I don't buy that Mr. Markle was blind to his daughter's narcissist rage and abusive behavior.
"Sharp Elbows" is how the mother of Meghan's childhood friend described MEgain.
Does anyone remember the story about the raging argument Sparry and wife had on palace grounds while they were dating?
If so, correct me if I'm wrong: staff reported they had never overheard anything comparable to this level of shouting & screaming by a BRF member. Allegedly it was this argument that caused the dog's injuries.
I didn't believe the story until they shared photos from the so-called trying to roast a chicken engagement event (at Nottingham Cottage) which included the dog & his broken legs.
We received first hand reports of her narcissist rage while from Australians who witnessed: slamming doors, profanity, disrespectful tone to hosts, and of course the hot tea incident.
I wish I had saved Rebecca's notes bc Sparry and wife have managed to live up to their reputation.
Please follow the link to 👍🏿LIKE You Don't Fool Me
The MFackenthal Show with special guest @queen-among-writers
A/N You are in for a treat today everyone! This author has some fabulous advice for how to write.
banner by @whenyourheartskipsabeat
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Megs: Hello everyone! I have an amazing special guest here today. I cannot wait to introduce you to her. You all may know her as @queen-among-writers. Let me tell you though - Kass is a straight up boss … y’know a Queen ya’ll! She’s a literal Ninja. She’s been with the fandom for about 2 years now, she’s a prolific and gorgeous writer; a bit of a gamer. She’s a college student and she’s looking forward to a future military career. Her commute to my studio in San Diego wasn’t too bad *whispering* - that’s right, I have a friend in my time zone! And I cannot wait one moment longer - Kassandra, come join me on stage!
Kass: waves to the studio audience and takes a seat on the couch. Megs, we’ve talked about this, please call me Kass.
Megs: Right, right! Kass it is! Kass, thank you so much for joining me today! I know that we first discussed you joining me on the show almost exactly two months ago. I’m so glad we could finally make this happen.
Kass: Megs, I’m delighted to be on the show!
Megs: So tell us all, what brought you to our crazy fandom.
Kass: I was interested in writing to a new audience for my new favorite game. I was super into The Freshman at the time and I was itching to write Chris x MC fanfic.
Megs: And have you read all of the choices books?
Kass: Nah - all of them, but a majority of them.
Megs: Hmm … so what are your favorite choices books?
Kass: Open Heart, Nightbound, and The Elementalists are all super great! Being from California, the same place as the Ride or Die MC, made that book fun as I got to see all the references to places I know.
Megs: I enjoyed that too! Okay, I’m pretty sure I know this buuuut who is your favorite OTP?
Kass: Beckett x MC (Devina) is my favorite pairing. However, my Nik x MC and Bryce x MC are close too!
Megs: Oh Kass - I fell in love with your writing for Beckett and Devina. Tell us, what’s your writing process?
Kass: Honestly? It’s long. I usually start by outlining and writing out important plot points and other details into my nifty writer’s notebook… by hand. All my ideas start off this way. The ones that evolve are written out in their entirety regarding the plot. I then make a playlist for the story and the couple, if I don’t have one already. I then write the first chapter, or couple chapters. I edit them and check for continuity errors. I usually post after that. Then, I do the last few parts for the rest of the chapters.
Megs: That’s so fascinating. That means by the time you post, you probably have full headcanons - at least in your head if not written down. Okay, what’s your favorite work that you have written?
Kass: I love all my works because I put so much effort into them. Each of them are unique in their own ways, which is why I have so much fun. If I had to pick one, I would probably be selecting The Game We Play because I have such a soft spot for Devina and Beckett and the concept was a blast to write. But my new Nightbound AU, Snow White, Blood Red, and my Elementalists Royalty AU, J’en ai Rêvé, also have soft spots in my heart!
Megs: What do you love about the fandom? What do you dislike?
Kass: I love all the friends I have made in the fandom and who support my work. The fandom can be a little toxic and contentious sometimes and I wish people weren’t so rude. It makes it difficult to express opinions deemed controversial. Also, anon hate runs rampant and I’ve had to put a few anons in their place.
