean by "believe" and "magic". I like magicians xD

51: Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong?

Yes

52: What is your astrological sign?

Idk and I'm sick of googling it every time I'm asked about it.

53: Do you save money or spend it?

A bit of both

54: What's the last thing you purchased?

10 piece chicken nugget meal and a vanilla Coke from Wendy's.

55: Love or lust?

Love

56: In a relationship?

No. Happy Valentine's day!

57: How many relationships have you had?

0 58: Can you touch your nose with your tongue?

No

59: Where were you yesterday?

Home Depot

60: Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you?

A strawberry scented candle.

61: Are you wearing socks right now?

No

62: What's your favourite animal?

Cotton-Top Tamarin

63: What is your secret weapon to get someone to like you?

The Scarab Gun from Halo 2 is a pretty good secret weapon I guess. JK just be yourself. 

64: Where is your best friend?

Oregon

65: Give me your top 5 favourite blogs on Tumblr.

As of writing this I don't follow anyone yet so let me get back to you on that.

66: What is your heritage?

A little bit of native American but primarily white eruopean as far back in history as you can go.

67: What were you doing last night at 12AM?

Sleeping

68: What do you think is Satan's last name?

Trump

69: Be honest. Ever gotten yourself off?

I'm not answering that question.

70: Are you the kind of friend you would want to have as a friend?

Idk.

71: You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late one more time you get fired. What do you do?

Save the dog.

72: You are at the doctor’s office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. a) Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? b) What do you do with your remaining days? c) Would you be afraid?

Honestly this question is so fucking depressing I'm skipping it.

73: You can only have one of these things; trust or love.

What is love without trust?

74: What's a song that always makes you happy when you hear it?

(Once again only people who've been to Disney World will get it) the music at Soarin' (over California (it's just better)) 

75: What are the last four digits in your cell phone number?

Like I'm gonna put my phone number on here. Ha.

76: In your opinion, what makes a great relationship?

For me... Having one would be just fantastic.

77: How can I win your heart?

Tell me something I Don't know. I love learning.

78: Can insanity bring on more creativity?

I'm not sure it brings on more creativity, but any change in mental state in a creative person will bring on a different kind of creativity.

79: What is the single best decision you have made in your life so far?

Picking the high school I went to.

80: What size shoes do you wear?

10.5

81: What would you want to be written on your tombstone?

I want it to be blank just to fuck with people.

82: What is your favourite word?

Actually...

83: Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word; heart.

Barracuda

84: What is a saying you say a lot?

Here's the thing...

85: What's the last song you listened to?

"Me and your mama" by Childish Gambino

86: Basic question; what's your favourite colour/colours?

Black, silver and light blue are a few favorites.

87: What is your current desktop picture?

Artists rendering of Epcot.

88: If you could press a button and make anyone in the world instantaneously explode, who would it be?

Satan Trump. #callback #comedy

89: What would be a question you'd be afraid to tell the truth on?

When my family asks me why I don't have a girlfriend yet I'm always afraid to come out and tell the truth to them... That I'm asexual and have no interest in dating anyone except another ace, and because of the rarity of aces its really difficult to find someone. I have no interest in coming out though. It wouldn't change anything.

90: One night you wake up because you heard a noise. You turn on the light to find that you are surrounded by MUMMIES. The mummies aren't really doing anything, they're just standing around your bed. What do you do?

Laugh my head off because I'm obviously being punk'd. Where's Ashton?!?

91: You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what's even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What is that power?

I mean the obvious superpower I now have is the ability to digest radioactive material. But if I could have any power I'd want to be able to travel through space and time.

92: You can re-live any point of time in your life. The time-span can only be a half-hour, though. What half-hour of your past would you like to experience again?

See now this is why that superpower would come in handy! You wouldn't have to choose! (See how I dodged that question. That's my real superpower!)

93: You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?

Idk but if I could live my life just as it happened but without being overweight, that would be great.

94: You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who would it be?

If I say John Lennon will it bring him back to life? Cause if so then yes, John Lennon. Final answer.

95: You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?

My mind says south Korea because the Olympics but my heart says to go to Oregon to see my friends.

96: Do you have any relatives in jail?

Not that I know of.

97: Have you ever thrown up in the car?

Yes

98: Ever been on a plane?

Many

99: If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say?

"Can't we all just get along?"

100. Age?

21

101. What’s a good way to spend a Valentine’s Day when you’re single, lonely and bored?

This. 

[beannysiegel]

rules: you must answer these 85 statements and tag 20 people

i was tagged by @lordrhysnd - thank you gorgeous!! have a lovely day! :D <3

tagging: anyone who wants to do this!!! y’all are cuties and i love you 

the last …

1. drink: hot chocolate

2. phone call: i think? my actor for my short film

3. text message: emeline!! C:

4. song you listened to: sweater weather by the neighbourhood. i mean when i wrote that yah. now it’s blossom by milky chance <33

5. time you cried: yesterday lmao

6. dated someone twice: yah, in primary school lol

7. kissed someone and regretted it: noo

8. been cheated on: nope

9. lost someone special: yees

10. been depressed: yah

11. gotten drunk and thrown up: nah

favorite colors

12. to wear - blues and whites

13. yeLLOW

14. pastel green

in the last year have you…

15. made new friends: mhm

16. fallen out of love: noo

17. laughed until you cried: always <3

18. found out someone was talking about you: i think so? but it’s only my screenwriting group so im like, do i care lmao

19. met someone who changed you: every single person, even strangers, changes me in little ways, but i don’t really think so? ‘cept for reuniting with the love of my life in january

20. found out who your friends are: ye

21. kissed someone on your facebook list: yup

general

22. how many of your facebook friends do you know in real life: all of them

23. do you have any pets: two cats and a doggo :D

24. do you want to change your name: noo. in terms of last names, if i were to ever get married, i’d just hyphenate because ain’t no way i’m giving up my name. it’s a part of me.

25. what did you do for your last birthday: omg it was such a huge day that included taking my mum to the statue of liberty (she came over for my birthday :3) and seeing the lion king for a second time!! <33

26. what time did you wake up: 6:30 uGH

27. what were you doing at midnight last night: writing coverage for a screenplay for class, snuggled up on the floor in a big soft blanket with my soft toy kitty, sierra :3

28. name something you can’t wait for: money lmao, and seeing my pets again, oh oh and travelling around after this course ends!! <3

29. when was the last time you saw your mom: in may

31. what are you listening to right now: as i’m writing this, my classmates reading work out loud. when i post this, probably some bangin tunes 

32. have you ever talked to a person named tom: yah

33. something that is getting on your nerves: omg everything. nah just pain in the ass classmates and people not understanding how filming works, it’s all good <3

34. most visited website: tumblr, facebook and youtube

35. hair colour: light brown

36. long or short hair: long

37. do you have a crush on someone: im dating them :D

38. what do you like about yourself: my compassion

39. piercings: none. i tried to get my upper ear done but it got soo infected rip

40. blood type: omg i can’t remember, i THINK O+

41. nickname: kaitie, little bumblebee, luke waters the truck driver played by fredo

42. relationship status: taken

43. zodiac: taurus

44. pronouns: she/her but honestly anything goes, gender is fake

45. favourite tv show: boardwalk empire

46. tattoos: none buT SOON!!!!!!

47. right or left handed: right

48. surgery: nothing huge, and nothing that could even really be called surgery. just some stitches and i’ve had two teeth taken out.

49. piercing: as above :D

50. sport: ballet

51. vacation: trees, fields, mountains, ocean, anything with nature, anywhere on earth. just. everywhere. i’ve been travelling since i was a wee beb and i don’t intend to ever stop

52. pair of trainers: idk omg converse??

more general

53. eating: nothing :(

54. drinking: hot chocolate and water

55. i’m about to: just chillin in starbucks waitin for albert to finish class~

56. waiting for: waitin to hear whether the house i need to film in will be available for reshoots this weekend or else im royally fucked lmao

57. want: peace. MONEY 

58. get married: i always said no and i’m still against it but. albert and i have definitely spoken about it. in extensive detail. whoops

59. career: (screen)writer(-director)

60. hugs or kisses: BOTH but hugs :D

61. lips or eyes: eyes

62. shorter or taller: either :3

63. older or younger: doesn’t matter

64. nice arms or nice stomach: i really don’t mind

65. hook up or relationship: relationship

66. troublemaker or hesitant: i’m hesitant enough for the both of us, so troublemaker heh

67. kissed a stranger: nah

68. drank hard liquor: only a bit, booze ain’t my cup of tea

69. lost glasses/contact lenses: no

70. turned someone down: yeah

71. sex on the first date: noo

72. broken someone’s heart: yeah

73. had your heart broken: mhm

74. been arrested: nope

75. cried when someone died: mmmmm

76. fallen for a friend: yep heheheh

do you believe in …

77. yourself: always

78. miracles: i don’t know. i absolutely believe in fate, but miracles? i’m not sure. maybe we make our own miracles.

79. love at first sight: absolutely

80. santa claus: listen. lisTEN. i was gonna say no but then i remembered, i fuckin remembered this one time when i was like 6 i was in bed on christmas eve and at fuckin like midnight there was this loud THUD on the roof so. not sayin i have proof but i’m sayin that

81. kiss on the first date: sure why not

82. angels: yee

other

83. current best friend’s name: albert/alice <3 look i’m a sap who fell for my best friend c:

84. eye colour: brown

85. favourite movie: THE LION KING

[thecoroutfitters]

If I were told that I could only grow one vegetable (err…technically fruit, but that’s irrelevant) in my garden, I would pick tomatoes. Why? Because they’re delicious, nutritious, easy to grow anywhere, and you can use them in so many ways that you’d likely never get sick of them. You almost have to grow tomatoes for survival if you want your garden to be complete.

Just a single cup of tomatoes provides about half of your RDA of Vitamin C (move over orange juice), 25% of your RDA of Vitamin A, some Vitamin K just for kicks, and minerals including iron, potassium, folic acid, Lycopene and calcium. Plus, tomatoes have been linked to cancer prevention. Not too shabby for a little red, yellow, green, purple, orange, black, or pink fruit/vegetable, is it? Oh and did I mention that they come in an array of colors?

But which ones should you grow? How long do they take? Do they have particular needs? How much space do you need? There’s definitely a bit more to growing quality tomatoes than just grabbing a pack of seeds at the dollar store, but throughout the following paragraphs, you’re going to learn enough to get you started.

Different Types of Tomatoes

Many people grow several different varieties of tomatoes because there are so many uses for them. Just like anything else, most tomatoes are better for one purpose than another. For instance, if you want to grow tomatoes for juice and for eating raw, you’ll likely want two different types of tomatoes.

Of course, there are definitely good all-around tomatoes, but variety is most certainly to spice of life. And since there’s very little difference in planting and growing, why not grow different ones best suited to your individual needs?

Here are some of the reasons you may want to grow tomatoes:

Slicing, or eating tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes for salads

Plum tomatoes for eating or cooking

Juice tomatoes

Sauce tomatoes

Whole canned tomatoes

Tomatoes for chutneys.

Now, think about it. If you want to slice a nice, meaty tomato to put on your burger, you want plenty of “meat,” right? But if you want to can whole tomatoes, you’ll want something a bit smaller, and with a different consistency. And of course, if you want a little tomato for a salad, you need yet another type.

That’s the beauty of tomatoes; there are hundreds of options. All you have to do is find the ones you like best!

Learn from our ancestors the old lessons of growing and preserving your own food for harsh times. 

Types of Seeds

There are four main types of seeds out there: GMO, hybrid, heirloom, and open pollination.

GMO

These seeds have been genetically modified at the DNA level in a lab. They’re meant to make the seed better in some form or another. However, because the plant has been altered at the genetic level, you may find it difficult to get the next generation of seeds to grow, or to produce tomatoes that are the same as the ones in the first generation.

Hybrid

These are often mistaken for GMO, but they’re vastly different. They’re a naturally-occurring plant that occurs when one variety pollinates with another. Think of the hybrid as a family – a mother and dad get married and have a child that shares their traits – hopefully the best of each parent.

Hybrids have no problem growing but may not be consistent from one generation of seeds to another. First generation plants and fruit tend to be more consistent in size and shape and are often more disease resistant than heirlooms, but you don’t know what you’re going to get next year.

Open-Pollinated

These plants are the result of plants that are grown close together pollinating each other in a natural manner. You’ll have some genetic variability because of this, and when the seed is saved, those traits are passed onto the next generation. Open-pollination tomatoes are often regionally unique and have unusual shapes, colors and flavors.

These are the seeds that most farmers count on, because they’re reliable. You can save the seeds with a high degree of confidence that they’ll grow next year.

Heirlooms

The queen of seeds. Heirloom tomatoes come from seeds that have been carefully preserved for generations – usually 50 years or more. They’re carefully tended so that the traits are consistent from one generation to another. The one trait that heirlooms have is that the fruit can vary greatly in size and shape even on the same plant. That’s not always the case, and it’s not really a bad thing – just something to make note of when you’re growing them.

Heirlooms grow consistently from one year to the next, so you can save your seeds and have the same exact plant next year.

So What Seeds are Best?

Many people grow hybrids and love them; for that matter, I have too. But if I’m saving seeds, it’s the ones from my hybrids and open-pollinated ones because I know that they’ll grow and I know what I’ll get. 

Growing Conditions

This is yet another trait that I love about tomatoes – no matter where you live, there’s a variety that will grow for you. Well, almost. If you live in an area that has no warm weather to speak of, or an extremely short (less than 50 day) growing cycle, your choices are limited unless you want to grow them inside, or in a greenhouse.

Altitude affects every single aspect of growing – temperature, soil conditions, precipitation, and humidity. In high-altitude climates, you often have short growing seasons, soil that’s either rocky and alkaline or shaded and acidic, too much rain, not enough rain, and a ton of wildlife that’s just waiting for you to grow them some delicious food.

But don’t despair, you can grow great tomatoes just about anywhere you want as long as you’re willing to put in the effort.

What do Tomatoes Need to Grow?

I read a story about a couple who invested all of their summer into a tomato crop only to yield a single fruit. They’d gone out of town one weekend and forgotten to tell their friends to water them, and that’s what did it.

Now of course, that’s a tall tale, but it’s not far off. Tomatoes need a consistent amount of water, especially when the fruit is ripening. But if you water them too much during this period, they’ll be washed out and flavorless.

So if your tomato could pick its ideal situation (and it can because if you don’t listen, it won’t grow) what would it be? There are some variances in their needs, such as length of growing seasons, but in general, the necessary components to successfully growing tomatoes are:

Temperature – tomatoes need an average of 3-4 months or warm, fairly dry weather to grow and produce well. In order to “set” fruit – a gardening term that means that your plant will produce fruit after flowering and pollination. Generally, they need nighttime temperatures of 55-75 degrees F for this to happen. They won’t develop the proper color if night time temps are above 85, and most will quit growing if nighttime temps are over 95 degrees. Now, there are tomatoes that thrive in hot weather, so if this is your situation, do some research and find them. Otherwise, you’re wasting your time.

Sunlight – Your plants need at least 6 and preferably 8 hours of sunshine per day. If you live somewhere temperate, 8 is great. If you live in the sweltering south, then 6 with a nice shady afternoon will be appreciated.

Consistent Watering – This part is SUPER important. You want your soil to be moist but not wet. Too much will kill the plant, too little will stop the fruit from growing, or will give it a poor texture and flavor if it does grow.

Proper, regular feeding – Tomatoes like nitrogen in the soil, so prepare the soil with ripe compost and a scoop of aged manure in the bottom of the hole when you plant it. Another trick is to add some Epsom salt to the soil monthly.

