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obsidianarchives · 5 years

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Ashley Romans

Ashley Romans started her formal acting training at Pace University School of Performing Arts. She moved to Los Angeles immediately after graduating in 2015. Los Angeles theater credits include: Celebration's Charm (Beta), Rotterdam (StageRaw and LADCC award recipients). Film/Television credits include: "I'm Dying Up Here" and "Shameless" (Showtime), "Are You Sleeping?" (Apple TV), "Hermione Granger and the Quarter Life Crisis" (Sunshine Moxie), "NOS4A2" (AMC new series).

Black Girls Create: What do you create?

I’m an actor. I create by acting. Collaborating with writers, directors, designers, and visionaries in whichever medium possible to hopefully create an honest reflection of a being’s life experience.

BGC: How do I create?

I suppose my entire creative process begins with healthy self trickery. Not quite deception but more healthy, playful, self manipulation. Naturally as creators we have a way of resisting and fearing whatever it is we most want to bring about into the world. Similar to a mother’s fear of giving birth or raising a child, we think “what if the world doesn’t receive my creation well? What if people are mean? What if it’s not healthy or ready?” I often find myself trying to bribe or trick my way out of this fear. I trick myself into going into my next audition as confidently as I can, or preparing for that day on set when I really don’t want to, or finding some connection with a character trait I find reprehensible.

I also think it is very important to stay relaxed and loose so one can reach a playful and spiritual place of creativity. So I try and keep myself healthy; mentally, spiritually, and physically by reading, eating healthy, journaling, praying, meditating, and exercising.

BGC: How did you get into acting?

I would say my professional pursuit officially began when I went to study theater at Pace University in New York City for my undergraduate degree, but for as long as I can remember I always had an interest in acting. I loved watching ‘90s action/drama movies with my father and “I Love Lucy” reruns with my mother as a child at all hours of the day. I became even more interested in theater and performance through high school choir, joining community summer camps, and doing the spring high school musical.

Even as an adolescent I felt it was best to keep my professional aspirations to myself in fear of naysayers. In retrospect, I understand now that high school is a time a lot of young people are dealing with self doubt and insecurity. Considering that I was far from the funniest, smartest, or most talented individual in the theater department, I, unconsciously, kept my performing ambitions quiet even from the people closest to me because I didn’t want to risk someone rubbing their self doubt on me. I worked up the courage to audition for a couple of acting schools but I told no one except my acting teacher Douglas Hooper and a few very close mates.

I still abide by this privacy philosophy even now and it hasn’t steered me wrong to this day. I still feel that speaking one’s dreams and aspirations among chaotic or unsupportive energy environment would most likely dissipate or poison their own source.

Eventually after graduating from Pace University through a couple months of tumbling I landed representation for acting with a management company and I moved out to Los Angeles. I’ve been able to land some great acting opportunities and gain a supportive team of people and I could not be more grateful.

BGC: What has been your favorite role so far?

I have so many favorites. The roles that stand out to me as my favorite are the ones that have most challenged me and allowed me to explore a different aspect of life, and explore and connect to the full range of the human experience. I’ve received some of my most valuable acting lessons in various roles in the theater. I played Inez, a red dressed-vixen-leading lady with a passionate, deep-seeded hatred for her ex-husband in Stephen Adly Guirgis’ Our Lady of 121st. Two years ago I played Beta, a young teenage gang affiliated boy in Chicago with a secret in Phillip Dawkins’s play Charm at Celebration Theater. This coming March I will be part of the Kirk Douglas’s production Rotterdam by Jon Brittain. Set in the Netherlands, I will play Fiona/Adrian, one half of a modern London couple who decides to make a huge change in their life. My experience acting in these productions specifically has been positively nurturing. Throughout our rehearsal process, I learned what it means to be not just a more nuanced and skilled actor but also a more supportive and capable teammate in the creative process.

In terms of film/television world, my work as Hermione Granger in Sunshine Moxie’s Hermione Granger and the Quarter Life Crisis remains my greatest acting lesson in the film/television/on-camera discipline. Eliyannah Yisrael, Megan Grogan, Alice Pierce, other writers and producers leveled up my game up. I’ve never before been number one on the call sheet and I’m not sure if I ever will again, but having that responsibility was so enlightening. It was also an invaluable learning experience getting to work with those amazing creators and seeing those women just get shit done. It was truly an honor being chosen to play such an important and monumental literary character in this version. I remember reading the Harry Potter series as a little girl in London and thinking how much I wanted to be part of and live in that magical world. Playing Hermione in the HGQLC series was by far the best artistic adventure I’ve ever had. Exploring moments, scenes and how far we can bring characters all felt like adventures. Even our trip to Dublin, Ireland this past year felt like one big adventure. I’ll be forever grateful for that experience.

