If you're curious about my thoughts on previous Yakuza games, here are my much shorter (except for 4, thats pretty long too) reviews for Kiwami 1, Kiwami 2, Yakuza 3 (Remastered), and Yakuza 4 (Remastered).
All of my reviews are made pretty quickly after I finish the game, this was written right after I finished but I haven't posted it till a month later because its so long I thought no one would ever read this but whatever I gotta get my truth out there.
Per usual I played the remaster of Yakuza 5. I'm not sure of any outstanding changes or things of note like with 3 or 4, but if something I say is exclusive to the remaster please let me know! I may sound overly praising or overly critical of this game, who knows but please be kind when you tell me i'm an idiot for feeling the way I do! Lastly and most importantly please please please don't spoil future games in the comments! Also warning I'm way too active in the comments section.
Because I am an utter psycho and decided to write a fuckin bibles worth of yakuza 5 ramblings, Part 1 is just reviewing the plot and Part 2 goes over everything else. I split this up last second so there's likely some spots where I say something like "we'll expand on this later" then I never bring it up again, that's because it's probably in part 2. If you want my thoughts on things like the substories, side stories, gameplay, and settings you can read Part 2 here: https://www.reddit.com/yakuzagames/comments/1cvrybw/yakuza_5_a_mega_big_ole_reviewsummary_for_a_big/
The Plot:
Like with Y4, I will discuss my thoughts on each section of the game rather than in one long chunk just because I find it more fun. I'm not even gonna try to not summarize this time because this game is so big it needs broken down.
Part 1: Kiryu
You might often find me compare Y5 to Y4 a lot in this review because they're honestly quite similar games and feel like a package. When I started playing 4 I was worried I wouldn't like playing as primarily strangers for a majority of the game, but one thing they did absolutely right was making Kiryu the final protagonist you play as in that game. So going into 5 I was very apprehensive about starting off with Kiryu, I worried they showed their hand too soon and that it would be difficult to stay invested the whole time.
With this feeling going into the game, I was immediately somewhat losing it over Kiryu being an incognito taxi driver with the worst disguise of all time (some sunglasses and a face mask, don't worry he's literally the only one in the game that seems to think it's a good disguise). Right off the bat, this game feels...sad. Kiryu watching Haruka giving an interview on the TV and storming out rather then defend her to some losers who don't get what ART is, was SAD. This part of the game felt so mundane for awhile, but not in a bad way! You wakeup as Kiryu, walk to work, drive your taxi, and go home late at night (usually) alone. The whole time my eyes were drawn to a facedown picture frame and wondering what it could be, but I certainly had a guess. Kiryu is going through a hard, isolating, and depressing time and you can feel that so well from the game and how they have you play as him. Anyways there's also a random gal named Mayumi that will not leave Kiryu alone despite him asking her to. All you're doing by the end of chapter one is going "Huhhhhhhh?" Anyways Kiryu is approached by two dudes named Morinaga and Aizawa in chapter 2, telling him Daigo was???? Kidnapped?? GASP.. Admittidly I wasn't too fond of this duo at first. One thing that was consistent through my playthrough is that I was completely incapable of predicting anything correctly, and it had felt like these two were gonna be my pals for the rest of the game and I just wasn't clicking with them. Not to mention this weird semi-one sided-romance going on with Mayumi.
In chapter 3, we begin with the most heartbreaking thing that could ever happen to me, Yakuza 3 superfan. Kiryu has been pushed out of running the orphanage by a lady named Miss Park. It's all making sense now. He does it so the orphanage can have money and so Haruka can follow her dreams. DOESNT MAKE IT EASIER TO DEAL WITH FOR ME :( . Then we meet Watase, first thoughts? I was like "god I hope this guy isn't the main villain he's kinda lame" Soon after we meet Aoyama and I thought literally the same thing. Clearly by this point in the game I didn't have the highest hopes. I was mostly sad and not liking most of the new characters. But then... things take a turn.
Mayumi was actually a spy! thank god honestly. Kiryu meets Aoyama again but then Morinaga shows up and fuckin kills Aoyama and says he buried Aizawa alive HOLY SHIT? and then soon after I'm told Majima is fucking dead. Figured he wasn't actually dead cuz I've seen pictures of him from later games but holy shit I somehow cried just at the THOUGHT of him being dead. Also at some point here we met a detective who is an important player in this story but at this point not too integral. Also before Kiryu leaves he picks up the picture frame and its the orphanage ;-;
Kiryu final thoughts: This part of the game was fantastic. I'm so glad they started with Kiryu in this case despite my initial unsureness with it. Chapter 4 especially is when everything really falls into place and starts going 100 miles an hour but I also love the slowness of the previous 3 chapters. I do wish we got more Morinaga as this is unfortunately the last we hear of him despite this being a wonderful set up to a really interesting villain. Mayumi was a pretty shit character per seemingly always with any full grown woman in Yakuza games. While I think it's cool she was secretly a spy she was clearly an afterthought as we never hear about her again so that's cool. Basically a mixed bag of new characters overall.
Part 2: Saejima
I jokingly said to myself "Wouldn't it be funny if I had to spend half of this section breaking out of prison again. Thank god that's not the case." and continued hanging out with Majima until I was arrested for two more years of serving my sentence and OH NO IM BACK IN THE BUILDING.
Yeah I was VERY unsure about breaking out of prison again being a good call. Thankfully, and sorry to Y4, this is a much better prison sequence. Another thing I was really unsure about was BALD SAEJIMA! But actually... it kinda slays harder? In Y4 he looks like that guy from the game The Hatred (an insult) maybe it wouldn't be so bad if bro washed or brushed it but he never did and so instead bald was a slay. Anyways We're dropped in at nearly the end of Saejima's serving period with his group of friends/cellmates, newest one being some dude named Baba. We are relentlessly tortured by the scariest man I've ever seen, Viktor Zsasz-I MEAN! Kugihara. Who's honestly scarier looking then Zsasz somehow. But it is ON because Viktor Zsasz framed my bestie Baba and I will not let that slide so I beat the fuck out of him and it's revealed Zsasz was instructed to be a dick to me. By who??????????????????? Then it's double revealed to me that Majima is dead and I'm sad all over again :(
Turns out our warden is actually really chill and nice and somewhat tries to help us survive. What a breath of fresh air after Satan (Saito) from Y4. This guy is so cool infact we are encouraged to break out by him. So Baba and I do in the dead of the night and tell me why I cried over leaving my two other cellmates ;_; they were such bros. Zsasz hinders my escape and we fight, but my absolute PAL Himura fuckin shoots him it was an amazing turn of events and I cheered so loud and was devastated to leave him behind but anyways-
FUCK YEA SNOW MOBILES (they were kinda jank to control honestly but its the thought that counts). I am so glad I didn't know I was going to be fighting a bear going into this because that was easily the most camp thing ever and so hilarious. Then some old guy saves me (and later Baba) and we chill in the mountains for a little while. The mountain has a whole crazy detailed side story of it's own that I'll explain in more detail later but basically it was cool.
So then a ton of important stuff happens in Tsukimino, most notably we hang out with Baba in a bar which is great because I love Baba and him and I are super tight and he's easily the only person I could ever trust at this point without potential for betrayal! :)
Anyways me and Baba fuckin kidnap this guy because his chair is by a sewer manhole? He's gone in a flash so all I can imagine is dragging him down the hole by his ankle or something. Then we talk for awhile, Majima is mentioned woohoo, THEN HE'S sniped! The way I gasped. Longstory short :( Baba is the one who sniped him and not only that he kind of set everything up and wasn't my best pal all along :( Why Baba Why? Then Baba basically confesses his love for Saejima and can't go through with killing him, AAAAAAND Im back on the Baba train. That detective I mentioned from earlier arrests Saejima but not to throw him back in jail, to assemble the Yakuza avengers.
Final Saejima thoughts: This was shockingly fantastic. I was probably least impressed with Saejima's section in Y4, so it was shocking to have basically the same structure and general narrative beats but done well. It wasn't perfect, I didn't love it as much as Kiryu's section as I'm partial to a slow burn, but it was fun I have no real complaints, except MAYBE more then one chapter in Tsukimino would be a better choice.
Part 3 (first half): Haruka
I did not know I was going to get the HONOR of playing Haruka going into this game. We start off very strong, dancing to the greatest song of all time "So Much More." I mean we really get the full idol experience here with mean ass teachers and shady management. I didn't expect to get an Idol simulator in my Yakuza game but it might be the best thing ever. I decided right off the bat to put everything I had into this section of the game so immediately I did literally everything I could. Most of this chapter feels like a bit of a reflection of Kiryu's were working and going back home alone, it's all as monotonous and isolating as can be (except you're a predebut idol) and I love this. We quickly meet a girl who will serve as my bestie named Akari and yes I indeed would die for her thank you. Meeting Akari introduces us to this sections version of combat, DANCE BATTLES! I know some people might be disappointed you don't get to punch people as Haruka, and I get that, but this feels like a more genuine gameplay style for her character. It's hard to imagine Haruka fighting thugs in the street due to her personality (not that i'd be against it, especially after that weird virtual reality game where I get to wack dudes with a wand) plus I found this gameplay style so refreshing. I was never groaning or sighing because I had to dance against someone. I think it helps that I wasn't forced to do it 15 times in a row walking down the street, but I had the option to most of the time unless it was part of a quest. Maybe that's how all the gameplay should be? I don't mind being approached by thugs sometimes but it always feels like it happens too often in these games and with getting the option to while getting to walk around carefree otherwise in Haruka's section was just SO NICE.
Anyways, We get the whole set up here, we are participating in a competition show that will single handedly set the course for our debut. We're competing against this band called T-set. I hate them so much. They're so mean :(. At some point we see Miss Park absolutely SLAY and tell off Haruka's dance teacher and she doesn't take his shit at all. At this point I was like "Uh ohhhh I don't wanna like her but...she kinda rocks" my decent into stanning Miss Park only continues from there. We have to go convince some guy named Christina (interesting name to take but also a slay, much respect to Mr. Christina and his fedora) to be our new dance instructor. This causes drama with me and Akari which devastated me because I love Akari but we made up like immediately so it's chill.
Then at one point, I forgot the context, Haruka is shopping for a gift for Miss Park when stupid T-set shows up and STEPS ON THE BROACH I BOUGHT FOR HER. I was back and forth on them until now, now they may burn in hell. Especially after they made Haruka get on her knees and beg for forgiveness like ???? what gives ??? Park shows up and SLAYS and gets rid of them. Park then wears the broach :(((((((((
Then one of my favorite parts happen in chapter 2, Haruka and Miss Park go hit the town and just bond together. It's so stinking cute I wanted to cry. This whole time I was trying to not get emotionally attached to Park because it really felt like she was gonna end up betraying us. But the night continued and we get some mother daughter vibes going, even so far as holding hands????? Also Im somewhat glad I didn't get to wear the outfit I bought at the store with Park because I was going for a Cheetah girls inspired look then realized far too late how tacky that might come off, not everyone is Raven Symone ya know?
Anyways at this point I'm like wow this is the cutest game ever, nothing can ever go wrong, Park MIGHT betray me but I don't even care. She gives us a cool pen and a tragic anime backstory with an abusive ex husband and everything and we call it a night Well the next fuckin day my world crumbles because PARK IS DEAD! She "committed suicide" as if!
Part 3 (second half): Akiyama
I can't tell you how devastated I was to realize I'd only get to play as Akiyama for half of a section of the game. However, I was also thrilled to see him at all. Apparently he's opening a Satenbori office and also he is the one who financed Park's dream to debut Haruka so that's how he has a hand in all this. There is tragically very little Hana, she calls you twice and both times were fantastic but I wish I had more :(. Anyways Akiyama has heard about Park's death and goes to the office and meets Haruka. I didn't think they'd even really know each other and assumed we'd have an interesting reveal that they both know Kiryu later but nah they know each other. It honestly probably works better this way because we don't have time for such trivial things! Akiyama is a fuckin detective now. I don't know why he has been tasked to do this but he does it so well I don't even mind. He quickly figures out Park didn't actually kill herself and they simply need evidence to prove this. I'm unsure when this happens but at some point while talking about the mystery SOMEONE FALLS OFF THE ROOF! It was Horie :( who I haven't mentioned yet but he's my manager and a real pal. Thankfully he lived but we found out that the former dance teacher pushed him off. I think he also killed Park or Kanai did, who knows, either way someone did and they suck for it.
Chapter 4 has a lot going on, but basically the president of Osaka talent is sus and he's also the secret chairman of Ousaka Enterprises, which is a different thing... but sounds similar. Ousaka is basically a higher up family in the Omi alliance, so he's part of the bad yakuza!!! Haruka keeps doing the competition and T-set keeps sucking. She wins the princess league by a landslide. I don't even see the point in a third round if she won both of the other rounds? Is the third round just worth more points? Either way Haruka destroyed them and they suck. Her poor vocal instructor is working as her manager now. At some point we find out Parks ex husband was none other then Majima! Which is quite the revelation. Japan is such a small world, everyone seems to know each other. This does mean that Majima at least hit Park (I think after her abortion) and I think he's like 10 years older then her yet they were already married when she debuted at eighteen... Is it time for me to confront the possibility that my favorite crazed murderer might not be the most upstanding citizen?
It ends with Haruka being kidnapped, (nothing out of character there), and Akiyama saving her. He and Haruka make their way to Japan for the big ole concert Park had been planning. Wow this story is really picking up! I hope nothing grinds it to a sudden stop!
Part 3 final thoughts: God this was amazing, every step of it. My only complaint is I wanted more, more Akiyama and MORE dancing but I might be the only one who wanted 40 more hours of dancing. Detective Akiyama and Haruka duo was not the team I knew I needed but Im glad it happened. I found all of the music and gameplay here SO fun and I loved the plot too. I really liked Parks character. I wouldn't necessarily hang out with her, but I found her to be pretty well written and its hard to hate anyone Haruka clearly treasures, I am very sad she is actually dead because up until the end of the game I kept thinking she was going to come back.
Part 4: Shinada:
We have come to a sudden stop. We start with a flashback to 1997 where Shinada has debuted as a baseball player for the wyverns, don't forget this moment because the rest of this section of the game constantly calls back to it. In the modern day Shinada is a loser who is really heavily indebt and lives in a weird grimey rooftop shack. He also now writes like ? smut articles ? And he's friend with a girl named Milky which is the craziest name I've ever heard. A loanshark who talks about his kids a lot constantly follows Shinada around and takes his money. There was a lot of promise with this gag, like maybe instead of letting me keep the 100k and still acting like I'm broke he shows up after every side mission to rob me but nope. At the end of the chapter we run into a masked man who is frankly just Daigo stealing Kiryu's disguise idea.
Shinada and loanshark (his name is Takasugi) walk around town looking for leads on uncovering the truth of Shinada's past. Because you see, Shinada one time got fired from baseball cuz everyone thought he cheated, oh you already knew that? yeah same but don't worry you'll hear it at least 40 more times. Daigo asked him to go look for clues about this, why does he care? I still don't know honestly. Takasugi is forcing him to go because...I guess money? and he's walking around with me and were acting like friends now for some reason. Shinada is incapable of having any agency for himself, he just does what people tell him to. He also keeps nearly dying like a looney tunes character with shit falling out of the sky and stuff. Eventually we find out the Nagoya family fixed the match and then some guy Shinada used to know does get smashed like a looney tunes character. Skip ahead, were called to help by Milky and she betrayed us. I am sad cuz I thought Milky was a friend for life. Turns out literally everyone Shinada knows aside from the fkn loanshark are evil, even the old baseball lady. This plot was so convoluted I frankly don't understand why they were doing what they were doing, all I know is they were more like a neighborhood watch situation then Yakuza even though they seemed to do the exact same thing. Also when I say literally everyone he knows is evil I mean everyone, even his old coach or whatever. For way too long I thought they meant the middle school baseball coach so I was hella confused. Anyways we then find out that actually Takasugi is Shinada's number one baseball fan. Okay? Anyways
Chapter 4 things finally pick up a little. Daigo reveals himself like anyone ever was doubting it was him, and he also reveals he cares because he went to highschool with Shinada. Is that fr how were connecting this? Daigo got expelled from highschool because he protected Shinada from a rival school. Once again, okay? I guess Shinada doesn't like that Daigo is a yakuza and punches him out the door. I wasn't a fan of this. Daigo goes down pretty easily, pitiful Daigo strikes again. I love him but can he do anything right? Anyways I guess the fight meant nothing cuz they're pals now and go to Tokyo together. We get a cut to Takasugi getting his money back from Shinada as well as a signed baseball...okay that's really cute I nearly cried. I wish they actually left it there but instead Shinada runs away last minute to meet up on that stupid baseball field from 1997 that we cant go 5 minutes without hearing about and we fight this guy named Sawada who was like the kind of mastermind and also the pitcher. Had Sawada not thrown an easy pitch, Shinada wouldn't have hit it and thus been kicked out for cheating. We fight some Omi then play baseball and OMG WHY ARE WE DOING THISSSSSS
Finally it ends and we go to Tokyo
Shinada final thoughts: If you cant tell I was not a fan of this. I found Shinada to be really inconsitently written. In side missions or when he's playing off of certain characters he's quite entertaining and un, but most of the time, he seems to just be a blank slate who does whatever and only talks about baseball. And omg maybe if I liked baseball this would have been the best thing ever but we did not need THAT much baseball talk or constant referencing to that baseball game in 1997. I get its central to his character but it became a meme how often he'd get misty eyed and talk about getting kicked out. Why did he move Nagoya to escape his image as a cheating baseball player when 1) he constantly talks about it anyways, 2) everyone literally knows who he is here anyways. They make it seem like at first he wants nothing to do with baseball anymore but he also goes to the batting cages all the time and also thinks about nothing but baseball. The plot here is just SO hard to follow and not at all what I want to be dealing with after we were really in the thick of things with part 3's ending. I'm not saying it was impossible for this to be good, I think there was so much potential here! Like seemingly all of Yakuza 4, the concepts are there but the execution is iffy. I think it's biggest downfall is when it happens. It would have made so much more sense to make the last section before the finale the Haruka section. Shinada would have felt much better to play as maybe as a part two or even a part three, but NOT part four. The odds were stacked against him being amongst a cast of characters that I already know and love. I definitely was more of a Tanimura fan, but I liked Shinada as a person. His inconsistent writing, unfortunate story, and tendency to be a little annoying really dragged this part of the game down for me.
Part 5: The Finale
This finale is crazyyyyyyy so strap in. I would expect nothing less then insanity from this game. First Kiryu shows up in Kamurocho WERE HOME BABYYYYYY. Were being followed by BABA!! I missed him. We fight for fun or something then we cut to Saejima who is meeting with the detective who tells us we gotta find Morinaga. OH YEAH THAT GUY. So we go to the Florist and we go to the arena only to find... AIZAWA??? The fuck? I thought Morinaga fuckin killed him cold blooded and made me think he was a cool as fuck villain. Only to find out that GASP Morinaga is actually dead. At this point I literally don't believe it because I guess I was in my era of not believing anyone ever dies.
We go to Akiyama who is told by Osaka ceo to not let Haruka perform. Akiayam says hell no. We also find out that Park and him planned to make Haruka and T-set a group and debut them at the same time but I somehow missed this when playing and didnt realize that till way leter. ANYWAY At some point we also see the CEO doing naked push ups in his penthouse which was so weird. ALSO there is a Date-san reveal. The scream I screamt! I didn't know I missed him or needing him so much in a game till I saw him again. Usually I'm wondering why he's even there or what he adds but I finally get it now, he adds being Date to the table and that's all you need.
Then I do a tower sweep at Kamurocho hills and OMG is this what Majima was building the whole time? To be fully honest it's beautiful and im very proud but its so different and lowkey off-putting. Kind of like Majima himself. I miss him. A whole game and I only be hearing about him second hand its not fair. Question, did literally anyone choose Saejima to do the tower sweep? Anyway were on the top of the tower; Kiryu, Saejima, CEO Katsuya, and Watase. We all have to fight eachother to draw out the one true bad guy and also cuz this is a yakuza game, so off our shirts go and everyone fights. Basically everyone gets shot and the bad guy is revealed... THE DETECTIVE. Who saw it coming? I still kept thinking Park would come back or Morinaga but by this point I was definitely suspecting him too. I don't fully get why he's doing all this but long story short he's purging both the Omi and Tojo of nice? Yakuza? I guess? I think it mostly has to do with him making way for his son to inherit a role in everything but thats not further explored till later. Not to worry tho! Daigo has shown up!!!! But because he is Daigo you should definitely be worried because once again he cant do anything right and he gets shot by Kanai. God dammit Daigo. He is now in critical condition, this is the SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED DAIGO. He's such a damsel in distress, never change.
Baba tells Haruka the message Kiryu had for her, to never give up. He also asks her to come with him to convince to Kiryu to chillax but she refuses. Sad for no one but me. At the New Serena, where that absolute BOP of a song is blaring, Kiryu is sleeping, while the rest of the crew are chilling and chatting. I forgot to mention Akiyama and Shinada briefly teamed up but frankly who cares. Shinada talks about baseball alot here too just incase you were worried he wouldnt. They conclude that detective bad guy is gonna attack Haruka's concert which I will NEVER allow. I guess Shinada's purpose here is actually tha the knows the stadiuk layout pretty well which I will buy in to. Also I believe here Haruka gets told about her and t-set being a band together now called Dreamline. I also dont love this. The idea of it is fine, Im all for a disney channel original movie plot where the bullies are actually great and we all become friends at the end but the issue is they don't properly develop T-set to do that. The short haired girl gets one little moment of being somewhat nice to Haruka then the very next time I see her she's stepping on my boss's broach and making me beg on my knees like sorry but it's really hard to come around on liking them. Even now when Haruka stumbles duing practice they're rude! This is a tragic ending if anything but Haruka seems happy I guess... Dont worry they will be nothing more then Haruka's glorifed backup dancers.
Okay final chapter, and it's a doozy. We send Shinada of all people to go help Haruka at the stadium, I know i just said I get he knows the layout of the stadium but like :( he's literally the only one who hasn't met her. I guess they don't end up interacting really anyways. Saejima is going to go after Majima because btw he's alive and at the top of the millenium tower. Akiyama and Kiryu stay on the ground to defend against attackers and they probably punch/ kick at least 10000 men. All the while Haruka gives her concert. But Baba is lurking and gonna shoot her, I thought he learned to be good again but whatever. Him and Shinada end up having a confrontation that ends in Baba losing and he's about to kill himself when !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my prison besties and the wardon show and up stop him! Oh my god I loved that so much what a nice resolution for Baba and I love that those guys went straight to a Jpop concert just for their pal. Meanwhile Saejima confronts Detective evil man on top of the millenium tower and !!! there he is, finally Majima is here. But he is not having a good time, turns out he's allowed himself to be captured and tortured for the sake of Haruka and now Majima and Saejima have to fight for the same reason. Then! Daigo shows up, while im literally begging him to actually shoot the bad guy but instead they all talk. Haruka is safe from harm (Baba wouldn't have done that shit anyways) and we officially learn about the plot of him attempting to put his son in charge of everything. Kiryu goes to Tojo headquarters to stop whoever this suspicious son is and Akiyama fights Kanai. Then literally all our friends ever show up to help and that was damn cute.
Kiryu shows up and it's eerie, completely silent with dead people everywhere. We go to the meeting room and the guy behind it all along was Aizawa. I definitely did not see that coming because I forgot he existed. But I suppose thats the point, he was so unassuming. I guess that means Morinaga actually was dead all along. We fight Aizawa while Haruka sings a song that seems very pointed at Kiryu wins (duh) but he is not doing well and tries to make his way through the streets. Meanwhile Haruka announces her retirement because she cant hide who she is or stay away from her family any longer and runs away to find Kiryu and THE GAME ENDS. Other games gave me a after credits scene that somewhat eased my concerns, but 5 is a overall very sad game and it's scene is her managing to him but he's bleeding out in the streets and falls unconcious in her arms.
Finale final thoughts: This was quite the finale! It was much better then Shinada's section but it was still a bit messy and left a lot of plot threads up in the air or had some unfortunate revelations. Nothing bad but things I think shouldve maybe been revealed earlier, like Aizawa. Only finding out with like 20 minutes of the game to go makes it feel too empty or even rushed when we know this game is otherwise not rushed at all. I was a little sad about the ending, I don't think it was bad at all I was just sad. The whole time I imagined it ending with the whole gang going to Haruka's concert and having a good time. For once I dont think the game fully dropped the ball on the finale like they tend to do so I commend it for that.
TLDOverall plot final thoughts: As a whole this is one of the most well written Yakuza stories since Yakuza 3 (obviously in my opinion). I can see that for some people all the plot twists and surprises might have felt like too much but I loved it, I never once could predict where this game was going. Morinaga dying off screen was such a let down and missed opportunity, at the end of Kiryu's section I was thinking he was going to be the best Yakuza villain in awhile but instead he went out in such a lame way. I do kinda wonder who killed him, I assumed it was just the detective guy but Aizawa seemed at least somewhat sad about Morinaga's death. I wonder if that was all a show? Another thing I dislike not just because of how it went, but also that it ended up going no where, Mayumi. They made quite the big deal about her at first and I do like the plot twist that she was a spy, but she wasn't even really acting any different when she was in spy mode and in normal mode. Plus you literally never see her again. I think Saejima's section was just very reminicent of his in 4, but done well. Aside from it taking quite so long to get to the city, by the time you leave it feels slightly rushed. I think the chapter in the woods didnt need to be its own thing. Absolutely no notes with Haruka, only that I'm sad this is all we will see of Park, I found her to be a really interesting character. Akiyama is where my main issues arise, only because I really do think he needed his whole section. He felt a little tacked on otherwise when I think he really didn't need to feel that way. I had hoped he would be part of half of Haruka's section then half of Shinada's where he is used to introduce us to Shinada as a character. But instead we get dropped into that like nothing. I know im probably the only one who cares about Hana this much but I really wish we got more of her. I basically said all my issues with Shinada at the end of his section but once again, I really didn't enjoy that plot. The finale was a mess and unfortunatly left at quite a cliff hanger which I wouldve rather it didn't but Im also okay with how it did. Some other things I wanted in this game was MORE MAJIMA I get why he wasnt for narrative purposes but Im gonna say that in every game. I wouldve loved more Okinawa orphan content. That being said there is way more content for them in this then in Y4 which is wild considering we spent like 5 seconds in Okinawa during a flashback and you never actually see them. It was so nice to hear what theyre up to second hand and some of the side missions expand on them a little more but I am devastated they werent there.
Lastly to briefly compare it to Y4, as they do feel like connected games. Y5 realy does feel like they took all of the concepts of the 4th game that needed to be reworked, and then re-did them to be better. The villains are better, prison break outs are better, and just like way more. I do think there are things in Y5 that are lacking compared to Y4, like general atmosphere, and I do think Tanimura's section in 4, as flawed as it is, is better then Shinadas. Akiyama's in 5 is great, but I love his in Y4 more simply because he doesn't have to share the spotlight. But I really have to emphasize, story and character are done better in Y5, ATMOSPHERE is done so much better in Y5.
TLDR for the TLDR: I liked this game :)
And there you have it, the longest goddamn review of all time. It was a really great game and I wish I could play it for the first time again because it was just SUCH a great experience. If you read this far I am so impressed by you and eternally grateful you even cared to. Please let me know your thoughts! I'm so excited to talk about this game with people. As for my rating, It was going to be a 10/10 until I got to Shinada's section now I'm in between an 8 or a 9. Ill just say 8/10 to be mean.
I am already neck deep in Yakuza 0 so I'm excited to write a much shorter review for that one soon.
Thank you for reading!

