#he cannot compete he cannot keep up he will be left in the dust & disregarded

[emdotcom]

Fucking nightmare blunt rotation of fictional dudes that need to prove they're the smartest guy in the room ft. William Afton, Joey Drew, & Cave Johnson

[skzsauce01]

Normal Pt 1

Description: For more skilled maneuvers, dragon shifters need a rider to help them out. After rejecting multiple riders, Hyunjin, a traumatized and handicapped shifter, is assigned to you. To add a cherry on top, you’re deaf, so how are you supposed cast spells to free him from his limitation, let alone the anger in his heart? Some HTTYD influence.

Warning: none

Word Count: 3.8k

Pairing: fem!reader x dragon!Hyunjin

Pt: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

“You have got to be kidding me.” Hyunjin can feel his eye twitching as he looks at you, his new rider. If he’s being honest, he’ll admit that you look familiar, but it doesn’t make him hate you any less.

“If you have complaints, then maybe you shouldn’t have mistreated your previous rider until he quit,” the professor seethes and begins walking away. “Remember, this is your last chance or we have to expel you.”

“Professor. Professor!” the young dragon-shifter calls, but his pleas fall on deaf ears. With a sigh, he turns to you, the one with literal deaf ears.

“Stay out of my way,” he growls and pushes roughly past you.

You tilt your head to the side, unable to comprehend his moving lips. He seems displeased, but still, you want to make a good first impression, so you run up after him and offer him a red pouch.

“What do you want?” he frowns.

You open the bag for him to see the appai berries inside, his favorite fruit. 

“Oh, wow, for me thanks!” he grins happily, making you smile as well. You beam at him as he takes the gift from your hands. However, you don’t expect him to then spit into the bag and shove it back into your face with a scowl. 

“You really think I’d say that?” he scoffs and continues stomping down the halls of Sheng Academy, shaking off the feeling that he’s seen you somewhere.

“A deaf handicap! Can you believe it?”

“Hyunjin, calm down,” his friend and roommate, Changbin, sighs.

“Easy for you to say; your rider is head prefect,” Hyunjin grumbles at the other shifter.

Changbin just lets out another sigh and focuses his attention on his dinner.

“Who says we need riders anyway?” Hyunjin continues. “We can fight and fly perfectly well without them!”

“You know that isn’t true.”

“I’m a Twilight Terror,” he hisses.

Changbin rolls his eyes at the mention of the superior dragon breed. “I’m going back to the dorms now. You should find her and get some practice in before the great ‘Twilight Terror’ falls face first into dirt in class tomorrow.”

“Like claws I will,” he curses while taking the unfinished custard from his friend’s plate.

It appears that you have the same idea as Changbin though. As soon as Hyunjin puts his tray onto the collecting belt, you walk up to him.

‘Practice?’ you sign. 

“I can’t understand your stupid hand dance,” he snickers and pushes your forehead backwards with two fingers.

You figure out what that meant, so you pull out a notepad and write your question onto a sheet.

With the same cocky smile on his lips, he leans down towards you and exaggeratedly replies, “Nnnnoooooo.”

Despite his answer, Hyunjin makes his way to the training grounds after he has lost you. It is actually a commonality for him to practice whenever he has a chance. By himself, that is.

“Face first?” Hyunjin mocks. “We’ll see about that.”

After a quick chant, the pendant around his neck glows and turns him into a gorgeous, deep purple reptile. Hyunjin lets out a majestic roar and takes off into the air.

He loves the feeling of the night air under his wings and the feeling of control as he maneuvers around the training course. Over the horizontal beam, around the rotating spikes, toss a fireball at the target, through the-- Bang! His tail accidentally slams against a pole, sending him face first into the sand below.

“Claws…” Hyunjin groans internally, picking his head off the ground. 

Fustratedly, he thumps his useless tail against the ground repeatedly until he feels an extra weight trying to hold it down. When the dust cloud he created settles down, he nearly gasps when he sees you clinging onto him with wide eyes.

You shake your head and make a thumping motion with your arm. ‘Don’t hurt yourself,’ you sign regardless of his understanding. 

Hyunjin blasts a breath of hot air into your face before flinging you off of him and flying away as quickly as he can.

Once alone again, Hyunjin curls up into himself and paws at his left tail fin, or rather, the lack thereof. He can still remember the day he lost it like it was yesterday. He can also still remember the man who took it from him. The man he called his rider.

Hyunjin knows deep down he cannot maneuver as fluidly and precisely without the spells of a rider even if he had a functioning tail, but he would rather keep trying every night by himself than admit it. Speaking of spells, how are you, a deaf rider, supposed to control him? You probably cannot even enunciate the most basic of spells, he realizes with a scoff. He realizes his hypocrisy when making fun of your handicap when he has one as well, but he would rather disregard that thought too.

“We’re going to be having free practice for class today. Remember, the New Year Race is in just over three months!” your professor announces. 

“Are you competing this year?” a she-dragon asks, bumping her snout against Hyunjin’s wing.

“We’ll see, Hye Ji,” he replies, hiding his tail even further between his two front legs. Hye Ji sighs at the response and flies off with her rider to find a training spot.

You cannot tell what the dragons are saying even if you can hear, but you can clearly see her intentions. You give Hyunjin a suggestive nudge, and he growls dangerously at you.

“Now, now, Hwang,” your professor chides. “Be nice. Maybe L/N can take you to the Race this year.”

“I don’t need a rider--”

“I’m sure you don’t.” Turning to you, she signs and vocalizes, “Ready?”

You nod, but Hyunjin lets out a grunt. To no one’s surprise, he starts to stalk off. As he does so, he feels a sudden weight overcoming his head, causing it to drop onto the ground and halting his movements. Angrily, he turns to the professor for using a spell on him. To his surprise though, her necklace wasn’t the one glowing; yours is. 

“How?” A spell like that is difficult and even more so when used on a dragon who has not accepted you as its rider yet, not to mention the even greater increase of difficulty due to your inability to have even heard the words to it before. Still, the white shine of your pendant is unmistakable.

After you release your spell, his curiosity bests his pride, so he stays where he is, watching your every move. You walk over to give him a few gentle strokes along his side-- a friendly, and non-invasive spot to pet.

‘I’m going to get on now, okay?’ you sign. 

Your professor translates, and Hyunjin lets out another grunt and flies off.

“What did I expect? I really hope he comes around before he can’t graduate,” your professor sighs and goes to check on her other students. You’ll figure it out, she hopes.