BGC: Why do you create?

I enjoy acting because I love being seen and getting to disappear. It’s a paradox but it’s my truth. I enjoy exploring the range of human experience. I love that I get to feel connected to people in the safe incubator that is pretend. I love that I get to feel and say all the things I’m afraid to feel and say in my real life. I still never get bored of going to the theater, movie or stage, sitting in a dark room with other people and watching performers simply tell us a story. I hope to serve God and the people around me through my creativity and acting. I always hope to truthfully represent a human experience no matter how high or low the stakes it might seem to us at first. Losing your phone and frantically trying to find it can be as exciting and dramatic a story as losing one’s job or finding out your spouse is unfaithful. It’s all in the storytelling and truthfulness of the moment and I love as an actor I get to explore that.

BGC: Who do you hope to reach through your work?

Honestly, the most important people I aim to ultimately reach and impress are my nieces and nephews. Yes the public, my agents, and producers are all important but I feel as though they are a means to an end. Right now my oldest niece is 10 years old and she loves the Hermione series and is always pretty excited to see me act on TV. At the moment she still thinks I’m pretty cool and I hope to keep it that way.

If this was a decade ago and you asked 16-year-old Ashley the same question I probably would have said something like “I want to be a voice for the voiceless and the underrepresented… blah blah blah.” Truthfully, I don’t think I ever really knew what that meant. I mean, I knew what it meant on a superficial-runner-up-in-Beauty-Pageant kind of level but now that answer doesn’t resonate with me as the gutter truth. Whenever I’m working on scripts, deciding on content to create or post etc, I ask myself “Is this something I would be proud to let my niece see? Is this the kind of work that can help make the world even the tiniest bit better for her?” Eventually, she’s going to grow up and have a voice in this world and I hope that her seeing me embrace mine will give her the courage to embrace hers. My nieces and nephews and all the children like them are who I hope to reach.

I really love seeing how the world is changing now. Representation in the media was so limited even 10 years ago but now it’s getting more and more beautiful by the day. With so many platforms, works such as Pose, Glow, Fresh Off the Boat, Chewing Gum, Masters of None, Eighth Grade, and more, so many beings who have been underrepresented for years are getting a chance to reach their audiences and tell their stories. And we all get to identify and see ourselves in each other. I don’t have to reach out and save the world because it kind of starts with myself and our own backyard.

BGC: Who or what inspires you to keep creating?

Oh geez, that’s a loaded question. My peers are my first and foremost inspiration and motivation. Again Eliyannah Yisrael, Megan Grogan, Alice Pearce, Jessica Jenks. It’s remarkable to watch those ladies do what they do. I love being in acting class and witnessing breakthroughs or being in a really great rehearsal with a cast mate. That’s always promising when you get to be part of the creation of something honest and true. Even if it is just a great moment in a scene. Actors who inspire me are endless. Octavia Spencer is a fantastic actress and creator who I adore. I had the blessing of working with her once and she’s an even better human. Lovely doesn’t do her justice. I love watching Regina King. There’s a great example of an honest to God creator and storyteller. She’s accomplished so much in acting, directing, writing, and producing. That’s also how I feel about Shonda Rhimes, Boots Riley, Jim Carrey, Maggie Gyllenhaal. There are many more. I’m sure as soon as you publish this interview I’m going to think of more.

BGC: Why is it important as a Black person to create?

As Black people, we have such a specific and loaded way we walk through the world. The Hermione Series has such a beautiful tag line. It says “HGQLC - Write Your Own Ending.” I’ve always loved that because it gives power to the subject. As Black people it is our responsibility to take control of our story the best way we can. We must feed our communities the best and most honest images of ourselves to ourselves because images and representation matters. In the area of cinema, for years non-Black people have told their version of the Black experience and it has left us misrepresented.

BGC: How do you balance creating with the rest of your life?

It’s always a struggle to keep a balanced life. I have a tendency to obsess and quickly lose perspective but when I want to regain balance I plan my day to make sure I get everything I need in. Luckily for me in my particular art form, acting is about living so I know I can’t be a good actor if I’m not allowing myself to experience life and fun.

BGC: Have you been able to build a support system around yourself? What does that look like?

I feel so grateful for my support system. I have amazing representation, an amazing day job with super awesome and motivating coworkers who are actively pursuing their life goals. I also have super supportive family and friends who tell me they’re proud of me just for being myself. My sister is also a great support system, someone I can speak and think out loud with no fear of judgment. I could not be any luckier.

