#moving help in Ottawa

[upmove18]

Navigating the Maze: A Guide to Choosing the Right House Shifting Services

Choosing the right house shifting service can significantly impact your moving experience. By understanding your needs, conducting thorough research, and implementing effective packing strategies, you can navigate the process confidently and seamlessly.

[homesick4la]

complicated — hamzahthefantastic

1. pushing it down and praying

contains: a little cheating..smoking, some nsfw content but nothing crazy

summary: after half a year of no contact, you run into your ex at a party.

a/n: kinda got this idea from the lizzy mcalpine song bc i am obsessed with it. so listen if you haven’t lol. also i decided to split the fic but it’s only gonna be two parts!

it’d officially been six months since you and your ex boyfriend went no contact.

the first few months were hell for you.

of course, you went through the stereotypical phase of eating ice cream and crying to rom-coms directly after your break up. but that short-lived phase gradually shifted into one that was much more melancholic once the two of you decided to go no contact.

everyday that you woke up, you were engulfed by an emotional numbness. a dull pain that served as a constant reminder of your grief.

you were grieving what the relationship was and what it could’ve been.

you had always envisioned your future with hamzah in it which is why the lack of communication between the two of you left you absolutely soulless.

you had never experienced such an intense love before him. everything was picture perfect in the beginning. it was even better than the movies.

but after two years, the miscommunication between you to became destructive.

things that should have been minor disagreements escalated into full blown arguments. you’d yell over each other, ignoring each other’s feelings and growing overwhelmingly defensive.

eventually, it became exhausting. you were both so angry all the time and too stressed with work or school to address it properly.

ultimately, you two mutually decided to call it quits. additionally, you later agreed that going no contact would be the best option for both of you.

now, half a year later, you were finally trying to move on.

after reading an endless amount of self-help books, you learned that after experiencing every stage of relationship grief (which you had), you theoretically should be ready to search for love again.

despite your reluctance, your best friends had forced you to join all the dating apps- urging you to hook up with someone new to get your mind off your ex.

it took days of swiping left on men that were literally the epitome of a walking red flag for you to finally find a man suitable enough to go on a date with.

his name was matthew. he recently graduated from college and instantly started a 9-5 working in finance. he spent his free time hiking. he had a golden retriever.

he was kind. he was stable. but he wasn’t hamzah.

you two had gone on a few dates. you had even hooked up after a couple of them.

as guilty as it made you, each hook up was spent closing your eyes- imagining hamzah on top of you. that it wasn’t matthew deep inside of you but it was hamzah; the one that knew your body like the back of his hand and knew just how to please you every time.

you were giving your all to this “moving on” stage but you simply weren’t satisfied.

that being said, when matthew had asked you to attend an old friend’s party with him on your last date, you politely agreed.

now here you were, shuffling through a crowd of sweaty bodies with a man that barely knew you guiding you by your waist.

“how do you know the host again?” you ask, nearly yelling over the music that was blasting through numerous speakers.

“he’s a friend from my hometown, remember? from ottawa?”

“right, right. i remember now.” you look up at him. you did not remember.

you two make your way into the kitchen. he pours shots of vodka into red solo cups and hands one to you.

you feel the familiar burn of alcohol stinging your throat as you down the shot.

“you look gorgeous tonight by the way. forgot to tell you earlier.” he tells you, running his hand up and down your waist.

hamzah would’ve told you earlier. he would’ve been kissing up and down your neck before you even finished your makeup while getting ready. reiterating how beautiful you are each time his lips left your skin.

fuck. there you go again. comparing everything matthew said or did to hamzah.

he’s not in your life anymore, you think to yourself. it’s time to get over him.

“thank you.” you answer matthew, mustering up a smile.

“you ready to go meet my friends?”

“yeah, let’s go! i’m excited to meet them.” you were lying straight through your teeth. but you continued to put on this enthusiastic act simply because he was nice.

he leads you to the main room where you meet a couple of his hometown friends. one named kyle. another named josh.

they were essentially carbon copies of matthew. frat bros that grew up and became finance guys.

you quietly listen as the boys catch up on one another’s lives.

until something, someone, catches your eye.

hamzah. he was across the large room with his back faced toward you. but it had to be him.

you could recognize the shape of his shoulders and you knew that those dark curls stuffed under a camo hat could only belong to him.

you stomach drops. somehow, you had never ran into him since the breakup.

the sight of him mixed with the alcohol made you sick to your stomach.

“hey”, you tap on matthew’s shoulder. “i’m gonna go find a bathroom real quick.” you explain.

“okay, just come find me when you’re done.” he replies before resuming his conversation with his friends.

you turn around, walking in the direction of a long hallway that you knew must have a bathroom.

you turn the doorknob of the first door you find and miraculously, it is a bathroom.

you clutch onto the counter, letting out a sharp exhale.

one of your hands grips to your stomach while you continue taking deep breaths.

in for 4. hold for 7. out for 8. you repeat.

a breathing technique that hamzah had taught you.

you hear the doorknob rattle. before you can say anything, the door is being launched open.

“oh shit! sorry!”, you hear a familiar voice as the door is being pulled closed again. “wait- y/n?”

the voice belonged to mandy. hamzah’s bestfriend’s girlfriend. you forgot that her and martin were from ottawa. they must’ve known the host of the party.

she steps inside, shutting the door behind her.

“are you okay? what’re you doing here? i haven’t seen you in so long.” she pulls you into a hug.

“yeah i’m here with some guy i’ve been seeing. but i saw hamzah and just needed to take a sec.” you explain during your embrace.

she pulls away, looking in your eyes.

��did he see you?”

“no, he was facing the other direction.”

“oh okay”, she nods and looks down.

“yeah. i haven’t seen him since we ended things so, it gave me a bit of panic attack.” you chuckle awkwardly.

“i’m sorry, y/n. break ups suck.” she pauses, “when i went through my first break up, i saw my ex at an amusement park about a month after. and i got so upset, i threw up in front of one of those stupid basketball games where you can win a big teddy bear.”

you laugh at her story, “seriously?”

“yes! it was so bad, the worker ended up giving me one of those huge bears out of pity!” she exclaims.

once your laughter dies down, mandy breaks the silence once again.

“he still talks about you, you know. every once in a while.”

every once in a while. you had thought of him every single day.

“every once in a while?”

“yeah. seems like most of the time it’s too hard for him to talk about. but sometimes, he can’t help himself.”

maybe he did think of you as often as you did.

“anyway”, she continues, “whose this new guy?”

she smirks teasingly.

“ugh. mandy, he’s so boring! but he’s so nice! he’s just- he’s nothing like hamzah. i don’t know- he’s really sweet, it’s just not, exciting? i guess?”

she nods. “well, if you want my advice..i say you shouldn’t stay with someone just because they’re nice to you. a lot of people are nice. only a few people will make you feel ‘sparks’ or whatever.”

you nod understandingly.

god you missed talking to her.

“i gotta get back to martin but if you want to talk to hamzah, he went out on the balcony. and let’s not have to run into each other at a random party to catch up again, ‘kay? text me.”

“okay.” you hug her tightly, “we’ll go for coffee soon.”

she smiles before exiting the bathroom.

you look into the mirror, trying to decide if going out on the balcony is a good idea.

“fuck it.” you whisper to yourself.

you didn’t know when you’d ever get the opportunity to speak to hamzah again. you had to go out on that balcony.

you walk out of the bathroom, sneaking past matthew who was still deep in conversation.

turning the corner past the main room, you find the sliding glass door to the balcony.

there he is. alone. sat on the small balcony, lighting a joint that hangs between his lips.

with his camo hat he wore a pair of dark wash jeans and white t-shirt.

you take a deep breath before reaching to slide open the door.

his head instantly whips towards you, his eyes widening a bit.

“hi.” you break the silence. you feel awkward. what are you supposed to say to someone you’ve been completely heartbroken over for the last six months?

“hey.” his eyes soften as he speaks.

“i, um- ran into mandy. she told me you were out here.” you explain to him.

he nods slowly. “come sit.” he pats the space on the floor next to him.

you do as he says. plopping onto the ground and pulling your knees to your chest.

he takes a drag from the joint between his fingers before pulling it out and handing it over to you. you two had shared a joint countless times during your relationship, making the action feel natural.

you bring the joint to your lips, sucking on it for a few seconds before blowing out the smoke and handing it back to him.

“how’ve you been?” he asks.

his voice was calm. you wondered how he could act so nonchalant in this situation.

“i’ve been okay. school’s been stressful.” you say, trying to avoid ranting about the emotional turmoil you’ve experienced since you two separated. “how about you?”

“good. just working a lot. martin and i upload multiple times a week now and run the merch ourselves so it’s been busy, but it’s fun.” his face lights up as he talks about it. he’d always been passionate about his career.

“that’s great, hamzah. i still remember when you had him up on that cracked screen just to have him on the pod.” you laugh.

“oh god, it was a shit show trying to get that thing to run properly.” he chuckles at the memory.

it falls silent for a moment.

“you still gonna become a journalist?” he asks, cocking his head to the side while looking at you.

“that’s the plan, yeah.” you answer.

“good. you were always good with words.”

“yeah?” you smile.

“of course, it’s why i was always calling you smarty pants.”

you chuckle at the nickname you’d forgotten about.

“i thought you were calling me that because of my attitude.” since childhood, you were teased for being bit of a know it all.

“i mean- yeah that was part of it.” he laughs, “but it was mostly because of that big brain of yours.”he taps his pointer finger to your temple.

“well, i don’t feel very smart these days.” you admit. “my grades have been slipping.”

“seriously? how come?”

“just had a rough last couple months.” you try to remain vague.

“your new guy not keeping you happy?”

your eyes widen. how did he know about matthew?

