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[sysig]

Shapes never felt so good (Patreon)

[creatingnikki]

What 2020 has taught me

1. Those things that seem like content for sci fi or pure fiction are actually things that can happen. To the entire world. Like a pandemic. And to you. Like a seizure.

2. Everyone is sad. Everyone is struggling. In different ways and in different measures. Makes no one special. But you still get to feel sad for yourself and be compassionate towards others. But it's also okay to draw boundaries because you're everyone too. Remember, not special? You're sad and trying to deal with it too.

3. Every job you have will not add value to your life. It will not teach you new things or give you people you'll want to stay in touch with. Sometimes some jobs will only be a season of your life. Even if the season lasts for over a year. It's okay.

4. You know how you thought picking a college and picking a major and picking your first job and picking a specific industry were all the career decisions you had to make? Yeah, no. It's never a one time thing. You could have a job as a marketing strategist for two years and then want nothing to do with it. And then you'll have to make another decision and work towards it. So I'd like to call it moves. It's like chess. You always have to make a move. And it always has to be strategic, yes. But the truth is in your 20s it probably won't. Even if you try. And as long as you're trying, you'll be fine.

5. You may have different sorts of friends like the one you only talk to about kdrama with or the one you met when you went book shopping alone and the friendship is all about books really. That's normal. But irrespective of why and how you became friends with them, if you consider them a friend then there has to be this basic sense of care, respect and empathy for each other. I don't care what people want to say. If you're faced with the worst trauma of your life, the least your friends can do is check up on you regularly. On text. And if they don't even do that then guess what? They aren't friends. They are acquaintances. Social media and quick promises make everyone seem like your friend. But they are not. They are just nice people who will be nice to you for specific periods and then wander away like you are a speck of dust floating in their journey.

6. You speak a lot and write and you express yourself and you’re emotionally mature but oh my god. You still hold in so much. You’ve known that at a subconscious level and over the last year people - experts - have told you that. You have also realized that you make your pain and sadness about pettier things because dealing with them, admitting about them, sharing that with your friends, is easier. You do that so that you don’t have to deal with the real stuff. Because it’s so damn painful. And you don’t know how to do it. Yet. Acknowledging is the first step anyway right? I know you’re confused about how exactly to let go of all this pain and sadness and feel lighter, and you know that talking to people really isn’t the solution, but I also know you’re smart enough to figure it out. 

7. Talking about being smart...you know you’re different than others. Better. Special. Smarter. None of these are the right words. And you never voiced this out until this year because you knew it would make you come across as narcissistic. Some would say it’s because you’re an INFJ. But my mother once said that this may be the first time we are consciously living life but our souls are old and so our instinct and the things we know but can’t explain are because this isn’t the first time for our souls. The connections we feel with certain people, the reason we are so different from our siblings who grew up in the exact same environment with the exact same opportunities, our sense of right and wrong...it’s all because our souls learn and grow with each time and that’s why we are who we are. I think that’s probably how I can explain what I have always felt. That I am living in a different universe than everybody but I have to pretend to be in this one and dumb my emotions and thoughts down. Maybe that’s because my soul has lived through thousands of years while most around me are living their 100th life. Or maybe I’m just narcissistic, who knows?

8. You shift between talking in first person and second person but that’s because that’s how you think in your head and talk to yourself and live your life. You ask yourself things and you accuse yourself of things and you apologize to yourself and you comfort yourself. I think that seeps into your writing and the changing of the voices. 

9. You always genuinely thought that you’d not be afraid of dying. And then what happened this October proved you shockingly wrong. I know it’s not so much being afraid of dying but the unbearable pain of knowing what that would mean to your family. So you have to be more prudent and less reckless with your life and the choices you make. 

10. Regret is not something that plagued you but this year the realisation and pain of giving away your favourite books from your own personal collection to people you care about as a show of affection and them turning out to be ass holes or losers has hit you so hard. So, yes. No more of that shit. I really fucking want my copy of The Perks Of Being A Wallflower back. UGH. With the childhood picture of me inside it! 

