#- the room and so its very efficient everyone stays a respectful distance away and gets the same amount of time to look

[vilecrocodile]

the liberty bell is soooo stupid people line up for ages to breathe the same air as this stupidass cracked bell from france or whatever the fuck when you can see it just as well if you go around the back of the building theres a window where you can see the fucking bell. i saw ho chi minh's preserved corpse once that bell aint nothing to me man

[iwillgiveyoumyhappiness]

김용희, Kim Yonghee

anonymous asked:

hi!! do you do cix requests? if you do, can you do some yonghee fluff :( where he’s Shy Boy and the other members totally know the reader has a crush on yonghee but he has no clue tq

Group: CIX (Complete in X)

Member: Yonghee

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You rushed backstage, various voices exchanging commands in your ear.

“Is anyone bringing mic five to stage right?” one of the voice asked. “Time-crunch is six minutes, then we’re live.”

You tapped your ear-piece twice with deadly efficiency, balancing the plethora of things in your arms. Mics, wires, props—you had it all. “I’m taking care of it, Jae-hee,” you answered the frantic, middle-aged man with too much on his shoulders. “I’m also bringing the black roses for the VAV Poison Special Stage.”

You had a knack for being calm in these high-tension situations, and you prided yourself in that. Still, despite that special skill of yours, nothing seemed to be going right tonight. 

There had been broadcasting issues, audio cut-outs, faulty lighting—the works. Just when you thought you’d started getting things under control, one of the stages was pushed up a few minutes, so you had to rush to get everything prepared. 

You’d lost count of how many times your feet had gotten stepped on by other busy staff members and stage-hands. You heaved an internal sigh, mentally preparing yourself for the wave of articles that would be rolling in sooner or later about the company’s ‘negligence’ and ‘lack of consideration for the artists’.

It wasn’t that at all.

Sometimes things just didn’t go right, and you felt that pressure just as much as anyone else. After having this job for a few years—a stage-hand and audio director at KBS—you’d made plenty of friends in the industry.

And even if you hadn’t, you still had massive respect for all those artists daring enough to brave the stage. You didn’t think you had it in yourself, and you always felt a sense of astonishment seeing those that looked so confident on stage. 

They looked like they were in their element.

But then again, wandering back and forth between side-stages, back-stages, changing, waiting and control rooms, you also saw what went on off the stage.

You saw the tears they shed from one tiny little mistakes, you saw the comfort they would seek from the people around them, you overheard the promises they made to themselves and the people they cared about. 

You saw the stress, the break-downs, the pressure, the excitement and happiness, the most intense and fiery passion, the joy—you saw the greatest behind-the-scenes in the world, because you saw the behind-the-scenes of the people, not the job.

The lifestyle of an artist—one that everyone thought was glamorous and beautiful—was no different from anyone else’s life. 

It had its ups and downs. Its good, bad and ugly.

“Four minutes,” Jae-hee said through your earpiece. You could hear an occasional clat-clat, so you knew he was chewing his thumb-nail again. You’d nagged him about that a couple of times because you knew his wife hated it.

You shouldered past one of your co-workers, giving them a quick smile of acknowledgment. “I’m almost there,” you said. “Don’t worry about it.” You quickened your pace, trying your best to make it down the seemingly endless hallway in due time. 

One of the black roses tucked under your arm decided to take a nose-dive to the floor. 

You clicked your tongue, slowing to a stop and kneeling down to scoop it up. You considered for a quick moment just carrying it in your mouth, but then you realized other people would be touching it later on, so hygiene overrode convenience.

Sniff, sniff

You froze, mid-reach. You knew that sound quite well; that tell-tale hitched breath. Your eyes shifted to the side, peering down the side-corridor, littered with vending machines and crappy lighting. 

“You almost there?” Jae-hee’s voice interrupted your scanning.

You double-tapped your earpiece, a habit you had when its sounds tickled your ears. “I’m almost there,” you said. It technically wasn’t a lie, but you may be a little delayed. 

You checked your watched, clicking your tongue once again. “May God give me the gift of punctuality,” you muttered to yourself, giving a quick look up to the ceiling, as if trying to make eye contact with the Big Man himself. 

You looked back down the corridor. 

Sure enough, leaning against the wall—slightly masked by a Sprite vending machine—was a young man, all puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks. It hurt your chest to see such a sight. 

Crying alone was such a sad thing.

You studied the man briefly; his stature, the way he held himself, the forward bend of his shoulders. All-in-all, he was either naturally shy or very, very sad. 

Maybe both.

You let out a knowing hum seeing the mole under his eye. It was unmistakably Kim Yonghee.

You’d been familiar with CIX since their debut four months ago. You’d be in charge of the stage and camera directing for their first stage at KBS, and it’d given you the opportunity to meet with all the members to work out details. 

You’d even befriended the youngest, Hyunsuk.

Yonghee hadn’t made the strongest impression, if you were being completely honest. He stood stiffly and quietly, he was polite, he didn’t say much. He was awkward in more than a few ways, but you didn’t hold that against him. 

You were awkward in front of strangers, too. 

Seeing him like this, though? Tears streaming down his cheeks and any ghost of a smile disappeared from his face? It made you grip the front of your shirt, right over your heart.

You gently set down the black roses and tried to block out the sounds of Jae-hee’s nail-biting. With a deep breath, you put a smile on your face, gentle and ingenuous. 

You walked up to him with quiet steps, standing a reasonable distance away. He didn’t seem to notice you. You reached into your pocket, pulling out a bill. “What’s your favorite soda?” you asked. 

Yonghee jumped from the sudden question, letting out a quick yelp. His hands got busy with wiping his eyes and fixing his hair, trying to look presentable. It was as if he was trying to pretend that he wasn’t just sobbing in the dark. 

“Pardon?” he stuttered out.

You chuckled a little. “Soda,” you repeated. “Do you like it?”

He stared at you, eyes wide and mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. “I don’t really understand...” his words trailed off.

You nodded. “Water, then,” you said. You strode over to one of the vending machines, clicking a random number—it didn’t matter which one; they were all Dasani water bottles. 

You handed it to him. “Here,” you said, still smiling. “Stay hydrated.”

He took it from you with the most endearing hesitation. “Why?” he asked with a quiet voice. He frowned, not meeting your eyes. “Do you pity me?” 

You shook your head. “Of course not,” you said. He met your eyes, as if searching for an answer within them. Your smile grew wider. “I like your mole,” you said simply, pointing to the corner of your own eye for example. 

You shrugged. “That’s all.”

He looked dumbfounded. “You bought me water... Because you like my mole?” 

