#rick: are there are any other possible actions that might be more appropriate in this situation?

[in-tua-deep]

Ok I totally want to hear more about this survivors au/Delores is real! How do the siblings handle having this different version of Five? Five may be better adjusted but he still has to heard his family around like a bunch of stray cats. What happens when Hazel and Cha Cha show up? How do they find out that Vanya causes the apocalypse and how does Five handle that revelation?!

here is the thing, i think the survivors au has the potential to be HILARIOUS

no one knows how to handle a well-adjusted five, and this absolutely includes the commission

So you mentioned Hazel and Cha-Cha?? Five in this au was not nearly as absolutely feral as he is in the show bc he knows how to interact with people - he was raised by a competent adult and a weird best friend and they occasionally saw other survivors as well

please picture old Five hanging around the water cooler and chatting with Hazel

the other funny thing is that Five is competent passing - he is well adjusted emotionally but functionally?? Hazel is out there complaining about dental being cut and office parties and budgets and Five is there sipping his drink having never filed taxes in his life. Five doesn't know what the fuck a dental plan is, he was a child soldier and then lived in an apocalypse.

So please picture for me Hazel being like "okay I know corporate wants us to keep what we're being paid to ourselves but fuck that, workers unite, what do you get paid as a legend old timer?"

and five is like "you're getting paid? i get to not get tossed back into the apocalypse, I think"

"but what about expense forms? what about medical care?"

"I'm like 80% sure i'm being experimented on, actually." Five says nonchalantly, "Don't get me wrong, my idea of medical care is fucked by being a child soldier but I'm pretty sure regular people don't have electrodes attached to their heads every time they get a checkup. Could be wrong though! My ex-dad used to monitor my brainwaves while I slept so like, my idea of appropriate shit is fucked, you know?"

This is a Five who was raised by Rick, he is polite to his coworkers. If Dot asked him if he wanted to grab lunch, Five would have gone and grabbed lunch with her or politely said that he couldn't.

Cha Cha only ever talks to Five when she wants to talk shop, so they've had a couple of conversations about weapons but not much else tbh, Hazel just tends to be more personable

So when they're sent after Five, Hazel is much more hesitant to kill who he perceives as a "work friend" and also is definitely thinking about all the times Five casually revealed a way the commission was being highkey shady about him, such as the potential experimentation, no pay, working under duress etc. He's much more easily turned against the commission because he's even more primed to say "fuck the commission" than he is in canon

Hazel out here like "how did Five break his contract when Five wasn't even being paid? I kind of want to read it."

Hazel out here like "I would unionize if I didn't think the commission was anti-union enough to send literal assassins after me if I suggested it :/"

meanwhile with the siblings

Five just. talks over them a lot and makes so much sense that it's actually really hard to argue with him, and he's weirdly considerate of his family's obligations

Like Diego is like "i have to go see Patch" then Five is like "that's great I'm proud of you buddy, it would actually be really handy to have some law enforcement read into the situation if you think she's up to the task. that goes for everyone by the way! If y'all have people you trust, more bodies would be super helpful I think"

the entire family, collectively, who have like zero trusted social links: uhhhhhhhh

Diego, with this weird permission, probably?? Does? Awkwardly attempt to read Patch into the situation? Patch is, obviously, like "what the fuck, Diego" but probably goes with him to the mansion (????????) because she's concerned and then meets his fucking whacko family with their superpowers and suddenly everything is 100% more realistic

Five is just like "yes hello I'm aware I look like a child, i'm actually in my late 50s or early 60s (apocalypse time amiright) because of time travel stuff. Yes I am Five Hargreeves who went missing in like 2002 or whatever. anyway it's lovely to meet you, i'm so glad diego has someone he trusts, and considering my sibling's shifty looks when i told them to invite anyone they trusted this genuinely makes me concerned that Diego is the most socially well-adjusted of them."

"That cannot be possible." Patch says, like someone who has met Diego Hargreeves.

"You haven't met the rest." Five says sympathetically, "In our defense we were raised in isolation as child soldiers."

"That... explains so much." Is all Patch can say to that, "But you seem..."

"I'm adopted." Five waves away.

"We're ALL adopted." Diego grits out, very aggrieved by this and also not sure if he likes the fact that Patch seems friendly with Five, or at least is listening to him?

"I'm double adopted."

However! With the recruitment of Patch, herding Diego becomes like 90% easier.

Honestly the worst to herd are probably Luther and Allison? Luther because he's Number One and resents Five taking charge and also resents Five's casual dismissal of Reginald and also suspects that Five (or at least the commission) has something to do with Reginald's death?

Allison because she is torn between following Luther and helping him and helping Five but also calling Patrick and Claire at every possible moment while ALSO trying to repair her relationship with Vanya. She's flighty - she'd bail on a Five-apocalypse-assignment if Vanya mentioned being hungry or if Luther called or anything like that

Vanya likes to be included and, if asked, would probably drop as many current obligations as she can. Like she would probably cancel her teaching if Five genuinely and sincerely asked her for her help, which he does because he's 100% sure Dolores would manifest in front of him and smack him if he dared even imply someone without powers wouldn't be helpful

Vanya is like "I'm not sure if i'll be helpful - I don't have powers ):" and Patch is like "wtf are you talking about - my superpowers are Gun, Backup, and Reading Comprehension and i am like the most useful member of this team right now"

Vanya gets a confidence boost just from hanging out with Patch honestly, I think they should be friends

Klaus is thrilled to be included are you kidding?? He says he does it for money but he's just happy to be there and also as one of the most emotionally intelligent siblings he is mildly concerned about the fact that Five looks like he's about to cry and also emotes

Five also gives Klaus positive reinforcement, hugs, and Five absolutely weaponizes the I'm not mad, but I believe that you can do better and I'm going to give you more chances because I love you and fully believe that next time you'll be amazing way that Rick used on him.

I feel like Five ends up saying something along the lines of "I understand that x is really important, and we're definitely going to look into it. Is it something that needs to be addressed right now, or is it something that can wait until after April 1st? If it can wait, I can write it down here on this list so we don't forget. If it can't wait then we can figure out a time to address it and help you" a lot

Like Grace malfunctioning and potentially killing Reginald?

"We don't have to make this decision right now." Five says patiently, "Because Grace is a robot, we have some options. Living with a robot who is potentially malfunctioning and homicidal is dangerous, but Luther saying that means admitting that Reginald might have made a mistake or error with Grace's programming or upkeep. I haven't been here for a long time, but I remember Reginald being very precise. Regardless, this isn't a choice between permanently shutting her off or not. We can shut her down temporarily until we can fully address the issue. We can ask and see if there is a 'system reboot' option or some sort of system check that Grace can undergo. We can try find and hire an expert to take a look at her programming to find the issue."

Five gives this speech while like, organizing the weaponry in the house on a table very nonchalantly

Five out here making buzzer noises at his siblings arguments like "yeah no that's a false dichotomy and a strawman's argument, want to try again?"

(Look apocalypse nights were long and they had games that were literally about arguing pointless shit like ranking types of chairs or the best way to break out of a prison without powers and things could get heated)

"Who died and made you boss?" Luther demands.

"Uh, the world? Were you not listening?" Five asks, looking very purposefully confused.

It gets even MORE delightful when Five reads Rick into the situation because a) he promised and b) his siblings really have like, no connections jeeze

Rick fully believes that this is his son from the future, like Five introduced himself, but Five skipped out on a few key details. Such as being adopted.

So Rick spends a solid chunk of time just staring at Five, who looks basically nothing like him, trying to think like, who is his mother ???? if we save the world will Five stop existing? why would I name my child 'Five'? Does everyone have powers in the future? was there like... a radioactive apocalypse? would radiation give future humans superpowers? when did my life turn into a comic book? am i even allowed to ask these questions? will knowledge of the future fuck things up?

and then when Five comes back and is like "what is up everyone this is my dad Rick who will be joining us, he doesn't have any memories of me thanks to time travel but if anyone is mean to him i WILL kneecap them"

"Your DAD?"

Five does kidney punch Klaus for saying that Rick is a DILF but otherwise everyone just is like, warily looking at this Normal Dad Man in confusion because?? This is the dude who raised Five, who they watched take out like an entire commission team by himself yesterday? He looks so. Normal.

Rick is very confused and like, wonders if he's supposed to be the team mascot? But Five keeps involving him and asking his opinion and in return Rick enforces snack breaks and makes everyone sandwiches and has gentle talks with everyone

Every time Five notices someone about to blow he just lovingly makes sure that that person is alone in a room with Rick

Luther ends up crying on the sofa with Rick gently patting his back as Rick calmly states that Luther seems like he's put a lot of time and effort into his family and making his father proud and that since Reginald isn't here to say it, Rick will have to be the one to say that he's proud and that they've been dropped into a difficult and stressful situation - so soon after Reginald's death when they're still grieving! - and he's doing so well

Luther, experiencing unconditional positive paternal regard for the first time in his life: i don't know why i'm crying so much

honestly this is just a comedy of juggling the gang, having impromptu therapy sessions and discussions, investigating the apocalypse and the eye, leonard trying to meet vanya continuously and failing because she's constantly surrounding by family or rick/patch, the commission trying their best to bust up the dream team/isolate Vanya/kill or remove Five, while Hazel lives out his romcom dreams with Agnes and also says "fuck the commission"

#HUH? #survivors au #well adjusted five au #long post #far tua long #five recruits rick to be team dad #rick is DEEPLY confused #but he's the kind of person that rolls with it #dolores probably ends up tagging along as well on at least one occasion #dolores and patch bond #five pretends that dolores is a new sibling and not his dolores #five calls rick 'dad' and it messes with everyone else #patch is on team fuck-the-apocalypse(-and-reginald) #vanya is never alone so fuck leonard #five finds out that vanya causes the apocalypse and is like #vanya: HUH? #luther: maybe we should lock vanya up - #rick: are there are any other possible actions that might be more appropriate in this situation? #vanya: i could try get more meds to take and we could address the powers thing after april 1st #vanya immediately gets validated that reginald sucks #even luther who has had multiple conversations with rick is like 'dad... didn't always make the best choices...' #everyone: :0 #hazel doesn't kill patch so he probably joins team anti-apocalypse at some point #hazel: why are you a child #five: oh you know i'm young at heart and all that #OH forgot to mention one of the main differences in this au is that five like properly grew up this time #so while he is inconvenienced by his body he's not so deeply uncomfortable or angry about it #just resigned #'this might as well happen' - five #five probably makes jokes about it as well

[boop-le-snoot]

PARTY FAVOURS I CHAPTER 22

First time reader click here

TWs/Summary: FLUFF! Inappropriate jokes! The team being a family of mother hens. Steve + WAP! Reader's old man fetish is ✨blossoming✨. Stephen is finally evolving from Grinch into a human being.

a/n: How do we feel about Wanda/Loki pairing? Loki is comparatively around Wanda's/Reader's/Pietro's age, e.g. he's a young adult. Also, new divider.

All three of us spilled out of the elevator in a flurry of wet hair, outrageously large shopping bags and the smell of autumn leaves and cinnamon-infused chocolate. Picture perfect friends - our arms were linked, we stood side to side, our bags mixed up. Loki's silky black hair was dripping cold water onto my face and my own clothes sticking to me in uncomfortable places.

It started pouring buckets when we got into my car to go back to the tower. Wanda complained about being hungry and after a brief detour in one of the hole-in-the-wall, hidden gem, French boulangeries, all three of us were pleasantly relaxed and companionable under the influence of hot chocolate and fresh, warm croissants (Loki ate, like, ten, royal manners be damned). The five minute run from the parking lot to the main entrance resulted in us being way too soaked to be comfortable - thankfully, the shopping bags seemed to be waterproof. Or, perhaps, Loki enchanted them somehow.