Hello and greetings once again my fellow CUEnthusiasts!
Today on Coaches Corner I’m going discuss what I think many players would love some insight on, building your collection and working towards completion. This is going to potentially be a multi, or at minimum a 2 part series. There’s so much to cover that pertains to both and as I write, more keeps coming to mind lol.
While most of what I write is geared more towards newer players, free to play and more casual investors, there will be points shared that may be beneficial to anyone. Regardless the collection you have or even if you don’t care about building/completion.
Once more, a lot of what I’ll be covering will relate to both topics, I will go into more detail and differentiate when applicable if needed.
I’ll kick off this mini series thing with Part 1, where I’ll look at why New Cards are important and also share some of my insights and experience with Card Packs and currency(Gems and Coins).
This is in no way a guide for which packs to only open or where to strictly spend your currency. There are many great packs that aren’t listed and a few of my favorites also aren’t mentioned. It’s more my experience based on how some packs can help with the topics we’re discussing more than others is all. Your coins and gems are always yours to do with as you please :)
Regardless your time spent on cue, the majority of players want and chase new cards. It’s not uncommon to get some pretty wild offers early on, so new cards will and should always be a focus where possible for building and completing your collection. If you’ve ever posted a new card in game, especially early after it drops, you’ll know exactly what I mean. So I’ll leave it at that.
What I would like to discuss is knowing what to pull, and when to pull (I should note, the term “pull” means open packs, as in pull the new card from a pack). I’ll ask as well because I was away for a while and just returned recently to CUE, if I miss any note worthy packs that I didn’t discuss, please comment below and provide a bit as to why it’s a good pack to hit please. I know there’s a few new ones since I came back, and if they’re relevant, it would help to be made aware :)
I won’t cover every single pack but touch briefly on noteworthy ones that are both popular and, based on my personal experience, are worth a mention as they’re relevant to todays topics. I hope this may help when selecting what currency you save up and when to use them to maximize achieving your goals for your collection.
I again want to strongly emphasize. This in no way is a guide on how to 100% get the cards you want, which packs to open and how to spend your gems/coins.
This is however based off my experience in CUE, other trading card apps I’ve been on, and when seeing trades and helping evaluate trades when I pop into discord. I think it’s safe to say, most players who are complete or close to it and the ones who have been around for years, probably already know, have experienced, or used some of this.
I’ll start with what I would watch for in a pack and a new card.
Other than keeping an eye on social platforms for what’s being hyped up, there’s 2 things I look for before I pull for a new card or a pack in general.
The Collection the new card and/or the pack is associated with. And the playability of the new card.
What I look for in a collection first is, if the collection is part of the meta and in demand. Is this collection being played a lot and are many people looking for cards from the collection. I then check what and how many value/meta/very playable limited legendary and limited epics are in the collection. If there’s a decent amount (4-5 or more) this can check off the box for a worth while pack.
Next I look into the new card. How good is it? How scarce is it potentially going to be? And is there demand? While I primarily look to the first point when selecting a good pack, you’ll make the best bang for your currency if both these points are checked off. I’ll break this down a bit.
In regards to the new card, I mainly want its rarity to be limited epic or limited legendary when using it to trade. As I’ve covered before, most limited rares and below are relatively easy to obtain/complete and tend have less played cards as most decks are composed mostly of limited epics and higher. It’s of course still ok to pull/get lower rarity new cards to trade if you have lower rarity needs. These 2 rarities I mentioned though, are important for building and completion as they have the majority of valuable and playable cards amongst them.
I would recommend to try to focus and/or wait for a new card that is as playable and as much a meta deck staple as possible. This just means it’ll have demand.
Next I want to go over how gem cost and pull rates can factor in. I’m going to cover coins separately because they’re used a bit differently.
I do just want to quickly explain pull rates. The pull rate is the % chance you have of getting the specified card if you open 1 pack. For example, if the rate is 25%, when you open 1 of that pack, you have a 25% (1/4) chance of getting that card. It’s not if I open 4 packs, I should 100% get the card by the fourth pack.
Here’s how Gem Costs and Pull Rates COULD factor in.
The lower the gem cost and/or the higher the pull rate %, the more available the card could be. It doesn’t mean you’ll get worse results trading cards in packs that are one or both of these. It just means you may have a shorter window to maximize the cards potential trade power. Packs with high gem costs and/or lower pull rate %, are usually the ones that will be more in demand, be more scarce, and see some of the better offers. Kinda makes sense.
If a pack meets all the criteria we’ve gone over, it’s usually a good one to invest in. Again it’s your choice in the end. You’ll also get accustomed to making the best choice for you and your collecting goals as time goes and you become more well versed in the app. There’s a wide variety of packs to cater to every playecollector!
Before we proceed I want to offer some advice. Don’t send trades taking a wild over pay from people looking for a new card just because it’s new and in demand. It could get declined, as well, reflect bad on you and land you on a block list. Let them choose to do so if/when they send a trade. With the information coming up, there shouldn’t even be a need to.
When you do have and want to trade a new card my advice is always to just post it asap for trade in game and wait to see what comes in. Be patient, you’re not obligated to take the first or any offer just because it came it. Your cards, you get what you want. To elaborate as well, be realistic. One can’t expect the best offers and only look/wait for that every time. Remember too, sometimes you’re on a bit of a clock. As time goes and the card becomes less scarce, demand will/may drop, and good offers you had and waited on, may not come again. This is the game of a collector lol. Comfort will come with experience so don’t sweat it too much. But I felt it’s good to know as well.
I want to also point out to always check the demand of the new card before you post the card in game, accept incoming trades or pull/trade for more copies of a new card. Go to the trade screen and type in the name of the card and check the “Wanted” section to see roughly how many people are looking for it and toggle to the “Offered” section to see how many people are posting it for trade. This will give a very rough idea as to the supply and demand of the new card. If there’s few people looking and lots of people offering, it’s safe to assume demand is low. This is important because you don’t want to waste currency or your dupes for something that’s not gonna move, and you want to move new cards asap.
The way I view currency in general
Gems are mainly used to acquire mostly limited cards, either new or previously released.
Coins are mainly used for obtaining new or previously released basics or the collection of the day pack. I’ll quickly note, it’s rare to fill out your limiteds off basics. It still can happen, but far less frequently and efficiently. The ladder bit is in regards to trading basics, as limiteds can also be acquired via coin packs and I’ll touch on that soon.
So what are some decent/popular packs to look for to use your currency to help build/complete your collection?
I’ll start with gems packs just because most people want to use them the most efficiently, coins too, but there’s usually less opportunity for them as far as getting best bang for your buck so to speak.
Once more, we’re going to keep in mind everything I’ve gone over so far. And I again want to emphasize, I’m not trying to tell you exactly what packs to open and to disregard the rest. These were just some, from my experience, that are better to leverage for the topics today. Again each pack can cater to a different collector and their needs and wants. Just to be clear lol.
League Spotlight:
There’s a number of points I’m going to touch on because this is a popular pack, if not the most popular.
With a low gem cost and a not terrible pull rate for a limited legendary. Typically featuring 6 different Limited Legendary cards with the potential to pull other random limiteds, it has good bang for the gem cost. If pulling this pack, I’d recommend pulling the 3 for 2 at 50 gems.
Best to hit if you have a somewhat decent balance to be effective. You can fill limited card needs, get decent limiteds and more. I find if you can only do the 50 a few times your gems are better used elsewhere.
What can also be very beneficial is when these packs feature at least 2 or more Limited Legendary cards that have value and demand prior to spot light.
One very important thing to be aware of. The limited legendary cards featured are almost always impacted value wise as they’re far more available, again because the pack is popular. And when there is 2 or more value ones featured, the pulls tend to drastically increase leading to market saturation and value decline.
If you’re ok with playing for the long run, their values tend to creep back, but over a long period. The only other downside, there’s never new cards in these packs, only previously released ones. So there’s typically less people looking for the cards from spot light, other than the featured value ones, or those who need them, and you usually won’t see the same offers that you would a new card for spotlight cards. The upside is the ability to get very playable or meta Limited Legendary cards if you need them at an amazing price.
Finder packs, Choose your Fate/Destiny, Grab Bag and the 1500 gem pack(I forgot what it’s called but shows up periodically, again it’s a new one for me lol):
I liken these to spotlight packs because they’re more for if you have needs from that collection or specific rarities of limited cards. It’s worth noting, values aren’t impacted much by these as they’re not as heavily pulled like spotlight is.
Much like spotlight, these tend to not feature a new card so the trades aren’t expected to be the same as ones you’d typically see for a new card. And they usually cost around 150 gems or more per pack. If you’re free to play or a minimal investor and have fewer card needs, I feel your gems can be better used elsewhere. These can be worth it if you have many needs that you want to target or in general depending on the pack.
And lastly, these are the packs I feel are consistently worth the investment in relation to building and completing, especially when they can check off both boxes I mentioned earlier!
Although they can be a bit pricy and pull rates aren’t the best, it can be worth it to just save up to hit them a bit as I find they have the best return on investment.
They are, The (Album) legendary seeker pack (I believe that’s what it’s called, I do mistake it sometimes. Please correct me so I can edit this if so lol), and the Sunday epic pack. There are others but they fall under what I’ve already gone over.
The seeker pack is from a particular Album like arts or science for example. The ones you want to keep an eye out for are the ones that you always get a limited legendary, and I believe a couple of lower rarity limited cards guaranteed from that particular album, in addition to a % chance at a new limited from that album. The cost and pull rates can make these scarce, especially if they’re a good card and epic/legendary rarity but this can also cause heavy pulls and saturation, again, check supply and demand. These tend to see good and sometimes great offers early, usually the same rarity as the new card. And if they’re scarce, they can sometimes hold value over time.
The Sunday Epic drops, well, every Sunday. The gem cost again is on the steep side, I believe 160 gems per pack, and pull rates are not too bad. What these offer however can be really useful. There’s lots of playable and value limited epics and from my experience, hitting this even a few times usually wields a decent limited epic two. Not to add what may come in if you hit the new limited epic and post it in game. The new limited epics in these packs tend to always trend to the more scarce side regardless of playability or value just due to the cost and rates.
These are the ones that to me stand out as they have had the best results for me. I’ve completed once, broke my collection willingly, completed again, took a long break and came back and completed once more. Done the dance a few times lol.
Again, I’m not saying there aren’t other worth while packs as there’s a few I enjoy that I didn’t list. But these are the ones I feel are most relevant to the topic at hand. You want to save up enough to at least try to get yourself a copy for yourself and a dupe or 2 if you’re trying for completion, or a copy or 2 to trade if you’re just looking for cards for your collection to play. These are also good to use to build decent dupes for future trades if you’re complete or have a few needs left to bait out those last cards.
Lastly coins. These are pretty straight forward as there’s not much variety wise like gem packs to spend them on. The ones I feel are best suited to today’s topic for coins are as follows:
First, the Collection of the Day coin pack version for a new limited card. You mainly want to pull on this pack if it meets both the new limited card and collection criteria I’ve gone over. With the chance to pull limited cards from the same collection as the new card and the new card itself, this will be one of the good packs to invest your coins in when the criteria is met.
Lastly, and as of the time of this post. In the Basic packs section along the top row, there’s 3 coin packs, and 1 rotates out, and a new one rotates in, every few days. Disregard the other 3 below. You want to wait for one of those packs to meet the collection criteria, and only if you’re going to spend a decent stack on these, as it can take many coins to hit those value limiteds. The new cards in these are always basics and don’t yield much return, what makes them worth while is there’s a chance to pull a limited from the same collection, so if you have value needs of that particular collection or want good cards to trade, wait for this kind of pack to arrive that meets, what I consider, a good collection to pull for.
Im going to end here as I feel I’ve covered, in detail, some of the key points regarding new cards and packs and how they can be applied to building/completing. Next time I would like to go over some strategies you can use with the cards already in your collection and some tips on how to use them to their maximum potential for building/completing your collection.
As always, thank you for taking a moment to drop in. Always feel free to comment below if there’s any questions or if there’s any Trading or Collecting topics you’d like me to cover. I’ll do my best to respond. You can find me on the main discord server, link is in the sub description. Happy Trading and keep it Cue, see you in game!
Next time on Coaches Corner with WadeTheHeathen:
We’re going to jump into part 2 of Building your Collection and Working Towards Completion, this time discussing some strategies and tips for how to use the cards already in your collection! Hope to see you then!

Welcome everyone, to my Angels and Demons IV League Week Review! Hope you enjoy the ride.

THEMING, LEAGUE RULES AND SPOTLIGHT:

-Unfortunately, we barely have any Angels & Demons at all in this League Week. Barely any of the cards in the League actually make thematic sense. The League Spotlight also has only boring collection specialists, and Manticore is only a specialist debuffer, nothing much to say. At least the Energy rules for the League are still merciful enough not to force an automatic loss, giving you 6 minimum Energy as mercy.

CARDS:

Featured Basic Pack Cards:

-Devil's Coach Horse Beetle is a subpar generalist that does only 70 Power for 5 Energy. At least it is a Demon. Norman Borlaug, which we know, is not related to demons whatsoever, is a complicated Science card to use, as its setup means that you will get only 11 Curious Cuisine slots, which is not enough for Deep Fried Mars Bar and Vindaloo do to its setup requiring 6 Plant Life cards. Angel Nebula, which is at least an Angel, is an okay Energy generator that relies on Colors, that's simple.

Featured Limited Collection Cards:

-Azdarcho is an okay Fearsome Flyers card, typically used to buff that one Flying Mythical Creature you are going to bring for Dawndraco, but is neither a Demon or an Angel. Grandidierite is not related to something escathological at all, and is a meh Oceans support card. Philippine Tarier, not related to the afterlife at all, boosts your Primates by a decent amount if you are not winning the round. Battle of Ushant (1778) is an okay tiny card, but it is another non thematically-fitting card. Magnificent Anemone Shrimp finally allows you to make potentially powerful Crustaceans cards at last, I guess they tried to sell it like some kind of Angel? Novgorod, no relation to Angels or Demons at all, is a meh generalist, 3/50 is barely enough when your opponent has to lead by at least 40 Power. Lastly, we have Scott Kelly, I guess they added him just because "celestial" also means space? But anyways, he is a decent Combo Slave capable of inflicting 140 Power for 6 Energy.

Other Featured Cards:

-For the Common Ground 4, we first have Curse of the Ninth which is a subpar specialist supporter that can backfire, Got the Morbs, which is a dedent generalist that relies on you not playing it on the turn you draw it, Bluebird, which is a subpar discount Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko or Dracula Parrot, and Five of Swords, which is a meh zero-sum card. Don't get how "Got the Morbs" is related to Angels and Demons though. KELT-9b is a Planetside specialist that's quite difficult to work with, as there aren't many Exploring the Stars cards to take advantage of Plaanetside cards other than it. It is also not related to Angels and Demons in any way whatsoever. John Milton, who wrote Paradise Lost, which is about Demons and the Bible, is a powerful Write Stuff supporter and combo heavy hitter hybrid. Angel of Hadley, at least being an angel, is an okay generalist. For The Demons are Here, we have Baigujing, a meh combo slave with Skeleton that contains a PPT debuff, Nidhogg, which is honestly the only card that fits metawise, a difficult Norse Mythology card to use due to the Venomous Creatures requirement, and Oni, a very powerful Japanese Folklore supporter. Last but not the least, we have the Dust Devil, a specialist version of Animism and Siege Tower. It is also an actual Devil.