BGC: Any advice for young creators/ones just starting?

It takes 10,000 hours to be a professional at anything. So just put in the hours, however that may look. Either do it, read about it, watch a YouTube video on it, whatever you have to do to learn about your craft and get better.

BGC: Any future projects?

I’m going to be doing a remounting of the stage production Rotterdam at the historic Kirk Douglas Theater in Culver City. It’s a short run, performances run from March 28 - April 7th, but it’s such a blessing to revisit this work with such a remarkable group of people. It’s a super funny and insightful play about gender and love.

In the television world I just finished wrapping a new AMC series starring Zachary Quinto and Ashleigh Cummings called NOS4A2. I don’t know the exact date it is to be released but it’s happening soon. The series is based of the hit novel by Joe Hill and it centers around a teenager (Cummings) who uses supernatural abilities to track down the seemingly immortal Charlie Manx (Quinto), who steals children and deposits them in “Christmasland.” I play a Detective Tabitha Hutter trying to suss out the truth. This series has supernatural fantasy, horror, action/adventure, procedural, and family drama. Everything you want to see.

#actress #Harry Potter #theater #actor #New York City #London #Los Angeles #Black Woman Creator #create

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writingguide003-blog · 5 years

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Premier League 2018-19 season review: our writers best and worst

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Premier League 2018-19 season review: our writers best and worst

The best players, greatest games and standout signings plus those that didnt work out, and what needs to change

Best player

Ed Aarons: Virgil van Dijk. Raheem Sterling runs him close but in terms of impact and influence, the big Dutchman has been peerless.

Nick Ames: A confession: at the time Liverpool paid 75m for Van Dijk this writer having been present to cover all of his exceptionally rare rickets at Southampton considered them barmy. Instead, he has almost single-handedly given Jrgen Klopp the ability to build from a solid base, transforming the teams prospects. No centre-back has had this profound an influence in years.

Simon Burnton: Bernardo Silva has been an absolute joy a wonderful combination of technique, tenacity and enthusiasm, and important both creatively and defensively.

Paul Doyle: Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The two are inseparable. Got that, Unai Emery?

Dominic Fifield: Van Dijk. The Dutchman has transformed Liverpools backline, with a once-porous rearguard now the stingiest in the division. The 75m they paid for his services feels like a bargain.

Ben Fisher: Sergio Agero. He seemingly gets better every year. A consistent class act: sage, strong, ruthless and reliable. Manchester Citys trusty talisman weighed in with 21 goals, becoming only the second player to score 20 Premier League goals in five consecutive seasons Thierry Henry being the other. It was fitting Agero kickstarted the final-day victory dance at Brighton.

Barry Glendenning: Bernardo Silva has been the stand-out player in a squad full of extraordinarily gifted footballers at Manchester City.

Andy Hunter: Van Dijk. Transformed Liverpool the moment he arrived at Anfield. The leader of the best defence in the Premier League, and his ever-present appearance record shows his fitness is as consistent as his form.

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David Hytner: Sterling. The Manchester City winger has brought the numbers and the silverware but he has also impressed hugely as a leader.

Jamie Jackson: Bernardo Silva. The Portuguese brings his own wow factor to Manchester City, with an ability to play wide or centrally, a schemers vision, mesmeric dribbling, and a shoot-on-sight instinct.

Stuart James: Van Dijk. Voted for him for the Football Writers award hes not just an outstanding defender but a leader, too. His influence on that Liverpool defence is there for all to see. Id put Bernardo Silva right up there, too; the guy can do a bit of everything who wouldnt want a player like that? Plus, obviously Raheem Sterling has been superb.

Bernardo Silva: The standout player in Manchester Citys exceptionally gifted squad. Photograph: Matt McNulty/Man City via Getty Images

Amy Lawrence: Sterling and Van Dijk stood out from an impressive crowd by demonstrating immense talent with an inspiring personality. Only a fool would not applaud how Sterling has grown so much in all-round influence this season.

Sachin Nakrani: Sterling. Could have easily given this award to Virgil van Dijk but Sterling gets it for not only being excellent on the pitch for Manchester City, but off it too with his important stands against racism.

Barney Ronay: Sterling. From a rough edge to Citys best player at key times. Best of all made everyone even those not used to doing it think a little.

Rob Smyth: Andy Robertson. An elemental force whose ascent from Hull to a World XI gives hope to drifters everywhere. For all his infectious and uniquely Scottish zest for sporting confrontation, he is cold and clinical in the final third.

Danny Taylor: Trent Alexander-Arnold. A tangent, perhaps, from the usual Sterling/Van Dijk debate, but what a player 20 years old, part of the best defence in the league and 13 assists, a record for a defender in the Premier League era.

