#willow is an amazing team leader <3

[toxins-very-gay-thoughts]

Willow and Gus are underrated, so here is why they are amazing. Starting with Willow:

1. Willow is gentle and willing to be vulnerable to make connections with others. But she is also protective of her heart. She only is willing to open her heart when she sees good and potential in others. Just like how she was willing to reconnect with Amity and how she saw Hunter, a sad boi, and decided he was important.

"I can't say we're friends but... it's a start" / "At one point or another we've all been misjudged. Still think we're pathetic?"

2. Willow is very protective of her friends. She always wants to keep them safe and is willing to fight to do so. She wants to be the rock for her friends. And while this causes her to be closed off emotionally sometimes, she always is there for her friends emotions.

3. Willow is powerful and passionate. She is amazing at plant magic but she also simply loves the plants. She treats them like babies and tries to keep them safe from the boiling rain. She is also the only one that can control her more vicious plants - seen by Viney telling Willow that her plant has been out of control since she's been gone in S3 Ep two.

4. Willow encourages others to be themselves! She is the first to accept Luz as herself without belittling her for her interests. She is the first to not attempt to use Gus as a tool for her classes. She sees Hunter's enjoyment in Cosmic Frontier and praises his cosplay. While others see her friends quirks as problems, she never even suggests that they are an issue.

5. Regarding her development, Willow makes excellent progress in living for herself. She starts out as unconfrontational and passive and grows into a confident and strong young woman. Willow begins her own flyer derby team, fighting against an asshole teacher to do so. She begins to take pride in her magic and work. She realizes that she has worth as a person and just because she struggles in some areas that doesn't make her less than others.

Some of Willow's accomplishments: - She successfully overpowered Amity and Principal Bump with plant magic at a point where she had not been taught much of the track. - Helping Luz break into a highly guarded castle along with Gus. - Winning a game of flyer derby when Professor Hermonculus used magic to make her fail. - Started a protest to stop Belos (the tyrant that has been silencing people for decades) of at least one hundred people, likely more, from petrifying Eda. - Helps Amity and Gus break into the Blight Warehouse. - Fought against Adrian Graye Vernworth (the leader of the illusion coven) and helped group/hide many members of Hexside. - Alongside Amity, defeated an abomatron that were designed for destroying others (this particular one defeated many other students before reaching them). - Fought alongside the gang to kill Belos.

[spyrkle4]

This week’s Owl House ep made me go from “I’m cancelling Darius” to “ok Darius has some rights” in 22 minutes wow XD

[conspirwbytheorist-inactive]

Team SWKR baseball!AU when

Hmm probably when I parse out the other team members involved in SWKR. I’m guessing the “R” is Raven. . .Wait. Is that the team name for all the moms? Oh, Lord. 😂 Well. I think I figured it out, so I guess a promise is a promise.

Hope you enjoy this silliness! (opted for Team WRKS instead for the pun of it)

[Under the cut for length. Had fun writing it but. . .not really looking to clog up any dashes 😅]

So, about a year after Ruby is born, Summer reaches out to Raven about joining this Mommy-and-Me Basketball league she heard about at the mission board. It’s not much. Just a way to get to know other moms with some free childcare involved, but she figures it might be a good way to reconnect with her estranged friend. Raven, eager for a chance to be near her daughter that didn’t involve fighting those cursed squirrels, agrees. Summer brings the kids, Raven bribes an urchin named [“Veronica? Valerie? No. Vernal sounds right.”] to pose as hers, and the two meet their teammates.

Kali - co-leader of a radical faunus rights movement -  happens to be camping nearby and leapt at the opportunity to give her daughter, Blake, a taste of structure (“You’d be surprised how hard it is to find quality early childhood enrichment programs in the woods!”). Willow, on the other hand, isn’t quite sure why she’s here. She vaguely remembers something about a. . . sponsorship? . . . needing to make the family seem more. . . “normal”? All she knows is that she has a cooler full of moscato and 8 guaranteed Jacques-free weekends. She is ECSTATIC.

