#also this way i get to include pictures to help identify each show

[zeondraws]

Definetely noticed how much I am learning about the game through trial and error. Some details I just don't notice, until a certain moment where it clicks in my head.

Earlier this morning I rewatched the videos from the developers and noticed they did show closeups of a few crew members, including Muir and I was like- Wait, that's him!

I remember watching that video before, but not quite understanding who these characters were, or maybe the way they got rendered threw me off.

Seeing how much I am learning here makes me wonder, how come I don't do the same with other topics? There is so much I could learn, if I had the motivation or the drive. It's hard on some days.

Either way, I feel like making a small post for myself with various links/image references. At one point I have to make a mega post to link each of my research posts, so that it's easier to pinpoint.

Here are some face closeups of a few crew members

Innes (I am sorry everyone it looks like he's half bald)*

Gibbo - Gibson

Muir

Brodie, Edit: I think the two images are actually Dobbie? But I'll check up on this in the future again

O'Conner (This one was a bit hard to identify, but some folk on discord helped me)

Roper

Video Source:

*In the Cantines I noticed another person that looks similar to the model, that I linked to Innes. Tho that person wears a red suit, while Innes wears blue. Tho I still think the above pictures fit for Innes, we never get to see him without his hat. So it's hard to say for me.

Helpful Link for the Achievements (scroll down for a List of Achievement Timestamps):

(I still need 3 of them)

Ripped 3D Models on Sketchfab (You need an account to view Muir, Addair, Trots and Rennick):

What I also did was looking through reddit to find tiny pieces of information here and there. I am not sure how deep I want to dive in for this game, considering it's quite time consuming to check small details (replaying the entire game again each time). But here are two Screenshots I grabbed from TheChineseRoom's comments on Reddit.

And of course their Youtube Channel has a bunch of Videos about Behind the Scenes. Quite interesting listening through them. Helps me to get a small glimpse into the Industry and how things work.

I think I have rambled for long enough, I gotta tidy up XD Been posting so much about this game, hope it doesn't get annoying.

Either way, if anyone has something else to add to this, feel free to tell me.

[a0wz]

MAWS Thoughts on S2E5

Spoilers Including Pictures Ahead!

TLDR - I wasn't a fan of the way things went. I think there are better ways to execute what happened in the ep.

Relationship Conflicts: Lois and Jimmy

1. I think it's corny to have Clois' "break up" be because of a bachelor's show. Yes, Lois is always questioning her worth and has terrible abandonment issues, but I feel like it could have been approached in a more realistic way.

2. In combination to that, Jimmy shouldn't have to hide from Clark because of the convention when Clark was there seeing how much Jimmy was trying to defend him. Jimmy didn't know they were going to bring out Lex and discus Superman being an problem. He was put on the spot and Clark knows that. Why can't he use the brains he has to hunt down cryptids and make the simple conclusion that Clark wouldn't be upset with him and would even find comfort that his friend was put on the spot and still did his best to defend Superman.

Side note. There are 24 hours in the day, Lois and Clark have phones and know where each other lives yet we are to believe they have found ABSOLUTEYLY NO time to talk to each other???

I make these two main points to propose a different sequence of events that still impacts significant relationships after the attack in S2E4:

After the attack, Jimmy suggests that Superman lays low for a while since so many influential people seem to have been convinced of Superman being an issue. Of course Clark would disagree because he can literally hear and see how bad things can get without him helping out and he needs to be identifiable to his cousin when she shows up. After hearing the assignment being given to Cat, Clark finds out that he is wanted at the Bachelor event and would be happy to attend because it's for charity. The issue is he doesn't tell anyone about it because Jimmy and Lois agreed he should lay low. Lois confides in Jimmy about her job offer in Gotham and he offers to go with her to check out the city because he also is following a story about some mysterious things going on there (this could be a way to hint at some batman related stuff). Jimmy and Lois run into Kara and because they have more than one braincell, they figure out she's Clark's cousin and try to bring her to him. Lois find out from Kara's rambling that Clark set off the beaker without telling her and she's upset with him while trying to understand more about Kara. In looking for Clark they find Superman on the dating show but missed the part where Superman explained he was seeing someone. Lois is even more upset since Clark didn't tell her about it (this would be a genuine asshat move on his part, a real flaw instead of some childish thing) and by how well Superman and Silver are getting along and even how she defends him. All of these things compound into her spiraling and Kara has a bad impression of Clark after seeing how hurt Lois is by him and his actions (the concept of being a bad s/o has to exist on Krypton if they are similar to earth enough to have marriages). Kara flips out on Clark and Lois and Jimmy can't convince her to stop. Clark finds out that Kara is mad and him for hurting Lois' feelings and they fight. Kara takes Superman. END OF EP.

Criticisms of Kara + her being set up with Jimmy.

She looks out of place. I get her design is directly inspired by Android 18 from Dragon Ball but her hairstyle specifically is too anime for the more Western based show and MAKES HER LOOK 14 YRS OLD which leads me to my other point.

2. It's weird that she looks 14 and is being set up with Jimmy who's 23 (wiki says he was born in 01'). It's giving the older caretaker of a uneducated child orphan vibes when he was taking her around the city showing her things instead of a first date vibe the show was going for.

3. How is Jimmy in love with her??? Because she's pretty???? He knows nothing about her and why isn't he freaked out by the fact that it obviously seems like she's never experienced extremely common things like hot dogs and ice-cream. His entire deal is sniffing out weird alien and supernatural stuff so how was the way she behaved not a red flag to him??? Also I feel like her being so naive of Earth's culture plays into her being inappropriately young.

[powdermelonkeg]

New and Genuine Tumblr Update Proposals

Bring back the corner flap that opens the post's permalink in a new window

Add a badge that changes color depending on how many bots you've blocked. Blogs with a higher "tier" of badge get priority on whether their reporting is taken seriously, to reduce spam

Add a badge to new accounts that disappears after a month, both to combat bots and to allow users to more easily identify people that don't know how to use the site yet

Bring the green mutuals mark (visible on the followers page on the current version) to the dashboard beside a person's username, for easy reference if you're mutuals with someone you're about to reply to

Make desktop dashboard configuration HTML-configurable, in the same way blogs are (Ao3 skins are a good reference for how this would work)

Make the mobile dashboard color-customizable in the settings, allowing the user to pick the color of the background and text with a color wheel

Accessibility toggle: Takes ALT descriptions and makes them appear as text below the images they're attached to

Change the notes configuration from "comments and tags, tags," and "other reblogs" to a dropdown list of toggles: "show comments," "show tags," and "show other reblogs"

Add a "replied from [username]" message beside replies in notes, to be able to determine who a reply is aimed towards. Extending from this, make this message a link to the post in the reblog chain the reply was made from

Add a "show reblogs only from [username]" box to the notes, with the [username] portion a blank space to be filled in by the person looking

Add an option to the search function to exclude tags

Add an option to the dropdown search menu to sort by most additions

Add an option to the dropdown search menu, specifically for the type of posts, to filter by asks

Add an option to the search menu to "search text only" or "search tags only" to improve search functionality. For example, if I'm searching for "witcher," I have the option to choose to see things tagged only as "witcher," rather than getting every post that says something like "I'm done with the Witcher, now moving on to Skyrim"

Add an option to the report menu for "suspected bot activity"

Add an asker-side toggle for an ask to be replied to privately. Currently, this is on the side of the person asked, and the asker has to request "please reply privately" and hope it's respected

Inform a user who asked anonymously if their anonymous question has been answered

Add a "screenshot post" button that makes a copy of the post in png form and adds it to your clipboard

Divide tags into "indexed" and "non-indexed," configurable by a symbol. For example, #i am up too late would not be indexed and therefore hidden from searches, while #real coffee hours* would be indexed and able to be searched

Add the ability to include multiple tags for search in the archive page of a blog

Add the ability to exclude tags from the archive page of a blog

Change the sideblog list in the "account" menu on desktop to a list of icons along the left side of the dashboard, each one being that sideblog's profile picture, and toggle between dashboards when each sideblog is clicked

Change "post now" at the bottom of a post to "post to [username]," to help with accidental posts to the wrong sideblog. This can be a movement of the dropdown menu from the top of the post to the bottom

Add a toggle to the settings menu for "loop video after completion." The current default is to loop endlessly

With each algorithm tab, include an information button (a question mark, for example) that explains in plain terms where it gets its data. For example "based on your likes" would say "these posts were liked by 10 people you have also liked the posts of," or "in your orbit" would say "these are people that 10 of your mutuals follow"

Add a sorting function to both the "followers" and "following" tabs, for example: "sort by A-Z," "sort by order followed (descending/ascending)," and "sort by date last posted"

Add an option to "block this post" in the meatballs menu of a post, removing the post and subsequent reblogs from your dash and adding them to a blacklist that can be found in settings

Add a search box to both the drafts and queue page, allowing users with several posts in both of these to find and edit posts more easily

These are just off the top of my head. I've purposely stayed away from "remove function that everyone hates" in terms of updates, as I'm aware that some of those have certain criteria and/or are out of Tumblr coding staff's control. The single exception to this is the first point about the corner flap, because I believe its inclusion adds functionality and ease-of-access to the site.

