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theuntitledblog · 2 years ago

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WWE Clash at the Castle (2022) - REVIEW

BUILD-UP

Clash at the Castle represents WWE's first stadium based event since SummerSlam (1992) and their first general PPV since One Night Only (1997) which I was lucky to be in attendance. I very nearly bought tickets for the event itself however there were a few factors that ultimately persuaded me to watch the event from the comfort of my own home. Clash at the Castle doesn't sound as tantalizing a prospect or carry the prestigious weight of a SummerSlam, but there's still nothing quite like a WWE Stadium event and then there's the card itself to consider.

THE CARD

The card isn't overly stacked with just seven matches but each of them has enough heat to keep the audience invested in their respective stories and stakes. There are a few notable admissions such as AJ Styles, Bobby Lashley, Karrion Kross (sort of), Kevin Owens, Ronda Rousey and even the newly crowned Women's Tag Team Champions. I personally feel that there was room for a couple more but on the flip side a few of them had the potential to be Match of the Night.

Roman Reigns vs Drew McIntyre has long been overdue since their Survivor Series 2020 encounter and should've been the main event at WrestleMania. Reigns/McIntyre is the centre piece of Clash at the Castle rightly so but there is definitely appetite for change and the timing feels right for McIntyre to be propelled back to the top.

Bayley, Io Sky and Dakota Kai have injected much needed momentum into the women's division but the pairing of Asuka and Alexa Bliss has never quite worked for me with Bliss in particular lacking direction with her character at the moment. WWE Creative have done a great job building the 6 person tag team matches while Seth Rollins vs. Matt Riddle has show stealer written all over it.

THE SHOW

The show itself was well paced and didn't feel too long with each match given the time to develop into something special. Not every match quite managed to be a five star classic but there were no duds either. The post-match segment following the Main Event with Tyson Fury felt very odd and I find it strange that the show didn't go off the air since there wasn't anything meaningful in that segment.

MATCH 1: Bianca Belair, Asuka & Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley, Io Sky & Dakota Kai

This was the right match to open the show with and it didn't disappoint. Coming off the back of a surprising defeat in the Women's Tag Title tournament, this is the perfect opportunity to propel this new trio who also receive a new name. The match itself was a good opener with a good showing from all participants. The heel Bayley at odds and trying to play down the pro-Bayley chants of the British crowd was amusing to see. The result for me was of no surprise and made sense in the grand scheme of things to give the returning and well balanced trio of Bayley, Sky and Kai some momentum. Sure it's another loss for Asuka & Bliss but Bianca Belair has been on fire this year and this result sets up the inevitable clash with Bayley down the road.

WINNERS - Bayley, Io Sky & Dakota Kai via pinfall

3/5

MATCH 2: Intercontinental Championship Match - Gunther (c) vs. Sheamus

This was a match I was anticipating as I felt could offer up something special and I was not proven wrong. I've been a fan of Gunther since his NXT UK Imperium days and I think WWE have done very well with him since his elevation to the main roster. This is the sort of match I was expecting and Sheamus was the perfect choice as both are well matched and their styles compatible. The match itself was physical and brutal; it told a great story, it didn't overstay its welcome and it had the right result. The crowd was rightfully behind this and gave Sheamus a deserved standing ovation. For me this stole the show.

WINNER - Gunther (c) via pinfall

4.5/5

MATCH 3: Smackdown Women's Championship Match - Liv Morgan (c) vs. Shayner Bazler

I feel a little bit sorry for Liv Morgan because as much as she is a tryer and a hard worker, she doesn't quite convince as women's champion as much as she does as underdog chaser. Shayner Bazler on the other hand has long been underserved on the main roster with a misjudged debut at Elimination Chamber that fizzled out after WrestleMania 36. That Bazler hasn't been elevated to a major star on the roster and hasn't had the big PPV matches with the likes of Rousey, Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks is criminal. Sadly this match won't do anything to improve that but it is one that makes Morgan look stronger and more convincing as champion. It's a decent enough match but the crowd never felt to be truly invested and the whole thing felt a little flat. That in itself is disappointing as both delivered enough to warrant more of a reaction.

WINNER - Liv Morgan (c) via pinfall

2.5

MATCH 4: Edge & Rey Mysterio (with Dominik Mysterio) vs. The Judgment Day (with Rhea Ripley)

This match might've generated more interest for me had the Judgment Day been booked as a greater threat. Going into this we have seen both Edge and the Mysterios pick up wins against the Judgement Day and even here they lose again. For a faction that had so much initial promise when Edge, Priest and Ripley were members, this feels like a missed opportunity although not on the same level as Retribution. The match itself here was good with all participants on fine form with enough thrills and moments to keep the audience fully invested. The twist of Dominik's turn against Edge and his father was perfectly timed and gave it a belated lift. But for me the result should've gone the other way.

WINNERS - Edge and Rey Mysterio via pinfall

3.5/5

MATCH 5: Seth 'Freaking' Rollins vs. Matt Riddle

This match had a long standing and excellent build up with a long personal rivalry involved. Featuring one of the best standing wrestlers of WWE in Seth Rollins against the up and coming Matt Riddle who has enjoyed a tremendous run with Randy Orton; this match perhaps more than all the others has Match of the Night written all over it. It didn't disappoint in the slightest with both competitors made to look strong and tell a story in the ring that was in tune with their long standing rivalry. Rollins' Elton John ring gear made me laugh out loud but after selflessly putting over Cody Rhodes 3 times in a row in 3 outstanding matches, Rollins deserved the win here. Both men came out looking great, it's position on the card felt more than justified and is definitely one of the best matches of the night.

WINNER - Seth 'Freaking' Rollins via pinfall

4/5

MAIN EVENT: Undisputed Universal Championship Match - Roman Reigns (c) vs. Drew McIntyre

This is the match the whole event was built around and it delivered everything a classic main event needed except one thing ... the right result. I'm not dissing Roman Reigns, I think his run since he debuted the Tribal Chief gimmick has been outstanding. He's delivered quality match after match and his 2 year reign is both credible and destined for legendary status. But if you're going to pass the torch to someone else then I can't think of anyone more deserving and an event more suitable to do so than for Drew McIntyre. The crowd would've loved it, the match deserved it, Tyson Fury's knock out of Austin Theory's cash in was genius so I cannot understand why you wouldn't drop at least one of the belts to McIntyre. The result unfortunately undermines the legacy of the event with a program that didn't offer up much in the way of truly great twists or surprises. Reigns is a great champion and McIntyre doesn't come off looking weak. But the result sadly makes Clash at the Castle feel like a filler event even if the matches in general were of general excellent quality.

WINNER - Roman Reigns (c) via pinfall.

4.5/5

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princedamnianos · 4 years ago

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Look, I know there are all sorts of issues around canon Damen/Erasmus, but allow me to indulge in my kinks for a moment?

A fair warning: below the cut is SUPER nsfw!

Let’s shift the timeline just a little, so Damen becomes king around the time Erasmus completes his training, and Kastor has not yet made his move

Erasmus is chosen to be Damen’s gift the night of his coronation, and he’s never felt so nervous or so proud. His First Night is everything he could’ve hoped. He conducts himself perfectly, and Damen is kind and powerful, and they spend all night together.

In the morning Damen has duties to attend to, but he leans down to kiss Erasmus, still tangled in sheets and practically boneless from the night before, and promises to send for him again that night.

It doesn’t take long before Erasmus is his favorite, his near-constant companion.