You can do this via just sprinkling a couple teaspoons around the plant, or by mixing a couple of tablespoons in a gallon of water and watering your plants with it. Be careful though, because too much nitrogen will give you a beautiful plant but will delay ripening. Add nitrogen when the top leaves turn yellow and the stem turns purple.

Loose soil that drains well – honestly, they prefer this but will grow in nearly any type of soil as long as you provide the proper nutrients. If you have plants that harvest early, sandy loamy soil is best. Plants that bear fruit late like heavier loamy clay. They also like slightly acidic soil with a pH somewhere between 6 and 7.

Take Care of the Roots and Leaves – tomatoes are a good plant to start inside because if you live in most zones, you want your plants to be 8-10 weeks old when you set them out 2 weeks or so after the last frost. It’s important that you wait this long because if you get an “oops” freeze, your plants are done.

You also need to protect them from wind that can break them and try to keep the vines off of the ground to help protect them from mold and bugs. Bugs love tomatoes, so be proactive in your insect prevention and check the leaves, top and underside, regularly.

Planting Your Tomatoes

Ok, not that we have that set aside, let’s talk about how to grow your plants. This is the exciting part – well, one of them anyway!

It’s best to prep your soil a week or two in advance by turning in some aged manure and compost. A bit of Epsom salt may help too, if your soil is low in nitrogen. Rest easy – though salt will kill your soil, Epsom salt isn’t actually sodium – it’s actually magnesium and sulfur. The magnesium helps your plant absorb nitrogen.

Some people just dig the hole for the plant and plop a trowel full of compost/manure in the bottom. This may be OK, but make sure that both are well-aged so that you don’t burn up your plants. I’d recommend mixing it into the soil.

If you started your plants from seeds, they should be at least 8 weeks old now, and you should harden them off for a week or so before you plan to plant them out doors. This just means that you’ll start putting them out for a couple of hours per day, protecting them at first from the sun and wind, then gradually increasing their time spent outside so that it’s not such a shock when you actually transplant them.

Now, let’s plant. You can plant them in your garden, or tomatoes make excellent container plants. 5-gallon buckets work great.

Dig a hole with your trowel about 6-8 inches deep. Remember that your soil should be loose. Pull off the bottom few leaves  of the plant, then put it in the ground so that the root ball is buried and the remaining leaves are above the surface of the ground.

Plant them about 2 feet apart.

Water well to help reduce shock to its roots.

Stake or cage immediately. This doesn’t seem like a big deal now, but trust me – in a few weeks when they’re growing like gangbusters, you won’t find it nearly so easy as you do right now.

Water your plants well for the first few days to help prevent shock and help it to acclimate. Water consistently throughout the season so that your soil stays at about the same saturation. In some growing conditions, you may be able to get away with watering once a week, but 2 or 3 times is better. They’ll need about 2 inches per week.

Just a tip here – using homemade mulch is a great idea because it helps hold moisture in AND it helps fertilize at the same time. You can put the mulch down when you plant or you can wait a few weeks to do it. Don’t forget about liquid manure compost, either.

Keeping a steady fertilization schedule is good, too, Follow the tips above about that.

When your plants begin to vine and you get them staked, it’s a good idea to pinch off sucker leaves – those leaves that don’t lead to more vine but only exist to suck the moisture from your plant.

Wait for your bumper crop of tomatoes to appear!

Video first seen on Rogers Gardens. 

Preservation Methods

Now comes the fun part. The best way that I like to preserve my tomatoes is in between two slices of bread – oh wait, it doesn’t last long like that! Seriously though, there are a number of ways that you can preserve your tomatoes. Each way ends up using a canning method, but there are many different ways that you can prepare them for preservation including sun-drying and adding to olive oil, or dehydrating.

Juicing and Sauce

I can’t even tell you how many tomatoes I’ve mashed through a sieve with a wooden  pestle to make juice! All you need to do is cut your tomatoes into quarters and toss them into a saucepan. Bring them to a boil for 5 minutes to soften them up and get the skins all loose. The juice will start separating out.

After they’ve simmered for that five minutes, turn off the heat and pour some of them over into your sieve or food mill (which is over a pot or bowl, of course) to separate the juice from the skins and seeds. Mash them through and pour the juice back into a pan and bring to boiling again for another 5 minutes, then can.

You should add a tablespoon of lemon juice to each pint just to boost the acidity enough to preserve it. I also add in a teaspoon of salt per quart (1/2 tsp. per pint).

Water bath can as usual or 35 minute for pints and 40 minutes for quarts. If you’re pressure canning, it’s 15 minutes for pints and 20 for quarts.

Note that your juice may “clarify”, or separate so that the bottom is dark red with the tomato pulp in it and the top is almost clear. This is perfectly normal – just shake it up before you use it.

If you want to make sauce instead of juice, it’s simply a matter of cooking it longer so that the water evaporates and the juice thickens. You can make plain tomato sauce if you want, but this is a great time to jazz it up by adding seasonings such as garlic, oregano, rosemary, etc. Think spaghetti, pizza, taco sauce, etc.

Whole, Crushed or Diced

Blanch your tomatoes for just a couple of seconds – that is, dip them in boiling water for 10 seconds then toss them into an ice bath. An old Italian guy (because nobody knew more about tomatoes than this guy) taught me that if you slice a small ‘x’ somewhere on the bottom of the tomato, it makes it easier to peel. The skin will fall right off and you can proceed to the next step.

Once you get the skins off, cut away any bad parts or green sections. If you’re canning them whole, stuff them into the jars. If you’re halving, quartering, dicing, or crushing them first, do it now. And add them to the jars and top with water so that you leave 1/2 inch headroom, at least. Add lemon juice and salt, seal, and can.

Paste

The process of making tomato paste is similar to making the juice except you cook it WAY down into a super thick sauce, then add olive oil and salt and bake it in a 200-degree oven, spread evenly in  pan, until it’s the thickness of tomato paste.

Chutney, Salsa, Etc.

This is possibly the best part! Make your favorite salsas and chutneys with tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, and other spices and can them up so that you have some of this deliciousness year round!

As you can see, there’s a lot that goes into growing tomatoes, but there are so many different ways that you can use them that it barely qualifies as work. It’s like growing an entire winter’s worth of possibilities all with just a few plants.

Study what kind of tomatoes you want to grow and get started! What are some of your favorite tomatoes? Do you have a recipe or an idea you’d like to share?

Discover how our forefathers produced their own food during harsh times! Click the banner below for more!

This article has been written by Theresa Crouse for Survivopedia. 

References:

http://leitesculinaria.com/87323/recipes-homemade-tomato-paste-conserva-di-pomodori.html

from Survivopedia Don't forget to visit the store and pick up some gear at The COR Outfitters. How prepared are you for emergencies? #SurvivalFirestarter #SurvivalBugOutBackpack #PrepperSurvivalPack #SHTFGear #SHTFBag

[cheetahleopard]

Tagged

I was tagged by @frenchibi (THANK YOU)

I tag anyone who wants to do it plus @fragile-euphoria @rumblecoot @milanesa-kardiaca @meadowofstars @eevaeon @ a thousand of my friends I am too tired to tag I’m sorry do as many or as few as you’d like 

Favorite Place: My basement

Relationship Status: Single(and aro af)

Favorite Colour: Blue/Black

Pets: None D= But Julie (dad’s gf) has a cat named Tika

Last song I listened to: Owari no Seraph opening

Favorite TV show: Haikyuu!!

First Fandom: Harry Potter

Hobbies: Um writing mainly

Books I’m currently Reading: The Golem and The Djinni

Favorite book: Ummm *sweats nervously* *dies*

Name: Amber/Avien/Avian

Nickname: Asshole, Saltshaker, Babe, Sweetheart (All my friends have nailed me)

Gender: agenderflux

Sign: Aquarius

Height: 5′ 6″ ish

Sexual Orientation: Aro/Ace

Hogwarts house: Ravenclaw

Favourite colour: see above XD

Favourite animal: Um.....Yes

Time right now: 3:55 pm

Average hours of sleep: Ideally 7-8, currently 3-5

Cat or dog person: Cat but I love both

Favourite fictional character from Harry Potter: Luna

Number of blankets you sleep with: 3-5 (I nest)

Favourite singer or band: Ummmm not really sure

Dream trip: Being QPPs with every character in an HQ!! universe that I go to

Dream job: Psychopathology

When was this blog created: A few months over a year ago

When did your blog reach its peak: Still climbing hopefully

What made you decide to make a tumblr: My fandoms

5 things you’ll find in my bag: Notebooks (at least 3)

Chromebook

Pencils

Books

Headphones+mp3

(see also this post)

5 things you’ll find in my bedroom: An enormous bookshelf  A shrine A bed Alarms Giant painting on my wall

5 things I’ve always wanted to do in life: Publish a novel Go to college Own a house with a private library and a wifi signal Play in marching band Skydive

5 things that make me happy:

Playing in band (Bb Clarinet) Getting feedback for my writing and exchanging ideas with people Haikyuu!! My warm, patient and understanding holy cow family My online friends 5 things I’m currently into: Haikyuu!! (and the wonderful people I’ve met through it) My original stories (which I cannot wait to work on more) Reading Psychology Biochem

5 things on my to-do list: *cringes* my homework My series Baby Flour Many multichaps Start commissions =D

5 things people may not know about me: I am slightly autistic My birthday is today (January 30th) I have no allergies I don’t judge anything It took me three months for me to figure out my cousin and childhood friend are dating even as it was explicitly said to me

Rules: Put your music on “Shuffle” List the first 10 songs Tag 10 people

1: Rise Again- Nightcore 2: Good To Be Alive- Andy Grammer (XD I just love the beat) 3:Tendou’s Song- Haikyuu!! (I have downloaded this so many times) 4: Tu ne mentends pas- Indila 5: You’re so Vain (Carly Simon) 6: Lurk- The Neighborhood 7: XO - Kelsey Ballerini 8: Ghost town/Tag you’re it (Switching Vocals)- Nightcore 9: United States Mashup 2009- DJ Earworm 10: Dibs- Kelsea Ballerini

A - Age: 14 ToDAY B - Biggest fear: not sure C - Current time: 4:20 (this is taking a while XD I love it) D - Drink you last had: Water E - Every day starts with: Alarm after alarm then hw at 4 am F - Favorite song: ummmmmm G - Ghosts, are they real: Yes H - Hometown: Englewood I - In love with: Haikyuu!! And writing J - Jealous of: not sure K - Killed someone: No but I could L - Last time you cried: Panic attack last night M - Middle name: Hanson(after my grandmother) N - Number of siblings: 2(younger sister, I guess plus 3 not-quite-step-brothers) O - One wish: Stop using religion as an excuse for hate crimes P - Person you last called/texted: I’m in a sype group chat Q - Questions you’re always asked: Um Don’t want to list these b/c just annoyance R - Reasons to smile: Fanfiction and fanart exists. Hot chocolate, tea and fluffy blankets. Music, Art, Books, Stories. Stars & the sky. Brilliant people are making brilliant things every day. A small act of kindness from you to a stranger can make all the difference. S - Song last played: Hercules and the Hydra T - Time you woke up: 4 am U - Underwear color: dark blue V- Vacation destination: None really W - Worst habit: Not sure X - X-rays you’ve had: lots for my teeth, mri scans Y - Your favorite food: lasagna or steak I guess Z - Zodiac sign: Aquarius

1. What can’t you sleep without? My phone. Literally I use it as an alarm clock XD And pillows and familiar scents 2. What are your favorite kind of socks? I like the feeling of being comfortable in thigh-highs 3. What’s your favorite snack/meal/drink? Ummmm Yes 4. What’s your favorite kind of weather? I guess slight rain but dim sun 5. What do you like to listen to/do to relax and feel better when you’re upset? I love familiar songs + being alone 6. What’s your favorite store to shop at? Bookstores =D 7. What color do you wear the most? Black probably 8. What’s your favorite (video/board/social/party) game to play? I want to play Mystic Messenger I guess? 9. Any guilty pleasures? Fanfics (GIVE ME ALL THE TROPES) 10. If you could go anywhere (in real life or in fiction), where would it be? HAIKYUU!!VERSE

[akaiikowrites]

to build a home pt. 1

Summary: “I’m just... Fucking... Look, my heart burns for you.” Katara’s the most terrifying girl in the world. Zuko’s kind of in love with her.

Notes: For @officialzutaramonth​ 2016, Days 5 & 6 & 7. what do you mean that’s not how this works High School AU. get in bitches we’re going old school fandom

Rating: PG-13/T for cussing, sexual(ish) content, and pure old fashioned Wisconsin cheese.

For most of Zuko’s life the title of “most terrifying girl in school” belonged to his own sister. It had to do with all the cliche reasons like being class president, valedictorian, and captain of the women’s volleyball team. Also, frankly, the fact that she’s a bit of a psychopath. (See: the time she set her ex-boyfriend’s house on fire.)

Then, four months into senior year, Zuko gets kicked out of his house and out of Sozin Preparatory. Uncle picks him up from the hospital. They move to a new city. Eight months later, Zuko starts over as the oldest senior at Republic High.

No matter what Uncle says, it’s different. Social hierarchies he’s known his whole life no longer apply. For example, Zuko’s no longer “that failure brother of Azula”. Now he’s “that broody gangbanger who’s definitely killed a man” which...isn’t much of an improvement, actually. And the most terrifying girl in school? Well, that title belongs to one Katara Foster.

“So what’re you in for?”

Zuko resists the urge to roll his eyes. Here’s what he’s figured out two weeks into the year: all roads end in detention, do not trust the cafeteria food, and public school girls have a thing for redeeming bad boys. So that line? Zuko’s heard it every. Single. Day.

There’s a hum above him and to his left. Blind spot. Kind of literally since it’s his bad eye. Zuko doesn’t turn to look at her. Any minute now she’s going to get the idea. Any minute.

Instead, the girl pulls out the chair next to his and drops her bag on the desk. There’s more noise. Like she can’t pull out her textbooks and pens and shit quietly. But at least she’s not talking to him even if she’s still up in his space. There are so many other places she could be sitting. As in literally any of the other twenty desks that make up the classroom used for after-school detention. After a few minutes she quiets down. Got all her shit sorted out, he guesses, and now she’s scratching away at...homework, probably. Which is fine. Zuko’s been trying to ignore her in favor of chemistry equations.

Probably that’s the weakness in his strategy. Chemistry is boring as fuck. Girls who smell faintly of coconut, who talk to him but don’t pester, who hum old school hip-hop under their breaths are not boring.

Someone should give him a medal because Zuko makes it through all six of the equations due for tomorrow’s class before he finally gives in.

He promptly regrets every single life choice that led him to this moment. Zuko’s sitting there like an idiot. Lips parted to comment on her apparent love for Tupac but brain failing to come up with anything other than: oh fuck me.

Katara Foster looks over at him with a half smile on her lips and her wild curls tumbling over her slender shoulders. “Hey,” she says. Like this is an everyday occurrence. Like they talk to each other. “I’m Katara Foster. Junior. We have chemistry together.”

“Uhm...” he manages to choke out. It’s not his finest moment.

“What’s your name?” she asks without missing a beat.

“Zuko.” Short. To the point. No room to fuck it up. Zuko wishes that she’d stop talking to him. Stop looking at him. Stop doing anything that involves him.

“Nice to meet you.” The worst part is she seems to genuinely mean that. One corner of her mouth pulls up before the other when she gives him a full smile. It’s a half second difference, a minor imperfection, but it knocks the breath clean out of him.

The bell rings while he’s still floundering for words. Or maybe just air. Katara packs up far more quickly than she’d unpacked. Zuko watches her in a kind of daze. When she’s shoved the last of her pencils into the front pouch, she turns back to him, dazzling smile still firmly in place. “I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah? Maybe we can compare notes before class.”