“Yeah,” you said. You heard Jae-hee’s nail-biting intensify, so you knew it was time to go. “Hey, I’ve gotta run,” you said, glancing at your watch, “but make sure you drink that.” You gave him a knowing look. “You’ve gotta replace that water somehow.” 

He looked embarrassed. “You saw?” he asked sheepishly.

“I heard, mostly,” you said. “It’s dark down here.” You chuckled. “A little creepy, honestly. Why do all buildings have a hallway like this, I wonder?” Without another word, you walked back into the light, scooping up the prop roses and the mic. 

Before you were too far down the hall, you called back to him, “By the way, I was listening in on the stage!” you called. He gave you a look, reminiscent of a curious pup, his ear perking up and eyebrows raising an inch or two. “Your voice-crack was nothing,” you said, giving him a thumbs up. “And the crowd loved you!”

And that was how you had officially met Kim Yonghee, a very sweet, shy young man that you had no idea you’d fall head over heels for, especially not at that time when you thought you were just cheering up a stranger.

Every time you saw him, it was because you were hanging out with Hyunsuk. You hit it off quickly, already having a secret handshake by your fourth hangout. 

By the fourth meeting with Yonghee, you were both still politely bowing to each other and sharing small, timid smiles. You were always the one to spark a conversation, though every once in a while, he would make the effort to compliment your outfit. He stayed away from compliments about your physique; for what reason, you were unaware.

Hyunsuk always called you before every trip to the KBS building, just to check if you were there that day. He was never not eager to see you and tell you about all of their crazy schedules and fun fan events.

Yonghee had never even asked for your number outright, even though the other guys had. He tried asking Hyunsuk for it, but of course, the youngest was the boisterous and chatty type, so that ‘secret conversation’ reached your ears in no time.

You were part of Hyunsuk’s life, Hyunsuk was part of your life, and Yonghee was part of Hyunsuk’s life. Therefore, you were part of each other’s lives.

CIX was part of both of their lives, so in no time, the six of you were involved with each other, melding into each others’ lives.

Yet he still didn’t seem to be able to get through his cute, thick skull that you had the most massive of crushes on him, even if everyone else knew at a glance.

Still, you gave yourself the freedom to imagine different scenarios between the two of you, smile because of him, and slowly learn more about him, because you respected yourself enough to not be ashamed of your feelings. 

A crush was defined as having a brief but intense infatuation for someone, and you were okay with that.

In your eyes, feelings didn’t have to be complicated. If it bloomed into something more, you were okay with that, but if it didn’t? You were fine with cooing over his smile in secret. ...And—perhaps—taking a few glances at his butt whenever he was turned away from you.

You weren’t trying to hide it from him, and it wasn’t your fault that he didn’t catch on. Though, you had to admit, you were getting tired of the other guys trying to drop ‘subtle’ hints toward you affections.

In case you couldn’t guess, they weren’t very subtle at all.

Byounggon was famous for his over-the-top winks whenever he would say something suggestive about you like, “Doesn’t she look nice today, Yonghee?” Cue the wink! He was like an embarrassing parent in that way.

Seunghun always had the perfect balance of throwing off your balance. To put it in other terms: he was well-versed in the arts of pushing you two into each other’s personal bubbles. You weren’t too fond of that, because it always hurt your pride a little to feel Yonghee inch away when you’d been pushed to lean on his shoulder.

Jinyoung was pretty innocent in his level of nosiness. He stuck to giving shy, blushed smiles like he was watching a romantic scene between two lovers, when really all you two did was say ‘hi’ to each other. He was the one you couldn’t get mad at, just because he was too cute while doing this.

Hyunsuk was by far the most problematic, just for the fact that he couldn’t keep his mouth shut about anything. He cared about you though, so he tried his best to hold his tongue. You kept telling him that you didn’t care if Yonghee found out or not because a crush is just that: a crush. Nothing to be ashamed about.

Despite how many times you’d told him that, he still insisted, “Don’t worry! I’ve got your back! I won’t blab to him,” he’d promise. You knew that eventually that wouldn’t be the case, but you still appreciated his efforts. Especially since it was hilarious to watch him struggle to make good on his promises.

He constantly let things slip, like his iconic: “She probably watches Yonghee fancams while she’s home alone”, while munching down on a piece of fried chicken.

Yonghee had looked up at him, confused eyebrows and surprised eyes. “Why would she do that?” he had asked, his gaze gingerly shifting to you. 

You shrugged. “Why not?” you posed the question, pouring some duck sauce over some fried rice. “You’re talented, and it’s cool to watch how you work on-stage.”

His cheeks got warmed as he shifted awkwardly. “Why, though?” He asked softly, yet there was a level of genuine curiosity behind it, like he wondered how anyone could be interested in him. 

Hyunsuk had rolled his eyes. “Duh,” he huffed exasperatedly, tossing down his chopsticks. “She likes y—!” 

Byounggon and Seunghun dived for the youngest at the same time, one of them successfully covering his mouth and the other one tackling him to the ground. Though, in the mess of limbs, you couldn’t really tell who was who.

“This one’s being dumb again,” Seunghun laughed (unconvincingly, in your opinion). “Don’t listen to him, ‘kay?” 

Yonghee shrugged meekly. “I don’t usually,” he said, making Hyunsuk let out a muffled ‘hey!’

All you could do was watch over the situation with a smile playing on your lips and laughter blooming in your chest. “You’re all dumb, okay?” you said. “I think we can all agree on that.”

“What about you?” Jinyoung asked, smiling a little. 

You thought for a moment. “I’m just a little smarter.” 

That whole scenario ended in a short-lived food fight between the six of you. Not only that, but one of your fondest memories, despite the sticky rice that refused to remove itself from your hair no matter how aggressively you finger-brushed it.

The guys didn’t have it much better, though; their shirts smudged with all kinds of sauces and gloop. They looked a lot like contemporary art pieces, if you were being honest.  

You didn’t care, though. It was still a fun time that you would always remember, not only because it made you hack up a lung in laughter, but also because they all looked so happy and free.

Especially Yonghee.

It was the first time you had seen him look so unburdened and happy, his smile reaching his eyes and his hands too busy scooping up noodles to chuck as ammunition for him to bother with getting embarrassed. 

It was also probably the first time he had truly made your heart beat up into your throat, choking back your breath. 

It was a few weeks after that day that you found yourself sitting in a restaurant with the five surprisingly loud boys that you’d gotten close to in celebration of their first win with Numb. 

“It’s a good song, you guys,” you said, raising a glass. “You deserve it.”

