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joysmercer · 5 years

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b99 season 6: a timeline

*****ONLY ACCURATE FOR 6x06 AND LATER******

E1 (“HONEYMOON”): Tuesday, 5/15 - Tuesday, 5/29/2018

First day of Jake and Amy’s Holt-less honeymoon – Wednesday, 5/23, which also happens to be the date Jake was originally planning to propose on (x)

E2 (“HITCHCOCK AND SCULLY”): Wednesday, 5/30/2018 E3 (“THE TATTLER”): Thursday, 5/31/2018

E4 (“FOUR MOVEMENTS”): Friday, 6/1 - Friday, 6/22/2018

Jake’s Birthday – sometime between 6/18-6/20

E5 (“A TALE OF TWO BANDITS”): Day 1 – Day 2 2018 (?)

Gas Explosion on Halloween – Wednesday, 10/31/2018

The Santiago’s visit for Thanksgiving – Thursday, 11/22/2018

Secret Santa, hosted by Jake and Amy – around Tuesday, 12/25/2018

The Coldest Night of the Year – Sunday, 1/6/2019

E6 (“THE CRIME SCENE”): Monday, 1/7 – Sunday, 3/10/2019

Amy punches Jake – Wednesday, 2/27/2019

E7 (“HONEYPOT”): Wednesday, 3/13/2019 – Sunday, 3/17/2019 E8 (“HE SAID, SHE SAID”): Monday, 3/18 - Friday, 3/22/2019 E9 (“THE GOLDEN CHILD”): Monday, 3/25 - Wednesday, 3/27/2019 E10 (“GINTARS”): Saturday, 3/30 - Tuesday, 4/2/2019 E11 (“THE THERAPIST”): Monday, 4/8 - Wednesday, 4/10/2019

E12 (“CASECATION”): Friday, 4/19/2019

Waterpark – Saturday, 4/20 - Wednesday, 4/24/2019

E13 (“THE BIMBO”): Thursday, 4/25 - Sunday, 4/28/2019

B-Plot ends – Tuesday, 4/30/2019

E14 (“TICKING CLOCKS”): Wednesday, 5/1/2019 E15 (“RETURN OF THE KING”): Thursday, 5/2 - Saturday, 5/4/2019 E16 (“CINCO DE MAYO”): Sunday, 5/5/2019

E17/18 (“SICKO & SUICIDE SQUAD”): Wednesday, 5/8 – Wednesday, 5/15/2019*

* if 7x01 begins right where 6x18 left off, Season 7 will probably open on Jake and Amy’s actual wedding anniversary. Cheers!

explanations for the dates are under the cut!

Things to keep in mind:

The B/C-plots, for the most part, are not included in the calculation of the times here, because they rarely line up with the A-plot. For example, it’s unlikely that Terry spent more than a few days unable to have enough confidence to make decisions in “Honeymoon,” let alone a few weeks.

I didn’t take weekends into consideration unless otherwise noted. There is a weekend squad, but we know that the regular detectives also sometimes work weekends (enough so that on more than one occasion, Holt has rewarded them with “weekends off”).

Time-stamps within the episode are used as guidelines, but not always as the rule, unless there is a specific number of days given.

Jake’s birthday is somewhere between 5/21 and 6/20, so the one that Gina missed (referenced in “Return of the King”) had to have been the 2018 one, which means that Gina had to be out of the office before 6/24 (the Sunday after 6/20) – hence why the first 4 episodes are all squeezed together.

E1 (“HONEYMOON”): Tuesday, 5/15 - Tuesday, 5/29/2018

The first post-cold-open scene probably happens on Thursday, 5/17: Gina says that Holt is taking “another personal day,” implying that he was gone at least one day after the wedding.

Jake and Amy reach Mexico two days later after, so Saturday, 5/19. Based on dialogue / events they attend / shirt changes, Holt leaves on Tuesday, 5/22. Jake and Amy’s extension begins the next day, 5/23. They are back at work “one week” after Holt leaves, so Tuesday, 5/29 (it could also be Monday 5/28, but it doesn’t really matter because the start date of 6x04 is locked in on a Friday anyway, so might as well give them a full week.)

Continuity Problem: “Captain Holt is at a 49 & improving 8.6% per day” implies that the first scene takes place ~5-6 days after the cold-open, but given Holt’s lack of usual Holt-ness the rest of the episode, we can assume his calculations are off.

Continuity Problem: Amy says that “This is the first time all week” Holt has left them alone, but based on the activities they’ve shown, he’s really only been tagging around with them for, like, 4 days. I’m using the shorter version because 6x04 has to end as early as possible.

E2 (“HITCHCOCK AND SCULLY”): Wednesday, 5/30/2018

Jake is wearing a different shirt here than he was wearing in 6x01. So, the earliest that 6x02 can take place is Wednesday, 5/30.

E3 (“THE TATTLER”): Thursday, 5/31/2018

The next day. It’s a bit odd to have a reunion on a Thursday, but roll with it.

E4 (“FOUR MOVEMENTS”): Friday, 6/1 - Friday, 6/22/2018

Like I said before, because of Jake’s canonical birthday, Gina has to be out of the office before 6/24.

Gina gives her two-week notice in the cold-open.

She stays back Monday-Friday the week after she’s supposed to have left, implying that her official last day was a Friday (assuming that the squad had the weekend off after the Gina-rama festivities, and, of course, she meant exactly 2 weeks). Therefore, she gives her two-week notice on 6/1, her official last day is 6/15, She leaves 6/21, and the episode ends on 6/22.

This timeline locks Jake’s birthday in to the very end of Gemini season, between 6/18-6/20 (with his birthday drinks being the weekend after). Either that, or he (for whatever reason) decided to hold his celebrations a week or more after the actual day.

E5 (“A TALE OF TWO BANDITS”): Day 1 – Day 2 2018

I literally have no idea when this is supposed to happen, except that Day 1 happens on the same day as some kid’s Bar Mitzvah (so probably over the weekend) and the whole thing takes place before Christmas (Trudy says “see you at Christmas!” at the end).

It’s probably also before Halloween/Thanksgiving (so over the summer/early fall) because those events + the holiday season happen pretty close together and we would have probably gotten some indication of those dates approaching during the episode otherwise.

