The Golden Neep IC

( MG )

( Roger, Kal, Ada )

( Alex )

( Ernie )

Scotland, we need to have a talk about...

PLAYOFF BEARDS

What is a playoff beard?
Playoff beards are a tradition among sport teams in North America that began in the greatest league of all, the National Hockey League. When one's team reaches the playoffs, the day before playoffs begin, the players (and/or fans!) capable of growing beards shave off all their facial hair.

Do I get to keep my eyebrows?
Of course; this shouldn't even be a question. You should be ashamed of yourself for even asking.

Can I groom my beard during playoff season?
No.

When do I regain agency over my own face?
When your team is eliminated or they win!

Why should I participate this?
Because it's a tradition. And because, after Montrose's display, I suspect a fair number of you are hockey players at heart. Embrace it, my beautiful bairns.

ALEC URQUHART

Wednesday evening. Free?

DANI MIRACLE

In the interest of your interest in whether or not my well-being has, in fact, been well, I have decided to share with you a very confidential document. More sensitive sections have been redacted to protect the innocent.

If you show it to anyone, I will end you.

[Click for large image]

[For OOC curiosity, here is the non-redacted version.]

That was the most brilliant match ever and I still can't believe it actually happened and that I didn't just dream it. And I got to play in it!

(And I did sleep and thus dream a lot of after that match.)

[Ainsley]

Hey... How are you feeling?

i start to panic when i can't find my wand for five minutes i don't think i'd want to be a seeker.

Igot uq gagin!!

( Fraser )

( Mel )

[Ainsley]

I didn’t see you at the match.
So naturally, I worried
Are you alright, love? Do you need anything?

[MADDIE]

How'd the event go? Hopefully the kids all enjoyed themselves.

[ANGUS]

So when you mentioned the possibility of going sailing were you serious about that?

I know the Neep and the playoffs are all terribly exciting, and I'm certainly excited to see who ends up taking both, but... well, I had a couple of complaints from our cleaners after the last Neep match. So please for Merlin's sake if you're going to get pissed sloshed indulge yourself at a match then please do so responsibly. Or at least bloody clean up after yourselves

CLAMS was brilliant and I loved every minute of it. Maddie, thanks for letting me be a part of it.

[Jamie]
Look mate, your brooms passed every test the Ministry has and then I went completely off book because they were concerned about the wand woods. They're solid. Bloody brilliant, really. I want two but I'm not even sure I can afford one.

Now you can wait to hear from them officially that they want you to come answer a few questions about said wand woods or you can meet me in the office in the morning leaving me plenty of time to get to the Pride match. Up to you.

If you show up right before the match though I'm going to be a very unhappy broom tester and I'll remember that later on.

[Meaghan]
I know I freaked you out the other day but you should know that even if you decided to run of with Dunbar now I'd insist on us staying friends. Alright? Not going anywhere.

Puffskeins themed birthday party was a good attempt at just acquiring more of the fluffy things. This is why no pets as gifts is a good rule, I fear the place would be overrun with them if Ellie had her say.

[Montrose +]

Final match of the regular season! What a fly it's been so far, you've all been amazing. How ever this match goes, we'll be having drinks at the clubhouse to toast the end of the regular season (but you lot can go off for something more fun after).

Now onto the Falcons...I'm going to try and be professional about them but I don't have many kind words to say about the team they are right now. They have a reputation that's well deserved as one of the roughest teams in this league.

In my personal opinion, their coach and management encourages this aggressive hostile team culture and style of play to the point where they have tipped well over from just being a physical team. When I talk about setting an example as a team, the degradation of the falcons we've seen this season is exactly what I don't want us to ever be. You're all professionals and I'm proud that you've all managed to carry yourselves that way, so on Thursday go out and show them how real professionals play.

Falmouth Notes:

Chasers: Leyland is the one to watch out for usually when it comes to points but they're rather even across the board and like using their elbows to help them steal possession wherever possible. Now whether or not the League and even the Falcons management play Flint will be their test of character. He's their roughest chaser and puts together enough points that if they don't (and frankly they shouldn't) play him it'll leave a hole. But that's about as positive as I can be about the man, anyone who treats a teammate that way well...I would've hope that no team would stand for it. Yet while I dislike being wrong about that, I'm not surprised.

Beaters: Offensive, and Allen in particular is their rough one. Very spotty defense though and they will sacrifice defense to try and get big hits on opponents, even if it means their own or themselves getting hit. Which is how the beaters alone have taken 5 big injuries this season.

Seeker: Of their current starting lineup, Mather is the only one who gets my respect. Kenna, consider this your big challenge this season. Mather is a better seeker than this team deserves and has a success rate to keep him near the top of the league. Without half his snitches, this team wouldn't be in playoff position with all their losses. Fly hard, lass, and use our beater cover to your advantage. He's taken big hits this season and it's been 3 blocs since we've seen him play, so he should be ready to close the season. If they don't play him...their reserve is still learning and can be both outflown and tricked in the chase.

Keeper: Shingouz was a very respectable keeper in her day, but looks like too many big injuries so close together is signalling her career coming to a close. After Cameron (I don't need to say how that one went) they're down to their reserve keeper Cattermole. We've only seen her in 2 matches this season so she's hard to judge but based on those...well they need to find a starting keeper if they want to go further.

Falmouth lineup:

Reserves, time to shine.
Chasers: Maddock, Roger, Angus
Beaters: Lex and Kal
Keeper: Ada
Seeker: Kenna

Yes I know we don't have our captain or vice captain up there. But this is a rough beater-heavy team so I'm giving Lex this one to run, she knows the things they'll try best so follow her lead for this match.