Megs: Sadly, I have too. Some of those Anons are not right. But the support from this fandom is amazing. What advice do you have for other writers? Especially other fanfic writers?
Kass: I have so much advice! I suggest making musical playlists for characters, ships, and stories since music can help with a creative connection. I want to tell all the writers out there to branch out and meet new writers. Form reading groups and hype each other up whenever you can. I also want writers to know not to give up because you think your writing is subpar. Everyone starts off somewhere and no one begins to write like Fitzgerald or Hemingway off the bat. Good writing takes years of practice and patience. I’ve been writing over a decade at least.
Megs: That is sage advice, Kass.
Megs walks around the desk and sits next to Kass on the couch. Megs hands Kass her phone.
Megs: Kass, would you help me find your masterlist?
Kass gives Megs a questioning look, but goes ahead and complies with the request. While she is scrolling on her phone, Megs starts to peek over her shoulder. Kass gives Megs a little nudge with her elbow. Megs gives the audience a wink as she leans further over Kass’s shoulder. Eventually Kass pokes Megs in the side with her elbow.
Megs: Ouch! You DO have sharp elbows! Megs laughs. I may have heard that part of your ninja skills have to do with quickly moving from one tab to another or elbowing people away from you to disguise your fanfiction writing and reading … and I just wanted to see if the rumors were true.
Kass: Oh, you’re a sneaky one Megs. Gives Megs a hug. Seriously, why are you so awesome, Megs?
Megs: Stop, now you’re making me blush! And on that note, I think it’s time to end the show. Have a wonderful week everyone! Stay tuned for my next episode starring the super talented @choicesarehard!
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And now for the tags. If you want to be added to the tag list for these or removed, please let me know!
**Sharp elbows** is an idiom describing someone who is especially aggressive, assertive, or forceful in pursuing their own interests or success, often at the expense of others. It is commonly used both literally (physically pushing through crowds) and metaphorically (in workplace or political contexts)[1].
- In politics and business, having "sharp elbows" means being very competitive, determined, and sometimes ruthless—moving forward by insisting on one's agenda or taking tough actions that might disrupt others.
- The term does not necessarily mean being rude, but may involve making tough decisions or being unapologetically self-advancing in high-stakes environments.
- It can have both positive and negative connotations, depending on whether assertiveness is seen as necessary or as disruptive/aggressive behavior[3].
**Example usage:**
- "You need sharp elbows if you want to get ahead in this industry."
- "The senator’s sharp-elbowed approach during the debate helped him push through his agenda."
Hi everyone and welcome to this week’s installment of the Chicago Fire Round Table! It’s been a crazy week for those of us in the USA because it was Thanksgiving and most people were off work or out of town, but we were still able to make some time for a fun discussion and I’m glad that several folks on the panel were able to participate. =)
Anyway, this week’s episode, Sharp Elbows, really tried our patience with Riddle, Patterson, and the whole Boden situation. Things are quickly getting intense and stressful for everyone at House 51 and we had quite a bit to discuss this week. The holiday week made this a challenging time to get answers from everyone but I totally understand that since it was a crazy week for me too! Thanks to all the panelists who were able to answer the questions!
First up, congrats to @lantetrain for winning the 1st Responder Award this week!!! =)
PSA: Reminder that all the pics and GIFs used in this blog were made by other awesome people and not by me (aside from the editing of the 1st Responder Awards which is always done by me) and big thanks to all the wonderfully talented people who make all those fun things for us! =)
DISCUSSION
Q1. Chief Boden’s situation has gotten bad very fast. Do you want Voight to help the Chief get out of this mess?
lantetrain: Hell yeah I do!! Voight is the man at dealing with these types of situations.
Sharkygirl: Uh... Yes! And Antonio too! Riddle did seem to target his sister when she came back to work.
Nikita_Citizen: Yes absolutely. But Voight likes to break the rules & Boden doesn't, he wants to do things the right way. Unfortunately I have the feeling it's gonna get worse and he'll have no choice but to accept Voight's offer.
sarrabr_4: We all know that Boden didn't do it but that cop dude is starting to annoy me. Doing EVERYTHING he can to turn the situation around to his advantage and YES, ultimately, if he doesn't back the hell off, I want Voight to kick his ass to help Boden.