Everyone raised their glasses (most of them filled with iced water and tea), clinking them against your. “Heck yeah, we do!” Hyunsuk hollered, tossing back his drink with a wide grin on his face.

You’d never known someone that could get drunk on water, but you supposed if there was someone out there, it’d be Hyunsuk. 

Byounggon looked over at Yonghee. “This kinda feels like a date, doesn’t it?” he said. Cue the wink, once again. You couldn’t help but roll your eyes.

Yonghee quirked a brow, looking up from his plate. “Between six people...?” he said. “No, not really. This doesn’t feel like a date at all.” 

You nodded to yourself, acknowledging the fact that this was just a hangout between friends. Now, the biggest hurdle: convincing yourself that you were fine with that.

Seunghun nudged Yonghee with his shoulder, a smirk on his lips. “Are you sure?” he asked. His voice lowered to a poor whisper. “I’m not gonna pretend like a haven’t seen you checking her out every once in a while.”

Yonghee choked on his soup, spitting it all over the table. “What?” he got out. He jumped a bit, hitting his knee on the table. The pain didn’t seem to register. “What are you talking about?” he coughed out, a hot blush on his cheeks.

Your ears perked up. You didn’t take it seriously at first, but Yonghee’s ears only got that red when he was being too honest or he was lying. You’d be lying yourself if you said that you didn’t hope it was because of they lying.

Yonghee looked at you, something swimming in his eyes—seemingly guilt. “I swear I didn’t,” he said, his ears getting redder. “He’s just kidding.”

You opened your mouth to say something, but someone else beat you to it. 

“Oh my God!” Jinyoung groaned. “I’m stepping in!” He pointed to the two of you in turn. “You guys both like each other, okay?” he said, obviously completely done with the situation if it was enough to annoy him into speaking up about it. “The thing is, you’re both too humble to think yourselves ‘worthy of each other’—whatever that means—so you’re refusing to acknowledge your feelings for one another, even though they’re totally friggin’ obvious!”

He took a deep breath, recovering from his nagging free-style rap. “So just go on a date or kiss or something already!” he finished, panting.

You blinked at him, watching as his cheeks started dusting over with heat as he realized what he’d just shouted in the middle of a restaurant. You definitely hadn’t expected Jinyoung to be the one to spill the proverbial beans, but you pleasantly surprised at his sudden outburst. 

The realization of his actions dawned on him. “Sorry,” he stuttered out, bowing to anyone in the restaurant that might’ve been staring at him, including you.

You shook your head, shaking your head. “I don’t care, dude,” you said. You held out a celebratory fist. “That was friggin’ awesome.” 

He shyly bumped it with his own. “Thanks...” he said, sitting back down with a shy, downcast expression. With a slight nod of the head, he gestured to Yonghee. “Pay attention to him,” he mouthed. 

Your eyes snapped to Yonghee a little faster than you’d wanted. His eyes and mouth were hanging wide open, an unreadable emotion in his eyes. It almost made you a little uncomfortable how he was just staring out into open space. 

Hyunsuk tapped his shoulder hesitantly. “Are you... okay?” the youngest asked. 

That seemed to snap him out of his stupor. “You have a crush on me?” he asked suddenly, shaking his head and pinching his arm, as if trying to see if this was a dream. 

A smile crept its way onto your lips, uncontrollable in nature.

You two had a lot to talk about.

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He’s so cute... Can someone gift CIX with more recognition and Yonghee with more self-confidence? If no one else’ll do it, I shall take it upon myself.

Thank you so much for reading and requesting! I enjoyed writing this so much. ^-^ I hope everyone’s holidays were pleasant, and I hope you’re staying warm! Spend the rest of your 2019 happily and with the people that make you feel your best, ‘cause there’s not much of the year left. I’m gonna stop here, because otherwise, this is gonna become a TED Talk, and none of y’all need that from me. 😂 Thanks again, Anon and anyone else reading!

[level99games]

Normals and Neutral - Understanding EXCEED's Basic Options

Hello, everyone! Marco here to bring you some sweet, sweet EXCEED content. Given that we’re expecting a decent influx of new players from the new Street Fighter season, I believe that it would be useful to give them a quick primer on an EXCEED mechanic that is quite important: Normals.

Normals are, for the most part, a set of cards that every character in EXCEED has access to. Much like “normals” in actual fighting games, these cards are meant to represent attacks and options that any character can do such as blocking or sweeping. It is, therefore, important that you understand how Normals work. You’re gonna be seeing them often, after all!

The Anatomy of a Card

Before diving into how Normals work, we must first establish a few terms. This is important as I’ll be using them quite often when talking about the cards. Please reference the graphic below:

Here you see the “Cross” Normal. It has a Range of 1-2, a Power of 3, a Speed of 6, and an After Effect that lets you retreat 3. On the bottom of the card, you see the “Run” Boost, which costs 0 Force to play and has a Boost Effect that lets you advance up to 3 when you play it. As such, each card in Street Fighter EXCEED can be thought of as two cards in one: an Attack you can use in a fight, or a Boost that gives a variety of effects in and out of combat.

One thing to note is that cards in EXCEED can be played as an Attack (the top 80% of the card) OR as a Boost (the small yellow box on the bottom). These two aspects of a card are often separate and mutually exclusive. This means that using a card’s Attack prevents you from using its Boost and vice versa. Do you want to use it as an attack now or hold it as a Boost for later? These kinds of questions will, hopefully, be answered by the end of this article.

Understanding Your Options

It’s time to get to the Normals themselves. As mentioned earlier, these cards are representations of actions that all the characters can take. They are, therefore, tools that every character can make use of to further their gameplan. Whether you’re a Zoner like Guile or a Grappler like Zangief, a good understanding of your options is crucial to victory! With that in mind, let’s get started!

Grasp

Grasp is EXCEED’s take on a fast poke attack. Taking from high priority grab attacks in fighting games, Grasp offers you excellent control over the opponent’s positioning with its Hit Effect, possibly cornering them for added pressure. Using its massive 7 Speed, not many attacks can beat Grasp when it comes to going first. However, its limited Range of 1 makes it only useable in melee. In addition, it trades quite poorly if it does not Stun the opponent or move them out of their attack’s effective range, so be careful against attacks with Guard and huge Range.

Fierce, its boost, provides quite a bit of extra punch to most of the attacks in the game, letting you forego Grasp’s fast consistency for a meatier hit on another attack. While not relevant in many cases, the added Power to your attack could spell the difference between Stunning the opponent or letting them counterattack. Consider your opponent’s Guard options and boost with Fierce to adapt.

