#I’m thinking of trying to do an art challenge if February to force myself to at least draw *something* every day-

[inga-don-studio]

The fact that three of my own creative projects are my top posts right now (even if one is a shitpost) makes me very happy. It’s been a looooooong time since any of my art has been up there.

[corpsentry]

january: an art retrospective

i did some stuff last month (but it’s a lot of stuff and there’s a photodump + some Serious Fucking Reflection, so it’s all below the cut)

so ok, let’s start with this. here are some heads. each head has a red arrow. that red arrow is what i call the red line of the devil. it’s the slope of the face from the side of the eye to the cheekbone and then down towards the chin. up until like 2 weeks ago, i couldn’t draw it. i couldn’t fucking draw it. i would edit over that part of the face over and over again until i was frustrated and tired and i had a raging homosexual headache and it still never looked right. notice that each head is different. notice that each head looks wrong.

at the start of 2021 i finally admitted to myself, as per the image above, that i was deeply, deeply unhappy with my art. what was the problem? i dunno. but i decided i was going to fix it and i was going to do so via another one scribble a day event wherein for every day of january i would find a photo of a human head, and i would draw it.

january 1st, 2021. i was embarrassed to tweet this even on my private account where like 5 friends and a rock would see it. in retrospect, you can also see all of my bad habits emerging like dicks from a hole in the ground. it’s disproportionate. the brows look flat. the eyes are slanting upwards. the entire drawing looks flat, like this isn’t a 3d person but a caricature of one.

january 2nd, 3rd, 4th:

on the 2nd i decided to start a separate thread for doodles and applied learning. here’s the first set of tests

the rest of the week is kind of uneventful so we’re going to skip those. fast forward to january 11th

this one is especially bad. i am acutely aware, suddenly, that i am not changing anything at all. i’m stressed and miserable about it because i’m still trying to see people as people and trying to draw people that look attractive and proportionate and hot. my friend, leny, reminds me that i need to think about faces in terms of planes. i have a moment. my other friend masha sends me some links to anatomy tutorials. i have another moment.

january 11th. applied sketch

january 13th is when i start the troubleshooting process. the link above drives me mad because i’m pretty happy with the face but then i realize that there’s something very fucking wrong with the shape of the head LOL and then i realize that i’ve never had any idea what the proportion of the face to the rest of the skull is so i grit my teeth and i open a new canvas and i

bald studies. it seemed like the right thing to do. can’t draw heads? ok draw some heads. look at some photographs. i traced each photo but tried to stick to straight lines so that i could replicate the shapes more easily. i broke each face down into shapes. i thought about airplanes

i got really excited. i started doing studies, then applied studies, then stylized studies.

sketches. i’m not sure what’s going on (as always) and it’s very rough, but they look different from the sketches i did on january 2nd. that’s a start

january 16th’s daily study. looks more like a person now. juuuuuust a bit

more applied studies

on the 18th i take a break and go stare at some lips because i don’t understand how the fuck they work. again, i focus on shapes, on volume, on the fact that these things exist in 3d. holy fuck lips exist in 3d. holy fuck we are real

january 19th. i’m working on it.

january 22nd. some sketches + a daily study. it has finally occurred to me that heads can tilt up and down and that things look different accordingly. yes i was not aware of this before. yes i have been drawing for over a decade.

january 23rd. by this point after doing my daily sketch i almost always go back and do an applied study which is basically to say i drew a lot of fucking links. this one looks kind of okay. i’m kind of proud

january 25th. links. trying to make sense of everything i’ve learned

26th, 27th, 28th. daily studies

january 1st. january 31st

The End Of The Photo Dump (dab)

ok NOW i get to talk about what i discovered while studying the shit out of human beings

FIRST OF ALL, there is something precious and magical about drawing shit without the explicit knowledge that you’re going to tweet that shit out to 45 people later. it takes the burden of perception off your shoulders and that does something to you, or at least that’s my theory. i told myself i wouldn’t post any of this stuff until the end of the month (if i wanted to post it at all) and kept everything off my public social media accounts and that meant i could draw ugly as hell without worrying about who would point and laugh, which i absolutely fucking did. a lot of these are fucking trainwrecks. most of these are fucking trainwrecks. why do they look like that?? why??? this doesn’t look like the work of someone who’s allegedly been drawing since they were in kindergarten, does it?????

here’s why: because that person took a huge motherfucking swing at everything they’d ever known about art and spent a month building something new in its place. the abstract explanation is that i grew up on shoujo and weird old anime and my understanding of anatomy was unironically kamichama karin and while i love kamichama karin, when kamichama karin is your rule even if you try to break it, you’re going to end up going nowhere. “you have to know the rules to break them”, yeah? well i didn’t know shit. the abstract explanation is i’ve been miserable about my art for a few years now because i saw other people doing things effortlessly which i couldn’t and instead of going back to the basics, i tried to do what they did (not plagiarism, mind you, i mean i literally tried to copy the red line of the devil i mentioned above because i couldn’t even make that happen) and then i fucking failed.

the simple explanation is this. i had to unlearn everything, and relearn it again (like some kind of new renaissance clown, what the fuck is this?)

take this for example. all my life i’ve drawn faces in the order: eyes, nose, mouth, face shape, head. this works for some people, im aware, but it was something central to how i had always drawn, so i decentralized it. i said fuck you to the old me and changed the order up. now i start with the nose, then the eyes, mouth, the chin line, and the sides of the face. now i force myself to think about the human head as a series of parts interacting with each other instead of a bunch of disparate features which i want to look pretty.

or let’s use this zelda from last year. something about this looked wrong last october, the way something about all of my drawings looked wrong, but i couldn’t pinpoint it for hell the way i couldn’t articulate Any of my feelings about the visual arts. now, looking back, here’s what i see. that nose is sticking out far too much given how she’s not really facing very far away from the camera. that ear at the back shouldn’t be there. her forehead is too big. she doesn’t have a forehead. what the fuck is up with the shape of her head?

so apparently reject modernity embrace tradition has its roots in alt-right terminology and i’m not very horny for the alt-right (you understand), but the spirit survives here. you know sometimes you have to admit that you have no idea what the fuck you’re doing and draw people for 31 days. i’ve spent my whole life drawing stylized people and while again there are artists who have no issue with this, i veered off the track of the Good and the Holy and couldn’t get back on. i had no point of reference because i’d never thought about what an actual human being looks like, so i had no way to fix what i knew in my gut looked wrong but wouldn’t come out better.

this was hard. this was like oikawa tooru swallowing his worthless pride and admitting that ushijima wakatoshi had gotten the best of him for the last time in his high school career, but in haikyuu!! by furudate haruichi oikawa tooru fucks off to argentina and then joins the argentinean national team, and you know what, i think i’ve made it to argentina (not the team just the country). as per the golden rule of dont fucking move until you’re at least two thirds of the way through the month, i only started trying to draw Shit shit on like the 22nd or something, but i was happy with that i created. i am happy with what i’ve done. i’ve posted like 2 things this month that involve people with what i now call ~applied Knowledge~~ and they’re, like, not perfect obviously (perfection is an unattainable ideal), but i’m fucking proud of them. i didn’t spend 5 hours hunched over my laptop adjusting the red line of the devil because it’s not a devil’s line anymore. because i finally sorta get how people work. because i sat down and i said ‘we are not going to fuck with this misery shit anymore’ and then i did that. it’s just a line now.

here are 2 collages tracking my painstakingly carved out progress from january 2nd to february 2nd because i’m a slut for collages

and here’s what i’ve done to my art! the same person drew these but also Not Really! you know! for the first time in a year i don’t immediately hate what i’ve drawn. you know what guys? art is fucking fun. zelda’s forehead doesn’t scare me anymore because i know how foreheads fucking work now, and i don’t know everything, and i’m going to keep troubleshooting stuff as i go (i want to draw a skeleton. like a. i want to draw a goddamn skeleton guys) but i’m honestly and genuinely proud of what i’ve done in the span of a month, and i’m also in disbelief. i started this month-long challenge out as a last ditch effort to make peace with my art because i’ve been tired for a long time and i was ready to kick the bucket on drawing people altogether. i didn’t think anything would happen. nothing’s happened for years. i’ve been miserable for years.

this was the caption for january 1st, 2021. i was super, super fucking embarrassed and it looks like super fucking shit, but you know what, i think i did in fact triumph over the bullshit. surprisingly enough, when you put in consistent effort into something, You Will See Results. didn’t see that coming, did you? i know i didn’t.

this isn’t a success story. it’s a happiness story. i never gave a shit damn about the institute of art or whatever, i was just mad at myself because what i saw in my head didn’t match up with what was on the canvas. and now it’s getting better. now i’m calibrating the compass. now drawing not just backgrounds but also people is exciting to me, and i can stick my links in your face and tell you ‘they hot’. i’m going to keep doing that. i’m going to keep going until i drop off the side of the earth and then spiral towards mars like some kind of fairy, and then i’m going to create something beautiful.

thanks for reading. here’s a pr department link for sticking around until the end

[bonesliketambourines]

top five of ‘20

Rules: It’s time to love yourselves! Choose your 5 (ish) favourite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2020. Tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works!

thank you @xanthippe74 for the tag!

well! it’s been quite a year, hasn’t it? 

i hadn’t written fanfic at all since like 2012 prior to this year, and that was in a completely different fandom; when drarry grabs you, it grabs hard, eh? i wrote 51 fics this year and there’s still time for more 😬

picking my top five is hard! i already went a little too into my feelings about what are probably my automatic first choices here and here, so i’m going to exclude those from this list!

i always make the ‘i love all my children equally’ joke from arrested development about my fic, but for the most part i’m really telling the truth—i know not all my fics are incredible or excellent, but i put time and effort into all of them, and even the not as good ones are part of my journey as a writer, because i really feel i’ve improved by leaps and bounds this year. i’ve certainly gotten better at producing a quality fic at the eleventh hour, haha.

honestly though, there absolutely are some fics that are a little closer to my heart (besides the two mentioned in the links above), so i’m going to attempt to narrow that down into five!

in no particular order:

the best kind of bad: this was an expansion of a discord drabble, and is my first attempt at writing first-person, ever! it also was a bit of a tone shift from my previous efforts up to this point—a little darker, a little ambiguous, less focus on humor and snappy banter and more on making the atmosphere match the vibes i was going for. this was my first more ‘open ending’ fic that doesn’t answer all the questions it put forth, and i definitely have taken that and run with it in the intervening months!

push and pull you down: so i think by now everyone in the drarry fandom knows about this gifset, right? of course when a fest all about inspiration from gifs and images came out i had to use this one! i’ve always loved the idea of a totally unredeemed draco who isn’t trying to be nice and conform to post-war life, a draco who still uses his money and his name to get his way no matter what. and what better exemplifies that than drug-peddling and sex on potions? i also have a lot of thoughts about harry as an auror—i love writing him as confident and competent, of course, but equally do i enjoy writing him questioning himself and wondering if maybe this path isn’t for him after all. also, smoking is sexy and that’s that on that.

in knots: so, full disclosure; i didn’t like this one at all when i first wrote and posted it. it was kinktober and here i was writing a sad, strange little fic about PTSD and living up to our legacies and how our images of ourselves are based so much on our parents, and the adults in our lives, and the things we were told as children. what the fuck is that doing in the middle of all the relatively hot smut i wrote? but, up it went, and when i re-read it the next day, i completely changed my tune. it’s rough, sure—all of my kinktober things are as they’re not edited at all, but this one has probably more feelings per capita than almost anything else i’ve written, and it got right to the heart of a lot of the character motivations that i have in my head when i write these two, but don’t always articulate.

in His name: ahhhhh man. okay. so this one really, really got away from me as you can tell by the word count. i didn’t edit or revise any of my kinktober fics before posting them, but this one i spent a lot of time researching first, and i’m thrilled with how it came out. as someone who grew up watching buffy and had a long-time love affair with supernatural, writing something with sexy demonic possession has always been on my wish list, but it’s not exactly a common thing to work into the harry potter universe! i got to sprinkle this fic with all of my favorite tropes and i think i managed to maintain the intensity of the fic throughout the whole thing, even though it’s so dang long haha.

in charge: so anybody who’s read my writing knows that i have a pretty particular style of draco and harry that i write. even if i adjust their personalities, there are some core tenets that remain. i went a totally different route for them with this one, and i love how it turned out. forcing myself to step back and throw away everything i’m used to for characterization was so, so fun, and this dynamic and vibe is just so tasty that i may have to come back to it!

and yes, three of the five of these are from kinktober. i found that having to come up with new ideas every single day really stretched my writer muscles and forced me to go outside my comfort zone in so many ways; it was a challenge to not just write the same exact scenario with a cut-and-paste kink for the smut, but at the risk of sounding self-aggrandizing, i really think i achieved that, and i’m quite proud of everything i wrote that month. it made me a better writer and i highly recommend that everyone participate in something like this if they’re able!

and hey would you look at that—you’ll get the chance! i’m going to take this opportunity to link to @hpkinkuary, which will be a list of 28 kink prompts i’ll be posting in mid-january and hosting throughout the month of february! there will be an ao3 collection and some very pretty graphics that i’ve yet to make, and there are no rules or participation requirements, so if you feel like you might want to give it a shot go ahead and give that account a follow!

i’m tagging @tackytigerfic, @dracoladon, @shealwaysreads, @maesterchill, @p1013, @quicksilvermaid, @pineau-noir, @peachpety, and anyone else who sees this and wants to do it; make sure you tag me in it so i can see your replies!!

[humanemotionssuck]

Hello 2021

January 2, 2021

I should’ve put these thoughts into words on the first day of the year but then again, I felt so lazy given this bed weather we are currently having. By far, I think I experienced the coldest temperature here in my hometown (21 degrees baby) and I’m sure not liking it as I prefer warm days.

I actually do not know how to start. I feel it’s necessary to check on how I am doing lately. Write the things I experienced last year and reflect on the lessons it taught me.

I could probably kick things off by remembering how 2020 started for me. I have a bad memory but I’ll try my best to recall them.

January

Broke up with J (yes this is probably one of the major and heartbreaking events happened to me). To sum it up, I realized that the relationship does not have growth anymore, and I am slowly drifting to follow my own path, which is to focus on the plans I want. I haven’t thought deeply the lessons I learned in my past relationship yet but one thing is for sure, I changed and I want to explore more of what I can do or what I’m missing out in life. Which brings me to attend seminars on how to work/study abroad. I attended a couple (e.g Fortrust Makati) and I also realized how costly it will be and I’m probably not yet ready esp. on the financial aspect.

February – March

Highlight on these months was I got back to dating apps again. I know it was a complete dick move. I haven’t moved on yet and here I am in the pool again. I met 2 guys from this app, Coffee Meets Bagel (which btw I uninstalled few months after). The first guy was the introvert but funny type and also VERY sexual. I got along with it, tried to do the deed but failed cause the guy hasn’t moved on from the ex yet. (Sucks right). And so I met this second guy and he is decent but we really had completely different personality. I believe this guy is also rich (he came from a Chinese family and I went to his house and saw the maid and his stuff). Can you also believe he already introduced me to his mom (no dad cause broken family), uncle and grandma. Pressured si ate gurl syempre cause it was really too early to do that step since we’re just dating but March was the most difficult month because…

START OF LOCKDOWN. PH was in state of panic after the government announced a nationwide lockdown due to increased COVID-19 transmission. I immediately went on a bus to the province fearing to get stuck in Manila.

April

Nah this was just a typical month. Summer vibes all over but since we cannot go to the beach we just setup an inflatable pool in the house to get soaked. I finally posted a pic wearing a swimsuit again. My stagnant IG feed came to life lmao

May

Oh boy. This month sucks so much. I got typhoid fever. Which I thought was COVID already cause my fever just won’t stop. My mom didn’t want me to get admitted in the hospital in the fear of being infected so I was hooked in the IV here in the house. I felt I was dying. I was in huge pain both physically and mentally. Which forced me to end any communication means with the second guy. He was not there when I was sick. I didn’t feel his concern even if we’re miles apart and I felt I was begging for his attention. It just won’t work. He blocked me in his socials (which is a first for me, usually I am the one who blocks lol) but given the current state I have now, I learned to accept it and chose to move forward.

June

Explored options on work/study program abroad. We got a new car (Xpander) which my father was able to purchase after borrowing money from us. That money could’ve been used for my Japan trip on December (plot twist it was cancelled due to fucking corona) but it’s okay I guess I’ll save another again.

I also got my student permit (yes I learned how to drive months after hehe)

July

THIS WAS MY BIGGEST DOWNFALL FOR THIS YEAR. There were some modifications in the quarantine and so my employer required and FORCED us to report on site in Makati despite of high number of positive cases. All I can say is SCREW THEM and I hope karma will do its thing on their business. The management.. the bosses.. they are all inconsiderate fucks for not allowing me to work at home instead. The situation forced me to resign but they chose to terminate me instead. The unemployment took its toll on my mental health, it caused me great depression and anxiety which forced me to look for distractions.. anything that will ease my mind.

Oh and btw, I bought my first laptop from hard earned money. Oh boy, it was satisfying to give myself the things my parents couldn’t afford that time I was still in school. It’s a gaming laptop and the one I’m using to type now. I absolutely love it and I used it to find online jobs later on..

I read Looking for Alaska by John Green again after watching the TV series on Hulu. Geez, this has to be my favorite book so far. The seeking of great perhaps.. which was very timely on my mood while having nothing else to do.