“did you see me with him inside?”

“yeah. i was about to walk into the kitchen when i saw you two together.”

you exhale deeply. “oh, uh. sorry about that.”

“answer my question, y/n.” his voice was low, serious.

“what?” your voice tinged with confusion.

“are you happy?”

you think for moment. you could lie, tell him you’re happy, let him believe that you’ve moved on. but everything in you wants to be honest with him.

“i’m trying to be.” you respond quietly before taking the joint from his hands and up to your mouth once again.

his eyes were glued to you as pushed the smoke from your mouth, like he was studying your face.

“that guy’s not right for you.” he shook his head as he spoke.

“hamzah, you don’t know him.” you’re not sure why you feel the need to defend matthew but you do.

“i can see what kind of guy he is—the kind that can’t even begin to grasp the complexity to you.” he explains.

“you’re high, hamzah. and you’re jumping to conclusions.”, you shift your position on the ground, “based on looks, might i add. didn’t they teach you not to do that in elementary school? the whole don’t judge a book by its cover thing? did you tune that part out?” you say as you stand from your spot. it pained you how well hamzah could read people- how accurate his description of matthew was.

“baby all this rambling makes it seem like you’re avoiding the truth—that he’s not good enough for you. and you’re not happy. i mean has he even noticed how long you’ve been gone?”

you forgot how stubborn this man could be.

you let out a defeated sigh. “it’s none of your business, really. and you’re right, i’ve been gone too long. i should get back to him.”

you steal the joint from his hand and take one last drag before you start to walk back towards the sliding glass door. you hear hamzah rise to his feet behind you.

“y/n, wait.”

you turn around, facing towards him again. “yeah?”

“i’m sorry. i shouldn’t have said that.” he apologizes.

“s’okay.”, you shrug your shoulders. “it was nice running into you.”

he nods agreeably.

you turn back around, beginning to accept that this was it. your last few seconds with him before you were back to no contact.

your hand reaches the sliding glass door, about to pull the door open when you hear hamzah’s voice once again.

“y/n, don’t go.”

don’t go.

“what?” you question, furrow your eyebrows.

he takes slow steps toward you, ditching his joint by throwing the remains of it to the floor.

he keeps walking towards you until you’re just a foot apart. he grabs your hand, pulling you to him and shifting your bodies so your lower back rested the black metal railing of the balcony as he stood directly in front of you.

his face was inches from yours. you could so easily lift your head and kiss him.

“come back to my apartment with me.” he whispered.

“why would i do that?” you replied, feeling the pace of your breath quicken due to the close proximity.

“because you miss me.” the corner of his mouth upturned into a cocky smirk. “and i miss you.”

you were speechless. all you could do was stare into his eyes, trying to decipher whether or not those words had actually just left his mouth.

you swallow harshly before speaking, “i’m here with someone else, hamzah. i’m going home with him.”

you try to stand your ground, but god you wanted to give in.

he scrunches his nose and shakes his head as he places his hands on the metal railing behind you, trapping you between his arms.

“but he doesn’t know you like i do.”

before you can respond, you feel his fingers brush your hair away from the side of your neck.

he places his hands on waist as his head falls to your neck, his plump lips hovering above your skin. your head instinctively leans to the side, giving him full access.

“does he know how much you like being kissed right here?” he whispers softly, feeling his lips move on your skin as he speaks.

he presses his lips to place where your neck and shoulder meet, remembering how much this spot had an effect on you.

you shut your eyes in utter satisfaction. you hated how much of an effect he had on you.

you bring your hands to his neck, then weaving your fingers through his curls as he continues kissing, sucking, and nipping at the sweet spots on your neck.

his hands float down, gripping onto your hips- another minuscule touch that he knew drove you crazy.

with his hands on your hips, he pulls your bodies closer. suddenly, the thought of matthew has completely vanished. you’re completely caught up in hamzah, and it felt so good- indulging in his recognizable scent and familiar touch.

you let out a soft moan as his hand falls to your ass, grabbing it shamelessly.

“hamzah, hamzah— i can’t, we can’t do this.” you say breathlessly, using your hand to tap on his chest.

hamzah steps back, his breath unsteady as watches you carefully, his gaze lingering on your lips. for a moment, you think he isn’t going to say anything— that he was just going to turn around and walk away.

but then he leans, his voice low “meet me outside in five.” his tone carrying both a question and a promise.

you feel a rush of nerves as he walks away, opening the sliding glass door and slipping back into the crowd.

you stay out there for a moment, catching your breath.

you shouldn’t go. you know you shouldn’t.

but you couldn’t stop thinking about the way he looked at you.

next part: with you all night

a/n: yuppppp part two coming very very soon and it’s gonna pick up right where this leaves off. sorry if this is long and boring, tbh i just needed something to distract myself from everything going on lol…k bye muah

[grantmentis]

Not to be that guy always thinking about labor but I wonder if and how the cba will be amended to account for expansion. A lot of stuff relevant for helping with relocation to trades can be applied to those picked in an expansion draft but it be nice for the pwhl and pwhlpa to have it in writing. Additionally…moving to Vancouver is a lot more expensive than moving from lets say Boston to Ottawa so I hope they account for that

[floodkiss]

Say "NO" to Genocide - Call, email, mail your reps (Canada)

Me and my friend spent some time today writing letters to the House of Commons, plus we have been calling MPs daily. I haven't seen too many resources for this floating around on tumblr, so here's a lengthy guide on how to do this plus some sample scripts! Long post ahead since I think it will be most helpful to dump everything in one spot to reference. On desktop, use CTR F/CMD F to search for the topic -> Phone / Email / Letter Mail / Contacts / Demands / Scripts / Fax

Update 1 - Nov 23: Updated emails with "mailto" hyperlinks, edited demands, added fax section, added scotiabank pres fax number.

On the PHONE / General Tips

Introduce yourself and identify yourself as a constituent by providing your postal code or address.

Ask to speak to the MP directly, but do not be surprised if you must speak to the MP’s staff instead. Staff can help move your issue forward.

Give the reason for your call and explain your concern.

Focus on one or two main concerns per phone call. Do not unload on the MP or their staff with all of your political concerns at one time.

Ask clear and pointed questions that require some explanation.

Ask for a commitment to action.

KEEP IN MIND Tips for Calling MPs:

Tell the MP that this issue will matter to you in the next election.

Avoid revealing party affiliation or sympathies. If you show that your vote is already cast for a certain party, the MP may not have the incentive to respond to your requests.

Be as brief as possible while outlining concerns.  Show that you respect their time.

Remain calm and respectful in dialogue. Be willing to work with them.

Follow up: Find out what actions were taken as a result of your call, and respond appropriately.

(Source: CPJ.ca)

CJPME Call Tool - Fill in the form, there will be suggested talking point. The tool will call your phone and then patch you through to your MP. If voicemail, state your concerns in 30 seconds. No address input will default you to call Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly.

EMAIL

Be sure you sign your email with your name and mailing address so they know you are a part of their riding.

You will most likely receive a PR-type response or no response at all, but please still send these. It disrupts operations, and it still contributes to pressuring your MP to act on behalf of your riding.

LETTER MAIL

Mail may be sent postage-free to any member of Parliament at the House of Commons address. You just need to use an MP's full title if they are Cabinet members. Cabinet mebers have "The Honourable" attached to their names.

Postcards are efficient in that they are small pieces of card stock and can be a short message plus demands, no need to get use envelopes.

The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0A6

CONTACTS

Find your MP - ourcommons.ca - Contact the MP of your riding, any of the contacts below, as well as any cabinet members in your city or province.

Prime Minister (613) 992-4211 / justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca *FAX: 613-941-6900 /*If faxes are closed at the House of Commons line, try their local offices! (See below under "FAX" for fax guide!)

Deputy Prime Minister - Chrystia Freeland (613) 992-5254 / chrystia.freeland@parl.gc.ca FAX: 416-928-2377

Minister of Foreign Affairs - Mélanie Joly (613) 992-0983 / melanie.joly@parl.gc.ca FAX: 613-992-1932

Minister of International Development - Ahmed Hussein (613) 995-0777 / ahmed.hussen@parl.gc.ca FAX: 613-995-0777

Minister of National Defence - Bill Blair (416) 261-8613 / bill.blair@parl.gc.ca FAX: 416-261-5286

Canada-Israel Interparliamentary Group (CAIL) Stéphane Bergeron (*he's not a chair or vice chair of this group, but i want to warn that stephane WILL argue with you, so call after hours if you are scared of confrontation 😭☠️) (450) 922-2562 / Stephane.Bergeron@parl.gc.ca Anthony House-father (Chair) (514) 283-0171 / anthony.housefather@parl.gc.ca Randall Garrison (VC) (250) 405-6550 / randall.garrison@parl.gc.ca Marty Morantz (VC) (204) 984-6432 / Marty.Morantz@parl.gc.ca The Honourable Ya’ara Saks (VC) (416) 638-3700 / yaara.saks@parl.gc.ca

Embassy of Israel (613)567-6450 / FAX: 613-750-7555

DEMANDS

Summarized from resistance groups such as H/mas, H/zbollah, PFLP (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine), DFLP (Marxist Democratic Front got the Liberation of Palestine), CJPME (Canadians for justice and peace in the middle east), and other anti-war, anti-imperialist, IRL Palestinians.

Canada needs to...

Call an immediate PERMANENT ceasefire to end bloodshed

Send humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Institute embargo on all military exports to Israel

Close the embassies, and sanction Israel diplomatically and economically.

SCRIPTS

Use these as scripts for calling, emailing, and mailing. I suggest adding some of your own sentences and changing the subject lines (for email) so they don't end up in spam.

