#i guess i need the pressure of peer review to kick my ass about it

[pinnithin-writes]

i need to get my ass in another fiction workshop course next semester so im pressured to write something actually interesting

[jordm]

Heartland 13x01 - Snakes and Ladders review

WELCOME TO HEARTLAND SEASON 13!

After a quiet two seasons off (weather seasons... not Heartland seasons), we are back! 

TBH, I kind of forgot this show was coming back until CBC actually started doing promos but once I saw the trailer, I was very excited! It looks like the season is going back to basics - about the heart, about the home, about real-life (with some TV dramatization for effect) and I AM HERE FOR IT. More about everyday life and less Mongolia please!

Also Kurt could be Curt but when I wrote this, I went with Kurt so whatever. Complete side note: I’ve been half heatedly watching Big Brother this season and I kind of dislike (but respect his game) and Jackson is gonna probably be one of the final two and he’s kind of a jackass so on brand for his name? :D

AMY AND TY

Apparently some client has been bugging them for weeks, one Kurt Jackson, to take on his horse. Amy, in reality has said no because she has enough clients and cannot handle take on another horse (the correct response). Even Georgie points out that there are so many new horses at the farm. However Kurt, clearly hurt and unable to accept the truth, posts multiple bad reviews (apparently under different names) and ultimately forces Ty and Amy to take him on as a client, even though she was 10 OTHER CLIENT HORSES! I’d imagine he wishes he just listened to Amy and didn’t force her to take his horse in.

“I see you found room in your schedule” says Kurt - only because you basically forced them too *rolls eyes*

I know this is nary the point, but if Ty and Amy are so busy, would it be within reason to suggest they hire someone to assist with the load? I also don’t know how i feel with them giving into peer pressure to add another client horse when they’re over their client capacity already but I understand why they caved, especially after Tim told them his experience with his father. It also sets a precedence that they can be bullied into taking client horses at last minute.

Q: Is this why Amy gets called Horse Killer in the promo? Me thinks so. But is it because his horse actually dies or he is overdramatisizing everything??

Alright so at this point, I had to take a phone call (and i never went back to watch it lol), but I got the idea that she had to call her clients and tell them the bad news. And then they all came and were extremely angry so anyways that’s that. 

Was Ty right to insist to take on Sarge? Honestly, it’s not so bad. Again, Hindsight 20/20. But, initially Ty sided with his wife and said no to Kurt, and only conceded once he say that Kurt could literally ruin his business with his multiple bad reviews. Even Amy thought it would be for the best (”for the horse”) and Tim and Georgie conceded Kurt would never stop. So, was this a case of “you should have listened to me?” Maybe, but it’s not as bad as his other “Ty walks over Amy” situations because he did, at the very least, listen to Amy and only said yes once his business was in “Jeopardy” and everyone in the kitchen agreed.

HOWEVER, at the same time, would it have been better to simply ignore him and maybe rebuttal his review online like we’ve seen other companies do irl like, “Kurt we know all these reviews are you. We only said no because we were overcapacity and didn’t want to provide less than subpar service”. Or do something to get their side out before it gets worse. Addiontally, Curt was only saying ‘after weeks of trying to get an appointment, i showed up and they couldn’t make time therefore unprofessional’ , which isn’t really that bad? (unless they didn’t show the nastier comments). They’re bound to get SOME bad reviews at some point right? It’s a business it can’t all be good.

The scene from the promo doesn’t appear in the first episode so, perhaps next episode is when they get confronted at Maggies?

GEORGIE

Georgie is back from Switzerland! Except... Phoenix can’t go home yet because there’s been an incident. Phoenix has been exposed to a contaminated feed bucket, however, it’s a good thing her Uncle Ty is a vet and can quarantine Phoenix... except, oh WAIT, apparently this disease is airborne or something? Anyways, point is, instead of just Phoenix being quarantined the entire farm is quarantined. Oops. 

Hindsight is 20/20 I guess.

Georgie blames herself for making them quarantine Phoenix at the farm and they were just supporting her, but let’s not be results oriented. If this disease was not airborne or whatever, everything would have been fine. And wanting to not be separate from your horse for 21 days is totally normal. In all other cases, Phoenix and everything would have been fine, nary Georgie living at the airport because she finds out Phoenix is sick and cannot be apart while other vets treat him. At least this way, a vet she knows and trusts was looking after Phoenix and she can be close to him?