Cross

Cross is a powerful tool that gives your character a lot of mobility, especially when it comes to creating gaps. An effective “side-grade” to Grasp, Cross sacrifices Speed for added Range and positioning control, letting you create a lot of breathing room. Defensive fighters appreciate this Normal quite a lot due to the amount of space it creates for them, as the opponent must now close the gap to apply more pressure. It’s very important to remember that, unlike Grasp, Cross’ movement is an After Effect; not a Hit Effect. This means that, even if you whiff, Cross still lets you back away from the opponent, giving you guaranteed distance. However, be weary of your positioning because Cross is only as good as the spaces behind you. Without room to retreat, it will handily lose to a lot of other Normals.

On the offensive side, the Run Boost fulfills the opposite purpose: it’s a powerful gap-closer. Movement is often quite costly in EXCEED as you often have to trade one card for one space of movement (and more if you want to switch sides with an opponent). Run lets you move three spaces for the price of one card, making it quite efficient. Aggressive characters who want to stay in melee may find themselves using this Boost quite often.

Assault

Moving on, we have the aggressive character’s favorite Normal: Assault. True to its name, this is a highly offensive Attack, letting you close-in on your prey while dealing a decent chunk of damage. Fans of our other games might be scared to see that the Before Effect moves you 2 spaces and could result in you “overshooting” your target. Don’t fret as Assault uses the keyword “Close”, which lets you advance without switching sides, guaranteeing that you stay at Range 1. However, while this is all well and good, one of its biggest benefits is most definitely its Hit Effect, which gives you Advantage, letting you take the next turn post-Strike. This is a powerful ability as it allows you to keep the pressure on and possibly “combo” into another Strike that yields even more damage! Assault’s biggest weakness is its middling Power, which makes it trade relatively poorly against some of the slower Normals with huge Guard and Armor values, so be careful of those.

Much like Cross, Assault’s Backstep Boost is the polar opposite of its Attack counterpart. Rather than bringing you closer, it allows you to create distance; this time, at a rate of 4 spaces for 1 card! This is quite efficient and definitely a welcome option for defensive ranged characters who need to get away from aggressive enemies. This is a common theme in EXCEED. Characters who don’t find the Attack side of a card useful can often make excellent use of a card’s Boost instead!

Dive

Dive is quite an interesting attack with very specific Range. Despite having a Range of 1, its Before Effect advances the user 3 spaces, which, unlike Assault’s Close 2, allows them to overshoot their target. This effectively means that Dive’s “effective Range” is actually 3-4, making it a mid to long range option for a close-in. However, its mediocre speed leaves much to be desired. Many character-unique Attacks that are effective at these ranges tend to either be Speed 4 or greater, meaning that Dive could easily be stuffed by a dedicated ranged character, since it has no Guard. However, should the opponent find no answer to it, Dive is quite a powerful attack, letting you charge in, deal big damage, and avoid the enemy’s attack all in one go! One final thing to note is that Dive can still be used in melee. Even if you won’t hit the opponent, you can still use the Before Effect to move past an opponent and dodge any Attack that’s slower than Speed 4, such as some of the Normals below. As an added bonus, if your opponent is in the corner (or near it) the movement won’t necessarily put you outside of Range 1, making for a sneaky option that many players won’t expect from a “ranged” Attack.

The Boost on this card, Tech, is very much a niche utility effect, much like Dive itself. While there aren’t that many uses for it, this Boost can prove crucial in dealing with specific types of characters, specifically those who tend to rely on Boosts to power-up their attacks a significant degree. Sometimes, removing that one crucial Boost on the opponent’s side could mean the difference between a lost or won Strike, so look out for those opportunities and don’t forget this option!

Sweep

We’re going to jump a little ahead of the Speed order and move onto Sweep (I’ll explain why later). Sweep is what many players consider to be “the best Normal Attack”. It essentially trades positively in terms of damage and card advantage against all of the Normals we’ve just discussed. This means that, at Range 1, you can expect Sweep to consistently net you a huge lead in almost every respect. Sweep, therefore, kind of dominates many of your Attack interactions. It dictates what attacks “feel safe”, as anything that can’t effectively trade against Sweep will just feel bad when fighting against it. However, despite its many advantages, Sweep does have a few downsides. The biggest one is its slow Speed, which makes it susceptible to the opponent’s Effects. Should they have any effects that let them evade, or even outright Stun you, Sweep definitely seems less good. As an extension to this, it is important to remember that Sweep is a trading Attack, and that means that Sweep will often have to eat and Guard through an attack before hitting back. This can be quite troublesome at lower life totals, as the opponent could easily just K.O. you before you even get the chance to Attack!

Light, on the other hand, is much like the Fierce Boost on Grasp. It allows you to buff your next attack with more Speed. This may seem like an effective side-grade to the Fierce Boost, but don’t let looks deceive you! In EXCEED, Speed often dictates what Attacks win or lose. A simple +2 Speed can turn a bad interaction into an extremely positive one! For example, an Assault with 5 Speed handily loses to a 6 Speed Cross, which makes the aggressor sad, but an Assault with 7 Speed handily beats Cross, flipping the entire outcome on its head. Consider this well and boost your Speed to tip the scales to your favor!

Focus

Focus is an Attack that is little bit less powerful than Sweep but is definitely a lot safer. A large majority of the things that I said about Sweep tend to apply to Focus as well. It usually dominates attack interactions, and results in you getting a life lead and card advantage. In line with this, its low speed also makes it highly susceptible to faster Effects. However, Focus has a few advantages that Sweep does not. This Attack’s built-in Armor values mean that it can still shrug off attacks at low life totals. Its “cannot be moved” Effect is also quite powerful, letting you guarantee your positioning for at least another turn. However, this also means that Focus has a few weaknesses when compared to Sweep. These are, mainly, its lower Range and Power values. This means it can’t kill as fast and more mobile characters can dodge it should they wish. Therefore, look to Focus should you need a safer, more defensive alternative to the powerful Sweep. Just be mindful about the opponent’s movement tools.

Now, onto the meat of this card: Reading. If Sweep is the “best Normal Attack”, then Reading is the “best Normal Boost”. While many newer players might not exactly appreciate it, experienced players know the power of Reading. The text might seem a bit odd at first, but it essentially lets you call out Normal and force the opponent to Attack with it, if they have it. This ability, when used correctly, allows you to win virtually any Strike by calling the right card! Simply call an attack that will lose to a card in your hand and you will find yourself getting a “free win”. Granted, the opponent won’t always have the Normal that you name, so it is important to keep track of what cards could be in the opponent’s hand so you don’t name a card they can’t possibly have! Should you fail the read, don’t worry too much. Your opponent still has to reveal their hand to you, which gives you crucial information on what attacks they can play, setting you up to win Strikes on later turns.

