The Oracle will see you now 🔮✨

DC Artists Tournament - Round 3

Fan submitted propaganda below:

Tim Sale:

Whenever I think of the Joker I think of Tim Sale drawing those teeth so that it's half his face. Whenever I think of Poison Ivy I think of Tim Sale drawing it so the leaves are just spilling out of her head like real ivy. Whenever I think of Catwoman. Muscles.

He has some really distinct really cool art. The contrast between his art with Batman vs with Superman shows he's able to show and use light in his art really well

Brian Stelfreeze:

oracle year one!! the part where batgirl/barbara & oracle are talking in her dream about how she's lost nothing that matters my beloved

The Great Flesh-Eating Cake Incident of Year [REDACTED] (Not to be Confused With the Bifrost Incident)

Chapters: 1/2

Words: 3502

Relationships: Drumbot Brian - Raphaella la Cognizi (queerplatonic), Gunpowder Tim/Lyfrassir Edda/Marius von Raum, The Aurora/Nastya Rasputina (although most don’t show up until the second chapter)

Other Things: genderfluid tim, she/her tim, he/fae marius :)

Summary: Brian and Raph bake a cake. Or, they try to. It doesn't exactly go well. (aka, Why Raphaella la Cognizi Should Never Be Allowed in the Kitchen)

read on ao3 here or read below the cut for people who don't like ao3 (i will post the second chapter. at some point. hopefully soon)

Chapter 1

“Try it now.”

“Is it safe?”

“Does that matter?”

Brian gives her what she calls his teacher look, a combination of calm exasperation and gentle chiding. “I would prefer to not fry myself from the inside out, if I can help it.”

“Boring,” Raphaella accuses, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “And you know I’d fix you if you did.” Well actually, she would get Nastya to fix him, as Raph herself has absolutely no self control when it comes to the prospect of tinkering with a complex mechanism and Brian hates being tinkered on without his permission.

“Yes, of course, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt like hell,” Brian points out. “Not to mention how horrendously it would fuck up my systems.”

Raphaella pouts. “So I installed the flamethrower for nothing?”

Brian hesitates. “...I didn’t say that.”

Raphaella perks up immediately, turning her full attention from the clattered worktable to her partner. Brian straightens up and faces away from her, focusing at the blank wall at one end of the lab. He pokes his tongue around the inside of his mouth a little, probing at the new addition in the back. He tests out flipping its settings, making sure everything flows smoothly, then steels himself and opens his mouth, turning it on. Nothing happens.

Raphaella throws up her hands in exasperation. “I don’t understand! That should have worked! It-”

Brian yelps suddenly, clapping his hands to his throat as the back of it heats up rapidly, too rapidly, the heat growing from gently uncomfortable to unbearable in a matter of seconds. Luckily, his systems react before he can, shutting off the new attachment the second it could cause potential harm. The heat fades almost as quickly as it had swelled.

“Ow,” Brian says mildly.

“That was about to work,” Raphaella huffs, hands on her hips, eyes fixed somewhat accusingly on Brian. “If you had just waited a moment longer.”

“It was about to melt my vocal cords,” Brian points out in retort. Raphaella throws up her hands again.

“My husband is a coward,” she declares to no one in particular, with no actual insult behind it. Brian can’t help but smile softly at the endearment. They’re not married, technically, but for all intents and purposes they might as well be.

“I’ve started to become convinced that you’re simply trying to kill me,” Brian remarks to her as she turns back to the notes on her lab table. She shoots him a brightly malicious look, one backed heavily with fondness. “Maybe I am.”

He sits down on the stool beside the lab table and reaches for her, catching her waist from behind and pulling her onto his lap. She leans back into him as he wraps his arms around her, and he rests his chin on her shoulder so he can peer down at the pages of notes in her hands.

“Here, tell me what I’m doing wrong,” Raphaella holds up the notes so Brian can get a better look at them. He hums thoughtfully as he scans her delicate sketch of his body, each part individually labelled with possible enhancements to be added in Raph’s lacy handwriting. Brian’s own handwriting, cramped and blocky, annotates the science officer’s notes with his own observations of measurements and possible difficulties.

In his mind, Brian overlays the sketch on top of the official schematics the doc left in there, focusing on his throat and the new addition, checking for anywhere where it isn’t wired properly or messing with any of his other systems. Nothing. He bites his lip, a very natural bad habit that he’s never been able to shake, despite it splitting the rubber badly. Raphaella hits him lightly in the side of the head when she notices him doing it.

“I don’t think it’s anything you’ve done,” Brian says finally, leaning back slightly on the stool. “I think it’s simply a matter of too much heat.”

Raphaella ‘hmphs’, taking her notes back from him and setting them back on the table. She turns her head to study Brian’s face, placing her hands atop his where they rest over her stomach. He quirks an eyebrow at her, and she regards him silently. He can tell that she’s thinking through what next to work on, now that their flamethrower experiment is a bust.

He gives her stomach a light pat. “If you don’t mind, I was going to go bake something. Tim’s been complaining that there aren’t enough ‘munchies’ onboard. And yes, that is the word xe used.”

Raphaella slaps a hand to her heart melodramatically, the gesture accompanied by a theatrical gasp. “Leaving me for Tim, are we? Scandal.”

Brian chuckles gently as he rises to his feet, dislodging Raph in the process. “Yes, I’ve decided you’re much too cruel and brutal for me, and I’d be much happier feeding Tim for the rest of eternity.”

Raphaella tosses her hair and turns away from him, crossing her arms over her chest and tilting her chin up imperiously. “Good riddance.”

“Good riddance indeed,” Brian agrees drily, with no heat behind it. Raph glaces over her shoulder at him and grins, and he smiles back as he slips out the lab door, tipping his hat as he goes.

Ivy’s reading at the kitchen counter when he enters. She doesn’t look up as he makes his way into the kitchen proper, wrangling his hair into a wiry ponytail and tossing his hat on the counter. He peeks at the cover of her book and makes an intrigued little noise when he notices it’s about prophets and oracles throughout space and time.

“I was going to give it you when I was finished,” Ivy says without looking up. “I thought it might interest you.”

“It does,” Brian tells her, and she smirks, proud of herself. She still doesn’t take her eyes off the pages. Brian leans over, resting his elbows on the counter, and knocks his forehead briefly against hers, a somewhat awkward sign of affection that’s he’s developed with some members of the crew. She responds by patting his head absentmindedly, still not looking up from her book. He smiles, and turns back to the kitchen.

After a couple minutes of rummaging around in cabinets, Brian becomes aware of Raphaella’s presence leaning against the counter to his left.

“Missed me?” he asks teasingly. She rolls her eyes and pokes him in the arm. “You promised you’d teach me to bake.”

Brian pauses, replaying the last ten minutes in his mind to confirm that he has not, in fact, promised her this. And then he realizes that she’s referring to a time quite a few decades ago, when the two of them had been left back on the ship while the others had been out pillaging a nigh-extinct planet. They’d been sharing some pastries that Brian had been experimenting with, and Raphaella had asked him how he’d made them. He had launched straight into a detailed explanation of exactly which ingredients he had used and what amounts of each, and how he had played with the measurements and tweaked the recipe to see how he could improve it. Raph had listened with utter fascination, and after he had finished she had mentioned that it seemed a bit like her experiments, only with slightly different materials. He had offered to teach her a little, if she’d like, and she had said she would love to learn. And now here they are.

“I did do that, didn’t I,” Brian muses. He studies Raph, leaning against the counter, a sparkle in her eyes that both makes him excited to see what she has in store and fear for his life.

“So?” Raphaella raises an eyebrow. Brian considers.

“We are making a cake,” he tells her, keeping his voice slow, steady, and serious. “A basic cake. We are not going to put anything in it that is not on the ingredients list. We are going to follow the recipe. To the letter. And we are not, I repeat, we are not going to burn down my kitchen.”

My kitchen, Aurora corrects him gently.

“Our kitchen,” he concedes.

Raphaella steps forward and takes Brian’s hands, looking him solemnly in the eyes. “I won’t let you down,” she promises. “Trust me.”

“Phee, I love you to death, and I always will” Brian tells her, lifting her hand to his mouth and kissing the back of it. “But I draw the line at trusting you.”

“Rude,” Raph sniffs, while Ivy tries to cover up a snort.

“Practical,” Brian shoots back, letting go of her hands and reaching past her to pluck the recipe from the counter. With a flourish, he deposits it in her hands. “Find me these ingredients.”

Raphaella mutters something about ‘bossybitch Brian’ as she turns away from him and marches purposefully toward the cupboards. He watches her fondly for a moment, before busying himself gathering pans and setting up his beloved electric mixer, something he’d found being sold for scraps on a junkyard planet and had lovingly repaired and repainted with his own two hands. Its name is Small Brian, and it remains one of his most prized possessions.

“Bri, which eggs are we using?” Raphaella calls to him, her head buried deep in the disorganized fridge. Brian abandons Small Brian for just a moment and pokes his head in beside hers.

“Ah, not those,” he says, indicating a half dozen of jet-black eggs glowing faintly from within. “Those are Ashes’. They will supposedly hatch into a rare breed of fire-breathing corvid.”

“And those?” Raphaella points to the other carton of eggs.

“We’re using those,” Brian confirms, pulling the carton out. “Ah. Wait. Not this one.” Carefully, he removes a small, round, green orb from the carton and places it gently on the counter. “An octokitten laid this. We think.”

Raphaella leans over and picks it up, holding it in the palm of her hand and bringing it up close to her eyes. She looks suspiciously like she’s about to slip it into her pocket, so Brian plucks it from her hands before she gets a chance to. She sticks her tongue out at him. He waves her off to go collect the rest of the ingredients, reminding her that the lovely ceramic pot labeled ‘sugar’ is in fact actually filled with gunpowder, and the sugar is in the cabinet to its right. Meanwhile he goes back to fussing over Small Brian.

The mixer isn’t starting up properly, it keeps stuttering and stopping whenever he tries to turn it on. Brian frowns, tapping the top of it with a metal finger. “Come on, love,” he says softly to Small Brian. “Don’t give up on me now. Not after all we’ve been through.”

“Raph,” Ivy speaks up from her place at the counter, her tone amused. “Brian’s talking to the appliances again.”

“If either of you make a joke comparing me to an appliance, I will kill you,” Brian warns both of them placidly, fiddling with Small Brian’s mechanisms until the machine whines and starts up properly. “Good lad,” Brian says, patting the appliance lovingly.

“I saw that,” he adds when he catches the look Ivy and Raphaella share over the counter. Raphaella rolls her eyes and gestures to him to come approve the ingredients she’s gathered. She hooks her arm through his and tips her head onto his shoulder while he checks each one off against the recipe.

“Excellent, that’s everything. Thank you.” he says, kissing her on the top of the head. “ Now we can begin.”

Raphaella, as always, is a very attentive student, listening well and asking questions when necessary. He suspects that she asks some of the questions just to listen to him talk about something he loves, and he adores her for it. They work very well together, the two of them, bantering back and forth as they do. Ivy chimes in on occasion, never taking her eyes off of her book.

Jonny strolls into the kitchen at one point, zeroing in on the chocolate chips scattered across the counter with a predator’s precision. As soon as he spots the first mate, Brian sweeps a knife into his hand and points it at him. “Out.”

Jonny backs away, throwing his hands up in surrender. He’s been killed enough times over messing around in the kitchen that he knows by now that the best thing to do is back off.

All in all, it’s a shockingly peaceful time. Brian hums to himself as he stirs ingredients together, and Raphaella goes through the cupboards, looking for something to play with. She reaches to open one in the back, and Brian notices too late which one it is. Raphaella stops, tilting her head in curiosity as she stares at the contents of the cupboard.

“Oh, Briiiiiiiiaaan?” she calls in a singsong voice, which is usually a sign that Brian is about to either be taken apart or assist in taking apart someone else. “What is this?”

Brian sighs and sets down the bowl, making his way slowly over to her. She raises an eyebrow at him as he gazes silently for a moment at the dismantled skeleton shoved into the back of the cupboard. “Those… are my bones.”

“Your… bones.”

“My bones.”

“Why…?”

Brian shrugs. “It’s not like I’m using them.”

“Right.” Raphaella studies the skeleton for a moment longer, before declaring, “I’m going to make soup out of them.”