Flying alone makes him feel weightless and free. Although your earlier spell was impressive, it scared him, knowing there is someone who can control his muscles like that. So what if he isn’t able to make quick turns or fly in the same spot? He is a Twilight Terror; he can just blast away anything in his path.

He flies towards a nearby pole to prove his point. He gathers all his frustration and insecurity into a ball of plasma and condemns the approaching obstacle into obliteration.

Wait. Approaching?

Hyunjin’s eyes widen as he realizes that the pole is only one of many rotating ones on a gear-like contraption, and the next one is coming faster than he can react on his own. Suddenly, his muscles feel a sharp burst of energy and pivots his body just barely under the incoming barrier. His tail is left behind, however. It jerks uncontrollably behind him as the situation becomes more dire. 

Hyunjin lets out a worthless roar in your direction, demanding that you get your spells together quickly. You cannot hear him, but you understood his message. Honestly, you are disappointed with your lack of ability, but you simply are not used to working with a dragon with only half its fin, especially from a distance. Still, that is no excuse for you not to be able to save him. 

At the last Hollywood-like second, you manage to get Hyunjin out of harm’s way. He looks at you incredulously before flying a clear path towards you and turning human just as he lands. It’s only then that he notices how pristine your white riding uniform is. The underside of your coattails, the area most easily burned during fights, flaunt a brilliant crimson colour. Either you’ve just purchased the outfit or you are just that good at riding. 

With your professor gone, Hyunjin snatches the notepad from your coat to communicate.

‘How did you conjure spells like that?’ he scribbles and pushes the words into your face.

You take the pad back. ‘Let me on your back and you’ll see.’

Hyunjin scoffs at the idea. ‘Why didn’t you use them on me last night?’ he asks, referring to your rather pathetic attempts of holding his tail down with your physical body.

‘It wasn’t time yet. I don’t control dragons when I’m not supposed to. That’s abusive.’

Abusive? Hyunjin narrows his eyes, unsure whether or not you are lying. Why not use your powers when you have them, especially when you can control dragons who haven’t sworn their loyalty to you and from a distance no less. 

‘Who are you?’ he decides to ask.

You smile when you read his words. Eagerly you scribble your response. ‘Your friend who’s going to take you to the Race!’

Hyunjin rips off the page once he’s read it, crumples it, and tosses it at your black boots. “I’ve not entered that thing once in all the years I’ve been here,” he snarls in your ear, not caring that you can’t hear him. “No rider has ever been able to be my rider, let alone a friend.”

As he tries to walk off once again, you pull on his sleeve.

“What?” he whips around angrily.

You reach forward to press something into his mouth. It doesn’t take long for him to recognize the familiar sweetness of an appai berry. You hand him the page he threw at you, now with the words ‘good work!’ written on the back, and walk off the practice grounds, leaving him behind this time.

“Where did you get that?”

“Get what?” Changbin asks, popping another berry into his mouth and swirling his blue necklace around idly. A familiar red pouch sits besides him.

“This!” Hyunjin exclaims as he snatches the pouch before his roommate can grab another one.

“Dude, chill. It was just hanging on the door knob when I came home. Are they yours?”

“No,” he replies curtly.

“Hey! Then give them back!” yells Changbin after his friend as the latter makes his way back out again.

It doesn't take long for Hyunjin to find your dorm room. The look of excitement across your features when you open the door to see him only fuels his anger. 

“What is this?” he yells. “You think bribery is going to work?”

Your blank stare causes him to drag his hand down his face in frustration. Without a choice, he writes on your white board, ‘I don’t want any of your bribes’ and tosses the pouch at you.

You grab his wrist to prevent him from leaving as you write, ‘If you don’t want bribes, then earn it.’

“What?” he vocalizes. You understood that.

‘Earn the berries like you did today.’

‘This is ridiculous. I’m not a child.’

‘Then think of it as an add-on. You want to know how I work my spells, don’t you? Just try letting me on you, and you’ll find out AND get appai berries. It’s a win-win.’

‘Don’t you get it? I’m NOT letting a rider on my back.’

‘I’m not asking you to swear loyalty to me. Consider it a favor.’

‘And what makes you think I’d do you a favor?’

‘Because we’re friends! :D’

Hyunjin wipes away your emoji with his hand. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

For the next few days, while you are trying to coax him into a ride, Hyunjin has been trying to figure out your spellcasting methods by himself in the library. By his reasoning, there aren't too many riders who can control dragons who don’t let them, so the school journalists must have done an article about you somewhere sometime during your career at Sheng.

“Changbin, can you get the door?” he calls with an arm full of borrowed newspapers and magazines.

“Yeah, sure. One second.” 

“Thanks,” Hyunjin nods once the door swings open. He nearly drops all the manuscripts once he sees who else is inside the room though.

“What is she doing here?” he gestures accusingly at you with his head.

You wave innocently at him then beckon Changbin to sit back next to you.

“I’m helping her sketch a blueprint of a model of your tail so that she can practice on it since, you know, you won’t let her practice on you,” replies Changbin.

‘Thank you,’ you sign.

‘My pleasure.’

“You sign?” Hyunjin scoffs.

“She’s taught me a few things,” the other male shrugs. ‘He’s such a soggywog,’ he signs to you.

You giggle, which surprises the Terror since it’s the first sound he has heard from your mouth. It’s more pleasant than what he imagined a deaf person is able to muster, but again, it’s another fact he would rather not dwell on.

“What did you say to her?” he demands, to which his roommate shrugs and shares a knowing smile with you.

‘I think it’s about as good as it can get,’ Changbin writes, turning back to the blueprint. 

‘I’ll get to building it then,’ you write back and give him a quick hug as thanks before signing your goodbyes.

“You two sure got close,” Hyunjin notes as his friend closes the door behind you.

“She’s nice, so why not?” Changbin conjures a red pouch of berries from seemingly nowhere and starts munching on one. “They’re mine this time. Hands off.”

Hyunjin waves him off and spreads newspapers on the desk you have just vacated. “Anyway. I’m trying to figure out how Y/N is casting her spells. Want to help me?”

“Nope! She’s also going to constrict half of my tail and practice riding me, so I’ll find out sooner or later.”

“And I don’t suppose you’ll be telling me afterwards.”

“You’re so smart, Hyunjinie~” he coos mockingly.

“I’m telling your rider you’re cheating on him with another rider.”