Anyways. Things. . .start out very rough for Team WRKS (intended to be “works” swiftly changed to “wrecks” by the other moms). It turns out putting the woman whose ex you have a baby with and leaders of two opposing sides of a civil rights war on the same team. . . isn’t such a great idea. Raven keeps trying to one-up Summer, Kali always finds ways to “accidentally” pass the ball to Willow’s face and Willow just generally does not get the concept of the game. (not to MENTION the damage their daughters’ wreak on that poor daycare center)

At about week 3, Summer decides she’s had enough and pulls her team aside: “Is this the kind of example we want for our daughters? Or do we want to work together and win this thing?!” Inspired by her words, Team WRKS makes an amazing turnaround, rising through the tournament bracket, decimating all in their path. Kali realizes that underneath her aloofness Willow may prove a vital ally. Willow learns that faunus friends are good PR. And Raven. . . Raven wonders if maybe Summer was right all those years ago. That maybe, just maybe. . . the power of teamwork could truly save the world.

Ah, what could have been. . . if not for that damn meddlesome Hound.  It comes out of nowhere, the day of the final, a giant black beast in an adorable blue jersey. They think it’s a joke, at first,  but no, from the moment the ball touches the court it’s over. Once, twice, again and again, the Hound leaps into the air – dunking, weaving, free-throwing with a fervor none of them has ever seen. It is only after the final buzzer rings that Raven sees a familiar alabaster face smirking from the other end of the court, stroking her pet. “No.” Raven panics. If Salem was here. . . She was a fool to think she could be safe.

What could have been a dream team crumbles after that. Raven flees - grabbing Vernal at coat check before leaving without a trace. Without any championship to cement their tender alliance, Kali and Winter drift apart, returning to the lives they left, memories soon fading.  But, Summer can’t let go. As she loads the girls into their car-seats, she begins plotting her revenge against the beast that ruined her one chance at making her little family whole again. Gods as her witness, she would make Salem pay.

[cthulhu-lulu]

The Miscreants

Nymphadora (Adora/Dora) Bell

Drow/Cleric (Grave Domain) AC: 18

STR: 18(+4) DEX: 16(+3) CON: 12(+1) INT: 14(+2) WIS: 16(+3) CHA: 16(+3)

Plague Doctor with Morticia Addams Aesthetic when she’s not working

Silver tongue comes in handy when Team Dumbass’ shenanigans inevitably go south

Married to Desiree, the two have been through a lot, but have finally managed to be reunited after many arduous years

Has published a series of smutty novels that have sold quite well

Raven familiar named Nigel Hoots (“I wanted an Owl”) who delivers cryptic messages to Dora in a language she can’t understand

“Digging one’s way out of a mountain of corpses after watching one’s wife be experimented on by deranged wizards does tend to limit one’s tolerance for bullshit. Now move aside.” 

“Don’t fret, my lovelies, I’m a doctor”

Spiritual Weapon takes the form of a Teapot

Distinguished Lesbian

Desiree Bell

Drow/Cleric (Grave Domain) AC: 16

STR: 19(+4) DEX: 12(+1) CON: 19(+4) INT: 9(-1) WIS: 14(+2) CHA: 13(+1)

Former researcher/botanist

Insists that she used up all the luck she had when she met Adora, and has been happily married for 89 years.

Team Dumbass founder

Likes shopping for frilly dresses, botany, going with her wife to fancy brothels, and getting into fights in taverns

Raven Familiar named Percival Periwinkle the Duke of Purple Pearls

The party has watched Desiree pull some of the weirdest objects out of her Bag of Holding (“Is that a clockwork Raven? Why do you have that?”, ”So Percy has a friend!”)

Spiritual Weapon takes the form of a Teacup

Disaster Bisexual

 Lavish

Tiefling/Bard (School of Glamour) AC: 13

STR: 7(-2) DEX: 15(+2) CON: 13(+1) INT: 17(+3) WIS: 13(+1) CHA: 20(+5)

Nymphadora’s publisher/editor who now travels with the wives on their adventures

Acts as the groups accountant, and keeps plenty of gold in the budget for paying off guards and city officials to forgive any mischief Team Dumbass finds themselves in

Goes with Adora on spa dates

Works tirelessly to keep the party from letting their egos get too big

“No, no, Dora, let them go, I want to see where this leads”

(to Team Dumbass) “Now, what did we learn?”

Can burn you down to your foundation with a cutting remark

Distinguished Gay

Aurykke

Fire Genasi/Cleric (Forge Domain) AC: 19

STR: 12(+1)/19(+4) DEX: 16(+3) CON: 15(+2) INT: 9(-1) WIS: 14(+2) CHA: 10(+0)

Former blacksmith turned adventurer after being hired by Adora to rescue a merchant’s son from bandits

May have caught feelings for Adora after watching her literally pound a bandit leader’s head through a stone table with her bare hands.

