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missjessefantastico · 4 years ago

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An animator’s insight about the current Thomas situation

Quick explanation since I don’t see many people talking about it: the last Storytime madlibs video was animated by fans, each of them was paid around 1.80usd per second and the credit was not given until after the animators asked the team to have their links included.

I asked my friend @siriwesen, who is a freelance animator from Germany, for her opinion in the matter. Here’s what she had to say, everybody say “Thank you Siri” because she spent a lot of her time checking every detail with me in order to give me a good perspective.

Disclaimer: all of this information is based on a freelance self-employed base for the central european market, it may vary by country.

tldr: the animators did an amazing job but were grossly unpaid, even for a passion project/beginner gig.

First, I gave her an hypotetical about a job offering to pay 25usd for 19 seconds of animation

I wouldn't even type a response for that. For 25 USD I'm not even turning on my pc. Or I'd do a nitty grity break down explaining how long animation takes by the hour with a past work example. I am always saddened with people selling their work at under 20.

When I gave her a rough explanation of the situation, specifically about Alex’s situation

So just as an idea. Even when working on a frame saving project like I did til yesterday, where you have a lot of still images and hold in between several frames. 5 frames can take 1-2hours depending on complexity, if you have a line test to follow, etc, not to forget lipsync. Lipsync takes forever. I'd expect 1.80 per frame not per sec. Like if they need 15 min for a full coloured frame, at 4 drawings they should get an hourly wage done. So 20-40 USD, and 20 is the utter lowest you should go. 20 sounds much as an hourly wage but it is not when you have to pay insurance and retirement savings.

After I showed her the madibs video

From what I can tell everyone hat freedom in what to do and how to do their scene, that means they spent time on design and thinking the scene.

Some of these movements are really flowy and smooth

Like either they pay one fixed budget to one animator or a team of animators, which would still be scummy but a beginning artist would usually not depend on the money for rent as they usually have other jobs and get a good portfolio piece out of it.

However with so many people on this... In order to get the video done in time I assume... This is outrageous. Because some artists will have just gotten bad luck on their scene and not have had the inspiration etc to create cool fucking showreel shit, so the got barely paid.

I'm gonna say some of those are relatively simple. Like you can make them within 4h, but it's still not enough pay. Motion graphics people make 30-40 an hour minimum.

I remember one time I ended up applying for a story time channel as editor and they wanted to pay editors 10usd per hour, which is absurd. If you can't afford animation, don't trick people into doing it. But be clear from the get go that this is a passion project. If its a sponsored video you better get the money for the animation.

Generally id say you could pay all the animators easily, if you have a well paid sponsorship/ product placement on the video.

Also, Im impressed they have partly fully animated clips there? Like the artists clearly went all out.

Her opinion on how to pay when you have a low budget

It's a fun video but if you wanna make it collaborative you either say: hey this is not being paid or you say: I'm sorry I have a set budget for this video and this is it so you would work underpaid, I can only offer you letters/reviews of recommendation for further work applications on real jobs, but be transparent and let the artists know, that's all im asking. They need to have the choice.

There will always be people who stay for the sake of the project because the love the channel or sth, but let people know you can't afford a proper pay for them but that you will do what you can to rectify or validate their work.

Give them shout outs, feature them at the end of the video, share them on insta tiktok and so on.

I feel like reducing the staff to 10, and paying each 100-200 would have been still a better "beginner" gig...

About the way the animators were credited

The description is the worst place to put them. Obviously they should be there but no one reads the description, especially when the vid gets embedded. Shout out your artists ffs.

About the project in general

It's just really a shit situation and I think their choice to make this such a large body of people working on it also doesn't necessarily help.

I just want to stress, that my estimates are based on a freelance self-employed base for the central european market, the prices for US Market may be different,but from what i know it is still common to pay 20+ upwards to your animators.

In Korea/Japan and other countries it is popular to pay animators per drawing,Idon't know the exact amounts but it's peanuts less than a dollar per drawing, but this is first off part of why people criticise the outsourcing in animation, because many times it is bad labor practises at bad wages to the point that animators have to have 1-2 other jobs in order to afford animating.

I dont know how things have improved over the past years but I reckon not much.

Also you can lower prices, when the major creative decisions, such as character design, colour palettes, background design, and storyboarding / timing has been pre done by other people/staff in the production, aka you just draw the characters. or you just colour them. that's how you can manage a feasible rate of drawings per day because you do a single task in a pipeline.

I can't tell how strict or coordinated and split their production pipeline was, but I think it is counter intuitive to pay young artists really bad wages because it discourages them from further engaging with the art/craft.

About hiring fans

This is a very double sided edge. I've seen people in a former fandom of mine being heavily disappointed in finally getting to work on the actual show,also the creator - fan dynamic is often an unfair one, because it is an uneven power-balance in which the creator/idol does not only hold the financial power over the fan, but also an emotional one. it's a predisposition for an unhealthy relationship, which the one with the power has to make the active effort to break it even and remove the worship-aspect and make clear to the artist,, that they're on a job-relationship playing field.

I also think it's important to figure out if any minors were contracted. Depending on countries, it may be, that they were technically not be legal to employ, there are places where you can only set up your own business aka freelance, once you hit the legal age.

Advice for new animators

Generally speaking, I'd also give the advice to never! start work without a contract.

Also if you can avoid it, never give out a custom demo example work or custom sample tailored to the project you're applying to, if you can help it, UNLESS you get compensation for the demo. I've wasted so many hours on providing potential clients with customised demo animation/drawing design and never heard back from them.

Only do this when you really trust your client and have worked with them previously, or if this is a specific pitch for project platform (which does basically work on this basis).

About working on passion projects

The job I completed yesterday, was definitely underpaid, but the director did basically show me his financing for this passion project, he got finance and funding, but it was still more a small drop in the pit of money you usually use.

I went on board with the project because he did take the time to reply to me, explain the project details, shared history on the project, and because he has ties to animation studios and work areas that I'm interested in. I got some really amazing character animation shots out of the project which I am allowed to use in my showreel/portfolio, I got some shout outs and minor cloud due to social media and in the end I WAS PAYED (around 1500 Euros to be precise). It's not as much as it would be for the work usually, but it's still a decent amount and,at the time I took the job, my livelihood did not depend on this money.

Even though this project i took was technically "underpaid" the conditions and favours i got out of it were absolutely fine. (also got 2 switch games out of it as a compensation for late hour work, lol).

Maybe this put it into perspective of what type of "underpaid" beginner jobs are good and which ones are not.

About working for exposure

I remember back in uni, we had a lot of industry speakers who had reputable careers in british animation, and there always was this thing about "is it okay to take unpaid jobs / jobs for exposure"and the answer always was either "never unpaid" or "it depends." and i think this is pretty much the best way to answer.

There were people who did amazing music videos in the 80s and who basically got only 100 pounds from it but that kickstarted their career,but it was high risk, it's a gamble and 80 percent of the time "exposure" gigs are useless.

Thanks again to Siri for providing all this insightful information, let’s hope @thatsthat24 @thejoanglebook and the rest of the team not only adress the issue, but also take the time to pay the animators correctly. They are artists and animation enthusiasts, they should know better than doing this.

#thomas sanders #joan stokes #thatsthat24 #thejoanglebook #long post #txtjessefantastico

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inactiveanimeblog · 4 years ago

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breaking up with akatsuki members

akatsuki x reader

tw : angst, mentions of sex, toxic relationships

im not sure if i’ll make a part two for other akatsuki members, or a part where you guys will get back together.

sasori

“i just don’t think we should be together anymore. i’m sorry, i still love you no matter what sasori.”

sasori was quiet for a moment, tinkering with one of his puppets while you were nervously confronting him about breaking up, fidgeting in the seat next to him.

“so you wanna break up hm?” he questioned, his voice amused. “where will you go?”

“i— i have money saved. i’ll go settle somewhere.. in a small village.”

sasori scoffed, even chuckled a bit. clearly mocking you. “you wouldn’t last a day without me.”

now you were starting to get upset, you frowned and scrunched your eyebrows. “you really think i need you that much?”

“please don’t act like you’re something without me. i take care of you, feed you, and give you a place to stay. all at no cost. you ungrateful brat.” he spat out, adjusting the placements of the puppets body.

“i never asked for any of that. see this is why i’m leaving you. you treat me like some incompetent child. i’m more than capable of taking care of myself.” you got up to pack your stuff, grabbing a suitcase out of the closet and taking everything you bought with your own money, leaving all the things he had bought you behind. as you were about to leave he spoke once more.

“you’re gonna regret leaving me, i’ll be here when you’re ready to come back.” he said, his voice monotone as he kept his eyes and hands on the puppet. you took your things and left.

hidan

“hidan for crying out loud. you’re such a pig. flirting with other women in front of me.”

you and hidan were out eating at a small hut near the akatsuki hide out, and he was very casually flirting with the girl working behind the counter, and she was flirting back like you weren’t there.

“babe, you can be so annoying sometimes. stop worrying that pretty little head of yours. it’s you i come home to fuck every night anyways.” he said, putting his arms behind his head.

“annoying? seriously? hidan, do you not know how a fucking relationship works?” you were angered. this wasn’t the first time hidan has done this to you. but this was certainly the last. you were over it. over him.

“watch your fucking tone with me bitch, don’t act all high and mighty. i’ll leave you.”

“you’ll leave ME? please hidan, you know what? we’re done. don’t try coming to see me anymore, i’m going back to the house, grabbing my shit, and leaving.” you got up, leaving him behind. him and the waitress snickered.

“my shifts over soon, wanna come over?” the women asked him.

hidan smirked and took a sip of his drink. “yeah, as long as you make me feel better.” she giggled at him, and gave a wink before finishing up her shift.

it’s been two weeks since you guys broke up. hidan regretted what happened between you guys and he ignored your words to go look for you. but you were no where to be found.

obito

“obito, why do i feel like you don’t love me anymore. like your mind wanders elsewhere when we’re having sex, or even when we’re talking. are you still thinking about rin?” you asked, slightly upset to say the least.

you and obito have been dating for a few months and you knew about the women who he loved that tragically passed away. it was a terrible death that ruined him, but you were doing everything you could to mend his broken heart.

“y/n i don’t wanna hear that shit right now, i love you and i love rin. stop bringing her up. i’m over you being jealous.” he answered.

“jealous? as if i would be jealous of a dead women obito.” you scoffed. is he serious right now?

“what the fuck did you just say?” he turned to you, his raspy voice was now raising at you.

“you heard me. i would never be jealous of her. ever.”

“well you should be.” he chuckled lowly. “i loved her a lot more than i love you.”

and that was it. you heard enough.