Sometimes when Damen is working on serious research or a long speech he has Erasmus straddle his lap, his cock in Erasmus’s warm heat, as a reminder of his reward as soon as he finishes the boring task

Erasmus finds it pleasingly overwhelming to be that full, to be there just for Damen’s pleasure. Sometimes he makes himself stay aware and so carefully still the whole time, a constant game of self-denial, but other times he leans his forehead against Damen’s shoulder, nuzzles into the warm crook of his neck, and dozes off there feeling safe and owned.

He’ll be awakened by strong hands around his waist, by Damen fucking him shallowly from the same position, and he’s always so pleased to know that his body is the reward Damen grants himself.

Eventually, Damen will invite Nikandros to come try Erasmus as well. Erasmus is on hands and knees on Damen’s enormous bed, beautifully presented, and Damen leans down to kiss him and ask for his best before he and Nikandros spitroast him, one on either end, and he’s so full and dazed by the end that he thinks he could cry.

Afterwards, when he’s collapsed in an exhausted bundle between then, Nik says he’s every bit as good as you said and Damen smiles and replies that he’s certainly something special and even as tired as he is Erasmus radiates happiness

Damen and Nikandros spend a few more hours in Damen’s room, talking through topics of politics and diplomacy, Erasmus still sprawled cozily between them. His body keeps their hands busy; absent fingers brushing through his hair, tugging at nipples, rubbing his own cum into the soft skin of his stomach, at one point Damen lazily fingers him to another orgasm.

(Damen and Nikandros aren’t interested in each other that way, but it’s not unusual for them to share favored slaves between them the way they might hold serious conversations over a very good bottle of wine)

At some point Damen realizes that Erasmus recovers from orgasms alarmingly quick, and he loves to make a game of how many times he can make him cum. He particularly likes when he can finger Erasmus to an orgasm or two while preparing him for sex, and then fuck him while he’s already wrung-out and so willing.

Nik and Damen like to turn it into a competition between them, to see who can get him off the most times, and between every orgasm Damen pauses to kiss his temple or place a soft hand on his cheek and ask Erasmus if it’s too much. Even when he’s flushed and panting and can hardly imagine coming again, he’s never asked to stop, even though he knows Damen would. Part of him enjoys the challenge as well.

(Although Erasmus holds a special place in his household, Damen will still spend the occasional evening with a beautiful woman or a powerful prize-fighter from time to time. Sometimes it makes him feel a twinge of jealousy, but Erasmus reminds himself that it is healthy for a King to have many partners, and besides, Damen has not kept another in his bed for more than a day, the whole time Erasmus has known him)

Damen says all the time that Erasmus’s mouth is his best feature. He never chokes or forces Erasmus, but he does like to keep him down with a word or a soft hand on the back of his neck, until he gags just a little and comes up with shiny eyes and drool down his chin and looking up at Damen with reverent eyes

In training, Erasmus was told to never kiss his master after doing that, to always slip away and rinse his mouth as soon as is practical. Damen’s never cared for this advice; always loves to kiss Erasmus deep and slow afterwards, as though trying to taste himself on his slave’s tongue.

On the first anniversary of Damen’s coronation— their anniversary as well— Erasmus is half expecting to spend the night in his rarely-used slave quarters, as the Keeper will surely have a new, radiant young slave to gift to the King

Instead, Damen keeps Erasmus with him through the whole celebration, and that night he goes down on Erasmus for the first time. Erasmus is so surprised and it feels so good that he cries, and comes three separate times from Damen’s tongue alone, to Damen’s soft delight.

(Later he finds out that there was a slave who had been prepared for their First Night with Damen, but that Damen had gently refused the gift. Part of him feels guilty for keeping the girl from her celebration, but another part is just a little bit pleased that Damen chose to spend the night with him instead)

Not long after that first year celebration, Kallias pulls him aside in the courtyard and warns Erasmus of Kastor’s plans. They go to Damen together, and Kallias’s warning gives him the time to take down the coup swiftly, before it can fully take hold.

In response, Damen grants them both their freedom, a generous royal allowance and their own rooms in the palace. The first few months are difficult; Erasmus feels so aimless and unmoored, but he and Kallias support each other through that time and easily return to their friendship (and more)

Damen, it turns out, pulled away so sharply because their actions forced him to consider his slaves as people for the first time. He’s questioning everything that was between him and Erasmus, and Erasmus is such a perfect example of slave, so perpetually, beautifully submissive, that he can’t yet imagine a way to truly discuss these things with him.

At Kallias’s urging, Erasmus finally requests an audience with Damen. They talk, and even end up spending another night together, and although they both enjoy themselves, they just can’t figure out how to meet on equal footing.

Flashbang a few years forward and Erasmus and Kallias are living happily together, permanent members of the court at Ios. Erasmus and Damen’s relationship has transformed into a warm friendship that seems deeply unusual from the outside, but easy and sweet between them.

(He and Kallias are so careful with each other, to not fall back into the slave mindset, which is good for them, but on occasion he still enjoys the submissive undertones that Damen brings out in him)

Meanwhile, Damen has begun courting the King of Vere. Their paths first crossed when Damen sent Laurent a letter warning him of his uncle’s conspiracy with Kastor; this warning gave Laurent the forewarning necessary to outplay his uncle and claim his throne.

Laurent writes it off as a weird blip until a few years later, when he hears that Damen officially abolished slavery in Akielos. Confused by the ruling, Laurent comes in person to meet the man who killed his brother, and is surprised to meet someone honorable and true.

And everyone lived happily ever after, the end :-)

#capri #captive prince #erasmus

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itsyourturnblog · 4 years ago

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What I’ve learned: running during quarantine

Three lessons from running and using guided run coaching as a way to think about life in general

Photo by Jenny Hill on Unsplash

There’s a Chinese proverb that asks the question, When’s the best time to plant a tree? And there are two answers — the first one, Twenty years ago. The second one, If not 20 years ago, then today. Today’s the best time to plant a tree.

Thinking about that, I’ve run on and off my whole adult life — and over the past few years, I’ve fallen away from it. A couple of years ago, I won a coveted spot in the New York City Marathon lottery but I didn’t run the qualifying races or volunteer to help because my life felt too busy. My life was happening all around me, happening to me. I didn’t have time. I wanted to but… Always that pesky but. I didn’t make the space and that opportunity went unused.

Then, last year my family moved to San Francisco from NYC in late summer — which seemed like a good time as any to make other life changes. Weather permitting, I would ride a bike (some of the way) to work in SoMa, we took regular family walks, I even meditated here and there. And then, the novel coronavirus comes on the scene earlier this year. COVID-19 and quarantine ensue, causing everything to be thrown into a swirl, including work, school, habits, even the construct of time itself.

And so what to do in a time of great change and uncertainty? You guessed it, plant a tree. I planted a tree two months ago. I started running again. I mean, why not? And I began with the Nike+ Run Club app using the guided runs feature.

I promise this isn’t a commercial for Nike, I only own one pair of Nike shoes, but the guided runs really have been a lifesaver for me. Previously, when I would run, I would have company — friends, family, and people who might have signed up for the same race later in the year, my dog, some other kind of motivation — but nowadays, these things are near impossible. And so this is how coach Chris Bennett, NRC Global Head Coach, and others — including Sally McCrae, Cory Wharton-Malcolm, Shalane Flanagan — inhabited my headphones as I ran 50,000 meters (a bit over 31 miles) this month. And here’s the evidence:

Screenshots from my Strava (left) and Nike+ Run Club (right) apps — Strava’s a bit lower than NRC because some of the segments I initially logged as hikes so they don’t count as run distances

🎉🙌 🎉🙌 🎉🙌 🎉🙌 🎉🙌 🎉🙌 🎉🙌 🎉🙌 🎉🙌 🎉🙌 🎉🙌 🎉🙌 🎉🙌 🎉🙌

So, let’s get into it. Let’s cross that proverbial starting line and get going. What are three things that I’ve learned from my time running that can apply more broadly to my life and my work?