Also, shouldn’t Ty/Amy/Airport vet shown a LITTLE judgement in not releasing Phoenix until the blood work was back and confirmed it wouldn’t be a entire ranch quarantine? Perhaps she shouldn’t have pushed but she’s 17 for god’s sake and there are PROFESSIONALS around her who perhaps should have guided better.

Besides a little client backlash, at the end of the episode all the horses seem to be on the mend and everyone’s spirits up. So, hey? At least every other client didn’t retaliate like Kurt?

TIM

Lisa and Tim are not getting along. And I’m Team Lisa. Drinking milk from a container when the cups are stored one reach away seems... lazy. But alas that’s Tim.

Tim is a grown ass adult and should have his own place - what about the money he has from the Big River sale? Surely he can rent at least. It’s also hilarious at how Tim thinks that he’ll be “hurting Lisa and Jack’s feelings” when in reality... thats what they both want.

It’s also hilarious that Tim thinks that the four of them (yes, i’m including Luke  ;) ) would fit in the house (even if the loft would make a good bachelor pad) when he feels like the three of them (Jack, Lisa, Tim) can’t fit. And how he “suggested” that Ty and Amy didn’t want to ask Jack/Lisa about because they’re “ashamed.” No Tim, this was your doing and YOUR idea.

This version of Tim just makes me dislike the character. It was HIS idea to kick Ty and Amy out of their loft (even if they “agreed” it was a better idea), and “divide Katie’s room in two.” Shouldn’t they ask Lou or Katie about this first? Even though everyone is hesitant about the plan, including Luke (”oh how long is he going to be here for?”), Amy/Ty (”what about Luke?”) and Lisa (”you’re going to build a wall?!”).

And here’s the thing: IT WORKS. But, to his credit, he does know when to stop; for example when he realizes Georgie needs the loft more than him and he moves out into his trailer. So um... I guess alls well that ends well, except it doesn’t excuse his behaviour at all? Why couldn’t Luke just move into the house?

JACK AND LUKE

Jack tries to teach Luke how to ride a horse but after a few spooks, he’s out. In the end, Luke does ride because Jack is just a wonderful human being that we all should strive to be and poses a question which will likely lead to the flashbacks we saw in the promo: “Who is June Bartlett?”

STRAY ENDS

WHO IS JUNE BARTLETT???!

Tim telling contractor guy that he’s going to be living on site and looking after his progress is so funny, but also, if it helps the house be completed faster then hey, i’m all here for it. Just don’t smother the poor guy before he can finish the house.

SONGS IN THIS EPISODE @heartlandians

Dreamer - Jenn Grant

My Heart Knows Where To Go - Mikey Wax

[tmarie82]

Sweet Nothings

Pairing: Drake x MC (Emma Warner-Walker)

Book: The Royal Romance (Future)

Word Count: ~2,150

Rating:  PG-13 (b/c Drake was feeling frisky)

Author’s Note:  This incorporates two separate anonymous fic prompts for 12 baking together and #49 volunteer together for Drake and Emma.  No cupcakes were harmed in the making of this story, although I did have to eat one for inspiration. 😘