“okay obito, if that’s how it is then we’re done. don’t even bother with me anymore.” you quickly got up from the living room couch to go upstairs and grab your things. obito followed you up there rambling non sense, cussing at you.

“if you leave now, don’t come back.” he yelled while you were packing your things.

“i won’t.” you yelled back. once you were done packing you quickly left. trudging out of the house and to a nearby hotel.

obito deeply regretted what he said, and he didn’t mean it. he loved you more than anything although his mind was elsewhere while you guys were together. but it wasn’t about rin in a way that he wanted to be with her. no, he had been stressed and having nightmares recently, not sure how to talk to you about it.

kakuzu

“you never pay any attention to me kakazu. it’s always ‘money this, money that.’ why won’t you spend more time with me?” you asked.

you were hurt. kakazu paid no mind to you at all, even getting annoyed with you when you tried having conversations with him.

“will you leave me alone? i’m busy right now and you’re starting to piss me off. go do something productive.” he responded, counting up the money his hand.

“kakazu all i ask is that you pay a little more attention to me. we’re dating, i’m your girlfriend. i need love sometimes.” you said, your voice starting to crack and tears forming in your eyes.

“y/n, i’m gonna ask you one last fucking time to leave me alone. stop being so clingy.” he still has yet to turn to look at you, still counting his money.

“okay fine, if that’s how it is then we’re through. i hope that money loves you as much as i do.” the tears we’re now spilling from your eyes as you packed your things.

kakazu didn’t say anything, he completely ignored you as you were leaving. if that’s how it was going to be then this break up was for the better.

deidara

“deidara, this relationship is getting too toxic for me. we fight almost every single day and the only thing we do to make up is have sex. i can’t do this anymore.” you said, getting up off the bed to put your clothes back on.

“babe, relax. come over here and cuddle with me. i wanna go for another round.” he smirked, still in bed butt ass naked.

“no, see?? do you think sex will solve everything? why don’t you start thinking with your brain instead of your dick.” you spat out.

“okay now you’re starting to fucking irritate me.” he said getting up to put his clothes back on as well.

“well maybe you should listen to me. you’re an adult so fucking act like one.”

“excuse you? all you do is whine and complain. if you’re so sick of me then just leave.”

“okay, if that’s what you want then i’m gone. we’re through. have fun trying to find someone that’s gonna put up with you.”

you packed and left. not turning around to look at him once. the anger inside you boiling up.

it’s been a month since you left and the both of you guys missed each other more than anything. you wanted to go back and see him, but you knew things would be the same if you went back. so you held your ground and decided you would never go back to him again.

#naruto #naruto shippuden #naruto x reader #akatsuki #akatsuki imagines #akatsuki x reader #sasori x reader #deidara x reader #obito x reader #kakuzu x reader #hidan x reader

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hakurasakura · 4 years ago

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hi new follower here and i absolutely love your blog! <3

i was wondering if you’re still talking about charts?? if so i’d be so grateful if you could do mine! thank you if so :)

hello and welcome! and im glad you love my blog!

im sorry that this took a while (and that it is super long). everything is under the read more (disclaimer: i only did the planets and their positions. im still learning about the asteroids and the degrees)

taurus sun (12 H): when taurus natives work, they work hard. they do it with a steadiness that may rarely be considered quick–rather it’s a dependable and steady effort that has its payoffs. security is immensely important to taurus. although hard-working, their comfort-loving nature sometimes makes them appear lazy. this is only because they separate work and leisure so well. when they work, they work hard, and when they play, they don’t really “play” as such…they relax. solar taureans like to own things (and sometimes people). a nice home, a piece of land (this can be modest), a paid-off car, a couple pets, maybe a solid business…in love and relationship, there is an earthy kind of possessiveness that may be considered jealousy by some, but there is actually quite a difference between being possessive and being jealous. taurus sun natives are rarely jealous and petty. they do, however, think of the people they love as theirs–it adds to their sense of security.

the sun in the twelfth house indicates a desire for perfection. these people usually do not get full recognition for their abilities and efforts, but they do not mind. they are satisfied with their simple, quiet life in solitude. if they become managers, they will do their job inconspicuously and with modesty. their services to other people are an area in which they are likely to achieve recognition and satisfaction. these people are usually interested in psychology and research of psychological phenomena. even though they may feel the need to interact with others, they often feel alienated even in the middle of a social event. it gives them the opportunity to observe, make sense of things and understand.

capricorn moon (9 H): people with this placement see safety in being useful to society and you look for justification in the outside world. they may underestimate what they want from themselves and for themselves. shyness may be accompanied by resentment of the fact that others ignore you. they shouldn't seek approval from the outside, it will not get rid of their doubt and it is harmful to them. they have to trust their inner values, otherwise, it may happen that they succumb to external pressures. the need to cope with adverse reality since childhood may give them the ability to "survive" difficult periods. their talent for business can bring them success but they may be missing some carefreeness.

the moon in the ninth house creates an understanding and imaginative mind. these people are great dreamers and thinkers who have novel ideas. their views are solid and sincere, but they change their minds easily. they have a variety of interests and hobbies; they like to lecture other people. the Moon gives these people inner self-determination, which gives them the energy to lead and direct those who lack the same degree of awareness.

gemini ascendent: very curious, very observant, and analytical. always looking to expand their social circles. love asking questions and mingling with others. can appear as restless as gemini rising people have an air of impatience even though they do not mean it. gemini rising people often seek a certain amount of personal freedom and space. and they enjoy intellectual debates and exchanging ideas. from my personal observations, gemini rising people can either be 1. bubbly, changeable, talkative and a little quirky, or 2. quite witty and clever, cool and intellectual (presenting themselves in a less cheerful and changeable way).

taurus mercury (12 H): they may take their time to arrive at a decision, but they get there — they are actually quite decisive, even stubborn with their opinions. mercury in taurus may be slow to start a new project, but they see it through to the end. they may need to poke them to get them going, however. they have much common sense at their disposal. these people rely on their senses when it comes to processing information. smells, noises, and mood are all employed. their communication style may, at times, be slow and measured. they are quite deliberate in what they do. when it comes to learning, mercury in taurus natives prefer demonstrations, concrete answers, and basic concepts. these people learn best when they see real-world uses for the theories they’re trying to absorb. not that they wouldn’t be able to comprehend the abstract–they simply process information better when they can personalize it (what use is it to me?) and attach it to the practical world.

mercury in the twelfth house represents the subconscious mind. thinking of these people is influenced by their subconscious and past experiences. Their decisions are based on emotions instead of logical thinking. these people have a tendency to be secretive and they do not like to express their opinions, especially in the public. they lack self-confidence but they are good at hiding it. this position also suggests difficulties in learning new things and it is an obstacle to developing the potential of the person.

taurus venus (12 H): love for venus in taurus centers on the physical world and creature comforts — they revel in sensual surroundings. these people project themselves as solid and comfortable. they need a certain measure of predictability and dependability in their relationships. venus in taurus can be possessive in love, and they are threatened by fast-paced, high-energy situations in the context of relationships and love. these are sensual partners who require lots of “hands-on” expressions of love. their lovers may complain that venus in taurus can get a little too comfortable and settled. it’s true that they resist change in their relationships, but even when they seem stuck in a groove, however, they are constant partners.

venus in the twelfth house suggests secrecy and solitude. it points to the introspective aspect of character and the need to spend time alone. it creates socially withdrawn people who are a bit lonely and disappointed in their romantic relationships. they are very emotional but they can subconsciously control their emotions. this position usually creates a significant degree of compassion for oppressed people and all those who are in a bad position.

virgo mars (5 H): these people are productive, goal-oriented, practical people. although they can be a little scattered at times, simply because they are doing so many things at any give time, mars in virgo natives get things done, and quite well! they have a knack for handling a wide variety of tasks at once, and a tendency to take on perhaps too much at the same time. these natives are not particularly aggressive by nature. although they can be a little hard-nosed and critical at times, they rarely resort to pushing others around. these people are protective of their “system” of how to get things done. there is a perfectionist at the heart of all people with this position.

mars in fifth house natives are fun, romantic, active and creative. Also, courageous and always eager to take risks, they're often sure of themselves and look only to have as much fun as possible. Mars in this position suggests they love to love and pursue romantic relationships everywhere they go.

aquarius jupiter (10 H): jupiter in aquarius is most lucky when they’re allowed to break the rules. they need complete freedom to try out their creative ideas, for they often payout in the end. this placement isn’t afraid to take risks as they offer great rewards. they bring in good fortune through their inventive thought process. they are out to change the world for the better, and they reap the benefits of their humanitarian efforts.

jupiter in tenth house keeps luck on people’s side in most situations in life. it makes natives with this placement very lucky when it comes to their career. however, they can also count too much on their good fortune and end up reckless or too relaxed when the situation would require them to focus. these natives are usually very open to making new friends, self-confident, charming, and very convincing. people will love and honor them for all these traits. they give a lot of importance to social status and want to be as free as possible.

aries saturn (11 H): saturn in aries realizes there are times when even they are not ready to handle a situation with unknown consequences. it’s a struggle that causes conflict with other people, and they have a hard time controlling their temper. saturn in aries tends to look more closely at them and decide whether or not it is in their best interest to steamroll ahead. this person is not as much of a trailblazer as other planets in this sign, but that doesn’t mean they hold back all the time. the people tend to be more rational and thoughtful. this can be used to their advantage when they’re actively trying to get ahead in life. they can rely on their powers of persuasion to get their point across in a concise and effective manner to get what they want.

people born with saturn in the eleventh house in their birth chart have lots of acquaintances but no too many close friends and these are likely to be older than them. their oldest friendships will last a lifetime. they're drawn to people who are serious and have a purpose in life.

aquarius uranus (9 H): uranus in aquarius is in its own sign and it creates inventors and people who like to apply new, untested methods and procedures. they like to fight for moral values and they love freedom. they do not let their emotions and feelings to restrict them. they are open-minded and open to radical reforms. aquarius is known for its humanity, and uranus further strengthens these tendencies.

with uranus in the ninth house, these people believe in freedom of beliefs, religion, and liberty in your way of life. more than any other placement of uranus, this makes someone interested in the truth of the system. in fact, uranus revolutionizes and changes their worldview quite dramatically.

capricorn neptune (9 H): neptune in capricorn gets their drive and ambition. this helps them to come up with new ideas. for them, inspiration comes from logic, reason, and the practical uses of different theories to better society. as a conservative personality, neptune in capricorn doesn’t often get “struck” by creative thought. they develop their ideas more slowly and thoroughly, as they do everything else in their life. they would rather work on things at their own pace and in their way. they don’t like to work together with others when brainstorming. more times than not, they would rather sit by themselves in quiet reflection. they are often obsessed with status, so neptune in capricorn tends to focus on ways to increase their wealth and influence. they like power and are always thinking of new ways to acquire more.

a natal neptune in ninth house suggests a very strong faith in life. with neptune here, there is a strong connection with the divine. these people are strongly aligned with their higher self. many neptune in ninth house people are very religious.

sagittarius pluto (7 H): plutonian sagittarians are understanding and philosophical. personal transformation can occur especially through philosophical searching. pluto in this position strengthens their innate (not learned) religious consciousness and feeling. one can expect them to create a new spiritual or mystical direction, and attempts to merge existing religions and churches.

pluto in seventh house natives are connected to the concept of a good family, a close and loving atmosphere at home. relationships are especially emphasized here. after all, they want to fulfill their sense of belonging as well. if it’s affection and intense emotions that drive them, everything is good and the prospects for a long-standing relationship are blooming. this placement of pluto makes people crave deep emotions and display a sense of responsibility that is rarely seen, plus lead their lives by their own very specific values.

