#happy last 20 mins of the regular season <3

[cmacavoy]

long live all the magic we made | the historic 2022-2023 Boston Bruins

#and hold on.... #i am quite emotional about this season and cant believe its game 82 #but hopefully ill have an update for this in 2 months #bruins #boston bruins #bruins lb #emily speaks #happy last 20 mins of the regular season <3

[runswithscissors26]

Just gotta vent. Ignore this/I just need to scream into the void and feel a little bit heard for a second.

I have food issues. I have issues with food. Food is gross. I don't like it. I almost never get hungry. I can and will forget to eat for a whole day. Me wanting specific food is very rare.

I am a very picky eater. I am a vegetarian (not vegan). I am lactose intolerant (I can get around this with Lactaid pills, but its a pain).

Food has to look, smell, taste, and feel right for me to eat it. If it looks or smells funny, it's not happening.

I have 3 breakfast options, plus 2 "fancy" ones for when I go out.

I have 6 lunch options, plus 2 for when I go out.

I have 12 dinner options, 6 of which are the same as my lunch options, plus the 2 options from lunch for when I go out.

I have 6 otions for snacks/desserts.

I used to have more options, but cut them for one reason or another.

I get on kicks where I'll eat the same few things for days, weeks, or months all the time. Example: I ate crackers with peanut butter for breakfast, a peanut butter sandwich for lunch, and mac and cheese for dinner for YEARS. I rarely deviated from it. Then, I totally switched. I couldn't stand the sight of those foods and rotayed through seversl more phases, but they were shorter than that one.

If a food I usually eat tastes funny, there's a very good chance I'm getting sick. In 1st grade my mom sent me to school with a peanut butter sandwich and chocolate milk for lunch (my fav meal at the time). It tasted horrible, so I went to the nurse, explained, and had her take my temperature, etc. No temp., nothing clearly wrong with me, but I insisted. She called my mom.

Come to find out, lunch tasted gross because she changed brands of peanut butter, bread, and milk. She hadn't told me. She apologized for not telling me and switched back the brands. Life went on. She would tell me if the store was out of my brand and she had to substitute another gmfor a coupke of days.

Fast forward 20 years... I can't cook like my mom because she doesn't follow the directions on boxes, so I can't cook any of the foods I like (that require cooking). I still live with my parents for a bunch of reasons, one of which being my food issues/forgetting to eat.

I'm back to my crackers/sandwich/mac and cheese routine for the most part. I drink my instant meal shake when it's too hot for hot food, but other than that, I'm back to basics.

I eat Kraft original/classic mac and cheese with "a bit" of extra milk and 3 slices of Velveeta cheese melted and the poured over the top and mixed in. I was actually hungry for dinner! So my mom made my food a bit early because the hungry feeling will pass and not come back. I thanked her when I got it from the pot, like always. It looked a little pale and smelled a little different, but I didn't say anything because is wasn't repulsive, I hadn't seen it out in the light, and I hadn't tasted it. She gets upset when I reject food that she makes, so I decided to try it.

So I go sit down and take a bite. It has a weird flavor, and the weird smell is still there. And there are little tiny things in it that kind of look like pepper. I took another bite, thinking maybe it was just a little bit that got accidentally sprinkled in when she was making her and my dad's food.

Nope. The weird taste and smell are still there. So I go best out of 5. Still weird. But now she's in the middle of making their dinner, and I feel bad marching into the kitchen and rejecting food that she makes for me, especially if she is busy with something else.

At this point, I've eaten about a quarter of the bowl and decide that just this once, I can deal, its just a little pepper or seasoning. So I ate kind of fast and didn't really chew, and decide that if my mom didn't spill something in it (by accident), then I'm cutting mac and cheese out of my diet again.

As I'm taking my last bites, my parents join me with their dinners. I (gently, I don't bite the hand that feeds me, and she's a bit sensitive about having her cooking criticized) tell her I think she might've accidentally spilled a little pepper or something in my food. She looks confused, so I showed her a noodle with the stuff on it.

She gets this guilty look on her face and I'm instantly back in first grade, telling a nurse that I must be sick and her insisting that there's nothing wrong with me.

Turns out that she cooked the noodles and got up to the part where she melts the cheese and realized we are out of velveeta. She substituted some shredded 5 cheese blend that we had. She confessed and said that she would have told me if I had come back in and told her.

She insisted I must have liked it because I ate it all. The one time I try to "grow up" and suffer through a meal so my mom doesn't get her feelings hurt, it turns out that she was trying to pull something. I tried to explain that I ate fast because I was trying not to taste it, but neither she nor my dad believe me. They think I'm overreacting now only because I know for sure.

I reminded her of the incident in first grade and she said she remembers it. I doubt she remembers how freaked out I was because if she did, she wouldn't have pulled this sh*t.

She said she didn't want to waste the food, so she didn't tell me. Well, its wasted now! When I smelled and saw it in the pot I took half my usual amount in case I couldn't stomach it. 3/4 of a box of Kraft is now trash.

God forbid I try to spare someone's feelings and not return food like a Karen at a restaurant.

My dad piped up as I was leaving the table that we do have velveeta, it just wasn't in the right spot because the drawer was full.

Yeah, I left 2 min after they sat down, I'm not sitting there to be guilted and b*tched at because someone else tried to pull something. They both know about my food issues and how bad they are, and she should have told me.

And on top of all this, I had a reaction to the dairy. Velveeta is sooo not real cheese, maybe like 5% real, but the cheese that was in the food I ate was real. For my regular mac and cheese, I need 1 pill. Throw more dairy in, I need more pills. I thought I was having my nice regular fake cheese and took 1 pill. But alas, it was weird looking, weird smelling, pale, real cheese with little bits of who knows what in it.

Let's throw some more on shall we? Tomorrow is my birthday. It's been hot so I've been having my drink instead of hot food. I was looking forward to mac and cheese for dinner tomorrow too. WAS.

Now I don't want to look at mac and cheese.

Now I don't want to be in the same room as them.

Now I'm locked away (hiding) during what is usually my wind down time. Usually I read for a few hours before bed.

Now I'm too angry and hurt to have the patience.

Now I'm crying and sniffly.

Now I'm dreading my birthday, when I'm supposed to be all happy and sh*t tomorrow.

I realize how insignificant this is to the rest of the world. But its significant to me, in my little corner of the world. The person I trust to make my food screwed with it, lied to me (by omission), and then tried to put it all back on me because I didn't return it.

"Sorry" in the tone she used doesn't cut it. If I could eat like a normal person, I would. Don't lie to me about my gd food. I have enough issues with it already.

#rant #rantings #don't fuck with other people's food #food #picky eater #vegetarian #lactose intolerant #don't lie to me

[perdevgroup1]

Mental Health Activity Calendar - Group 1

Spending months in quarantine may not be the best for our mental health. Not being able to go outside and see friends, worrying about how to stretch a week's worth of groceries for a month and school/ work being more stressful than usual. With the current situation at hand this mental health calendar was made, with the goal of promoting the act of taking care of your mental health  and that mental health is just as important as physical health.

This calendar contains various activities for taking care of your mental health, with each week having a certain theme for the month of August. Hopefully this calendar can help you take care of yourself, both mentally and physically.

DAY 1: Buy yourself food, clothes, or anything you might want. Use it as a motivation & know that you deserve it.

DAY 2: Finish/polish up a simple sculpture you've been working on. This can work on your creativity. once you finish, you will get a sense of fulfillment.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AYA6oss2AcRhc1T7oWPcKD2Ko5jzRZNZ/view?usp=sharing

DAY 3: Cleaning up your surroundings can help with also clearing your mind from clutter, cleaning as well can help with destressing leaving you more relaxed than ever. Working in a clean room can also help with you being more productive.

DAY 4: Having goals for the day helps with managing other activities in order to avoid stress.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/13a-_7x0CbRYMZMMEEVv7cJm3V-za9YN6/view?usp=sharing

DAY 5: Jumping rope is a quick physical activity that can be done anywhere, which can also improve your psychological health and boost your mood.

DAY 6: Playing an online game with friends can help you bond with them in a special way. You can message or call each other while doing this, making it feel like you're right next to each other.

DAY 7: Write down your thoughts/feelings/experiences this week. Use this as a way to collect yourself and clear your mind.

DAY 8: Watch your favorite movie as a treat and to cool down.

DAY 9: Finish/ start writing a short story for fun. By doing this, you can also improve your grammar and vocabulary , as well as utilize your creativity.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vjwzjf5YPtP9F2B39Agu8ymWRpoMi8eY/view?usp=sharing

DAY 10: Try out the trendiest app of the season, TikTok. Make a video and post is so that your friends can see.

DAY 11: Simple routines early in the morning, such as making breakfast, can help you have a good start for the day. It will encourage you to do fruitful activities.

DAY 12: Learning a new sport is actually good for your brain. In fact, some researches have shown that exercising helps fight against age related cognitive decline. Other benefits include improved stamina and flexibility.

DAY 13: Watching movie with friends can help with destressing as well as keeping in contact with your friends in this time of isolation.

DAY 14: Sit down and be grateful for the people around you. Write down what you like about them and don't forget to thank them.

DAY 15: Having a complete skincare routine will help you take care of your skin and body, as well as making yourself feel calm.

DAY 16: Finish 1 or more drawings to release stress or to help express what you are feeling.

DAY 17: Making a Meet the Artist post can help you reflect on yourself and express your creativity at the same time. This can also help people get to know you more and be your friend.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12D1OSMF5QG9Ai0DUDEfaQZl4mBLlrmY7/view?usp=sharing

DAY 18: Watching the sunrise can help you gain perspective on your life as well as helps you think about your progress or development as a person.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11dimGYDeR35mF5lZDC5BCKhT67P5ozSV/view?usp=sharing

DAY 19: To help relax your mind and body, stretch at least for 30 mins. when you wake up & another 30 mins. before going to bed. Or if you don’t feel like it, stretching early in the morning will do just fine.

DAY 20: It is always fun to call your friends. Do this to boost your happiness and reduce your stress.

DAY 21: Collaborating on an art piece will stimulate your mind and boost your creativity. This will also help you boost your collaboration skills.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eqoCrQWl5VshhOXWM94qEByO3_VbWzh5/view?usp=sharing

DAY 22: Sleeping in just feels better than waking up early, especially if you've been doing a lot of things at school or work.

DAY 23: Write a poem about anything you like, whether it be short or long, as long as you get to express yourself creatively or to vent out some emotions.

DAY 24: Try adding a little spice to your wardrobe by mixing and matching your clothing. Be creative and try on different combinations, or pieces, that you would rarely wear.

DAY 25: During exercise such as yoga, blood flow increases to the muscles bringing oxygen and essential nutrients to the active tissues. Over time, with regular stretching, the muscles become more flexible.

DAY 26: A short jog could help with livening up the day, to relieve stress, as well as to boost your mood.

DAY 27: Reminiscing with a friend can help you think of the good memories you have with them which can relieve stress and make you happy.

DAY 28: You can reminisce and write about travel experiences or memorable times, and plan out your days through bullet journalism. You can also unleash your creativity by using various materials in a collage.