Louise Taylor: Eden Hazard. Virgil van Dijk was more consistent but, on his day, Hazards creative talent enchanted like very few others. He possesses not just the vision and technique others lack, but the bravery to normalise the audacious. Andy Robertson pushed those two close though; he has been brilliant at left-back.

Best manager

EA: Jrgen Klopp. The number of late victories Liverpool have managed is astounding and its largely down to the belief instilled by their manager.

NA: We are spoiled as never before. The best is Pep Guardiola; his teams response to a brilliant Liverpool side confirms that. But Mauricio Pochettinos ability to keep Tottenham this competitive is a thing of wonder; he is a class act off the field too. For a left-field shout, Sean Dyche restoring Burnley to their indomitable old ways was a fantastic achievement.

SB: With no real insurgent minnow this year, it has to be one of the ludicrously amazing top two. Liverpools 22-point improvement on last season wins it for Klopp.

PD: Ralph Hasenhttl. The difference between Southampton before and after his arrival was astonishing and damning on his predecessors.

DF: Klopp. The title may just have eluded him, but Liverpool lost only once all season and the chasm to Manchester City closed from 25 points to just one. That in itself is a remarkable achievement, given the champions standards hardly dipped.

BF: Pep Guardiola is still the champ. But to steer Tottenham into the top four and a Champions League final in the manner Mauricio Pochettino has done also deserves acclaim, while Maurizio Sarri has done a better job at Chelsea than has been painted.

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BG: Guardiola, for consistently taking great players and making them even better. For all his employers bottomless reserves of cash, it is a feat few managers can pull off with such monotonous regularity.

AH: Guardiola. Back-to-back league titles, the second one achieved with a 14-game winning streak, and the possibility of a historic domestic treble. It serves as a reminder that, when it comes to winners, the Manchester City manager has no peers in the Premier League.

DH: Guardiola, because he has led Manchester City to the brink of a domestic clean sweep. His genius even extends to getting away with wearing that sweater.

SJ: Guardiola. Hard not to give it to the manager who ends up winning the league, especially when its difficult to pick out anyone who massively overachieved elsewhere. Nuno Esprito Santo, who did an excellent job at Wolves in their first season back in the top flight, certainly merits a mention.

Six votes apiece for Jrgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

JJ: Pep Guardiola. His pursuit of excellence is a privilege to watch up close, and next season it will be fascinating to see just what he makes his team produce.

AL: Klopp. The continuing rise in standards he has engineered, the love and respect that comes so naturally from his players, the brilliant charisma. He and his work just shines on.

SN: Klopp. Took on the financial might of Manchester City and almost won. He couldnt have done much more, and in the process the German displayed a level of tactical maturity and charismatic inspiration that could yet take Liverpool to Champions League glory.

BR: Mauricio Pochettino. Took a small, tired squad to fourth place. Improved his players. Created Moussa Sissoko 2.0.

RS: Klopp. Pound for pound, nobody got more from their squad than he does. He deserves better than to be a serial runner-up.

DT: Nuno. Phil Neville was silly to describe Wolves as the best promoted side the Premier League had ever seen ignoring the third-placed finishes of Newcastle (1994) and Forest (1995) but seventh is still a fine performance.

LT: Mauricio Pochettino. To paraphrase Bob Dylan, money doesnt so much talk as swear, and hes had a lot less of the stuff than his principal rivals. Also, Spurs play attractive football and Pochettino is ever ready to give young British players a chance. Rafa Bentez also merits an honourable mention. Under a lesser coach, Newcastle would surely have been relegated.

Best goal

EA: Andros Townsend v Man City. It was always going to take something special to beat City on their own patch and Townsends volley from 30 yards was a strike as sweet as you will see.

NA: Many of Manchester Citys games albeit masterclasses in control and precision fail to stir the soul. But Vincent Kompanys winner against Leicester was a genuine leap-from-the-sofa moment for a neutral; a reminder that even a team drilled as forensically as this can produce a startling, season-altering bolt from the blue.

SB: Even out of context, Kompanys winner against Leicester was phenomenal, but given his status at his club and the goals timing in the title race, it cant be bettered.

PD: Since Mateusz Klichs goal for Leeds against Aston Villa in April was not in the Premier League, its got to be Fabian Schrs rocket for Newcastle against Burnley. That shot was the truth.

DF: Townsends stupendous volley from distance at the Etihad Stadium, which rocked Manchester City back on their heels in a game they thought they would win at a canter. It has been playing on a permanent loop in my house ever since.