#svarade #nothinn3w #yash talks astrology

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firstofall-howdareyou · 4 years ago

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This is only indirectly about Tessa, but seeing the Kashi promo made me wonder, how common is it for brands to buy morning show interview spots like this? I get if a character on a show uses an iPhone it is probably paid, but the interviews seem like more overt placement and in shows that at least have the veneer of being news/informative. Again, good for Tessa, but this feels different than an actor doing movie promo, because it’s for a generally available product. It seems worrisome societally

*tessa’s voice* “oh noooo” im going to break your illusions of morning news shows. I’ll give two different examples of my own personal experiences working/pitching stories to news stations for similar programs to kinda show the difference, and then just leave some links.

1. back in the day (so like 2014) I worked at a marketing and pr agency that worked almost exclusively with for profit organizations. One client was a massage studio, and the owner would go on a program similar to I guess Breakfast Television Canada? It came on at 10 am, so after the national Good Morning America. It was broadcasted local, but I’m in a fairly large media market. It’s more fluff/human interest, cooking demonstrations, etc. My client would go on 3-4 times a year to talk about the benefits of a sports massage, or hot stone massages. And then, at the end, she’d plug her studio. And she had to pay for those spots.

2. Prior to that, I was an intern for a medical school’s communications department. We would contact similar news programs (I actually think it was probably the same one) and for example, one pitch I remember: going back to school is tough on younger kids as they adjust to a new schedule, Dr. Pediatrician is a sleep expert and is available to discuss tips for helping kids get to bed and wake up. We didn’t have to pay for that.

both are fluffy, both are health/wellness based, but one was a for-profit pitching their business and the other wasn’t.

I just did a quick search to see what I could find from canada to show this.

It looks like Breakfast TV Toronto does a series called “Movin’ in the Morning” and this one uses a fitness studio to help them. Watch at the end where they plug their business: https://www.bttoronto.ca/videos/movin-in-the-morning-with-marylu-and-daisy-samaniego/

and then this one with beauty tips? The acknowledgment that she partnered with colgate, the product placement on the shelf, etc - but its still beauty tips! https://www.bttoronto.ca/videos/beauty-tips-with-tracy-peart/

#anon asks #pr talk #though this is really more marketing talk #advertising is literally everywhere #and sometimes its so subtle you don't even notice it

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shhh-no-ones-home · 5 years ago

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needle point chris motionless x reader x angelo parente

+++++++++ Request from @ryansitkowskiswifey "May I have one where Chris pierces the reader for their first piercing and Angelo gives them their first tattoo? :)"

okay i actually had a lot of fun writing this one so thank you for requesting. ive only ever gotten a double nose piercing so we went with nose on that one lol. i hope you like it!

Song: personal by against the current

tag list: @thisplace-ishaunted @alilpunkrock @theoneandonlykymberlee @cynic-spirit @svintsandghosts +++++++++

I sat on the bench and swung my legs back and forth nervously, holding onto the side of it as I watched Chris prep. He glanced over at me quickly as he put his gloves on.

"You ready?"

I smiled at him and nodded.

"Yeah, just nervous. This is the first piercing I'll have that wasn't my ears. And heck I got those as a kid."

He sent me a reassuring smile, standing in front of me as he wiped the side of my nose.

"I think you'll be alright. You're super tough."

He winked at me.

"And besides you picked a great beginner spot. My first piercing was my nose too."

I took a deep breath in.

"Good to know."

I watched him grab his stuff and get ready.

"Alright. Take a deep breath and I'll Pierce on the exhale."

I looked ahead at myself in the giant wall mirror and did as told. I inhaled deeply and as soon as I breathed out I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling him shove the needle in my nose. When it was done I opened my eyes and he was standing there smiling down at me.

"You did great."

He said as he pushed the ring through the end and cleaned it up.

"That wasn't so bad."

I said as he checked it.

"See, nothing to worry about."

He turned around and handed me the mirror before taking his gloves off.

"Watcha think?"

I checked it out and sent him a huge smile.

"I love it Chris, it looks great!"

I handed the mirror back to him and hopped down off the table.

"Does that mean it's my turn?"

We both looked up at ange standing on the other end of the booth. I smiled at him and nodded.

"Guess so."

I said a little giddy, flashing Chris a quick smile as he cleaned up, and walking to Angelo.

"You excited? Im excited to actually ink the final product."

I nodded.

"Beyond excited. You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this tattoo."

I joked and we both laughed a little.

"I'm glad you came to me for your first. I think it's gonna look great on you."

I sat down at his station and he showed me the stencil again. I had asked him if he could do a plague doctor for me and it was nothing short of amazing. I bounced a little in excitement.

"I know, I can't wait!"

I watched as he cleaned around him, getting his gloves on, and cleaning my forearm.

"I'm gonna put the stencil on and then you can look at it in the mirror to make sure you like the placement okay?"

I nodded.

"Okay."

He pressed it on and peeled the paper off, moving back for me to stand and look at it. I flashed it in the mirror and smiled widely.

"That looks perfect."

I looked back at him and he nodded.

"Then we are ready to go."

As I sat back down Chris came and stood near us, watching ange wipe down my arm again.

"Ready for the biggest first tattoo I've ever seen?"

He said and we all laughed.

"Well you know I'm no stranger to pain, this will be a breeze."

He shook his head at me.

"Oh I know. And thanks again man for letting me Pierce her, I know it's been a while but it was nice to get back into that."

We both watched as ange started lining.

"Yeah no problem man, I'm glad to do it for two such great friends."

He didn't look up as he continued working.

"I'm glad too, cause now I have works from my two best friends."

I saw ange smile at that as I looked up to Chris and winked at him.

"Yeah, now you just have to take care of them."

°°°°°°°°°

When ange was done he wiped my arm down and rinsed it, making sure it was clean. He smiled up at me as he took his gloves off.

"Wanna go look at it?"

He asked and I nodded, standing up and walking to the mirror. My mouth fell open.

"It's beautiful!"

I said, moving my arm back and forth. He came and stood next to me, also looking at it in the mirror.

"Thank you so much ange."

He gave me a small side hug.

"I'm happy to do it."

Then Chris walked back over.

"Dude that looks sick."

I smiled and looked down at it.

"You both did great jobs today."

Chris gave me a side hug too. When he let me go I walked to my purse and paid them both.

"It really does mean a lot, I'm so glad I got to do two firsts with my two best friends."

They both smiled down at me, Chris nudging my arm.

"Now we just gotta figure out what you're gonna do next, another tattoo? ooo maybe a lip piercing!"

I laughed at him and shook my head.

"I think I'll stick with the nose for now. More tattoos are an idea though."

I winked at ange and he laughed at me.

"All ya gotta do is ask."

I looked down at my now inked arm, admiring it.

"Oh, I will."

#wattpad #x reader #chris motionless #chris cerulli #Angelo Parente #miw #imagines #one shots #request #185

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lankylevi · 6 years ago

Link

Rating: T Pairing: Jean Kirstein - Eren Jaeger Word count: 1.5k Tags: Modern Era, Tattoo Artist Jean, Pastel Eren, Pining.

Summary: Eren has been going to the same tattoo parlor for a couple of months now. From day one, he's had an insane crush on his tattoo artist and today's session seems to only make it worse.

For one of my best friends, @im-eren-jaeger-sexual ! I tried my hardest to write some erejean for you, so I hope you enjoy your little birthday fic! Also, I lob u.

Read on AO3 or under the cut

Phone tightly clutched in his hand, the familiar bell jingles as Eren pushed the door open.

Sasha looked up from behind the counter with a wide smile, “Eren! Back again?” She wiggled her eyebrows as she started skimming through the appointment book. “You’re a little early so you know the drill, just sit and relax on the couch. I love your lipstick by the way.”

A pink hue tinted Eren’s cheeks and he giggled in response, “Thanks, it’s uhm haha, it’s candyass by jeffree star.”

“What a name,” she laughed “but it looks great on you.”

“Thanks,” Eren smiled and walked over to the couch and sat down on the cushions. His heart beat loudly in his throat and he found himself unable to focus on anything besides the buzzing of the tattoo machine in the other room. He had gotten plenty of tattoos over the past couple months, but on top of the anxiety that came with getting his skin punctured by tons of needles, he had also developed an insane crush on his tattoo artist.

He was tall, lean, covered in beautiful blackwork, a few piercings here and there and had the sexiest crooked smile imaginable; one that made Eren’s body turn into a bag of limbs.

Scrolling through his phone, looking at a few more references in case the artist had any questions, Eren’s ears caught up on the familiar voice that made his heart almost break through his ribcage.

“Leave the wrapper on for at least three or four hours, then wash it lightly with some anti-bacterial soap and well, you know the rest.”

The brunet looked up and saw a tall guy with black hair and freckles walk into the lobby; left arm completely wrapped up. Brown eyes landed on him and the stranger sent him a brief smile before standing in front of the desk.

“You sat like a trooper today, Marco!” Sasha grinned and brought out her calculator, “Four hours plus the cream… that’ll be 290.”

“Thank you,” the guy, Marco apparently, said and paid her in cash.

“Don’t take too long before making your next appointment, Jean missed you, at least he’ll get to see later,” Sasha smirked and Eren felt his heart drop in his chest to his stomach. He honestly felt like making a run for it, but once he made a move to excuse himself, the biggest crush of his life waved at him as he stepped out from the back.

Jean looked as sexy as ever; he wore tight black ripped jeans, a black v-neck that gave you a glimpse of his chest piece, and a dark brown beanie. “Are you ready?”

Eren swallowed the lump down his throat, cheeks heating up, but managed to give a quick nod. He followed Jean to the back of the store and sat down on one of the small chairs. He fumbled with hem of his loose baby pink sweater as the artist laid out the sketches on the table.