DAY 29: Treat your skin and relax with a face mask. You had a busy week of school and you deserve it.

DAY 30: Finishing a painting can help you release your creativity and/or thoughts visually. It will also make you feel more productive afterwards, and inspire you to make more.

DAY 31: After a month filled with different activities, the last thing you can do is Netflix and chill to reward yourself of your efforts.

And that’s it for August 2020 mental health activity calendar! We hope it was helpful, enjoyable, and informative. Remember to stay safe and stay healthy always! <3

#mental health #mental health calendar #mental health activities #calendar #mental health activity calendar #personal development #group 1 #August 2020

[survivingcapitalism]

A Canadian Postal Worker’s Comments on the Strike

Hi.  

I am a postal worker and would like to take a moment of your time.  Unless you have been living in a cave in the mountains of West Virginia you will have no doubt heard that Canada Post and its employees are in the middle of contract negotiations and currently engaged in limited strike action.  The limited strike action I speak of is the rotating strikes and a refusal to work overtime.  These are designed to cause a slight delay in the mail stream that impacts management more than our customers, and to our customers, I am sorry for any slight delay you may experience but there is a reason why we are doing this.  

Part of the nature of the current conflict is that not only are our issues complex but so is the workforce itself, and by that I mean it is incredibly diverse.  Not only are we trying to negotiate 2 different contracts at the same time, but these contracts cover both RSMC and city workers which include both inside and outside workers, temporary employees, maintenance workers in addition to people who's job can be a combination of more then one classification.  Of course wages are an issue as they are with anyone and I wont pretend to say we wouldn't like a raise, however it is the working conditions that are much more important to us and something almost no one understands unless they work here.  Everyone can see how hard roofers and nurses work, but when you do the job, you gain a completely different understanding of what they go through.  

 Did you know that Canada Post does NOT receive funding from the government? There is a good chance you didn't.  All of Canada Post's revenue comes from the selling of stamps and shipping fees. We are self sufficient.   Even if you did know this, you might be surprised to know how many people do not know this.  

One of our major issues deals with staffing for both inside and outside workers.  There are many RSMC's in the country that still have to find their own replacements.  That means if you want to take a vacation, or get sick or injured that YOU have to find someone to sort and deliver your route.   Can you think of any other business like that short of being an independent contractor?  Keep in mind these are not contractors but Canada Post employees. If you cant make it to work for what ever reason, does your boss tell you it's your responsibility to find someone to do your work?  Canada Post has also agreed to a minimum staffing ration of permanent employees to temporary employees.  They have been ignoring this ratio for several years now.  

Staffing issues in general are also at the heart of the forced overtime issues.  Although many inside and outside (letter carrier) workers regularly volunteer for overtime it is the outside workers that are also FORCED to do overtime. This means that unless you have medical documentation stating that for health reasons you cannot do the overtime, you are forced to do it or face disciplinary action.  Did you make prior commitments for when you thought you would be off work such as picking up kids from daycare, or school or making a dentist or Dr. appointment?.  To bad, you have to change your life at the last min.  That being said, sometimes things happen that are beyond everyone's control, but I think you can agree that this shouldn't happen on a regular basis and there can be a better way to meet all of our customers delivery commitments.  

When it comes to being a temporary employee, I think most of us have been there, working mostly contract jobs or seasonal work.  The difference at Canada Post is that you just sit at home waiting for a phone call.  Most people will go months without getting that phone call for some work.  You might also work this week, but not the next 3 weeks, or at times, you may work for most of the year full time.  You never know.  You only get a call if and when they want you.  This makes it very difficult to plan out any sort of life.  Will you need a babysitter tomorrow?  You probably wont know until the very last minute of that day.

You may have heard the term “overburdening” mentioned by the union in the news but what does that really mean?  For letter carriers anyways, what that means is the overall work load and how the job is preformed.   Canada Post to their credit were at the forefront of job efficiency measurement at a micro level.  This is a very fancy way to saying every part of a letter carriers job was measured decades ago.  Every foot of distance on our route, every stair, gate, door, etc. is counted and assigned a time value.  Even how many letters per min we are supposed to sort is built into our day.  Part of the problem is sometimes these values go missing and so do not get counted in the making of new routes.  A more significant issue is that this system has not really been updated in decades despite the nature of how we do our job has changed a great deal.  

Nearly everyone will agree the number of letters we write and send each other has been in decline for a long time, but think of how many offers you get from your bank, or the dealership where you bought your car or some other business looking to make you a customer.  We still deliver all of those things yet most are not used in the calculations used to determine the size of our routes.  This has caused the size of a letter carriers route to grow dramatically.  Many routes are 3 times the size they were 20 years ago.   A letter carrier typically walks 20 km a day (5 days a week) and up and down 3000 to 5000 stairs while carrying the mail, flyers and packets/parcels for over 100 houses at a time.  This is a key reason why the injury rate for postal workers is 5 times higher then any other profession.  It is also a reason why letter carriers have more back, knee, hip and foot surgery then anyone else.  One simple fix to this would be to make the amount we deliver at one time less, such as 50 houses as opposed to 100 houses.   The opposition to this is because adding even just 6 extra stops would mean having to make the route shorter by 12 min (we get 2 min per loop stop to load up our satchel with mail).  I sounds like such a simple fix, and it is, but yet Canada Post says no. Part of the reason is that it would require updating and fixing 18,000 routes from coast to coast. An easy fix, but time consuming to implement and it is apparently less expensive to pay out disability cheques then to fix things.  It is also much easier to make someone do more in the same amount of time and reduce jobs.  In the end, it would also require hiring more employees but I guess they think it is such a horrible thing to employ people.  

The subject of the multiple bundle delivery method as a health and safety concern has been an ongoing fight with little change despite several arbitrator rulings in favor of the employees.  In order to fully explain the situation would require an essay unto itself but any letter carrier will gladly take the time to talk to you about it.  All you have to do is ask.

 On top of the mail and flyers, are all the things we deliver to you that you ordered from places like Amazon, or Allied express or Wish.  Delivering those items as well as the use of our scanner have almost no time value associated with them.  Despite every part of our job being measured to the second, the system has not been updated to properly include our new duties.  We are simply required to do them. If we do not get all of the work done, we get questioned as to why with very little concern to things such as the weather conditions and can face disciplinary action.  

This is a very simplistic overview of some of the issues currently being fought at the negotiating table, and I would hope it peeks your interest enough to ask your postal worker for more information.

We are your brothers and sisters, your neighbors and friends and in the end we simply would like to do our job feeling more like a person and less like a machine. 

We want to work and we love our job.  We love to be greeted by that lovable furball that wants to lick us to death when all we seem to have for you is a pizza flyer.  We wear our uniform with pride and in the end only want to be able to go home happy and injury free and not feeling defeated and broken, wondering how we will make it through tomorrow.  

Thank You for your time.

(Copy Pasted from Brother Arlyn Doran)

#cdnpoli #strike to win #labour #labor #Canadian Postal Strike #Canada Post

[sevenpabosandabunchoffans]

The Meaning of Family | The Beginning or the End? {Part 1}

Characters: Kim Taehyung, Original Characters, Park Jimin, Kim Seokjin, Kim Namjoon, Min Yoongi, Jung Hoseok, Jeon Jungkook

Words: 5028

Genre: High School Student!Taehyung, Soccer Player!Taehyung

Warnings: lots of fluff, Jimin is suffering from a broken heart so give him lots of love, angst, smut, unprotected sex do not do what they did in this unless you are fully prepared to take on any consequences that may come from it

Summary: “Does anything ever happen between Taehyung and Kortni?”; A new person shows up and Taehyung is not too happy with their presence; Time Period - Taehyung and Jimin’s senior year, ranging over a 3 month period; Ages: Jin - 38, Namjoon - 37, Yoongi - 20/21, Hoseok - 19/20, Jimin - 18, Taehyung - 18, Christian - 17/18, Kortni - 17/18, Jungkook - 16, Sammie - 19-22 months

A/N: So since this first part answers that question, any subsequent parts to this storyline will come if it gets requested....I know, I’m evil :D Hope you enjoy! <3

“Look who finally decided to show up, Mr. Captain~” Kortni called out as Taehyung approached their regular soccer field. It was their last day before school started back up after Christmas break and their final soccer season of their high school careers was about to begin. It had been announced after tryouts that Taehyung would be the captain of the boys’ team. “I heard Joy was very eager to congratulate you.” Taehyung set his sports bag on the sideline of the empty field and pulled his soccer ball out, smirking as he joined Kortni in the center of the field. Kortni scoffed at his expression and reached out to playfully shove his shoulder. “Why are you such a manwhore?”

Taehyung held his finger up to stop her. “Ah, ah, ah, manwhores will sleep with anybody. I have standards.”

Kortni held back a laugh at that. “Pfft, what standards?”

“Well, I’ve never tried to sleep with you, have I?” Taehyung flashed her a smile as her jaw dropped in irritation.

“Oh, you are such a jerk!” She punched him on the arm as he laughed before taking the soccer ball out of his hands. “I start~” As she set the ball in the middle of the field, Taehyung took his spot across from her, still laughing. He only turned serious once Kortni nodded to him that she was ready, and they began their regular scrimmage.

After nearly an hour of playing, the score coming out to a tie, the two of them sat on the ground, sipping from bottles of water that were kept cool by the January air. “How’s Jimin doing?” Kortni asked, and Taehyung gave a small shrug.

“He’s still heartbroken.” He brought his bottle of water back up to his mouth but spoke again before taking a sip. “I don’t blame him, it’s the first holiday season since she dumped him.”

“Not to mention that she was his first love.” Kortni commented. “That would be hard for anyone to get over.” Taehyung stared at her with interest until Kortni looked up and noticed. “What?”

Taehyung shrugged. “I never took you for a romantic.”

Kortni shot him a playful glare. “Watch it, I can still kick your ass~”

“I’d like to see you try~” Taehyung laughed, leaning back as she tried to swat his arm. “Alright, I gotta get home for dinner." He said once he’d calmed down, standing up and gathering his things. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“No, I was totally planning on dropping out of school with one semester left just to avoid you.” Taehyung laughed sarcastically as the two of them made their way to their respective vehicles.

“I’m home!” Taehyung called out as he entered the house, immediately seeing Hoseok lounging on the couch on his laptop. He made his way to the kitchen where his dad was. “What’s for dinner?”

“Caprese pasta~” Jin responded as he drained the pasta. “It’ll be ready in a few minutes; can you go ask Jimin to come set the table?”

Taehyung nodded and made his way to their shared bedroom, unable to do anything but feel pain for his brother as he saw him curled up on his bed completely covered by a blanket. He sighed as he set his sports bag down, getting ready to use his normal tactic to get Jimin out of his funk. “Come on, Jimin, time to get out of bed.”

The lump on the bed shifted until the other 18-year-old was peeking out of the comfort of his blanket. “Leave me to suffer alone~”

“Sorry, no can do. It’s against the rules of this family.” Jimin retreated back into his makeshift shelter. “But seriously, it’s your turn to set the table for dinner.” Jimin stayed quiet and didn’t reveal himself again. “Alright, you asked for it.” Taehyung walked over and pulled the blanket off of Jimin, throwing it to the corner of their room so he couldn’t pull it back over himself. “Up~”

“No.”