Example from Canada: Stop Arming Israel - World BEYOND War 

As we mourn the thousands of people in Israel and Palestine who have been killed in the past few weeks we refuse to stand by and allow the only true winners in war — the weapons manufacturers — to continue to arm and profit off of it.

Canada exported over $21 million in military goods to Israel in 2022, including over $3 million in bombs, torpedoes, missiles, and other explosives. - 2022 Exports of Military Goods 

Weapons companies across Canada are making a fortune off of the carnage in Gaza and the occupation of Palestine.

This is a call to action. It's time to stop letting these weapons companies profit off of the massacre of thousands of Palestinians. Find a location near you, get friends and allies together, and interrupt their business as usual to demand they stop selling arms and military technology to Israel.

Send an urgent message to demand Canada stop arming Israel and push for an immediate ceasefire to your Member of Parliament, the Prime Minister, and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and Defense.

Dear [recipient's full name goes here], We are witnessing genocidal violence playing out in Gaza right now. Thousands of Palestinians have been killed, nearly half of them children. With a blockade on water, electricity, fuel and food, a quarter of all buildings razed to the ground, and over a million people displaced, UN experts have denounced Israel's actions as crimes against humanity. Meanwhile, weapons companies across Canada are arming -- and making a fortune off of -- the carnage in Gaza and the massacre of thousands of Palestinians by selling weapons and military technology to Israel. I am calling on you to do two things: to take immediate action to institute an arms embargo on Israel and to ensure Canada pushes for de-escalation and a ceasefire in Gaza. Sincerely,

Script Sample 2 from Palestinian Youth Movement

^This will open up a pre-written email in your chosen email app or site. Fill in the recipient line with the emails of MPs you wish to contact.

Script Sample 3 from CJPME's Email Campaign

^Complete the form to send an email to Prime Minister Trudeau, your local MP, and the leaders of the NDP, Convervatives and Greens. Canada must OPPOSE A SECOND NAKBA and dispossession of the Palestinians in Gaza by pushing for a ceasefire.

Script Sample 3 for mail:

(a mix of mine and a friend's)

I am writing to ask you to take immediate action to stop the genocide Israel is committing against Palestinians in Gaza as well as the onslaught of those in West Bank.

There is blockade on food, water, electricity, fuel, and the use of internationally banned white phosphorus to exterminate Palestinians. Aid is not able to enter Gaza because of this blockade. UN experts have named Israel’s actions as genocide citing numerous war crimes they continually commit.

While over 10k civilians have been martyr’d (4.2k of which are children), Canada has not even been able to NAME such crimes as genocide or call for an official ceasefire. This is not enough.

Canada needs to:

Call an immediate ceasefire to end bloodshed

Send humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Institute embargo on all military exports to Israel

Close the embassies, and sanction Israel diplomatically and economically.

FAX (NEW!)

Using faxzero.com is simple, just follow up the steps on the website. No fax machine required! Tell officials your demands and customize your letter by noting their complicity based on their role as a politician or gov official. Or keep it brief and simple, in large legible letters. 

Demands could include:

That you are a “Canadian” constituent That you are demanding an IMMEDIATE AND PERMANENT CEASEFIRE IN GAZA; That you demand a total withdrawal of financial (taxpayer) and commercial support and arms for continued occupation in Israel’s 70+ year occupation in Palestine; That it is shameful that [X] is choosing not to speak up for the deaths of more than 11,000 Palestinians, half of whom are children and thousands of others displaced; That Palestinians like all people, deserve life, dignity and justice; That Israel is breaking multiple international laws daily and Canada MUST meet its international commitment to promote and defend human rights under the Geneva Convention; That not putting these actions in place will harm constituents and undo acts of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and other marginalized communities in Canada by not protecting the Indigenous peoples of Palestine; That unless there is concrete and everlasting action taken place, that there will be no peace until Palestine is free, and subsequently that you will not be voting for them (if applicable) in the next election.

Sign off with your name, address and postal code (if applicable, furthering that you are a resident on the stolen Indigenous lands otherwise known as “Canada”) Extended fax list: Scott thomson (president of scotiabank) - 416-866-5929 joe biden / whitehouse - 202-456-2461

(source: @/harlo.gif on IG)

[fiftyfiftyfinchy]

Pub Quiz Imagine (ArthurTV)

The pub was buzzing with chatter, the kind of hum that made everything feel alive and a little chaotic. Cameras were perched on tripods around the cozy room, capturing every angle of the action. Strings of fairy lights crisscrossed the ceiling, giving the space a warm, golden glow. A large chalkboard behind the bar displayed the words “Pub Quiz Extravaganza,” with doodles of question marks and pint glasses sketched around the edges.

Simon stood in front of the quiz table, wearing his signature cheeky grin and holding a stack of question cards. “Alright, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the ultimate test of general knowledge. The stakes? Bragging rights and maybe some dignity.” He paused for effect, earning a chuckle from the group.

You stood behind one of the cameras, adjusting the focus as Ethan loudly proclaimed, “Mate, you’re looking at the winner right here.”

“Winner of most overconfident,” Harry quipped, earning a round of laughter.

Arthur sat across from Ethan, leaning back in his chair. You caught him glancing in your direction, quickly looking away when your eyes met. His ears turned a faint shade of pink, and you couldn’t help but smile to yourself as you adjusted the angle again.

“First question,” Simon announced, holding up a card. “What is the capital of Canada?”

“Easy! Toronto,” Ethan declared confidently.

“Wrong,” ChrisMD said immediately, shaking his head. “It’s Ottawa.”

“Correct!” Simon confirmed, tossing Chris a small plastic trophy. “One point to Chris. Ethan, it’s a miracle you know your own name.”

George laughed, throwing a balled-up napkin at Simon. The room erupted in playful chaos for a moment before Simon regained control.

As the quiz went on, you moved between cameras, checking angles and adjusting sound levels. You’d spent the night before scrolling through Arthur’s Instagram, nervously trying to get a sense of what he was like. His smile in those pictures had been disarming, and you couldn’t help but feel a flutter of nerves at the thought of working with for the second time. Now, seeing him answer science questions like it was second nature, you found yourself even more intrigued. It quickly became clear that Arthur had a knack for the science-related questions, answering them with an ease that left the others groaning in defeat. His quiet confidence shone brightest when Simon pulled out anything involving chemistry or physics, earning him grudging admiration and playful jeers alike. Every now and then, you caught Arthur’s eyes drifting toward you. Once, when he thought you weren’t looking, you saw him lean over to whisper something to Bach, who immediately grinned and gave him a not-so-subtle nudge.

Simon’s voice cut through the noise again. “Next question: What year did the Titanic sink?”

“1912,” Ethan blurted out before anyone else could answer.

“Correct! Point to Ethan.”

“See? I told you lot I’m a genius,” Ethan said, throwing his hands up triumphantly.

“A genius who thought Canada’s capital was Toronto five minutes ago,” Becky teased, earning another round of laughs.

By the final round, the scores were close, and the energy in the room was electric. Simon set down the final question card with a flourish. “Last question: What is the chemical symbol for gold?”

“Au!” Arthur shouted, almost jumping out of his seat.

Simon nodded dramatically. “And we have a winner! Arthur takes the crown.”

Arthur looked genuinely surprised, his mouth dropping open before breaking into a shy smile. “Wait, really? I actually won?”

“Enjoy it while it lasts,” Harry said, pretending to sulk. “Next time, you’re going down.”

The group dissolved into cheers and groans, the sound of their camaraderie filling the room. You couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride watching it all unfold, knowing you’d captured every hilarious moment. As you began packing up your equipment, you noticed Arthur standing awkwardly to the side, his gaze darting between you and his phone. He took a deep breath, clearly summoning some courage, before walking over to where you were organizing cables.

"Hey it’s nice to see you again," he said quickly, as if rushing to get the words out. "I just wanted to say, you’ve done an amazing job with all this. Everything’s so... organized. It’s impressive."

You smiled at his awkwardness. "Thanks, Arthur. That really means a lot."

He fidgeted, his cheeks turning pink. "Right. Well, um, if you’re not busy, maybe we could grab a drink sometime? Not like a work thing, just... you know, a drink," he mumbled, clearly nervous.

"A drink sounds good. But I warn you, I’m probably better at camerawork than small talk," you teased.

Arthur’s eyes widened. "Oh, well, that’s actually a relief because I’m much better at trivia than I am at flirting," he said with a nervous laugh.

You chuckled. "Sounds like we’d make a good team."

Arthur’s smile grew more confident. "So, um, could I get your number? So I can text you and arrange a time to get that drink," he asked, clearly eager but still a bit unsure.

"Sure," you replied with a smile. “I’d really like that."

Arthur’s fingers moved a little faster as he added your number to his phone. "Okay, well it was great chatting with but unfortunately I have to leave," he said, seeming slightly apologetic. "I’ll text you soon."

You smiled back. "I’m looking forward to it."

As Arthur walked away, you noticed the spring in his step, a quiet confidence replacing his earlier awkwardness. The pub was nearly empty now, and you lingered, wondering when he might text you to set up that drink.

[starsareshinning]

High School AU: What year everyone is in and some Info

SENIORS

Annalise Lusen Mia: She’s a student nurse that had an opportunity to learn from the nurse working at Proxy High. She took it now she goes to the nurses office whenever she can to learn and help out.

Liu Woods: Moving from Ottawa to Toronto he’s brand new to the district and city. Liu looks like your average loser, but he’s much more. A lot more social.

Helen Otis: Helen was actually sent to jail for attempted murder. He lied and manipulated his way through, pretending he was getting better. He is now back in Proxy High. He has a weird obsession with blood.

Candy Pop: Funky little jester who looks as if he’s ready to catch Pokémon! He was born in New York but now lives in Toronto Canada with a weird man (human Night Terrors) who he avoids by filling up his free time with after school activities.