“I personally like this one more, it’ll look really nice on your forearm. Did you figure out the placement?”

Jean cocked his head to the side and the brunet had to remind himself to actually speak. “Uhm, yes! I was thinking of uh- either on the side of my ribs or my arms.”

Jean hummed in acknowledgment and pointed at the other sunflower sketch to Eren’s left, his arm briefly brushed over the brunet’s hand as he took the paper off of the table.

The skin to skin contact made all his blood rush to his face, so much that even the tips of Eren’s ears felt hot. Eyes screwed shut, he desperately tried to even out his breathing in an attempt to calm himself.

‘He’s just your tattoo artist, nothing more, nothing less. Just an artist, just an artist.’

“Eren?”

The brunet’s eyes shot up, finding two soft browns eyes locked onto his. He had to bite his lip to stop the whimper from leaving his throat. He was just so close.

“No need to be nervous, you’ll be fine,” Jean said and placed a comforting hand on top of Eren’s.

‘Not if you do that.’ Eren thought but forced himself to look at the sketches. The one Jean had pointed out would indeed look very pretty on his forearm and he didn’t exactly have any plans on getting any other tattoos there. “On my forearm would be really nice.”

Jean gave him a crooked half smile and got up from his seat, “Good, then get comfy and I will get everything set up.”

Eren nodded enthusiastically.

“Comfortable?” Jean asked as he finished up a straight line of the three sunflowers, wiping off the excess ink with a paper towel.

The brunet let out a long breath, the first few minutes were always the most uncomfortable. He wouldn’t exactly call it pain, rather an annoying scratch on sunburnt skin which was well, uncomfortable. “Sure.” He managed to puff out, eyes screwing shut as Jean added more lines onto his arm.

Jean chuckled lowly and it was everything Eren needed to take his mind off the buzzing of the tattoo machine and the needles jamming into his skin. He just looked so sexy when he was focused, even when he stuck out his tongue and scrunched his brows together. He was the perfect combination of a bad boy that could easily turn Eren into a blushing mess, and a dork that made fondness tug at his heart.

It was easier for the brunet to focus on Jean instead of what he was actually doing to his skin and after three hours of smalltalk, Jean wiped down the tattoo to reveal the finished product. “You’re all done now.”

Eren stood to see his new tattoo in the mirror. His forearm was swollen, slightly tinted pink and a throbbing pain still surged through it but he couldn’t be happier with the result. “I love it, thank you.”

“No, thank you,” Jean said with a grin and stood by the brunet, crossing his arms and examining the tattoo through the mirror. “I’ve been wanting to do more flowerwork and your flawlessly tanned skin was the perfect canvas.”

The brunet’s brows furrowed in confusion and when he looked up, their eyes met in the reflection and he swore he felt his knees buckle under the weight of Jean’s stare. To avoid his gaze, Eren quickly glanced down to the art on his forearm again and repeated, “I really love it.”

He heard Jean chuckle lowly next to him and before he had time to collect himself, the artist gently took hold of his elbow and carefully trailed his fingertips to his bicep. “And that wing you talked about a while ago, would look great right here.”

Wide-eyed, Eren’s mind went blank and made an attempt to say something, but nothing came out.

Satisfied by the brunet’s lack of response, Jean darted out his tongue to swipe across his bottom lip with a smirk. “I’ll get your arm wrapped up and Sasha will work out the payment with you up front.”

Eren hummed and lifted his sore arm to let Jean wrap it up. He had been touching his arm for the past three hours but his fingertips still sent waves of electricity through his body as he gently took hold of his wrist to secure his arm. “I feel like a sausage.”

Jean couldn’t help but snort and shook his head. “Do you always make jokes when someone is hitting on you?”

Swallowing thickly, Eren couldn’t do anything but stare as a blush crept all the way down to Eren’s neck and collarbones. Was Jean hitting on him or was he just being friendly? He could just be teasing him, right Didn’t mean he wanted him. He was just being a gay disaster, that’s all, that didn’t mean his artist wanted to date him.

“Earth to Eren?”

The brunet shook his head, “huh?”

“How does tonight sound for you?”

“Uh, tonight, uhm.” Didn’t Jean have a date with that freckled guy from before tonight? Dread knotted in the pit of his stomach again, making his head spin and not in a good way. “Didn’t you uhm- already have plans?”

“Well, actually, I do hopefully have a date tonight, with you,” Jean smirked, blinking a few times when he realized Eren wasn’t catching on. “Why did you think I already had a date tonight?”

“Well…” Eren bit his lip and glanced down to his shoes, “That guy earlier…”

“Marco?” Jean’s brows scrunched together before his face lit up as realization hit him. “Marco! He’s a friend from college, I’m meeting him for lunch in a minute. So I’m all yours tonight.”

Jean’s wink sent a wave of shivers up Eren’s spine but he managed to nod his head. “I’d like that.”

Humming contently, Jean leaned in and left a quick peck on Eren’s cheek before he turned on his heel to greet his next customer. “Then it’s a date, oh and that lipstick really suits your blush by the way.”

#erejean #eren jaeger #jean kirstein #mywriting #fic: candyass #pastel eren #punk jean #fic

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fortunatelylori · 6 years ago

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What prophecies do you think will play out on the show? What will be the outcome and which character will the prophecy be about?

Hey, nonnie!

Hmmm … very interesting question. And a multi-layered one.

Of course the show will have to pay-off the prophecies it included from the books. Then there are prophecies that were not mentioned in the show but by the nature of revealing the endgame and by being ahead of the books, the show will either pay them off or at least give heavy hints for what they might be in the books. And then there are foreshadowing elements that aren’t really prophecies per se but serve a similar purpose in the narrative.

So let’s get started. Warning: this will get long.

Prophecies mentioned in the show

Azor Ahai

Melisandre: After the long summer, the darkness will fall heavy on the world. Stars will bleed. The cold breath of winter will freeze the seas and the Dead shall rise in the North. In the ancient books it’s written that a warrior shall draw a burning sword from the fire and that sword shall be Lightbringer.

This is very much in play, having been mentioned as recently as season 7 and I believe that by the end of season 8 we will have a definitive answer as to who and what Azor Ahai is.

I’ve talked about this before in this post. Here is an excerpt:

I think it’s far more likely that Azor Ahai is not a hero. He’s a villain and the elemental opposite to the Night King. R'hllor followers herald Azor Ahai’s second coming with such encouraging words as: “ he will bring an eternal summer” which sounds great if you worship fire but in reality an eternal summer is about as bad as an eternal winter. If the WWs unbalance the world by plunging it into night and winter, Azor Ahai is supposed not to bring balance back but to unbalance it in the opposite direction.

Considering the placement of Azor Ahai in complete opposition to the WW and the obsession with fire of the followers of R’hllor, I’d say that the best candidate for this position is one D*enerys Targareyen, which doesn’t sound surprising since many people theorize the same. The twist is that AA was never meant to be a hero but rather an antagonist. @trinuviel has a fantastic series regarding this topic and I would encourage you to read it. She goes into a lot more detail than I am able to provide.

One aspect of this prophecy that is not brought up in the show is Nissa Nissa:

To fight the darkness, Azor Ahai needed to forge a hero’s sword. He labored for thirty days and thirty nights until it was done. However, when he went to temper it in water, the sword broke. He was not one to give up easily, so he started over.

The second time he took fifty days and fifty nights to make the sword, even better than the first. To temper it this time, he captured a lion and drove the sword into its heart, but once more the steel shattered.

The third time, with a heavy heart, for he knew beforehand what he must do to finish the blade, he worked for a hundred days and nights until it was finished. This time, he called for his wife, Nissa Nissa, and asked her to bare her breast. He drove his sword into her living heart, her soul combining with the steel of the sword, creating Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes.

People have been speculating for years on who might be the Nissa Nissa in the story but because this isn’t mentioned in the show, I’m not really sure this will be paid off. However, considering Melisandre’s obsession with blood magic and human sacrifice, I think there’s a possibility that a candidate will arise. And in my opinion, that would probably be Mel herself. She foretold her own death in season 7 and because of the nature of her arc, the relation to fire, blood and magic I can see her as a willing human sacrifice for the glory of the prophesied hero.

However, since I don’t think she is interpreting the prophecy of Azor Ahai correctly and that AA is probably not the person that will end the Long Night, I don’t think this human sacrifice in the form of Nissa Nissa 2.0 will have an effect or at least not the desired one.

In the comments section of the post I linked above, @trinuviel brought forth the idea that the story of Nissa Nissa and Lightbringer is a metaphorical set of instructions on how to forge Valyrian steel. And I have to say that’s a very intriguing idea and one that sounds very plausible to me for several reasons:

1. Valyrian steel swords are already magical swords and we know they are effective against the WWs. What could a burning sword do that these other swords can’t?

2. The Valyrians were known to practice blood magic and it’s theorized that’s where the source of most of their power came from, including their bond with dragons.

3. GRRM has purposefully pointed to the mystery surrounding the forging of Valyrian steel in story several times. There must be a pretty big reason why he hasn’t revealed how these swords are forged.

The Younger More Beautiful Queen

Maggy the Frog: Oh, yes! You’ll be queen … For a time. Then comes another. Younger. More beautiful. To cast you down and take all you hold dear.

I believe the last time Cersei mentioned her encounter with Maggy the Frog was after Myrcella was killed. So this will be paid off in season 8.

I’ve made the argument in the past that Sansa is the younger, more beautiful queen that will cast Cersei down and take all that she holds dear:

Sansa has been intimately involved in all of Cersei’s tragedies even though she is not directly responsible. She was the one that carried the poison that killed Jofferey, the war with her brother is the reason why Myrcella was sent to Dorne, Jofferey’s death leads to Tommen becoming king and eventually killing himself. And, by the end of this series, Sansa might end up as queen of the Seven Kingdoms effectively replacing Cersei.

It isn’t that Sansa is directly responsible for what happens to Cersei but that she ends up taking everything from her in a way that no one could have predicted unless you look back at the events.

There is an aspect of this prophecy that isn’t mentioned but I think will be paid off as well:

And when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you.

I honestly have no idea why they chose not to include this in the show since it’s part of the same conversation as the younger, more beautiful queen. They might bring it up in season 8 through another flash-back and I think that they should. Either way, I’m pretty sure we will find out who the valonqar is.

I’ve made an argument for Jaime because I think it will be a fitting end to their story and because of what Cersei told Ned about her and Jaime back in season 1:

Cersei: Jaime and I are more than brother and sister. We shared a womb. We came into this world together. We belong together.

And by that logic … they will die together. Or at least one will be the end to the other.

The Prince that was Promised

Melisandre: You should kneel before your brother. He’s the lord’s chosen. Born amidst salt and smoke.