11. Sleeping at 5 am in the morning stops being fun or romanticised when you realise just how much harm it does to your body and mind. Literally every single disease and disorder can be traced back to a shitty fucking sleep schedule. It’s not just the hours you sleep but also the quality of sleep and the time you sleep at. So yes sleeping for 8 hours is healthy but not if that 8 hours is from 5 am to 12 pm. ‘Not a morning person’ is just another construct of capitalism and you don’t realise how many industries profit from having you believe that and staying up late or all night. Entertainment. Food. Alcohol. Pharma. Biologically and naturally you are a bloody morning person. And you don’t need 3 cups of coffee to begin your day or your phone notifications to get you to open your eyes and brain to wake up. 

12. Sometimes you really have to stop taking people so seriously. I know the idea of treating people as casual friends or entertainment makes you want to fight that concept but you know what? Some people like Pineapple are ever only going to be good for that. No matter how much they ‘grow and change’. So keep them in the background for whenever you want some entertainment or drama. But please don’t clear up your busy schedule to meet them or send them gifts on their birthday. 

13. If you don’t have the fruit juice or green juice within half an hour of making it then you are losing out on its most optimum health benefits. Or when you remove the white stringy stuff from oranges. That’s where all the actual nutrients are.

14. I am privileged and so are most of the people I interact with. The global pandemic has been hell for a lot of people around the world. Health wise. Financially. Losing people they care about. But I was blessed enough to be safe at home and have a job that I could smoothly do from home and not have a pay cut or 4-hour long Zoom meetings. So honestly when my friends tell me 2020 has been bad I have to stop and ask them why? Yes, the crippling uncertainty and anxiety is not something that can be undermined. But most people I know had very great positive life-changing milestones this year like moving away to another country for college or taking their first solo trip or getting married. So I have to ask them. Because I am not going to agree that everybody’s 2020 and pandemic narrative is the same. 

15. Money gets spent really quickly. When I left my job earlier this year because of personal issues, I thought I had enough savings to last me a year. Full disclosure - I mean to last my personal expenses because I live with my parents. But it didn’t even last me 3 months. And so to use money wisely and buy things that provide utility than instant gratification is something to follow. Also buying one pair of really expensive but quality shoes is better than buying 5 pairs of affordable but low quality shoes that will have a very short life and force you to buy more. I know that higher price doesn’t always mean better quality but sometimes it does. And as an adult now I want to do the whole quality > quantity thing even with things and not just people. 

16. Everyone in their 20s went through a crisis of what they should do with their lives and their careers and it’s not unique to the 21st century and the challenges of today. Whether it was Vincent Van Gogh in the 19th century or Sylvia Plath in the 20th, every single person, as brilliant as them went through the torture of making these decisions and living with their consequences. You may think I picked wrong examples for they both killed themselves but you know what? They were the people who really want to live more than anyone. They knew what life meant. And maybe if mental health help was more accessible back then their lives would be longer and more peaceful. 

17. Telling people everything is overrated. You don’t have to talk about every single thing that’s on your mind or that’s going on in your life. The good and the bad and the mediocre. You have to be mindful about how much of yourself you’re giving away. 

18. Re-watch Suits when people at work feel intimidating because the confidence + negotiation tactics that they show can actually work irl cos at the end of the day no matter in what position you’re dealing with people who have emotions and fears and insecurities and desires. You understand how to leverage that nobody can get the better of you. 

19. You belong to yourself. No matter how much you love someone or how much they have done for you or how much you owe them - you belong to yourself. You can’t live your life for someone else. Everyone belongs to themselves first. No relationship, no promise, no circumstance should make you feel like you have to give up your life and make it all about them. If and when the time comes to die for them, go ahead. Take a bullet. Donate that kidney. Write them in your will. But live your life for yourself. And let them live theirs. 

20. Twenty three was a challenging year. When it started you claimed the age 23 sounds boring and insignificant. Guess it proved you wrong. It hurt so much now. But that only means you’ll look back on it later and see how it added so much wisdom and resilience to your being. It doesn’t mean that it makes all the bad things that happened to you okay. Or that you should be grateful to them. Fuck no. It means that you should be kinder to yourself because at the end of the day, your mind and body find it in themselves to deal with whatever is thrown their way. They have your back. It’s time you learn to sit straight. 