Start slowly, or go slowly

We’re all in a hurry — we’ve all got to-do lists a mile long, someone’s waiting on something, there’s that email, has the kid eaten lunch?, that thing took longer than we thought and now we’re behind, has the dog been fed?, did you reply to that message from your uncle?— but we all have time. It is something that exists for all of us. Though it does have value, it doesn’t cost any money. And whether it feels like it or not, you are in control of the next 30 minutes, the next hour, all of it. You are in control. And whether you’re running on a trail or you’re staring down a deadline or about ready to begin a design sprint with a client team, you control the cadence. You don’t have to drink from a firehose. And in order to not drive yourself into the ground, you need to start slow. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement, heart-pounding, trip over the hype, the blood rushing in our ears, to say yes, and jump in.

On the flip side, it takes strength, resolve, and focus to start slow. Because it’s tough to sit in that tension, it’s hard to say no, to really consider the whole effort — especially when it’s in-flight, you don’t know exactly what that entails. How can you know how much fuel you’ll use if you don’t know everything about the journey of which you’re in the middle?

True, you can pick up the pace later, that’s always an option but warm up first. Prep as much as you can. Stretch. Shake it out. Keep your arms loose, keep your legs limber. Then, do the icebreaker before you plow straight in. Start smart. And start slow.

Recovery is important, be easy

Be easy on yourself, even in the middle of a run. That goes for after a run, between runs, before a run. The same goes for life. Life can be hard, it will get hectic, it is crazy at times so be easy on yourself. Being easy doesn’t mean lowering your standards, it doesn’t always mean running slow. But set those things for what you need. There’s a guided run on NRC called Tough Day, Easy Run, it’s been one of my favorites because it speaks to that.

During a speed run, you may run fast, but not too fast. Or try to be the fastest. If you’re running with someone, how are they doing? Are they able to answer simple questions, maintain a conversation? Are you trying to run faster than they are? Are they trying to run faster than you? Are you able to talk to them? How are you feeling? You should feel good. If you’re feeling something else, you’re not being easy. Running should feel good.

Coach Bennett talks about how an easy run should feel, how a recovery run should feel. He says something like:

And easy doesn’t mean slow; it means just that — easy. And easy, when it comes to running, easy doesn’t mean slow. And remember we talked about slow — starting slow doesn’t mean that that’s the pace for the whole route. Taking something easy isn’t a slow run. It’s an easy run. It’s your normal, everyday run. Because if it’s not an interval run, a long run, or a speed run, it’s an easy run. It’s a recovery run. Easy is not a pace or a distance; easy is a level of effort. So go easy.

I remember one of the NRC trainers pointed out — don’t recall who it was— that runners typically have slower paces the third and last quarter of a run. And that’s not necessarily a good thing, it probably means that runner has exhausted themselves — it means I’ve been running too hard for the first half. That means I wasn’t running slow, really pacing myself, and I didn’t make it easy for myself. I’m making it harder than it needs to be. That’s me, making it hard.

How many times have we complicated something in our lives? If you’re anything like me, a lot. Whew, it’s easy to lose count. And many times, I make things in my life and my family’s life a lot harder. Why? Any number of reasons — pride, ego, stubbornness, some rigid idea that something has to be a very specific way, not accepting help, not asking for help, all sorts of reasons. If we’re easy about these things, even just a bit more, it won’t be so hard.

It’s okay to fail

The intention at the start of the run isn’t always how it plays out. Like how the best-laid plans for some Tuesday lunch or a family bingo game night or a client retro not turning out the way it was intended. What is the joke — do you want proof that god/God has a sense of humor? Make a plan.

You might start out on a run and think, I’m going to run 10K today and I’m going to crush it, but if you listen to your body and listen to what’s going on with you, that may not be the best way to run. Sure, you can dig deep and pull something out in the last quarter and thug it out but you should still start slow and be easy with yourself. Digging out that low gear, keep that in your back pocket. There’s always time for that.

In 2007, Arianna Huffington woke up in a pool of blood with a broken cheekbone and a cut over her eye. She had been at home on the phone and was checking emails when she passed out and fell. Huffington had been working 18-hour days building the Huffington Post website. She didn’t know what had happened and after weeks of medical tests, doctors came back with a simple answer: she was exhausted.

Arianna Huffington attending the premiere of The Union at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival, photo by David Shankbone

Huffington took personal steps to stop this from happening again in her own life. And then, she became a champion for getting more sleep, urging others that instead of bragging about our sleep deficits to see how we can do more with more sleep. She did one of the most popular TED talks in 2010 on the subject— it’s been watched over 5 million times — and wrote Sleep Revolution in 2017.

I say all of that as an example of what it means to reset your expectations. Listen to yourself, listen to others, the thing that you had in mind might not be the best thing or the right thing to do just now.

There’s a ton more I could say. There are things I’ve missed, sure— running on narrow trails in this time of COVID-19 precautions puts a whole new spin on politeness, how, and when to yield (bikes, runners, walkers, horses, etc.), a lesson is there to be learned in kindness. For sure. Or staying focused on the path in front of you as a metaphor for remaining present. Because there’s always a crack in the sidewalk or an exposed root that’s visible after the fact. But I’ll stop here and appreciate the fledgling tree.

Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think.

You can find the Strava and the Nike+ Run Club app on the web, in the iOS store, and in the Android store. Maybe other platforms, though I couldn’t find any others. You can find Arianna Huffington’s book, Sleep Revolution, in any major book retailer, but I would suggest getting it from your favorite local bookstore.

What I’ve Learned: Running During Quarantine was originally published in It's Your Turn on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

by Skipper Chong Warson via It's Your Turn - Medium #itsyourturn #altMBA #SethGodin #quotes #inspiration #stories #change #transformation #writers #writing #self #shipping #personaldevelopment #growth #education #marketing #entrepreneurship #leadership #personaldev #wellness #medium #blogging #quoteoftheday #inspirationoftheday

#ItsYourTurn #It's Your Turn #IYT #altMBA #Seth Godin #Inspiration #Stories #Change #Transformation #Blog #Medi