MiladyEly: Yes, I hope Voight will be able to help out with this whole situation, although I am sure that Voight can! Hopefully it will all be resolved soon.
LauM79: Of course!! Voight will help right now!! I know he will do it!
michelleqpeter2: I would love Voight to help out the Chief but I also like the fact that he took the high road it shows his character.
kwanfan1212: As much as I appreciate that Boden wants to do things the right way and trust that the truth will come out, I don’t trust Serena and whoever else is doing this to him, so I do want Voight to come in and take care of things his way to really make sure Boden comes out of this all right.
Q2. Cruz and Freddie’s story took a turn when Freddie shut Cruz out but he did come back. What do you think he’s hiding from Cruz?
lantetrain: Hmm, it's hard to say!! But I want to see Cruz help Freddie.
Sharkygirl: Not sure...tbh. Not really feeling this Cruz/Freddie storyline, it feels too much like his storyline w/ Leon.
Nikita_Citizen: I have no idea but he's definitely hiding something. He's bad news.
sarrabr_4: I think he's really scared to get out and I'm kind of not sure about him. I think he might be hiding behind the story of wanting to reconnect with Leon to find out about where he is for a third party. I just hope it doesn't go south for Cruz and the whole of 51.
MiladyEly: I am not sure what he is hiding but I hope it won’t backfire on Cruz.
LauM79: Freddy hiding something rare. Cruz should stay away.
michelleqpeter2: I don't know but something bad is probably going to happen to Cruz or Freddie and that won't be good.
kwanfan1212: I have no idea what he’s hiding but he makes me nervous. I think he really does want to get out of the gang but I definitely agree that there’s something he’s not telling Cruz.
Q3. Patterson has worn out his welcome and others are seeing the trouble. What do you think should happen to him?
lantetrain: I think he should be transferred out and put in another house and maybe strip of his rank or be held accountable.
Sharkygirl: He needs to explain himself! And try to make amends. (From the looks of it he does seem remorseful)
Nikita_Citizen: He should get sucked into a tornado, LOL That's all that came to mind!
sarrabr_4: I think that with the information the Kelly had on him, he should really think where his loyalties lie because what Kelly did was a huge judge of his character, but I know that won't last long because I just think Patterson will come back with a vengeance. I just hope Benny kept a copy of those files.
MiladyEly: He is still a dickhead and I still want him to leave. His sappy story didn't make me find him less of a dickhead ;) I just hope he leaves very very soon.
LauM79: Patterson must go now! His presence brought chaos.
michelleqpeter2: I think he needs to leave and maybe be stripped of his rank so he is knocked down a couple pegs.
kwanfan1212: He’s gotta go. At this point in time, I don’t even care how it happens but he’s making things miserable for everyone in the house now and I’m tired of it. I still don’t know if he’s just an attention seeking climber only out for himself or if he’s working with Riddle to take out Boden specifically. I really don’t know at this point...he just bugs me. Time to go!
Q4. Benny Severide came back tonight w/ interesting Intel on Patterson. Did you agree with Sev’s decision about using it?
lantetrain: Yes & no!! Yes Kelly did the right thing which he can live with it & hooked because come on, Benny came in to help his boy Kelly.
Sharkygirl: I was hoping it was info on Riddle, but I'm glad Kelly didn't use the info against Patterson.
Nikita_Citizen: Absolutely. Even though Benny pushed him into revealing Patterson's past, I'm glad he asked Matt & Gabby for advice and took that advice. He showed that he's the bigger man.
sarrabr_4: I really liked how Kelly went to both Dawson and Casey about what he had and the fact that what Casey possibly said weighed in the balance of his decision, goes to show the dynamic these three have but like the previous question, I hope Kelly made a copy or at least Benny just in case it backfires on them.
MiladyEly: It was nice to see Benny again and him helping Kelly out.