Starts fights that she knows she can’t win herself, but knows that Team Dumbass always protects their own!

Acts tough, secretly craves all the cuddles (which the party is more than happy to provide)

Spiritual Weapon takes the form of a pink anvil

Functional Bisexual 

Coriander Bride-Stealer

Half-Elf/Paladin (Oath of Redemption) AC: 21

STR: 11(+0)/29(+9) DEX: 16(+3) CON: 13(+1) INT: 7(-2) WIS: 11(+0) CHA: 17(+3)

There is a popular song about her called ‘The Paladin Thief’ which tells the tale of an evil paladin stealing away an elven princess from a human prince (It was actually an arranged marriage, and the princess begged Cora to help her escape, which she did)

She really hates that song

Forgets that being sneaky means she can’t keep using Thundering Smite to dispatch enemies, proceeds to do so anyway

Ride or die for her friends, tries really hard to steer Team Dumbass towards good decisions, fails spectacularly

Is doing her best

Disaster Lesbian

Ol’ Banjo

Human/Barbarian (Path of the Totem Warrior) + Wizard AC: 18

STR: 19(+4) DEX: 17(+3) CON: 20(+5) INT: 14(+2) WIS: 10(+0) CHA: 12(+1)

Former farmer, Wife passed away a few years ago after 60 blissful years of marriage, decided to live out the last of his days adventuring and living life to the fullest, believing that he will be reunited with her when his time on the mortal world comes to an end

Has 13 daughters, 3 adopted sons, and 26 grandchildren. Remembers all of their names

His eldest daughters spent years teaching him how to read and write, now writes each of them letters every week to practice. His eldest (Willow/Wizard) gave him a spellbook, which he works tirelessly to fill with fun spells to show his grandkids

Team ‘Loving your Wife’, Honorary member of Team Dumbass

His grandchildren decorated his straw hat and glaive with pretty ribbons and flowers, which he is immensely proud of

Plants fruit trees in every town he visits and along every road he travels, in memory of his beloved wife (‘Always give to those whom have less than you do, so they may prosper’)

Loves Bathhouses and spa dates with Adora and Lavish

Distinguished Bisexual

Boos the Newt

Lightfoot Halfling/Monk (Way of the Drunken Master) AC: 18

STR: 11(+0) DEX: 18(+4) CON: 15(+2) INT: 9(-1) WIS: 17(+3) CHA: 16(+3)

Punches Good

Kicks Good

What more do you need?

“Ask your doctor if These Hands™ are right for you”

Disaster Gay

Mud

Firbolg/Fighter (Champion) AC: 12

STR: 20(+5) DEX: 11(+0) CON: 16(+3) INT: 5(-3) WIS: 11(+0) CHA: 10(+0)

Full name Asmodeus, former chef who wound up in jail with Boos after a particularly wild night at a fancy Inn, bailed out by Desiree who was looking for a cook to hire at the time. Travels with the party because ‘Y’all seem like decent folks’

Heart of Gold

“Uh, ma’am, you’re usin’ an awful lot of fancy words there…”

Team Dumbass Mascot

Amazing cook

Just a Cow-Boy riding along with his friends

Sexual preferences set to ‘No thanks’

Berlana the Bunker

Hill Dwarf/Rogue (Scout) AC: 14

STR: 13(+1) DEX: 17(+3) CON: 19(+4) INT: 15(+2) WIS: 10(+0) CHA: 7(-2)

Hired by Adora to help explore a cursed tower, ended up sleeping with Aurykke after the quest was complete. Decided to keep traveling with the party because Adora pays really well, plus medical and dental are free.

“I’ll find every trap in this place, intentionally or otherwise!”

Honorary member of Team Dumbass

Can drink anyone under the table, insists that she can ‘Make better ale than this with my eyes closed!’, Has gotten the party banned from A LOT of taverns

Insists she’s keeping records of all her expenses, and will present them to Adora once her employment is complete. She isn’t 

Functional Lesbian

@sugarskullgrin @likeabirdinflight

[stucktounstoppable]

95. Remove Roadblocks to Get Ahead | Steve Carter

Steve Carter is a pastor, speaker, author, podcast host, sports enthusiast, and the former lead teaching pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago.