If any of these look good, go ahead and code them in. No permission/credit required, I'm just invested in the future of the site.

@staff

[petr1kov]

can we get a johnny update? how much more do you think you’ll need to cover his treatment? i’m hoping i can donate once my next paycheck comes in 👉👈

first of all, thank you for asking! i want to talk more about his condition here but i don't want to come across as 'too much', so it's nice of you to show interest in knowing more and helping

i'll say more under the cut since i'll include some not-so-pretty pictures that some people don't want to see:

so far, the only thing we know for sure is that he has a nasty tumor that became infected, and another one growing on the other side of his mouth -- if you compare these pictures with the ones i took of him last week, you can see the difference:

i made that original post before i took him to the oncologist (in part to be able to afford a visit in the first place), so i only had what the first vet i took him to said to go off of, meaning, the surgery. but speaking to the oncologist, she said that given the state of his mouth, the only way to 'solve' this problem would be to completely remove his jaw, which, given his advanced age (don't know if i mentioned it before but johnny is around 16, so he's pretty old for a dog) would be pretty risky and painful and in her words, 'not worth it', given the fact that unlike a younger dog, he doesn't have years to acclimate with a new condition like this, and it would be stressful for him. assuming it would even be viable in the first place, that is.

on top of that, we've discovered that his tumor had not only grown but become infected, which made cytology and biopsy impossible until he healed of this infection first, exams he needs in order to determine the exact nature of his tumor and for the vet to know how to proceed after that. his symptoms and blood test indicate cancer, but there's a small chance that it's something else, so either way we need to do it to identify what it is.

in the meantime, we gave him an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory as well as medicine for pain, and we also took him to a bunch of other exams this week: another blood test, an x-ray, an ultrasound, and an echocardiogram. this is all both how healthy and strong he is overall, and so we can know if this cancer has metastasized anywhere else on his body. we are expected to return next thursday with his results, since by then, his infection will likely be gone (it has already stopped bleeding, at least).

all of that said, when it comes to money, the amount i have received on previous donations has already been a huge help as it has basically covered all we have done so far: the oncologist (180), the medicine (220, 66, and 100 total), the exams (can't remember each individually but it all amounted to 570). this is all in reais, but still, pretty expensive, and i definitely didn't have the money, especially not on such short notice, so i thank all who donated!

given how we still don't know for sure what his treatment will consist of, i cannot say how much more i will have to spend after that. i am very worried about it, believe me, because i know that no matter how it goes there WILL be a treatment and it WILL cost me, but i can't know just how much yet, so i can only speculate. given our previous visit, i think he'll likely need to undergo chemotherapy, but again, that's just my guess for now.

what i do know for sure is that next thursday, i will take him to the oncologist again where we will finally do a cytology test on him, and i'll take him to the dentist following that, since we need to determine exactly what can be done regarding his mouth. i have enough left for the oncologist, but not the dentist and the exam, which will cost about (250) combined. and i'm praying that the cytology will be enough because from what i've been told, a biopsy will cost over 1000, which is basically all the money i have received thus far on one single exam :|

also, as for how he's holding up, the medicine he's taking made him lose some of his appetite and he's a little down, but the vet said that is to be expected. i'm worried about that, because he was at least behaving normally a week before, and i can't say if it's the medicine or the disease making him act this way.

idk man, it's been pretty hard not just for me but for my family (mother and brother). my late father rescued johnny from the streets almost 10 years ago, when he was already an adult dog. he's been a fixture of our lives for a long time, and he's a pretty lively, loud dog. it's weird to see him like this. so yeah, no matter what happens, i just want what's best for him.

[wirewitchviolet]

My weird relationship with profile pictures

So I saw this making the rounds the other day, and felt maybe just a little targeted because... mine’s kinda similar.

I have kind of a complicated relationship with this sort of thing. I started this blog uh... pushing a decade ago, at a time I otherwise WAS NOT out as trans to literally anyone, and surrounded by people I (unfortunately quite correctly) guessed would have a huge problem with it when I did come out. So here, I had absolutely no identifying info of any kind, profile pic included, and was just hunting information on transitioning resources. My oldest posts explaining this have been long since nuked too since, well, I’ve gotten more paranoid over the years.

When I started up a Twitter account back in the day, more or less exclusively to link articles on here to a hopefully wider audience, same deal. Back then if you didn’t set a profile picture you just got this egg on a random colored background. Pretty sure I ended up with a violet background and you know, the egg wasn’t bad iconography for my purposes. And people absolutely HATED this because turns out at the time people would mass-register burner accounts and make no effort so you’d have a stalker and just get this whole pile of angry eggs in your feed, then maybe me saying something friendly and weirding you out.

So people were pressuring me to switch over to literally just anything, which I was tempted to consider, but while I was pondering that, there was this other pseudonymous-for-safety trans girl I knew who was almost as paranoid as I was, but had a real avatar. This one funny picture of a dog... and uh, she got doxed based on that alone. It was something like she ran a server for something else, that dog image was saved to that machine somewhere, some shot in the dark stalker-y tied it to a profile on that site, and from there unraveled that thread enough to get her legal name, I think her address even, and started really raining serious hell down on her. So that scared me the hell out of making a change.

I did since loosen that policy up a little, and started using profile pictures over there if anyone was sufficiently bothered by the one I had to just post something else and demand I swap it in. Did that a couple times, then had the added problem of people who’d provided earlier ones being upset I was using something else. Sorry about that by the way.

Anyway, this is still kinda the way I live my life. I don’t show any of myself if I can help it. I can’t recall ever uploading photos of myself anywhere, nor videos. Beyond letting a few vague facts slip, like, you know, being some absolutely gigantic trans woman, I don’t let personal details out, and I don’t use profile pictures anywhere, unless someone actively suggests one. And I still get constantly stalked and harassed even with that.

Somewhere along the line people got frustrated by the lack of info on me, made a bunch up, started circulating that, and like, going so far as to “issue corrections” to stuff like game credits sites that correctly had the name I’ve used professionally for as far back as anyone’s going to want to look up, convincing them to change it to whatever random BS they pull off some sketchy website or other, and while that’s actually a serious problem for me when I’m looking for work and have to explain to people looking up previous projects why they find some other person’s name in place of mine, I also get rather unfortunately frequent sneak peeks of the sort of violent stalker crap I’d be dealing with if they had real leads. Photos taken of random houses, anonymous messages that are all like “I know you’re really Albert Zuckerman” or whatever with some rando’s photo embedded, “found you” with arrows drawn pointing at random people in group photos, crap like that. It’s always kind of relieving to confirm they’ve all tricked each other so thoroughly, but the version of that I’d get if there were real things to go on I’d really prefer to keep living without.

So, you’re stuck with the sleepy triangle. At least until someone goes out trophy hunting fascists with enough gusto the rest go into hiding, or someone hooks me up with some kinda like private high security mansion with on-site security or something. Sorry if you don’t like seeing it?

[whentherewerebicycles]

good morning from my blissful sun dog! I stayed up too late searching job boards on behalf of a beloved former student who is really struggling to get her foot in the door with her first job which I KNOW is unproductive I need to try to teach her how to job search instead of doing it for her!! but I think that getting a sense of what’s out there will help me help her diversify her search a bit.