Someone, probably her brother based on their coloring and his impatient “c’mon, I need to meet Suki at the DQ!”, sticks his head in to summon Katara. Just like that, she’s gone, only a lingering smile over her shoulder to prove she was ever there at all.

Here’s what he’s figured out in the hour of detention: from a distance she’s terrifying. Class president, valedictorian, captain of the swim team. Backpack pinned with slogans like #BlackLivesMatter and #NoDAPL and #YesAllWomen. Volunteer of the Year at nearly every non-profit in walking distance. Kind to animals, old people, and freshmen. Popular. Beautiful.

All these things Zuko knew. Acknowledged, even, in the abstract. Because from a distance, she’s terrifying. Up close? Katara Foster is a goddamn revelation.

Weirdly enough, they almost become...friends? Zuko’s really not sure if that’s the right word for it but it’s the best one he has. Because Katara insinuates herself into his life with terrifying ease.

Somehow she convinces Song—who’d spent the first few weeks of school giving Zuko looks that were equal part pitying and longing—to switch lab partners in chemistry. Song still looks at him, but now it’s from the other side of the room. It’s not so bad even if Katara can’t deal with the Bunsen burner to save her life.

Then she introduces him to Sokka, her brother, who looks Zuko over skeptically then asks if he’s any good at ultimate frisbee. It turns out he is. This proves to be a bonding point. Somehow this also means that Zuko has to join the school team and suddenly he’s having after-practice pizza at the Foster’s house with all his teammates plus Katara.

Along the way she does little things, like convincing him to apply for the job at the library with Mr. Tong and picking him to be her partner in gym, that slowly transition his place in the hierarchy from “that broody gangbanger who’s definitely killed a man” to “that broody gangbanger who’s definitely killed a man but is probably an alright guy.” Which is an improvement. At least he stops getting so much detention and the girls mostly back off.

Zuko’s grateful for these things but he can’t help wonder if they’re friends or if he’s her project. It sucks. A little. But then she texts him at midnight to ask about the molecular density of hydrogen—like he’d fucking know—and he forgets to be anything but happy.

"Hey, what’re you doing tonight?” Katara’s voice sounds entirely too chipper. The way it does when she wants something from him. Or, well, anyone. And as she does when she wants something, she doesn’t wait for an answer, just charges forward. “I’m on candy dispensing duty because Sokka’s going to Suki’s game and Dad’s on duty at the station and Gran Gran hates small children. You should definitely come hang out and help me hand out candy. You’ll be here by six, right?”

Zuko knows when to admit defeat. “Yeah, I’ll be there by six.”

“Great!” Katara chirps.

Actually, he’s there by 5:55, which is some kind of omen. Not one he can decipher. But an omen anyway.

Katara greets him with a wide smile. She’s dressed witch costume that’s not anywhere near the neighborhood of “slutty”. (Zuko is not disappointed. He’s not.) “You made it!”

“Of course,” he says. He tries to sound long-suffering, but he mostly ends up sounding fond. Even to his own ears. Which probably explains why she rocks back on her heels and keeps smiling at him. Oh, he’s so fucked.

Then she realizes he’s not dressed up. A faint scowl transforms her features and she points at him with her broom. Menacingly. “You need a costume.”

Zuko looks down at himself. Jeans, work boots, a red flannel shirt. Weather appropriate. But not anything close to a costume. “It was short notice,” he says, looking back up at her. Which is, for the record, entirely true. Given that she’d called him around three in the afternoon.

This doesn’t appease her. Instead she narrows her eyes a bit and then says, in a considering tone of voice, “Maybe if we got you a beanie and a mug you could be an ironic hipster.”

“No.”

“Then how would you feel about lumberjack? I’m pretty sure my dad has an axe in the shed.”

“...fine.”

So they tromp through her house and out into the backyard. Katara sends him into the shed—which hasn’t been cleaned or organized in months—to find the axe. Then she laughs at him when he comes out holding an axe and covered in dust. She takes a couple playful wacks at him with her broom before actually helping him beat the dust off.

For the next three hours they hand out candy to small children. Katara coos over all the costumes and genuinely seems impressed by even the shoddiest ones. Some of the neighborhood kids, the ones who actually know her, get a kick out of her pretending to put spells on them. Weirdly enough, the kids also seem taken with Zuko. At one point another lumberjack shows up—all of three feet tall—and tentatively asks for a picture with Zuko. Afterwards, Katara shows Zuko the picture she took on her phone, in which he looks fondly bemused. They blow through twelve bags of candy and it’s by all accounts a rousing success of a Halloween.

After, he mutters something about going home maybe and she tosses her head back with a laugh. “Well then what’m I gonna do with all the leftover candy?” Which makes it sound like they have a lot more left than they actually do.

Zuko’s not too proud to take the offered excuse. He loyally follows her past her Gran Gran sleeping in front of a UFC prize fight on TV and up the stairs to her room.

Katara’s room is a lot like Katara. Neat, organized, clean. Everything’s done in shades of cream and blue. All her academic and swimming awards have been lined up on her bookshelf. The calendar on her desk is color coded and has every single day filled in with at least three different things. A handmade sign (does that say Slut Walk 2016?) is tucked halfway behind her desk.

And even though he’s seen her room in passing it feels like something important when he actually steps into the room for the first time. It’s a feeling that sits in his ribcage and makes his breathing funny and his hands shaky. Zuko swallows and looks at Katara.

She settles onto her bed and says quietly, “So here’s my room.” There’s a slightly wary look to her, like she’s waiting for him to say something dickish.

“What’s Slut Walk?” he asks. Which is maybe little dickish but he doesn’t want to say any platitudes like it’s nice. And he thinks she gets that because she rolls her eyes and smiles and launches into an explanation that takes the better part of an hour and half a bag of mini-Snickers.

Republic City gets its first snowfall in the second week of December. They’d all been out at the movies when it started. When they get out into the theater lobby after the superhero movie (Suki’s pick) it’s to the horror that is three inches of fresh snow.

Okay, so maybe only horror on Zuko’s part. What can he say? Growing up in a desert kind of built in an innate suspicion of anything that falls from the sky.

Sokka shrugs and turns to Suki. “Arcade until the 6:30 showing?” Because of course they’re going to watch the movie again. Zuko honestly has no idea how Suki puts up with Sokka. And he says that with the acknowledgment that Sokka’s probably his second best friend in the entire world.

There’s a devilish glint in Suki’s eyes. “Only if you’re not afraid to get your ass kicked by a girl!”

With those fighting words, the two take off toward the arcade, hip checking each other and shrieking like four year olds. Zuko takes it all back. Suki may hide it better but she’s just as bad as Sokka.

“I’m glad he has her.” Zuko looks over to Katara. The expression on her face is almost wistful. “After Yue...” A familiar unfamiliarity, that name, like so many things in her life. Zuko wants to know all her stories. Fuck. Katara shakes herself and glances up at him. “Anyway. Do you want to join them?”

Probably he should. But he shakes his head a little.

Katara tilts her head. “Too many lights and too much noise, huh?” Which is exactly it even though he has no idea how she knew that. Zuko can try to wrap his brain around it but she’s wrapping her hand around his wrist. “C’mon, there’s a coffee shop near here.”

Sure, Zuko’s not especially thrilled to go out into the snow. (See: it’s innately horrifying.) But Zuko’ll follow Katara anywhere when she smiles at him. “Okay,” he says.

They make it two blocks. Katara’s texting Suki their excuses and telling Zuko a story about the time her next door neighbor Aang tried to ride a deer. One minute she’s at his side. The next...well, she’s at his side, but she’s on her ass and grabbing at her ankle with a too loud, “Shit!”

Zuko drops to his knees next to her immediately. Gently, he pushes her hands away and feels along her ankle in a practiced motion. Nothing’s broken but he’s willing to bet it’s twisted. Beneath his hands, her skin is warm and soft. Zuko can’t quite contain his impulse to rub his thumb along the tender skin of her inner ankle. “You’ll be okay,” he forces himself to say. “These aren’t great shoes for walking in snow, though.”

“You’re telling me.” Katara sounds kind of breathless and he looks up, worried that she’d injured something other than her ankle, but she doesn’t look pained. In fact, when she catches his eye, her dark cheeks flush. “W-we should probably get up. Before the snow soaks through our jeans.”

Too late for that, he thinks. But. “Okay.” Zuko gets up first. Grips Katara’s forearms and pulls her up as well. The ankle boots that started this all begin to slide out from under Katara again and she only keeps upright because of Zuko’s grip. And while Katara tries to get her feet under her, Zuko makes a command decision only slightly influenced by the memory of her skin against his.

“Holy—Zuko, you can’t—I’m heavy—oh my god, you’re such a...” Katara’s voice has gone breathless again.

“Just get on,” he says. Gruff to hide the fact that he’s blushing. Part of him thinks she’s not actually going to do it, but then he feels her arms wrap tentatively around his shoulders, and her legs circle his waist. Zuko grips her thighs and straightens up. The weight of her on his back takes a moment to get used to but he figures he’s got a better chance of combating black ice with his work boots than she does.

"Are you sure this is okay?” Instead of answering, Zuko starts walking, keeping a careful eye for more ice. “Right then.” It takes a couple of minutes, but Katara ever so slowly seems to relax into their new situation. Slides back into the earlier story about her neighbor.

And Zuko very determinedly does not think about the press of her breasts against his back, or the warm rush of her breath against his ear, or the flex of her thighs where they wrap around his waist. Or the fact that if she were clinging to his front instead of his back, he could hold her by her hips, push up into her slender body, bite at her neck. Or the urge to curl his body over her, keep her safe and warm, kiss her until she’s breathless with laughter and wanting and him.

It’s a long walk to the coffee shop.

That night Zuko jerks off twice to the thought of Katara’s everything and realizes that he’s really, really, really fucked.

The school finally decides it’s time to enforce the rule about students eating in the cafeteria instead of strewn across the front lawn. The timing of the rule probably has something to do with the snow. What this results in is a never ending pulse of teenagers crammed too close together.

Zuko’s not sure what he resents more: the noisy cafeteria or the silent white shit falling from the sky. (Probably the cafeteria.) Makes for an interesting mental exercise while he slowly eats through the PB&J Uncle packed for him.

When he takes a sip of his water, he sees Katara across the cafeteria. She’s in the lunch line with Sokka and Suki, but she’s looking at him. Zuko waves. It feels like literally the most awkward thing he’s done in his life but it gets him one of those patented Blinding Smiles that do weird, awful things to his heart. So, basically, worth it.

That’s when his view gets blocked by a guy in a leather jacket and a Grateful Dead tee shirt. Zuko blinks and moves his gaze up. Fuck, what’s this guy’s name again? Jerry? Jed? Jet? Probably Jet. He remembers laughing at the guy’s name and asking if it was one of those made-up goth names. Kind of a dick move, in retrospect. That probably explains why they got into a fistfight a week into the school year. Well, that and the fact that Jet had been kind of pissed about Zuko edging in on his “rebel without a cause” shtick.

God, he kind of hates this guy.

Jet looks him over in a way that’s probably supposed to be threatening. “Heard you were seen with Katara this weekend.” Okay then. Zuko raises his one eyebrow and waits. “If you know what’s good for you, Himura, you’ll stay away from Katara.” Definitely supposed to be threatening. Also definitely failing.

“No,” Zuko says. Takes another sip of his water while maintaining eye contact with Jet because fuck Jet, that’s why.

It takes all of thirty seconds for the rejection to sink in. Zuko can tell the exact moment it does, too, because Jet’s hands clench into fists and his sharp eyebrows draw together. “Fuck you, Himura.”

Original. Zuko goes back to eating his sandwich. There’s only so much provoking Jet can get away with in the cafeteria. Sure, the lunch ladies don’t give many shits but they wouldn’t tolerate an all out fight. Apparently Jet didn’t get that memo.

Hands slam down on the table with enough force to rattle Zuko’s water bottle. “Look, asshole,” Jet snarls. “You’re just a fucking project to her. She feels sorry for you.” Again, original. “You know why? Because she knows. We all know. About how you got kicked out of your fancy school. About how your dad didn’t want your pathetic ass. About how your mom left you because she didn’t give a shit about—”

Zuko launches himself clean over the table with a roar that brings all noise in the cafeteria to a halt. For staggering heartbeats all he can see is Jet’s smug face. Fists beat out a steady, relentless rhythm on the bastard’s body. Jet hits him back but it’s fucking nothing. Nothing he hadn’t learned to survive from the time his mother left him all alone. All alone. All...

“Zuko!” Small hands grab at his shoulders. Pull at him. “Zuko, stop!” The voice is familiar but not. Pitched high with genuine fear. “Zuko, you’re going to kill him!” Yeah, he fucking well is. “Zuko, please!” Tears.

And he pauses, fist still pulled back and ready for another strike. Some of the haze clears. Beneath him Jet’s a shaky, bruised mess with a bloodied mouth. Not smug. Not even making eye contact. There’re still hands on him, knotted in his shirt, pulling at him insistently.

Slowly, so slowly it aches, he lets go. He stands up. He looks at the girl still clutching his shirt.

Katara’s face is streaked with tears. One of her hands releases his shirt and seizes his wrist. Ignoring the crowd around them, she leads him toward the double doors that open onto the front lawn, drags him away from the carnage he created. God, she’s still crying, even as she finds their way to a sheltered alcove that’s clearly a favored smoking spot. “Zuko—”

“Did you know?” he growls. Part of him doesn’t want to do this. Doesn’t want to know if he’s really just a project to her because she feels sorry for his fucking miserable life. But that part’s not in control.

“W-what...”

“Did you know about my mom?” Because that’s the part that hurts worst. That’s the rawest spot in his heart. The one wound he’s never shared with anyone.

Even before she haltingly nods, he knows. Zuko takes a few stumbling steps back. Rips his arm out of her grip. It doesn’t matter that it’s still snowing. That there’s easily a foot of snow on the ground. That he’s not wearing a coat and doesn’t have any of his things. That he owes it to her, his best friend in the world, to listen to her explanation. Zuko turns and he runs.

[sandcreekfarm]

Do You Know How Many Green Beans Per Plant?

Green beans, also known as string beans or snap beans, are a popular legume to almost every family over the world. It is a favorite green veggie with a lightly sweet taste and can be cooked in different ways.

To have quality green beans and to adjust how many green beans per plant are grown, a gardener has to take care of not only a careful plan to have the most beans but also various factors related to productive yields.

What month do you plant beans?

The climate in different regions might affect the choice of the proper planting season.

The beginning of spring, after the frost passes, is normally the ideal time of the year to plant green beans. The soil temperature at this moment is around 55oF and the air temperature is around 60oF.

The reason is because green beans are quite sensitive to frost. Cold and moist soil will cause a delay in the germination or result in rot seeds.

It’s not necessary that green beans needed to be planted at the exact beginning of the season. A gardener can wait from 2 to 4 weeks for the ground to warm up after the cold season.

More interestingly, fall crops are also recommended by some researchers. The crop in this season brings about a lower yield of beans, but they are in better quality than spring beans.

A gardener should see what he would like to focus on – the quantity or the quality of beans as this will be related to how much green beans per plant cost.

Tip: Do not soak the seeds in water before planting because this process may take away the oxygen, damaging the embryos.

How long does it take for green beans to grow?

There are 2 different sorts of snap beans based on their feature of growing.

Bush beans are more suitable for small garden beds because plants don’t take up too much space. By the way, they are easy to grow without any needed support. The beans are ready for a large harvest at once in about 50 to 55 days.