Please let me know if you would like to be added to my tag list.  You can find all of my fics here - MASTERLIST

~~~~~~~~~~

“Mix three cups flour and one tablespoon baking powder in a separate bowl.  Gradually add the egg sugar butter mixture, ensuring that it’s- Drake!”  Emma’s warning comes a moment too late, as Drake turns on the electric mixer and sends a cloud of flour into the air and all over himself.

“Oh, shit!” Drake reacts quickly, turning the mixer off before surveying the mess all over the counter and his front.  

“Honey - It says gradually, not dump the whole bowl in at once.”  Emma rubs her hand along her forehead, trying her best to keep her tone calm.

“Well, I'm glad you insisted on an apron.”  Drake shrugged, then grabbed a damp towel to start wiping things down.

Emma chuckled and grabbed a towel of her own to help her husband with cleanup duty.  “Yes, that apron not only shows off your manly physique, it also actually has a functional purpose too.”  She swiped a small pile of the flour into her hand, then dumped it in the trash.  She studied the contents of the mixer, assessing the damage as Drake finished the improptu cleaning session.  “So I don’t think we lost too much of the ingredients, we just need to mix this in manually to get all the ingredients moist before we attempt to use the mixer again.”  She turned to her husband and handed him a large wooden spoon, cocking her brow and nodding towards the mixing bowl.  Drake groaned under his breath but didn’t argue before taking it and proceeding to the unfinished cupcake mixture.

“So why are we baking these from scratch again?  Couldn’t we just order some from the store?”  Drake asked in a relatively innocent-sounding voice.

“Drake Walker, you said you wanted to get involved at Harper’s school!  And since neither of our schedules allow us enough time to be president of the parent association, I think the least we can do is bake some cupcakes and volunteer for the spring bake sale.”  Emma reviewed the rest of the recipe and turned the oven on to preheat while Drake continued his mixing.

“Okay, okay ... but that still doesn’t explain why we’re the ones baking right now.”  

“Drake, don’t you want to do something 100% for Harper?  Show her that even though we have servants to do things and money to buy things, we are still regular people that can bake things ourselves?!?” Emma spoke with great bravado, hand gestures and all ... definitely more passionately than was reasonable on the topic of baking.

Drake’s eyebrows raised as he listened to his wife’s lecture, continuing to fold the dry flour mixture into the cupcake batter.  He cleared his throat, unsure how to ask his next question delicately.  “Em ...” he started in a gentle sing-song voice.  “You’re not trying to prove anything, are you?  Perhaps to a few certain uptight women in the parent association?”  

Emma scoffed, shaking her head and tousling her dark hair piled on top of her head in a messy knot.  “Agh, no!  Don’t be -“ she marched around their humongous kitchen, fetching more butter from the fridge.  “That’s just ridiculous, Drake. I-“ she cut herself off, internally searching for a believable explanation.  “I just want to ...” her voice trailed away and she finally raised her eyes to find Drake watching her tirade with stifled amusement hidden behind his features.  He knew her so well ... it was very annoying at times.  “Fine, maybe a little.”  Her shoulders dropped in defeat and she slumped against the counter, unable to suppress her embarrassed sneer.   Her husband set down his stirring and waltzed around the kitchen island, halting in front of her to loop his hands around her waist.

“Em, you have to cut yourself some slack ... you run an entire Duchy, for goodness sakes!  Do you really think people will judge you for not baking cupcakes from scratch?”  He caught her eye and cocked his head in question, a sly smirk on his lips.  

“Well, no ... I suppose not.”  Emma sighed heavily as she melted into his embrace, cheek pressed against his shoulder.  “I guess that’s one of my impractical female tendencies ... I want to do everything perfect all the time.”

“I think volunteering in the first place shows how hard you try.  And anyone who doesn’t see that isn’t worth impressing.”  Drake pressed a kiss to the top of her head while stroking her back.  

“Ugh, you’re right.  I hate it when you’re right.”  Emma giggled and tilted her head upward, watching his eyes sparkle as he snickered proudly.  “But don’t think you’re getting out of helping me with these cupcakes, Mister!”  She swatted his shoulder playfully.

Drake leaned forward, allowing his lips to graze hers as he spoke softly.  “I was hoping to distract you ... entice you with a different kind of dessert that doesn’t require any baking.”  

Emma pushed him away just before he got the chance to nip at her earlobe.  “Unh uh ... we have work to do.  And if you’re good, maybe I’ll distract you later.”  She winked at her husband who groaned audibly in feigned dissatisfaction, despite the lighthearted grin on his face.  She turned him by the shoulders toward his abandoned mixing bowl and sent him to work with a quick pat on his backside.

Emma began prepping the cupcake pan with liners while Drake finally finished stirring the batter well enough to kick the mixer into full gear.  Once the mixer was done, Emma took over and began ladeling spoonfuls of cupcake batter into the liners while Drake helped himself to a glass of whiskey.  If he was going to spend his evening baking cupcakes, he was definitely going to need a stiff drink.  He leaned back against the counter sipping his beverage and admiring the look of concentration on Emma’s face as she carefully poured the thick, sugary liquid into the pan.  With her furrowed brow and pouty mouth, she looked rather intense completing the task at hand.   Absolutely adorable, yet intense ... and easy to mess with.

“So, how do you know when they’re done?” Drake inquired nonchalantly.

“Usually when the timer goes off that’s a pretty good indicator.”  Emma quipped sarcastically as she continued her assignment.

“But what do they look like?  Are they firm?  Or are they still moist?”  Drake smirked mischievously to himself.

