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emerald-studies · 4 years

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The complex Nina Simone

“Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in Tryon, North Carolina on February 21st, 1933, Nina’s prodigious talent as a musician was evident early on when she started playing piano by ear at the age of three. Her mother, a Methodist minister, and her father, a handyman and preacher himself, couldn’t ignore young Eunice’s God-given gift of music. Raised in the church on the straight and narrow, her parents taught her right from wrong, to carry herself with dignity, and to work hard. She played piano – but didn’t sing – in her mother’s church, displaying remarkable talent early in her life. Able to play virtually anything by ear, she was soon studying classical music with an Englishwoman named Muriel Mazzanovich, who had moved to the small southern town. It was from these humble roots that Eunice developed a lifelong love of Johann Sebastian Bach, Chopin, Brahms, Beethoven and Schubert.After graduating valedictorian of her high school class, the community raised money for a scholarship for Eunice to study at Julliard in New York City before applying to the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Her family had already moved to the City Of Brotherly Love, but Eunice’s hopes for a career as a pioneering African American classical pianist were dashed when the school denied her admission. To the end, she herself would claim that racism was the reason she did not attend. While her original dream was unfulfilled, Eunice ended up with an incredible worldwide career as Nina Simone – almost by default.

One fateful day in 1954, looking to supplement her income, Eunice auditioned to sing at the Midtown Bar & Grill on Pacific Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Word spread about this new singer and pianist who was dipping into the songbooks of Gershwin, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, and the like, transforming popular tunes of the day into a unique synthesis of jazz, blues, and classical music. Her rich, deep velvet vocal tones, combined with her mastery of the keyboard, soon attracted club goers up and down the East Coast. In order to hide the fact that she was singing in bars, Eunice’s mother would refer to the practice as “working in the fires of hell”, overnight Eunice Waymon became Nina Simone by taking the nickname “Nina” meaning “little one” in Spanish and “Simone” after the actress Simone Signoret.At the age of twenty-four, Nina came to the attention of the record industry. After submitting a demo of songs she had recorded during a performance in New Hope, Pennsylvania, she was signed by Syd Nathan, owner of the Ohio-based King Records (home to James Brown), to his Jazz imprint, Bethlehem Records. The boisterous Nathan had insisted on choosing songs for her debut set, but eventually relented and allowed Nina to delve in the repertoire she had been performing at clubs up and down the eastern seaboard. One of Nina’s stated musical influences was Billie Holiday and her inspired reading of “Porgy” (from “Porgy & Bess”) heralded the arrival of a new talent on the national scene. At the same mammoth 13 hour session in 1957, recorded in New York City, Nina also cut “My Baby Just Cares For Me,” previously recorded by Nate King Cole, Count Basie, and Woody Herman. The song was used by Chanel in a perfume commercial in Europe in the 1980’s and it became a massive hit for Nina, a British chart topper at #5, and thus a staple of her repertoire for the rest of her career.

Nina Simone’s stay with Bethlehem Records was short lived and in 1959, after moving to New York City, she was signed by Joyce Selznik, the eastern talent scout for Colpix Records, a division of Columbia Pictures. Months after the release of her debut LP for the label (1959‘s The Amazing Nina Simone), Nina was performing at her first major New York City venue, the mid-Manhattan-located Town Hall. Sensing that her live performances would capture the essential spontaneity of her artistry, Colpix opted to record her September 12, 1959 show. “You Can Have Him,” a glorious torch song previously cut by Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald, was one of the highlights of the evening. The song opened with a dazzling keyboard arpeggio that would become her signature for decades. So momentous was the Town Hall performance that it inspired some of the same musicians, featuring the vocals of Nina’s only daughter, Lisa Simone Kelly, to do a tribute to a sold out audience over forty five years later.As Nina’s reputation as an engaging live performer grew, it wasn’t long before she was asked to perform at the prestigious Newport Jazz Festival. Accompanied on the June 30th, 1960 show by Al Schackman, a guitarist who would go on to become Nina’s longest-running musical colleague, bassist Chris White, and drummer Bobby Hamilton, the dynamic show was recorded by the Colpix. The subsequent release in 1961 of the old blues tune “Trouble In Mind” as a single gave Nina her third charted record.Her stay with Colpix resulted in some wonderful albums – nine in all – included Nina’s version of Bessie Smith’s blues classic “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out.” Issued as a single in 1960, it became Nina’s second charted Pop and R&B hit and one of two Colpix tracks to achieve such a feat during her five year stint with the label. Other stand out tracks from that era were the soulful song “Cotton Eyed Joe,” the torch tune “The Other Women,” and the Norwegian folk rendition of “Black Is The Color Of My True Love’s Hair” – all beautiful examples of Nina Simone at her storytelling best, painting a vivid picture with her skill as a lyrical interpreter. During this time with the label, Nina recorded one civil rights song, Oscar Brown Jr.’s “Brown Baby,” which was included on her fifth album for the label, At The Village Gate.“Critics started to talk about what sort of music I was playing,” writes Nina in her 1991 autobiography I Put A Spell On You, “and tried to find a neat slot to file it away in. It was difficult for them because I was playing popular songs in a classical style with a classical piano technique influenced by cocktail jazz. On top of that I included spirituals and children’s song in my performances, and those sorts of songs were automatically identified with the folk movement. So, saying what sort of music I played gave the critics problems because there was something from everything in there, but it also meant I was appreciated across the board – by jazz, folk, pop and blues fans as well as admirers of classical music.” Clearly Nina Simone was not an artist who could be easily classified.

Nina’s Colpix recordings cemented her appeal to a nightclub based U.S. audience. Once she moved to Phillips, a division of Dutch-owned Mercury Records, she was ready to expand her following globally. Her first LP for the label, 1964’s In Concert, signaled Nina’s undaunted stand for freedom and justice for all, stamping her irrevocably as a pioneer and inspirational leader in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. Her own original “Mississippi Goddam” was banned throughout the South but such a response made no difference in Nina’s unyielding commitment to liberty; subsequent groundbreaking recordings for Philips like “Four Women” (recorded September 1965) and “Strange Fruit” continued to keep Nina in the forefront of the few performers willing to use music as a vehicle for social commentary and change. Such risks were seldom taken by artists during that time of such dramatic civil upheaval.For years, Nina felt there was much about the way that she made her living that was less than appealing. One gets a sense of that in the following passage from I Put A Spell on You where she explains her initial reluctance to perform material that was tied to the Civil Rights Movement.“Nightclubs were dirty, making records was dirty, popular music was dirty and to mix all that with politics seemed senseless and demeaning. And until songs like ‘Mississippi Goddam’ just burst out of me, I had musical problems as well. How can you take the memory of a man like [Civil Rights activist] Medgar Evers and reduce all that he was to three and a half minutes and a simple tune? That was the musical side of it I shied away from; I didn’t like ‘protest music’ because a lot of it was so simple and unimaginative it stripped the dignity away from the people it was trying to celebrate. But the Alabama church bombing and the murder of Medgar Evers stopped that argument and with ‘Mississippi Goddam,’ I realized there was no turning back.”

Nina was deeply affected by these two events. In 1962, she had befriended noted playwright Lorraine Hansberry and spoke often with her about the Civil Rights Movement. While she was moved by her conversations with Hansberry, it took the killing of Medgar Evers and the four girls in Birmingham to act as catalysts for a transformation of Nina’s career.There were many sides to Nina Simone. Among her most amazing recordings were the original and so-soulful version “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” and “I Put A Spell On You” (which had reached to #23 in the U.S. charts), eerily moody, unrestrained, drama to the max; “Ne Me Quitte Pas” tender, poignant, filled with melancholy; and with gospel-like fervor, the hypnotic voodoo of “See-Line Woman.” In her own unrivaled way, Nina also loved to venture into the more earthy side of life. After she signed with RCA Records in 1967 (a deal her then husband/manager Andy Stroud had negotiated), her very first recordings for the label included the saucy “Do I Move You?” and the undeniably sexual “I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl” which were from the concept album entitled Nina Sings The Blues. Backed by a stellar cast of New York CIty session musicians, the album was far and away Nina’s most down-home recording session. By this time, Nina had become central to a circle of African American playwrights, poets, and writers all centered in Harlem along with the previously mentioned Lorraine Hansberry, James Baldwin and Langston Hughes. The outcome from one of the relationships became a highlight of the LP with the song “Backlash Blues,” a song that’s lyrics originated from the last poem Langston Hughes submitted for publication prior to his death in May, 1967 and gave to Nina.Nina’s seven years with RCA produced some remarkable recordings, ranging from two songs featured in the Broadway musical “Hair” (combined into a medley, “Ain’t Got No – I Got Life,” a #2 British hit in 1968) to a Simone-ified version of George Harrison’s “Here Comes The Sun,” which remained in Nina’s repertoire all the way through to her final performance in 2002. Along the way at RCA, songs penned by Bob Dylan (“Just Like A Woman”), the brothers Gibb (“To Love Somebody”), and Tina Turner (“Funkier Than A Mosquito’s Tweeter”) took pride of place alongside Nina’s own anthem of empowerment, the classic “To Be Young, Gifted, & Black,” a song written in memory of Nina’s good friend Lorraine Hansberry. The title of the song coming from a play Hansberry had been working on just prior to her death.After Nina left RCA, she spent a good deal of the 1970’s and early 1980’s living in Liberia, Barbados, England, Belgium, France, Switzerland and The Netherlands. In 1978, for the first time since she left RCA, Nina was convinced by U.S. jazz veteran Creed Taylor to make an album for his CTI label. This would be her first new studio album in six years and she recorded it in Belgium with strings and background vocals cut in New York City. With the kind of “clean” sound that was a hallmark of CTI recordings, the Nina Simone album that emerged was simply brilliant. Nina herself would later claimed that she ”hated” the record but many fans strongly disagreed. With an eighteen piece string section conducted by David Mathews (known for his arrangements on James Brown’s records), the results were spectacular. The title track, Randy Newman’s evocative “Baltimore,” was an inspired Nina Simone choice. It had a beautifully constructed reggae-like beat and used some of the finest musicians producer Creed Taylor could find including Nina’s guitarist and music director, Al Schackman.

Aside from 1982’s Fodder On My Wings that Nina recorded for Carrere Records, two albums she made of the independent VPI label in Hollywood (Nina’s Back and Live And Kickin’) in 1985, and a 1987 Live At Vine Street set recorded for Verve, Nina Simone did not make another full length album until Elektra A&R executive Michael Alago persuaded her to record again. After much wining and dining, Nina finally signed on the dotted line. Elektra tapped producer Andre Fischer, noted conductor Jeremy Lubbock, and a trio of respected musicians to provide the suitable environment for this highly personal reading of “A Single Woman,” which became the centerpiece and title track for Nina Simone’s final full length album.With two marriages behind her in 1993 she settled in Carry-le-Rout, near Aix-en-Provence in Southern France. She would continue to tour through the 1990’s and became very much ‘the single woman’ she sang about on her last label recording. She rarely traveled without an entourage, but if you were fortunate enough to get to know the woman behind the music you could glimpse the solitary soul that understood the pain of being misunderstood. It was one of Nina’s many abilities to comprehend the bittersweet qualities of life and then parlay them into a song that made her such an enduring and fascinating person.

In her autobiography, Nina Simone writes that her function as an artist is “…to make people feel on a deep level. It’s difficult to describe because it’s not something you can analyze; to get near what it’s about you have to play it. And when you’ve caught it, when you’ve got the audience hooked, you always know because it’s like electricity hanging in the air.” It was that very electricity that made her such an important artist to so many and it will be that electricity that continues to turn on new people all over the world for years to come.Nina Simone died in her sleep at her home in Carry-le-Rout, Bouches-du-Rhone on April 21, 2003. Her funeral service was attended by Miriam Makeba, Patti Labelle, poet Sonia Sanchez, actor Ossie Davis and hundreds of others. Elton John sent a floral tribute with the message, “You were the greatest and I love you”.” (source)

Watch “What Happened Miss Simone?”

#blm #blacklivesmatter #nina simone #black musicians #black artists #black royalty

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eksperimentgaj · 4 years

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Day 6 - Have you ever been to a competition? If yes, describe a little your experience, if not, what competition would you like to attend?

So far I’ve been to Wisła (SGP 2017, SCoC 2019), Kranj (SCoC 2018), Oslo (SCoC 2018, WC 2019), Planica (WC 2019, was supposed to be there in 2020 as well, but corona happened 🙃), Szczyrk (ladies’ SCoC 2019) and Lahti (WC 2020).