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spotlightsaga · 7 years ago

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Kevin Cage of @spotlightsaga reviews... Dear White People (S01E01) Chapter 1 Airdate: April 28, 2017 @netflix @JSim07 Ratings: Privatized @DearWhitePeople Score: 7.5/10 TVTime/FB/Twitter/IG/Tumblr/Path/Pin: @SpotlightSaga **********SPOILERS BELOW********** Dear White People, Brown People, and any People who are reading, listening, watching, or paying attention... Eventually it was coming. Eventually this series had to be addressed. But how? The last thing a Sexually Fluid, White Scotch-Irish, Ginger Male in an 11 year+ gay relationship, living in an Argentinian neighborhood within a city that has massive pockets of square miles with +80% people who speak Spanish as a first language... Or large numbers of neighborhoods with Haitian-Creole voices blasting loudly from friendly faces throwing friendly waves from a group of old men, who for some reason are always sitting at a major bus stop in North Miami Beach (but never going anywhere or taking any busses), wants to be labeled as is a 'Pseudo' or even a 'Hardcore-Leftist' who's desperately out to prove that he isn't racist. You won't be getting that article from me. You won't be getting anything of the sort from this 10-Piece Project that I assure you I will be taking my time on. I am not Left. I am not right. I'm barely in the middle. This isn't political, though it might have political undertones and repercussions. That's on interpretation, not me. By now you know that Spotlight Saga never reviews anything in a traditional manner unless it's an everyday type series that doesn't carry a particular tense or emotional impact. We go at our own pace and I prefer existential challenges, but all are welcome. I had made promises to write articles to accompany 'Dear White People', brought to us by the new & true, multitalented Justin Simien, to multiple readers, but I was waiting for the right time. Sure, I have an army of unreleased articles and reviews ready to shoot out of an iOS cannon when I'm not feeling particularly inspired, but that just hasn't happened lately, so expect last second 'Big 4 Network' reviews to start spewing out sometime in September, because everything from 'Gotham' to 'Lucifer' to 'Colony' awaits you. Oh boy. Now let's get something straight, particularly to the people on Social Media whining and crying about the show's polarizing title, claiming to cancel (or to the ones who actually did cancel, though I doubt it) their Netflix subscriptions because the title evoked some sort of feeling of uncomfortable paranoia, or what they felt was divisive rhetoric, even though it was them who were attempting to divide themselves from Netflix and causing a stir... Ultimately giving the show free promotion in the process. DWP isn't a series that is out to make anyone feel shame, wagging a brown finger across your noses, or smacking you over the top of the head with a rolled up newspaper, preferably Sunday (because there are some people who actually deserve it). The show's main protagonist narrates the thoughts of Justin Simien directly and quite accurately, right off the bat. "Dear White People is a misnomer. My show is meant to articulate the feelings of a misrepresented group outside the majority." @jsouth71 on Twitter, one of many racist, idiot keyboard warriors (I'm personally singling out him because he no longer seems to be active - guess he came, he typed, and he successfully looked like an idiot), responded to the original trailer (legit on March 12, 2017, the show didn't even air until April 28th) with multiple hashtags claiming that Netflix was racist. His most hilarious claim (to me anyway) is the one claiming that the show, what it stands for, and those that support it are all full of #LiberalBS. Well what now, Joey Southworth? I'm not even Liberal, Black, or some sort of seemingly desperate apologist... I have no agenda, except to review a Netflix TV Series in a way like no one has ever done before and while doing so, tell you all MY story, my letter to White People, because there is one thing I won't do... Tell someone else's truth... Unless they ask me to, I am for hire, y'all. Ironically, Lionel (DeRon Horton), says something eerily similar to what I've just said and said before a million times. Some people, *coughAVCLUBcough*, don't understand that telling someone else's 'truth' isn't necessarily the point of journalism, but sometimes it does involve telling another person's story from your OWN perspective, after a little help from gaining a bit of someone else's. So let's kick this thing off, shall we? It's going to be a doozy! Samantha White aka Sam (Logan Browning - ah, yes we see the ironic juxtaposition of those names already, especially since the character is biracial) attends an Ivy League school called Winchester University and hosts a radio show on campus called 'Dear White People'. As the aforementioned quote pulled directly from Sam's mouth would suggest, she really just wants to be a voice not normally heard without some sort of filter or applied lens to trickle out what people feel safe with. Sam isn't prejudice or even remotely a bigot, she doesn't seem to be whatsoever. As a matter of fact, Sam's reactions to environmental stimuli and certain situations remind me of me. She is shown often attempting to pull back when faced with a possibility of reacting off of an emotion, but when that emotion becomes overwhelming, she caves and takes control by spiraling out of control. There is a blackface party on campus and it is quickly revealed by the end of the episode that the campus crew, Pastiche, had their Facebook hacked and invites were sent out after the school's administration had already shut down the idea of the party even going forward. Did Sam send it? Please remember we're talking E1, and I don't go beyond that. She claims to have sent the email in an emotionally provocative, genuinely stirring speech she delivers after her radio show is pushed to the sidelines. She had shown up for her time slot and someone else had taken her place due to the recent controversy. This all forces Sam to make a split, snap decision, overthrowing the DJ booth like a straight up BOSS... A prime example of what I mean when I say she 'takes control by spiraling out'. Sam is also seen videotaping the party and later editing & going over the footage. So far, 2+2=4, but if she did indeed do what she said she did, then she's not the only one playing games to prove a point. She's outed to have a white boyfriend, Gabe (John Patrick Amedori), who she seems to genuinely like and in turn he is definitely enamored with her. Yes, by the way, one can be racist and have a significant other of an alternate race (as we covered in an article in S2 of the E4 & Netflix series 'Chewing Gum' after talking with and interviewing several women of color from the Caribbean)... Thats related to the fetishization or perversion of race, skin color, or anything of the like, but that isn't what it looks like what is going on here. There's definitely some real life chemistry brewing. Of course, some of Sam's peers look at her with disdain after Gabe puts their ongoing, once secret relationship on blast with an Instagram pic and a hashtag... Amazing what hashtags are capable of these days, ammirite? Well, in this case it's less the hashtag and more of the 'tagging' of the pic done by Sam's arch nemesis, Coco (Antoinette Robinson - who my white, CW loving ass recognizes from the God-awful 3rd season of 'Hart of Dixie', yeah I see you, Lavon's Niece!)... All of this confusion and animosity is what Coco wanted but this isn't what she necessarily got, not in the exact form she was aiming for, at least. Here comes the fun part! Through self-reflection and talks with her best friend, Joelle (Ashley Blaine Featherson), Sam realizes she does in fact like Gabe and decides to embrace the couple's outing... Bringing him along to her usually, black only, weekly viewing of 'Defamation', a hilarious satire of Shonda Rhimes' (who might just answer this cheeky mockery, since she just scored herself a Netflix contract) ABC political thriller, or just plain dumbed down (sorry Rhimes' fans) version of 'Scandal' (as if it could go any lower). Ouch! Anyway, according to Sam, 'Defamation Wednesdays' are the cornerstone of black college campus life.' It's just that, well, Gabe is obviously feeling a bit 'fish out of water'... Come on, white people, think about how you feel when you are the only white person in the room, you get it right? Well, that's more than likely how your good friend of color feels when you invite them out and they are the only black person to show up at your Baby Shower, Birthday Party, 'Girls Night Out', whatever the event may be. It takes time. It's admirable that Gabe came, it truly is, but this isn't exactly the same situation that I used for environmental comparisons. Sam has a show called 'Dear White People' for Christ Sake, she has an obligation to stick to her guns, sure... But love is love, and as long as there is no perversion of skin going on, who the fuck cares? Mind your mother fucking own! Oh, but that's a tale as old as time, people just love to give no fucks about this or that, while simultaneously giving all kinds of fucks about who someone lays next to at night. I can attest to both of these things, or some version of it, at least... As I live in a part of the States where I'm the only white guy that's not a Euro-Tourist in an incredibly wide radius, also being in a gay relationship, I get quite a few double takes... And the giant Red Beard doesn't help. Yet, I've come to a point where I've been here so long and become so accustomed to a different environment, being amongst other white people makes me a tad uncomfortable. More on that another episode, another day. Reggie (Marque Richardson) isn't too happy about Gabe's presence at the 'Defamation' viewing party... I'm guessing it's a lot less because he's white and a lot more because Reggie feels like he should be the one holding Sam's hand. Reggie comes off as a bit of a jackass, then again, Gabe is not only encroaching on what appears to be Reggie's love interest, but he's also aggressively inserting himself into the group. It's not that Reggie, or most of Sam's friends and acquaintances are prejudice of intolerant, quite the opposite, really. It actually seems more like a 'too much, too soon' situation. Take race out of the equation for a second, take out that fact that Sam's ideals are being broadcasted over the radio, representing a whole lot of people. EVERYONE eyes the 'new' guy or gal in a group, especially if that new person is also a new significant other, I don't care who you are. It's always best to sit back, shut your mouth, and let people come to you... Not stick out your hand and affirm loudly that, 'Hi, I'm Gabe, and I'll be taking a prominent role here now, whether you like it or not.' I love the fact that just like we all have a long way to go as a society when it comes to understanding where everyone is coming from, why people feel what they feel, so do the characters of 'Dear White People', all of them... Black, White, and everyone in between... Especially the girl in between! Yes, it appears that Sam is telling the truth in her guerrilla takeover, emotionally charged, campus wide, broadcasted admission... And if she wasn't she appears very much ready to to take both the praise & the heat (something not yet shown in E1) that she was the one who hacked the Pastiche Facebook and sent out the invites, encouraging the culturally ignorant to show up in Blackface and other embarrassingly idiotic, culture appropriated, misfortunes of human error to a party that had already been given the axe... But the show is still playful in its righteous delivery. The narrator (Giancarlo Esposito) points out a white girl and guesses that she's in a Nicki Minaj costume... Later on, while in her feelings, Sam quickly switches her music from a soft, feminine country crooning track, Suzanna Spring's 'Some Blue Sky' to 'Black' by 'Innanet James' on her way to the radio station when passing a group of Black acquaintances... It's ok to laugh, it's ok to point out the confusing parts of a sliding identity. It's ok to be who you are as long as you are true to whoever that is... Unless your a fucking hateful asshole, then Fuck You. *Somebody cue a 'Run The Jewels' track, please* *********Written By: Kevin Cage********** http://www.tvtime.com http://www.facebook.com/spotlightsaga http://www.spotlightsaga.com http://www.facebook.com/groups/artsentertainment