[scrawnydutchman]

Why Craig McCracken is a Genius

Anybody who follows my work as well as my most frequent postings and discussions knows that I LOVE animation. I sincerely and confidently say it is the greatest art form in the world, simply because in one way or another it’s every art form combined. It’s drawing, painting, acting, film making, special effects, literature and music all at the same time, and while cartoons get the unfortunate shove as being nothing more then non-intellectual “kid’s stuff”, the field has produced some of the finest achievements in art of the 20th century as well as the 21st so far. But much like any art form, the field is only as great as it’s artists and what they bring to the table. There are many great animators and animation directors that any enthusiast can point to for inspiration like Rebecca Sugar, Lauren Faust, Genndy Tartakovsky, Don Bluth, Tex Avery, Chuck Jones, Hayao Miyazaki, Sitoshi Kun, and of course the most obvious answer Walt Disney. While I have great admiration and nothing but respect for the artists above, I’d like to take a moment to appreciate the genius of the man behind the shows I bring with me throughout my childhood and even adult life. The creator of such shows as Powerpuff Girls (which incidentally he collaborated with Faust and Tartakovsky on), Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends and Wander Over Yonder, Craig McCracken.

Make no mistake; there is a reason this man is so heavily respected and regarded in the current landscape of western animation, and you know a McCracken cartoon when you see them. But what exactly makes his work stand out? What is it about the cartoons McCracken has produced and directed that makes it so accessible to such a wide audience of kids and to an extent adults? How is it that whenever I put on an episode of Fosters or Wander Over Yonder I’m immediately put in a good mood and am enthusiastic about life? Well, after watching and studying his work I think I can boil it down to a few elements which, incidentally I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts before.

1. Beautifully Simple Character Design

Aesthetically speaking, what do the Powerpuff Girls, Bloo from Fosters Home and Wander all have in common? The answer of course is that they are deceptively simple designs that all take a very minimalist approach. So many household names from cartoons are memorable but their designs can often be so complex that if one were to try and draw them from memory, even as a skilled cartoonist, they’d have just enough trouble that they may forget a few key aspects of the design. With McCracken’s designs you can draw them likely in less then 2 minutes, especially ol’ Bloo from Fosters Home. You just draw a little pac man ghost with little flipper arms, circular eyes, a grin and a straight line at the bottom and you’re done. One might think these designs are very limited because of how minimalist they are with how you can express them, and if you’re feeling particularly like a snobby Jackass you might call it lazy. But in truth these design choices are the most practical you can get as they give you all the essentials of the character with nothing superfluous. First, because of how quickly you can draw them by that very nature they are also SEVERAL times easier to animate, and with the added aid of glorious modern day technology (when it’s not crashing that is) producing high quality entertainment quickly has never been easier. Second, all the essential parts of the character are there. Each character in a show is a distinctive shape not replicated by any other character, meaning that if you were to put them in a silhouette you could easily recognize who is who. Also, the whole art of animation is expressing character and personality through motion, which is where the acting part of the field comes in. Just by mannerisms, typical distinctive poses and even the very nature of their walk cycles we know exactly what kind of person each character from these shows is. We know the Powerpuff Girls are only innocent on the surface level and in truth are actually quite violent and gruesome (unless you’re watching the new horrendous show that completely misses the point of what makes the original so great), we know Bloo from Foster’s Home is a mischievous egotistical little trickster who is always causing trouble and we know Wander is a happy go lucky optimist who only seeks to bring happiness to all. Sometimes the best way to go is to not think too hard about it and let the main points of the character come through with no additions holding them down or distracting from the point.

2. Creative Yet Broad Show Premises

*This is my new favorite Gif*

I have to imagine each one of these shows had beautifully smooth pitches to get them funded (except maybe Powerpuff Girls because of the violence) because they have such imaginative and original premises that can be summed up so quickly to anyone who wants to watch and they leave themselves open to so many different types of stories.