Wisła in 2017 was the competition I chose to go quite spontaneously. It was only after half a season I was into ski jumping, didn’t really know anyone in the fandom. I managed to convince my brother and friend (who is not really into sports) to go with me. I hope they had a good time 😀

In Wisła we’ve met few people (with whom I sadly have no contact, I’m not good at this 😟) to fangirl with. Got to sing national anthem twice, as team Poland and Dawid Kubacki won the team and individual comps 😀 One thing I remember very clearly from after the quails, when I lost my group and was trying to locate them, saw two girls taking a photo together next to me. After a moment I realized they were not two girls, it was a girl and Anders Fannemel 😅 Well, I judged from height only 🙃

I’m glad it was not too hot, considering it was July.

old phone, sorry for shit quality

Kranj 2018 was the first time I was flying a plane ever and also my first time traveling abroad alone. Already in Slovenia I met two girls from tumblr sj fandom. I got to see the town, which is very charming and the hill (obviously first journey destination, when I had some time alone). The comps itself made me fell in love with CoC, such a nice atmosphere, ski jumpers walking among the crowd and easily accessible. Oh, and I’m visible on a transmission from that comp 😂 Before going to Slovenia, I had to buy a new phone, as in Wisła the old one trolled me with its battery and turned off in the middle of a qualis, when I was taking photos 🙃 Funny thing was that in between the rounds there was a little archery contest for chosen fans from the crowd watching competition. And, considering it was CoC, there were quite a lot of people. You can really tell that Slovenians enjoy sj.

Also. Locate Domen’s car 😂

Going to CoC in Oslo in September of 2018 was possible thanks to the fact we were already visiting family’s friend who lives in Norway (yes, I suggested the date, luckily it was also this weekend the plane tickets were cheaper). Only saw one comp, on Saturday. Sadly we missed girls jumping, as we needed like 3 hours to get to Oslo and it was simply too early (instead I followed text transmission while on a train to Oslo). When we arrived to Midtstuen station, obviously we took wrong route to the hill and somehow, through the woods, got to the smaller hills 😂 Anyway, we found the right hill quickly. The comp was not attracting almost any interest at all. Apart from my brother and me, ski jumpers and their families, there were barely a few people. Sometimes bikers would stop and watch for a moment but as the water break start, they would go. The barriers were prepared but not used at all, you could just walk wherever and nobody seemed to care. Nice. The café did not sell all the coffee and waffles they had prepared, so this lady was walking between people and offering them for free 😀 I cannot eat waffles and my brother didn’t want any (why?) so we politely declined.

It was the first comp of Andreas Stjernen after an injury break, he did nice finishing third. And also gave me a weird look when I was shouting something in Polish to my brother, as he passed me by 😂 I got to see flower ceremony standing right next to Joakim Aune 🤩 And by a coincidence, during the second round we stood behind Marius Lindvik’s… family, I guess? Daniel was there too, not jumping himself but cheering on the ones who did.

WC in Oslo in 2019 I described earlier. I can add that on Saturday there was a snowfall since morning, I’ve almost froze my fingers off (stupidly sensitive hands). Also – seeing a bunch of Norwegians traveling at 9 am to watch cross-country skiing, leaving metro station and already getting drunk, dancing to party music being blasted out of the nearby windows – quite something.

photo from Sunday, with metro station mentioned

Planica 2019 was my very first time seeing ski flying live! Again with Slovenian crew. But because I’m an idiot who did not book place to stay at early enough, had to travel to Kranjska Gora every day from Kranj (like an hour and a half with a bus if I remember correctly) 🙃 Missed evening attractions of Kranjska that way 😅 But back to sj, got to see some really nice flights, personal best results, Ryoyu’s record of Letalnica (holy shit, the excitement that went through the crowd!), last jump of Robert Kranjec’s career (one of childhood faves ❤️), team Poland’s first ski flying win, Žiga Jelar playing with his band and much more 😀 From personal experience I don’t recommend forgetting sunscreen to Planica. Ended up with sunburn in a shape of sunglasses and a beanie 🙃 And I was really surprised how hot it was in full sun on the stands. It truly turned from snowy winter on Thursday to full spring on Sunday. Felt like spending two seasons there in just four days 😀

CoCs in Szczyrk and Wisła in 2019 were basically joint events, same week in two nearby towns. First day I went to girls’ event alone, on the next Julia @lewanarta joined me. And what sort of sj trip would that be without a fuck up by me? This time, apart from not having courage to approach Virág, who jumped in Szczyrk twice to fifth place (pleasure to see), I could not watch last jumps of second comp and flower ceremony because at the time I was throwing up in the toilet of a bar by the hill 🙃 Took wrong backpack in which I had no painkillers and got surprised by period 🙃🙃🙃 But until that, watching jumpers from the so called ‘river tribune’ was a very pleasant experience.

Also hill in Szczyrk is the very first I was to (and at), in 2005, before it was rebuild to its current state.

Having in memory SGP in Wisła two years earlier, the chill CoC comp without crowds was a nice change. Obviously, it’s Poland, there were still people, but not as many. First day was rainy… But only between rounds and after a comp. And as always, my job was following the comp with text transmission on my phone, while Julia was asking for autographs and taking photos 😀 I’m always trying to follow results during watching live, but it’s almost impossible with all these distractions 😅 And how nice it is to finish day spent on watching ski jumping live with watching ski jumping on tv – Courchevel was the same day 😀

And finally WC Lahti 2020, the last thing before everything went nuts because of corona. Again with Julia, we’ve planned for a while to go to Finland. First sj related experience we had still in Warsaw – it turned out we’re on the same flight as team Poland. Later, at Helsinki airport, we’ve waited for a bag together with Norwegian xcs and noco teams as well 😀 we’ve been at the Lahti Ski Games since very morning as I wanted to see noco sj part, so we’ve had plenty of time to see the place, small hills, tracks, big hills… Surprisingly, there was no snow, apart from the artificial one produced for the events. Local people seemed a little bit sad because it’s usually naturally snowy around the time of Lahti Ski Games. It also turned out that we were to the 1000th individual comp in World Cup’s history. We’ve met Finnish Tumblr crew and I had an unexpected encounter as among them was a girl that I’ve briefly met in Wisła in 2017! World is a small place, isn’t it? And at the end we’ve had photo together with God of Wind himself. Last occasion, couldn’t let it pass. Oh, and I got a bouquet from flower ceremony 😀 No idea whose, it was given to me by Austrian staff member after team comp 😅

Uf. That was a long one. Congrats and thanks if you’ve read it all ❤️ I’m physically unable to write ‘a little’ 😅

#i'll catch up with the rest soon #this took a while to write and i'm tired #ski jumping #skijumpingchallenge #personal

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galenfm · 4 years

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·ﾟ☀ i am already so tired of myself and i have class soon aGAIN ........ ugh well again , i am teddy , a she / her pronoun user and current mun to two muses in this delightful shining star of a group ! i now present galen , my newest gaming gf creation who just wants everyone to fucking include each other ! my preferred plotting method is via discord over at 𝐤𝐲𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐢 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 !#6439 , i’ll make a plotting call there and i’ll reach out to everyone who likes this !

* read all about galen sorenson , otherwise affectionately nicknamed the champ. the twenty - one year old gamer and blossoming actress is widely known for being uninhibited, magnanimous, self - deprecating, capricious and recently made headlines when they allegedly dropped a sponsor due to their support of autism speaks . apparently judas claims to be sitting on an even bigger story involving them - whatever the truth may be, i'm sure it won't stay hidden for long. & a screaming laugh following a jumpscare waking the whole house , overthinking an interaction hours after it’s passed , a childhood spent begging to be read the ugly duckling and lingering on every word , neurodiversity stickers pasted all over a gaming pc. ◜ ⭒ ic: alisha boe. cis woman. she / her.

BIO : mohammed and karina sorenson have never been a conventional pair . to start , they meet when he , the biggest male model of the 80′s , is hired to walk for her winter collection , being one of europe’s top knitwear designers who never seems to go out of style . he’s eccentric and as magnetic as can be , she’s demure and has never said a word regarding anything but her work . they don’t make sense , but they’re married two years in secret before finally making their relationship known . mohammed , progressive and independent minded despite his traditional somali family , takes her last name and relocates to norway , where karina gives birth to a stunning baby girl that steals the hearts of the eu as the tabloids go crazy over her .

elissa is nearly 18 when her mother has the news to shock a nation : she’s miraculously pregnant , once more , far enough along that she intends to keep the baby despite both her and mohammed being into their 40′s . karina , having named their first baby , gives the reigns over to mo for their second child , but isn’t too happy with his pick

galen literally translates to mad , to incorrect , she argues , elissa firmly on her side

it gives her a chance to choose her own path . it gives her something to make for herself , mohammed counters , and that ends that .

galen is born in olso and is every bit as precious as her sister , now old enough to even potentially be her mother . her parents , busy with their ventures but over the moon to have a new baby in the house , raise her for her first few years in a small norwegian town to shield her from the prying eyes of the public

mohammed is first to notice that she doesn’t respond to her name or seem interested in looking at him , keeping her focus on whatever toy catches her eye for the day . he and karina write it off when she doesn’t hit her talking milestones or hold crayons the way other toddlers do , or figure she’s just an introvert when her preschool teacher mentions she doesn’t enjoy playing with the other kids during free time

they can’t ignore it any longer when she hits grade school , instantly falling behind with the rigorous private school pace and eventually warranting a visit from the school psychologist . she remembers the worry that paints her parents weathered faces when , at six years old , she’s given a laundry list of diagnoses and recommended for “ alternate ” schooling

something about the way her teachers treat her , so broken and unworthy of respect , makes her shut down , regressing with any progress she had shown and really refusing to cooperate with most adults she comes by . elissa is a budding starlet taking weekends off from film roles to spend time with her little sister , knowing that behind the quiet dark eyes of the child who wouldn’t look at you was a bright mind teeming with unsaid thoughts

her parents go to all ends to hire her private tutors and special therapists , which help her keep up at grade level . she’s in middle school when her science teacher , noting galen’s aptitude on exams and incredible recall , says she may fare better in an american school , recommending one he knows will accept a prestigious line such as the sorensons .

she moves to pennsylvania at 12 and the change is hard . she again regresses and suffers at the hands of her peers at the private catholic school she attends , her parents reaching a level of despair thinking they’ve failed their daughter , unable to get her the help she deserves despite their best attempts . galen , sick of being deemed the broken doll , seeks out an escape from the world to try and give her some reprieve from the constant pity she wishes she could express is only doing more harm than good

she likes makeup but sucks at it , enjoys art but can’t seem to draw for the life of her . she knows she’s tone deaf as all hell and doesn’t like sweating enough to be willing to dance . for once in her life , despite all the years of trying to ignore the well - meaning comments of those around her , galen starts to believe maybe there is something wrong about her .

it’s elissa’s celeb boyfriend who buys her an xbox for christmas , figuring the two could play it as a bonding experience . brimming with quiet gratitude , galen spends hours on the damn thing in between study sessions . tutors notice an improvement in focus , more motivation to work and get things done so she can finally hop back onto the console and escape into a fantasy .

she begs her parents to let her do homeschooling for her high school years , to which they agree and she thrives . she upgrades now to a gaming pc and plays through everything she can get her hands on . people on her teams don’t know her , and they don’t treat her any differently than anyone else , so before long she’s unlocking a bubblier side to herself that just feels content .

she records her playthroughs in silence ( she’s gaining confidence , but still shy , and god knows how the internet treats female gamers ) and uploads them to youtube under a stupid channel name with only a few hundred subscribers . noting the accuracy and speed with which galen destroys shooter games , someone suggests she try overwatch .

galen is hooked in an instant . she plays matches in between daily activities and quickly climbs ranks to becoming a force to be reckoned with in the competitive community . after finding a team where she feels particularly at - home , they launch to stardom due to their sweeping wins and incredible cohesion . galen becomes something of an overnight sensation , quiet and unassuming , and this recognition feels like the validation she’s been seeking for herself this whole time

she blossoms and cements her legacy as an overwatch competitive titan by the time she graduates , reaching grandmaster status and being known throughout the community for her strategy and technique . her youtube channel grows exponentially , and after realizing this is a viable future for herself , galen posts her playthroughs with her commentary and finds that people love what she does . she moves to new york in order to collaborate with other big gamers , and on her channel , she does a combination of horror games , overwatch trainings , and new release reviews and builds a following similar to markiplier or jackseptic eye , with a second vlog channel to document when she goes off to tournaments or simple things from her days

she’s 19 when her repeated wins get the attention of a massive gaming studio who invite her to come record some lines as an easter egg of sorts for her fans in a new game they’re developing . her work is met with rave reviews and suddenly game titans are nearly breaking down her door for more voice acting work . galen , who’s always felt like the ugly duckling compared to her sister’s perfect legacy , takes this opportunity to emulate her sister’s career , and nearly doubles over when a film studio approaches her with interest of casting her as a supporting role in a project of theirs . though she’s never pictured herself to be in front of a camera quite like that , with some coaching , galen nails it , and finds the high of acting catapults her from relative fame into newfound stardom .

she’s one of the newer members of the brat pack considering her youtube fame was more inconspicuous than her film work , though she still is adjusting to life in the limelight . she stays close to her roots and continues to post regularly to her channel and streams on twitch , collaborating with other increasingly big names to gain her more views .

galen’s most notable push since rising to fame has been her advocacy for neurodiversity and recognition for how poorly people with learning disabilities are treated in society . she doesn’t go in detail with her diagnoses but she does make jokes about them on her stream in order to normalize their mentions . she recently dropped a sponsor for their support of autism speaks and donates a majority of her merch revenue and tournament winnings to advocacy causes . she’s proud of who she is and hopes the future can be shaped into what kids like her needed when they were growing up .

galen lives up to her father’s prediction this whole time and changes her channel’s name to galengaming , proud to tout the moniker that spurred her to create a path she wanted rather than be told who to be by the world around her .