“Oh, Chan already knows,” Changbin tells him. “He’s riding with her in case something goes wrong.”

“When did this happen?” the younger one wonders aloud.

“When you were busy avoiding your rider,” Changbin answers. “Not that I understand why. She’s so nice and pretty.”

“She’s not my--”

“Oh right, it’s cause you already have Hye Ji!”

“Seo Changbin!”

Hyunjin isn’t curious about what you can do about a broken tail like his. He isn’t! The only reason that he is hiding in one of the corners of the practice grounds is because he likes it there. Yeah, totally!

He sees you and Chan step back from Changbin as the dragon takes on his reptilian form.

‘Beautiful,’ he sees you sign towards the Death Fangs and get started fitting a contraption that will constrict the movement of the left half of his tail.

Chan helps you up and then gets on behind you himself, and your white necklace begins to glow as Changbin lifts up off the ground. Hyunjin frowns when Chan laughs upon figuring out your trick. Your lips are moving but not in a way the common spells would require them too. If you aren’t saying the spell words, what are you saying? 

Just then, your magic flickers a centimeter too far to one side, sending Changbin into a spinning spiral. Hastily, you pull on a string to release the constriction and increase your magic to steady the dragon. Chan helps, and a mix of blue and white ribbons of magic surrounds the three of you until Changbin is upright again.

During your increase in powers, Hyunjin can make out your chants. No, not chants, singing! How has he not noticed how you place a hand over your voice box to feel the vibrations as you ride? Rather than using different words for different spells, you use different frequencies! 

Chan has Changbin land with his arms around you much tighter than they were before the accident. Given the possible outcomes of what just happened, the tightness is warranted, but not in Hyunjin’s opinion.

‘I’m sorry,’ you sign once you have dismounted. 

‘No worries. It’s why we’re practicing,’ Chan assures. 

Of course the prefect knows how to sign too.

Changbin lets you reattach the constriction, and you are in the air again in no time with Chan right behind you. By the end of the session, you are able to maneuver Changbin through the easy course without any incidents. With satisfied nods, the three of you decide to make your way to the dining hall for dinner together while Chan bombards you with questions about your technique.

Hyunjin steps out of his hiding spot after you have left nothing but the memory of the white of your uniform behind. He doesn’t even realize how sore his legs have become from standing in the same spot for so long until he moves. Something about your riding is that enchanting that he forgets just how much time has passed. He wonders how you haven’t been able to find a single article about you yet.

“Hyunjin?”

“Hye Ji? What are you doing here?” He whips around to face the yellow dragon.

“Just out for a little air,” she replies with a sweet smile. “Want to fly with me?”

“I, uh, just finished training. I was just heading in for a shower,” Hyunjin lies.

“Come on, just a little bit?”

“I’m really tired, sorry,” Hyunjin tries, unconsciously moving the muscles that would hide his tail behind his back if he had one at the moment.

“Then I’ll carry you!” offers Hye Ji. “I tried it with my girl friends once. It’s really fun.”

“Your rider’s not here!”

The girl shrugs. “We can take the easy course. Come on, please?”

Before long, Hyunjin finds himself on top of the dragon fifty meters above the ground. 

“Hold on!”

She is right about one thing: this is really fun. Until they fly a little too close to a beam for his liking.

“Watch out!” Hyunjin yells. 

If he had been flying by himself, he would certainly not have been able to avoid it. Just then, he imagines you are sitting behind him, taking him from harm’s way as Hye Ji swoops naturally over the pole. Then suddenly, he is you. He is seeing the exact path you took not minutes ago with a broken tail swaying in the wind behind you. He looks to the side at how comfortable Hye Ji’s wings are without having to compensate for an imbalanced tail. 

He then closes his eyes and feels the wind blow effortlessly pass him. It’s a nostalgic feeling-- one he very much enjoyed years ago. He remembers flying without a care of where he is or where he’s going. He remembers flying without having to prove anything to himself or anyone. Most of all, he remembers flying with the laughter in his ears. Laughter from his--

His rider.

The thought jolts Hyunjin’s entirety. Being unaccustomed to riding, the motion jerks his body to the side of Hye Ji where he loses his footing and slips and begins an all to familiar journey to the ground. 

He chants the transformation spell to soften his landing with his wings.

“Beautiful,” Hye Ji breaths at Hyunjin’s deep purple scales. “I-I mean, I’m sorry about dropping you!”

The male shakes off the dust and returns to human form before she can see his tail, especially after she has just witnessed him face planting into the floor. Again.

“It was my fault,” Hyunjin says with a shake of his head. “I think it’s time I go back for that shower.”

“Wait! Don’t you want a ride? The dorms are very far from here,” she offers.

“No thanks. I’ll walk back.”

“I said I’m sorry!”

Hyunjin turns around to give her a small smile. “Don’t worry. It wasn’t you; I just have a few things to sort out myself.”

“I think I’m in love.”

Hyunjin raises an eyebrow at his roommate who’s sprawled across his bed. “Just from one ride?”

“She’s just… that amazing, you know?” he sighs exasperatedly.

“You’ve fallen one too many times today, haven’t you?”

Changbin sits up. “I’m just kidding, you know.”

“Good. You had me really worried there for a second,” Hyunjin chuckles with a shake of his head and turns back to his math homework.

“You don’t have to worry. I’m not going to play Chan dirty like that.”

Hyunjin looks up at his friend. “What about Chan?”

“S-M-I-T-T-E-N. She’s going to be in a lotta trouble with his fangirls. You know, since he’s head prefect and all.”

“He’s known her for one day,” Hyunjin objects with the shake of his head.

“At least he doesn’t avoid her like the plague.”

“I’m not trying to cozy up to that rider.”

“YOUR rider.”

“She’s not my--”

“Seriously, Hyunjin?” Changbin snaps. “How long are you going to go about that idea? You realize that riders get graded on how well they control their dragons, right? You might not care about not graduating or whatever, but have you thought about them? Do you know how many riders quit this school because they’ve been paired with you and your attitude? Do you realize how many of their hopes and dreams you’ve ruined?”

“I--”

“Yeah, sure your future isn’t what you want it to be because of your tail, and I’m guessing it’s some rider’s fault, but don’t you see that you’re doing the same thing to other people?”

“So what if I’m projecting my pain onto them?” Hyunjin retorts. “I’m a selfish, vengeful, futureless dragon. Maybe I should drop out myself to spare some rider from a poor, unfortunate fate of flying a half-tailed lizard!”