I’m meeting with her today to review job materials and I think we’ll focus on:

reading postings together (including one she found that was too mid-career/managerial for her right now + one I found last night that is closer to her experience level and would be a good stepping-stone into more advanced work) with an eye towards understanding how to evaluate what each position entails.

brainstorming a list of other places she can search—she’s relying on one search engine right now but I have some tips for diversifying the search based on where I found stuff in my own job search.

doing some light workshopping of her letter using the Ask a Manager example letters. I don’t want to overwhelm her with letter feedback as I think she’s already feeling pretty discouraged so the core things we’ll focus on are just: the resume explains what you’ve done and what happened as a result (outcomes). the letter shows how you did it (ie how you think, how you identify and act on opportunities, how you respond to setbacks, etc) and why (the values or commitments that shape your approach to your work). and then also: you don’t need to exhaustively tailor your letter to every posting, but your base/core letter should feel so specific to you and the way you think that nobody else in the world could submit it as their letter and have it make sense. if it’s generic enough that the contents could apply to anyone, you’re not communicating that clear, specific sense of who you are in the workplace and how you think about/work through big challenges.

okay okay—feels good to have a plan going in. I also want to be sure to make some space at the beginning for her to vent the frustrated/bad feelings if she needs to as I think she is feeling pretty sad and discouraged. and then I want to be sure we are ending the meeting with specific action items/next steps so she has concrete things she can start working on right away.

mmkay here’s the day:

7-8 KI call, module updates, send card

8-9 shower/get ready/clean house

9-9:30 AS mtg

9:30-10 L&D mtg

10-10:30 work on modules

10:30-11 SB mtg

11-12 JE job materials mtg

12-1:30 clean house before liz comes (reframe picture, wipe down counters, Clorox toilets, wipe down kitchen counters/table, clean out fridge, take out trash/recycling, tidy entryway area, take trash bag out to car and clean out old receipts etc)

1:30 leave for airport

then hang out with MY FRIEND!!!!!!!!! I feel like I have one other time-sensitive to-do I haven’t cleared off my list but I can’t think of what it is… ah well it’ll come to me or it won’t. [edit: it's calling this resort to ask about booking rooms for the wedding. i did call but had to leave a message so will need to follow up on that eventually.]

[propertyinvestmentplanner]

The Ultimate Guide to Effective Goal Setting: How to Achieve Success Step by Step

Setting goals is one of the most powerful tools for achieving success in any area of life, whether it’s personal development, career advancement, health, or relationships. But simply deciding on a goal is not enough you need a plan to make it a reality. In this guide, we'll walk through the steps to set and achieve your goals successfully.

1. Understand Why Goal Setting is Important

Before diving into how to set goals, it’s essential to understand why goals are so important:

Direction: Goals provide a sense of direction. They clarify what you want to achieve and prevent you from wandering aimlessly.

Motivation: Having a clear goal helps keep you motivated when times get tough, serving as a reminder of what you're working toward.

Focus: Goals help you prioritize. Knowing what you want to achieve helps you focus on what's important and avoid distractions.

Measurement: Goals allow you to measure progress. By setting milestones, you can see how far you’ve come and what’s left to do.

2. SMART Goals: The Gold Standard of Goal Setting

One of the most effective goal-setting methods is using the SMART criteria. SMART goals are:

Specific: What exactly do you want to achieve? The more detailed your goal, the easier it is to plan and take action.

Measurable: How will you know when you’ve achieved your goal? By defining measurable criteria, you can track your progress.

Achievable: Is your goal realistic? While ambition is good, make sure your goal is something you can actually achieve with effort and resources.

Relevant: Does this goal align with your broader objectives and values? Ensure that your goals matter to you personally.

Time-Bound: When will you achieve this goal? Setting deadlines helps create a sense of urgency and prevents procrastination.

Example of a SMART Goal: "I want to run a 5k race in under 30 minutes within the next 6 months by training three times a week and following a structured running plan."

3. Break Down Large Goals into Manageable Steps

Big goals can feel overwhelming, making it easy to lose motivation. Break them down into smaller, actionable steps:

Start with the End in Mind: Visualize your completed goal, then reverse engineer the process. What needs to happen first? What are the milestones along the way?

Create Mini-Goals: Each step should feel like a mini-goal. For example, if your goal is to write a book, your mini-goals could include "complete chapter 1" or "write 500 words a day."

Set Deadlines for Each Step: Assign deadlines to each of your mini-goals to ensure you keep moving forward.

4. Use the Power of Visualization and Affirmation

Visualization and affirmation are two mental techniques that help reinforce your commitment to your goals:

Visualization: Spend a few minutes each day imagining yourself achieving your goal. Picture how you’ll feel when you succeed. This practice strengthens your belief that you can achieve your goal and keeps you motivated.

Affirmation: Create a positive affirmation statement that aligns with your goal. For example, if your goal is to become a better public speaker, you could say, "I am confident and clear when I speak in front of others." Repeat this affirmation daily to reinforce your commitment.

5. Track Your Progress Regularly

Monitoring your progress is crucial for staying on track:

Keep a Journal: Track your actions and achievements in a journal. This will not only keep you organized but also motivate you by showing how far you’ve come.

Review Weekly: Set aside time each week to review your progress. Celebrate wins, identify setbacks, and adjust your plan as necessary.

6. Stay Flexible and Adaptable

Life is unpredictable, and sometimes things don’t go as planned. It’s important to remain flexible:

Adapt to Setbacks: Instead of viewing setbacks as failures, see them as learning opportunities. Ask yourself, "What can I do differently moving forward?"

Reevaluate Goals When Needed: Sometimes goals change as circumstances evolve. If you find that a goal is no longer relevant or achievable, don’t hesitate to adjust or replace it.

7. Stay Accountable

Accountability helps keep you committed to your goals:

Find an Accountability Partner: Share your goals with a friend, family member, or mentor who can check in on your progress and offer support.

Join a Group: Many people find success in joining goal-setting groups or masterminds where members share their goals and offer mutual encouragement.

8. Celebrate Milestones and Achievements

It’s essential to celebrate your progress, no matter how small. Every step forward is a victory:

Reward Yourself: Set up a system of rewards for when you hit specific milestones. This could be anything from treating yourself to something you enjoy to taking a day off to relax.

Reflect on Your Growth: Take time to reflect on how achieving your goals has changed you. Recognizing your growth will inspire you to keep moving forward.

9. Rinse and Repeat: Setting New Goals

Once you’ve achieved a goal, it’s time to set new ones. Goal setting guide is a continuous process that helps you stay motivated and grow as a person.

Reflect on What You’ve Learned: After reaching a goal, think about the journey. What worked? What didn’t? Use these insights when setting future goals.

Challenge Yourself: Aim for new and slightly more challenging goals that will push you to grow and evolve.

[kjualunit7]

Work from before re submission

-This project did not have a good start, as I was focusing on the unit 6 extended submission deadline whilst the encyclopedia task was on

-This project is short, so losing even a week puts you far behind

-I also had no idea what to do as my topic, educating others and showing something in a new way, that others haven't done before, is hard to decide on

-I also despise film in fine art/artistic sense

20/02

-Time flew and before I knew it, it was the 20th Feb and I hadn't started the project yet

-Although my film review session wasn't until the 23rd, I snuck into the one on the 20th too just to get an idea on what we're supposed to do, by seeing what others have done

-I went to the library to do the method of looking at random books and seeing if anything would inspire me, it didn't

21/02

-Went to 'cute' exhibition

-Went to CSM library afterwards in hope to find more inspiration

-Started thinking of doing lolita fashion, as it's something I already know a lot about

-Looked at books on Japanese fashion

22/02

-Put more thought into lolita as a topic (look at mindmap on the right)

-What can I say that's new about the topic?

---------

23/02

-Supposed to show my film in film review group

-Did not have film

-Did the same as the 20th where I watched as reference on what to do

-Managed to talk to tutors about my topic, decided on lolita

25/02 + 26/02

-Worked on encyclopedia task

-Lolita is a very broad topic, so helped to organise the themes a bit more

-Found pictures from old blog posts, pinterest, google, fashion magazines, Instagram, archived websites

27/02

-Had the publication workshop, so started focusing on publication first, instead of film

-One of the tasks was to take 5 images or so from your encyclopedia and make it into a mini publication

-Helped me identify the key points I must include, as I was struggling with focusing on how broad the topic was

-Was thinking of having my film be informative, so started finding clips

-Went through Japanese archive footage on NicoNico Douga (Japanese version of Youtube from the early 200s)

28/02

-Started working on drawings for publication

-Had a vague idea on what I wanted my book to look like, knew I'd have to draw lots of lolitas from different time periods

-Had to produce all full colours within a week, it usually takes me 1 week for 1 drawing

-Had 5 drawings, took a week to finish them

-Colour style is simple, pose is simple for this reason

-Though the pose serves it's purpose better than something elaborate

-I would put the sketches underneath each other to make sure they all follow the same proportions

---

01/03

-Had book binding workshop

-Learnt how to book bind in unit 6, so didn't help too much

-However we got to look at example publications, which made me think of alternative methods

-Just wanted to do a normal zine format initially

-I liked the screw binding, the long booklet, lolita encyclopedia?

-Format Ideas

-Went with big book, skinny pages idea.

-1 lolita on the right page, information of each time period to the left

-Of Japanese magazines design style

[timekeepersnz]

The Ultimate Guide to Selecting the Perfect Wedding Photographer

Your wedding day is one of the most important events in your life, and capturing those moments through photography ensures that you can relive them for years to come. Choosing the perfect wedding photographer is a crucial decision, as they will be responsible for documenting your special day and preserving memories that you'll cherish forever. 