On the other hand, pole beans require larger space and support as a pole or a trellis to climb on. Instead of one harvest, the plants produce beans again and again for a longer period – from 55 to 65 days if a regular harvest is maintained.

The best advice is to read the packet as different factors will affect the bean quantity and quality. Check your beans every single day to be sure that they are ready to be collected.

How many times do green beans produce?

Mature bush beans generally reach about 2 feet tall, which is a good time for harvest. They grow pods for a few weeks and then stop. This sort of beans, as mentioned above, will be ready for 1-time collecting, so gardeners need to prepare for the next crop in advance.

However, it takes a longer period for pole beans for a crop. Pole beans can grow up to 10 feet tall, and give a more productive crop. Especially, you can harvest the beans regularly, so the growing season is extended, leading to an increase in your green bean’s productivity.

Tip for collecting green beans:

The best time of the day to collect the beans is in the morning when the sugar level is at the peak.

For bush beans, don’t forget to search thoroughly inside the bushes.

For pole beans, they should be collected upon reaching the length off 4-5 inches, before the inside seeds begin to bulge. If you see this happens, it means that the beans are past their peak and will be harder.

Cut the plant when pole beans reach the top of the support, which enables them to concentrate more energy on more pods.

Be careful when picking the beans as it’s easy to tear the plants.

How many green beans per plant?

It depends on various factors such as regions, weather, pests, soil, cultivars or even seasons for a high yield. Therefore, it’s important for gardeners to have a good plan for a good yield.

Ideally, for a 100-feet row of bush beans with a distance of 2 to 3 feet between 2 plants, a harvest that can be achieved is around 30-75 lbs of beans. If seeds are organic, the harvest can be up to 150 lbs. Hence, it can be understood that the productivity of a bush bean and an organic bean plant can be around 0.125 lb – 0.1875 lb and 0.25 lb – 0.375 lb respectively.

Regarding pole beans, for an acre of land with 3-5 plants per feet of row and the distance between rows at 4-5 feet, the yield would be around 250 to 300 bushels, equivalent to 6000 to 7200 lbs of string beans. Therefore, a pole bean plant can produce 0.165 lb – 0.23 lb of string beans.

How to get the highest yield?

1. Sun

It’s necessary to have your plants under full sunlight – around 8-10 hours per day.

However, what you have to bear in your mind is that the extreme heat might cause the beans to stop flowering if you decide to have the beans in summer. A solution to this would be to water your plant to create the balance for the plants.

2. Soil

First of all, before planting anything, particularly green beans, remember to remove all weeds and trash to refresh the soil.

Second, always moisturize the roots by covering them with soil. You have to ensure that it is well-drained so you don’t have your root rotted.

3. Water

Water is another important factor in the quality of yield. After planting the beans, the soil needs to be watered regularly until the seeds sprout.

Green beans need around 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week. It will be more effective to water in the ground or to have a drip system than water rapidly from above. This can keep the leaves clean and avoid diseases.

However, if something is too little or too excessive, the effect might be inverse. Therefore, you can always check the ground moisture by using your fingers to see if the ground is watered enough.

4. Fertilizer

An annual soil test is recommended so that gardeners can choose the proper fertilizer rate. You can begin to fertilize the soil after heavy bloom.

As green beans can adjust the level of their nitrogen, no additional fertilizer is needed. Also, it’s better to have a dressing of compost rather than a growing season rather than liquid fertilizer.

5. Temperature

Green beans produce the highest yields in air temperature at between 650F to 800F while the soil temperature should be at least 500F to 600F. If the temperature is above 80⁰F or below 50⁰F, the growth of the crop might be hindered.

Conclusion

All in all, green beans are one of the top choices of gardeners as they are quite productive and easy to grow. If you are patient and take your time to observe as well as to understand the rules of beans, you will be able to adjust the number of green beans per plant to have a good harvest.

Source: Do You Know How Many Green Beans Per Plant?

source https://sandcreekfarm.net/do-you-know-how-many-green-beans-per-plant/

[thejustinmarshall]

A Psychologist Rates The Strategies I Use To Deal With Stress And Anxiety

Like you, I am trying to get better at dealing with stress and anxiety. I am aware that I suck at it, and that the methods I have used to try to deal with it, along with not being created or recommended by any mental health professional, also suck. But I thought I would get a professional opinion on how those methods suck, and even maybe how much they suck, so I asked my friend and psychologist Dr. Trevor Davis for his professional opinion. He rated each strategy from one to five stars, one being bad and five being good, and wrote some notes in response to each one:

Strategy: Thinking “Everything Will Be Fine Once I Get [Thing] Done”

In this strategy, I do nothing to mitigate feelings of anxiety and stress when things are piling up on me and it feels as if it’s all very out of control. Instead of actually changing the way I look at things, or do things, or even stopping every once in a while to do some calming breathing exercises, I just keep going, for hours or days at a time, telling myself that once I finish a creative project, or meet a deadline, or get moved into a new house, or get through a public speaking event, I will feel better and things will be OK.

Rating: 2 Stars

Dr. Davis’ notes: Man, this one seems all about context and the big picture. Do this for a few hours, not a big deal. Do this for a few days? That is a recipe for some stomach ulcers. Like a hamster on a wheel, there’s always something to be done. Sounds tiring. While this strategy is probably better than procrastinating, the long-term consequences are what will get you eventually. Limited balance today means limited balance tomorrow.

  Strategy: Saying Yes To Everything That Scares Me

The idea behind this strategy is, theoretically, personal growth—saying yes to a thing that is outside of my comfort zone, in order to push myself to rise to the occasion and therefore improve, or prove to myself that I was better/stronger/more capable than I assumed I was. And eventually, be scared of nothing, which will decrease or eliminate anxiety (I guess?) Examples: ultramarathons, mountaineering objectives, creative projects, contract gigs I am not qualified for on paper, writing a book on a subject I don’t know that much about, any sort of professional interaction that will cause me to have impostor syndrome (all of them), etc.

Rating: 3 stars

Dr. Davis’s notes: This one has a lot of potential. If you would change the “everything” to “some things,” you have a winner. The problem with saying yes to too many scary things is that you’re always scared, which I generally don’t recommend. But, with balance (there’s that word again) I think this is a great example of pursuing your values, like pushing yourself. Just remember to keep this in check with remembering your own worthiness without having to “do it all.”

  Strategy: Thinking Of Every Single Thing That Could Go Wrong In Advance, In The Belief That If I Have Thought Of Something That Could Go Wrong, It Won’t Actually Happen

Example: In advance of a complicated travel itinerary, if I go over in my head all the ways I could fuck it up (or it could get fucked up without any input from me), everything will go smoothly—i.e. I could hit traffic on the way to the airport and be late for my flight, check-in could take forever, TSA could take forever, they could change my gate at the last minute, my flight could be delayed and I could miss my connection, at the other end my bag could not arrive and I could be late for the last train, and so on.

Rating: 1 star

Dr. Davis’s notes: This one actually makes me anxious just reading it, but  a lot of people use this strategy, even me. This might be less of a strategy but more an example of anxiety. Tolerating uncertainty is something most people struggle with in one way or another. What’s interesting is that while you may not like uncertainty, you do a lot of things that have a good amount of it – climbing, ultramarathons, traveling. For those of us who can get loaded down by uncertainty I find that it helps to first acknowledge the unknowns of the situation we are facing. But don’t stop there. Actively pull your mind to times where you accomplished something in a similar situation, or another time that things went well even when there was an unexpected setback or challenge. Remind yourself that you’re capable of managing changes and challenges, even when you cannot control all of the variables.

  Strategy: Eating A Whole Pizza

Even if it’s not a whole pizza, it is an amount of pizza higher than my caloric needs for the day, or two days, and I am not eating it to satiate hunger, but moreso to “feed my emotions.”

Rating: How big is the pizza? 1-5 stars

Dr. Davis’s notes: The usefulness of this one depends on a number of things. Sometimes emotions are hungry and it’s OK to feed them. Is it a treat, or is it a regular occurrence? Are you going to hurt yourself by doing this? I also know that if you tell yourself “No” you’re probably going to want to do this even more. That’s why restriction based diets don’t really work. I’d recommend improving this strategy by examining how much benefit versus harm it brings. Once the scale tips to more harm than good it’s worth finding a way to balance it out. It’s probably not a great strategy long term, but next time just invite me over and we can finish it together.

  Strategy: Eating A Whole Pizza, But Instead Of Pizza, An Unreasonable Quantity Of Ice Cream

Rating: 1 star

Dr. Davis’s notes:  I’d say go for it sometimes, but again, keep track of the risks involved. I’m “dairy sensitive,” so for me (and those around me) the risks are just too high.

  Strategy: Working Late At Night To Get Just A Couple More Things Done So I Can Go To Bed Not Having To Think About Those Things

Working, of course, involving a glowing screen of a laptop or iPad.

Rating: 2 stars

Dr. Davis’s notes: This one isn’t necessarily horrible, but it is going to vary case by case. How late are you staying up? How often are you doing this? Is it harmful to your relationships? I’d encourage a review of time management and how many things you’re taking on at once. Give yourself time to pre-plan the next day, before it gets late. Prioritize. Try to give your eyes (and brain) and break from the screen at least 30 minutes (if not more) before bed. It’s also good sleep hygiene to try and keep a consistent sleep/wake routine. Of course, life happens. There’s always a need for flexibility.

  Strategy: Running Long Distances To The Point Of Extreme Discomfort

A twofold strategy, in that running until the point of extreme discomfort allows me to forget all my worries for the period of minutes or hours that my legs and body hurt so much that I can’t think about anything else, and also in that the hours and even days following a long run provide a flush of endorphins that make me feel calm for a while.

Rating: 2 stars

Dr. Davis’s notes: You know, a lot of these strategies could be improved if they were less . . . extreme. Exercise is great for the bodymind and health, but too much can just be too much. Personally I’d worry about that extreme discomfort turning into an injury and then you’re left without running at all.

  Strategy: Watching Crappy Action Movies

This is a way of escaping reality for two to three hours, through watching a movie, but not just any movie—a movie with a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 55% or lower. I don’t know why I do this, or why so many people have to die violent deaths on screen, or why I can’t just watch documentaries, or even just good movies instead.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Dr. Davis’ notes: This could be 5 stars if you were more accepting of how much this helps you. It is OK to take a break. Ever heard of it? Invite me over for this, and I’ll bring the pizza.

  Strategy: Treating Everything In Life Like A To-Do List, In Order To Be So Busy I Don’t Have To Be Present, Check In With Myself, Or Even Think About How I’m Feeling

With enough to-do lists, and enough action toward completing items on those to-do lists, and continually adding to those to-do lists, I can go entire days or weeks without ever realizing I don’t feel that great!

Rating: 1 Star

Dr. Davis’s notes: I suppose this is better than the alternative of not doing anything, but this strategy you’ve described is a perfect recipe for burnout. The good – making lists, taking action on goals, reviewing goals and accomplishments. The bad – ignoring your other needs and not checking in with yourself. The ugly – not noticing the other emotional needs. Again, the best thing to do is strive for some balance and make some space for checking in with how you are doing. Consider something like a daily check-in, asking yourself how you are physically, emotionally, in your relationships, and how is your progress on some of these important goals/tasks.

  Strategy: Taking A Nice Relaxing Stroll, But Instead Of Being Alone With My Thoughts, Listening To An Audiobook Or Finding Something Else To Distract Me

Could just take the dog for his evening walk and relax, but no, let’s plug in some ear buds and listen to a harrowing survival story, or, even better, a story of a shipwreck tragedy with no survivors. Or scroll through social media apps, real estate listings, weather apps, bank accounts, then repeat, ad nauseam.

Rating: 4 Stars

Dr. Davis’s notes: A relaxing stroll sounds like a great strategy for anxiety management. Do those “distractions” help you relax? If so, great! Nothing is inherently wrong with any of the things you listed, as long as they’re done intentionally. Entertain yourself sometimes, but sometimes practice saying no. When you say no your mind will kick and scream for a little while but eventually it will calm down and that urge to distract will settle.

  Strategy: Same As Above, But Replace “A Nice Relaxing Stroll” With Just About Any Situation In Which I Would Be Alone With My Thoughts

Rating: 2 Stars

Dr. Davis’s notes: Wherever you go, there you are. It’s totally OK to take some time away from thinking. Distraction is not always bad, but learning to be alone with your thoughts is important in managing anxiety in the long run.

  Strategy: Trying A Meditation App For 1-3 Sessions, Then Failing To Establish A Regular Practice Of It, Then Quitting

In this strategy, I think to myself several times a day for several weeks, “Maybe I should try meditating,” and then I download a meditation app, and two or three days later, I give it a shot. I may do only the first session, I may do a couple sessions, or even a session every day for three days in a row. Sometimes, I’ll even do a few sessions, fail to do any more sessions for a week or so, and then start over. No matter what way I start, I never manage to keep it up.

Rating: 4 Stars

Dr. Davis’s notes: This is very good. It’ll take multiple starts to find the right fit and the right habit sequence. Keep trying, and pay attention to the specific things that work or don’t work. And, practice not putting yourself down for not keeping it up. It’s supposed to be a good thing, let it be.

Thanks for reading. If you’d like to help keep Semi-Rad going, forward this piece to someone who’d like it, consider making a Patreon contribution, check out the Semi-Rad Shop for posters and other fun stuff, or buy one of my books.

—Brendan

The post A Psychologist Rates The Strategies I Use To Deal With Stress And Anxiety appeared first on semi-rad.com.

from Explore https://semi-rad.com/2020/07/a-psychologist-rates-the-strategies-i-use-to-deal-with-stress-and-anxiety/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[olivereliott]

A Psychologist Rates The Strategies I Use To Deal With Stress And Anxiety

Like you, I am trying to get better at dealing with stress and anxiety. I am aware that I suck at it, and that the methods I have used to try to deal with it, along with not being created or recommended by any mental health professional, also suck. But I thought I would get a professional opinion on how those methods suck, and even maybe how much they suck, so I asked my friend and psychologist Dr. Trevor Davis for his professional opinion. He rated each strategy from one to five stars, one being bad and five being good, and wrote some notes in response to each one:

Strategy: Thinking “Everything Will Be Fine Once I Get [Thing] Done”

In this strategy, I do nothing to mitigate feelings of anxiety and stress when things are piling up on me and it feels as if it’s all very out of control. Instead of actually changing the way I look at things, or do things, or even stopping every once in a while to do some calming breathing exercises, I just keep going, for hours or days at a time, telling myself that once I finish a creative project, or meet a deadline, or get moved into a new house, or get through a public speaking event, I will feel better and things will be OK.

Rating: 2 Stars

Dr. Davis’ notes: Man, this one seems all about context and the big picture. Do this for a few hours, not a big deal. Do this for a few days? That is a recipe for some stomach ulcers. Like a hamster on a wheel, there’s always something to be done. Sounds tiring. While this strategy is probably better than procrastinating, the long-term consequences are what will get you eventually. Limited balance today means limited balance tomorrow.

  Strategy: Saying Yes To Everything That Scares Me

The idea behind this strategy is, theoretically, personal growth—saying yes to a thing that is outside of my comfort zone, in order to push myself to rise to the occasion and therefore improve, or prove to myself that I was better/stronger/more capable than I assumed I was. And eventually, be scared of nothing, which will decrease or eliminate anxiety (I guess?) Examples: ultramarathons, mountaineering objectives, creative projects, contract gigs I am not qualified for on paper, writing a book on a subject I don’t know that much about, any sort of professional interaction that will cause me to have impostor syndrome (all of them), etc.