PERSONALITY : galen has an energy about her that is like the sun hidden behind a cloud . upon first impressions , she’s a bit more timorous and nervous as she gets her footing of wherever she may be , especially with some of the more public - eye type settings she’s been put in since sort of being sucked into the brat pack . she wants to make sure she’s acting appropriately for whatever the situation calls and may often seem tense or apprehensive .

once she’s loosened up or seen a familiar face she can latch onto , she blossoms into a ball of unfiltered energy . she loves humor and memes and can often be found competitively launching memes she’s found into her team’s group discord server . she’s witty and often makes herself the butt of her own jokes in order to lighten the mood , though she’ll be sure to clarify that she loves herself and only does so to keep herself humble lmao .

her playthroughs are VERY stream of consciousness but its this lack of filter that seems to be her fans’ favorite thing about her , a willingness to say whatever unhinged thing she may be thinking followed by a shrieking scream after a jumpscare or a string of screeching expletives after missing a goal

she can perhaps sometimes be too unfiltered and unwittingly come across as harsh or blunt , though she’ll often realize this after the fact and feel incredibly remorseful . galen has a habit to overthink and will panic for the rest of the night if she fears she’s inadvertently offended you , but won’t apologize due to being too nervous to figure out exactly how to do so ssksksks

one of galen’s most notable qualities is her heart , her benevolence and empathy that lead her to want everyone to feel included regardless of how different they may be . though she tries to give everyone a chance , there’s a fair amount of people perhaps too materialistic for her to get along with , and her polite way to ignore them is simply keeping her distance and pretending to not know them

which . in her own way . comes across as shady sksksk “oh you know so and so ? ” omg no i dont haha who are they “ u literally met them last night ” hahaha no i didnt x

she can be prone to mood swings simply due to a sensitivity to her own feelings and a tendency to overthink . she’ll wonder why she feels weird and even if it’s just because she’s hungry she’ll assume it’s because she said “thanks you too” when the cashier told her to enjoy her meal and then she has to sulk and play animal crossing alone in the dark for an hour before she can come out and be chill again even tho she feels worse than when she started bc shes just HUNGRY ASKSKKS

she’s used to being infantilized so she tends to be sort of short tempered if people talk down to her . this is when the wit kicks in as she is really just tired of being treated poorly by people who don’t even know her and has decided she will refuse to take any more shit ! can be a bit snippy even without realizing it but if she’s close to you she’ll usually be like “ oh my god that was rude as fuck im so sorry ” and feel bad for 20 minutes even after you say its okay lmaoo

random blurbs : um DONT ask me who she plays in her overwatch tournaments bc im using opossum and wikipedia to figure shit out as i goes , but i know for sure she calls out a lot of misogyny in the gaming world on social media !

always has her switch with her i KNOW this for a fact

anime nerd ....... nobody call her out on it she will deny until she is blue in the face and then hum the one punch man intro in her streams as if hundreds of thousands of people arent witnesses LMAO

this is so stereotypical nerd but she hates the outdoors ! says the US is so dirty and stuffy she says scandanavia is the only place she’ll ever like to be outside , she slips into norwegian when she’s recording if she gets jumpscared so she doesnt get demonetized for over - swearing lmao

also speaks french because she picked it up from her mom ! her dad usually only spoke english or norwegian , so galen didn’t get to pick up on much somali or arabic but she def knows at least a few words here and there

she vlogs a good amount of her life but she’s kinda shy about talking about who she’s dating , will probably try to keep her romantic life to herself !

excited as all hell to get into acting but the super fame that’s coming with it kinda freaks her out . she knows it’s a trade off bc she loves the feeling it gives her but hates how people are now overstepping a lot of boundaries that they didn’t before when she was just a popular youtuber

inspos are juno from the iconic movie juno , toph beifong from atla , louis theroux YES THE DOCUMENTARY GUY LEAF ME AL ONE , & amy from booksmart !

#cross.start #* ◞ 𝐢 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑎 𝖈𝖚𝖙 𝒕𝒐 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 . ❪ 𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐃 : INTRO .#❪ yes her tags are carly rae jep/sen lyrics and hall and oates songs respectively #no i will not apologize or stop hyping EITHER of those musical geniuses up

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onestowatch · 4 years

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Jimi Somewhere Dives Into an Angelic, Crisis of Faith on Latest Single "Jesus" [Q&A]

Jimi Somewhere is the brainchild of Benjamin Schandy, a 22-year-old artist hailing from Hokksund, a charming town in Norway. Jimi Somewhere's music is influenced by the imaginative work of renowned filmmaker Spike Jonze and the outstanding artistry of Kendrick Lamar, Kevin Abstract, and Frank Ocean. Jimi ties his contemplative lyrics with frenzy electro-pop, ornate hip-hop beats, trippy pop, and multi-layered vocals to produce his very own signature resonance.

Today, Jimi Somewhere shares his new single "Jesus” off his forthcoming debut LP, Nothing Gold Can Stay. We caught up with Somewhere for a quick Q&A about the track's grandiose and "larger than life" feel and the inspiration he pulled from the Christian summer camps he attended growing up.

Ones to Watch: This song has a very spiritual tone and is named after a spiritual figure. It sounds like throughout the song, the main character is going on a spiritual journey or crisis of faith. What is this song about to you, and how did this song come to be?

Jimi Somewhere: A crisis of faith is a good way to put it. That's what it's about to me: faith, doubt, and values. I grew up and out of the church myself, and after I stopped going, I kind of had to reflect on which one of these values to bring along with me in life. There was a lot I was taught in church that I didn't agree with, but then again, a lot of it is just about empathy and humanity. But I needed to have space to figure that out for myself without having any voices in my ears. That's what inspired me to write the song. I was just so frustrated with everything and needed to breathe. Music is also very therapeutic for me. I use it to get it all off my chest.

What was the creative process like for the single? What made you want to go for this very omnipresent, iridescent sound for the track? Were you inspired by anything in particular?

We kind of wanted it to sound like these Christian songs that we would hear at various summer camps growing up. They always had this "larger than life" feeling. You're in the crowd singing, and you feel like you are a part of this big thing. That's what we're chasing. A Hillsong type beat. Only felt right considering the themes on the song. Other inspirations for the song is Coldplay's early stuff, which has been very important to me. The emotional but pretty sadness they often present.

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Do you consider yourself a spiritual person?

I'm not sure. I don't think so. I can, for sure, say I feel very connected though. Like I'll be in nature, and I'll take it all in. But on a day to day basis, I wouldn't say I'm very spiritual. It's something I'd like to dive more into as I'm getting older because I believe the universe is bigger than just us and what you see.

I found myself deeply connecting with a lot of the lyrics, especially the line "I've never met Jesus, but you're the closest to Heaven I've ever come." Do you have a favorite lyric from this track or one that speaks to you? What is your approach when it comes to songwriting?

"For everything I never told my mother, always comes back to get me" is a line I really like. Because it's so true to me. Every time I go against my mother's advice, it ends up negatively affecting my life. So listen to your mothers! They do know best.

Songwriting to me is just kind of throwing up. Just everything I have pent up inside. I don't want to overthink it because if it becomes too conscious, it's usually not that good. The best stuff just falls out.

Kacy Hill's voice is so stunning and perfectly compliments the sonic chaos when she comes in halfway through the song. What was working with her like, and how did she get involved with this single?

Working with her was so sick. She's literally the sweetest person. I've been a massive fan of her for many years and suddenly found out I had a mutual friend. So after bugging him to ask her to come to the studio, she did! I was so embarrassed the first time she came to record but because suddenly our audio interface didn't work. We got all sporadic and were trying to fix it but couldn't. I was thinking like she would hate us for wasting her time and that we blew our shot. But she was so nice about it and came back the next week.

She really just went into the studio and did that. Me and Milo were in the other room, shaking and jumping around. It sounded crystal clear and angelic from the jump. I think her verse brings this comfort and hope that the song was missing. Because it's not all bad, you know. There's light at the end of every tunnel. It was important to me to have that emphasized in the song, and she did that perfectly.

I know "Jesus" is a single coming off of your upcoming Nothing Gold Can Stay. How does it fit into the album overall?

It's one of the first songs on the album, and I thought it would be cool to open an album with such an honest track. Keep the book open from the beginning. The album is also me reflecting on all these things ending in my life. During the ages of 16 - 20, there's a lot of moving out, losing friends, growing up, graduating high school, etc. Faith & wanting a sense of belonging has been a big part of my life during those years so it was important to me to talk about it on the album.

What can people expect to hear from the new LP? I'm sure there's only so much you can share about the album and want to keep a lot of it as a surprise for your fans. Can they expect the same emotional, nostalgic, summery themes from your previous work, or do you feel like you're going in a different direction? Or is Nothing Gold Can Stay going to be a healthy mix of something old and new?

There's for sure a lot the same themes as in the previous work. This is my debut album, so we wanted to make it as "Jimi Somewhere" as possible. Everything else has been building up to this, so we weren't afraid of being a little cliche with it. I just think that's fun. There's definitely some new directions on it as well though. Both sonically and thematic. We never want two projects or songs to sound the same.

Has the pandemic effected you or inspired you as an artist? If so, how?

It just gave us time to create a lot. I live with my producer, so when lockdown happened, we kinda were like, "Ok, let's just be here and work!" We've made so many songs this year. I also got to add that I live in Norway, and we handled it all pretty well in the beginning, so life has been a lot more normal here than what it looks like in the States.

Once the world comes to a state of a new normal, what's the first thing you want to do?

Go back to America! I had so many plans before the pandemic, so I'm trying to make them all happen once I can. But it's just not safe, yet so I'll stay on this side of the ocean until then.

When shows and concerts are back, who do you want to see, and who do you want to tour or play with?

I was supposed to see Taylor Swift live this summer, but it, of course, got canceled. Hopefully, I'll get another chance next year. Just so cool to see such a big production. There's always that dream of doing stadium shows in the future, so I would be in the crowd taking notes. I'm also a huge Taylor Swift fan, so it's the best of both worlds.

Dream tour would be with Lorde because she's been such a big influence on me, and I love her live show. Would not mind hearing 'Writer in the dark' live 30 nights in a row. I also feel like I could learn so much from her. She's only a couple years older than me but seems so wise. So yeah, Lorde, I'm here if you need me just call!

Who have you been listening to throughout the pandemic? Are there any Ones To Watch?

I've been going through so many phases. I had this big Jill Scott phase, where I just listened to "The Light" on repeat all day. Watched this movie "Weathering with you" and got obsessed with the soundtrack. When it comes to Ones to Watch, I wanna recommend this Norwegian band Veps. They're completely new, but my friend sent me their music during quarantine, and it's so good. My favorite song, "Do I Hear a Maybe," is this really sweet, garage rock track with a big hook that I've been screaming around the apartment ever since I heard it. Very fire.

Stream “Jesus” below.

#Jimi Somewhere #Jesus #Pop #Electronic #Indie

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montyrakusen · 4 years

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Voices in the Wind, the Northern Isles of Shetland Part 3

I awoke one morning in someone else’s flat and I couldn’t remember how I got there. My friend, fellow art student, Ceri Herington Pritchard https://ceripritchard.com/ decided we should go on an adventure.