Brian starts. “I’m sorry?”

“Your bones. I’m going to make soup out of them.”

“You are not.”

“Bone broth is a thing, isn’t it? Ivy?”

“It is,” Ivy confirms, casually turning a page.

Raphaella grins, gathering the bones into her arms. “Brian soup.”

“Brian s- no!”

“Brian soup Brian soup Brian soup Brian soup-”

“NO.”

“I thought the doc took your bones,” Ivy mentions, as Brian attempts to gently cajole his partner into giving him back said bones.

“I asked her to let me keep some of them,” Brian explains, tugging a rib out of Raph’s arms and dislodging about three more, which clatter to the floor unceremoniously. “They are mine, after all.”

“It’s unusually sentimental of me, I know,” he adds as Raphaella ducks under his arm, executing a perfect twirl to get the bones out of his reach, “I’m not quite sure why I wanted them.”

“For soup,” Raphaella quips, and Ivy snorts as Brian throws himself at the science officer. Raph yelps and scrambles away from him, and so begins an epic chase around the kitchen, Raph struggling to run away while clutching an armful of bones, the owner of said bones following a step behind her, playfully angry.

Brian doesn’t realize he’s started humming to himself until Raphaella turns to face him, jogging backwards, and asks what song it is.

“It’s a new one I’m working on,” he says, using her moment of distraction as an opportunity to trap her in the kitchen, the wraparound counter devoid of exits besides the one that he is currently standing in front of. “It’s called ‘Raphaella Please Don’t Make Soup Out of My Bones.’”

“I hate it,” Raphaella decides, still backing away. She’s almost hit the counter, and Brian smirks at his inevitable victory.

“You’ve barely heard it,” he argues, and begins humming louder. Raphaella’s back hits the counter, and Brian stops. Standing in the middle of the kitchen, he begins tapping his foot along to the tune.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Raphaella starts, but the other foot has already begun to move as well. Just tapping at first, tap tap tapping to a beat in Brian’s head, but the footwork quickly becomes more and more complicated as he eases into the song. Ivy picks it up quickly and starts tapping her fingers on the counter, taking charge of the beat while Brian continues humming the melody.

Raphaella shakes her head, refusing to let his shenanigans charm her, but Brian refuses to give up. He dances his way smoothly across the floor to her, finishing with an elegant twirl and an extended hand. Raphaella regards him with reluctant defeat, then rolls her eyes and takes Brian’s hand.

He waltzes her out into the middle of the floor, two steps forward, one step back. He spins her out, then spins her back in so they’re swaying with her back pressed to his chest. “You’re a master manipulator, you know,” she says to him. He smiles. She twirls him out, then twirls him back in and dips him, effortlessly holding up his mass of metal.

“I don’t remember this step of the cake recipe,” Ivy comments drily. She’s finally looking up from her book and is watching the two of them with an expression that is equal parts exasperated and amused.

“Which step, the bone soup or the dancing?” Brian returns, just as dry. Ivy is saved from having to respond by the arrival of Marius, who comes striding through the door like an invading general, arms spread wide in greeting.

“Well, if it isn’t my three favorite delinquents,” fae says, grinning like a maniac. “Dancing in the kitchen like- wait. Why is Raph in the kitchen?”

“I’m helping,” Raph says proudly, tossing her hair over her shoulder in a decidedly smug fashion as Brian collects his bones and returns them to their cupboard. “How can we help you?”

Marius pulls up a stool and takes a seat next to Ivy, scanning the pages of her book idly. “Tim stole my partner.”

“To be fair, Tim is also dating your partner,” Brian points out, handing the bowl of cake batter to Raph to finish stirring and put in the oven.

“Sure, but she’s being smug about it. So I’m pouting,” Marius replies, metal fingers tapping on the counter. “Oh, also: Tim wanted me to tell you. She/her for the time being.”

Brian nods, taking note of the pronouns. “Well, when you feel like speaking to Tim again, you can tell her that a cake is on its way.”

Marius raises an eyebrow. “You mean that cake that Raph just slipped something into behind your back?”

Honestly, Brian is surprised that this didn’t happen earlier. Slowly, he turns to Raphaella, who meets his eyes with a mischievous smirk as she slips an empty vial back into her pocket.

“What was in that?” he asks gently, not mad, just curious.

“Just a little something I whipped up,” Raphaella says, giving the batter an experimental stir. An odd squelching noise escapes from the bowl, and she quickly lets go of the wooden spoon as a dark tendril of… something curls up around it, possessive and hungry. “Oh. That’s interesting.”

“What the fuck was that?” Marius leans forward over the counter, curiosity evident on faer features.

Raphaella sets the bowl carefully on the floor and steps away from it, circling around it to Brian’s side. He gives her a questioning look, and she shrugs cheerfully, indicating that she has no idea whatsoever the effect of whatever she put in may be. With somewhat tired resignation, Brian steps forward to investigate what has become of his simple chocolate cake.

It’s… alive. The dark, viscous substance in the bowl has begun to writhe and bubble in a distinctively sentient manner, tendrils forming reaching out, looking to grab hold of something. The tendrils feel their way around tentatively, like a newborn animal learning to walk for the first time. The substance itself has an oddly familiar shimmer to it, the nearly oil-black surface revealing colors of every hue and nature when the light hits it.

“That looks like…” Marius frowns, clambering over the counter and dropping next to Brian as what was meant to be a cake slowly drags itself out of the bowl and onto the floor. “Oh, Raph, you didn’t!”

“Don’t touch it,” Brian advises as Marius crouches near the thing to get a better look.

Marius gives the Drumbot a scathing look. “I’m not a moron, Brian, I’m not going to-”

“Mare, get back,” Brian snaps, but it’s too late. The crawling blob has already reached the violinists foot and has clamped on tightly, wrapping its tentacles up and around his leg. He stares down at it in mild concern for a moment, then says: “Fuck.”

What happens next is hard to describe. The viscous thing sort of… stretches itself, until it covers Marius’ entire body, undulating and pulsing, then collapses in on itself, returning to its smaller form, leaving nothing but a slightly steaming metal arm left where the ship’s doctor once stood.

“What the hell did you do?” Brian demands, staring at the (now slightly larger) creation as it drags its way across the floor.

Raphaella doesn’t respond. “I think it ate faer,” she says instead. Then, “where is it going?”

Brian glances at the floor just in time to see the thing disappear into the vents. He lets out a cry, but it is much to late. It’s gone.

“Well,” Ivy says, staring with vague concern at the open vent. “Fuck.”

do ashes for the hc meme :)

ASHES O'REILLY MY BELOVED.... MY BEST FRIEBD ASHES O'REILLY...

sexuality and gender: bi, greyro, and agender <3

favorite ships: OKAY LISTEN MAYBE IM BIASED BC SHE IS MY OC THAT I THINK ABT CONSTANTLY BUT ASHES AND PERCY ...........

brotp: ashes and nastya r besties me thinks

notp: again not rlly. any. i just personally enjoy sibling mechs a lot more than polymechs. so

random hc: none of the mechs knew that ashes was hades for most of the time they were in the city EXCEPT for marius (who had tried to sneak into the acheron in order to psychoanalyze hades), the toy soldier (i just kinda. Showed up for like a day and then left), and brian (oracle of delphi bullshit). jonny was both impressed and upset when he found out

general opinion: i love them so much. my best freaking friend i MISS THEM SO MUCH

It's Neymar's Time to Complete His Rise to Royalty

If Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi has anything in common with Crash Davis—if there’s any sort of cultural crossover between the archetypes of global sports glitz and minor league baseball grime—it’ll show itself when the tape recorder starts rolling. That’s when the icons in their posh private jets heed the wisdom Davis imparted on a bumpy bus, whether they’ve seen Bull Durham or not. “You’re gonna have to learn your clichés,” Crash says in the 1988 classic. “They’re your friends.”

The galácticos have little choice but to follow this advice. Combine the fanaticism surrounding global soccer with the minimal access afforded the media covering it, and you have an environment where every crumb becomes content, where innuendo is louder than insight, where the tiniest spark can become a bombshell. In short: The less said the better; be safe, not sorry. So it’s significant, then, that in the middle of what should be the most relaxing summer of his adult life, Neymar da Silva Santos Jr. is willing to let you in, share his concerns and maybe even make a headline. He can’t hide from who he is, nor from the momentous, legacy-defining season to come.

The quiet but charismatic 25-year-old Brazilian forward has never won a World Cup. He has never been named FIFA’s player of the year. And if he remains at FC Barcelona (which was up in the air as of Monday; if he’s not in Paris a week from now, it will be a surprise), he will have to wait a bit longer until he’s even considered his own team’s centerpiece. But he’s universally deemed soccer’s best player after Ronaldo and Messi, and he’s beloved in a way that neither of them ever will be. And a big reason for that is his indifference to the Book of Crash.

Neymar can’t fake it. He’s not packaged, and he’s not a ­product—and as a result, he sells lots of them: Nike, Gillette, Panasonic, Beats by Dre. In 2013 he was named the most marketable athlete in the world by SportsPro and Eurosport. In January he was ranked the most valuable player on the Euro­pean transfer market by Switzerland’s CIES Football Observatory. And in April he was the only footballer on TIME’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people. (“I’ve always been struck by his humility,” David Beckham wrote for TIME. “He’s respectful and wants to learn...He lives to play the game, and I imagine he approaches it now the same way he did as a boy.”)

Neymar says he can’t explain his inclusion on that list—and then he tries to do just that: “Maybe because I’m an athlete or maybe because I do a lot of things on social media. But I don’t know. I don’t like to talk about myself. I try to be a good role model for my son, my family, my friends, and then I try to be a good role model for the rest of the people, too. ... I try to be myself without being anything different. I’m only one Neymar—for my family, for the public. I’m always the same person.”

When Neymar acknowledges that, yes, the next 12 months, climaxing with the World Cup in Russia, will probably be “the toughest season of my life,” he believes it. The world will read those words and discuss and dissect them, and then they’ll become even more true. The spotlight is about to get even brighter, and Neymar, who’s been soccer’s next big thing for nearly a decade, will have to confront his destiny.

This was Neymar’s first summer without a national-team commitment since 2010, when his exclusion from Brazil’s ill-fated World Cup squad caused an uproar at home. Brazil has already qualified for Russia, so he’s had the chance to indulge. He hit Oracle Arena for Game 2 of the NBA Finals, sitting courtside with Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton and posing afterward with Odell Beckham Jr. and Kevin Durant. Neymar wasn’t at all concerned about whether the Warriors’ megastar was a fan; this was no ego trip. “I don’t know if he’s seen me play,” Neymar told SI, “but I had the pleasure to meet him.”

In another photo the 5' 9" Brazilian stood on a chair and playfully lorded over 6' 7" Draymond Green. Neymar enjoys being around famous and accomplished people—he reunited with Green in Ibiza last month—not because of how it reflects on him but because he’s a fan, genuinely in awe of what they can do.

In the last year he performed a short, silly scene in which he juggles a napkin holder in Vin Diesel’s most recent Xander Cage movie—a role only for the athlete who doesn’t take himself too seriously—and kicked a ball across Hollywood Boulevard on Jimmy Kimmel Live! He’s joined musicians onstage, singing and dancing at concerts back home.

Neymar has a piano at his house in Spain—it was there when he moved in, he says, and he has been teaching himself to play with YouTube ­videos—but at an L.A. photo shoot for this story it takes some convincing to get the man watched by tens of millions every weekend to tap out even a simple a tune on a rented grand. He sits, gets up and wanders a bit before settling back in. Songs are suggested. How about Barcelona’s club anthem, “El Cant del Barça”? A Nike marketing rep asks that the studio’s ambient music be turned up, not down, so Neymar might feel a bit less scrutinized. He’s not an action figure to be played with. He’s human; he gets nervous. He says he felt it when he met Michael Jordan in Las Vegas and when he lined up to take what would be the winning penalty kick in the Olympic gold medal game last summer in Rio. Before the confidence bubbled up at the penalty spot, he admits, he endured the “worst sensation—all of the responsibility is on you.”