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

“You’re right, it’s not. You just want to protect your rider’s little girlfriend because she’s strong and pretty and bribes you with berries.”

“No, I want to protect you, Hyunjin,” Changbin states plainly. “Y/N is unlike any rider I’ve ever seen before, and I really think she can help you feel like who you were before. Just give her a chance.”

Hyunjin opens his mouth but is unable to find a counter reply. Changbin sighs and ruffles the younger dragon’s hair before heading to bed.

~ ad.gold

[ahmedmootaz]

Ooooh I saw your last comic and I wanted to ask if you have any headcanon for magica? Btw u are such an amazing writer and you deserve more followers.

Dear Anon,

D’aw, thank you! Your compliments are really nice to hear. I wouldn’t say that I’m much of a writer, but if any of my writings appeal to someone, then it makes it worth it.

But regarding the question: Yes. Perhaps not as crazy as other people’s, but I have my fair share of head-canons about her. They don’t necessarily apply to one version of Magica over the other, rather, to all of her versions. So without further ado:

1) She mostly speaks English (with a british accent, even) to out-british Scrooge. She still speaks italian, but when trying to one-up your mortal enemy at every possible turn, she’d do anything, no matter how petty or unnecessary it may be. Poe’s her only remaining family member who speaks English with her to both train her and himself, even if he obliges because she wouldn’t accept anything otherwise.

2) A powerful sorceress herself, she often suffers from linking her powers to powerful/mystical objects (See: The Shadow War.), losing them afterwards. While it’s never as severe as what happens in Ducktales 2017, it’s always rather humiliating whenever it happens.

3) Born during a prosperous era, Magica was often the most spoiled of The DeSpell new generation. She was expected to be a new dark sorceress, and it was how it happened.

4) Her entire family tree is full of villains and other morally ambiguous people. It runs in the family, and she only picked up the torch where it was left.

5) I go off the notion that magic helps lengthen one to live a bit longer than your every day person, so I often think she’s born around 1910. Living atop Mount Vesuvius with the rest of her family helped her not really feel The Great War or World War two, though some of her family members got conscripted into the armies of whatever territory they were on.

6) Speaking of which, she does love the little home she has atop the Mount. It’s quite the pleasant place to live, though she had to cut off some of its compartments throughout the years as it fell apart. Naples is a nice city, but she never appreciated the city-life. Only its amenities, as such, she steals her electricity cables, her water pipes, Internet cables and anything else that has bills from down there. She has other bills to pay as a witch, but these ones are out of her life.

7) She’s not really ‘hip’ with the new Tech of this day and age, despite the fact that she’s one of the youngest witches around. Her never-ending quests for glory often put her out of the loop for a couple of years.

8) This isn‘t really a head-canon, more like obscure canon, but she adores football. She’s the number one fan of the Italian team, and she stops all her activities during the World Cup. She’s still salty about the last few ones.

9) She’s not the greatest when it comes to home chores. She often prefers magic to manual labor, but sometimes magical dust or stains require this manual labor. She’s also not the greatest cook around and often depends on Poe, her brother, to help her out with that, even if she can do some of it on her own.

10) Despite her cold, hard exterior....she’s also pretty cold on the inside. But she has a heart. She cares for her family (some members, anyways,), her spells, and winning.

11) Speaking of which, she does actually win!....Whenever Scroogie isn’t around. Retrieving ancient artifacts, destroying other enemies, you name it. She’s a competent sorceress, and if it wasn’t for Scrooge’s perseverance and experience, I’m not certain he would’ve stood against her for long.

12) She had a sort of dream-team with Poe when he wasn’t a raven. He was far more physical than her, and she was better at spells than he was. He used the physical side of magic while she was on the more mentally exhausting parts. Though he did dabble in bits and pieces even she doesn’t touch...

13)...That was, of course, until he became a raven. A battle-gone-wrong and a spell that was supposed to hit a blank ricocheted off a mirror and hit him and, much to both their horror,  she couldn’t go back on it. The closest remaining family member she had and she turned him into a raven. It’s a rather sensitive part of their relationship, and she didn’t forgive herself for it.

14) Both as a result of no longer having Poe be the hitting force of the duo and because of her adventures, she’s rather athletic for a supposed fragile sorceress, if her ability to square with Donald when he’s enraged and then draw is anything to go by.

15) She’s an avid fan of Ducktor Who. Ever since she discovered it in the 60s and up until now, she’s been watching every new episode. First as something to get her mind off of any sort of failure that might’ve befallen her, it’s now something she actually enjoys and sets up an entire movie night for.

16) She’s also a big fan of fashion. Not all the time, obviously, but she has a sort of style, even if she’s often too busy plotting to notice if she’s wearing socks with sandals or other such horrors.

17) She cannot drive cars to save her life, literally. Boats? Sure, some training and a sunken yacht in the Pacific later, but she can do it. Planes? She can keep them in the air. Cars? Nope.Not a chance. If it doesn’t explode, every car she drives is a likely target for bumps, scratches, and complete and utter pulverisation. Luckily, she has magic by her side, but it ruined a good plan on more than one occasion.

18) She’s a pretty good reader. You need to be one when all of the world’s spells are scattered throughout thousands of pages.

19) She’s not really the social type. She has some friends here and there, but disregarding her family, she mostly works alone. It’s not that she can’t do it, more than she can’t be bothered to do it. Too much time spent for too little. Who cares if people found her weird? She only needed her new raven assistant to go shopping.

20) Despite everything that may appear, she’s still at heart Magica DeSpell. Queen of Naples, Guardian of the Forbidden Spells, Creator Of Untrue Titles, you say it. She’s a threat that none should have to face, and she can demonstrate why with her fist before her spells.

So those were twenty head-canons I had of Magica. I hope you do enjoy them, Anon, and be sure to leave your thoughts about them! I do appreciate other people’s thoughts, really I do. So until next time, see ya’!

[bulletandsophia]

Some Meta (Tinfoil?) Because Episode 4 Had Me All Shook. Spoilers Included, Beware.

Okay, so I’ve few more thoughts about what can happen to the show moving forward. I think I’ve seen enough material from the past four episodes to create this somewhat long assumption on the endgame ship.

First and foremost, I am a fan of a good piece of literature (defined from here on, as I’ve studied in the university, as a piece of text or material from whichever medium or channel) and a well-thought literary criticism. I am keeping an open mind on this one so I hope you do too so we can create a healthy, substantial, and fascinating discourse. To keep it clear, this is mostly show-based analysis. 😊

And so, here we go. Read below the cut.