“I will literally drag you out of this bed.” Taehyung threatened, only honesty laced through his statement.

“I don’t doubt you will.”

True to his word, Taehyung took hold of his brother’s ankles and tugged him until he was off the bed, Jimin going limp and subjecting himself to his fate as Taehyung dragged him across the floor and out of their room. Taehyung didn’t let up as he crossed the living room where Hoseok and Jungkook, who had arrived home from hanging out with Yugyeom at some point while Taehyung was trying to coax Jimin out of bed, didn’t even bat an eye as they were so used to the action. “I got him!” Taehyung announced as he entered the room with Jimin’s body.

Jin turned around and his eyes immediately widened. “Taehyung, what have I told you about dragging Jimin around like a ragdoll?”

“How else was I supposed to get him in here?” Taehyung retorted as he let Jimin’s legs fall to the floor. Jin just ignored him and moved to Jimin, pulling him to his feet, at which point the 18-year-old moved to grab plates from the cabinet.

The next day, Taehyung dropped his lunch tray on the table with irritation before sitting across from Kortni. “If my child care teacher wasn’t such a bitch then my life would be perfect.” He angrily bit into his breadstick.

“Someone’s still salty about the one time he got a B on an assignment.” Kortni snickered.

“My dad, who has worked in a preschool for 20 years, helped me make that activity plan, and she turned around and said it wasn’t age appropriate for preschoolers because it involved word labels.” Taehyung stared at Kortni, who shrugged.

“I get it, she’s a bitch who doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

“Thank you~” Taehyung popped a grape in his mouth. “She’s the main reason I’m happy summer break starts early for seniors.”

“On the plus side, you can now let off your frustration towards her during practice.” Kortni pointed out before taking a bite of her pasta.

A few days later, Taehyung arrived at the soccer field for practice, waving at Kortni who was on the designated field for the girls’ team, before setting his bag down and beginning to stretch. “Alright, boys~” The coach gathered them around. “Before we actually start practice, we have a last-minute tryout today. This is Christian, and he just transferred here from Cabot.” Taehyung vaguely recognized the male as the new student in his AP Lit class. “So, let’s give him a fair tryout. Taehyung,” the 18-year-old immediately looked at his coach. “Although I get the final say, I would love the captain’s input.” Taehyung nodded and waited for the coach to begin the tryout.

All throughout Christian’s tryout, the most prominent thought in Taehyung’s mind was wow this dude is cocky. His arrogance permeated through the air any time he successfully made a goal, stole the ball from someone else, or was able to escape without losing the ball. Taehyung thought he might be imagining things, but he was sure Christian was targeting him by sending smirks his way each time. Even though something was off about the guy, Taehyung knew he had to put that to the back of his mind when the coach asked for his opinion. “I can’t lie, the guy’s good.”

Christian was immediately welcomed to the team and everyone cheered, although Taehyung obviously wasn’t into it. He noticed as Christian looked over towards the girls’ team and shot a wink. When Taehyung looked over, he felt something bubbling in the pit of his stomach as he saw Kortni blushing and trying to avoid looking over.

Soon after practice picked up, Taehyung forgot about the small action, and his new teammate went to the back of his mind until a week later when he was at the first rehearsal for the school musical. “Summer lovin’, had me a blast~” Taehyung sang quietly, already running through the songs before rehearsal officially started.

“Tae,” Mr. Spiridigliozzi caught the 18-year old’s attention, “I wanted to introduce you to your new understudy.”

“Understudy?” Taehyung looked at his teacher in confusion as he stood up from where he had been sitting on the stage.

Mr. Spiridigliozzi nodded as he stepped aside to reveal none other than Christian here. “This is Christian-“

“Oh, I know Christian,” Taehyung responded, trying not to glare at the guy.

“Well, Christian expressed his interest in the musical and since he was unable to audition back in December, due to him not being  a student here yet, we went ahead and let him have a special audition, so would you mind getting him caught up to where you are with your role in these next few minutes before we start?” Taehyung nodded, not trusting his voice at that moment. “Great~” The teacher pat both students on the shoulder before walking off to speak with the choir director.

“This ought to be fun,” Christian said, that smirk once again displayed across his face.

That Friday, Taehyung sat at his and Kortni’s usual table, picking at his chicken rings as he waited for Kortni to join him. When she finally did, Taehyung’s face morphed into one of slight horror. “What did you do?!”

“Oh, shut up~” Gone were Kortni’s signature curls pulled back into a ponytail, and in their place were straightened locks that flowed a few inches past her shoulders.

“No, seriously, who are you and what have you done with Kortni Stephens?” He then squinted his eyes and leaned closer to her. “Are you wearing lip gloss?!”

Kortni reached out and smacked the top of Taehyung’s head, causing him to quickly lean back and rub it. “You know, most girls like to fix their hair and makeup on occasion.” Kortni snapped at him as she opened her bottle of water.

“Yeah, but you’re not most girls.”

Kortni scoffed. “Wow, thanks, Tae~”

“No, I mean that as a complete compliment.” Taehyung said honestly. “You’re real, unlike most girls.” Kortni rolled her eyes and didn’t respond to him, nor did she attempt to hold a conversation with him for the rest of lunch.

He got an explanation for the body invasion in 7th period AP French. He was sitting next to Jimin, furiously finishing up his homework assignment when a familiar giggle reached his ears. He looked up to see Kortni with Christian, just standing outside the open classroom door and talking in the hallway. His grip on his pencil tightened when his gaze moved down and landed on their intertwined hands. He wasn’t sure how long he stared, only snapping out of it when he felt the pencil in his hand snap in half.

That evening, Taehyung paced around his and Jimin’s room as Jimin watched him from his bed. “I can’t stand him!”

“I can tell,” Jimin mused. “If looks could kill, he would have been dead ten times over.”

“I’m serious!” Taehyung exclaimed. “It’s like he’s trying to steal my life! I used to be my AP Lit teacher’s favorite student, now he comes along and becomes the teacher’s pet. I’m the lead in this year’s musical, he becomes my understudy, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he turned out to be planning out some sort of ‘accident’ for me.” Taehyung ignored Jimin’s eye roll to continue with his rant. “And finally, he’s obviously trying to take my captain spot from me.”

“You forgot how he has Kortni.”

Taehyung stopped in his tracks. “What? This has nothing to do with Kortni!”

“Are you sure?” Jimin raised his eyebrow. “Because you’re looking a little green.”

“This isn’t about Kortni~” Taehyung said firmly just a few seconds before a light knock sounded on their bedroom door.

The door pushed open to reveal Sammie toddling into the room, Yoongi standing behind her and watching her fondly. “Pizza~” She said in her cute voice, which bettered Taehyung’s mood, but only slightly.

“Woah, did I just enter a war zone?” Yoongi asked as he bent down to scoop Sammie into his arms.

“Don’t worry,” Jimin told their older brother as he stood up from his bed. “Tae’s just a little jealous.” He and Yoongi walked out of the room to join the rest of the family for movie night.

“I’m not jealous~” Taehyung grumbled, following after them.

The semester went on and it seemed to Taehyung as if his frenemy no longer existed. What started off as just straightened hair and lip gloss turned into dresses and full on makeup. Not only did her appearance change, but so did her behavior. She became gigglier and was almost always seen clinging onto Christian’s arm. She also went from spending every lunch with Taehyung to every other day to not at all. The final straw was during early April at a party. He was leaning against the wall, flirting with Emily, one of Kortni’s teammates, when he looked up and noticed the aforementioned girl standing in the corner, looking around awkwardly. “Excuse me~” Taehyung said to Emily before making his way across the room. “What are you doing here? You don’t even like parties~” Those were the first words Taehyung had said to her in months other than during French class.

Kortni looked up, seeming surprised that Taehyung had approached her. “Christian wanted to come by for a little bit.” She answered.

“Of course, he did~” Taehyung muttered. “And where is Christian right now?”

“Oh, he just had to go to the bathroom, he should be right ba-hey!” Taehyung had grabbed her by the wrist and started to tug her towards the front door. “Let go!”

“I’m taking you home.” Taehyung said, not stopping until Kortni yanked her arm from his grip.

“No, I’m staying here with my boyfriend!”

“Do you really not see it?!” Taehyung asked, whirling around to face her. “Your so called ‘boyfriend’ is changing you!” He finally got off his chest what had been troubling him since the beginning of the year.

“He is not changing me.” Kortni insisted.

“Really? Because you literally told me six months ago that you would admit I’m a better soccer player than you before being caught wearing makeup and guess what, you still haven’t admitted it.”

“You don’t know anything about relationships, all you know is how to get in some girl’s pants!” At this point, neither of them cared that they had become the center of attention at the party.

“Well I do know that if you have to become a whole different person to please someone, then that’s not any relationship you need to be in!”

An expression of realization crossed Kortni’s face. “I get what this is really about. You’re jealous because this is something I beat you at.”

Taehyung looked at her incredulously. “What?”

“Yeah, I got into a serious relationship before you did, and you can’t handle coming second in anything, so now you’re lashing out. Grow up, Taehyung!”

“This has nothing to do with our rivalry, Kortni!” Taehyung exclaimed. “This is about how Christian is a jerk and the person I consider to be my closest friend is going to end up hurt by him!” The two of them remained silent after Taehyung’s confession.

Christian arrived a few seconds later, obviously noticing the tension between the two. “Is everything okay over here?”

Before Taehyung could tell him to fuck off, Kortni spoke up. “No, Tae was just leaving.” Taehyung shot her a look, one full of hurt, before walking out of the house.

Kortni didn’t show up to school for a few days, which gave Taehyung time to think over their argument and plan out a way to apologize to her. On the exact day he’d picked out to share his apology, he was elated to see a familiar ponytail sitting on the wall at the edge of the courtyard. He headed straight towards her, wanting to go ahead and patch things up before going to the band room to get some morning rehearsal in before class. “Well, look who’s back~” The smile fell from Taehyung’s face when he heard a sniffle and saw Kortni angle her body away from him. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Go away, Taehyung~” If the sniffle hadn’t already done so, the waver in Kortni’s voice made it obvious that she had been crying.

“No, tell me what’s wrong?”

“Why?!” Kortni’s head shot up, revealing just how red and puffy her eyes were. “So, you can gloat about how you were right? Just leave me alone~” She grabbed her backpack and stood up, running off to find somewhere more private to let out her feelings.

Taehyung clenched his jaw before turning back to the parking lot, heading to where he saw a certain someone hanging around their truck with their friends. As soon as he arrived at the group of young males, he was shoving the owner of the truck. “What the fuck did you do to her, Christian?!”

“Dude, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” That smirk was still painted across his face as he looked around at his friends who were snickering away.

“Kortni.” Taehyung said, shoving him again. “What did you do to her?”

“Oh, you mean the prude!” Taehyung felt a fire burning inside of him after hearing Christian refer to her in that way. “Yeah, I got tired of her. I mean, three months and no action, come on~” He fakely smiled at Taehyung. “You understand, right?”