"Stop fucking cheating, Rogers..." Tony was grumbling in frustration, looking at an array of cards in his hands, squinting suspiciously at a smug Steve.

Noticing us, the room perked up immediately. Thor lifted his head and we saw him and Pietro splayed out on the couch, each male holding a play station controller. Stephen Strange was sat cross-legged on the floor, reading a book, while Natasha filed her nails next to him, a face of tranquility and indifference.

We almost backpedaled from the amount of puppy eyes suddenly gazing at us.

"Sup?" I decided to go first, seeing as both of my companions were still mostly confused. What the hell, I was equally perplexed.

"How was your day, brother?" and "Got yourself a nice dress?" and "Marchesa? Not bad." Were the most intelligible words I could make out of the cacophony that descended upon us.

And it suddenly downed on me. Neither Wanda nor Loki had previously left for the city on their own. Their siblings were worried. I sighed, concealing my happiness behind a quiet complaint of being cold and wet. My bags were picked up by Thor who abandoned his game in favour of greeting his brother with a hug. Surprisingly, Loki didn't refuse and let Thor embrace him and relieve us of our items to deposit them out of the way.

"Cold," Wanda whined, stripping off her damp sweater to reveal simple black leggings and tee underneath.

"Wet," Loki mumbled, gathering a ball of green magic to dry out his dripping hair.

"Gross," I said, walking straight into Tony's open arms. He didn't say anything, just indicated my place was in his lap, squeaking and shivering as soon as I reached my destination.

"Baby girl, you're gonna get sick. Let's go take a bath," He unsuccessfully attempted to lift my limp body. I groaned in protest, dead on my feet. It felt like I had walked a thousand miles. Wasn't gonna remove myself from a warm, soft Tony.

"I'm dead, like, I'm a zombie. If you move me, I'll eat that sexy brain of yours," I threatened fitfully.

"Well, at least change out of these clothes. You're dripping me in gross, polluted rain water," The engineer laughed.

"Lazy," I replied, nestling myself closer to his warmth. He tugged on my clothes, wrestling me out of the top layers, leaving me shivering like a newborn kitten across his lap. His eyes darted across the room - evidently, he was looking for some sort of a hoodie as he wasn't wearing one at the time. Tony knew how much I loved those and always kept one in his vicinity. Thoughtful, lovely Tony.

"Have you seen my MIT sweatshirt?" He asked and everyone replied negative. Tony frowned.

"Here, have mine," Strange stood up, unzipping and handing me his own plain grey one. "I'll make some herbal tea for the girls least they actually get sick." With that, the grumpy doctor walked off into the kitchen. I watched his broad back retreat with renewed interest. Hate to see you go but love to watch you leave...

One warm hoodie and hot tea later, I was feeling less like a drowned cat and more like the fabulous human being that I was. Wanda had told everyone about her two cute new dresses without actually revealing the idea behind her costume. Somehow all of us silently agreed to surprise each other after I pulled my stunt on Stephen.

Strange didn't seem to be mad at me; his presence was amiable and delightful. He made usual small talk and we engaged in a brief, friendly battle of the wits and he and Tony managed to not piss off each other too much. Loki and Wanda hung nearby, and we chatted, too, mostly about less popular but very cool movies the three of us could watch... Yeah, so we were arranging a sleepover. Bite me.

"So, everyone ready for the party?" Clint was all but bouncing in his seat. "Me and Sammy-boy, we'll have the coolest costumes!" He exclaimed, smirking in Tony and Bruce's direction. Something was coming, something great, from my two boys. I could sense it. Natasha probably knew and tattled to Clint already. The bird bros fist-bumped with an obnoxious cheer.

I was feeling drowsy. The tea Strange made had something calming in it. My usual energetic spirit was gone, replaced by a mellow sort of mood. Plus, my feet hurt from all the walking. I moaned in distaste, flexing my toes.

"I disagree," Wanda shared a secretive smile with Loki and me.

Apparently, my discomfort was quite obvious. It took only another quiet, pitiful groan from me for Bruce to scoot closer, remove my socks and tenderly knead the arch of my foot. He smiled at me, soft and gentle, pressing the pads of his fingers into the soft, painful spots.

"Yeah, Pigeon, no amount of make-up will help that ugly mug," Tony declared with a wave of his hand.

"Tony!" Sam defended his bird bro, tossing a pillow at the engineer and missing me by barely an inch.

"You don't need any make-up, bird. You need plastic surgery." I jumped on the bully Clint bandwagon for the lolz. He was actually quite handsome, but his reactions always were fucking priceless. All of us occasionally ruffled his feathers but never to an actually hurtful extent.

"Not gonna lie, that one hurt." Barton huffed, crossing his arms.

Meanwhile, Bruce had moved onto my other foot. I had to hold in a bunch of very lewd, inappropriate noises. Tony was grinning above me, not at all affected by me squirming around. Banner grinned back at the engineer. They were definitely plotting something.

That just wouldn't do, I decided. Time to throw Rick and Morty off their course a little. I stretched leisurely, allowing the hem of my borrowed hoodie to lift, exposing an inch too much of skin than strictly appropriate.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Steve's arched eyebrow and the small secretive smirk he hid behind a cup of tea. The Captain wasn't as virtuous as the others thought and he definitely was onto me.

Bruce still wreaked havoc on my vestibular system by doing some magical voodoo shit to my toes and traded suspicious grins with Tony who radiated an unfair amount of smugness.

"Oh my God," I stretched with a moan of contentment. "Fucking rail me." I might have used this particular choice of words on purpose. The Avengers that memed with me knew the actual meaning but they were in the minority. Most, including Tony and Bruce, gasped in shock at my choice of words. I grinned innocently. "What?"

"We don't use that kind of language around here!" Steve exclaimed, barely hiding a full-fledged laugh behind his cup.

"Cap, a lot has changed in the past seventy years, if you didn't notice," Barton rolled his eyes. "Women are allowed to express themselves now."

"Men think it's pretty hot, actually," Tony remarked, giving me one of his positively mischievous smiles, gently stroking my cheek and dipping his index finger under the hem of my top, following the lines of my collarbone. "It's just that Cap got left out in the cold."

"Very funny, Tony," Steve groaned as the rest of the group laughed. "We don't need a repeat of the WAP incident."

I choked on my breath. "The WHAT incident?!"

Laughter drowned out Steve's stuttering explanation as the supersoldier blushed, possibly, the most saturated shade of scarlet I'd ever seen on a human's face. I had to stop Bruce from continuing to make my limbs into Jell-O, wanting to hear the full story clearly. Anything that warranted such a strong reaction from Steve was bound to be, like, equal parts extremely embarrassing and hilarious. Bucky was laughing up a storm, a tell-tale sign of him having taken direct actions to ensure Steve would be as confused and ashamed as possible.

"Steve caught Peter listening to the song and asked him about it. Peter refused to answer at first, so Bucky decided to mess with Steve a bit," Pietro began explaining. "So Bucky goes: WAP stands for wasted academic potential. Steve sits on it a couple of days, believing his boyfriend like the naïve old man he is," Pietro was gesturing vividly, arms flailing, as the Captain buried his face in his hands. "Lo and behold, Steve had to give a Captain America speech at some sort of school for delinquent children. And at the end of it all - Natasha has that bit on video, by the way - he gives his stern Captain look and goes "WAP is no joke!"!" The speedster laughed out loud along with everybody.

I was howling at that point, staring at Steve. Did the old man realize all the answers to his questions were a simple Google search away? "NO, he didn't, oh my God," I wheezed, suddenly having realized where it was going.

"He totally did!" Clint continued, giving Pietro a fond look and a chance to catch his breath. "The whole student population was laughing, tears rolling down their faces, as the principal started angrily ranting right in Steve's face. And he was just so, so-o confused. Man, his face..." Clint shook his head. "He left so freaking red in the face I thought he was going to have a heart attack. The students had started singing the song, the uncensored version - mind you - at some point and Steve just progressively got redder and redder."

"I'm seventy percent Irish, I can't help it!" Steve cried in his own defense, the famous blush on full display, but laughing nonetheless as he clutched onto his left boob for dear life.

"And one hundred percent dumbass!" Bucky clapped his boyfriend on the shoulder.

I nodded along, me and Tony a howling pile of limbs. The engineer himself was holding onto me for dear life, too winded to make any of his usual snarky commentary regarding Steve's epic failure. "Pure of heart, dumb of ass," I wheezed out my sudden realization.

"Shit, I'm getting that on a t-shirt," Tony sent himself into another cackle fest. "That's brilliant, Princess."

Bucky nodded along, "I'm buying one for this punk." He pointed at Steve, poking him in the right pec.

"Jerk," Steve's gaze was annoyed but fond as he gently shoved his boyfriend before placing a gentle kiss atop his head. Old people in love, so adorable.

"May I request one for my brother as well?" Loki interjected, eyebrow raised, eyeing Thor trying to pry open a carton of ice cream and failing to notice the little plastic lid covering the top part of it. The blonde was utterly oblivious both to his brother and to the chaos around him, set on his quest for salted caramel pecan creamy goodness. I couldn't say I didn't see the appeal...

"What did you call - himbos?" Stephen eyed me curiously, pointing to Thor and Steve with a shaky hand.

I nodded in response. "Harmless, loveable, kind, beefy and utter dumbasses," I pointed out the main characteristics. "I love himbos."

"You said my brain was sexy," Tony pouted, pressing me closer to him and in turn, making my legs wrap around Bruce in a funny way that brought all three of us in a weird sandwich hug. I must've died and gone to heaven once again. "This is bullshit," And Tony fuckin' bit me. The bastard sunk his teeth into my shoulder strong enough to leave a mark.

"I love big, fat brains. Unf," My attempt at a salacious voice only made people laugh. "No PhD, no pussy. I don't make the rules," I snorted loudly.

"You and your old man kink," Wanda chuckled good-naturedly, casting me a knowing glance over the tops of her friends' heads.

"Yes," I agreed solemnly, pulling Tony in for a kiss without an ounce of shame or reservation, catching Stephen's amused face meeting my eyes for a brief second, his eyebrow raised meaningfully. Looked like someone took my comment a little close to heart. Nobody really batted an eye at Bruce being in the middle of our cuddle puddle so if I had to guess, Stephen Strange was at least interested... Or was he silently judging me?

THE TAG LIST IS NOW OPEN! @another-stark-sub ​ @mostly-marvel-musings  @vozit ​ @littlegasps ​ @pilloclock ​ @shereadsinquiet @downeyreads ​ @hermione-grangers-wife ​ @individualistfem ​ @sleep-i-ness @capbrie @lillsxd @agustdowney @dee-vn @justanotherblonde23 @fanngirl19 @persephonehemingway @softie-socks @schemefrenzy @letsby @cutenessloading @romeo-the-cactus @jelly-fishy-babie

#bruce banner x reader #tony stark x reader #Stephen Strange x reader #bruce banner x you #tony stark x you #stephen strange x you #bruce banner x y/n #tony stark x y/n #stephen strange x y/n #party favours #bun writes

[seymour-butz-stuff]

One year ago, on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization announced that the spread of the just-named SARS-CoV-2 virus had become pandemic. They came to that decision with evident reluctance. Even though cases had exploded in South Korea, Italy, and Iran, and numbers were growing in at least 50 nations, the WHO had until that moment used a series of clumsy, but less politically loaded terms. Terms like “multiple connected international epidemics.” In the United States, thirty Americans had died from COVID-19, most of them related to a nursing home outbreak in the state of Washington. Testing in the U.S. was still spotty at best, but a cluster of 100 cases had just been identified in New Rochelle, New York, spurring calls for quarantine and making it clear that “community spread” had been happening longer, and on a wider scale, than anyone knew.