Vincent Kompanys goal against Leicester: A genuine leap-from-the-sofa moment. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images via Reuters

BF: Cardiffs Junior Hoilett v Wolves. A sumptuous first-time strike from the edge of the box, destined for the top corner from the moment it left his boot. Daniel Sturridge deserves a mention for taking things into his own hands after stepping off the bench at Stamford Bridge.

BG: Youll see few strikes sweeter than the incredible 35-yard volley Townsend sent fizzing past Ederson at the speed of light to help Crystal Palace to a most unlikely win.

AH: Kompany v Leicester. Townsends volley required better technique but could not match the City captains strike in terms of importance or general astonishment.

DH: Townsends title-race pigeon-scatterer at Manchester City. What. A. Hit. Also loved how Pep described the Palace winger as having scored from his apartment.

SJ: Townsend against Manchester City. Not even a debate about it. Yes, Kompanys goal against Leicester was a superb strike and it was hugely significant, too, but its not about any wider context. Townsend showed incredible technique to connect with that dropping ball so sweetly, his body position and timing absolutely perfect. The gasps from the home crowd said it all.

JJ: Kompany v Leicester. His net-busting strike in the penultimate league game all but killed Liverpools hopes of a City slip-up.

AL: Sorely tempted by Aaron Ramsey at Fulham as the team goal, or Townsend as the solo strike, but Vincent Kompany, for the moment of salvation and dramatic importance, edges it.

Andros Townsend scores at Manchester City: The gasps from the home crowd said it all. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images

SN: Eden Hazard v West Ham. The Belgians first goal of Chelseas 2-0 win in April was a turbo-charged, dazzling dribble through the heart of bewildered opponents that showed just why Real Madrid are so keen to land him.

BR: Kompanys flukey long-ranger. For obvious reasons. And because it was so un-City Pep will probably fine him now.

RS: Hazard v West Ham. Many great goals could conceivably be fluked on Hackney Marshes. Hazards blur of skill, speed and balance could only have been scored by a handful of players in the world.

DT: Kompany. If you had to list the key moments of Citys title defence, this would be Exhibit A. The captain, 25 yards out, with various teammates shouting for him not to shoot.

LT: Has to be Kompany. Not just a wonder goal, but imbued with immense title race significance. Those who implored him to pass will surely never be allowed to forget it.

Best match

EA: Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham. The March meeting at Anfield between the two Champions League finalists had everything: high quality, emotion and comical last-minute drama as an own goal from Toby Alderweireld kept Liverpools title hopes alive.

NA: It did not feel like a season of classics but, looking back, the margins on which Manchester City v Liverpool were contested proved utterly crucial. At the time it felt like a wild, knife-edge kind of night, as City clawed their way back into the title race. It was a worthy, achingly tense shoot-out between the two best sides.

SB: If the best matches are those that end with at least half the participants having entirely lost control of themselves and their emotions, my vote goes to Liverpool 1-0 Everton, and Divock Origis extraordinary late winner.

PD: Wolves 4-3 Leicester.

DF: Manchester City 2-3 Crystal Palace. The only time the champions dropped points at home, and a game illuminated by that stunning volley from Townsend. Palace tend to be thrashed at the Etihad Stadium, but the look of bemused joy on an Roy Hodgsons face at the final whistle summed up their afternoon.

BF: Wolves 4-3 Leicester. A preposterous game in which both teams forgot how to defend, culminating in five second-half goals and Nuno being sent off after running on to the pitch to join a celebratory pile-on.

BG: Wolves beat Leicester by the odd goal of seven in a thrilling encounter at Molineux, which ended with Nuno burying himself in a pile of players after Diogo Jotas late, late winner. The Wolves manager was fined 8,000 for his over-exuberance, which he almost certainly considers money extremely well spent.

Wolves 4-3 win over Leicester was one of the seasons finest. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images

AH: Manchester City 2-1 Liverpool. The Etihad press box offered a privileged position to appreciate the unrelenting pace and quality of Januarys encounter between the finest sides in the country. Both teams left everything on the pitch and John Stones goal-line clearance by 11mm encapsulated the fine margins between the two.

DH: City 2-1 Liverpool. For the nerve-shredding tension, the 11.7mm and the feeling that we were watching the title decider.

SJ: City 2-1 Liverpool. Incredible intensity off the scale when compared with other Premier League games. Showed why those two clubs finished so far ahead of the other members of the big six, never mind the rest of the league.

JJ: Manchester City 6-0 Chelsea. Did this really happen this season? Despite all the action that followed, this trouncing of Marizio Sarris side in February lingers for the way the visitors were shredded.

