The Life of a NPC
What if I’m not the main character in my story?
I work about 38 hours per week, 1 on 1 with a young man that’s been diagnosed with Autism. He’s a very compassionate and creative little dude. One of his struggles is awareness, he often wonders into a thought and becomes unaware of what’s going on around him. My job is to help bring awareness, in addition to helping him with other skills.
The process of helping with awareness often leaves me in a position talking to someone that’s not listening. I can’t help but think about myself as a “Non-Player Character” in a video game.
“Hey Mike”
“Mike”
“Hey”
“Hey Mike”
Then I walk in a circle. Waiting for him to choose my storyline. My job involves closely walking though and managing a life that’s not my own. When I am at work the “it’s not about me” mindset is really easy, because it’s not and anything being “about me” isn’t really an option. I’ve kinda learned to love it. Nothing is dependent on my opinions or happiness. I just observe and assist. Taking care of my storyline.
What does my happiness really matter in the grand schemes of things? (Unless I allow my unhappiness to impose on others, but that requires a couple steps in the process). It’s an odd stance to take, but it’s one I’ve owned lately. If my life is not about my happiness, rather than judging every event that comes across my plate as making me “more happy or less happy”, I approach all as an observer. Dancing with the consequences.
This can sound like I’m relegating myself to a passive lifestyle… which is true, but in a good way. I like to think of it as rather than trying to always force things to be the way I want them, I pick my spots. Believing that all good things come in time, so I don’t need to force them.
The sun didn’t rise to give just light my day. The rain doesn’t just fall on my plants. The world does not revolve around me. I’m not the main character in the story of my life. Which means, it doesn’t matter if someone cuts me off in traffic, maybe they had somewhere important to go. I don’t have to take decisions made by others personally, because in reality people think about me way less than I think they do. It’s a freeing, reliving experience to allow my happiness to take a back seat. Because what does it really matter anyway?
*flips hat backwards*
WEEK 1 PICKS
Here’s my week 1 picks.
Timbo
Derek
Logan
Jarro (in a close one)
Max
Hanna (In the closest game of the season)
Wow a perfect start to my season, just like I would have assumed. Now that he got that out of the way, I’m going to give you a quick power rankings and then week 2 & 3 picks.
My power rankings are my guess at what the points total will be. The playoffs are a crapshoot.
POWER RANKINGS
Tier 1: Asleep at the wheel
12. Jake’s Jive Turkeys
In the most “this isn’t about you pulling out of a trade with me” kinda way, the team is rough. I don’t know how else to put it. We have some bright spots, Darrell Henderson is a starter (he said as a statement but he meant as a question), Chase Claypool is getting the Debo Samuel treatment and Kyle Pitts is a generational talent it’s gotta come around eventually. I will add (because this ain’t a friendship review), my two biggest protests of your off-season were keeping Toney and trading for Pollard. I won’t take a victory lap, and I won’t enforce you paying our bets, but feel free to reach out if you need any advice, I am passionate about helping.
11. The Smash Bros
Hey, I enjoy two men coming together in perfect harmony as much as the next guy, but is this a match made in heaven? Or are you two just sitting at a bar at closing time, looking at each other like, “I guess it’s just the two of us”. There was business attire at the draft, but is it still all business for the Bros? Or are we sitting on our hands? I need to see some signs of life before I believe in this new ownership group and I’m not just talking trades. Show me some deep wavier wire pulls.
Also, James Cook, the worst number 1 pick of all time?
10. Ben’s Kracken.
Hey, top 10 ammi right? Keeping someone on IR in our starting lineup (at the time of writing this) doesn’t fill me with hope but there’s some positives. Michael Carter is a RB1 in todays modern game and on a team that’s gonna be playing from behind… he’s gonna play a lot. I appreciate the tank as much as the next guy but I’d like to see a younger roster. Imagine you’re a mythical octopus and rookies are ships sailing the high seas.
9. Max’s Marksmen
I refuse to say anything good about a team starting Rex Burkhead. I’m sorry. I can’t. Honestly I’m so offended by the sight that I’m not going to write about your team.
Tier 2: The 117 Household
8. Hanna’s Honeys
How big is Jahan Dotson to Hanna’s success this year? Big enough to say he (and Olave) hold the key to this team making the playoffs. Squad is young, talented and already on the verge of the playoffs. Javonte will be who we are talking about at the end of the season. Hanna, get out a piece of paper and stamp, write Nathaniel Hacket a letter and put “Run the damn ball”.
7. Mitchell’s Lobos
Hey, I’m realistic. Squad isn’t a top team… yet 😈.
Tier 3: Oh so you actually got a chance.