The Olympics play a distant second fiddle to the World Cup, but that U-23 tournament stubbornly remained the one international competition Brazil hadn’t won. And with the 2016 Games being contested on home soil two years after World Cup humiliation (also at home), Brazil named Neymar one of its three over-age players. He delivered, scoring four goals in six matches and converting that gilded penalty against Germany. Neymar was in tears almost immediately. For him, delivering the final piece of Brazil’s trophy puzzle was an immense achievement. For the public that adores him, however, it’s still not enough.

“It was like the Yankees finishing with the best record in the regular season: O.K., that’s kind of cool, but they measure everything around here by World Cup championships,” says Brian Winter, a Texan who co-wrote Pelé’s 2014 autobiography and who now runs Americas Quarterly, a political, business and cultural journal covering Latin America. As Reuters’ chief correspondent in Brazil for five years, he knows well how the nation’s sports, economics and politics intersect; he was living in São Paulo when Germany dismantled the hosts 7–1 in the ’14 Cup semifinals. That game in Belo Horizonte, he says, marked “the start of a long descent into hell for Brazil,” which has been reeling from financial and political crises since.

Neymar’s penalty and Olympic gold offered only temporary respite. “It was cool for, like, a day,” says Winter. “It created the sensation that hosting the Games hadn’t been a total waste. But once the lights went off, it was so clear that all of the promises linked to the ­Olympics—improved policing, infrastructure—had fallen short.” Brazilians, he says, are “desperately hoping for a reason to be happy in 2018. And so often—maybe too often—Brazilian soccer and politics mix.”

So the nation turns to Neymar. Four years after the misery of the so-called Mineirazodrubbing by ­Germany, which Neymar missed with a fractured vertebra suffered in a quarterfinal Thunderdome match against Colombia, Brazil has a viable shot at redemption in Russia. The 7–1 stain will never go away, but this World Cup will feature Neymar in his prime, shouldering the hopes of a country desperate for a reversal in fortune. This is the season in which it all could turn around. The season in which Neymar might finally fulfill his promise.

"Everybody wants that Neymar be the protagonist in the World Cup,” says Ricardo Kaká, the Orlando City midfielder who was part of Brazil’s 2002 title-winning team (and who, incredibly, is the last man other than Ronaldo or Messi to be crowned world player of the year—10 years ago). “This is unfair sometimes, but it’s also because of who he is as a player, for his potential, how he can decide a game, how he’s a protagonist in Barcelona. There is going to be pressure on him.”

Kaká is certainly familiar with scrutiny, but as good as he was, he never became the long-term, tactical focal point of the Seleção. Nevertheless, Neymar looks up to the former Brazil number 10, who’s 10 years his elder. Neymar admires Kaká’s piety, and Kaká appreciates Neymar’s willingness to listen and learn. They’re both part of a text-message group reserved for Brazilian national team veterans, making it one of the most exclusive clubs in the world: Kaká, Roberto Carlos, Denílson, Elano...–Neymar joined recently, and he employed the group’s advice during the Olympics.

Kaká explains: “The first games, Brazil didn’t play so good, everyone was criticizing Brazil—and he was the most important player. He tried speaking with the press, and then I said to him, ‘Now as a player we have a very good opportunity to answer without saying; we have the field to [show that] we care and that the situation is important to us.’ In the end he won the Olympics, and that was the best answer he could give.”

The members of the group, Kaká says, believe Neymar is “very smart to understand that these guys can give him something different, something that could help.”

Brazil needs Neymar because, increasingly, Brazil is Neymar. Though rocked by recessions and political scandals, the nation has seen massive gains made by the nascent middle class over the past couple of decades. For years, socioeconomic classes “often resembled castes,” Winter says. There were five—A through E—and it’s the C that’s been on the rise.

C is roughly where you would have found a young Neymar. The son of a journeyman pro player, he wasn’t impoverished growing up on the southern fringe of the São Paulo megalopolis, but his family didn’t have much either, and making ends meet was a chore. Now Neymar takes in some $37 million per year (more of it from endorsement deals than from Barcelona), according to Forbes. He���s living the modern Brazilian dream.

“Neymar has the deepest connection with the people of Brazil of any soccer player of this generation, particularly with the rising middle class,” Winter says. “The way he talks, his street-wise charm—he appeals to that segment. He’s the best pitchman in a generation.”

That appeal also dovetails with the millennial generation. Neymar is a master of social media. His image isn’t meticulously crafted or self-celebratory like Ronaldo’s; it’s not homey or reticent like Messi’s. That video of Neymar playing soccer in a backyard with Justin Bieber is more effective than anything a consultant might stage. It’s organic and honest, a window into Neymar’s effortless cool.

He’s fashionable. And he’s got a wonderfully wry sense of humor. “Social media tends to ferret out the phonies,” Winter says. “People love watching for their idols to show a glimpse of insincere behavior—but you really don’t see it from him.”

There’s a 2011 video of a 19-year-old Neymar in the locker room at his old Brazilian club, Santos, in which he dances and sings and thrusts along to Michel Teló’s cover of “Ai Se Eu Te Pego.” The more sighs and eye rolls Neymar gets from teammates in the video, the more committed he becomes.

He’s comfortable, unvarnished and fearless in the moment—the sort of person anyone with spunk or spirit would like to be around. The clip has more than 25 million views, and Neymar has 78 million followers on Instagram, making his account the 14th-most popular in the world, a hair above Messi’s.

Ronaldo has more, but Google “CR7 dancing” and among the first few hits are clips of the Portuguese star gyrating in a pink bathing suit in front of a crowd in Ibiza and another of him cavorting on a private plane. Search “Messi dancing” and you’ll find videos of the Argentine and his wife. There’s no better illustration of the differences among the three men.

Kaká certainly sees it. “Neymar just tries to be himself,” he says. “What’s in your character [takes] you where you want to go. Messi is a little bit shy, so he wants to be more out of the light. Cristiano wants to be not just a soccer player, but also a celebrity. There’s not a rightway, it’s just a choice. Neymar is the nice guy who wants to be everywhere, but he’s humble and simple. When he takes a picture with Kevin Durant, it’s: ‘This is the man, not me.’”

The soccer-loving world may worship now at the feet of Messi and Ronaldo, but that’s humanity’s appreciation for the divine and incomprehensible. Messi plays as if there are fireworks attached to his boots—the ball moves so quickly from one side of his foot to the other that it seems to occupy two places simultaneously. He’s all controlled chaos, staccato soccer. He is a savant, essentially, who doesn’t seem to be truly comfortable anywhere but on a field, and he’s been the driving force behind a three-time European champion that’s arguably the greatest side the sport has ever seen.

If Messi is from Mars, then Ronaldo hails from Mount Olympus. He’s like one of us but better, perfected. He plays like the physical specimen he is: with strength, power and panache. He’s more attractive than the statues of him. If Neymar markets to the C class, Ronaldo aims his CR7 brand, with its underwear and fragrances, at those in the A+. The guy has not only an airport but a galaxy named after him.

Yet for all their supernatural prowess, neither Messi nor Ronaldo is as adored in his homeland as Neymar is in Brazil. Argentines and Portuguese may look up to their respective icons, but Neymar prefers to look you in the eye.

Asked if he’s a little bit Ronaldo and a little bit Messi, Neymar says, “I think I’m like that. Sometimes I’m a little flamboyant, an extrovert. Sometimes I’m quiet.”

Whether he’s their peer is less important to the soccer world than whether he’s their successor. The Messi-Ronaldo duopoly has combined to win six FIFA Club World Cups, eight Champions League titles and a boatload of other honors. But Messi is 30, Ronaldo 32. Next summer’s World Cup will be the last for each man in his prime. At some point, it must be Neymar’s turn.

The Brazilian says that FIFA’s player of the year award is “very important” (Crash Davis wouldn’t like that answer), but he shrugs when asked if and when he’ll break through. “Everything happens in the right time,” he says. “The main focus is to keep playing well, keep winning games, and when the time is right, I’ll get mine.” (I’ll get mine—that wouldn’t pass the Crash test either.)

Back in June, when Ronaldo celebrated Real Madrid’s second consecutive Champions League crown with fans at the Plaza de Cibeles, he made his case for a second straight world player of the year award with a micro­phone and a chant. The thought of it—of using a team event to tout his case for an individual honor—makes Neymar squirm. “No, I wouldn’t do that,” he says.

He attracts attention in other ways. His play, like his demeanor, borrows a bit from both Messi and Ronaldo. But whereas Messi slices and Ronaldo surges, Neymar glides. He’s smoother and more efficient than either, outstanding with both feet and blessed with the creativity and vision of his great Brazilian predecessors. But his game, like his personality, is more accessible. Train long enough and hard enough, and maybe you, too, could play like Neymar. He’s human, mortal, and he speaks with a voice the next generation understands.

This is where Paris Saint-Germain enters the picture. The powerhouse French club was always going to feature in Neymar’s story, thanks to an astonishing Champions League round-of-16 series that will live forever in the lore of both PSG and FCB. Last season was a tough one by Barcelona’s standards, and its puzzling lack of ruthlessness was exposed in a 4–0 first-leg Valentine’s Day massacre at the Parc des Princes. Neymar says he was embarrassed by the performance, and he corroborates the story that he promised friends he’d net two goals in the March 8 decider at the Camp Nou—which he ultimately did, in the 88th and 91st minutes, before setting up Sergi Roberto’s clincher in a 6–1 thriller.

On a team as loaded as Barça, there aren’t many moments when a player can and must take command. But with his European season on the line Neymar was unstoppable, and for many it seemed like a turning point on his climb to soccer’s summit. In TIME, Beckham wrote that it would “be remembered as the moment he stepped up to take on the mantle of best player in the world. Neymar is ready to make his move.

But as July came to a close, it appeared more and more likely that move might take him away from Messi and back to Paris, where PSG was looking for a way to finance the payment of his record $261 million release clause. Yes, Neymar would have to wait for Barcelona to become his team—but if and when it did, then his team would be Barcelona. If he leaves for PSG, he will join a lesser league and a club that has the cash but not the chemistry to make a deep Champions League run. In NBA terms he’d be moving from the Warriors to the Clippers. And instead of Durant, whose desire to win trumped his need to be the man—as Neymar’s did when he left Santos for Barcelona in 2013—the Brazilian would be channeling Kyrie Irving, itching to get out from under LeBron James’s shadow.

Asked which of his two favorite NBA players he identifies with more—James, who was raised in the spotlight, or Steph Curry, who came up quietly at Davidson, mirroring Neymar’s lower-profile beginnings—­Neymar chooses LeBron. Let us not forget, then, James’s ultimate decision to break from the Big Three after winning superteam trophies in Miami. In order to be soccer’s biggest name, perhaps Neymar has to shine further away from Messi, Luis Suárez and Barcelona’s band of superstars.

If he ultimately stays in Spain, Neymar must launch his assault on Messi and Ronaldo while improving on his own 13-goal La Liga campaign and helping steer Barça back to the top under new coach Ernesto Valverde. Last season’s results and the upcoming World Cup apply pressure from both sides. But Messi and Suárez relieve it, at least on the club side. Neymar doesn’t have to be the best player every time he steps onto the Camp Nou field. He’ll have to be more impactful, but he can do so while remaining true to himself. He’ll have some leeway.

If he goes to PSG, he’ll be paid like a king and expected to inspire a desperate club that hasn’t advanced beyond the Champions League quarterfinals since 1995. He’ll have the headlines and the billboards to himself. When those are shared, knocking a ball around with Bieber endears you to fans. When they’re yours alone, a Bieber moment may raise questions of focus, maturity or leadership. There will be no outlets at PSG, no excuses. Either way, he’ll also have to prepare mentally and physically for the rigors of a must-win World Cup.

But it’s all manageable. It always has been—so believes the man with LIFE IS A JOKE tattooed across his left biceps. He was Brazil’s Olympic talisman, and he was thriving at the 2014 World Cup before getting hurt. “We only have one life, so we have to figure out a way to be happy,” Neymar says. “Don’t take it so seriously. That’s pretty much it. Enjoy your life.”

Neymar’s relationship with his homeland remains strong. Not even the court cases concerning his controversial 2013 transfer to Barcelona have dented his reputation. In July, he was cleared of tax evasion in Brazil; a Spanish investigation is ongoing. (“Tax evasion,” Winter points out, “is next to soccer as the national sport in Brazil.”) Neymar’s countrymen, meanwhile, remain grateful for the gold medal and for his staying with Santos as long as he did. His Q rating is unscathed.