MY THOUGHTS:

-Overall, this week repeats the same mistakes I have complained about in other post-Season Pass weeks. Thus, I can only rank this League a bad 4.7/10.

WPA – A Completely Average Roadtrip
Disclaimer: Not canon, and I don’t use patreon so please don’t spoil me. Also, any opinion held by a character is that of the characters and not my own. Enjoy.
Town of Ljosalfington, local time 14:00, week 7
Emma Booker
“Again Illunor, I warned you before that this is a utility vehicle, not a party rated smart-limo. I am already compromising more than I should by allowing you to use the sample cooler as a minifridge, one which I can’t even use!” I said as I loaded the materials I had just purchased into the back of the high-G All terrain fusion-ethanol-electric hybrid 24th-century legacy pickup truck that I had printed out earlier this week, carefully avoiding the heavy ordinance hard point.
“That is hardly an excuse for that abysmally cramped leg space barely fit for cattle, never mind the bare minimum for standard decorum suitable for nobility. If this is what a car is like, then I don’t see why you care for your technology,” complained Illunor, who was sitting around idly with a malformed garish bowl of icecream that he had stashed away from lunch.
“If it bothers you so much, perhaps you could help next time with your ‘bigger-on-the-inside’ magic,” I retorted as I slid the last core sample into the back before covering it up with a tarp and strapping it down.
I had originally planned to visit Ljosalfington by myself to acquire much needed exo-materials to test various mana manipulator configurations as I worked to develop my first wand as not all of the materials I needed were procurable locally from Elaseer. I eventually yielded, much to my regret, to allowing Illunor to come with me as he insisted on wanting to deliver a letter personally in town after Thacea had pointed out the wisdom of not travelling alone.
We continued our back and forth for a bit yet as I finished securing my payload a voice called out to me from the direction of the town.
“Excuse me a moment, I couldn’t help but notice but are you from the academy?”
I turned to see an elf dressed in a plain brown buttoned up tunic matched by a slightly shabby pair of trousers with what appeared to be a lute upon his back and a plain and unenchanted longsword on his belt gesturing at our robes. Mine especially were new and unusual, tailored by the academy to go over my armour and allow access to the anchor points and allow me to exit my armour with minimal hassle. Illunor scoffed at what was evidently a commoner’s arrogance at approaching nobility and turned his head away in disgust. I glanced at Illunor and shook my head before turning to face the new man. I had time to spare, and any opportunity to engage in a hearts-and-minds dialogue with the locals outside the bounds of the managed environment of the academy was more than worth the time to chat. Especially as most of the other locals seemed to be content in ignoring me.
“Yes, we are currently studying at the Transgracian Academy. I am Cadet Emma Booker representing the United Nations of Earth and Luna from Earthream, and my aloof compatriot is Lord Illunor Rularia of the Vunerian courts. We were just about to head back but are in no rush. May I ask your name and what brings you by?” I asked with my hand outstretched in greeting.
“Ah yes, yes. My name is Edhel Redoehdelnif, a wandering bard by trade like my father and his father before him. My apologies, Cadet Emma Booker, I am unfamiliar with Earthrealm,” said Edhel as he grasped my hand with both of his and shook it tepidly yet vigorously. Or rather, tried to, as the motors on my suit resisted his efforts.
“News doesn’t seem to spread all that fast around here, so it makes sense you haven’t heard of us. We’re a new realm, and only just got here. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Edhel Redoehdelnif,” I replied.
“Absolutely fascinating! And a knight no less, or perhaps a squire? I’m sure you have many stories to tell of Earthrealm. Say, by chance are you about to head back to the academy? I have business in Elaseer and the usual coach has been absent as of late so I would rather not go it alone,” said Edhel.
I was hesitant to bring a stranger back in the car with me, even if Illunor was present. However, the opportunity that meeting a bard presented was too good to pass up from an intel perspective and to win the favour of the populace at large.
“That is a great idea. I think I have room for one more…” I paused before gesturing towards Illunor, “provided everyone is ok with it that is.”
Illunor gave a huff and turned his head away in silence.
“Very well, I will allow this. But he will not be joining me in your sorry excuse for a coach,” said Illunor dismissively.
Illunor approached the backseat expectantly and the door opened for him automatically, allowing the dlc kobold to gracefully enter and lounge across the length of the seats, once again ignoring the seatbelts. I sighed as I made my way to the driver’s seat, and Edhel entered from the passenger side as he marveled at the automatic doors and the interior.
“What a strange carriage this is! Although I must say, shouldn’t you be retrieving your horses? I didn’t see any harnesses or sense any artifices,” inquired Edhel as he attempted to make himself comfortable on the car seat, lute in front of him.
“Oh no, this thing doesn’t need horses or magic,” I said with a chuckle as EVI started the car. The elf raised his eyebrows at the sudden hum of the engine and made an expression of alarm when the car started driving itself without my input. “See, purrs like a kitten.”
“Earthrealm must have some large kittens if they purr like that,” noted Edhel, “but you must be concealing the enchantments somewhere. Such a thing as this with such strange yet precise craftsmanship is only possible in the crownlands.”
“Nope, no magic,” I said cheerfully.
“Then how?” Asked Edhel.
“It’s rather simple really. Are you familiar with the workings of a mill?” I asked, deciding to keep things surface level and elementary to avoid provoking the IDOV threshold.
“Somewhat, though I confess to not being familiar with their workings. Are you suggesting this is akin to a mill?” Asked Edhel perplexed.
“It’s the same principal. A mill works by taking a source of rotation such as a waterwheel or windmill, transferring that rotation along a series of rotating shafts and interlocking gears, and finally putting that energy to work by rotating a millstone,” I began as the car pulled out onto the smooth cobbled road in the direction of Elaseer. A notification popped up in the corner of my vision indicating my recon drone swarm had shifted from a holding formation to a convoy screening formation, and while the roads were clear I kept the speed at 60km/h to account for my passenger’s apparent distaste for seatbelts.
“Rotation…” muttered Edhel. He turned to face one of the wheels and EVI pinged an alert for a probable match for a detection spell, “fascinating.”
“Edhel, what are you doing?” I asked.
“Oh, yes, perhaps I should have asked first. Yes, I can see how it all fits together. But the source of this rotation? I see no mighty river or great wind to power this, so where does it come from?” Asked Edhel, not really apologizing. Elven arrogance, it seemed, was not limited by class.
The act reminded me of Sorecar when he inspected my gun, but where the armourer had been respectful with it, Edhel was more flippant. I considered the possibility that he was a spy sent by one of her peers or the crownlands, though this did not mesh with the methods I had seen so far. Edhel may have been just overly enthusiastic. In either case, I quickly decided to only reveal the antique design for the ethanol engine, and not that of the batteries or the emergency coupler to my suit’s fusion reactor.
“Right, well please ask first next time. As to your question, I won’t bore you with the details, but the rotation is generated by creating a periodic sequence of explosions inside of a machine – a manaless artifice – called a combustion engine, said Emma.
“So that’s what that sound is…” pondered Edhel, “are these artifices typical in Earthream?”
“You are awfully inquisitive for a commoner,” noted Illunor as he inspected his nails for dirt, “and rather accepting of something which should be impossible.”
“I wouldn’t be much of a bard if I wasn’t, my lord,” said Edhel shifting uncomfortably in his seat, “perhaps some music might set the mood better?”
“That would be preferable, bard. I have heard enough of the Earthrealmer’s Road Trip Playlist and would like to listen to some music of real culture,” said Illunor.
The bard agreed and proceeded to awkwardly play a ballad about an adventurer who slew a hydra in some frozen wasteland. Partway through, I politely interrupted the Edhel to point out the seat controls much to his fascination and Illunor’s grumbling at their common nature, and after some adjustment the bard went on playing and I half-heartedly listened while I paid attention to the road and my drone feed.
Particularly after EVI detected something unusual and alerted me to its presence.
”Attention Caded Booker. There is a disabled vehicle blocking the primary route to destination. Heat signatures in the woods are consistent with that of an ambush.”
“Damn it,” I muttered.
I glanced at the drone feed to see a broken cart strewn horizontally across a wooden bridge over a brook. On the surface it looked like a pair of civilians who required aid and assistance, but off in the woods were several heat signatures, several of which held weapons of varying levels of enchantments. Occasionally one of the pair on the bridge would talk with them, suggesting they were in cahoots rather than hostages. I recalled crossing that very bridge not a few hours earlier, so the blockade was very recent.
“EVI, did we pass that cart on the way here?” I asked.
”Negative,” replied EVI.
I grimaced. I had been trained to handle road-side ambushes, but it was only something that was a theoretical possibility. Something that should only occur in a warzone or a corrupt and unstable polity. I knew I had the capacity to handle such an encounter, even non-lethally, but that didn’t change the fact that these were civilians and as such were the responsibility of local law enforcement. Combined with the fact that I had passengers I was responsible for and engaging the ambush was a risky option.
“EVI, give me a list of alternative routes,” I commanded.
”Affirmative. Here is a list of routes in order of recommendation,” replied EVI.
I looked over the routes superimposed on a map of the region and quickly dismissed taking a shortcut through the forest and cutting through farmland. A detour caught my eye that extended the journey by roughly ten kilometers and I immediately sent a pair of drones to scout it out before committing to the detour.
“Are you alright, Cadet Emma Booker? You seem distracted,” asked Edhel, snapping me back to reality.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just focused on driving,” replied Emma.
“I suppose it must be quite taxing to command an artificed carriage of this complexity. Perhaps it might ease your mind if you were to regale me a tale of a hero of your realm?” Said Edhel, strumming a complex tune from his lute as he spoke as each and every pluck triggered a low-level spell.
“Well, that may be a problem. We don’t have any monsters to fight, and wars are a thing of the past,” I said while desperately tip-toeing the subject of aunt Ran, the subject of war, and our voyages through the cosmos, “though we are not without the adventurous spirit. We certainly have many stories of grand voyages. Some mythical and fictional such as The Odyssey as told by the Greek poet Homer and some historical such as the race to the south pole.”
“The south pole,” muttered the bard, “so you have explored all of Earthrealm then? I suppose that makes some sense, if you have artifices such as this then traversal of a globe would be quite manageable.”
“You are quite perceptive,” I said, not wishing to elaborate.
“A great performer knows his audience,” said Edhel with a charming, honest, almost human smile.
I felt a pang of homesickness as an intrusive thought reminded me that I could have gone to a real college surrounded by friendly faces my age, engaging in nightly holostreams and dreaming of adventures in the stars from the safety of a college dorm room. The sight of Illunor in the rear camera was the only thing that kept me grounded, as I almost felt like I was back at home on a road trip rather than returning to a fantasy feudal court, constantly evading death at every turn with the fate of humanity on the line. As such, and prompted by EVI, I barely had the wherewithal to take the planned detour.
A fact which did not pass by Edhel.
“I believe you may have taken a wrong turn, Emma,” he commented.
“Nah, I’m just taking the scenic route. I came from that direction on the way here, and you have inspired me to see the other road and I figure it should only add a few extra minutes to our travel time,” I said, gesturing at a paper map which I had referenced exactly once, “though on that subject, you seem to know these lands quite well. Do you have any recommendations on places to visit in the Nexus to scratch that itch?”
Illunor raised his eyebrow at the detour excuse, knowing full well this was not part of the plan. I worried that he might complain about the issue and but thankfully remained silent as he snacked on the contents of the misused sample storage unit. Edhel himself took on a more pensive posture.
“I’m happy to have been such an inspiration, Emma, though I am sure an explorer such as yourself has little need of such. I would normally suggest the skyward fountains of Verdellan or the cloud tides of Asturia, but that may be too casual for someone of your calibre. Perhaps the severed chasm or the fire marsh of Bhandahova may be more to your liking. Or perhaps…” Edhel leaned in, “I have heard rumours of a dragon in the glassy obsidian wastes of Vurcanar.”
I chuckled at that, knowing how I was fortunate enough to fish a dragon scale out of the nearby lake for the ECS. “The thought of going dragon hunting had certainly crossed my mind…” I mused aloud.
“Yet you sound hesitant. Perhaps it is too much for a newrealmer. Perhaps a slime or a dire rat might be more appropriate,” he said with a tease.
“No, it’s not like that! It’s” I stammered, before attempting to change course after realizing I had been goaded, “what I mean is, I was under the impression that dragons were an endangered species. Where I come from, hunting endangered animals is usually illegal, and big game hunting in general is frowned upon. We do make exceptions in the case of problem animals such as if a large predator starts hunting humans, but as a rule we prefer conservation and try to find ways of coexisting with wildlife such as the use of barrier fences and scaring away dangerous animals rather than being forced to cull their numbers. Having a species go extinct would prevent future generations from appreciating them and risks destabilizing the ecosystem they are a part of. Now if this dragon was actively razing villages and eating civilians and livestock, that would be one thing, but this does not look to be the case. I don’t imagine the Nexus has any settlements in this wasteland, and the dragon clearly wants to be left alone. Killing an innocent dragon would be murder.”
I grinned to myself after delivering a diatribe that would have made my tenth grade social and environmental studies teacher beam with pride, though by the expressions of my passengers my view did not appear to be shared. Edhel’s mouth was agape in shock and fascination, while the Venurian in the back seat merely huffed in disapproval.
“I assure you Newrealmer, there are no innocent dragons,” stated Illunor with a hint of terseness breaking through his otherwise regal demeanor.
“Illunor, I understand that Venurians have personal reasons for not liking dragons, but you can’t just extend that disdain to their descendants or those uninvolved just because they are the same species,” I said.
“If I may interject on your behalf, my lord, I believe I can address Cadet Emma Booker’s concerns,” said Edhel with a bow. Illunor nodded in approval.
“Very well, you may proceed,” he said.
“Thank you, my lord. My dear Emma, you must understand that dragons are not simple animals driven entirely off of instinct as it appears to be the case in Earthrealm. They are monsters. Intelligent, long-lived, violent, greedy, cruel, territorial, selfish flesh-eating monsters. They are evil by the very nature of their being, unable to change by their own accord, and unwilling to change when His Eternal Majesty offered them freedom from their nature. It isn’t that they want to be evil. As intelligent animals – intelligent monsters – dragons are capable of understanding morality, and many have tried to overcome their evil nature at great expense to themselves. A well intended and noble sentiment, yet a doomed one as like all animals, they all succumb to their nature in the end. Overcoming one’s nature is impossible,” said Edhel. His eyes took on a stoic, almost remorseful gaze as he spoke, and Illunor nodded with approval.
I was appalled by this claim, not by the contents so much as how blatantly false it was. As a representative of the human race, I was a living counterexample to his whole argument. We had remained physiologically unchanged as a species since the last Ice Age, and yet in spite of that, in spite of our many flaws, we had found peace and balance. If we could do it, anyone could do it.
“Will all due respect Edhel, that is nonsense. Monsters aren’t born, they are made. It is the mark of any intelligent species can adapt their behaviour to their environment for better or worse, and under the right care any so-called monster can grow to be a force for good,” I began, but while I searched for the right words Edhel shook his head.
“I appreciate your race is an empathetic one, Emma, your idealism is unfounded. As flesh eaters, a dragon must take the life of another animal or person to survive, or they will perish. As such, every dragon has taken a life. As long-lived creatures, they will have amassed a significant number of kills. As the land can only support so much animals, a dragon must be fiercely territorial and aggressive to remove competition, lest they starve. As such, even the most kind-hearted dragon alive must be violent and greedy, and their intelligence fuels this even more so if they know a bountiful land of morsels exists just outside their range.
Now perhaps a multitude of dragons may find a way to co-exist together in some settlement, but to support such a venture would require a large territory of prey, or a livestock animal. Perhaps they could support a large colony by farming grain for their livestock, but that would require effort on their behalf. As large animals, such efforts require a great deal of energy. Yet that size makes it easy for them to intimidate smaller races to do their labour for them, and to keep their client race in line dragons must be cruel. And even so, as their numbers grow so do their needs. As such, they must expand into the lands of their neighbours to survive until there is nothing left to devour, at which point they must turn against their own lest they starve. As such, it is the nature of dragons to conquer and devour. That is why there is no such thing as an innocent dragon,” finished Edhel.
I was speechless, not because I believed Edhel had a point, but because I was horrified at how easy he found it to rationalize the extermination of an entire sapient species. If this was how the elves thought, then it wasn’t the dragons who were the monsters. I suppressed that dark thought. Edhel’s thought process was a product of his culture, not a feature of his elven heritage. If there was any hope of peace between our people, I needed to show him there was another way of being. I needed to prove that co-existence was possible, no matter one’s nature.
I took a deep breath to steady myself before replying.
“That- that is a callous way of seeing things,” I began, though the shock was still there in my voice, “you speak as though there is no natural equilibrium with a dragon, that their only state of being must be to be cruel, to devour, to conquer. But I see things differently. In fact, I might wonder if a fledgling civilization might see the presence of a dragon as a boon rather than a curse. Being intelligent, the locals may be able to come to some agreement with the dragon. Perhaps they might leave some land as a hunting ground or offer up a share of their cattle or guard the dragon as it sleeps. In exchange, the dragon might allow them to build a town outside its mountain and protect them in times of danger. An equitable exchange. A civilization might even create artificial lairs to attract dragons for this very reason. True, some dragons may behave tyrannical towards their town, but a well armed populace of a large city would be more than capable of fighting such a threat, and a rational dragon might reason that threatening their own populace would put their reliable source of food and shelter at risk. You see, it’s all a matter of perspective.”
“You certainly are an imaginative one, Emma, to wonder up a quixotic world where the hare and the fox live together in harmony as equals. Even so, you seem to have ignored one key detail to such a society. What would happen should the dragon not be fed for months on end?” Asked Edhel with his eyebrow raised.
“The same thing as stranded a dozen starving, stranded Elves!” I spat back.
[Alert: Vehicle speed above recommended limit for conditions. Recommendation: slow down. ]
“I am driving slow!” I seethed, not realizing I had sped up with manual control enabled.
“I grow tired of this common prattle,” interjected Illunor just in time to prevent an awkward silence, “bard, play us another song.” “As my lord wishes,” said Edhel with a bow before turning to me with another smile, “perhaps a more soothing melody would be in order? A love song perhaps, to honour Cadet Booker’s compassionate nature?”
I said nothing as Edhel began to strum his lute again to the tune of a love story of a pair of doomed lovers named Ramian and Junette, hating his cheeky knowing grin that only served to get under my skin further as I focused on calming down and slowing the car back to a more reasonable pace before investigating a priority alert which I had been blinded to moments prior.
[Alert: hostile roadblock is absent, location unknown.]
Shit.
“Illunor, we may have a problem,” I said.
“Shush, Newrealmer, have you no class? We are almost at the best part! I’m sure it can wait,” replied the contextually clueless lizard.
I had never wanted to throttle Illunor as much as I did now.
“Illunor, shield, now,” I said with a raised voice.
“I don’t see-“ he started, pausing mid-sentence as his ears perked up.
[Alert: Multiple manafield and spell signatures detected!]
I took evasive maneuvers as Illunor tried to piece together a shield spell, fumbling it twice as panic appeared to set in and providing me with a reminder that Illunor was a civilian, not a soldier. A hail of arrows pelted the exterior of the truck, piercing but not penetrating the composite armour. I was tempted to do nothing but just drive away from the arrow fire, but a foreboding premonition of danger filled me as I recalled Sorecar’s hunter-seeker arrows.
Seeking to avoid that fate, I triggered the active defenses.
The smoke screens deployed around the vehicle, obscuring the sight of any who depended on visible light to see me. A barrage of decoy flares equipped with wooden cores shot upward at angles and diffusing to the side like a pair of giant wings which when combined with the MFD, short for mana-field dampener, inside the vehicle meant that the pelting hail of arrowfire softened to a whirr as the arrows whiffed over the top of the truck, retargeted away from the soft flesh of my passengers and even invoking friendly fire amongst the ambushers.
In the chaos, EVI and my drone swarm fed me complete tactical information on the ambush. Of the 26 individuals at the first blockade, 20 were accounted for, and 3 had died from friendly fire. Ahead at the bridge, 5 more of them were at the bridge where a barrier had been hastily erected to cage me in as the river valley was too deep to cross.
“Illunor, we need a bridge,” I said, taking stock of the wellbeing of my passengers.
The bard was huddled down low and suppressing his manafield, but otherwise rather composed. Illunor, on the other hand, was cowering in the gap between the seats with his hands covering his eyes and his tail tucked in.
“A bridge is no small request, Ne- Cadet Emma Booker,” replied Illunor, “and your ‘Emeffdee’ has blinded me to the outside of this moving death trap.”
“If I drop it, can you at least make a ramp?” I asked as I circled the battlefield. Or tried to, at least, as earthen ramparts emerged from the ground from a yet unseen source to cut off other avenues of escape.
“A ramp? Surely you don’t mean-“ he stammered.
“Yes or no,” I said.
Illunor paused, before taking an unsteady breath.
“Yes. But not with that Emeffdee,” he replied.
“Good. Steady your nerves and prepare to make a ramp ahead of us on my signal,” I said, “in the meantime, get your seatbelt on. This is going to be hairy.”
As I circled around to make my approach on the bridge, the final combatant made his appearance on a nearby tree, revealing himself as an elven mage. An alert focused on the air around him indicating he was preparing an unknown high-tier spell, and I locked the predator drone on him indicating the elf as a high-priority target if our escape plan failed, and I was forced to use lethal force.
If I was forced to kill.
It was one thing to know you may have to kill in the line of duty, but it was much harder to reconcile that with reality. No number of simulations could match the real thing, and a part of me wanted to simply offload the responsibility to EVI to keep my hands clean, but to do that would be betraying my duty as a human being. I breathed in deep and tried not to think about it, instead hoping to rely on the ace I held in my sleeve instead.
“EVI, ready the spell jammer,” I said unevenly.
“Acknowledged, the prototype Exo-Radiation Wave-Field Distruptor is primed. High risk target identified and locked, permission to engage?” EVI asked, forcing me to address the dreaded question.
“Negative,” I replied, “hold your fire. If the ramp fails, then you have permission to engage,” I said.
“Affirmative, on your mark,” replied EVI.
I lined up the truck with the bridge and bolted through the smoke, keeping a careful eye on the mage as I went. His spellform took on a more concerning shape as I accelerated, and I realized I could not afford to let him finish his spell. I triggered the spelljammer.
A terrible roar erupted from an array of speakers printed from mana-resistant materials that would have made Godzilla herself beam with pride. The sound was decidedly unnatural, gnarly, dubstep drop composed of an electric eel, a whale, a mountain lion, and a tyrannosaurus rex all being simultaneously assaulted by a swarm of angry cybernetic murder hornets as an equally chaotic wave of mana blasted outwards from the exterior of the truck, with the interior thankfully sheltered by audio and mana dampening.
The ambushing assailants cowered and panicked, and it was enough to cause the Elven mage’s spell to backfire in his face as his form exploded into ashes, meeting a horrific fate which I had tried so desperately to help him avoid. With all the combatants momentarily incapacitated or dead, I lowered the dampener and turned off the smoke.
“Ramp!” I shouted, snapping the lizard back to reality.
The Venerian nodded and hastily formed an earthwork ahead of us right before the blockade, and the truck leapt off the ramp with a not insignificant amount of air beneath our wheels. I braced for impact, regretting skimping on the shocks in the name of preserving materials, but the impact never came.
[Alert: Friendly spell designated ‘Feather Fall’]
Illunor thankfully had enough wherewithal to gently land the steel brick, and I sped off into the distance away from the trap that had unfolded behind us, leaving the interior of the truck in an awkward silence as we each processed our brush with death in our own way. “How many are dead?” I asked EVI.
“6 hostiles confirmed dead,” replied EVI.
I drove on in silence. Those were six deaths I had tried to avoid, and I became lost in thought as I wondered what I should have done differently to avoid the confrontation entirely.
Edhel broke the silence with a bout of laughter.
“Terrific! Absolutely terrific! Why, I can conjure up many a tale from this encounter alone! I live for this kind of inspiration!” Exclaimed Edhel a little too chipperly considering the circumstance.
“I would rather not hear stories about how I bravely ran away,” I moaned in deadpan sarcasm.
“You think too little of yourself, Cadet Emma Booker. It is plain to me that you are no ordinary rabbit. Make no mistake, I see it as a privilege to bear witness to the roar of a vorpal hare!” Said Edhel as he supressed his laughter, “though I am afraid with all the excitement that I must finish my song some other time.”
“How about I play some of our music?” I offered after the elf revealed his thrill-seeking side.
“Splendid, I would like that. Perhaps something of your ‘Roadtrip playlist’ you speak of? It sounds like a collection of your voyages,” said Edhel.
“That would be an improvement on the truth,” said Illunor dismissively as he eased from his state of shock, “it is little more than noise under the pretense of music.”
“Illunor…” I muttered to myself before turning the mic on, “no, no it’s not like that. I have terabytes of pre-recorded songs from various artists back home which can be played by… an artifice called a speaker. A playlist is a set of songs which are grouped together, usually to listen to in specific situations such as studying, partying, or travelling. The latter collection is what Illunor is referring to.”
I very deliberately chose not to reveal my ‘Unfortunate Daughters’ playlist.
“An artifice which plays music, and a magicless one at that. I must say, Emma, I fear for the bards in your realm,” said Edhel with a laugh.
“Your fear is misplaced, Edhel. Entertainers live like kings where I come from,” I retorted with a smirk of my own, “well, the ones with talent at least.”
“Well, well, I suppose I have to hear my competition!” Said Edhel with a laugh.
“Do as you must, though let it be known that I warned you,” said Illunor as he watched a play on his sightseer.
I had EVI compile a list of songs that left out content offensive to Nexian sensibilities or violating OpSec and as it compiled I mused over what type of sample spread I wanted to show off. Then it struck me. What better way to show off our culture than with some good old blue jumpers and nova rock! Sadly, jumpers were unavailable to show but I still had a whole list of modern artists to choose from.
Moments later, the car speakers sprung to life to the tune of ‘Innocent Youth of Mine. Edhel’s eyes lit up like a child visiting a zero-g gravity park for the first time, seemingly star-struck by the antique electric guitar and the synthesizer-drums in particular.
“What… what is this? I have never heard anything like this!” Proclaimed Edhel.
“Dreadful, isn’t it?” said Illunor, doing what he did best and pretending to hate it.
“Oh there is a lot more where that came from,” I said with a cheeky grin of my own, “this one is called ‘Innocent Youth of Mine’ by ‘Cannons and Poppies’. It’s part of the Nova Rock genre.
“And those strange instruments?” Asked Edhel.
“Oh, you mean the electric guitar and the synthesizer. They are electronic instruments, taking advantage of channeled and modulated electricity to create near any sound we can imagine,” I replied.
“Channeled electricity… are you suggesting these sounds were made by some form of lightning?” Asked Edhel.
[Suggestion: Avoid topic of electricity due to OpSec risk]
I nodded at EVI’s warning, thankful that it caught me before I discussed the very thing that all of my equipment ran on.
“It’s not exactly lightning, but close enough,” I said.
“If I had not witnessed to your display of power earlier, I might have perhaps been more skeptical of such a claim, but I suppose a lady must keep her secrets.” said Edhel with a raised eyebrow and chuckle, “but I digress, this music is most interesting.”
“There is a lot more where that came from,” I said with a cheeky grin of my own.
“If I ever have a prisoner in need of torture, I will turn to you first,” replied Illunor, “if you are willing to subject your peers to this madness then I cannot imagine what you would force upon your enemies before dunking them in ice.”
“In your dreams,” I retorted.
I played a few other songs including Astrodesee’s ‘Meteor Struck’, the Martian classic ‘Hotel Cydonia’ and even ‘Switching to Warp’ before Elaseer emerged from the distance, and I pulled up outside the gate to drop Edhel off.
“Here already?” Asked Edhel.
“Well, yeah. I was just running a quick errand, I didn’t want to go too far,” I replied casually.
“That was a distance worth at least five days of walking by foot, and you call that a ‘quick errand’?” Asked Edhel. I shrugged, and he laughed.
“Well in any case, thank you for allowing me passage in your car. I must apologize for my lack of gift or payment…” said Edhel. “Don’t worry about it, it was on the way,” I replied.
“I see, how generous. Perhaps we might one day meet again?” Asked Edhel.
“Maybe, but I’m not sure how likely that is. The academy takes up most of my time,” I replied, “though you never know. I still have a lot of quest hours to complete.”
“Is that so? In that case, I hope we meet again! Goodbye Cadet Emma Booker and farewell Lord Illunor Rularia,” he said. “And good travels to you, bard,” said Illunor.
I waved off Edhel and drove back to the academy, Illunor still sulking in the back seat.
“Perhaps next time, you should steer us away from danger?” Suggested Illunor.
“I tried, but we were tracked,” I replied.
I groaned inwardly at the additional work needed to fix the truck. EVI compiled a list of upgrades for future engagements, batting away my idea for a ‘turbo mode’ and a ‘jump boost’. Though at the end of the day, meeting the bard wasn’t a complete loss. It felt good to talk to someone almost normal for once, and I hoped I met him again.
Edhel Redoehdelnif
I watched as Cadet Emma Booker’s vehicle went off into the distance, getting one last look at the Earthrealmer’s strange artifice before turning towards the gate. The voyage was an exotic experience, not unlike that of a fever dream or a peak into a world completely alien to my own. Indeed, it was a struggle to contain my excitement and enthusiasm and process the experience rationally as I made my way through the southern gates of Elaseer and turned the corner of an alley before entering an impossible structure that did not exist.
“You are earlier than expected,” said the shadowy figure of my handler as I made my way to the meeting hall.
“The Earthrealmer’s means of transportation proved far more expedient than anticipated, my lord” I spoke as I knelt before him, “even with her unexpected departure from the anticipated road and the ambush we traveled for scantly more than an hour.”
“Yes, I will require a full report from you. Perhaps you can shed some light on the ‘smoke dragon’ my men claim intervened on the Earthrealmer’s behalf,” said my handler.
“Smoke Dragon, my lord?” I asked.
My handler responded by activating his sight-seer, revealing how the ambush had appeared from the outside. The Earthrealmer’s uncanny artifice traversed down the road, a pair of manafields displaying proudly from within until the archers began their assault. The artifice then transformed as smoke billowed out from its pores and wings sprung forth above until it was the form of a mighty wrym with a pair of glowing eyes springing forth from its ever extending head where it then gave forth a terrible unholy roar which sent waves of mana outward. The mage working to seal the area and trap their mark vapourized in an instant as his spell backfired. It was apparent to Edhel that his exceptional experience in the carriage was merely a muted rendition of the events unfolding around them.
It would seem the hare had the shadow of a dragon.
“I do have some insight, though I must confess the Earthrealmer did very little in the way of direct action. I suspect she has some unseen means of commanding and scrying through her artifices,” I said, “one which does not utilize magic as we know it.”
“Such a statement is heresy,” said my handler, “but such special circumstances are your reason for being. I will require you submit your memories for verification. What is your appraisal of the new realmer?”
“The girl is far more dangerous than a surface appraisal would suggest, though she prefers to conceal that power rather than utilize it out of a misplaced sense of compassion. Her people appear to have a boundless creative drive through which such artifices are birthed, though again it is misdirected towards more common applications. I believe that if properly tamed, this human animal may provide us with great works of art,” I said with a bow.
“I see. Does the girl know you work for us?” Asked my handler.
“She may harbour some suspicions, though did not voice them outright beyond concealing her knowledge,” I said, “though nothing significant. Provided our next meet is under believable circumstances such as a festival she should view me as cordial.”
“She has indeed proven clever,” conceded my handler, “very well, I will make arrangements for your paths to cross again. Perhaps I will arrange for her to be a contestant at the next inter-academy tournament. In the mean time, prepare your report and don’t wander far. This is a priority assignment.”
“As you wish, my lord,” I said with a bow and a smile.
Emma Booker had proved to be an interesting animal indeed, and I hoped our paths crossed again.