"Let's go north" I said, and we did. We decided on Shetland, as it was as far north as we could think of going in the UK. It was October and cold, wintery, and Ceri let all the camping gas escape in Aberdeen before we had even got on the ferry. We didn’t have outdoor clothes like we have today. Ceri had a greatcoat and I had a tank driver's jacket, probably from the Korean war, that I’d stolen from the Combined Cadet Force at school.

When we arrived in Lerwick we headed north striding out as fast as we could. They were building the Sullom Voe oil terminal and the flat barren wind-swept landscape was dotted with ex red London double decker buses ferrying workers to the construction site, the destination windows read, Moorgate, Archway, Liverpool Street Station and so forth. We walked in a huge cavernous world of clouds coming from Greenland rising in the west and falling in the east with the sun shining through, highlighting the ceiling of our world and at sunset looked like God had appeared. I fell in a bog then it rained and there was freezing fog then I fell in a bog again.

On the 5th of November we were probably two of Europe’s most northerly campers, at the most northerly point of Shetland, a place where giants fought over the love of a mermaid, near the remote island of Muckle Flugga. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muckle_Flugga

Miserable, with teeth chattering and wet feet, I wore all the clothes I possessed and had to get up at 3am to crack the ice off my tent. On another night because of a storm we slept in a cement store hut and upon waking covered in dust looked like ghosts. One night, camped on a windy beach we were kept awake by boulders rolling in the surf. It was always spine chillingly cold and was only relieved by whisky in friendly pubs that felt like someones front room and there was usually a fidler. These experiences only gave me a love for this beautiful and remote place in the middle of the North Sea.

Nowhere is more than a mile from the sea on Northern Shetland and it is almost tree-less. Small crofts are dotted here and there with flapping, coloured, washing drying on lines, fishing boats far out at sea and the smell of burning peat on the wind. In those days the place was littered with abandoned rusting vehicles and the sides of the roads were covered in empty beer cans with the smiling face of Venetia Stevenson looking up at us https://www.cannyscot.com/SweetheartStout.htm, people built walls from un-returnable beer barrels and crofts lay derelict. Later, I believe, a vicar ordered a ship to take all the scrap away. No matter what the weather there was always some hardy soul out in the landscape, a small moving dot in the distance digging the peat, driving the sheep, rowing a boat. If you listened carefully there were voices on the wind.

I loved this wonderful strange place and began to plan a photo documentary. I first returned and shot it in 35mm colour transparency with the hope of printing it up in Ciba Chrome of which I was a big fan. Unfortunately the processing lab put a scratch through every roll of film and in those days it was impossible to retouch.

Each year I would return, shooting medium format black and white first with Hasselblad and then later Rollie 6006/8 and I gradually built up a collection of images searching for the essence of the place. I became friends with people there, the local doctor from Mid Yell and some people who looked after otters. They recognised me in the pubs.

Some years I walked the islands, some years I took my blue Landrover with its home made stereo and two cassettes that I bought in Aberdeen, The Smiths, Meat is Murder and Elvis Costello, Almost Blue. I drove around in the simmer dim the grey evening light, eventually knowing both albums by heart. The RAF invited me to their mid-summer beach party, it never got dark and in the morning I was dive bombed by bonxsies, mad sea birds, as I staggered around the landscape looking for fresh water. I fell in a bog again.

I was befriended by people who fed me boiled ham and potatoes, plied me with drink and had me shoot shotguns at empty cans thrown in the air. “Just mind the sheep, lad”. Coming out of the most northerly pub at half past eleven at night with the sun still shining in my eyes I stepped onto a Norwegian Trawler and got caught up in a fight. We sat in the mess as they fought round and round on the tables and each time they came past we clutched our drinks to our chests.

The photography project ran out of steam, my life had changed, I was busy at work, until Lizzie encouraged me to finish it and we travelled back there together to see Up Helly Aa, the ceremonial burning of the Viking longship https://www.uphellyaa.org/ and to show my work in progress to Shetland Arts with a view to exhibiting it. We stayed in Mid Yell in the snow with 125mph winds full of ice. Huge squalls blew in from the ocean flying low, dropping ice into the waves. When we were in Lerwick we were guests of the head of the Jarl squad, the viking leader of Up Helly Aa, a tremendous honour.

In the early morning, whilst he slept, we secretly tried on his Viking gear. I always felt welcome there and people were kind. An exhibition was arranged in Lerwick, British Airways helped me fly it up and then it travelled all over Scotland. I was interviewed by a lovely lady with small round John Lennon Spectacles from Radio Shetland, only problem was I could hardly understand a word she said. The exhibition opening was very well attended from islands far and wide, made more impressive by the fact no one could get back home to their islands until the ferries restarted in the morning. I felt proud when they said I had shown their home to them in a different way.

Text edit: John Coombes Encouragement: Liz Rakusen

#shetland #yell #unst #fetlar #voices

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moviepitpodcast-blog · 5 years

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February Movie Releases

So how are those New Years Resolutions coming along? Kidding!

How's the cold treating you? Because it sure as hell SUCKED here in the Chicago-land area!

Anyway, we’re here for movies! February is looking like a legit month with some huge films coming out. It’s also the month that is bringing the end to a beloved franchise. So, let’s get to it!

1st

Limited Release: Arctic

A man (Mads Mikkelsen) stranded in the Arctic after an airplane crash must decide whether to remain in the relative safety of his makeshift camp or embark on a deadly trek through the unknown in hopes of making it out alive. The film is the feature film debut of Joe Penna aka Mystery Guitar Man from Youtube fame.

Miss Bala

Gloria (Gina Rodriguez) finds a power she never knew she had when she is drawn into a dangerous world of cross-border crime. Surviving will require all of her cunning, inventiveness and strength. The movie is, unbeknownst to me for some time, a remake of a Spanish film of the same name and directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight, Red Riding Hood). Honestly, I don’t have a lot of interest in watching this. The trailer does nothing for me, and why I hear Gina Rodriguez is great on her show Jane the Virgin, that may not mean she’s good to lead a movie. Hey, I could be wrong, and part of me hope I am, but another thing the movie has against it is its coming out on Super Bowl weekend, and movies coming out this weekend don’t tend to do too well. Miss Bala co-stars Ismael Cruz Cordova, Matt Lauria, Thomas Dekker and Anthony Mackie.

8th

Limited Release: Everybody Knows

Laura (Penelope Cruz), a Spanish woman living in Buenos Aires, returns to her hometown outside Madrid with her two children to attend her sister’s wedding. However, the trip is upset by unexpected events that bring secrets into the open. Everybody Knows co-stars Javier Bardem.

What Men Want

A gender-swap of the 2000 Mel Gibson-led movie What Women Want, this movie has Ali (Taraji P. Henson) is boxed out by the male sports agents in her profession. However, she gains an unexpected edge over them when she develops the ability to hear their thoughts. The gender-swapping trend continues this year, and why I’m sure this movie will find its audience, What Men Wants may be one of those movies that gets lost in the shuffle for me. What Men Want co-stars Josh Brener, Max Greenfield, Aldis Hodge, Kellan Lutz, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Tracy Morgan.

The Prodigy

A mother (Taylor Schilling) concerned about her young son’s disturbing behavior thinks something supernatural may be affecting him. This one pretty much came out of nowhere, mainly because of its test screening stories. According to multiple reports, and confirmed by its director Nicholas McCarthy (The Pact), The Prodigy had to be re-edited because the movie was TOO SCARY. Apparently, test audiences missed parts of the movie because they were recovering from the scares. Reading that, and then watching the trailer, I can believe that, because I never heard of the movie until I saw the trailer – in theaters – and that last bit scared the crap out of the whole audience, including me. Needless to say, this is one to put on the Must-Watch List.

Cold Pursuit

Based on the 2014 Norwegian film In Order of Disappearance, a snowplow driver (Liam Neeson) seeks revenge against the drug dealers he thinks killed his son. Leaving the cheesy feeling of “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” playing in the trailer, Cold Pursuit looks like it’s playing with the notion of Neeson playing the badass hero. I actually loved his delivery of the reading a lot of crime novels, so of course he’s ready to kill people. There’s also the feeling that this is a payoff of the joke in Daddy’s Home 2, but hey, seeing Neeson on the big screen beating the crap out of people? I’m in. Cold Pursuit co-stars Emmy Rossum, Tom Bateman, Laura Dern and William Forsythe.

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part

It’s been five years since everything was awesome and the citizens are facing a huge new threat: LEGO DUPLO invaders from outer space, wrecking everything faster than they can rebuild. I loved the first LEGO movie, and still do. That said, the trailers for The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part are just okay, but I want to say part of that is to hide the story of the movie, and maybe even some of the jokes. I’m still going to be sitting in a packed theater opening weekend, so yeah. The voice cast from the first returns, but new additions include Stephanie Beatriz and Tiffany Haddish.

13th

Isn’t It Romantic

Natalie (Rebel Wilson) disenchanted with love mysteriously finds herself trapped inside a romantic comedy. I kind of like the concept of this, but the trailer just doesn’t make me actually buy it. Isn’t It Romantic co-stars Adam Devine, Liam Hemsworth, Priyanka Chopra and Jennifer Saunders.

Happy Death Day 2U

Tree (Jessica Rothe) discovers that dying over and over was surprisingly easier than the dangers that lie ahead. Listen, I was onboard the hate wagon for Happy Death Day, but then I watched it and damn I ended up actually liking it. It knew was it was and didn’t take itself too seriously. That said, when I heard about the sequel, I wasn’t too surprised, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to this just a bit. Happy Death Day 2U co-stars Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine, Suraj Sharma, Rachel Matthews, Sarah Yarkin and Phi Vu.

14th

Fighting with My Family

Written and directed by Stephen Merchant, and inspired by the life of WWE superstar Paige, a former wrestler and his family make a living performing at small venues around the country while his kids dream of joining World Wrestling Entertainment. I’m actually a huge wrestling fan – and not just WWE – and knowing some of Paige’s actual story, part of me isn’t surprised it got turned into a movie. The movie itself does look pretty great, although just by seeing the trailer, it looks like they are taking some liberties already. Fighting With My Family co-stars Florence Pugh, Lena Headey, Nick Frost, Jack Lowden, Vince Vaughn and Dwayne Johnson.

Alita: Battle Angel

Co-written by James Cameron, directed by Robert Rodriguez and based on the anime of the same name; the movie is set in the future where Alita (Rosa Salazar) tries to discover the truth of what she really is, and fight to change the world. This one could easily been written off, but the recent word of mouth for the movie is pretty, and slightly surprisingly, positive. It was also suppose to come out last year, but the push back could have helped the movie. I’m also really looking forward to it. Alita: Battle Angel co-stars Christoph Waltz, Keean Johnson, Ed Skrein, Eiza Gonzalez, Lana Condor, Casper Van Dien, Mahershala Ali, Jackie Earle Haley and Jennifer Connelly.

22nd

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

When Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) discovers Toothless isn’t the only Night Fury, he must seek “The Hidden World”, a secret Dragon Utopia before a hired tyrant named Grimmel (voiced by F. Murray Abraham) finds it first. I hate myself for saying it, but I yet to watch a How to Train Your Dragon movie, despite my best efforts to watch them. So I’m a bit bummed to think I’m going to miss seeing at least one of these movies in theaters.

#movies #how to train your dragon #alita battle angel #happy death day 2u #fighting with my family #isn't it romantic #the lego movie #cold pursuit movie #the prodigy #what men want #miss bala

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callchans-blog · 5 years

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eeep ! hi hello hi, i’m liv ( she/her ) and at twenty-one i’m currently dividing my time between the gmt and gmt+1 timezones ( bc why stay in one time zone when you can stay in two idk ). i cannot begin to tell you how excited i am to finally be here, i was drowning in deadlines around the first round of acceptances but was quasi-ecstatic to find bronson’s skeleton open now that i’ve got some time on my hands !! i’m still working on a full bio and the small print, but here you can find some stats and below the cut you’ll find some info about my little lion man !