The only thing that could hurt him at home is, of course, failure to win in Russia. After he was forced to watch the semifinal rout by Germany while recuperating, Neymar told his fellow Brazilians, “We are going to do all we can so that I can fulfill my dream. My dream is to be the champion of the world.”

Three years later he’s asking for help. “I want to win a World Cup,” he says, “but it’s not only me, you know? There are other factors. There are teammates. There are a lot of things going on.” He’s certainly right, if the Mineirazo was any indication. But then he concludes, “I think you can be a legend without winning a World Cup.”

Maybe, but not in Brazil. Sócrates and Zico, for example, were great players and remain well respected. Many pundits think their 1982 squad, which lost to eventual champion Italy in the second round, was better than the ’94 side, which won it all. But on a team with five stars on its jersey, the bar is so much higher. “If Neymar doesn’t win at least one World Cup, as much as people love him today, he will be forgotten,” says Winter. “Brazil isn’t short of epic personalities who’ve won World Cups.”

Neymar tries to make light of the pressure. “It’s very normal,” he says. “The thing is, if you win a World Cup, they’ll tell you that if you want to be the best, you have to win anotherWorld Cup! When you’re one of the top players, this is going to happen all the time.”

Perhaps it has all felt routine until now. But the next 12 months, whether he’s in Barcelona or Paris, will be anything but ordinary. A new chapter is beginning, and while the end is uncertain, it’s sure to be blessedly free of clichés.

Being Here...

Being Here...

The situation as it is for me in this moment  with at least 16 impossible bits of this physical vehicle and life that I inhabit with a dream and vision of coming thru and being placed in a dwelling that is healthy and good for me for the end of this life here ~ or a miracle to happen that this dear body is healed that works even better   and I stay and create more and have much more fun in the physical realm.     oh but then I have has so many clear images and knowing of this good healthy place for me to life and instead am placed in ones that are not.     and since it is what it is, it is what I am here to be within me.   To feel and to Be Peace within and deepening my Knowing of the emptiness of clarity and the void with the Fullness and creation happening, of the power of powerlessness - all of this creating - -  - even tension and old fears coming up to be Held and Enfolded like the surface of a drum resonating to the sounds and tones and forming crystalline patterns of creation. and sounding thru all of creation.    We are here creating a new way of beingness out of the old, renaming feelings in our body that have been named fear and separation and danger into excitement and deep oneness rather than surface conversations ~ ~ our spirits and essences dancing together ~ ~ ~ communicating at deep levels that we are re-membering.... and for me ~ my Presence on this planet allowing and accepting  and loving each part of my life ~ each part, each house that did not show up   or not  having family or career or friends who are present for me or actual sustainable income.     Instead with landlords that destroy and deliberately pour toxic chemicals all around and blame me for all the very old plumbing and parts of this dwelling needing attention and repair.  And I keep standing in my light and presence, just asking him to not yell at me and blame me and to not add more poison Roundup. So he evicted me.. they can do that in hud housing.. yes I and tell my caseworker and inspector and they will stop paying his part of the rent and then I have to find a place to move.  while in this body that no longer can drive me places or even clean my own house -  this body can function for short bits of time and I look fine and then am laid flat for many days feeling so much worse in this body.     With the teachings and ideas all around especially in spiritual circles that if I were really aligned with Spirit, these things would not be happening in my life.  And please do not bring these things into the Sacred Space.. they do not belong here.     And here I am in a flow and time when misfits and ne'er do wells are to step up and say  I am Me and I am Here with all my parts accepted and embraced and loved like a deep primal forest where there is decomposing and deep life and creation without people coming in to make it all neat and tidy.  These Forests hold Deep Potency and Power.  I exist here feeling more like a tree than a human..  I have so many tree friends that I met while living out of my car wandering homeless and yet Home within Me.   This me here, , , so often misunderstood or banished and disowned - or  seen as so strong and not needing physical support and care.    All of this- even knowing that part of what happens in this situation now could be me out living out of my car again-( thought that will not work as neither by car or body can still wander to find places to set up my tent and do the work of living outdoors..you see I have no history of dwelling in safe places on this planet other than the safety within my inner world and and unified torus field and all the invisibles and energetic connections.   I do not have a history of safety to call on and know that I will land in a really good place that  I will be taken care of.   That may not be what I am here to do any more than Van Gogh was all safe and cozy in his life or Mother Teresa or Jesus coming here with all of the vastness of creation stuffed into a physical form.. walking about with sand in his sandals - people needing him but not actually seeing him but  rejecting and leaving him. . . All Here for a purpose.  For the Higher Good and Purpose of This time on Earth.  I have told Jesus, yeah, but you got to go home after 33 years.. here I am at 70 years and still living at survival level. I did ask to be shown what it was like for him to come from the vastness of All that Is into a human body and realizing Who He Is, but still here in a human form walking about homeless.  It appears that I have been experiencing that  and in that experience - of living at the physical level of survival and lack seemingly alone physically here.  This accepted and loved becomes part of new consciousness.. as I moment by moment and choice by choice to breathe thru it and to love and accept Me - that it was up to me to Love Me with now prior history in this life of being loved and cherished and ones believing in me -  I learned and became self love and worth and acceptance at a frequency that is different than the love that is learned from being a part of and held. This I had to do over and over and over thru years and years to bring this texture and frequency and knowing that is not based on actual experience but on What IS  and placing that into the the Planetary heart and mind and being.     In this country there is so much promotion of the safety of houses and jobs and family and structures and working for what one has - with all the auto immune diseases and mental illnesses and so many who do not Fit.   These misfits coming out now to speak and to say .."This is ME"   Here.   I will not be hidden away.     

Watching the movie Bohemian Rhapsody recently ~ Freddy Mercury  ~   in a time where being gay was so maligned, decided to be even more outrageous and he was loved as he created amazing music with some of the largest crowds at his concerts.   In a world tour at one location thinking that they did not understand a word he was saying, the massive crowd sang back to Queen their love song, every word.    After that concert and tour, Brian May wanted to create songs where the audience would have a part of the song as in stomp stomp clap - We Will Rock You and others with call and response  -interacting with the band on stage.   

Then watching The Greatest Showman bringing in the oddities to be seen and to be celebrated and honored - he went thru his own learning curve in realizing true family.     As I have the luxury of time to be with these and other stories - to feel my own stuff and cry and accept and love and release back into purest light I always am aware that I am doing this Alchemy for all of consciousness with my focused awareness.  And this is placed into the Crystalline grid and the Web of Light that is there for everyone.   This also flows down within the earth thru the song lines and the roots of trees and deeper pathways thru Mother Gaia and then is infused up into all life, thru the trees and rocks and waters and persons and situations and the lands that have held deep sorrow and destruction to be remade and reborn into our New Earth here on Gaia.

  Just before leaving Florida in the early '90's to go and live out of my car as I no longer could work to pay rent ~ I was gifted with a car, a sweet Scirocco hatchback that held all my belongings and then with a car box to put on the top to be more organized to find things I need in the dark in my campsite.  I was also introduced to the Mayan Calendar and a book  The Mayan Oracle"  that dives deeply into the energies of the 20 glyphs that make up the Tzolkien. calendar.    I also learned that my Mayan signature is Blue Resonant Eagle who is here to Inspire and to have planetary mind.   

Since a child I am always aware of the bigger picture of the planet and consciousness that even while experiencing my 'stuff' and feeling it and dealing with what is present I am also simultaneously  being a part of this Whole and each feeling seen and loved and transformed it then woven into the web of live and light and love for all.    There are several different camps or versions or timings of this mayan calendar - when I realized this, I got confused and stepped away from each day connecting with the mayan signature of the day.  which was the right one,? ? ?  ya know......   :-)     This disillusionment was like the one when seeing the bigger picture of Jesus and Beingness of Jesus than the person taught in the Christian Chruch, coming to know Him - who I had conversed with since a small child - as Sananda also.. so who do I talk to.??? .. leading to a time of distance and questioning and lack of confidence until coming back to a deeper knowing.    Like the wise blind men all around an elephant each stating their own position of who this is that they experience - one at the tail and one at a leg and one at the side and one at the trunk rather than the Elephant.

 Always these cycles and rhythms of knowing and not knowing withing the Great Mystery.  Each one of us has our own story of struggles and challenges, defeats and successes at various levels - but for each one perfect for what we came here to be and to infuse into this birthing of our new reality.   

 These times are a part of the path and process of emerging to Who We Truly are Here on this Precious Planet.   Each one of us and essential ingredient in this Soup of Consciousness that is being Joined by Deep Earth and Vast Deep Cosmos and ancient Cosmic and Earth Beings and wisdoms and knowings - - merging with all of our human struggles and joys and unique situations and creating  new creatures and new seeds and new ways of Being Present  with all that is and with each other.   

 And so it is BeLoved ones. 

 Eesha Laurel 

Tarot Reading Giveaway

I have been away from Tumblr for over a year and upon returning discovered I couldn't get back into my old blog. So I started from scratch and am hoping to gain some new followers! 👉🏻About the Blog👈🏻 My blog is devoted to witchcraft of all kinds, with a special focus on pantheistic, eclectic Wicca. I do not, however, believe in the three-fold law. Other topics of interest include: -Herbalism -Hedgewitchery -Mythology -Geomancy -Divination of various types -Faeries -Ghosts -Deity -Nature and conservation -Energy work -Medium work -Spiritual healing -Occultism -Ceremonial magick -the History of Magic -Altars ....and much, much more, including some humor, because I believe if you don't have a little fun with magic, magic will have a little fun with you, and you may not enjoy what it has in mind. 👉🏻About the Giveaway👈🏻 With that in mind, I am hosting a giveaway! 🔮First prize is a 5 card, intuitive tarot spread. I have been reading tarot off and on for 15 years. Ask your question and I will send you an image of the reading, my interpretation, and any additional message the spirits have regarding your question, should there be any. 🌼The second place winner will receive a three card reading utilizing my fairy oracle deck. It's new and I am breaking it in. It is the much-beloved Brian Froud oracle deck. How to enter: -Follow my blog. -Reblog this post. Each reblog counts as one entry into the giveaway. I won't impose a limit on how many times you share, but don't beat your followers over the head with it. -You can like the post once for an additional entry. The giveaway ends July 15th at 11:59 pm CT. You will receive your reading the following day, provided of course, that you sent the question. 😊

02/04/2017 DAB Transcript

Exodus 19:16-21:21 ~ Matthew 23:13-39 ~ Psalm 28:1-9 ~ Proverbs 7:1-5

Today is February 4th.  Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible.  I'm Brian. It is great to be here with you at the close of another week and we will finish this week well by taking the next step together in the grand adventure of a lifetime that is the journey through the scriptures in a year.  We’ve been reading from the English Standard Version this week, which is what we’ll do today, and back out into the desert with all of these people trying to figure out what they’re supposed to do next and God beginning to reform and reshape everything about them.  Exodus chapter 19, verse 16 through 21, verse 21.  

Commentary

The children of Israel in the desert with Moses are seeing a manifestation of God's power and authority and it's freaking them out to the point that they come to Moses and say, “you talk to God and then tell us what to do because we feel like we’ll die in his presence.”  And Moses begins to become a prophetic voice, their spiritual leader, the oracle of God among their new society which isn’t really a society today, but we get the glimpses now.  God issues the famous 10 commandments, things we’ve had for thousands of years and would say these are fundamental things for life, a good life, an upstanding, holy life. This is the first time these people are hearing these things.  It is the cornerstone of this new culture that is being made and formed and shaped in the desert.  So we can look at some of the things that are being shaped and formed in the desert because it is beginning to flesh itself out.  This is how you behave toward God.  This is how you behave toward each other.  And we can read some of this stuff and go like, you know, some of these things have been around a long time.  This is the way society is built nowadays, but it wasn’t then.  This was a new way.  In this entire region of the world this was a new way.  So even when God is talking about how you behave toward people who are your servants, these people hadn’t known this.  These regulations were not things they were used to because they had only ever been slaves and been treated one way.  So they were treating people like they had been treated, and God is saying no, we are moving forward.  