“No, I don’t understand, because I don’t string girls along and make them cry.” Taehyung glared at the boy.

Christian sucked air through his teeth as he shook his head. “That’s not what I’ve heard. Then again, you have been working on her for years now, right? Maybe you’ll actually get lucky now, thanks to me.” Taehyung took a step forward, but Christian held his hands up. “Woah, woah, you don’t want to do anything to risk your precious captain spot. And we all know who Coach would pick to take your place.” Taehyung clenched his jaw and with one last glare towards Christian, he walked away.

In his child care class, Taehyung finished his assignment early, so he took the extra sheet of construction paper he had grabbed and started drawing and writing on it, hoping to have it finished by lunch. He did, and he went straight to his and Kortni’s usual table, happy to see her sitting there. He set his tray down and began digging through his backpack. “Tae, I told you to leave me alone-“

“And I will,” Taehyung assured her. “I just want to give you this first.” He pulled his hand out of his backpack to reveal the card he had made in class and the small gift-wrapped box he’d placed in there that morning before school. “Happy birthday, Kortni~” After setting the gifts on the table in front of the shocked now 18-year-old, he went to sit with Jimin. He didn’t attempt to talk to her later in French, not wanting to push her until she was ready, but he couldn’t help the smile that stretched across his face as he saw her already wearing the charm bracelet that he had spent months collecting charms for.

That Saturday, he was laying on his bed reading when he received a shocking text. Are you still coming over tonight? Long before Christian appeared in their lives, the two had planned to have a movie night that weekend, prom weekend, since neither of them found the appeal in going to the school dance.

He unlocked his phone to type back his response. Is that still happening?

He received a reply just a few seconds letter. I’ve already made a pillow fort big enough for two.

And that’s how Taehyung found himself at Kortni’s door that evening. “So, your mom’s allowing you to have a guy over for an indefinite period of time tonight?” Taehyung asked as Kortni let him into her house, knowing just how conservative the girl’s mother was.

“She doesn’t exactly know.” Kortni answered. “She’s out of town on some gospel retreat.”

They didn’t speak again until a few movies later, other than commentary on the films. “So…” Taehyung turned his head on the pillow to look at Kortni, “I haven’t thanked you for my bracelet yet…thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Taehyung responded, sitting up. “Do you like the charms I picked?”

“Yeah! At least the ones that I know the meaning of. Like the soccer ball is obvious, it didn’t take much to figure out the fleur de lis or the ponytail.” Taehyung reached out and lightly took her hand in his, admiring the way the bracelet looked on her. “But I can’t figure out what this 4 is supposed to mean.” Kortni fingered the gold charm dangling from her wrist.

“Oh, that’s just the number of years we’ve known each other, going back to the very first time you approached me at the soccer fields.” Taehyung explained, smiling at her.

Kortni bit her lip and took her hand out of Taehyung’s. “This seems kind of sentimental for your supposed arch nemesis.”

“You may be my arch nemesis, but you’re also my best friend.” Taehyung said softly.

“So, you don’t actually hate me and aren’t just doing the whole ‘keep your enemies close thing’?” Kortni teased, bringing small laughter from the pair.

“Trust me when I say I’ve never hated you. In fact, believe it or not, I actually had a crush on you when we first met.” Kortni was rendered speechless, only able to tilt her head as she watched Taehyung talk. “I even talked to Jimin about how in love I was. But then you came out with all that shit about trying to take me down and that was the end of that.”

“Wait, you loved me?” Kortni asked, seeming to have latched onto that one part of Taehyung’s confession.

“I mean, I was only 14 and had never had a girl actually talk to me without openly flirting with me, so-“ Taehyung froze when Kortni leaned in and pressed her lips against his. After a few seconds of registering what was going on, he let his eyes fall closed and began to move his lips against hers, soon after bringing one of his hands up to caress her face and letting the other one fall to her waist. He tensed up when he felt her hand fall on his upper thigh, extremely close to his crotch, but relaxed as he convinced himself that it didn’t mean anything, only for her hands to creep up his chest and tug at the top button of his flannel. “Wait, wait~” He lightly pushed her away. “I didn’t mean to make you feel pressured or anything.”

“You didn’t~” Kortni stated, completely serious and Taehyung could see it in her eyes. “I want to.”

She leaned in again, and Taehyung welcomed the softness of her lips on his for a few seconds before pulling back. “I don’t have a condom.”

Kortni bit her lip again, and Taehyung moved to lay back down to start watching the movie again but stopped when she spoke. “I’m on birth control, if that helps.”

Taehyung furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. “Wait, your mom, the queen of conservativeness, let you-“

“It’s for period control, like cramps and stuff.” Kortni shrugged. “And you could, you know, pull out too if you needed to, right?”

Taehyung knew he probably should have said no and stopped things there, but he found himself unable to keep from leaning back in and molding his lips to hers. They didn’t progress past kissing for a few minutes, as Taehyung didn’t want to rush through things. When he finally decided to deepen the kiss by slipping his tongue between Kortni’s parted lips, he gently pushed her to lay back onto the pillows and climbed over her. They continued to take their time, slowly removing articles of clothing piece by piece until they were finally down to just their underwear.

Taehyung fingered at the clasp of her bra without making any moves to take it off. “Are you absolutely sure?” He waited until she responded with a ‘yes’ before unhooking the clasp and removing the undergarment from her body. Before she even had the chance to cover her breasts out of shyness, he leaned down and lightly pressed his lips to the top of her chest, beginning a trail down her body to the hem of her panties.

It was when he reached the top of the fabric and had started to tug them down that Kortni spoke up again. “You’re not going to do anything down there, right? Like, no oral?” Taehyung paused in his movements and looked up at her. “The thought of it just kind of weirds me out.”

“Not if you don’t want me to.” Taehyung assured her before slowly tugging her panties down her legs. “But it’ll probably hurt more if I don’t.”

“That’s okay~” Kortni said as Taehyung pulled his own underwear off. “I trust you.”

He leaned down and kissed her once more, taking hold of his member to guide it towards her entrance before parting from her lips. “If we go on from here, we can’t go back, so are you 100% sure?”

Kortni reached up and encased his face in her hands. “Yes, I am absolutely, positively, 100% sure.”

Taehyung allowed her to pull his face down until their lips met, using it as a distraction as he pushed the tip in. He stopped once he felt her tense up and whimper against his mouth and pulled back from the kiss. “Hey, it’s okay,” he whispered, taking hold of her hand and intertwining their fingers as he looked at the pained expression on her face. “Just tell me if you want to stop.” She shook her head and squeezed his hand. “Am I okay to move?” She nodded, and he pushed deeper, stopping again after a few seconds to allow her to adjust. He continued this until he was fully inside her, letting out a quiet groan at the feeling. “You still good?” He asked, pressing a kiss to her forehead afterward.

“Y-yeah, just wait a little bit~” She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close until there was absolutely no space between their bodies, burying her face in his shoulder. With the new position, Taehyung nuzzled his face against her neck, leaving gentle kisses everywhere he could reach in hopes of providing comfort to her.

He wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, but eventually her grip on him loosened. “Okay, you can move now.”

Taehyung pulled away from her neck and propped himself on his forearms, leaning in for their lips to meet yet again as he began to rock his hips against hers, only making shallow thrusts so as not to push her limits. Everything was blocked out of Taehyung’s mind except for the feeling of his lips on hers and their bodies moving together. Even the pain from her fingernails digging into his back was nonexistent as they connected in a way that before that moment, Taehyung never would have imagined to be possible.

He woke up the next morning to Kortni’s curls tickling his nose and his phone vibrating loudly. He opened his eyes and immediately realized that Kortni was curled up against him, her head resting on his chest. Once his phone began to vibrate again, he slowly moved out from under her without disturbing her slumber. When he was free, he sat up and leaned forward to grab his jeans, pulling his phone out of his pocket and immediately answering it once he saw who was calling. “Hey, Dad-“

“Don’t ‘hey dad’ me!” Jin cried into the phone. “Taehyung Kim, you better have a good reason for staying out all night and ignoring my calls and texts!”

“I’m really sorry, Dad! Kortni and I fell asleep while watching movies last night and I just now woke up. Trust me, I was not intentionally ignoring you.” Taehyung whispered, still trying to not wake Kortni up.

He heard his dad breathe a sigh of relief. “As long as you’re okay…just come home soon, alright?”

“Yeah, I’ll be home in a few minutes.” Taehyung hung up the phone and got up, gathering his clothes to redress himself. Once he was situated, he walked over to Kortni’s desk, softly smiling when he saw the card he made for her propped up by her picture frames and tore a piece of paper out of one of her notebooks, grabbing a pen and writing a note for her so she wouldn’t be upset when she woke up and saw he was gone. After the note was finished, he kneeled next to Kortni on the floor, pressing his lips to her forehead before leaving, making sure to grab the plastic cup he had ended up finishing in the night before to throw in the trash outside to limit the risk of Kortni’s mom seeing it and finding out her daughter wasn’t as pure as she thought. As he closed the door to her room, he failed to notice that the slight wind created from the action cause the note to move slightly, just enough to fall off the edge and become lost between the furniture and the wall.

That next Monday, he sat at their usual lunch table, waiting for her to arrive, but she never did. He convinced himself that she was busy meeting with a teacher or talking to her teammates as he gathered his trash to throw away. That was proven untrue by the end of the day. He perked up in his seat as he saw Kortni enter their French class, only for it to feel like he had been punched in the stomach when she chose to sit across the room from him rather than in her normal seat in front of him. He could feel Jimin’s eyes on him, silently asking what was wrong, but all Taehyung could focus on was how what he thought was the start of a relationship between them was actually the end of their friendship.

Next Part

#bts #bangtan #bangtan boys #bangtan sonyeondan #beyond the scene #bts fanfic #bts series #bts drabbles #bts scenarios #bts reactions #bts smut #bangtan fanfic #bangtan series #bangtan drabbles #bangtan scenarios #bangtan reactions #bangtan smut #kim seokjin #seokjin #jin #min yoongi #yoongi #suga #jung hoseok #hoseok #jhope #kim namjoon #namjoon #bts rm #bangtan rm

[thefootballlife]

Should Croatia call up Kristijan Lovric for the Euros?

But a real dilemma may be brewing on the left wing and that dilemma is Kristijan Lovric. On one hand, Croatia’s wings are well stocked - Perisic, Rebic, Orsic, Brekalo are a pretty good set of left sided players to call upon and suggesting taking a 25 year old who hasn’t played outside of Croatia, not even a European game, seems like one hell of a stretch of logic.

But Kristijan Lovric isn’t really the most logical of footballers to look at. Currently in the midst of his best season ever, following on from his best season ever, his stock is only rising to the point where suggesting he should be going to a major international tournament is more than fanciful. But let’s take a bit of a deeper dive into why Lovric may and may not go to the Euros…

1 - He isn’t going anywhere, but that’s not a bad thing...

Lovric’s club of Gorica are hardly one of Croatia’s biggest but have looked after their biggest asset pretty exceptionally. As a club, they don’t have financial pressures forcing them to cash in quickly and that has meant they have been able to actually build a side around Lovric. While Lovric’s price tag has been set at £4m for some time, it hasn’t been met and this winter has perhaps seen the least interest for a while as Lovric seems quite happy to remain in Croatia rather than uproot himself while his partner, Croatian international Monika Conjar, is carrying their first child.