Rating: 3 stars

Dr. Davis’s notes: This one has a lot of potential. If you would change the “everything” to “some things,” you have a winner. The problem with saying yes to too many scary things is that you’re always scared, which I generally don’t recommend. But, with balance (there’s that word again) I think this is a great example of pursuing your values, like pushing yourself. Just remember to keep this in check with remembering your own worthiness without having to “do it all.”

  Strategy: Thinking Of Every Single Thing That Could Go Wrong In Advance, In The Belief That If I Have Thought Of Something That Could Go Wrong, It Won’t Actually Happen

Example: In advance of a complicated travel itinerary, if I go over in my head all the ways I could fuck it up (or it could get fucked up without any input from me), everything will go smoothly—i.e. I could hit traffic on the way to the airport and be late for my flight, check-in could take forever, TSA could take forever, they could change my gate at the last minute, my flight could be delayed and I could miss my connection, at the other end my bag could not arrive and I could be late for the last train, and so on.

Rating: 1 star

Dr. Davis’s notes: This one actually makes me anxious just reading it, but  a lot of people use this strategy, even me. This might be less of a strategy but more an example of anxiety. Tolerating uncertainty is something most people struggle with in one way or another. What’s interesting is that while you may not like uncertainty, you do a lot of things that have a good amount of it – climbing, ultramarathons, traveling. For those of us who can get loaded down by uncertainty I find that it helps to first acknowledge the unknowns of the situation we are facing. But don’t stop there. Actively pull your mind to times where you accomplished something in a similar situation, or another time that things went well even when there was an unexpected setback or challenge. Remind yourself that you’re capable of managing changes and challenges, even when you cannot control all of the variables.

  Strategy: Eating A Whole Pizza

Even if it’s not a whole pizza, it is an amount of pizza higher than my caloric needs for the day, or two days, and I am not eating it to satiate hunger, but moreso to “feed my emotions.”

Rating: How big is the pizza? 1-5 stars

Dr. Davis’s notes: The usefulness of this one depends on a number of things. Sometimes emotions are hungry and it’s OK to feed them. Is it a treat, or is it a regular occurrence? Are you going to hurt yourself by doing this? I also know that if you tell yourself “No” you’re probably going to want to do this even more. That’s why restriction based diets don’t really work. I’d recommend improving this strategy by examining how much benefit versus harm it brings. Once the scale tips to more harm than good it’s worth finding a way to balance it out. It’s probably not a great strategy long term, but next time just invite me over and we can finish it together.

  Strategy: Eating A Whole Pizza, But Instead Of Pizza, An Unreasonable Quantity Of Ice Cream

Rating: 1 star

Dr. Davis’s notes:  I’d say go for it sometimes, but again, keep track of the risks involved. I’m “dairy sensitive,” so for me (and those around me) the risks are just too high.

  Strategy: Working Late At Night To Get Just A Couple More Things Done So I Can Go To Bed Not Having To Think About Those Things

Working, of course, involving a glowing screen of a laptop or iPad.

Rating: 2 stars

Dr. Davis’s notes: This one isn’t necessarily horrible, but it is going to vary case by case. How late are you staying up? How often are you doing this? Is it harmful to your relationships? I’d encourage a review of time management and how many things you’re taking on at once. Give yourself time to pre-plan the next day, before it gets late. Prioritize. Try to give your eyes (and brain) and break from the screen at least 30 minutes (if not more) before bed. It’s also good sleep hygiene to try and keep a consistent sleep/wake routine. Of course, life happens. There’s always a need for flexibility.

  Strategy: Running Long Distances To The Point Of Extreme Discomfort

A twofold strategy, in that running until the point of extreme discomfort allows me to forget all my worries for the period of minutes or hours that my legs and body hurt so much that I can’t think about anything else, and also in that the hours and even days following a long run provide a flush of endorphins that make me feel calm for a while.

Rating: 2 stars

Dr. Davis’s notes: You know, a lot of these strategies could be improved if they were less . . . extreme. Exercise is great for the bodymind and health, but too much can just be too much. Personally I’d worry about that extreme discomfort turning into an injury and then you’re left without running at all.

  Strategy: Watching Crappy Action Movies

This is a way of escaping reality for two to three hours, through watching a movie, but not just any movie—a movie with a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 55% or lower. I don’t know why I do this, or why so many people have to die violent deaths on screen, or why I can’t just watch documentaries, or even just good movies instead.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Dr. Davis’ notes: This could be 5 stars if you were more accepting of how much this helps you. It is OK to take a break. Ever heard of it? Invite me over for this, and I’ll bring the pizza.

  Strategy: Treating Everything In Life Like A To-Do List, In Order To Be So Busy I Don’t Have To Be Present, Check In With Myself, Or Even Think About How I’m Feeling

With enough to-do lists, and enough action toward completing items on those to-do lists, and continually adding to those to-do lists, I can go entire days or weeks without ever realizing I don’t feel that great!

Rating: 1 Star

Dr. Davis’s notes: I suppose this is better than the alternative of not doing anything, but this strategy you’ve described is a perfect recipe for burnout. The good – making lists, taking action on goals, reviewing goals and accomplishments. The bad – ignoring your other needs and not checking in with yourself. The ugly – not noticing the other emotional needs. Again, the best thing to do is strive for some balance and make some space for checking in with how you are doing. Consider something like a daily check-in, asking yourself how you are physically, emotionally, in your relationships, and how is your progress on some of these important goals/tasks.

  Strategy: Taking A Nice Relaxing Stroll, But Instead Of Being Alone With My Thoughts, Listening To An Audiobook Or Finding Something Else To Distract Me

Could just take the dog for his evening walk and relax, but no, let’s plug in some ear buds and listen to a harrowing survival story, or, even better, a story of a shipwreck tragedy with no survivors. Or scroll through social media apps, real estate listings, weather apps, bank accounts, then repeat, ad nauseam.

Rating: 4 Stars

Dr. Davis’s notes: A relaxing stroll sounds like a great strategy for anxiety management. Do those “distractions” help you relax? If so, great! Nothing is inherently wrong with any of the things you listed, as long as they’re done intentionally. Entertain yourself sometimes, but sometimes practice saying no. When you say no your mind will kick and scream for a little while but eventually it will calm down and that urge to distract will settle.

  Strategy: Same As Above, But Replace “A Nice Relaxing Stroll” With Just About Any Situation In Which I Would Be Alone With My Thoughts

Rating: 2 Stars

Dr. Davis’s notes: Wherever you go, there you are. It’s totally OK to take some time away from thinking. Distraction is not always bad, but learning to be alone with your thoughts is important in managing anxiety in the long run.

  Strategy: Trying A Meditation App For 1-3 Sessions, Then Failing To Establish A Regular Practice Of It, Then Quitting

In this strategy, I think to myself several times a day for several weeks, “Maybe I should try meditating,” and then I download a meditation app, and two or three days later, I give it a shot. I may do only the first session, I may do a couple sessions, or even a session every day for three days in a row. Sometimes, I’ll even do a few sessions, fail to do any more sessions for a week or so, and then start over. No matter what way I start, I never manage to keep it up.

Rating: 4 Stars

Dr. Davis’s notes: This is very good. It’ll take multiple starts to find the right fit and the right habit sequence. Keep trying, and pay attention to the specific things that work or don’t work. And, practice not putting yourself down for not keeping it up. It’s supposed to be a good thing, let it be.

Thanks for reading. If you’d like to help keep Semi-Rad going, forward this piece to someone who’d like it, consider making a Patreon contribution, check out the Semi-Rad Shop for posters and other fun stuff, or buy one of my books.

—Brendan

The post A Psychologist Rates The Strategies I Use To Deal With Stress And Anxiety appeared first on semi-rad.com.

[kansascityhappenings]

Dow tumbles into bear market as coronavirus fears intensify

NEW YORK — Stocks careened lower Wednesday, with the Dow Jones industrials sinking more than 1,400 points.

It comes as investors became more fearful that the Trump administration and other global governments won’t be able to prevent the coronavirus outbreak from doing significant damage to the worldwide economy.

The Dow’s loss dragged it 20% below the record set last month and put the index in a bear market.

The broader S&P 500 index, which professional investors watch more closely, is a single percentage point away from falling into its own bear market, which would end the longest bull market in Wall Street history.

The decline has been one of the swiftest sell-offs of this magnitude. The fastest the S&P 500 has ever fallen from a record into a bear market was over 55 days in 1987.

Vicious swings like Wednesday’s session are becoming routine as investors rush to sell amid uncertainty about how badly the outbreak will hit the economy. The day’s loss of 1,464 points wiped out a 1,167-point gain for the Dow from Tuesday and stands as the index’s second-largest point drop, trailing only Monday’s plunge of 2,013.

With Wall Street already on edge about the economic damage coming from the virus, stocks dove even lower Wednesday after global health officials declared the outbreak a pandemic.

Investors are calling for coordinated action from governments and central banks around the world to stem the threat to the economy from the virus. Doubts are rising about what can come from the U.S. government, though, even after President Donald Trump promised some aid.

Investors know that lower interest rates or government spending programs alone will not solve the crisis. Only the containment of the virus can do that. But such measures could help support the economy in the meantime, and investors fear things would be much worse without them.

The Bank of England became the latest big central bank on Wednesday to make an emergency interest-rate cut in hopes of blunting the economic pain caused by the virus, which economists call the global economy’s biggest threat.

The stakes are rising as the World Health Organization cited “alarming levels of inaction” by governments in corralling the virus when it made its pandemic declaration.

“The government probably should have been thinking about stimulus last month,” said Kristina Hooper, Invesco’s chief global market strategist. “Every day that passes makes the economic impact of coronavirus that much worse.”

Many investors are worried that a divided Congress will have trouble agreeing to any plan, she said.

Besides worries about the virus and the government’s ability to get something done for the economy, the market was also weighed down by a continued decline in oil prices, said Patrick Schaffer, global investment specialist at J.P.Morgan Private Bank.

“I want all retail investors to expect this environment will continue: sharp down days, sharp up days,” he said. “This feeling of whiplash that people feel probably continues for some period of time.”

The speed of the market’s declines and the degree of its swings the last few weeks have been breathtaking. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has had seven days in the last few weeks where it swung by 1,000 points. That has happened just three other times in history.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus, but the fear is that COVID-19 could drag the global economy into a recession by hitting it from both sides — supply and demand.

On the supply side, the worst-case scenario has companies with fewer things to sell as factories shut down and workplaces dim the lights because workers are out on quarantine. On the demand side, companies see fewer customers because people are huddling at home instead of taking trips or going to restaurants.

United Airlines has lost more than a third of its value since Feb. 21 because many people don’t want to risk flying. Cruise lines have also been hard hit. Even Apple, which entered 2020 after making sharp gains, has shed 6% since the beginning of the year as production of iPhones in China has been slower to ramp up than expected.

The coronavirus outbreak has moved so fast that its impact has not yet shown up in any nationwide economic data. Many economists still think the U.S. can avoid a recession, particularly if the disease is under control by the early summer.

But most also think the odds of recession have risen significantly in recent weeks. Measures of consumer sentiment have fallen sharply since the beginning of the year, a sign that consumers are likely to pull back on spending in the coming weeks.

Many analysts say financial markets will continue to swing sharply until the number of new infections stops accelerating. In the United States, the number of cases has topped 1,000. Worldwide, more than 119,000 people have been infected, and over 4,200 have died.

“There’s a real feeling that we don’t know where this ends,” said Brad McMillan, chief investment officer for Commonwealth Financial Network.

Italy’s government announced $28 billion in financial support for health care, the labor market and families and businesses that face a cash crunch due to the country’s nationwide lock down on travel.

Trump hinted at plans for tax cuts and other economic relief late Monday, but he has yet to unveil any details. His proposal for a cut to payroll taxes has met resistance on Capitol Hill.

The government has to hit a narrow target to lift market optimism, all while overcoming partisan rancor to get there.

“The package must be large enough to restore confidence, but targeted enough to provide immediate relief to where it is needed most,” Mike Ryan, UBS Global Wealth Management’s Americas chief investment officer, wrote in a report.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1,464.94 points, or 5.9%, to 23,553.22, the S&P 500 fell 140.85, or 4.9%, to 2,741.38 and the Nasdaq lost 392.20, or 4.7%, to 7,952.05.

Even a climb in Treasury yields, which has been one of the loudest warning bells on Wall Street about the economic risks of the crisis, wasn’t enough to turn stocks higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 0.87% from 0.75% late Tuesday. That’s a sign of diminished demand for safe investments.

Asian markets also fell, while European markets lost earlier gains following the rate cut by the Bank of England and turned lower.

For all the fear in the market and selling by huge institutions, many regular investors have been holding relatively steady.

“People, by and large, are keeping their heads right now,” said JJ Kinahan, chief market strategist at TD Ameritrade.

Clients are mostly sticking to their long-term investment plans, he said, though some may want to adjust their portfolios if they feel uncomfortable with all the volatility. Still, the standard advice from most advisers is to focus more on long-term goals and pay less attention to short-term swings, which will likely dominate markets for some time.

“We’re looking at a month of volatility as the coronavirus plays out,” Kinahan said.

Stock prices generally move on two main factors: how much profit companies are earning and how much investors are willing to pay for each $1 of them. For the first part, Wall Street is slashing its expectations, which undercuts stock prices. For the second, all the coronavirus worries make investors less willing to pay high prices. Valuations were already above historical averages before the market’s declines began.

Strategists at Goldman Sachs on Wednesday sharply cut their expectations for earnings growth this year, saying it will lead to the end of the bull market for the S&P 500, which began more than a decade ago.

A plunge in crude prices has wiped out profits for energy companies, while record-low Treasury yields are squeezing the financial sector. Strategists say S&P 500 earnings per share could fall enough to drag the index down to 2,450 in the middle of the year. That would be a nearly 28% drop from its record.

Goldman Sachs, though, also says it expects the drawdown to be short, with earnings rebounding later in the year as the pain from the coronavirus wanes. It says the S&P 500 could climb back to 3,200 by the end of the year.

from FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports https://fox4kc.com/news/dow-tumbles-into-bear-market-as-coronavirus-fears-intensify/

from Kansas City Happenings https://kansascityhappenings.wordpress.com/2020/03/12/dow-tumbles-into-bear-market-as-coronavirus-fears-intensify/

[jodyedgarus]

Nearly Every Team Is Playing Like The Rockets. And That’s Hurting The Rockets.

Winners of five straight games, the Houston Rockets nudged their record back up to their season-high mark of two games over .500 (16-14) with a blowout win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night, during which they set an NBA record by making 26 3-pointers. Despite this hot streak, however, it’s still fair to say that the Rockets have not performed as expected thus far this season. When searching for reasons why that might be the case, the focus has often been on their inability to replicate last season’s switch-happy defense or the early-season injuries and suspensions they had to weather or their general offensive malaise. (If ranking fifth in offensive efficiency can be described as a malaise.) But the root of Houston’s issues may actually just be that the rest of the league is increasingly subscribing to Houston’s core beliefs, which has eaten into the team’s math advantage.

To fully understand what that means and how that’s happened, we need to back up a bit. Daryl Morey has been the general manager of the Rockets since 2007, but it wasn’t until the 2012-13 season that the purest form of Morey’s basketball philosophies truly began to shine through on the floor.

Coming off three consecutive non-playoff seasons and having just traded for James Harden, the Rockets re-engineered their offense to play not only to their new star’s strengths, but also to The Math. It was during that season that the Rockets began their maniacal pursuit of the most efficient shot on every single possession, turning their collective backs on years of NBA tradition by eschewing the lost art of the mid-range jumper whenever possible in favor of attempts either at the rim or behind the three-point line.

It’s easy to see the benefits of that offensive strategy now — six years after the Rockets took it to what then seemed like its logical extreme — but at the time, it was not yet really accepted that this was a healthy way to construct an offense. Not everybody believed in The Math. The Rockets did, however, and they did to a degree that was then unheard of in league history.