*A boy visits his Imaginary Friend at a Foster Home where he and many other Imaginary Friends go on all sorts of hijinx or adventures, along the way saying goodbye to imaginary friends who find a new home*

or

*a superhero parody where a bunch of seemingly innocent and adorable little girls are actually quite violent and aggressive, and the show plays off of superhero stereotypes while also challenging typical gender roles*

Done. Great simple premise with unique concept not explored before. Take my money.

I’ve said before that it’s important for a show to have an easy to grasp premise, especially for children, because the easier it is to understand the more accessible it is to a larger audience. Plus because of the broad nature of the summary you can tell any kind of story you want between episodes. Premises like these  have story ideas that just write themselves; it’s why the family sitcom of middle class family with idiot father and hot overcompensating wife exist, because everyone can relate to having a family and the dichotomy of a couple where one is the straight man putting up with the ceaseless antics of the other. Wander Over Yonder is a  particularly good example of this because quite honestly all you need to know is “A couple of do-gooders wander the galaxy making new friends and incidentally run into an incompetent arch enemy a lot”. It’s basically just Road Runner but it takes place on a new planet every episode. 

3. Color!!!!

Craig McCracken KNOWS how to use color. It gives all of his shows such a warm inviting feeling because it’s all so bright and either blends nicely or makes decent contrast. This may seem like a minor point, but You’d be amazed how quickly a bad color palette can ruin a show for an audience. the color choices of these shows immediately attract the attention of the viewer with it’s positive vibes and satisfying placement. Plus each character has a color scheme appropriate to their personality (or more accurately they contrast, appropriating a common theme in McCracken’s work; polar opposites hanging out with each other). The goodhearted reasonable and well behaved Mac is red, but his mischievous trouble making fun loving imaginary friend Bloo is, well . . . . blue. The happy-go-lucky Wander is orange, but his logical and pragmatic best friend and steed Sylvia is blue. The leader Blossom is pink, the innocent Bubbles is baby blue and the tough tomboy Buttercup is green. They remain consistent with these choices and much like the contrast of these characters physical appearance it makes it all the more apparent that the characters themselves contrast too.I don’t know what else to say about it, but just TELL me you don’t watch the intro to Fosters Home and get all hyped up in the process!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZiB_S9VpiU

4. Surrealist Humor

One thing you’ll notice about these shows is that they aren’t afraid to be weird, Fosters especially. They take every chance they can get to have something surreal happen only to play it off moments later like it never happened. I think that’s always been a great strength of McCracken’s shows. A huge part of comedy is playing with expectations: nobody ever gets a laugh out of something predictable. But another great and common aspect of comedy is stark, jarring contrast. I once read a WONDERFUL book called The Humor Code by Joel Warner and Peter McGraw, that was all about studying what makes people laugh, and they brought up a theory in the book that comedy is all about violation + benign. Something is jarring to our senses but we quickly find out it’s actually nothing to be afraid of. Hence why being tickled by someone we love makes us laugh: it’s a violation of our personal space, but we know our loved one wouldn’t actually hurt us. But it wouldn’t be funny if we tickled ourselves because it’s not a violation, and it isn’t funny with someone you don’t trust tickles you because the violation isn’t benign. This can also happen in reverse: something that initially lowers our defences turns out to actually be harmful or annoying or bother us in some way. I’m not necessarily saying this is the be all and end all of comedy as it’s only a theory, but I think you could apply it to McCracken’s work. His cartoons are littered with moments where a character does something strange or random or out of the ordinary and nobody bats an eye, or maybe it’ll shift in perspective about how large the situation at hand is. An immediate example that comes to my mind is the episode of Wander where a planet is attacked on a huge scale by a destroyer of planets called “Buster” . . .which actually when you zoom out it turns out it’s an adorable little puppy just playing with a ball. Humor is largely subjective, but if you ask me . . that shit is funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ5QRrAosQo

Conclusion

McCracken

 has been making numerous contributions to the field of animation throughout his career and has gained notoriety for the shows under his belt . . and rightfully so. He understands pure and simple what cartoons are all about: simple, down to earth, easy to access entertainment that’s fun and leaves you in a good mood. Some television can be considered junk food like reality tv shows (cheap to produce, quick to make, advertised well but loaded with garbage), and others can be considered fruits and veggies like Breaking Bad or The Simpsons (they make you a better person and challenge your sensibilities), but sometimes all you really need is a light simple snack. One that’s colorful, sweet, and maybe even a little nutritious. McCracken delivers in his work with original premises, accessible characters, bright inviting colors and a delightfully weird sense of humor. God bless ya, Mr. McCracken!