E6 (“THE CRIME SCENE”): Monday, 1/7 – Sunday, 3/10/2019

The murder happens on a Sunday, so Day 1 is a Monday.

Day 51: the briefing room shows 2019 monthly stats on the board, indicating that we’ve officially gotten to the new year, and it’s already February (or later)…

Since it has to be February by the time Day 51 rolls around and Day 1 is a Monday, the episode can start on either December 17, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, or January 7.

December 17 as a start date means that they were working straight through the holidays, which seems unlikely. Christmas/NY Eve as start dates are also unlikely, for obvious reasons. Therefore, Day 1 is Monday, January 7 (and Day 51 is 2/26/2019).

Day 52: Amy punches Jake – 2/27/2019

The Episode takes 8 weeks, 6 days (56 days + “one week later”): the episode ends 3/10/2019.

E7 (“HONEYPOT”): Wednesday, 3/13/2019 – Sunday, 3/17/2019

The episode starts with Jake saying, “this is the third secretary you’ve fired in 3 days,” which indicates that it’s been at least 3 days since the end of 6x06.

E8 (“HE SAID, SHE SAID”): Monday, 3/18 - Friday, 3/22/2019

Day 1: start case

Days 2-4: amy working nonstop; Beefer gives text messages

Day 5: final 2 scenes

Everything has to happen on a weekday because the office that they’re investigating is open throughout.

Continuity Problem: Amy has 3 weeks off; she’s caught up on her paperwork (by which the show meant that she really had no Sergeant duties), and it’s unlikely that Holt would let her sit around and do nothing for that amount of time. However, things always come up unexpectedly, and she’s not doing much anyway in E9-10.

E9 (“THE GOLDEN CHILD”): Monday, 3/25 - Wednesday, 3/27/2019

E10 (“GINTARS”): Saturday, 3/30 - Tuesday, 4/2/2019

Nikolaj probably isn’t in school during this time, at least in the beginning.

E11 (“THE THERAPIST”): Monday, 4/8 - Wednesday, 4/10/2019

As per the B/C-plots, and the fact that therapists probably don’t schedule appointments on the weekends unless absolutely necessary, all of this had to have happened on a weekday.

E12 (“CASECATION”): Friday, 4/19/2019

The earliest this could occur is 4/17; otherwise, it’s illogical to say “our anniversary is coming up.” It’s also been “almost a month” since 6x09 (when they last “hung out”).

I made it a Friday so they could take “next week off” without having to go back to work first.

E13 (“THE BIMBO”): Thursday, 4/25 - Sunday, 4/28/2019

Continuity Problem:

The B-plot takes 6 days (5 tallies on the whiteboard, plus 1 more where Amy’s squad tells her to stop competing for lunchtime greatness), which poses some…problems.

Four of these happen at the same time as the A-plot; two are unaccounted for. However, there aren’t enough days left if Jake and Amy come back from their week off on Monday, 4/29 like they’re supposed to. The latest date they could conceivably come back to work (which would also serve as the first day for the episode) is Saturday, 4/27.

There were three choices here:

Jake and Amy return on Saturday, 4/27. The A-plot lasts until 4/30. The two “remaining” days for the B-plot occur at the same time as “Ticking Clocks” (5/1) and “Return of the King” (5/2).

Jake and Amy return on Friday, 4/26. The A-plot lasts until 4/29. 1 remaining day occurs on the “Free Day” of 4/30, and the other happens at the same time as “Ticking Clocks,” on 5/1.

Jake and Amy return on Thursday, 4/25. The A-plot lasts until 4/28. Both remaining days occur on the “Free Days” of 4/29 and 4/30.

Logistically, it wouldn’t make sense for one of the remaining days to happen during 6x15: Terry would have to a) randomly change his shirt multiple times/day for some reason, and b) comes back to the Precinct more times than shown while dealing with Gina’s problem. Option 1 doesn’t work.

Amy’s dentist appointment is the morning of 6x14, and the last day of “The Bimbo” is 9:07am-lunchtime, so Option 2 doesn’t work either.

Therefore, Jake and Amy start work again on Thursday and The B-plot continues into the afternoon of 4/30. I mean, do you really need a whole week at the waterpark anyway?

(why was the heist on Cinco de Mayo, instead of, like, anything in June. why)

E14 (“TICKING CLOCKS”): Wednesday, 5/1/2019

E15 (“RETURN OF THE KING”): Thursday, 5/2 - Saturday, 5/4/2019

Day 1 is a weekday – Gina has a business meeting on this day.

Continuity Problem: Jake tells Gina that she’s been blowing him off for “the last few months,” but it’s been much longer than just a few months.

Continuity Problem: The B-plot supposedly takes place on Mariano Rivera’s birthday, which is actually in November.

E16 (“CINCO DE MAYO”): Sunday, 5/5/2019

E17/18 (“SICKO & SUICIDE SQUAD”): Wednesday, 5/8 – Wednesday, 5/15/2019

Day 3 is a Friday (at least, that’s what CJ says in his video). Considering that Terry is only just receiving his Lieutenant’s package, the finale probably occurs right after 6x16.

The episode takes 7 days (until 5/14); I’m assuming that the final scene of Holt as a Patrol Cop occurs the day after, or 5/15/2019. This should also be when the first scene of 7x01 happens. Happy anniversary, Jake and Amy!

#brooklyn nine nine #c: jake peralta #c: amy santiago #p: screw light and breezy {jake & amy}#c: raymond holt #c: rosa diaz #c: charles boyle #c: terry jeffords #c: gina linetti #b99 season 6 #idk what else to tag #b99timelinepost #myposts

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jennygoeseastbay · 5 years

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2018 in Review

So I used to do one of these every year on my Livejournal, and I completely blew it off in 2017 because I kind of abandoned that medium, and because the last month of that year was complete consumed with packing and moving. I’m not entirely certain I want to get more active on here, but for now this is a good place for me to post this, simply to have the written record of my existence that I need in order to process all that has happened and reflect on how it has helped me to grow and improve as a person. If I’m feeling really ambitious, I might even backtrack and do one for 2017 next week, because I like to be complete in my self-documentation. ;)

01. What did you do in 2018 that you'd never done before? Visited Washington DC for the first time.

Visited the Los Cabos region of Mexico for the first time.