6. Adam’s Island Survivors
Johnathan Taylor… need I say more? Well, probably because you’re sixth. The teams good, Elker and Taylor cover a lot of sins but you need some backend lineup help to make me feel warm and fuzzy about your chances. Kittle is a wildcard I could see going either way. I think he’s gonna be useable no matter what, but if Kyle Shannahan has his way, Kittle should be a solid flex option. I’m not a James Connor guy. Actually I’m not a Kliff Kingsberry guy.
5. Father Tim
5 disrespectfully low for Timbo??? Swift is a star. I saw St. Brown has the 5th longest 8 game reception streak in NFL history. Samuel, Higgins, Waddle. This team is the closet to Derek when it comes to long term dynasty upside. THERE I SAID IT! DOWN WITH DEREK. DOWN WITH DEREK (come on everyone with me now). DOWN WITH DEREK. DOWN WITH DEREK.
4. Jarro’s Landsharks.
Am I willing to say I’ve underestimated Josh Allen? Yes. Am I willing to crown Josh Allen the next great QB? No. Maybe for fantasy I guess… and this is a fantasy blog… JOSH ALLEN IS THE NEXT GREAT NFL QUATERBACK. Also, having your lineup and starting *checks notes* DJ Chark, I’d like riding with a donut on the Tesla. Noticeably wrong. The RBs are sooo good, good enough to overcome an ancient fantasy model (all RBs, no WRs) (btws I agree with you, I liked 2012 better too) (we had a NCAA game).
3. Mason’s Mistress
I’ve been very critical of the Mistress recently, but I do hold my tongue when I realize he’s got 3 FIRST ROUND PICKS NEXT YEAR (I’m caps happy. FOOTBALL!!!). Mason is one Kliff Kingsberry firing away from being a Super Bowl contender! Also, it doesn’t matter how bad GB is I guess, those RBs are gonna get their numbers even if that offense is brutal (yes I’m questioning Aaron Rodgers) and that’s okay assuming you never ever watch the games. Too much stress.
Tier 4: The actual contenders
2. Logan’s Legion
I’ve made no bones about it, I’m a Legion fan. I want Logan to win a jacket. I want Logan to win a jacket so bad I’ve tried to give him players. This teams the only one with the fire power (as currently constructed) to take down Derek in overall points. I worry about the QB situation, not that Carr isn’t going to put up points, but I worry about consistency. A BDE move would be to stream QBs based off matchup. Prove you don’t need no man to be successful. I also worry about Gabe Davis, I’m not completely sold on him being a week in week out, set it and forget it starter. Godwin will be that.
- Derek’s BDE
Derek’s got 4 of the top 10 WRs and they’re all basically children. I’m past calling it luck (mainly because it’s all luck), Derek earned this. And his heel turned into a badass on the highway to hell is exactly what the MFL needed to improve our TV ratings. I’m pushing a story line where Logan becomes a face and they meet at the end of the season in a “ladders and chairs” match for the points title. It’s gonna be great because there’s a BDE attitude in Derek’s locker room and that confidence is only going up each week he scores 170. By week 3 Derek’s going to be going to the homes of his victims to do a donut in their front yard and give them a swirly.
Derek, it’s like I always say, “stunt on them hoes” (I started saying that after Michigan beat Ohio State). Keep doing you king.
WEEK 2 PICKS
I started the season undefeated and I plan on keeping it that way!!!
Jarro vs Jake
Give me the Landsharks to feast on Turkey
Logan vs Mason
The face of the federation, Logan over Mason. Remember you’re a good guy now.
Adam vs Max
Island survivors over Max. Max, get help…. From me… in a trade.
Derek vs Smash Bros
BDE to smash the Bros.
Hanna vs Father Tim
Timbo over Hanna in the battle for Mitchell’s heart
Mitchell vs Ben
And finally, Mitchell to scrimshaw the Kracken.
WEEK 3 PICKS
12-0 to start the season on picks, who would have thought… not me.
Max vs Jarro
Since I’m journeying far into the future, I’m forecasting Max saves his season with a week 3 trade with Mitchell and then UPSETS THE LANDSHARKS.
Mason vs Smash Bros
Mason and the Mistress finally don’t have to play a top tier team, they go full Bowser on the Bros.
Adam Vs Jake
Adam’s been surviving so long on that island he’s eat a raw Turkey on first sight.
Derek vs Logan
We get a huge points championship preview, Derek vs Logan. In building our storyline to our end of season battle, here we are gonna have Derek beat Logan badly, then be a real jerk about it. Setting up the perfect “good guy” training montage.
Father Tim vs Ben
Father Tim continues his hot start, eating some Calamari.
Mitchell vs Hanna
Finally, we get to decide if Hanna will be talking to me for the next couple days as the Lobos take on the Honeys. The Lobos never liked Honey anyways.
Boys it’s football season. It’s fall. It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
The MFL 