So, in an environment built for him to shine with a settled personal life, staying at Gorica till the summer of 2021 is no bad thing for his own development or, at least, his contentment. From Gorica’s perspective, should Lovric get himself to the Euros and then proceed to get caps at the tournament, his value will rise. Gorica, for now, suits his form and it suits the club.

2 - ...but can you prove yourself in the HNL?

HNL players have gone to major tournaments for Croatia but they tend to be goalkeepers. The outfield players in the HNL to go to a major tournament since Brazil 2014 are Brozovic, Bradaric, Schildenfeld, Rog, Pjaca and Coric, most of whom went to Euro 2016. Most were back-up and most weren’t keeping someone really good out of the team and only one of those, Brozovic, has then gone on to cement himself as a first-choice part of the team.

If Lovric goes, he will be back up but, unlike those players, he has to knock someone very good out of the squad to do so. Go back to that little list of players Croatia can call on on the left wing where Lovric likes to play…

Ivan Perisic - Playing regularly at Inter in Serie A

Josip Brekalo - Playing regularly at Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga

Ante Rebic - Playing regularly at AC Milan in Serie A

Mislav Orsic - Regular at Dinamo Zagreb

Meaning this in the nicest way possible, but of those four players, there’s only one who you’d realistically consider dropping for Lovric and that’s Orsic. Which poses a bit of a dilemma because Orsic’s domestic form is also very good and he has ample European experience to call on above Lovric. Therein lies Lovric’s issue - barring injuries to others, it’s always going to be quite easy to make a case against him because the other players in his area are playing so regularly in much stronger leagues.

3 - Lovric’s bare stats are amazing…

14 goals in 18 league games, even with it boosted by 5 penalties, is the sort of statistic that raises an eyebrow, especially when the player in question isn’t a striker. Lovric is the top scorer in the HNL and is well in form, having scored in his last four.

To expand, his quality is only really improving. Lovric went from an eye catching spell at Kutosija in early 2018 after failing to make the grade at Lokomotiva. Brought in for nothing into promoted Gorica in 18/19, he spent the first half season mainly as a bench role behind Iyayi Atiemwen before, when Atiemwen left for Dinamo, being given a chance to start and taking the chance with both hands. 10 goals in the second half of that season, including a spell of 6 in 6 in there brought him out as a player to watch, particularly given his penchant for scoring nice goals.

19/20 saw that expand to silly proportions - 14 goals in 31 league games is good production but the how he went about it is the impressive thing, regularly scoring from dead balls or outside the box. In 2019/20, the only player with more goals from a free kick than Lovric in the world was a certain L. Messi.

So with 14 in 18, Lovric is already on the cusp of beating his production last season. It would be silly to suggest he won’t, especially as he has a better team around him now than in the previous season. Furthermore, he’s available more than in previous seasons - for both the past two seasons, Lovric hustled along at around a booking every 200 minutes. This season, it’s around a booking every 500 minutes, a massive improvement disciplinary-wise. His assist rate is more or less the same meaning his basic metrics do just consistently look better.

4 - ...but his advanced stats are just weird

Okay, bear with me here because, after mentioning Lovric in the same sentence as Messi, I’m about to mention him in the same sentence as Cristiano Ronaldo.

When you track Lovric’s xG per 90, it’s around 0.36. But, when you track Lovric’s xG per shot, it’s only around 0.06.

So, Lovric is doing two things - firstly, he’s massively out producing what xG says he should be thanks to his recent burst in form - scoring around 4 non-penalty goals more than statistics say he should be.

Secondly, he’s shooting. A LOT.

Lovric averages around six shots per game. That’s more than Cristiano Ronaldo (Ronaldo for 18/19 went around 0.09 xG per shot at 5.5 shots per game). Similarly, Mario Balotelli was in that Lovric area of 5 shots per game at 0.06 xG per shot. One scored 8 in 25, the other scored 21 in 31.

The point is that if you put together a xG per shot table and a shots per 90 table, players who reside in the Lovric Locale tend to have wildly varying rates of production - there’s a massive difference between a Balotelli scoring 1 in 3 and a Ronaldo scoring 2 in 3 but all broadly have a similar xG per 90. Lovric, right now, is consistently at the higher end of that variance but for a club analyst looking at him, there would always be a question mark over how sustainable his production is, particularly when said player would, in the international sphere, be moving up in terms of the standard of opponent where he should end up with less space

To compare…

Lovric - xG per 90: 0:36, Shots per 90: 6, xG per shot: 0.06

Perisic - xG per 90: 0.28, Shots per 90: 1.89, xG per shot: 0.15

Brekalo - xG per 90: 0.18, Shots per 90: 2.57, xG per shot: 0.07

Rebic - xG per 90: 0.36, Shots per 90: 1.93, xG per shot: 0.18

What’s a more valuable skill set - getting your xG by shooting loads or getting your xG by being efficient?

5 - The verdict

Situational is the big word when it comes to Lovric. Croatia have three World Cup qualifiers prior to the Euros - away to Slovenia before two home games against Cyprus and Malta. Friendlies are pencilled in against Armenia and Belgium directly prior to the Euros also.

If Lovric is able to get in the team for the qualifiers (and his form should dictate he does) then the nature of having three games in six days would mean he would be certain to get some game time, particularly in the games vs Cyprus and Malta where Croatia should win with a bit to spare.

Similar applies to the Euros - three games in nine days is inviting rotation, particularly against Scotland. If Croatia need an option or need a goal, then someone who is going to shoot quite a bit is a useful thing to have in the squad - particularly as an in-form Lovric is both lethal from free kicks and has a happy habit of putting the ball in the net from distance. It is unlikely that he will get involved in his occasional 90 minute long contests against a keeper where he just tries to see if he can score from 30 yards or not (spoiler: he can). He is a different player to any other option Croatia currently have and, while his stats do tend to suggest his production isn’t sustainable, the reality is that he has been able to sustain it.

Over three seasons.

That’s a pretty large sample size to show him defying logic with his production to the point where it’s now fair to suggest his illogical production is logical for him.

Using the reliable polling station of twitter, there was a 60/40 consensus in favour of Lovric being given a chance with one main justification - Lovric would offer a different dimension and that really is where I would come down also. Over international football at the moment, fixtures are so condensed that in, for example, the March international window, it isn’t possible to just send the same eleven out three times from a fitness perspective. The same is true in a tournament where the full depth of the squad will have to be used. Call Lovric up for March, give him 15-30 mins vs Slovenia or Cyprus and then a start vs Malta and that will probably be enough of a look to know if he has the ability to cut it at the Euros in a group where, vs Czechia and Scotland, he will have the opportunity to play against sides of a quality that isn’t wildly higher than what Croatia face in Slovenia and Cyprus.

[puclpodcast]

PDL Week 8 Recap

PDL Week 8 Recap

We have a lot to discuss this week from Playoffs to an interview with The Fluffiest Whimsicott so let’s jump right into Week 8,

DEP vs. NYY: 0-1

NWN vs. BFS: 3-0

HEH vs. NJJ: 4-0

COG vs. VAV: 2-0

TOT vs. SLC: 0-3

PIP vs. BAL: 0-2

HFW vs. JAX: 6-0

ITA vs. DCC: 0-3

LOL vs. MID: 0-1

BLP vs. AUK: 1-0

MIL vs. MIN: 3-0

There were a lot a really close games this week. That had a lot of playoff implications but I go into more detail about that below. This was a week of inter-divisional matches with a division game thrown in and it is starting to make things a lot more interesting. I cannot emphasize how important every match is in the rest of the season. There are 22 out of 24 teams that have a path to the playoffs, while for some it is unlikely or requires a specific string of losses and win it is crucial that you bring you A game every week. Worst case it is just as much fun to crush someone’s dreams of playoffs as it is to make them, but first let’s enjoy a nice week off as we have our final bye week of the regular season. This week was a positional week. A lot of teams got some crucial wins and overall showed how week to week, you can be playing a different team. Playing any team that prepares well and plays well is going to be difficult to deal with. There are no free wins in this league every one has to work to earn every win.

Pick’ems

Pick’ems this week has left us with one person at the top and several only a point behind. There really inst much more to say about it other than the picks have been off from perfect so it looks like no one will be shout out again… unless in the last 4 weeks the pickers miraculously do what has not been done since week 1. We will see how it goes in the remaining 4 weeks before the playoff bracket

Trades

We have 3 more weeks to make trades and they are still coming through so lets go over them.

AUK Lucario T2 TOT Diggersby TOT Diggersby T2 AUK Lucario PIP Weezing T4 Free Agent Arbok PIP Gourgeist T5 Free Agent Froslass LOL Scizor T2 SHS Espeon SHS Espeon T3 LOL Scizor

  AUK and TOT traded Lucario for Diggersby respectively. This trade helps both teams as AUK is hoping this trade will help their team as they make a late season playoff push. PIP dropped Weezing and Gourgeist and picked up Arbok and Froslass. I really like this trade since it gives PIP a grounded poison type to absorb toxic spikes as well as a spike setter in Froslass. The last trade of the week was between LOL and SHS. LOL traded Scizor to SHS in hopes that Scizor can help SHS make playoffs. In return LOL gets Espeon doubling up on Psychic types and adding a magic bounce user to their squad.

Playoff Picture

With 4 weeks left lets start looking at playoffs. I’ll be doing a breif overview of how teams can make playoffs but as we get closer I’ll go into more detail. Let’s assume that you need a 7-5 record to hit playoffs so let’s dive into how each team can make playoffs. It is possible for 15 teams to hit the 7-5 benchmark but it would require some crazy scenarios. Realistically 7-5 will probably make it and potentially a 6-6 team or two.

Tiebreakers: 1. Overall Record 2. Win % in Division 3. Head to Head 4. Best Record vs. Common Opponents 5. Strength of Victory 6. Strength of Schedule 7. Coin Flip

Corsola Cola: There are 4 teams that can reach the 7-5 threshold; BFS, NWN, DEP, and VAV. At the current moment NWN has the tie breaker over BFS even though they have the same record and both teams need 2 wins to achieve playoffs. These teams would also need DEP/VAV to lose 1 game to guarentee playoffs as either 1 or 2. It is going to come down to how well these teams battle in the last few weeks to determine who will win the division. DEP and VAV ideally need to win out to hit 7-5.

Green Tauros: COG has clinched a Playoff spot either as 1 or 2 for the division. They can drop 2 of their last 4 games and still get the number 1 spot due to tie breakers. The real race is between SLC and SHS. SHS is 2 games behind and the last game of the regular season is a battle between the two. If SHS can catch up 1 game and be only 1 game down going into the last match of the regular season then the winner will be the #2 seed and the other can make playoffs in Best of the rest.

Corsola Cola: There are 4 teams that can hit the threshold; HFW, PIP, ITA, and BLP. BLP would have to win out vs. the entire division which is no simple task, but possible. HFW needs 1 win to clinch playoffs and they need to have a better record than PIP to win the Divisin since PIP wins the tiebreaker between them. PIP would need 2 wins to hit the goal and ITA needs 3 wins. This division is fairly clean cut. You need to win out.