Closed a major gift from someone who had not already had decades of cultivation from their University.

Visited even more areas of California that were new to me, including Anaheim, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Pismo Beach, Paso Robles, and Lake Tahoe (I guess that also includes Nevada since we stayed in Carson City)

Visited Ashland Oregon for the first time.

Sold a piece of real estate. Phew!

Practiced Yin Yoga. (And walking meditation!)

Engaged in a yoga hike!

Also tried yoga with goats!

Attended WonderCon

Attended a county fair.

Road a bicycle somewhere other than a residential street

Tried kayaking

Ran a trail run race

02. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I never really make concrete resolutions, just some general proclamations about eating better, and putting more time into fitness and writing. Of these three things, the one I was most successful at this year, surprisingly enough, was eating better. In September I realized that it was time for a physical tune-up, and so I rejoined WW after a long time away, and though I still have a few pounds to go, I’ve been happy to have gotten a bit sleeker after dialing back the bread and cheese. I also attended a writing group called Shut Up and Write a couple times, and I’d like to become more of a regular at their cafe sessions in 2019, because I’ve found that their method (literally a concentrated hour of shutting up and writing) has been helpful the two times I’ve gone.

03. Did anyone close to you give birth? My dear friends Drew and Kelly had their first child in September. And my friend Lynn had her second child, a little girl, just a couple weeks ago. 04. Did anyone close to you die? Not super close, but a professor at UC Davis who I had worked with closely, passed very unexpectedly right before Halloween. 05. What countries did you visit? Mexico! Finally broke in my current passport with a new stamp! 06. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018? Good novel progress. Or more discipline on some other fiction and an essay that I just started tinkering with. A legit boyfriend. 07. What date(s) from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

January 2 was my first day on the job at UC Davis.

January 7 was a super fun evening at the Museum of Ice Cream in SF

January 13-15 was a wonderful weekend in Seattle where I got to meet my nephew Apollo for the first time and photograph his first swimming lesson for his parents.

January 20 was my second Women’s March outing in Sac with my friend Jade and her little ones.

January 27 was a day when I got to play tour guide for my friend Gricel and her husband when they were in SF visiting for the first time.

Feb. 10 and 11 was a fun weekend in Berkeley and SF, being silly and singing loudly with my former Cal colleagues who had become dear friends.

March 23-25 Was my whirlwind Anaheim weekend at Wondercon, and I got to catch up with my friend Mike, whom I’d not seen in a couple years.

March 30-April 1 was an epic road trip weekend, the first of what my friend Maya and I now call our Girls Gone Sensibly Wild excursions. We drove to Santa Barbara and visited the deserted UC campus there (it was closed for spring break) and also enjoyed an amazing live show featuring Dave Hause, Dan Andriano, and Cory Branan, among others at the Cold Spring Tavern. And then got a joint membership at Peachy Canyon Winery on our way back, because it was one of the few establishments open on Easter Sunday.

April 22 was Earth Day, and prompted me to venture out to Marin for an impromptu yoga hike at Rodeo Beach.

May 14 was my first appointment with a new hair stylist who would also unexpectedly become a trusted friend.

May 24 was my first time seeing Depeche Mode live, and it was incredible.

June 8-10 was my second of two hit it and quit it Chicago trips (although really, the first one wasn’t so much Chicago as it was Joliet) this year, and allowed me to reconnect with my dear friends Drew and Kelly (Drew finished his PhD at UChicago and I attended his commencement and hooding), have a day at the zoo with my friend Dawn, and also road trip to WI with my friend Mary for a beautiful and moving Lights Festival experience together.

June 30 was the day I attended my first ever CalShakes performance with Maya and our mutual friend Paola (Girls Gone Sensibly Wild continued!), and Maya also got me on a bike for the first time in ages, thanks to LimeBikes being available at the Pleasant Hill BART station. We took a short, wobbly, but fun ride down the Iron Horse Trail.

July 1 was the day I learned to kayak and surprisingly got myself through 5 miles of the Russian River without tipping over or running out of steam.

July 26 saw me reuniting with my dear pals Shannon and Glenn, when they were visiting the Sac area for a wedding.

July 27-29 was the weekend I drove up to Ashland to enjoy some time with my friend Debbie and to experience the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for the first time.

August 3-6 was when I somewhat unexpectedly had the delight of hosting my friend Clarise for a weekend visit. We drove down to Pacifica for the International Dog Surfing competition and I schooled her in the ways of California wine as much as I could with my limited knowledge.

The following weekend, August 9-13, I had a lovely time hosting and touring around with my 16 year old niece, and got to introduce her to the joy that is Santa Cruz. And yoga with goats!

August 30-Sept. 4 was when I hosted (this is a recurring theme in August, isn’t it?) my Aunt Sherrie for local sightseeing and a road trip up to Lake Tahoe.

Sept. 22-24 saw me heading down to L.A. for my cousin Katie’s wedding and some work meetings. It was the first time in ages that I got to connect with that specific branch of my family, and get to know them a bit better.

Sept. 29 was my first AFSP walk in Sac. And i was joined by Jade, her visiting mom, and her three little ones.

Sept. 30 was the really long hair session with Mason that helped solidify that we were legit friends (and included a shared sunset from the window of his hair studio!) and a quick follow up appointment on Oct. 3 allowed us to enjoy a rainbow and storm together.

Oct. 19-21 saw Maya and I doing another Girls Gone Sensibly Wild road trip. Back to Peachy Canyon to pick up some wine, and also Pismo Beach and Santa Maria for our first visit to a really lovely winery called Foxen.

Oct. 26 was quite possibly my all-time favorite Brian Fallon performance. It was just him alternating between his acoustic guitar and an electric piano, and he was joined by Craig Finn from The Hold Steady, who also did his own acoustic set.

Oct. 27 I got to introduce my new friend Torrey to the Old Sugar Mill in Clarksburg, and we did a fun wine and Halloween candy pairing and some epic day drinking.