Emma stood upright as she finished filling the last of the liners, wiping her hands off on her jeans.  “Well, they shouldn’t be gooey but the cake should be moist, fluffy yet firm ... I usually test by inserting a knife ...” Emma’s eyes widened and darted to her husband as the implications of his question dawned on her.  “Wait, did you seriously just use baking terms as an opportunity to talk dirty to me?!?”  

Drake shrugged his shoulders and raised his arms in a sarcastic ‘what, me?’ motion, but his snarky grin gave away his playful tone far too easily.  “Get your mind out of the gutter, Em ... I’m just learning how to bake here.”

Emma shook her head, unwilling to satisfy his joke with a response.  She picked up the baking pan and slid it into the oven, squatting down to set the timer.  As she rose from the oven, she bumped into a solid figure standing directly behind her.  A figure smelling faintly of flour and whiskey and mischief as his hands ghosted over her hips and pulled her body flush against his own.

“I like watching you bend over like that.”  He murmured in a husky tone against her ear.  “Did you sit in a pile of sugar?  ‘Cause you got a pretty sweet ass.”  She snorted at his horrible joke, but the jest was forgotten quickly as he nipped at her lobe.

“Mmm ... you’re just determined, aren’t you Mr. Walker?” Emma turned to face him, running her palms over his chest as she pushed him backward to the kitchen island.  “Do you really think I’m so easily persuaded by your dirty ideas?”  She peered up at him innocently, softly brushing her fingertips along the collar of his t-shirt.  “We have a messy kitchen you need to help me clean up.”

“Hmm ...” Drake hummed against her slight touch, his eyes closed as he savored the teasing friction.   “You keep touching me like that and this kitchen’s about to get a whole lot messier ...” He opened his eyes to meet her stare, his gaze full of hunger and delight.  “You’re baking me crazy.”  

Emma choked out a giggle, unable to hold back the roaring laughter as she buckled over against him.  She felt the vibrations of amusement in his own chest as she pressed her forehead against him, trying to steady herself in her fit.  “Seriously Drake, that was horrible!”  

“You know there’s only one way to make me stop, right?”  He gave her a wide-eyed plea and that cocky smile that never failed to make her knees weak before grasping her face in both hands, pulling her lips to his in a fervent kiss.  

She moaned into his mouth, her senses intoxicated by the taste of whiskey on his tongue and the fragrance of baked goods in the air.  She knew resisting was futile as soon as his hands skimmed down her sides, that delightful tickle of pleasure pulsing through her limbs before the rough pressure of his fingers when he gripped her thighs.  Then she went willingly, wrapping her legs around his waist as he lifted her to the counter, pressing her against him as he whispered sweet nothings into the bare skin of her abdomen.  “Now let me show you how I can frost your cupcake, Betty Crocker ...”  And quickly she was lost in the throaty moans and warm giggles as Drake delivered on his delicious threats.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Why Duke and Duchess Walker, how thoughtful of you to volunteer time from your busy schedules for the school!”  Emma glanced up from the table of sweet treats to find Ada Carmichael, the two-faced parent association president herself, approaching them.  She quickly bit back her snide response and pressed a forced smile to her face.  

“Of course, Ada, we’re always happy to help when we can!”  She responded enthusiastically, hoping to hide her distaste.  “And the whole bake sale experience has really been fun.  Drake even helped with the cupcakes.”  

“Mmmhhmmm ...” Ada nodded slightly as she studied the contents of the table.  “And which of these goodies did you two bring so I can try one?”

Emma opened her mouth to respond, but- “Mommy and Daddy made these ones right here!”  Harper chimed in proudly.  “All from scratch, no mixes or anything!”  She pointed to the generously-frosted vanilla cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting.  Emma tried to suppress the slight tinge of embarrassment in her cheeks at the obviously homemade and unevenly-shaped cupcakes her daughter had just identified as their creation.

“Ohhhh, homemade?”  Ada raised an eyebrow as she observed the platter of treats.  “How cute.”  

Emma balled her fists, biting her tongue when she felt Drakes hand slip around her waist as he stepped forward.  “You should really try one, Ada.  Not only is Emma’s frosting to die for, we made these cupcakes together with a lot of love.”  He smiled warmly, pinching her side when she muffled a laugh with a fake cough.  He picked one up with his spare hand and handed it to Ada.  “Here, my treat.”

“Oh, well ...” Ada stumbled over her words, surprised by Duke Walker’s intervention.  “Why thank you.  How thoughtful.  Well, you two keep up the good work!”  She spoke in a cheerful voice but was unable to hide her smug expression as she rotated to walk away.

As soon as Ada was out of hearing range, Emma turned to her husband and gave him an exasperated look.  “Drake ...” She didn’t have to continue her statement, her eyes said it all.

“What, I merely spoke the truth!  Your cupcake- I mean cupcakes- are delicious.”  He flashed her a devilish grin, leaning in closer to murmur into her ear.  “You didn’t want me to mention the part about defiling our kitchen while these were baking, did you?”  He winked as he leaned back, immediately facing their daughter before allowing Emma a chance to berate him.  

“Now, Harper, I believe I promised you a trip to the playground!  Why don’t we get out of Mommy’s hair for a bit?”  Harper jumped up in excitement, grasping his hand tightly and waving a quick “Bye Mom!” as she tugged Drake towards the door.  Before he allowed himself to be chauffeured outdoors, he leaned in quickly to press a quick peck to Emma’s cheek and whisper in her ear.  “Later, Sweet Cheeks.”  He chuckled proudly at his wife’s new nickname before following his daughter to the playground.

Emma merely grinned as she watched them walk away, then sat her sweet ass down to manage the bake sale.  

END