Block

Should you ever feel like you don’t know what to do when your opponent attacks, Block is often a good tool to make use of. Despite not actually being an “Attack”, since it doesn’t hit or deal damage, Block is core to every character’s kit, giving them a defensive option that can possibly negate most, if not all, incoming damage! In addition to this, you still get to build-up Gauge thanks to its After Effect, which will definitely help you when trying to keep-up in terms of resources. However, it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows! That damage mitigation comes at the hefty cost of Force, which could leave you resource-starved later on. When playing Block, remember that you are not required to spend Force to negate all the damage. This could be quite useful when Blocking attacks like Grasp and Cross, which would only deal 1 damage after going through your default 2 Armor.

Parry acts as an alternative to Focus’ Reading Boost. Instead of forcing the opponent to Strike with the named card, they simply have to Discard it. This might seem much weaker as the pay-off is nowhere near as good as instantly winning a Strike, but it has its own distinct advantages. First, it allows you to name ANY card; not just Normals! This makes it great for getting rid of threatening character-unique attacks like Specials and Ultras, which are often unbeatable by most attacks. Speaking of Specials and Ultras, the second advantage is the fact that you don’t have to Strike! Should the opponent have an attack that’s nigh unbeatable (like a Special or Ultra), you don’t have to bother fighting against it anymore and just have them Discard it instead, removing a threatening option from the opponent’s hand while maintaining relative safety!

Spike

This is the reason I decided to skip ahead on the Speed order. It would be really hard to explain Spike without having exposed you to all the other Normals. Spike functions similarly to throwing a wrench into a bunch of cogs: it kind of flips the entire system on its head. Slower Attacks like Sweep, Focus, and Block tend to be safer and more consistent, while faster Attacks like Grasp, Cross, Assault, and Dive tend to lend themselves to risker, but more rewarding pay-offs. Spike disrupts this by being a strict counter to slow Attacks. With its Ignore Armor and Ignore Guard Effects, Spike can handily trade-up against the usually consistent Sweep, Focus, and Block! This allows you to threaten some of the most dominant attacks in the game while dealing some big damage to boot. However, on the flip side, the usually risky fast Attacks completely dunk on Spike due to its low Speed and awkward range. If the attack isn’t going to Stun it, the opponent can usually use their movement options to get into melee or move far away enough to evade Spike entirely. This makes Spike a risky but necessary tool for counterplay.

Last but not the list is the Defend Boost, which is very much different from Spike itself. Rather than being risky, Defend increases the safety of your following attacks by giving it +1 Armor and +3 Guard, which usually guarantees safety against most fast pokes. Much like Sweep’s Light Boost, this can change the interaction between some attacks in a way that makes things beneficial for you. This is especially true for attacks with middling speed, such as Dive and Spike itself!

Final Words

Normals act as a substitute for “basic actions” that characters should be able to perform in any fighting game. While they may seem “plainer” when compared the more exciting Specials and Ultras, they are still crucial tools that can aid your character in their gameplan. They could even support your character’s Specials and Ultras by giving them added stats or setting-up their preferred ranges. It is, therefore, useful to remember what options these cards provide you, so that you can play more effectively and get that K.O.!

Seriously, if you use Reading to call out Spike then Shinryuken someone, you know you’ve won some immense hype points.

And that brings me to the end of my article! I hope you all enjoyed it! Please don’t hesitate to ask me questions in the comments below. I’ll try to answer them as best as I can. Finally, if you want a try at using the Normals yourself, I suggest getting a box of Street Fighter EXCEED by CLICKING HERE!

[mrpotatobrown]

36. Gagging From Gaga

I didn’t take first class or pay for extra leg room when I booked my plane ticket; I just booked in a suitcase, sat inside it and let them pack me in. I have everything I’d need in this cosy little box on wheels. Brought in my zesty fertiliser, a bubbly bottle of pop and my little Potato sized laptop for all my Blogging needs; that’s all I need.

I super-understand that wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea though. Most people have legs or want to ogle the flight attendants, but I want to do neither for I am a Potato. I wouldn’t contest someone to follow my preferences though for I know everyone likes their Tea different: it’s down to taste.   

Just like a holiday destination for example. My preference? Venice, for once a year a festival of films is held here, aptly named The Venice Film Festival.

Which brings me to the first film I saw In the Venice film festival. First, a foreword on how this festival is set up:

Basically, lots of Cinemas; It’s an arrangement of multiple screens strewn across part of the city separate from mainland Venice which I coined as Film Island. You take a boat out there daily, out and back again, as accommodation is mainland. While different films are scheduled and different cinemas at different times, many in contending for best film at this festival. Getting in here is a chance to see many films premier before they’re shown to the masses, allowing you to build a truly first up opinion before the reviews rattle out and awards are given.

And very quickly, might I add, did I find out how different my opinions are from others, for overwhelmingly positive reviews rolled out barely hours after the initial watch of a certain premier; a certain film which has already built up a hype train; a movie a little too big for its boots which I personally would relish seeing rearing off the tracks to its fiery doom. The press loves it; I didn’t.

Yes, this comes down to taste you could argue like I myself said before, but what dictates taste? Well, who knows. I’m a Potato. I eat cow poo and drink the rain. Who am I to say.

So let's bounce back for a moment, let's talk about the film mentioned before. I film I saw? 

A Star Is Born.

Things I loved:

Bradley Cooper’s acting in a lot of places.

The first 20 minutes or so.

Lady Gaga’s singing.

Things I didn’t:

Welcome to the rest of the essay. 

Don’t worry though, Mr Potato here is keeping this spoiler-free, because I’m not really doing a review; I’m super not interested in lampooning my film opinion round like it’s going to make a difference by sticking some abstract number of stars on the end as if it’s a functional way of demonstrating a film’s quality in comparison to others. I would rather use the film to discuss my real problem: Critics.

Well, not all of them, I’d hate to generalise all critics (there are some who write incredibly insightful pieces), but most certainly many self-proclaimed experts in the field who sprout out opinions like fact, their ‘objective’ break down of films and their partaking in a race to stay relevant yet stay with the pack. Many critics just have no idea what they’re talking about, which is why I’m going to LABEL this column with an important preface before I start discussing this film: It’s my opinion. And I’m not stating that in some defencing stance so people can’t argue their believes but rather because I don’t want this to be taken as a review. It’s not. I watched it, here’s what I thought and here’s why a lot of critics who are praising it to the heaves are pretty oblivious.