AL: Best I was at: Lucas Torreira ripping off his shirt and screaming at Arsenals comeback win over Tottenham. On TV, so many thrilling Liverpool games and crazed late wins to choose from, but the City v Liverpool title cruncher was something else a season-defining example of high-tempo intensity.

SN: Arsenal 4-2 Tottenham. Six goals, one sending-off and a touchline ruck made this a north London derby to remember. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyangs second goal was particular magnificent.

BR: Liverpool 4-3 Crystal Palace. Classic Premier League romp.

RS: Man City 2-1 Liverpool. European quality at British speed, a game of stratospheric class and importance, fine margins and controversy.

DT: Maybe this was what the season lacked: an absolute classic. I will go for Manchester City 2-1 Liverpool but the Champions League has provided the better games by some distance.

LT: Newcastle 2-3 Liverpool. Decided by Divock Origis 86th-minute header it emphasised Liverpools never-say-die mentality, but could easily have been won by Bentezs much-improved team.

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Premier League 2018-19: the highs and lows of the season video review

Best signing

EA: He may not have come cheap at 67m but Alissons performances in goal have helped transform a leaky Liverpool backline into one of the hardest defences to breach in Europe.

NA: Ral Jimnez joined Wolves on loan after a hit-and-miss spell at Benfica. Few could have expected that he had 13 Premier League goals in him, but Nuno and his backers have barely missed a beat in the last two years and the Mexico international proved another inspired choice. His permanent arrival, which will be made official on 1 July for a 30m fee, looks good value.

SB: For just 5m Joo Moutinho, Wolves little bundle of extreme awesomeness, has massively over-delivered.

PD: Yves Bissouma. Feet of a dancer, mind of an inventor, spirit of a hero.

DF: Ral Jimnez. Wolves always had the look of a side who would be at home at the higher level, but they needed to add a goalscorer to lead the line, and struck gold with Jimnez.

BF: Bournemouths recruitment has been hit-and-miss since promotion in 2015 but in David Brooks, they have unearthed another gem. The 21-year-old winger hit the ground running, thriving on the biggest stage after only a handful of starts with Sheffield United. Then there are Diogo Jota and Ral Jimnez, Wolves dynamite double act.

BG: Brooks was outstanding in an up-and-down season for Bournemouth. Weve seen enough to suggest he could be outstanding at this level, said Eddie Howe of the 20-year-old in July. Ten months on, the rest of us have seen it too.

AH: Alisson. Klopp was genuinely bouncing with excitement after a pre-season friendly at Blackburn in July as Liverpool had just sealed the signing of his only choice to replace Loris Karius. A club-record 21 clean sheets in the Premier League and several match-defining saves justified the excitement.

James Maddison has impressed after joining Leicester from Norwich last summer. Photograph: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images

DH: Alisson has made a massive difference for Liverpool but Ive really enjoyed watching James Maddison at Leicester. Lovely balance, and always looking to open up opposing teams.

SJ: Moutinho. Signed from Monaco for 5m last summer, the 32-year-old has been brilliant for Wolves and a joy to watch alongside Rben Neves, his protg. He famously turned up without any laces in his boots on his first day at training. I found it unbelievable, Conor Coady said. It was like he had slippers on.

JJ: Maddison. The Leicester No 10 is only 22 but plays with a maturity and intelligence that suggests he may soon be blooded for England.

AL: Alisson. Cost a fortune for a goalkeeper but proved himself to be absolutely worth it.

SN: Brooks. Proved there is real value to be had in the lower leagues. Has impressed with his skill and composure from a wide-right position and under the guidance of Howe he could develop into a genuine star.

BR: Maddison. Unusual to see a young creative player allowed to come from the Football League and succeed. Tripled in value.

RS: Alisson. Completed the transition started by Van Dijk. Between them they have turned Liverpools defence from a circus into Fort Knox.

DT: Salomn Rondn. His 15 goals, on loan from West Brom, earned him Newcastles player-of-the-season award and played a major part in keeping the team away from relegation danger.

LT: Rondn. Bentez fought all sorts of political battles to transplant the centre-forward from the Hawthorns to St James Park and Rondn has repaid the compliment by ensuring Newcastle stayed up.

Worst flop

EA: All of Fulhams summer signings. More than 100m splurged on 12 players, and they went down on 2 April. They would have been better served sticking with those who achieved promotion, as illustrated by the late revival under Scott Parker.

NA: Andr-Frank Zambo Anguissa arrived at Fulham for 30m with the reputation of an commanding deep midfielder with the potential to dominate games. Instead, he struggled terribly. In fairness, Fulhams troubles cannot be laid solely at his door. Rather, he is the embodiment of a summer in which they flagrantly disregarded the tenets that had earned them promotion. The lessons from the embarrassment that followed should resonate.