~~~~~~~~~~

Tagging: @simplyaiden-blog @mfackenthal @lizeboredom @walkerismychoice @boneandfur @laniquelove @choices-fanatic @liam-rhys @mariamatsuo @the-everlasting-dream @client327 @kamybelen-blog @butindeed @enmchoices @drakelover78 @kamilah-sayeed-xoxo @parkerattano @asprankle @innerpostmentality @jadedpixiescribbles @crookedslimecreatorpasta @choiceswreckedme @debramcg1106 @mymandrake @alesana45 @christopher-powell @eileendannie @diavolosprincess @lazychic28 @clarissafics @blackcatkita @bella-ca @writtenbycandy @stopforamoment @mind-reader1 @snyggflicka @pbchoicesobsessed @miss-cordonia @mrswalkerwrites

[goodvibesatpeace]

10 Secrets Marijuana Smokers Won’t Tell You

10 secrets Marijuana smokers won’t tell you... “but why Will”.. “I don’t know they are too busy getting high”

I know it’s not.. but happy 4/20 by the way... and for those that don’t know, 4/20 is like a super happy worldwide Marijuana holiday. Everybody is getting high.. they are getting high in the bathroom, in the kitchen.. even in the garage :)

So 4/20 where did that come from? In the 1920′s, a group of Friends were like “hey, let’s meet up everyday at 4:20pm and get high”... What a great idea, little did they know that they would be the inspiration for a massive holiday.

People often ask me

“Will, do you smoke Marijuana”  

I don’t smoke Marijuana, I have a lot of Friends that smoke Marijuana and I see what it does to them... I have had an experience with two massive weed cookies and, guess what, I didn’t even know they were weed cookies.... so they kicked in like an hour later when I was in whole foods and I was getting really thirsty... and I am like

“Where did I park my car” 

Ok, we have a lot to dive into... this 4/20 I have a lot of people writing into me saying

“Marijuana has really helped them along their journey”

and some people write into me saying they want to stop altogether... and some people are just curious.

I get my energy from the natural good ass Prana... at the same time, I know the benefits of Marijuana. So we are going to dive into everything, the pros and the cons.

Cannabis sativa, one of the oldest crops cultivated by man... our Ancestors, yeah, were getting high big time. 10,000 BC in Ancient China, there is Archaeological evidence... ropes being imprinted in broken pottery. In Ancient Egypt, the goddess Seshat... goddess of writing... wait a minute.... what’s above her head? A massive cannabis leaf, she wasn’t even hiding it either, she was getting high... So our Ancestors were getting high. 

Hemp has over 50,000 uses and the 7 day vegan challenge, that is why I am always eating Hemp baby... I am always eating Hemp.