— bronson laki callahan is finishing up his last year in the hamptons with hopes of graduating and attending yale university to study ethics politics & economics. four years in at bridgehampton and he’s known as the olympian, which makes perfect sense considering how staunch, captivating, stoic, and competitive he is. that title landed him the senior class superlative of most likely to win the hunger games. when you hear sicko mode - travis scott coming from a car this summer, it’ll most likely be them. speaking of summer, once school ends i hear his plans are to sail the mediterranean and go island hopping with friends. i can’t help but to be reminded of long evenings and bright mornings, the blow of a referee’s whistle, leaning against a door frame and freshly laundered cotton.

grew up... with a silver spoon that fed him well. bronson was born to howard and katherine callahan, whose marriage united two old money dynasties. the callahan’s are real estate royalty and katherine is a member of the hearst family, wealthy long before they struck media gold in the publishing industry. his parents showered him with love and attention, if ever he asked why they never had more kids they’d tell him it was because they’d struck gold with their first – him.

living… in a modern and boastful mansion close to the ocean, for the curious it looks something along the lines of this ! the callahan’s also own a penthouse in the city, a ski lodge by the norwegian fjords and summer chateau in the mediterranean – to name a few. worth mentioning is that his parents are not currently living together, it seems whenever one comes back to bridgehampton the other finds a reason to leave. it’s been like this now since the summer before junior year, the same summer katherine discovered howard was having an affair. in true aristocratic fashion, they dealt with the issue by decidedly not dealing with it at all. welp.

education… is not a necessity, but rather and accessory to someone like bronson. still, he’s expected to maintain his good grades all through high school and carry on the family’s legacy at yale university. he’s chosen to major in ethics politics & economics; it’s something he’s genuinely interested in though unsure whether he’ll ever be able to pursue bc if he doesn’t inherit the real estate business, who will ?

interests… playing football in drizzle and girls that can whistle... ok no, i’m not gonna attempt to reinvent the favourite things song ! bronson has always played sports with heart, he gives his all at all times. football in fall, rugby in spring and soccer with friends in summer. he’s good at it, too. « his name will be known » people will say, as though both a promise and a dare. what’s more, he is a fan of sailing like his father and the two of them have made quite the memories together at sea. last summer, they sailed around the samoan islands together which was the first time bronson really heard of his samoan heritage.

relationship status… single, though he’s still not quite used to the idea.

challenge… conceal, don’t feel, don’t let it show; it’s hard to deal with emotional torment when you’ve never been taught how to. bronson’s whole world came crashing down along with the downfall of his parents marriage, though he’s yet to fully deal with it all – instead he keeps it all bottled up inside, not realising it’s only causing the anger and anxiety to grow with time. bronson’s main challenge at the moment isn’t figuring out who to ask to prom or what dormatory to choose at yale, it’s dealing with his feelings. as for all of us, his inner demons will catch up to him eventually.

personality… charming, laidback, funny, and friendly – it has always been in bronson’s nature to try and please everyone, especially in his family. he’s loyal and committed, though not without fault. his parents inescapable divorce has brought out his stoic side, he knows his parents want to keep it a private affair though he might be taking it a bit far by barely even speaking of it to his closest friends. his competitive side shows both on and off the field, after all he yearns to be the best at all he does.

random trivia:

while he’s always been incredibly athletic; the summer between sophomore and junior year is not only when his parents marriage began falling apart, but also when he discovered the gym ! it was the perfect escape and he found himself spending hours lifting weights, needless to say he came back junior year transformed.

he’s got a scar above his nose, between his eyebrows from being stepped on by cleats during a game of rugby. yikes.

style wise, his wardrobe is very casual and laid back. while he does mainly own designer brands, he opts for the basic tees and hoodies, rather than the shirts and sweaters.

he loves anything and everything peanut butter !

january was spent in aspen, he managed to convince the dean that he was there for training purposes too so that he could get out of school. gotta love a boy who tries so hard to avoid his issues at home, that he skips school to go skiing idek ?

he owns a lil puppy that he can often be spotted walking around the park/lighthouse area – more details to come as soon as i’ve decided on a breed hehe.

as far as wanted connections go... i want them all *sharpay voice* so def give this post a lil like and / or hmu !!

#entitledintros.#✵ / ooc.

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krixwell-liveblogs · 6 years

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Check out this post. Wildbow talks about his life on reddit. This explains so much about Taylor’s school experience. No Worm spoilers

This sounds interesting. I’ve frequently wondered about how Wildbow’s life shaped this story.

Let’s take a look.

Redditors who have opted out of a standard approach to life (study then full time work, mortgage etc), please share your stories. What are the best and worst things about your lifestyle, and do you have any regrets?

Well, the title is already intriguing.

Hermit writer here.

Born hard of hearing, went to a regular school. Struggled in middle school. Struggled in high school. Kids who were in my class in kindergarten were in my classes all the way through to grade ten, with the elementary/middle school and high school being a stone's throw from one another.

I kind of knew about the hard of hearing bit already. I can’t find the ask that told me about it, though (it was probably before I stopped using screenshots for asks).

So far this sounds relatively normal, except for that part. But I’m guessing he’s going to elaborate a bit on the struggles surrounding his school life and hearing problems?

In grade 10, after years of bullying and a peer group that had established who was 'in' and who was 'out' when I was knee-high, tired of struggling, I was walking down the halls and I found myself wondering when the last time I'd even opened my mouth in school was.

Oh wow.

I stopped dead in my tracks, just paralyzed by loneliness. I asked myself what the point was, couldn't come up with an answer, resumed walking, went out the side door of the school and went home.

This clearly parallels a few of the last times we saw Taylor at Winslow High.

The start of me just not going to school for that entire year. Nobody noticed.

Damn. He really did write all that from experience. It took a while for Taylor’s absence to get noted, too.

Taylor’s absence getting noted at all actually seems like a fantasy compared to this.

I got caught at the end of the year, did the same thing the next year, got caught only at the end.

What the hell sort of attendance routines did this school have? Clearly not good ones.

Ended up going to an Alternative school (Self study), proved to myself that I had it in me when I got 3 years of studying done in 8 months, won two awards... and then had to go back to my old school for what was essentially grade 13, where I struggled.

Huh. Well done.

People learn in very different ways. Some people can do this much more effectively than learning in a group. Some people are like me and can’t make themselves keep up the effort required to self study, or learn better from lectures than reading.

Some people learn by observing their surroundings while flying.

I worked retail and found it fine. But family wanted me to go to University and figure myself out.

I’m currently working retail, taking a break from the educational system and buying time to figure out what to study.

I went to University and I struggled.

Guys, I’m sensing a theme here.

I spent a long, long time trying to figure out why I struggled, why I was tired all the time, and it took a kind of confluence of events before I realized what should've been obvious. I found the social stuff hard and I was exhausted after a day of listening because I'm severely to profoundly deaf.

Oh yeah, that makes a ton of sense. It’s like how focusing is exhausting when you have trouble doing that, how reading without glasses you need tires out your eyes and brain, etc.

Honestly, it’s a little surprising that I haven’t (explicitly) met a hard of hearing character in Worm yet. Maybe later? Oh wait, there was that deaf waitress at the villain pub in Hive.

Beyond that, the 'path' just isn't for me. The systems and institutions just grind me down. The idea of a 9 to 5 is death to me. These things are built and streamlined for the average person, and between disability and a fairly extreme degree of introversion, I'm far from that average.

That is very fair. There’s definitely a brand of ableism in that system.

In the end, I stepped off the path. I'd been writing a thing online as a side project and the reception was good, so I decided to leave school earlier than planned, use the savings I had, stretch things as far as I could, and work when I could (with a family friend when he needed the help and had the cash to spare, doing some landscaping, drywall installation, house painting, all prepping houses for sale in a boom market) to stretch things further.

This would be too early for that thing online to be Worm, right?

It just occurred to me that I have no idea how old Wildbow is.

And I wrote as seriously as I could while people close to me told me that I didn't deserve to 'get lucky' and have the writing work out because I hadn't seen University all the way through, or openly expressed doubts and disappointments.

Yikes.

Fuck that noise. Writing is tons of effort!

But you know, it worked out in the end. I wrote the equivalent of 20 books in 2.4 years, wrote another 10 for my next series in the ensuing 1.2 years, and I've kept up a similar pace over the last 7 years and two months.

Especially when you’re this coddamn productive!

That’s 8.33 books a year!

I started writing mid- 2011, left school at the start of 2012, went full-time-paying-the-bills in 2014 with an income around minimum wage. I moved to a small town (no car, nothing fancy) that same year. I'm now closer to the average Canadian wage. It's been two chapters a week (2.5 if crowdfunding money is enough) since the beginning.

Oh, I suppose that means it would be Worm after all.

When was this written... huh, yesterday? Well, that explains why this hasn’t been sent to me before.

Writing being Wildbow’s only/main income makes me feel even more right about my decision to set things up so that some of the money from my Patreon goes to Wildbow. It’s not that big a portion of his income (apparently average Canadian wage is 986 CAD or 755 USD per week, and I chip in with about 3.26 CAD or 2.50 USD per week), but it’s something.

My reality: I can go a week or two without really talking to anyone that isn't a cashier.

Sounds a bit lonely in the long run, but as a fellow introvert (or maybe I’m an ambivert, in the systems where that’s actually a thing), I get it - it also does sound pretty good. Especially if you’ve got internet people to casually interact with at your own leisure.

Every two months or so I go to a relative's to dogsit while they're on vacation or to see someone for their birthday, and that gives me most of my fill of socialization and companionship.

Nice!

I don't have a car, so it's usually walking or taking the train to another city, and using public transpo there. I subsisted on a rice and beans diet for a good stretch, one $15 video game bought in a year, and my level of expenses hasn't really risen that much from that point. I eat better and buy a couple more things, but nothing major.

So I guess this would be somewhere between average and reserved?

I don’t know. Being Norwegian spoils me on these things.

60%+ of what I earn goes to savings, which gives me security when my income could fluctuate or disappear at any time.

Oh, that’s smart. I suppose writing would be a bit of a risky business, what with writer’s block, audience fluctuations, sudden drops in popularity because something you wrote didn’t go over as well as you thought it would, etc.

My schedule is entirely my own, which usually amounts to 2.5 15+ hour workdays a week and another 5-10 hours a week spent managing community, finances, and exchanging emails with tv/movie studios, publishers or startups.

I was going to talk about the long but few workdays, but tv/movie studios excuse me what

Is a TV series version of something Wildbow wrote (Worm or otherwise) a serious possibility right now?? :o

Best things - I love what I do. I love creating, I love my reader's tears, I love my readers being horrified.

This is really important. You gotta enjoy what you do.

I get to make monsters and be surprised by what my characters do. Many of my fans are just the absolute coolest people - people I'm now insanely glad to have met and include in my life. There's amazing fanart of my work out there, music, people have gotten tattoos. Tattoos. That's insane.

People have permanently, painfully painted their appreciation of your work into their bodies, Wildbow!

The bad- I'm an online content creator, and it's impossible to convey just how toxic the toxic elements of a fandom can get and how negative the negative aspects can get, and how much it can affect you.

That is true. There will always be a toxic side, and I can imagine works like Worm would attract a lot of the edgy sort.

I've seen 20 online content creators either break down or remark on the effect it has, and it's wholly accurate- and my audience isn't even ~that~ large.

Yeah, it doesn’t take that many people to start brewing fandom sides like this.

This is multiplied by the fact that writing is lonely as a profession (I know too many writers who can't even talk to their life partners about their work) and it can be hard to find perspective or balance as you take it all in, when you don't have people to communicate with.

Robert Jordan used his wife as a beta reader or editor of sorts. She was there to tell him when something he wrote didn’t quite come across, to make up for the fact that he couldn’t tell. After all, he knew what he meant by that one line.

On a similar note, some casual dating would be nice, and living in a small town for economical reasons doesn't leave me with a large dating pool, and at this point I'm not even sure if I could or should inflict myself on someone.

Oof.

There are way too many people who think like that. I hope you find happiness with someone who sees you for the good bean you are, Wildbow.

I'm healthy, groomed, I can hold a conversation, I'm just pretty set in my introverted ways.

...relatable, though.

But still, I’m pretty sure there are people out there for us, who not only tolerate but appreciate the introvert lifestyle.

Hell, both of my crushes have been very introverted, even compared to myself, so I know those people exist because I’m among them.

On another, less social note, there is the fact that as an online content creator, you can't really take breaks. Or you can, but it costs. Consistency and frequency of updates are god, and a hiatus is a death knell.

No wonder he criticized me on this that one time. In his situation, it matters a lot.

I don't even know what an effective vacation would entail, because I feel like finding my stride again would cost more than I gained from having the break. So it's been seven years and two months without a vacation, writing a short book every month.

Damn.

You deserve so many props, Wildbow.

...at some point here I started talking to Wildbow, just like I do to Taylor and other Worm characters. Well, at least this time there’s actually a chance he’s going to read this sometime, if he hasn’t dropped my blog.

I just hope he doesn’t think it’s weird that I’m liveblogging his life story.