Nathan Maxwell Lux: Goth guy who’s a hater and can be a bitch. He’s also Candy Pop’s best friend and neighbor, which can suck because Candy Pop is annoying as hell. But they get along. Somehow.

Dina Angela Clark: Dina is known for being a sweetheart, her whole reputation was built upon her sweetness. She helps out whenever and whoever she can. Everyone calls her an Angel. However, just because she is an angel, doesn’t mean she’ll let people walk over her.

Kagekao: School’s one and only plug. I’m not kidding when I say that. Kagekao provides people with drugs and alcohol, though he only provides it to trusted and known people. Ones who won’t snitch. He’s also one of the rich students that attends Proxy High.

Jason Meyers: Honor student. His parents expect highly of him, and so his own exceptions of himself are high. Though his wish is to be a toymaker, he knows his parents would kill him if he ever said that out loud. Jason gets bullied because he is: British, a born red head, self-centered, and worst of all…he wears a top hat.

Ciara H. Callaghan: In a loving and healthy relationship with Nathan. She’s a confident student, doesn’t let anyone mess with her or someone she care deeply about. Lives with Candy Pop and (human) Night Terrors.

JUNIORS

Alice Marie Jackson (Zero): Alice prefers to go by Zero. Her adopted father is abusive to her so she usually spends her nights at Kagekao’s rich ass mansion. It’s gotten to the point where she can be called a roommate.

Jack Nyras: Most people dislike him because of his personality. Which is sarcastic while also being a smart ass. Group projects with him? You won’t be doing anything. He does all the work. He chooses to do all the work just because he doesn’t trust anyone else. Despite this, he can be caring for some people. He lives with his three siblings and older cousin.

Jonathan Blake (The Puppeteer): He’s sort of a sad little man these days. Found out his girlfriend cheated on him, but he has his best friend Helen Otis. Jon likes instruments and arts! He works as a delivery person. Delivers pizza at night and newspaper in the morning.

Laughing Jack: Schools personal clown. People either hate him or love him, he pulls pranks on anyone, anything, and everyone. No one is safe from him. Not even the teachers! He’s gotten in trouble because of his pranks. Oh and. He’s most likely never going to graduate. So. Have Fun LJ. His childhood best friend who was Issac Grossman turned out to be a serial killer, so that fucked him up a bit. But, he distracts himself with jokes and avoids people who want to question him about it.

Laughing Jill: She is Laughing Jacks twin sister. She’s the better twin. She does pull pranks, however her pranks only targets assholes like school bullies! Sometimes she gets pulled into LJ’s shenanigans. She does ballet after school!

Jane Richardson: She’s in a relationship with Mary. She’s also an honor student! Jane doesn’t mess around with her grades, she does everything on time and completed. She wants to make her parents proud (they already are).

Natalie Oullette: Natalie is known for getting into fights. She’s a sucker breaker through and through. She skips most of her classes and leaves the school when it gets to lunchtime. Her family is a mess which she avoids ever interacting with.

Sophomores

William Grossman: Will loves crime podcasts, especially the ones that talk about his cousin: Issac Grossman. He works at a hotdog stand at the malls food court, needing money because he’s poor. He gets bullied because he’s poor. It’s not fun.

Jeffery Alan Woods: Liu’s younger brother who helps Liu sneak out of the house occasionally. Jeff is a closeted homosexual who wants to become emo, but unfortunately cannot because of how strict and religious his parents are. He hates going to a new school because he has to make new friends, and that’s a bit difficult to do when you keep moving.

Frankie: He has an alcoholic deadbeat father who uses the money he earns to get more alcohol. And his mother is a junkie that won’t quit doing drugs. So to provide for him and his little sister, he sometimes steals his parents booze and drugs to sell them on the streets. Frankie sometimes works at the mall as well. Part time worker.

Cody Richards: Cody is a science and biology nerd. His adopted father is a famous scientist so he wants to follow his legacy. However he’s also a straight forward guy who will insult anyone who annoys him, even when they’re right in front of him.

Tobias Erin Rogers: Toby’s parents are going through a divorce, which meant he could no longer stayed homeschooled. It was a hard decision, but his mom had to let him go into public school. Toby’s excited to start his first year at Proxy High! (Oh he’s so cooked.)

Freshmen

Nina Hopkins: Nina runs the biggest gossip blog, she’s been running it since elementary. She knows everyone and everyone knows her. Because her parents are busy she lives with her grandma and her little brother, Chris.

Kate Milens: Kate is sort of a social student! She talks to anyone that she thinks is interesting enough. When she’s not talking she listening to music and sketching on her sketch book. She likes hearing Nina yap about her blog.

Vaughn Pavel Volikov: Or more known as Vine is a very sad and traumatized student. His foster parents sent him into public school. He hates interacting with older men that isn’t Papa Grande (who he finds comfort in). Once he’s at the age of eighteen he inherits his father’s fortune.

[hockeyboysimagines]

okay we need a sequel to practice makes perfect where matthew is proven right and knocked hallie up first try 😂

Your wish is my commend anon. Please read part 1 before this, as it won’t make sense otherwise. I hope this is everything you’re imagining.

“Sooooooo?”

“So what?”

“Did you take it?”

Hallie rolled her eyes “No I didn’t take it yet. I’m not late, we still have another week.”

Matthew slumped down in his seat and crossed his arms “Ugh. Can’t you hurry it along? Like talk with your uterus and tell it to do us a solid?”

“The fact that you know nothing about the female body is amazing considering how good you are in bed.” She looked down at her abdomen “Excuse me in there. Can you tell us if you’re sending a period this month? My baby daddy wants to know.”

His mouth fell open and he started laughing “Baby daddy.”

“Is that not what you are?” Hallie asked reaching forward to run her fingers through his hair “I mean after all wasn’t it YOU.” She said jabbing him in the chest with her pointer finger “Who was just bragging about being 2 for 2 the other week? The cabin? The bar bathroom? Ring a bell?”

“I don’t know. I can’t remember the bar bathroom.”

“Can’t remember my ass!”

“Oh no. I remember your ass.”

He ran a hand up her thigh and gave her hip a tug, pulling her over to straddle his lap, and looked at her smiling cheekily “Kidding. Of course I’m your baby daddy. Thomas looks just like me, now Lilly…..”

Hallie’s mouth fell open and she slapped his chest “Rude.” And then she reached down between them to palm him through his shorts “I guess if that’s how you feel I’ll find someone else to give me this.” She ground her pelvis into his, and he felt himself get hard.

“Never.” He reached forward and let his hands travel up her thighs to her hips and then leaned up to kiss her collarbone. Hallie closed her eyes and felt goosebumps erupt across her skin as his lips moved across her skin, tongue sliding across her neck, and up her jaw to her mouth. He had just started to kiss her, hand coming up to grip the back of her neck when-

“Daddy!!”

He stopped and his head fell forward with a sigh.

“Daddy come play!”

She smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek “We’ll finish this later. Your mini me is calling you.” she climbed off him and helped him stand, turning to head towards the kitchen when she felt his hand on her ass “I like these pants.” He said hand coming to the other side of her hips “They make your-“

“DADDY!”

“OKAY!” He yelled back, scowling and huffing “He’s so impatient.”

Hallie started laughing “You sure you want another one?”

“Ha ha. I want 4 more.”

“4-what I-4?!” Hallie’s sputtered at him until he started laughing.

“Can’t help it. You’re just so easy to get pregnant.” He shrugged and winked at her turning to find Thomas and take him outside to play hockey in the driveway, a daily past time for them.

4 kids. Was he crazy? She thought as she made her way through the house and upstairs to check on baby Lilly, as Thomas called her, who was taking a nap. On her way she passed the bathroom, and stopped.

Biting her lip she reached under the sink and pulled out a test. She didn’t feel pregnant. Last time she’d known right away, after said romp in the bar. Exactly 5 weeks later she was holding a positive test while Brady celebrated before the Battle of Alberta playoff series. When at home, some form of protection was always used unless they were trying. But there wasn’t much thought that went into spontaneous bar bathroom sex, or her last minute availability to be in Ottawa some weeks ago, both of which had been protection free. She held it in her hand, doing a mental count and pulled her jeans down.

Today would be 5 weeks exactly, and taking one couldn’t hurt. It would however prove his theory, and he would now be 3 for 3 on getting her pregnant on the first try.

Thomas was the night in the cabin, the first time they’d had sex.

Lilly was the bar bathroom, the first time they’d been out celebrating the trade with his new teammates.

And now if she was pregnant today, it would be after the game in Ottawa, all three being on the first try.

She would never hear the end of this.

She set the test on the counter, pulling her jeans up and washing her hands while she waited for it. She however was not alone before it finished because Matthew himself threw the door open and stopped, surprised to see her but then his eyes zeroed in on the test.

“What the- your taking it without me?!”

He pushed past her and peered at it, eyes moving between what appeared in the bubble and the difference between positive and negative. A smile spread slowly across his face like the Grinch when his heart grew three sizes and he turned to her.

“3 for 3!”

“No WAY!” She said grabbing it and holding it up. There it was. A pink plus sign clear as day in that tiny circle.

He thrust a fist in the air and gave a very loud “YES!” Before he pulled out his phone, fumbling to unlock it with the amount of excitement running through him.

“What are you doing?”

“Calling my parents to tell them that their son has successfully knocked you up 3 times on the first try. Let them tell me again that Brady’s more talented.”

“Matthew do not-“

But Chantal had already answered the phone.

“Hello I was just going to-“

“Hallie’s pregnant!” He yelled gleefully into the phone.

“AH!” Chantal screamed on the other end. She heard a clatter in the background and Keith yelling “What?! What happened?!”

“Hallie’s pregnant!” She yelled voice breaking a little.