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josephlrushing · 5 years ago

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IFA 2020 Is Happening: Will It Be a Model for Other Events in the Foreseeable Future?

I had figured that IFA 2020 would be yet another cancellation due to the global pandemic, but today we have word that it will still happen, albeit with major changes. For at least this year’s convention, IFA will be an invite-only event, spanning three days, with no more than 1,000 people attending daily; it looks like I’ll be one of them.

There are a handful of major tech conventions held around the world each year that I consider must-attend events including CES (Consumer Electronics Show), MWC (Mobile World Congress), and IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin). There are other worthwhile conferences and conventions that occur throughout the year, some of which I also attend, but these are the three that I would never intentionally miss. However, COVID-19 has made me wonder if these huge mega-conferences might soon completely die out due to the pandemic not going away anytime soon and the very real safety concerns raised when trying to handle a hundred thousand or more attendees (and support staff) in a huge convention center.

Allow me to digress for a moment.

CES is held in Las Vegas, and it occurs in early January. Just to give you some perspective, in 2019 it had a total attendance of 175,212. Once you’ve attended CES for a couple of years, you’ll quickly learn that there is a good reason for the half-joking/half-serious expectation that after attending you’ll probably come home with what is commonly called the CES Flu – a term that encompasses a series of ailments including coughing, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, and possibly fever — any of these symptoms or a combination of them will always, always be compounded by exhaustion. Considering how many people attend CES, and how the question has since been raised of whether CES attendance could have contributed to or may have been a major factor in the virus’s spread, I’m amazed that not one of our attending group of five got sick this year. Because this year has not been like any other.

I remember first really paying attention to COVID-19 around the second week of February because one after another, companies that we were supposed to meet with at MWC started dropping out due to virus concerns. This was a first for me in the 21 years I have been covering tech, and it took me aback.

MWC is held in Barcelona, and it occurs in the last week of February; in 2019 it had an attendance of 109,674. By February 12th, COVID-19 concerns on top of the withdrawal of too many major companies from the show had shut down MWC 2020. There were quite a few members of the media who at that point were still considering going to Barcelona and having some version of a shadow convention. After all, many of us had non-refundable flights booked along with a week’s stay in non-refundable Airbnb apartments; we had companies reaching out to us offering smaller meet-and-greets with social distancing if we made the trip to Barcelona, and as of February 12, only one person in Spain had even been diagnosed with the virus, and it was a German tourist who’d been visiting the Canary Islands — so not even a local. After a few day’s consideration, however, we opted not to travel to Barcelona. I felt disappointed at the time; now I am thankful that we didn’t go, as Spain would quickly become a hotspot.

In the days leading up to the first week of March, scheduled trips for the Huawei Mate 40 launch (in late March) and the IFA GPC (in early April) had just been canceled. The day before I traveled to NYC (March 1st), it came out that a woman who had recently traveled from Iran back to NYC had the virus, but her symptoms were reported as mild. This was when we still thought the virus didn’t affect children or young people as severely as it would those who were older. At that point, we thought “older” meant 65+. Yeah, that would prove to be wrong.

I don’t think anyone in NYC was really too concerned about COVID-19 yet, but we were all aware of it by this point in a general sense. I remember that I had stocked up on antibacterial wipes and Purell before making my flight because my best friend had warned me that shortages on those items were already being experienced in Manhattan; that was about the extent of any panicking. The day I arrived in NYC (March 2), we heard about a midtown Manhattan lawyer who had fallen ill via community spread. That was scary. Over the next few days, we would hear about how the neighbor who had driven the lawyer to the hospital was also sick, as were the lawyer’s wife, son, and daughter, as well as a friend of the lawyer’s and his entire family. I think that’s when it first sunk in for me how contagious this virus was and how serious it could be; I was starting to get a little freaked out. I traveled home on March 8th as scheduled, and I don’t remember feeling anxious about traveling at all, but I do remember being very glad to be back home in Texas.

On March 9th, I picked up our granddaughters to keep for spring break. On March 11th, the WHO Director-General declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. On March 12, one of the NY friends that I’d spent a lot of time with the previous week got sick. She couldn’t get tested, but she was sent home to self-quarantine and basically told to assume that she had COVID-19. A few days after that, my best friend got sick, but she wasn’t sick enough to warrant a test. She too was told to assume she had the virus and to self-quarantine. After spending a week worrying about my friends in NYC, being scared that I might be asymptomatic and that I might have exposed everyone I cared about in Texas to the virus, we finally sorted out that my friend had been exposed at her work, on the day after I went home, to an employee who was later found to be sick with COVID-19. She had then given it to my best friend. We would later learn that the employee who had exposed my friend to the virus was dead within a week.

On March 15th, the United States was told to start socially distancing for two weeks; it is only now — over two months later — that non-essential workers are starting to go back to work. Even as fatalities and infected numbers are still rising in some parts of the US, states are starting to reopen.

The fact that so many people have become ill or lost their jobs, or died — and that people are still dying in large numbers every day from this pandemic — makes the cancellation of MWC just a tiny tragedy in the grand scheme of things. Even so, MWC’s absence (along with the cancelation of other major events including Google IO and Facebook 8) has had a negative impact on the tech industry that may not be fully realized for some time. Companies count on these conventions and events for in-person exposure to finance their inventions or as a place to introduce their latest products to the press, buyers, and the public; those opportunities were lost, and many companies have been scrambling to figure out what to do ever since. Of course, the trade-off was well made, as canceling these events kept hundreds of thousands of people from becoming possibly getting infected and then passing the virus on once home.