Nov. 3 saw me reuniting with my Cal crew and a sprinkling of East Bay friends at Fillmore Karaoke, for an epic night of loud singing as an early celebration of my 40th bday. So much wine. Actually too much, but for a birthday, that’s acceptable!

Nov. 4-6 I was in Indianapolis for work, and though the work part wasn’t particularly memorable, I was super honored and thrilled that my BFF Dawn drove all the way down from Joliet IL with her two boys to have dinner with me on my first night there.

Nov. 9 was an epic Local H show in Sac. Also a welcome break in the midst of a period of forced solitude, after the Camp Fire residual smoke prompted my whole office to work from home for about a week to protect us from the terrible air quality.

Nov. 18 was the day we had the beautiful service honoring the life of a beloved professor who passed.

Nov. 24-29 was my trip to Cabo with my Aunt Sherrie, and was also my official bday celebration.

Dec. 9-12 was my DC trip, which also allowed me to catch up with my friend Max, who lives in Baltimore, and my friend Stacey, who also happened to be there for her own work purposes.

Dec. 15 was my full day of yoga retreating at Green Gulch Ranch in Marin, and then I drove to the East Bay to catch up with Maya at Calicraft, which is one of our favorite craft distilleries in the area.

Dec. 16 was a white elephant celebration in Pleasant Hill that allowed me to unexpectedly meet a new, interesting friend.

08. What was your biggest achievement of the year? So far, meeting all expectations at my new job and closing a major gift earlier than is required. Also not losing my shit during the condo selling process, even though there were a lot of reasons to do so.

09. What was your biggest failure? I wrote VERY little fiction. But I did dip my toe back into writing in general, so I guess there’s that. 10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I took a tumble at home that left my tailbone a bit tender about a month ago. But otherwise, no, pretty healthy, even after getting rear-ended in my car! 11. What was the best thing you bought? Various travel tickets, both air and rail. A beautiful new necklace that I found at the holiday market in D.C. All the concert tickets that provided soul-fueling live music.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Mine! I adjusted to a new job and an unfamiliar setting and managed to acquire a few new friends while also maintaining the East Bay friendships that meant the most to me. 13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Who else but certain immediate family members? 14. Where did most of your money go? Rent. Travel. Wine, and to a lesser extent, craft beer, now that I’ve picked up a taste for stouts and sours. 15. What song will always remind you of 2018?

Anything off of Sleepwalkers by Brian Fallon

Anything off of Be More Kind by Frank Turner

Chariot by Gavin DeGraw

Tall Green Grass by Cory Branan

16. Compared to this time last year, you are: Thinner and sleeker, weight-wise

More willing to make room for others and open my life and space to them (friend and lover both) Still as sleep-deprived as ever 17. What do you wish you'd done more of? Novel writing, as always. Flirting. And kissing. 18. What do you wish you'd done less of? Angsting over adulting-related things that were either beyond my control or that ended up working out just as they should.

19. How will you be spending/did you spend Christmas?

I’m driving to Santa Cruz on Xmas Eve and treating myself to an overnight stay so that I can indulge in my happy place and a sunset hike. Also get to celebrate Boxing Day for the first time with my friend Jade and her brood back in Sac.

20. How will you be spending/did you spend New Year’s Eve? Original plan was to hang at my friend Jade’s place with her kids, movies and snacks. But just learned the wee ones are ill, so now I’m not sure what I’m doing. That was how I spent last year (the original plan, that is), with the main difference being that last year I also went to a two-hour yin workshop beforehand, which was how I discovered my current yoga studio, and discovered how much I enjoy yin practice in general. 21. Did you fall in love in 2018?

No. But I made more effort to pursue it, and had more options than I think I’ve ever had in a single year. Which was kind of encouraging even if each one was relatively short-lived.

22. How many one-night stands? I always laugh when I read this question. How about I just wink knowingly and say a lady never tells? 23. What was your favorite TV program? Supernatural. iZombie. To a lesser extent, Riverdale, even though I’m still pretty behind on that one. Sons of Anarchy (which I know is old but I’m playing catchup via Netflix and Hulu) And as a guilty pleasure, Total Divas. And of course, I'm still casually following WWE on the WWE network, though the only thing I’m finding compelling aside from the women’s matches are the Brits featured on the UK specific programming. 24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No, I don't think so. 25. What was the best book you read? I finally got into the Harry Potter series and I’m really enjoying it. I just finished the Order of the Phoenix, and have the next installment requested from the library. 26. What was your greatest musical discovery? Not entirely new, but my appreciation for Cory Branan was reinforced and amplified after seeing him in Santa Barbara. And I’m also on a rediscovery tear with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the Cold War Kids.

27. What did you want and get? Reassurance that this move to Sac was the right next step, after I settled in to my new role relatively easily. 28. What did you want and not get? Romantic love for an extended period. More down time. 29. What was your favorite film(s) of this year? Bohemian Rhapsody, even though I know it had some historical inaccuracies.

A Quiet Place was hard because of the ending, but decent as well.

And the latest Halloween was hella satisfying, especially since I caught it after needing an escape after learning about the passing of the professor I mentioned earlier.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I prepped for my Cabo departure, went exploring at the Cosumnes River Trail, which is also a bird sanctuary, and caught the movie Widows with my work friend Christine. Then she took me to Panera for dinner. Couldnt’ do much more than that since I had a 5 am flight the following morning. I turned 40.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Love, as always. 32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018? Activewear as much as possible. But never enough. 33. What kept you sane? My friends. The various trips I took and rock shows I attended. Junk food. Wandering in nature.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Jensen Ackles. Tom Hiddleston. Charlie Hunnan. Idris Elba. My taste doesn't change much. 35. Who did you miss? Dawn. Becca. Kelly and Drew. Stephanie and Scott. Rob. Elspeth. Mike K. Jason. 36. Who was the best new person you met?

Ellen

Mason

Torrey

Anthony

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018 Never underestimate my own ability to adapt to new situations, and to handle my own shit like a boss. I had a few challenging things thrown at me, namely the condo selling process, and the logistical gymnastics that followed after having to bring my car in for a bumper repair following a recent rear-ending, and though I felt tested by both of those situations, I ultimately succeeded at navigating both of them to a positive end.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

I’m always starting over....