[randallvangundy]

Yorkshire Terrier

Yorkshire Terriers, also called Yorkies, are adorably small dogs that weigh seven pounds maximum. No wonder they rank 10th as the most popular dog breeds in America. They are known for having a long, silky coat that can turn any passerby’s eyes.

Yorkshire Terriers are cute, loving, and great companions. But, they have a feisty side too. As a matter of fact, some people regard them as a big dog trap in a small dog’s body. They are not afraid of anything, even if they’re up against a big dog or animal.

Yorkshire Terrier Statistics

Dog Breed GroupToy Group Height7-8 inches Weight7 pounds Lifespan11-15 years

Yorkshire Terrier Ratings

Energy level Exercise needs Requires attention Playfulness Trainability Shedding Grooming Friendly with family Friendly with strangers Friendly with other dogs Prey Drive

History Of The Yorkshire Terrier

Yorkshire Terriers were bred in England during the Industrial Revolution to catch rats in mines. It’s believed that this breed was crossbred from different types of terriers such as Clydesdale Terrier, Paisley Terrier, and Skye Terriers.

Yorkshire Terriers are impressive ratters. However, that’s not the only purpose they have during those times. As you know, Yorkshire Terriers are small enough to be carried by hunters in their pockets, plus their bravery was that of a big dog; they’re the most convenient choice for hunting. So, aside from being sent to the mills to exterminate rats, they were also sent to wild animals’ dens to hunt – wild animals such as foxes and badgers.

For a dog this small, it’s undeniably surprising how they can pull off such a courageous job.

During the Victorian Era, things have changed in favor of the Yorkies. From being exterminators in the mills, they became desirable pets for royalty and upper classes. It was during this time that small dogs were on-trend. With the Yorkies’ size and their long, lustrous hair, there was no other dog that looked like them, and they immediately became a symbol of wealth.

However, it was only in the year 1861 that Yorkshire Terriers were presented in a bench show. They were named Broken-haired Scotch Terrier at that time. In 1865, a dog named Huddersfield Ben, the father of the modern terriers, was introduced and became popular immediately. And by the year 1870, the breed was renamed Yorkshire Terrier as it is the place where they were developed.

Temperament Of The Yorkshire Terrier

Yorkshire Terriers are generally affectionate, energetic, and tomboyish. Notice how there’s a balance of bravery and sweetness in there? Well, that’s mainly because Yorkies have a unique personality brought by the combination of a terrier and a toy dog – adventurous and adorable.

With their terrier side, they can be aggressive towards other animals such as dogs and cats. They also need to be active at some time of the day; however, unlike bigger dogs, they don’t require a lot of it. You can set up a few tasks for them to do to give them that sense of purpose (especially that they were bred as working dogs).

As a toy dog, they can be very great companions, especially if you’re a traveler. With their small size, owners can easily carry them inside a bag. Other than that, they are also very confident and work great as therapy dogs for timid people and those with anxiety. They can also quickly adapt well in any type of surroundings, and home situations, may it be in an apartment, a condo, or a house.

Though they can be very friendly with adults, I cannot say the same with little children, especially babies. With their aggressive nature, a Yorkshire Terrier may think of the child as a dog, too, which can be dangerous. They are also not great companions for small companions such as guinea pigs and rabbits because of their hunter background.

However, if you want a Yorkie, the only way to get around this temperament is early socialization. Meaning, if you have a kid, then it would be best to get a young puppy that can grow together with your child. The same thing with cats, Yorkshire Terriers would usually tolerate the animal if they have lived together for some time.

In other words, if you want to own a Yorkshire Terrier, you need to be able to create a balance between his two temperaments. Socialize him with different people, animals, and sights. If properly raised, they can become amiable and well-rounded dogs.