Kev and I live in a rural Texas area; even so, since March 9th we have been self-quarantining like there’s a zombie apocalypse going on and everyone outside of our home is a possible carrier. Since we started self-isolating, we haven’t been closer than 6 or 7′ to any other people — including family members who don’t live in our house with us — without first having a mask on and/or being outside. If we leave home to go to the grocery store, the recycling center, or the post office we wear a mask, and we sanitize our hands constantly. Neither of us has actually been in a grocery store (or any other store, really) since this started; we’ve been using curbside pickup for groceries and ordering almost everything else we need online. Keeping ourselves safe and healthy has become our new mindset. While I know that self-isolating and physically distancing ourselves from others is the right thing to do right now, I miss my family, I miss my best friend, and I miss traveling. I miss not worrying about whether Kev or I might get sick. I wonder what our new normal will be and at what point we’ll start to realize that whatever we are doing to protect ourselves is the new normal. These have been a weird couple of months … am I right?

As part of this pandemic experience, I’ve developed a new way of thinking that is a lot more cautious. And let me clarify, I am not fearful, but I am cautious. I’m pretty sure that large spaces crammed full of people who aren’t wearing masks or who aren’t trying to physically distance themselves from each other are going to get a huge NOPE from me, possibly for another year or maybe longer. In fact, I am positive that I will never look at another person who is wearing a mask in public and think they are being an alarmist — I’ll think they are being smart and silently thank them.

My best friend (who also happens to be my main travel buddy) and I have been going back and forth on when we think it might be safe to start traveling regularly for work and pleasure again. Just a day or two ago, we were talking about how we might feel safe to travel around the time that IFA is usually held. See, we had already had it in our mind that even by September, IFA as we knew it wouldn’t be happening. Berlin’s ban on all events over 5,000 made the conference seem even less likely.

#IFA20: Set for an innovative concept designed for unprecedented times.

IFA Berlin is set to go ahead in 2020, but with an innovative new concept, following the decision by the Berlin government to ban all events with more than 5,000 participants until 24 October 2020. 1/6 pic.twitter.com/MLDvamLXzf

— IFA Berlin (@IFA_Berlin) April 21, 2020

I was thinking IFA might make the conference an all-virtual event like others have done. It turns out, I was wrong.

And that brings us to the latest news.

IFA is held in Berlin, and it generally runs for 5 days in early September. Billed as the largest consumer electronics trade show in the world, IFA had 245,000 attendees in 2019. 245,000! Part of the reason that the numbers are so huge is that unlike CES and MWC, IFA generally opens its doors to the public after the first couple of days.

Would I be willing to attend a conference with 245,000 others attending anywhere today— or even in the next 6 months? Absolutely not. Would you?

I haven’t even been inside a restaurant since March 9th; I can’t imagine being in the typical convention hall with thousands and thousands of people right now. It absolutely gives me the heebie-jeebies. :-/

Would I consider attending an invitation-only IFA event in early September that is closed to the public and that caps max attendance at just 1,000 people per day for three days? Yes, I think my collection of face masks and I could make that work. Even if the mere idea of eating in a restaurant seems so foreign right now.

They’re calling it the IFA 2020 Special Edition, and the conference will consist of four stand-alone events that will include the IFA Global Press Conference that members of the international press usually attend in April; it will include a Keynote by Cristiano Amon, the President of Qualcomm, as well as keynotes and presentations from other companies on its “two or three keynote stages curated by IFA.” The second event will be a combination of IFA NEXT and IFA SHIFT Mobility which will focus on bringing technology start-ups and companies in the connected mobility sector together, “to help them get the much-needed lifeblood of publicity and industry connections. For innovators, disruptors, tech journalists, and digital influencers interested in the cutting edge of technology, this will be the year’s most important event to attend.” IFA Global Markets is Europe’s largest sourcing show for OEMs and ODMsThis is IFA’s answer to the Industry’s need for a sourcing show “to repair and restructure its supply chains hit by the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic.” It looks like attendees will still have plenty of networking opportunities with the IFA Business, Retail & Meeting Lounges I’m not sure how they measure it, but IFA said that in 2019, “brands and retailers struck deals worth more than 4.7 billion euro during the event in Berlin. While the pandemic will make it impossible to replicate this level of deal-making and networking, IFA Berlin will curate the IFA Business, Retail & Meeting Lounges to give brands and manufacturers the much-needed opportunity to meet retailers in a safe and efficient manner ahead of the year’s all-important shopping season.”

Of course, with such a relatively small show, everyone who wants to won’t be able to attend; there will likely be plenty who don’t want to or can’t travel. That’s why there will also be a Virtual IFA Experience which will allow everyone who can’t be present the opportunity to still be part of the IFA Berlin experience.

Will IFA 2020 Special Edition be what we are used to? No. But it will likely be the first actual tech event many of us have attended in person since the pandemic began. Carly and I were talking about the likelihood of CES being canceled the other day, and in its present form, we can’t see how it won’t be. But what if CES and other huge conventions took a page from IFA — at least until this pandemic is under control (or we have a vaccine) — and they held smaller, more intimate gatherings with an option to videostream from anywhere? What if MWC did the same? That might be the smartest way forward, at least until we figure out what our new normal when it comes to trade shows will be.

What do you think? What would it take to make you feel comfortable attending your usual trade shows and conferences, or do you think that a different way of doing things is the only way forward? If you see a different way forward, do you think it will involve smaller events, live streaming, virtual reality, or something no one has even tried yet?

IFA Berlin will be open to invited participants from 3 to 5 September 2020. You can learn more here.

from Joseph Rushing https://geardiary.com/2020/05/20/ifa-2020-is-happening-will-it-be-a-model-for-other-events-in-the-foreseeable-future/

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recentanimenews · 5 years ago

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Bookshelf Briefs 6/19/19

Anonymous Noise, Vol. 14 | By Ryoko Fukuyama | Viz Media – Well, that didn’t last long. In a series about the heroine singing in a band, when she can’t sing if she’s dating one of the guys she likes, it’s best to end it. Or at least that’s what Momo thinks, anyway. Time to see who wins the battle of self-sacrifices. Elsewhere, it’s dawning on the band that they need to think past high school, and Haruyoshi is waffling about the direction he wants to go next. I won’t spoil how this is resolved, but it’s sort of hilarious *and* touching. And of course there’s Nino’s part in all this, as she has to deal with a breakup as well, in addition to trying to find her voice—again. Anonymous Noise never seems to lack for things to happen, and it continues to putter along smoothly. – Sean Gaffney

Ao Haru Ride, Vol. 5 | By Io Sakisaka | Viz Media – Sadly, going to the festival turns out to not happen—again—as Kou is once again being drawn away from Futaba, this time because he’s trying to help a distant friend with personal problems. And also possibly because Futaba is hanging out and chatting with Toma, who’s handsome and nice and also has fallen head over heels for her, something Futaba realizes not one bit. And so much of this volume returns us to the halcyon days of Kou being avoidant and difficult. At least Futaba angsting over telling her friends about her feelings for Kou is quickly nipped in the bud. I do really like the reverse costume cafe they do. (They’re right; Murao does look amazing as a butler.) Will this cliffhanger affect anything? Oh, probably. – Sean Gaffney

Ao Haru Ride, Vol. 5 | By Io Sakisaka | VIZ Media – Futaba and Kou had gotten close to confessing their mutual feelings, and he even invited her again to the summer festival they didn’t get to attend in junior high. But then he suddenly cancels and is incommunicado for the rest of summer vacation. When school resumes, it seems he’s actually in good spirits, but is preoccupied with his phone. Eventually it emerges that he’s helping a former classmate get over the death of a parent, and though Futaba thinks this is admirable, she nonetheless feels left out. The fact that this classmate is female is obvious but is held as a reveal until the final page. Meanwhile, a male rival must be introduced too, and so we meet Toma Kikuchi, a boy who Futaba accidentally groped, who comes to like her after realizing she’s perceptive, honest, and not as tough as she might appear. Standard shoujo, but still enjoyable. – Michelle Smith