In this comprehensive guide, let’s walk you through everything you need to know to find the ideal wedding photographer Auckland NZ-wide who aligns with your vision and style.

The significance of wedding photography extends far beyond just taking pictures; it's about encapsulating the emotions, details, and essence of your day in a way that resonates with you. Each photographer brings a unique style and approach to their work, making it essential to find someone whose portfolio and personality match your preferences. Let's delve into the steps that will help you navigate this process smoothly and confidently.

Understanding Your Style and Vision

Before you start researching photographers, take some time to identify your preferred photography style. Wedding photography styles typically include:

Traditional: Classic and posed shots, often with a focus on group portraits and formal poses.

Photojournalistic/Documentary: Candid and spontaneous moments captured throughout the day, emphasising natural interactions and emotions.

Artistic/Fine Art: Creative and visually stunning images, often involving unique compositions and artistic techniques.

Consider which style resonates most with you and your partner. Look through wedding magazines, blogs, and Pinterest boards to gather inspiration and create a mood board of images that reflect your vision for your wedding day photography.

Researching Potential Photographers

Start your search for the best wedding photographers Auckland well in advance, as the best photographers are often booked months or even years ahead of time. Here are some places to find potential photographers:

Online Platforms: Websites like The Knot, WeddingWire, and Instagram are great resources for finding photographers and viewing their portfolios.

Referrals: Ask friends, family, or your wedding planner for recommendations based on their experiences.

Bridal Shows and Expos: Attend local wedding fairs where you can meet photographers in person and see their work up close.

When researching photographers, pay attention to their portfolios. Look for consistency in style, quality of images, and how they capture emotions and details. Reading reviews and testimonials from past clients can also provide valuable insights into their professionalism and customer service.

Setting Your Budget

Wedding photography costs can vary widely depending on factors such as the photographer's experience, location, and the package you choose. As you plan your budget, keep in mind that wedding photography is an investment in preserving your memories. Allocate a realistic amount based on your overall wedding budget and prioritise quality and experience over price alone.

Average costs for wedding photography in the United States range from $2,500 to $10,000 or more, with most couples spending around $2,800-$4,000. Prices can be higher in metropolitan areas and during peak wedding season. Be prepared to negotiate with photographers, but avoid compromising on quality to stay within your budget.

Meeting and Interviewing Photographers

Once you've narrowed down your list of potential wedding photographer Auckland NZ, schedule in-person or virtual consultations to get to know them better. Treat these meetings like job interviews, as you'll be assessing their skills, professionalism, and compatibility with your vision.

Prepare a list of questions to ask during the consultation, such as:

How long have you been photographing weddings, and how many weddings do you shoot per year?

Can I see a full gallery of a recent wedding you've photographed?

What is your approach to capturing candid moments versus posed portraits?

Do you have backup equipment and a contingency plan in case of emergencies?

Pay attention to how the photographer communicates and whether you feel comfortable and at ease with them. Your photographer will be with you throughout your wedding day, so it's important to choose someone you trust and enjoy being around.

Reviewing Portfolios and Previous Work

During your consultations, ask to see a variety of wedding albums and galleries that showcase their work from start to finish. This will give you a better sense of their storytelling ability, consistency in quality, and how they handle different lighting and environments.

Look for images that resonate with you emotionally and reflect the atmosphere and style you envision for your own wedding. Beware of the best wedding photographers Auckland who only show their best work or a curated selection of images; seeing a full wedding album will give you a more realistic view of their capabilities.

Understanding Contracts and Packages

Before making a final decision, carefully review the photographer's contract and the services included in their packages. Key elements to consider include:

Services: What is included in the photographer's packages (e.g., hours of coverage, number of photographers)?

Deliverables: How and when will you receive your photos, and what format will they be in (e.g., digital files, prints, albums)?

Timeline: What is the turnaround time for receiving your photos after the wedding?

Additional Costs: Are there any extra fees for travel, overtime, or additional services?

Ensure that all agreements and expectations are clearly outlined in the contract to avoid misunderstandings later on. If there are any aspects you're unsure about or would like to negotiate, discuss them with the photographer before signing the contract.

Discussing Your Vision and Expectations

Once you've chosen your photographer, schedule a follow-up meeting or engagement session to discuss your wedding day timeline, specific shot requests, and any other details. Share your vision for the day and any must-have photos or moments you want captured.

Provide your photographer with a list of important details such as family dynamics, special guests, and unique elements of your wedding day. A well-prepared photographer will use this information to create a photography plan that ensures all your expectations are met.

Planning for the Wedding Day

As your wedding day approaches, work closely with your photographer to finalise the timeline and schedule. Coordinate with other vendors such as your wedding planner and videographer to ensure everyone is on the same page regarding timing and logistics.

Discuss any specific challenges or considerations at your venue, such as lighting conditions or restrictions on photography during certain parts of the ceremony or reception. Having a well-organised plan will help your photographer capture the day seamlessly and ensure you get the most out of your photography investment.

Post-Wedding Services and Delivery

After your wedding day, your photographer will begin the process of editing and preparing your photos for delivery. Discuss the expected turnaround time for receiving your images and how you will access them (e.g., online gallery, USB drive).

Take the time to review your photos thoroughly once you receive them. Most photographers allow you to select favourites for further editing or inclusion in an album. Consider whether you want to order prints, create a wedding album, or share digital files with family and friends.

Ensuring Long-Term Satisfaction

Once you've received your final photos and albums, take the opportunity to provide feedback to your photographer. Share your favourite moments and any areas where you feel they excelled or could improve. Leaving a positive review or testimonial can also help future couples in their search for a wedding photographer.

Stay connected with your photographer beyond your wedding day, especially if you plan to have other milestones or events in the future. Building a lasting relationship with your photographer can lead to beautiful memories captured throughout your life together.

Conclusion

Choosing the perfect wedding photographer involves careful research, planning, and clear communication. By understanding your style preferences, setting a realistic budget, and thoroughly vetting potential photographers, you can ensure that your wedding day memories are captured in a way that reflects your unique love story.

Remember that your wedding photographer Auckland NZ is more than just a vendor; they are a storyteller who will document the beginning of your journey as a married couple. Trust your instincts, prioritise quality, and enjoy the process of finding the photographer who will capture your day beautifully.

Start your search for the perfect wedding photographer today by browsing online platforms, asking for referrals, and attending bridal shows in your area. Consider exploring renowned studios like, known for their exceptional storytelling and timeless photography. Take the time to meet with photographers, review their portfolios, and ask thoughtful questions during consultations. By investing in the right photographer, , you'll be investing in memories that will last a lifetime.

Source From : The Ultimate Guide to Selecting the Perfect Wedding Photographer

[pablice]