After seeing episode four that just for some reason blew me away not only on the execution and craftsmanship but even more so on the emotional depth that almost all of the characters in that episode have conveyed. I’ve already written a short recap on this particular episode in a previous post but in summary, I thought the episode gave us all what we wanted and rightfully, in GoT style. It was confusing, terrifying, and most definitely opened to A LOT MORE to interpretation.

The episode is both plot and character(s) driven that for me, it moved so much of the story in all characters’ respective playing field. Just a quick recap of the instances that has inspired me so to think of this meta:

1. Jon and D*ny finally have a semblance of a real conversation that made us see where their priorities still lie. Jon in the North, D*ny of conquering all of Westeros. Emphasis on “still” because this scene can inspire even more shifts in their dynamic. To where? That is the most exciting part.

2. Stark children Sansa, Arya, and Bran are finally all together in Winterfell surrounded by both angels (Brienne/Pod) and demons (Littlefinger) that could potentially put them in a tug-of-war. But ultimately, House Stark is back.

3. Jon and Theon dealing with past issues rekindled in a short but very tension-filled reunion. Might seem random. But I believe, it’s not (initially because of Dadvos’ reaction) but you can see why later on.

4. Tyrion and Jamie having some sort of similar realizations (of fear and disbelief) after witnessing D*ny’s fury and destruction on the battlefield.

With all these impressions and material to work on, a huge question has run rampart after this episode leak. Is the endgame Jonsa or J*nerys? This episode was filled with moments for both ships to shine and sail and I say they are both sailing very well. But again, in consideration of ALL that is happening (cue here LF’s words of wisdom: everything is happening all at the same time), we cannot simply disregard characterization, context, AND the other characters in order to make a ship happen.

First, Jon and D*ny are definitely going somewhere. I cannot entirely say yet that it will be full-on romantic or tragic or chaotic for episode four left this (too deliciously) vague for me. But they are intertwined both in the aspects of claiming the Iron Throne and in defeating the White Walkers. What I love is how blatant this knowledge is that I don’t even have to explain why. For anyone with the right senses, matched with the aforementioned knowledge of their intertwined fates, the simpler and almost only logical thing to do is to place Jon and D side by side as the power couple. It is a good picture. It is an efficient picture. But of course, this is GoT and as I see it, showrunners are putting in as much tension between the two to deny the audience the quick and convenient union of “ice and fire”, creating an even more plausible chemistry a la the usual love-hate relationship trope. But as of now, Jon and D*ny are sure of their intentions and priorities in defeating the Walkers and getting the Iron Throne respectively. It is then in these contrasting goals that their true dilemma lies. At this point, they are not agreeable with each other. While some may argue that there is also a clear attraction, this mere reasoning cannot reconcile their beliefs and allowing it to be is a disservice to both characters. And so, as I can see it, and mentioned in my previous post, something drastic will have to occur to make this partnership believably happen.

With episode four, I can now fully understand those supposed “leaks” comparing J/D with Lyanna and Rhaeger later on. It actually makes sense. And if it does happen, I will be so glad for it. Because for Jon and D to get together, it will have to be some sort of an epic “betrayal” not only for the realm, but to their current disposition and beliefs now. The look Jon had in the cave scene where D mentioned his pride and of sacrificing his people because of it, is a look of a person conflicted. D*ny’s words are challenging Jon’s honor and loyalty to the North/Starks. This creates an internal dilemma for Jon. He does not want to betray his people and yet we also know how he is so desperate for help. So how then can Jon get the queen’s support? This question has opened up tons of interpretation in which I conclude will make J*nerys actually happen—but not without its bitterness. Because first and foremost, I believe, for that ship to happen, both J and D have to sacrifice and shed some parts of who they are now.

For Jon, it will be his biggest gesture and by far, his biggest character shift yet because the possibility of J/D happening first lies in the notion and acts of Jon Snow falling in love with D. Like truly falling in love with her. He has to admire her truthfully, honestly and with a passion despite everything that has happened and despite everything D has already done. This choice that Jon will make will also be despite the North, his beliefs, and despite his siblings. Jon will choose D and evidently, not his honor (cue here Maester Aemon’s words: what is honor compared to a woman’s love, etc.) This then makes the J/D-L/R parallel sensible. This is a version of J/D against the rest of the world, against all the odds.

BUT THEN, we were also bombarded in the past few episodes of how Jon should be smarter than Robb and Eddard—both of whom died because of honor and love. So, another way to read this (and probably the most intriguing) is for Jon to perhaps do the other way around. Jon—loyal to a core to the North and his family—will shed his honor (unlike Ned) and will be unburdened by love (unlike Robb) for ironically, planned and with selfish intent, he has to make D fall in love with him and earn her trust.

Ultimately, as King, this is Jon Snow finally playing the game of thrones.

The only silver lining here is for D to be the one to change, and not Jon. For J/D to make sense, she needs to clear up her issues and questionable judgements on leadership, morality, and power. That is then her big gesture, to fall into Jon’s ideals and principles and of the people he cares for. This will be her paradigm shift from all that she’s worked for and believed in since so many seasons ago; accepting that she is not fit to rule (and not born to rule, once Jon’s identity is finally revealed) and finally shedding off the madness and ruthlessness in her (madness that episode 4 can attest to). She has to see Westeros the way Jon sees it too. She has to be remorseful with her past (and future?) horrific actions (again, once she finds out Jon’s parentage). So, for as long as D’s hunger for the IT won’t recede, J/D is the narrative and the tragedy of Jon losing a core of his self for it, emulating the same mistakes his parents did before him, embodying and solidifying that he is indeed both ice and fire, and starting an unnecessary war, betrayal, and conflict between the kingdoms (and perhaps, even within his siblings)—only this time, it’s much worse, what with the bigger threat of the undead that still looms.

So how does Jonsa play in all of these? Were we all just delusional in seeing those parallels? Were we overanalyzing Jon’s protectiveness? No, I’d beg to differ. I think all these Jonsa hints are even more deliberate as we are also now (assumed) to go canon with the J/D ship. I actually love how these two ships are playing side by side. Because even if small, short, and unseen by the casual viewers, Jonsa hints are scattered all over the episodes since season 6. I’d like to believe that this has a specific and special reason in the narrative. Because while J/D might be the epic, tragic, right-in-your face love story, Jonsa is not. Or I think will it ever be.