This is a dicey one because it’s only brought up by Mel as an interchangeable title for Azor Ahai.

In the books, however, the PTWP is also brought up in relation to Rhaegar and his prophecy fulfilling quest. When D*ny visits the House of the Undying, she has a vision of her brother holding his infant son, Aegon, by Elia Martell and saying this:

Rhaegar: Aegon. What better name for a king?

Elia: Will you make a song for him?

Rhaegar: He has a song. He is the prince that was promised, and his is the song of ice and fire.

From what we know at this time, Rhaegar never brings up the Azor Ahai prophecy and we don’t know that much about the PTWP. But I tend to think these two aren’t related.

I believe the PTWP is Jon. His is the only story that is linked to both fire and ice. He is the literal product of the song of ice and fire (the son of a Targareyen and a Stark) and his story is connected to both ice and fire through out. He fights against Ice in the form of the White Walkers and he encounters both the false Azor Ahai (Stannis) and now D*ny, who is the person associated the most with fire in the series. If the Dance of Dragons 2.0 and dark D*ny theories become canon, his song of ice and fire would be his titular role in both these great wars that are about to visit Westeros. He also has “salt and smoke” imagery associated with his death (and subsequent resurrection).

So I tend to see the PTWP and AA as actually being ultimate adversaries.

What I’m doubting at the moment is whether or not the show will bother differentiating between these two. I do think that by confirming Dark D*ny and the Dance of Dragons 2.0, they will essentially pay off this prophecy but I’m not sure they’ll signal the distinction.

That’s about it on the show-included prophecies, I think.

Prophecies not mentioned in the show

The Last Hero

Legends of the north state the last hero and his companions went in search of the children of the forest during the Long Night, thousands of years ago. The only survivor of the company after attacks from giants, wights, and Others, the last hero eventually reached the children and gained their assistance. The Night’s Watch then formed and won the Battle for the Dawn. This ended the generation-long winter and sent the Others into retreat, possibly to the Land of Always Winter. The fate of the last hero is unknown

One could make an argument that this is not a prophecy but rather a story but because the Battle for the Dawn 2.0 is fast approaching, this story/prophecy will most likely be paid off in season 8.

If anyone is destined to be the hero to save the world from the Long Night that character is Bran Stark and his story is linked to the legend of the Last Hero, who is also identified as Bran the Builder. This connection is not fully established yet but I believe the characters of the Last Hero and Bran the Builder to be one and the same.

Bran is the Three Eyed Raven, he’s traveled to the Lands of Always Winter and reached the children of the forest. That’s enough evidence for me to assume that his role in season 8 and the defeat of the WWs will pay off the Legend of the Last Hero. Incidentally, Bran the Builder is mentioned in relation to our Bran by Maester Luwin in season 1.

We might also get a pay off for how the Wall and Winterfell were actually built although I do think part of this story will remain a mystery that will most likely be tackled in the Long Night prequel.

D*ny’s prophecies in the House of the Undying

… mother of dragons, daughter of death …

… mother of dragons, slayer of lies …

… mother of dragons, bride of fire …

Essentially, I believe all of these will be paid off by the Dark D*ny reveal.

three fires must you light… one for life and one for death and one to love… three mounts must you ride… one to bed and one to dread and one to love… three treasons will you know… once for blood and once for gold and once for love…

I think it was a huge mistake for the show not to include the 3 treasons prophecy in D*ny’s storyline, particularly since they included Cersei’s Younger More Beautiful Queen one. Because the three treasons prophecy works on D*ny’s psyche much in the same way it does on Cersei’s.

They both become increasingly paranoid and obsessed with these ominous predictions and are actively on the look-out for potential candidates.

However I think the pol!jon reveal will resolve the 3rd treason aspect of the prophecy as well as this:

A blue flower growing from a chink in a wall of ice, filling the air with sweetness.

A great stone beast takes wing from a smoking tower, breathing shadows.

Between the parentage reveal and Political Jon, her lover turned nephew, Jon Snow, will turn from the flower that fills the air with sweetness into the great stone beast that will oppose her.

There’s also a case to be made that the three treasons are actually treasons D*ny commits against other people, as @thelawyerthatwaspromised has detailed on her blog. And by going to war with Jon and potentially turning her back on the fight with the WWs, D*ny would essentially become a betrayer.

So either way, I think we’ll have a much clearer picture of these prophecies by the end of the show.

The dragon must have three heads

This is the continuation of the Rhaegar vision D*ny sees in the House of the Undying.

Rhaegar: He has a song. He is the prince that was promised, and his is the song of ice and fire. There must be one more. The dragon has three heads.

We don’t know much of anything about what this means or how Rhaegar thought it would link to the PTWP prophecy. I wouldn’t have included it, to be honest, if it wasn’t for the Crypts of Winterfell teaser and the staging of Jon/Arya/Sansa as a play on the original three heads of the dragon Aegon/Visenya/Rhaenys. In a previous post I said this:

The “Dragon must have 3 heads” is generally considered the reason why Rhaegar started his relationship with Lyanna and the main reason why Jon was even born. Details on this prophecy are foggy but the theory goes that at some point Rhaegar became convinced that his three children would be instrumental in saving the world and because Elia Martell was unable to bare another child after her two pregnancies, he went after teenage Lyanna Stark, thus looking to fulfill yet another prophecy: that of the Prince that was Promised whose song is the song of ice and fire.

In trying to fulfill it, Rhaegar named his children after the 3 original Targs that conquered Westeros: Elia gave him an Aegon and a Rhaenys so he went in search of his Visenya. Clearly he failed, because instead of a girl, he got a boy.

However, as GRRM points out through out his story, prophecies are tricky and the more you go out of your way to fulfill them, the more blunders you’re bound to commit. That doesn’t mean there isn’t some value to it but it will most likely come to pass in a way that you did not expect.

It makes you wonder just what the “3 heads of the dragon” might actually be about. Everyone tends to think that this prophecy is linked to the war with the WWs. However, by introducing Sansa into the mix, it changes things a bit …

What if the “Dragon must have 3 heads” prophecy isn’t related to the War of the Dawn at all but rather to the Dance of Dragons 2.0? Because in that war, Sansa would truly be instrumental: by making Jon a Stark, because of her political expertise and her strategic connections all over Westeros. So instead of creating the ultimate Targ team to face off against the apocalypse, Rhaegar not only brought down his father’s dynasty and his own in Robert’s rebellion but also created the circumstances by which, years later, his son would face off against the last scion of House Targareyen and bring about the demise of all living dragons.

While this could simply remain something that will be inferred by the way season 8 plays out, I think there’s a case to be made that we will actually get more insight here via flash-backs of Rhaegar/Lyanna.

I think it’s also possible that through these flashbacks we will find out more about the situation surrounding the abduction of Lyanna, more insight into the year they spent in the Tower of Joy and even perhaps the name that Rhaegar whispered as he lay dying on the Trident.

The Lannister gold prophecy

The wealth of the westerlands was matched, in ancient times, with the hunger of the Freehold of Valyria for precious metals, yet there seems no evidence that the dragonlords ever made contact with the lords of the Rock, Casterly or Lannister. Septon Barth speculated on the matter, referring to a Valyrian text that has since been lost, suggesting that the Freehold’s sorcerers foretold that the gold of Casterly Rock would destroy them.

This is a very obscure prophecy and I haven’t seen many people discuss it. The few that I have seen talk about this link it to the Lannister’s long lost Valyrian steel sword, Brightroar. The Valyrians, fearing this prophecy Septon Barth mentions, always refused to sell the Lannisters a sword but they managed to get their hands on one by other means:

Brightroar came into the possession of the Lannister kings in the century before the Doom of Valyria, and it is said that the weight of gold they paid for it would have been enough to raise an army.

So people speculate that it was the purchasing of this sword that lead up to the Doom of Valyria. However, I don’t really see this as a possibility because GRRM never really plays prophecies this straight.

However, one thing we do know is going to happen in season 8 is that Cersei will be acquiring the Golden Company, whose banner is simple golden cloth. She will also be paying for it with what can be described as Lannister gold.

Also since the show didn’t include the Young Griff story line, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that the GC is leaded by Jon Connington, one of Rhaegar’s best buddies and also the guy who was in love with him.

So if let’s say the GC would decide to join Jon’s forces against D*ny during the Dance of Dragons, a case can be made that Lannister Gold did in fact bring about the ultimate doom of Valyria, by killing off its last real member and putting an end to the dragons.

Then there are a few prophecies that I believe have already been paid off.

The mummer’s dragon

A cloth dragon sways on poles amidst a cheering crowd.

By essentially removing the Young Griff from the story line completely, I think the show has revealed that this young man is not Aegon Targareyen but a pretender whose lie, and life, D*ny will slay in the books.

The girl in grey prophecy

I have seen your sister in my fires, fleeing from this marriage they have made for her. Coming here, to you. A girl in grey on a dying horse, I have seen it plain as day. It has not happened yet, but it will.

I think everyone in the Jonsa fandom can agree that the girl in grey is in effect Sansa Stark and she will flee her marriage to Harry Hardyng and join Jon at the wall.

The show had Sansa fleeing her marriage to Ramsay and reaching the wall where she was reunited with a recently resurrected Jon. She was also wearing grey which is I think the show’s way of linking back to this prophecy in the books.

The Ghost of High Heart prophecies

In case anyone is not familiar with who the Ghost of High Heart is, she’s a dwarfish, albino woman who was reputed to be a woods witch in the Riverlands. Arya and the brotherhood without banners camp overnight at High Heart, to meet with the ghost to hear her tell the future, and to learn the whereabouts of Beric.

She accurately predicts a few things that have happened in both books and show. In addition, there are also these:

I dreamt of a man without a face, waiting on a bridge that swayed and swung

In the books, this is Euron hiring a Faceless Man (and potentially paying for his services with a dragon egg) to kill his brother, Balon Greyjoy, the King of the Iron Islands. In the show Euron does the deed himself, on a bridge that swayed and swung.

I dreamt of a maid at a feast with purple serpents in her hair, venom dripping from their fangs. And later I dreamt that maid again, slaying a savage giant in a castle built of snow.

This is generally believed to be about Sansa because of the poisoned hairnet she wears in her hair that eventually kills Jofferey. I’d argue that by ordering the death of Littlefinger in Winterfell (a castle in the North where there’s a lot of snow), the show has paid off the later part of this prophecy.

She also says this directly to Arya:

I see you. I see you, wolf child. Blood child. I thought it was the lord who smelled of death … You are cruel to come to my hill, cruel. I gorged on grief at Summerhall, I need none of yours. Begone from here, dark heart. Begone!