Then when we get to the New Testament, especially during the gospels, during the life of Jesus, those narratives, we can see very clearly in the Old Testament how God was instituting things and then in the New Testament, in the life of Jesus, what had become of them, how God was issuing rules, regulations, laws, the shape of the culture.  

All cultures have laws.  We have more laws than we even know how to find now, but we have a sense of how all this all works.  God is instituting that for their freedom, for their wellbeing, for their prosperity, for their holiness, truly setting them apart as God's chosen people.  We get to the New Testament and we see that it has become a cage.  It has become a prison for people's souls, so Jesus, even in today's reading, “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees,” which were the religious leaders, “you hypocrites, you have twisted this whole thing inside out.  You are looking only at the exterior presentation and expecting everybody else to do this when it is what is inside of you that matters.”  He says, “you are like a whitewashed tomb,” so a nice, pretty grave, which outwardly looks beautiful, but inside is full of bones and uncleanness.  So you appear outwardly righteous to others, but within you’re full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.  This is what has become of what we are seeing being formed for the first time in our Old Testament readings.  So we see the law that Moses was given to help form this people, was given to change them, was given to set them free, to give them an identity as free people for the first time and yet it had become something by the time of Jesus that had enslaved people.  

The law was certainly civil, to show people some understandings among themselves and among the society about how to behave toward each other, but it was also inward, something to transform their hearts and always orient them to God in all things at all times in all places.  But it had become something exactly the opposite of that and we still do these kinds of things.  We get completely wrapped up in our theological formulas and dogmas and we try to squash everything around us, not realizing it is not an exterior thing, it is an interior thing.  When we’re living from the inside out, then we are living as we were made to be, intertwined with God, and the only posture we can have is that of mercy and grace, kindness and compassion, all of the things that we know about the Lord.  So may we understand everything about life has to be reframed into this perspective.  It is all about what is happening within us.  

Prayer

Father, that is really our prayer, that we can reunite with our own heart and know what is within us.  If we look like a whitewashed tomb, then forgive us.  We stop here and go inside where you are and invite your Holy Spirit to change us from within so that we might be changed from without.  Come Jesus, we pray in your mighty name, amen.

Announcements

Www.DailyAudioBible.com is the website.  It's home base.  It is where you find out what is going on around here, what people are praying about, resources that are available, events that are coming up, so check that out.

I mentioned yesterday my latest book Reframe – From the God We’ve Made to God With Us is available.  It's been available since it came out, but my publisher has the e-book version of Reframe available for $2.99 until the 8th of February.  So that includes Kindle at Amazon or iTunes, iBooks for Apple, www.BarnesandNoble.com, www.ChristianBook.com Google Play, Kobo, wherever you get your e-books.  Wherever you get your e-books, you can find Reframe for $2.99.  There is kind of a clearinghouse site that gives you links to these places:  Www.E-bookextra.com, so you may want to check that out.  Yeah, this is a great opportunity if you haven’t had a chance to check out Reframe yet, so I want to encourage you to do that.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, you can do that at www.DailyAudioBible.com.  There is a link and it is on the home page.  If you’re using the app, you can get to that link by pushing the More button in the lower right-hand corner, or if you prefer, the mailing address is P.O. Box 1996, Spring Hill, TN 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or comment, (877) 942-4253 is the number to dial.  

And that’s it for today.  I'm Brian. I love you.  I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.  

Community Prayer Requests and Praise Reports

Hey Dabbers, this is Slave of Jesus in North Carolina.  Alright, Holy Spirit, let's roll.  Brian, thank you for sharing all that stuff about your mom in that podcast.  That was just amazing.  And as someone who has been involved with hospice for a year, over a year now, yeah, I can definitely empathize with you in that position.  Hospice, I did not want to be involved with hospice, but let me just put this out there to all the Dabbers.  If you are in communication with God every single day, you’re in the word, you got some good counsel that you can bounce these “crazy ideas,” as the world would say, off of, if God prompts you to do something and you know it is a prompting in your heart and you got some good counsel that yeah, this sounds like something that would be good to do, just go do it.  Sometimes you don’t have time.  It might be paying for somebody's gas.  I cannot tell you…  I did not want to do hospice.  I was not involved with hospice.  I hate medical.  I hate doctors.  I don’t want be around any of that stuff, but I was prompted by it and I kept getting prompted.  Finally somebody said, “you know what?  You should do hospice,” and I was like, okay God, I got the message.  So I got counsel and even though it was a fight in my family at times, things like that, it's a few hours a week for me and it has been one of the greatest adventures.  I have been able to share my coming to Christ story probably a dozen times, but to be there with family members at that last moment, that has even been amazing.  It seems like an inappropriate word, but it is an honor.  It has been an honor to share that.  Saving people's lives on the freeway where I shouldn’t be stopping, I had a job with a clearance and I could lose my job by doing this, but got the prompting to do it and it turned out to be something life-saving.  So if God prompts you to do something, it could be as simple as paying for gas, or prompts you to do something big as give up something really big in your life, I say do it and you’ll see amazing things happen.  Love you all.  Have a great day.  

Good afternoon Dabbers.  This is Beloved by the Beach.  Happy day to you all.  It is Monday, January 30th and I'm calling for two reasons.  I'm calling to respond to Gigi's call.  Sweet Gigi, I wanted you to know that I’ve been praying for you since your mom called.  I remember your mom calling a while back to discuss you and your sister and the issues that you were having.  I wanted you to be encouraged that I am praying for you and your sister as well as for your parents.  This is a very difficult situation and you don’t understand why this is happening to you, but just like so many of the other callers have said, I'm believing that you will be healed.  I also wanted to ask you family for prayers for a little baby boy named Wyatt.  He just turned a year old and unfortunately last fall he was shaken by a caregiver.  He sustained massive injuries and was in the hospital for a long while. He has some brain damage.  He has vision problems now.  He is now developmentally delayed.  He is having seizure activity that has been increasing. He has a shunt in his head and they are also having problems regulating his blood pressure.  All of the treatments they are doing are not healing him. As well as all this, he is just inconsolable.  So I'm just begging you all to please lift up baby Wyatt.  I believe God can restore this boy to full health and justice will be done for he and his family.  He did nothing wrong.  He was an innocent babe and he was shaken by a caregiver who obviously has problems and needs prayers as well.  Thank you family.  God bless.

Hi, this Victorious Soldier.  Was calling back, I forgot to have the prayer for Bernie from Nashville and the lady who was suffering with anxiety.  I wanted to pray for those two.  Lord, in the name of Jesus, we just ask you to touch Bernie and his family, Lord.  O Father, let your hand be above them, Lord. Let your Spirit be within them, Lord. You guide them and you protect them, Lord, and you bring them together and you keep them strong.  Help them to pray together, Lord.  Help them to be on one accord together, Lord.  You be in the midst, Father, in the name of Jesus. Lord, you touch that sister and Chante who have these anxiety attacks.  O Father, in the name of Jesus, Lord, you bless them with your Spirit of peace, Lord.  Let the peace that passes all understanding keep their spirit calm, O Lord, that they can fight the good fight of faith.  Lord, you have your way and we thank you and we give you the glory.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Have a great day Dabbers.  Bye-bye.  

Good morning Daily Audio Bible family.  This is Debbie in Des Moines.  I have a praise and a prayer request, both having to do with my grandson. As some of you know, I’ve been raising my grandson Trent since he was 8 months old and he is now 7.  He shares his faith on the bus and one of his classmates that he was talking to about Jesus told him to be quiet or he was going to stab him, so he came and told us and, of course, we had to go to the principal because it happened on the bus.  The principal asked if he was scared to ride the bus now and Trent said, “no, because I have God Almighty on my side.”  Praise God for this kid.  I just thought that was awesome.  Second is my 13-year-old grandson Eli came to live with us in November.  The other grandmother who was raising him, Eli has had to suffer a lot in the past 10 years that he has lived with her.  She is a nonbeliever.  She has an older son, it looks like in his early 30s who is verbally and physically abusive to Eli.  Eli has transformed since November in our house.  He is now happy, healthy, in a basketball team, going to church and learning about God.  I learned on Sunday that her plan was to spirit him away in April after basketball and he was to pack everything and when he went home on the weekend she was just going to take him and leave and move to Missouri.  My time is up, but can you pray for Eli?  I want him to stay with us.  He needs to be with us where we love him, love him, love him a lot. Bye.  

Hi everybody.  This is Lisa, the Encourager.  I am calling tonight just to share with Gigi and Salvation is Mine what I did tonight. I just hung outside and I looked straight up to a beautiful sky filled with beautiful stars tonight and even the north star is really bright __________ the moon and I would call out to God and I’d say, “God, please, please God, heal Gigi.  Please God, heal Gigi.”  You’re just on my mind so much and I just really want you to be healed and I’ve just been trying my best to have strong faith that he is going to heal you. So I just called up to him and I said, “I know you see me, God.  I know you hear me, so please, God, heal Gigi.  Please, please God, heal Gigi.”  And Salvation is Mine, I did the same thing for you.  I know that you are struggling right now.  I know that you are going through difficulty in having confidence that the Lord's got your back right now, so I called out to him for you too. So I just want you both to know it's a blessing to me because I'm gaining faith by praying for you.  So thank you so much.  I appreciate you sharing this with me and really blessing me with having that wonderful opportunity to be encouraged by praying for you both.  Also, thank you so much Pastor Gene and Christy from Kentucky for encouraging me. That was so very sweet of you both. I really appreciated it.  It made my day when I heard you guys call me out. It was really sweet and especially because you talked about the painting.  I really appreciate it.  Love you guys so much.  Bye-bye.

Hi everyone.  This is Jeff from Virginia Tech calling.  I just want to say thank you for all the callers who call in.  I want to share with you all a little snippet of writing that I just submitted for a scholarship competition.  I looked down on the earth from a window of a Boeing 737 and contemplated what my purpose was in life.  From 30,000 feet I asked myself ‘how can I make the biggest impact?’  The last two years I thought the answer to that question was a degree in landscape architecture.  Somehow I always knew that wasn’t right but I didn’t have the right answer.  After touching down in San Antonio, Texas, I engaged myself in a Catholic youth conference that would eventually guide me to my answer.  While attending the conference, other college students, missionaries, priests and nuns helped me to open my heart to ministry.  During a talk, a Sister shared a quote by St. Catherine of Siena – be who God made you to be and you will set the world on fire. At that point I realized the most fulfilling way to make a difference in the world was simply to be who I was made to be.  Toward the end of the conference I was sitting in my bed in the hotel room reflecting on the experiences I had so far.  An epiphany struck me to change my major to philosophy.  I knew this was right because it aligned with my spiritual desire to become a Catholic priest.  On my descent to the airport I reflected on my experience and realized what I needed to do from this point on to continue to my ultimate goal.  Today I take strategic steps to become a better resident adviser, son, and spiritual leader.  Thank you all for listening.  This is Jeff. Have a great day.  Bye.  

Slender Man Mythos + Fatalism

Consider this a polar opposite companion post to the “motivational” one. Confusingly enough, some of these can be just as comforting in their own way.

Original Mythos, “Stirling City Incidents”:

“we didn’t want to go, we didn’t want to kill them, but its persistent silence and outstretched arms horrified and comforted us at the same time…”

Marble Hornets, “Entry #18”:

“Something dangerous is going on, and I’m starting to regret ever getting involved with it now.”

Everyman HYBRID, “First Hidden Box”:

“Consider this a place of refuge, not from the waters, but from damnation.”

Original Mythos, “The Tall Man”:

“Because,” said her mother, “there is no reward for goodness; there is no respite for faith; there is nothing but cold steel teeth and scourging fire for all of us. And it’s coming for you now.”

Marble Hornets, “Entry #22”:

“Seth is gone. I don’t remember what happened. We were the only two left. And I left him. Brian is gone. Tim, and Jay, and Sarah. Everyone is gone. I just woke up in this house. With the tape. Seth’s camera is gone, and all I can remember from the night is right here. All I can remember at all is on the tape now. I’m leaving this house. I thought I would be safer here, by running away. But everything’s just gotten worse. I’m going back to my home. And I’m burning these tapes. All of them.”

Everyman HYBRID, “Second Hidden Box”:

“Time and space flee every which way, disregarding your beloved logic.”