What is the first secret that Marijuana smokers won’t tell you.... Do you know someone that has taken Marijuana recently? What are they like? Be honest.... It’s mind altering... it break’s down mind structure and my experience eating two giant weed cookies was like “Wow”... it was almost as if my ego was dissolving and reality was looking very strange, very different... I could almost see the illusion of the world we all are living in. And I have a lot of Friends that smoke Marijuana regularly and they tell me that it is so mind altering and this could be because of THC... the active compound chemical in Cannabis.... the Cannabinoids. Cannabis is illegal in a lot of countries but it has recently become legalized in some US states... and it gives people paradigm shifts. A lot of people that take Marijuana regularly often fell like things aren’t as real as they appear to be and that could be because of the THC. It gives us that natural high, it is natural because it’s a plant... do you know that our Brain can actually produce our own Cannabinoids? We have an Endo-Cannabinoid system.... so it’s mind altering, you start to see reality in a whole new way.

What is the second secret that Marijuana smokers won’t tell you... that there was a study by Canadian researchers from the Journal of Drug and Alcohol Review which showed that if you are consuming Weed you don’t have a big need for Alcohol. It reduces the need for Alcohol, prescription Drugs, illicit Drugs.... it found 80% substituted in for prescription Drugs, 50% substituted it for Alcohol and 32% substituted it for illicit Drugs. So many people who are taking Marijuana, it is helping them not become addicted to Alcohol, prescription Drugs and illicit Drugs.... so it is doing a lot of good.

What is the third secret that Marijuana smokers won’t tell you... This is where we are going to talk about a con because I am always talking about the benefits of Marijuana. Staci Gruber, a neuro-scientist, she talk’s about how teenagers and young adults consuming a lot of Marijuana, smoking a lot of Marijuana.... they exhibit more impulsive behavior than their peers, she also went on to show how they have a different Brain, white matter. And also how they have a poorer cognitive and executive functioning.... now a lot of people who are smoking right now are probably thinking “What” and I often find this fascinating that... sometimes people that smoke Marijuana might perform poorer when it comes to cognitive tasks. But what I really feel about this is that, many people who are smoking a lot of Marijuana.... reality starts to look funny, period... You are not going to want to sit all the time in School because you are starting to realize so much of what we have been told has been a lie. So Marijuana is really helping you open your mind... but always be aware of other research which you may not like to hear because it could open your mind to something you didn’t see before. 

What is the fourth secret... Marijuana helps people with chronic pain... and this is because of the Cannabinoids, Arthritis because Cannabis, the Cannabidiol... What happens? It reduces the inflammation so it’s a powerful Medicine for people who have pain problems... it does wonders.

What is the fifth secret... There was this famous study in the British Journal of Cancer which showed that the THC in Marijuana actually inhibited tumor growth, brain tumor growth, so scientists all around the world are already starting to see the benefits of Marijuana when it comes to tumor growth and reducing it

What is the sixth secret.... Breast Cancer... The US National Library of Medicine.. they published a study which was conducted by the California Pacific Medical Center, and they found that, guess what, the Cannabinoids in Marijuana inhibited Breast Cancer. Self proliferation and and invasion... and it also reduced the tumor mass... so Marijuana is doing wonders for people with Breast Cancer.

What is the seventh secret... Colorado Researchers found that people who were smoking Marijuana a lot had decreased amount of Migraines. So it helps people dealing with Migraines.... so if you are someone that is getting high right now as your reading this post... Do you have a Migraine? No.. OK :) That is a huge benefits, Headaches and Migraines, it helps a lot.

What is the eight secret... Now this is another con... Scientists have found, even in Harvard, Stanford... that Marijuana may cause people to become more paranoid which may even lead to Schizophrenia...Don’t tell me that :). My experience taking them two massive weed cookies, I was becoming a little bit jittery but I feel that... my Friends who smoke Marijuana a lot, they have been doing for so long that their just chill all the time as their body is used to it. And I feel it depends on Why you are smoking Marijuana for.... I have a Friend who is doing it that says when they are smoking it, it is like they are entering oneness, there is no separation. But, a lot of research shows that it can cause paranoia so just remind yourself... if you have Friends around you who are always pressurizing you to taking it, don’t take it because they are taking it... follow your Heart and do what works for you. I know that, when I had taken those cookies... I was driving and it was hard for me to concentrate and, luckily, I pulled over and then I went to the Hospital. But, the research shows as well that people who are consuming a lot of Marijuana have a increased risk of car accidents... if they are high and driving at the same time. So sometimes you have got to become aware of this kind of research because it’s so important.