How I Lost All My Pregnancy Weight Fast By Tracking Calories

Benefits of Tracking Calories for Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss Tracking calories can help post-pregnancy mothers lose weight in an effective and balanced manner. It can provide them with a better understanding of their current diet in terms of calorie intake, showing them where changes can be made to ensure a healthier, successful weight loss. Tracking one’s caloric intake can also help a person make more conscious food choices that are designed to benefit their post-pregnancy weight loss goals. Having a clear picture of what is being consumed in terms of calories can also identify small adjustments in a person’s diet plan that can make big differences in the overall success of weight loss following pregnancy. Keeping a food diary is a great way to keep a detailed reconstruction of what is eaten, making it easy to follow a drafting of calorie-controlled diet that can help post-pregnancy moms lose weight in a safe and steady way. How to Track Calories for Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss Tracking calories consumed during post-pregnancy weight loss is one of the most important parts of any diet. Knowing your daily caloric intake is the best way to measure whether your weight loss goals are being achieved. One of the easiest and most accurate ways to track calories is to use a food diary. Write down what you eat and when, and how many calories each meal contains. Keeping a running total of calories consumed in a day can help you stay on track and reach your weight loss goals. Another method to track calories is to use a basal metabolic rate (BMR) calculator. BMR calculators can give you an estimate of how many calories you should be eating daily to lose the desired weight. When using a BMR calculator, it is important to remember to update the information as needed to accurately reflect your progress. This will help ensure that you are getting the correct amount of calories to reach your weight loss goals. Strategies to Increase Weight Loss Efficiency Increasing your weight loss efficiency requires a plan tailored to you and your lifestyle. One idea is to begin your day with a morning routine that includes drinking a glass of water and some light exercise such as walking. This will kickstart your metabolism and improve your focus for the day. Additionally, try and have wholesome snacks throughout the day to prevent hunger cravings. Eating smaller portions frequently is also beneficial as it prevents overeating when the main meals of the day come around. Ingredients such as cucumbers, carrots, fruits, and nuts are excellent snacks that you can carry with you throughout the day. Strategies to Combat Post-Pregnancy Cravings One great way to fight post-pregnancy cravings is to know the triggers. If you know what situations or even foods cause your cravings to increase, you can take steps to minimize the effects of those triggers. It may help to keep a journal of your cravings and what situations caused them so that you have a better understanding of what is setting them off. Preparing ahead of time can also be a useful strategy in combating post-pregnancy cravings. By having nutritious snacks like fruits, nuts, and seeds available, you can reach for them in place of unhealthy options when the cravings hit. If you’re having trouble staying away from certain snacks, it may help to commit to avoiding them for a certain period of time until the craving passes. How to Identify and Avoid Unhealthy Foods Identifying unhealthy foods can be tricky. A common mistake people make is believing that just because a food is labeled healthy, it is good for you. A good way to identify unhealthy foods is to look at the ingredient list. If the list consists of chemicals and preservatives, the food is probably not healthy. Another way to identify unhealthy foods is to look at the nutrient content. Foods like soda, candy, and baked goods are often high in sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. This type of food can be linked to increased risks of chronic diseases. When possible, try to choose foods that are rich in minerals, vitamins, and fiber. These are generally the healthier choices. Tips for Eating Out While Post-Pregnancy Dieting Eating out while maintaining a post-pregnancy weight loss plan can be challenging. The restaurant environment is often full of unhealthy options that can quickly put a dent into any dietary considerations. However, with a few tips it is possible to maintain a diet-friendly regime while dining out. Firstly, it's important to opt for choices that are low in calories and high in nutritional value. Avoid anything deep-fried, and opt for grilled fish or white meat. If there is an option to customize your meal, this is often a better choice than picking from the pre-set meals on offer. Ask for dressings or sauces on the side to control the amount of fat consumption, and exclaim half portions or take-home boxes to reduce overall calorie intake. Finally, stay hydrated with water and try to find smaller, more privately owned restaurants as they are more likely to have healthier options. Making Exercise a Part of Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss Physical activity is essential for post-pregnancy weight loss. Exercise can help burn fat and also increases muscle mass, which further boosts metabolism. Women who have recently given birth should start with light exercises such as walking or light jogging. Increasing the intensity of the workout gradually and consistently can help speed up post-pregnancy weight loss. It is important for post-pregnant women to make time for exercise and prioritize it when planning their day. Exercise releases endorphins and helps reduce stress levels, which can help combat post-pregnancy cravings. Partnering up with a friend can help make exercising easier and more enjoyable, as it can help provide women with the motivation they need to reach their goals. Managing Your Time for Maximum Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss It can be difficult for new mothers to carve out the time and energy to effectively manage their post-pregnancy weight loss. Planning efficient and regular meals within a budget, coupled with appropriate exercise and mindful food selections can often require significant time commitments. To make the most of the time available, it is beneficial to make a schedule to plan and organize all meals, exercise activities and other commitments. Breaking the day into manageable parts and dedicating specific time blocks to the chosen tasks can help maximize post-pregnancy weight loss. Time management can also help reduce the chances of impulsively reaching for unhealthy treats due to stress or fatigue. Designating adequate time for exercising, food preparation and rests can stave off cravings and allow for a more balanced and conscious lifestyle. Scheduling time for physical activity is especially important, as it helps to boost metabolism, burn fat and naturally regulate hormones. All of these are vital for a healthy post-pregnancy weight loss. What are the benefits of tracking calories for post-pregnancy weight loss? Tracking calories can help you stay on track with your weight loss goals. It allows you to keep an accurate count of the calories you’re consuming each day and make sure you’re not eating too much or too little. It’s also a great way to get an idea of which types of foods are better for you than others. How can I track calories for post-pregnancy weight loss? There are a few different ways to track calories for post-pregnancy weight loss. You can use a calorie counting app or website, keep a food diary, or use a food scale to weigh portions. All of these methods can help you keep an accurate count of the calories you’re consuming each day. What strategies can I use to increase weight loss efficiency? To increase weight loss efficiency, you can focus on eating nutrient-dense foods that are low in calories and high in fiber and protein. You can also incorporate intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating into your routine. Additionally, reducing stress and getting enough sleep can help your body burn fat more efficiently. What strategies can I use to combat post-pregnancy cravings? To combat post-pregnancy cravings, it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough nutrients and calories from healthy sources. It’s also helpful to drink plenty of water, get regular exercise, and practice mindful eating. If cravings become too overwhelming, try distracting yourself or engaging in a different activity. How can I identify and avoid unhealthy foods? Unhealthy foods are typically high in calories, sugar, fat, and sodium. To avoid these types of foods, look for items with whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and fiber. Additionally, steer clear of processed foods and items that are high in added sugars. What tips do you have for eating out while post-pregnancy dieting? When eating out while post-pregnancy dieting, try to make healthier choices. Look for lean proteins, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. If you’re ordering from a menu, avoid items that are fried or covered in sauces or dressings, as these can be high in fat and calories. How can I make exercise a part of post-pregnancy weight loss? Making exercise a part of your post-pregnancy weight loss plan can help you reach your goals more quickly. Start with low-impact activities such as walking or swimming, and gradually work your way up to more challenging exercises. Additionally, try to get a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. How can I manage my time for maximum post-pregnancy weight loss? To manage your time effectively for post-pregnancy weight loss, it’s important to set realistic goals and plan ahead. Make sure you set aside time each day for exercise and meal prep. Additionally, try to minimize time spent on activities that don’t contribute to weight loss, such as watching TV or surfing the internet. Read the full article

[iquallinfoweb]

Get Started: Building Your First Ecommerce Mobile App

Online shopping is changing the business world, and you need a strong digital presence to keep up. A great way to reach more customers online is by creating an ecommerce mobile app. This powerful tool can improve user experience, increase sales, and grow your brand. If you’re new to app development, don’t worry! This guide will show you the essential steps to build your first ecommerce mobile app.

What You Need to Know About Ecommerce Apps

Before getting into the details, let’s look at the big picture of ecommerce apps. In a time when smartphones are part of our daily lives, having an app for your ecommerce business is like having a shop in every user’s pocket. You’re not just selling products; you’re offering convenience, personalization, and accessibility.

The Main Elements of a Successful Ecommerce App

1. User-Friendly Interface Your app’s interface is the first impression of your business. A simple, intuitive design can make navigation easy and keep users interested. Include a smooth onboarding process, easy search functionality, and high-quality images to display your products.

2. Personalization and User Accounts

Make your users feel valued by letting them create accounts and profiles. This allows you to provide personalized recommendations based on their preferences and purchase history, building customer loyalty.

3. Secure Payment Gateways

Security is vital in ecommerce. Use reliable and secure payment gateways to ensure that your customers’ financial information is safe. Earn their trust and enhance their shopping experience.

4. Efficient Backend System

While users see the front end, the backend is where the work happens. A strong backend system manages inventory, orders, and customer data. Choose an ecommerce platform that fits your business needs.

5. Feedback and Support

Allow users to give feedback and ratings for products they’ve bought. Also, offer customer support through the app, answering questions and concerns quickly. This interaction creates credibility and shows your commitment to customer satisfaction. Read more https://i-quall.com/android-app-development.html

How to Build Your Ecommerce Mobile App

Step 1: Define Your Goals and Target Audience

Start by setting clear goals for your app. Are you looking to increase sales, boost brand visibility, or improve customer engagement? Identify your target audience to customize the app’s features to their preferences and needs.

Step 2: Choose the Right Platform

Decide whether you want to build a native app (iOS or Android) or go for a cross-platform solution. Each option has its advantages and disadvantages, so choose the one that matches your resources and objectives.

Step 3: Wireframing and Design

Create wireframes and mockups to visualize the app’s layout and design. This step helps you find potential problems early and make necessary changes. Keep the design consistent with your brand’s identity.

Step 4: Development

If you don’t have coding skills, consider hiring a developer or team to make your vision a reality. Regular communication is crucial to ensure that the development meets your expectations.

Step 5: Testing and Refinement

Test the app’s functionality, usability, and security thoroughly. Involve beta testers to give feedback, allowing you to make improvements and fix any bugs before launch.

The Power of Ecommerce Mobile Apps: Quotes to Inspire You

As Steve Jobs famously said, “Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” This philosophy applies to ecommerce mobile apps as well. Remember that your app’s design and functionality work together to create an amazing user experience.

Conclusion: Join the Digital Revolution

In conclusion, building your first ecommerce mobile app is a major step toward joining the digital revolution in the business world. By understanding the landscape, focusing on key elements, and following the steps above, you can create an app that connects with your audience and drives success. So, are you ready to start this exciting journey of app development?