The first case of novel coronavirus in the U.S. had come all the way back in mid-January. By Feb. 5, cases had appeared in 24 counties, but it was easy to argue that this was not a pandemic, because only in China had the disease really escaped the status of a few isolated cases. One day later, the world learned that Dr. Li Wenliang, one of the first doctors to break China’s official silence and warn the world, had died of COVID-19. On Feb. 11, COVID-19 deaths exceeded 1,000, prompting the headline “Are there more grim milestones to come?” That same week, the name “Diamond Princess” was in the news as the literally ill-fated cruise ship momentarily became the center of global attention. It was on Feb. 22, that Director for the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Nancy Messonnier, delivered a stark warning. “We’re not seeing spread here in the United States yet, but it is possible, even likely, that it may eventually happen.” Three days later, Dr. Messonnier warned that “disruption to everyday life may be severe.“

By March 11, Italy had emerged as a new European epicenter, cases of community spread had appeared in multiple states, the first U.S. death had been announced, and Donald Trump had already begun working with Fox News to deliberately downplay the seriousness of the disease. By March 11, Daily Kos had published over 60 articles on the growing threat.

But March 11 was the day when everything seemed to fall apart at once. When Dr. Messonier delivered her set of February warnings, they came with a note of hope.

”We never expected we’d catch every traveler with novel coronavirus from China.  It would be impossible.  We’re not seeing spread here in the United States yet, but it is possible, even likely, that it may eventually happen. Our goal continues to be slowing the introduction of the virus into the U.S.  This buys us more time to prepare our communities for more cases and possibly sustained spread. This new virus represents a tremendous public health threat.”

Of all public statements, none may have been more prescient than those from Messonier. Unfortunately, the effects of her blunt—and accurate—statements wasn’t to shock the Trump White House into action. It was to bury Messonier somewhere far away from the nearest camera.

Until March 11, it still seemed possible to pretend that the U.S. might take appropriate action. That, in spite of Trump using terms like “China flu,” in spite of obvious failures to develop adequate testing, and in spite of the obvious desire to simply hope this all went away “like magic,” there might still be an opportunity to stop this train before it really left the station. Even if Trump was trying to brush the threat aside, other Republicans seemed to be treating it seriously,

A week earlier, the stock market had plummeted as traders tried to sort out what it would really mean for the United States to plunge into pandemic. And a sickening hint of things to come followed when CNBC Host Rick Santelli suggested that what the United States should do was admit defeat and help the virus infect everyone. For the sake of business.

“Maybe we'd be just better off if we gave it to everybody, and then in a month it would be over because the mortality rate of this probably isn't going to be any different if we did it that way than the long-term picture, but the difference is we're wreaking havoc on global and domestic economies."

Trump had called off a visit to the CDC, but hadn’t yet interrupted his golf schedule as the real cost of what it would mean to do nothing in the face of this disease was becoming clear. 

But in addition to that threat, the United States faced a leadership vacuum. Trump would not step up, and he wouldn’t allow anyone else to steal a fraction of the spotlight by taking effective action. It was clear that the action taken in China was working to contain the outbreak there. Cases in South Korea had leveled off as that government showcased how to effectively conduct a system of testing and case tracing. But the United States was still doing essentially nothing. The few tests that were available were so scarce, they were being saved for those with severe symptoms. Most people who felt ill were told to “just assume you have it and stay home.”

https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1237910176872701952/pu/vid/720x866/ldJmByS77n5sDts4.mp4

#covid-19 #coronavirus

[writing-prompts-for-friends]

Notes on Robert McKee’s Story 33: The Principle of Antagonism

I had the hardest time trying to condense this section, so unfortunately this post will be almost entirely direct quotes from the text.

"The principle of antagonism: A protagonist and his story can only be as intellectually fascinating and emotionally compelling as the forces of antagonism make them."

McKee believes that the principle of antagonism is the most important and least understood precept in story design, and this is the primary reason screenplays and the films made from them fail.

"Human nature is fundamentally conservative. We never do more than we have to, expend any energy we don’t have to, take any risks we don’t have to, change if we don’t have to. Why should we? Why do anything the hard way if we can get what we want the easy way? (The “easy way” is, of course, idiosyncratic and subjective.) Therefore, what will cause a protagonist to become a fully realized, multidimensional, and deeply empathetic character? What will bring a dead screenplay to life? The answer to both questions lies on the negative side of the story.

The more powerful and complex the forces of antagonism opposing the character, the more completely realized character and story must become. “Forces of antagonism” doesn’t necessarily refer to a specific antagonist or villain. In appropriate genres arch-villains, like the Terminator, are a delight, but by “forces of antagonism,” we mean the sum total of all forces that oppose the character’s will and desire.

If we study a protagonist at the moment of the Inciting Incident and weigh the sum of his willpower along with his intellectual, emotional, social, and physical capacities against the total forces of antagonism from within his humanity, plus his personal conflicts, antagonistic institutions, and environment, we should see clearly that he’s an underdog. He has a chance to achieve what he wants—but only a chance. Although conflict from one aspect of his life may seem solvable, the totality of all levels should seem overwhelming as he begins his quest.

We pour energy into the negative side of a story not only to bring the protagonist and other characters to full realization—roles to challenge and attract the world’s finest actors—but to take the story itself to the end of the line, to a brilliant and satisfying climax."

To make your protagonist stand out even more, he needs to have a good antagonist that not only pushes him to the very brink of his ability and willpower, but also acts as a fine foil.

Take Story and Character to the End of the Line

“Does your story contain negative forces of such power that the positive side must gain surpassing quality? Below is a technique to guide your self-critique and answer that critical question.

Begin by identifying the primary value at stake in your story. For example, Justice. Generally, the protagonist will represent the positive charge of this value; the forces of antagonism, the negative. Life, however, is subtle and complex, rarely a case of yes/no, good/evil, right/wrong. There are degrees of negativity.

First, the Contradictory value, the direct opposite of the positive. In this case, Injustice. Laws have been broken.

Between the Positive value and its Contradictor, however, is the Contrary: a situation that’s somewhat negative but not fully the opposite. The Contrary of justice is unfairness, a situation that’s negative but not necessarily illegal: nepotism, racism, bureaucratic delay, bias, inequities of all kinds.

Perpetrators of unfairness may not break the law, but they’re neither just nor fair.

The Contradictory, however, is not the limit of human experience. At the end of the line waits the Negation of Negation, a force of antagonism that’s doubly negative.

Our subject is life, not arithmetic. In life two negatives don’t make a positive. In English double negatives are ungrammatical, but Italian uses double and even triple negatives so that a statement feels like its meaning. In anguish an Italian might say, “Non ho niente mia!” (I don’t have nothing never!). Italians know life. Double negatives turn positive only in math and formal logic. In life things just get worse and worse and worse.

A story that progresses to the limit of human experience in depth and breadth of conflict must move through a pattern that includes the Contrary, the Contradictory, and the Negation of Negation.

(The positive mirror image of this negative declension runs from Good to Better to Best to Perfect. But for mysterious reasons, working with this progression is of no help to the storyteller.)

Negation of the Negation means a compound negative in which a life situation turns not just quantitatively but qualitatively worse. The Negation of the Negation is at the limit of the dark powers of human nature. In terms of justice, this state is tyranny. Or, in a phrase that applies to personal as well as social politics: “Might Makes Right.”

Consider TV detective series: Do they go to the limit? The protagonists of Spenser: For Hire, Quincy, Colombo, and Murder, She Wrote represent justice and struggle to preserve this ideal. First, they face unfairness: Bureaucrats won’t let Quincy do the autopsy, a politician pulls strings to get Columbo off the case, Spenser’s client lies to him. After struggling through gaps of expectation powered by forces of unfairness, the cop discovers true injustice: A crime has been committed. He defeats these forces and restores society to justice. The forces of antagonism in most crime dramas rarely reach beyond the Contradictory.

Compare this pattern to MISSING, a fact-based film about American Ed Horman (Jack Lemmon), who searched Chile for a son who disappeared during a coup d’etat. In Act One he meets unfairness: The U.S. ambassador (Richard Venture) feeds him half-truths, hoping to dissuade his search. But Horman preserves. At the Act Two Climax he uncovers a grievous injustice: The junta murdered his son… with the complicity of the U.S. State Department and the CIA. Horman then tries to right this wrong, but in Act Three he reaches the end of the line—persecution without hope of retribution.

Chile is in the grip of tyranny. The generals can make illegal on Tuesday what you did legally on Monday, arrest you for it on Wednesday, execute you on Thursday, and make it legal again Friday morning. Justice does not exist; the tyrant makes it up at his whim. MISSING is a searching revelation of the final limits of injustice… with irony: Although Horman couldn’t indict the tyrants in Chile, he exposed them on screen in front of the world—which may be a sweeter kind of justice. 

The principle of the Negation of the Negation applies not only to the tragic but to the comic. The comic world is a chaotic, wild place where actions must go to the limit. If not, the laugh falls flat. Even the light entertainment of Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers films touched the end of the line. They turned on the value of truth as Fred Astaire traditionally played a character suffering form self-deception, telling himself he was in love with the glitzy girl when we knew that his heart really belong to Ginger.”

In Summary

“Fine writers have always understood that opposite values are not the limit of human experience. If a story stops at the Contradictory value, or worse, the Contrary, it echoes the hundreds of mediocrities we suffer every year. For a story that is simply above love/hate, truth/lie, freedom/slavery, courage/cowardice, and the like is almost certain to be trivial. If a story does not reach the Negation of the Negation, it may strike the audience as satisfying--but never brilliant, never sublime.

All other factors of talent, craft, and knowledge being equal, greatness is found in the writer's treatment of the negative side.

If your story seems unsatisfying and lacking in some way, tools are needed to penetrate its confusions and perceive its flaws. When a story is weak, the inevitable cause is that its forces of antagonism are weak. Rather than spending your creativity trying to invent likable, attractive aspects of protagonist and world, build the negative side to create a chain reaction that pays off naturally and honestly on the positive dimensions.

The first step is to question the values at stake and their progression. What are the positive values? What is the preeminent and turns the Story Climax? Do the forces of antagonism explore all shades of negativity? Do they reach the power of the Negation of the Negation at some point?

Generally, progressions run from the Positive to the Contrary in Act One, to the Contradictory in later acts, and finally to the Negation of the Negation in the last act, either ending tragically or going back to the Positive with a profound difference. BIG, on the other hand, leaps to the Negation of the Negation, then illuminates all degrees of immaturity. CASABLANCA is even more radical. It opens at the Negation of the Negation with Rick living in fascist tyranny, suffering self-hatred and self-deception, then works to a positive climax for all three values. Anything is possible, but the end of the line must be reached.”

McKee also breaks down what the positive, negative, contrary, and negation of negation are for many more common values such as love, loyalty, greed, courage, intelligence, etc. But that would make this post entirely too long. I definitely invite you to get this book and check them out yourself. 

I found this section incredibly helpful to me. Until now I've always thought of conflict in terms of "good vs. bad" and...not much more than that. I had never contemplated the Contrary, let alone the Negation of the Negation. If I can manage to pull off a conflict of that level, I think I might have a really good story on my hands! This has helped me to shape my antagonistic forces and plot. I hope it helps you too!