What is the ninth secret... Their is a Marijuana based drug called Epidiolex which has been found to reduce compulsive Seizures in people who have Epilepsy. I actually saw a video of a guy who has Epilepsy and they gave him some Marijuana and he just calmed down a few minutes afterwards... it was a viral video. So the benefits, what Marijuana is doing for people... it is helping them heal, it is helping people who have Seizures... this can only be a positive thing, it can only be something to be celebrated.

And what the the tenth secret baby.... Marijuana reduces Nausea and Vomiting associated with Chemotherapy. So, once again, we are seeing how Marijuana is like The Great Healer.. can we just have a moment of silence for Marijuana right now :)... especially on 4/20................Ok, thats good :)

But we are told in our Society that it is a Drug.. no no.. nobody has ever died from smoking Marijuana but, every year, 6 million people die from Tobacco.

And there saying, by the end of the century.... Tobacco related diseases could kill up to 1 billion people.

So when I look at it like “Oh, I get it”... because when I took them two massive weed cookies it was almost as if I would see the TV and see all the lies inside of it... Tel-li-vision, Tell Lie Vision.. Tells lies to your vision.. ummm :)

Could you imagine if everybody was smoking Marijuana? Everywhere you looked... what kind of a society do you think we would be living in? Probably a more civilized one :)

So there you have it... 10 secrets that Marijuana smokers won’t tell you... Once again, do your own research. As I see... I don’t even smoke Marijuana but I realize I might have to use it. I might have to smoke it if I have chronic pain because there are so many benefits of Marijuana and more evidence is coming out as we speak.

So a happy 4/20 to those deep divers right now, even though its not 4/20 :) I celebrate with you... and all that happens is you just say

Feels so good to be alive Baby!”

You are Worthy…You are Enough… You are Beautiful… You are Powerful….just the way you are!

Have a wonderful day!

Much Love to all… There are many deep waters out there!!.. go in peace my friends :)

[celestius]

Black Panther

As a former movie critic, I have a theory about reviewers: much like the rest of us, they easily fall victim to peer pressure and have a natural tendency to avoid standing out. For this reason, reviews tend to be as much an expression of their honest opinion as an attempt to gauge the future public reception of the reviewed work. After all, while a regular rating on imdb or the Czech Film Database is anonymous, and people therefore don´t have to be afraid that their opinion will be perceived as "wrong", reviewers know that their works will forever be associated with them, and need to sort of guess what the "correct" opinion will be later on. This opinion might seem very dismissive towards critics, but it is also the only explanation for how sometimes after a couple years pass, everyone "remembers" that a particular movie or game was or wasn´t shitty. Sometimes I feel like it would be a very interesting experiment to review things retrospectively and see how the numbers would correlate. There are good examples of both extremes: sometimes we have a work of art that is received poorly (Dark Souls 3), only for people to start saying how good it was two years later, or works that get raving reviews when they come out, but later on, after the dust settles, everyone readjusts their excitement. Black Panther, I feel, is one of those works. The discrepancy between its metacritic score based on reviews (88) and regular moviegoers (6.8) is quite telling. While the 6.8 from moviegoers might be a bit reactionary (after all, 88 would place it above all the other MCU movies (!!!!!) which even its fans would probably admit is absolutely ludicrous), it garnered 7.something on both imdb and the Czech database - a far cry from the raving reviews by movie critics. It would be absurd not to see that the movie´s (perceived) "racial" significance had a lot to do with its initial reception by critics. This by itself poses a very difficult question - should a movie´s "external" significance be incorporated in our assessment of it as a stand-alone work of art? I myself am undecided and it would probably depend on many determining factors: let´s say we have an artistically shitty movie about the holocaust, but it would be the first movie of its kind covering the plight of the Jewish people. How should we rate it as a movie? Do we laud it for its subject matter or do we condemn it because it´s poorly executed? Interestingly, choosing the middle ground and giving it a 5 out of 10 would probably be the worst approach, because art/message has no middle, it´s two completely different scales of assessment. I recently read a great response to the craze around the Black Panther by some art critic (whose name I can´t recall :)) who basically said that evaluating art based on its social/political/external importance (or even acceptability) is a very poor way of perceiving it and it absolutely diminishes its inherent value. Art is not here to confirm our beliefs about the world, or at the very least, sending the right message (and I absolutely agree that equality is the right message) does not automatically make it good. But does Black Panther actually do that much for the portrayal of black people? I´m unsure. My personal feeling is that it completely ignores the question of race. On the surface, the movie seems to be "about" black people. However, everything about Wakandans is basically white: a position of a privileged culture, accepting or not accepting refugees, interfering or not interfering with other countries, technological superiority etc etc. It could not in fact be more distant from actual problems in Africa, which it completely ignores. Now, I am not saying there is a "correct way" to portray people of (any) color but at the same time, making a movie about a privileged, isolationist, smart and technologically advanced black country in Africa borders on escapism dangerously ignoring the fact that it´s not like that for most people on that continent. Which, I admit, is a pretty stupid argument to make about a comicbook movie :))) But consider this: if we make a movie about the second world war where a happy Jewish family lives a life of comfort, safety and privilege, I shouldn´t really be applauded for that portrayal, cause it´s technically not a portrayal at all. That is to say, I in no way think that the Black Panther is responsible for portraying Africa a certain way, and I think the way it does it is perfectly fine, just as long as it doesn´t get praised for it.