I don’t wanna waste the nights in my life

But I never fit in, or felt home in my skin.

I’m waiting on a big love, baby.

--Brian Fallon, “Her Majesty’s Service”

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wanderlust225 · 7 years

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Time to use my passport again!!

(sorry, I forgot to actually post this!!) I have been back in the States for exactly 2 weeks, since I touched down in SF after my Asia trip. I spent a few days at "home" (what makes a place home?) regrouping, seeing Stephen and my friends and family and, importantly, washing clothes and trying to figure out how to pack for a month when the weather will range from the 30s of winter in Buenos Aires to the 90s of South Florida in August. Fun! Then I spent a lovely weekend at what I effectionately call "the Island" but what my cousins properly call "the River" or "camp," which our family has been summering on the same plot of land since the mid-1800s. Fortunately, for the last few generations we have had a cabin and running, hot water but a lot is also the same; being ferried between mainland and the island, fishing and watersports and a more-than-healthy amount of drinking. Elle was sweet enough to let me take over the Hill cottage and Emily good enough to host me and I enjoyed the gorgeous summer weather with crisp mornings, unexpectedly strong rain showers and perfect sunshine. I had a lovely dinner at the Hanna's cottage on Murray, a Scheibel-style cocktail party at Oak Lodge, church at the Chapel and a lazy summer afternoon of swimming at Short Rock. All of it was topped off by spending time with my "baby" cousins, none of which are babies anymore -- entertaining me with playdough, gymnastics and drone shows. And, of course, sitting under the midnight sky watching shooting stars. When the weekend was over I headed to my long-term home, Florida. One of my goals over sabbatical was to spend time with my family, including GHays' house in Oldsmar. She built the house in 1951 and has lived there, with only one interruption, ever since. Although the name doesn't do the place justice, it is a relatively simple, but truly magnificent place on the Bay. We had an early 93rd birthday celebration for GHays at a lovely native american restaurant called Ulele -- named after the cheif's daughter (and a spring in her name) in the 1500s who sacrificed herself to try and save a Spanish soldier (sort of an earlier Pocahantas). We also had a gorgeous lunch at the Oxford Exchange which is a super cool new concept space where they refurbished an old carriage house which had been used at the majestic Tampa Hotel. The space was beautiful and the food was delicious. In between eating out and eating delicious coffee cupcakes in at home, I was able to convince GHays to share some family history memories with me. I now have a much clearer image of her childhood, how she met my grandfather and their short but lovely years together before he was killed in Korea. They sounded hopelessly in love - that couple you would hate for being so cute, but cannot because they're such beautiful people, inside and out. On Thursday after a delicious brunch (a GHays specialty), mom and I drove back to Jupiter. We got straight to cleaning out my room and after about 5 boxes of GoodWill items, 2 large black trashbags and 6 hours, we could finally see the floor of my closet! It was lovely to get rid of a lot of things and refreshing to better organize all the memories I want to keep. I was miraculously able to get my butt out of bed for two sunrise runs and a beautiful yoga class. We also ticked some shopping and nails off my to-do list; tough life I know. Oh yeah, and relaxing with friends and wine and the beach and then yesterday with a nap in the hammok. Bliss. And then yesterday, I realized I was going to Buenos Aires!!! So exciting! I also can't believe it's almost 10 years since I was last there to study abroad in 2007 (July to December). It is hard not to fall in love with such a vibrant city full of voracious people and I absolutely cannot wait to explore it again!

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abiteofnat · 6 years

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72 HOURS OF “RESTAURANT WEEK CHICAGO” LATER I’M A NEW WOMAN...

Because when you have very little funds after traveling for five days and have food poisoning that just won’t even let you eat crackers, you should go out for 3 really nice multi-course meals. Logically. It all makes sense.

Restaurant Week in Chicago is like a frenzied Olympics of the mind, stomach, and Instagram (especially when you’re a food blogger) because the goal is to eat at as many places as possible, and you want all those places to be new and exciting so you can write fresh takes on fresh foods for the followers. And to show other bloggers, “I am relevant and cool.” So I did JUST THAT and even though one of the three places I tried a Restaurant Week menu is a long-time favorite, I strayed from my usual choices to expand my taste bud horizon. If you know me, this is rare, because once I find my favorite menu item at a repeat location it’s probably never going to change unless I experience a horrific interaction with it (aka &Pizza in D.C. a couple weeks ago, RIP to the mushroom-truffle pizza sauce that was my #1 Saturday night and then caused me to sleep in the bathtub so I could vomit freely Sunday night. Why do I tell you this? Because years from now I’d love to read this and laugh, even though now I still just gag at the remembrance of it. Oh, &Pizza... the shortest love affair ever had).

ANYWAY, since I am one to not back down from a challenge of the food variety, the first Friday of Restaurant Week I was lucky enough to be taken out for dinner at Fleming’s Steakhouse in River North, and then had a lovely early dinner Saturday night at Ema, also in River North, and ended the weekend at Siena Tavern... in River North. There’s a theme here- it’s almost like there’s a section of the city that houses some realllyyyyyy good restaurants... hmmm. I’m going to walk you guys through the menus and what was had by all, and hopefully since Feb. 8 was the last date to try out the pre-fixe menus you can store these places in your brain until next year! It’s always fun to treat this week like a reason to go out and get a little bourgeois, because most of the places on the Restaurant Week Chicago list are a killer steal for the $44 set price.

Here we GO:

1. FLEMING’S STEAKHOUSE

Fleming’s was a choice that shook a lot of people because they follow up, “Wow that sounds so nice!” with “But what does a vegetarian eat at a steakhouse?”

Well, I’m a girl who tends to eat my weight in sushi multiple times a week, and I will never turn away from a big plank of salmon dripping in sauce, which is exactly what came my way course #2... and oh my god, that salmon was so good that I almost didn’t feel guilty it wasn’t still swimming in a creek somewhere. (Whatever, a bear probably would have gotten it before me anyway).