Source: McKee, Robert. Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting. York: Methuen, 1998. Print

#writing prompts for friends #writing advice #writing tips #writing resources #creative writing #writing #writer #write #writers block #writing inspiration #writing inspo #creative writing theory #robert mckee #writing fantasy #writing fiction #writing fanfiction #writing novels #writeblr #writing prompts for friends notes on story

[hellzyeahthewebwieldingavenger]

Spider-Man Self-Improvement #1 Thoughts

 A historic moment in Spider-History!

I’m sure you all know the backstory to this issue if you are reading this, but just in case you don’t I’ll briefly explain.

Once upon a time in the 1980s Marvel fan Randy Schueller proposed an idea about Spider-Man getting a new black costume from Reed Richards with all sorts of special features. Marvel liked the idea enough to buy it and bring the fan in to work on the story behind it. The original story ideas were never used but were later repurposed for what eventually became Spider-Man’s iconic black costume, which later of course was revealed to be an alien symbiote and later still became fan favourite villain Venom.

Spider-Man Self-Improvement is a comic book based upon Schueller’s original vision for the costume and the story surrounding it, but brought to life by writer Peter David and artist Rick Leonardi, coincidentally the co-creators of Spider-Man 2099.

Schueller’s original vision for the costume was that it was a high tech outfit created for Spider-Man by Reed Rchards. The design of the costume would ostensibly be identical to the black costume we all know and love, albeit with the white parts swapped for red. It would be made of unstable molecules (see the Marvel wiki for more info on what those do) that would improve Spider-Man’s wall-crawling powers and come with cybernetic components that would enable his to mentally control his webshooters. There are at least two drafts of Schueller’s original story that we know of, and an element in both of them is that the black costume is somewhat frightening to people and that Peter ends the story opting to not make the costume his regular attire. There are other elements to the story but we’ll talk about those later.

All the above elements are what made it into PAD’s version in this comic.

As a story unto itself it’s fairly superfluous. It’s really not worth the price of a standard issue of ASM, but perhaps wouldn’t have been as objectionable if it had been priced at early-mid 1980s prices (which even accounting for inflation were a lot cheaper than today).

There is nothing egregiously wrong with the story itself, it’s just very simple, basic and linear is all. As Spider-Man stories go at worst it’s subpar because it doesn’t address his personal life all that much beyond the very last page where he pricks his finger sewing his old suit back together; and I guess the fact that he can’t control his webbing.

The most interesting aspect of the story to me, beyond the superficial coolness of seeing the original black costume, was the idea that the costume would be scary and intimidating and thus prompting Peter to reject it in favour of his classic friendlier attire.

It’s a small but interesting angle to take with the character and feels I dunno...appropriate for Spider-Man’s character. It also touches upon a topic I talked about a long time ago regarding the black costume vs. the classic costume.

In that post I referenced a fan letter published shortly after ASM #300 where a fan talked about why the classic costume was much more fitting for Peter’s character. This issue by accident or design seems to subtly echo some of those sentiments. It is ironic though given how Peter David’s work on Spider-Man famously featured him in his black costume and used it to tell darker and grittier stories. Then when David and Leonardi went on to create Spider-Man 2099, who was also edgier than the classic version, they intended his outfit to also be red and black like this version of the costume. And of course now days PAD is working on symbiote Spider-Man, which is possibly what led to him getting the assignment for this issue.

I hesitate to really critique PAD for this because he is after all simply executing someone else’s story, and the story was really more of an under developed outline. It was a few ideas strung together and little more than that.

The design of the costume is cool, and having Rick Leonardi, which IIRC had some kind of contribution to the look of the original black suit, draw it was a cool touch, referential to history too.

His art in the story is also mostly fine. I say mostly because weirdly everyone looks fine except for Spider-Man himself. In either of his outfits in this comic he seems a tad...off. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but he just doesn’t look right and seems oddly out of place next to everyone else. To say it’s not the prime of Leonardi’s art like in the 80s or the 90s would be an understatement but it is not bad by any means.

More interesting than examining this issue unto itself though is the opportunity to play compare and contrast with both Schueller’s original drafts and the original Alien Costume Saga. That could get a little long but let’s try those out in brief.

Schueller’s drafts are actually included in this issue as a very fascinating piece of Marvel history. In addition to what I talked about above, you have Sue Storm and Janet van Dyne designing the look o the outfit in the first draft, Spidey being over excited like a kid with a new toy in both drafts, him having the equivalent of gliding web wings or a web cape in one of the drafts, his inability to control the webbing in both drafts and the idea that the cybernetics interfere with his spider sense, which is more pronounced in the second draft.

I think PAD cut these elements out to better streamline the story, and the Wasp making Spider-Man a new costume doesn’t jive very well with their established hostile relationship.

Firebrand’s inclusion in PAD’s version instead of generic thugs is likely to add something more visually dynamic to the story, something that would better test out the suit’s new abilities given how fighting regular thugs is something he could do in his regular outfit.

He retained the idea of Spider-Man having to rescue a woman though, just in Schueller’s original draft but changed her fate and circumstances; her situation reminded me of his Five Minutes prose story from Ultimate Spider-Man actually. In Schueller’s original draft the injured woman Spidey failed to save felt rather out of left field, something oddly dark and cruel to pop up in a story which up until then had been a lighthearted tale about a kid and his new toy. It also set up the idea of him becoming a darker avenging figure in line with the suit’s scary new look. Which was ahead of it’s time now I think about it.

The first draft I feel suffers from something I see a lot in fanfiction. I won’t rake fanfiction over the coals here because being wacky, experimental and well something you wouldn’t normally see in professional works is part of it’s charm. However Schueller’s script wants to use the lore of the established universe badly and use it to introduce something they’ve dreamed up themselves. That’s fine and dandy but often I’ve observed that this comes off as contrived in many fanfics and sure enough that is true here. Why would Reed Richards for instance whip up a new suit for Peter? In the PAD version of the story it’s still a little eyebrow raising but he essentially did Spidey a kindness after he almost died of burn injuries. In Schueller’s draft Wasp and Reed just decide to give him a gift out of the blue. Schueller better justifies this in his second draft but DeFalco still scrutinizes the decision.

I also think Schueller in both drafts sort of lost sight of the core idea behind Spider-Man, moreso in the first draft. He was clearly enchanted with the idea of Spider-Man having a high tech suit with cool features that he didn’t stop to consider if that really fit well for Spider-Man’s character. Credit where credit is due he did come to a compromise in his second draft wherein Peter would keep the suit but use it sparingly as a treat for himself. However I found the rationale behind that rather contrived. Schueller in fairness was trying a lot harder in that second draft and it was markedly better, but pretty much all of DeFalco’s critiques were on the money. Would Spider-Man really be like a kid with a new toy? Would he really care that much about his public reputation? Would the Bugle really not want pictures of this other superhero?

By the way, this is a total dick move on my part I admit, but seeing DeFalco shoot down Schueller’s script was I’m sorry to say kind of funny to me.

Overall PAD made much better use of Schueller’s drafts, he knew what to drop and what to keep and how to rearrange the pieces to make it all work much better.

More significantly I think is the fact that Schueller might’ve had more influence from his drafts than even he imagined. Some of his ideas are rather reminiscent of Spider-Man 2099 and the Iron Spider costume. Could it be that the creators of both were directly or subconsciously influenced by his original drafts? Or was it minds thinking alike? I prefer to think it was the former.

Comparing all 3 versions of this original story to what we got in the Alien Costume Saga I have to be blunt, the original is simply much better.

Making the costume an alien allowed for a more dramatic rationale to get rid of the suit and more importantly taps into the Parker luck. Rather than the costume being a cool new toy which has some kinks ad drawbacks which makes Peter drop it or drop it but keep it as a treat for himself, DeFalco and Frenz made the suit too good to be true. The Parker Luck in action!

The features of the Alien costume were also more impressive than those of Schueller’s, and they repurposed the way it interfered with his spider sense in a more interesting way. Rather than opening him up to possible dangers the suit itself WAS the danger because it didn’t trigger the spider sense.

So, whilst this issue is a fun ‘what could have been’ story, I think ultimately we were lucky to get what we got.

All that might sound like I wouldn’t recommend you pick this up but it’s quite the opposite, I think this is worth your time. Check it out.

#Spider-Man #Symbiote Spider-Man #Venom Symbiote #Alien costume saga #Tom DeFalco #Peter David #Peter Parker #Reed Richards #Mr. Fantastic #Mister Fantastic #the wasp #wasp #janet van dyne #Rick Leonardi

[nutpain0]

3 Tips For Choosing A Roofing Company

Find A Roofing Company

Lots of property owners ask if their deductible can be covered Some roofing companies try to make this possible via shadowy paperwork, however this does make up a Texas state jail felony if the replacement cost of the roof is over $1500. A: A lot of roof only take 1-2 days to complete. Designer class or highly complicated roofs may take slightly longer.

We specifically use United Installers LLC which is a leading service provider in our industry and excels in varied types of roof systems. A: 5-Year-No-Leak Assurance and an industry initially 2 year complementary upkeep plan. A: Ought to you go through another storm a new claim will need to be filed.

However, if a location sustains a high variety of storms, the Texas Department of Insurance coverage will enable your insurance business to raise the rates on a yearly basis to everybody in your location, but never ever someone individually.

After the adjuster comes out and examines the property, they will create a price quote for you. By meaning, this price quote is simply a price quote, which is why Greenawalt will examine the property for damages also. We create our own estimate and add any extra products that we feel are required in order to complete the repair work and send this estimate to the insurance coverage provider for approval along with any proof supporting the requirement for each additional line product we are asking for.

Despite your circumstance, Greenawalt will be looking after this for you every action of the method.

6 Quick Tips For Finding The Best Roofing Company

Rick lemon, who monitored our roofing system setup, might not have been more attentive to our issues, and Elite roof supplied excellent service overall at an affordable rate - 4 Tips For Finding The Right Roofing Company Atchison Kansas.

Roof Frequently asked questions Here are some sure indications your roofing system requires to be repaired or changed: Missing, split or curling shingles Blistering or peeling paint Shingle, sheathing or siding decay Leak in the attic after heavy rains/li > Spots on interior walls or ceilings High energy expenses All too typically, roofing issues are found after dripping or other severe damage occurs.

Inside, try to find cracked paint, tarnished plasterboard, and peeling wallpaper as indications of damaged roofing system locations. Not necessarily. Dripping can result since some flashings have actually come loose or since a section of the roof has been harmed (How To Find A Good Roofing Company Atchison Kansas). A roofing failure, however, is generally irreversible and results from improper installation or choice of materials, or from the setup of a roofing system inappropriate to the structure.

According to the American Society of House Inspectors, asphalt shingles typically last 15-20 years; wood shingle/shakes, 10-40 years; clay/concrete tiles, 20+ years; slate, 30-100 years; metal roofing, 15-40+years. Roof item producers off a range of warranties on their items. Replacing a roofing system, whether on an industrial or property structure, is a labor-intensive job and, depending upon the type of roofing, might take anywhere from a couple of days to 2 or more weeks.

Wind, snow, rain, or even just the hazard of one of these and will slow the process considerably. For built-up roofing systems, getting rid of and replacing the roof will most likely continue at a rate of approximately 1,500 square feet each day. For single-ply roofs, the rate is better to 2,000 to 4,000 square feet each day.