LauM79: Yes!! Kelly will use all necessary measures to recover its place and save Boden.
michelleqpeter2: I agree somewhat with his choice not to use it, he took the high road but if he didn't, no more Patterson.
kwanfan1212: Kelly wouldn’t have been himself if he had chosen to use that info against Patterson but I also wouldn’t have blamed if he had chosen to use it. Patterson has made Kelly’s life miserable for a while now so his growing frustration would have made sense. I’m glad he was the bigger man though...now Patterson needs to respond to that and start treating Kelly better.
Q5. Otis had quite the episode tonight which ended w/ him spending time with Sylvie. What do you think of the two of them?
lantetrain: I really like them and have since the beginning. They are just so cute together.
Nikita_Citizen: I love both characters and I think they're cute. They don't annoy me as much as Jimmy & Chili. I just want to see where that goes but I don't think it's gonna last though.
sarrabr_4: I think they would go well together but I'd very much like them to develop a friendship because that would give them a bigger depth in that relationship. We haven't had real genuine friendship (In my opinion, even if Crotis is pretty solid) since Shay and Dawson and I would like to see that happen between the two of them.
MiladyEly: Hmmm....again somebody in the house? Again romance in the house? I am not a fan. Not with Dawsey already there and barfy Chili and Jimmy. Does every girl need to date in the firehouse? Nah, I am not a fan at all.
LauM79: I do not like this situation at all. Otis must take care of his friendship with Cruz and not put his eyes on Brett.
michelleqpeter2: I think he is risking damaging his friendship with Cruz.
kwanfan1212: I was actually rooting for Otis and Sylvie back when she first showed up in S3 (I thought they had a great chemistry) but now that she’s dated Cruz, it makes things a little more difficult because of the Crotis friendship. I really do think that Sylvie and Otis could be fun togehter (they seem to have a lot in common) but I don’t want anything to happen to Crotis either so I don’t know where this is gonna go. =P
Q6. Dawsey wasn’t on the forefront but had some great little moments tonight. Which one was your favorite?
lantetrain: First of all, I love them all. Who wouldn't? Dawsey feels were on fire even though it was short but my fave has to be when Gabby said to Matt in his office after Kelly left, "That’s why I love you." **Dead**
Nikita_Citizen: Everything! Matt defending Gabby & being protective and Gabby saying to Matt, "That's why I love you" Oh the feels!
sarrabr_4: I really think that it's the little quiet moments that count for the couple right now but you can see them getting stronger. For sure I would have loved to have a real gala moment between the two (to show their evolution since S1's gala) but that moment in the conference room with Patterson, that one was really good. She stood up for the whole house and in turn he stood up for her when Patterson was getting intense.
MiladyEly: All of them but I loved Matt being all protective.
LauM79: I'm not Dawsey's fan but I like Dawsey and Severide walking together!
michelleqpeter2: Favorite Dawsey scene was Casey defending her to Patterson and the finger pointing was back.
kwanfan1212: I loved the moment in Matt’s office when Gabby said “That’s why I love you” but that scene of them walking with Severide was really great too. It was playful, humorous, and pleasant as they all talked about how to deal with Patterson. I noticed the look that Sev gave Dawsey as they were joking about Gabby’s “Riddle-Patterson Unholy Alliance” theory and it appeared to me like he was finally feeling hopeful that his friends were going to be okay after their sadness over the baby. I loved that scene so much! =)
Q7. What was your favorite scene from Sharp Elbows? Least favorite scene? Did anything special stick out to you?
lantetrain: Fave scene has got to be Gabby calling out Patterson in the board room. Damn, Gabby was bad ass! Love it. Least fave: nothing
Nikita_Citizen: Everyone having a drink with Chief Boden at the gala & supporting him. They're a family and no one is gonna change that. And Gabby confronting Patterson, we know she's a badass, so it was great to see that again. Less interested in the Freddy/Cruz storyline in this episode and nothing sticks out to me.
sarrabr_4: As always, I have a few favourite scenes but I'll just pick two. That scene when Patterson and Gabby interact together was really good. I mean just the way she's being all professional with him, knowing that he's probably fishing for something to use against her, I loved that. And the other one was the way 51 stood up for their chief at the gala, speaks to how much they love Boden and stand by him no matter what. Least favourite one has to be Boden getting practically by force by that idiot officer but the scene where Voight comes in was worth it in the end.