Portree Match

Reminder that Dani has gotten us a box to watch this final Portree match. I know it's the Cannons, and it better not last as short as their last one because she went to enough trouble to get this for us. But it's their last match and this is our chance to see their reserves in action again before the second neep match.

Festive note

Importantly to me, it's a little lass's 5th birthday on the 15th. I'm sure in her excitement she's mentioned it to many of you though. Ellie's been very insistent on asking that the team pups (and the team) be invited too, so like Ava's birthday you and your pets are all invited. It's at mine, with a magiczoology theme or Beast Safari (even if it's more jungle than Sahara) as the bairns might put it.

Like with Ava's, there is no obligation to come and no gifts are needed (especially not animals as gifts).

Now that you've read all that: Let's put Falmouth in their place.

( Warded message AND owl sent to Maggie )

Note.

Sent directly after this, in two forms so she can't miss it.

Quidditch is an excellent reminder of just why I don't gamble. I enjoy the potential and the story too much and can't help wishing for the more dramatic outcome, but only a fool pins all their hopes on stories.

In Quidditch, at least. Much more effective in dueling. On which note, happy to say I've cleared my schedule enough to go to WILD tomorrow. Rather hoping Nova Scotia will make an appearance. I've not seen her in action yet but by all accounts she's quite the exciting new talent and I like what I hear about her interaction with Dexter and Sinistra.

( Rhoda McCrimmon )

Hey what do ye lot do fer yer birthday?

[Flatmates (Meaghan/Florrie)]
(Oh this doesn't mean hostin anything at the Cattery! Dun wanna piss of Meaghan's mum. Just wanted ta ask people and I'm bored)

[Tor]
Knowing I'm not playing the next match is really motivation killin'. I'm bored an' I want playoffs ta start already.

Also see the public question. First time livin' outta home and first time bein' a starter means at least I have extra coin ta use fer something fun. Dunno what though. What do ye want ta tag along fer?

I'm not going to lie - the final matches of a Quidditch season are always my favorite.

Hamish

Want to grab a drink?

Pride

If anyone needs anything before playoffs begin, let me know. My office door's always open.

[Montrose +]
One last regular season game, two Neeps, and the playoffs to go.

Anyone else feeling psyched about this?

I know I haven't been with you guys for very long, but it's always great to be a part of a winning team!

( [Roger] )

( [Rafa] )

[Montrose+]

The Neep is behind us and what a start, team! I'm still in a good mood over it.

We're going into the very last bloc of the regular season here and I'd like us to end it strong to go into the playoffs on a good note. But before I give you the rosters or traditional strategy talks, there's some things to get in order first.

- Chasers, again, brilliant work against McCormack. If you can handle her like that every time then we're in excellent shape going forward. Falcons are a rough team though so I'm letting Lex loose on you lot to prepare you for dealing with that

- Lex, I want them able to play the match. Other than that...

- Micah and Ada, see Florrie for being cleared to play the Falcons

- Lennox and Kenna, we're doing some extra seeker training leading into playoffs. Other teams will be trying to take Portree's cue and shut you down, so let's prepare for that.

- Actually, anyone who's been listed as injured at all in the last 2 blocs, go see Florrie.

- And maybe even if you're not

[Georgi CC:Florrie + Shona]

If you still have the details for that cursebreaker, get another clearing for the match if you can. We can afford to wait through this bloc, I'd rather take this too seriously than too lightly.

[Lennox]

How are you doing, lad?

Tomorrow is National Beer Day in America. Please plan accordingly [...] and responsibly.

STUDY GROUP:

Since we've all been sharing big life news with each other under wards this year (and what a trend it is!), I thought I should finally inform you about my new relationsh–

Wait, no, that's not right.

I should finally inform you that I'll be sitting healer exams (and then some) again at the end of June. Please have booked all social engagements six months in advance. Miracles, I expect you to show Gina a photo of me daily and remind her how much I love her.

My Mungo's contract ends in June and they won't renew until I receive my results in August, so please remind me to leave my flat for sunshine at regular intervals throughout June. Vitamin D is of the utmost importance.

Also, it should go without saying but please don't advertise this. You'll hurt if you do and I won't even be working at the hospital to patch you up.

Tags: ! journal, maggie macdougal

So what's the proper protocol for housewarming parties? Because I'm pretty sure my flat can fit maybe five people. Six if we count the loo. And I really don't need anything And the dog.


[Monte]
So last night was nice. good. thanks. I know I said stuff this morning. But I can't stop thinking about it

Yeah.

And here's my unsolicited advice for the evening:

Do something that terrifies you today.

Ask out your crush.

Tell someone a secret.

Be yourself in a room full of strangers.

Forget who you're supposed to be for a little while.

Ask for forgiveness.

Be brave. Be braw.

I believe in you.

[Justin]
I WENT THESTRAL JOUSTING TODAY AND IT WAS AMAZING!!!

P.S. - I didn't die, so I'm not the ghost of your dead boyfriend!

Tags: ! journal, monte cameron

I tried to keep the wireless on low at my desk during the Harpies match this afternoon, but I accidentally got most of the office listening. I'd apologise but the Harpies were killing it. They were my team until Justin announced the return of Banchory, and they'll remain such until the Bangers play their first match.


[Ernie]
How are things going over there?


[Ernie and Justin]
I heard someone bring up the anniversary of the battle already. They're not gonna want to do something every year, are they?