During that 2012-13 campaign, the Rockets attempted 73.6 percent of their shots from either the restricted area or three-point range, per NBA.com. (For the balance of this piece, we’ll refer to this percentage as a team’s “Moreyball Rate,” in keeping with certain segments of the basketball analytics community.) The next closest team was the Denver Nuggets at 67.4 percent, while the average NBA team had a Moreyball Rate of 57.1 percent.

By attempting so many more of their shots from the most efficient areas of the floor than any other team, the Rockets created for themselves a healthy math advantage. Through shot selection alone, they essentially began each game with a small lead that their opponents needed to erase in addition to out-scoring them over the course of 48 minutes in order to win the game.

For the next three seasons under Kevin McHale, however, the Rockets’ Moreyball Rate stayed fairly stagnant. They still led the NBA in Moreyball Rate during each of those seasons, but they did so with rates that hovered between 72.6 and 73.8 percent. At the same time, the league average Moreyball Rate crept upward, eating into the Rockets’ math advantage and, by extension, that small de facto lead with which they began every game.

This is perhaps best exemplified by scaling their Moreyball Rate against the league average. Fans familiar with baseball statistics like OPS+ will recognize this formula: The NBA average Moreyball Rate is given a score of 100, while a team whose Moreyball Rate is 10 percent better than league average receives a Morey+ score of 110, and a team whose Moreyball Rate is 10 percent worse than league average receives a Morey+ score of 90. So, in a world where the league average Moreyball Rate is 50 percent, a team with a 55 percent Moreyball Rate has a Morey+ of 110, while a team with a 45 percent Moreyball Rate has a Morey+ of 90.

Using the same formula, we can calculate that during the 2012-13 season when the Rockets had a Moreyball Rate of 73.6 percent against a league average of 57.1 percent, they had a Morey+ of 129.1, meaning they attempted shots in the restricted area or from three-point territory at a rate 29.1 percent higher than that of the average NBA team. That is a ridiculously high mark. But it was also essentially the high-water mark for the McHale-era Rockets, whose Morey+ plummeted over the next few seasons, though not through any offensive fault of their own.

At the same time the Rockets’ math advantage on offense was shrinking, the same thing was happening on the defensive end of the court. During that 2012-13 campaign, the Rockets did an excellent job of limiting their opponents’ attempts from the Moreyball areas of the floor. Slowly but surely, however, they ended up yielding better and better shots, and their opponents’ Moreyball Rate crept upward at an even faster rate than the league average.

The decline of the Rockets’ math advantage during that time looks even starker when pitting their offense and defense against each other. At the same time as they were shooting 29.1 percent more often from Moreyball areas than the average team in 2012-13, they were forcing opponents to shoot from those areas 3.2 percent less often than the average squad. Add those two numbers up, and the Rockets had a Moreyball Advantage of 32.2 points during that season. By the time they got to the 2015-16 campaign, however, their Moreyball Advantage had been cut by more than half (to 13.8 points).

During those four years, the Rockets were the only team to have a Moreyball Rate above 68.8 percent, but the average team still gained steadily gained on them, and their ability to prevent their own opponents from getting to Moreyball areas declined as well. And it was then that Morey decided to hire Mike D’Antoni. Because if the Rockets couldn’t stop the rest of the league from following their lead in following The Math, then the next-best option was for them to take The Math to new heights.

In D’Antoni’s first season, the Rockets had a Moreyball Rate of 81.8 percent, blasting the previous league highs they’d set over the prior few seasons. That 81.8 percent figure was, obviously, the highest in the NBA by far, making it the fifth consecutive season during which the Rockets led the league. Crucially, that rate bumped their Morey+ all the way back up to 128.8 — almost all the way back to where it was during that 2012-13 campaign, when the Rockets first began truly orienting their offense around The Math.

Morey+ score* for the Houston Rockets

Season Morey+ score 2012-13 129.1

–

2013-14 124.8

–

2014-15 125.3

–

2015-16 120.1

–

2016-17 128.8

–

2017-18 126.1

–

2018-19 119.8

–

* A rating where 100 equals the NBA average and every point above or below 100 equals a one percent change (up or down).

During that 2016-17 season, though, five other teams exceeded the Moreyball Rate of the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, who had the highest non-Rockets Moreyball Rate of any team from 2012 through 2016. That incredible jump from one-sixth of the league foreshadowed what has happened since: The league’s Moreyball Rate has been rising far faster than it did during the McHale years, meaning that the Rockets’ math advantage is once again shrinking, through no fault of their own offensive priorities.

While the average Moreyball Rate jumped only 3.7 percentage points from 2012 (58.1 percent) through 2016 (60.8 percent), it has rocketed (pun very much intended) all the way up to 68.3 percent in 2019. That’s a jump of 7.5 percentage points in just three seasons, compared with the four it took to erase a smaller advantage for the previous incarnation of the Rockets. And at the same time that the NBA’s average Moreyball Rate has shot through the roof, the Rockets themselves have once again stalled out. They appear to have hit a ceiling in terms of how many of their shots can really be taken from the most efficient areas of the floor.

Houston’s sky-high Moreyball Rates during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons helped them to two of the most efficient offensive seasons in NBA history. During that 2016-17 campaign, the Rockets registered the 10th-best offensive efficiency in NBA history, per Basketball-Reference. During the 2017-18 season, they posted the 11th-best offensive efficiency in history. And during both seasons, the Rockets led the NBA in Moreyball Rate by a healthy margin, even while the league as a whole was catching up.

This year, however, they don’t even lead the league in Moreyball Rate, marking the first time since the 2011-12 campaign that they’ve fallen out of first place. (They’ve been passed by Mike Budenholzer’s Milwaukee Bucks, who are at 82.6 percent, the highest figure that can be gleaned from the shot location data in NBA.com’s database, which reaches back to the 1996-97 season.) Amazingly, Houston’s Morey+ this season has already dropped below where it was during the 2015-16 season that inspired Morey to bring in D’Antoni in the first place. And even while they’ve cleaned up their defense a bit these past two years, the rate at which leaguewide Moreyball Rates are spiking has left their Moreyball Advantage at the lowest point it’s been in years.

It seems unlikely that other NBA teams will simply stop pursuing shots from the Moreyball areas of the floor, so the league average will presumably continue to rise — if not necessarily at quite the rate it has these past few years. And with the Rockets having seemingly maxed out their own Moreyball Rates in the low 80s, it looks like the best way for them to regain the sky-high Moreyball Advantage they had in the early 2010s is by engineering their defense so that opponents simply can’t access the most efficient areas of the floor. But that’s also what every other team in the league has been trying to do to the Rockets for years, and as they’ve been showing us for quite some time now, it’s easier said than done.

  from News About Sports https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/nearly-every-team-is-playing-like-the-rockets-and-thats-hurting-the-rockets/

[boozedancing]

G-LO: We sure did pack a lot in during our short trip to Chicago. That “Maximize your time!” mantra of yours works every single time we get together. I’m talking three bars, one brewpub, a diner, a coffee shop, several liquor stores, a massive whisky show, a distillery, and a good bit of walking around. For a couple of old guys, we’re pretty spry.

AK: Life is short, Mi Amigo. Semper fi! Go for the gusto! Chi-town is built for that take-no-prisoners attitude. And 30° temperatures keep the body moving. Or you’ll die.

G-LO: Right on, Brother! Death would be bad, but it’s not the worst case scenario. Never being allowed to drink another drop of booze would be a fate worse than death. Give me whisky, or give me DEATH! And speaking of whisky, how about that Koval Distillery behind-the-scenes tour?

AK: Needless to say, we were treated to a great visit. I’ve been to many distilleries where it’s a handshake, a quick walk through, a bit of a taste of some whisky, and “Goodbye! Don’t let the door hit you on the way out”. This was not that. We got treated like actual humans!

G-LO: Speak for yourself, Pal! I ain’t no human. But I am an “Esteemed Member of The Media”. And yes, our tour guides, Abby and Mitch, were super gracious and very well informed of all the goings on at Koval. I was amused by the fact that they moved the distillery right down the street from where we went for this year’s Whisky Jewbilee Chicago. So if we overdid it the night before and never made it back to the hotel, we could have slept on their doorstep and still been right on time for the 10:30 tour. Granted, we’d have been smelly and not very presentable, but at least we’d have been on time.

Abby and Mitch of Koval

AK: Punctuality is next to godliness, which is right next to gobblygook. Look it up, Mr. Webster. Abby and Mitch were downright perky compared to our post-Jewbilee butts. Last thing I remember from the night before was a bad bar experience on Clark Street in Andersonville. It was a scene out of Bar Rescue without the Jon Taffer rescue team. Maybe they were across the street spying on the goings-on from an unmarked panel truck.  Koval was a welcomed first world experience on a snow flurried morning.

G-LO: I looked it up, and lo and behold, you spelled it wrong. Gobbledygook is how ya spell it, and I LOVE the definition according to the real Mr. Webster: wordy and generally unintelligible jargon. Kinda like most of our posts; chock full of gobbledygook! And so was our last stop in Andersonville the night before. The Old Fashioned that our surly 20-something bartendress made you was loaded with gobbledygood, and it tasted downright awful. That was the diviest dive bar that ever dived. It was the Triple Lindy of dive bars, but without the Rodney Dangerfield smart-alecky charm. Taffer would have thrown in a life preserver (or a grenade) and walked out. Nothing worth rescuing there.

And I wholeheartedly agree! Abby and Mitch were positively delightful. I would have been pleased as punch to spend the afternoon with those Kids whilst sampling the entire Koval line-up. Before we get to the tasting part of our visit, did I hear them correctly when they said that they went from an 11,000 sq ft facility to a 40,000+ sq ft facility? That’s one hell of an expansion for a distillery that’s only 10 years old. Fact check me, Bro!

AK: I’ll have to go to the videotape to fact check that factoid. All I know is that their new facility was pretty darn big. I’ve gotten used to seeing distilleries and breweries start up in little warehouse spaces that were formerly the home of Atlas Wholesale Tool Co., or Stevens Aircraft Parts, or Zyndex, or Quantix, or iZynQuanDataSys. This place didn’t formerly house some rinky dink business that went belly up after eight years. This place had to have been a factory where things were built by people. With hands. Connected to the same people. And now Koval is doing the same. Building whisky. With hands.

G-LO: “Pretty darn big” is a perfect way to describe the new Koval space. I remember staring at the big open space in front of us as we waited for Abby and Mitch, and thinking, “That’s an awfully big waiting room. They must have big plans in the works!”. I’d say they definitely do based upon what we saw in the distillery part of our tour. And speaking of distilling, I think I’m finally understanding what they mean when they talk about making their cuts (i.e. heads vs. hearts. vs tails). Guess it would help if I read a book about the process one of these days. Pity that’s actual work.

I got more fact checking for ya! Did I hear them correctly when they said that they only run a single distillation process, as opposed to a double or triple distillation process? Something about deep “heart cuts”, or something along those lines. Sounds to me like the kids at Koval threw out the rule book and decided to go their own way.

AK:  Correct. Single distillation all done in a uniquely designed still system that they can change on the fly depending upon what’s being made that day.  Every distiller has their own little, or not so little, unique thing about the way they make their juice.  Koval has many little parts that they call their own, not the least of which is that they are 100% organic which is 100% more work from a compliance standpoint. Ever try to source cage-free barley?

G-LO: Cage-free barley? Is that a thing? If it is, I bet that’s some really happy barley. , And by the way, I’m very impressed with your memory. Sounds like you were paying close attention while I was shutterbugging.

AK: Plenty of interesting details from our guides. My people will be glad to know that Koval is Kosher too. That’s a whole different level of details. Interesting to choose organic and Kosher to (a) hang your hat on and (b) believe in. Hope they add a pastrami liqueur in the future.

G-LO: Ohhhh! A pastrami liqueur would be stellar. And if anyone could figure out how to do it, it’d be the mad scientists at Koval. But in the meantime, while they’re doing the voodoo that they do so well, let’s make a couple of these cocktails and order some pastrami on rye sandwiches from Canter’s Deli…

Running a conventional distillery can’t be easy. Adding certified organic and Kosher just adds to that already complex complexity, but it also insures that pretty much anyone will buy your product. Well, anyone over 21 at least.

Checking out the stills and all those lovely barrels filled with all kinds of spirits was good fun, but what really took this tour to the next level was checking out the bottling run. It was like being on set for the filming of a “How It’s Made” video. The Boys and I have spent many a Sunday morning watching “How It’s Made” marathons. You never really think of all the engineering and product development that goes into making the machines that make things. Loved watching how they sterilize, fill, cork, and label those bottles! It served as a nice bookend to our tour.

AK: That was spectacular, but walking into that airplane hangar of a warehouse was awesome. Boxes of bottles as far as the eye could see. And that’s not even where they age the juice! That would be another pin on the map of whiskey heaven. I almost ditched you, Abby, and Mitch to hide behind a few pallets of Rye because, well… just because. But then I realized that (a) you’d miss me, and (b) it must get really cold in there. I like distilleries that do as much as they can under one roof. Obviously, as you get bigger that gets harder to do.

G-LO: I’d miss you? Somebody sure thinks mighty highly of themselves. OK.. FINE! So maybe I’d miss you a little. Bastard.

So true about how much they can get accomplished under one roof. And the really crazy thing is that they’re not completely settled in the new space, so I’m sure if we check in on them in a year, they’ll be doing even more under that big-ass roof of theirs.

While the behind-the-scenes tour was good fun, I thought our post-tour tasting was even more funner(?), more fun(?), funnier(?). And the fact that we got to sample a pretty big chunk of their line-up before noon makes it even more funnerer!

AK: Considering it was snowing all morning and I was freezing, nothing sounded better than a late morning tipple or two. And since I’ve only tried a few out of the Koval line, this was really interesting and more funner(?), more fun(?), funnier(?)! The sampling, not the snowing and freezing.

G-LO: We are simpatico regarding the weather. While I may live in the Northeastern United States, my blood is Sicilian and it doesn’t like the cold very much, so yes, a late morning tipple (or in our case, 5 or 6) was very, very welcome.

I too have sampled some Koval spirits, mostly at several Jewbilee events, but have never spent all that much time with them, so I usually lose all of their finesse when having them alongside many a high octane spirit. And when I say finesse, I mean that they are making some very subtle and highly approachable spirits under that mega-roof of theirs. I believe we tried the standard Bourbon, the Rye, and a cask strength Bourbon, along with the Barrel Aged Gin and the Cranberry Gin. How’s my memory, Chief?

AK: Well, we started with the 100% Birdseed. Errr… I mean 100% Millet, which was pretty interesting. Sweet. Easy and smooth. A bit spicy, and quite the long finish.  I tawt it was pwetty tasty, Sylvester!

Then we had the Rye. Smooth, buttery, not sharp. Right in my wheelhouse, Harry Carey.

Then Gentleman Mitch treated us to a wee bit of a cask strength Bourbon from a private barrel. Good lordy, oh my, was that one special! 55%, or eight clicks above the standard offering. They need to put something like that out in the regular line-up, if you ask me. No one ever asks me.

Then it was the Four Grain which was a panoply of flavors. Wheat, Rye, Oatmeal and Malted Barley. 30-30-20-20, if you’re scoring at home. Apparently, this was a delicious accident from a bunch of leftover grains that they threw together. And voilà! All aged for six months in a #3 char American Oak barrel.

Lastly, we hit the Cranberry Gin at 30% ABV. It’s their standard Gin recipe but with organic cranberries from Wisconsin, then proofed down. Sweet and tart, with a neat little Gin finish. Sure didn’t taste like whatever I was expecting. I’m not sure what I was expecting. I liked this one so much that I bought a bottle at Binny’s for Mrs. Satellite Engineer to experiment with.