This could be nothing but the woman noticing Arya’s increasing violence and tendency towards killing but because she mentions Summerhall it’s speculated that she is referring to a future and particularly bloody event Arya will participate in. Assuming that, I would say the show has already paid that off when Arya killed off all the Freys in an act of mass murder.

This is a bit dubious, though, because of the fact that Lady Stoneheart has been cut from the show. It’s likely that it will be LS that kills off the Freys in the books and the show simply gave that particular plot point to Arya.

That doesn’t eliminate the possibility that the Ghost of High Heart is potentially referring to a future Summerhall-like event Arya will be involved in and if that is the case I fully expect the show to include it.

And finally we have what are essentially sayings that are mentioned frequently in the show but because of their implications they act like prophecy in the sense that they foreshadow future events but not in a clear cut way.

The Long Night

Melisandre: For the night is dark and full of terrors.

This is pretty self-explanatory. We’ve been told that when the WWs first came 8000 years ago, they brought a night and a winter that lasted a generation. So the WWs are back at it and are going to bring darkness and terror.

We should start preparing ourselves for at least 3 episodes of almost exclusive night time scenes. This is also supported by the actors saying that they had about 40 days worth of night time shootings which is an incredibly long time for that sort of thing.

When a Targeryen is born, the Gods flip a coin

This is obviously a saying that came about in reference to the Targeryens being or going mad more often than not.

However, at this point in the story, we have only two Targeryens left so the duality of a coin flip becomes foreshadowing for Jon and D*ny as foils.

I wish you good fortunes in the wars to come

This has only been uttered in show by adversaries, first in the Stannis/Mance conversation prior to Mance being burned alive and then in the Ned/Arthur Dane flashback. The third instance is in the Jon/D*ny good-bye scene. I don’t know about anyone else but this indicated to me … Dance of Dragons 2.0.

Sansa’s red comet prediction

The morning of King Joffrey’s name day dawned bright and windy, with the long tail of the great comet visible through the high scuttling clouds. Sansa was watching it from her tower window when Ser Arys Oakheart arrived to escort her down to the tourney grounds. “What do you think it means?” she asked him.

“Glory to your betrothed,” Ser Arys answered at once. “See how it flames across the sky today on His Grace’s name day, as if the gods themselves had raised a banner in his honor. The smallfolk have named it King Joffrey’s Comet.”

Doubtless that was what they told Joffrey; Sansa was not so sure. “I’ve heard servants calling it the Dragon’s Tail.”

“King Joffrey sits where Aegon the Dragon once sat, in the castle built by his son,” Ser Arys said. “He is the dragon’s heir - and crimson is the color of House Lannister, another sign. This comet is sent to herald Joffrey’s ascent to the throne, I have no doubt. It means that he will triumph over his enemies.”

Yeah, Jofferey wasn’t and he didn’t. If only there was a guy in this story who was the dragon’s heir and whose birth name the show incidentally spoiled as being Aegon. Glory to that guy! And to his queen!

Suffice it to say I think we will get the pay off from this scene in the form of Jonsa.

Just a small addendum before I finish: A Song of Ice and Fire is littered with prophecies, prophetic dreams, cryptic messages that can be interpreted to signal future events, etc. I probably missed a lot of them. So if there’s something you want to add here please do.

Thanks for the ask, nonnie!

#game of thrones season 8 speculation #got prophecy #jonsa #sansa stark #jon snow #anti-daenerys #arya stark #jaime lannister #cersei lannister #jaime x cersei #got speculation

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theskyexists · 5 years ago

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watching bladerunner 2049

great environmentally destroyed earth there

i believe that the blatant humanity of AI in this film - as well as their blatant ability to love and feel empathy (a huge divergence from the book) while still being treated as inferior and disposable objects is a comment on how we do that to Other humans without blinking.

though also, they can project a hologram, then solidify the hologram - but they can’t clean up the damn atmosphere? like really. I guess that can only be explained by an elite trying to stay on top by keeping capital firmly in their own hands. i was looking at those solar farms and just going....how is that bringing in any energy in this dust?

also the problem i have with Ryan Gosling as this lead dude who’s in love with his adjustable AI hologram is that i never buy him as capable of love in that way. ever. at all. (so possibly it’s the right choice? anyway this whole thing is creepy)

yeah it’s supposed to be like: lol this was just a fantasy

‘a sentimental skin job’ - evidence of funerary practice, of altruistic behaviour (of grief, of empathy?) he says sorry even though by society’s standards the robot’s owed no courtesy? then he thinks the dude ate the baby - like thats not more insulting

so what separates robots from humans is not - eating food, drinking liquor, getting hurt, feeling empathy - but the ability to reproduce??? (but doesnt he need to sleep?)

the argument really is that being born = having a soul? lol thats a crazy wall to build a society on but there’s been stupider and more arbitrary ones. again, maybe that’s the point

a LOT of product placement in this.

it keeps to the same formula though. an investigator who is forced to forego his own empathy to ‘do the job’. Meeting with the local robot company, meeting the secretary in charge made to appeal. etc. etc. i think that’s pretty cool.

this building is very pharaoic. great set

eyyy a reference to the book. a lil origami sheep (got what he wanted)

im getting the impression from this film that ‘androids’ haven’t got a metal thing in their body and they’re just clones. which honestly i also got that sense from the book so that makes sense

ah so the android was based on himself (he looks ryan gosling like? or can i not distinguish white guys?). and this one is based on the K’s configuration of Joi.

Naturally the android to be ‘inspected’ is a woman who gets to be naked and weak and shit.

‘Every leap of civilisation was built off the back of a disposable workforce’ - great. (the film does a good job being like: hm yeah but the world is shit now so how is that leap so super ?)

Yikes i mean uh i know it’s like a commentary on disposable bodies and people as chattel and women as ‘reproducers’ but they’re portraying him and all his fuckin self-important self-righteous power-hungry megalomaniac rich bitch speeches as a fuckin sermon worth listening to

and if they don’t take him down in this film i will be mad.

and also i wanted to stab his eyes out the moment he put his hand on her belly but unfortunately i get the sense he’s going to stab HER

but well they’re still sticking with the book formula which is still clever, the Investigator being in love with some AI and then having to kill the android that looks just like her because the company doesn’t keep to the law and shit

- i hope they push just a lil bit different since they’ve clearly established the main premise of the book is the opposite in this film - androids DO have empathy, they DO dream of electric sheep (in this case, electric Joi)

I sure hope ‘Luv’ gets to murder Wallace for what he does to this baby android.

I know he’s a rapist capitalist sadist god complex creepbitch but goddamn i sure hope that the movie MEANT for that reading or i will be mad.

he literally did nothing but creep on a CHILD android and then murder her FOR NOTHING. wow. i’ve never wanted androids to take over and kill a human so badly before. This sure is the opposite of Terminator.

i liked mackenzie davis’ performance here.

‘am i the only one who can see the fuckin sunrise, here?’ uhhhh why are you shouting at the android? like, where the fuck are your human officers and bosses? i love how apparently a police boss can just drink on the job? bc sci fi noir. not that ryan gosling manages that. i JUST noticed that she has bare legs, and now they cut to putting them on display. this is going to end badly (im feeling like there’s going to be some sort of sexual power abuse. edit: she was testing his humanity and he deliberately failed teh test to stop her interest in him)

why the fuck would they implant that memory. (but he thinks that it might be real) (but then how would he have ended up there at the police station)

theres a lot of rain in this world

we now move onto the marginal humans that live in the waste, discarded. and how they destroyed without blinking by a marginal android operating on the orders of the richest man alive.

i have to say that watching this movie makes me so happy about trees and blue skies

the marginal children - processing the waste - sick, abused, enslaved.... here all white...supervisor...black. interesting choice. (all this suffering for ‘civilisation’ - the nickel for the colony ships - this is a lot more spicy than the book - a lot more realistic about who suffers and dies for that kind of thing)

starts to seem like he really is the kid - these ‘orphanage’ stairs look a lot like that memory

Gosling is great for this role bc he doesn’t really have to move his face. but god the pace of this film is so SLOW! had to skip a bit of his slow shuffle to the horse man. ‘ohhh i was a real child, from loving parents, oh no i killed my dad! after killing my mum through childbirth! fuck! im the child that im hunting! oh shit! hey i have a soul!’

you’re special because actually you had agency all along and you’ve been using it to murder people wink

i dont understand the AI bit in this. don’t understand why they would hide him with so much care that he’d know nothing about who he was and kill his dad. like. surely that wasn’t the idea. also if the AI is Wallace’s why can’t Luv hack it. also i really kind of dislike her male fantasy self.

I like this Doctor. she is very very sweet and lovely. i dont really know why nobody would come visit her.

so we can read memories, implant memories, project memories not photo realistically ACTUALLY realistically, we can construct memories from the imagination but we can’t - i repeat - we can’t clean the damn atmosphere?? i mean yes yes yes this is... a perfect example of how capitalism will not necessarily put money into tech that is you know - a good idea for us all collectively but rather into something that can be sold but god DAMN

manipulation eyyyy. already exercising his freedom of mind

really. an android selling sex to an android??? what the fuck lol. it’s a clone implanted with fake memories selling sex to a clone. yeah yeah yeah society has deemed them inhuman purely because they were built but THE POINT IS THEY are human in literally every other sense and controls them through law and brain make-up and then eliminating everybody who grows their brains from baseline? (why are they even paid?? is that supposed to be pavlovian?)

i really don’t understand what this AI is about. i just can’t get over that this really doesn’t seem like a love story

he almost died and then this AI springs sex on him lol. i really. i just really don’t care for this story and that’s possibly because Ryan Gosling is just so fuckin bad at selling any kind of love story like his eyes are always SO DEAD

oh my god im only halfway. oh my god. THIS FILM IS ALMOST THREE HOURS LONG. jfc

this is such an extremely male fantasy it bores me to death. im a dude who’s badass, powerful, controlled, SPECIAL, also told im special by my very humany AI gf who i installed exactly to my tastes, she desperately wants to have sex with me FOR ME because im just so cool and wonderful despite being so tortured and possessing eyes like a dead fish.

let’s spend 20 mins on undressing another two women in this film as we, the viewers, and i, the male protagonist just stand and watch. let’s re-emphasise how she’s just a self-learning ai

there’s light? warm light?

and then they have the women fight each other ? cool cool cool. im not saying it’s not realistic, im just saying it’s boring. i thought Mackenzi was going to proposition K for the resistance

still not sure why Luv hasn’t hacked her already. first time the romance feels slightly real

I guess Luv is indoctrinated. i still like police boss don’t hurt her. i mean obv she’s terrible but so is everybody else. she cried...again. so she kills from anger - not because she had to. she kills her the same way Wallace killed the android. i’d love to read a lil analysis about this. later. women-on-women violence

oh she really DID know where he was but kept it from Luv. why? was she willing to die for him? no. her dignity? maybe. The women in this are mysteries. also why is he still allowed to use the car and drone when he’s suspended. that’s pretty fuckin stupid.

hmm giant statues of naked women WITH heels on posed sexily and unthreateningly. im just saying. this is all super psychoanalysis galaxy brain.

gasp there is a real live bee. thats a book call back

and a classic perfectly intact building

HALF OF THIS FILM IS JUST RYAN GOSLING SHUFFLING THROUGH STRIKING LANDSCAPES AND SETS FROWNING JUST SLIGHTLY

it’s got the opposite problem of the book: it is SLOW AS FUCK

how does he know what a piano is

wow K’s really good at de-escalating. why not just be honest. so he got shot, blown up and then? still fine walking. lol they just gotta show off that he’s still a bladerunner! (where the fuck did that name come from...)

here you’re bleeding in your face. ok? he’s also bleeding from the shotwound maybe? that was definitely implied that he got shot.

and K’s also really bad at asking questions lol. thats because all he ever did was shoot people. anyway this is boring again, these two fighting about nothing - some kind of testerony bullshit about zero stakes - but apparently just screaming at the man will help

also im not sure why he assumed Deckard was the father.

harrison ford delivered that well.