1. Stay in competitive League

Stay in T1 as a coach, analyst or manager, using his excellent understanding of the game to turn himself into Azir irl, controlling five soldiers.

1. Become a caster or streamer

Become a co-streamer, caster or work in the analyst desk. Just imagine the viewership of Faker co-streaming a League game.

1. Disappearing from the spotlight

Personally, I think this is the most likely scenario. All of his social media accounts stop updating, and we have no idea what he is doing or how he is. Occasionally, we hear Wolf sharing that he had dinner with Faker, or we see photos of someone randomly catching Faker on the street. He might be interested in returing to studies?

before i start this off i wanted to say this is not about who i believe deserved to win or lose!! this is about how mnet portrays each group and how it is unfair for all of the trainees involved
I’m suprised more people haven’t pointed out the inconsistency in production value and editing for the two creative teams so i wanted to open more eyes to it, because of this i don’t think it was ever an option for mnet to have ground win.

1. the underdog story this is an obvious one so i’ll keep it short, basically a huge chunk of this episode was just showing off i-land’s creative team’s growth as well as them being consistently viewed as the “worst group” out of the 3 iland teams, whereas even from last episode the grounds creative team was seen as grounds guaranteed winning team, this creates expectations, exceeding expectations will have a bigger effect on you than meeting your expectations, even if they both come out on the same level.
   
2. outfits while both teams had some pretty interesting outfit choices i think it’s almost unanimously agreed upon that grounds was much worse, i mean they were literally wearing plain white shirts, some sequin shorts found at party city, and knee pads. you can say that ground was given worse outfits because they are ground, but in the last challenge how come bad boy got one of the best outfits? i also believe outfits play a big part in how people perceive the overall performance.
   
3. lighting and stage details (a) now maybe i’m wrong for this one but i can’t help but notice the animations on the stage were much cooler for i-land? they switched a lot and were brighter and colourful, even the spotlights were changing into rainbow colours, the background contrasted more with the outfits compared to the ground team, putting more emphasis on the girls.
   

(b) the confetti at the end of i-land performance? i mean what’s the point of putting confetti at the end of the performance for just one team? even if it’s a small detail it still makes their ending more impactful and memorable
(c) only i-land got ending fairies? now in the performance videos no one got ending fairies, but in the actual episode saebi, nana, yeeun and mai got ending fairies, while not a single person got one on the ground team, again you can say this is a useless detail but it creates a more impactful ending

1. volume why was the volume lowered on the grounds full version?
   
2. editing the way they incorporated the intentions on the i-land performance in the middle of the performance, clearly explaining what moves show what, but for ground there was nothing other than a clip all the way from when the grounders first started choreographing, no where near the performance, so clearly there were things they wanted to convey as well
   

anyways i want to know if i’m the only one who noticed these things, or if there’s anything else, mnet is getting so painfully obvious with who they are pushing in this show

Collingwood have a recruiting zone the size of Italy. It’s yet to produce a single player
As the AFL confronts a crisis in the recruitment and retention of Indigenous footballers, it is set to tear up the map that allocates recruiting zones to clubs, which at present gives Collingwood a region the size of Italy that has never produced a player for the Magpies.
The league will also review the impact of football scholarships to prestigious private schools, as recruiters worry that young Indigenous players who leave their communities to attend boarding school are “falling through the cracks”.
These are just two elements of an immediate overhaul of the way First Nations Australians are recruited to AFL clubs, following an 18 per cent decline in the number of Indigenous players on club lists over the past five years. As the league celebrates Sir Doug Nicholls Round, The Age has interviewed recruiters, players and administrators, including AFL football boss Laura Kane, to investigate the reasons for the alarming decline in the number of Indigenous players being drafted, and what can be done to reverse the trend.
Already on the table is a revamp of the draft bidding system on Indigenous and multicultural players from Next Generation academies in this year’s national draft.
Previously, most clubs were blocked from free access to academy graduates before pick 40 in the draft, but this is set to be scrapped.
“It’s definitely something on the agenda, I don’t know what it would change to [from pick 40],” Kane told this masthead.
“I think it’s very fair to say we are open to making sure we do not disincentivise or prohibit young kids – multicultural or Indigenous kids – from being picked, so we are definitely open to it. But it is tied into other things, to the [points system] and player movement rules holistically.
“We have signalled to clubs we have an appetite as appropriate to change things as quickly as we can. I am not ruling out change for this year [the national draft] but we are working with all clubs about what does that look like.”
What the numbers say
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people account for 71 of the more than 800 footballers on AFL lists in 2024, which is down from 87 in 2020.
Overall, Indigenous footballers account for 9.2 per cent of players on club lists.
There were four Indigenous players taken in last year’s national draft – Ryley Sanders (Western Bulldogs), Lance Collard (St Kilda), Mitch Edwards (Geelong) and Lawson Humphries (Geelong). In addition, Coen Livingstone and Indhi Kirk went to West Coast and Sydney, respectively, as category B rookies.
In particular, the number of Indigenous players recruited from Western Australia has plummeted, with Malakia Champion this year’s only real draft prospect.
Kane said a range of factors, including the impact of COVID-19, had influenced that decline in numbers, but the league also acknowledged the need for structural changes.
Next Generation academy rules and recruiting zones
Tying Next Generation academy (NGA) zones to AFL clubs was meant to encourage them to invest in their zones in an effort to unearth untapped talent.
Clubs had priority access to Indigenous talent that emerged in their zone. But after the Western Bulldogs landed key forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan with the first pick in the 2020 national draft, the rules changed. Now clubs don’t have priority access to any player from their academy who other clubs want to select before pick 40 in the national draft.
West Coast missed out on recruiting Collard in the last national draft despite identifying his potential then readying him to play AFL over several years through their academy.
Instead, Collard was taken at pick 28 by St Kilda. The Eagles made a loss on their investment and the 18-year-old’s improvement was rewarded with a move away from his home state.
Kane confirmed the AFL would revisit the academy zones. Under the existing carve-up, some clubs such as Carlton only have access to an urban area in Melbourne (in the Blues’ case, it covers the northern suburbs), but no regional area. Meantime Collingwood’s zone of Barkly in the Northern Territory, which covers an area of about 323,000 square kilometres and takes in Tennant Creek, has not produced a player for the Magpies.
Asked if the AFL was reviewing academy zones and the logic behind them, Kane replied: “Yes and yes”.
“We need to take a broad view, along with the talent concession conversation, around what the map [of zones and NGA regions] looks like,” she said.
“How do we incentivise and then how do we build out the club’s reach and make sure it is connected to their supporter base and schools and community engagement because we know that works?”
As for the decline in WA, which had produced champion Indigenous players such as Lance Franklin and Bobby Hill, Kane said the AFL was reviewing the structure that puts WAFL clubs in charge of identifying and developing Indigenous talent in the state.
“It’s not about us taking it over, it’s about the structure that they have … is it producing Indigenous and multicultural numbers to the level they know they can? We know what the community looks like over there and how rich the (Indigenous) talent is in WA,” she explained.
“What do you [WAFL clubs] do with your top-end talent? In the club-based, decentralised structure the clubs have an appetite to win as well as develop their talent, and we are working with all the clubs and the WA footy commission around what does that look like for the top-end talent, and what does their year look like as compared with a club-based footballer?
“I don’t have any fixed views about what it needs to look like moving forward except that it must produce talent in a sustainable way.”
Private school scholarships
Forty-four of last year’s draft class attended private schools, including the Western Bulldogs’ top pick Ryley Sanders, who relocated from Launceston to accept an Indigenous bursary at Melbourne Grammar.
Sanders told The Age before he was drafted that the chance to receive a top-class education and join the Sandringham Dragons’ football program convinced him to board in Melbourne. Other Indigenous players to have taken this path include Hawks champion Cyril Rioli (from the Tiwi Islands to Scotch College), and Melbourne premiership star Steven May (Darwin to Melbourne Grammar).
However, one recruiter said some players who accepted scholarships were “falling through the cracks” because there was no single body overseeing their development.
Instead, they bounced from school footy to under-18s to state programs. Some schools expected them to train through summer holidays, which was a rare chance to be home with their families.
Kane acknowledged that the AFL was looking at the impact of private school scholarship programs that moved potential draftees interstate.
She also said the league was analysing the number of Indigenous players who have churned through the AFL system recently, and whether a change to rules which gave clubs priority access to academy players had caused a spike in numbers, as clubs recruited players who were unready for AFL and potentially discarded them too quickly.
‘We can’t recruit players who are not there’
An obvious starting point according to veteran AFL recruiters, Sydney’s Kinnear Beatson and Geelong’s Stephen Wells, is to understand the scale of the problem.
“The AFL firstly has to try to find out why players are not playing in the numbers they were before, before they try to come up with answers,” Wells said.
There are plenty of theories, with the list as long as Lewis Jetta’s bouncing run in the 2012 grand final.
They include the depth of the overall talent pool, the effect of COVID-19 cutbacks, the lack of ownership and accountability for Indigenous talent pathways, and the impossible demands on poorly paid talent identification officials in state league clubs. Conversations about whether Hawthorn and Collingwood were safe environments for Indigenous players had harmed the game’s reputation, said one industry figure who wanted to remain anonymously to speak freely.
Then there are the issues the AFL controls. These include reduced list sizes, a slashed soft cap on football department spending, and draft restrictions that have forced clubs to be risk averse as they don’t have the time or resources to develop talent.
“We are judged on wins and losses, so all we want are the best players. If they are there we will pick them whether they are Indigenous, non-Indigenous, African, Asian, European, we just want the best players,” said one recruiter who preferred to remain anonymous because he was not authorised to speak publicly.
“We can’t recruit players who are not there. Whose responsibility is it to make sure the Indigenous players are there?”
Geelong premiership player Mathew Stokes, who hails from Darwin, said the AFL deserved credit for putting the issue on the agenda, even if they initially did so in a hamfisted way at a presentation to recruiters last month by instructing to recruiters to fix the problem by simply picking more Indigenous players.
However, Stokes called for consistency in the way resources are allocated.
“The AFL can only do so much but if they want the game to be in a good state in five or 10 years, and they want the numbers to continue they are going to have to put resources into the states and territories,” Stokes said.
“They have been fumbling around the NGA since the end of COVID and every club is asking: what are we actually doing, how are we doing this, where is the money, where is the allocation?
“The only people being hurt by this are people on the ground in remote areas. [They hear] we are going to invest X amount of money in East Arnhem land, West Arnhem land or Big River or the Kimberleys. As soon as the money dries up [they just disappear]. There has to be a commitment from the AFL.”
Practical solutions
One veteran recruiter who was not authorised to speak publicly said models were in place, but experienced coaches were needed in junior development. In Western Australia alone there are nine WAFL clubs with country and metropolitan zones plus the Eagles and Dockers, which have Next Generation academies. They sit alongside the well-established and respected Clontarf programs.
The recruiter said elite coaches and Indigenous welfare officers should be involved in junior programs connected to state leagues in Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and the Territory as well as the Talent League programs in Victoria. He suggested paying recently retired players, particularly Indigenous players, well, to lead football programs for young players.
Former AFL star Michael McLean leads the Northern Territory’s development programs. The former Bulldog and Brisbane player is revered in the Territory. He also has a great football mind and knows what is needed to bridge the gap between playing football and being a professional footballer.
“We need five Michael McLeans in the NT,” said a close observer of football in the Territory.
The challenge is not just finding talent. It is preparing them for what might lie ahead in the AFL during their teenage years.
Geelong midfielder Brandan Parfitt moved from Darwin to North Adelaide at 16 before Geelong drafted him in 2016. His dad, David, was a star in the Territory, but Parfitt admitted those two years in a semi-professional environment were vital in laying the foundation for his football career.
“I needed that semi-professional step up and it is kind of hard when you are in an isolated place like Darwin. There is not too much opportunity. I guess I needed to surround myself with professionalism and other kids in my age group that were wanting to play AFL as well. That definitely made me work harder,” Parfitt said.
Gold Coast recruiter Craig Cameron said players, particularly in WA and NT, “need more exposure to high-level games and close regular connection to elite programs”.
Several recruiters said the Michael Long Centre, which is situated at Darwin’s TIO Stadium, could be repurposed or expanded into a centre of excellence for a pathway program. They said the centre was now primarily an education centre for school groups from communities. Scott Baker, football operations manager for the West Australian Football Commission, said not one Indigenous player had ever been drafted to the AFL directly from their regional communities. All had moved to Perth for at least a year before being drafted, which took a significant financial commitment from the player and those developing them.
He recommended a centre of excellence in Perth where players could live, go to school, and be in an elite football program.
He favoured carving WA up between Fremantle and West Coast and allowing them to invest in identifying talent, developing players and having free access to them.
“That would create and allow a system where more indigenous players would stay in the AFL system for a lot longer,” Baker said.
In central Victoria, change is happening
It took nearly 20 years between Chris Egan being drafted to Collingwood from the Murray Bushrangers in 2004 for another player from the Indigenous-led Rumbalara Football Club to make the Talent League club’s squad.
In that time Rumbalara saw many talented players pass through their system overlooked, president Josh Atkinson said. “We never challenged or questioned their selection process. [We] always felt that we had kids who were talented enough, but they never seemed to make it and then [that] started to inspire a bit of a narrative around our community that if you play at Rumbalara you are not really going to get noticed or get picked up on a list,” Atkinson said.
His cousin Ashtyn Atkinson finally broke that drought in 2022.
“We had the largest population of Aboriginals in Victoria outside a major city but we had no representation in the pathway programs,” Josh Atkinson said.
“The AFL wanted to take some positive steps and the Murray Bushrangers definitely wanted to understand why and we felt like it was a really appropriate time and a safer time to come forward with potential barriers rather than just bury our head [in the sand]. “It’s [led to] a definite improvement.”
As a result, the Murray Bushrangers formed the Dungala talent pathway in 2023 to identify and support Indigenous footballers in the region through elite training, coaching and mentorship.
This year talented Rumbalara youngster Brogan McGee made the Bushrangers’ squad after a trio of Rumbalara prospects trained at the club over summer.
Atkinson says it will take time before the connection between particular parts of the community and clubs nurturing elite talent is cemented.
“The idea of a minority group stepping into an elite circle to compete with children who come from well-supported backgrounds who have been strong and supported for generations is going to take a generation,” he said.