“Again? He’s out of control.”

“Yeah remember that next time you tell me Brady is better. I’d like to see him do that.”

Hallie’s face burned with embarrassment as she accepted ‘congratulations’ from Keith and Chantal, who promised to come visit soon and hung up. But Matthew wasn’t done, he texted several teammates, all of whom chirped him, including Sam who said he didn’t think he had it in him, and then made one last phone call, looking at her and cracking a large evil smile.

“Now what are you doing?”

“Calling Brady to tell him that C on his chest is nothing compared to the C in my pants.”

“MATTHEW!”

[woah-were-halfway-there]

The Fight

a/n: y'all asked for this one back, here it is. enjoy!

the one where carson and auston almost break up

word count: 2.7k

Everything happened so quickly and unexpectedly.

It was just a regular Tuesday in late September, and Carson was still adapting to some new things in her life. She graduated from university that June and landed a job as a social media marketer a month and a half later for a company in downtown Toronto.

She wasn’t to start her new job until September, and with the money she had saved, Carson could spend most of the summer in Arizona with Auston.

It was the third summer in a row that she had visited him during the offseason. Sure, being there for over a month was much longer than the usual week or two Carson would usually spend visiting her boyfriend in the city he grew up in during years prior, but it was needed. And it was nice for the most part, but it, too, brought some change.

About two weeks before Carson was to fly back home to Toronto, Auston asked if she would move in with him. They had been dating for over two and a half years, and he felt they were at that point in their relationship.

It worked out, too, because Carson’s lease at her old apartment was up at the beginning of September. Lexie was leaving Toronto altogether, so Carson was left looking for a new roommate or place to live.

Carson was open to whatever; she just needed a place to stay. However, her search ended when Auston asked her to move in because, although hesitant to do so, being afraid they may not have been ready for that step, Carson didn’t see a reason to say no.

Things went great… at first.

When Carson returned to Toronto alone, she began slowly packing and moving some of her stuff into Auston’s condo. Soon after, Auston was also back; he helped her move the rest.

Carson started her new job the day after Labour Day and got to spend almost two weeks living with Auston before he had to leave for Newfoundland with the rest of the Leafs for the remainder of training camp and to kick off their preseason games. Auston was gone for his birthday but returned soon after. Soon after, the guys were to play exhibition games in Ottawa, Buffalo, Montreal and Detroit.

The day before the Leafs was to take on the Habs at SBA, Carson was on break at work, texting Lexie just catching up with her best friend, updating each other on how each of their moves went, when Carson got a notification on her phone.

It was about Auston.

It wasn’t rare that Twitter notified Carson about news regarding her boyfriend, but this tweet, in particular, had her on edge.

“Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews was charged with disorderly conduct and disruptive behaviour in Arizona,” Carson read aloud as she tried to process the news article's title.

Surely, she would have been aware of Auston being criminally charged for something, Carson thought. There was no way he wouldn’t tell her something like that. However, Carson was proven wrong when she clicked on the article and saw the rest of the story.

Carson couldn’t believe what she was reading, but the evidence was right before her, and there was no denying it. Auston had been charged with disorderly conduct and didn’t bother telling her about it.

Anger, disappointment, frustration, and many other emotions hit Carson like a tidal wave. It wasn’t long before she was packing up her laptop and other belongings before telling her boss she wasn’t feeling well and needed to go home. Carson’s boss didn’t press her about it and sent her on her way.

It took Carson about thirty minutes to get home. It wasn’t a long commute back to the condo, Carson worked downtown Toronto as it was, but she found herself taking a long way back in an attempt to clear her mind.

It didn’t work, and she returned home with her heart racing.

When Carson walked into the condo, Auston was on the phone. He was pacing back and forth, pushing his hand through his hair and going off to whoever was on the other end of the call. Carson didn’t make her presence known immediately, but then Auston looked right at her.

“Ok, yeah, I, uh, I have to go. I’ll call you back later, alright? Carse just got home,” Auston said into the phone before telling the person he was talking to goodbye and hanging up. Then he stepped closer to Carson, and she could feel herself stiffening. “Hey, baby.”

“Don’t call me that right now,” Carson spat and watched as Auston’s face went pale. He knew that she knew.

“Carson, I can explain.”

“Explain what, Auston? And why now? It seems you’ve had four months to explain but decided not to.”

Carson could feel the tears building in her eyes and hated that she was on the brink of crying because she was already so frustrated.

Carson didn’t care that Auston saw her that upset. She needed to understand what was happening but wasn’t sure if she trusted Auston enough to tell her everything she needed.

“I-,” Auston started, then paused, and Carson could see that tears were fighting to break free from his eyes too. “I’m assuming you saw the article. Babe, I am so sorry.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Carson asked, her voice cracking. She was terrified to know the answer.

“I didn’t know how,” he stated, and Carson would’ve been lying if she said it didn’t sting a bit hearing that. “I never thought it’d become this whole ordeal. I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t get the chance.”

“Didn’t get the chance to tell me? Auston, this happened in May! What do you mean you didn’t get the chance? You could have told me when it happened or when you flew back here for my graduation at the beginning of June. You could’ve told me when I came to Scottsdale for an entire month or before you asked me to fucking move in with you after you were criminally charged with disorderly conduct but didn’t tell me!”

A sob left Carson’s mouth after those words left her mouth because she knew it was real then. And that sucked a whole lot.

“I know,” Auston sighed and looked towards the ground guiltily. “And I’m sorry, Carse, I really am. I knew you’d be upset and was too chicken to tell you. I didn’t want you to be disappointed. Fuck, this is just a whole misunderstanding. I shouldn’t have been charged at all.”

Now, that comment didn’t sit right with Carson.

“W-what do you mean by that?” She questioned.

“The whole thing was just stupid,” he explained. “I was drunk. I didn’t mean any harm by it. This entire thing just shouldn’t be happening right now. The charge was completely unnecessary.”

“Unnecessary?” Carson scoffed, not believing what she had just heard. “Auston, you made a woman extremely uncomfortable and scared. You can’t decide someone's trauma for them. It doesn’t matter what you meant by it; you still did it and need to own up to that.”

“And this is exactly why I didn’t tell you. I knew you’d get worked up over it.”

“Oh, I’m sorry that I’m getting worked up over the fact that my boyfriend harassed a woman, got charged because of it, didn’t tell me and is now pissed because he’s getting called out for it. God, Auston, grow up! You’re a fucking adult.”

“Grow up, huh?” He asked, looking surprised and raising his voice. “Yes, Carson. Thank you, really good tip.”

“Ok, well, now you’re just being rude.”

“I’m just, this is a lot to deal with, and you being on my ass about it isn’t helping.”

“I cannot believe you right now,” Carson told him while shaking her head. “That’s on you, Auston. Not me. And do excuse me for being on your ass about this because, a friendly reminder, I didn’t know anything! You left me in the dark. You assumed that I’d freak out over this, and honestly, I am not in the wrong for doing so. I would have listened to you if you had told me and tried to help you through it, but you assumed I wouldn’t. And that hurts. I would have tried to understand, but you didn’t even give me a chance. What happened to us being a team and telling each other everything, hmm? That’s why you wanted me to move in with you, right? Cause we’re in this together, but let me tell you, it sure doesn’t fucking feel like it at the moment.”

Carson was crying and saw a few tears in Auston’s eyes. She wanted him to hold her and tell her everything would be ok. But Carson knew better. It wouldn’t be that simple.

“I don’t know what else I can say,” Auston finally said after a few seconds of silence.

“Have you talked to your parents yet?” Carson asked, sniffling and only imagining what could be running through Ema’s head with news of Auston being charged just coming out of nowhere.

However, Auston didn’t respond right away. Instead, he looked away from Carson and to the floor again.

“They already knew.”

“Pardon?”

“They already knew,” Auston repeated and looked at Carson apologetically. ”My whole family knew when it happened. I asked them not to tell you because I wanted to be the one to let you know, and then I just didn’t.”

“Oh, my god,” Carson whispered and had to look away from him, adding the feeling of betrayal to every other emotion coursing through her.

“Carson, it’s not their fault. This is on me,” Auston pleaded as he stepped towards Carson and reached out, but she quickly backed away.

“Don’t touch me, Auston. Please.”

The hurt expression that washed over Auston’s face as Carson said that was almost enough to get her to give in to him right then and there. But she didn’t. She couldn’t.

“I don’t know what I can do to fix this,” he spoke softly. “Babe, I-.”

“That’s something you need to figure out,” Carson cut him off. “Not me. You. You did this, Auston, and have already roped so many people into something I can tell you haven’t taken any responsibility for. The way this is being handled is no one's fault but your own, and I really thought you’d be one to see that.”

“I am, Carson if you’d just-.”

“You made a woman uncomfortable, then told me that her pressing charges were unnecessary because they inconvenienced you. Do you not realize how fucked up that is? Auston, I’ve considered doing something similar because of my psychotic ex, and you know this. I, god, it doesn’t even feel like I’m talking to my boyfriend. I feel like I don’t even know the man that is standing in front of me right now.”

Carson could tell how her words struck Auston, but she didn’t take them back. That was precisely how she was feeling.

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” he whispered, taking a shaky breath. “But I’m still me, Carse.”

“I don’t know if I believe you,” Carson responded and didn’t bother wiping any tears she knew were streaming down her face.

The two stood silently for a moment before Carson stepped further into the room just to go around her boyfriend and head down the hall toward their bedroom.

“Where are you going?” Auston asked as he entered the room shortly after Carson, only to see her packing a bag.

“Anywhere but here,” Carson sniffled as she moved to grab some clothes from the closet.

“Baby.”

“I asked you not to call me that.”