Yorkshire Terrier Care Requirements

Nutrition: Yorkshire Terriers, just like any other dog, needs a healthy and well-balanced meal. It also needs to be of high-quality to maintain their long and silky coat. With a weight of 3-7 pounds, Yorkies would need 150 calories of food daily if inactive. However, if they are active, 200 calories a day should suffice. Dry food is highly recommended so they can also maintain healthy teeth. At the same time, this wouldn’t get stuck on the long hair on their face. If you opt to prepare a meal for them, make sure that there’s a balance of protein, vegetables, fruits, and carbs, with protein as the primary ingredient. You can get this protein from chicken, fish, lamb, or turkey. For carbohydrates, you can opt for brown rice and sweet potatoes. They are excellent sources of fiber as well. Maintaining a well-balanced diet will help your Yorkie maintain their energy and keep their right weight.

Grooming: Yorkshire Terriers’ hair doesn’t shed. However, it grows continuously up to two feet if not trimmed. Though this is not a problem since it’s one thing that makes Yorkies attractive, keeping the hair long would also mean daily brushing if you don’t want it to form knots. The hair on the upper part of her head needs regular trimming to avoid eye irritation. They would also need to have a bath at least once a week. Before bathing, make sure to brush the hair first and entangle any knots. You can run your fingers to your Yorkies coat. Don’t forget to check their ears and nails. The ears should be kept clean, and the nails should always be trimmed. Trimming the hair might also be needed if it becomes too long. However, it’s still best to have a professional do this. If you want to do it on your own, make sure to be very careful, or you can get yourself trained too to ensure your Yorkie’s safety.

Exercise: Yorkshire Terriers may be small in size, but they do need some exercise too. You can take them for a walk at least once a day. Make sure the pace is steady and one that will not require him to take big breaths. Also, keep him in a leash as they enjoy wandering around. Other than the daily walks, you can also give them cardio exercise once or twice a week. There are different ways that you can do this: hide and seek, fetch, frisbee. Just make sure always to prepare a treat every after your Yorkie does an excellent job to keep his mood up.

Health: Yorkshire Terriers generally have a longer lifespan; however, just like any other dog breed, they can be prone to some health problems. Most of these are brought about by genetic disorders. Hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s), a malfunction in the adrenal glands which produces a lot of steroid hormones, is one genetic problem that affects Yorkshire Terriers the most. They can also develop eye problems, liver problems, heart diseases, and problems in bones and joints. Dental diseases, infections, obesity, allergies, and parasites are also common problems of dogs in general that you need to watch out for. Another thing that you need to remember that Yorkies are not great swimmers. So, always keep an eye on them if near any body of water.

Lifespan: The life expectancy of Yorkshire Terriers is 11-15 years.

Famous Yorkshire Terriers

Mr. Famous: Audrey Hepburn’s Yorkshire Terrier; starred in one of her movies, Funny Face

Mignon: A famous Yorkie that starred on Green Acres which ran from 1965-1971

Doogie: Whitney Houston’s Yorkie

Moses: The family dog of the Fockers’ family in the movie Meet the Fockers

Huddersfield Ben: champion show dog; foundation sire for the Yorkshire Terrier

Cede Higgins: The first Yorkshire Terrier to win Popular Best Show Award at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show in 1978

Ozmilion Mystification: The first Yorkie to win Best Show at Crufts

Sylvia: Owned by Arthur Marples; the smallest dog in recorded history

Smokie: World War II hero; owned by William Wyne of Cleveland, Ohio

Pashna: Owned by First Lady, Tricia Nixon

Fun Facts About Yorkshire Terriers

Yorkshire Terriers were initially rat hunters.

They were originally called Broken-Haired Scotch Terriers for nearly a decade.

Yorkshire Terriers’ hair can grow up to two feet long; their hair doesn’t shed.

Yorkshire Terriers are prone to reverse sneezing, which creates funny noises.

Yorkshire Terriers are one of the first registered dog breeds in AKC.

Although known as the second smallest breed, Yorkshire Terriers aren’t afraid to stand up to larger dogs or animals in general.

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