Because I’m starting to come to the thought that while it’s all opinionated there’s some objective jazz going on as well, not in determining a film’s quality per say but in why people would like certain films. It’s unfair to state objectively why some films are good or bad (the only objective element really rocking up is historical importance and influence), but we can certainly say what films are doing, if they’re doing it efficiently and why audiences will click with that; I think that’s pretty darn fair to say.

This is my official stance on it I guess: Films do half the job, audiences do the other half, and we meet half way.

If a film doesn’t meet halfway then it’s far harder to gel with; if it does then an audience needs to meet it, which if an audience member doesn't (say it’s a football film and that watcher has a prejudice against that sport for certain deep emotional reasons) then the film will also fail. So I think it’s a collaboration.

I like to think I always put in the effort to meet halfway, to try where I can to open my starchy mind and give it a fair chance; with topic matter, actor choice, style and the way it’s written. I’d hate to be close-minded and in the process not say hi to a film that was waiting at the meetup point for me. I love films that play it by the book and films that go crazy and make up their own rules, it just comes down to one word for Mr Potato right here: Function.

And I believe, with all the starch in my heart, that A Star is Born isn’t functional. And if it did do what it truly intended to do, if the messages I saw were the ones it wanted to express, then god help their souls, because it’s a pretty dreadful theme to propagate.

But my biggest gripe is once again not with this film, but really with the critics who at the time of this post going live LOVE IT! And it’s for all the surface level, star-studded, indulgent reasons that are going to make this film a hit; then in a years time (and quote me on this), it will be forgotten. 

So, to take this full circle, it’s the critics who I mainly have a jive with. There’s this realm of peer pressure to all like something, that you won’t be the ‘cool kid’ if you don’t appreciate the new ‘cult’ film or upcoming star fest; that if your opinion doesn’t match the general mass then there’s something wrong with you.

And so this gives birth to the strangest way of justifying your opinion which I heard when someone asked my top film I watched that day: What was my fave film and what did I think was the best film?... Like they were different things.

This is bizarre, and not at all an uncommon thing to think. It’s a way to feel safe in what you like. You can have the guilty pleasure of appreciating Space Dogs 3 (Not a real film, but I wish it was) while retain your dignity by having the respectable film opinion of loving Citizen Cane (Not that there’s anything wrong with loving that film, just that I think people love it for insincere reasons). Why Can’t favourite mean best? 

Well, because people can love very questionable films, and others want a more concrete way of shooting those films down and feeling secure in their own taste. But this shouldn’t be a measure of quality, for liking a film because it feels “quality” can be liking films for superficial textural reasons, similar to being friends with a surface level intellect who actually has no idea what they’re on about; it’s an empty gesture because you're not actual friends.

Liking films for honest reasons is why we watch films in the first place. Screw BFI lists and IMDB top 100, just ask yourself: Do you enjoy that film?

Which brings me to my biggest point, because I don’t want to take away from film discussion. I love love LOOOOVE film discussion and I hate hate HAAAATE the excuse “Well, that’s just your opinion”, because if someone threw a yoghurt into a kid’s face and you argued it was wrong, it would not be fair for them to say: “Well, that’s just your opinion”. People’s opinions say a lot about that person.

If you love films that state sexist, woman-hating views at the expense of females then perhaps you have misogynistic views; if you don’t like watching films if there is no white cast perhaps you are racist; if you like macho punching male dominant gun ho emotionally detached movies perhaps you aren’t in touch with your own feelings. I’m not saying it’s as simple as that to draw those conclusions, but you can’t discredit that enjoying things in a certain way must say something about you as a person.

Which is why people try to distance themselves from “guilty pleasures” and won’t state their favourite films are the best films because that’s opening up about what you truly like; it makes you vulnerable. 

Which brings me back to my previous point: Films do half the job, audiences do the other half, and we meet half way.

Films have to do their job to a certain quality to express their ideas and we have to have an awareness, understanding and openness to accept them. Every person likes things a certain way, but films can only do so much to open up to people. If both sides can do their best to open up to each other then so many people could love so many films. 

Of course, this is a hard line to walk; it’s hard to figure out if something is at fault with the film or with yourself. And people want to be safe on what they like and don’t like, because they don’t want to be vulnerable; and yes, I am now talking about many critics, who don’t want to figure out where the film ends and their own preferences begin.

Many critics need to start opening up about what they truly like, why they like it and why those things they like could be enjoyed by others. Stop this objective talk, open your heart and speak from it, because that’s what the best films do and you have to meet them halfway. 

Which is absolutely how you should approach people. It’s not about telling people what they should watch, and why their opinion is wrong. It’s about opening up your feelings and meeting halfway.

Which brings me to the:

Prologue

On my flight, I didn’t choose first class or pay for extra leg room. When I booked my plane ticket I just booked in a suitcase, sat inside it and let them pack me in. I have everything I’d need in this cosy little box on wheels; my zesty fertiliser, bubble pop and my little laptop; that’s all I need.

I super-understand that wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea though. Most people have other needs, needs different to mine as I’m a Potato. I wouldn’t contest someone to follow my preferences though for I know everyone likes their Tea different: 

Because it’s down to taste.

[pixelonline]

GW2 Story Week - Tor: The First Meeting

Tor never liked sailing much, or flying, or dolyak carts, or really anything that jostled him about while he was trying to read or write. Was it really so hard to just stay still so he could finish this new design? Really? Though this particular complaint had him barred from many an owner’s mode of transportation it never stopped him from voicing it.

“Asura gates exist for a damn reason,” he muttered for what felt like the millionth time. His journal open on his lap, with a sketch of what looked like a hawk coming to realization. Why his father had forced him into this barbaric traveling was still beyond his realm of understanding. He was supposed to replace his father at a trial in Divinity’s Reach, not go on some scenic tour. What good did it do commoners to see a noble traveling? To have one temporarily insert himself into their lives for the sake of appearing like he cared? They worked and lived and loved just fine without his presence, and he worked and dreamed and lived just as well without being directly involved with them. A pompous attitude, sure, but was it really different from what reality had decided was true? He cared no more for the person in the third house of the second village than they did for some Human noble’s bookah son gallivanting around. His father was an ambassador, in any case, so it’s not like anything he did even mattered to people. So long as the waypoint taxes were low and some useful Asura tech made their way to the farms there was no reason to even bother remembering the Human ambassador and his family living in Rata Sum.