4 Quick Tips For Finding The Best Roofing Company

Window FAQs Here are some sure indications your windows need to be fixed or changed: Windows rattle in the wind Problem opening them Drafty, with air dripping through or around the window Extreme condensation or icing on the within the window panes Paint chipping or peeling House is constantly too cold in the winder or too hot in the summer Since customized windows are made to fit perfectly, they offer the very best energy efficiency and can be set up much more quickly and with extremely little mess.

In addition, custom-made windows permit you to choose the best option to the issues you wish to solve by changing windows. Energy effective windows have a number of traits in common with one another. They are produced utilizing quality frame materials that insulate well and prevent heat transfer. They have numerous panes with air or gas in the middle to insulate much better.

They have low e glass to reflect infrared light and keep heat in the house throughout the winter season. And energy effective replacement windows have warm edge spacers to keep panes the right range apart. These spacers also insulate pane edges and minimize heat transfer. Inspect the window's NFRC rating label.

This is a measurement of the window's capability to withstand the transfer of cold and heat. U-Factor is the amount of heat transferred through a material. The lower the U-Factor, the slower the rate of heat flow, for that reason the much better the insulating quality. Drafts are triggered by windows that are badly sealed, inadequately insulated, or poorly installed.

A quality specialist will attend to the insulation around the rough opening and appropriately insulate throughout setup. Great windows themselves are well insulated, and when closed and locked will efficiently seal off outside air. Correct setup and the option of window are both essential, working hand in hand to efficiently avoid drafts.

9 Tips For Choosing A Roofing Company

In order to decrease condensation, humidity needs to be controlled and air motion need to be created. As the exterior temperature drops, the humidity level needs to decrease if condensation is to be controlled - 9 Tips To Finding A Great Roofing Company Basehor Kansas. Rain Rain Gutter Frequently Asked Questions Yes. Rain rain gutters prevent water from ruining numerous parts of your home. Leaking rainwater can trigger fractures in foundations and pathways.

The rainwater decomposes all the lower wood elements on your home. This wet, decomposing wood attracts termites and carpenter ants which require moist conditions to recreate and thrive - How To Choose The Right Roofing Company Parkville Missouri. Gutter likewise secure entrances from becoming damp and slippery. This is a terrific concern as all guttering systems require some maintenance to insure the stability of it's defense for your house.

Seamless rain gutters are custom-made fitted, one-piece seamless gutters manufactured at your home. They are far superior than sectional plastic or aluminum gutters bought at house enhancement shops. Smooth gutters do not have in-line joints, which always stop working. Seamless rain gutters are made of aluminum, copper or steel that will last for many years.

The roofing system on your business building, workplace, storage facility, factory, shopping mall, or any other comparable residential or commercial property is an important aspect that keeps the individuals inside safe and need to be taken care of with the utmost care. Dedication to an industrial roof project, whether it is repair, upkeep, or replacement, is a significant financial investment and as an industrial real estate owner or supervisor, you most likely have lots of questions.

Commercial roofing is a roof that seals a commercial roof structure, protecting the entire home from the outdoors components. When compared to domestic, industrial roofing systems typically vary in design and are much larger in size. Commercial roof can can be found in different styles and products to satisfy your specific requirements and dreams, along with the requirements of the specific structure and area.

#roofing #roofers #company

[nationmaple9]

Questions To Ask Your Roofing Company

Hiring A Roofing Company

Many house owners ask if their deductible can be covered Some roofing companies try to make this possible through shadowy documentation, however this does constitute a Texas state prison felony if the replacement expense of the roofing system is over $1500 - https://www.peak2peakroofing.com/roofing-company-kearney-missouri. A: The majority of roof only take 1-2 days to complete. Designer class or highly intricate roofing systems may take slightly longer.

However, we exclusively use United Installers LLC which is a top service company in our market and excels in varied kinds of roof. A: 5-Year-No-Leak Assurance and a market first 2 year complementary upkeep strategy. A: Should you go through another storm a new claim will require to be submitted.

If a location sustains a high number of storms, the Texas Department of Insurance coverage will permit your insurance coverage business to raise the rates on an annual basis to everybody in your area, but never ever one individual separately.

After the adjuster comes out and examines the residential or commercial property, they will develop an estimate for you. By definition, this price quote is just an estimate, which is why Greenawalt will examine the residential or commercial property for damages. We create our own price quote and include any additional items that we feel are required in order to complete the repairs and submit this price quote to the insurance provider for approval together with any evidence supporting the requirement for each additional line item we are requesting.

3 Tips For Negotiating Cost With Roofing Company

No matter your situation, Greenawalt will be taking care of this for you every action of the method.

Rick lemon, who supervised our roof setup, might not have been more attentive to our concerns, and Elite roof supplied outstanding service in general at a sensible price.

Roofing Frequently asked questions Here are some sure indications your roof needs to be fixed or changed: Missing, broken or curling shingles Blistering or peeling paint Shingle, sheathing or siding decay Leak in the attic after heavy rains/li > Discolorations on interior walls or ceilings High energy expenses All frequently, roof problems are discovered after dripping or other major damage happens.

Indoors, search for broken paint, tarnished plasterboard, and peeling wallpaper as signs of damaged roofing system areas. Not always. Leaking can result due to the fact that some flashings have actually come loose or since an area of the roofing has actually been harmed. A roofing failure, nevertheless, is typically irreparable and results from inappropriate setup or option of products, or from the installation of a roof system inappropriate to the structure.

How To Find A Good Roofing Company

According to the American Society of House Inspectors, asphalt shingles generally last 15-20 years; wood shingle/shakes, 10-40 years; clay/concrete tiles, 20+ years; slate, 30-100 years; metal roof, 15-40+years. Roof product makers off a variety of service warranties on their items. Changing a roof, whether on a commercial or property structure, is a labor-intensive task and, depending upon the type of roofing, could take anywhere from a few days to 2 or more weeks.

Wind, snow, rain, or perhaps simply the risk of among these and will slow the process considerably. For built-up roofing systems, getting rid of and changing the roofing system will most likely proceed at a rate of approximately 1,500 square feet per day. For single-ply roofs, the rate is better to 2,000 to 4,000 square feet per day.

Window FAQs Here are some sure signs your windows require to be fixed or replaced: Windows rattle in the wind Trouble opening them Drafty, with air dripping through or around the window Excessive condensation or icing on the within the window panes Paint chipping or peeling Home is constantly too cold in the winder or too hot in the summer Due to the fact that custom windows are made to fit perfectly, they provide the very best energy effectiveness and can be installed a lot more quickly and with really little mess.

In addition, customized windows enable you to pick the very best solution to the issues you want to fix by changing windows. Energy efficient windows have a variety of characteristics in typical with one another. They are produced using quality frame materials that insulate well and prevent heat transfer. They have multiple panes with air or gas in the center to insulate much better.

Advice How To Choose The Best Roofing Company

They have low e glass to reflect infrared light and keep heat in the house throughout the winter. And energy efficient replacement windows have warm edge spacers to keep panes the appropriate distance apart. These spacers likewise insulate pane edges and minimize heat transfer. Inspect the window's NFRC rating label.

This is a measurement of the window's capability to resist the transfer of cold and heat. U-Factor is the amount of heat moved through a product. The lower the U-Factor, the slower the rate of heat flow, therefore the better the insulating quality. Drafts are triggered by windows that are badly sealed, inadequately insulated, or incorrectly installed.

A quality contractor will attend to the insulation around the rough opening and correctly insulate during installation. Excellent windows themselves are well insulated, and when closed and locked will successfully seal off outdoors air. Appropriate setup and the option of window are both crucial, working hand in hand to effectively avoid drafts.

In order to decrease condensation, humidity needs to be controlled and air motion must be generated. As the exterior temperature drops, the humidity level requires to reduce if condensation is to be managed. Gutter Frequently Asked Questions Yes. Gutter avoid water from ruining many components of your home. Dripping rainwater can trigger fractures in foundations and sidewalks.

8 Tips For Finding The Right Roofing Company

The rainwater decomposes all the lower wood elements on your house. This wet, decomposing wood attracts termites and carpenter ants which require moist conditions to recreate and thrive - https://www.peak2peakroofing.com/roofing-company-kearney-missouri. Rain gutters also protect entryways from becoming wet and slippery. This is a great concern as all guttering systems require some maintenance to insure the integrity of it's protection for your home.

Smooth rain gutters are custom-made fitted, one-piece gutters made at your house. They are far exceptional than sectional plastic or aluminum seamless gutters purchased home improvement stores. Seamless rain gutters do not have in-line joints, which always fail. Smooth gutters are made from aluminum, copper or steel that will last for years.

The roofing system on your industrial building, office, storage facility, factory, shopping center, or any other comparable property is a crucial component that keeps individuals inside safe and ought to be looked after with the utmost care. Commitment to a commercial roof task, whether it is repair, maintenance, or replacement, is a significant investment and as an industrial real estate owner or supervisor, you probably have lots of questions.

Commercial roof is a roof system that seals a business roofing structure, securing the entire residential or commercial property from the outdoors aspects. When compared to domestic, industrial roofings usually vary in design and are much larger in size. Business roof can can be found in different designs and products to fulfill your specific requirements and dreams, as well as the requirements of the particular structure and area.

#roofing #kansas city #roofer

[thoughtsmadnessandmusic-blog]

My Top 50 Songs of 2017

Rules and disclaimers:

No more than five songs per artist, and no more than two songs from the same album/EP. Features count as a song for each named artist. I will try to link the songs to their headers where possible. For songs fifty through twenty-one there will be a short quip; the top twenty will have a more detailed discussion.

This list is subjective, as should be obvious. If you don't like this years, maybe you’ll like next years. In the interest of sharing cool tracks, I will list some honourable mentions that didn’t make the list as I heard them too late for consideration. Some songs (and their videos) contain explicit lyrics and imagery.

 Honourable Mentions

Wolf Alice – Yuk Foo

Chromeo – Juice

Rina Sawayama – Alterlife

Sampha – (No One Knows Me) Like The Piano

 50. Tyler, The Creator – I Ain’t Got Time

The percussion on this track, especially the first half, is just sublime. Shout out to the random shakers on the chorus.

49. Syd – All About Me

From one member of Odd Future to another, this song somehow straddles the line between chill and hard, and pulls it off.

48. T-Pain & Lil Wayne – Listen To Me

Who would have thought sampling the ‘Oompa Loompa song’ would sound so hard?

47. Belly – Man Listen

Belly makes some hype music, but his rhyming on this first verse should not go unnoticed. Quality track, with a catchy melody.

46. HAIM – Nothing’s Wrong

The “tell-t-tell me” in the background of the chorus is one of the best things to happen in music this year.

45. Kacy Hill – Hard To Love

The swell of this song, combined with a chorus that only grows larger each time you hear it, makes for 80s infused pleasure.

44. T-Pain & Lil Wayne – Heavy Chevy

This song is just so, damn, southern.

43. Kacy Hill – Arm’s Length

Kacy Hill’s vocal performance on this track is exceptional, and that chorus hits like a truck.

42. Calvin Harris – Slide (Ft. Frank Ocean & Migos)

If you had told me at the start of the year that Calvin Harris would produce some of the smoothest tracks of the year, I would have called you insane. But, here we are. I’d like to give a special shout out to that pitched up vocal sample for being everything that’s right in the world.

41. Travis Scott – Butterfly Effect

The catchy chorus here is accented perfectly by the switch up for the rap verse, which may be my favourite part of the track.

40. Vince Staples – BagBak

Vince Staple’s fusion of electronic music with hip-hop adds a constant sense of movement to a track dripping with political critique and comments on racial inequality.