“Carson,” he corrected as he continued following her between the closet and bed. “You’re upset, I understand. But you shouldn’t drive. Let's wait it out, and we can both cool down and talk.”

“I’ll call Mitchy,” Carson deadpanned. “Or Steph, or an Uber, it doesn’t matter. I just can’t be here.”

“You don’t have to leave. This is your home too.”

“Except it doesn’t feel like home, Auston, and neither do you right now,” Carson sobbed as she zipped up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. “I need to go.”

Auston was crying just as much as Carson at that point. “When will you be back?”

“I don’t know,” Carson responded, unsure of if she’d be back, which was a thought that broke her heart even more.

Carson walked by Auston and back to the front door without another word, completely aware that he was right behind her as she went.

Auston watched as Carson started calling, who he assumed was Mitch while gathering her work things and putting her shoes back on. No more words were exchanged between them as Carson opened the door and walked into the hallway.

However, Carson did hear the faint ‘I love you’ Auston said just before the door closed and separated her from him.

Carson was still sobbing as she leaned against the wall for support and waited for Mitch to answer her call. As soon as he picked up, Mitch asked if she was ok, and Carson told him that she felt like everything was falling apart. Mitch asked where Carson was and told her he was on his way to get her.

A couple of hours later, Carson was lying on Steph and Mitch’s couch, wrapped in a fluffy blanket and still crying. Her head rested on Steph’s lap as they sat there watching the second High School Musical movie, which Mitchy thought might not have been the best idea with how Carson began sobbing again when Gabriella sang Gotta Go My Own Way, but still, Carson refused to turn it off.

The last time Carson felt that much heartbreak was when she found out her ex, Chris was cheating on her after being together since she was fifteen. It was from that heartbreak Carson was able to meet and fall for Auston, but never in a million years did she expect him to make her feel similarly to how Chris did. So yes, it was two completely different situations, but it hurt just as bad.

Similarly enough, though, this was the second time Carson showed up at her cousin’s place, utterly distraught over a boy. But luckily for her, Mitch never turned her away and was always there to help where he could. He was always his twin’s rock when she needed it.

Carson didn’t know what to do, think or feel. It was all fuzzy, but she was thankful to have Mitch and Steph to help her through her breakdown.

To try to clear her mind, Carson turned off her phone and left it in the kitchen for the night.

Upon setting her phone down, Carson saw numerous missed calls and texts from Auston. He and his family tried to get ahold of her to apologize and talk, and other family members wanted to check in on her. But she couldn’t face it.

Mitch made sure to talk to Nate, Mya, and the rest of their family just to let them know that Carson was with him and would be staying with him and Steph for as long as she needed to. He informed Carson that Nate and Mya were not impressed and that Lexie called him fuming, which was to be expected. Mitchy also told Carson he messaged Auston because he knew her boyfriend would be stressing over not knowing where she had gone after their fight. In that message, Mitch made sure Auston knew how pissed he was at the situation but still knew Auston would be relieved to get an update on Carson.

Once the movie was over, Carson was too exhausted to watch the third High School Musical, so she opted to watch an episode of The Office while cuddling Zeus before eventually falling asleep.

Steph slowly got out from underneath Carson’s head while Mitch grabbed another blanket and draped it over her so she wouldn’t get cold. They didn’t bother waking Carson up so she could move to the guest room because they knew if she wanted to, she would. So, they let her be and hoped for her own sake; the following days would be much better than this one.

[copperbadge]

Radio Free Monday

Good morning everyone, and welcome to Radio Free Monday!

Ways to Give:

feralfxckxr is raising funds for an in-clinic abortion procedure after the initial pill failed to work following an assault. They are offering tarot readings and have friends offering art commissions; you can read more, reblog, and find giving/commission information here.

Anon linked to a fundraiser findingfeather is running to help mythopoetry live safely in Ottawa long enough to get her citizenship finalized and her healthcare needs met after her health was neglected for years during an abusive marriage. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here or give at the fundraiser here.

lexin linked to a fundraiser for Laura, whose lease is up for renewal; she wants to get out but needs to delay, as her physical health is not good and there's a lot of work that needs to be done for her to be able to move house, and some of that work will need to be something they pay others to do. You can read more and give to the fundraiser here.

Anon linked to a fundraiser for a friend, Angel, who is trying to purchase a recumbent bike; Angel has significant physical restrictions and needs exercise to improve health and stave off future health issues. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

Stevie linked to a fundraiser for friends Caine and Mary, who are trying to restore their small-town farm; they bought the farm attempting to become more self-sufficient as a queer and disabled couple, but the house needs repairs and they've had a few setbacks, and government aid is slow in coming. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

Recurring Needs:

loversdoom is a college student from the Philippines, studying away from her family, and her parents are unexpectedly unable to support her education; she is dealing with a number of expenses and is now looking at costly medical procedures as well. You can read more and reblog here or give to the fundraiser here.

onedollopofsourcream is raising funds to help with food, transportation, medication for their family, and other expenses after a string of financial issues; you can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

rilee16 is raising funds to get out of an abusive home situation; with irregular work hours and a tax debt due on top of chronic illness issues, they also need funds to repair their phone, which is dying, and cover utility bills. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

Anon linked to a fundraiser for their friend dyken, who along with their partner has been having trouble covering bills, food, and mental health treatment; their family is abusive and unwilling to help financially. They are accepting donations via paypal and commissions via ko-fi; you can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

chingaderita's partner recently lost their job due to a house fire that also destroyed the house; they're raising funds to keep food on the table for a family of nine, to try and get a supply of water to keep clean, and for medications and bills until they can find new work. You can read more, reblog, and support the fundraiser here.

karla-hoshi (Hoshi on TikTok) has been raising funds for cancer treatment for her cat Naku, but unfortunately Naku passed last week. Between Naku's treatments and other unexpected financial issues, they are short funds for the last lab tests and for cremation to help make the loss easier; you can read more, reblog, and support the fundraiser here.

And this has been Radio Free Monday! Thank you for your time. You can post items for my attention at the Radio Free Monday submissions form. If you're new to fundraising, you may want to check out my guide to fundraising here.

[upmove18]

Conquering Chaos: A Comprehensive Guide to Moving Services

Moving house can be a whirlwind of emotions - excitement for a new chapter, anxiety about the unknown, and the overwhelming logistics of transporting every belonging you own. Navigating this whirlwind alone can be daunting, which is where the magic of moving services comes in. These professional helpers can transform your relocation from a chaotic scramble to a smooth, stress-free transition.

[kevin-spencer-confessions]

soo fic updates?

The fire alarm didn’t go off right away. Probably broken. or unplugged. Or stolen. Kevin didn’t care, however. The flame was small when he left it, just licking the corner of a plastic trash bin, crackling softly. He assumed it would do what fires usually did. grow, spread, ruin everything in its path. he pulled up his hood and walked slowly down the cracked sidewalk, blending in with the grayness of Ottawa’s underbelly like a stain no one could scrub out. Sirens rung somewhere in the distance. Not close enough to matter anyway.

Kevin Spencer, recent arsonist and longtime disappointment, had once again found a way to express his emotions in the most healthy, adult manner possible. by setting something on fire and leaving without a trace behind him.

Back at home, Percy was passed out on the couch with an empty bottle of gin on his chest and a half eaten frozen pizza melting onto his bare stomach. Anastasia was in the kitchen, laughing at something only she could hear on the distorted and broken radio they kept around for a long time. The TV was on in the living room, blasting nothing but static. Kevin stood in the doorway of their home for a moment, staring at them with the same expression he always wore, none. Anastasia eventually noticed, swaying slightly in her seat as she lit another cigarette with the half empty lighter in her hands. She soon spoke up, her voice more scratchy and dryer than normal. “Oh look who’s back. Did ya help the old hags at the nursing home or did ya push 'em down the stairs?” Kevin blinked. She took that as a yes. “That’s my boy.” she responded before she focused all her attention back in her cigarette, going back to pretending Kevin didn't exist. Typical, Kevin thought.

Kevin didn’t bother explaining what he’d really done. Mostly because he couldn’t be bothered. And partly because nobody in the Spencer household had the moral compass required to see a fire in a nursing home as anything worse than a minor inconvenience.

He shuffled into his room, stepping over a broken chair leg and a pile of unwashed laundry that may or may not have been alive. He sat on the floor of his bedroom, and just stared at the wall. Thought about the chessboard. The woman’s face came to mind. soft, wrinkled, smug. Her bonet hand moving the queen across the board and finally.. Checkmate. The sirens were closer now, he could hear them out in the distance. Kevin laid back on the floor and closed his eyes. He smiled, just a little bit. He wish he wasn't sober.

Kevin’s flip phone buzzed on the carpet beside him. It was older than most of the expired condiments in the Spencer fridge and had a battery held in place by duct tape and possibly chewed up gum. Kevin didn’t answer right away, however. He just stared at the ceiling, letting the phone vibrate across the floor like a dying beetle. The very thought made Kevin smile. Eventually, he picked it up and pressed the green button, answering whoever was calling him. He put it up to his ear as he listened. “Kev? Dude. You there? You’re not, like, setting anything on fire right now, are you?” a familiar voice came from the phone speaker. It was none other than Timmy. a boy he went to school with that was around his age. Kevin rolled his eyes but didn't respond to his question.