SB: Insert name of Manchester United player here.

PD: The flops by Matto Guendouzi, Granit Xhaka and Shkodran Mustafi which resulted in Arsenal having three players booked for simulation in one match at home to Huddersfield, no less.

DF: Most of Fulhams summer signings. There was so much goodwill for them on their return to the top flight, and the 100m outlay to beef up Slavisa Jokanovics squad appeared ambitious and exciting. From the toils of Fabri to Jean Michal Seri, Zambo Anguissa to Alfie Mawson, few justified their fees. The whole campaign felt like a missed opportunity.

BF: At 50m, Fred. Like a fish out of water, has played more like Fred the Red at times. Out of his depth in Uniteds midfield.

Fred concedes a penalty against Arsenal. The 50m midfielder was a big disappointment in his first season at Old Trafford. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

BG: Alexis Snchez, whose ongoing failure to deliver at United while on wages that must cause seething resentment among his teammates make him a contender for one of the worst signings in football history.

AH: Ed Woodward. Might well be the man for a smart commercial deal but possesses a reverse Midas touch when it comes to football. Mauricio Pochettino or Ole Gunnar Solskjr for manager? Only one man would opt for the latter and, unfortunately for United, its the one who runs their club.

DH: There was time admittedly, a while back at Arsenal when I thought Snchez was the best player in England; a celebration of furious desire and efficiency. It is incredible to see how he has lost his way.

SJ: Always some confusion as to whether this category is confined to players signed this season. If so, Fulhams Zambo Anguissa and Brightons Alireza Jahanbakhsh are right up there. If not, Snchez and Mustafi are in the mix too. And then of course, theres Fred.

JJ: Fred. The Brazilian midfielder was a serious disappointment for Manchester United, unable to dominate games.

AL: Denis Surez. When you lose two defenders and a striker to season-ending injuries, why not splurge the best part of 4m on a loan fee and wages for a down-in-the-dumps floaty midfielder capable of playing a total of 67 Premier League minutes?

SN: Manchester United. Sacked another manager. Hired his replacement on the back of a goal he scored 20 years ago. Played lots of terrible football. Lost lots of games. Signed Fred for 52m. Finished sixth.

BR: Zambo Anguissa. Fulhams marquee 30m signing. Defensive midfielder in (or more often out of) a team that has conceded 72 goals.

RS: Fred. Struggled to get a game in the worst United midfield for decades.

DT: Manchester United, again. Another plodding season when, barring a couple of deceptive months, they have fulfilled their new role as Manchesters second team with barely even an argument.

LT: Paul Pogba. Yes, he is gifted but he doesnt make that talent count nearly often enough, or provide sufficient on-field leadership. An underachiever who likes to blame those around him, Pogba appears, albeit from a distance, a right diva. Small wonder Roy Keane is unimpressed.

Biggest gripe

EA: More than a gripe, but it has to be the return of racism. After all the progress that had been made from the dark days of the 1970s and 80s, countless incidents this season at all levels of the game have illustrated that the battle is far from over.

NA: Cut out the pre-match light shows that have crept in over the last couple of seasons. In some hapless cases they have even been put on in harsh daylight. The exhortations from PA announcers to take your seats for the spectacle might as well be direct instructions for supporters to surrender any inclination to whip up an atmosphere of their own. Will clubs ever get bored of infantilising their fans?

SB: The willingness of referees to award free-kicks for feigned or deliberately manufactured contact, particularly in defensive positions.

PD: Strategic fouls that abort attacks. These should be punished with penalties, no matter where they occur on the pitch.

DF: Just like last year, the constant chopping and changing of kick-off times, from Friday night football to five-past-the-hour kick-offs. Maybe I am an old fogey struggling to keep up with changing times, but I find it utterly confusing.

BF: Meaningless statistics, such as a promoted teams Premier League record despite not having played in the top flight for years. And clubs excruciating exclusive interviews with their own employees.