I don't know basketball like I do hockey and am one of the new "Clark got my attention" semi fans.. I'm a 60 year old white man. That seems to matter nowadays.
I've seen alot of Caitlin's Iowa footage, and now both the pre-season and both the regular season games so far.
Things I'm thinking and about which I am more than happy to be corrected on.
I brought up the ridiculous crippling hype and expectations in a different post a couple days ago so I'll leave that alone here. Though it is the atmosphere that all of this drama is taking place in.
It doesn't seem to me that this team is being coached particularly well for what it is. Yes, the team is young-ER and it will take some time for them to learn to play together, but I don't know if Sides is the person to pull that off. Could be wrong.
One of the reasons I say the preceding is because of comments I've seen her make about how she wants Clark to play. No this isn't college and no she won't be able to play exactly like she did there, but she did develop a lethal style with some lethal strengths. Although a great player overall, she made her living on deep threes. It's what she's known for more than anything else.
I've seen several instances, especially last night where she had those shots clean and didn't even attempt them. One in particular later in the game where she had her back to the overhead camera where she took an outside pass and was looking at the basket, practically wide open. She took her stance to shoot and then decided to pass instead. As if it's in the back of her mind that she's not supposed to be focusing on what she's best at.
I've seen a couple instances where she made high pass attempts down low and they went out of play untouched. Visions of that play she pulled off with (mainly) Hannah Stulke with regularity. Like it's second nature because it probably is.
If Caitlin Clark is the incredible, once in a generation basketball machine that she's made out to be, and I think she is, she must be allowed to largely play her game and find her way in the pros. IF she's as good as she's been made out to be, and again, I think she is. That doesn't mean leaving her uncoached and running around the floor doing whatever she wants, but it has to mean more freedom to be the player she is, than it seems is presently the case.
I think Caitlin's nervous. Regardless of what she says. It would be inhuman not to be after all this nonstop hype and attention. I also suspect that the spotlight she has brought to the Fever has made the rest of the team nervous to some extent.
If they had scored on just the easy opportunities (by professional standards) last night, this would have been a much closer game. Time after time close easy shots didn't go in. Exemplified most by that cruising breakaway layup (I can't remember who it was) that I could have probably made myself which was also missed.
Bottom line is, if something doesn't change, I don't see the Fever's season going very well.
Like I say. I may have no idea what I'm talking about .These are just things that seemed to me to be true.
There's a lot more, but I have to get back to work :)

Hello and greetings once again my fellow CUEnthusiasts!
I wanted to push this one out asap just for clarity and transparency. Future Coaches Corners will sadly be less frequent xD
If you missed my first one check my boring post history, it goes over some good pointers for trading :)
This time my focus is on something close and dear to me on this app. I’m going to try to explain what one card collecting (also known as hoarding) is, and give some tips for how to get started. I’ll also go over some strategies to collect respectfully and efficiently.
A one card collector is a person who collects a set number, or as many copies of a single card as possible. Usually it’s just because it’s a card we like or has a bit of meaning. I picked my 4 cards just because the pictures matched my in game avatar lol. Theres many reasons why we collect :)
I first want to address something I see somewhat often. Why collect so many of one card? And why do some people not like one card collectors or why do we have a bad rep.
The answers are simple. We like seeing high numbers of dupes and it’s fun to do. Often what we’re doing is mis-understood or looked upon negatively. I’ll try to clear things up a bit.
Most of us are not trying to eliminate the availability of a card or drive values. Keep in mind no card ever goes out of print. Level up cards are the only exception as each player only gets one.
Most one card collectors choose a relatively worthless card or a basic/fusion card to collect. Very little is impacted by one card collectors and it shouldn’t prevent one from completing a collection. Most of us are ok to trade a copy of a card we collect if someone is having trouble finding it. We’re not monsters lol. (Well, maybe Flex. Dude’s a literal zilla!)
I would like to add, I don’t condone or approve of players hoarding up value cards just to get wild over pays. We (one card collectors) aren’t trying to flip the cards we collect, when we do toss a card we collect to help someone out, it’s usually at a loss compared to what we originally paid lol. We are not the same.
By writing this I hope to open up a bit as to what we do and how we trade. I know the majority of players don’t collect duplicates by the trade full, so I hope this sheds some light too. As some of us one card collectors have willingly done so thousands of times.
One card collecting can be done by anyone, regardless the size of your collection and can be casual or very focused. Let’s get to the fun part. How to get started on your collecting journey!
First, you need to choose a card to collect. I’m going to refer to what I collect for examples just because I’m very familiar with them. Choosing a card of little value has 2 upsides, collecting them will be cost effective, and, you’ll be able to build good numbers. If you choose a card of value it’ll be hard to establish good numbers just due to the cost of potential over pays and also in part, scarcity and demand.
Basics/fusion won’t factor in as much as they’re very abundant and trade at standard ratios basic/fusion normally do. I will however, advise that any limiteds you may have like 15-20+ of, trade 1 of them for fair ratios of the basic/fusion you collect, but do make a buffer so you retain a certain amount of dupes for your same rarity card if you collect a limited.
For value/trade reference, when I collected a legendary fusion, I’d trade a limited common or a limited rare I had tons of 1:1 for them. I currently offer on discord a limited card for 4 black holes(please refer to discord for full terms and conditions lol). The reason is, even if you collect a limited card of that rarity there’s no way every dupe will ever convert into your card unless there’s a collector that happens to have lots of your card. You’ll mass numbers of your basic/fusion card fast this way. It’s just an all around win win for both people.
Next, choosing a Limited Card Rarity. This may seem pretty straight forward however there are a few factors to consider. I’ll break down each limited by rarity.
Limited Legenday- Next to mythics, these can be the most expensive cards to collect, even if low value. If you’re ok getting multiples of your low value Limited Legendary for higher value ones or mythics, those will probably be the more common trades you’ll see unless there’s another person who collects a low, then it’s usually 1:1 collection swaps. It’ll be rare in general to see many offers of 1:1 lows because they’re so accessible that the ones people need or look for are usually higher value. Collecting a high value Limited Legendary will be hard to do. It’s rare you’ll get a trade for lower value break downs. Most trades will be 1:1 Limited Legendary value or they’ll ask a mythic, and this is without the overpay collectors are sometimes known for. (Yes, some limited legendaries are worth a mythic, I’ll cover this at a later time). Not a cheap card to collect. Though keep in mind too, spotlights will also have impact on any Limited Legendary collector. Adjust if needed or check with the collector to find out the new offers.
Limited Epics- This is one of my favorites to collect, especially one of little value. Every player, old or new, wants/needs limited epics. Lots are playable, and there’s usually ones people need of this rarity. Easy to get multiple in a limited legendary break down, or 1:1 for other limited epics sometimes even getting 1 of your epic for a few of your rares. Many players chase epics and legendaries and this will be how you build numbers. Again choosing one of low value will help build numbers, and that’s what one card collecting is about.
Limited Rares- While some what close to epics, rares were actually my least favorite to collect, mostly because I also collect an epic. The problem with rares is, mostly newer players need rares. Older accounts just chase new ones or cards of higher rarity. You’re going to see many 1:1 trades of your rare card for an epic of yours, just because rares are fairly easy to complete. Not too bad if you just collect a rare but because I also collect an epic I couldn’t take 1:1 trades like that. 1:2 sometimes though but if you just collect a rare then these breakdowns are ok too. It’s why out of the 4 cards I collect, the rare is the one I have the least copies of. But again, it’s somewhat easy to build numbers with rares if you’re willing to invest in em.
Limited Commons- Much like limited rares, these are easy to build numbers with, but it’s also another easy rarity to complete, so be prepared for people wanting higher rarity cards for them. Though the good thing is you can usually get multiple copies of your card as a higher rarity break down if you’re willing. There’s also many players who collect a limited common, so collection swaps are usually frequently happening.
These are just some of the more common things to consider when selecting what to collect. You will see a wide variety of trades for the card you choose to collect, so you’ll become more accustomed to what you’re comfortable trading for your card with time.
Next, some strategies and tips I’d like to share. I’ve always been a one card/character collectohoarder in the card apps I’ve been on. Just how I’m built xD. Here’s some things that will help you both stand out because of your numbers, but more importantly, will draw out your cards because you’re a good trader for them and people want to deal with you.
I’ve always been more of the “I’d rather someone send me a card I collect then me send a trade and put them in a position” collector. There’s nothing wrong with sending trades. Just my preference. I’d prefer someone willingly offer it than me put the decision on them.
So, that being said, what do you offer to maximize your gains? Again I will refer to what I collect as examples. For this I will use The Great Annihilator which is a limited epic.
I’ll start with the topic I probably do the least of and that’s sending trades. Like I said before in my previous post, I don’t send for singles, ever. The only exception is this scenario: I’d post in game for Blazar (a limited rare I used to collect). A trade would come in giving me blazar for a meta/value limited epic, say testudo 1:1. When I go to counter, I see their blazar is a single that they’re offering and they also have a single annihilator. Because of the sheer value of my limited epic and because I always offer any epic, I would counter into their single annihilator only because they offered the single blazar, if the blazar was a dupe, I’d leave their single alone. Most of the time too they’re just wanting something playable for something I collect. But I’d never be upset if they decline. Their cards, their choice. But now they at least know what I’m wanting for my card.
Also when sending a trade, don’t be greedy. By this I mean, if they want a same value card as the one you’re taking or in my case sometimes, a higher value one, don’t take more then 1 of their dupes if they have many, if you’d do a 1:1 anyways. 1:1 is always fine and you’ll find they’re usually happy to accept a fair trade, and as well may send you more copies as they get dupes or the ones they have. Respect goes a long way! I also have a rule where if I get declined when I do send or counter, I won’t ever send again. They know what I want now and they’ll send if they want to. Pretty straight forward stuff. Next I’ll share a bit of how I manage my collection successfully.
If you’re wanting to draw in trades, try to balance the dupes you have of the same rarity as the card you collect, the more cards available, the more trades come in. Look for counters or to break higher rarity stuff down for multiple fair value same rarity cards you have little to no dupes of, especially if u have many dupes of what they want. This is more applicable if you don’t also collect a higher rarity card. Also counter where you can to balance your own collection, making a trade work that’s beneficial to both players while maintaining your cards is always a win win scenario and makes logical sense to do so.
Second, and this is key. Get new cards of the same rarity as your card as soon as possible and post them in game. This is to get your cards off older accounts and ones that don’t open many packs. Here’s my strategy and it works like clockwork and I feel, is what sets me and other collectors apart from the general population.
Get them through opening packs or FAIR trades (I emphasize fair, no need for greed ever) and Immediately post it in game for trade. Multiple copies if possible. Next, search the want section for those looking for it and send 1:1 trades to the ones who have dupes of your card, never more. This is highly likely to be accepted. Now because you also posted it for trade in game you’ll most likely have offers from these older accounts that may send you multiple cards of the same rarity as the new card because they just want to be complete. This is typical. I don’t consider it stonks either, this is common in every card app I’ve been on and I’m not a fan that this is a norm. But it’s the reality of the trade economy.
Anyways, back to the subject. Counter their unnecessary over pay and look for dupes of your card and just take 1 copy regardless how many copies they have. A very high percentage of the time it’s accepted with the message “wow thanks” or “nice offer” shortly followed by a friend request. Now you have a regular who will not only usually willingly trade you their dupe, but they’ll hold em for you and possibly even hunt down more for future trades. Respecting a persons collection can do wonders for both parties, and the fact you countered a clear “over pay” for a realistic and fair trade reflects well on you as well. I don’t consider this taking advantage, I consider it the counter to the seemly now expected overpay for a new card. I will admit I do benefit as well, but to me, the best trades are the ones where both people are happy. Mutual wins. Even though I collect a card in numbers, they know with me, it’ll always be a reasonable and fair trade, and the trade will always get accepted.
How to really build numbers:
The goal is always numbers based, either a set denomination to display proudly or just as high as you can go. Worry less about values and more how you can get numbers if this is your true focus. This depends on what you’re collecting of course.
The max number of cards you can get in a single trade is 4, and you want 4 as often as possible. 1:1 trades are great too but 4 per trade will build you up fast. So depending on the rarity and value of your card, you’ll want to leverage trading 1 card for 4 of yours as often as possible as fairly as possible as this is most economical. What I don’t mean is give them 1 epic and take 4 of the epic you collect, be fair always. It’s worth noting, lots collectors usually offer some kind of over pay for 4 copies of their card. For example, some collectors trade 1 of any limited legendary for 4 of their low value epics or a 1mm mythic for 4 of their Low Limited legendaries. The value and scarcity of your card may cause different ratios. Adjust accordingly to ensure at minimum a fair trade.
I focus on numbers. That’s my game.
Now everyone may not want to do the same but I say this because offering to break down 1 higher rarity card into multiple of my lower rarity cards builds numbers fast, as I mentioned above, most players need/want higher rarity cards more than rares and below, and they’re more likely to happily send a bunch of your card for 1 of a higher rarity card. There will always be players new and old too that will still have lower rarity card needs of course and those are always good for a 1:1 same rarity trade too.
You also may offer 2 cards of the same rarity for 1 of your card, and this is fine too but could cost too much value wise and/or deplete your dupes without maximizing your number potential. In my case, annihilator has little value, so my same rarity overpays were that I traded any limited epic 1:1, regardless of my cards values. I’ve yet to trade two limited epics for 1 annihilator and probably won’t. But that’s for you to decide and be comfortable with.
In order to be really, really effective in getting numbers it takes time, strategy and patience. I will say once more. It may take a bit at first, but with time, trading for your card hundreds, posssibly thousands of times. You’ll have a good understanding of what you’ll be comfortable trading for it, then it’s smooth sailing.
One thing to keep in mind too. When people send you trades, they’re gonna see your numbers and there’s going to be many bad offers. It’s the double edged sword of collecting. Look to counter if you can but the reality is there’s going to be a lot of declined trades because they just may not know what you offer, or have the cards needed/wanted to make a counter happen. So make sure you post what you offer somewhere too, discord, reddit etc to help guide the successful trades.
And finally, try to keep a post for one of your cards up as often as possible in game. The more active, the better the results :)
As always, thank you for taking the time to read this novel lol. Always feel free to comment below if there’s any questions. I’ll do my best to respond. You can find me on the main discord server, link is in the sub description. Happy Trading and keep it Cue, see you in game!
Again, my apologies for the length. I’m trying to be as detailed and hit as many key points with these posts as possible while trying to keep it minimal.
Next time on Coaches Corner with WadeTheHeathen:
I’m going to delve a bit deeper into Trading, trade evaluations and card values! Hope to see you then!

I'm going to try to translate those top comment from Hupu for MSI, I might skip some of them as they are Chinese internet memes that I've no idea how to translate, and those comment related to Honor of Kings, a popular league like mobile game made by Tencent.
The rating is user poll generated, you can give a rating between 2 and 10, and average is used. A total of 311k people participated in this series' rating.
Hupu rating is an in APP feature so it doesn't really have a link, but here is the post match thread for the match, and on the top there is an link you can click on that get you to that page. link

MATCH 1: GEN vs. BLG

Gen.G

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Kiin Twisted Fate	5.6	You should go learn how to Ult Zhonya from Misaya.
Canyon Viego	3.1	5 Star, please keep picking this.
Chovy Orianna	2.8	Everyone is getting their daily step counts in the base.
Peyz Senna	2.5	Elk: Did you think my Kraken will put itself in my inventory at 6 minutes?
Lehends Nautilus	2.9	Did you also use the default Wegame itemization: Support item at start, double support item with Senna, and end up base and sold it.
Kim	2.7	Kenzhu: Password is 88848, too easy, a max level account is so fun to play on, I want to keep playing next game.

Bilibili Gaming

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Bin Camille	9.7	Hiding so well, you reminded me of when I was in college and hiding in my dorm peaking at her dancing in the dance room.
Xun Sejuani	9.6	Captain China, perfect jungler.
Knight Ahri	9.4	Just like how Gen.G confused audience with the Ori, you will try to confused Chovy for the rest of your life.
Elk Kalista	9.7	P, would my Opportunity buy itself?
ON Ashe	9.7	That prediction ult!
BigWei	9.5	You scared me, I'm going to give you a low rating first, will change if we win.

MATCH 2: GEN vs. BLG

Gen.G

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Kiin K'Sante	8.6	Showmaker.jpg.
Canyon Nidalee	9.4	Dear Xun, when I got my skin for my carry jungle Nidalee, you were a sub for Leyan.
Chovy Yone	9.2	5ban, are my teammates sand soldier as well? Am I the old dude?
Peyz Senna	5.8	You purpose this game is to bait Elk into diving you.
Lehends Nautilus	7.9	So this is how Naut would look like if you never won worlds.
Kim	6.0	Kenzhu: Shoot, text authentication.

Bilibili Gaming

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Bin Jax	9.0	Tried your best.
Xun Sejuani	2.8	Worst offender, trying to fit in the formula with your eyes closed, why dive when you know they have TP.
Knight Orianna	3.4	Could you not always pick their mid's last champion?
Elk Kalista	3.7	How are you still getting all those 5 stars.
ON Ashe	3.9	Ashe has been solved, now lets pick something else.
BigWei	4.6	5 Ban mid, are you trying to ruin Chovy?

MATCH 3: GEN vs. BLG

Gen.G

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Kiin Poppy	9.1	Me, silver medal top laner, playing against bronze top mid bot jungle isn't a piece of cake?
Canyon Nidalee	9.6	Canyon: Nid, I'm don't know what to do now. Nid: Geon-bu, seriously, again?
Chovy Hwei	9.5	Ban my mid? You should just 10 ban mid.
Peyz Kalista	9.3	Peyz: Elk, would my Terminus buy itself?
Lehends Nautilus	9.3	You enchanter is not too good, but your engage support is no an issue.
Kim	8.5	Kenzhu: Guys, he changed his password, I can't log in anymore.