39. Action Bronson – The Chairman’s Intent

Action Bronson always comes through with constant bars, flow and charisma, so throwing in a catchy refrain is just putting the cherry on top.

Highlight: “I started clapping when the chef brought the duck to the table

Uh, that shit was shining like an angel”.

38. Syd – Body

I’m not sure I fully appreciated how smooth, and sexy, this song was until I began planning this list. The whole track is coercive, and the break down after the chorus serves to let you settle in before the ride continues.

37. Raekwon – My Corner (Ft. Lil Wayne)

First and foremost, I’d like to address the fantastic snare that anchors this track. Secondly, I’d like to remind everyone that Wayne murders his feature, with a flow that just glides through rhyme after rhyme.

36. Lorde – Green Light

Yes, this song is making damn near every list, and with good reason. Lorde’s imagery is superb, and the way this song builds musically is something to behold.

35. DJ Khaled – It’s Secured (Ft. Travis Scott & Nas)

Travis Scott’s hook is phenomenal, anchoring Nas’ vivid lyricism and capitalising on the hype of the instrumental. Maybe we need Travis Scott on more Nas songs?

34. Gucci Mane – Curve (Ft. The Weeknd)

Gucci and The Weeknd suit each other so very well, creating a song that never stops flowing, and revels in its debauchery.

33. Sabrina Claudio – Unravel Me

Alright, why did I have to discover Sabrina Claudio through Spotify radio? How is this track not being plastered over every R&B fan’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts? If I hadn’t found this song so late in the year there’s a good chance it would have landed higher on this list. What a beautiful track.

32. Japanese Breakfast – Machinist

The first time I heard this song is by far my favourite ‘what the fuck’ moment of the year. Add a saxophone solo on top and you have a fantastic track.

31. Lady Gaga – The Cure

I can’t get this chorus out of my head and I don’t want to. Now, that may be aided by the fact that I picture Lady Gaga dancing like an 80s robot while delivering the lyrics, but I can live with that.

30. Cam’ron – D.I.A.

This is some classic Dipset, from the beat to Cam’ron’s nonchalant dismantling of every other rapper’s brag.

Highlight: “50 keys in the tub, that's a real bird bath”.

29. Stormzy – Cold

I love how dramatically hard this beat is, and Stormzy’s refrain “I've been cold the whole season, I should call my next one "Freezing"” is such an excellent, tongue in cheek, cap on the chorus.

28. Injury Reserve – Boom (X3)

Is this the hardest chorus of 2017? Yes, yes it is.

27. Future – Comin Out Strong (Ft. The Weeknd)

Honestly, at this point we need a Weeknd x Future project. The Weeknd is his usual, swaggering self, and Future comes with some surprising intensity and entertaining adlibs.

26. Stormzy – Big For Your Boots

Combine Stormzy’s raw personality on the mic with another catchy hook, and you have a track with insane replay value.

25. Rick Ross – Trap Trap Trap (Ft. Young Thug & Wale)

This song is plain hard. Rick Ross’ change up in flow and voice on his first verse hit perfectly, and Young Thug’s personality complements the track superbly. Throw in some great bars from Wale and you get one of the best trap tracks of the year.

24. N.E.R.D – Lemon (Ft. Rihanna)

The production on this track is incredible, and words can’t describe how badly I want a straight up rap album from Rihanna.

23. The Killers – Run For Cover

The lead single from ‘Wonderful Wonderful’ hits with a fantastic chorus and lyrics that attack the current (or constant) political climate. I’d be remiss to not acknowledge how much this song reminds me of “When We Were Young”, one of my favourite Killer’s tracks.

22. Young Thug & Carnage – Homie (Ft. Meek Mill)

Wait, one second, I might have to revisit my comment on the hardest chorus of 2017... Even if Young Thug does sound like the Cookie Monster.

21. Vince Staples – Big Fish (Ft. Juicy J)

I do love a Juicy J chorus, not to mention a beat with a groove like this. Place a smooth flow from Vince Staples on top and you’ve got a track that will always move your head.

20. Frank Ocean – Chanel

This song has already received accolades from many publications, and the symbolic use of the Chanel logo to frame Frank Ocean’s exploration into the duality of things is surprisingly powerful. Yes, Frank Ocean is a fantastic writer, but this track serves to demonstrate how the mainstream, both in terms of pop culture and music, can be explored and appropriated to analyse deeper social issues. More than that, the fantastic second verse where Frank Ocean belts his lungs out is one of the most cathartic moments in music this year, and serves to remind the listener of how excellent a vocalist he is.

19. HAIM – Want You Back

HAIM’s ‘Want You Back’ was one of the tracks that grew on me the most this year, it’s infectious, 80’s infused sound constantly weaving its way back into my rotation. It’s a song that builds, starting stripped back, and minimalist, before exploding into the chorus with layered vocals, percussion, and some impressively effective vocal samples. There is a certain swagger to the verses here, tying the personality of the band with the sound they create, giving the track it’s smooth movement, and self-assurance. Yes, the relationship is over, but this song is sure in its desire for it to return, and knows it will succeed.

18. A$AP Ferg – Plain Jane

This song is so very addictive. A straight up flexing anthem, ‘Plain Jane’ lands this high on the list for Ferg’s impeccable use of flow. For this kind of track to be effective it needs an MC to bring confidence, swagger, and mic presence that owns the beat and owns who they are. A$AP Ferg executes this perfectly, gliding along the beat to hit all the right points alongside the percussion, and flipping his flow just enough on the chorus to provide a catchy break. It’s a comfortable, commanding presence, accented by a hard beat that is just that bit quicker, and more rhythmically consistent, than the typical trap affair.

17. Lorde – Perfect Places

If any song on this list could be said to have captured what 2017 felt like as a year, especially how it felt for the younger generation, this was it. ‘Perfect Places’ is a masterful display of song writing, diving headfirst into the need for escape in a world that is constantly hammering at our doors. Yes, it deals with the timeless insecurity of becoming a young adult, but more than that it acknowledges the “graceless”, constant nature of it all. There is a distinct helplessness to it all, and as heroes fade what else is there to do but search for an escape? And that’s just the lyrics. The gorgeous production hits like a wall on the chorus, and the synth that accents the refrain is simply stunning. The defining moment of the track, however, is the smallest. Lorde’s mouthed, clicking trigger, where the metaphorical gun that is this song is cocked before exploding into the chorus.

16. Young Thug – Relationship (Ft. Future)

‘Relationship’ contains one of the most exactly crafted choruses of the year. Young Thug begins it, providing his trademark charisma and vocal inflections, and singing in a way that is evidently building to something. Then the beat drops and hits exactly on the first line from Future, signalling the change to more euphoric lyrics from the artist. The rhymes that follow are consistent, but it’s that rising melody that Future provides that will get stuck in your head for days. Once some solid, quotable verses are added, and this song is full of quotable lyrics, it’s back to the chorus, and back to one of the best moments in music this year.

15. PLAZA – Personal

There’s nothing like some good, autotuned debauchery. Plaza’s ‘Personal’ is a vibe; a constant, wavering scent of smoke on the air, smoke that rests deep in your lungs. It’s the taste on your lips the next morning, and the broken, bleary smile given before an early departure. Indeed, it’s the OVO sound through and through. PLAZA flows over the beat smoothly, providing a simple, catchy refrain, that epitomises the song, and the mindset of lust over reason. The song is accepting of this, acknowledging that perhaps the pursuit of carnal pleasure is not entirely good or bad, but simply feels right.

14. Drake – 4422 (Ft. Sampha)

To call this a Drake song seems disingenuous. Even if it was part of the ‘More Life’ package, this is a Sampha song, albeit one fitting of the Drake catalogue. A gorgeous vocal performance from Sampha, ‘4422’ is beautiful in its simplicity. It’s a track that resonates due to its blatant need for any amount of commitment that is not forthcoming. Why? We don’t know. No one knows, because sometimes these moments, and feelings, are inexplicable hunches. They are the twists of the stomach, when we know what feels right, and what doesn’t, but we can’t reconcile the issue and so slip into anxious turmoil. Sampha knows this, and he wants it to end, if only they could meet halfway.

13. Drake – KMT (Ft. Giggs)

I could not stop listening to ‘KMT’ this year. It’s just such an easy, catchy listen. The beat is your standard trap banger, albeit those on beat drums in the introduction are somewhat unique and build the tension excellently. For that matter, the strings themselves are catchy and tension inducing as well. At the end of the day, however, the reason this song is up so high is because it’s just so damn fun to listen to. The lyrics are quotable and often silly or over the top. The flows are catchy, yes, even the ones borrowed from other rappers. Furthermore, Giggs’ voice and adlibs suit the track perfectly, and it all builds to one of the most hype listens of the year. Trust me, if you want to have some fun, crank the speakers and just let yourself be taken away by this track.

12. Kendrick Lamar – HUMBLE.

How much really needs to be said about Kendrick’s ‘HUMBLE.’? The track that cemented Kendrick as the biggest name in rap sees him step into a lane more pop orientated, but yet still viciously lyrical. The beat, courtesy of Mike WiLL Made-It, is not quite the normal trap affair, focusing instead on a staccato piano line that in a lot of ways reminds me of the more simplistic, yet catchy, early 2000s hip-hop beats. It hits perfectly, and Kendrick steps into it with ease, diving in and out of the beat with one of his catchiest flows yet. To top it off the song is filled with quotable lines that you have no doubt seen plastered all over social media, and with good reason. This song is tongue in cheek fun, with just a hint of a more serious edge to it, and I love it.

11. Jay-Z – The Story of O.J.

The best way to experience this song is with the phenomenal video (linked in the title above) which does a remarkable job of conveying the ideas of the track. A journey into the mindset of a fiscally responsible Jay-Z, ‘The Story of O.J.’ attempts to address the need for wise financial decision making to pull people, especially those discriminated against, out of the world they find themselves in. Yet, throughout it all, Jay-Z makes it clear that no matter the success he, or others around him, might experience, they will still be seen in the same, racist light. For a song that attempts to offer hope it is a bitter taste, suggesting that although over time things will change, for now the colour of your skin will still alter people’s perception of you. All of this is delivered over an immaculate beat from No I.D., complete with an incredible sample and tight, punchy drums.

10. PLAZA – Run This

The way this track builds is nothing short of brilliant. It opens up with PLAZA lamenting his interactions with a girl, his reverb soaked voice echoing over stuttering synths. And then the hats come in, and you know those incredible kicks are about to hit. Those three, perfectly timed kicks, hitting on the start of his line like a truck. The track then builds further, the element of ambition and desire slipping into PLAZA’s vocals, the melody switches up, and further synths come in. But then the song pauses for the briefest of moments, the chorus hits, and PLAZA slips into one of the catchiest melodies of the year. It’s flawless, intoxicatingly arrogant, hype, and so very replayable.

9. Bob Dylan – Making A Liar Out Of Me (Rehearsal)

When Bob Dylan released a new bootleg series, I knew there’d be something good on there, and I wasn’t let down. ‘Making A Liar Out Of Me’ is Dylan at his poetic best, delivering line after line of vivid images and scathing critiques. Of much debate is who this song is aimed at. Is it a lost lover? A politician he had faith in? Higher ups in the church that have been abusing their position of power? God, and Dylan’s faith itself? Or, even, Dylan himself? Yes, this track comes from Dylan’s Gospel era, but it’s using that hint of Christianity to inform it’s critique, to build a pastiche of this person who has horribly let him down. I could simply paste the whole song’s lyrics here and leave you to make your own peace with the track, and in essence that is what I’ll do, but I’ll leave you with a personal highlight of mine:

“Well I say that, that ain't flesh and blood you're drinking

In the wounded empire of your fool's paradise

With a light above your head forever blinking

Turning virgins into merchandise”.