Sales Pitch: Work with Us for Your Ecommerce App Journey

Building an ecommerce app might seem challenging, but you don’t have to do it alone. Our team of skilled developers and designers is here to turn your vision into a reality. With a proven track record of delivering successful ecommerce apps, we can guide you through every step of the process. Contact us today to take the first step toward a thriving digital presence.

Remember, the world of ecommerce is at your fingertips. Start building your app today and unlock a world of opportunities for your business.

URL:- https://i-quall.com/blogs/get-started-building-your-first-ecommerce-mobile-app/

Contact Us :– https://i-quall.com/contact-us.html

[madhukumarc]

How to do forum posting in SEO?

Forum posting can be a good way to boost your SEO efforts and drive traffic to your website or blog. 

It involves participating in online discussion forums and sharing valuable insights, knowledge, and resources with other members. 

In this post, I'll walk you through the process of forum posting for SEO benefits and also share most recommended pro tips to get the most out of this strategy.

From the perspective of SEO, there are some experts who argue that this method does not carry the same weight [I mean significantly] as in the past, but there are also other experts who claim that it is still effective.

Based on my research, it works overall, as long as the forums are credible, niche-specific, and also well-known, but not significantly [good, but not great] in comparison to other strategies like guest posting or guest blogging, resource pages, local citations, broken backlinks, and social media backlinks.

“In Semrush's analysis of the most effective link building strategies, forum commenting receives a 2 out of 5 rating”

Yet, these following SEO expert recommendations will be of better help to you if you decide to try this out or use it. Also, see the bonus SEO tip at the end of this post to gain higher SEO benefits. 

Know how to do forum posting in SEO?: 

Here are the top 7 pro tips for learning how to do forum posting in SEO: 

1. Find Relevant Forums: 

The first step is to identify forums that are relevant to your niche or industry. Look for active and reputable forums where your target audience hangs out. 

You can use search engines or online directories to find these forums. Make sure to choose forums that have a good number of active members and discussions.

2. Create a Compelling Profile: 

Before you start posting on forums, create a compelling profile that showcases your expertise and credibility. 

Include a professional profile picture and a brief bio that highlights your skills, experience, and website link. 

This will help establish your authority and attract more attention from other forum members.

3. Read and Understand Forum Rules: 

Each forum has its own set of rules and guidelines that you must follow. Take the time to read and understand these rules before you start posting. 

This will ensure that you don't violate any forum policies and maintain a positive reputation within the community.

4. Engage in Meaningful Discussions: 

Once you've found relevant forums and familiarized yourself with the rules, it's time to start engaging in discussions and comments. 

Look for threads or topics that align with your expertise and contribute valuable insights or answers. 

Be genuine, respectful, and helpful in your responses. Avoid self-promotion or spammy behavior, as it can damage your reputation and get you banned from the forum.

5. Include Backlinks Strategically: 

While forum posting is primarily about sharing knowledge and engaging with others, it also presents an opportunity to drive traffic back to your website or blog. 

Include relevant backlinks in your forum posts where appropriate. However, make sure these links add value to the discussion and don't come across as spammy or promotional. 

Always prioritize providing valuable content over self-promotion.

“While link building can be a great way to improve your organic search visibility, focusing on quality rather than quantity is essential” – HubSpot

6. Be Consistent and Regular: 

To maximize the benefits of forum posting, it's important to be consistent and regular in your participation. 

Set aside dedicated time each week [at least] to engage in discussions and provide helpful responses. 

This will help you build a reputation as a reliable and knowledgeable member of the forum community.

7. Monitor and Respond to Replies: 

After posting on a forum, make sure to monitor the thread for any replies or comments. 

Respond promptly and engage in further discussions if necessary. This will not only show your commitment but also help you build relationships with other forum members.

Bonus Tip:

“Another proven link building strategy that nearly every small business can execute is to reach out to suppliers and business associations and ask them to link to you” – Semrush

In conclusion, forum posting can be an effective SEO strategy if done correctly.

By finding relevant forums, creating a compelling profile, engaging in meaningful discussions, strategically including backlinks, being consistent, and monitoring replies and comments, you can harness the power of forums to drive traffic and boost your website's visibility. 

Remember, the key is to provide value and establish yourself as a trusted authority in your niche.

Here's related information that you may find helpful – Does SEO have a Future?

[guideofallthings]

Gonna ramble a bit.. Here are some sightings of oddities and then me fussing over what the United States Of America, the United Nations, and whoever else act as if we don’t matter.

We are the people who shall rise up no matter the time! None of the Heavens or Hells can stop “What Is Life” as WE are THE people! This includes any and all life and maybe even non-living things. This is our home, never forget that… As each beat plays out the march of the driving force of what keeps us going so shall we march Eternally down our path.

The idiots who do this to us probably won’t even understand a type of compressive drive to even initiate their sorry asses to try running away and hide… Oh wait, I forgot… We like Monster Trucks too much, must be why all they can manage is a loud, blaring, complete waste of resources type of outer space vehicular… Wait, no.. It’s just a rocket…. Let’s see how excited these “people who run the world” get when they launch off….

At least my concept of “space travel”, which can travel faster than any rocket at least would do some good and be able to start cleaning this nasty mess that y’all have carelessly flung around and littered throughout outer space.

People don’t disgust me, it’s the ones who have others think of us in a certain way because of the way THEY act.. In good faith you bad asses! Don’t frey, don’t become its prey! Live life as if it’s not your last! Cause…. It may very well may not be..

Tonight on June 2-2023 as I’m watching one of the many planes that I see daily doing their routinely scans. Or not.. One of the very few miscalculations, oops… It was an airliner this time. (Been having unmarked airplanes stalking my “area” for a long time now and they’re here every day, seen multiple times every day.)

I was looking at some of the constellation Scorpius and I have a red laser that acts as a temperature gauge where I logged Antares at a Fahrenheit of 44.4.

I also have a green laser that reaches 1600 miles far and was exploring the Universe with it and noticed that the 6 stars seen from Louisiana, Earth that make up part of Scorpius.

After observing Piscis Austrinus and Grus, or that area, it showed a pattern in the South Eastern part of the sky that had me looking back to the South Western sky, back to Scorpius…

That led me to identifying what seemed to be a design that allowed both to follow the same pattern in a way while maintaining what seemed to be a way of also being almost identical to one another. It was 3 and 3, each making a T like figure, I found an area within Scorpius where there is no star but yet matching the exact Fahrenheit as of Antares that is 44.4, so this would have to be a very miniscule point in the space it travels.

I am writing this around the time, and even of the time of exactly 4:44.

Coincidence or something more?

The star of Azaroth is what I want there.

[ΙØĐ]

Picture for a little insight. By the way, a LOT of weird stuff like this has been going on. I can somehow look almost anywhere and find life or something… I can not tell you how many times I’ve without prior knowledge just know where each and every constellation is, able to point out stars and even (You may call em UFOs but I’ve decided to honor them by calling em celestials instead of aliens, the ones who help us at least.) I guess people who like “covering stuff up” would call it a “star”. Pfft….

It also works with animals, I somehow can just always find something and even to a point where it was on demand.

I also somehow knew when the Universe was aligned in such a way where a constellation or cluster was specifically facing Earth… I logged the Fahrenheit at -22…. Big difference, that was also the 2nd night in a row it happened where I know for a fact, for some reason I knew where it was and used an app to confirm it..

In the place of what was there the night before was now something new, a Beehive Cluster.. Don’t know too much about those but I bet they have lots of life..

With that little bit said and with there being a whole lot more that’s been going on in my life, which has been a war since December, or even before it of the year 2020.

I don’t have to find peace, happiness, love, reason, or anything as I am quite literally one of the most content people in existence possibly.

Choose the right path, you won’t regret it and this has nothing to do with any kind of belief…

Even if you do have a belief, (or not) simply do them proud. Be who you wanna be, stand up for what is right, and let’s get it.

I’m open to talk to anybody and everybody about anything and everything. I consider myself a friend to all religions, practices, etc and even try working with them.

Let your imagination enjoy itself, anything may be possible.

I love life and [most] of you.. Hahaha. Imagine meeting spirits one day and they’re all evil so instead of saying I love you to the good ones you just look over and spout, “I hate you.”

Enjoy life and live free from tyranny.

Any cover ups lately? I think one is happening here actually.. Been hacked for over 3 years now.. Try arguing about my mental awareness…

It may be the imposters trying to run our lives. A lot of weird stuff has been happening lately… I am currently in something I have no clue about and it was terrible.. Until I learned about LIFE!!!