‘to strangers’ i fuckin hate ryan gosling i don’t know if its because hes a bad actor or because his interpretation is so shit

so Deckard left, Rachel died in childbirth (really? lol. god do i want to fuckin consume a woman’s story about goddamn dying in childbirth) and Sapper left him at the orphanage? but how the fuck did he then get slotted into police service all official like??? doesnt make sense except Mackenzie’s network’s got something to do with it

ok so it was implied but now confirmed taht androids come with enhancements

oh nooooo she kills his love :( awww. i can’t feel for him at all lol

but she almost kills the kid she so badly wanted to find

i wonder why she’s so sadistic. probably because she learned from wallace. but all the womb - woman - beautifying - controlled by man - in fear of him - in thrall of him - killing other women again and again sadistically while killing men coldly is uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

i just dont care for it you know

also this AI woman turned out to have NO role in the movie except to lavish attention on this dude (make him seem capable of love except ryan gosling can’t move his face) and then be fridged lol

so why does she let him live? fuckin bullshit

look, i like the aesthetic and the world but god the director is wayy too in love with it - SPEED THIS SHIT UP

so actually - if Rachel died in childbirth how is she holding the baby in the pic

“That baby meant that we are more than just slaves”

This could be really cool - like - taking back the means of reproduction!!! This is how we will become a PEOPLE. Freedom through female fertility as a symbol. But because uhhhhh this is all a Male Fantasy it feels decidedly icky and not like that at all. Like, why did they make the kid male? That...makes no sense? if Rachel was the only one who could bear children bc of her ...genes? Why the fuck would you centre the story on somebody who cannot take up that legacy, cannot be that symbol? It’s totally weird

OHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH!!!!! ok lol.

he thought he was the kid but the girl is....but uh then why was there an exact copy. as a red herring? THEN HOW DID HE GET from the orphanage to the fuckin police???

Is Luv supposed to be the girl though? because they keep killing all the female characters so it’s like, uhuh. it’s not mackenzie bc like thatd be silly huh. i mean it would be stupid but they could pull that

if they think he can get at deckard, why not get him to shoot wallace

how did he get a fuckin police car lololololol

ah these super high tech hoovercars have zero defenses against ??? what is he even shooting at them?

Luv’s actress does something very interesting to her voice when she gets emotional or shouts orders - kind of monstrous and inhuman

well he certainly hit them perfectly

WHERE DID HE GET THE POLICE CAR?

“I’m the best one” yeah - i.e. so I cannot be killed by my master as he’s made me do to so many

why do they always INSIST on men killing women by choke. don’t be so fucking stupid. if she can push his head under water she can punch his lights out. SHE LITERALLY JUST HAD A KNIFE - SHE COULD HAVE STABBED HIM IN THE EYE

why would she waste air grunting. she doesn’t even fake him out. i know they’re human so thats counter-instinctual but like, she’s supposed to be an incredible fighter. it’s the same thing with how they have her do all these kicks and he stays standing because women = agility, men = endurance, and then he punches her once and she goes flying. THEY”RE ANDROIDS HARRY. WHY WOULD YOU BUILD GENDER BULLSHIT IN???

so how many women did we see die extremely explicitly and/or aesthetically and/or plot/significantly so far? raechal (childbirth), the android baby (one cut to the womb), the police boss (one cut to the womb), AI girl (one crunch), Luv (one shot and one strangle-drown).

Ryan Gosling can get shot, blown up, killer punched 7 times, get blown up again, have his lung get perforated by schrapnel, be kicked to shit 5 times. he gets a bandage on his nose and takes it off again so thats a total reset apparently. He’s then shot again, kicked to shit again, sliced in the hand, stabbed in a place thats clearly deadly, half drowned - and he STILL KILLS THIS ANDROID WOMAN. HE STILL KILLS THE BEST WALLACE HAS EVER MADE.

WHAT?!!??!?!!

the men get shot from a distance, bombed from a distance, shot from a distance.

im sorry but this sucks.

and then ryan gosling swims all the way to land.

lol why does this script try to convince me that in this advanced fuckin tech society they wouldn’t be able to check for Deckard’s body??? and then he brings him to a place that’s monitored??

oh right the Doctor was the daughter. so.....they lied about her auto-immune disease? she knew that she had given him her memory? why did they do that? im still not clear on that???

how tf and whytf would they send the girl to the orphanage and let her get beat up by some boys, and only then send her to some perfect chamber

ryan gosling always plays such emotionally constipated characters - they never wanna have anything good

THAT’S IT!?!! they’re not going to explain shit?? they’re implying K just died?? leaving Deckard to get picked up by police and Wallace to find the Doctor and and THEY DIDN’T EVEN KILL CREEP EXTROARDINAIRE FUCKING WALLACE???

All they did was kill the abused slave by fucking choke?????

#anyway this was one of the worst movies i ever saw it's literally just cool tech and cool sets and shit acting and sexism #my stuff #vidi

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dcublogger · 5 years ago

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Laura | International Business

Semester 2 - 2020

Using your degree in the real world

Often students can struggle to figure out how to use the skills and knowledge they learn at university and adapt it to a real-life situation. It’s a concept I struggled with in the beginning, understanding how subjects like IT Skills and financial accounting would somehow be relevant to my future career. Little did I know, I’d be using those acquired skills and knowledge so soon in my future.

At the beginning of lockdown, I decided to order myself a sewing machine. It was something I had wanted to invest in for a few years, but I just never had the time to spend learning how to use it and re-working clothes like I’d hoped to. So, I bought the sewing machine and got to work on some old clothes that I wanted to fix up and give a new lease of life. I was still quite busy with assignments and college work at the time I purchased it, but on the weekends I’d spend a few hours researching patterns and videos online. I got the hang of it eventually with a lot of practice and set off re-working some of my clothes.

One evening, I came across a youtube video on how to make reusable masks, and I decided to give it a go. I started making masks for my grandparents and family members, learning more about the process the more I made. Then, it was announced on the news a week later that the public was being advised to wear facemasks in shops and in situations where social distancing could not be adhered to. I saw this as a chance to use my skill and knowledge of business from my degree. I made a logo online, set up an Instagram page, and messaged about 20 of my friends on social media about it. I got about 12 orders for the following week, which I was delighted with! I had so much spare time on my hands that given the opportunity to spend it doing something productive was a bonus!

Fast forward two weeks and business was going slow. I was only getting about two orders a day, but I knew I was capable of doing more. I was on a Zoom call with some of my friends from college, and one of them, my friend Róisín, has recently started an INTRA placement with the Irish Sun. She was saying how every day she has to pitch ideas to her editor and she needed some inspiration for the next day. We started listing out some ideas, and one of the boys suggested an article on people making facemasks from home. The next day, she ran with that idea and pitched it to her editor, and he loved it! She messaged me with the news and I was delighted for her! But then, she asked if she could interview me for the article. I was delighted to be helping her out and really didn’t comprehend the things that this publicity could do for my start-up business.

https://www.thesun.ie/news/5459242/coronavirus-in-ireland-where-to-buy-face-masks-coverings/

That evening, the article went live, and I couldn't believe how excellent it had turned out. Róisín did an amazing job! Next thing I knew my phone started pinging and kept going and going. I couldn’t believe it when I checked to see over 10 message requests from complete strangers. I was ecstatic and nervous at the same time. After the initial shock, I calmed down and set about organising my business in order to comply with the high demand for my products. I was able to use skills I had learned in modules like operations management, financial accounting, consumer behavior, marketing - and the list continues. The knowledge I had acquired through my degree carried me through a hectic few weeks.

Thankfully everything is running smoothly now, and customers are sending me messages everyday to say their masks have arrived and how impressed they are with them, which obviously gives me a great feeling. I couldn’t have predicted that in the circumstances I would begin my own small business, but im grateful for the opportunity that has been given to me, and I look forward to what the future holds, but for now, it’s all about making my mark, with “Make your Mask”.

Adapting to change - 9th May 2020

What a crazy second semester we have had! Looking back, my last update was at the end of February - which seems like a lifetime ago! This post is really to fill you all in on what’s been happening in my life since then.

We were still on campus for lectures in week 6 of the second semester - I had a lot of assessments in Spanish that week, as well as a few assignments to hand in. I said goodbye to many of my classmates that Friday afternoon - little did I know that would be the last time I would see them for a long time. Then we had a reading week - which was hectic for me! I have been keeping this blog up to date on everything DCU Glee since September - and during reading week, we rehearsed for our upcoming show every day from 10am until 6 or 7 in the evening. It was so enjoyable and everyone in the cast became a lot closer as we spent so much time getting to know one another. It was such an enjoyable week full of fun and excitement - so as you can imagine, on Thursday the 12th of March when the government announced that all third-level institutions would be closing, we were gutted. The closure of the university ultimately meant that our show which was scheduled to go ahead on March 23rd in the Helix had to be cancelled. We are hopeful that we will have the opportunity to perform in the future when restrictions are eased - but for now, we are still keeping in touch via weekly zoom calls. The photo below was taken during our last rehearsal

That weekend, I sadly had to pack up all of my belongings in my Dublin apartment and journey home to Donegal. On Monday the 16th of March we began online lectures - which was a big difference to the usual classroom setting- but thankfully I was able to adapt to the new way of learning. The help provided by the members of staff and the business faculty at DCU was amazing - the transition of going from being physically present in a lecture hall to online learning was a great success. It was difficult at first, but as soon as I structured my days, everything began to fall into place. Most of my modules changed from end of term assessments to end of term assignments, which we were given lots of time to research and prepare for. At first, the volume of assignments was a little overwhelming, but as I began to submit them, and the to-do list got shorter, it all felt a lot more manageable. All of my lecturers have been so helpful and understanding, given the challenge it has been to alter our way of learning. They have been on hand to answer emails and queries from the beginning, which has definitely benefitted students.