Rhyhorn Steakhouse: This division is crazy so I saved it for last because there is a lot to go over. Let’s start with the fact that every team can make playoffs some have a tougher road than other. To hit the threshold, AUK needs to win out, DCC and MIN needs to win 2 games, BAL and MIL need 1 more win and MID would have clinched if 7-5 is good enough. In the last 4 weeks everyone in this division has 2 divisional matches and DCC has 4. Every divisional match is going to be crucial in seeding and the out of divisional matches for some are going to be just as tough and crucial since 5 of these teams are within 2 games of each other. There is no way to know how this will turn out just yet but it will be exciting to follow.

Interview with The Fluffiest Whimsicott

This week I’m joined by the Italian Crusader herself, The Fluffiest Whimsicott!

Clod9: Thank you The Fluffiest Whimsicott for joining us this week. Luckily it’s easier to schedule interviews than battles but let’s get started what have been your impressions on the draft league format thus far?

The Fluffiest Whimsicott: Thank you for having me, it’s quite the honor! As for your question… it’s a lot more stressful than I anticipated, although it’s certainly still fun.

C9: How did your draft go in your opinion?

TFW: Uh… extremely well at the beginning, then it was a panicked downward spiral down to the end. I was confident that with 20 people picking before me, my favorite S-Tier, Mega Mawile, would be long gone by the time my turn came around… but nope, Ravioli was still there! I had a loose draft structure to follow him, but as I kept getting sniped and having to go for my second or sometimes third choices, I found myself scrambling… and at the end I emerged from the deep drafting haze in my head holding: a Hail core I wanted and no one else (wisely) did; Minior; and half of my roster having quadruple weaknesses. I still don’t quite know how it happened, but here we are.

C9: With the season half over, how have things gone thus far and how do you think you will fare in the second half?

TFW: Well. As I have just finished my eighth battle, the season is actually two thirds over for me, and… I have a neutral record, 4-4. It’s worse than I had been aiming for, that’s for sure. And with the opponents awaiting me in the last round of battles… let’s just say at this point I would be quite happy to keep it even.

C9: Who are you most looking forward to battling this season? TFW: The battle I was most looking forward to was the one against Geo, because it was the YOU YOU TEE SEE winners showdown. Ironically (and sadly), it was by far my worst battle, with one crucial distraction and a bit of RNG letting Geo grab the tiny millimeter of momentum he needs to bring any match home (it’s Geo, after all, you breathe slightly wrong and he beats you… and sometimes you do everything perfectly and he beats you anyway, because, have I mentioned? It’s Geo).

 C9: I know I’m looking forward to battling you this week 12, It should be a fun time. Now for the flip side is there anyone you are glad you don’t have to face in the regular season? TFW: Mr. Seth. “Stallmaster”. Vilo. I love the guy, but battling him is the utmost torture. (Which I’m sure he’ll take as a compliment, as he should.) And yeah, I’d say I’m looking forward to battling you, too, but you’re decimating our division and I know I’m going to be in a lot of pain in my final week…

 C9: Why did you choose the team name, Italian Azurills? TFW: Ah… as embarrassing as it is, it’s actually a pun! See, soccer is a huge deal in Italy. It’s THE sport here. And the Italian National soccer team is nicknamed “gli Azzurri” (“the Blues”), because their uniform is a nice shade of blue… the exact same shade as Azurill, as it happens. From there, the pun was irresistibly obvious, and the logo followed suit.

C9: Were there any secret techs that you brought for your matchups that you didn’t get to showcase? TFW: Yes. The most prominent is that I once brought Counter Ampharos, against Geo, but then I choked and neglected to click the move. It would have been quite fun.

C9: Who would you say is the mon you are most excited to use on your team this year? TFW: Well, Mega Mawile was the one I was gunning for, obviously. And I am always excited to use Alolan Ninetales, of course, just because it’s the prettiest Pokémon ever.

C9: You are currently on the Bubble for making Playoffs, do you feel the pressure as you prepare for your last couple weeks/ Do you think you will make playoffs?

TFW: At this point, the bubble is about to pop. Had I beaten Bigby, I would have made an honest and confident try for it. As it is, I’m certainly not giving up, but I am trying to keep my expectations realistic. I honestly don’t know if that makes the pressure better or worse…

 C9: Let’s learn about you as a pokemon Fan. When did you start listening to PUCL?

TFW: September 12th, 2014. (Is it weird that I know the date off the top of my head? It probably is.)

C9:What pokemon generation did you start with?

TFW: Pokémon Red, baby! I am ancient, after all.

C9: What is your favorite region?

TFW: Oh, no. Now I have to resist the urge to launch into an essay! Let’s say Alola, Kalos and Hoenn are all very, very pretty and leave it at that.

C9: Who is your favorite pokemon?

TFW: This one is kind of a cheat question, isn’t it? I’ll give you some bonus answers. Besides the obvious Whimsicott, it’s Leafeon and Alolan Ninetales.

C9: If you had to pick: Attack or Special Attack?

TFW: Tough question. Special Attack, just because I much prefer the types that were Special before Gen IV.

C9: What is your battle style:  Stall/Hyper Offense/Bulky Offense/Balance?

TFW: It’s definitely somewhere around Bulky Offense. Balance if I’m having a good day.

C9: Do you prefer Speed or Trick Room?

TFW: Speed all the way. Trick Room just cost me a very important match, after all, so I’m holding a grudge!

C9: What is your favorite Weather; Hail/Sand/Rain or Sun?

TFW: Sun because of SovietThatch and all the Grass types who thrive in it, but honorable mention to the weather that makes Aurora Veil possible and Alolan Ninetales (vaguely) usable.

C9: Electric/Misty/Grassy or Psychic Terrain?

TFW: Psychic Terrain. I know Lele simply could not fit in a Draft League format, but man, I miss my favorite Tapu.

C9: Favorite status to inflict: Sleep/Freeze/Paralysis/Burn or Poison?

TFW: Freeze is convenient, but just too evil. I’ll say Burn, because it whittles things down while also making physical attackers too weak to OHKO my prettiest Pokémon, who are of course also the frailest.

C9: Have you watched the Pokemon anime? If yes, what is your favorite Theme song?

TFW: I watched the first… two seasons, I think? And my favorite theme song is probably… the Italian one. It was very cheery (and cheesy, but aren’t they all?).

C9: Will you be participating in other pucl events like the Summer League?

TFW: I’ve already submitted my application to be a Gym Leader again this year. I hope I get picked, because it was a ton of fun last year, but if I’m not, I’m definitely challenging the Gyms myself! I just love battling and having fun with everyone in the community.

C9: Thank you once again for joining us this week! Good luck in your future battles! That’s all the time we have this week. See y’all again next time!

from PDL Week 8 Recap

#pokemon #pucl #pokemon podcast #ORAS #nintendo #video games

[ticket4futball]

Possible 23 man squad of England for Euro Cup 2020

One more month, one month closer to the European Championship this summer and another month of Gareth Southgate who will decide who will be with him in his quest to end the 54-year wait for England for a major international trophy.

England will face the Czech Republic, Croatia, and a playoff winner, who could be Scotland, into Group D at Euro 2020, which is a favorable result for one of the tournament hosts ‘next summer. Sports enthusiasts from around the world can purchase the England Euro Cup Tickets online to enjoy its stunning performances.

The misery of the Three Lions - which Southgate knows pretty well after his Euro 96 foul against Germany - continues to roar, but this time around, there are a lot of young talents who are suggesting a change of fortune at the horizon.

The top four teams in the third position from the six groups will also enter the last-16.

The dates and locations of the England group stage matches are Match.1: England vs Croatia

Time: 15:00

Date: Sunday, June 14, 2020

Stadium: Wembley Stadium Match.2: England vs Play-off winner C

Time: 20:00

Date: Friday, June 19, 2020

Stadium: Wembley Stadium

Match.3: Czech Republic vs England

Time: 20:00

Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Stadium: Wembley Stadium

England possible team of 23 men?

1. Raheem Sterling

It was not a big end of the month for Raheem Sterling, after Manchester City's expulsion from the Champions League for the next two years.

But that minor problem aside, he remains the guy of choice for England with Kane seated on the sidelines and must be wrapped in fluffy cotton.

2. Trent Alexander-Arnold

Trent Alexander-Arnold is widely regarded as the best back-to-back in the world, mainly because of his sensational crossing ability and his raiding up and down to the right. And this evaluation, according to 90 minutes, is absolutely perfect. What a baller.

3. Jordan Henderson

Winning trophies and hoisting them above his head is a feeling that Henderson has become so familiar in Liverpool. And that's something he may have to prepare for, with the severity of Kane's injury still in the air.

4. Jadon Sancho

There comes a point in some players' careers when every club in the world would like to sign you up. Right now, Jadon Sancho is that player. Sorry, Borussia Dortmund.

5. Joe Gomez

Joe Gomez played last 11 Liverpool's matches in Premier League. At the time, Liverpool won all 11 games, kept 10 clean sheets and had a 25-point lead at the top of the table.

6. Harry Kane

It was also a quiet month for Kane, with a recovery on the agenda. The only thing that happened to notice? His Heung-min is now a better player than him for the Spurs. Eek.

7. Marcus Rashford

Crashed, recovering and twiddling his thumbs, it was probably a bit of a boring month for Rashford. However, he is a heavyweight player on this side of England and nothing will change that anytime soon.

8. Harry Maguire

The good old slab head scored against Chelsea in Manchester United's recent 2-0 victory. It's good. The good old slab head kicked Michy Batshuayi in the nuts during the same match. It's bad. Swings and roundabouts, huh?

9. Ben Chilwell

It was another difficult month for Leicester, but not bad for Chilwell - who scored in the recent draw with Chelsea.

So, with that in mind, he's still the reigning, defending and undisputed left-back (thanks to Paul Heyman for that) on this side of England.

10. James Maddison

All we've heard over the past month is which would work best for Manchester United; James Maddison or Jack Grealish?

But, in reality, we should really ask, can Gareth Southgate find a way to accommodate the two on his English side? Probably not, but he could try.

11. Jordan Pickford

The only thing you need at a big international tournament is the stability between the sticks.

Unfortunately, in Jordan, Pickford, England has the opposite at the moment - with more errors leading to a rather strange explosion in which the Everton cap tried its increasing criticism.

Oddly enough, I think I could have found the solution: stop making mistakes, Jordan!

12. Harry Winks

The Spurs win the Premier League games again, which proves that José Mourinho still has it after all.

One of the key ingredients for renewal in North London has been the form of Harry Winks in the midfield. Dynamic, graceful, industrious and beautiful - four simple adjectives that Mourinho has certainly used in press conferences to describe it.

13. Tammy Abraham

Goals aren't so regular for Tammy recently, who remembers having a brother named Timmy, but there is nothing to suggest that a place won't be guaranteed.

So let's focus on something else, remembering that his first name is actually Kevin.

14. Jack Grealish

If Jack Grealish is not in the England team for this European championship, it will be a crime against football.