Bilibili Gaming

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Bin K'Sante	9.3	Just raffle off your 4 teammates later. (抽in this context means raffle, and it is the same word for slapping in Chinese, I think that is the flame, not 100% sure.)
Xun Diana	2.5	Wait, Luna can invade Pei's jungle? (Reference to Honor of Kings, a Tencent mobile MOBA, a lot of the character are quite similar to league.)
Knight Tristana	2.7	Please ban Asol, Corki, Trist, Ahri, Taliyah, Yone, Hwei, Sylas, Leblanc, Kassadin, Ori, Azir, Lissandra, Ryze, Yasuo, Annie, Karma, Swain, Syndra, TF, Akali, Vex, Xerath, Galio, Jayce, Zoe, Victor, Irelia, Anivia, and Zed for me, I'll carry.
Elk Senna	2.5	Man, are you trying to ease the flame on Jacky right now by playing so bad last two games? Respect.
ON Tahm Kench	2.5	Lets go apply at SF Express together. (A famous package delivering/logistics company in China.
BigWei	2.4	Even Kenzhu ban Nidalee.

MATCH 4: GEN vs. BLG

Gen.G

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Kiin Twisted Fate	9.3	Doran, where are you, I miss you, Doran.
Canyon Maokai	9.3	Canyon: Nid, I think I got it now.
Chovy Corki	9.6	True Mid Gap
Peyz Lucian	9.3	Elk, did you think I wouldn't go into your face.
Lehends Nami	9.0	Whats with the people calling him bad, beside that dragon fight I think everything else is almost perfect.
Kim	8.4	So this is the S8 World Champion coach, so good.

Bilibili Gaming

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Bin K'Sante	9.7	You lost because you can't 1v5 and get a penta.
Xun Vi	2.3	Great, Ult a Corki with package, probably a historical top 5 fool moment.
Knight Vex	2.4	Your performance against Samsung is worse than Creme.
Elk Kalista	3.4	What use do you have, Bin is tanking in the front, you are just getting your steps in for the day.
ON Renata Glasc	5.7	I guess you tried your best as well.
BigWei	2.6	What are you thinking, why ban Senna, just ban Naut.

The Results of the "All Star Variety Show" Talent Show Challenge are in!
*
*
*
DURING THE EPISODE...
As the werkroom lights flicker on, ten fierce All-Stars strut in, each eyeing the coveted spot in the Hall of Fame next to All Stars 1 winner Kylie Sonique Love. Get ready for a season packed with glamour, drama, and legendary lip-syncs. The race to the top has never been fiercer!
The first to enter the werkroom is Plasma! With a confident strut and a twinkle in her eye, she sashays in, exuding the charisma that screams "Broadway." She spills the tea in the confessional, expressing her sheer delight at being back in the Drag Race spotlight. Having tasted the bittersweet sting of elimination just shy of the season 5 finale, and having two wins under her belt, including triumphs in singing and acting challenges, Plasma is ready to reclaim her time and showcase the full spectrum of her theatrical prowess in this All Stars showdown. She's poised to snatch every moment and let her theatrical brilliance shine brighter than ever before!
As the next queen struts into the werkroom, Plasma's face lights up with pure joy—it's Priyanka! With a squeal of excitement, Plasma rushes over, their sisterhood from season 5 reignited in an instant. They embrace in a tight hug, exchanging playful banter as Plasma teases, "You better not send me home again, bitch!" In the confessional, Priyanka, reveals that she's never felt more ready for Drag Race than in this moment. After her season 5 journey, she's toured the world and grown immensely, feeling like she's finally hit her stride. With a mischievous grin, she declares her intention to snatch the crown right from under Plasma's nose, punctuating her declaration with a hearty laugh. Priyanka is ready to slay the competition and claim her moment in the spotlight.
As Plasma and Priyanka share laughs and catch up, the werkroom is hit with another dose of glamour as Bosco makes her entrance! The queens are instantly gagged by her stunning outfit, which accentuates her flawless figure in all the right ways. Making a beeline for Plasma and Priyanka, Bosco showers them with hugs, kisses, and compliments, praising their fierce looks. In a heart-to-heart with her fellow queens, Bosco reveals that she was offered a spot on All Stars 1 but didn't feel quite ready at the time. Now, however, she's back and more prepared than ever to snatch the crown. In a confessional, Plasma opens up about feeling a mix of excitement and intimidation in Bosco's presence. As a trailblazer from Season 1, Bosco is a true legend in the drag world, and her arrival adds an extra layer of excitement and competition to the mix.
As the werkroom continues to buzz with excitement, in walks Marcia Marcia Marcia, sending Priyanka and Plasma into disbelief. It's another queen from season 5, and the reunion is nothing short of epic. The trio embraces in a group hug, their smiles stretching from ear to ear as they revel in the joy of seeing each other again. Bosco joins the lovefest, adding her warmth to the mix as she greets Marcia with a tight hug. In a confessional, Marcia Marcia Marcia opens up about her near-miss with the crown last time around, admitting with a hint of sarcasm that seeing Priyanka and Plasma back in the competition feels like déjà vu after beating them before. Meanwhile, Priyanka playfully ribs Marcia about her makeup skills, teasing her about the "barely even there" makeup from season 5.
In a whirlwind of sequins and sass, Kahanna Montrese sashays into the werkroom, catching the other queens off guard with her swift return from season 7. The room buzzes with curiosity and intrigue as Kahanna shares her determination to prove herself after feeling robbed of her chance in her previous season. The other queens nod in admiration, applauding her unwavering resolve and fierce determination. In a confessional, Priyanka reflects on Kahanna's shocking elimination during season 7, recalling how she won a challenge only to face an early exit.
With an aura of determination radiating from every sequin, Cara Melle struts into the werkroom, her gaze fixed on the other queens with a steely resolve that could cut through diamonds. In a confessional, she reveals her satisfaction at being the lone representative from season 2 in this All Stars lineup, after her sisters Regina, Denali, and Kimmy failed to snatch the crown in All Stars 1. Cara envisions herself as the rightful queen to claim a spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame. As Cara's intense energy fills the room, Kahanna Montrese can't help but feel a twinge of surprise and uncertainty. Is Cara's confidence a facade, she wonders, a mask concealing her true intentions? Kahanna can't shake the feeling that there's more to this queen than meets the eye.
Danny Beard struts into the werkroom, greeted with beaming smiles from Bosco and Cara Melle, who are thrilled to see a queen from the earlier seasons joining their ranks. In a confessional, Danny shares her aspirations, expressing her desire to claim a spot beside her season 3 sister Kylie in the Drag Race Hall of Fame. With a fierce determination to remind the world of her slayage during season 3, Danny is here to snatch hearts and slay challenges. As the other queens welcome Danny with open arms, Marcia Marcia Marcia can't contain her excitement, channeling her inner fangirl as she declares Danny one of her idols.
With a signature "bam" that reverberates through the werkroom, Alexis Mateo makes her grand entrance, instantly setting the tone for the room with her iconic catchphrase. The other queens can't help but join in, screaming "bam" in unison as they welcome her with open arms. Curious about Alexis's journey and representing Puerto Rico, Priyanka dives in with questions, eager to learn more about the legendary queen's drag legacy. Proudly representing her Puerto Rican roots, Alexis exudes confidence as she vows to remind Mama Ru and the world why the island's drag scene reigns supreme. In a playful confessional moment, Alexis admits she's relieved not to spot Mistress in the room, jokingly citing the potential for drama. Among the sea of familiar faces, Alexis is particularly intrigued by Kahanna's presence, given their Vegas connections. With a knowing smirk, she anticipates the surprises her old friend might have up her sleeve this time around
As Tia Kofi struts into the werkroom, the other queens are left gagging at her undeniable glow-up. With her confidence radiating like a beacon, Tia's transformation from her season 6 days leaves jaws on the floor. Not one to shy away from a bit of playful banter, the queens don't hold back from teasing Tia about her questionable runway looks from her previous season. Alexis, ever the straight-shooter, even quips about hoping Tia brought a stylist along for the ride this time around. In a confessional, Tia holds nothing back, acknowledging her humble beginnings as a "baby queen" during season 6. But she's quick to point out that her journey across the globe has been a crash course in fashion education, and she's more than ready to show off her newfound sense of style on the All Stars stage.
As the final queen makes her grand entrance, the werkroom falls into stunned silence, with Plasma declaring her the "robbed queen of the century": Marina Summers. Marina, embodying grace and poise, reveals in a confessional the overwhelming support she received after narrowly missing out on the crown in season 7. However, she takes a moment to address her fans, urging them to cease any harassment directed towards Nymphia, the season 7 winner. With love and respect for her fellow queen, Marina emphasizes that Nymphia deserved her victory and sets her sights firmly on claiming the crown for herself in this All Stars season. With a warmth that fills the room, Marina approaches the other queens, embracing each one in turn. Danny, always quick with a witty remark, jokes about who might try to steal Marina's crown this time around, eliciting laughter from the group. Amidst the camaraderie and laughter, Marina's presence adds an extra layer of excitement and anticipation to the competition, as the queens gear up for what promises to be an unforgettable All Stars journey.
*
RuPaul enters the werkroom and the queens participate in the first mini-challenge of the season.
Mini Challenge "Reading is Fundamental" Winner: Danny Beard
The Queens prepare for the talent show each plotting their path to snatch the spotlight

• As Marcia Marcia Marcia, Priyanka, and Plasma huddle together, Alexis Mateo, Bosco, Cara Melle, and Danny Beard exchange knowing glances, sensing a clique forming among the season 5 sisters. Meanwhile, Marina Summers and Tia Kofi observe from afar, noticing a similar camaraderie brewing among the "early season" queens.
• In a corner of the werkroom, Kahanna Montrese and Alexis Mateo share tales of their Vegas experiences, their voices tinged with nostalgia and shared memories.
• Over by the makeup mirrors, Tia Kofi and Priyanka swap fashion tips, their laughter ringing out as Marina Summers playfully teases, suggesting they might need advice from someone else.

*
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AFTER DELIBERATION...
TOP2: Marcia Marcia Marcia 🌟 (1x win) / Marina Summers🌟 (1x win)
HIGH: Alexis Mateo / Cara Melle
SAFE: Bosco / Kahanna Montrese / Priyanka
LOW: Plasma
BTM2: Danny Beard (1x btm) / Tia Kofi (1x btm)
*
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The Top Two Queens Marcia Marcia Marcia and Marina Summers will Lip-Sync for their Legacy to "Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift. This is your chance to impress me, take the win, and earn the power to give one of the Bottom Queens the Chop. Good Luck and Don't Fuck It Up!
Poll
Spreadsheet/Track Record

Hello! Looking to declutter these fragrances from my collection! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out!
Shipping is $7 for 1lb bottles, $10 for over 1lb
Pictures Below:
Pictures of perfumes
Pictures of indies and body sprays
———————————-
Al Haramain Amber Oud Gold (60ml, like new) — $32
Al Rehab French Coffee (100ml, like new) — $22
Ariana Grande Thank U Next 2.0 (30mL, like new) — $18
Armaf Club De Nuit Woman Intense (100ml, like new) — $20
Atelier des Ors Rose Omeyyade (100ml, 95%+ full) — $105
Attar Collection Crystal Love for Her (100ml, like new) — $70
Billie Eilish Eilish (100ml) — $38
Comptoir Sud Pacifique Coco Extreme(100ml) — $50
Comptoir Sud Pacifique Amour de Cacao (30mL) — $35
Demeter Butterscotch (120mL) — $18
Dossier Floral Pear / Jo Malone Pear & Freesia (50mL, like new) — $22
Dossier Powdery Hawthorn / Tom Ford Metallique (50mL, like new) — $22
Dolce Gabanna The Only One (100ml, 85% full) — $45
Dolce Gabanna Pour Femme (100ml, 95% full) — $40
Floral Street London Poppy (50mL) — $36
Hez Parfums Brownie Points (50mL) — $55
Jimmy Choo Jimmy Choo EDP (100ml, like new) — $36
Juicy Couture Glistening Amber (100ml, like new) — $35
Kayali Vanilla Candy Rock Sugar 42 (100ml) — $120
Kenzo Jeu d'Amour l'Elixir (50mL) — $40
Lancôme La Vie Est Belle (50mL) — $50
Lattafa Yara (100ml, like new) — $22
Maison Margiela Replica When the Rain Stops (100mL) - $68
Mancera Vanille Exclusive (120mL, like new) — $65
Paco Rabanne Black XS for Her(80mL) — $35
Parfums de Marly Herod (125mL, seldom used prob 99% full though the bottle has some minor scuff marks from being moved in my drawer) — $155
Police to be Sweet Girl (4oz, like new) — $18
Skylar Fall Cashmere (50mL, like new) — $45
Skylar Vanilla Orchid (10ml rollerball) — $15
Sphinx Fragrances Chocolate Citronique (100ml, like new) — $100 (retails $140)
Theodoros Kalotinis Vanilla (50mL, like new) — $50
Zara Deep Garden (100ml, like new) — $25
Zara Supreme Vanilla (80mL, like new) — $25
Zara Red Temptation Summer (80mL, like new) — $26
Bundle of 3 body mists (see photos): $12
Bundle of 3 cheapie perfumes (see photo): $25
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Indie Perfumes:
Sugarmilk Co Root Beer (50mL): $35
Sugarmilk Co Strawberry Cereal (50mL): $30
Andromeda’s Moon Red Velvet Cake (30mL): $30
Black Hearted Tart Wonderful Christmastime, discontinued (30mL): $35
Elfmade Lemon Merringue & Hot Chocolate Fragrance Mist Bundle - $10
Wylde Ivy Stuck On You Dry Oil Spray (120mL) - $12

• Notes of: sticky, melted fruit candy, dried cotton candy, a touch of strawberries and sweet musk. Stuck on You goes on candy sweet and melts beautifully into a smooth, mellow sugar musk

10ml travel sprays are $8 each, all like new (butterscotch and salted caramel SOLD, everything listed below is still available)
Blueberry Cobbler: fresh blueberries, warm buttery crust, cinnamon, and vanilla
Pineapple Upside Down Cake: pineapples, orange zest, bing cherries, coconut, butter, brown sugar, and vanilla cake
Strawberry Sugar Cookie: strawberries, cookie dough, sugar, vanilla, whipped cream, vanilla cake
Cinnamon Spiced Vanilla: warm spices, sweet vanilla, and cinnamon
Peppermint Cocoa: Warm chocolate, peppermint, vanilla, and patchouli
Raspberry Milk: crushed raspberries, delicate rose syrup, and velvety milk
Siren: lemon peel, warm woods, lily, jasmine, violet blooms
Cotton Candy Melon: sweet cotton candy with a watermelon twist
Blueberry Cobbler: fresh blueberries, warm buttery crust, cinnamon, and vanilla
———————————————-
Decants
Shipping will be $5
Initio: 5mL=$20 / 10mL=$32
Atomic Rose
Side Effect
Oud for Happiness
Psychedelic Love
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Kerosene: 5mL=$20 / 10mL=$32
Black Vines
Follow
Followed
Sweetly Known
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Navitus & Vivamor: 5mL=$20 / 10mL=$32
Absolutio
Baklava Royale
Caramel Pop
Choco Exclusif
Chocolate Queen
Divine Aphrodisiac
The Embrace
Ultimate Aphrodisiac
Venom of Love
————————————————————
Mancera: 5mL=$18 / 10mL=$30
Amber Fever
Aoud Vanille
Black Vanilla
Choco Violette
Indian Dream
Instant Crush
Holidays
Juicy Flowers
Musk of Flowers
Roses Greedy
Roses Vanille
Royal Vanilla
Tonka Cola
Wild Candy
Wild Python
Vanille Exclusive
Velvet Vanilla
————————————————————
Montale: 5mL=$18 / 10mL=$30
Honey Aoud
Mukhallat
Roses Musk
White Musk
Vanilla Cake
————————————————————
Parfums de Marly: 5mL=$20 / 10mL=$32
Herod
Oajan
————————————————————
Sphinx Fragrances: 5mL=$20 / 10mL=$30
Chocolate Citronique
Creme De Pistache
Horchata de Vanille
————————————————————
Niche Fragrances: 5mL=$22 / 10mL=$33
Amouage Epic Woman
BDK Velvet Tonka
Guerlain Santal Royal
Jovoy Paris Remember Me
Kilian Sunset
Tom Ford Metallique
————————————————————
Designer Fragrances: 5mL=$18 / 10mL=$28
Ariana Grande (I have all her perfumes)
Azzaro Wanted Girl
Carolina Herrera Good Girl
Carolina Herrera Very Good Girl
Carolina Herrera Good Girl Supreme
Carolina Herrera Good Girl Legere
Coach Coach EDP
Coach Dreams
Coach Sunset Dreams
Commodity Milk Expressive
Commodity Velvet Expressive
Comptoir Sud Pacifique Amour De Cacao
Comptoir Sud Pacifique Coco Figue
Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanille Cafe
Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanille Extreme
Dolce & Gabanna The Only One
Fenty Fenty
Franck Boclet Ylang Ylang
Givenchy Dahlia Divin Le Nectar
Givenchy Live Irresistible EDP
Givenchy Live Irresistible Blossom Crush
Givenchy L’Interdit
Givenchy L’Interdit Intense
Gucci Bloom EDP
Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia
Gucci Flora Gorgeous Jasmine
Gucci Flora Gorgeous Magnolia
Guerlain Black Perfecto
Guerlain La Petite Robe Noir
Guerlain La Petite Robe Noir Intense
Guerlain Mon Guerlain EDP
Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Ginger Piccante
Kate Spade New York
Kate Spade New York Sparkle
Jean Paul Gaultier La Belle
Jean Paul Gaultier La Belle Le Parfum
Jean Paul Gaultier Scandal By Night
Jimmy Choo Jimmy Choo EDP
Jimmy Choo Fever
Jimmy Choo Illicit
Jimmy Choo I Want Choo Forever
Juliette Has A Gun Sunny Side Up
Juliette Has A Gun Miss Charming
Lancôme La Vie Est Belle L’Eclat
Lancôme La Vie Est Belle EDP
Lancôme La Nuit Tresor
Lancôme La Nuit Tresor A La Folie
Lolita Lempicka EDP
Lolita Lempicka Lolitaland
Lolita Lempicka Sweet
Narciso Rodriguez Pure Musc
Nina Ricci Rose Extase
Replica When The Rain Stops
Replica On A Date
Salvatore Ferragamo Amo Ferragamo
Salvatore Ferragamo Signorina Misteriosa
Skylar Fall Cashmere
Tory Burch Love Relentlessly
Valentino Donna Born in Roma

Good Morning Patriots
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Free place to chat and a good place to discuss whatever you like with other sub users
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2024 Opponents Set.

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Patriots front office tracker

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Meet New England’s 2024 Rookie Class.

Patriots updated depth chart

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New England Patriots News Catchup Links - Dissecting Drake Maye: Premature evaluations

• Transactions: Patriots sign four rookie free agents; Release RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn.
• Evan Lazar tackles this week’s Patriots Mailbag: What is OC Alex Van Pelt’s plan as the ‘lead guy’ in Drake Maye’s development?
• Highlights: Patriots draft picks get fitted for their helmets. (1.30 min. video)
• Highlights: Patriots rookies receive advice from veteran players. (1 min. video)
• Chris Mason writes about how Drake Maye’s family forged an unflinching confidence in the Patriots’ QB.
• Chris Mason shares 10 more Drake Maye anecdotes.
• Mike Kadlick recaps everything Drake Maye did and said at rookie minicamp. Belichick rarely, if ever, opened up rookie minicamp, so this was the first time in a long time the media was allowed to observe the newbies practice
• Karen Guregian finds that ‘Operation Fix Drake Maye’ was on full display last weekend. Here’s a first look at Drake Maye showcasing his skills, along with the Patriots approach to cleaning up any mechanical issues he may have.
• Michael Brauner relays Drew Bledsoe on how Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt will be huge for the development of Drake Maye.
• Mike D’Abate reports Drake Maye has been logging some late hours to “learn as much as he can” at minicamp.
• Ben Volin says Drake Maye is the future, but the Patriots may have a perfect mentor for him in Jacoby Brissett.
• Darren Hartwell passes along a report that the Patriots-Eagles joint practice will have one difference from Belichick’s tradition: “Word is that Mayo prefers just a single practice, in part to limit fighting that can sometimes become prevalent on a second day.”
• Christopher Price’s Patriots mailbag: What is going on at left tackle and defensive end?
• Alex Barth talks about the four undrafted free agents signed by the Patriots this weekend.
• Alex Barth spotlights OLB Jay Person who signed with the Pats after his rookie minicamp tryout.
• Sara Marshall thumbnails four Patriots already on the chopping block before OTAs. 1. JuJu Smith-Schuster.
• Michael Brauner notes the Patriots revealed a new alternate logo and it caused a social media frenzy.
• Nick O’Malley relays Stephon Gilmore on why he hasn’t signed with a team yet. “I’m still focused on playing, but it has to be the right opportunity. I feel like it’s the age thing with some of these teams. If I was 28, I would already have been signed by now.”
• Sara Marshall points out how the Patriots-Tee Higgins rumors are growing louder after the huge extension of Antoine Winfield Jr.
• Matt Sidney recaps the Pats’ top 5 game-changing moves during the offseason. 1. Cutting ties with Bill Belichick.
• A Clare Perspective podcast: Clare welcomes Alex Barth to discuss their ‘way too early’ takes on what’s been going on in New England… and more. (33 min.)
• Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike & Murph dive into the Mailbag to discuss Drake Maye, rookie OLs Caedan Wallace and Layden Robinson and the official hiring of Eliot Wolf as executive VP of player personnel in (37 min.)