Steve’s passion is to bring Jesus into everything he does. A gifted teacher, Steve spends his days crafting sermons, messages, blog posts, and books to encourage people in their walk with Christ. He describes his work as humbling and vulnerable—a soul-baring process that keeps him dependent, expectant, and grounded in Christ. He lives in Phoenix, AZ, with his wife, Sarah, and their two kids.

Steve hosts the Craft & Character podcast where he helps people get better at the art of communication while ensuring their character always leads the way. Steve also co-hosts one of the top sports podcasts, The Home Team podcast, with NFL players Trey Burton and Sam Acho, which unpacks the intersection between faith, culture, sports, and family. His latest book, The Thing Beneath The Thing, is now available wherever books are sold.

NEXT STEPS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO: 1. Get the book The Thing Beneath the Thing. 2. Find him at stevecarter.org. 3. Find him on Twitter @steveryancarter.

TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS VIDEO: – Intro – Lack of Awareness – Potholes and Triggers – What and Why – The Thing Beneath the Thing – Indoctrinated Against You – When Triggered, Choose to Courageous Curiosity – Triggers – Hideouts – Insecurity – Narrative – Grace – Practical Terms – Break Down How-To – You Will Live with Integrity to Where You Find Your Identity – Keep Pulling the Thread of Who You Are – Who Am I? Why Am I? What Do I Do? – Proper Mental Health – How Has this Work Affected Your Life? – What Does Being Unstoppable Mean to You? – What Legacy Do You Want to Leave?

ABOUT ME: Hi, I'm Stephen Scoggins. After fighting from homelessness and depression to build multiple businesses employing hundreds of amazing people, I've learned a lot about what it really takes to overcome your limitations and build your dream life. Now, my goal is to help 1 million people get from where they are today, to where they want to be in life. To help with that, I'm releasing videos on this channel several times per week and posting regularly on social media. On this YouTube channel, I interview the world's foremost thought leaders on what it takes to master your life. I also have a library of free resources, downloadable eBooks, and personality tests to help you become the person you always wanted to be. Just check out my websites below!

MASTER YOUR LIFE WITH FREE RESOURCES: My website: https://www.stephenscoggins.com Free eBooks & Resources: https://www.stephenscoggins.com/resources My Blog: https://stephenscoggins.com/blog/ Stuck to Unstoppable Podcast: https://stephenscoggins.com/stuck-to-unstoppable/

CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephen_scoggins/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephenscoggins/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenscoggins Twitter: https://twitter.com/stephen_scoggin

Check out this episode!

[birdwithfrenchfry]

My forever OTPs Masterpost

 Okay so I am a classic fan-girl. I can love a lot of tv-shows, but what gets me addicted are the shows with amazing characters and relationships. You know those ships that steals your soul and you daydream about then instead of your own life? The ships where they are imperfect, but they make eachother better. Yup, those ships. 

(These are in no special order, because all my forever OTPs are my babies.) 

1. Buffy & Spike (Spuffy) - BtvS

She is the vampire slayer. He is a vampire. They started of trying to kill each other. But somehow they never did.. Long story short he fell in love with her. Helped her save her sister. Helped save the world. He was there for her when she felt broken and lost. Sure, these characters had one of the roughest stories I’ve ever been invested in, but I never stopped loving these two characters. He hurt her, but then he fought to get his soul back. For her, to be the kind of man she deserves, 

Favourite quote: 

Spike: You listen to me. I've been a live a bit longer than you, and dead a lot longer than that. I've seen things you couldn't imagine, and done things I prefer you didn't. Don't exactly have a reputation for being a thinker. I've only my blood, which doesn't exactly rush in the direction of my brain, so I make a lot of mistakes, a lot of wrong, bloody calls. A hundred plus years, and there's only one thing I've ever been sure of -- you. Hey, look at me. I'm not asking you for anything. When I say I love you, it's not because I want you, or because I can't have you, and it has nothing to do with me. I love what you are. What you do. How you try. I've seen your kindness and your strength. I've seen the best and the worst of you, and I understand with perfect clarity exactly what you are. You are a hell of a woman. You're the one, Buffy.