Just Another Fool, “Untitled”:

“I run. And that’s all I can do. I will run and run and run and die. Perhaps then I will find sanity.”

Original Mythos, “Original Mythos Meta”:

“It was as if my body was trying to tell me something… Not the frantic 'Don't look, don't look, dear god please walk faster,' but instead the eerily calm 'There's no need to look. You already know he's there.'”

Everyman HYBRID, “I’m okay.”:

“And thus the roadtrip continues. Maybe I'd think of something poetic, but I have to keep moving. I have to do this alone. And now.”

Tribe Twelve, Twitter:

“The key to not having nightmares is to not sleep at all. Insomnia has its benefits, and flaws. My dreams are starting to creep into reality.”

Original Mythos, “Miscellaneous Journal Entries”:

“I don’t hear the words, but they always stick in my head. I’m going to watch over my son. Until the day I die, until the day he dies.”

Marble Hornets, “Entry #23”:

“I’m done with this. I don’t want to know the answers anymore.”

Everyman HYBRID, “Reunion.”:

“Who are you, my dear friend, to reach someone like me? I look forward to our reunion in Hell.

Otherwise, I fear my warnings have fallen on deaf ears. The sight of its black eyes, those markings; this blight is not human, and now has claimed another one of us.

I’m sorry I was too late.

– Linnie.”

Original Mythos, “Fear Dubh”:

“I’ve still got the rosary, and even though people laugh, I sleep with it under my pillow. Because if I don’t, I dream. About the sound of wet leaves sliding softly across a window, and the way he is still watching me, even though he has no eyes.”

Marble Hornets, “Entry #####”:

“We will wait for you no more. Control is being taken away from you. From the start this has been a game for us. Not anymore. I'm coming for you. And you will lead me to the ark.”

Original Mythos, “Deadly House Fire”:

“He’s going to come for me, and then he’s going to find you. You can’t stop it, you can never stop it. He finds you, and what he does to you is worse than death.”

Original Mythos, “Original Mythos Meta”:

“He isn't coming. He is already here, and he always has been, and always will be.”

Everyman HYBRID, “Third Hidden Box”:

“There is no veiling your perception as anything more than an illusion.”

Original Mythos, “Fog”:

“The car stopped, the engine revved but to no avail. The battery was the last look into the infinite abyss. He knew this was his stop.”

Everyman HYBRID, CANYOUSEETHEWORDS:

“this is no longer their game. consider yourself marked.”

Tribe Twelve, “Device Findings”:

“You, and everyone you've ever known, are prisoners… bound in a cave and facing a blank wall on which you can only perceive shadows. A brain connected to eyes and nothing more. We have seen what casts those shadows, Noah Maxwell. Why won't you let us untie you? You are quite deserving, after all. The Boardwalk. Bring the journal. That is your homework. However, if you come empty handed, we shall be forced to take… disciplinary actions.”

Original Mythos, “Pyotr”:

“About that time, things started to change. It was not the people so much as the air, which seemed to hold less oxygen and felt static at all times, constantly threatening to send out a spark at any point and any time.

[...]

It is a mistake. It must be corrected. It will come. He will come.”

Dark Harvest, “Log Entry #27”:

“You can’t make them stop, Chris. You and I have both seen what they’ll do to you, and anyone else involved. I’m involved… this is what they’ll do. They’ll kill you the second they get a chance.”

Everyman HYBRID, Twitter:

“YOU STILL BELIEVE THIS IS MERELY THEIR STORY. YOU ASSUME A GRANTED REFUGE? NO SUCH SANCTUARY EXISTS.

YOU COULDN'T SAVE HER. DO THEY THINK THEY ARE ANY DIFFERENT? YOU ARE ALL IN THE SAME. SINKING. VESSEL.”

Just Another Fool, “The Reward”:

“The Earth shifts. The earth shifts. Time shifts. Reality shifts. And he just. Doesn’t. Care.”

Original Mythos, “Small Findings”:

“But I am sure that I cannot sleep or will not wake up. I cannot leave. i can hear the waiting noises just outside. All i can do is wait, and return to this damned drawing, and wonder…”

Original Mythos, “Original Mythos Meta”:

“I can hear him. I can always hear him, every day. Far, far away, but getting closer with each scratching step. Only a matter of time until he comes back, and I learn everything.”

Marble Hornets, “Entry #49”:

“I didn't want to upload it here, but now I feel like I need to in case anything happens to me or the footage.”

Everyman HYBRID, Twitter:

“IN A WORLD OF SUCH UNCERTAINTY, THERE IS ONE TRUTH WE CAN CLING TO: WE SHALL ALL JOIN THE DOCTOR, INEVITABLY. YOU, TOO, SHALL DROWN. vii”

Original Mythos, “Rodzby Incident”:

“when your time comes

Don’t Run.”

Marble Hornets, “Entry #52”:

“It might be nothing. He might actually show us something. But if he does try anything, I’m going to make sure that Jessica gets out. Whatever it is that I have to do to make sure of that, I don’t care. So I guess that’s my confession or whatever, about what happened, if anything does happen to me.”

Everyman HYBRID, CANYOUSEETHEWORDS:

“I’m sorry, Jeff. I’m sorry, Vincent. I’m sorry Evan. Most of all, I’m sorry, Jessalyn. I’m sorry, “HYBRIDs” (still can’t get past the nickname). I’ve brought this upon myself. Maybe we’ll speak again someday. Probably not. Don’t follow my footsteps.

Be not like me. I am alone.”

Everyman HYBRID, “77of76.avi”:

“It’s like you’re just going around in circles; you don’t get anywhere. No progress is made. You go in, balls to the wall, but it doesn’t fucking matter. You just wind up in the same fucking spot.”

Everyman HYBRID, “Fifth Hidden Box”:

“THEIR WORLD SHALL PERISH

THEIR WORLD SHALL BURN

YOU, TOO, ARE ON THIS SAME. SINKING. VESSEL.

THE GREAT FLOOD SHALL WASH AWAY ALL THE ASH, READYING THE WORLD FOR ANOTHER GREATER, CYCLE

[EXIT ALL]”

Everyman HYBRID, “Tribe Twelve Envelope”:

“Milo seemed frightened of this man, but also held a sense of… let's just say, concerned respect. Accepted inevitability. This worried me a great deal. He didn't seem eager to rid himself of this man, more so that he accepted this as how things would be and could not seek an accommodating change from its standing.

He went on to tell me that this man had a particular plan for him, for other children, too. They were all to go on a great journey together. The way Milo described it, it seemed like a vacation, disregarding the melancholy nature in which he told it.”

Original Mythos, “Original Mythos Meta”:

“Knowing the slenderman…he wouldn't even strike for weeks, months, even years…he is just letting you know that your time is running out and that he is holding the hourglass”

Tribe Twelve, “The Order”:

“This is exactly what he fucking wants… he pulls us apart.”

Everyman HYBRID, “Twenty-four Months”:

“Three friends, two parents, two loved ones, two strangers, two coworkers, a brother, his dog, and still no resolution.”

Marble Hornets, “Entry #60.5”:

“I’m still not sure what to do from here. I don’t like being on my own again like this, but there’s nothing I can do about it now.”

Dark Harvest, “Log Entry #28”:

“Although the words of the Oracle may protect you from death by our hand, Gorr’Rylaehotep will destroy you one day. Why he hasn’t yet is a mystery but rest assured, your time will come. What we can do, though, if you ever try to uncover the secrets of our Order again, is give you a fate far worse than death. We will kill everyone you love. Your entire family will be destroyed, and your world will crumble. Although we cannot kill you, we will find you. We will take you into our care and make your every waking moment an unending hell! You will be begging for the release of death, but we will not give it to you. We will only bring you more suffering. Think about that before you attempt to contact anyone in our Order again! I hope you heed our words and stay out of our business, or you’ll be regretting it until the day you die!”

Original Mythos, “Nathaniel V”:

“If a magician must face a Transformed man, all logic, honor, and fairness must be tossed aside. The Transformed does not follow any rules that can be known by men.

To decipher them is to risk becoming one of them.”

Tribe Twelve, “Catharsis”:

“Whatever they have planned for me on the 11th, I just hope it doesn't hurt. Comment if you want, I don't care anymore. I'm so sorry for everything guys. I'm so fucking sorry.”

Tribe Twelve, “INTERCEPTION”:

“BUT IF YOU DO NOT/INSANITY WILL RULE YOUR MIND/BECAUSE/DO YOU KNOW WHATS WORSE THAN KNOWING WHEN THE CLOCK STOPS?/NOT KNOWING”

Everyman HYBRID, “Sixth Hidden Box”:

“I know there's nothing I can do to help their memory, but every night, I wake up, preparing for a battle, readying myself to fight for their lives – only to remember that I've already failed them.”

Original Mythos, “Original Mythos Meta”:

“If you get away its only because he lets you, hes the monster in your nightmare who always finds your hiding place.”

Tribe Twelve, Twitter

“It's been approximately 3 years since I opened this account. Things have gotten worse each year. The future is pitch black.”

Marble Hornets, “Entry #67.5”:

“If Alex is still out there, he’s going to find us sooner or later.”

Everyman HYBRID, “:D”:

“And in that moment, I’ll be there. To piss in your wounds, and to burn you alive. You think you’re untouchable? Not even God can hide from me.”

Tribe Twelve, Twitter:

“life is but a dream. what happens when u wake up. how do u know if youre dreaming. questions fuel my insomnia. or am i still just dreaming.”

Everyman HYBRID, “Next”:

“They're all gone. Everyone except for you guys. I'm not going to stop. And if I go next, just don't forget us. [V]”

Original Mythos, “Henry Louis Marshall”:

“The closer you get to him, the more real he becomes. The closer you get to him, the more people die.

If you’re reading this, then I got too close.”

Marble Hornets, “Entry #75”:

“It is going to be really weird if it comes to that and we come out on top, though. Because… I don’t remember what all I did before all of this happened. No… well… I do remember that I was living in a crappy apartment by myself doing nothing. So at least now I guess I’m… doing… something… I don’t know.”

Everyman HYBRID, “l'esprit de l'escalier”:

“They won't let me... they won't let me go.”

“I don't think they're gonna let any of us go, Evan.”

“Vinny... I tried.”

“Tried what, Evan?”

“I tried to keep you safe.”

“I don't think anything's gonna do it at this point, brother.”

Tribe Twelve, Ask.fm:

“Are you running yet?”

“in my mind i run miles every day. trying to escape this life. but when i wake up i realize i havent moved at all.”

Dark Harvest, “the last three months - part two”:

“At the time I had no idea that thing was ever in the apartment. When I reviewed the footage, I was both frightened and confused. Why didn’t it kill us like it killed Greg? It feels like it’s just toying with us at this point.”

Original Mythos, “Of the Slender Man”:

“No matter what culture he descends on though, the outcome has always been the same. For in the wake of the Slender Man all that is left is a cold, dark road covered in corpses with agony on their distorted faces.”

Marble Hornets, “Entry #80”:

“I left Jay at my house so something like this wouldn’t happen. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I don’t know what to do.”

Original Mythos, “Original Mythos Meta”:

“We have created the Slender Man. Brought him out of the shadows and back into the world.

We have created a monster and we cannot put it back in its cage.”

Just Another Fool, “Laughter”:

“I can hear the laughter. Through this endless night and after. I can hear the singing. Chorus, verse, and refrain ringing.”

Everyman HYBRID, “Lexi”:

“You gotta be able to live with yourself after seeing all this shit. After being involved with the deaths of all these you people; you gotta be okay with it. Otherwise you're never going to get past it. There's going to be a lot more blood. A lot more bodies before this is all over. And you have to be okay with that, otherwise you'll just end up being one of them.”

Tribe Twelve, Ask.fm:

“What gives you the strength to get up and continue with this?”

“it is not strength. it is cowardice. that coward creature in the mirror that was once myself. i am but a witness to his destruction. his slow decay.”

Original Mythos, “Remains of Missing Camper”:

“I think I hear him coming, I don’t feel like fighting or running or chasing anymore. I will lie down and await the peace of death, perhaps I will find repose then. Perhaps I will find home.”

Tribe Twelve, Ask.fm:

“Oh Noah… You will be back to normal i just know you will”

“you cannot reassemble burnt paper.”