Lastly, TAYLOR SWIFT RELEASED A NEW ALBUM CALLED FOLKLORE. In the middle pandemic? Awesome right and this album kept me sane during this crazy and miserable month. Oh and on December, she released folklore’s sister album.. Evermore. Miss Swift saved me again with her music. This will definitely be one of the albums I will play when I’m old and gray knitting sweaters and wearing cardigan.

August

I started and finished my driving lesson in manual. JFC, I realized driving gives me a huge anxiety. One thing is for sure, I will prefer to drive automatic. Not driving that shit again.

I was still hooked with Looking for Alaska. Also purchased Subtle Art of not Giving a F*ck on the time I bought LFA.

On the other hand, I was also actively looking for new jobs this time.

September

ON SEPT. 30 I GOT HIRED! I was super happy to start on a new job. It gave me hope once again to continue on this journey called life. After almost 3 months, we are def back to business!

I also got the chance to get this Thyroid issue checked. Unfortunately, there was no major stuff going on with my thyroid. Basically, I’m perfectly healthy. What sucks is that the doctor invalidated my previous condition and said I only have ~anxiety which is the cause of my symptoms (excessive sweating and palpitations). I will seek professional help on this anxiety stuff anytime in the future.

Lastly, I played Grand Chase again and met someone in the game. Well technically we haven’t met yet but since then, I got used to talking with this guy and he is part of my daily routine now. I won’t spoil much details but as soon as this is all over, I can’t wait to meet this person :)

*cue Grand Chase soundtrack*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoK0bAjsHoo

October

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEE! It was a typical birthday. I don’t have much realizations. If I had one, I need to think thoroughly again lol.

Busy with training on the new job and this has been the most challenging training I ever had since I started working.

NOVEMBER

WORK WORK WORK. Super stressed and my anxiety was on the roof. I thought of giving up already but then again it was too early to quit. I haven’t seen my full potential on this job yet and so I chose to keep on fighting.

I also finally got braces. Let’s get these smiles fixed.

December

WORK WORK WORK AGAIN. My work caused me a huge anxiety cause I was given high priority cases -.-But overall, I can say the holidays went great. I finally got to spend time with the family outside. Don’t worry cause we still practiced precautions and I guess it wouldn’t hurt to go out once in a while to have some fresh air. We went to the beach and pretty much that’s the highlight of this month.

Things are getting serious with this guy I’m talking about.. Seriously, he makes me happy every single day.

I also won in Christmas raffle. Oppo phone. (I have the odds in my favor when it comes to raffles lol)

Feels weird to celebrate this holiday too thinking a lot of hardships were experienced in the last few months of quarantine. I was thinking about all the lives lost by covid and hoping they are in the peaceful place now..

JANUARY (NOW)

After everything that happened, oddly the start of the year gives me a sense of hope. Sure I am still carrying the trauma 2020 gave me but I am slowly leaving all of them behind. I want a fresh start and I want to let go of the things that gave me pain. I don’t have solid resolutions just like in my teenage years. Guess I’m too old for that. Not saying it’s okay to not have plans for the future and just go with the flow but I promise to not be too hard on myself and to not pressure myself on the goals I haven’t achieved yet. It’s really a struggle to plan things ahead given the situation but as always, I will do my best. I will stop comparing my progress to somebody else’s cause everyone has their own timeline.

I will listen to my heart and my mind to determine the things I really want. I promise to reevaluate the decisions I am making each day. I will not be afraid of making mistakes because that’s how I learn.

I am embracing my anxiety of uncertainty. It’s okay to feel afraid because I am always trying on how to overcome my fear. I strive each day because I am more than just a ball of anxiety. The palpitations.. the sweating.. they don’t define me. I have the power to control them and they won’t stop me from being the better version of myself.

[thehopefulraincoat]

#28DrawingsLater: Art Challenges, Fear, & Faith

In February I took part in an art challenge called #28DrawingsLater, which involves doing a drawing a day and posting it on a social media like Instagram (and all my prompts were based on books, because I’m that person who reads all the freaking time). Now it’s April and I’ve been meaning to do a reflection on it for all of March! Granted, this March has kind of been insane for the whole world, so I think I can afford a little slack this time... 

Seriously though, I really did need to take the time to reflect because I came into this challenge with so many hopes and I left it with some new realizations. In all that, I realized that I probably had something good to share and if nothing else, writing about it would help me process it.

Why?

I did #28DrawingsLater because I felt that I needed to prove to myself that I had the self-discipline and the drive to stick with something that big. I needed to see what I could do, prove that I could meet “deadlines,” and understand what it would look like to do MORE art. 

What did I gain from it?

-Seeing how much time I really have to do art, when I stop letting other things that seem important get in the way and I spend less time doing mindless entertainment kind of things.

-Being forced, via deadlines, to understand when a piece is done, even if it is not perfect in my own mind. I tend to worry my pieces to completion. I nit pick and wonder and change little things here and there when I could have called it done. That doesn’t mean I’m saying that I shouldn’t care about how things turn out or let mistakes that should be fixed slide through, but there’s a difference between that and needing to make sure my pieces are “perfect” before the world can see them (& thus judge them).

-Experimenting in how I draw. Not only was I challenging myself to complete a drawing a day, but I was learning how to use Procreate, and when you do a drawing a day there’s some necessary mix-up that happens to keep things interesting, I think. To some degree I let each prompt tell me where to take it stylistically as I thought about what fit the book.

Where did it leave me at the end of the month?

Maybe it seems like an odd question, but I went into thinking that if I succeeded, I’d have some great art I could add to my portfolio, a new found confidence in myself as an artist, and this great new habit developed, so that I was making art all the time. Some of that did happen. I have a few pieces of art that I can do a little polish on and probably add to my portfolio. It did boost my confidence a little to have been able to stick it out and to have seen how even the pieces I didn’t have time to finish or didn’t like got a fair amount of love on my socials. The habit part though, it kinda flopped.

I was sick at the beginning of the month and I deprived myself of sleep to keep up with things, so by the end of the month I was stretched thin. A little sick of it, but not enough so that I didn’t want to do art, just to want a break, some sleep, and the chance to do art I wanted to do, without pressure or time limits. I had big hopes when March started, after succeeding at my goal, but driving myself into the ground.

I realized now that I flopped because I went from STRUCTURE to “Ok, now go do lots of art and be amazing at it RIGHT NOW (even though last month completely exhausted you).” I want badly for this year to be the one in which I’m not just doing art for myself, but for work, so when February ended, I wanted to launch right into those goals - and then I shot myself in the foot with the pressure. There was pressure because I feel I need to make certain choices by certain days for financial reasons and career reasons, but I also feel so unsatisfied and not at all confident in my art. There’s this strong desire to stretch myself, to do different art, to play and experiment and let failures happen, but at the same time I have felt that I don’t know how to do that kind of self-stretching nor that I have the time for it. That I must become the artist I want to be, and I must do it now. 

In all the pressure I put on myself, I did not realize that it wasn’t that I didn’t know how to get from point A (my art as it normally is) to point B (the art I want to try) so much as it was that I was afraid of the unknown in the journey from A to B. New, different-looking art requires new ways of creating, new steps, new tools. #28DrawingsLater saw me learning a new tool all month and some new techniques, but it wasn’t different enough to truly stretch me. It’s no wonder I was still so unsatisfied at the end even for all the good it did do me.

And I wouldn’t say I’m satisfied yet, I guess, but I have spent all of March fighting to let myself create something truly new. Each new piece I sat down to make, I got to a point where I sat face to face with my fear. I had to chose in those moments to bend over my work and keep going or the fear would win. 

It’s funny, because art has become the clearest lens through which I see what fear versus faith looks like. I never expected that. But I can sometimes see the very moment when I tell my fear that it will not stop me. I can see, as if it were a physical thing, the moment I choose to believe that God is telling the truth when He says that there is something on the other side of this dark sea. It makes me wonder, what other parts of my life need that kind of clarity about fear?

So I have been learning to create differently, learning to wait out my fears in a new way, and in it God has been reminding me that there is time. I do not have to be the artist I want to be tomorrow, even if I would like to be. He is changing me at the pace and in the ways He sees are best for me, and I just move things along more easily if I trust Him. Time is an important factor that I don’t give much credit to. It’s something which God shaves off our rough edges with. Art is much the same, I feel. It takes time to sand out the imperfections and rough spots, to discover yourself in it. 

I can’t imagine how artists who are not Christians see it. Because I can only see my art as a chisel and a mallet, as a paintbrush, as a pencil in God’s hand. My art is not in itself sending some great message, but in me is shaping who I am meant to be in Christ.

So about those hopes, those decisions I need to make regarding art and finances: what is God asking of me? To take the risk to jump into this chance to really pursue art? Or to be patient, to wait it out for a little longer?

I still don’t know. What I do know is that I am learning balance so that I am growing in my art, but not exhausting myself because taking care of myself properly is something that is not just good for me and my productivity but is also something God is pleased by. I do know that God is telling me that when I pursue my art as I should, I am pursuing Him. I do know that I am built to see Him through the eyes of a Creator and when I do, it pleases Him. 

Am I glad I did this art challenge?

Yes. I learned new things. It taught me how much time I do have for art, if I’m willing to push myself. It taught me to let go of perfection, to pay better attention to how I spend my time as I create, and to try a few new things as I let accidents lead my art in new directions. It was good for me. I just didn’t expect the struggle on the other side, the pressure I was putting on myself as I feel I am running out of time. Yet even that struggle has been good for me. 

For once, I feel that maybe I’m beginning to grasp this future I hope for. I don’t think it’ll be easy. But I also don’t think it needs to drive me into the ground. I think it is doable, if hard. I think God will not let me give up now, even if I think about doing exactly that sometimes. I don’t know that I know what success looks like in this other than in one respect: I think I will have succeeded if I have not let my fear make me stop.

And for you who stuck around to read all that:

Least favorite piece I made for #28DrawingsLater?

Probably the Samovar from The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland... I didn’t finish it, which is a big part of why I’m displeased with it. But I also let myself get caught in some of the details and the perfection of it, and lost sight of the whole picture - and the whole picture suffered for it.

My favorite piece I made for #28DrawingsLater?

I think it’s easily the one I did for Memoirs of a Geisha. It’s funny, because I kept thinking about taking that prompt off the list. But I was tired that day and decided that that prompt would be more simple than the other prompts I had left. I don’t know if it was, but I’m very pleased with the end result. It combines flatness with depth, linework with shape. I like that tension, but with where I am at with my art right now I’m struggling to break out from what I know how to do and find the place where those contradictions can be at home together. I think this piece manages it pretty well. 

[kazamastar]

Welcome to 2019

Version 3.0 : Final Version - Wow. February and finally, the 9th is here. All of you my 488 followers can finally enjoy it (372 by the end of 2017). I’ve never been that late to write a sum up but it’s pretty obvious that if it took me so much time to do it, then deep down I didn’t want to do it. Indeed I was about to let that sink in and leave this post with the version 2.0. But I remembered I had one person to honor. And this is what this year 2018 is about : focusion on the good actions and the good people. Because spoiler alert : this year 2018 have been on some other level of shit. More than 2013, 2014 and 2017 combined.

Pic : Plot twist. No more smile. No more bowtie.

Well let’s do some quickmaths : as i said we upgraded from 372 to 488 followers (and roughly 2,241 posts). For the 9th time I have to say that I have mad love for y’all (except fake pr0n blogs, y’all aint shit). For the humans that still follow me : thank you. And I’ll have even more love for the poeple who read this until the end haha. I have to apologize because these last months my tumblr looks pretty much like a mess, between the heartbreaking lyrics, quotes, passive agressive posts than only a few people can understand ... And that’s all because of that one follower I lost (y’all understood it was an euphemism). But to be accurate, I don’t want this post to become another heartbreak post : there are already too much of them on my tumblr. Indeed, it’s one of the main contraints I forced myself to write under. Because “l’art naît de contraintes” (Art rises from contraints) like Van Gogh said. So : not another heartbreak post where I pour my heart out for a girl who won’t even read it (guess I’ve done enough with the Helsinki post).  But it’s kinda difficult because this break up is the main reason my 4 last months of 2018 (and on...) have been so so awful and so much things happened because of this. But nevermind I’ll do my best. I’ll do my best because like I said, this post is more about love. This break up surely made me less human, mistrustful, but still, I’m writting because I’ve seen beautiful actions that had to be honored. But we’ll see that later. What other contraints for this 9th sum up ? A young lady I’ve met this year challenged me to write 2 good things for 1 bad that happened to me this year. I’m sorry, I failed ahah. I found more good than bad, but that 2 for 1 ratio was a bit too much ahah. Désolé ma grande ;) And because of this, I had to have a kind of draft for writting, even though I always told myself these sum up needed to be written without drafts, to keep them kinda “natural”. Looks like I’m taking this more and more seriously haha. Well, when I say that this year have been worse than my 3 worst years combined this is not a joke. Have you ever told yourself for example “Wow I left all my stuff in the car, I would be deadly unlucky if someone would break into it and stole everything !” ...Yes, that’s that level of mischance. Because this happened to me btw. And that’s the spirit of this whole year. In “Welcome to 2016″ I remember talking about “mala suerte” ... that was bullshit, 2018 is the real mala suerte. The heartbreak of this year is the worst of my whole life by far, then I’ve been close to what I dreamt of in karate, what I fight for since 2011, had 2 chances to get it this year and I still not got it by a hair’s breadth. Dad got into a crash car, hopefully only the car got wrecked. (so sad it won’t take me again to Andorra haha) People kept on deceiving me. Close friends but also unknowns.

People close to me know how much I cherish friendship. If you’re my friend and you’re not doing well, then I’m already on my way to yours to fix you. No exceptions. Even faster if it’s because of a heartbreak, because heartbroken people should never feel lonely. It’s that simple. SO when I see fuckers I have been there for through ups, downs and heartbreaks and these people are not even able to give it back to me I can’t help being mad. And I don’t act like that in order to make people give that kindness back to me, that’s not the purpose. But I do hate ungratefulness. So, I had to go through a heartbreak again and I saw people disappear again. So that’s enough lines wasted talking about these people. I also have to talk about those who were there. In 2018 I also found an awesome training partner and got closer to her clan. That’s a positive energy I really needed on that 2nd half of 2018. Par ailleurs, tu liras surement jamais ça mais je me permets une parenthèse pour te dire encore une fois Merci Julie pour avoir sauvé ma vie. This kind of old friendship is priceless to me. We can also talk about some young friendship : in march I met someone (almost my best 2018, except I didn’t manage to define an encounter good enough to define it as the best of 2018) who made me go deeper into Tekken, making me getting closer to the Tekken community in Tls. Funny how I always dreamt of this when I was a kid and this is happening. Indeed I’m living the shonen life : I’m in a group (where I met some really lovely people), I’m not the strongest but hell I do what I can to improve and that’s begining to pay even if i won’t forget the 68-0 against sensei, and like in karate I still aim to the top. It’s funny to be inside another competitive world where people don’t have all the values we have in karate. Some of these Tekken people (in the whole country, not only in Toulouse) show off, are mean to each other etc ... And also like in karate, we admire asians for being the best to do it in the whole world. What else ? I became a karate teacher. Took me a bit of time, it wasn’t hard but just took me time and dedication. I still met some great people all along this experience. I made peace with the old pals, vacays together were really incredible. Some of the sweetest days of this year. One of the sweetest day this year was the day I worked hard as hell and went back “home” to the one I love. What a lovely feeling. But I guess we didn’t lived it the same way ... Then, I also had the chance to make a karate lesson in the 1st place I’ve been taught karate !!! This was outstanding because I love to give back to those who gave me, and I love to inspire people. So, it was such a pleasure to tell these kids “I was standing where you are now. I started like you and I’ve been getting stronger and stronger. If I did it you can do it too !!!”. I truly believe some of those kids are about to be deadly strong, hopefully I’ll be done with competition haha. Talking about competition, i sadly lost my title in Andorra by mid June.  At the end of the competition, I promised to come back stronger and to revenge but there will be no revenge as this competition will not be repeated in 2019. Indeed, this Andorra 2018 was a great competition and a great trip. A cool trip, great team, great mates, a lot of alcohol, a good hotel room, and love ... so much love. A deadly hangover, but a lot of love. Sadly, there would not have been love again, as 1414 who was my coach for the weekend, my partner on the tatami and in life decided to take a different path from mine. Indeed, I promised to not talk too much about that but this is all the 2nd half of 2018 is about : me trying not to drown because of this heartbreak and it feels like everything is related to that. I got cocky and forgot the 1st and only love lesson my father taught me “nothing lasts forever, mostly in love”. Damn he was right. Even my mother was right for not trusting her at the begining, and God knows she’s never right usually. I won’t even mention what that break up costed me. But as the big bro says : there were no house, no kids, no joined bank account ... Only wasted times and dead dreams now. “La mort d’un rêve” ... it’s still something painful. S. is now a dead dream. I cannot imagine my own flesh meeting some destructive people like the ones I met and going through hard times like I’m going through. I wouldn’t be able to handle it. So no more S. and no more L., and it’s a hell of a problem as I’ve always built my life around the fact that I wanted them. And it’s painful because I wanted them with her. Nevermind, no one will ever know “what a great father I could be” as 1414 said. So much dreams. Gone. My 5 brothers took care of me as much as they could and they did amazingly great. I’ll never thank God enough for putting these guys into my life. Hope they know how much I love them. That was sad to see another one of them going back to his motherland but ... what an amazing last evening in Toulouse we spent. I’ll never forget this one.