I think it’s never supposed to be that anyway because as I see it now, again considering all of the things that is happening, Jonsa is the story that has to creep up with melancholy realization for both Jon, Sansa, and us, the audience, as soon as the dust of war has settled. And if I were to believe that D will find her demise beyond the wall fighting the walkers, then this leaves Jon with only one option: to go home. I still couldn’t fathom him wanting the throne. And before anyone can even raise this, Sansa in this scenario is NOT and NEVER will be a second option. Not when, as I said, she has been creeping up since season 6. She is then, as we’ve seen, already a part of Jon. His reactions in anything that concerns Sansa is a reflex; they now share a quiet natural bond.

As what we have witnessed, listed, and gif-ed (lol!), these Jonsa moments are already too many to be disregarded as simple accidents. I think these moments are planted for posterity and to serve as a reminder for us as soon as the war ends of their certain dynamic building and buried in the middle of all the magic and the spectacle. For all the parallels showrunners have made for Jonsa, Ned/Cat is the most evident. And what else do they perhaps want to make us remember but of that sheer joy, love, and relative peace Ned and Cat had and portrayed in season one?

Jon and Sansa IS Ned and Cat reincarnate. With all these parallels and hints, with Sansa’s competency in ruling, her undying belief in goodness (‘If I’m to be queen, I will make them love me.’), Jon’s stil intact honor, bravery, and love for family, hugely echo Ned/Cat’s ideal courtly, familial life that we have not seen for so long. Jon and Sansa, relieving this scenario again one moment at a time, only affirms that they are or can be, the dream of spring, the two people who can rebuild a home again (vs. J/D’s partnership that saves). And at this point of where we are now in the story, it is literally a wishful thinking. It cannot be realized. Yet.

But, as soon as the WW are defeated and Jon comes home, we can have this. We can finally have this. And no one—any character who had the privilege of witnessing Jon’s protectiveness with anything that concerns Sansa and what with Sansa’s constant talk of Jon—can argue that they did not see this coming. Always, even if just a hunch (LF and Davos’ suspicions), it has always been there. Then on the other hand we, as the audience, both casual and in-depth, have the power to look back on the literature and surprise ourselves with the ingenuity of it all.

It has always been there.

But the best pay-off for this ending is perhaps the fulfillment of Jon and Sansa’s dreams. A loving household they can finally live in. Together. And with the restoration of peace, Jon can also then redeem and revive the honor, the loyalty, and the love he had probably lost along the way in fulfilling his prophecy.

BUT if indeed, it comes to an end where Jon had changed and transformed (to a half-dead, the Night King, D’s husband if she survives, or ultimately shedding the remaining Starkness in him), the bittersweet truth still lies so glaringly. Because we can look back to all these moments and realize that Sansa is Jon’s what could have been. She is his once dream fulfilled before all the chaos, the prophecies, and the truth changed, possessed, and occupied him so. She is the other reality he could have had. As the audience, our power again to revisit each and every episode since the reunion can realize how they could have also worked so, so well; the quiet parallel to the more dramatic, glamorized, and epically soap-opera way J/D has or can happen.

The last three episodes of this season will surely change (or add) more to this thought but at this point, with the promise of bitterness, blood, and eventual spring, this is where I can see the end game going. And so while J/D can become canon, I believe that this does not make Jonsa any less true. Both endgames are a realization and a contrast of the dreams (Jonsa) and the destiny (J*nerys) of the song of ice and fire himself, Jon Snow.

Whew! What do you think? :)

[watchstandpray]

From the Creator of Watch Stand Pray

Though the subtitle reads “Moral Motivation”, I do not consider myself any moral authority by any means. Morality is a topic society is hungry for. It would be a crime not to spread the news: Morals are good.

Note that the title is not “Moral Perfection”. I write these words to myself as much as to everyone else. As the words suggest, this work is both a motivation for morals and a set of moral-centered motivationals.

I was inspired by my many students and friends, as well as Oswald Chambers. I was introduced to his work when a kind of spiritual grandmother in my life gave me a copy as I went off to Moody. My Utmost for His Highest, the gold standard of Bible-based devotionals, was a collection of notes from Chambers’ widow; our loved ones often know our best values best. He died at 43 years old of a health condition. His first book, Biblical Psychology, was published five years before that. If he could address both Bible and culture at such a young age, I can too.

I write this at 37 years old. When I first wrote this Introduction, I had only finished the first read, drafted about eleven other candidate reads, and had a list of about 180 for other topics, at least 100 of them Bible Theology topics. Most of those are rants I have given to friends on more than one occasion. It seems, according to the fact that his wife took notes of what he would say at home, Oswald was a bit of a “ranter” like myself. What writer/teacher isn’t?

My father would also go on “wisdom rants”. He called them “little Walter thoughts”. Our family treasures them today. Toward the end of his life, he started to write them down, but most of what he said remains only in memory. I don’t want that for my own ideas for future generations. Although I have written political columns, Bible teachings of many kinds, fiction, and numerous other pieces in various genres, nothing I ever wrote before this really had “Jesse thoughts”. This does.

Oswald Chambers brought us all something special. His daily readings aren’t just “Bible study”. They were real, passionate, and natural from the moment. Those kinds of “household wisdom rants” have the strongest “didactic” teaching impact in childhood. Some of our best books are the ones we don’t know we write. Oswald remains unique in the devotional world.

The lesser among devotionals can often be with cliche, are quite dry, belong best under dust on a coffee table’s lower shelf, or were invaluable for readers from another time. Many good Bible devotionals are aimed at novice Bible readers who love Jesus and need elementary teaching to enrich their busy, hectic lives. There are many rich daily-Bible books, such as 365 Read-Aloud Bedtime Bible Stories, the “Uncle” Arthor Maxwell collections, and it goes without mention that Max Lucado and my dear friend, Joe Stowell, are generally awesome. But, all of these are heavily focused on traditional Bible-preaching topics.

What about the professional? What about the Christian who wants to minister through the marketplace or in government? Wisdom such as, “Make sure you’re nice to people because God really loves you as much as them,” carries truth that can be properly applied if we take it to heart; but it doesn’t necessarily answer all challenges of the working professional.

Who disciples the Daniels and Josephs? Who motivates the motivational speakers? They weren’t without mentors of their own. Without any spite, I believe there is a “red ocean” marketable need for a book that daily enriches the lives of self-proclaimed “Christian yuppies”. I wanted “Tony Robins meets Oswald Chambers”. Frankly, that’s Jesse Steele.