The harsh ring of Fort Salma’s watchtower bell forced him out of his pity party. Next stop, this place. Check on some Human/Asura relations at the first human fort between the two capitals, chat with a trader or two, pet a cat, maybe even have dinner with some Seraph commanders or whatever. Then, his trip continues on, stopping at small settlements and trading posts, meeting those who wouldn’t know or bother to remember his face. End up at Dvinity’s Reach and spend the next few months flittering about like some self important toadstool. What a lovely trip, really. With a sigh, his journal carefully closed and fit into the small pouch at his hip, he glanced out the cart’s window to the farmland around him. Inspiration struck whenever it might, and he preferred to be able to jot them down immediately. Propriety be damned.  

His cart rolled to a harsh stop, the dolyak doing their obnoxious dolyak yell as stable hands begin the process of cooling them down. He stepped out of the covered cart, dust rising as his boots hit the ground harshly. With Tor’s face an immediate mask of noble dignity and grace, he greeted the people nearby as if he’d known them all his life. He shook hands with a Sergeant Yarbrough who didn’t seem all that pleased to meet him, and was led from the front gates through the small marketplace and into the fort’s more fortified walls. He stopped abruptly in what appeared to be the dining hall.

“My time is precious, my lord, so forgive me if I don’t spend quality time showing you about. We have centaurs invading all around here and I’m needed to protect the villagers. Your quarters are to the left, down the hall. Last room, can’t miss it.” the Sergeant was curt in his statement, already turned from the room and walking out. “The Captain will meet with you tonight, though. She’s dealing with some issues around the fort. We have a higher rank visiting as well, but she’ll be leaving soon. On some mission for the Queen.” Tor nodded, uninterested in responding. He was already planning his report of the place. The farms were a distance from the market and dolyaks were slow. They’d definitely benefit from the efficiency and speed of a hovering...well...anything.

Tor began to wander about the building. Clearly the center of the Seraph’s settlement, the rooms were all packed with either beds, weapons, or supplies. Still considering what tech would make the Fort and its residents safer, maybe a laser turret system for the centaur issue wouldn’t be the best after all, he wandered through a large door to an open plaza in the center of the keep. Obviously redesigned to be a training area, worn out straw dummies hung off wooden poles sadly and blunt weapons littered the ground. A small well in the center drew his attention. More accurately, the sound coming from the well. A woman, clad in red and gold armor sat with her back against it, humming softly as she sharpened arrows. Her long red hair kept away from her neck and face by a single hair pin, her expression serious and focused on her task.

Girenadayle.

He hadn’t seen her since he was a child. A noble as well, he recalled the times he’d seen her play in the central plaza of Divinity’s Reach. Unafraid of adventure even as a kid, she would throw herself fearlessly into whatever game they were playing. He’d watched from the royal library’s window as she bothered her Seraph sister each day to teach her how to hold a sword, what stances would bring the most to her attacks. Tor had been young when his father was chosen to move to the Asura capital, but he never forgot how this one girl stood out to him. He’d heard about her from time to time. Her sister, murdered on patrol. She joining the ranks after her father was claimed by them as well. She rose to lieutenant quickly, rumors claimed it to be because of her nobility, though he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it couldn’t be true.

“Are you going to stare much longer? It’s getting annoying.” She glared in his direction and a thousand daggers pierced his body. No, there was no way she used her noble rank to gain her military one. Her eyes had been sharpened by many, many battles, that much was obvious.

“Er...I-I, yes. I mean, no! I mean...it’s nice to see you. Again. Once more.” Shut up, shut up, shut up! Mashed onions for brains, Tordacien. He stepped towards her and offered a polite bow. Perfectly noble. Not at all weird. It was completely normal to bow to a soldier. Yep. Everyone did it. All the time. She...she was still staring at him. Slowly from boot tip to skull. He felt like a show moa. Had he been assessing her like this? Surely not. ...Right?

“Book kid. You went to Rata Sum. Not much of a dancer, if my feet remember. What are you doing here?” She set down her arrows and stood. “There isn’t much in the way of Asura here, and if you’re heading to Divinity’s Reach I’m fairly certain the gates are much faster.”

He let out a sigh so deep his entire body slacked, the ping of embarrassment at her remembering his two left feet immediately gone. “Thank you. That’s what I said, but no, I’m supposed to see how the settlements between here and Metrica are, get an idea of how the people we govern live, but we get reports every week so how is seeing it myself supposed to change anything? I’m replacing my father at the royal court this year, not taking a nice tour of the territory and have inane talks about things those living it understand much better than I.” She chuckled as he ran out of air for his sarcastic rant. Leaning against the well she seemed entirely at ease now that he’d dropped his own formal posture.

“Well, you can’t do good with laws and whatnot if you don’t see what the needs are, can you? You sound an awful lot like Faren, though you’d think all the books would have made you far more intelligent. You have a responsibility as a noble and representative of Kryta, you should probably act like it. These people, all people, work hard and deserve your full respect.”

He gaped. She just compared him to the most pompous imbecile in all of Tyria. That pinhead couldn’t be a decent Lord if someone covered the goal in women and coin. A constant fountain of ego, even as a child. He’d never liked Faren. None of that having to do with him easily becoming friends with every child, while Tor found himself lacking the skill, of course. Unable to retort, Tor stood there, completely engulfed in old jealousies and new shame. She definitely had a point. Multiple, even. He’d been treating these people as if they didn’t matter, and she saw right through him. Damn fool, even as an adult.

“I’ll be a court in a few days, myself. Captain Thackeray and I have been building a case against someone very dangerous. We may see each other then, Lord Tordacien.” She walked past him, bumping her armored shoulder against his. The shock of her so close, so warm, drove him out of his thoughts.

“Lady...Lieutenant...er...G-Girenadayle. You, uh, you know...I prefer Tor. My name is kind of a mouthful. And overly grandiose.” He hated stuttering. He thought he’d conquered this while attending the College of Statics, but it would seem that the case not so.

She smiled. “I completely agree. Giren, for me. See you in Divinity’s Reach, Tor.”