MiladyEly: Although I had wished the gala scene was longer, I liked that they all stood with the chief. It shows what a close family the firehouse is again.
LauM79: Fave Scene: All united around Boden in the gala. Least scene: Otis with Brett. Special Stick: Calls were very exciting!!
michelleqpeter2: Favorite scene was Gabby calling out Patterson. Least favorite was Patterson going after her.
kwanfan1212: Fave Scene: Sev walking with Dawsey up to the firehouse and the house standing up for the Chief at the Gala. Least Fave: Boden getting harrassed by that officer guy. What a tool.
Boden and Voight - An Offer He Can’t Refuse?
So Boden is having a rough time with this whole Serena situation but suddenly he has a very powerful ally in his corner who could help him out if he doesn’t mind things getting a little dirty. I appreciate that Boden is being honorable and hoping that the truth comes out in the end, but I think we all agree that it’s not always that simple so it’s not a bad thing that Voight has his back and is more than willing to help out. His presense alone could make a big difference!
Gabriela Dawson - Character Growth
So Gabriela Dawson has a bit of sass in her and definitely doesn’t always control her filter or temper but in a nice turn of events and a really nice show of growth for the character, Gabby had the following interaction with Patterson that showed just how far she’s come since Season 1. The S1 Gabby would have hung Patterson out to dry and left nothing unsaid but this Gabby knows when to keep her mouth shut. We all loved this scene because it showed Gabby still has her sass but that she’s also come a long way since S1....
...but Gabby also knows when to stand up for something important. She wasn’t afraid to point out how Patterson has treated everyone at 51 and it brought out the true nature of the captain too. Just to compare these two moments, here’s some GIFs of when Gabby confronted Patterson and the awesome Dawsey moment it brought on when Matt stood up for her.
Severide and Patterson - The Bigger Man
It would have been SO easy for Sev to use that information that Benny gave him on Patterson but it’s totally not his style to do that sort of thing, so none of us were surprised when Sev decided to be the bigger man and gave it back to Patterson. This conversation at the end of the ep was very telling and now we’ll have to wait to see how Patterson responds to Sev’s actions.
Dawsey - Friendships and Continued Healing
Dawsey scenes seem to be few and far between right now for some reason (hi writers...you still owe us for kiling Baby Dawsey, time to start paying up) but it was great seeing their friendship with Severide be front and center a bit this week. This scene of them walking up to the house was adorable and definitely showed that their continued healing from losing the baby is coming along well....
....and this scene of Sev coming to them with the silver bullet on Patterson and asking for advice about using it was fabulous too. Their friendship is so great and I like that it had some screentime this week. Sev knows his friends have his back and that has to make him feel good knowing that they’re there for him.
And then in the midst of a great friendship moment between Sev and Matt & Gabby, we get what was the sweetest Dawsey moment of the entire episode. Gabby knows her man so well and then he just went and exemplified everything that she loves the most about him. <3
This Family is Strong, Fierce, and Ready to Fight
I don’t think I need to talk much about this scene; the GIFs of it speak for themselves. This family is STRONG and they’re not about to let Riddle tear them all apart. The solidarity they all showed here was AWESOME. <3
NEXT WEEK: Things Get Real for House 51
IT’S GOING DOWN NEXT WEEK! =O
Thanks once again for reading this week’s round table! We only have two eps left before the holiday break and I think they’re really gonna make them count. This season has been really solid overall IMO and I can’t wait to see what’s coming up next! =)
And just because I found this way too funny, please enjoy this random GIF of Kara scaring Monica in a BTS video from the Chicago Fire You Tube account, LOL ;)
Synopsis Chief Boden finds himself in the middle of a fiasco concerning a female neighbor, who he believes is setting him up. Severide, who is still on probation from his altercation with Captain Patterson, receives a surprise visit from his father and discovers some interesting information on Patterson that could be a game changer. Meanwhile, romance blossoms at the Chicago Fire Department gala.…