G-LO: Geez, Tweety, my memory ain’t so good with regards to the whisky. I think I scored a 50/100 which if my long-term memory serves me well would equate to an F on the high school grading scale. Not good, but at least I got the Gin bit right, though I could swear I tried their Barrel Aged Gin in addition to that delicious Cranberry Gin.

My memory may suck, but Koval’s spirits most definitely do not. While I generally prefer a whisky with some bite, I can also appreciate a subtler and more easy drinking spirit as well. All four of the whiskies we tried were really interesting and very easy drinking, even the cask strength Bourbon which I would have never guessed was 55% ABV. That was delicious as-is and needed no water to enjoy. The Rye was also really tasty and definitely different from other Rye whisky that I’ve had. It was very fruity with much less bitey spice. It was closer to the Catoctin Creek Rye that we tried at Jewbilee Chicago the night before which was also really mellow and easy drinking.

As far as that Cranberry Gin goes, if it wasn’t for the fact that I wanted to avoid the whole checked luggage thing for the flight home, I too would have bought a bottle. Such a fun and versatile spirit! It was lightly sweet, lightly tart with a mild pucker, and had just enough Gin flavor to get the wheels turning with regards to cocktailing with it. I enjoyed it on it’s own and could see it being used in a variety of beverages, i.e. something as simple as a highball with sparkling water and a wedge of lemon, a holiday friendly punch, or maybe even a cranberry martini. I’m guessing Mrs. Satellite Engineer will have mucho mucho fun with this elixir!

AK: Koval really has an interesting lineup. We didn’t even get into all the Rye based liqueurs they have. I’m sure those are packed with flavor. And very prettily bottled. It seems as if they are doing some backroom experimentations with barrels from the local breweries, coffee-mongers, and a cider maker. Love the quest for the wild and wacky!

G-LO: And if anyone knows from wild and wacky, it’s YOU, Mi Amigo! Speaking of their Rye based liqueurs, LimpD and I reviewed their Ginger Liqueur many moons ago. It was really really nice with a great balance of sugary sweetness and tingly ginger. If your curiosity has been piqued, you can read all about it by clicking these words. How’s THAT for a shameless plug?

In case you couldn’t tell, I really enjoyed our time at Koval, and Abby and Mitch’s enthusiasm was downright infectious! Those Kids know their stuff and they were a joy to spend time with. And now that I have a greater appreciation for what they’re doing at Koval, I will definitely keep their spirits on my watch list.

Any final thoughts?

AK:  I agree wholeheartedly! Our hosts treated us with true Midwest hospitality and flavor. And flavor is what really makes Koval stand out to me. Their range really stretches the flavor spectrum and even gets into the weird and wacky which is right up our alley. Tie all that up with their 100% organic bow, and you really have something special.

G-LO: Well said! We most definitely like our packages to be both pretty AND flavorful. Koval’s offerings are most definitely all that. And so much more!

The WCO (aka @AaronMKrouse) + G-LO Get a Private Tour of Chicago's @kovaldistillery. #Whisky #Chicago G-LO: We sure did pack a lot in during our short trip to Chicago. That “Maximize your time!” mantra of yours works…

[valmaior-blog]

It Begins...

So, at the beginning of February, Ping and I, and our lawyer, and two real estate agents, two registration officials, 8 sellers and their lawyer, piled into a government registration office to sign contracts, and swap funds for keys. Couldn't all fit in, so we had to move to a bigger office in the next building.

It seems to be an excessively complex procedure, further confused by the question "what type of marriage do you have?"

In Portugal, it seems that there are 3 choices, 

1) Both parties are financially independent.

2) Everything is shared,

3) Everything is shared from the date of the marriage. 

I don't know which we got. Every page of the contract has to be signed by all concerned after being read aloud and corrected where errors were spotted  ID documents for  everyone recorded, financial numbers recorded. 

I handed over a large cheque, and received a bunch of keys. Next a registration fee to be paid, then another registration fee to be paid. Then we were done, Only took 90 minutes. We have a house in Portugal :-D, a compromise between my isolated mountain farmhouse within walking distance of nothing, and Ping’s downtown apartment within walking distance of a shopping mall.

Said goodbye to our lawyer, who is a classic. Short, tubby, elderly, bald, but the remaining hair on the side was partly covering his ears. As well as being a solicitor, he does legal stuff for the local town hall, and is also a barrister. A useful person to know. 

Then we went home though not to the new house, it would have been getting dark when we arrived, and there was no electricity or water. Next day we  went to our house, and noticed many problems which we had not spotted on our previous visits. This house has been empty for a long time, many years I guess. The house has internal shutters on the windows, and a few broken windows, broken long enough for the internal shutters to show significant weathering behind the broken panes. 

No heating, not even a fireplace. The kitchen seems to be a later addition, and does have a chimney, but no fireplace. 

The house is built on the side of a hill, which seems to be the norm in rural Portugal, so we have a half cellar. with walls 80 cm thick. The main house walls are only 60 cm, and the kitchen walls are 55 cm. 

A few days later, we were arranging to have water and electricity supplies reconnected. The water man arrived first, fitted a new meter. The water meter box in the garden wall had pipes but no meter, 

I was doing something elsewhere, when Ping came and told me the water was connected. I tried the taps - nothing, I checked stop taps, nothing. I went out to see the guy and he demonstrated. Turn water on at the meter, jet of water gushes out of his newly fitted pipe protruding from the other side of the wall. He went away with a "my job here is done" shrug. So, water available outside the house, how to get it inside. 

The idea of drilling holes through thick stone walls didn't appeal. 

The house has a bathroom, with shower, toilet, washbasin and bidet. (I later discovered that a bidet is a legal requirement in a Portuguese bathroom.) It has a kitchen, with sink and taps, Two more water taps and another toilet with sink and washing machine connection in a newer extension to the kitchen, 

There used to be a bottled gas water heater, but the heater has gone. The pipes and vent are in place, although the "chimney” just passes through the kitchen ceiling and vents into the kitchen attic (fortunately separate from the main house attic).

Obviously, water used to come into the house, but perhaps not from the mains.There is a well outside, and a box used to house an electric pump. There is also a header tank on the roof. 

The estate agent blurb said mains water - I took that to mean supplying the house. Maybe it meant available at the house, and the house had actually been using well water. The easiest solution seemed to be to connect our mains supply to the feed from the tank, and the easiest way to do that is to pipe our new supply up to the roof. So, off to the DIY shops, and returned with 25m of 25mm coiled plastic pipe, and a bunch of 25mm elbows. Tried to figure out the header tank plumbing, but there was nowhere to get a clear view from the ground.

 Discovered an old galvanised pipe protruding vertically from the ground close to the well. it seemed  remote from everything wet, so I had assumed it was just a bit of old pipe used as a plant stake, but it could have been an external tap, connected to house water - it was several meters above well water level, so couldn't be connected to that. The threaded end of the pipe was mangled. Whatever had been connect to it had been removed with a big hammer. If it was an external tap. Then connecting our water supply to it could well feed back into the house - worth a shot. Sawed off the mangled pipe end, Duct taped the 25 mm feed to the steel pipe, turned on the water. 

Duct tape is not as strong as it seems. it burst in a few seconds, resulting in a wet wife. I did notice some old rusty hooks in the wall where the supply arrived, which indicated that water had once traveled this route, later confirmed by Google.

This 2009 image clearly shows a water pipe running along the wall from the meter.

I "modified" one of my 25 mm plastic elbows to fit the galvanised pipe - somewhat leaky, but it stayed put. Checked in the house. Water - or rather black sludge was coming out of the taps, which slowly cleared to become rusty water, and eventually clear water. 

Still not had a date for electric connection so called the company, Finally got through to someone who could speak decent English. "Ah, there is a problem with your contract. you asked for a 5kw supply. the cables to your house can only take 3.4kw. I will email you a new contract to sign." Our electric kettle is 2kw!  but, anything is better that nothing - I need to run power tools etc. 

Annoyed that they didn't contact me to tell me. I had to put off the phone company, who were coming to install a landline which we don't need, but we do need internet and TV. and it was either this or a 4g dongle and satellite TV. I can't get a decent 4g signal on my phone when at the house, and they won't install internet and TV without a landline.

So Electric day arrived Installation anytime between 10:30, and 13:00. We planned to arrive at the house at 10:30 to be safe. Got a call at 9:55, "I am at the house"! We weren't. Got there at 10:30 - no electric company vehicle. Waited 4 hours, finally sent a text. The guy arrived 5 mins later. Shortly after, we had electricity.

The following day, the phone people arrived. I would not have been surprised if they had been unable to install TV and internet up to 24 Mbs over the existing ancient phone wires, but they strung a new coaxial cable from the pole to the house, so 150 channels and 12 Mbs internet installed. That's  what I checked it as. I was impressed, until I got back to to the apartment, and found we have 37 Mbs there. We now have a phone number too, just haven't got a phone to plug in yet ;-) 

Anyway, back to the water. The washing machine tap has a conventional threaded end. I needed a hose outside, so screwed a hoselock connection on and the tap broke - inside the tiled wall, Turned off the water - needed to get at the tap, so attacked the tiled wall with a very small hammer and a screw driver (the only tools available), I eventually managed to extract the tap. It was screwed into a brass? elbow, which had been screwed into a galvanised reducer, which was screwed into a galvanised T. The brass thing had just sheared off, Funny thing - all the plumbing is in imperial sizes. The T piece was on top of a vertical  galvanised pipe, so I had to smash a lot more tiles and wall to be able to lever the pipe out of the wall to get at the broken bits. Finally got that fixed, though not the wall or tiles yet, 

Next problem -water on the floor in the main bathroom. Can't find a leak. Water on the step out of the kitchen. on the other side of the bathroom. The kitchen appears to be a later addition to the house. Seems like we have a leaky pipe embedded in the main house wall. The sensible solution would seem to be to replace all the plumbing. Working on a plan for that. Need a full campaign plan, I need a Gantt chart Can't fix the kitchen until the plumbing is sorted, and probably should combine heating with plumbing. 

We are several kms from the nearest gas main, so options are burning wood (or pellets), oil tank in the garden, propane tank in the garden or air source heat pump.

Oil here is the same price as diesel at the pumps, (probably higher with delivery charges) propane is  cheaper, but the tank in much more expensive. Heat pump is favourite, but dependent on upgrading the electricity cables, or possible switching to a 3 phase 380v supply. I don't know much about 3 phase,. I thought I could get 3 380 to 220 transformers, use 1 phase for the heat pump the other 2 could supply household appliances, sockets and lights, but further research seems to indicate that this is a bad idea, as it would create an unbalanced load. The answer would seem to be buy a big 3 phase electric motor, and use this to drive a 220v generator. 

I need to find out if there is a device that can shift the phase backward and forward by 120 degrees, then I could have single phase 380v, which would be easier to handle. 

Another issue with the heat pump, is that the hot water coming out the back is 60 degrees max, much cooler than a conventional boiler, so it needs double sized radiators or underfloor heating to produce the same amount of heat. Can't really go solar, not enough sun in winter when we really need the heat, and the house is in a valley, so not very windy either. 

Delayed by the car again, the alternator diodes burned out. Luckily, I made it home, but not enough juice left in the battery to start the car again. Tried and failed to located a used alternator (they seem to sell quickly). Tried and failed to locate a new 8 diode rectifier/regulator assembly (8 diodes confused me for a while), so had to order a new alternator. The brushes and slip rings also seemed badly worn. Tried and failed to locate a supplier in Portugal, so had to get one shipped from the UK. 

I will have to measure up for new water pipes and fittings, - see what we need to replace, and try to assess how much house will be destroyed in the fitting.

[vacationsoup]

New Post has been published on https://vacationsoup.com/universal-orlando-mardi-gras/

Universal Orlando Mardi Gras: Party Like A Pro!

Head to Universal Orlando Mardi Gras for 55 Nights of Fun!

Every night from February 9th through April 4th 2019, Universal Studios transforms into party central. Family friendly fun packs the streets every night for non-stop parties, colorful parades, authentic N’awlins food and jazz bands aplenty. To top it all, there are amazing headline acts.

And it's all included in your ticket or annual pass. No extra ticket necessary. And the whole park stays open too.

Here's an overview of Universal Orlando Mardi Gras from a previous year:

[button type=“large” color="" link="https://orlandoinsidervacations.com/instant-quote-orlando-vacation-home-rental/" icon="" ]Get An Instant Quote to Stay in a Vacation Home[/button]

Universal Orlando Mardi Gras Parades:

Spectacular, brightly colored floats and performers parade through the streets of Universal Studios tossing beads into the grasping hands of the watching masses. No prisoners taken. It’s the survival of the fittest to determine who gets most beads. These hard-won trophies often leave the winners battle-scarred but exultant.

Just kidding, it's very family friendly, lots of fun and very kid friendly. There's even a viewing area just for the little ones. The only area you might want to avoid with little ones is the stage area on headline concert nights. It gets incredibly packed, loud and there's alcohol, so you might want to consider that if your little ones are sensitive to crowds and noise.

There are new additions for the 2018 Universal Orlando Mardi Gras too. There will be 6 brand new constellation-themed floats, along with dancers and stilt walkers. The new floats include Taurus, Virgo the Maiden, Scorpius, Andromeda, Orion the Hunter and Serpentarius.

Universal Orlando Mardi Gras Parade Times: These are from 2018, we'll update when announced February 6: 5:15 PM February 4, 5, 7-9, 11–15: 6:45 PM February 16, 19-23, 25-28: March 1, 2, 5-9: 7:15 PM February 3, 10, 17, 18, 24,  March 3, 4, 10–31: April 1-7: 7:45 PM

Mardi Gras Parade Viewing Areas:

Children can go to Little Jester’s parade viewing area at the front of the Brown Derby Hat Shop from an hour before the parade starts for their own fantastic experience.

Annual Passholders have a reserved viewing area near Mel's Drive in. You can see the parade twice from here - the start and the end!

American Express cardholders can utilize a private viewing area near Finnigans.

Guests with disabilities have viewing access near Macy's.

[button type=“large” color="" link="https://orlandoinsidervacations.com/instant-quote-orlando-vacation-home-rental/" icon="" ]Get An Instant Quote to Stay in a Vacation Home[/button]

Universal Orlando Mardi Gras Concert Series 

All concerts are included with entry, so expect them to be packed out. Concerts take place on Music Plaza Stage. There's no seating areas, it's all standing. If you're favorite artist is playing, you'll need to grab a spot around a good few hours before the show if you want to be close to the stage.

2018 Mardi Gras Concert Line Up: We'll update when 2019 Mardi Gras line up is announced

Feb 3 - Sean Paul

Feb 10 - Beach Boys

Feb 17 - Kelsea Ballerini

Feb 18 - Andy Grammer

Feb 24 - Macklemore

March 3 - 311

March 4 - Phillip Phillips

March 10 - Jason Derulo

March 11 - Fitz and the Tantrums

March 17 - Foreigner

March 18 - Fifth Harmony

March 24 - Jessie J

March 25 - Bush

Sizzling Cajun Food at Universal Orlando Mardi Gras

The New Orleans French Quarter is second to none when it comes to Cajun and Creole food. Universal Studios is giving guests the opportunity to sample sizzling delights at it's very own French Quarter Courtyard.

The whole area is transformed and dedicated to “N’awlins Style Food and Spirits.” Sample such delights as Jambalaya, Red Beans & Rice, Gulf Shrimp or Gumbo. Follow it up with a traditional, delicious beignet and wash it all down with some Voodoo Juice. (For adults not kids!)