Fleming’s is a somewhat modernized steakhouse off Ohio Street that has an incredible wine bar on the first floor, worth sitting in for a pre-dinner drink for SURE, and their upstairs is a plush, warm environment that gives you steakhouse vibes while still being slightly intimate and even “cozy”. It might have been the entire bottle of red wine we drank but I recall the room being all orange, red, and gold colors so you’re for sure not sitting in some dark cave ripping into a steak (which is how some of the suburban ones can feel- Morton’s in Northbrook is literally a dimly lit daddy cavern). Our waiter couldn’t have been nicer, even when we quizzed him on his age because he looked like a rather tall fifteen year old to be handling wine (he was 25 and engaged- wow), and he made sure our meal was entirely to our liking. The meal was as follows:

Course One: Bread + various butters, all delicious. Then, a lobster bisque that was super creamy, rich in color, garnished with herbs and crème fraîche, and worth every single calorie since it was clearly made with an entire cow’s worth of cream. Not to mention a whoooole lot of butter, however when you’re committing to a bisque, you want it to be so heavy that United makes it pay for it’s luggage, and this bisque did not disappoint.

Course Two: A whole salmon smoked + grilled perfectly, giving it a robust woody flavor but then slathered in a BBQ sauce that had just the right amount of molasses in it to make it sweet, savory, and even a tad salty. This slab of salmon was the first real plate of food I’d had in what felt like years, and WOW did my body need that iron. I asked for it well-done to give it that meaty texture and they made it the most perfect, succulent salmon ever, however most steakhouses blow my mind with how they can make a wiggly fish into a 5-star meal. My now-boyfriend (Fleming’s was a pivotal turning point for us) got the steak and entered a new dimension upon eating it, so for all you carnivores try the steak because it looked + smelled beyond awesome. Can’t give you more details on the taste tho!

Course Three: A couple of sides that can’t really be counted as a separate course, but given how long it took me to enjoy the mashed potatoes it turned into a 20-minute flavor endeavor. We got the Fleming’s potatoes that have jalapeños stirred in- delicious - and then the good ole mashed potatoes that I knew would absolutely kill and THEY DID. A pound of butter, some salt, and the red potato skins mashed in there for texture... job well done. They deserved every single minute spent on them, which were a lot of minutes, because I was so full but my love of mashed potatoes meant leaving a little behind as possible.

Course Four: DESSERT! Because it’s stupid to have two of the same thing on any table, I got the carrot cake and he got the cheesecake, and then I proceeded to eat two bites of the carrot cake and then eat most of the cheesecake since that was easily the star of the show. Everything was delicious though so there was no wrongdoing!!! Fleming’s is worth it even not during Restaurant Week, so go check it out if you want to have a fancy lil night out.

2. EMA

So Ema is somewhere very familiar but I’m never sick of, given the atmosphere is literally perfect and the food is insanely flavorful and fresh for its price! It’s normal to start the meal with a spread or dip anyway, so getting to pick two for the first course for Restaurant Week?? I was sold on heading back there for a girl’s-night dinner to see if anything new peaked my interest.

Course One: Anything with their fresh, hot house pita bread that has olive oil, salt, and rosemary sprinkled on top is a friend of mine so I got the spicy hummus and the charred eggplant spread as my two appetizers... AND WAS SHOOK. Usually I’m a hummus girl but sometimes it can taste a little too much like nuts (due to the chickpeas) and that evening, the hummus was sooo overshadowed by the charred eggplant. I’d never had that before and since eggplant can be slimy, I was nervous, but near the end I even started eating the eggplant with a spoon since the bread was gone and I couldn’t fathom wasting the flavor. GET THE CHARRED EGGPLANT SPREAD. It’s so smooth and has a lemony punch that plays with the savory nature of “char” flavor very well.

Course Two: Risotto! They had a butternut squash risotto on the Restaurant Week menu which I’d somehow never noticed on their usual menu, and my #1 choice for dinner at Ema is always the octopus because it’s a huge serving and comes with even more delicious sauces. However, on a wintery afternoon, butternut squash risotto with parm and crispy sage seemed much more appropriate. Then- the flavor punch NO ONE SAW COMING- SQUASH VINAIGRETTE DRIZZLED ON TOP. It all played together beautifully and had the rich, oatmeal-like texture of risotto but with a light kiss of balsamic and then the punch of sage that is so unexpectedly important. This dish felt like a blind date that ends up being your life partner... yup.

Course Three: DESSERT AGAIN!

I got the small chocolate cake that was a thick dark-chocolate gnache with a very smooth vanilla whipped-cream dollop on top, and it had chunks of freshly-ground sea salt sprinkled on the plate so if you got the perfect bite it would be like jumping into the ocean on a hot day. Refreshing, insanely pleasing, and then that flicker of salt on your tongue. This dessert did a lot for me and was only the size of a granola bar, so it wasn’t overly indulgent.

You can see photos of this meal on in a saved story collection on my Instagram, just go to @abiteofnat and hit “Top Meals”. Enjoy!!!

3. SIENNA TAVERN

Oh Sienna Tavern, how I adore you. After going once freshman year for an over-the-top date with a friend to avoid the bars, I really got hooked on the intimate restaurant experience this place gives you. It’s low lighting, plush leather and dark wood accents, and upscale Italian-inspired food- what more can you want??? On Super Bowl Sunday this is where my sister wanted to celebrate her 18th birthday so away we went, enjoying the empty highways and empty restaurant since everyone was watching the Patriots get their ass handed to them, and my final Restaurant Week menu commenced.

Course One: Since main courses at Sienna Tavern are delicious pizzas and pastas that you don’t want to miss out on, starter was a kale caesar salad that had truffle mixed into the dressing and made kale not taste so much like dirt. I loved this salad and the portion was huge, so everyone could take a little and it was ideal for sharing since the dressing was decadent. Eating kale makes you feel healthier too, so when the pasta laden with pasta came to the table we all felt slim + like we could bear to splurge.

Course Two: BUTTERNUT SQUASH PANSOTI! It’s like triangle ravioli! To be fair this wasn’t on the Restaurant Week menu, but my sister got a pizza selection off it and I ordered this pasta so it all worked out. This pansoti is astounding: the al-dente pasta alone is at least 1/2 centimeter thick, which makes it a voluminous shape when also filled with sweet butternut squash paste, and then five of them are plated and covered in a heavy brown-sugar-butter “Alfredo” of sorts that you just want to coat your whole body in. And the black cracked pepper on top? Beautiful. It is easily the most filling, indulgent dinner on the menu and you can fight me on this, but it’s worth being uncomfortably full after finishing it.