Still talking about the break up and all the bad that happened this year : tbh I couldn’t draw good lessons from all of these bad things. Really. But like I said, I’ve seen good things coming from good people. So now I need to talk about 27. First of all, 27 was right on so many levels. (yes, I use numbers to not drop real names). Those who know me know that I love to experience, live everything. I would have been better without this heartbreak but still, it taught me new things. I could understand 27 better. When she talked about hell, she wasn’t joking at all. The doubts, the negativity, the hate, self-hate ... I think that’s too much to handle. But still, she still tried to help me when she saw me going through that hell. I couldn‘t thank her enough for this and that must be remembered. This is the whole reason I still wanted to write this sum up, in spite of all the bad things that happened. It was like : a soul lending a hand to another soul. Merci. Je ne l’oublierai jamais, je t’en dois une belle. Et toujours d’une âme à une autre. Tu dis le contraire mais tu as une belle âme et je suis sûr qu’il te reste beaucoup d’amour à donner. Tu as trop à donner à ce monde (en espérant que tu me lises un jour)

Also, I could understand 26 better. [...] And 26 still have the most beautiful smile in the whole world. No transition : Najwa Zebian said that « it’s unfair that new people in my life will have to destroy walls around me they didn’t even built » (btw I love this woman, she also had a big impact on my life through her reflexions) and I can tell she’s right but … trusting people is so hard these days. I really don’t know what to think about this statement. I think I’ve always been picky about who I let close to me and I still got fucked up by my ex-lover, my entourage … It’s all about who to trust, who to let in and who to cut … And it feels like I’ve been making the wrong decisions for years.

It’s starting getting late so let me end up with facts nobody cares. Neutral facts : I discovered lofi this year, my hero academia (FUCKING AWESOME !!!!), Tokyo Ghoul, 7DS, sword art online (great !!), la casa de papel, stranger things, sherlock, IP MAN 3, the good place, misfits, Juice Wrld blew up this year, NAV, Dosseh ... Funny how I discovered some of the saddest love song this year haha. Bad facts : I got injuried a lot. Females still played me a lot. Indeed I realized females are cruel but I still love them. This might be the proof we don’t chose our sexual orientation haha. Then, I couldn’t train properly from Sept to Dec. Oh, I can’t listen anymore to : Nicki, Kehlani, Rihanna or Cardi B. “More life” or “Views from the 6″ are albums I can’t listen to anymore. Well, GOOD FACTS now ! : Got a karate gi from J. (outstanding move), I put the young bloods in high school at Tekken and mangas haha. I met 80′s family and it was like a dream and I’m sure I got luckied in another dimension haha. 80 and 90 are still close to perfection in my eyes. 30 is still 30, with good and bad moods. I’m in peace with the sensei. I also received one of the best gift of my life. I learned that I was able to train by myself thanks to my power of mind !  To finish, I saw that I was able to forgive and still give love, even if it was pointless and too late.

Well, 2019 has already started and this will sure be a hell of a ride (January was ... special) as now I’m like on some quicksand shit. Let’s go ! And let’s not forget those 2018 that marked this year and I’ll surely be listening to in a decade (you need to know that I still listen to all the songs in the previous sum ups !). Enjoy :)

2018 Playlist

Dvsn - The morning after

Youv Dee - Opening

Tory Lanez - 48 floors

Roy Woods - Instinct feat MadeInTYO

XXXTENTACION - SAD!

Damso - Smog X Kyle - Ikuyo

Dosseh - Cœur de pirate X Guordan Banks - Keep you in mind

Marwa Loud - Je voulais (feat Laguardia)

Bazzi - Honest X Omar Kadir - The last thing I do

Oboy - Nuit X NAV - What I need

The Magician - Love break feat Hamza

Dinos - Les pleurs du mal

⚡ Dinos - Helsinki X Logic - The Glorious Five X Laylow - Digitalova ⚡

(Albums :6lack - East Atlanta love letter X Juice WRLD & Future - Wrld on drugs X Tory Lanez - Love me now & memories don’t die)

[sleemo]

Rey of Light

Daisy Ridley talks about being a beacon of inspiration for women, and the not so black-and-white relationships between her character Rey and some key members in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

— F*** Movie Magazine, Issue 91 - Dec 2017/Jan 2018

[ Note: I only transcribed the interview itself since the intro blurb is mostly a rehash of what we’ve heard of before. By “not so black-and-white relationships” they were merely quoting captainhaddock’s translation of Daisy’s interview with Yahoo Japan from Oct 2017 where she said: 

"What you should pay attention to is that The Last Jedi is putting out the message that things might not always be so clearly black-and-white. The dividing line between good and evil is becoming more and more ambiguous, and you could say that the relationship between Rey and Kylo symbolizes that..." ]

THE INTERVIEW

Daisy, how much has your life changed since your big breakthrough in Star Wars: The Force Awakens two years ago?

It’s only changed professionally: I have greater access to roles that I would never have been offered before. After the first Star Wars I didn’t work for a year because I couldn’t find a project with a dynamic female role. So I waited. I’m not interested in playing someone’s girlfriend, the female character whose only purpose is to support the man, unless there is a solid story behind it.

But as far as my private life is concerned, it’s all the same. I live in the same apartment, I have the same friends, and I try to see my family as often as possible. The only difference is that it’s more difficult to do simple things, like getting out for a coffee without being recognised. But please don’t misunderstand me, I’m grateful for the success I have, even though I’ll never be the kind of person who craves celebrity.

Was it easier or harder to play Rey the second time out in The Last Jedi?

It might seem strange to say, but there was more pressure doing this one. I might have felt more comfortable on a big set and accustomed to working with a large crew and so many outstanding actors, but I felt the responsibility that comes with not wanting to let audiences down.

Rey had a big impact on people in The Force Awakens and especially on young women, so I felt the weight of taking the character forward and being very conscious of representing women in a strong and positive way.

Do you still worry about how audiences will react to The Last Jedi now that they are already familiar with your character?

I try not to think too much about expectations or, otherwise, I think it would drive me crazy. The biggest stress for me has been to overcome my nerves because we all want people to respond to the story and like and hopefully audiences will enjoy it.

It’s been nearly a year since Carrie Fisher passed away, only a few weeks after completing her work on The Last Jedi. What are your thoughts about her?

I miss her and we’re all going to miss her. But this film is beautiful and it’s also a beautiful tribute to her. So we will have to carry on without her, although we know it will be difficult not to have her with us anymore.

Have your thoughts about being part of the Star Wars franchise changed at all after completing the second movie?

Every day I feel that I’m appreciating more about the saga. I feel that I’m evolving with the story and it’s great to see the devotion that it generates in so many people.

Looking back, how did you handle the initial challenge of becoming part of the Star Wars family?

Everyone helped me in the process when it all started happening. It was a lot for me to deal with. When you sign up to be part of a film like that, you can’t possibly realise the impact that Star Wars would have on you. There were many things that come with it, being recognised all the time, having people come up to you in the street, that I did not know would be part of all this and it was a bit overwhelming for me as a 22-year-old girl...

But in the last few years I’ve become much more comfortable with everything and now I’m really enjoying taking it all on.

What is it about Rey that makes her an exceptional woman?

She’s an ordinary girl who finds herself in extraordinary situations and she’s the embodiment of a strong and independent woman. Rey gets pushed beyond her limits and meets people and gets drawn into this great journey where she exceeds her own expectations and wants to do the right thing.

She’s afraid at times but she learns to overcome her fear and face up to some very difficult challenges. Audiences relate to her more in terms of her overall human qualities and character than her femininity.

Are you proud of playing a strong female character in a major film franchise like this which millions of young women will be seeing?

It’s important that more films are made where women are shown telling their own stories and that neither the female character nor her story is dependent on the male character. We need to have more films where you have the female lead responsible for her own journey and where you see the story told more from her perspective.

You first studied acting at the prestigious Tring Park School for the Performing Arts. Was acting always your dream?

Actually, it was my mother Louise, the woman I admire most in the world, who enrolled me in that school because I had too much energy. As a child, I was very active and boisterous. I didn’t like studying – I preferred to run and roll around in the sand instead of playing with dolls.

Your great uncle Arnold Ridley was a prominent actor, wasn’t he?

Yes. He was in Dad’s Army... It was a hugely popular show in England. My dad also acted when he was younger, and both my parents are very creative. ...So there must be something of that in me.

Star Wars has obviously changed your life. But it’s ironic in a way that you were never a big Star Wars fan yourself?

I had seen the films as a child but I wasn’t a massive fan. I remember seeing Episode III in a cinema and ever since Star Wars has been a part of my subconscious. Growing up I was always aware of the mythology surrounding Star Wars because it’s such a pop-culture phenomenon.

Do you still remember what it felt like when you first found out that you were going to be playing Rey and become part of film history?

It was the greatest day of my life. I did five auditions over a period of seven months and I never dared let myself believe that I was going to get the part. I didn’t feel that I had been doing a good job during the auditions but at some point I had the feeling that I might be in the running, but I didn’t want to let myself get my hopes up. But a few days after my final audition, which was the first time I got to read a scene from the film, J.J. (Abrams) called and told me that I had the part.

I was so happy, but also terrified. It was the kind of thing where you feel it’s not real and I spent the next few months worried and thinking, “Oh, no, they’re going to discover that I’m a fraud!” It was like riding a rollercoaster.

Once you finish your promotional duties for The Last Jedi, what are your plans for Christmas?

The best thing about this Christmas will be that I will get to return home. I’ve been working since February, being away on location, fulfilling different commitments, and now I’ll have the chance to be back with the family.

Honestly, I’m not religious, but these moments of family together, of sharing the joy of the moment, it’s very exciting for me. I can’t wait to be able to rediscover my home after having been back only six days this year.

[creativemorningsvancouver]

Join us for next months speaker as we’re thrilled to invite Chris Corrigan to our virtual stage.

Register now.

Chris Corrigan is a principal partner of Harvest Moon Consultants, specializing in participatory process, international facilitation, and strategic thinking in support of organizations and communities tackling complex challenges. 

Corrigan’s formal bio includes info about decades of experience working with governments, not for profits, indigenous communities, and social enterprises, creative dialogue-based tools and processes informed by complexity theory to help leaders and teams make decisions in uncertain contexts.

But mostly Chris Corrigan is just a person who would like to share a pesto recipe with you:

Take a bunch of basil, destem it, place it into a mortar with a few pinches of coarse salt and a couple of peeled garlic cloves and begin grinding it into a paste.

When the leaves are all broken down, add some pine nuts and gently pour in a really good olive oil until the paste has the consistency you’re looking for.

Add a pinch of chilli flakes for a subtle feeling of heat.

That’s the secret. Purists will object, but I’m telling you, give it a try.

How do you define creativity and apply it in your life and career?

Making things I guess. It’s certainly what I have done from a very small age, made drawings, and songs and poems and games and all kinds of things. These days I make conversations and community and I try to make a difference by doing things that have never been done before. It is all creative.

Where do you find your best creative inspiration or energy?

In a few places: the early morning, or being with others. I am an improviser at heart and so I work with offers all around me and when I am creating with others I feel like I’m always at my best.

What’s one piece of creative advice or a tip you wish you’d known as a young person?

Pay more attention to what you have just done. Try to remember the feelings of sweetness and despair instead of just moving on to the next thing. There are so many experiences I’ve forgotten about because they seemed so fleeting at the time, and now I wish I could remember who was there with me and what we actually did.

Who (living or dead) would you most enjoy hearing speak at CreativeMornings? 

Have you ever had any children speak? Would you dare turn the mic over to a 12 year old child? A twelve year old girl ready to kick ass and take names would be an amazing thing to see.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

Quit a full time government job with a baby at home to become a consultant.

What did you learn from your most memorable creative failure?

Usually no one gets hurt.What are you reading these days? Shifu, You’ll Do Anything for a Laugh by Mo Yan, What The Mystics Know by Richard Rohr, Trickster Drift, Eden Robinson

What fact about you would surprise people?

I am a practicing contemplative Christian.

How does your life and career compare to what you envisioned for your future when you were a sixth grader?

At no point did I ever play on the blue line for the Toronto Maple Leafs, so nothing has really worked out. I also didn’t start a band with Brian May and Freddy Mercury.

How would you describe what you do in a single sentence to a stranger?

I help people work together to figure out what to do when they are stuck so that we can make the world a more just place.

What’s the most recent thing you learned (big or small)?

How to move between an Eb melodic minor and an Bb major scale in the same position so as to find some compact soloing lines on A Child is Born.

If you could open a door and go anywhere where would that be?

Right now, it would probably be to the Grey Bruce Highlands in southern Ontario to visit my family.

What keeps you awake at night?

Barred owls on the hunt beneath a full moon and a Pineapple Express lashing the front of my house.

What myths about creativity would you like to set straight?

There are no myths about creativity. It’s all true. Even the myths. Especially the myths.

Who has been the biggest influence on your life? What lessons did that person teach you?

My partner Caitlin. She continually teaches me how to not lose my shit and succumb to anxiety and fear. And every day she reminds me that I am loved.

What are you proudest of in your life?

My two kids, who are young adults now and making their way in a weird world. They love each other and my heart bursts through my chest every time I think about them.

If you could do anything now, what would you do?

End patriarchy, capitalism, and settler-colonialism and watch SOOOO many of my friends fulfill their potential and make the world a better place.

Where was the last place you travelled?

Last air travel was in February 2020 and was a three point tour to Ontario, Columbus Ohio, and Minneapolis, to teach the Art of Hosting and complexity skills to doctors in Ohio and social change activists in the Twin Cities. And to drink whisky with my dad for his birthday.

What music are you listening to these days?*

Lots of jazz standards played on guitar and especially diving into the work of Reg Schwager.

What was the best surprise you’ve experienced so far in life?

Realizing in an instant that I am unconditionally loved.

Where is your favourite place to escape?

There are a few places on Bowen Island, where I live, that are absolutely precious to me.

What was the best advice you were ever given?

If you talk to people about what they know about, they will always tell you the truth. I heard that from Utah Phillips at the Vancouver Folk Festival in 1997 and it fundamentally changed my facilitation practice.

What books made a difference in your life and why?

Not just books? There are many creative artifacts that have been influential in my life. The Tao te Ching was super influential. A painting by Carl Beam called “Columbus Chronicles”, John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme,” Irish whistle player Mary Bergin’s album “Feadóga Stain,” the midfield prowess of Glenn Hoddle, Nathanial Mackey’s Bedouhin Hornbook. The Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision Making by Sam Kaner. News of the World by Queen. Between the Breaks by Stan Rogers. Leadership and the New Science by Meg Wheatley. The Rez Sisters by Thomson Highway. The Sacrifice by Andrei Tarkovsky. Tsawalk by Umeek. The tifo and creative support of the Vancouver Southsiders and the Swanguardians. Listening for the Heartbeat of God by J. Phillip Newell, Anam Cara by John O'Donohue, Loving What Is by Byron Katie, the leadership artistry of Khelsilem. Each of these, among many others, have ushered my over various thresholds in my life. They are all creative works, some are creative re-imaginings of spirituality, process work, and ways of living.

What practises, rituals, or habits contribute to your creative work?

It’s a combination of the openness and rest that is offered by my meditation practice and the rigour of playing scales on the guitar or forcing myself to write despite my mind’s resistance to being “productive” when I’m feeling dry.

When you get stuck creatively, what is the first thing you do to get unstuck?

Go for a walk.

If you had fifteen extra minutes each day, what would you do with them?

Lie on my back, close my eyes and listen to three pieces of very good music.

What has been one of your biggest Aha! moments in life?

The first time I witnessed a meeting held in Open Space, with 400 people in a room in Whistler in 1995. It completely transformed my facilitation and leadership practice, knowing that a group of people can self-organize action around issues that they care about. I’ve never looked back.

What object would you put in a time capsule that best represents who you are today?

My music library.

What is the one movie or book every creative must see/read? 

You should read a book or seek out the traditional teachings of your place, of where you live, of the traditional territory you inhabit. Those aren’t always written down, but I feel that it is so important to know your place because if you create things that run counter to the place you are living you can perpetuate patterns of harm. Understand who you are, where you are and why you are there.

🎵 This month’s live musical guest is jazz & R&B guitarist, bandleader, and teacher (Teun Schut)[https://www.teunschut.ca].🎶

Originally from Holland, Schut has been playing guitar for five decades, studying and playing jazz, blues, and rock in bands and ensembles. Having toured around the world, Tuen settled in Bowen Island, where he continues to teach, play, and perform.

You don’t want to miss this! Register now.

[lalka-laski]

Do you or have you ever owned a cup with your name on it? I’m sure I did at some point as a kid 

What’s the most expensive crafts tool that you own? All of my craft supplies are relatively cheap. The biggest waste of money though was the laminator I bought on a whim. I’ve had NO use for it since lol. Oh well.

Have you ever woven baskets of any kind (wicker, paper, cardboard etc.)? I think I did some kind of basket making class at the library when I was little? I did all kinds of arts and crafts classes. 

How do you like Great Balls of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis? It’s fine I guess? 

Speaking of Jerry Lee Lewis, have you seen the biopic about him? Nope

How about the biopic about Tina Turner? Also no 

Do you like the TV-show Frasier? I don’t think I’ve seen a single episode

What’s something you know by heart? Every Killers song known to man

What is something you’re greedy about? I’m great at sharing.... actually to the point that I could stand to be a little more possessive and protective of myself and my belongings. I think it stems from being the middle child in a house full of girls. NOTHING was solely mine, and everything had to be shared between us.  How valuable does a coin have to be for you to bother to pick it up? I always pick up dimes ‘cause they’re messages from Heaven 

What would be something you would wait in line to get for free? Pizza 

Has there ever been a leak anywhere in your house? Uh yeah I guess? 