It makes for a very strange sort of burnout, when I love it so much, I can still regularly put out some great work to acclaim and praise, but am nonetheless worn down around the edges.

That does not sound healthy.

No regrets. This is me. This is what I'm built for.

As long as you feel it’s right for you, this is good. :)

I could do with less negativity from some fans and getting regular good nights of sleep (the deafness comes with insomnia by way of terminal tinnitus), but both of those just come with the territory.

Ouch.

I feel you on the sleep front (ADD has its ways of messing with your ability to fall asleep too), but tinnitus sounds like a particularly annoying way to be inflicted with it.

I've been telling family for the last year that I'll move to a city with more going on than (as my elderly neighbor phrased it) drinking and meth, where there's classes to take, a possible dating pool, and/or activities that could break me out of my hermit shell... but my current apartment is amazing and cheap, with the nicest landlords ever. It's just in a do-nothing town. I haven't found anything remotely competitive, even taking 'cheap' off the table.

I’ve lived in small-ish towns all my life. It’s pretty nice, especially as an introvert.

So that's where I'm at.

Thank you, Wildbow. This was an interesting read. I feel like I know you a bit better now. :)

(Again, if you’re reading this, I hope it wasn’t too weird to see me liveblogging this.)

#Worm #krixwell liveblogs #Arc 14 #chapter 14.11 #14.11 bet #asks #wildbow's life #mlp:fim #i tried to keep references and jokes out of this

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montyrakusen · 4 years

Photo

Voices in the Wind, the Northern Isles of Shetland Part 2

Text edit: John Coombes Encouragement: Liz Rakusen

#shetland #yell #unst #fetlar #voices

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evak-fic-rec-turtleanon · 5 years

Text

Evak Fics - Music

Music au:

** Band/Singer/Musician ** Instruments ** Karaoke ** Others

***** Band/Singer/Musician *****

Suavis et decorum sicut Jerusalem by champagneleftie (2.6k words) - Pulchra es, amica mea. He can never sing it without thinking of Even. Which is ridiculous, because he doesn’t actually know Even. Has barely spoken more than a handful of words to him. Can hardly even look at him. And still he just won’t leave Isak be. Choir au

Not A Fan by glbertblythes (2.7k words) - Eva drags Isak to a local gig at a bar but Isak isn't all that interested in going nor is he interested in the band - but the lead guitarist pulls some strings for Isak the whole night.

Love Of My Life by catathena (2.8k words) - Set in the late 1970s, "50 Kroner" are trying to make it big in the rock scene. Will the boys make it on their own? Or will a mysterious stranger named Even be their missing piece? Rock band

DKLA (Don't Keep Love Around) by dobrien (10k words) - Isak is an up and coming artist dating his highschool sweetheart, Chris. Even is a little jealous. Inspired by Troye Sivan songs.

written in the stars by ourlovelybones (17k words) - Isak is very tired, but it’s still not the right word to explain the heavy feeling in his bones and the empty weight in his heart. He should be over the moon right now. He should be dancing with Even to the venue’s after-show playlist and drinking beer to celebrate his best friend agreeing to finish out the rest of his U.S tour with him. It’s more than exhaustion he feels but Isak can’t quite describe exactly what it is - and certainly not to the person who took a whole two weeks off of work to come on this tour. The one where even follows isak around on tour but isak doesn't want to deal with his feelings. Musician Isak

you're gonna sing the words wrong by strangetowns (31k words) - He looks like someone stuck together a bunch of parts they thought looked good on their own and expected the result to look like a person, with no sense of what an actual person looks like. A marching band AU.

Come On, Set the Tone by boxesofflowers, Eeyoreneedsahug (57k words) - Isak is a recently out popstar who wants to prove that he is not just another pretty face in pop music. Even is a self contained, indie singer songwriter who takes shit from nobody. Shortly after a public feud between the two begins, they’re forced together for a nationwide tour.

Twice by intothewind (101k words) - “I told them we were dating, so they’d let me in their band.” Jonas states, shrugging his shoulders. Isak and Jonas fake date which then makes things complicated between them. And then there's Even, the lead singer, which complicates things even more. Threesome. Angsty.

(WIP) Wireless by ChrisJordyn (15k words) 5/6 chapters posted - Even leans into Isak’s side. He feels so nice. And warm. His hair against his neck. The sound of his breath. It’s heaven. He hasn’t felt this safe in ages. That’s when The Thought pops back into in his mind. "What if I’m gay?" The church band 5+1 au

(WIP) we are made up of love and hate by everythingislove (straykid), puddingandpie (42k words) - Last update July 2018. The one where Isak joins his best friends on their first North American tour and definitely does not fall for Even Bech Næsheim, their infuriating(ly handsome) opening act.

(WIP) Bassline by riyku (59k words) 12/16 chapters posted - Isak is a Norwegian ex-pat, fresh out of NYU with a journalism internship, who bags an assignment covering a band from his former hometown of Oslo on their first North American tour. It takes him about three seconds to realize he kinda has a thing for the bass player. riyku is brilliant!

***** Instruments *****

you can tell everybody (this is your song) by withoutwords (713 words) - Isak’s fumbling at the frets of Even’s guitar, the blunt lines of his fingernails scratching at the wood.

how i'm feeling by boxesofflowers, Eeyoreneedsahug, safficwriter (1.3k words) - A hungover boy squad watches Isak and Even flirt through a guitar lesson.

O Helga Natt by ichliebeskam (1.5k words) - Even gives Isak a guitar lesson but Isak is grumpy because he doesn’t get it. This and a little more

Heart and Soul by wordsarelifealways (1.5k words) - Jonas asks why Isak never plays piano any more. Naturally, it leads to him playing again.

If Not For You by minutebyminute2121 (1.7k words) - Isak walks the same way to work everyday as part of his habitual routine. That is until one day his usual route is obstructed by a closed road and he has to walk a different way and gets distracted by a certain boy playing guitar.

Just B♮ by Jules1398 (2.3k words) - Isak knows nothing about guitars and somehow he finds himself working in a store that sells them. Well, at least there's the hot guy that always comes in and plays while he's on shift.

Someday You Will Find Me Caught Beneath a Landslide by AlasBohn (4.4k words) - Isak's neighbor plays his guitar every night. Isak falls asleep to it every night until he doesn't.

And that's my song, unheard by Anonymous (8.4k words) - Isak is a second year at Nissen, and he's also a violinist at the local music school. The day a new pianist arrives is the day his world is rocked off its axis.

Just two boys and a piano by depressed_mermaid_53 (8.5k words) - Even just started a new art school and there's a beautiful boy that no one talks to. Even is completely enthralled by him the second he sees him. or Isak plays piano and Even suddenly has a love for listening to piano music

Evoke by TheGirlNoOneKnows5 (16k words) - Isak and Even are roommates attending the Norwegian Academy of Music. Isak is an enigma until their sleepless nights are no longer spent alone. Pianist Isak. Guitarist Even.

Play That Song by kapplebougher (41k words) - Every day, Even catches a boy in a snapback who sneaks in to play the piano at the summer camp Even works at. Even's never seen him before. But if the boy's good looks hadn't already captivated him, then his phenomenal piano-playing ability certainly has. Even doesn't know much about love at first sight, but he thinks that this is pretty close.

The boy next door by Zabn (110k words) - Isak looks at Jonas, hoping the blush has already disappeared from his cheeks, he nervously scratches his neck. Fuck, did Jonas notice that he was staring at his new neighbor? Even plays the guitar and sings.

(WIP) tell me what you see by whalefairyfandom12 (8.3k words) - Last update Feb 2019. Isak is a pianist. It's who he is, and sometimes it feels like that's all that's left. At first, Even is nothing more than the asshole who stole his practice room--a film major with a surprising passion for music. There's something undeniable about his charm, though, and the more time they spend together the harder it is to ignore.

***** Karaoke *****

Bright Eyes by boxesofflowers, Eeyoreneedsahug (857 words) - Isak is a great singer. Several people are surprised. Happy karaoke where nothing hurts and Isak sings to his boyfriend.

i'll be coming for your love by ihatefindingusernames (1k words) - Isak and Even meet in a karaoke bar

Ready to Jingle Your Bells by MacksDramaticShenanigans (3.5k words) - Even did sing him a song, and what kind of a boyfriend would he be if he didn’t serenade Even right back?

***** Others *****

(for when they are not musicians or music is not the focus...)

it boy by spoopydumpling (445 words) - Even serenades Isak with a special song

not the kind of fool who's gonna sit and sing to you by hippopotamus (1k words) - Isak doesn't sing, and Even doesn't get surprised by Isak anymore. Actually, neither of those statements is true.

I don't want to miss a thing. by glbertblythes (1.2k words) - Songfic based on i don't want to miss a thing by aerosmith. Very sappy.

Stjerner Lyser Skinnende by MacksDramaticShenanigans (2.4k words) - Their daughter plays the violin for an orchestra.

Who Wore What by wyoheartsmusic (2.9k words) - Even is a fashion blogger that has some things to say about a certain singer's outfit choices

Defying Gravity (Britain's Got Talent) by nessauepa (4.3k words) - Their daughter goes on Britain's Got Talent. It's super sweet.

No Rain, No Roses by Fxckxxp (23k words) - Isak and Even restore a house together and make it a home. Even plays the guitar every now and then (probably not enough as a focus to justify putting it on this list but this fic is so good).

tell him that his lonesome nights are over by fauu_stine (25k words) - After their mother's death, Isak and Lea have to leave Oslo to join their father, who's living with his new girlfriend, Aurora, and her own son, a young man named Even. Singer Even.

i would like to get to know you baby by ourlovelybones (39k words) - Isak wakes up to ten strange texts from Eskild and three missed calls from his manager. He's almost worried someone has died until the screenshot comes in. Even Bech Næsheim had tweeted about him. AU in which Even is an internationally famous singer and Isak is an up and coming model he finds on twitter, a.k.a based off of the iconic Zara Larsson

#evak fic rec #skam fic rec #music #music au

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thisdaynews · 4 years

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Man Utd: Problems facing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in winter break

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/man-utd-problems-facing-ole-gunnar-solskjaer-in-winter-break/

Man Utd: Problems facing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in winter break

Manchester United supporters had planned a 68th-minute walkout in protest at the owners but it failed to materialise

Before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer headed out into the Old Trafford corridors after his post-match news conference, the Manchester United manager said to the assembled journalists: “Enjoy your break.”

After the 0-0 draw against Wolves, United do not play again until 17 February, when they visit Chelsea, the team currently in the fourth spot which, in terms of the Premier League, is now Solskjaer’s target.

But there are more issues than merely trying to haul back the six-point lead Frank Lampard’s side have that need to be addressed by United.

And it is not certain, even with the additions of Bruno Fernandes and Odion Ighalo, that they have all the answers.

An injury-hit, misfiring team

A few months ago, it was suggested the January transfer window would hold the key to United’s season.

As it turned out, Solskjaer got two new players. At £47m, Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes is part of a long-term strategy. Former Watford forward Odion Ighalo, on his way to England from China, where his stint with Shanghai Shenhua has been interrupted, most definitely is not.

United have been extenuating the positives as far as Ighalo is concerned. After the Wolves game, Solskjaer spoke about the Nigerian’s “physical presence”. In fairness, the 30-year-old’s goalscoring record with Watford stands comparison with anyone at United, including the currently injured Marcus Rashford.

But on the day Erling Braut Haaland scored two more for Borussia Dortmund, it was hard not to draw comparisons between the player Solskjaer hoped to sign last month and the one he eventually did.

Jesse Lingard has failed to score in the Premier League this season, while Anthony Martial has not netted in seven out of nine games in 2020

On his own, it is hard to see Ighalo changing the narrative of a season. The same is true of Fernandes, who had three of United’s five shots on target against Wolves, and made a definite improvement without being a game changer.

“I told him to ‘be yourself, don’t change your character, try to get on the ball, make things happen’,” said Solskjaer. “In the first half, we never had enough movement in front of him; everyone wanted ball into feet.”

That has been a recurring theme with Anthony Martial this season. He has been given the number nine role but does not threaten the goal often enough. Aside from his FA Cup goal against League One Tranmere and header against bottom of-the-table Norwich, Martial has not scored in seven games in 2020.

With Rashford injured and Romelu Lukaku sold, Martial is now United’s major attacking weapon. That return is simply not good enough and must change quickly if United are to threaten the top four.

Behind the scenes

Media playback is not supported on this device

‘I think someone’s moved the goal posts’ – Solskjaer on Man Utd finishing

The major plus for United during the Wolves game was that the planned 68th-minute walkout failed to materialise in any meaningful way.