As Miss Beelzebub Likes, Vol. 6 | By Matoba | Yen Press – No one seems to be more surprised than the artist that this series has reached six volumes, which results in a meta gag when Azazel’s assistant Samyaza appears, and they note it’s far too late in the series to introduce someone like him. He bounces off Mullin well, though—perhaps a bit too well for Beelzebub’s taste, as she worries that they’re both too shippable with each other. Elsewhere, the exchange diary between Belphegor and Azazel is actually not a half-bad idea, but too many cooks spoil a bit of the pie. Unfortunately, there’s more Eurynome as well, and trying to indicate she’ll eventually be shipped with Samyaza does not balance out her continued lust for young boys. Read it if you already are. – Sean Gaffney

A Certain Scientific Accelerator, Vol. 9 | By Kazuma Kamachi and Arata Yamaji| Seven Seas – As it turns out, the girl that Last Order ran into in the previous volume, despite giving off immense “I am a secret villain” vibes—mostly to Last Order, to be fair—turns out not to be a villain. She is, however, a twin, and it’s her sister who seems to have the villain card as well as the tragic past. It’s also startling to see the princess from the previous book captured fairly easily (possibly as Accelerator is healing so AWOL this book), and the cliffhanger, which involves repeated use of the food/death metaphors that litter the book, is really chilling. That said, if there’s one thing that defines this volume of the series, it’s the big ol’ fight in the middle of it, which is very well done. – Sean Gaffney

Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction, Vol. 5 | By Inio Asano | Viz Media – I admit I avoided reading this for a while. I still expect it to end with everyone either dead or depressed. I mean, it’s Asano. But as always, when I finally started to read it it was fantastic. The art alone is a main reason to read this. Plus, now that everyone is in college, relationships are allowed to develop more naturally. Unfortunately, in both cases this may end up being a mistake. Oran has bonded with the alien in disguise, and hides him by saying he’s her boyfriend… something that may be coming true. As for Kadode, I was sort of hoping that graduation would mean the end of the crush on her teacher, but apparently it means there’s nothing standing in the way anymore. Will either girl find happiness before the end of humanity that continues to be implied here? – Sean Gaffney

My Solo Exchange Diary, Vol. 2 | By Nagata Kabi | Seven Seas – The sequel to My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness ends with the second volume; the conclusion of the series is just as achingly and brutally honest as its beginning. Kabi’s struggle with anxiety and depression continues through its highs and extreme lows. The success of her autobiographical manga ultimately compounds the issue for her as she starts to feel guilty about some of the things that she’s said about family members and has to deal with the consequences of revealing so much of herself to a public audience. A central portion of the second volume of My Solo Exchange Diary is devoted to Kabi’s stays in two different hospital wards—part of her ongoing efforts to get her life back on track. Due to the subject matter of My Solo Exchange Diary, the series isn’t always the easiest to read, but it is still an approachable, compelling, and noteworthy work. – Ash Brown

Queen’s Quality, Vol. 7 | By Kyousuke Motomi | Viz Media – We’re down to twice a year for this series now, the same as Japan, but it’s making those volumes count. We get lots of Fumi being awesome (toilet brush or no), lots of romantic sizzle between her and Kyutaro, overcoming self-loathing and doubt, and a whole lot of testicle jokes. In case you wondered what all the “golden ball” stuff was. The beauty of this artist is that she’s not afraid to have things get completely silly even in the middle of a dramatic fight, and alternatively have the silliest moments give way to drama. We also get a lot more insight into Kyutaro’s late parents here. But, and the cliffhanger doesn’t quite tell us, will someone finally realize that Fumi + Fuyu = Fuyumi? – Sean Gaffney

Ran the Peerless Beauty, Vol. 4 | By Ammitsu | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – Ran and Akira are now officially a couple, and this volume features milestones like calling each other by first names, going on a real first date, holding hands, and Christmas. While it cannot be denied that the plot is fairly formulaic at this point, there’s still something special about Ran the Peerless Beauty. Part of it, I think, is that we see just as much of Akira’s emotions as we do Ran’s, and it’s often the case that when she’s nervous or embarrassed or unsure, he confesses that he’s right there with her. Too, Ammitsu’s art is very expressive. I loved a particular smirk of Akira’s (after purloining a strawberry) very much but actually laughed out loud at the panel in which her father finally comprehends that Akira is Ran’s boyfriend. I hope this one gets a print release so it might reach a wider audience. – Michelle Smith

Sweetness & Lightning, Vol. 12 | By Gido Amagakure | Kodansha Comics – I wasn’t prepared for the final volume of Sweetness & Lightning to make me verklempt, but that’s because I didn’t know the final chapter would see Tsumugi going off to college in Hokkaido. Before this, we got a sequence of chapters with Tsumugi at various ages, where we see her growing in independence and culinary skill. And, finally, heading out to experience life on her own. It’s very nice! Too, I really appreciated that nothing about the finale hinges on whether Inuzuka and Kotori might get together now that she’s somewhere in the neighborhood of 30. It’s clear that Tsumugi would like that, but to the end, this is the story of a father and daughter and how they have stuck together after the loss of someone they love. I enjoyed it very much. – Michelle Smith

Takane & Hana, Vol. 9 | By Yuki Shiwasu | VIZ Media – I know it’s contrived and rather over-the-top, but the meddling chairman forcing his grandson and the Nonomura family to live together really works for me. In order to convince Takane to go along with it, Hana has to honestly confess that she wants to live with him, something she later reiterates to Okamon, who is very worried about her whole situation and finally ends up confessing. I’m not sure Hana and Takane are really getting closer—for every sweet study session there’s a misguided, extravagant bedroom redecoration—but the whole setup does at least put a fresh spin on their arrangement and provides, in the chairman’s words, “a place for you two to become certain about each other.” This series continues to be a lot of fun. – Michelle Smith

By: Ash Brown

#Anime #News #Manga Bookshelf

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cameronwjones · 7 years ago

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Virtual and Augmented Reality: What Event Organizers Must Know

With each passing year, technology continues to propel the events industry to new heights. Whether it be improvements in event marketing attribution, more robust event tools, or stronger event data security, the collective advancement of technology plays a significant role in the evolution of the events industry. And among the event trends that continue to shape the space, virtual and augmented reality have become key catalysts for innovation.

Learn more in our Biggest Event Trends of 2018 ebook.

VR and AR are leading the charge in creating unique and singular experience for attendees. As the use cases and accessibility of this technology continues to expand, we should expect to see VR and AR make an even larger impact in the years to come. This blog post looks to educate the reader on the recent developments of this technology and how it has already influenced the event space.

What is Virtual and Augmented Reality?

Virtual Reality (VR):

Virtual reality is a three dimensional completely computer generated environment. Users usually need to wear a Virtual Reality headset and may also need compatible gloves or handsets to be able to effectively interact with this world.

Above: an example of virtual reality

Virtual reality should not be confused with 360° photos and video, which is simply a still image or recording captured in the round. We provide an example of this type of video later in the article.

In 2016, NBC broadcasted 85 hours of the Rio Olympics in 360° video. This included the opening and closing ceremonies, and sports like men’s basketball, gymnastics, track and field, and fencing.

Augmented Reality (AR):

Augmented reality combines both computer generated elements and the reality to create an augmented world. With augmented reality, viewers interact with computer generated overlays as they move within the real world.