Course Three: DESSERT FOR THE THIRD NIGHT IN A ROW! We HAD to get their house favorite, the bombolini donut holes that you get to FILL WITH FILLINGS YOURSELF. These fat, meaty potato-based donuts are deep fried and coated in sugar, and then come in a little paper bag with caramel, chocolate, and raspberry syrups to infuse with. The raspberry is easily the most delicious since it’s a crisp, fruity finish to an otherwise dense meal, and the crunch of sugar makes the citrus in the syrup pop. OOOO SO GOOD.

Sienna Tavern, you can do no wrong.

So there you all go! I ate so much fucking food in one weekend that I genuinely don’t know how I made it to the gym without passing out the following Monday, and I want to thank each and every one of you who helped me accomplish this horrifying feat! To my boyfriend, thank you for one of the best meals + company to enjoy it with, to Luzi, I’m always thrilled to spend the evening with you and your beauty, and to my family, thank you for teaching me to love food and a good dining experience from my childhood through right now. AND TO YOU FANTASTIC READERS: GET OUT THERE FOR RESTAURANT WEEK 2019. SEE YOU ON THE BATTLE FRONT!

Until next time, Happy Eating!

-Natalie

#food #food blog #chicago #new #restaurant week #2018 #restaurantreview #dinner #italian #hummus #fancy #night out #date night #birthday #girls night #food blogger #blogger #instagram #trendy

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victorious1956 · 4 years

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My RWBY Fic List

Now that Fair Game Weekend is complete (and what a great outpouring of creativity by everyone that was), and I have no more Qrowtober fics for a couple of weeks, here's my current fic status.

With so much going on, poor old Betrayal has had to take a back seat, but I'm still working on that one, too.

These are all Fair Game focused, unless otherwise indicated.

AO3 rating shown after each title.

Recently posted/updated:

Love, Betrayal, and All That Follows (M)

When your day job is trying to save the world, the idea of discovering love along the way doesn't enter your head. So when Qrow finds himself in Atlas, dealing with love is as unexpected as the betrayal that follows. Ongoing 24/? chapters 70,148 words

The Silver Lining (T)

When it seems there might be a repeat of the disastrous pandemic of two years ago, the government loses no time in declaring a lockdown of all households. For Qrow and Clover, this presents a problem. 1 chapter 3,162 words

The Monster I've Become (T)

James/Clover James had not expected love, or anything like it, to come calling. But it does, and for a while he can be happy. Life, however, has other plans for him. 1 chapter 4,928 words

Paradigm Shift (M)

Clover's life is settled in every way except one. As he searches for the right woman for him, fate takes a hand and sets him on an unexpected path. 10/10 chapters 19,360 words

Deep (E)

Qrow sometimes teases Clover about the depth of feeling between them. But they both know that being in deep, is where they want to be. 1 chapter 1,396 words

Fair Game Weekend 2020 Series

3 fics for Fair Game Weekend, 2nd-4th October 2020. Completed Part One: Good For The Soul (G) After arriving in Atlas, Weiss initiates a plan to help the new hunters and the Ace Ops get to know each other better. The outcome, in one way at least, is more successful than even she expected. 1 chapter 4,075 words Part Two: Chasing This Starlight (T) After resolving their difficulties and deciding they want to be together, Qrow finally joins Clover on the USS Atlas. 1 chapter 2,046 words Part Three: Tantalised (T) Qrow normally has no interest in the festive season. This year he grudgingly agrees to participate, if only to keep Jimmy quiet. 1 chapter 3,260 words

Numerically Speaking Series

A series of (mostly) unconnected short stories, prompted by the numbers 1 to 10. Ongoing Part Six: Six Weeks (T) Qrow/Clover / Blake/Yang / Jaune/Marrow Yang is determined to keep working as long as she can. Luckily, when she unexpectedly goes into labour, she's with the right people. 1 chapter 3,128 words Part Seven: Seven Stars (G) An evil is rising, and the Captain of the Guard is sent from Minas Tirith to seek one who may be able to overcome it. 1 / 2 chapters 2,661 words

Qrowtober 2020 Series

Six separate fics for Qrowtober 2020. Ongoing Day Two: Flight Interrupted (T) Qrow is a bird on a mission. When he finds himself caught in a storm, it takes an unexpected turn. 1 / 2 chapters 2,040 words Day Seven: A Quiet Night In (G) Qrow / Yang & Ruby / Background Taiyang/Summer Taiyang and Summer have been married for three years, and Qrow agrees they deserve a night out to celebrate. 1 chapter 1,677 words Day Eight: Images of Yesterday (G) Qrow/Taiyang Taiyang has accumulated an attic full of memories stretching back many years. Some of them are inconsequential. Others, Qrow realises, mean so much more. 1 chapter 1,005 words

Older fics below cut

A Fair Game Rainbow Series

A series of eight unconnected short stories, prompted by the colours of the rainbow. Because why not 🌈🙂 Completed Part One: Red (G) As their first Valentine's Day approaches, Clover wants to surprise Qrow with a small, yet thoughtful, gesture. 1 chapter 1,201 words Part Two: Orange (T) Qrow and Clover finally get some time off work together, and decide to take a short vacation. 1 chapter 1,384 words Part Three: Yellow (T) Breaking the ice with a shared DIY task? It's more likely than you think. 1 chapter 1,220 words Part Four: Green (T) An unexpected visitor on board the United Star Ship Atlas proves unsettling for Lieutenant Clover Ebi. 1 chapter 2,806 words Part Five: Blue (G) It's Clover's birthday, and for the first year in a long time, he's going to celebrate. He just doesn't know it yet. 1 chapter 2,218 words Part Six: Indigo (T) All Qrow needs is a good night's sleep. All Clover wants is to help him get one. 1 chapter 1,697 words Part Seven: Violet (M) Qrow's misfortune makes itself felt at a most inopportune moment. 1 chapter1 1,233 words Part Eight: Rainbow (G) If Qrow had been offered his heart's desire years ago, he doubts he would have thought of wishing for what he has now. 2/2 chapters 2,420 words