2. Rory Gilmore & Jess Mariano (Literati) - Gilmore Girls

Okay so who was Rorys best boyfriend has always been a BIG part of the Gilmore Girls universe. Imo no one even compares to Jess! Bad boy moves to small town. Boy meets girl. They fall in love. Their connection was real and they challenged each other on so many levels. Their relationship was pretty brief, which sucked. But Jess came back for a visit on several occations and he was always the one to get Rory back on track when she felt lost. He understood her better than anyone. No one will ever convince me these two didn’t get together in the end, even if we never got to see it happen. 

Favourite quote: 

Rory: We're studying. Jess: You're studying. I'm prying into your personal life.

3. Kate Austen & James “Sawyer” Ford (Skate) - LOST

Okay so I have no words to tell you how much this ship meant to me. It was my first ship where I actually were a part of a online-fandom and these are friends I still have now, 10 years later. But THESE characters.. her sass, his nicknames.. they break my heart. Lost gir & lost boy. Together they were perfect, with a chemistry that still to this day can make my heart skip a beat. 

Favourite quote: 

Sawyer: You taste like strawberries. Kate: You taste like fish biscuits.

4. Emma Swan & Killian Jones / Hook (Captain Swan) - OUaT

So I’m a Disney addict. Like, I moved to the other side of the world twice to work for The Mouse. Fairytales has always been my thing, so me being addicted to Once Upon a Time was a given from the start. I was a casual viewer for the first season, but then this man (Captain Hook!) showed up, and my life has been all about Captain Swan since that moment. He was a villain (but not really, he wanted revenge for his first love) and then he met Emma who is sunshine and everything good. She has been alone most of her life and her walls are so high no-one can get close. Together they make each other better. He works hard to be a good man for her, and she finally finds someone who will never leave her and treats her like the princess she is. They are so good together, true love. 

Favourite quote:

Killian: With all this talk of authors and the book, we've never discussed one fact: I was a villain. Emma: But you're not anymore. Killian: Neither is Regina, but she still lost her happy ending. If we're to believe the rules of the book, then it's only a matter of time before I lose mine. Emma: Wait. If you're afraid of losing your happy ending, that means you found it. What is it? Killian: Don't you know, Emma? It's you.

5. Clarke Griffin & Bellamy Blake (Bellarke) - The 100

Aka. my sun and moon, king and queen of the ground, and all-around adorable hurt puppies. Started out not liking each other very much, but  found themselves working better as a team and as leaders of their people. They have a deep connection, and work together perfectly. She’s the brain, he’s the heart. They have tried doing things on their own, but turns out they work better together. Clarke and Bellamy trust each other completely and they would die to protect each other. Plso their chemistry is insane, been shipping these since like..the second episode. We are now on season 4 and they STILL haven’t kissed. I feel the Bellarke strong this season, so I think it will happen soon. But as long as I get to see these two working together I will go down with this ship with a smile on my face. 

Favourite quote:

Clarke: Thank you. For keeping me alive. Bellamy: You don't make it easy.

6. Katara & Zuko (Zutara) - Avatar: The Last Airbender

Prince Zuko, firebender. Katara, waterbender. Opposittes, night and day, yin and yang. So this ship never happened, but that doesn’t stop me from still daydreaming about them and reading tons of fan fiction. They were enemies turned friends and together they were amazing. This is the kind of ship where I feel so blessed that we have internet. There’s just so many fics and fanart out there about these two silly babies. 

Favourite quote:

Katara: What are you doing? Zuko: Keeping the rocks from crushing you. Katara: Okay, I'm not crushed. You can get off me now. Zuko: I'll take that as a "thank you."

7. Zoe Hart & Wade Kinsella (Zade) - Hart of Dixie

Big-city doctor moved to small adorable town. Meets bad-boy Wade. They argue. They have a LOT of chemistry. There’s a lot of on and off all through this series, but it was wonderful to watch. This show just makes me feel good, and these two love-birds made it perfect. Wade grew up, Zoe learned that she didn’t have to follow her big plan and let her heart decide where and who her home was. Perfection. 

Favourite quote: 

Wade: Maybe I'm not 100 percent sure that you wouldn't hurt me if we started things, but I know that I have never felt about anyone the way I feel about you. And I guess that I realized it's worth the risk.

8. Robin & Barney (Swarkles) - How I Met Your Mother

Okay, but do I really have to explain this one to anyone? Everyone knew these two were perfect together. Barney & Robin were funny as hell, they loved each other even with all their little quirks. Perfect pairing and I will ship them until the end of time. (and I will never ever forgive the writers for that ending). Rude. 