Have you ever slipped in the shower? Surprisingly no! 

Have you ever made any decorative crafts? If so, are they displayed? Mhm, quite a lot of stuff! I wish I crafted more often though. 

Is it very humid where you are right now? Lol no, although it is unseasonably warm for February in Rochester. And by that I mean it’s like 35 degrees. HEATWAVE! 

Do you have friends who you playfully flirt with? Nah

Doesn’t the Z in the Bzoink logo look like an L to you, too? What in the world?

Did you ever take that 5000 question survey that was circulating Tumblr? No, although I’ve seen it here and there. 

Have you ever had to change a zipper in your favorite article of clothing? Oh no, that’s way too tricky! 

Do you prefer buttons or zippers in general? Zippers I guess

Did your grandma have a box full of pretty buttons? Oh yes! 

What’s the most exotic spice in your spice rack? Ha, I’m as white as it gets so none of my spices could really be considered ~exotic. That’s kind of a troublesome term anyways, is it not? 

Do buttons tempt you to press them? Ha, sometimes.

Do you have a favorite television host? Anderson Cooper 

What’s your opinion on celebrity chefs? I love me some Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay. Oh, and my girl Ina Garten! 

Back when it first started, did you watch ANTM? Oh bitch I LIVED FOR THAT SHOW. 

Did you know, that there was even a Finnish version of ANTM? I’m sure there were several international spinoffs. 

Are you accident prone? It’s my middle name.

Have you ever broken something really valuable? Oh yes, quite often growing up. 

What is something that you own, that has sentimental value? I’m a huge sap so almost everything I own has some kind of sentimental significance to me. 

Have you ever had your own website? Oh yes What’s something that you finished recently? A whole freakin pot of coffee. And then I wonder why I don’t feel good... 

What’s the smallest town you recall visiting? The town my grandparents grew up in 

What’s the longest distance you’ve had to go to work or school? My first college was roughly an hour away, but I lived on campus so I wasn’t commuting.

Would you learn a new language, if you didn’t share one with your lover? Well that’s a moot point now 

Do you have friends who are constantly tagging you in challenges on FB? Nah not really 

When it comes to chocolate, do you prefer nougat, jelly or caramel filling? Caramel! Although solid chocolate is my preference. 

Are you more concerned about winning than just participating? Nah, I’m not competitive and I don’t have much of a drive to win. 

Has somebody you know taken their own life? Yes

Do you prefer onions, leeks or chives? Chives! 

What’s the most adult thing you have to do every day? Go to work, I suppose. But I half-ass all my responsibilities and that’s not very “adult” of me. 

What’s the most immature thing you like to do every day? Everything? 

Have you seen the movie, Clue? If so, isn’t it fab? I actually don’t think so 

Do your cheeks get flushed easily? Oh lord YES! 

Are there any social cues you miss entirely? I like to think I understand social cues and norms pretty well. Certainly a lot better than some people I know... *cough cough* MY FIANCE 

When someone doesn’t smile back at you, what’s your first thought? THEY HATE ME AND I’M THE WORST PERSON ON THE PLANET

Is there a person who melts your heart just by looking at you? Glenn 

Have you ever had tom kha kai? No clue what that is 

Have you, or anyone you know ever been rude to a server? I have not, and I absolutely don’t associate with people who are. Eat shit. 

What’s something you’re opinionated and very vocal about? Plenty of social justice issues. Oh, and the very hill I will die on: MOE’S > CHIPOTLE. DO NOT @ ME  ^When’s the last time you had to verbally defend your stance? Ha, thankfully I don’t associate with such low-lifes :P 

Have you ever played BitLife? Nope 

What’s something you regularly order online? Books, and all sorts of random odds & ends that I don’t need but can’t resist

Do you often make friends online? I did back in my teenage years, although they all remained exclusively online friends. We never met in person.

Do people ever try to get something from somebody through you? Wait what?

What do you think when you see a couple holding hands? Generally I think it’s cute. And I’m in no place to judge or comment on another couple’s PDA because me & Glenn are obnoxious lol 

Is there anything you’re forced to share with someone else? Well as I said earlier in the survey, I grew up forced to share everything with my siblings. 

What’s something stripy that you own? I think I have a striped shirt, and that’s about it. Oh, maybe some socks?

How about something polka dotted? Again, socks. 

What is something you find absolutely appalling? Saliva

Do you like elevators? I don’t dislike them

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say “midnight madness”? I’m blanking

When you’re angry, does it ever get physical? No never. Well, maybe I’ll punch a pillow or something just to relieve my aggression but that’s it. 

What do you do, when you’re immensely happy? Squeal! 

What made you scream out loud the last time you screamed? Who knows, I’m always getting scared and startled by shit, so it could’ve been anything! 

Can you hear your neighbors through the wall? Yes, our downstairs neighbor and his lady friend have very entertaining arguments. Glenn & I literally lay on the floor to listen because we’re just that immature and bored. (To be clear: the fights are never actually serious!)

What is something that frustrates you to no end? My own anxiety, my lack of drive, my clumsiness and absent-mindedness... 

Do you wear shoes indoors? I hardly even wear shoes OUTDOORS. 

Who is your favorite stand-up comedian? Jim Gaffigan is one of my faves. Though I give almost any stand-up special a shot. What’s the weirdest video YouTube has suggested to you? Oh I don’t even know where to begin

Is there a drink that just goes right through you? Coffee! 

Is there a food item you can’t eat because it doesn’t agree with you? It’s not so much the types of foods I eat but the AMOUNT I eat of them. Restraint just isn’t in my vocab. 

Do you playfully compete with someone about something? Nah, not really. 

Would you rather swim or run? Swim 

Do you like the smell of tar? Actually yeah. It’s one of those distinct summer scents! 

Have you ever been to a sauna? Yes, although I can only handle a minute or two. They are not for me! 

Does your doorbell ring unexpectedly often? Never 

Is your favorite fictional character a human, an animal or something else? Humans

Have you ever helped a stranger? If so, what did you do? Of course, in many ways. Random acts of kindness make the world go ‘round, people!! 

Do you share hobbies with any of your friends? What do you do together? Reading, writing, listening to music, crafting, etc etc. 

Do you have any flags on display? If so, what flag(s)? Nope

[abandonedblog980]

30 Questions for Artists

I saw @saawek doing this and I didn’t get tagged but god I love these so much so i’m busting in and doing this

Rules: there are no rules! Tag whomever you want if you choose to answer the questions

Do you prefer traditional drawing, or digital? I feel like I get a more polished product out of digital, and it tends to look more like what I’m going for. So I’ll say digital : )

How long have you been drawing? basically always as a kid but you know, everyone scribbles when they’re a kid. I guess I started getting serious about art around 4th or 5th grade.

How many classes have you taken? required elementary ones, one optional middle school one, and two college courses (2D design and drawing I)

Do you have a DeviantArt, personal website, or art blog? right here : )

What’s your favorite thing to draw? probably Castiel.

What’s your least favorite thing to draw? uhhhhh feet

How often do you use references? basically every single day

Do you draw professionally, or just for fun? i’m actually just starting to come back to my (very casual) concept art job. it’s very rough but yeah

How much time do you spend drawing on an average day? maybe two hours or less? unless it’s a special occasion. i’ve been super busy with school.

Are you confident about your art? i’m the most confident with my art i’ve ever been. I still want to loosen up my painting and do more creative things but i’m slowly getting to it as it’s not too much of a priority now.

How many art-related blogs do you follow? I follow a lot of artists (especially of the supernatural type), but I follow a few ref and misc art blogs too

Is it okay for people to ask you about your process? I literally love posting process shots with portraits and if you ask me how I draw things it is the utmost honor.

Do you prefer to keep your art personal, or do you like drawing things for other people? if I think it’s kinda ugly, I might keep it to myself or just show it to my close friends in person. usually though, I absolutely love attention. oddly though i get uncomfortable when people gush over my art like it’s weird

Do you ever collaborate with others? i wish : (

How long does an average piece take you to complete? my digital portraits (or realistic busts or whatever) almost always take me 10+ hours. on paper though, 

Do you draw more today than you did in the past, or do you draw less? definitely less. I used to doodle a lot in middle school, so now that I actually have to pay good attention, that’s gone. 

Do you think you’re justified in giving other people art advice? i’ve taken a few art courses at college so kinda? I still feel like i’m presenting a pompous attitude when I give people my age/older than me advice.

What are you currently trying to improve on? being more creative, thinking outside the box, experimenting

What is the most difficult thing for you to draw? abstraction and legs

What is the easiest thing for you to draw? profile busts or front facing busts 😂

Do you like to challenge yourself? uhhhhh it’s really hard but it pays off so sure

Are you confident that you’re improving steadily? I hit a rut of no improvement or enjoyment after january that went on and off in february, and hit full force the first half of march, but now i’m finally starting to get consistent again.

Do you draw more fanart, or more original art? probably more art of my original characters lately. i haven’t shown it much though because they’re just small sketches.

Do you feel jealous when you see other people’s art, or inspired? (Be honest!) absolutely of course both. more inspired, but i’m lazy and barely ever act on it.

Do you like to draw in silence, or with music? I like music on as a lot of my actual drawings are inspired by songs, but I get distracted really easily. I also listen to a lot of YouTube but that’s even worse as you gotta keep clicking on new vids.

For digital artists: what program(s) do you use? Paint Tool Sai

For digital artists: how many layers does a typical piece require? hmmm on my last digital piece, I had one main layer and mostly drew on that, but when the brushes weren’t being cooperative or I wanted to ensure that I wouldn’t screw up the whole thing, I added a new layer on top and merged them later. probably less than 20 in the end?

For traditional artists: what medium do you like most? (Pencil,     charcoals, etc) visually I love the look of oil paints and gouache, but i’ve never tried them out. of what I have, probably copic markers.

For traditional artists: How do you usually start on a big piece?     (Light sketch, colored lead, sketchpaper, etc) I jump head first into it and pray

What inspires you to not just make art, but to be a better artist? absolutely my job as a concept artist. not sure how much I can say about that, but as someone who is the youngest in the company and one of the youngest in the industry, I’m constantly seeing my coworkers and others’ art. they’re all adults and they more about how art and the world works. and i wanna be up to par and speed with them.

i’m not really sure of which of my mutuals/followers are artists so just do this if you want!

[geekysweetie]

Top 2018 PS4 Games For Girls

I did a lot of research for this list. So the 40 2018 PS4 Games below are not ranked in any particular order.

If I had to pick a few favorites it’d be Detroit Become Human, Kingdom Hearts 3, Shenmue 3, Stein’s Gate Elite, Atelier Lydie & Suelle, Yakuza 6, Your Four Knights Princess Training Story, Shining Resonance Refrain, A Way Out, FF7, and Ni No Kuni 2.

This is not a full release list for the PS4 in 2018, but instead a collection of games I thought would appeal to other gamers such as myself based either on story, anime graphics, cuteness, or gameplay mechanics.

Leave me a comment below and let me know what games you’re looking forward to on PS4 this year!

40+ PS4 Games for Girls Releasing in 2018

1.) Moss

A virtual reality game that features a mouse who knows sign language. The environment is beautiful and the characters are adorable.

2.) Ni No Kuni 2 Revenant Kingdom

Ni No Kuni Wrath of the White Witch is one of my favorite PS3 games. So it’s no surprise that I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel from Studio Ghibli and Level 5 on the PS4 in 2018.

3.) Red Dead Redemption 2

It’s not often that I enjoy a shooting game; however, I am quite fond of the original back on the 360. I enjoy the open world environment, myriad of quests, and choice and consequence system. The horseback riding was also fun.

4.) Detroit: Become Human

I think above any other title on my list, I’m most excited about this PS4 Exclusive from the makers of Heavy Rain and Beyond Two Souls. It’s a story driven game where the player must make choices at various points which will fork the story down different branches resulting in different endings.

5.) Shenmue 3

Shenmue 3 broke records when it debuted on kickstarter 2 years ago. Finally the wait is over as the title will launch in mid 2018. In case you missed the first two games, rumors abound about an HD remaster that will include both Shenmue 1 and 2 also arriving on PS4 in 2018.

6.) Knights and Bikes

This quirky cute co-op game aims to recapture the feelings of childhood innocence and fun. You can explore a colorful island, fight baddies with water balloons or race your friends on your bicycles.

7.) Bloodstained Ritual of the Night

This is basically a Castlevania game, except since Kojima left Konami, he’s not allowed to use the name Castlevania anymore. I’m also digging the anime style characters as opposed to the more photo realistic characters the series has been using recently.

8.) Final Fantasy 7 Remake

The wait is almost over for the Final Fantasy Remake with new stories, new visuals, and new combat systems. This is more than just an “HD Port” this is a reworking of the game from scratch, using the same characters, world, and story, but improving upon it in many ways.

9.) The Last Of Us Part 2

This story driven post-apocalyptic action game is finally getting a sequel.

10.) Death Stranding

Kojima’s answer to Konami cancelling his Silent Hills game. It looks creepy AF. So if horror is your thing, check this one out. I’ll be picking it up but I know I won’t be able to play it alone in the dark.

11.) Beyond Good and Evil 2

Fans have been begging for this sequel for years, and now finally, the wait is almost over. This quirky series is best known for its anthropomorphic animals and charming worlds.

12.) Kingdom Hearts 3

I am currently preparing for Kingdom Hearts 3 by playing the Kingdom Hearts 1.5 and 2.5 HD Remix which combines like 8 of the Kingdom Hearts games. I was a big fan of Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2 when it first came out on PS2, and am excited to revisit the worlds of Kingdom Hearts again in KH3.

13.) Monster Hunter World

Open world RPG adventure game with huge monsters and a variety of weapons and equipment.

14.) Concrete Genie

Your graffiti creations come to life in this PS4 exclusive.

15.) Anamorphine

Another PS4 VR game. This virtual reality game puts you in the role of a young man trying to recover his memories and make sense of the world around him. The story is about his relationship and his wife’s depression.

16.) Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Hacker’s Memory

This prequel will reveal the events leading up to Digimon Cyber Sleuth as you play as Keisuke, a young man accused of a crime he didn’t commit. He must join a team of hackers to uncover the truth. Over 320 Digimon to discover.

17.) Iconoclasts

This game is full of intricate puzzles and a deeply moving story about faith, purpose, and the challenge of helping people.

18.) Dissidia: Final Fantasy NT

The characters from various final fantasy games return for this fun crossover fighting game.

19.) Past Cure

This story driven stealth game will let players use a variety of skills that blend dreams and reality as they try to help the main character master his new found powers while escaping from frightening horrors.

20.) Shadow of the Colossus

A story of a boy trying to find his lost love. Armed with only a bow and arrow you must battle fearsome giants.

21.) The Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia

Based on the hit Netflix anime, this beautiful looking brawler features all of your favorite characters in a brand new storyline.

22.) Under Night In-Birth EXE:Late[ST]

This new fighting game from the creators of Melty Blood and Tsukihime features not only great anime artwork, but an excellent story in campaign mode as well. The game blends story and fighting sequences in a similar fashion as Blazblue

23.) Crossing Souls

This colorful adventure game takes place in the 1980s in California. It features puzzle solving and fighting.

24.) Kingdom Come Deliverance

Kingdom Come Deliverance is an open world first person action RPG with non-linear story and stunning graphics.

25.) Secret of Mana

This gorgeous remake of the SNES classic will launch in February 2018.

26.) Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet

Based on the popular Sword Art Online Anime. This new title features gun-based combat and 4 player co-op or vs modes.

27.) Frantics

Cute animal characters star in this 4 player party game where you must bluff, battle, or negotiate your way to victory.

28.) Yakuza 6: The Song of Life

Yakuza is a spin off of the Shenmue Series. It features a deep lengthy storyline, intriguing characters, and of course crazy, fun, zany minigames, all in an open world. New to Yakuza 6 is the cat cafe and spear fishing just to name a few.

29.) A Way Out

A narrative game that can only be played with 2 players. Don’t worry if you don’t have any friends, you can play online as well as local co-op. The story revolves around 2 men trying to break out of prison. To do so you must make decisions in the story that will help build trust and friendship between the two inmates.

30.) Dollhouse

An interesting game that lets you create your own maps and stories. It seems to be about artificial intelligence. The multiplayer mode says you are fighting for control to be the “dominant mind”.

31.) The Lost Child

The Lost Child is an anime RPG in which you are able to collect over 50 different gods from various mythologies and train over 250 different skills.  It includes both English and Japanese voice overs.

32.) The Witch and The Hundred Knight 2

This cute anime RPG lets you craft new weapons and items as well as recruit minions to fight for you.

33.) Gintama Rumble

This fighting game is based on the hit anime and manga. It will launch in January 2018.

34.) Fist of the North Star

From the developer of Yakuza, this action brawler is based on the hit retro anime and manga by the same name.

35.) Stein’s Gate Elite

This is a remastered version of the original Stein’s Gate game using animation taken directly from the anime based on the first game plus new animation created for this game. The goal was to create a fully animated visual novel (as opposed to still images). The developers are said to have been inspired from Yarudora, a series of fully animated visual novels from the 90s. I would also compare it to School Days HQ which is also fully animated. (and that animation style is why it ranks among our top 10 games for girls). I reviewed the original Stein’s Gate here. I highly recommend it. And since the first and second Stein’s Gate games have both been released in North America, I’d say there’s a good chance we will see an English release for Stein’s Gate Elite as well.