8. dvsn – Conversations In A Diner

I’m unsure how many people would have chosen the closer off dvsn’s ‘Morning After’ to land this high on their year end list, but more certainly should have. It is a beautiful end to a stunning record. The vocal performance from Daniel Daley is gentle, delicate and absolutely embodies the love he is attempting to convey. ‘Morning After’ was an album about struggling to keep a relationship going, and to capture those moments of perfection that remained, and this song is a heartfelt promise to continue trying. It’s an exceptionally mature end to the album, accented by some beautiful piano and a perfectly timed choir.

7. Jay-Z – Bam (Ft. Damian Marley)

This is straight up, uncompromising, old school, braggadocios Jay-Z. Over a beat that contains another excellent sample and fantastic drums (shouts out to No I.D. once more), Jay reminisces on the actions that lead him to where he is today. It’s an acknowledgement of the ego that allowed him to succeed, and it contains some of the most vivid images and best lines on ‘4:44’. Damian Marley’s feature is superb, fitting well with the sample, and his charisma builds off Jay’s perfectly. The highlight of the track for me is the superb transition from chorus to verse, where Jay shouts over the last line of the chorus: “Fuck all this pretty Shawn Carter shit n****, HOV”. It brings so much energy to the track and stylistically harkens back to ‘Public Service Announcement’ off ‘The Black Album’.

6. Roy Woods – Instinct (Ft. MadeinTYO)

A track that came out very late in 2016 on Roy Woods’ ‘Nocturnal’ EP (and thus qualifies for this list), I rediscovered the song when the music video dropped earlier this year. Up until that point I hadn’t realised how fantastic the drop on the first verse was, but Roy Woods going crazy in the video certainly opened my eyes. From then on this track was inescapable for me; I’d keep starting it off, listening to those intro lines from Roy Woods, and waiting for the drop. To this day, when that kick hits, and the flow switches, I can’t help but move. It’s the rhythm of this track that really leaves it sticking in my mind, from Roy’s upbeat, braggadocios lyrics and flow, to MadeinTYOs more laid back, controlled cockiness. Throw in a few more quotable, sometimes ridiculous lines (You ain’t got sauce like I got sauce”), and you easily have one of my favourite tracks of the year.

5. dvsn – Body Smile

Another gorgeous song by dvsn, ‘Body Smile’ sees Daniel Daley once more flexing his vocal chops to make up for the things he has done to break his lover’s heart. Of course, he’s not going to make up for them simply by singing, he’s going to make up for it with a night of, apparently, the most passionate, loving sex, ever conceived (no pun intended). Perhaps that is a ridiculous sentiment, but then, in an album dripping in the raw physicality of a relationship, it makes perfect sense. It’s about marrying the emotional with the physical, recognising sex as capable of being more than just enjoyable, but rather as being an honest, unhindered expression of love. That’s just the context of the song. The production itself is slow, ebbing and seductive, culminating in a stellar vocal performance on the final chorus. Then there’s the pre-chorus, which contains one of my favourite vocal melodies and rhythms of the year, with the way it slinks through each word, as if Daniel Daley is trying to skip through the wrongs, but proceeding to get more and more caught up on his mistakes. Yet, all of this song culminates in the last two lines of the chorus, where Daley stops belting, the instrumentation dies down, and we get a beautiful, seductive, pleading falsetto. It’s stripped back, raw, and honest, just as the song is supposed to be.

4. Bleachers – Don’t Take The Money

Jack Antonoff had a big year, but amongst all his writing for other artists he found time to record an exceptional pop song of his own. ‘Don’t Take The Money’ is an undeniable anthem, painting the stress of being in a relationship with vivid metaphors and a mammoth chorus. It attempts to deal with the constant anxiety that comes from being in a relationship, especially, perhaps, when it is not going so well. What if this incredible person disappears? What happens to me? What if they take the metaphorical money and run? It’s an uncertainty fuelled track that acknowledges the incredible nature of love by recognising how fragile it is. Then there is the fantastic, aching production, that grows into a huge, passionate chorus. The percussion, and use of bells, accents it all so well, and it’s the moments when the instrumentation calms that you notice just how textured it is.  

3. The Killers – Tyson vs Douglas

There is so much I want to say, or feel I could say, about this song. First, I want to make it clear how great the instrumentation is. The driving guitar and dramatic synth; the way Brandon Flowers voice screams out the chorus. The sheer size and blatant anxiety of the chorus. It all feels cinematic, as if capturing that final punch and replaying it again and again. But, that’s not really the point. The point is that in front of that TV set was a generation of boys realising their heroes, and, perhaps, father figures, were not invincible. In a world that can be so absurdly masculine, they were witnessing just how fragile it all really was. And that’s not to say it’s bad, but it is a loss of innocence. A realisation that their father, or hero, is fallible, and that sometimes they will break down. They will lose. They will cry. This is a world outside of the conception of a child, and here it is happening in front of them, again and again. It’s a feeling of helplessness because it acknowledges how little control anyone can have over the world around them. In the bridge Brandon Flowers sings “you said it was nothing, but maybe you’re wrong”, because he realises it wasn’t nothing. Every boys view of the world changes when they see their hero, or father, fall, and this song perfectly captures that moment. Incredible.

2. Kendrick Lamar – DNA.

It’s so rare to see a rapper absolutely snap on a track, and on ‘DNA.’ Kendrick lets loose. A track that deals with everything that Kendrick believes makes both him who he is, and makes every other person on the planet what they are, DNA. is a vivid portrayal of the complexities of black culture and the way it is perceived. This idea is demonstrated just before the beat switch, when Kendrick samples a comment from Geraldo Rivera in which he claims that ‘this is why I say that hip hop has done more damage to young African Americans than racism in recent years’. An idea, that aside from being utterly ridiculous, serves as ammunition for a vicious final verse from Kendrick in which he berates the cheapening, and pigeonholing, of black culture, and makes it clear that who he is is something to be proud of.

1. Carly Rae Jepsen – Cut To The Feeling

‘Cut To The Feeling’ has been my number one song of the year since the day I heard it. No other song released this year is so euphoric, so infectious, so bouncy, or so downright undeniable. It provides moment after moment of highlights, and is quite possibly the best produced track of the year. The song starts simply enough, a nice, catchy clap rhythm, building to the vocals, but as soon as the vocals start, everything begins growing. The kicks come in, and Jepsen delivers some staccato vocal melodies with their assistance, before disappearing into a shuddering, building ‘oh’. An ‘Oh’ that takes us to a chorus. The chorus. The kicks hit, the synths and bass swell, and Carly Rae Jepsen sings her damn lungs out. The melody is shoutable, it’s catchy, and its rhythm matches every jump you’ll be making as you dance along. It’s the second half of the chorus that really drives it home for me, where somehow the song grows even larger, and Jepsen sings “I wanna play where you play with the angels”, hitting the word ‘angels’ in the most, well, angelic way possible. Yet, every line delivered in the song hits perfectly, so for me to even highlight them is almost unnecessary. That’s what this song does so very well, every musical aspect is in complete harmony. An outstanding effort in pop music, and without a doubt my top song of 2017.

#music #topsongs #2017

[writing-prompts-for-friends]

Notes on Robert McKee’s Story 31: How to Climax

☝ Guys, I have been reading this book for hundreds of pages and resisted giggling like a 13-year-old over the word “climax” but I just. couldn’t. take. it. anymore.

Story design is broken down into five essential parts: (Clicking on 1-3 will take you to my previous posts about them if you need a refresher.)

The Inciting Incident

Progressive Complications

Crisis

Climax

Resolution

“The Climax of the last act should be your greatest imaginative leap. Without it, you have no story. Until you have it, your characters wait like suffering patients praying for a cure.”

Climax is the fourth of the five-part structure. But the Climax doesn't have to be full of fights and action. 

McKee states that a good Climax must meet the following criteria:

It has to full of meaning. MEANING: A revolution in values from positive to negative or negative to positive with or without irony—a value swing at maximum charge that’s absolute and irreversible. The meaning of that change moves the heart of the audience.

The action that creates this change must be "pure," self-evident, and requiring no explanation. If you need dialogue or narration to spell it out your audience, you've done it wrong.

The action must be appropriate to the needs of the story. 

McKee seems to advocate coming up with the Climax and then working backwards to determine the rest of your story:

“Once the Climax is in hand, stories are in a significant way rewritten backward, not forward. The flow of life moves from cause to effect, but the flow of creativity often flows from effect to cause. An idea for the Climax pops unsupported into the imagination. Now we must work backward to support it in the fictional reality, supplying the hows and whys. We work back from the ending to make certain that by Idea and Counter-Idea every image, beat, action, or line of dialogue somehow relates to or sets up this grand payoff. All scenes must be thematically or structurally justified in the light of the Climax. If they can be cut without disturbing the impact of the ending, they must be cut.”

But actually, I'm not sure how I feel about this. Personally, I tend to come up with the Inciting Incident first, and then work out everything else later. There's only been once that I've come up with the Climax before everything else, and I'm struggling to find ways to build up to that Climax. I suppose everyone writes differently, though, and that's okay. 

I also definitely agree with what McKee see says about cutting scenes. Some writers fall in love with their characters or the story world and they want to put every ounce of their love into the work, which is wonderful and really shines through in stories. However, if not kept in check, this can lead to unnecessary "fluff" that doesn't actually provide new, important information to the audience. 

What About the Subplot Climaxes?

“If logic flows, climax subplots within the Central Plot’s Climax. This is a wonderful effect: one final action by the protagonist settles everything. When Rick puts Laszlo and Ilsa on the plane in Casablanca, he settles the Love Story main plot and the Political Drama subplot, converts Captain Renault to patriotism, kills Major Strasser, and, we feel, is the key to winning WWII… now that Rick is back in the fight.

If this multiplying effect is impossible, the least important subplots are best climaxed earliest, followed by the next most important, building overall to Climax of the Central Plot.”

Subverting Expectations

“The key to all story endings is to give the audience what it wants, but not the way it expects.” --William Goldman

I hesitated to title this section "subverting expectations" because it's got such a bad rap recently, but that's really what McKee is driving at in this section. Don't worry, though. He's not talking about the bullshit "kill the characters you like because fuck you" method of subverting expectations that has been all the rage recently.

☝ Pretty much sums up my feelings on GoT

Before you can subvert, you first need to know what your audience's expectations are. What does the audience want?

Many people would quickly say, "A happy ending." 

But McKee has a great logic against that:

“A very provocative principle: First of all, what does the audience want? Many producers state without blinking that the audience wants a happy ending. They say this because up-ending films tend to make more money than down-ending films.

The reason for this is that a small percentage of the audience won’t go to any film that might give it an unpleasant experience. Generally their excuse is that they have enough tragedy in their lives. But if we were to look closely, we’d discover that they not only avoid negative emotions in movies, they avoid them in life. Such people think that happiness means never suffering, so they never feel anything deeply. The depth of our joy is in direct proportion to what we’ve suffered. Holocaust survivors, for example, don’t avoid dark films. They go because such stories resonate with their past and are deeply cathartic.

In fact, down-ending films are often huge commercial successes: Dangerous Liaisons, 80 million dollars; The War of the Roses, 150 million; The English Patient, 225 million. No one can count The Godfather, Part II’s money. For the vast majority doesn’t care if a film ends up or down. What the audience wants is emotional satisfaction—a Climax that fulfills anticipation. How should The Godfather, Part II end? Michael forgives Fredo, quits the mob, and moves to Boston with his family to sell insurance? The Climax of this magnificent film is truthful, beautiful, and very satisfying.”