A handful of fans left at the appointed time. But the overwhelming majority stayed.

There was no singing against the Glazer family or executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, who was not at the game. Solskjaer said Woodward had not stayed away to avoid becoming an unwanted distraction. “Other commitments,” he said.

Yet the truce is an uneasy one.

On 12 February, United will reveal their second quarter results to the New York Stock Exchange. Woodward will have to tell investors how good everything is. It is a financial announcement for financial people but is broadcast to anyone who registers for it and the subsequent publicity ensures an image of a club more concerned with what happens off the field rather than on it gains momentum, which has the capacity to fuel resentment in the stands.

“I must say there’s been lots written and talk about the fans before the game and they were unbelievable again,” said Solskjaer, who continues to receive backing from those who attend games, even if some who offer judgement on social media are less fulsome in their assessment of the Norwegian.

“They supported the team until the end and showed again there one of the best fans in the world.”

What happens now?

Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay are no closer to a United return

After a few days off, United’s players will head for a short training camp before the Chelsea game, which precedes a return to European competition and also the FA Cup and, potentially, an encounter with a Derby side that now includes record United scorer Wayne Rooney.

In theory, this is still a season of promise. A place in next season’s Champions League can still be won. A trophy can still find its way into the United cabinet.

However, the balance is delicate. United are now behind Sheffield United in the Premier League and 14 points adrift of Leicester, let alone Liverpool, who have more than doubled the 35-point tally Solskjaer’s side have amassed from 25 games.

United are still the only team to have taken points off Liverpool this season. They have also beaten Manchester City twice at Etihad Stadium. Yet, for each positive result, there is a negative. If results take a downward swing, by the end of February they could be in the bottom half of the table.

Solskjaer confirmed neither Paul Pogba nor Scott McTominay will have recovered from injury in time to go on the training camp. He said he has “no idea” when they will be fit.

Without them, it is hard to see United’s fortunes improving to any great degree.

Little wonder Solskjaer did not want to address the immediate issue of catching Chelsea just yet.

“It’s not about taking advantage [of Chelsea’s results],” he said. “It’s when 38 games have gone that you need to be there.

“There are going to be teams that lose points and we need to capitalise in games like this sometimes.

“But Wolverhampton want to be there as well and we’ve played them three times in three weeks and not conceded a goal. We are also a hard team to break down.”

#Solskjaer #winter

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gadgetsrevv · 5 years

Text

Man Utd news LIVE: Ed Woodward eyes £180m double transfer, scouts watch the ‘new Pirlo’ | Football | Sport

Man Utd news LIVE updates: All the latest news, gossip and updates from Old Trafford

Monday, September 16

James Maddison and Jadon Sancho are top of Manchester United’s wishlist

The young English pair are expected to cost upwards of £180million

David de Gea has signed a new four-year contract with Manchester United

Manchester United are monitoring Brescia midfielder Sandro Tonali

Europa League ambitions

Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot is desperate to get his hands on the Europa League trophy this season.

The Red Devils start their campaign at Old Trafford against Astana on Thursday – and Dalot wants a winning start.

“It’s a big competition, but not as big for this club,” Dalot told the United App. “This club needs to be in the Champions League every day, every year, winning the Champions League and in Portugal it’s a little but different.

“Of course it’s a big competition that if any team wins it’ll be a great achievement, but for this club when we are in it we just need to win it.”

Man Utd news LIVE updates: All the latest news, gossip and updates from Old Trafford (Image: GETTY)

Maddison meltdown

Manchester United fans are pleading with James Maddison to move to the Red Devils after he posted on Instagram with Old Trafford set as the location.

The 22-year-old’s post had no caption attached to it and the picture showed the midfielder playing at the Theatre of Dreams on Saturday for Leicester.

All pretty harmless but his post has sent United fans wild, with most pleading for the former Norwich man to follow his ex-team-mate Harry Maguire to Manchester.

One said: “Please force the move fella.” Another wrote: “You’re welcome here whenever.” Someone else went with: “You’ll be posting plenty of photos at Old Trafford next season pal.”

DDG savings?!

Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has put pen to paper on a new four-year contract in a deal which may have saved the Red Devils a huge chunk of cash.

The Spaniard will be earning around £375,000-a-week, making him the club’s highest earner following the loan departure of Alexis Sanchez.

The goalkeeper will now stay at Old Trafford until at least June 2023 on his current contract, which will be worth £97.5m if the option of a fifth year is taken up, including add-ons, according to the Mirror.

United boss Solskjaer may have saved the club £100m in securing De Gea’s future, as he’d need to break the bank to sign a replacement.

United have agreed to spend £97.5m on De Gea’s contract, assuming he stays for the four years of his current deal, and the added one-year extension.

Man Utd news LIVE updates: All the latest news, gossip and updates from Old Trafford (Image: GETTY)

He’s a disgrace

Gary Neville has labelled Paul Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola a “disgrace” and believes the Frenchman is still ager to leave Manchester United.

“Pogba wants to leave. He has made it clear,” Neville told Norwegian TV. “His agent is a disgrace and has been a disgrace all over Europe – not just for Manchester United.

“They must stop working with him. He doesn’t have the values you want in your club. My opinion is that Manchester United need not negotiate with him.

“He will try to fix a transfer for his player, and will try to take part of the transfer sum himself. That’s how he operates.”

Man Utd news LIVE updates: All the latest news, gossip and updates from Old Trafford (Image: GETTY)

Neymar wanted Barca

PSG star Neymar has admitted he wanted to join Barcelona during the transfer window for ‘personal reasons’.

“Everyone knows I wanted to leave,” he said. “I made it very clear. I won’t go into details though, because it affects others.

“But I’m still a PSG player and my intention is to be happy on the pitch. My mind is on PSG.

“I always made it clear that I don’t have anything against PSG or the fans. They were personal reasons. I had my reasons and I tried my best to make it happen, but unfortunately they didn’t let me.”

Man Utd news LIVE updates: All the latest news, gossip and updates from Old Trafford (Image: GETTY)

Christian Eriksen snubs Spurs

Tottenham playmaker Christian Eriksen is prepared to snub any contract offers from the club.

Eriksen, 27, was tipped to leave north London this summer with the likes of Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona all linked at some stage.

The Dane admitted he would like a fresh challenge elsewhere – but the deadline came and went with Eriksen failing to secure a transfer.

Now, Spanish newspaper Marca claim he’ll refuse any late approach from Tottenham to enable him to leave for free in the summer of 2020.

Man Utd news LIVE updates: All the latest news, gossip and updates from Old Trafford (Image: GETTY)

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic contract

Lazio are set to tie Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to a new contract.

The Serbia international has been on the radar of multiple European heavyweights including Manchester United and Real Madrid.

But it looks like the 24-year-old will be staying in Italy.

Calciomercato claim Milinkovic-Savic will sign a new five-year deal worth £51k per week.

Man Utd news LIVE updates: All the latest news, gossip and updates from Old Trafford (Image: GETTY)

Wanted: Logan Pye

Arsenal look set to beat Manchester United to the signing of Sunderland teenager Logan Pye.

That’s according to The Sun, who claim Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side had been tracking the 15-year-old for some time.

It’s said the Gunners will ‘pounce’ during the next transfer window when Pye turns 16 and is eligible to sign a professional contract.

Pye, who can play centre-half or full-back, has mad five appearances for Sunderland’s Under-18 squad – netting once.

Man Utd news LIVE updates: All the latest news, gossip and updates from Old Trafford (Image: GETTY)

Matic to Juve?

Juventus are keen on bringing Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic to Serie A.

Matic failed to make an appearance under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this season until Saturday’s win over Leicester.

But with Paul Pogba to return from injury, the Serbian will likely see his services reduced to bench duty once again.

And according to The Sun, Matic may not have to try his hand at cracking the first XI, as Juventus are in for his signature.

The report states that Matic’s lack of playing time for United has put Juve, who wanted to bring Pogba back to Turn, on alert for the Serb.

Man Utd news LIVE updates: All the latest news, gossip and updates from Old Trafford (Image: GETTY)

James Maddison & Jadon Sancho

James Maddison and Jadon Sancho are top of Manchester United’s wishlist.

That’s according to ESPN FC, who claim Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants to bring the pair to Old Trafford next summer.

Maddison, 22, is thought to be valued at £80million by Leicester, while Borussia Dortmund’s Sancho could cost upwards of £100m.

Solskjaer’s side spent £150m on Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James last summer – and the Red Devils want to continue with the same transfer strategy.

Man Utd news LIVE updates: All the latest news, gossip and updates from Old Trafford (Image: GETTY)

David de Gea pens contract

David de Gea has signed a new four-year contract with Manchester United that will keep him at the club until June 2023.

The deal also includes the option to extend the contract for a further season.

De Gea told United’s official website: “It has been a privilege to spend eight years at this great club and the opportunity to continue my career at Manchester United is a genuine honour.

“Since I arrived here, I could never have imagined I would play over 350 games for this club. Now my future is fixed, all I want is to help this team achieve what I believe we can and win trophies again, together.”

Sandro Tonali – the new Pirlo

Manchester United are monitoring Brescia midfielder Sandro Tonali.

Italian publication Calciomercato claim United representatives were in attendance to watch him in action during Brescia’s 4-3 defeat to Bologna on Sunday.

Tonali, who has been compared to Andrea Pirlo by the Italian media, is also being assessed by European heavyweights Ajax and Borussia Dortmund.

“I hope Tonali remains in my hand as long as possible. If he wants to stay in Brescia, I am willing to keep him forever,” said Brescia president Massimo Cellino.

“No one has called me yet for him, but it is logical that everyone likes him”.

Man Utd news LIVE updates: All the latest news, gossip and updates from Old Trafford (Image: GETTY)

Dzeko wants Mkhi

Edin Dzeko wants Roma to sign Henrikh Mkhitaryan on a permanent basis.

The Armenia international arrived at Roma from Arsenal on a season-long loan and it didn’t take him long to settle in when scoring 22-minutes into his debut.

“I [expected the good performance] from him. I know him as a great player, and he is a very good addition to our attacking team who wants to play football,” Dzeko told reporters after the game.

“I am one 100% sure he is going to be a big help for us. I was definitely happy to see this transfer happen.”

Man Utd news LIVE updates: All the latest news, gossip and updates from Old Trafford (Image: GETTY)

Timo Werner pursuit

Bayern Munich will try to sign RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner next summer.

That’s the opinion of ex-Germany midfielder Michael Ballack.

Werner, 23, has been linked with Atletico Madrid, Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund.

“He has expressed his gratitude to Leipzig with his contract extension. But I think next year a switch to Bayern could be on again,” Ballack told TZ.

Wanted: Logan Pye

Arsenal look set to beat Manchester United to the signing of Sunderland teenager Logan Pye.

That’s according to The Sun, who claim Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side had been tracking the 15-year-old for some time.

It’s said the Gunners will ‘pounce’ during the next transfer window when Pye turns 16 and is eligible to sign a professional contract.

Pye, who can play centre-half or full-back, has mad five appearances for Sunderland’s Under-18 squad – netting once.