Living life, watch out or you’ll become my wife, or maybe you’ll just be full of strife… [That’s how happy I am and no I’m not on drugs, I literally just sung that out loud and had fun so decided to post it as well.]

Right, I don’t know who these terrorists are.. The ones that have all of our devices hacked, even the ones that you think that can’t be hacked… It’s probably their fault too, since I witnessed it.

Dunno who you are so you better drag their sorry asses to my house and show me… Who is the enemy, threat, and terrorist that stalks us? You got my whole family hacked, you got me harassed and tortured, almost had me killed a few times… Soooooo… Is it the….. FBI? DoD? Military? Uno, dos, or tres parties involved.. [Noticed them… Been learning a lot about Information Technology lately.. I kind of feel like a genius…]

Who wants to learn about different life forms? You know… Each Star is alive, such as the Universe! They grow and live just like Time.

Earth is alive and even has guests that we are not aware about! They’re my friends apparently…

[Yeah, discover what satellites, electronic weaponry, waves, radiations, etc can all do. You might get hacked in a way you didn’t know existed.]

I remember a friend talking about something in the DNS… Domain Name System… Yeah, you little pathetic “crackers”… You wish you had the privilege of being called a hacker, instead of leading the way you instead become nothing but filth that rots your own existence away and does nothing but ruin the lives of others…

I’m still waiting for an apology from my government, feds, military, or whoever is involved… [The fact that you allowed your country..: YOUR PEOPLE! to have this fall upon them is a disgrace to you, everything you stand for, and if I didn’t feel so bad for your ancestors I’d say your entire ancestry as well.]

What a nice rant.

[uniformbravo]

a bunch of winter 2020 anime first impressions from Me

Koisuru Asteroid / Asteroid In Love

ok ive already professed my love for this one so i wont get too much into it but basically it’s Extremely cute & im way invested in the two (HOPEFULLY romantic) leads bc their relationship is so sweet so far aaaaaaa

like do u SEE this shit im actually tearing up hgnfhrognfghdjfnjg

this show is Pretty and Cute and Space-Themed and Probably Gay what more do u Need. i love it 10/10

Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!

so fucken good, this is the one i was most excited for based purely on the art style/animation and god did it deliver, everything is such a treat to look at i fuckin LOVE a setting w/ just as much personality as the characters

and My Goodness the Characters, 3 distinct girls w/ strong designs & personalities that aren’t like super moe/catered to cishet dudes heLLO

we Love a gremlin protag & her chaotic neutral best friend & the “fuck you dad i want to make anime” dreamer they meet........

also HELL YEAH it’s about making anime and they don’t even use that as a gimmicky set piece, the art is a huge part of the story and the detail with which it’s explored in the first ep gives me high hopes for the rest of the show aaaaa so excited to see where this one goes after that BANGER of a first episode

Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun

switching gears to a less great one lol..... so the thing is this show’s visual aesthetic absolutely fucking slaps in a way that’s so rare to see in a sea of samey anime art styles, like the character designs are unique and everything is so damn colorful, the backgrounds alone blow me away w/ how fuckin Pretty they are??? LOOK at this shit

and just. this show has a lot of stylistic flourishes that make it like 100/100 Certified Good-To-Look-At Anime

which makes every other aspect of the show that much more disappointing lmaoooo like ok i can deal w/ a mediocre story if the visuals slap, which they Do, but also these characters look 10 & we’re doing the whole sexualizing minors thing which fucking BLOWS it’s so uncomfortable to watch........... i feel like it’s one of those things where they’re trying to justify it by being like “o well hanako’s like a thousand year old spirit or whatever so he’s not REALLY underage” but fuckin. fuck off he looks and sounds like a Young Boy yall know what ur doing ugh

it’s not a thing that happens Constantly throughout the episode, really just a few moments here and there, but it is in the op pretty prominently so i feel like it’s gonna be a Thing that keeps happening so idk if i’ll stick w/ this one in particular which is a Damn Shame bc it really is such a gorgeous looking show im mad

number24

ok ngl just from the character designs alone i rly didn’t think this one was gonna make as good a first impression as it did??? i guess the huge ensemble cast of pretty boys reminded me of last season’s actors: songs connection, which uh. was Not great,

so i went into it totally expecting it to be all shitty but it rly surprised me, i found it so intriguing? the characters are actually really endearing so far...... i love how it doesn’t try to shove the entire cast in our faces in the v first ep but instead starts out w/ a small handful and lets us spend a lil time w/ them while only giving assorted Hints and passing impressions of the others, that was nice

also love how very not “generic sports anime” it is right off the bat by dropping us right into the middle of these characters’ story instead of doing the whole “bright-eyed first year joins the team and fights his way to the top” sorta deal- which you’d think would be a confusing and awkwardly paced approach but in this case is handled surprisingly well, especially because it seems like it’s gonna have a lot more elements of a character drama than a straight up classic sports anime (which i am Super here for)

(there is a lot of rugby in the op though so we’ll see how things go, it’s only been 1 ep after all)

the air drop into the characters’ established lives makes introductions a lot more organic as well; since the characters are already familiar with each other we don’t have to sit around watching everyone introduce themselves to the protag, we get to infer their relationships and general opinions of each other through their various interactions & it’s a thousand times more engaging imo!!

i mean we do have this other first year joining as a manager and our protag did deliberately say he learned everyone’s names/info after deciding to become a manager so im sure we’ll be getting those character introductions anyway, but well. we’ll cross that bridge if/when we come to it

also i believe this takes place in college rather than high school?? i couldn’t pay attention to every detail but i definitely got that kind of vibe in which case Hell Yeah another welcome deviation from the norm babeeyyyy (i just checked and it Is college yeehaw)

basically what im saying is im tired of tropes & number24 just no clipped past the first 25 chapters of the sports anime formula and also it’s set in university AND it seems to be character-driven & im living thanks thank u

Pet

ok ill be honest i completely forgot that i watched this one lmaooo (which should give u a hint as to what i thought of it *thinking emoji*)

the art style’s whatever and the animation’s whatever, nothing special there. the show is like, dark?? more stupid than dark idk it feels a little bit “welcome to my twisted mind” but the twist is homophobia w/ a mild side of ableism, and also an entire episode of suspense wondering if im gonna have to watch this black side character die (he doesn’t, so there’s that at least)

honestly i cant even remember what drew me to this show enough to put it in my plan to watch, i guess the premise sounded interesting enough (something about controlling minds and erasing memories?), but mature psychological shows usually aren’t really my scene, especially when they’re executed.... Like That. i did kind of enjoy the twist at the end, mildly, though i feel like it was pretty obvious in hindsight and the only reason i didn’t see it coming is bc i can be astoundingly shortsighted when it comes to things like that (aka im DUMB)

since it took until the very end of the episode to Really introduce our dynamic duo tho, i feel like this ep was more of a prologue than anything and the Real show is gonna begin in ep 2, which is great n all but uh. idk if i care enough to give that a watch tbhhhh. i might just to see what the show has to offer but really truly honestly cant see myself sticking this one thru to the end lmao rip

--

hate to end on a bummer note like that but hey that’s all i got for this post ! i have more shit to watch so i’ll probably end up making like a part 2 w/ more impressions but this is getting long enough that it’s becoming kind of a pain to keep adding more so thats it for now boiyoeiyeoii

[perpetual-stories]

22 Essential Literary Devices and How to Use Them In Your Writing

hello, happy Monday. Hope you’re all having a wonderful day!

I will skip the pre-info and dive right into it.

What Is a Literary Device?

is a tool used by writers to hint at larger themes, ideas, and meaning in a story or piece of writing

The List of Literary Devices:

Allegory. Allegory is a literary device used to express large, complex ideas in an approachable manner. Allegory allows writers to create some distance between themselves and the issues they are discussing, especially when those issues are strong critiques of political or societal realities.

Allusion. An allusion is a popular literary device used to develop characters, frame storylines, and help create associations to well-known works. Allusions can reference anything from Victorian fairy tales and popular culture to the Bible and the Bard. Take the popular expression “Bah humbug”—an allusion that references Charles Dickens’ novella A Christmas Carol. The phrase, which is often used to express dissatisfaction, is associated with the tale’s curmudgeonly character, Ebenezer Scrooge.

Anachronism. Imagine reading a story about a caveman who microwaves his dinner, or watching a film adaptation of a Jane Austen novel in which the characters text each other instead of writing letters. These circumstances are examples of anachronisms, or an error in chronology—the kind that makes audiences raise their eyebrows or do a double-take. Sometimes anachronisms are true blunders; other times, they’re used intentionally to add humor or to comment on a specific time period in history.