Original Mythos, “Comment Chain”:

“Then a crackling breathing is heard coming through the car speakers. You flick the switch but it grows louder and encompasses you and comes from everywhere. Then it slowly dies down and begins to pinpoint itself… away from the speakers.

You realize it’s coming from the back seat.”

Tribe Twelve, Twitter:

“hope is but the caged angel. slave to fear. there is no door. no lock. no key. but there are bars to tease. and she reaches out to no avail.”

Tribe Twelve, Twitter:

“5 years. this is all a dream. you are all dreaming with me. i cant sleep but i cant wake up. i wake up asleep. nothing is real. where am i.”

Marble Hornets, “Entry #85”:

“Alex has destroyed everything I have. I don’t care what happens to me as long as he is stopped. There’s only one way this can end, and he’ll hunt me forever until it does. I have to find him.”

Everyman HYBRID, “Blue room”:

“Just because you're alive doesn't make you a hero. Makes you a survivor. That's not worth shit. I would give anything to just go back and not fuck with this. Not do what we did. Who knows, maybe it wouldn't have even made a difference. You know?”

Tribe Twelve, “DEATHTRAPEXODUS”:

“IF YOU AREN'T BROKEN NOW/WE WILL BREAK YOU THEN/BECAUSE NIGHT IS LONGEST/WHEN DAY DOES NOT EXIST/OUR MASTER HUNGERS FOR YOU/WE ARE ALL CAUGHT IN HIS WEB/AND THE WEB CONSUMES US ALL”

Original Mythos, “Stanley Ercavich”:

“But then she started going on about how it wasn’t an end, but a beginning…fuck it, right?”

Marble Hornets, “Entry #86”:

“This isn’t over. You see how it spreads. If there’s someone left, you have to kill them, and then yourself.”

Tribe Twelve, Twitter:

“used to think jumanji cant hurt if you dont play. except the game is in session. i have to roll.”

Tribe Twelve, Twitter:

“used to think this was a nightmare i couldnt wake up from. i was wrong. i wake up from nightmares into more nightmares. im living a lifemare.”

Original Mythos, “Abandoned Journal”:

“The story of the Greens interested me fiercely but nobody in the town was willing to talk. That night, I called my children and wife. I told them how very much I loved them.

And I told them to lock the doors.”

Tribe Twelve, Ask.fm:

“Do You Fear The pain anymore? Do you fear the thought of dead?”

“ive become the pain. death and fear are my friends now.”

Dark Harvest, “2014 - boiler room”:

“I don’t know how much longer I can go on like this. I don’t see a point. I’m surviving, but is it worth it? What the fuck is the point if it’s never going to get any better? I can’t fucking deal with this… I just can’t.”

Tribe Twelve, “Pitfall”:

“This is the end! I’m fucking dead! I’m free!”

Just Another Fool, “Journal of Logan Renault”:

“Fate. It surrounds us. Guides us. Draws us together. It is permanent, UNWAVERING AND CONCRETE. ONCE YOUR FATE IS DECIDED, IT is Not about to change.”

Everyman HYBRID, “two thousand three hundred ninety-five”:

“You know what? You are right, though, about one thing. Kinda does look like the only way out. Because what do I have, to make it out of here? To get answers? Cool, got answers. There is no life. Because you took everybody! You know what? If there's a heaven... hell, if there's a hell! It's better than this.”

Original Mythos, “Original Mythos Meta”:

“Nobody knows where it is you are taken to, but nobody ever comes backs, and everybody agrees it's generally a horrible place. And maybe in this place, you can't die. And maybe you also don't need organs or skin or even a body, really, and that's why yours has now been nicely wrapped up and hung in a tree.”

Tribe Twelve, Scriniarii on Reddit:

“Look I've been doing this over and over for so long. I'm tired. Everyone I have ever loved is gone because of me and I'm doomed to relive their deaths over and over every fucking recursion because you can't get your shit together and stop trying to be individuals. Maybe I just fucked this up and we will have to reset again, maybe you just needed this push.”

Marble Hornets, “Entry #87”:

“Everything is fine.”

Dodgers Troll Bumgarner

http://tinyurl.com/y2tum9cy Max Muncy simply took dwelling gold on the Troll Olympics. Giants supervisor Bruce Bochy warned the arch-rival Dodgers to not poke the bear, that bear being gruff left-hander Madison Bumgarner. Massive as a grizzly and simply as imply, the Giants’ 6’4,” rattle-snake-killing ace is to not be trifled with. However the Dodgers, emboldened by their current string of excellent fortune—they’ve opened up a 10-game lead over the second-place Rockies within the NL West—had been keen to danger all of it on Thursday. And surprisingly, they lived to inform about it. Thursday’s hosts didn’t heed Bochy’s recommendation within the slightest. The Dodgers taunted MadBum at each flip, prodding the Giants workhorse with reminders of his notorious feud with Muncy (who he barked at for pimping a house run of their earlier dalliance), commemorative t-shirts immortalizing the infielder’s epic clap-back (“Go get it out of the ocean” was the enduring quote) and to high it off, a sequence of impressed music decisions. “Beneath The Sea” was an excellent contact by the Dodgers’ organist (that was performed throughout Muncy’s first at-bat) whereas “Cake By the Ocean,” which came visiting the stadium audio system following Bumgarner’s third-inning strikeout, was one other well-placed dig on the workforce’s long-time nemesis. I’m certain there’s a lesson about hubris buried someplace inside L.A.’s well-choreographed roast of Bumgarner (possibly late evening on Comedy Central would have been a greater venue than Chavez Ravine for Thursday’s festivities), a former World Collection MVP nearing the conclusion of his Giants’ tenure (extra on that in a minute). However they will need to have caught the baseball gods snoozing as a result of reasonably than being struck down for his or her sins, the Dodgers lived like kings, dismantling Bumgarner to the tune of 10 hits and 6 runs in simply Three 2/Three innings. The six runs, together with one courtesy of Muncy’s RBI single within the first, had been essentially the most the 29-year-old had ever allowed in his 35 profession appearances in opposition to the Dodgers. The Pacific Ocean didn’t seize any baseballs this time round—they’d have needed to play on the pier at Santa Monica—however that didn’t cease Los Angeles from pounding three homers together with two off Bumgarner in a 9-Eight victory.  Thursday’s implosion did greater than bruise Bumgarner’s ego. It annihilated his ERA, which skyrocketed from 3.87 all the best way to its present resting spot at 4.28. There’s loads of time for that to return down but when the season ended immediately, that will stand because the worst ERA of the southpaw’s illustrious 11-year profession. From tense showdowns with Clayton Kershaw to his long-standing beef with showboat Yasiel Puig, Bumgarner has all the time discovered himself on the middle of the swirling Class 5 storm often called the Dodgers/Giants rivalry. However Thursday could have been the final chapter in that ebook with the three-time All-Star a near-lock to relocate on the July 31 commerce deadline.  For his half, Bumgarner, who debuted with the Giants at age 20 after accelerating by way of the minor leagues, appears uninterested on the prospect of pitching elsewhere, as evidenced by the eight golf equipment discovered on his no-trade listing. That listing is comprised of the Astros, Braves, Brewers, Cardinals, Cubs, Phillies, Purple Sox and Yankees—AKA all of the groups almost definitely to pursue him. However assuming he relents, the contract-year hurler looks as if a protected guess to wind up in pinstripes. Although he’d by no means present us his playing cards, prodigious schemer Brian Cashman has virtually actually been hatching a plan to nab Bumgarner behind closed doorways. If that’s the case, it could go a great distance towards explaining the Yankees’ curious resolution to sit down out the Dallas Keuchel sweepstakes earlier this month. Bumgarner, a battled-tested arm with a wealth of playoff expertise, would appear to be simply the person New York is in search of. James Paxton and Masahiro Tanaka are stable rotation items and even J.A. Happ, a recognized Purple-Sox killer, has had his moments. Luis Severino can deliver the thunder when wholesome, however clearly that hasn’t been the case this 12 months. However none of them maintain a candle to Bumgarner, a four-time All-Star and proprietor of a lifetime 3.10 ERA.  One clunker—in opposition to the workforce with the most effective report in baseball no much less—shouldn’t bitter the Bombers on Bumgarner. However with the North Carolina native lastly displaying indicators of decline after a decade of dominance, it’s truthful to surprise if a few of the current cracks in Bumgarner’s armor are mere hiccups or an indication that his finest years are behind him. A pair of freak accidents (together with one involving a mud bike) could possibly be partially guilty for a few of his extra pedestrian numbers lately. Nevertheless it’s nonetheless troubling that Bumgarner, who has by no means been the toughest thrower, has already surrendered extra homers this season (16) than he did all of final 12 months and is on tempo to set a brand new career-worst in that statistic. Shifting from Oracle Park, a venue that has all the time favored pitchers (for proof, simply ask former Large Hunter Pence, whose inventory has gone by way of the roof since becoming a member of Texas), to the band field often called Yankee Stadium could possibly be a tricky adjustment for the veteran left-hander. If that is the brand new regular for Bumgarner, would that be value buying and selling Clint Frazier, Miguel Andujar and whoever else the Giants would want in a deadline-day blockbuster (tater-swatting Luke Voit could possibly be expendable with the addition of Edwin Encarnacion)? To not point out he may very nicely be a rental (much like my beloved Celtics’ conundrum buying and selling belongings for one 12 months of Anthony Davis).  Story continues In fact, that’s simply me taking part in satan’s advocate. Except raving lunatic Max Scherzer grew to become obtainable, Bumgarner is nearly actually the play for New York and a far superior different to the much-less completed Marcus Stroman and PR nightmare Trevor Bauer. With Giancarlo Stanton again from his harm hiatus and Aaron Judge returning this weekend, the Yankees’ lineup is downright terrifying and greater than able to main New York to postseason glory, even when the Bombers stand pat on the deadline. However the thought of Tanaka beginning a deciding playoff recreation, doesn’t appear splendid for a workforce whose championship window is correct now. The Dodgers devoured Bumgarner’s soul Thursday evening, however bear in mind, Justin Verlander was in the same hunch, biding his time on a workforce headed nowhere when the Astros poached him from Detroit two years in the past. The remainder is historical past. Wouldn’t or not it’s becoming if Bumgarner returned to Dodger Stadium as a Yankee within the World Collection? Possibly that’s wanting too far sooner or later, however Bumgarner versus Muncy for all of the marbles can be value each penny. Editor’s Notice: Keep forward of the competitors from wire to wire with rankings, customizable projections, commerce evaluator, unique columns and extra in our Season Pass. And begin utilizing optimized lineups on Yahoo!, DraftKings and FanDuel with our DFS Toolkit!.   AL Fast Hits: MLB has granted the Rays permission to discover splitting time between Tampa Bay and Montreal. The Jays have performed an annual preseason exhibition at Olympic Stadium in Montreal however no workforce has performed common season baseball there for the reason that Expos (now often called the Washington Nationals) in 2004. The Rays’ attendance numbers are among the many league’s lowest regardless of a successful report and the workforce has made little progress in funding a brand new stadium to exchange the outdated Tropicana Subject. To additional complicate issues, St. Petersburg mayor Rick Kriseman stated he received’t log out on sharing the Rays with Montreal, citing the settlement the workforce signed to remain in St. Petersburg by way of 2027. … Mike Clevinger had been hoping to make his scheduled begin Saturday versus Detroit, however after laboring in Thursday’s bullpen session, it seems he’ll head to the injured listing. The proper-hander who returned from a two-month absence earlier this week, sprained his ankle after slipping on the mound Monday in a loss to Texas. … The Angels formally launched Cody Allen on Thursday. Regardless of submitting a horrifying 6.26 ERA throughout his transient stint with Anaheim, the previous Indians nearer has already obtained free-agent inquiries from as much as 11 groups, in response to Jon Heyman of MLB Community. … Hobbled Royals shortstop Adalberto Mondesi can be out of fee for at the least the following 10 days after hurting his groin earlier this week. The fleet-footed 23-year-old leads the majors in each steals (27) and triples (eight). … Astros supervisor A.J. Hinch confirmed Thursday that Carlos Correa and Aledmys Diaz is not going to return through the first half. Correa has been on the shelf with fractured ribs (an harm he picked up in a weird therapeutic massage mishap) since late Might whereas Diaz remains to be feeling the consequences of a strained hamstring. Alex Bregman has dealt with most of Houston’s shortstop duties in Correa’s stead. … Toronto nearer Ken Giles (elbow) returned to motion Thursday evening on the heels of a 10-day harm absence. The flame-throwing right-hander labored a scoreless inning because the Jays handled Raptors hero Kawhi Leonard (who made a very concerning trip to Home Depot earlier within the day) to a walk-off victory over the Angels in further innings. … Trey Mancini was a spectator Thursday in Seattle. The O’s outfielder took a pitch off his hand within the earlier recreation Wednesday at Oakland, forcing him to go away early. Mancini doesn’t assume the harm is critical and hopes to be again within the fold later this weekend. … The Orioles designated Dan Straily for project on Thursday. The proper-hander needed to have seen the writing on the wall after scuffling to a depressing 9.82 ERA over 14 outings (eight begins) for the Birds whereas yielding a league-high 22 homers in simply 47 2/Three innings. Skipper Brandon Hyde hopes the O’s can stash him as minor-league depth after he inevitably clears waivers. … The Mariners aren’t anticipating Mitch Haniger (groin) again earlier than the All-Star break. The outfielder has resumed weight coaching however hasn’t been cleared for baseball actions but. Haniger has already belted 15 dwelling runs for Seattle however is tied with Luke Voit for sixth within the American League with 81 strikeouts. … From the feel-good division, right here’s Albert Pujols, who returns to St. Louis for the primary time in eight years this weekend, giving a younger Angels fan a gift he’ll never forget. NL Fast Hits: The Mets made waves Thursday by displaying the door to pitching coach Dave Eiland and bullpen coach Chuck Hernandez. Eiland can be changed by 82-year-old Phil Regan, who as soon as confronted Ted Williams in a major-league recreation … Ryan Zimmerman, in the end, will start a rehab project Friday at Double-A Harrisburg. The Nats lifer has been bothered by plantar fasciitis for the higher a part of two months. … Thursday may have gone higher for the Rockies. Although they had been capable of steal a come-from-behind win over the division-rival Diamondbacks, the Rockies misplaced two key contributors in Trevor Story, who is predicted to overlook “a number of weeks” with a sprained thumb (although fortunately he didn’t endure any structural injury), and All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado, who bowed out of Thursday’s recreation with a bruised toe. Arenado aggravated an harm he suffered final weekend after fouling a ball off his toe in a recreation in opposition to the Padres. He’s day-to-day. … Adbert Alzolay was beautiful in his Cubs debut Thursday at Wrigley Subject, permitting only one hit (a solo dwelling run to Todd Frazier within the ninth inning) whereas registering 5 strikeouts in a four-inning effort in opposition to the Mets. The 24-year-old is taken into account the Cubs’ fourth-best prospect, in response to MLB Pipeline. … An MRI confirmed Pablo Lopez’s prognosis of a strained proper shoulder. The 23-year-old had been pitching nicely earlier than his harm, logging a stingy 1.80 ERA over his earlier 4 begins. … Rich Hill was positioned on the injured listing with a strained flexor tendon. The 39-year-old received’t resume throwing for 3-Four weeks following a PRP injection, however hopes to pitch once more this season.  Source link