36.) Your Four Knights Princess Training Story

A “Raising Sim” similar to games such as Princess Maker and Graduation 95. Gematsu has an excellent article detailing how you will train your princess. Basically it involves scolding or praising your princess at various times, for example during conversations or while exploring dungeons. The story and characters change based on your decisions and how you raise your princess. The princesses each have various parameters that you can train to unlock new skills or increase their stats to help them in battle.

37.) Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists & the Mysterious Paintings

Atelier games focus on gathering ingredients and crafting new items. As you can see from the trailer, they feature beautiful anime graphics, and deep stories. Their gameplay is often long, and at times it can get tedious, however, for those who love crafting and exploring, Atelier offers the ultimate crafting system.

38.) Super Robot Wars X

Gematsu indicates that there will be a southeast asian version of this game with English subtitles. For fans wanting to play these games in English you should be able to import the game from Play Asia. It appears to be a compilation of many different retro Super Robot War titles, better known as Gundamn in North America.

39.) OK K.O. Let’s Play Heroes

This colorful brawler game from Cartoon Network arrives in early 2018.

40.) Shining Resonance Refrain

This is a remaster of the PS3 Shining Resonance Game, part of Sega’s Shining Force/Shining Wisdom game series. The PS3 version was never released in North America. Perhaps the new PS4 remake will find its way overseas. In addition to new graphics, this version includes new story scenarios and gameplay modes.

Top 2018 PS4 Games For Girls was originally published on GeekySweetie.com - Geeky & Kawaii Anime, Tech, Toys, & Game Reviews & News

[sportsfunfacts]

Am about to share you some facts and quotes that I have gained from this popular player called Ronaldo. 

          Ronaldo profile and his achievement

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro GOIH ComM is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Serie A club Juventus and captains the Portugal national team. Wikipedia

Born: 5 February 1985 (age 35 years), Hospital Dr. Nélio Mendonça, Funchal, Portugal

Children: Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., Alana Martina dos Santos Aveiro, Eva Maria Dos Santos and more

Current teams: Juventus F.C. (#7 / Forward) and Portugal national football team (#7 / Forward)

Awards: European Golden Shoe, FIFA World Player of the Year, The Best FIFA Men's Player and more

Books: Moments, Cristiano Ronaldo: The Way i Feel, Soccer Superstars 2013 and more

He is one of the few recorded players to have made over 1,000 professional career appearances and has scored over 700 senior career goals for club and country.Country: Portugal

Age: 35 years

Weight: 83 kg

Date of birth: 05 February 1985

 Ronaldo has won five balloons d or award 

      What I gained from Ronaldo

1. We all known that Ronaldo is a hardworking player,cos he his the first one the training pitch and the last one on the training pitch He tell us to be hardworking and pratice hard for what is about to happen that we don't know about 

2.Ronaldo is the best player in this country there is no one like him and he his the best player the country ever had He tell us that you don't need to come from a great place before you become so great 

3.Ronaldo has played in the three best leagues in Europe and setting record in each leagues He tell us that don't be bother about the new challenges cos it can be overcome 

5.Ronaldo has scored so many outside goal than all others player,cos before he gets into the box he always scores his Goal He tells us don't wait for anything before you crack your chance 

6.Ronaldo has use both his legs and his head to score so many goals he even use his chest sometimes He tells us that since all your body is still active you can use all you got to achieve your aim 

            Documented quotes about Ronaldo

1. Your love makes me strong. Your hate makes me unstoppable.

Never listen to the haters around you. Instead, take their hate as motivation and prove them wrong. The same fire which burns one can become the fuel for another.

2. I’m living a dream I never want to wake up from.

You have the ability to live your dreams. But you have to call the shots. Make a plan and take massive action. The future favors the relentless. This is one of the best Cristiano Ronaldo quotes on our list.

3. We don’t want to tell our dreams. We want to show them.

Don’t just talk about what you want to do. Go out and do it. People love the sound of their dreams and keep talking about them. But only those who work hard ever taste greatness.

cristiano ronaldo quoutes

4. I’ve never tried to hide the fact that it is my intention to become the best.

You don’t become the best overnight. You need to set powerful intentions every day, every month, every year, to go beyond your own reach and to grow to the next level.

5. If we can’t help our family, who are going to help?

It’s good to desire success. But it’s equally important to care for your family. Without them, you won’t be where you are today.

6.  We should make the most of life, enjoy it because that’s the way it is.

Life is short. So don’t spend it focusing on negativity. Make the most of it by focusing on pleasure. Listen to music. Take long walks. Sing like a madman. Go crazy. What good is life without a hint of madness?

7. But I don’t want to be compared to anyone – I’d like to impose my own style of play and do the best for myself and for the club here.

Your craft and your talent come from within you. They’re not dependent on what others are doing. Take inspiration but never get jealous. This one stands out among all Cristiano Ronaldo quotes.

8. Today there are opportunities that no one knows if they will come round again in the future.

If you want to succeed, you need to believe in opportunities. When you can see it and your mind can conceive it, you will achieve it.

cristiano ronaldo quotes

9. Scoring goals is a great feeling, but the most important thing to me is that the team is successful – it doesn’t matter who scores the goals as long as we’re winning.

There must be a greater purpose to what you’re chasing. Don’t just chase money or fame. When your goals arouse terrifying longing, you’ll conquer all obstacles that come your way.

10. I would be very proud if, one day, I’m held in the same esteem as George Best or Beckham. It’s what I’m working hard towards.

You should have role models to inspire you. There will always be people who have accomplished more than you with fewer resources than you have now. Take strength from it.

11. I want to consistently play well and win titles. I’m only at the beginning.

Weak goals bring weak results. Always set ambitious goals which make you excited and put a fire in your belly. The only limit is the one which exists in your mind. Out of all Cristiano Ronaldo quotes, this one stands out as it makes you dream bigger.

12. There is no harm in dreaming of becoming the world’s best player. It is all about trying to be the best. I will keep working hard to achieve it but it is within my capabilities.

You must believe in your ability to become great. We are made up of the same matter and if we train ourselves every day, every minute to work hard, learn and evolve, nobody can stop us from becoming great.

Cristiano Ronaldo Motivational Video “Unstoppable”

13. When you lose a person you love so much, surviving the loss is difficult.

The hard truth in life is that you will lose everyone you will love. So are you going to make it count while it lasts? Give them your love, time and attention, because every good thing comes to an end.

14. After I joined, the manager asked me what number I’d like. I said 28. But Ferguson said ‘No, you’re going to have No. 7’ and the famous shirt was an extra source of motivation. I was forced to live up to such an honor.

Ronaldo had to wear the No. 7 jersey previously worn by the likes of George Best, Eric Cantona, and David Beckham. The lesson? Treat responsibilities with respect. They push you beyond your comfort zone and skyrocket you on the path to success.

15. It gives me the happiest feeling in the world. I just love scoring. It doesn’t matter if it’s a simple goal from close range, a long shot or a dribble around several players, I just love to score all goals.

It’s bad to have addictions. But it’s good to get addicted to progress. Get addicted to improvement and you’ll become unstoppable. This is one of the best Cristiano Ronaldo quotes because it shows progress is the drug great people are always high on.

16. I don’t have to show anything to anyone. There is nothing to prove.

Your only competition is the person you were yesterday. Challenge yourself, not others.

17. I see football as an art and all players are artists.If you are a top artist, the last thing you would do is paint a picture somebody else has already painted.

Treat your work like a craft. Don’t steal from others. Give it your vision, creativity, and dedication, and you’ll be able to build something unique.

18. I am not a perfectionist, but I like to feel that things are done well. More important than that, I feel an endless need to learn, to improve, to evolve.

It is innate in human nature to realize our greatest potential. So never stop learning and evolving.

19. When I win awards, I think of my father.

When you taste success, don’t feel entitled. There are people who work with you and push you in ways you have no idea about. Always be grateful for the people who support you.

cristiano ronaldo quotes talent

20. Talent without working hard is nothing.

The world is full of talented people who turned into failures. Talent matters less. What really matters is how devoted you are to your craft. Being disciplined is one thing, but being devoted is a different game.

Click to read full details

[findmyhouse]

An interview with Dani Lee Pearce

In 1992, when Frank Zappa was described by Nicolas Slonimsky as “the pioneer of the future millennium of music” because of his ground-breaking work with the Synclavier, one of the world's earliest digital audio workstations, Zappa immediately disavowed that title, convinced as he was that this technology would never catch on and would eventually go lost. Today, 25 years later, this way of composing and producing music is utilized by countless talented artists across the world, armed with nothing but a computer. One of the most exciting underground musicians who uses the technology that Zappa once helped popularize is Dani Lee Pearce. Since she started releasing music under her current name in January 2015, she has completed six albums covering a wide variety of genres, and is currently working on a seventh album. Her original album trilogy, consisting of the instrumental albums Dani Lee Pearce, Dépayse and Kelvin, was released in the first half of 2015 and combined elements of chiptune, progressive rock and experimental music. From then on, she has released a number of vocal albums that draw more inspiration from pop and folk music, starting with Notes Of A Nervous Little Pixie in March 2016 and following it up with Petrichor, which was released exactly one year ago today. Her most recent album, Dandilionheart, was originally released in February of this year and was later remastered and re-released in July. As a fan of her work, I was honored to have a chance to speak with Dani about her oeuvre and her plans for the future. 

Let's start with a somewhat clichéd question: Which musical artists do you feel your latest three albums have been most influenced by? It's quite difficult to narrow it down to just individual artists in a lot of respects. Music itself, in all the nuances and idioms it contains, tends to influence my work in at least one way or another. A lot of times I suggest or hint towards things that people probably wouldn't expect. Individual artists are there in some places, but I actually find it a lot more fun to have people try to guess what my music could be influenced from. Whatever gets guessed for a particular song is usually correct.

Can I make a guess? Go ahead.

The continuous driving rhythm, slightly droney nature and stream-of-consciousness style vocals on the track "Dandilionheart" (or at least the first part of it) reminded me of Talking Heads. Am I far off? Nope. Pretty much if you say "this reminds me of this" I will go "Yes" every time. I listen to music all the time of all genres and all of it gets worked into my psyche and inevitably comes out into the music somehow when I'm writing it. I may subconsciously be working in things I don't intend at any given time during the process.

From 2016’s Notes Of A Nervous Little Pixie onward, all of your albums have contained vocals. Is making vocal music something you had wanted to do ever since you started releasing music under the Dani Lee Pearce moniker, or did this desire come later? Earlier than that, like, 2013 at least, back when I made music under the name Kansas City 7up. My earliest recorded attempt was a song I never finished called "The Midnight Seer" from 2014, but ultimately shyness and a lack of the right equipment prevented this from happening sooner. After Kelvin I made a solid pledge to myself that my next album would have me singing because it would add an important and essential element to my music, and any new music I made would be saved until I could get that to happen. That's part of why the gap of time between Kelvin and Nervous Little Pixie was as long as it was.

Which do you usually write first: a composition or lyrics? That depends on what I think of first, although generally these days the words come first, in a rough form, since I will usually come up with things I want to say but not yet in any particular order how I want to say them. The music then helps me to establish a metric and pattern for how I will fit my vocals into the song in a way that works, which will in turn help me to revise the song and add things to it to make it gel. I try to work on each element independently because I like the challenge of creating music that surprises me in regards to the words I'm writing it for. Some of the things I've been working on recently are like that. It very much helps to keep my music fresh and unique to me. By contrast, all of my current albums were mostly music first, words second. Some songs took years to write proper words to, like "Tell Me I'm Cute Again Cause I Forgot", which previously existed with 3 different sets of lyrics before I finally settled on the current set. It's a more difficult way of working now but I will occasionally still try making a song that way for fun, since it enables some great creativity.

I'd like to talk about your album Petrichor, which is approaching its first birthday at the time of this interview: When you created the album, did you set out to make a concept album from the start, or was it an idea that came into play while you were working on it? The album came in many embryonic forms when I was first developing it. At first it was going to be an album called The Many Lives of Maypole, and it was going to document the life of a young girl with queer parents and her friendship with a child who later comes out as trans who has much more angry conservative parents. I was going to write a book in addition to an album of music to go along with it, and while only one song ever came out of this incarnation, the idea of an album + accompanying book stayed, and I later wrote "🌙🌙🌙", which I haven't gotten to publishing yet, to go along with Petrichor, containing poetry that elaborated upon the concepts of that album.

After Maypole it was then called The Giving Of Violets, an album which would have been about a capitalism-induced apocalypse that forces society to start over on a much better path, this time fully embracing LGBT rights among other things, as people are now more free to explore their identities gender and sex wise. The title is derived from a lesbian custom in the 50s where women would give each other violets to declare their love for one another, which in the story would be readopted as a gesture of affection. A good chunk of what would eventually be the finished album was written during this time, with early versions of "From Young Unknowing Eyes" "I Hope It Doesn't Rain" "Silver Tree’s Mixtress", "Twig Parade" and "Lute-Bird Calls" being put down in a test sequence, along with "Down In Evergreene", which was already done, and what eventually became "Give You My Earth" on Dandilionheart.

Some time later I had an anxiety-induced epiphany and spent a period of time very withdrawn in a quiet space only listening to quiet music, and I thought of an idea for an album of "whispersongs", very quiet music with whispered spoken word of very simple poems accompanying it. The project would have been called Rest Easy Love, and that's where I came up with "This Tree". This was the beginning of me writing poetry for a period of time, which eventually led to the writing of "Over My Wall" and "The Hill of Mist" as well. The Giving of Violets was dropped since I felt I could make the concept stronger, and later an album called The Scarlet Sky With Anais was developed but never fully finished. The song that eventually became "Monsters and Rainclouds" was listed as the final song of an album that also contained songs that would later become "Periwinkle Death", "Tell Me I'm Cute Again Cause I Forgot" and "Burning Pearls". "Down in Evergreene" was listed again also.

The actual concept began to develop around this time when I met three very important people: The first was a musician named Izzy Unger Weiss who met me for the first time at a birthday picnic, and the first thing we ever did together was sit down and play guitar. They introduced me to more worldly sensibilities both in their music and aesthetic, which began in me a more forthright interest in what I like to call "personal occult", which is essentially like a redefining of monsters, demons, spirituality, magic, the construction of the universe, etc. all on one's own terms, either casually or otherwise. Izzy did that to an extent, at least I could sense it, I'm not entirely sure if she would say the same but that's largely what my brain tends to produce for answers regarding it. Izzy was also overall a big musical influence at the time and made me more interested in learning guitar and writing guitar-based music. I'd later design a couple of album covers for her own music and eventually we may even collaborate on something.

The second person I met was Never Angel North, an agender independent author who was and still is writing an anthology of fiction collectively titled Sea-Witch. At that time the first volume was written but not yet released. Never's writing is unlike anything that's really been written in regards to fiction or poetry, especially in a queer/trans context, as it constructs an entire world inside of a living, breathing, feeling sea monster and the inhabitants who worship a meteor to whom they pray "may she lay us waste". The writing is at once emotional, intimate, sexual, terrifying, harrowing, ecstatic, decadent and mordant, but in all respects is absolutely brilliant and it completely redefines ones view of the world, of life, of gender, of quite possibly everything. It was being introduced to Never's writing and Never hirself that I became more open to the idea of constructing a world of my own in a similar fashion.

The third person, Jade Eklund, I met through Never, and she showed me through her own art how I could make this possible. Here was someone who practically lived and breathed their art which largely revolved around spiders and a recurring central character known as the Spider Queen. You'd enter her room and the walls would be covered in drawings ranging from spiders to seeing eyes to otherworldly presences, and she had filled out several notebooks of things that she had written stream-of-consciousness, and continued to build upon her mythology by doing the same on Facebook. We traded notebooks the first couple times we saw each other to get to know each other a bit, and she would draw/write surreal things in my notebook that inevitably influenced Petrichor's content, specifically the character of YESSAND the Masquerader King. I began writing poetry and concepts stream-of-consciousness in my own right, making up my own mythology taking inspiration from all three of these people and making frequent references to them in the process as I did so. This carried over into the eventual songwriting of Petrichor, and the creation and completion of the remaining songs.

"Monsters and Rainclouds" was at one point a song written specifically for Never, referencing a lot of elements of hir writing, and snippets of things Jade wrote in my notebook, which contained unfinished lyrics for Petrichor's songs, found their way into "Masqueraders" and the background voices of "Lute-Bird Calls".

Well damn, I was planning to ask some more follow-up questions about the story, the role of Jade Eklund (whom you credited in the album's description on Bandcamp) and even the voice samples on "Lute-Bird Calls", but you've already answered everything I could ask about the album. I'll be sure to look into the works of the other artists you mentioned just now.

I’d like to talk about your latest album now: Dandilionheart. In contrast to Petrichor, which is an epic, prog-like concept album, Dandilionheart is a collection of avant-garde pop songs that seem to be only loosely connected thematically, much like Notes Of A Nervous Little Pixie. Was it a relief to be able to write self-contained songs again or is it actually easier for you to write music when you have an overarching concept to work within? Concepts are actually quite difficult because you become restrained within one world of thought, and if you want to make it work you can't stray too far from it. Petrichor is a satisfying work but it was stressful to have to write about one thing for 8 months. Some of Dandilionheart's songs I actually began writing in tandem with that album, just to give me another outlet for other ideas at the time. So I would say that yes, I actually have more fun with individual songs than anything else, and I will probably continue writing in that context. I'm someone whose mind always wanders to different places at different times, so it's important for me to have a variety of ideas going because it feels more free to me. In that respect Dandilionheart was quite nice to make.