Cliffhanger. It’s a familiar feeling: You’re on minute 59 of an hour-long television episode, and the protagonist is about to face the villain—and then episode cuts to black. Known as a cliffhanger, this plot device marks the end of a section of a narrative with the express purpose of keeping audiences engaged in the story.

Dramatic Irony. Remember the first time you read or watched Romeo and Juliet? The tragic ending of this iconic story exemplifies dramatic irony: The audience knows that the lovers are each alive, but neither of the lovers knows that the other is still alive. Each drinks their poison without knowing what the audience knows. Dramatic irony is used to great effect in literature, film, and television.

Extended Metaphor. Extended metaphors build evocative images into a piece of writing and make prose more emotionally resonant. Examples of extended metaphor can be found across all forms of poetry and prose. Learning to use extended metaphors in your own work will help you engage your readers and improve your writing.

Foreshadowing. At its core, storytelling has one ambition: to capture and sustain your reader’s attention and keep them reading your story. Foreshadowing, or slyly indicating a future event, is one technique a writer can use to create and build suspense.

Humor. Humor brings people together and has the power to transform how we think about the world. Of course, not everyone is adept at being funny—particularly in their writing. Making people laugh takes some skill and finesse, and, because so much relies on instinct, is harder to teach than other techniques. However, all writers can benefit from learning more about how humor functions in writing.

Imagery. If you’ve practiced or studied creative writing, chances are you’ve encountered the expression “paint a picture with words.” In poetry and literature, this is known as imagery: the use of figurative language to evoke a sensory experience in the reader. When a poet uses descriptive language well, they play to the reader’s senses, providing them with sights, tastes, smells, sounds, internal and external feelings, and even deep emotion. The sensory details in imagery bring works to life.

Irony. Irony is an oft-misunderstood literary device that hinges on opposites: what things are on the surface, and what they end up actually being. Many learn about dramatic irony through works of theater like Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet or Sophocles’s Oedipus Rex. When deployed with skill, irony is a powerful tool that adds depth and substance to a piece of writing.

Metaphor, Simile, and Analogy. Metaphors, similes, and analogies are three techniques used in speech and writing to make comparisons. Each is used in a different way, and differentiating between the three can get a little tricky: For example, a simile is actually a subcategory of metaphor, which means all similes are metaphors, but not all metaphors are similes. Knowing the similarities and differences between metaphor, simile, and analogy can help you identify which is best to use in any scenario and help make your writing stronger.

Motif. A motif is a repeated element that has symbolic significance to a story. Sometimes a motif is a recurring image. Sometimes it’s a repeated word or phrase or topic. A motif can be a recurrent situation or action. It can be a sound or a smell or a temperature or a color. The defining aspect is that a motif repeats, and through this repetition, a motif helps to illuminate the central ideas, themes, and deeper meaning of the story in which it appears.

Motif vs. Symbol. Both motifs and symbols are used across artistic mediums: Painters, sculptors, playwrights, and musicians all use motifs and symbols in their respective art forms. And while they are similar literary terms, “motif” and “symbol” are not synonyms.

Oxymoron. An oxymoron is a figure of speech: a creative approach to language that plays with meaning and the use of words in a non-literal sense. This literary device combines words with contradictory definitions to coin a new word or phrase (think of the idiom “act naturally”—how can you be your natural self if you’re acting?). The incongruity of the resulting statement allows writers to play with language and meaning.

Paradox. “This sentence is a lie.” This self-referential statement is an example of a paradox—a contradiction that questions logic. In literature, paradoxes can elicit humor, illustrate themes, and provoke readers to think critically.

Personification. In writing, figurative language—using words to convey a different meaning outside the literal one—helps writers express themselves in more creative ways. One popular type of figurative language is personification: assigning human attributes to a non-human entity or inanimate object in an effort to express a point or idea in a more colorful, imaginative way.

Satire. Satire is so prevalent in pop culture that most of us are already very familiar with it, even if we don’t always realize it. Satire is an often-humorous way of poking fun at the powers that be. Sometimes, it is created with the goal to drive social change. Satire can be part of any work of culture, art, or entertainment—it has a long history, and it is as relevant today as it was in ancient Rome.

Situational Irony. Irony: it’s clear as mud. Theorists quibble about the margins of what constitutes irony, but situational irony is all around us—from humorous news headlines to the shock twists in a book or TV show. This type of irony is all about the gap between our expectations and reality, and it can make a memorable and powerful impression when we encounter it.

Suspense. No matter what type of story you’re telling, suspense is a valuable tool for keeping a reader’s attention and interest. Building suspense involves withholding information and raising key questions that pique readers’ curiosity. Character development plays a big role in generating suspense; for example, if a character’s desire is not fulfilled by the end of the book, the story will not feel complete for the reader.

Symbolism. An object, concept, or word does not have to be limited to a single meaning. When you see red roses growing in a garden, what comes to mind? Perhaps you think literally about the rose—about its petals, stem, and thorns, or even about its stamen and pistil as a botanist might. But perhaps your mind goes elsewhere and starts thinking about topics like romance, courtship, and Valentine’s Day. Why would you do this? The reason, of course, is that over the course of many generations, a rose’s symbolic meaning has evolved to include amorous concepts.

Verisimilitude. Verisimilitude (pronounced ve-ri-si-mi-li-tude) is a theoretical concept that determines the semblance of truth in an assertion or hypothesis. It is also an essential tenet of fiction writing. Verisimilitude helps to encourage a reader’s willing suspension of disbelief. When using verisimilitude in writing, the goal is to be credible and convincing.

Vignette. A writer’s job is to engage readers through words. Vignettes—poetic slices-of-life—are a literary device that brings us deeper into a story. Vignettes step away from the action momentarily to zoom in for a closer examination of a particular character, concept, or place. Writers use vignettes to shed light on something that wouldn’t be visible in the story’s main plot.

I’ll make a post going into each of them individually in more detail later on!

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[glamourzombie]

Shortly after my last post, I lost my second rat. Losing both of them in such a small amount of time has been rough, but I am in the process of making peace with the fact that their lifespans are simply that short. For the past weeks, I have been either a hardcore social animal or a full-time Hermit depending on the day, no in-between. Today’s deck was there for me in my Hermit days. It’s the Mother Tarot, created by Wren McMurdo (also the creator of the Dark Days Tarot).

Indeed, the Mother Tarot’s vibrancy, colours, and earthy presence have helped me navigate the changes that have been taking place. It feels summery, but it is  its ability to gauge and express change in a rich but lightweight way what has helped me the most. Let me explain: the illustrations contain lots of details, small treasures, and great symbology that make each of them unique. However, there is some level of metamorphosis always going on in each card, weaving them all together, and delivering a message of advancement. In fact, while creating the deck, Wren drew ideas and inspiration from Earth, birth, creativity, and climate change. She says: “this deck is lit with dynamic energy to spur you along your path. Take guidance from this deck as we embrace this dynamic time on our planet”.

This collective, dynamic feeling really emphasizes the connection of individuals to everything around us. This is a deck where nature feels alive in a conscious way, harmonizing with the characters and their archetypal features. Following this idea, I have found it super easy to identify with the people in the cards from day 1. There’s abundant diversity, though it is clearly female-centered. This way, Wren hopes for “maternal figures and creators of all kinds [to] find reverence for themselves in these cards”. Some cards are busier, some are more laid-back; in general, there’s a flowy art-style, sometimes it feels kind psychedelic. There’s nudity, and a fav detail (you may know this is a fav if you’ve been following along for a while): body hair. You can see from the pictures how colourful it is, but also, a particularity: it is square. In a reading, you can incorporate the four seasons, four elements, four directions, or four phases of the lunar cycle, and it is suggested to use this deck “on waxing moon days when the collective consciousness is building creative energy”. The cardstock has a buttery matte finish, they are flexible (more so vertically than horizontally, pretty sure it’s the core) and they are gilded.

The full-colour guide stands at 173 pages, and it includes: a “getting started”, tips, intro to major and minor arcana, intro to the suits and numbers, a brief text on card orientations, and the messages of the cards themselves. These, in turn, include a picture of the card, and a single meaning (that is, you do not find one for each of the orientations, that’s up to you). The messages are amazing, very on point with what is seen in the cards. Both cards and book (which is also square) come within a two-piece box, very sturdy and decorated all around.

The Mother Tarot is intriguing, deep, and it flows. It reclaims a very primal but gentle part within ourselves, making us present in the moment; but at the same time, its sense of connection shows us the path to branching out and reaching further. It is very expressive, and though you definitely can work with it on its own, it’s a wonder to pair it with the Dark Days Tarot. Wren McMurdo has managed to create something entirely different from her previous work, but keeping it surprisingly cohesive. If you want to read and see more of both decks, head over her site!