I'm going to try to translate those top comment from Hupu for MSI, I might skip some of them as they are Chinese internet memes that I've no idea how to translate, and those comment related to Honor of Kings, a popular league like mobile game made by Tencent.
The rating is user poll generated, you can give a rating between 2 and 10, and average is used. A total of 86k people participated in this series' rating.
Hupu rating is an in APP feature so it doesn't really have a link, but here is the post match thread for the match, and on the top there is an link you can click on that get you to that page. link

MATCH 1: T1 vs. TL

T1

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Zeus Camille	7.6	Broke into an army of a hundred legions, cut off the general's head, and did it as easily as picking something from his own pocket. (Romance of the Three Kingdom, Chapter 25.)
Oner Poppy	7.2	Guys, my head is a bit itchy. (I think this is referencing a Chinese meme about head itchy means growing brain.)
Faker Taliyah	8.6	Not only all of the league bloggers and your fan/hater bloggers have been feeding off you for the past 10 years, the four "genius" and a championship coach is also feeding off you. You must be exhausted.
Gumayusi Senna	7.4	So, are you picking Senna because your support doesn't like to ward?
Keria Ornn	6.3	Ram passed. (This in Chinese is 羊过, sounds the same as had Covid, suggestion he is still having long Covid symptoms.)
KkOma	4.2	I want to flame you even if you guys won, this comp, if they don't make any mistakes you guys can't do anything, if Old Guy(Faker) don't carry you don't have any damage. Thought you come back to solidify your GOAT coach position, instead you are just coming back to leech.

Team Liquid

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Impact K'Sante	8.5	SKT legendary top laner Impact ready to come back!
UmTi Xin Zhao	2.4	Former worst jungler in LCK.
APA Aurelion Sol	2.5	oto. (Referencing Otto, the mid laner just got banned from streaming and Old Guy Cup for flaming, also known for been bad.)
Yeon Kalista	3.4	I'm farm when my teammates are fighting, I'll emote after I cast abilities.
CoreJJ Alistar	3.0	I was eating noodles, and saw your flash kowtow, noodle just flew out of my nose. (kowtow is Chinese nickname for Alistar Q, often used when it misses.)
Spawn	3.3	I firmly believe a team that could be 3:0 by TES should not ever appear on an international stage.

MATCH 2: T1 vs. TL

T1

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Zeus Vayne	4.4	The only bright side is your KDA, you are either farming or trolling this game.
Oner Jarvan IV	2.7	To think that one of the two team playing this game today will win just makes me uncomfortable.
Faker Ahri	9.2	They need to rely on you against TL, sad.
Gumayusi Varus	8.3	You and old Lee holding this T1 together, but this MSI I don't see any hope. (Lee is Faker's Last name).
Keria Kalista	3.4	I've been thinking, is the reason Guma's priority in the team is low because you want to have fun.
KkOma	2.8	You should just pick Lucian jungle and remake. (Uzi Reference.)

Team Liquid

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Impact K'Sante	7.2	Thought you are safe just building armor with 3 ad? Guess again, the only damage dealer was your old teammate.
UmTi Lee Sin	2.3	You know what, you reminded me of when I first started playing league.
APA Taliyah	4.1	One American can't win against nine Koreans.
Yeon Samira	9.6	Only one knows how to play league in your team.
CoreJJ Nautilus	2.3	Patriot!
Spawn	5.4	Cover up the name plates I thought this is LGD vs RA.

MATCH 3: T1 vs. TL

T1

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Zeus Vayne	3.0	Wow, you just invented a new style of Vayne, the fly style, going around annoy people, and just got splatted on the wall, like a fly.
Oner Sejuani	2.7	Got gapped by a team that got 3:0 by TES, and the fans were dreaming about a miracle run?
Faker Corki	2.9	Are you considering to join the Old Guy Cup?
Gumayusi Varus	8.5	You played well, please use your autos on your teammates when you get off the stage.
Keria Rell	2.6	T1 Esport club transfer announcement: After discussion with the player, the club will respect player's will, as of today, T1 league of legend esport club's support player Ryu "Keria" Min-seok will no longer be part of the organization and join Le Crazy Horse de Paris.
KkOma	2.7	Why did you ban Lucian and Senna, just ban Naut and Taliyah. Why don't you ban head lock champion like Naut when you have Varus?

Team Liquid

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Impact K'Sante	9.6	What champion are you? S3 worlds champion.
UmTi Rek'Sai	9.1	Even NA can win a game against T1, how bad is TES.
APA Taliyah	9.0	All chat every time you get a kill, if you tilt Keria, you chance of winning just go up 10%. Remember worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities, the best policy is to attach enemy's heart.
Yeon Kalista	9.4	Its a success if you don't get 3:0
CoreJJ Nautilus	3.1	"So good"
Spawn	8.2	Kenzhu: Guys, I logged on and did this BP.

MATCH 4: T1 vs. TL

T1

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Zeus Vayne	5.8	I thought TL vs T1 would be a quick 3:0 turns out it is a lot closer. I thought the CBA final was going to be a lot closer, they are down 15 points already at end of second half.
Oner Poppy	5.7	Are you guys playing Arena with TL?
Faker Orianna	9.1	Finally got Ori, this is going to be a fun game for me.
Gumayusi Senna	6.4	Am I weaker than them? Kept picking me Senna, a weak laning AD.
Keria Ornn	5.0	Top plays AD, AD plays support, support plays top.
KkOma	3.8	Why are you always crossing your arm and not talking, let Faker do all the talking during BP.

Team Liquid

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Impact K'Sante	4.4	SKT, I don't own you anything anymore.
UmTi Lillia	4.1	MSI? No. Collegiate League, Yes!
APA Ziggs	4.8	Brand: Should've picked me.
Yeon Kalista	4.8	He is clean, he doesn't know anything.
CoreJJ Rell	2.9	Team Liquid Esport club transfer announcement: After discussion with the player, the club will respect player's will, as of today, T1 league of legend Esport club's support player Jo "CoreJJ" Yong-in will no longer be part of the organization and join Le Crazy Horse de Paris.
Spawn	3.5	Even BLG bans Ori, you are?

Good Morning Patriots
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Free place to chat and a good place to discuss whatever you like with other sub users
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2024 Opponents Set.

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Meet New England’s 2024 Rookie Class.

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New England Patriots News Catchup Links - Gonzalez, Douglas, Wallace, Maye’s footwork, and More!

• Transactions: Patriots sign three of their eight 2024 draft picks and nine rookie free agents.
• Patriots announce Eliot Wolf has been named Executive Vice President of Player Personnel.
• Mike Dussault reports new head coach Jerod Mayo and the Patriots rookies took to the practice fields on Saturday for the media’s first access in 2024.
• Evan Lazar goes inside QB Drake Maye’s day at Saturday’s rookie minicamp.
• Mike Dussault’s Draft Profile: Fourth-round draft pick WR Javon Baker has an intriguing skillset that could be just what the Patriots ordered.
• Alexandra Francisco reports DL Davon Godchaux and his wife, supermodel Chanel Iman, hosted the ChauxDown Foundation’s first annual Mother’s Day Luncheon at Gillette Stadium on Thursday.
• Press Conferences: Jaheim Bell - Marcellas Dial - Ja’Lynn Polk - Caedan Wallace - Drake Maye - Jerod Mayo.
• Transcript: Jerod Mayo.
• Photos: Patriots Rookie Minicamp - Day 1 & 2 and Day 3.
• Mike Reiss shares some quick-hit weekend thoughts: QB Joe Milton III had ‘too much talent’ to pass up; Possible joint training camp practice with Eagles; Wallace-Robinson duo; Reaction to 18-game season; More!
• Ben Volin’s Sunday Football Notes: Beyond Drake Maye, what should we make of the Patriots’ first draft post-Bill Belichick?
• Steve Balestrieri’s Sunday Patriots News: Rookie mini-camp, Eliot Wolf IS the GM; Ernie Adams; More.
• Andy Hart’s Sunday 7: Jerod Mayo and Drake Maye go camping.
• Doug Kyed’s Rookie Minicamp Notes: Observations from Drake Maye, draft class. Top takeaway: Quarterback play will look different for the Patriots this season.
• Taylor Kyles shares his observations from rookie minicamp: Rookie weapons stand out.
• Tom E. Curran’s Rookie minicamp observations: Drake Maye as advertised, a work in progress with all the physical tools to, someday, maybe, approach his much-discussed ceiling; Joe Milton has a cannon of an arm; More.
• Chris Mason gives us 7 takeaways from Patriots rookie minicamp. 1. Both QBs have big arms.
• Alex Barth’s Rookie minicamp notebook: First look at the Class of 2024.
• Mike D’Abate’s Patriots Rookie Minicamp notes: Jerod Mayo reveals ‘a-ha’ moment; More.
• Sophie Weller posts her photos from rookie minicamp at Gillette Stadium.
• Zack Cox tells us how Drake Maye was taking charge at Patriots rookie minicamp.
• Mike D’Abate points out that based on their usage during rookie minicamp, rookie offensive linemen Caedan Wallace and Layden Robinson may each be facing a possible positional switch.
• Christopher Price hears from rookie offensive linemen Caedan Wallace and Layden Robinson, who say they have been ‘inseparable since we got out here’ at minicamp.
• Doug Kyed spotlights how the rookie receivers and offensive linemen are forging early connections at minicamp.
• Alex Barth posts the Patriots rookie jersey numbers for 2024.

Today, I want to dive deep into a topic that's close to my heart and pivotal in the world of coaching - the distinctive dynamics and benefits of one-on-one versus group coaching formats. Both approaches have their unique advantages and can significantly impact your personal and professional development journey. So, let's break down the intricacies of each to help you identify which might best suit your needs and aspirations.
One-on-One Coaching: The Tailored Experience Imagine having a mentor, a guide, solely focused on you - your challenges, your growth, your victories. That's the essence of one-on-one coaching. It's a profoundly personal journey where strategies and conversations are customized to your specific goals and obstacles. Here's what makes it special:
Personalized Attention: With the spotlight entirely on you, the coach can delve deeper into your individual scenario, providing tailored advice and feedback. Flexibility and Adaptability: Sessions can pivot according to your evolving needs, making it an incredibly dynamic process. Privacy and Trust: The one-on-one setting fosters a confidential environment, allowing for open, honest communication and a strong trust bond between coach and coachee. Group Coaching: The Collective Journey Now, picture yourself in a room (virtual or physical) with individuals who, while diverse in their experiences and backgrounds, share common goals or challenges. This is the realm of group coaching, where the magic of shared learning and support comes to life. The strengths of group coaching include:
Collective Wisdom: Learning from the experiences and viewpoints of others enriches your perspective, offering insights you might not have considered. Community Support: The group creates a natural support network, where members can motivate each other and share resources. Diversity of Thought: Engaging with a variety of perspectives can challenge your assumptions and encourage growth in unexpected ways. Which Path to Choose? Deciding between one-on-one and group coaching depends on several factors, including your learning style, the nature of your goals, and your preference for privacy versus community. Here are a few questions to guide your choice:
Do you prefer individualized attention and a program tailored specifically to you? Or do you thrive in interactive environments where you can learn from the experiences of others? Are you looking for a confidential space to work through personal challenges, or are you energized by the idea of growing alongside a community? How do you best receive feedback and guidance - in a private setting where the focus is solely on you, or in a group context where advice is shared and discussed openly? Engaging in the Coaching Journey Whether one-on-one or group coaching speaks more to your current needs, the most important step is to start. Both formats offer unique pathways to growth, self-discovery, and achieving your personal and professional objectives.
If you're navigating the decision of which coaching format to pursue, or if you're curious about how coaching could transform your journey, I'm here to explore these possibilities with you. Coaching is a powerful tool for development, and choosing the right format is the first step in unlocking its potential.
Let's Connect I'm eager to hear your thoughts and experiences with coaching. Have you found one format to be more effective for your growth? Do you have a preference, or are you considering trying coaching for the first time? Share your story in the comments below. Let's create a space for open discussion and mutual learning right here on Reddit.

Coming off the T1 series I want to offer one praise and one critique for each member of the team.
Coaches and Staff: Praise: they clearly knew the match ups and were prepared to play into our strengths while accounting for T1s.
Critique: I think we undervalued poppy as a flex and overall strong champ.
Impact: Praise: solid play, in a tough match up while being asked to sacrifice for other lanes.
Critique: ksante’s power likely contributed to him being picked so much but having a bit deeper of a bag may have helped.
Umti: Praise: macro play and counter jungler were there along with some clutch plays in game 3.
Critique: APA can’t be left to fend for himself in the mid against 2-4 person ganks.
APA: Praise: strong play in lane and good team fighting.
Critique: needs to play safer in lane if he knows he will be on an island and be targeted.
Yeon: Praise: best TL player of the series and tournament. Teamfight positioning was great.
Critique: in game 4 he got too aggressive and overcommitted trying to salvage a loss.
Core: Praise: likely the reason the macro was so clean in game 3.
Critique: skill shots need to hit more often.
Overall I am proud of the boys. I have watched a lot of TL and this is the most excited I have been in a long time.

TL;DR: Taro's character, the reasons behind the rivals' affection for him, the increasing difficulty in eliminating them, and the possible endings could be more compelling if chalex weren't so lazy and close-minded.
Concept: Without rivals, Taro appears bland. As more rivals appear, we gradually uncover Taro's true personality.
Rivals:

• Osana: Taro is patient with her, unaffected by her mean tendencies.
• Amai: Despite losing a childhood friend, Taro remains open to new friendships.
• Kizana: Taro's willingness to engage in activities outside his comfort zone, like theater, shows his open-mindedness.
• Oka: Taro is kind to Oka despite her odd interests, even though he dislikes the occult.
• Asu: Taro enjoys fun activities and avoids negative spirals, despite life's challenges.
• Muja: Taro's visits to the school nurse show his desire to care for others.
• Mida: Taro's efforts to improve academically, becoming Mida's private tutor, demonstrate his commitment to self-improvement.
• Osoro: Taro sees beyond appearances, valuing good intentions over reputation.
• Hanako: Taro's selflessness is evident in his acceptance of his sister's neediness.
• Megami: Taro's sense of justice aligns with Megami's principles.

Ayano's Perspective: As Ayano learns more about Taro, her obsession grows, intensifying her disturbing fixation.
Negative Traits: Taro has flaws:

1. Represses negative emotions to avoid worrying others.
2. Prioritizes others' happiness over his own needs.
3. Vulnerable to trauma, leading to anxiety and hostility.
4. Slow learner, failing to recognize rivals' intentions.

Possible Endings:

1. Worst Ending: All rivals are murdered. Taro, broken and suspicious, rejects Ayano's confession. (YOU LOSE)
2. Poor Ending: All rivals reject Taro, leaving him desperate for connection. He accepts Ayano's confession out of low self-esteem. (YOU WON?)
3. Bad Ending: Taro rejects all rivals, realizing he needs more time to form a healthy relationship. He rejects Ayano's confession. (YOU LOSE)
4. Good Ending: Taro remains unaware of the rivals' eliminations and accepts Ayano's confession. (YOU WON)
5. Best Ending: Ayano befriends all rivals, impressing Taro with her kindness. He happily accepts her confession. (YOU WON)
6. Secret Ending: Taro subtly rejects Ayano, leading her to kidnap and torture him. Taro has no choice but to comply. (YOU WON?)

Rival Difficulties:

• Osana: Childhood crush. Protected by martial arts expert Raibaru.
• Amai: Kind and social, constantly surrounded by others.
• Kizana: Always in the spotlight, difficult to isolate.
• Oka: Secretive and skilled in occult practices.
• Asu: Busy schedule and excellent physical condition.
• Muja: Knowledgeable and careful despite clumsiness.
• Mida: Experienced and cautious, making peaceful elimination difficult.
• Osoro: Spends time with delinquents and is physically formidable.
• Hanako: Overprotective of Taro, investigates suspicious eliminations.
• Megami: Well-trained, strong, and supported by the school community.

Possible Dark Secrets:
Osana: Loves cute things but fears ridicule.
Amai: Mistreats rude customers subtly.
Kizana: Sabotaged someone to get a lead role.
Oka: Performs disturbing occult rituals.
Asu: Was sexually harassed by a respected coach.
Muja: Accidentally worsened a student's health condition.
Mida: Cheated on her final thesis.
Osoro: Harmed an innocent person by mistake.
Hanako: Drove away Taro's friends to protect him.
Megami: Raised with extreme expectations, lacking a normal childhood.

Good Morning Patriots
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Free place to chat and a good place to discuss whatever you like with other sub users
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2024 Opponents Set.

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Meet New England’s 2024 Rookie Class.

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New England Patriots News Catchup Links - Gonzalez, Douglas, Wallace, Maye’s footwork, and More!

• Transactions: Patriots sign three of their eight 2024 draft picks and nine rookie free agents.
• Patriots announce Eliot Wolf has been named Executive Vice President of Player Personnel.
• Mike Dussault reports new head coach Jerod Mayo and the Patriots rookies took to the practice fields on Saturday for the media’s first access in 2024.
• Evan Lazar goes inside QB Drake Maye’s day at Saturday’s rookie minicamp.
• Mike Dussault’s Draft Profile: Fourth-round draft pick WR Javon Baker has an intriguing skillset that could be just what the Patriots ordered.
• Alexandra Francisco reports DL Davon Godchaux and his wife, supermodel Chanel Iman, hosted the ChauxDown Foundation’s first annual Mother’s Day Luncheon at Gillette Stadium on Thursday.
• Press Conferences: Jaheim Bell - Marcellas Dial - Ja’Lynn Polk - Caedan Wallace - Drake Maye - Jerod Mayo.
• Transcript: Jerod Mayo.
• Photos: Patriots Rookie Minicamp - Day 1 & 2 and Day 3.
• Mike Reiss shares some quick-hit weekend thoughts: QB Joe Milton III had ‘too much talent’ to pass up; Possible joint training camp practice with Eagles; Wallace-Robinson duo; Reaction to 18-game season; More!
• Ben Volin’s Sunday Football Notes: Beyond Drake Maye, what should we make of the Patriots’ first draft post-Bill Belichick?
• Steve Balestrieri’s Sunday Patriots News: Rookie mini-camp, Eliot Wolf IS the GM; Ernie Adams; More.
• Andy Hart’s Sunday 7: Jerod Mayo and Drake Maye go camping.
• Doug Kyed’s Rookie Minicamp Notes: Observations from Drake Maye, draft class. Top takeaway: Quarterback play will look different for the Patriots this season.
• Taylor Kyles shares his observations from rookie minicamp: Rookie weapons stand out.
• Tom E. Curran’s Rookie minicamp observations: Drake Maye as advertised, a work in progress with all the physical tools to, someday, maybe, approach his much-discussed ceiling; Joe Milton has a cannon of an arm; More.
• Chris Mason gives us 7 takeaways from Patriots rookie minicamp. 1. Both QBs have big arms.
• Alex Barth’s Rookie minicamp notebook: First look at the Class of 2024.
• Mike D’Abate’s Patriots Rookie Minicamp notes: Jerod Mayo reveals ‘a-ha’ moment; More.
• Sophie Weller posts her photos from rookie minicamp at Gillette Stadium.
• Zack Cox tells us how Drake Maye was taking charge at Patriots rookie minicamp.
• Mike D’Abate points out that based on their usage during rookie minicamp, rookie offensive linemen Caedan Wallace and Layden Robinson may each be facing a possible positional switch.
• Christopher Price hears from rookie offensive linemen Caedan Wallace and Layden Robinson, who say they have been ‘inseparable since we got out here’ at minicamp.
• Doug Kyed spotlights how the rookie receivers and offensive linemen are forging early connections at minicamp.
• Alex Barth posts the Patriots rookie jersey numbers for 2024.

for me, i’ve named the Chandelier coach Charlotte. (Because of Poppy’s old era with Charlotte)

What is Looking-Glass Self? This is concept in sociology, discovered in 1902 by Cooley - and his theory states that we form our own identity based on what we think other people think who we are. In fact, the whole sociology is based on social anxiety- the very same social anxiety that psychiatry (CBT and DSM) are pathologizing and trying to cure and destroy and present as mental illness.
Without social anxiety, without ability to worry what other people think about us - we would lose social skills, empathy and civilization norms - such as not eating others.
"If it weren't for the nervous people in the world, we'd all still be eating each other." The Misfits (1961) https://youtu.be/h56iL7vK5Y0
When people consume chicken - they eat the flesh of animals because there is no ability to connect with the slaughtered animals as conscious beings who are able to think and perceive us. So when we destroy social anxiety- our ability to worry what other people think - we will become psychopaths, sociopaths and narcissists. This also provide us with important information of self expression and holding toxic people accountable - by stating the facts and truth. Toxic people learn to suppress social anxiety - and this gives them ability to be cruel. And the only way to probe their delusions is to speak the truth to them. And that is why toxic people mock and go into hysteria mode - because their suppressed conscience and morality and ethics are eating them from inside.
Dolphins are not caught with smiles but cruelly with hooks, Michele. One day you will learn to be cruel. Caravaggio (1986) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF12uM_GK74
Sociology is based on social anxiety - that we form our own identity based on society. We need other people to provide us information who we are and how to express ourselves. The language is the very first thing that society gives us to define who we are - by using the very words that society is using.
Theories of the Self
William James (1890): A person has "as many social selves as there are individuals who recognize him and carry and image of him in their minds"
Charles Cooley (1902): Views of self reflect the standpoints of significant others in our lives ("looking-glass self")
George Herbert Mead (1934): We imagine the perspectives of others and incorporate these into our self views - and that this occurs continuously as we interact with others on an ongoing, moment to moment basis.