He didn’t move, didn’t breathe, until she was completely out of sight. She knew his name. She knew his name. They’d only spoken a handful of times at social gatherings. Years, and years ago. He sat down with a thud. She knew his name, wanted to see him again! ....And most likely thought he was a complete ass. Of course, he sounded like one. The commoners, farmers, tradesmen mattered, dammit. How could he have even thought otherwise?! Without them, nothing would function. Every person in Kryta mattered, made their society function and flow. He was no better than them, he’d never had to do hard labor in his life. There’s no way he’d be able to survive the way these people did with what looked like ease. He rubbed a hand over his face, exhausted suddenly. Yep, he’d been a right bear’s rear end. He left the plaza consumed with examining his past behaviors. He’d have to treat his traveling companions when they reached their final destination. He had no doubt that he’d been a pain to be around. As the Sergeant said, his quarters were easy to find, much nicer than any of the other sleeping areas he’d seen. He was grateful that they’d tried to make him feel welcome, though the streak of guilt at the residents going out of their way to make a room nicer just for him still struck. Sitting at the small writing desk in the far corner of the room underneath a window with just enough of the setting sun’s light creeping through, he pulled out his journal. Opening to a new page, he began to write.

Entry 1: Fort Salma

I’ve been quite terrible, recently. Lady Gi Giren reminded me of that. She’s very much the same as I remember her, and so much better. I know now why I’d never seen her around when visiting the capital from time to time, she was out changing, learning, being someone people needed. And what have I done? Wallow in my own thoughts and never once thought of anyone else. That changes, as of now. I’ll take on this duty to meet the people of Kryta seriously and listen to their concerns. What I can’t change myself I’ll take to the ministers. Surely someone has the capability to fix what’s wrong. It’s well past time to get serious. After father’s task is completed, I’ll find something to do that puts some meaning in my life. Continue working on those elixirs I had such an affinity for in my schooling, maybe. We only met for a moment, but still she is an inspiration, isn’t she?

[jessicakehoe]

Self-Isolation Diary: How Smythe’s Designers Are Co-Running Their Brand During Quarantine

With people around the country now in Week 8 of self-isolation, FASHION is reaching out to some of our favourite Canadians to get a peek into how they’re living their lives in lockdown (remember: #StayHomeSaveLives). Each week, keep an eye out for new self-isolation diaries from actors, designers, athletes and artists who are riding this uncertain time out with us.

This week, we’re hearing from Andrea Lenczner and Christie Smythe, co-founders and designers of womenswear brand Smythe. The two are self-isolating in Toronto in their respective homes, faced with the challenges of running a brand while social distancing, maintaining team morale, grappling with an uncertain future and more. Here’s how they’re doing it.

How are you running your business from home? What sort of routine works best for you?  Andrea Lenczner: We started with daily conference calls that became daily Zoom calls that became 3x a week Zoom calls. They happen at 10am while the kids are on-line learning. I have been moving around the house trying to figure out the best work “station.” I’m in my third (and hopefully final) spot in the kitchen.

Christie Smythe: I take all calls from my car since my house is open concept and it’s the only way to ensure focus and quiet. Everyone is used to seeing me on video calls in my car with a toque on. Last week, I even did my quarterly shareholders meeting from the car. I also started a daily COVID work diary to help me remember what decisions were made when… things are changing so quickly.

image courtesy christie smythe

What are the challenges of trying to co-run a brand while social distancing? How are you touching base and keeping communication going? AL: I miss the impromptu support and cross-pollination of ideas we get from our team. We huddle so often to both be creative and to problem solve. That kind of energy has been temporarily lost. We can’t WAIT to be back in the same room.

CS: Our biggest challenge is doing fittings. Pre-COVID there would be 5-6 people in a room for a fitting. Now, its one of us trying a garment on at home, maybe couriering to the model to take photos/video and then couriering to the pattern maker for changes. Not efficient!


It can be tough to stay creative and optimistic during a time of such crisis. As the designers behind Smythe, how are you dealing with that? AL: At the beginning, the business stress and reacting to the house of cards did kill my creative energy and we solely focused on business admin and mitigating loss. I couldn’t have designed a sandwich if you asked me. I learned I need to be happy and calm to be creative.

CS: Before COVID closures, we had received our fabric selections for Spring 2021 so I managed to bring it all home and begin the conception process, which I then passed on to Andrea so that we could discuss. We are just at the point now where we are sharing ideas and starting to think about execution of a sample collection.

How are you keeping your staff positive during this time? AL: I think just the frequent touching base (seeing faces on video) and laughing about what we USED to think was a big problem at work helps… Sharing the nerves and, I hope, having honest dialogue about fears and the unknown.

CS: Concentrating on the tasks at hand keeps moving the team forward. I try and touch base with everyone individually and periodically. We have also carved out time for “non-work” calls where we socialize, drink and play lame games. I try to highlight the small victories (like a purchase order opening up) when they happen.

image courtesy Andrea Lenczner

What are you doing during down time to keep yourselves entertained? AL: I am reading Erik Larson’s The Splendid and the Vile. It opens with an oh-so relevant quote from Churchill that says “It is not given to human beings—happily for them, for otherwise life would be intolerable—to foresee or to predict to any large extent the unfolding course of events”. Of course, before I read anything during lockdown, I binge-watched Tiger King.

CS: I’ve been biking, taking infrared saunas, and my daughter treats me with a nightly spa treatment. So far my favourite was the homemade coconut oil hair mask. 


What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in adapting your business to run from home, and also of working in an industry that many people aren’t willing or able to spend money on right now? AL: The change in consumer behaviour was noticeable and fast. We are lucky to have very loyal customers and we have done some e-commerce events to inspire shopping with a purpose, for example our promotion to raise funds for University Hospital Network.

CS: Since we are non-essential, we worked with one of our employees’ initiatives called #sewbettertogether to donate Smythe fabric and labour to create non-medical masks and PPE that were then given to frontline workers.

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Thank you! Thank you to everyone who made noise and purchased something this weekend from our amazing #torontofashionunited partners and for everyone who has donated time or supplies to #sewbettertogether masks for frontline workers. These crazy times certainly have brought us all together. #bettertogether #weareinthistogether #togetherapart #smeyes

A post shared by SMYTHE (@smythebrand) on Apr 27, 2020 at 2:23pm PDT

Has this lockdown made you reflect at all on your lives, relationships, brand, or the fashion industry at large? AL: It has made me resolute that we sit down as a family every night for dinner, programs be damned. It’s so important and we had let that get away from us at our house.

CS: It’s a real lesson about diversifying risk. Smythe started as a wholesale business and we are so glad to have launched e-commerce two years ago. We hope to invest more in DTC in the future. I also think that the slowing of fall deliveries that is happening out of necessity is something that should have happened some time ago and will make a lot more sense to the consumer.


What is your hope for the fashion industry in a post-COVID world?  AL: I think Covid has made conscious consumption hit home. CS: I agree. But don’t make it boring and safe. Fashion needs inspiration and risk!

The post Self-Isolation Diary: How Smythe’s Designers Are Co-Running Their Brand During Quarantine appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

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