There’s another difference I’ve noticed between the two albums: On Petrichor, the vocals are quiet and dreamlike throughout, whereas on Dandilionheart they have a more prominent and more powerful presence. Is this the result of a conscious decision or simply a natural consequence of you becoming more confident about using your voice and getting more familiar with the recording process, et cetera? I was very confident with my voice when it came around to Dandilionheart and in a lot of places I get really into the song and just let loose, try things with it that I hadn't tried before. "Let Me Remind You" is currently home to the highest note I've ever sung for example. In some ways it is conscious as well because I always try to make albums independent from each other, like making films without visuals. I largely let the music decide what my voice will do though, and the music was definitely a departure. The fact that I actually sing loud is another indicator, I had never really done that before this album.

Let’s go back once more to the 13-minute title track of Dandilionheart. As you can probably tell I'm intrigued by the process by which specific music gets developed, and if I’m correct, “Dandilionheart” (the song) is the longest track out of your latest musical trilogy. Did you set out to create a track of such length before writing it, or did it naturally evolve into what it ended up being? The project file name for the song is "something maybe", which indicates that when I started this I didn't even know if it was going to turn into anything substantial. I was largely at the time playing around with the sample from what became the end of "Galaxy Owl" just to see for fun if I could take it anywhere and the more I developed the piece the more it kind of took on a life of its own. Specifically the section right before the lyrics was when I got the first inkling that the song would become what it ended up becoming. I realized three minutes in that it sounded thematically linked to a composition I had written in 2013, so I ended up stringing that (the "let all the rain come down" section) together along with another composition I had written in Sept. 2016 (the "goddexx bless" section) on the basis that they all shared a similar drive and tempo. When I got them all together and listened to it back I was dumbfounded at how perfect all the pieces sounded together, and then I had my song. I knew it was special and I knew I had to make it the title track from then on, and the lyrics were later written to fit the best I could with the sound.

Do most of your songs come into existence through something along the lines of what you just described? Sometimes, yes. "Masqueraders" happened the same way only with one additional section. I don't think I've quite written anything else in exactly this way, but I do still find uses for old unused compositions I have lying around.

What is the biggest challenge you encounter when composing music? I don't really face any incredibly big challenges in the composing bit itself except for sometimes finding uses for a composition, because sometimes I will write something but not have any particular idea what to do with it yet. I think my biggest challenges actually come in producing/mixing a track properly, which I am always very persnickety about.

I think also, at least today, it's trying to figure out how I want to do a song that I have lyrics written for. The number of approaches I could take is very broad and it's hard to find a direction that I think fits my words the best. I'm dealing with that situation presently for one song.

I think you've told me in 2015 that your first three albums were made primarily using FL Studio. Do you still use this or have you switched to a different workstation in the mean time? Dani Lee Pearce was actually also partially made with Ableton Pro when I was in college ("You For You Four Ich", "Every Clock Is 3 Minutes Behind"), and with a Casio Keyboard ("Animated Tattoo"). Otherwise yes, FL Studio is still my weapon of choice. At this point I visualize my songs as project files within that DAW and can make an instrumental up in under an hour at times. I don't anticipate that I'll change from it at any time soon since I'm so familiar with it and can work with it so efficiently.

Like you said, in your original album trilogy from 2015, there were a few tracks that were played on a keyboard, and “Moth Girl” was originally recorded on acoustic guitar but was later rerecorded using a DAW when you reissued your latest album. Do you still use any physical instruments in your recordings, and/or do you plan on using physical instruments in the future? Of my yet-to-be-released work I have one song that does in fact have me playing guitar, and another song in which I have had someone record guitar for me. One of my girlfriends is also going to be contributing guitar to my music eventually, and at some point I plan to record myself playing clarinet for some songs, as that is the one instrument I have proficiency at.

Is there anything else you’re willing to disclose about what we can expect from you in the future? More surprises. And more ways to convey them.

I can’t wait.

I’m nearing the end of my question list now. Can you recommend to anyone who reads this interview two artists who deserve far more attention than they’re getting right now? Rumor Milk is a very good musician friend of mine from Canada who gets very little attention for her work but she has a voice that has made me well up in tears multiple times. She is very talented and it would mean the world to her if more folks would check out and support her music. Chase Milo Reid is one of the first trans musicians I ever met when I came to Portland homeless and I've watched him perform live and develop as a talent in amazing ways. He's another who I think is worth people's attention and he would also very much appreciate additional support.

Finally, if you’ll allow me to ask one more clichéd question: what advice would you give to other aspiring musicians? Don't listen to advice intended for aspiring musicians given by musicians who are no longer aspiring. Let your soul do the talking. Let it dig into itself and find what makes it you, and turn that into art. Allow yourself to be raw and wild. Change it however you wish. Don't change it at all. However you do it, just make something, anything. And most importantly, make a fucking shitload of it.

Thanks immensely for your time; I've thoroughly enjoyed this interview. I'll be sure to check out all the artists you brought up and I'll be sure to use the word "persnickety" as much as possible now that I've been introduced to it. I've very much enjoyed doing this! Thank you very much for your interest in me, it helps me to remember that I'm doing something that reaches people.

_____

Dani’s music can be found here and here. You can read my review of Petrichor here.

[manabingu]

MANATAGGED! by Cozymochi

Tagged by the amazing @cozymochi

1) Name/nickname: Mana or Ginga if you found me via YouTube Idol

2) Gender: Guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurl (but I consider myself fluid)

3) Star sign: Sagittarius  ♐ ♥♥♥( proud of it)

4) Height: 5’1  (I am fun sized ok? o-o)

5) Hogwarts House: Gryffindor ~*~*~*~*

6) Favourite animal: Manta Rays (or as I call em MAJESTICAL FLAPFLAPS)

7) Hours of sleep: Ranges from 6-10 if Im lucky (because I’ve gotten sick lately I try to have as much sleep as humanly possible cuz I wanna strengthen my already weak immune system.Getting sick forces me to sleep longer.BUT it takes me EONS just to get to sleep cuz my mind is racing 24/7))

8) Dogs or cats: KITTIES =^w^=! But huskies are cool

9) Number of blankets: 3 ...I get cold easily hush

10) Dream trip: Definitely Japan, I just wanna go to the anime cafes & Nakano Broadway & Akihabara like the weeb trash that I am. But I wouldn’t mind seeing England, Egypt, Hawaii or Bolivia (again) in this lifetime.

11) Dream Job: Has changed over the years but I feel in my heart I was born to perform & entertain. I want to keep pursuing singing/acting/voice acting as my top priority, music, theatre, & VA is such a big part of my life, I would love to do it as a career. Even if I do it as a youtuber or something at first. But If drawing is an option I wouldn’t mind storyboard artist.

12) Time: 2am...woops

13) Birthday: December 20th

14) Favourite Bands: Abingdon Boys School, JAM Project, Daizystripper, STARISH/Quartet Night/HEAVENS, DOLL$BOXX, One Ok Rock, OldCodex, Choutokkyuu, FoZZtone, SHINee, Got7,U-KISS,BACK-ON,Psychic Lover, Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas,Rookiez is Punk’d, Man With A Mission, Asian Kung Fu Generation,Scandal, Linkin Park, Big Time Rush, The Beatles I know I have more but this is what I could muster from memory

15) Favourite Solo Artists: T.M. Revolution, Aoi Shouta, Miyano Mamoru, Maaya Sakamoto, Kana Hanazawa, Amber from f(x), VALSHE, LiSA, Celia Cruz, Shakira, May’n, Nano, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, PSY (do my friends count? if so Ceonn, Phoebe & Kiba Walker)

16) Song Stuck In My Head: “CHANGIN’” by Nona Reeves FT. You The Rock

Its the 4th ED Theme from Getbackers & by far its the greatest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. It’s just a PERFECT song. I can play on repeat forever.

17) Last Movie I Watched: The Mummy (2017) 

18) Last Show I Watched: I just watched Kevin Probably Saves the World. It has slowly become one of my new fave shows of all time. It’s such an original & brilliant story, the acting is superb & heartfelt. Such a good comedy. I HIGHLY recommend it. It’s a good thing I watch The Voice cuz it came on after it & that made me wanna check it out XD!

19) When Did I Create My Blog: My first blog @manadarkmagiciangirl has been here since May 2012. But this one has been up since February 2015

20) What Do I Post/Reblog: Well this is supposed to be my art/singing/hobby blg where I share all my projects & life. But I also tend to trickle some fandom posts. Usually memes,abridged projects, ZEXAL, Darker Than Black, Utapri, Takanori Nishikawa (and other artists I like), & tokusatsu or whatever else I am in the mood for that day

21) Last Thing I Googled: Brown & Auburn wigs for me &  sis cuz for Holiday Matsuri we wanna go as CardCaptor Sakura & Syaoran from Tsubasa 

22) Other Blogs: @manadarkmagiciangirl (Fandom Blog), @okudairagalaxypalace  ( ESPer Robin fan blog)  @pendantposse (abridged)

23) Do I Get Asks: It’s a rarity even though I do wish to talk with you guys. But usually if i reblog some kinda interactive meme it happens. Or if I give any big announcements

24) Why I Choose My URL: It’s a combo of Mana (my fave YGO character) & Yuma Tsukumo’s catchphrase from ZEXAL - “Kattobingu”. Kattobingu means “to do your best & challenge yourself”. So I am Mana & I’m doing my best ^_^b

25) Following: 45 but I should check who is active or nah XD

26) Followers: 418 but on my other one I’m at 1,368

27) Lucky Number: 83,39,20 I think XD?

28) Favourite Instrument: Electric guitar but have yall heard electric CELLO? That shiz is BADASS! But my fave instrument to use is my voice ^^♥ I luv to sing!

29) What Am I Wearing: Long Gundam Wing tshirt, pj bottoms & socks XD?

30) Favorite Food: GREEN TEA. Give me matcha flavored ANYTHING & I will be groveling at your feet. Especially matcha ice cream ;W;o

31) Nationality: Bolivian

32) Favorite Song: BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I may be a jrocker....BUT My favorite song of all time is “The Blue Danube  Waltz” by Johann Strauss II. I grew up listening to a lot of classical music & BESIDES recently Yuri On Ice (the song). No piece of classical music has come to being as perfect as that song in terms of taking me on an emotional rollercoaster. I love songs that can take me on a journey. But if I had to pick a MODERN song, I would say it’s a 3 way tie (all sung by Takanori Nishikawa) “Vestige” by T.M. Revolution, & “WE aRE” + “Howling” by Abingdon Boys School. Those songs always resonate with me.

33) Last Book Read: Tsubasa World Chronicle

34) Top Three Fictional Universes I’d Like To Join: I wish Heartland from ZEXAL was real cuz honestly I would LOVE to live there. Tokyo Mew Mew because I wanna be a magical girl that protects endangered species, Pokemon FOR SURE cuz who WOULDNT want that? A fourth choice would be Saint Seiya because I want that cool armor tbh.

I’m tagging: @crystalwoodsart @marcosatsu @magishine-dance @masked-paradox @rosey-ballerina @pandaloverwwf @tyrestgwa @ahsimwithsake @laurathia @t-chan @rainbow-galaxy-supernova

[decrou]

The incredible journey of Berwyn’s JP Weber; Why we lost Wayne Sporting Goods; Real estate rumblings in Radnor; Shipley grad’s ‘Wild Life’; Claytor Noone Plastic Surgery; Anti-aging medicine; Personalized test prep & more

JP and Lindsey Weber in 2013 and JP today.

JP Weber clearly remembers the day he died.

“I can’t go back there,” he thought on June 3, 2016. “I’m never going in there again.”

An elite loan originator for PNC Bank, Weber quit his job that late spring morning and walked, blindly, off a cliff. The old JP –  people-pleasing, Percocet-popping, life-of-the-party JP – long crumbling, collapsed completely. And ever-so-slowly, canvas by canvas, rose up and pieced himself back together.

Pinstripe-suited Joseph Paul Weber was buried that Friday morning. Ponytailed, self-actualized artist @JohnHamster was born.

What some call a complete mental breakdown, JP calls The Undoing.

“I have a feeling that I’m at the beginning of a wave of people who are going to be going through this,” he says, calling out a world where there’s “too much distance from the soul.”

There will come a reckoning, he warns.

JP Weber’s undoing had been building for years.

The social binge drinking. “I would drink a case of beer. It was how I survived,” Weber recalls. “Everyone … thought I was awesome and fun. But people I had to live with thought I was an asshole.”

The impinged vertebrae in his neck, triggered by work stress and an exacting boss.

The addiction to opiates, prescribed for neck pain in increasing dosages for five years. “I numbed my way through the pain.”

The growing distance from his wife, Lindsey Meyer, his Conestoga High School Class of ’94 sweetheart, and daughters, Emma, now 14, Lucy, 11, and Jane, 8. “I was repeating the same hurts to my children that I had,” Weber says. His own father, a partner at a Big Eight accounting firm, was “never home.” Lindsey recalls “trying to stay afloat with three kids and a husband who wasn’t home …It felt stressful around here but I wasn’t fully aware.”

The dawning realization that his job was a colossal mismatch. “JP’s in banking? Really?” friends would ask. But the couple didn’t blink. He was GREAT at loan origination, after all, in the President’s Club, tops in his group. “I never made a cold call,” JP recalls. “I just would help others and it would come back.” And his parents approved. “It was the first time I was getting nods from my dad that I was doing something right.”

The common thread? “I found myself through others. I didn’t find myself through me.”

In the years before he cratered, JP had begun to make changes.

He quit drinking.

He took up hot yoga, turning “225 pounds of muscle into 170 pounds of lean,” a 48 Regular into a 42 Long. (Although now he finds himself in “a mushy place in the middle.”) What started as a way to avoid neck surgery became a way of life. Until it closed, Lindsey and JP would take shifts at Bikram Yoga in Berwyn. “Yoga changed our home. It bonded us.”

But Percocet remained a problem. In May of 2015 he turned down a job offer with a $200,000 signing bonus because he knew he’d have to get off painkillers to function in a more demanding role. “I would have just fallen down the same spiral. At PNC, things were easy because of who I was and what I did.”

Six months later, after repeated attempts to quit the pills (“I couldn’t take that first damn step”), an addiction specialist at Bryn Mawr Rehab wrote “scrips for the most Valium I could shove in my face” to get him through withdrawal. In five days, he was off Percocet forever. “I went cold turkey and haven’t had one since.”

But his job at PNC remained unrelenting. A boss forced him to go on business trips when he was unwell and to sign a confession for something he says he didn’t do, i.e. failing to protect his customers’ data. To escape mounting unease, the Starbucks in Gateway became his other home.

On June 3, engulfed by angst, he cratered.

In the dark days that followed, JP would sit in front of a mirror for hours, obsessively picking at his face. Who am I? And what the f#&@ is going on?

He went on disability for mental illness. “Not that I was suicidal, but I could see how this invalidation leads to suicide. I could see how easy it is to stay on Oxy.”

On his fourth try, JP clicked with therapist Ushi Tandon, who helped him deconstruct, then reassemble his unexamined life.

Glimmers of daylight dawned.

Dormant creativity, squelched by his family in childhood, rose again, insistent.

He began flushing out his feelings on canvas. Toys, rulers, tools, whatever was handy, became his brushes. Shaky at first, his hands turned sure.

His creations were florescent, riotous, intricate explosions. What was stuck became unplugged. A life put on hold gushed forth.

Paintings piled up in his garage and basement.

“At first, I was embarrassed,” his wife admits. “I wasn’t sure what this was all about. Why wasn’t JP in a suit? What’s going on around here?”

But then, she started sharing his artwork with friends. The response was overwhelming. Even JP’s father, although he professed not to understand it, acknowledged “there was something there.”

JP’s disability ran out and he was officially fired from PNC Bank on his 44th birthday in August of 2019. His art would have to pay the bills.

Word of his talent started percolating through the Main Line and beyond.

His paintings hung at La Cabra Brewing, then at StudioFlora in Berwyn and are now on display at Christopher’s in Wayne and Malvern and at Aneu in Rosemont.

JP Weber’s paintings on the walls at Christopher’s in Wayne.

A collector of “outsider art,” StudioFlora owner Chrissy Piombino, in particular, was blown away by the paintings she saw in JP’s garage. At Piombino’s urging and with help from Ardmore fiber artist Holly Guertin (Ernie and Irene), his patterned pieces now appear on textiles, zip pouches, linens, some of which are carried at StudioFlora.

The Chicago nonprofit, , named JP its January artist of the month. People around the country have until Jan. 23 to buy his uplifting YAB stickers.

Razimus jewelry in upstate New York is using JP’s fabric designs in their , one of which will promote Christy Turlington’s Every Mother Counts initiative.

His burgeoning @JohnHamster Instagram shows a parade of commercial and residential spaces enlivened by his stunning canvases.

Next on his vision board? Taking his talents on the road to outsider art shows around the country. He also hopes to speak publicly about overcoming mental-health challenges.

“The old me died in an instant,” he says.

In a blaze of glorious color, JP has returned, triumphant.

***Take a quick trip inside the head of JP Weber in this short clip from our fab video partner, OnUp Media.***

Game over for Wayne Sporting Goods

Wayne Sporting Goods, a family-owned landmark for more than 60 years, sold off its team sports business to a national player and is closing its retail store.