Oswald Chambers didn’t intend to write the book he wrote. That was part of its magic. The only reason that I can justify even being worthy to want to follow in his shoes is that every one of these 365 reads—353 of them yet-to-be-drafted—are from rants I have already made. I’m doing zero research and zero outlining for these devotionals. I’m simply sitting at a keyboard and pounding out “repeating broken record rants” of my past that people have thanked me for time and again. The book will be finished as fast as I can type. (Now we know how long it took.)

(Don’t tell her, but this is arguably a romance tactic. If I publish all my brilliant ideas before I meet my future wife, that might deter her from taking notes while I’m ranting. Wouldn’t that have been kind of funny—a young couple getting into it when the wife suddenly pulls out a pad of paper and starts taking notes? Just sayin’. But, I kinda’ like that kinda’ woman.)

No, I’m not married. I just haven’t had time to pursue it, being too busy with other important things that I won’t have time for in the future. So, how can I even include anything about marriage and family in these readings?

I am a son and an uncle, for what it’s worth. I hope I’m valuable to my nieces and nephews. Still, I severely limit myself on the topic of raising a family. I can’t speak to the 24/7 parenting gig; it’s exhausting just to think about. But, if it is wrong to write wisdom for children when you don’t have any of your own then most of CS Lewis’ work would be unqualified.

In terms of marriage, I am just an inquisitive observer. I’ve often picked the brains of married couples to see what works for them, why they fail, why they succeed, and I often know more about what goes on behind the scenes than people realize. I’m somewhat of the grapevine in that sense. I don’t think God would let those little “bees” buzz over and keep me so informed if I flapped jaw about other people’s problems. I keep a tighter lip than most will ever know. Many a secret will go to my grave with me. From those secrets, I have a wide scope of what I have seen fail and succeed. I think it would be a crime not to share at least a little from that insight.

These reads contain the warnings and wisdom anyone can see in advance, with a little diligence and “grapevining”. I’ll probably write a post-parenting book on how it all worked out. My mother often told me with all sincerity and no animosity, “I can’t wait to see how your ideas actually work out when you’re a parent.”

What do I have to say about being a father?

I write this not as a father, but as a godfather of a godson whose father left him forever when he was three, to whom I gave my name. I have none of the rights nor powers of a real father, yet I carry much of the responsibility. I have no influence in his regular instruction or situation. I am only available when called on and can only act in the capacity of a commentator and cheerleader. In many ways, I wish I had even some of the powers of a real father to David, with no second thought for the burdens that would come with them. I did not ask for him to be my godson and I cannot ask to be released. I only write about the topic of fathering because no devotional would be complete without it. In this, I write from what I little I do know and from what the Bible teaches. I hope that God grants you the powers to glean from my wisdom and disregard my lacking.

But, I am no novice to these matters either.

My grandmother was called “Grandma” even by her elders because of her wide and long work with children in her local church. Even after she died, my aunt’s neighbor, who barely knew her, had a dream in which she called her “Grandma”. My mother was listed in the local newspaper among the top ten local daycare providers. My own babysitter, from before I entered elementary school, was a leader in her community and I am still in touch with her to this day. We often talk about dealing with people as we never stop growing up.

During the ages of nine and ten, when I was homeschooled, I listened to Dr. Kevin Leman on the radio every day as parents called into his national talk radio program for advice. Sadly, yet honestly, I believed I have studied the subject of parenting more than most parents. In addition to that, I have twenty-three years of one-on-one tutoring experience with ages ranging from five to seventy and in three different cultures. I have seen many parenting styles, what fails and what succeeds, and I say confidently as humbly: It’s all predictable.

Books have already been published about most every problem and conflict. Talk radio hosts, even the less famous, have addressed many challenges. Yet, most of the people who face great challenges in family relationships rarely seek advice, let alone seek advice in advance. Not seeking advice in advance is usually among the greatest problems in family. Never have I encountered a situation where my own counsel had not already been published by men more experienced than I. When it comes to family, I have absolutely nothing new to say, yet I think I have seen one quarter of all there is to see, the total being unfathomable.

I do not have experience as a husband or as a biological father. I can’t speak from impure relations either. I can only speak from the perspective of one who has the wisdom to wait for things for which I know I am not prepared. Of all the experience I lack, the greatest is preventable and unnecessary failure. For the failures I have, I am glad I was at least absent from the bleachers and present on the game field.

Aside from parenting, I feel competent in the areas of which I write. I survived nine years overseas with my only financial plan being God as my provider. Everything I write about money came from what I have observed in life and read in the Bible. The same goes for leadership, whether organizationally, in business relations, friendship, or positions of authority such as controlling a classroom or working in government.

My work speaks for itself, including the fifteen other books I have written as of 2018, all of them available as ebooks and through print on demand, as well as the inkVerb and PinkWrite projects along with many others. I have a degree in Bible, ten years of work in food service, twenty years in education, and am a pianist of thirty. I am son to a widowed mother and Military Police renaissance-man and teacher of a father. I am a brother, uncle, godfather, Linux programmer, designer, podcaster, columnist, predictor of politics, adviser to unnamed few, ESL and piano teacher, forever student, individual sport enthusiast, hands-on student of culture, lover of people almost as much as I am lover of our Creator God, sinner, mentor, friend, hunter, tamer of animals, writer, editor, survivor, and hope-to-be-better every day all-around good guy.

I write this at 37 years old. At this time, I have only drafted the first read, about eleven other candidate reads, and have a list of about 180 for other topics, at least 100 of them Bible Theology topics. Most of these are rants I have given to friends on more than one occasion. It seems, according to the fact that his wife took notes of what he would say at home, Oswald was a bit of a “ranter” like myself. What writer/teacher isn’t?

My father would also go on “wisdom rants”. He called them “little Walter thoughts”. We treasure them today. Toward the end of his life, he started to write them down, but most of what he said remains only in memory. I don’t want that. Although I have written political, Bible, fiction, and numerous other pieces in various genres, nothing really had “Jesse thoughts”. This does.

Oswald Chambers brought something special. His daily readings aren’t just “Bible study”. They were real, passionate, and natural from the moment. Those kinds of “household wisdom rants” have the strongest “didactic” teaching impact in childhood. Some of our best books are the ones we don’t know we write. Oswald remains unique in the devotional world.