Happy Friday!  Summer reading is in full swing—have you signed up yet?  If not, get on it!  This week we share some reviews written by our patrons.  

Words in Deep Blue ~by Cath Crowley: Such a good book!  It wasn’t as simple as “they fall in love.”  The main characters face hard struggles and are able to get through them with the help of each other.  Highly recommended if you like romances.  5/5

Jim Henson: the biography ~by Brian Jay Jones: A look into the past and mind of Jim Henson.  The book follows Jim’s life through tragedy and triumph.  It’s amazing to “see” the creation of beloved Muppets, cult-classic movies, and the rise of his puppet empire.  5/5

This Is Where It Ends ~by Marieke Nijkamp: This book gave me nightmares.  It was very good, and well-written that it kept me on the edge of my seat.  It’s about a high school shooting, so I would recommend waiting to read it until after graduation.  5/5

Birds of Prey: Perfect Pitch ~by Gail Simone, Paulo Sigueira, Robin Riggs, et. all: Birds of Prey is an exciting story of a group of kick-ass female superheroes, led by Oracle, battling against a secret society of supervillains.  Women in the graphic novel are quite curvy if you are into that. The story has some great cameos including Batman and Green Arrow.  It’s definitely a must-read if you are a fan of graphic novels.  5/5

You can find more NT reader reviews at the Information Desk.  Write one and maybe we’ll feature it here!

2016 Reading Wrap-Up

Better late than never with this post I suppose :D

This past year, I read quite a few books. It felt like a slow year, and I jumped around a lot, from genre to genre and series to series. I don’t think I finished any series. Although I actually did get through many books, it didn’t feel like a lot at the time. I really delved into some long books this year, which was both frustrating and rewarding. Those books that took me the longest to read were also some of the ones I enjoyed the most :)

Without further ado, here is the list of books I read this year! I hope you can get some ideas if you didn’t know what to read next! After the list I’ll also go into specifics about some of my favourites, and some of the ones I really didn’t get along with… (Also, just a side note, they’re not organized in anyway other than the order that I read them in!)

The Cuckoo’s Calling - Robert Galbraith

Truthwitch - Susan Dennard

Nimona - Noelle Stevenson

Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell

11/22/63 - Stephen King

A Study in Charlotte - Brittany Cavallero

Dream On - Kerstin Gier

Ms. Marvel: No Normal - Wilson & Alphona

Young Avengers: Style > Substance - Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, Mike Norton

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone - J. K. Rowling

Saga Vol 5 - Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

The Crown - Kiera Cass

The Hidden Oracle - Rick Riordan

Kindred Spirits- Rainbow Rowell

Dragonfly in Amber - Diana Gabaldon

Out of Sight, Out of Time - Ally Carter

The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy - Sam Maggs

The Blackthorn Key - Kevin Sands

Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins

Saga Vol 6 - Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

A Game of Thrones - George R. R. Martin

Everything, Everything - Nicola Yoon

Isla and the Happily Ever After - Stephanie Perkins

Jessica Jones: Alias Vol 1 - Brian Michael Bendis & Michael Gaydos

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - J. K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, John Tiffany

Jessica Jones: Alias - Rebecca Come Home Vol 2 - Brian Michael Bendis & Michael Gaydos

Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins

Ant-Man Vol. 1, Second Chance Man - Nick Spencer, Ramon Rosanos

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, Cosmic Avengers - Brian Michael Bendis, Steve McNiven

A Clash of Kings - George R. R. Martin

A Court of Mist and Fury - Sarah J. Maas

White Noise - Don DeLillo

Beloved - Toni Morrison

Angels in America - Tony Kushner

Happily Ever After - Kiera Cass

Magnus Chase: The Hammer of Thor - Rick Riordan

Interpreter of Maladies - Jhumpa Lahiri

The Sleeper and the Spindle - Neil Gaiman & Chris Riddell

Voyager - Diana Gabaldon

Romeo and What’s Her Name - Shani Petroff

My Favourites

Dragonfly in Amber

Voyager

A Game of Thrones

A Clash of Kings

A Court of Mist and Fury

I continued the Outlander series this year with books 2 and 3, and they blew me away. Sequels are so hard to get right, but Dragonfly in Amber was a breathtaking story, followed by the thrilling journey of Voyager (read my last post for my full thoughts on Voyager!).

And I started the A Song of Ice and Fire series! I’m really really loving it, and I’ve just started the third book. I must say, I did fly through A Clash of Kings much faster than A Game of Thrones, devouring the majority of it in about a week.

And finally, ACOMAF. I love the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, but her A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series cannot be beat. While I really enjoyed the ACOTAR, ACOMAF was just amazing. I loved where she took the series and the characters (both new and old), and genuinely missed my bus home one day because I was so immersed in reading it.

Honourable Mentions

Nimona

11/22/63

A Study in Charlotte

Jessica Jones Graphic Novels

Stephanie Perkins Novels

White Noise

Now these are books that I greatly enjoyed, but wouldn’t hold to the same level as those on my favourites list. For graphic novels, Nimona was a whimsical, hilarious story that was just extremely enjoyable, and the Jessica Jones: Alias series I found just dark enough, with a more likeable, human Jessica than the TV Show.

I read my first Steven King novel this year! And 11/22/63 was the perfect place to start for me, as I’m not a fan of horror, so I was immediately drawn in by this historical fiction time-travel story, about the assassination of JFK and one man’s attempt to stop it.

As for my favourite contemporary books of the year, I’d immediately go for Stephanie Perkins’ novels. I read Anna back in 2015, so this year got around to reading the last 2 in the trilogy. They were just so easy to read, and such a nice, light break from some of the much heavier books I was reading. I don’t think I spent more than two days reading any of the books, they were just lovely to read.

A Study in Charlotte was a YA Sherlock Holmes inspired novel, where Charlotte Holmes was the inquisitive, intelligent, and quick-witted descendent of Holmes himself, who befriends Jamie Watson (similarly related to John Watson). Although not the most shocking or revolutionary of mysteries, I really enjoyed the dialogue between Holmes’ and Watson, and some of the more serious issues discussed in the text and how they were handled.

And finally, White Noise, a book I read for my English course. This book was one I enjoyed simply because it was the one that frustrated me the most. I absolutely loved how much frustration this book evoked from me. The main character proves to be extremely arrogant, self-centred and misguided as the book progresses, and yet the book makes such intelligent observations of everyday life, it’s really quite interesting to read.

Books I Didn’t Enjoy

Dream On

Everything, Everything

Romeo and What’s Her Name

Harry Potter and The Cursed Child

*sigh* and now for the books that disappointed me… Kerstin Gier penned the Ruby Red Trilogy, another time-travel series that I enjoyed a fair bit, and after reading Dream a Little Dream, I was really anticipating the release of the sequel, Dream On. Unfortunately, it just felt like a filler book, and a lot of it felt unnecessary. I got quite bored with it, and it just didn’t do it for me.

Everything, Everything. Now this book frustrates me. And not in a good way, as with White Noise. It frustrates me in a “why did you go in this direction? It feels like such a lazy ending” sort of way. I was skeptical going into this book, as it deals with a girl who is allergic to everything, and as I have multiple allergies, I am quite picky about how it’s represented in books. I didn’t like the main character, I thought she was rash and made some stupid, reckless, unjustified decisions. And I was extremely annoyed at the ending, it just felt like such an easy out for the author, as she didn’t have to spend the time allowing this character to grow and learn, but rather erase her issues entirely. Overall, I just didn’t get along with this book very well, and yet I do know a lot of people did enjoy it. *shrug* at least the design and format was enjoyable.

Now, this next book comes out Feb. 7, 2017 (I received an arc for review), but unfortunately it wasn’t my favourite. In Romeo and What’s Her Name, the story felt rushed, and the protagonist felt quite childish and cringey at times. I mean, it was cute enough, but there wasn’t enough going on to properly capture my attention.

And finally, dare I say it, Harry Potter and The Cursed Child. I can’t in my right mind categorize it as a legitimate Harry Potter novel. It wasn’t written by J. K. Rowling. That’s enough for me. It was so lacking in her signature style and voice, and there was an absence of magic in it, that was so necessary to the story and the continuation of these beloved characters. I am such a huge fan of Harry Potter, so I really don’t say this lightly, but I just didn’t enjoy it. I found the plot contradictory to the rules set out in the original HP novels (*cough cough* Prisoner of Azkaban), and there were many things that certain characters did that I did not think would ever be in their nature to do. Specifically a certain line said by Harry. I just did not see it as something he would ever say to his son. I’m sure the stage production was an entirely different experience, and I’d actually be extremely curious to see it, as I have heard amazing things about it. But just from reading it, I didn’t like the story. And the biggest issue for me, once again, was that it just did not feel like a Harry Potter story.

Well, if you’ve made it to the end of this very long post, I applaud you. I do hope you enjoyed it, and got some good book recommendations. I’d love to know your thoughts on any of these books, did you like them? Hate them? Or if you have any book recommendations of your own, I’d love to hear them :D Thanks for reading!