[button type=“large” color="" link="https://orlandoinsidervacations.com/instant-quote-orlando-vacation-home-rental/" icon="" ]Get An Instant Quote to Stay in a Vacation Home[/button]

All this food is accompanied by the authentic rhythm of Louisiana jazz, blues and zydeco bands. Celebrity and headliners only perform on the above mentioned dates, but there's live music every single night.

Mardi Gras Passholder Benefits

Here's the passholders perks that were available for Universal Orlando Mardi Gras 2018. We expect similar for 2019:

Special Viewing Area: You get access to a reserved viewing area in front of Mel's Drive In.

Be Part of the Parade: Sign up to ride one of the Mardi Gras floats as part of the Passholders on Parade program. Preferred Passholders can apply for any night, seasonal Passholders can apply for night that does not have a concert. For full sign up details see here.

Food Discount: Passholders also get 10% discount at all food tents in the French Quarter Courtyard between 4-6pm.

Food Preview: You'll also get exclusive early access to the Courtyard on February 3rd from 3-4pm.

City Walk Party Pass:  Throughout Mardi Gras, you'll also get complimentary access to all City Walk Clubs. Just show your annual pass at the entrance of any club. Some clubs are only open to those 21 and over.

  Universal Orlando Mardi Gras Tips & Tricks

Want to Party like a Pro? Here's our top tips to make the most of your time at Universal Orlando Mardi Gras.

#1) Don't Sweat The Beads!

Don't panic too much about fighting to get right at the front of the crowd to view the parade. Especially if you don't have little ones with you. The floats are high and the stilt walkers are super tall, so you'll still see a lot and be able to get your fair share of beads. If you do want to be near the front, make sure you stake a spot at the very least 30 minutes to an hour before the parade starts.

#2) Avoid Concert Crowds

If there's a concert on when you visit and you're not too bothered about seeing the act, avoid watching the parade route near Music Plaza Stage. It will be very busy in that area so parade watchers can catch the concert after.

#3) Quick Exit Strategy

If you are planning to leave soon after the parade and want an easy exit strategy, watch the parade somewhere near the exit. The children's viewing area is by Terminator 2: 3D so it makes it perfect to avoid the crowds after the parade and exit easily.

#4) Make The Most of Food

If your main aim is the food, head for the French Quarter Courtyard when it opens at 4pm. It gets busier as the event progresses. It's located in the New York area of Universal Studios, near Battery Park. Don't forget Passholders get 10% discount.

#5) Plan Early for Popular Artists

If you're planning on seeing one of the headline artists and want to be near the front, plan on getting there early to stake out a spot. Some will start camping out in the morning, so you'll need to a hit a spot early if you want to be near the front. If there's a crowd of you, take it in turns to keep your spot while the others explore the park. There are no reserved viewing areas, it's a first come first serve basis. If you don't get a spot inside the Stage Plaza area, there are big screen and the atmosphere is still great. Plus you're closer to the food and beverage!

#6) Watch the Weather!

Check the weather forecast. It could get cold at night, especially during the February nights, so make sure you wrap up in layers and be prepared for hot or cold weather.

So there you have it. Jump up, dust off your party hat and "Laissez les bons temps rouler" - Let the good times roll.

[button type=“large” color="" link="https://orlandoinsidervacations.com/instant-quote-orlando-vacation-home-rental/" icon="" ]Get An Instant Quote to Stay in a Vacation Home[/button]

[watchingthesuperbowl]

Grading Super Bowl XLVIII

What was the final score?

Seattle 43, Denver 8.

How much of the game was close? What was the “edge of your seat factor” like? (20 points)

None of the game was close. Well, almost none. By rule, part of the game has to be close.

It was clear from the very first snap that things could go sideways in a hurry for the Broncos. As Peyton Manning went through audible signals on the first offensive play of the game, he stepped forward to call signals to the linemen. Center Manny Ramirez snapped the ball over Manning’s shoulder and into the end zone for a safety just twelve seconds into the game. (As an aside, this was the second consecutive play from scrimmage in a Super Bowl that resulted in a safety. Baltimore punter Sam Koch intentionally stepped out of the end zone as time ran down in Super Bowl XLVII.)

After receiving the ensuing free kick, the Seahawks drove 51 yards for a field goal to make it 5-0 before the Broncos had successfully run a play. Denver then went three and out and Seattle drove for another field goal. 8-0 Seahawks. On the third play of the Broncos’ next drive, Peyton Manning was picked off by Kam Chancellor. Seattle took advantage of the short field and scored a touchdown. 15-0. Manning was intercepted again on Denver’s next possession, this time a pick-six from linebacker Malcolm Smith. 22-0 Seahawks.

At this point, Seattle had scored every time they had the ball and twice when they didn’t have the ball. There was a time in the second quarter when the Seahawks had more than twice as many points as the Broncos had plays from scrimmage. Seattle’s utter domination of this game began on the first play and continued unabated until they had a 36-point lead. (Score: 0 out of 20)

Was there any kind of comeback? Was there ever any indication that the team which was trailing had a chance to come from behind and win? (15 points)

Goodness, no. By the time Denver had a possession that didn’t end with an interception, a turnover on downs, or a three-and-out, Seattle led 29-0 in the second half. (Score: 0 out of 15)

Did the great players come through with great performances? (15 points)

During the regular season, the 2013 Seahawks had a once-in-a-generation defense. They were the first team since the 1985 Chicago Bears to lead the league in fewest yards allowed, fewest points allowed, and most takeaways. The Legion of Boom led the NFL in fewest passing yards allowed and most interceptions. This was an incredible defense all year and it was an incredible defense on the field during Super Bowl XLVIII. With apologies to the 2000 Ravens, this Seattle team put together the most dominant defensive performance in a Super Bowl since the ‘85 Bears. Considering the quality of the opposition, it might be more impressive than what the Shufflin’ Crew did to the Tony Eason/Steve Grogan-led Patriots.

If it’s even possible, the 2013 Broncos offense may have had a better year than this Seattle defense. Peyton Manning set all-time NFL records by throwing for 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns on the year. To put that 55-touchdown performance in perspective, nobody else has ever thrown more than 50 TDs in a season. Manning didn’t just throw 50, he did it, kept going, and got halfway to 60. This was a downright Ruthian season by Peyton Manning.

The 2013 Broncos are the only NFL team in history to score more than 600 points in a season and had the second-most total yards in a season, with 7,313. They scored 30+ points in a game a staggering thirteen times during the regular season. The Broncos scored 50 or more points three times and 40-49 points three more times. This is an offense that was almost unfathomably dominant.

It was. Until they met the Seahawks.

And to be fair, most of the credit/blame for Denver’s offensive struggles can be given to Seattle’s defense. The Seahawks played a great game, but to act as if they were superhuman or something is to ignore the evidence. Seattle gave up 24 points to the winless Buccaneers, a team that finished dead last in the NFL in total yards. They allowed 20 points to the Texans, a dreadful team that finished the season with fourteen consecutive losses. The Broncos were never going to light this defense up for 40 points, but it would have been reasonable to expect something like 17, 20, 24 points from one of the best offenses in the history of football.

So I’m comfortable calling the Broncos’ performance awful. When the two best teams in the league face each other, the only way you end up with a five-touchdown win is with one team playing a great game and the other playing horribly. 

Credit where it’s due: Manning set the single-game Super Bowl record with 34 completions. It’s just tough to call that a great performance when his team didn’t have any choice but to throw the ball non-stop. (Score: 9 out of 15)

Were the teams historically great? (10 points)

On a single-season basis, they’re both in the neighborhood at the very least. The 2013 Seahawks had the best defense of the 21st century and by many measures the 2013 Broncos had the best offense of anyone, ever.

It’s a bit murkier when you zoom out a bit. The Seahawks won back-to-back NFC championships in 2013-14 and (obviously) won Super Bowl XLVIII. On the other hand, apart from those two Super Bowl appearances, they haven’t made it past the divisional playoffs in more than a decade. So they’re not ‘70s Steelers great, but they’re pretty darn good.

The Broncos are about the same. In their four years with Peyton Manning at quarterback, they never went worse than 12-4 in the regular season and never failed to win the AFC West. On the other hand, if you look that was a four-year blip in the middle of what was otherwise a period of mediocrity in Denver. Other than the Manning years, it’s been five head coaches and six regular starting quarterbacks since the Broncos won ten games in a season.

That’s not meant to degrade what Denver accomplished in those four years. I just like to see an extended period of success when I’m looking for dominance. I don’t see that here. What I do see is a team that appeared in two Super Bowls in three years and set a bunch of records for offensive output. That’s good, right? (Score: 9 out of 10)

Were there memorable moments that will be talked about for decades? (10 points)

Not a ton of them, simply because the game got out of hand so quickly. The three that come to mind are the first-play safety, the Smith pick-six, and Percy Harvin’s kickoff return for a touchdown. These weren’t plays that turned the game, but they were certainly memorable.

I’ve already written about the safety and the Smith interception, so I’ll concentrate on the Harvin touchdown here. Coming out of halftime, down 22 points and needing a stop on the first possession, the Broncos intentionally kicked off short in order to minimize the damage the lightning-fast Harvin could do. Maybe it was a good idea, but it was a disaster when the plan was put in motion. Matt Prater’s kick took a big bounce and floated in the air, giving Harvin time to grab the ball on the run and blow through the coverage team. If the Broncos had any level of confidence after halftime, it was out the window now. (Score: 3 out of 10)

How was the quality of play? Were there a lot of penalties, punts, and turnovers? (15 points)

Again, it’s tough to separate what was the Seahawks defense playing a great game and what was the Broncos offense not being able to get out of its own way.

There were only three punts, total, in Super Bowl XLVIII. The Seahawks only had to punt once because they scored just about every time they got the ball. The Broncos punted twice because they turned the ball over four times. (Six times, if you include turnovers on downs.) Speaking of which, there were more turnovers than punts in this game. That’s not a mark of great quality.

Despite their dominating win, the Seahawks committed 10 penalties and gave away 104 penalty yards. They weren’t anywhere near as sharp as you might expect from the 43-8 final score. (Score: 7 out of 15)

Are there any other factors that add to the greatness the game? This covers things like weather, story line, rivalry matchup, legacy franchises, unexpected results, etc. (15 points)

This game was played in metro New York, becoming the first outdoor Super Bowl to be played in a “cold weather” location. Despite the setting, this was not the coldest Super Bowl ever played and the temperature at kickoff (49 Fahrenheit) was fully ten degrees warmer than the temperature at Super Bowl VI in New Orleans.

As I’ve discussed above, this was a matchup of a great offense and a great defense. Both teams were the top seeds in their respective conferences and both went 13-3 in the regular season. Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning was a strong candidate for “greatest quarterback of all time” by this point and Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was a young rising star. Manning was looking to match his little brother Eli’s mark of two Super Bowl championships.

This was a pretty pedestrian Super Bowl in terms of storylines heading into the game. There wasn’t much to talk about besides Seattle Defense vs. Denver Offense, Manning vs. Wilson, and the weather forecast.

Personally and completely subjectively, this matchup was made a bit less interesting by the fact that the Seahawks and Broncos had spent around a quarter century together in the AFC West, playing each other twice a year. A younger viewer than me (I’m 42 as I write this) might not feel this way, but Seahawks-Broncos feels more like a regionally-televised late kickoff game in week eight than it does a Super Bowl. (Score: 7 out of 15)

How does the game grade overall? (sum of all previous categories, 100 points)

34 out of 100. 

Super Bowl XLVIII was, according to my highly scientific and not at all pulled out of thin air methodology, the single worst Super Bowl ever played. It’ll probably stay that way, at least until I wrap up the weekly part of this project in February 2018. The only remaining Bad Super Bowl is the next Broncos appearance in SB50, and I don’t recall that one being much worse than “pretty bad”.

Ratings and rankings of Super Bowls I-XLVIII:

1. Super Bowl XLII - New York Giants 17, New England 14 - 91 points

T2. Super Bowl XIII - Pittsburgh 35, Dallas 31 - 87 points T2. Super Bowl XXXVIII - New England 32, Carolina 29 - 87 points 4. Super Bowl XXXVI - New England 20, St. Louis 17 - 86 points 5. Super Bowl XXIII - San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16 - 85 points T6. Super Bowl XXV - New York Giants 20, Buffalo 19 - 84 points T6. Super Bowl XXXIV - St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16 - 84 points T8. Super Bowl X - Pittsburgh 21, Dallas 17 - 80 points T8. Super Bowl XLIX - New Orleans 31, Indianapolis 17 - 80 points 10. Super Bowl XLVI - New York Giants 21, New England 17 - 78 points 11. Super Bowl XXXII - Denver 31, Green Bay 24 - 77 points 12. Super Bowl XLVII - Baltimore 34, San Francisco 31 - 76 points 13. Super Bowl VII - Miami 14, Washington 7 - 74 points 14. Super Bowl XLIII - Pittsburgh 27, Arizona 23 - 71 points 15. Super Bowl XXX - Dallas 27, Pittsburgh 17 - 69 points T16. Super Bowl IX - Pittsburgh 16, Minnesota 6 - 68 points T16. Super Bowl XXXI - Green Bay 35, New England 21 - 68 points T16. Super Bowl XLV - Green Bay 31, Pittsburgh 25 - 68 points T19. Super Bowl XVII - Washington 27, Miami 17 - 67 points T19. Super Bowl XXVIII - Dallas 30, Buffalo 13 - 67 points 21. Super Bowl XXXIX - New England 24, Philadelphia 21 - 66 points 22. Super Bowl XIV - Pittsburgh 31, Los Angeles 19 - 65 points 23. Super Bowl XVI - San Francisco 26, Cincinnati 21 - 62 points T24. Super Bowl XL - Pittsburgh 21, Seattle 10 - 61 points T24. Super Bowl XIX - San Francisco 38, Miami 16 - 61 points T26. Super Bowl III - New York Jets 16, Baltimore 7 - 58 points T26. Super Bowl XXII - Washington 42, Denver 10 - 58 points 28. Super Bowl XXI - New York Giants 39, Denver 20 - 57 points 29. Super Bowl XXVII - Dallas 52, Buffalo 17 - 55 points 30. Super Bowl XXXIII - Denver 34, Atlanta 19 - 53 points 31. Super Bowl VI - Dallas 24, Miami 3 - 52 points 32. Super Bowl XX - Chicago 46, New England 10 - 51 points T33. Super Bowl I - Green Bay 35, Kansas City 10 - 50 points T33. Super Bowl XXXVII - Tampa Bay 48, Oakland 21 - 50 points T33. Super Bowl XLI - Indianapolis 29, Chicago 17 - 50 points T36. Super Bowl XVIII - Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington 9 - 49 points T36. Super Bowl XXIV - San Francisco 55, Denver 10 - 49 points 38. Super Bowl XXVI - Washington 37, Buffalo 24 - 48 points 39. Super Bowl VIII - Miami 24, Minnesota 7 - 47 points 40. Super Bowl XV - Oakland 27, Philadelphia 10 - 44 points 41. Super Bowl IV - Kansas City 23, Minnesota 7 - 43 points 42. Super Bowl XXXV - Baltimore 34, New York Giants 7 - 42 points T43. Super Bowl II - Green Bay 33, Oakland 14 - 40 points T43. Super Bowl V - Baltimore 16, Dallas 13 - 40 points 45. Super Bowl XXIX - San Francisco 49, San Diego 26 - 39 points 46. Super Bowl XII - Dallas 27, Denver 10 - 38 points 47. Super Bowl XI - Oakland 32, Minnesota 14 - 35 points 48. Super Bowl XLVIII - Seattle 43, Denver 8 - 34 points