Reasons to Stay Alive by Mathew Gray Gubler
(2/2) “Mom tried her best to pay for flight school, but we kept running out of money. I’d have to drop out for a few weeks, and since flying involves so much muscle memory, it would take me a while to get back on track. So one day I bought a stack of magazines and newspapers. I went through every page and cut out the advertisements. Then I opened my pantry and wrote down every brand I could find. I sent all of them letters, asking for help. Almost everyone said ‘no.’ But I did receive an amount from a grocery store called Pick-n-Pay. And Breitling sent me a brand new watch to raffle. That was a huge break. I sold six hundred raffle tickets. Things were going so well. African Pilot Magazine promoted the raffle for free. A man from Australia bought 100 tickets. But then I got a letter from the Lottery Board ordering me to end my raffle. They said it was illegal. I tried to explain that I was raising money for my education, but they didn’t care. I was so disappointed. I’d have to sit out another year of flight school. But when I called everyone to explain the situation, nobody would accept their money back. They told me to keep it! It was enough to keep me in the air for months. Then around Christmas that year, one of my mentors invited me to eat lunch at the airport. When I stepped out of the car, everyone who had ever helped me was there. They all started clapping. And somebody handed me the phone. A person on the other end said: ‘You’re live on 94.7, and we’re going to pay for your entire education!’ That was nearly four years ago. I just got my license last week. My plan is to fly for South African Airlines, but first I want to do some teaching. I want to visit schools in black neighborhoods. I want all the kids to see what an African female pilot looks like.” (Johannesburg, South Africa)
man you know what I want? a superhero series where they have powers that 100% contradict their personalities. a fishermans daughter who lives by the sea, swims every day, learns that she can control fire. a boy who’s mortified of heights but realizes he can use antigravity and hates it. someone who was bitten by a dog as a child, suffers extreme fear around animals, can now communicate with them. they’re all disgusted by their powers.
uss-assbutt
yes good but what about the ~character development~ as they learn to cope with their powers and overcome their fears
the pyrokinetic swimmer wading out into the ocean armed with waterproof matches to practice so nothing goes wrong, building her confidence with the sea as her safety net, being so proud when she figures out how to heat the air just enough that she dries off instantly after swimming
the boy slowly overcoming his fear of heights, realizing that he can catch himself if he ever falls, standing swaying on top of playground sets and closing his eyes as he tries to safely hover down (and not fall on his face again)
the girl’s terror lessening as the previously terrifying cacophony of the dogs at the park turns into a chorus of “ball! ball! throw me the ball!” “it’s me! I’m the good boy!” and “squirrel!!!” and learning to communicate back, have them listen to her, learning how to calm down a dog who’s overexcited to the point of biting, discovering that the scary dog down the street is just home alone a lot and lonely, staring her fear in the face and learning its secrets
because being disgusted with their powers is interesting, but I want to see people learning to love even the scary and contradictory parts of themselves
??? someone broke into my grandmas house while she was gone & shaved the matted fur off her cat
i want to emphasize that the cat was the only thing altered here
would also like to add that this occcurred sometime between 11 pm & 9 am. we have no leads. the cat is fine & probably appreciates not having a huge mat on his neck, but, like, that’s a really weird kind of vigilante justice, still
spectral-bargheist
chaotic good
This poor dude is waiting for his date for the prom unknowing he is being watched by the crew of a hit TV show
The tides coming in, hurry up dude.
Tide got him but he’s ok.
He’s texting his girl but she’s not showing up. Is she standing him up?
His best bud just showed up to help him.
Tide is really coming in now, he’s on the phone. Things are getting frantic.
Will she arrive in time? We’re gonna give him a round of applause if she says yes and arrives.
OH NO!
CREW IS ENCOURAGING HIM TO RE-DO HIS WORK. WE’RE SHOUTING “DO IT!”
HE IS RE-MAKING THE MESSAGE! I REPEAT! HE IS REMAKING THE MESSAGE!
WE HAVE RECIEVED WORD THAT THE GIRL IS ON A TREASURE HUNT IN THE CITY AND THIS IS THE FINAL LOCATION. HIS FRIEND IS STALLING FOR TIME.
UPDATE: BEACHGOERS HAVE JOINED IN TO HELP THIS BOY REBUILD HIS MESSAGE TO THE GIRL! HIS FRIEND HAS JOINED IN AS WELL.
IT’S ALMOST DONE! THEY MIGHT MAKE IT!
THE MESSAGE IS COMPLETED! THE QUESTION IS NOW “WILL SHE SAY YES?”
BRO OF THE YEAR JUST BROUGHT A GIRL. I THINK THIS MAY BE IT!
I THINK THIS IS IT!
SHE’S APPROACHING!
YES! THE ANSWER IS YES!
OUR CREW IS CHEERING FOR THESE TWO.
Can’t wait for cell phones to be so commonly waterproof that it’s okay to push people in pools again.
laughingstation
you promised these kids krabby the clown
but all i saw was
cheapy the cheapskate