Favourite quote: 

Barney: I love everything about her, and I’m not a guy who says that lightly. I’m a guy who has faked love his entire life. I thought love was just something idiots thought they felt, but this woman has a hold on my heart that I could not break if I wanted to. And there have been times that I wanted to. It has been overwhelming and humbling and and even painful at times. But I could not stop loving her any more than I could stop breathing. I am hopelessly, irretrievably in love with her. More than she knows.

9. Veronica & Logan (LoVe) - Veronica Mars

Yup, that’s LoVe. Silly puppies who are just great together even when they don’t want to admit it to themselves. The original series ended so suddenly that I never got closure when it came to Logan and Veronica, so I was SO happy that they made a revival movie and it was PERFECT! These kids have been through so much, they just need to be happy! 

Favourite quote:

Logan: I thought our story was epic, you know, you and me. Veronica: Epic how? Logan: Spanning years and continents. Lives ruined, bloodshed. EPIC. Veronica: Come on. Ruined lives? Bloodshed? You really think a relationship should be that hard? Logan: No one writes songs about the ones that come easy.

10. Isak & Even (Evak) - SKAM

Okay so for those of you who don’t know this show: SKAM is a Norwegian show that follows a group of teenagers through High School. And in season 3 Evak stole all of our hearts. It’s all about falling in love, coming out and a bit of mental health, all done perfectly. They are so cute and amazing, even when they were breaking my heart. What makes this show so great is how realistic it feels, and you smile and hurt with them. 

Favourite quote:

Isak: Du er ikke alene. (You are not alone).

Honorable mentions

Jackie & Hyde - That 70′s Show

Luke & Lorelai - Gilmore Girls

Fiona & Steve - Shameless (US)

Jeff & Annie - Community

Willow & Tara - BtVS

“You don’t love because: you love despite; not for the virtues, but despite the faults.”

                            - William Faulkner

[chadnevett]

Books I read in 2016

This a list of books that I read this year -- or, more accurately, finished. I have at least four other books began in 2016 that are in some stage of reading. Maybe more. I've included a few brief thoughts on each...

1. Fish in the Dark by Larry David (January 2): I vaguely recall this. It had its funny moments. I wish I'd gotten a chance to see David in this.

2. The Power of the Dog by Don Winslow (January 9): Goddamn... this picks up pretty much where Ellroy's stuff stops and shifts gears just enough. Not as much mixing of historical figures, but it's the same broad strokes -- the same nasty sort of people. Really fucking good.

3. Stories I Tell Myself: Growing Up with Hunter S. Thompson by Juan F. Thompson (January 29): I got this for my birthday and read it that day. Funny book... a little surprising in parts... and ends with some bits of barely disguised bits about his issues with Anita. The Hunter/Juan stuff is something that had never really been explored too much anywhere and to have a whole book detailing one side of that relationship was cool.

4. The Man Who Sold the World: David Bowie and the 1970s by Peter Doggett (February 13): A bit of a chore after a time. It goes through every song Bowie recorded in the '70s and that sort of approach can grow tedious. But, there's a reason why I read it when I did and that's fine enough.

5. Baseball Prospectus 2016 ed. Patrick Dubuque, Sam Miller, and Jason Wojciechowski (February 18): A new yearly tradition. 2017's edition is already pre-ordered. My strongest memory of this one is sitting in this tiny Starbucks connected to the Indigo in Tecumseh while Michelle was at the gym (and Ryan at the daycare there). As it was around Valentine's Day, I had some raspberry chocolate coffee thing. I also got a croissant. It was overpriced and undergood. I do love reading the team essays. A nice primer on the upcoming season.

6. The Cartel by Don Winslow (March 6): The Power of the God was sprawling, while this was more contained. But, it covered more ground in its own way. It was heartbreaking in a larger way. This book hammers you. I don't know what a third one will bring, but I'm there.

7. Gone with the Mind by Mark Leyner (March 15): I liked The Sugar Frosted Nutsack, but that felt like a warm-up book. A bit tedious; a bit too involved with itself. This was the return to the Mark Leyner I know and love with himself as the protagonist. What surprised me was how fucking good his mother's section was. How affecting it was and how much it added to the book. Probably the best new book I got in 2016.

8. Et Tu, Babe by Mark Leyner (March 19): Still one of my favourites... always.

9. My Cousin, My Gastroenterologist by Mark Leyner (April 10): So hit and miss. You have to find a lot in the small moments and sentences. I'm not sure if this has aged well.