“Okay cool. Listen, man. You need to hear this. There’s this kid at school,"

[grantmentis]

This is a VERY interesting trade. Both scamurra and Bach are extremely talented players who should have been a major part of their teams offenses but just do not gel with their teams at all. Meanwhile Toronto gets younger on their d core while Ottawa gets leadership that can help them develop a true coherent d core that plays like a unit

I’m pretty shocked that Toronto moved Larocque, she was their time on ice leader by a good amount. I’m gonna guess salary played a role - both Harmon and Larocque are on three year contracts that have a minimum 80k salary but no max, and most players got more than that. I could see Larocque rightfully being a top earner due to her accolades but Toronto struggling to manage the salary average after some of the additions this offseason. Of course, that’s all speculation. They also might consider aging curves and such

[sekritjay]

Finally getting my formal job offer. Won't be particularly glamorous, I'll be hawking phones in a mobile phone concession in Ottawa but it'll put money in my pocket and if I do the sales part well then I'll be fast-tracked into the management position I originally applied for since I have evidence I ran a business.

In the mean time I'm back in the UK for a spell. It's honestly nice to hear people who sound like me after spending nine months out of the country. And to play on an actual gaming-grade PC since I only have a chromebook and my Steam Deck in Canada which are merely passable replacements.

And see my parents too I guess. Not going to be a relaxing holiday though as I'm specifically back to help them pack as they're going to downsize and move closer to my sisters' place.

[storagebay29]

james somerton 'apology' video transcript

Note: for those who do not want to watch it. For those who do, here's a link to a reupload as the original has since been deleted. There are a lot of a pauses and 'um's/'uh's, the latter of which are largely ommitted from the below transcript. Posted under a readmore as it's pretty long.

I'm sorry for taking so long to make this video, or to say anything. I'm in the hospital- I've been in the hospital for a little over a week. I tried- Fuck. I tried to do something really stupid... (pause) I'm only here now because before I did it, I called my dad to talk to him one more time and, he figured out something was wrong, called paramedics or 911 or… and they got here and I woke up in the hospital and, yeah.

…

Anyway, I'm not trying to make this a sob story, I'm just trying to explain why I've been so quiet. I had a friend from back home checking my emails and stuff, and yeah.

…

But anyway… I wanna say that I'm really really sorry, really really sorry... for the stuff in the videos, the not crediting people, and for a lot of videos, you know I, I did the opening titles thing, and I tried to put like ‘this is based on X's- this person's research, or on this person's book,’ but I know now that wasn't enough, that wasn't okay. And then there were a lot of times... that uh...  oh god. There were a lot of times that stuff just got put in and there was no attempt at crediting anybody (pause) and I'm really really sorry.

And I'm not, I'm not sorry that I got caught, I'm sorry for ever doing it, I didn't- I honestly honestly... didn't realise that I was hurting people... And now that I know that I was hurting people… I'm just really sorry.

I lost my best friend because of this. Nick and I have been best friends since 2011 or [20]12? We'd been friends online and then. He lived in Ottawa, I moved to Ottawa so we could be, like, friends in person, and then we moved back to- I moved back to Nova Scotia, and Nick came with me. We eventually moved to the Toronto area where we lived together for 7 years? 8 years? We lived together for a really long time… and… he hasn't spoken to me since this happened.

Sorry, sorry I said I wasn't gonna make this a sob sorry. I should’ve got some Kleenex.

Then again I'm really really really sorry for the things I did in the videos: copying people's work and not crediting them properly or at all. I also wanna apologise for the misinformation and just outright lies that ended up in the videos? I didn't- I honestly say that I never intended for any of that stuff to be in the videos, most cases I didn't write it but I should’ve, you know it was my face on the channel, my name on the channel, I should have been, I should have been more diligent about fact checking and stuff. ‘Cause there was a lot of really stupid shit in there. It would’ve- it's just so easy to check, I just never did, I just took it for granted…

I also, I wanna thank Hbomberguy and his team for setting up the fund to make some money available for the authors that were wronged and the journalists and writers and…

I wanna help somehow, I don't know how, a lot of- I've seen a lot of people online saying how much money I apparently make and they’re way overestimating. Beyond the fact that Nick and I split everything 50/50, they're still way overestimating how much money came in… And the Toronto area is expensive, so there's not really any kind of savings, I'm moving home really soon… ‘Cause without Nick there's nothing for me here, and like I said it's really expensive…

And so I wanna say I wanna thank them for setting up that fund, and I wanna help somehow. The only thing I can think of right now is to make the videos, most of the videos public again and every month I can send the ad revenue from all of the past videos- ‘cause there were plenty that didn't have any, any uncredited stuff in them... But I can make them public again, and then every month I can send the AdSense to- either I can send it to Hbomberguy's team, that they can add to the fund, or I can start a fund myself? And every month I can publicly say how much money was made on the AdSense and show it. And send that to the writers and stuff every month. I don't know... what the system for that would be? But I would be more than happy to do that

You know some of the videos like the ‘Killing Stalking’ video brought in like a pretty decent amount of money every month so that would be helpful I think/to them. I'll also put in either the description or the pinned comment the names of the authors so that anyone watching the video knows where all of the information came from, that it wasn’t me going out doing journalism- I never thought that anyone thought that I was doing journalism and stuff, and I don't think anyone did. For the people who actually were doing it should have been given the credit they deserve, they did the hard work, all I did was edit a video. They did the hard work and they- they deserved the credit

(cut) Sorry about that, phone stopped recording.

But- yes. They deserved- they deserved credit, and… when it was something... when it was something like the, the recent... ‘history of hollywood’ videos, right there in the opening credits, I put the Vito Russo's name, that it was adapted from his book ‘The Celluloid Closet’. Same thing went for the gay panic video and the gay holocaust video, they were- the holocaust video was adapted from two books, and the gay panic video was adapted from a lot of journalism, and I- I put their names right at the beginning of the videos.

But and- I understand that's not how citation works... now. I understand that, I get it. And I wanna do better. And I know a lot of people hate me now, ‘cause I did bad shit. But I wanna try and do better. At some point I’d like to make videos again. I'd like to do videos that are fully sourced, where I will put a link to the script where you can find all the sources so that everyone is properly given the credit that they deserve, any the kind of research that's done, credit for any b roll that's used whether it's stock footage, or movies or TV shows or video games, or anything like that, have it all in there. I would like to become a really really good example of giving proper credit to writers and journalists

And I know a lot of you watching this aren't- aren't really gonna care, you'd rather I just disappear. But I would like to try to do better.

I never ever intended to hurt anybody. I never thought that that's what I was doing. Before I went- before I went to the hospital, I read a lot of stuff from people who were really hurt, not just authors and stuff but people who watched my videos who were hurt by stuff in them. People think that I hate ace people and women and bisexual people and lesbians and that's not true. It's really- it's just- it’s not true. And I’m sorry that stuff made it into videos that just shouldn’t have been there: misinformation and lies... But I promise you I did not write that stuff.

I should have been a lot more exacting when Nick and I would be editing scripts but I promise you that those are not- I don't think those things. I specifically want to apologise to asexual people who feel that I just completed delegitimised you. Nick being ace, I- I know that it's kinda like you know, no two gay people are exactly the same, no two ace people are exactly the same, but I kind of, when it came to that I just kind of ran with Nick's judgement and his observations and stuff like that. And I’m not trying to throw Nick under the bus, which a bunch of people are saying that I was setting him up as doing, which is not true…

This whole thing, Nick and I were 50/50 partners, it wasn't I hired him to have a scapegoat or something like that. I never hired Nick. Nick and I were roommates for years before I started doing Youtube videos and then they started- people started watching them and I asked Nick if he wanted to help me write them and he said yes and we started splitting the- first the AdSense and then the Patreon and then the sponsorships, we just split everything. Nick was never supposed to be a fall guy.

I'm sorry. Maybe I should have waited longer to do this. But yeah, I- the- I did not- I don’t think those things and I don't think Nick does either, I think it was just how fast we were writing stuff, and how fast we were putting videos out, it was just too fast. And we weren’t putting the care into them that needed to be put into them.

I've seen a lot of people on social media and other youtubers even lying about me, but other- other- Hbomberguy was not one of them, I just wanna be clear about that, except I was never setting Nick up to be a fall guy and. It was never a grift or anything like that. I swear it was not. It is not.

In the next couple of days, I'm gonna send out a message to the Telos supporters on Indiegogo and explain the whole situation in more detail to them because we were not super clear about everything that was going on with Telos and so I can- I understand if it seems like we weren't doing anything but we were. We were doing a lot of work on Telos. We just weren’t talking about it is because we- we made that initial first announcement for ‘final girl’ and that fell through and I'll explain that to the message I send out to the supporters which I'm sure will end up on reddit or somewhere… And after that we didn't- we didn't want to talk about it too much until we had something really concrete, and I will explain all of that in that message

Telos was and is not a grift. I was never gonna take the money and run. None of the money that came in for telos was ever going to be paying me or Nick. It was going to be paying queer actors and artists, musicians, things like that. And I know there's been lots of talk about budgets and all this stuff, and people saying that I'm really stupid for thinking a movie could be made for that little money, but there are examples of it being done, and I actually do have a work ethic.

Anyway. but yeah. anyway

I do want to keep making videos and I know a lot of you won't watch them and that's- that's fine. But I really liked making videos…

We ended up making a lot of videos we didn't wanna make because people were asking for them, and so there were a lot of videos that we made that we didn't wanna make, and I think those videos are very clear on which ones those were. One of them never got officially released. It was released to patrons, some patrons have shared it to other people before all the videos went private. A lot of people hate the analysis that Nick and I did on it but. And so maybe it's good that that never got properly released, because… maybe it would have hurt people. And I don't want that.

But I do wanna make videos again sometime. I'd love to do like retrospectives on important gay movies. If you watch the channel ‘Be Kind Rewind’ they're an amazing channel that do a lot of retrospectives on older Hollywood movies and I would love to do that for gay movies. A lot of gay movies, people my age and younger have never heard of, things like ‘Torch Song Trilogy’ and ‘Longtime Companion’, and stuff like that, movies from the seventies and eighties and the nineties, things that were like really influential for gay cinema that no one talks about. And you know, I'd like to talk about not just those movies but how they got made and stuff like that. I would love to do something like that.