Having a distorted looking glass (incorrectly imagining others’ opinions of us) can cause bad feelings, or a negative self-image. https://wa01001786.schoolwires.net/cms/lib/WA01001786/Centricity/Domain/70/Socialization%20Notes.pdf
What happens when we are around toxic people - is that our identity is deformed as well. CBT claims, along with DSM, that our worry what other people think - is personality disorder, called Borderline:
Reality testing is ability to perceive reality properly. Without too much deviation from facts. Borderline refer to you if want to know anything about reality. “Do you think so too?” Narcissist will tell you "am I not genius". YT Richard Grannon & Prof. Sam Vaknin about Fantasy
Borderline personality disorder is a mental health condition that affects the way people feel about themselves and others, making it hard to function in everyday life. It includes a pattern of unstable, intense relationships, as well as impulsiveness and an unhealthy way of seeing themselves. (Mayo Clinic)
The truth is - if we are around toxic people, their criticism will affect our self worth. Their constant nagging, constant nitpicking, constant error finding and constant drama about anything that moves - will have an effect on our sense of stability and security in the world. This is not disorder. This is simply how society works. In order to heal our mental health issues - we need to repair connections with other people - which may include minimizing exposure to toxic people or cutting toxic people completely off from our lives.
We will never feel secure, confident, worthy - if there are toxic people around us who are criticizing us and others all the time.
Improving our relationships is improving our mental health. William Glasser
Interpersonal strife with those close to us leads to rifts and resentments that produce symptoms of mental illness; these problems are, in fact, the logical consequence of troubled relationships. Glasser emphasizes that lasting psychological problems are usually caused by problems in our personal relationships (rather than signifying a biochemical abnormality in the brain), and distress can be remedied through repairing these relationships without recourse to psych drugs. DK psychology book, WILLIAM GLASSER
Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
In another words: feel safe with other people = mental health
The single most important issue for traumatized people is to find a sense of safety in their own bodies. 🟦 Bessel A. van der Kolk
Toxic people cause social anxiety. That is why social anxiety is called social+anxiety. There is social element that is causing the anxiety. There is social factor contributing to anxiety. It is not called self-anxiety. We did not catch social anxiety by walking randomly in the street when it was rainy, so we caught a common cold. It is not like we felt bored in our lives so we invented neuroticism to keep us active and occupied. Social anxiety must start in childhood with ACE and ACoA where we learned from early on - that life is dangerous, that people are not safe, that we must worry to be hyper-vigilant and that we are unworthy if we make any kind of mistakes. We learned that our flaws, imperfections and mistakes are our core personality - abnormal and inept.
Society attacks early, when the individual is helpless. B. F. Skinner
This is how we end up with Broken Looking Glass Self. Distorted Looking Glass Self. We end up with operant conditioning - to worry what other people think in such way that we attempt to think for the other person ahead of time, so that they do not get mad of us - and then attempt, we try hard not to make other people mad. And how we execute this operant conditioning - depends on our background, people around us and punishments to which we were exposed as kids. Most socially anxious learn to keep quiet. To shut up. To self censor. And to self blame. If the other person is angry or hysterical - we will feel responsible for their mood swings and we will try hard to fix their emotions and their problems. Soon - we spread this fixing on other people, who are not angry - and we create fake social mask that is always pleasant and nice and helpful to anyone, especially if they are angry and rude and intrusive. We learned to interpret their anger as our fault and our abnormality. Looking glass self is broken - because it does not reflect any more - now we imagine how to please other people without using looking glass (mirror) - as all people use it.
Other people are there as information post. They broadcast who they are, many of them mask their true Self and present fake version of themselves, their social mask. Our brain will naturally form opinion about us through the words and opinions and non-verbal gestures from other people, strangers or our acquaintances. This part is totally normal. This is not disorder. This is not illness. The disorder starts when we try hard to fix other people's conclusions about us by making ourselves small and by changing our routine so that we soothe the other person. Instead of CBT techniques - all that we need to do here is to allow other people to think whatever they choose to think about us. Simply allow other people to hate us and leave it at that.
We really have to work very hard at changing our programming because we don't understand we're upset because someone else has a perception of us that we're uncomfortable with. And we challenge this person's perception of us. We're upset that people think this about us. Something amazing happens when you begin to accept that other people are allowed to have their own faulty perception of you. 🟥 Lisa A. Romano Breakthrough Life coach Inc.
For the next step, sociology will also help us. CBT and DSM, psychiatry is telling us concrete steps which we must take - and morally and ethically speaking - this is illegal. When someone orders us what we must do - this is called manipulation and coercive control. This way anyone who is psychopathic and narcissistic can climb, grab and push their way to powerful position of ordering others what to do - and then evil people can easily manipulate and control the masses. This is what happens with psychiatry. Psychology on the other hand explains concepts - psychology does not order us what to do in life and how to react. That is why Humanistic psychology is healthy.
It is the client who knows what hurts, what directions to go, what problems are crucial, what experiences have been deeply buried. Carl Rogers
In the same manner as Humanistic Psychology and IFS Model - sociology also has the similar term that allows clients freedom in own choices - which is called Thomas theorem.
The Thomas theorem is a theory of sociology which was formulated in 1928 by William Isaac Thomas and Dorothy Swaine Thomas: If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences. In other words, the interpretation of a situation causes the action. This interpretation is not objective. (wiki)
If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences. - formulated in 1928 by William Isaac Thomas and Dorothy Swaine Thomas
This means - that no other person can objectively tell us what is the best way to go in life. We need our inner GPS, our intuition, our common sense, other people as well - to form our reality and our construct of the future where we are headed. With CBT and DSM - we do not have this freedom. With CBT and DSM - we are pathologized instead - and all our focus is spent on fixing our symptoms - we are literally self consuming ourselves with CBT.
In real life- real life situations will not allow us to form rigid mindset. Any other person, any other situation in life - good or bad - is always unique and different. Sometimes it is great that we shut up and that we self censor ourselves - especially if we are tired and we don't want to harm other people with our nagging and complaints that will go off as soon as we get to sleep and rest. On the other hand - many situations in life that are triggering our social anxiety require from us to self express, that we talk out our truth - no matter how much manipulative people attempt to shut us up with mocking and shaming.
So when we allow other people to form toxic conclusions about us - we need to know that we can rely on our brain, on our intuition to tell us how to react and what to do and how to behave. We have this mechanism inside us. We do not need to pathologize ourselves with CBT. CBT will tell us that we must be assertive in order to handle toxic people. This is horrible advice because:
"If you have been the scapegoat in a narcissistic family system, the concept of setting a boundary is laughable. You would be telling them exactly how to hurt you, and they would happily oblige. Also, trying to set a boundary in a calm and tactful way would be met by resistance in the form of mocking and ridicule, attempting to bait the scapegoat into anger, which would prove you are the problem." YT kingbee9778
"I feel gaslighted by the therapy mantras of “ you have to teach people how to treat you “ ,(setting boundaries). No you don’t and no you can’t. First of all, it’s not my job to teach an adult how to behave like one and quite frankly, it’s a trap and a drain hole. Secondly, I DON’T CONTROL OTHER PEOPLE. They will do what they want, especially if they have the tiniest ounce of power over you." YT gertrudewest4535
When we follow CBT - we will repeat the broken Looking Glass Self when we exposure ourselves to social situations - and social anxiety will not go away - because we will continually process the same ways reality and other people in a manner that is toxic to us - through seeking approval from other people, through self flagellation, through harsh inner critic and internalized toxic shame.
To fix broken Looking-Glass Self means fixing social anxiety: when we are afraid of what other people think about us. With CBT we self pathologize our normal reaction to worry what other people think about us. This is not disorder, it is totally normal to have awareness that other people are thinking about us.
Many social anxiety coaches will use "Spotlight effect" as proof that other people do not worry about us:
"The spotlight effect is the psychological phenomenon by which people tend to believe they are being noticed more than they really are."
In toxic contact - toxic people - those same ones who trigger our social anxiety - do notice anything about us. In normal population - other people will think about us and we will define each other - through the process called The Michelangelo phenomenon - where we chisel each other into better version, where we change our toxic habits that hurt us as much as they hurt other people. In unhealthy, toxic social dynamics there will be the opposite: Golem Effect and Crab mentality. Where there is competition and where other person is perceived as threat and someone to pull down.
A lot of content on mental health in mainstream media does not cover the unique corner that survivors of narcissistic abuse live in. Not one mention of being in any kind of toxic relationship. “Avoid your triggers” is not easy in narcissistic relationships. When the discomfort is living in your house or down the street or in the next office. It was not even rumination, but reality. And the constant exposure means you don't get a break. 🟥 DoctorRamani https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uusKWmjUk6k
I'm not setting boundary with these people. “Don't do this with me”. “Don't say this with me”. It's all internal. Because if you try to set a boundary with someone who's narcissistic or antagonistic – it's never going to work. And I think it's unsafe guidance to give.
With this dangerous person no. But what are you willing to tolerate. How can you protect yourself emotionally. What access can you remove. Move these people from VIP section.
🟥 Dr. Ramani - Terri Cole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSHI5N-w5sk
With broken Looking-Glass Self - we end up being trapped in toxic people's minds. Similar to horror movie / book The Cell from 2000. Even when we develop Who cares attitude, and when we consciously try to block and build walls away from toxic people, when we try hard to push down and suppress toxic people - we are still trapped in their reality of what they potentially might think about us. This is why CBT is not working - because CBT tries hard to convince us to use suppression as method to block social anxiety. And we cannot block other people - we need other people for our identity and our self worth - where there is healthy interaction called Interdependence. Toxic people behave in codependent way - they see other people as competition and this creates codependency. They need other people like vampires need blood - to exploit someone's attention, someone's focus, money, time and or resources of any kind. It is like give me, give me, give me - and provide nothing in return. With social anxiety we end up giving others without observing if the other person is emotionally invested in us at all. It ends up and one side interaction, exploitation really. Social anxiety means suppress anger as well. We learned to push our anger away - and this attracts toxic people who count on our silence and understanding and toxic empathy - knowing that they can cross boundaries of social interaction in their favor and we won't make any kind of protest. Then our own only protection - is avoidance. Therefore - social anxiety is natural defense mechanism against dangerous criminally insane psychopaths who are abusing their power position against ourselves.
In our teen years we experiences bully experience - after years of exposure to ACoA and ACE (constant criticism and constant drama at home) - so we generalized the belief that we cannot trust other people - and we learned that we process reality through broken Looking Glass Self - where we appease other people with our decisions - by being afraid what other people may think badly of us - since we were pressed and pushed into equating social rejection and our self worth as if they are one of the same. And psychiatry - instead of explaining us that it is totally normal to worry what other people think - CBT explains us that this is abnormality. This faulty explanation from medical industry is adding more trauma and more toxic shame and it gives our inner critic free reign to self abuse us - because we believe we are abnormal and ill if we worry what other people thin about us. In reality - all people worry about others. Even psychopaths worry what other people will think, along with narcissists - because they know that they need to form fake social mask of charm in order to seduce new victims into their agenda of exploiting and manipulating others.
Looking-Glass Self tells us - that we simply allow toxic people to form bad opinion about us in their heads - and that we absolutely do nothing to change this image that toxic people freely choose to believe about us in their heads.
You're no longer going to play the game of what can I do differently to get them to behave differently – because the answer is to that is nothing. That's radical acceptance. It takes long time. And it's not just accepting their behavior is not going to change, it's also the way it affects you is also not going to change. Just because you radically accept doesn't mean that somebody screaming at you is going to hurt any less- it does,it hurts a lot 🟥 Dr. Ramani - Terri Cole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSHI5N-w5sk
Other people will hurt us. They will say mean and untrue things about us. They will attack us - this has nothing to do with who we are. Their choice to harm and hurt other person - is abnormality in their brain. Normal healthy sane people do not attack others. Normal healthy sane people have ability to emotionally regulate themselves. Person who does not have this ability - is sick and mentally ill. And this has nothing to do with us. We are not the ones who can cure them by changing our behavior.
Lundy Bancroft: "Abuse is NOT caused by bad relationship dynamics. You can't manage your partner's abusiveness by changing your behaviour. But he wants you to think you can."
The pain that we feel when toxic people attack us, verbally or physically - is normal pain, we need this pain as the instruction for us what to do with severely damaged people around us.
If you are not feeling pain, anger and sadness while you are taking in psychological abuse or something similar – you are going to end up in those situations over and over again –because you are not logging information that your body telling 🟥Heidi Priebe https://youtube.com/watch?v=GTQohPaGnSY
People say it bothers me when they say these things. I say, because they say bothersome things. I don't want you to lose that part of you. That part is good index what is okay, what's not. From that point – excavation. A person pulling their true self out of their relationships. If you grew up with narcissistic parent, it was a true self that never even got to develop. It's how much your identity got co-opted. What do I like, what do I stand for. 🟥 Dr. Ramani - Terri Cole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSHI5N-w5sk
The core of narcissistic person is very fragile. That's why they lose it when you critique them. Or give them feedback. Or don't read their mind. Or don't do exactly what they want. And that's why they use all kinds of tactics like manipulation, gaslighting, invalidation, dismissiveness, competitiveness, betrayal. Some of them are tactics, some are unemphatic behavior. And it gives them the upper hand in relationship. Control, power gives them supply. 🟥 Dr. Ramani - Cole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSHI5N-w5sk
With social anxiety - we do not need psychiatry. Socially anxious need sociology. It is after all social issue. Social anxiety is anxiety that is connected to society - the name itself reveals this crucial aspect: society, social, societal. Psychiatry will only leave us lacking and with belief that something is horribly wrong with us, when we are around toxic people:
DSM doesn't explain anything. So many therapies and particularly CBT and others are just so focused on extinguishing symptoms which were once strategies of survival. And it doesn't make sense that you want to extinguish – we want eventually to move away from these symptoms and these strategies but I certainly don't want to pathologize them or look at them as somehow defective because they have saved our lives. 🟥 Transforming Trauma Episode 21 IFS & NARM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRTHacVAwdk
When we stop self pathologizing our social anxiety - we will unburden ourselves with toxic idea that feeling pain is abnormal and sick. And it will give us energy to start looking what is causing this pain - instead of focusing ourselves on chasing the symptoms. Without the stigma and labels - we will have much more resources at our disposal to handle difficult people in life who are causing our social anxiety in the first place.
With social anxiety - we need to learn about the Cooley's concept Looking-Glass Self and other terms from sociology. Instead of pathologizing our social reactions - we simply need information to confirm us that we are not abnormal and inept as CBT paints the socially anxious. We need information to learn what our rights are.
Five themes of microaggression against people with mental illnesses
1. Invalidation
When other people dismiss their illness or symptoms through minimizing their experience, symptomizing their normal experiences, and patronizing
2. Assumption of inferiority
When other people assume that people with mental illness have lower intelligence, are incompetent, and that they do not have control
3. Fear of mental illness
When other people fear them because they believe that they may be dangerous or unpredictable
4. Shaming of mental illness
When other people tell them that they shouldn't let others know about their mental illness
5. Second class citizen attitudes
When other people treat them as if they don't have the same rights as the dominant group of society.
Mental Health Forum, 2016

Diagnosis is not an excuse to be selective about their rights. Autistic not weird
Healing the Broken Looking-Glass Self means learning about the mentality - which we never had chance to learn in our developmental years. Other children learned this concept via keeping connections with other people. We - started to avoid people. Even when we were around other people - we pulled our investment emotionally with other people - and this way we never learned that other people are safe. We developed the stump growth - that is being stuck in age 12, when we started to avoid people. Similar to the plant that cannot grow roots in small basin or tree/plant that is stumped in growing due to some kind of obstacle to grow upright. Our growth was shaped from the perspective of not trusting other people - because they harmed us. Other people learned to develop certain amount of trust. They learned to filter out the bad people. And they learned that they are safe to express themselves - without being punished for it. This is why their social anxiety is in normal threshold. They will experience stress and then behave in anti-social manner, they will express their anger without problems - because they were never pushed into forming their self worth through worry what their tormentors might think about them. So it is not like social anxiety is abnormality or sickness - it is simply that non-socially anxious people were lucky enough to grow in healthy ambient, and that is their secret. They were not stronger. They were not more competent. They were not better or superior to the socially anxious. They simply had privilege and entitlement that helped them over-pass developmental years without fearing other people. Their mechanisms how to handle triggers - are mostly unhealthy (lacking empathy) - but their Looking glass self was not broken. With interaction with other people, with other children, they learned naturally to allow difficult people to hate them. Instead of worry - that is found in social anxiety - they simply turned their focus onto other people. With social anxiety - we do not have other people, we have no one to turn to, since we learned that other people are painful and traumatic. We never learned that hanging around with other people is enjoyable experience - and if someone is rude, toxic and abnormal - that we are allowed to focus and place our attention to better, healthier people around us.
In shame culture ambient - we will learn that other people criticism is reflection of our worth - and that is Broken Looking-Glass Self. That we cannot feel good about ourselves until other person reflects positive words about us to us:
Young American explained why she left Croatia:
"In Croatia people constantly express intrusive opinion about matters which are none of their business. The most irritating things were rude people."
https://www.poslovni.hlifestyle/amerikanka-napusta-hrvatsku-neucinkovitost-i-birokracija-te-ljudi-koji-nemaju-motiva-za-napredovanjem-u-poslu-358422
Young American explained why she escaped from Croatia:
"Often I heard Croats intruding why am I eating something, or commenting about what I wore. There is no such thing in America, we allow people to be what they want to be. People here are strange as if I am inside toxic relationship."
https://www.vecernji.hshowbiz/amerikanka-u-hrvatskoj-iznenadila-objavom-ljudi-su-ovdje-cudni-kao-da-sam-u-losoj-vezi-1351757
Don't look to the approval of others for your mental stability. 🟦 Karl Lagerfeld
We will heal social anxiety trauma with healing our choice to stay stuck around toxic people. We can cut toxic people - even when we are unable to leave them physically - by severing the trauma bonding in our mind - that is broken Looking-Glass Self.
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Eleanor Roosevelt
Yes, toxic people are pathological liars, They spread gossip. They create drama and hysteria. Toxic people do not have word toxic stuck on their forehead. Toxic people will not behave toxically in front of others - because they depend to look good in the eyes of other people - so they also have Looking-Glass Self no matter how much they said that they do not care what other people think about them. Therefore - social anxiety is clear indication that we are around toxic people. Toxic people do not allow us to express ourselves - and they use various methods of coercive control to manipulate their targets. The first step is to sever this trauma bonding - by allowing them to hate us.
That we basically stop impressing others.
Don't try to impress others. ✝️ Bible, Philippians 2-3
Cooley said our sense of Self comes from how we think other people see us. “I am not what I think I am. I am not what you think I am; I am what I think you think I am.” Other people's reflections of us and how we think about those images they have of us help create our sense of Self. Grades from teachers can reflect back to us an image of ourselves that we then internalize and becomes our self-perception. They effect self-image. 🟥 The Looking glass self https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X1wwTCuZBo
We imagine we are seen by others. And that imagination forms our identity. Our identity is being shaped by others. Others is agent which influences who we are in society. You begin to believe that and you begin to see as your identity, what other people think of you. Intelligent, high self esteem, outgoing – you believe what people say about you, it becomes your identity. Our identity is formed through the way we imagine people see us.
🟥 Looking-glass Self https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UWOflUXKUQ
That imagination comes from interaction with these people. In the process of interaction they tell you this is what we think about you. And then you go off believe in that. You don't control what people think about you. Front Stage Behavior: Familiarity breeds content-With front stage they behave nicely. It's in subconsciousness of individuals that they have to behave a certain way in public. At interview- they smile, but is this who they are?
🟥 Looking-glass Self https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UWOflUXKUQ
It is often said that American Beauty is a film about identity. Each character seems to go through a very personal identity crisis. But I would argue that this crisis are not personal at all. They are products of wider social forces. We may define ourselves based on prevailing attitudes towards sexuality, beauty and material success. Sense of self strongly influences by social world.
🟥 American Beauty Film Analysis: The Sociology of Identity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6youJFbEgQ
Ricky shows Jane that he likes her as she is. Eventually this leads her abandoning the idea of surgery and gain enough confidence and self-esteem to tell Angela what she really thinks of her. Freed from idea that everyone looks down on he because of her physical appearance, Jane's sense of self is no longer defined how she looks, how she looks to others.
🟥 American Beauty Film Analysis: The Sociology of Identity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6youJFbEgQ
An individual realize its self by reflecting others' perceptions about him. They use social interactions as a mirror. A Person grows and develop due to interpersonal interactions of the Society. When one interacts socially, one completely considers how one looks in the eyes of others. Negative response leads to depression and anxiety.
🟥 Looking Glass Self Theory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAzsBj6yTpw
Looking Glass Self where you see yourself the way you think others see you. You can't see the way others truly see you. So you're seeing yourself they way you think others think they see you. You can see how much is lost in the translation. You're much more beautiful than you think. You attract so much more than you know. There's more going on with you than you care to acknowledge. Beauty is not about what you see. It's about what you reflect. 🟥 Looking Glass Self https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFEkq8uDiJU
Mirror in front of you, and you are looking at yourself in the mirror, the way it is – is mirror in reality. As Masha labels you, tells you, comments on you, provides you all kinds of feedback, your self continues to develop. The way society perceives you and gives feedback about you. It is considered important to yourself and you have that impression that is how I should be. Their significance or importance makes you proud.
🟥 Looking Glass Self https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa-PD1YVxj4
There is something you have never understood, Joe. These people at the top, they are the same as anybody else. But you had it inside of you to be so much bigger than any of them. You just had to be yourself. That was all. With me you were yourself. Only with me. Room at the Top (1958) https://youtu.be/Cs1C_Tu2crI