The lesser among devotionals can be filled with cliche, quite dry, belong best under dust on a coffee table’s lower shelf, or were invaluable for readers from another time. Many good Bible devotionals are aimed at novice Bible readers who love Jesus and need elementary teaching to enrich their busy, hectic lives. There are many rich daily-Bible books, such as 365 Read-Aloud Bedtime Bible Stories, the “Uncle” Arthor Maxwell collections, and it goes without mention that Max Lucado and my good friend, Joe Stowell, are generally awesome. But, all of these are heavily focused on traditional Bible-preaching topics.

What about the professional? What about the Christian who wants to minister through the marketplace or in government? Wisdom such as, “Make sure you’re nice to people because God really loves you as much as them,” carries truth that can be properly applied if we take it to heart; but it doesn’t necessarily answer all challenges of the working professional.

Who disciples the Daniels and Josephs? Who motivates the motivational speakers? They weren’t without mentors of their own. Without any spite, I believe there is a “red ocean” marketable need for a book that daily enriches the lives of self-proclaimed Christian yuppies. I wanted “Tony Robins meets Oswald Chambers”. Frankly, that’s Jesse Steele.

Oswald Chambers didn’t intend to write the book he wrote. That was part of its magic. The only reason that I can justify even being worthy to follow in his shoes is that every one of these 365 reads—353 of them yet-to-be-drafted—are from rants I have already made. I’m doing zero research and zero outlining for these devotionals. I’m simply sitting at a keyboard and pounding out “broken record rants” of my past that people have thanked me for time and again. The book will be finished as fast as I can type.

(Don’t tell her, but this is arguably a romance tactic. If I publish all my brilliant ideas before I meet my future wife, that might deter her from taking notes while I’m ranting. Wouldn’t that have been kind of funny—a young couple getting into it when the wife suddenly pulls out a pad of paper and starts taking notes? Just sayin’. But, I kinda’ like that kinda’ woman.)

No, I’m not married. I just haven’t had time to pursue it, being too busy with other important things that I won’t have time for in the future. So, how can I even include anything about marriage and family in these readings?

I am a son and an uncle, for what it’s worth. I hope I’m valuable to my nieces and nephews. Still, I severely limit myself to the topic of raising a family. I can’t speak to the 24/7 gig; it’s exhausting just to think about. But, if it is wrong to write wisdom for children when you don’t have any of your own then most of CS Lewis’ work would be unqualified.

In terms of marriage, I am just an inquisitive observer. I’ve often picked the brains of married couples to see what works for them, why they fail, and I often know more about what goes on behind the scenes than people realize. I’m somewhat of the grapevine in that sense. I don’t think God would let those little “bees” buzz over and keep me so informed if I flapped jaw about other people’s problems. I keep a tighter lip than most will ever know. Many a secret will go to my grave with me. From those secrets, I have a wide scope of what I have seen fail and succeed. I think it would be a crime not to share at least a little from that insight.

These reads contain the warnings and wisdom anyone can see in advance, with a little diligence. I’ll probably write a post-parenting book on how it all worked out. My mother often told me with all sincerity and no animosity, “I can’t wait to see how your ideas actually work out when you’re a parent.”

What do I have to say about being a father?

I write this not as a father, but as a godfather of a godson whose father left him forever when he was three, to whom I gave my name. I have none of the rights nor powers of a real father, yet I carry much of the responsibility. I have no influence in his regular instruction or situation. I am only available when called on and can only act in the capacity of a commentator and cheerleader. In many ways, I wish I had even some of the powers of a real father to David, with no second thought for the burdens that would come with them. I did not ask for him to be my godson and I cannot ask to be released. I only write about the topic of fathering because no devotional would be complete without it. In this, I write from what I little I do know and from what the Bible teaches. I hope that God grants you the powers to glean from my wisdom and disregard my lacking.

But, I am no novice to these matters either.

My grandmother was called “Grandma” even by her elders because of her wide and long work with children in her local church. Even after she died, my aunt’s neighbor, who barely knew her, had a dream in which she called her “Grandma”. My mother was listed in the local newspaper among the top ten local daycare providers. My own babysitter, from before I entered elementary school, was a leader in her community and I am still in touch with her to this day. We often talk about dealing with people as we never stop growing up.

During the ages of nine and ten, when I was homeschooled, I listened to Dr. Kevin Leman on the radio every day as parents called into his national talk radio program for advice. Sadly, yet honestly, I believed I have studied the subject of parenting more than most parents. In addition to that, I have twenty years of one-on-one tutoring experience with ages ranging from five to seventy and in three different cultures. I have seen many parenting styles, what fails and what succeeds, and I say confidently as humbly: It’s all predictable.

Books have already been published about every problem and conflict. Talk radio hosts, even the less famous, have addressed many challenges. Yet, most of the people who face great challenges in family relationships rarely seek advice, let alone seek advice in advance. Not seeking advice in advance is usually among the greatest problems in family. Never have I encountered a situation where my own counsel had not already been published by men more experienced than I. When it comes to family, I have absolutely nothing new to say, yet I think I have seen one quarter of all there is to see, the total being unfathomable.

I do not have experience as a husband or as a biological father. I can’t speak from impure relations either. I can only speak from the perspective of one who has the wisdom to wait for things for which I know I am not prepared. Of all the experience I lack, the greatest is preventable and unnecessary failure. For the failures I have, I am glad I was at least absent from the bleachers and present on the game field.

Aside from parenting, I feel competent in the areas of which I write. I survived nine years overseas with my only financial plan being God as my provider. Everything I write about money came from what I have seen in life and read in the Bible. The same goes for leadership, whether organizationally, in business relations, friendship, or positions of authority such as controlling a classroom.

My work speaks for itself, including the fifteen other books I have written as of 2018, all of them available as ebooks and through print on demand, as well as the inkVerb and PinkWrite projects along with many others. I have a degree in Bible, ten years of work in food service, twenty years in education, and am a pianist of thirty. I am son to a widowed mother and Military Police renaissance-man and teacher of father, brother, uncle, godfather, Linux programmer, designer, podcaster, columnist, predictor of politics, adviser to unnamed few, ESL and piano teacher, forever student, individual sport enthusiast, hands-on student of culture, lover of people almost as much as I am lover of our Creator God, sinner, mentor, friend, hunter, tamer of animals, writer, editor, survivor, and hope-to-be-better every day all-around good guy.

— Jesse Steele Creator of Watch Stand Pray