“BSN Sports came to us and made us a fair offer,” owner Roger Galczenski tells SAVVY. “They’re really nice people.”

Although Wayne Sporting Goods has been upgrading operations since the late 90s, sales have been sliding. “No one wants to buy anything unless it’s on sale,” Galczenski laments. “We had three consecutive years of profits going down. We had no reason to think 2020 would be any better.”

Unlike most Wayne businesses, Galczenski owns the three-story, 12,000 sq. ft. building that has housed WSG for 60 years. He tells us he doesn’t want to be a landlord and hopes to sell the building.

His father, Alvin, started WSG in the former Floyd’s Bowling Alley in Rosemont in 1955, then moved to the Farnan’s Jewelry building on N. Wayne Ave. for a few years.

Now 73, Roger Galczenski says he’s ready to retire.

“I’ve been coming in every day for 50-some years. The other morning when I woke up it was raining and dark and I thought I’d like to lay in bed. I think I’ll get used to retirement. We’ll see.”

Galczenski’s son, Steve, and his support team will join BSN, servicing current WSG teams from Malvern Prep, Shipley and Eastern University and beyond.

Meanwhile, a 30-percent-off clearance sale began last week. Glaczenski says discounts will deepen until he shuts off the lights for good, likely by the end of February.

Dodo Hamilton’s Wayne estate slated for development

Rough outlines of the former land holdings (in red) of the late Dodo Hamilton that Haverford Properties proposes to develop in Strafford. A civic leader and Campbell’s Soup heiress, she developed the upscale lifestyle center next to her estate, Eagle Village Shops.

Plans are afoot to build multiple homes on the former estate of the late heiress/philanthropist Dodo Hamilton behind Eagle Village Shops in Strafford.

There was some early talk – wishful thinking, perhaps – that the land, which includes a manor home, greenhouses and multiple specimen plantings, would become an offshoot of the PA Horticultural Society. An avid gardener, Hamilton’s entries were perennial winners at the Philadelphia Flower Show, staged by the society.

But sources tell us valuable specimen plantings have been removed and the land, roughly eight acres of primo real estate, is now in the hands of Haverford Properties, where Dodo’s grandson, Sam Hamilton, is a principal.

Seeking neighbors input, the developer shared preliminary ideas with Radnor Commissioner Jack Larkin.

According to Larkin, one plan would put 40 single-family homes on two lots. An alternative plan calls for 41 townhomes on the main property and nine singles on a narrow stretch of land to the east. (Townhomes are not a permitted use under current zoning and would require special approval from the township.)

Hamilton’s home, yard and greenhouses, rimmed in red, would become either townhomes or single-family homes. Single homes would be built along the narrow parcel to the east outlined in orange and on the other side of Strafford Ave.

Concerned about potential traffic and flooding, neighbors crafted a wish list for the property this week, shared with SAVVY. Among its requests:

A detailed stormwater management plan and a commitment from the developer and/or township to put aside money to address any resulting stormwater issues.

A commitment to maintain the same number of mature trees on the property.

Seven single homes instead of nine on the east lot.

Sidewalks from the development to the train station and traffic-calming measures.

“I get the sense that the developer is invested and wants to work with people and not put a blight on the neighborhood,” Larkin tells SAVVY.

Larkin will host a town hall about the proposed development Thursday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. at the Radnor Township Municipal Building.

Philly Bloke bolts to Wayne

Eric DeBella in Philly Bloke’s new studio in Wayne.

After nine years in Paoli, Philly Bloke just moved to a new home in Wayne.

And may we say, his new digs are smashing. With a clubby lounge, TVs and a central bar with complimentary cold brew on draft and cold IPAs in the fridge, you might just hang out awhile after your haircut.

And that would be A-OK with owner Eric DeBella, who chose Wayne for its walkable, community feel and more central location.

“We’re all about building relationships,” DeBella says. “We hope clients will stop by whether they’re getting a haircut or not.”

Philly Bloke offers men’s and boy’s cuts (discounts for father-son tandems), beard grooming, and color blending and just launched its own haircare line.

What’s hot in men’s hair? Longer hair and, yes, beards. About 90 percent of his clients have them, DeBella says.

Double the size of Paoli, the new Bloke is a stylish redo of the former Renewal Studio on West Ave. next to Cornerstone Bistro and across from the Great American Pub. (Because he likes to “feed the people who feed me,” DeBella asked longtime customer Brad Giresi to design the buildout and the wife of another Paoli client, Gina Whalen, to help with interiors.)

So what’s a Philly Bloke anyway? A gent who strives to better himself and make a difference in the lives of others, DeBella says. Someone who “feels good about his identity.” In other words, a bloke who’s woke.

, 15 West Avenue, Wayne, 610-644-3984, is open Tues. – Sat. Appointments strongly recommended. Men’s cuts from $33. 

A ‘Wild Life’ – on the Main Line and far beyond

Author Keena Roberts, Shipley ’02, with her proud father, Robert Seyfarth of Devon, at last Sunday’s book signing at Main Point Books in Wayne. Her mother, Dorothy Cheney, a Penn biology professor and primatologist, passed in 2018. Keena and her wife took their fathers’ shared first name when they got married. (, Grand Central Publishing, $28).

When renowned Penn psychologist Robert Seyfarth enrolled his daughters at Shipley, he warned the school that his girls would be part-timers. They’d spend some of the year in Bryn Mawr, but most of it with their parents in a remote camp in Botswana studying the social life of baboons – nature’s classroom, as it were.

No problem, Shipley said. Just make sure they “keep up with math and make them write every day,” Seyfarth recalls.

Terrific advice, it turns out.

Because Seyfarth’s older daughter, Keena, Shipley Class of 2002, just published her first book, Wild Life: Dispatches from a Childhood of Baboons and Button-Downs, a memoir that the author says came from “piles of journals in a closet.”

No daily journal writing from age 8 to 18, no Wild Life.

And what a shame that would be.

We’d never hear about Keena’s extraordinary youth, wherein struggling to survive as “the weird kid” in a Main Line prep school could be tougher than fending off hungry hippos in the bush.

We’d never meet fearless, swashbuckling Keena, who felt at home among circling lions but like an alien on the Shipley field-hockey team.

A first-time author whose day job is health-policy research, it took Keena seven years and four rewrites to get the story right, she says.

She’s already working on book two: a fantasy novel. “It’s Watership Down but with baboons,” the Harvard/Hopkins grad tells SAVVY.

Count on another wild ride.

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Planning to have work done? Best pick the perfect plastic surgeon

Dr. Brannon Claytor with some of his team in his offices near Bryn Mawr Hospital, visible from the window: (from left) registered nurse Melissa Lees, licensed aesthetician Jessica Sager, and certified medical assistant Stephanie Mattis. Claytor performs 75 percent of his operations in his in-office OR, which meets hospital standards for a clean, safe surgical environment.

You only get one face, after all.

You want skilled hands, a cutting-edge mind and a caring heart.

Tall order, right?

Not for Dr. Brannon Claytor, Chief of Plastic Surgery for Main Line Health.

Precise and patient, he explains every step on the “Aesthetic Ladder” and helps you choose which is best for you: from the first rung of non-invasive treatments, to higher rungs involving more aggressive procedures with minimal-to-some downtime, through the top rung, surgery.

“The first thing I tell patients is that this needs to be customized,” Claytor tells SAVVY. “This isn’t Ford Motor Co. pumping out the same product for each person.”

To look simply refreshed and rejuvenated, Claytor says microneedling, injections, lasers and/or peels – all offered in his office – might be all you need.

If you want to take it up a notch without scars, you might be a candidate for a Silhouette InstaLift or an Ellevate neck lift.

A 29-year-old patient before and after Claytor performed the new, no-scar, minimally invasive neck lift, Ellevate, along with SmartLipo and liposuction. Done under local anesthesia with ”absolutely zero pain,” the patient calls the result “amazing …I completely trust him as a physician and artist.” She says Claytor never rushed her during the consult and follow-up appointment, explaining options. “You won’t get a one-size-fits-all experience with him.”

But if your aim is to look ten years younger, you’re probably headed for a full facelift, Claytor says.

Most surgical patients come in complaining about their lower eyelids, jowls or neck, he says. “No one comes in and says their cheek has fallen.”

But that’s just what’s happening. Osteoporosis shrinks facial bones, he explains, and “skin is falling off its scaffolding … If the neck is bad, the cheeks usually need to be addressed. Everything fell as a unit.” A facelift rebalances everything.

Claytor performs short-scar facelifts with minimal downtime for the middle and lower face, traditional SMAS facelifts, and more advanced deep-plane facelifts. Some surgeons shy away from deep-plane lifts for fear they’ll inadvertently injure tiny facial nerves. But Claytor completed a nerve fellowship during his plastic surgery training and has “a deep comfort level with nerves.”

(Above)A 67-year-old woman before and three months after Claytor performed a deep-plane, full facelift. (Below) A 62-year-old Claytor patient before and two months after a deep-plane facelift.

Indeed, Claytor has long pioneered the latest and greatest.

He recently appeared on “The Innovators,” a web-based docuseries about plastic surgery, discussing advances in breast reconstruction.

He was the first local surgeon to perform the Ellevate non-surgical neck lift.

He’s completed (or soon will complete) clinical trials of microneedling for facial rejuvenation; the topical collagen Excellagen to shorten downtime after deep chemical peels or laser treatments; and Alastin to improve skin after liposuction.

“When I can, I like to be part of the evidence side of medicine,” Claytor says.

For good or ill, the internet and social media, he says, are “massive equalizers” in which everyone gets a platform. “People in our own community who are not plastic surgeons are performing these procedures in their offices.” They took weekend courses and don’t have nine years of specialized training and board certification, he says. “Today, if you’re not telling people what you do, they’ll find someone who will.”

Also setting Claytor apart: his in-office surgical suite, fully inspected and nationally accredited and where about 75 percent of patients choose to have facelifts and other procedures under local anesthesia. Not only do they save on operating room and anesthesia fees but, God forbid, if something were to happen, Bryn Mawr Hospital’s ER is right across the street. “I think I’m the only plastic surgeon I know who has a full-blown operating room in his office.”

And then there’s Claytor’s refreshing personal touch. He gives patients his cell phone number and calls everyone the night before surgery. “Inevitably, they have a question, which they were too shy to call and ask me about.”

The night of surgery, he calls the patient to check on recovery. “If there is a concern, I will have them come right to the office. I’ve seen patients at 11 o’clock at night!”

Claytor’s easygoing personality puts people at ease, crucial in a field as personal as plastics. He’s confident and self-assured, yes. But arrogant? Never.

“I go out of my way to create a peer relationship with the patient,” he says. “I want people to be as comfortable as they can be. It makes the whole experience so much more productive and positive.”

Twenty years in practice and his endgame hasn’t changed: a natural look. You, but better.

“I want people to say to my patients: ‘You look fabulous. Did you get a new haircut?’”

Everyone will notice, but no one will know.

Claytor Noone Plastic Surgery, 135 S. Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 300, Bryn Mawr, 610-527-4833,  Photos and news @ClaytorNoonPlasticSurgery on and and at .

Gingy’s moving out of Malvern

Boutique owner Jean Tremblay with her mother and daughter, Betsy, at Gingy’s 10th anniversary celebration in Malvern. Gingy’s also has locations in Stone Harbor and Newport, RI.

After 12 years in Malvern, the last five on a sunny King Street corner, Gingy’s Boutique is moving to Wayne. 2 East King was sold last summer and the building’s new owner raised her rent “significantly,” Gingy’s proprietor Jean Tremblay tells SAVVY.

After searching up and down the Pike, she settled on another sunlit corner, 168 E. Lancaster Ave., the former home of Argus Printing in downtown Wayne.

The spot reminds her of 2 East King, Tremblay says. Plus, it had room for a design studio for clothing line.

Doors should open by mid-March. In the meantime, there’s a huge moving sale in progress at Gingy’s Malvern store, which closes for good Jan. 25. (***Mention this article in SAVVY for an extra 10-percent off!***)

“At first, the circumstances that caused me to move devastated me.” Tremblay says. “But I am thinking things happen for a reason and I’m looking to the future.”

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Rosemont physician’s switch to anti-aging holistic medicine started with her own diagnosis

By Dawn Warden

Flipping from doctor to patient can be a pivotal experience as Dr. Seema Bonney discovered after she was diagnosed with pulmonary thrombosis in her early 30s.

Looking back, it’s quite possible that her switch from Emergency Medicine physician to founder of the and a long list of certifications and achievements might not have occurred if she’d received better care.

Being on the other side of diagnosis and treatment not only altered the way Bonney engaged with patients, it enabled her to test out knowledge gained through emergency room interactions. In many cases, Bonney was able to attribute panicked patients’ medical flare-ups to underlying chronic conditions, nutrition deficits, sleeping patterns, lifestyle and more.

“So many people come into the ER presenting with symptoms that reveal an undiagnosed chronic condition,” Bonney says. “These trips could have been avoided if the patient had insights into his or her personal health profile.”

In Bonney’s case, doctors showed little interest in identifying possible causes.

“I was repeatedly told, ‘You’re lucky to be alive’ and ‘There’s no clear cause,’” Bonney explains. “It was important to ‘fix’ me, but they also needed to help me understand the sudden onset and how to predict future occurrences or escalations. My philosophy has always been: Life is meant to be enjoyed to its fullest … hard to accomplish when burdened by physical or medical issues. Prevention is crucial, and its absence during my treatment completely altered my perspective and my career path.”

Today, Bonney is one of the region’s leading advocates for holistic and functional medical therapies with a thriving practice in Rosemont. Working in partnership with patients, she creates opportunities for self-advocacy and helps patients strategize ways to live as health-fully as possible for as long as possible.

“I went into Emergency Medicine because I wanted to save lives. Now, I am doing it in a different way. And, the good news is: It’s never too late, or too early, to develop healthy habits.”

, 484-222-0369, specializes in functional, integrative and aesthetic medicine and services, including medical weight loss, hormone and IV therapies, treatments for adrenal fatigue/thyroid/autoimmune issues and skin rejuvenation. Named #1 for Integrative Medicine in Main Line Today in 2019.  

Takeaways from a T/E para-educator’s wild time in Thailand

Zatuchni spent a month at observing and feeding rescued and retired elephants in central Thailand and returns with a message for tourists.

A teacher’s aide at Valley Forge Middle School just spent a month in Thailand – not lollygagging on a beach but sweating through 98-degree heat and 100-percent humidity.

“I loved every moment of it,” says Julie Zatuchni of her stay at Boon Lott’s Elephant Sanctuary. Even when she hoisted dung, walked through spider webs, and slept with chirping geckos in her room.

Zatuchni cared for and befriended the elephants but hardly touched them.

“If touching is allowed at an elephant sanctuary, you don’t want to go there,” Zatuchni says. Sanctuary tourism is huge in Thailand and Myanmar, where posters of women in bikinis on every tuktuk and taxi lure folks to swim and bathe with elephants.

But sitting on elephants pushes on their organs and hurts their spines, she says. Plus, elephants used in tourism are kept on short chains. “They can’t move. They can’t scratch themselves or cool themselves off with mud or water.” Trainers hit them with bull hooks. Females are often force-bred and their babies are sold off.

“A lot of places say they’re ethically treating animals, but they’re not,” Zatuchni says. “It’s a horrible, sad existence.”

BLES was founded by a British woman, Katherine Connor, who fell in love with a baby elephant, “Boon Lott,” while backpacking through Thailand at age 21 and discovered her life’s calling. Connor rescues and nurses back to health elephants abused in the logging and tourist trades.

Now in its 13th year, BLES is a safe, forever home for 11 elephants who wander freely on 750 acres where they happily chomp on, literally, tons of fruits, grasses, leaves and seeds.

Valley Forge Middle School para-educator Julie Zatuchni shoveling elephant dung and gathering food in Sukhothai, Thailand in October.

Ask Zatuchni, who’s volunteered with Main Line Animal Rescue, Global March for Elephants and Rhinos, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, and co-created a Facebook page, why she loves elephants, then take a seat. She’ll be a while.

They have amazing memories, she’ll tell you. They’re devoted caretakers of their young, zealously protect the herd, and even mourn their dead. “They have personalities just like we do … You look into their eyes and see their souls,” Zatuchni says.

In central Thailand, Boon Lott’s Elephant Sanctuary welcomes donations, guests and volunteers.

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Better scores, better schools with Crimson Review Test Prep

By Ryan Richards

On the lobby wall of Crimson Review’s spacious and sunlit tutoring center in Wayne is a large crimson owl, symbol of wisdom.

Smart choice.

Because Crimson Review’s instructors are the sages of Main Line test prep – for SATs and ACTs, National Merit Scholarship qualifying exams (PSATs) and private-school admissions tests (SSATs, ISEEs and HSPTs).

Founded in 1986 by Harvard grad and Wayne resident William H. Wood, Crimson Review offers year-round one-on-one instruction, small-group classes, as well as an intensive SAT , which guarantees to raise qualified students’ scores 250 points or to the 98th+ percentile.

Rates for all options are affordable and tutors are top-notch.

Each has deep understanding of each test and prepares students through comprehensive instruction and practice testing, according to Crimson Review Director Craig Miller.

Crimson Review Director Craig Miller at the test-prep company’s Wayne location.

Crimson instructors graduated from top-tier colleges and are required to have scored in the top of the range on their own standardized tests. They work patiently with students of all academic abilities. “We really want to be a positive environment,” says Miller. Instructors also share proven strategies to ease test anxiety.