Actually, a happy ending may not be fitting if it doesn't match the audience's expectations. 

So then how do we, the writers, decide which particular emotion will satisfy the audience? 

From the very beginning of the story, we are dropping little hints to the audience to expect an up-ending or down-ending or irony. Once we promise the audience these things, it would be disastrous if we didn't deliver. However, while we do give the audience what we promised, we do so in a way it does not expect. 

“In Aristotle’s words, an ending must be both “inevitable and unexpected.” Inevitable in the sense that as the Inciting Incident occurs, everything and anything seems possible, but at Climax, as the audience looks back through the telling, it should seem that the path the telling took was the only path. Given the characters and their world as we’ve come to understand it, the Climax was inevitable and satisfying. But at the same time it must be unexpected, happening in a way the audience could not have anticipated.

Anyone can deliver a happy ending—just give the characters everything they want. Or a downer—just kill everybody. An artist gives us the motion he’s promised… but with a rush of unexpected insight that he’s withheld to a Turning Point within the Climax itself. So that as the protagonist improvises his final effort, he may or may not achieve his desire, but the flood of insight that pours from the gap delivers the hoped-for emotion but in a way we could never have foreseen. 

The key to a great film ending, as Francois Truffaut put it, is to create a combination of “Spectacle and Truth.” When Truffaut says “Spectacle,” he doesn’t mean explosive effect. He means a Climax written, not for the ear, but for the eye. By “Truth” he means Controlling Idea. In other words, Truffaut is asking us to create the Key Image of the film—a single image that sums up and concentrates all meaning and emotion. Like the coda of a symphony, the Key Image within the climactic action echoes and resonates all that has gone before. It is an image that is so tuned to the telling that when it’s remembered the whole film comes back with a jolt.”

In Summary

When you design your climax, make sure that it:

Isn’t just lights and action, and has true meaning.

It is appropriate to the story you have built.

Provides the audience what they want, but not how they expected.

Source: McKee, Robert. Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting. York: Methuen, 1998. Print

#writing prompts for friends #writing advice #writing tips #writing resources #creative writing #writer #writing #write #writers block #writing inspiration #writing inspo #creative writing theory #robert mckee #writing fantasy #writing fiction #writing fanfiction #writeblr #writing prompts for friends notes on story

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[zodiacspot]

Horoscope - March 23 2017

Aries Horoscope

(Mar 21 – Apr 19)

You don't see how you can keep your ideas to yourself for one more day. Whether you're passionate about your work or pent-up frustration is making you crazy, someone is bound to hear about it today. While there's nothing wrong with speaking your mind, a tense configuration between intimidating Pluto and vocal Mercury in your 1st House of Personality transforms typical venting into steamrolling rants. Others could feel attacked by your gusto if you don't consciously rein in your intensity. Although moderating your tone for your audience is wise, remember Ralph Waldo Emerson's words, "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."

Taurus Horoscope

(Apr 20 – May 20)

You're certainly privy to all the changes happening to everyone else, but you still may not realize how much you have changed. You prefer to stick to the obvious, but you might experience an epiphany today that's been organically developing behind the scenes. Fortunately, the detached Aquarius Moon helps you see what could feel like an internal watershed from a cool-headed perspective. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, "A man has free choice to the extent that he is rational."

Gemini Horoscope

(May 21 – Jun 20)

You're a natural when it comes to chatting about every topic from A to Z, but talking about deep feelings doesn't come as easily. But more goes on behind your lighthearted veneer than you let on, and the pressure may build up so much that it begins to color your language a few shades darker. Your friends are likely to pick up on the fact that something is on your mind today, so choosing an appropriate time and place to express your emotions is ideal over spilling the beans without any warning. Choose proactive over reactive for the best results.

Cancer Horoscope

(Jun 21 – Jul 22)

You feel the words rising in your throat and you're not sure if you can bite your tongue for much longer. Although you know that stress at work is inevitable, things may reach a boiling point where you're unable to keep silent. Defending your position is essential and you should stand your ground with confidence. But if there's something on your mind unrelated to your job, don't take it out on your coworkers. Discussing your thoughts with the right people turns a frustrating conversation into a healing experience.

Leo Horoscope

(Jul 23 – Aug 22)

You're extremely excited about a long-term project, and it's gratifying to see the progress as it takes shape. However, you may get fed up with the lack of recognition today if others aren't noticing the jewel you're polishing so diligently. You might think that an impassioned speech will wake everyone up to the reality of your efforts, but what is zeal to you might sound like a lecture to someone else. If you really want feedback or acknowledgment, all you have to do is ask.

Virgo Horoscope

(Aug 23 – Sep 22)

Your schedule is your best friend today as it gives you a reason to politely decline people's well-meaning inquiries. You don't feel like discussing what's on your mind now, even if you could use an objective ear to help you process your thoughts. However, you may find yourself at a dead end with fewer options if you don't face your feelings from the start. It's better to have an uncomfortable conversation on your own terms than a shouting match when you're at the end of your rope. Timing is everything.

Libra Horoscope

(Sep 23 – Oct 22)

Any good captain worth their salt knows to steer their ship early to avoid last-minute turns that could capsize the vessel. But even the most experienced sailors misjudge distance sometimes, and today you may be closer to a quick change in direction than you think. Inconspicuous cues from a friend or partner might only be the tip of the iceberg, and collision is unavoidable if you realize what's happening too late. Fortunately, the astute Aquarius Moon lends you the impartiality needed to handle any conflict that arises. Erring on the side of kindness inspires others to do the same.

Scorpio Horoscope

(Oct 23 – Nov 21)

You don't want anyone to waste your time today because every moment seems critical to your success. Your obligations may be stressing you out more than you wish, but that just makes you more adamant to fulfill them as quickly as possible. Harnessing your anger for productivity works to your advantage rather than allowing aggravation to stop you in your tracks. Never underestimate the power of persistence.

Sagittarius Horoscope

(Nov 22 – Dec 21)

Your passion takes you to amazing places and you're excited about your creations. You hope your friends are impressed by your deeds and you may even think that luck is on your side as you continue to push the envelope. But you might be annoyed if everyone doesn't agree with your approach to living the good life. You could feel like your integrity is at stake when your actions aren't met with applause and acclaim. However, you must evaluate your own sense of self-esteem for the validation you seek because it could be an internal issue rather than one with your audience.

Capricorn Horoscope

(Dec 22 – Jan 19)

Your ability to conduct yourself with maturity is a strength that blends well with your tendency to not dance around a subject. However, that same calculated approach enables you to evade issues that you prefer not to discuss. But you're forced to confront your changing motivations when transformative Pluto pushes discerning Mercury. Talking about your dilemma could help you evaluate the situation in a clear-headed manner, even if you wish you could figure the answer out by yourself. Nevertheless, it's perfectly acceptable to lean on someone else for a change.

Aquarius Horoscope

(Jan 20 – Feb 18)

You are hoping that no one sees past your poker face because you only want to share your secrets with someone you know will keep them. However, voices carry today when cathartic Pluto influences capricious Mercury in your 3rd House of Communication, and you may end up outing yourself when you thought you had total control. Although you feel chagrin over your slip of the tongue, it's better to have your thoughts out in the open now where everyone can see them more clearly. Psychologist Brene Brown writes, "What makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful."

Pisces Horoscope

(Feb 19 – Mar 20)

Doing what's best for your own mental and emotional health must be top priority today. Even though you feel strongly about taking a stand for your beliefs, you won't be an effective leader unless you renew your energy with a well-deserved timeout. Neglecting your needs only results in poorly communicated intentions, especially when intense Pluto and argumentative Mercury add a formidable force behind your words. Thinking before you speak requires extra effort now, indicating your best bet is to retreat to the cozy comfort of your castle before you say something you regret.

Source : Rick Levine

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[forgivenbuilder]

From Governor Rick Scott's suggestion that guns should be kept from the mentally ill to a Florida vigil where chants of "no more guns" erupted, there are signs America may be ready for action.

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DON'T JUST EXPEL THEM! "KEEP IN TOUCH" WITH THEM!

First of all, I would like to offer my condolences, sympathy, empathy, and sincere heartfelt thoughts and prayers for the victims, their parents, their friends, their families, and their school community.

 I have learned that the shooter, Kurt Cruz, was suspended after multiple bouts of disciplinary action, after which he was permanently expelled.

 What happens to expelled students thereafter? They return to the same social environments that might have been accountable for their delinquency.

 When the foundation is cracked and water is pouring in, you don't lament the possibility that the kitchen may have needed remodeling! The problem is a spiritual problem; a heart condition; a soul condition.

 When children used to pray, such horrific events did not take place. "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us" had a deep, profound, motivational, inspirational impact upon our dire need for repentance when we do wrong, and for forgiveness when we are wronged.

 It appears, in the case of Mr. Cruz, to be a situation of revenge or grudge against the school, the students, teachers, and staff, where no restorative recourse was available to allay personal emotional repercussions and social maladjustments in response to a new status of "expulsion, exclusion, and isolation" from the school community, sum of which, would have also exacerbated any other negative variables causing stress in the life of the expelled student, such as certain "dysfunctions" in family relationships, if any. For, expelled students would no longer have opportunities to rely on support from their peers at school, nor from their neighborhood friends who might then shun their company, due to their knowledge of the expelled student's committed infractions of discipline.

 I would like to recommend that a program analogous to probationary structures instituted in our court systems be established to follow through continued contact with temporarily suspended and permanently expelled students, to operate rather as "a support system," so that they don't "fall through the system" as "throwaways" with no hope of redemption for re-integration into the public school system as future productive and creative members of our communities.

 Of course, these school employees will not be "probation officers" nor will they act as "probation officers;" but rather they will serve as "healers" who express concern for the suspended and expelled students, who take appropriate real steps and measures towards their restoration, and who demonstrate heartfelt compassionate interest in the personal well-being and general welfare of suspended and expelled students, so as to rehabilitate them, restore them to the school community, and salvage their remaining years, through maintaining a, hopefully, temporary relationship with them when they are outside of the school system, in order to assuage deleterious circumstances and grievous conditions that may have led to their responding to environmental stress in such shocking desperate "cries for help," for example, by looking for a weapon in order to cause harm to students and damages to the community at large.

 This program of "FOLLOW THROUGH CONTACT" would at least make an attempt to understand the constellation of events that may have produced behaviors necessitating disciplinary action, with the great hope and promise of restoring the students to their classes, under "mentoring supervision" as well as supportive relationships from teachers within the school system or from other specially hired school persons who would report to the Broward County School Board and the Superintendent, regarding the progress being made as well as offering needed opportunities to the suspended and expelled students for healing and rehabilitation, through "restorative mentoring" that would account for not only nurturing assistance in solving personal problems but also for developing new opportunities conducive to the redemption of the individual students for continued educational experiences and school and community participation, as they redevelop "a true sense of belonging" that would then hopefully thwart the emergence of such desperate responses to stressful learning experiences, environmental frustrations, and other anxiety-causing circumstances, as appears to have been the case, with the status of Mr. Cruz.

 I am offering these suggestions with a consoling heartfelt compassionate empathy for the grieving parents, friends, families, school personnel, and surrounding communities.

 I am praying for all of you, that you would take courage regarding newly open opportunities for assisting suspended and expelled students in constructive supportive mentoring ways that would be conducive to their eventual restoration and rehabilitation.

 I thank you very much for your consideration and understanding. God bless America! *

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