Clover Ebi: Ace Operative Series

A short series looking at how a Fair Game relationship might work, if Clover were asexual. Completed Part One: Best of Friends (T) Qrow and Clover find they have more in common than they first thought. 1 chapter 4,158 words Part Two: Lines of Communication (G) Clover can't help fretting, which almost spoils a special day. 1 chapter 2,971 words Part Three: Part of You (M) Being together for a year is a good reason to celebrate, but things don't quite go according to plan. 1 chapter 2,433 words Part Four: Now and Always (T) Qrow and Clover take the next step. 4/4 chapters 7,857 words

Early Days Series

A series of short fics which follow Qrow and Clover as they become more friendly, leading into the start of a deeper relationship. Completed Part One: Window 1, Bird 0 (T) Qrow has a spot of bad luck. Fortunately, someone is looking out for him and is able to help. 1 chapter 1,481 words Part Two: Iron, Qrow (G) Qrow gets some unexpected domestic advice. 1 chapter 1,118 words Part Three: Search and Retrieve Mission (T) Clover suffers a loss, but Qrow is able to help. 1 chapter 1,267 words Part Four: By the Book (G) Clover finds a way to say thank you. 1 chapter 1,462 words Part Five: A Bird in the Hand (G) An afternoon of avian exploits, and a reminder of Clover's past. 1 chapter 1,993 words Part Six: Good Hair, Bad News (T) Time to trim those untidy feathers. 1 chapter 1,702 words Part Seven: Enable Cookies (G) 1 chapter 1,959 words Qrow is in need of inspiration. Lucky for him, Clover is on hand to supply it. Part Eight: Fever Pitch (G) Qrow gets an opportunity to demonstrate his bedside manner. 1 chapter 1,859 words Part Nine: The Last Dance (T) A celebratory night out for everyone gives Qrow and Clover a chance to get closer. 1 chapter 1,633 words Part Ten: Reggie's Diner (G) Finally. A kiss. 1 chapter 1,674 words

Numerically Speaking Series

A series of (mostly) unconnected short stories, prompted by the numbers 1 to 10. Ongoing Part One: One Mistake (M) One mistake. One stupid mistake. And suddenly, everything was ruined. 1 chapter 1,947 words Part Two: Two Months (T) It is hard to see past the hurt. But to heal, that is what Qrow tries to do. 1 chapter 1,417 words Part Three: Three in the Morning (G) When Qrow can't get back to sleep, he hatches a plan. It doesn't quite work. 1 chapter 1,002 words Part Four: Four in the Family (T) Three become four as Qrow and Clover welcome a new member of their family. 1 chapter 1,667 words Part Five: Five Words (T) Qrow and Clover have a date, a meal at their favourite restaurant. But this time, something seems different. 1 chapter 1,393 words

7-6 (M)

A quiet night in for Qrow and Clover ends in an unexpected battle for the two experienced fighters. 1 chapter 1,202 words

a qrow came to me (G)

A short scene which could have happened, but sadly never did. 1 chapter 672 words

A Regency Qrow (M)

Qrow returns to England after an extended trip, to find society has changed considerably in his absence. 4/4 chapters 13,918 words

A Time To Hold On, A Time To Let Go (G)

Jaune/Marrow Sometimes it can take a long while to let go, but that's okay. 1 chapter 683 words

As Tears Go By (G)

Some painful memories never leave you, but if you have a sympathetic partner there for you, it helps. 1 chapter 1,257 words

Birth Day (T)

Qrow and Clover wait anxiously for a very special delivery. 1 chapter 1,491 words

Convergence (T)

Qrow and Clover are bound to get together. Eventually. 1 chapter 1,514 words

Face the Rain (G)

Clover and Qrow have been together for some time now, but the cracks are starting to show. 1 chapter 2,324 words

i'm dreaming 'bout those dreamy eyes (G)

The importance or otherwise of eye colour. 1 chapter 478 words

In Your Eyes (T)

Not everyone believes in the idea of a soulmate. And sometimes, you don't have to. 1 chapter 6,303 words

Instinctively Yours (T)

In Springtime, every bird's thoughts turn to finding a partner. Clover never expected it to be him. 1 chapter 2,016 words

Kiss Me, Kiss Me (T)

After the trials and tribulations in Atlas, Clover and Qrow enjoy some downtime in Patch. 1 chapter 1,635 words

Letting Go (G)

Qrow/Taiyang Qrow tries to help Taiyang move on. 1 chapter 948 words

Regency Bees (G)

Blake/Yang and Qrow/Clover, but less so than usual! A desparate situation calls for a desperate remedy. Especially when you have been told you must marry a gentleman for whom you have no regard. 7/7 chapters 13,556 words

Room in Your Heart (T)

Clover would like to get to know Qrow better, but is there a place for him in Qrow's heart? 1 chapter 2,414 words

Sharp Edges (T)

There is more than one way to hurt those you care about. 1 chapter 3,208 words

Some Kind of Madness (E)

Clover enjoys the heady rush of a new relationship. But after the madness of the early, euphoric liaisons, is there anything more? 1 chapter 3,642 words

Storytime (E)

Clover is away, so he calls Qrow and tells him a bedtime story. 1 chapter 1,501 words

Straight From Your Heart (T)

Following the catastrophic fight on the tundra, Qrow and Clover try and come to terms with what happened. 4/4 chapters 4,049 words

The One Who Loved You So (G)

James/Qrow and Qrow/Clover James cares for Qrow. He sometimes wishes he didn't. 1 chapter 1,000 words

The Shape of You (T)

Qrow sees Clover in a new light. 1 chapter 900 words

Till I Die (T)

Qrow's final flight. 1 chapter 1,500 words

Who Are You? (T)

Dreams are always open to interpretation, and Clover has no idea what his means. The answer, when it eventually comes, will change his life. 4/4 chapters 12,281 words

you know i can't love (T)

Loving someone is not always enough. 1 chapter 1,901 words

#rwby fanfiction #fair game #qrow branwen #clover ebi #bumbleby #guard dogs #james ironwood #taiyang xiao long

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