No, stop thinking about the famous Daniel Radcliffe card in this alternative game, just focus on what Grealish does well for Villa - and that's a lot, a lot.

15. Kieran Trippier

Trips haven't really played out since England's last options update, with groin tension that left them out of the procedures. Yet at least he did nothing wrong at the time.

16. Danny Ings

Southampton is higher and lower than my childhood yo-yo, but they have one constant thing for them - the goals scored by Danny Ings.

DIngs, as we will now lovingly call him, has 15 Premier League goals this season and recently whipped a pearl against Burnley's former employers. But Gareth, for Christ's sake, doesn't put it on the front post when defending corners.

17. Nick Pope

In our previous edition of this series, in case we haven't already mentioned it, we recommend watching the Netflix biopic The Two Popes for more information on Burnley's keeper and his identical twin brother. This point is still valid.

18. Declan Rice

Poor old Dec really hasn't had a happy time recently, with West Ham in the absolutely dreadful form under the irresistible David Moyes.

It doesn't bode well for his credentials in England, but there's no question he's up to it - probably needs Ant by his side, remember ...

19. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

The end of January / beginning of February was not particularly inspiring for Oxlade-Chamberlain on a personal level, but he still has a time whale on the wave of the Liverpool juggernaut.

And who doesn't like to have a winner's mentality in the locker room, huh?

20. John Stones

Lord knows what sometimes goes on in John Stones' mind, but these are certainly not thoughts you want your central defenders to have.

Still, Stones holds on to his place for his dear life - largely because there aren't many other quality options available for poor Gareth.

21. Dean Henderson

The goalkeeper's third place (underestimated word) in the England team has been talking about the city in, uh, goalkeeper circles for quite some time now - and it now looks like a race that Dean Henderson will no doubt win.

Indeed, Hendo is damn good and his only rival for the spot - Tom Heaton - is almost certainly done for the season by injury.

22. Tyrone Mings

Previously, on the 90-minute Who's on the Plane series, we had chosen only three central defenders. Looking back, it was probably a mistake.

To compensate for this, we selected Mings - a prolific tackler this season - to fill the void, just ahead of Fikayo Tomori, who usefully lost his place at Chelsea at the right time.

23. Danny Rose

"I have been given the chance to play week after week. I want to play football again - with the euros in the summer, I want to put myself in the window."

And that's exactly what Danny Rose is doing in Newcastle - first, getting out of the bench in a 0-0 draw against Norwich, before starting pumping 4-0 at Arsenal.

Then Rose had a ruck with Toon fans on the train to Tyneside - what other evidence do you need to suggest that it MUST be included?

On Standby

The three England goalkeepers for this European Championship seem to be dead certainties, but Aaron Ramsdale will always keep the hope of getting into Gareth's thoughts.

Chris Smalling and Fikayo Tomori meanwhile, still hope to make their way into the central defensive configuration, while Kyle Walker, Reece James, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Brandon Williams are hoping for additional nods.

Mason Mount may feel aggrieved at being knocked down in the midfield, but he is in good company - Dele Alli and Callum Hudson-Odoi are always outside to watch and have to do more to get in.

Upstairs, the fit Dominic Calvert-Lewin is an outside bet, while Callum Wilson and Mason Greenwood are also waiting behind the scenes, if an injury-ravaged the Three Lions.

Euro 2020 fans can get Euro Cup Tickets through our trusted online ticketing marketplace. Ticket4football.com is the most reliable source to book Euro 2020 Tickets.

#EnglandEuroCupTickets #EnglandvsCroatiaTickets #CroatiaEuroCupTickets #EuroCupTickets #Euro2020Tickets

[dinacharya]

Chapter 2. aka, Adele 25 therapy

what are tumblrs for if not for ridiculous oversharing and creeping into people’s lives you have no business being in, right? 

disclaimer: it’s a saturday night, 11:45pm to be exact, and i’m 4 hours deep into listening to Adele’s 25 album on repeat. i’ve also micro-dosed. or maybe regular dosed, depends who you ask. For all intents and purposes here, I’m calling it a micro because i very much have a grip even if my trusty wall tapestry is doing pretty things, and I had a very clear intention diving in. 

the tl;dr is that this 25-year old’s solo post-break up trip is a fucking cleanse and this is the vibe I’m fully on right now:

lol so, how did we get there: 

well waking up from last night’s binge smoking, gaming & sugar session (which was honestly much needed - shout out to the peeps who were there for that) didn’t feel the hottest, obviously. but crushed that shit with more sleep and getting back into jillian michaels* in my living room and eating a healthy lunch and whatnot. 

*side note: i’m sure she’s made millions already, but in this era with all the IG fitness models and influencers out there i still think jillian michaels is queen and underrated. 20 mins of jumping around and flailing weights, guided by her via TV is literally all i need to be like woh bitch i’m back. haha. 

now: you know how there are just those random people in your life that perhaps weren’t around all that long or maybe they had an impact on you that you only realized later? or maybe you just never shared with them how much they meant to you, because you didn’t even know. so there are a couple of those i’m going to bring up here (no names). 

starting with one - a friend from my NYC juice bar days, we spent many a wintery days and hours cooped up in that tiny shop kicking ass honestly with grade A difficult customers. she was one of my favorites to work with - so fun to laugh, with gossip with, just share a space with. i have so many fond memories of night shifts there, snow falling outside the windows. people coming in for smoothies at 10:45pm making us wonder what the fuck? 

she was stunning, tall, beautiful effortless skin and bone structure and all that, she just glowed. she was always lifting up other girls around her while shaming herself. i get it, that’s just what we do, that’s what I do. but fact is she was a straight 12/10 no question. anyways, we lost touch. we all know how that whole restaurant went down in sad flames with our owner locked up at rikers (if you don’t know of the psycho saga via vogue’s coverage, and want to hear a first-hand account, that’s for another day, it’s honestly a fun one to tell). so all the people in my life from the restaurant, who were what felt like home to me in NY, kind of faded out with time.

anyways, she’s one of those people for me that still pops into mind from time to time and i just wonder what she’s up to and miss her. so today in my idle morning of moping around, she popped into mind and a quick social media search led me to find her humble page and podcast she’s just recently started - and i ended up listening to a couple episodes because, lord knows i’m a podcast nerd. but i had a chance to hear her story and how much i didn’t know of her background when we were friends back then, and what a light she still was to those around her was pretty amazing.  she did say that her time in nyc was a bit of a blur that’s hard to remember because she was struggling at the time. it hurts my heart to know that, but at the same time i definitely can relate. generally i’d say living in nyc, as a student or not, can feel very isolating and while i have a lot of very vivid memories and recollections, a lot of that time is also a blur for me now the more distance i get from it. 

anyways, so kind of reflecting on all that this afternoon while mozy-ing around in bed was one part of today’s journey. one bit that was also huge was hearing her talk about her overeating/binge & restrictive eating disorder during that time, which is something i’ve tried to vocalize to my friends and family and even doctor but generally isn’t taken all that seriously. when in fact these habits i haven’t addressed are probably the most crucial detriment to my health. it turns out there’s such a thing as overeaters-anonymous. like AA but for people with compulsive eating problems. that’s 100% me, so this was a HUGE discovery today for me that something like this exists. i’m not going to say i’ll walk straight into a meeting this second, but i’m definitely interested. as carly whose lived with me for the last 3 years could easily tell you better than anyone else, i have a hell of a fucking problem and i don’t even know if i understand it fully myself.

part 2:

coincidentally, around mid day I happened to get a text from an old NY roommate, someone I hadn’t heard from in over a year probably, so it was pretty out of the blue. I always perceived her to be like an older sister figure, a funny lady from Malaysia with a heavy accent and a strong attitude, doing her best to fit into American culture, dating apps, heavy into the astrology shit, and all. Anyways, she hit me up because she was concerned she couldn’t find me on social media anymore (quickly resolved) and she mentioned that she enjoyed seeing my DIY stuff on IG stories and that it was serving as inspiration for some future business she’s been envisioning once she gets out of corporate life in Pittsburgh, PA. It was all endearing and sweet. i have heard from friends before that my IG could be turned into something more if i wanted to, but i’ve never had the heart to put more structure to things that just feel like natural parts of me that i want to remain free, if that makes sense. but it’s still nice to know that out there somewhere in pennsylvania the random things i do in my kitchen and share into the IG ether can serve as a little inspo for a roommate from 5 years ago. also it was just a nice reminder to self that in the same way i have these people i admire and root for and wonder about from a distance, maybe there’s room for me to be someone like that for somebody else i’ve crossed paths with. that makes me happy. 

So, part 3: hello, Adele.

i haven’t been shy about admitting the last couple months have been a struggle for me. basically since turning 25. even leading up to the big number, all year really i’d been kind of dreading what this age meant. it just feels like it’s gotta be messy whether i want it to be or not. considering every prior year has been a positive & fairly steady uphill climb, i figured at some point i’d have to pause/break/falter. don’t ask me why, age has always been something i’m glued to. (it’s funny because i don’t own a clock, the one watch i have is tucked into my wedding planner e-kit and only comes out on those days. given my job title and being a virgo and all, time has oddly never been a day to-day concern for me. (those who know me know i am never on time for anything, sorry) but i’ve always been hyper concerned about my age and the expectations (self imposed, inescapable) that come looming with it*. so birthday season usually is just a very introspective time every year where i evaluate where i’m at, the progress i’ve made, what’s holding me back, what i’m proud of, what i’m not proud of. 

*quick side story, the person i’ve dated all year always would say our age difference was nothing. but that statement always irked me because it’s far from the truth. every year 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 i’ve felt i’ve learned exponentially about myself and grown. so yeah, there’s a HUGE difference, emotionally/self-awareness, all that, between 22 and 25 if you ask me. like bless my early 20′s for being stoned fun & shit, but girl’s been putting in work too ya know?

anyways, back on track: come time for my birthday this year i didn’t really want to think too hard about it and just wanted to have fun, and i did! it was definitely one of the more fun/eventful birthdays i can recall. 

but now, 2 months post-birthday, fresh off of a break up, I’m beginning to see more clearly why I pushed all that usual introspective evaluation under the rug. essentially it’s what i’ve done all year, pretending 22 - 25 is nothing, and that all the work i’d done to get here was whatever. i’d taken steps back self-esteem wise, kind of let my work fall by the wayside just as something to do and not something i was excited about (which is more my norm), and i realize i wasnt being present in the right ways to friendships that mean the most to me. All in favor of some shiny beacon of excitement, being sucked into this vortex of conditional relationships*  and “fun” where i frankly just had no place being.

*linked there ^ is a stellar article, when you’re ready for it

THANK GOD FOR MY FRIENDS. seriously i don’t say this enough. I have been FREAKING BLESSED by the people who choose to be in my life. like fuck yo i know it’s FACT i have not been the most pleasant to be around or hear from this year but the true ones persisted and showed me love when I needed it most, were there for me constantly through all the thick of it and still are. like those calls every day just to chat about what the fuck ever, those random “i’m thinking of you’s” and “let’s hangs” mean so much to me in my isolated world of working from home and just being a general homebody type. let me just promise to all of you once i’m out of this present messiness, that I’ll be back on track. i’ve hated being that girl, i’ve heard myself, and i’ve hated it. so while I’ve been kind of MIA morphing into something i haven’t been proud of, thank you to every single friend who’s reminded me there was still something here worthy of your time and your energy and your attention.