BG: The ongoing contempt with which subscription TV channels in the UK treat match-going and armchair fans. The former are often forced to travel long distances to facilitate lunchtime or Monday night kick-offs, while the latter must shell out exorbitant monthly subscriptions to watch European football, in a year when four English teams have reached finals.

http://www.theguardian.com/us

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themoneybuff-blog · 5 years

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Finding Order and Meaning in Your Life Through Bullet Journaling

Five years ago I left my full-time job to enter the freelance writing world. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to best organize and manage my days so they were productive and meaningful. At some point during that first year, I discovered the Bullet Journal methodology, and while Ive picked it up and put it down a couple times since then, I recommitted to the analog process earlier this year, around the same time I chose to intentionally disconnect more from my phone. If youre looking for a new way to approach 2019, the pen-and-paper-notebook-based system is best visualized through this five-minute tutorial video found on the Bullet Journal website. But if youre curious to know even more about how to make it work for you, founder Ryder Carroll published his first book, The Bullet Journal Method now a New York Times bestseller this fall. I spoke with Carroll earlier this month and asked him, with all the available apps and technology out there, why develop an analog system? For me, its not about digital versus analog, he said. Its about figuring out what the best tools are for the job. I found that over the years putting everything into apps was not in fact making me more productive and I realized that it was a lot easier for me to clarify my thoughts and to get organized on paper first. Once his thoughts are organized on paper, he may find a digital home for that information for instance, scheduling a needed phone call into a calendar app. It was the process of disengaging from technology that allowed me to re-engage with technology a lot more effectively. For me, I think one thing technology is really wonderful at is helping us connect with the world around us. Technology provides us with unlimited ways for us to be more productive, but also its a double-edged sword because its also an unlimited amount of distractions. Our time and energy are incredibly limited, Carroll said. If were not careful, we can waste so much more time than we should being distracted but journaling can help disengage your auto-pilot. It activates us differently and we interact with it in a way that requires us to slow down, he said. I think that a lot of times we mistake convenience for efficiency. Yeah, its much faster to type, but maybe it would behoove us to slow down, especially when it comes to figuring out what it is that we will be investing our time and energy into. Part of that slowing down is choosing a writing utensil and notebook that works for you. BuJo, as its often called, doesnt require fancy or expensive products. Once youve selected your tools, then youll learn to apply a system of daily, monthly, and future logging to a practice of reflection, goal-setting, and meaning-making. And no matter how many creative and artistic Bullet Journal page examples you find online, Carroll said that the only thing that matters is the content, not the presentation. When Bullet Journal started becoming popular, he explained, a lot of the people who first adopted it were creatively gifted and their form of expression was sharing it online. He was clear to state that theres nothing inherently wrong with that. Theyre proud of their work, and many times theyre coming up with creative visual solutions to organization. Over time, though, he said, it started to feel like it was becoming a competition. The problem with that to me is that it takes the emphasis off of what it should be, which is about self-learning and figuring out what you need to become more productive. Start with the basics, which you can find on the website, or in his book, and if you want to become more creative from there, go for it. If you see my own, he said, its filled with illegible chicken scratch and its black and white. Its always about how effective of a tool it becomes, right? You can have a beautiful pretty hammer, but at the end of the day, if it doesnt help you sink the nails, it doesnt matter. And it can be a really effective tool, beyond basic logging of to-do list items. Custom lists, which Carroll calls Collections, can be used to track everything from what books youve read in a year, to what kind of vacation you want to take next (and exactly how youre going to budget for it), to various types of financial management, such as: Creating a list of things you want to purchase and/or a list of things you already own. Anytime you feel like you need to buy something that is non-essential, which is 99 percent of the things that we buy, write it down in the list and dont buy it until the end of the month. You can very quickly stem your impulse-purchasing thing, right? A big part of Bullet Journaling is to stop reacting to your thoughts and start responding. You basically just get into a habit of spending less money.Tracking your savings toward a specific goal. Maybe you want to take a vacation you can create a tracker that allows you to continuously save and then you can enjoy the act of actually updating that tracker. Its like, OK, I put another 25 bucks away for my trip to Montana. You have a visual kinesthetic way of engaging with your goals as opposed to seeing some read-out on an app, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but being able to color in that bar or check that box can be very motivating and help solidify your motivation.Tracking your expenditures. Theres just unlimited ways to track your finances. Maybe youre just tracking your expenditures every month. By writing them down, you are very aware of how youre spending your money and another thing is, chances are, you dont want to be spending as much money because then you have to write it down. Every to-do item, Carroll said, is an experience waiting to be born. So if you see it in that context, the to-do list all of sudden becomes like a time machine. It allows you to peek at the future that youre looking to build. If thats a future that you dont want, then chances are you should probably address that in the now. If that is a future you do want, then you can be a lot more intentional about the steps that youre taking toward those futures. When we start looking at what we really want and what we really need on an ongoing basis, he added, it becomes a lot more focused and relevant so you can actually pipe your resources into something that is much more meaningful. More by Kirsten Akens: https://www.thesimpledollar.com/finding-order-and-meaning-in-your-life-through-bullet-journaling/

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themoneybuff-blog · 5 years

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Finding Order and Meaning in Your Life Through Bullet Journaling

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