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orbemnews · 3 years

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Cruise Line Threatens to Skip Florida Ports Over Proof-of-Vaccination Ban Norwegian Cruise Line is threatening to keep its ships out of Florida ports after the state enacted legislation that prohibits businesses from requiring proof of vaccination against Covid-19 in exchange for services. The company, which plans to have its first cruises available to the Caribbean and Europe this summer and fall, will offer trips with limited capacity and require all guests and crew members to be vaccinated on bookings through at least the end of October. During a quarterly earnings call on Thursday, Frank Del Rio, chief executive of Norwegian Cruise Line, said the issue had been discussed with Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis, a Republican. Mr. Del Rio said if the cruise line had to skip Florida ports, it could operate out of other states or the Caribbean. “We certainly hope it doesn’t come to that,” Mr. Del Rio said. “Everyone wants to operate out of Florida. It’s a very lucrative market.” The clash between Norwegian Cruise Line and Florida is one of the many that are likely to surface about how states and businesses address whether proof of vaccination will be required. While some states have yet to take a position on businesses requiring vaccines, others are already operating with such protocols in place. At many events in New York, such as Major League Baseball and National Basketball Association games, state health and safety guidelines require that fans provide proof of vaccination or of a negative coronavirus test within 72 hours of attendance. “We hope that this hasn’t become a legal football or a political football,” Mr. Del Rio said on the call. Norwegian Cruise Line is headquartered in Florida along with Royal Caribbean Cruises and Carnival Corporation. In 2019, about 60 percent of all U.S. cruise embarkations were from Florida ports, according to an economic analysis prepared last year for the Cruise Lines International Association. In a business update on Thursday, Norwegian Cruise Line said it was experiencing “robust future demand” with bookings for the first half of 2022 that were “meaningfully ahead” of 2019 bookings. Through the end of the first quarter of 2021, the company said it had $1.3 billion of advance ticket sales. In addition to prohibiting businesses to require proof of vaccination, the Florida law also prevents state and local governments from closing businesses or schools for in-person learning unless there is a hurricane emergency. Updated May 8, 2021, 2:21 p.m. ET “I have refused to take the same approach as other lockdown governors,” Mr. DeSantis said in a statement on Monday when he signed the bill. “In Florida, your personal choice regarding vaccinations will be protected and no business or government entity will be able to deny you services based on your decision.” His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday, and Norwegian Cruise Line could not be reached for comment. “We hope that everyone is pushing in the same direction, which is we want to resume cruising in a safe manner, especially at the beginning,” Mr. Del Rio said on the earnings call. “Things might be different six months from now or a year from now.” The latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention allows for cruise ships to conduct “simulated voyages” with volunteer passengers to see how cruise lines can safely resume operations with measures such as testing and potential quarantines. The C.D.C. requires cruise lines to complete the test runs before they can be cleared to sail with passengers this summer. “It is not possible for cruising to be a zero-risk activity for spread of Covid-19,” the C.D.C. said this week. “While cruising will always pose some risk of Covid-19 transmission, C.D.C. is committed to ensuring that cruise ship passenger operations are conducted in a way that protects crew members, passengers and port personnel.” The latest guidance recommends, but does not require, that travelers and crew members on cruise lines receive a vaccine when it is available to them. On the earnings call this week, Mr. Del Rio said Norwegian Cruise Line had submitted a proposal to the C.D.C. that includes requiring proof of vaccines from all of its crew members and passengers. It is unclear how much business Norwegian Cruise Line could stand to lose by avoiding Florida ports. Of the dozens of ports listed on its website, Norwegian Cruise Line has Florida ports listed in Tampa, Miami and Key West. Mr. Del Rio said “pent-up demand” had helped fill bookings quickly. “I believe it’s the No. 1 destination for Americans to the Caribbean,” Mr. Del Rio said. “Who knows? That vessel might prove to be so profitable there that it never returns back to U.S. waters.” Source link Orbem News #ban #cruise #Florida #Line #Ports #ProofofVaccination #Skip #threatens

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ultrasfcb-blog · 6 years

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Jack McLinden: Everton

Robotic fulfils Jack McLinden’s Everton mascot expertise

“I can see it taking off. There are kids like Jack all around the world who would love the chance to do it.”

Everton fan Jack McLinden’s mom hopes her son’s stint as membership mascot – via the medium of a robotic – will create the identical alternatives for different children with severe sickness.

On Monday – simply weeks after his household feared they could lose him – 14-year-old Jack became football’s first “remote” matchday mascot as his beloved Toffees beat Newcastle.

“I would have mentioned there was no method he may ever have been a mascot however this was superb,” mentioned mum Michelle Wignall. “Somebody mentioned final night time he had made historical past and that was good.

“He may very well be the reply to a quiz query in years to come back.”

‘His smile was so price it’

“He was loving it,” mentioned Jack’s mum of his mascot expertise

Recollections of the decision each mum or dad dreads are recent within the minds of Jack’s mum and pa – an pressing summons to hospital with their baby in a important situation.

Although used to their son’s ailing well being, they have been “terrified” after receiving the information – simply weeks in the past – that he had grow to be unresponsive at college and needed to be resuscitated.

Jack can not stroll or speak and wishes oxygen across the clock, however he’s so resilient he was house inside a fortnight.

That enabled him to ‘lead out’ his beloved Everton at Goodison Park, with captain Phil Jagielka carrying the robotic which fed panoramic stay pictures and sound again to Jack’s pill just a few miles away at his house in Liverpool.

“For Everton to win, and for the captain who was with him to be man of the match, it was simply good,” mentioned Michelle. “It was actually like he was there. He was simply loving it, actually loving it.”

The robotic – known as ‘AV1’ – was made by Norwegian agency No Isolation and was designed to assist children with long-term sickness battle loneliness and ‘attend’ faculty from house.

“I had his vent and oxygen prepared to attach him afterwards,” Michelle mentioned. “His smile was so price it. I feel years in the past some individuals thought kids like Jack could not stay life to the fullest.

“It is simply discovering a technique to get across the challenges and make issues doable for kids like Jack.”

‘There’s just one Jack McLinden’

Jack fell asleep with the robotic which gave him the prospect to be Everton’s mascot

Michelle mentioned Jack couldn’t cease smiling all through the night.

“It began at 5pm when he noticed the package man laying out the kits, after which he was launched to all the opposite mascots,” she mentioned.

“They took him round and confirmed him every part – the altering rooms and the tunnel.

“As all of the gamers have been getting off the coach he was there too; he received the full-on expertise similar to each mascot.

“Phil Jagielka was chatting with him, saying “come on, let’s go” as they walked onto the pitch, and he was exhibiting him the group, and when he was shaking individuals’s fingers he was introducing Jack as nicely.

“‘Jags’ was actually involving him and it will need to have been troublesome for him simply carrying this piece of plastic however he totally embraced it and was implausible.

“The opposite gamers have been nice, even the Newcastle gamers, they usually have been all joking with him.”

Jack was given a rousing reception at half-time, when the robotic was carried onto the pitch once more as his favorite track – On Prime of the World, by American rock band Think about Dragons – was performed.

“The followers have been applauding and singing ‘There’s just one Jack McLinden’,” mentioned Michelle.

Press duties with the supervisor

Phil Jagielka performed a key function in making certain Jack received a singular expertise as mascot

After the sport, which Everton received 1-Zero due to Theo Walcott’s aim, Jack received a chook’s-eye view of supervisor Sam Allardyce’s information convention.

“Sam carried the robotic in for his press convention and it was simply pretty of him,” mentioned Michelle.

“He launched him and on the finish he thanked Jack for the 1-Zero win as if it was all the way down to Jack.

“He put him all the way down to face the media however we moved him spherical to look. I feel we put him off somewhat bit however it was good as a result of he knew we have been nonetheless there and watching and being a part of it.”

Asleep for Reds and all for the Blues

Jack has beforehand met Wayne Rooney, one in all his favorite gamers

Michelle mentioned the night had given her and Jack – alongside along with his dad Lee, sister Becky, 27, and brother Sam, 17 – a elevate after a troublesome few months throughout which a collapsed lung had left him in intensive care.

Jack’s dad and mom grew to become conscious he had well being points at simply three months previous, and visits to Liverpool’s Alder Hey hospital have grow to be frequent for the Evertonian, who has a uncommon type of epilepsy.

Michelle added: “It is arduous for individuals who do not know Jack to know he is interacting with them, however when he is been in hospital and the Liverpool gamers have are available he is slept proper via it. Or pretended to be asleep. However with Everton he is unsleeping and interacts with them.

“He is received no speech however he could make noises or provide you with an enormous grin or a smile.”

Everton described giving the fan his matchday expertise as a “privilege”.

The membership’s head of engagement Scott McLeod mentioned: “The suggestions now we have had from the household has been good, with some actually heart-warming feedback coming via from soccer followers from all around the world.

“I do know the gamers actually loved interacting with Jack via the robotic and everyone right here on the membership can be eager to do it once more.

“In reality, after the robotic labored so successfully for Jack, we’re taking a look at different methods during which we are able to create different digital experiences within the close to future for the followers who might in any other case not have the chance as a consequence of their circumstances.”

It will seem Jack will certainly cleared the path.

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365footballorg-blog · 6 years

Text

'His smile was worth it' - 'remote' mascot's moment of history

Media playback is not supported on this device

“I can see it taking off. There are children like Jack all over the world who would love the opportunity to do it.”

Everton fan Jack McLinden’s mother hopes her son’s stint as club mascot – through the medium of a robot – will create the same opportunities for other youngsters with serious illness.

On Monday – just weeks after his family feared they might lose him – 14-year-old Jack became football’s first “remote” matchday mascot[1] as his beloved Toffees beat Newcastle.

“I’d have said there was no way he could ever have been a mascot but this was amazing,” said mum Michelle Wignall. “Someone said last night he had made history and that was nice.

“He could be the answer to a quiz question in years to come.”

‘His smile was so worth it’

<!–

Memories of the call every parent dreads are fresh in the minds of Jack’s mum and dad – an urgent summons to hospital with their child in a critical condition.

Though used to their son’s ill health, they were “terrified” after receiving the news – just weeks ago – that he had become unresponsive at school and had to be resuscitated.

Jack cannot walk or talk and needs oxygen around the clock, but he is so resilient he was home within a fortnight.

That enabled him to ‘lead out’ his beloved Everton at Goodison Park, with captain Phil Jagielka carrying the robot which fed panoramic live images and sound back to Jack’s tablet a few miles away at his home in Liverpool.

“For Everton to win, and for the captain who was with him to be man of the match, it was just brilliant,” said Michelle. “It was really like he was there. He was just loving it, really loving it.”

The robot – called ‘AV1’ – was made by Norwegian firm No Isolation and was designed to help youngsters with long-term illness battle loneliness and ‘attend’ school from home.

“I had his vent and oxygen ready to connect him afterwards,” Michelle said. “His smile was so worth it. I think years ago some people thought children like Jack couldn’t live life to the fullest.

“It’s just finding a way to get around the challenges and make things possible for children like Jack.”

‘There’s only one Jack McLinden’

<!–

Michelle said Jack could not stop smiling throughout the evening.

“It started at 5pm when he saw the kit man laying out the kits, and then he was introduced to all the other mascots,” she said.

“They took him around and showed him everything – the changing rooms and the tunnel.

“As all the players were getting off the coach he was there too; he got the full-on experience just like every mascot.

“Phil Jagielka was speaking to him, saying “come on, let’s go” as they walked onto the pitch, and he was showing him the crowd, and when he was shaking people’s hands he was introducing Jack as well.

“‘Jags’ was really involving him and it must have been difficult for him just carrying this piece of plastic but he fully embraced it and was fantastic.

“The other players were great, even the Newcastle players, and they were all joking with him.”

Jack was given a rousing reception at half-time, when the robot was carried onto the pitch again as his favourite song – On Top of the World, by American rock band Imagine Dragons – was played.

“The fans were applauding and singing ‘There’s only one Jack McLinden’,” said Michelle.

Press duties with the manager

<!–

After the game, which Everton won 1-0 thanks to Theo Walcott’s goal, Jack got a bird’s-eye view of manager Sam Allardyce’s news conference.

“Sam carried the robot in for his press conference and it was just lovely of him,” said Michelle.

“He introduced him and at the end he thanked Jack for the 1-0 win as if it was down to Jack.

“He put him down to face the media but we moved him round to look. I think we put him off a little bit but it was nice because he knew we were still there and watching and being part of it.”

Asleep for Reds and all for the Blues

<!–

Michelle said the evening had given her and Jack – along with his dad Lee, sister Becky, 27, and brother Sam, 17 – a lift after a difficult few months during which a collapsed lung had left him in intensive care.

Jack’s parents became aware he had health issues at just three months old, and visits to Liverpool’s Alder Hey hospital have become frequent for the Evertonian, who has a rare form of epilepsy.

Michelle added: “It’s hard for people who don’t know Jack to know he’s interacting with them, but when he’s been in hospital and the Liverpool players have come in he’s slept right through it. Or pretended to be asleep. But with Everton he’s wide awake and interacts with them.

“He’s got no speech but he can make noises or give you a big grin or a smile.”

Everton described giving the fan his matchday experience as a “privilege”.

The club’s head of engagement Scott McLeod said: “The feedback we have had from the family has been brilliant, with some really heart-warming comments coming through from football fans from all over the world.

“I know the players really enjoyed interacting with Jack through the robot and everybody here at the club would be keen to do it again.

“In fact, after the robot worked so effectively for Jack, we are looking at other ways in which we can create other virtual experiences in the near future for the fans who may otherwise not have the opportunity due to their circumstances.”

It would appear Jack will indeed lead the way.

References

^ became football’s first “remote” matchday mascot (www.bbc.co.uk)

BBC Sport – Football

'His smile was worth it' – 'remote' mascot's moment of history was originally published on 365 Football

#&039his #&039remote&039 #history #it&039 #mascot&039s #moment #smile #worth

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