10. Launching a Leadership Revolution: Developing Yourself and Others Through the Art and Science of Leadership by Chris Brady and Orrin Woodward (May 3): This year, I began a leadership development program at work. It's a two-year thing and one of the homework assignment is reading books. This was the first that I picked and it was a good place to start. It was very hit or miss with regards to things you probably already knew. But, kind of like what I said about Bendis's book last year: it's good to have it all in one place. Plus, there were some things that I learned.

11. Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success by Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty (May 8): I bought this to contribute to the leadership program's library. As my company/industry is, in many ways, female-dominated, I saw a lot of "woman's rise to the top of business in a man's world" type of books available and, hey, that's great, but I wanted something that seemed a bit more like a book I would choose to read. I also thought about the sort of leaders that I respect and anyone who can make a pro sports team with all of the egos and money and shit work -- 11 times! -- is someone I was interested in hearing from. My biggest takeaway is that coaches have one advantage: the shared goal. All of the players want the championship and I've been struggling to carry that over to my profession where there is no inherent goal like that. But, it's a good book.

12. Your Favorite Band is Killing Me: What Pop Music Rivalries Reveal about the Meaning of Life by Steven Hyden (May 29): Such a fun read. I love stuff like this. I can't wait for Hyden's next book. He fills a bit of a void that Klosterman has left as he's moved, with each book, to more high concepts and less about specific popculture. Not that that's a bad thing... it just leaves a void and I'm glad someone with Hyden's talent and smarts is able to fill it.

13. But What If We’re Wrong? Thinking About the Present As If It Were the Past by Chuck Klosterman (June 22): Speaking of which... A really interesting read that goes in some unexpected directions. I'm not sure it carries as strongly through the finish, sometimes becoming a little repetitive. Some chapters really had me going...

14. Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis (August 18): A spur of the moment reread. No new thoughts really.

15. Predators by Jim Starlin and Daina Graziunas (August 27): This took forever to read. Lots of putting it down to read other things. It's an odd book that feels like book five in a series about this telepathic hunter of serial killers. The plot doesn't go anywhere you'd expect. Not as good as their first novel; way better than their second.

16. Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Haruki Murakami (September 18): My first time rereading this completely since it first came out. I'd reread some stories here and there over the years, but never the whole thing. I love the simplicity of his stories. And the variety.

17. Wicked and Weird: The Amazing Tales of Buck 65 by Rich Terfry (September 24): Picked this up from the bargin table. It was $4-$6. Not sure what exactly. The first two-thirds are great; entertaining and engaging. The final third just goes off the rails. I wish he'd make another album.

18. Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami (September 24): Another that I hadn't reread in a while. Not sure what I think about it.

19. What I Talk about When I Talk about Running by Haruki Murakami (October 2): I got the mind to read this after different people in the leadership program talked about running. I was also gearing up for the new Murakami book and the two seemed to intersect.

20. The Greatest Albums You’ll Never Hear: Unreleased Records by the World’s Greatest Artists edited by Bruno MacDonald (November 6): Informative in places. Books like this suffer a bit, because, if you know about a musician well, then you probably know about the album(s) discussed and learn little new. If you don't know about a musician a lot, then you learn lots, but don't necessarily care. Good book for what it is.

21. Absolutely on Music by Haruki Murakami and Seiji Ozawa (November 28): I'm surprised at how much I liked this. It definitely put me in the mind to want to listen to this type of music. My only complaint is that they didn't touch on topics I would have liked them to (orchestras playing with rock bands, for example), but that's not a fair criticism at all. This was two guys having some conversations with a purpose, but also because they enjoyed it.

22. Who Moved My Cheese? By Spencer Johnson (November 29): Another leadership book. It was alright. I read it while Ryan napped. It took half an hour.

23. Normal by Warren Ellis (December 3): Depressing and fun. I read this in one shot on a Saturday with the house empty. Ellis probably could have gotten more of the concept, but why push it? The brief flirtation with the campers take over the corrupt camp plot was fun. The final revelation is slightly disappointing at first, but it stayed with me. It sunk in a bit. Hmm...

24. Triggers by Marshall Goldsmith (December 5): Another leadership book. I really liked this one and have been working to implement some of its concepts into my daily life.

And that's it. I've finished one book in 2017 already.