 I have absolutely nothing against the way the movie portrays black people, because it simply portrays them as people. If everyone in the movie was green, it would have been the same and made as much sense. I simply don´t see the praise - to me it´s like praising Avengers for being about white people - which it isn´t about at all. Simply put, I think the movie pretty much skips the question of race and should therefore be neither praised nor criticized for it.

 Of course, this very argument is for some people the reason why they applaud its portrayal of black people (i.e. that their "blackness" has little to do with the content) which I can understand and respect.

 However, the moment this infringes on the critical reception of the movie, which I feel it absolutely did (again, 88 would make it the BEST Marvel movie to date, whole points above the others; look me in the eye and say that Black Panther is the best Marvel movie…) we have to reassess whether it´s deserved and whether it should even be a factor!

 So let´s look at the movie itself: as you can tell, I was fairly disappointed. The action was not very unique or memorable (except the car chase, but that was already in the trailer), especially considering how well done the Panther´s fighting style was in the Civil War (!) – while here the fight scenes look like the most run-of-the-mill series of lame punches and stabs from the 90s. The plot was quite uninspired as well (all of this is highly subjective of course) and the finale was sort of... strange. Even the direction was much too grounded and didn´t seem to have a “signature” (like the Russo brothers do with their close combat scenes, or the comicbook-ness of Joss Whedon).

 There were many things I did like: namely the Black Panther :) and Shuri. It also had one of the best Marvel bad guys to date - I just regretted they didn´t go with a less obvious way: I would have loved for Killmonger to JUST want the throne (since he did technically have the right to challenge it), kick the Panther´s ass and not do anything crazy evil like try to start a race war and take over the world, just sit on the throne. And Panther would be plagued with doubt whether he has any inherent right to it, maybe it could even end up with him relinquishing it.

 Instead, Killmonger is portrayed as an unreasonably violent psychopath. This in itself I actually find troubling: it makes it seem like the movie is saying that the moment a black person becomes a bit radical (for example because they are objectively not represented by the system and have no support in it) they are automatically a violent psycho. Now, I don´t actually think the movie is intentionally saying that (i.e. that being black and radical automatically means uncontrollably violent) - I think that the answer is much simpler - Marvel just wanted to make him into a fairly typical comicbook bad guy so muhahahahaha! Wakandan empire, race war!!1!.... I just feel like it could have been so much more with the (great) set up they had.

I think that the Black Panther mainly suffers from its position in the MCU – Marvel has simply done too many origin/character stories that they somewhat pale in comparison to the larger-scale interconnected ones (Thor: Ragnarok being an unbelievable exception, and an amazing one at that).

While I loved the final message (setting up support centers around the world), the movie itself wasn´t really about that at all - most of it was the Black Panther coming to terms with being a king and taking back the throne.

 As I said, it´s all about the company, really - the MCU produced so many great movies that BP would rank very low on my list simply because it´s not exceptionally good. Off the top of my head the only worse movies would´ve been GotG 2, Captain America 1 and Iron Man 2. It was probably the same level of good as the first or second Thor, maybe slightly below Dr. Strange.

 Ultimately, projecting its perceived impact on the portrayal of race on its aggregate score is an unfortunate misstep that might very well turn against a movie that is not as bad as 6.8, but MOST DEFINITELY not 88. A valuable racial message should not constitute a free pass into the notional Hall of fame.