With two convenient locations – in Wayne and Malvern – Crimson Review’s small class sizes allow tutors to “get to know every student who comes through our doors,” says Miller. Being independently owned (vs. a corporate franchise), “We have the advantage of customizing and being much more personal.”

Crimson Review also continuously refines its curriculum based on current best practices. As a result, scores improve enough to open up an entirely different set of options, turning dream schools into realistic options.

“My son, Luke, was well prepared and had no fears about his ability to tackle the test, based on his experience with his [Crimson Review] tutor,” reports Exton mom Alicia Snyder.

It’s all about practice, adds veteran instructor Jason Cohen. “We have our students systemically go through each question type, learning both content knowledge and test-taking strategies … The more students can practice with actual practice tests from real exams, the better.”

, 347 E. Conestoga Rd. Wayne and 967 E. Swedesford Rd., Malvern, 610-688-6441, info@crimsonreview.com, offers tutoring and classes in test prep and essay writing. Group & referral discounts available. Register for by 2/8 for $300 off. Visit . Follow on , Instagram and Twitter.

Magnolia Cottage in Malvern: charming goods, painted furniture and craft classes

The western Main Line has a new experiential retailer, Magnolia Cottage, now open in the former Sprouts consignment shop on W. Lancaster Ave.

Owner is Malvern’s Kathy Snow, a nurse who couldn’t find part-time work after raising her kids. “I took my hobby – painting furniture – and thought, ‘Let’s give it a shot.’”

Owner Kathy Snow plays around with a scarf at her new home goods/social crafting shop. Photos by Carla Zambelli.

Magnolia Cottage sells cute but not kitschy gifts, many from local women artisans, and vintage furniture painted by Snow. (Or pick a wooden piece off the floor and have her paint it to your liking). A craft room will house classes in stenciling, furniture painting and more.

Magnolia Cottage, 288 Lancaster Ave., Malvern, 484-320-8022, is open Tuesday – Saturday, noon to 5, Sundays, noon to 3. Pottery demo with Caitlyn Davis, Saturday, Jan. 18. Young Rembrandt art class for preschoolers to age 12, Sunday, Jan. 19.

New homes heading to Radnor as two colleges sell land

Star shows rough area that Eastern College has tentatively agreed to sell to Concordia Group.

Eastern University and Valley Forge Military are shrinking their footprints in Radnor.

The Concordia Group is under agreement to buy 19. 5 acres at Eastern University, SAVVY has learned. The DC-based developer hopes to put “no more than 20-21  homes” on the parcel but won’t submit plans until it gets feedback from neighbors, according to Concordia’s Devin Tuohey.

Concordia would bulldoze a parking lot and 14 circa-1970 homes that Valley Forge Military Academy currently leases for faculty, Tuohey tells us. The tract is along Radnor St. Rd. between Eagle Rd. and Walnut Ave.

Eager to be a good neighbor, Tuohey says he’ll share architectural drawings with the North Wayne Protective Association before he asks Radnor Township for zoning relief and begins the long approval process.

And Tom Bentley is back building on the Main Line. He paid Valley Forge Military Academy and College $1.65 million for a five-acre parcel along Radnor Rd. and Upper Gulph Rd., according to the . He plans to build scaled-down (by Bentley standards), single-family homes on the lot. Infrastructure improvements are already underway.

Two boutiques bow out of Bryn Mawr

Louella Boutique has left Bryn Mawr. Owner Maria Delany tells SAVVY that she’s decided to focus on her stores in Wayne, Malvern and especially Avalon, which has been “such a hit” since it opened last May.

A retail recruiter helped bring Louella to Bryn Mawr in the spring of 2017, Delany says.  In retrospect, “Bryn Mawr was too close to our Wayne store, which is bigger and has a broader selection.” A smoke shop has taken over the lease.

Meanwhile, Knit Wit, down to one seasonal store in Margate, plans to pop up again on the Main Line. The Bryn Mawr Knit Wit closed in December. Owner Ann Gitter, 72, told the Inquirer that “rents are bad everywhere … that’s why independents are closing.” Retail is “a brutal business,” she said, and she’s ready for a breather but plans popups on the Main Line and in Philly.

Southern Charmer dazzles at ELLIE Main Line

Kristen Kearns with Southern Charm TV star Craig Conover at ELLIE Main Line in December.

Reality TV hottie Craig Conover wasn’t due to show until 1 p.m. or so, but some Main Line ladies weren’t taking any chances. They started lining up – some on lawn chairs –outside ELLIE in Eagle Village Shops at 10:30 that sunny Sunday morning, three days before Christmas. Gift wrapping and baking could wait.

The draw, of course, was a close encounter with Conover. A quick chat, a hug and a pic. The lure? His “Sewing Down South” pillows – along with lite bites, bubbly, discounts on ELLIE fashions and assorted swag.

So yeah, there was pillow talk.

This and That

Here’s a timely tale: After its sign was stolen, its Iranian tiles vandalized and multiple ugly phone threats – “Go back to where you came from” and similar, Tehrani Bros. decided enough was enough. The oriental rug merchant, in business for 43 years, has changed its name to Bryn Mawr Oriental Rugs, reports . In its heyday, the three brothers had four stores, including one in Wayne, and sold to celebs like Julius Irving, M. Night Shyamalan and Patti LaBelle.

Should Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health be in the business of sheltering unaccompanied minor children in Devon? That’s the Backed by some Latino groups, a group of highly-organized neighbors says no way. Others, including some local church leaders, say yes. The Easttown Zoning Hearing Board picks up this hot potato on Jan. 23 at Beaumont Elementary at 7 p.m. Will the board approve the shelter as a “non-conforming use” on Devereux land that’s zoned residential? Some neighbors had hoped Devereux would sell to a home builder instead.

That was quick. Less than a year and half after it opened, Café Lift has closed in Narberth. Sales were strong but the “bruncherie” concept wasn’t doing enough business to support the pricey liquor license, owner Michael Pasquarello .

­­­­After a much longer run (19 years), Tango pulled out of the Bryn Mawr train station for good on Dec. 26.

Seeing red – and wearing it in a show of solidarity, Monday night. At issue: a proposal to juggle school start times. Parents are signing petitions and on Monday carried signs reading “All kids need sleep.” Lower Merion is talking about moving elementary school start times from 9 a.m. to 7:45.

Picketers plan to march on Lancaster Ave. Monday, Martin Luther King Day, to protest plans to put billboards in Bryn Mawr, the day before . Basically, it’s Catalyst Outdoor Advertising vs. every town on the Main Line. Catalyst has proven relentless – scaling back the size of its proposed billboards after zoning boards and courts have ruled against them.

One of the eight most expensive streets in golf is on the Main Line. Shocking, we know. listed Cambridge Road in Ardmore Number 7. Average home price on Cambridge is $2.25 million. But being able to simply walk onto one of Merion Golf’s stellar courses? Priceless.

Helmets off to Wayne native and St. Joe’s Prep/Penn standout Kevin Stefanski, 37, who just became the NFL’s third youngest head coach. Stefanski signed a five-year deal to lead the Cleveland Browns. Proud papa Ed Stefanski played for the 76ers and served as GM from 2007 to 2011.

Rosemont College announced its new president Tuesday. And, guess what, it’s a guy – a first for the nearly 100-year-old Catholic college. Cleary University President Jayson Boyers, 48, a Catholic, will take the reins in July, when current President Sharon Latchaw Hirsh retires.

When the good Lord closes a taco door, he opens a taco window. Owner illness sadly ended Pipeline Taco’s run in Wayne. But right up the street, no-frills taqueria El Limon is set to open in the old Avenue Eatz space at 128 W. Lancaster.

Malvern businesswoman Marian Moskowitz was elected chair and Josh Maxwell will be co-chair of the Chester County Board of Commissioners. The two newbies were sworn in along with veteran commissioner Michelle Kichline of Berwyn on Jan. 2. And may we say, we appreciate the bi-partisanship that Chesco Commissioners have been showing the last few years. Refreshing.

So what if New Year’s Eve has come and gone. Break out the bubbly anyway. Then, break in that new bike. Because the Chester Valley Trail will soon connect to the Schuylkill River Trail. Yup, 34 miles of glorious asphalt stretching from Exton to Philly. Montco Commissioners voted to allocate $10 million of its 2020 budget to trail work in and around Philly. Federal, state and local grants are kicking in another $8 million. Yipppeeeeee.

Glad New Year’s tidings from the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, which says it’s celebrating its “four top accomplishments of 2019”:

It paid off its $2 million mortgage and enters 2020 debt-free.

It added a few successful events: a Kentucky Oaks Party for Young Friends, Devon After Hours for select patrons on its busiest night, and the return of the Fall Classic, which sported a record number of entries.

It renewed its $2 million pledge to Bryn Mawr Hospital and presented the hospital with a $375,000 check to support expansion of its behavioral health unit.

It spent $385K on infrastructure improvements and increased prize money by $40K.

Unlike other Main Line townships where leadership is nearly 100% blue, Easttown is edging toward … purple. The Easttown Democratic Committee just put out a detailed statement, reporting that 53% of Easttown voters are either Democrats or Indies but membership on the township’s boards and commissions skews Republican (79%). The report also notes that the township’s civic servants are a tad in the tooth (average age 61) and mostly male (67%) and therefore don’t “reflect the township’s diversity.” Notable exceptions: The Planning Commission is split 50/50. And two Dems were just sworn in as supervisors so the split there is 60 red/40 blue.

Got stressed-out teens? (Who doesn’t?) Learn how to help them survive and thrive at a free, non-denominational talk by Penn psychiatrist Anthony Rostain and therapist B. Janet Hibbs, local authors of The Stressed Years of Their Lives on Sunday, Jan. 26 at Wayne Presbyterian Church at 6 p.m. RSVP here.

Another January thaw this weekend? In temperature, no. In spirit, yes. Three Berwyn Village spots are staging a Tiki Crawl Saturday, Jan. 18 to benefit Berwyn Fire Co. (And if you’ve been reading SAVVY, you know our first responders really need the help.) The fun starts at 5 p.m. at the Berwyn Tavern, moves to La Cabra Brewing at 7 and 30 Main at 9. Park once, indulge thrice. La Cabra tells us it’s smoking a suckling pig and giving away half-pints of liquid courage to karaoke participants. Aloha.

Want to publicize your special event? Your SAVVY Calendar is here! Choose a free basic listing or an enhanced listing with image and extra info for a small service fee. No charge for current SAVVY advertisers

  Contact kathy@savvyml.com for deets.

Hope you’ll show some love to our early-winter advertisers, all high-quality LOCAL businesses. We couldn’t keep you savvy without: , in Wayne, , of Ardmore and West Chester, in Bryn Mawr, in Wayne and Malvern, in Rosemont,  Wayne Early Learning Center, , , , in Paoli, in Berwyn, Your Organizing Consultants, Day Spa by Zsuzsanna in Wayne, and in Wayne and Haverford, Paper & Design of Berwyn, Realtor , , of Real Estate Professionals, in Berwyn, , in Bryn Mawr, Rustic Brush in Berwyn, , , in Wayne and Berwyn, .

And finally, we got such a kick out of playing Santa Claus in December. Congrats to the winners and heartfelt thanks to the 12 elves who donated prizes to SAVVY’s 12 Days of Giving: BSWANKY handbags, Kramer Drive, HomeCooked, Peachtree Catering, Rebecca Adler Art, Restore Cryosauna, Rose-colored Glasses Photography, SamSara Gear, Strafford Chiropractic & Healing Center, Philly Bloke, Argyle Floral & Gifts and Village Wellness.

One of our 12 lucky winners, single mom Amy Shumonski, shown here with her son, picks up $150 worth of tasty prizes from HomeCooked owner Claire Guarino in Paoli.

The post The incredible journey of Berwyn’s JP Weber; Why we lost Wayne Sporting Goods; Real estate rumblings in Radnor; Shipley grad’s ‘Wild Life’; Claytor Noone Plastic Surgery; Anti-aging medicine; Personalized test prep & more appeared first on SAVVY MAINLINE.

This content was originally published here.

[thetwotees]

THE MYSTERY OF HIDDLESTON

This is an interview published in the Finnish film magazine “Episodi” in February 2017. Interview by Marta Balaga. Translation by me @TomTheNextLevel

It’s great to be Tom Hiddleston. Ever since his breakthrough role as Marvel’s God Of Mischief Loki his fame has been on the up. The end result? A legion of dedicated Hiddlestoners and a Golden Globe for the TV series “The Night Manager”.

Now the old Etonian’s career has reached a new high as he gets to measure his worth as an action hero in the 190 million dollar adventure “Kong : Skull Island”.

Except …

It’s crap to be Tom Hiddleston. Crimson Peak flopped badly, and less said about his version of Hank Williams in the biopic “I Saw The Light”, the better. The short affair with Taylor Swift demoted him from one of the hottest new stars to tabloid fodder. Even the Golden Globe win didn’t help. His thank you speech was criticised as massively egotistical. One of the nicer comments on twitter was “No wonder Swift called it a day.”

Now that “Kong : Skull Island” finally hits the big screen it’s time to forget the famous words “it was beauty killed the beast”. This time the beast might save the beauty’s career.

Before the interview we had some time to recall some of Hiddleston’s most memorable appearances on various chat shows on TV.

You yodel and do some brilliant impersonations. Don’t you ever relax?

I try not to take myself too seriously on chat shows. The whole idea of them is to entertain. I tune in to the wavelength of the host and have fun. I think of it as mucking about rather than putting on a show. And it’s a relief – I tend to get lost in my own head.

Acting is like having an endless conversation about identity – how we explain our personalities … even to ourselves. I am Tom. I’m from London. This is my family, this is how I was schooled. This is how I dress, this is how I speak. But we go through it daily and identity is more fluid than most want to admit. It’s entertaining to play with it.

Is that why you choose the most contrasting roles that defy compartmentalization?

I look into my potential to change myself into a different person. I’ve set myself a challenge to find something in common in superficially similar people all across the mankind by taking on different roles. It has been very humane because at the end of the day we are all motivated by the same things: loss, love, grief.

Can you do that when you play the Marvel villain?

I don’t differentiate between roles like that. Maybe I think that being a villain and a hero are connected by what choices you make. Villains make bad choices. Heroes choose well. But in the end we are all part of the same human mass. People are genuinely multi-faceted and conflicting characters and so is Loki. That’s my approach to a role whether it’s Shakespeare or “Kong : Skull Island”.

You were a Kong fan before?

I’ve always liked Kong. Especially what is says about the awesome power of nature. It’s a very humbling story because it makes you think how small we really are. But nowadays it’s rare to get to act in a film like this. I mean damn, it’s a King Kong film! You can’t compare it to anything.

Am I right in saying this story is set in the 1970’s?

That is something (director) Jordan (Vogt-Roberts) wanted to stick to right from the beginning. Back then technology wasn’t as developed, it was easier to believe in mysteries. It’s nice that somebody wanted to make a film that feels like that. He wanted to have that rough around the edges atmosphere just after the end of the Vietnam war.

An actor has to react to what he sees and Jordan made that surprisingly easy. We travelled to Australia, Vietnam, Hawaii. We were constantly outside. We were filming in real environments which isn’t a given (in films any more) and that was an enormous help. When you are physically in a real place it’s easier to react. Vietnam especially was a fantastic place. In a way it’s a very retro movie. Even my dialogue with Brie Larson, who plays a war photographer, has hints of old Hollywood.

You got to travel when you were making The Night Manager as well …

We went to Switzerland, Morocco, Majorca. The most important place was London though as I did my own research at the Rosewood Hotel in Holborn. The night manager there has been on the job for 25 years and he was perfect. He told me how to treat people so they feel welcome. It was fascinating to watch what sort of discipline and forgetting about your own needs it requires. Running a hotel is like theatre. There’s the stage and the scenes behind. The whole thing is like a performance that depends upon planning the minute details and taking everything in consideration.

I was trying to think about Pine’s army career and the needed know-how he has. He enjoys the anonymity a uniform gives you. The guilt and the shame he feels because Roper (played by Hugh Laurie) benefits from death and killing drives him to be an agent. As an ex-solider he understands the ramification of arms dealing. I haven’t been a solider although I’ve played one many times. Even in Kong … My character is an ex British Air Force captain who is traumatised because he was in the war in Vietnam.

I appreciate what they do. Although I am a pacifist and would rather go through all other available options before the army needs to step in I find it incomprehensibly brave that some people are ready to die for their country or their ideology.

There’s another character with an army background: Bond.

Listen, if they ask it will a massive day for me. Nowadays we spy on ourselves, we live under constant surveillance but you get the feeling the talks about our safety are being held behind closed doors and we’ll never find out about them. The secrets behind the curtains are fascinating because today there people who hide amongst us. Maybe that’s why spy stories have a made a comeback.

Do you still believe art can change the world or has the commercial side of it made you more cynical?

Art can inspire, challenge, make you sad and give you joy. I really believe that because it’s happened to me. I felt a great connection to Mike Leigh’s films when I was younger. I saw “Secrets & Lies” (1996) when I was about 16 and the humanity in the film touched me. When I saw “The Constant Gardener” the world felt bigger than I had imagined. Art can be an emotional key.

I made friends with a doctor from Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) He does brave things, travels around war zones and operates on children’s brains to remove bullets. He told me got the inspiration to become a a surgeon after seeing “The Killing Fields”. Art has the power to change the world by guiding us in the right direction.

You can also read the article online (in Finnish) HERE