*now, much less saving me, I get to start showing up for you guys better too. 

i’ve explained this to close friends before who have experienced it with me - psychedelics are one of my favorite ways to get a grip on my life. of course, i understand their role in fun experiences too, but i’ve always valued it first and foremost as a powerful mind-opening tool. (so naturally, i adore michael pollan’s latest book “how to change your mind”.) when i’m feeling overwhelmed or at a crossroads or muddled, i’ve found it to be the most affective way for me to tune into myself, see things with a fresh perspective, and commit to the choices i need to. 

so having been on a fucking ride with these breakup emotions, knee deep in self-pity, not knowing what to make of the past year, past month, past week, & where i’m at... i was like, 

why the fuck not?

just what i needed on a night to myself to give my soul a fucking cleanse. it’s a convenient weekend to have the house all to myself. read: a good place to be singing at the top of my lungs haha and doing whatever the fuck my single ass wishes all night. somehow along the way, i managed to cook up a pretty A+ tikka masala sauce and prepped a brussel sprouts salad for a dinner with friends tomorrow night, don’t ask me how. i’ve had a spiritual fucking connection to every single song on this Adele 25 album, obviously. idk why it hadn’t occurred to me until doing this that i’m now 25 listening to this album :) so all of this is to say:

Thank you, Adele.

for being a girl i can identify with who marks progress with age, unabashedly tunes into her emotions, and provides breakup comfort like no other. even though i refused to listen to this album until like a year ago

(also can we just take a moment to appreciate that Adele posted this on her own IG profile)

Thanks to those who aren’t necessarily at the frontlines of my life, but have a place in my heart, whether you know it or not, and bring forth some amazing shit or tune in at the right times.

Thank you, most sincerely, to each and every one of my friends that I won’t name here. 

Close and far, you’re the ones pulling me out of a drudge of a year where I lost myself and you’re reminding me what I love to do and who I am and it feels good to get a footing again. 

~ ciao, finally @ 1:43am.

p.s. below is THE picture of what i’ve been like for the last couple weeks ~ can always count on a new girl reference to have my back heheh

*we can also mark this as the night where i FINALLY get over my weird thing about not liking “Hello.” That shit’s a fucking masterpiece who was i to say anything otherwise hahaha

#journal #woh this some reaaal journaling huh haha

[sportsleague365]

For a variety of reasons, footballers are often asked to play in a different position to the one they are used to. Sometimes it is a result of injuries or a lack of squad depth, while often a manager is simply looking for a way to improve the team or an increase an individual’s effectiveness. So far this season, a number of Premier League players have been tested in new roles. Some have ended up finding their new best position, others didn’t deal with the unfamiliarity quite so well. Below, we’ve picked out 13 examples and made a call on whether they have been a hit or a miss after switching roles. 1. N’Golo Kante Switched from:Defensive midfield Switched to:Central midfield Hit or miss?MISS The arrival of Jorginho from Napoli saw Maurizio Sarri controversially move N’Golo Kante, arguably the best defensive midfielder on the planet, into a slightly more advanced role to the right of Jorginho, a position he has remained in for the entire campaign. While Kante hasn’t performed badly in the role – he has scored more than one Premier League goal for the first time in a campaign – the Frenchman’s absence in front of the back four has been felt; Jorginho simply isn’t as defensively adept. 2. Mohamed Salah Switched from:Right wing Switched to:Centre forward Hit or miss?HIT Liverpool were renowned for their frightening front three last season this season, but Jurgen Klopp has tweaked the trident when it suits the Reds this term with Roberto Firmino dropping a little deeper and Mohamed Salah playing as more of a centre forward. Salah’s unpredictability from the right made him impossible to contain last year. A slow start to this season suggested he had been somewhat found out, but he has come good through the middle when used there, leading the Premier League scoring charts with 16 goals. 3. Xherdan Shaqiri Switched from:Right wing Switched to:Central attacking midfield Hit or miss? Xherdan Shaqiri was expected to provide back-up for Liverpool’s front three, but he has effectively carved out his own position in the line-up, playing as the most advanced member of a midfield three. Jurgen Klopp obviously recognised his attributes for that role despite him mostly playing on the right for Stoke. The Swiss international has proven to be an important addition to the squad, popping up with six goals in 20 Premier League appearances for the Reds to date. His ability to link the midfield and attack has worked perfectly in certain games, none more so than the 3-1 victory over Manchester United at Anfield. 4. Nemanja Matic Switched from:Central midfield Switched to:Centre-back Hit or miss?MISS Jose Mourinho turned to Nemanja Matic during a centre-back injury crisis a few weeks before he received his marching orders from Manchester United. Unsurprisingly, the switch didn’t exactly work out and Matic will be far happier now he is back in midfield. After a 2-2 draw against Southampton at St. Mary’s, in which Matic played at the heart of the defence, Mourinho said: “I would like to have Nemanja Vidic but no Nemanja Vidic, just Nemanja Matic – he’s a midfield player.” We could have told you that, Jose. 5. Ander Herrera Switched from:Central midfield Switched to:Centre-back Hit or miss?MISS Mourinho used no such excuse when he selected Ander Herrera on the right side of a back three against Tottenham back in August. For 50 minutes, it seemed Mourinho and Herrera knew what they were doing, but the plan unravelled when Spurs scored three second-half goals. In fairness to Mourinho, the club failed to bring in a centre-back over the summer, and the Portuguese coach was reacting to his side shipping three goals at Brighton in the previous game. Like Matic, Herrera is now back in midfield where he is comfortable. 6. Paul Pogba Switched from:Central midfield Switched to:Central attacking midfield Hit or miss?HIT Since Pogba arrived at Manchester United there have been calls for him to be pushed upfield and given more freedom. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has finally done that, introducing Matic and Herrera as a partnership in central midfield and permitting Pogba to roam. The 25-year-old has prospered, as has just about the entire United team, under Solskjaer’s positive outlook. Indeed, Pogba created 1.43 chances per 90 league minutes under Mourinho this term; he has created 2.13 under Solskjaer. 7. Eden Hazard Switched from:Left wing Switched to:Centre forward Hit or miss?MISS Following the loan signing of Gonzalo Higuain from Juventus, Eden Hazard has returned to his usual position, starting on the left wing and cutting inside to affect games. It’s a far cry from the ‘False 9’ role he played for a few weeks. Sarri’s hand was forced by the poor form of Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud. Hazard ironically looked less of a goal threat as a centre forward and Chelsea struggled to score, even more so than when Morata or Giroud led the line. Higuain’s arrival couldn’t have come at a better time. Subscribe to Squawka’s Youtube channel:sqwk.at/Squawka-Sub 8. Harry Kane Switched from:Centre forward Switched to:No. 10 Hit or miss?HIT Harry Kane has never been a traditional No. 9. The striker has always dropped deep and shielded the ball, bringing others into play in the process. This season, though, his role has become even more supportive than usual and he has often resembled a No.10 as opposed to a centre forward. The goalscoring form of Son Heung-min and, sporadically, Lucas Moura – and thus their ability to play as strikers – has taken some of the pressure off Kane, who has created 1.1 chances per 90 minutes this season compared to 0.96 last term. The Englishman continues to score, too, bagging 14 so far this season. 9. Marcus Rashford Switched from: Winger Switched to: Centre forward Hit or miss?: HIT Speaking of English strikers who have switched positions this season, Rashford is one of the benefactors when it comes to Kane’s deeper role as the pair combined to devastating effect for England in the Uefa Nations League against Spain. Rashford was usually stuck out on the wing for United by Mourinho, but Solskjaer has pushed him back inside to the centre forward role where has been excellent of late. His run of fine form through the middle was summed up by a superb touch and powerful finish in United’s 1-0 win over Leicester. 10. Christian Eriksen Switched from:Central attacking midfield Switched to:Central midfield Hit or miss?HIT Kane’s deeper role is perhaps a result of Tottenham’s change in formation this season, as is that of Christian Eriksen. The Dane has played on the left of a midfield diamond, the tip of which is usually occupied by Dele Alli, who roams behind Kane and Son. That Eriksen has moved further back shows Spurs are less reliant on him in attack than they once were. However, the Dane is still a crucial part of the team. He now picks up the ball in deeper areas, sometimes starting attacks from his own half rather than waiting in an advanced position. 11. Callum Paterson Switched from:Right-back/attacking-midfield Switched to:Centre forward Hit or miss?MISS Callum Paterson has always been something of a utility player, but the Scotland international – who has primarily played at right-back in his senior career – probably didn’t expect to be a Premier League centre forward this season. He was signed as a right-back but often played in attacking midfield or on the wing. “When I signed him, I knew he would score six or seven goals as a full-back but what I didn’t know is that he can’t defend,” Warnock told reporters last March. And this term he’s often been deployed even further up to the pitch as a centre-forward. The 24-year-old was originally a striker but hasn’t played there frequently for Hearts or Cardiff. He has scored four goals in 22 league appearances this term – not a terrible tally, but not enough for Neil Warnock to trust him as a regular centre forward. 12. Fernandinho Switched from: Defensive midfield Switched to: Centre-back/central midfield Hit or miss?HIT In Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Arsenal at the Etihad, Fernadinho appeared to be tasked with playing a hybrid role, somewhere between centre-back and central midfield. He would drop into a back four when Arsenal attacked, and roam into midfield when the hosts were in possession. While some City fans would prefer to see Fernandinho in his usual singular post, the Brazilian’s ability to effortlessly switch between roles can only be a good thing for Pep Guardiola’s side, especially when they are short on centre-backs. 13. Calum Chambers Switched from:Centre-back/right-back Switched to:Defensive midfield Hit or miss?HIT It is perhaps confusing to see any defensive Fulham player labelled a hit right now. The Londoners have conceded 55 Premier League goals this season, more than any other side. Yet Chambers, who is spending the campaign at Fulham on loan from Arsenal, has been on of the team’s standout players. Throughout his career, the 24-year-old has switched between centre-back and right-back with varying degrees of success, mostly struggling to impress consistently. But Chambers has looked very much at home sitting in front of the back four, so much so it is likely to become his new permanent position. 14. Matt Ritchie Switched from:Left wing Switched to:Left-back Hit or miss?MISS Newcastle signed left-back Antonio Barecca on loan from AS Monaco on deadline day, which indicates Rafael Benitez isn’t completely happy with the job Matt Ritchie has been doing at left-back in recent games, despite the fact Newcastle have conceded just two goals across two matches against Man City and Spurs. Regardless of their improved defensive record of late, Ritchie has been the weak link in the back five. Three centre-backs have allowed him to get forward and worry less about defending, but Barecca’s arrival should see Ritchie return to midfield where he belongs. The post Hit or miss? 14 Premier League players who have switched roles this season appeared first on Squawka News. #MohamedSalah #AnderHerrera #ChristianEriksen

#MohamedSalah #AnderHerrera #ChristianEriksen