I swear on my mother's grave that there will be no copying people, no copying pasting. Every source will be cited in a document and on screen. ‘Cause I usually liked doing the research. I loved doing research - reading the books and articles and stuff like that. I- the part of me that was lazy was the copy and paste part. Instead of just putting it into my words and citing them properly and giving them credit… that's where the laziness came in. That was- I wasn't trying to be malicious. That was just laziness. And I promise for anyone who does watch the videos that I make going forward… I promise that will never happen again. I welcome the highest level of scrutiny on the new videos.

…

As for Patreon, I’m going to reactivate it. Because I saw a lot of people on social media saying that I was probably going to reactivate it right on January 1st so that everyone could get a surprise billing and I could take the money and run. And, no. First of all that was never my plan and I'm not gonna do it. I'm gonna reactivate it now so that anyone who wants to leave - which I imagine will be the vast majority - can leave and not have to worry about being billed again in January.

… Yeah. So. In closing. I'm again incredibly sorry... And again I'm not sorry because I was caught, I honestly didn't know how much I was hurting people… and how much harm I was bringing to the community, because that's not ever what I intended. I wanted the channel to be a safe place. I spent so much time deleting comments that were hateful

I recently found out that I wasn't being notified about- that I wasn’t seeing comments that were in replies to other comments so there were plenty of hateful comments in the comment section that were plenty hateful that I wasn’t seeing, and I didn't know that. But I wanted the channel to be a safe place and it ended up not being a safe place.

And for the misinformation, that kind of falls into two categories. 1. I did the wrong research in the historical things and other things they're not what I wrote.

Again, thank you to Hbomberguy and his team for making the fund for the writers. I'd like to try to contribute to that somehow so- if- if it's okay to make the videos public and send all of the- public and send all- it won't be all of videos ‘cause some of them had to be taken down because sponsors wanted them taken down, but I can put the videos back up with the sources properly put in either- for the I guess for the videos that would be going up from zero, I could actually put in sources for the videos, which would be good.

I guess I could- For the other ones that would just be made live again, I could put them in a pinned comment. ‘Cause I think people read pinned comments more than they read the descriptions, cause like the descriptions disappear in a lot of places. Something like that. Something so that I can try and- it won't make up for what I did but just. Something.

So I’m really really really sorry. I hurt a lot of people that I really respect and that really sucks. And.  Nick if you're watching this I know you're probably not but I miss you and…

Yeah I want to do better. I want- I want to do better. I want to prove that I can do better. I don't expect anyone to just give me the benefit of the doubt. But I want to show that I can do better, so I hope you'll let me do that.

Again, I'm really sorry. I'm sorry that the things I did- I'm sorry that I disappointed you. I promise going forward I will do better.

Thanks for watching, and...

…

And I’m really sorry.

[through-rosey-glasses]

PWHL Teams and Which Taylor Swift Era They are in

My sister and I were talking about how Minnesota Frost is clearly in their Tortured Poets Department Era, and that inspired the rest of this post. This is just a fun little thing I did, please don't take it too seriously or personally.

(Also for swifties, I used the old versions of album covers as it refers to that era. Red TV is totally different than Red ya know.)

Minnesota Frost:

Currently in their The Tortured Poets Department Era. Basically messy despite being on top of the world. The album came out after the raging success of Taylor Swift in her Era's tour and winning her fourth album of the year at the grammy's. This new album brings out snappy lines targeted at fans and revelations at how Taylor Swift didn't live up to the ideal many fans had of her. In Minnesota we had the recent firing of the favored general manager and drafting of a controversial player. You can't convince me that Ken Klee wasn't blasting But Daddy I Love Him, as he made all his messy decisions.

Boston Fleet:

Speak Now was a Taylor Swift era filled with spite and determination. The whole album was written by Taylor Swift alone, partially because her ex and some critics accusing her of not being a proficient writer on her own. After losing the Walter Cup, the Boston Fleet have the confidence that they can make it far and the determination to be better. (I also think spite comes naturally to Boston, not like they need a motivation or something.) This era is very youthful but honest, and I think that energy would be great to see in Boston next season. Someone blast better than revenge.

Montreal Victoire:

A personal favorite of mine, the Red Era of Taylor Swift had it all. Heartbreak, style, chaos, parties, love. This era was also risky and complex, Taylor Swift blended country and pop, bringing critical acclaim and a wider fanbase. Montreal has had a fun, but chaotic summer. Their draft picks are a fair mix of old and new. (With that wild Kessel pick) Their name and logo got rave reviews. People see the the good foundation the team has and are waiting in anticipation for what's to come.

Toronto Sceptres:

Reputation is a come back era, and Toronto has something to prove. Following a devastating injury to a star player, the team wasn't the same during the playoffs. This season they are going to have to show that they are still that team. Reputation is a fan favorite album and I have found Toronto to have the strongest fanbase. (They sell out most often and have the largest social media presence.) The team knows they are good and they have the support, they just need to rebuild.

Ottawa Charge:

Folklore is an era of surprising change. During Covid and following the cut short run of Lover, Folklore was an unannounced reinvention of Taylor Swift. It wasn't an intentional change, but one forced by the way of the world. Ottawa needs to find its grove and step into its own again. I haven't heard much from Ottawa on anything really, and I hope its because they got some cool alt indie surprise on its way.

New York Sirens:

Listen I am not only picking 1989 because it has a cool New York aesthetic. This is the era of leaning in and giving it your all. When Red didn't win album of the year, Taylor Swift decided to move to New York and reinvent herself. New York was last in ranking last season, but got first in draft. They have been working off season with insane draft picks and that somehow it worked out trade with Boston. New York has the star power, the New York city life, and the rebranding to help turn them into something new.

[tkachuktkaching]

Matthew on the Cam & Strick Podcast

A few things he said

He loves being in Florida & it was his preference out of all the places to go when the trade was going down.

Recapped the trade & how he found out about Johnny Gaudreau's trade just as he got back from his family vacation in Greece.

He gave big praise to brother Brady (unsurprisingly) & his sister for her skills too. He talked and he & Brady got recognised when out in a bar when visiting their sister recently.

He praised Barkov's talent & ability bigtime, his close friend Robert Thomas came in for huge praise as well & he was high on Brandon Montour when he was mentioned by the hosts they interviewed him recently.

His two dreams are to win the Stanley Cup & play with Brady for USA & win Gold together.

If he and Brady were ever to play together it would have to be for team USA or if Brady ever came to Florida because he's not going up there! (to Ottawa) but Brady's a few years from making any decisions about any move but Brady's like a god up there on Ottawa & he (Brady)loves it there.

He said It's sad & a big shame so many of top players haven't played in world cups or Olympics due to lack of opportunities & hopes to be able play in a few in his career.

He's not got his winter clothes from Calgary anymore.

He's looking forward to returning to Calgary when the schedule gives him three days there this next year in January to visit his favourite places for coffee & show off his favourite restaurants.

He's returning to Florida on Friday but he's not driving all that way he's having his car shipped back to Florida.

Big praise for Bill Zito & giving his players everything they need to succeed & for Paul Maurice for helping him become so much a better player & giving him his trust which means a lot to him.

He loves hosting his family & friends at his Florida home.

He tried to not to overstep when he first arrived last year & go with the flow as the new guy but his team mates pushed him to be in a leadership role right away.

Praised everyone, team mates & everyone for helping him settle in so well & feels he's known everyone for 20 years. He's so comfortable in Florida & says he met everyone gradually as they came back in small groups a couple at a time.

He recapped the playoffs and talk about the belief in the room even when they were down v Boston.

He talked about how bad his feet were hurting after the 4x overtime win over Carolina in the playoffs.

Lots of praise for his teammates talking about being surrounding by so much talent in Florida.

He watches practically every game of Brady's, he loves to watch the big games and likes to study certain players mentioning Kucherov.

He's learned he needs to be on the ice & is more valuable on the ice than off & feels he's evolved as a player.

This summer he's worked on PT & Strength & Conditioning & done way more cardio than ever before after recovering after his injury.

He says he's back to 100%

He went to 4 weddings in the off season he was invited to 6 but couldn't go to them all some overlapped with things he had to do.

Talked about the videos of Brady signing Mr Brightside shirtless and the videos that were sneakily taken going viral on SM. Says it's not a true reflection on Brady.

Mentions Brady got more attention than him in the playoffs at Calgary & his dad did last time round!

Talked about his dads 'soft' comments he was more bothered by the timing & being more bothered by how his team were playing at such a vital time with the playoffs on the line. He wasn't upset with his dad & he didn't get a bad reaction from his team. Admits his father was probably right though.

When he got hurt he thought he done his collarbone at first, he stiffened up when being forced to go through concussion protocol. The ovation he got when he came back on the ice, he thought was amazing & meant a lot to him & expresses his appreciation for that.

After the game with his injury he couldn't even wash his body, next day he texted his brother to get him out of bed he was the only one he had at his house at that moment, he even couldn't lift his head due to the pain.

After the game despite the injury. He drove himself home with his sling on! Admitting he knows he probably shouldn't have!!

It was Teddy the head of equipment guy that tied his laces for him ahead of the game he tried to play.

He talked about the Jonathan Quick incident that led to his 2 game suspension refuses to make excuses for his actions but admitted he gets pissed off about goalies bumping into players then losing their minds when players do it back to them. But chalked it up to frustration that boiled over at the end of the game.

His favourite thing to do off ice is play golf & anything he can do that involves being outside he loves & in Calgary he couldn't do anything!

The Elbow Room club also got quite a few mentions, he likes to go out to eat & mentions water skiing but he's still not a boat guy.

Says he used to hate going to the beach when he was younger but now he loves it.