One thing that I was really looking forward to was attending the DCU Clubs and Societies Awards - but thankfully, we still managed to have a great night and celebrate the achievements of many students in their extracurricular activities via a live awards ceremony on youtube. This year was DCU Glee’s first awards as an official society, and we managed to pick up an award for the best promotional video for our show.

I have to say, this time in quarantine has given me the opportunity to sit back and look at all the things I’ve achieved and accomplished in DCU in two short years - from becoming a committee member in a society, to working as a student ambassador - I am so grateful for the opportunities that the university has provided me with. I have made friends for life in DCU and I can’t wait until I can be on campus with them once again.

So far, my Erasmus in Spain is still going ahead, and although I feel optimistic, I have told myself that everything happens for a reason - so if I have to adapt to a new way of doing an Erasmus in case of travel restrictions or other reasons, I will do that, and just take every day as it comes. In the meantime, I hope to complete some Spanish courses online in order to keep up my language skills.

A great website I’ve come across in this time is Google Digital Garage, which allows you to complete courses online and gain certificates. I’m currently doing a certificate in Digital Marketing, which will hopefully be a new addition to my CV. A lot of them are business based, so anyone interested in studying it at university, maybe use this time to up-skill or find out about different subjects that might interest you!

https://learndigital.withgoogle.com/digitalgarage-ie/courses

Thanks for reading..

Week 5 - 24th February 2020

Semester 2 has been nothing short of crazy so far! I haven’t had a chance to log on since week 2, and a lot has happened since then!

So during week three, I received my exam results and I am delighted to say that all of my hard work in semester one paid off 😁With everything going on-track academically, my next hurdle was Erasmus!

Erasmus options opened for the students in my course ( International Business) at the beginning of week 4. Thankfully I have more good news on that front - I will be moving to Valencia on the east coast of Spain at the end of August, where I will study and live for a year. To say I am excited is a complete understatement - I can’t wait to have the beach on my doorstep and to be surrounded by the Spanish culture and language🇪🇸I’ve attached a link below of a video that shows off the beautiful city I’ll be doing my Erasmus in. There are of course lots of other destinations that DCU students travel to for Erasmus, one of my friends who is studying Business Studies International with Japanese will be moving to Japan for a year in September.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fOFm1x8yZI

In terms of modules, I am studying a Finance module for the first time - it’s very interesting but some of the calculations can be quite tricky so I’m making sure to spend some time studying that throughout the semester. My favorite module so far would have to be The Changing Consumer; a module run by our course co-ordinator who is incredibly engaging and encourages in class discussions and questions. The topic itself is a branch of marketing, and we look at how companies have to strategically plan their marketing projects to suit an ever-changing world of technology and consumer habits.

Last week I attended the DCU Style annual fashion show, which took place in the Helix. It was an incredible night, which showcased the many talents that the students of DCU has to offer - from the stylists to the models, every aspect of the event was run in such a professional manner. The fashion on show ranged from high-street stores to vintage shops and original designers. All in all it was an excellent exhibition of creativity. There is such a great variety of Clubs and Societies here at DCU, there is really something for everyone, no matter what you’re interested in. They really are the best way to branch out and meet likewise people and most of the student body would agree, they're the starting point of many friendships that last a lifetime!

Week 2 - 3rd February 2020

Hi everyone, it’s been a while since I’ve updated the blog, so first and foremost I’ll fill you in on what’s been going on!

Before Christmas was hectic at college, with a lot of assignments due, as well as a few tests in subjects like Spanish. But thankfully everything went well!

Then January came, which meant only one thing - exams! I spent a lot of time with my head in the books after Christmas, and await my results which will be released this week!

This time of the year is incredibly busy for me, we have just started semester 2 and I’m studying a few new modules! I’m especially interested in Finance and the Consumer Behaviour module at the moment! Lecturers are beginning to hand out assignments and on top of all that, I will be choosing my Erasmus destination in a couple of weeks!

In international business, we get to do an Erasmus for our third year of university. In September I will begin studying for a year in Spain, an amazing opportunity that will help me to become fluent in the Spanish language! Some of my classmates will be traveling to Germany, France, China, and Japan to complete their year abroad. It’s such an exciting experience and will allow us to immerse ourselves in the culture of the language we study.

March is fast approaching which means only one thing for me - the DCU Glee Showcase! The cast is working very hard to learn songs and choreography at the moment. It’s going to be a hectic few weeks, but it’s good to be busy and it makes it a lot easier when you love what you’re doing!

This week was careers week in DCU. The Careers office organised lots of workshops and talks for students to help them in their career path. I attended a career resilience workshop on Monday which I found very interesting. There was also an event where professionals from LinkedIn talked about how to create a great profile that employers would be drawn towards. There was plenty going on all over campus!

Semester 1 - 2019

Open Days

The DCU Open days are taking place this Friday 15th and Saturday 16th on the Glasnevin Campus and on Saturday 16th of November on the DCU St.Patricks Campus.

Rewind two years and I’ll take you back to my DCU Open Day experience. I travelled up from Donegal early on Saturday morning and attend the open day with my mum and a few of my friends.

I had an open mind that day, I hadn’t yet decided if I wanted to go down the business and a language route, or if I wanted to study primary school teaching.

I was able to attend talks on all the business courses I was interested in and compare them in length, whether or not they had a year abroad option, INTRA placement opportunities and the chance to specialize in the final year. I was able to talk to the head of each of the courses and find out what modules I’d be studying. The lecturers were on hand to talk to prospective students about any queries they had.

After a tour of the Glasnevin campus and the accommodation, I got the bus to the St.Patricks campus. There I attended more talks on primary education and Arts studies with languages. After talking with the lecturers in Pats that day, I decided to focus on getting the points for Business and Spanish in DCU, as they told me I could always come back after my business degree and do a masters in Teaching. I left that day with the decision that I wanted to study in DCU.

Fast-forward two years and I couldn't be in a better place. I love my course, I love living in Dublin and I love being a part of the DCU Community. When everyone tells you what’s for you won’t pass you, they're not far wrong!

So, make sure to visit the DCU Open days this weekend and have a chat with some students and lecturers if you are thinking about your next step in education. And if you see me working on Friday or Saturday, make sure to say hi 😊

Week 6 - 28th October 2019

I can’t believe how quickly the first 6 weeks of the second year of college have been - it seems like only yesterday when I was beginning my job as a student ambassador for orientation week.

I haven’t had the chance to update my blog in the past few weeks as I’ve been crazy busy between the library and lectures and social life! But thankfully I’ve got a few days off now to catch up on readings, but more importantly to relax and see my family and friends at home in Donegal

I know I’ve been talking all about DCU Glee in my last posts, so I better update everyone on that.. we have a new cast for 2019/20 and everyone is not only super-talented but so so friendly! I can’t even begin to tell you how important it is to join clubs and societies in college - I’ve made so many friends through not only Glee but the other societies I’m a member of. So I’m back to rehearsals twice a week - if anyone's looking for me on a Monday or Thursday evening, I can be found singing around DCU!

Reading week always marks a bit of a hectic time in the semester, as there's usually a few deadlines with projects and assignments. The library gets a little busier in weeks 5 and 6 as people put their heads in the books! It’s always worth it in the end.

In other news, I got selected for the Mentorship programme that the DCU Careers office, along with the Alumni office run for second-year undergraduate students. It’s a great achievement to be selected and I’m really looking forward to finding out more about the career that I want to work towards. I have been paired with a technology consultant in Accenture, and I will meet my mentor at least once a month from now until March. When we meet, we will discuss what kind of career I might be suited to, any questions I have about technology consulting or Accenture, and in February I will participate in a work-shadow day. It’[s just one of the amazing opportunities DCU has on offer - I know I’m going to thoroughly enjoy the experience.

Finally, the DCU open days are fast approaching. On November 15th or 16th you will have a chance to come to DCU to see what it is all about. For more information and to register click here: https://www.dcu.ie/studentrecruitment/openday

Week 2 - 30th September 2019

Well, it’s all well and truly kicking off this week! The Clubs and Socs fair began on the Glasnevin campus on Monday, and with DCU Glee being a new society, we had a big push on to recruit new students to join us! The clubs and socs fair is always so exciting, it really is a great example of all the great opportunities available to DCU students - from the Drama Society to Snow-sports, there really is something for everyone!

I had a look around all of the stalls and decided to sign up to the DCU Start-Up society, in the hope that I’ll be able to learn some skills and information that will be transferable to my course.

I made my first few trips back to the library this week, after a long summer free of studying, as I had to catch up on some readings for my lectures. I learnt from last year that it’s best to hit the ground running and keep on top of the workload from the beginning - in college you need to constantly be engaged in what you’re learning.

On Thursday evening I sat in my first committee meeting for DCU Glee, where we met with our clubs officer to discuss our plans for the year. We have a meeting with all of our new members on Monday the 7th of October and auditions for the cast are also coming up next week. It’s going to be crazy!

Week 1 - 23rd September 2019

On Monday I began my second year of college here at DCU - It was a long long Summer and I am so excited for the year ahead! I was actually working during orientation last week (16th of Sept) and I can’t believe that it’s already been a year since I started my DCU journey!

I already know that my second year is going to be jam-packed, and I am really looking forward to the coming months. It’s obviously going to take a while to get used to my new timetable and also the new modules I’ll be studying this year, but I feel well ready for the challenge.

I’m studying international business with Spanish here at DCU, and this year is important for me because I want to improve my Spanish skills in preparation for my Erasmus next year, where I’ll go to Spain to study for the academic year.

It’s only week one, and I’ve already been busy with Clubs and Societies! On Tuesday DCU Drama organised an event called “ Festival of the Arts,” which displayed an array of talents that the students of DCU have to offer! I am a member of the DCU Glee Society, and a few of our cast members from last years show got together to perform in the U, our student centre, at lunchtime on Tuesday.

I also began my job as PRO (Public Relations Officer) for the DCU Glee Society. It’s my job to run the social media accounts for DCU Glee and answer any emails or messages that people have about what we do. It’s a great way to use some of the techniques I learned in some of my business and marketing lectures last year, and I’m really happy to be so involved with clubs and societies. I think it’s the best way to meet like-minded people and make friends outside of your course. It has definitely helped me gain more confidence and taught me excellent life skills.

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