Above: an example of augmented reality

The overwhelming success of Pokemon Go provides an interesting case study. In less than a month, Pokémon Go generated over 30 million app downloads, $1.6 million in revenue from the iOS store per day, and increased Nintendo's value by over $9 billion. Of course, Pokemon Go ended up losing momentum rather quickly, but these statistics show that AR technology has the ability to make a significant impact among consumers.

Why Should Event Planners Care?

Now you may be wondering, what does VR and AR have to do with event planning? With so much potential, VR and AR have the ability to change the way we discuss, attend, and interact at events.

Sarah Yeats, Client Services Director at Sledge, recently discussed her thoughts on the industry's next big thing:

"I think people are realizing the potential and embracing the technology. You can really put yourself or others into an experience / space that you can fully experience for yourself. This is ideal for business in foreign countries as you can bring the place to them if traveling isn’t an option... The tech is becoming more affordable and we are starting to see the opportunity now which is very exciting."

Yeats, an experienced event professional, realizes the potential that AR and VR offer. Not only will this play a big role in the event tech space, but more so, it will allow attendees to garner more fulfilling experiences.

Virtual Venues

As a planner of an event, you may be used to investing a large poriton of your budget on an event venue, speakers, lodging, food and beverages, and other miscellaneous logistics. However, if you were to hold a conference or a trade show through virtual reality, many of those costs would be eliminated.

To create a truly virtual event, organizers would have to create a computerized event space. Doing so may be expensive now, but once the technology is more mature it will likely be much less expensive than existing event planning costs.

Virtual Attendance

Thanks to advancements in telepresence tools, event organizers can make it easier for people to attend an event remotely. Double Robotics developed a remote control robot equipped with an iPad, making it easy for attendees to interact with other event goers remotely.

Source: Help Net Security

Event organizers could make these robots available to VIP guests unable to attend an event because it clashes with their schedule. Now a top executive in New York can attend an event in Australia without having to commit to long flight times and inconvenient time-zone changes.

In return, event goers will get the chance to interact with an attendee who would likely enhance the experience for everyone involved.

Augmented Experiences

What if you could give an event attendee heads up turn-by-turn event directions? What if attendees could know who they're speaking with simply by donning a headset equipped with facial recognition software?

These are the sort of things that augmented reality can provide event attendees. Event goers would simply need to use an AR headset, glasses or contact lenses that are paired with special event planning software. Then they could engage with your event on a deeper level thanks to rich data overlaying their event space.

Experience Products and Spaces

Venue spaces for trade shows often need to be cavernous in order to accommodate all of the different items on display. Cars shows for example require hundreds of thousands of square feet to accommodate all of the different vehicles on display. Augmented reality could make the need for giant venues a thing of the past. Companies like Volvo are already working on technology that would provide potential customers the ability to engage with their cars through headsets.

Soon this technology could change the way trades shows and other events with exhibitors are operated.

Mainstage Presentations

In May 2016, Google I/O held a two-hour keynote where CEO Sundar Pichai and his team showcased what the company had in store for the upcoming year. They provided a live stream of the opening address on the Google I/O website and on YouTube.

In the video below, Google's event planners made it easy for anyone to turn into the live stream, and since 360° video was used, those watching remotely were able to feel closer to the action than ever before.

Above: use the directional pad in the top left corner to explore the 360° video.

Examples of Augmented Reality for Events

Augmented reality technology is already being used across multiple events. The versatility of AR and how it can be applied through different devices makes it a very useful technology for event organizers and attendees. Check out some of the ways AR is making a presence at events.

1) Finding Hidden Figures at CES 2017

Credit: TheVerge.com

The advantage that AR has over VR is that the former is more accessible to consumers. Given that popular apps like Snapchat already use forms of AR and the iPhone X has AR functionality built into the software, the technology is becoming more available to users. It makes sense to use AR technology in a way that remains simplistic while still leveraging its fascinating capabilities. At the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show, the film Hidden Figures was promoted through AR technology by having attendees use their smartphones to discover the hidden statues of the film’s main characters. There were multiple pedestals at which specific QR codes were placed and attendees had to scan the code with their phones in order for the statue to appear. Each statue was accompanied by a short description that was provided within the app. Experiences like these incentivize attendees to engage with their surroundings in ways that would be impossible with AR technology.

2) Cirque Du Soleil and Hololens

Credit: engadget.com

Perhaps the most sophisticated form of consumer-facing AR technology is the Microsoft Hololens. This headset consists of translucent glasses that overlay images and graphics within the user’s current environment.Microsoft has demoed the product in numerous different events, showing off its capabilities. During the 2017 Microsoft Build Conference, the set design team for Cirque Du Soleil showed how they utilized the Hololens to visualize their entire set. By demoing the product in real time, attendees were able to experience the wide-range capabilities of this technology and understand the scope of its usage across different all types of industries.

3) VNTANA at Computex 2016

Source: intel.com

Aside from smartphones and headsets, AR can also be created through larger hardware devices. A particular form of augmented reality that is gaining traction is the hologram screen. VNTANA is an AR company that allows consumers to interact with concepts, products, and people through their patented hologram screen in order to create a more engaging and hands-on experience. Their technology is already being used at multiple conferences and trade shows. At Computex, one of the world’s largest tech trade shows held in Taipei, Intel announced their new AR processor ship using VNTANA’s telepresence hologram technology. Gregory Bryant, Intel’s GM of connected home and commercial clients, appeared on stage as a hologram, addressing the audience and answering questions in real time. The clarity of his image as well as the immediacy of his responses made it seem as if he were actually on stage. Examples such as these makes one wonder how AR will transform the way people visualize and communicate with one another. Examples of Virtual Reality for Events

The use case for virtual reality is as wide-reaching as one’s own imagination. Given the endless capabilities the VR provides, how the technology is used depends on the end goal of the organizer or exhibitor. Is the objective to educate attendees regarding a product? Is the goal to generate anticipation for a soon-to-be-released product? The following examples offer different use cases for VR technology.

1) Budweiser Beer Garage

Source: adage.com

During 2016 SXSW, Anheuser Busch’s experiential campaign consisted of a full-on beer garage that involved all things Budweiser. From a comfortable lounge to a bar with Budweiser beer on tap, the garage was full of multiple sections that created an entertaining atmosphere. Using Oculus VR headsets, participants were given a full tour of the brewing plant, engaging all five of their senses. When entering the refrigerator, cold air was blown into the room for a realistic effect. When the virtual tour took them to the hops room, Budweiser employees would hold a jar of hops under the participant’s nose so they knew what the room actually smells like. This entire experience helped participants become more aware of the Budweiser brew process, developing a deeper understanding of the product and brand.

2) Bosch Xperience Mobile Tour

Source: eventmarketer.com

VR is a great way to educate prospects on the full capabilities of a company’s product or service. Bosch, one of the world’s leading engineering companies, used VR technology to do just that. In an effort to promote their gasoline direct injection system (GDI) and quiet cast brakes, they embarked on an event roadshow that focused on a specific experiential marketing initiative. The Bosch experiential team spent seven months on the road meeting with thousands of auto technicians to educate them on properly implementing Bosch’s quiet cast brakes and GDI system. This was done through as immersive experience with the Oculus Rift, placing the technicians in repair scenarios in which they had to use Bosch’s automotive parts. This experience is a prime example of how immersive VR technology can be used to help consumers understand the full scope of your product by placing them in the relevant situations.

3) Virtual Tutorial at 2017 Intex Expo

Source: Bizbash.com

When people think of VR use cases, they oftentimes think of ways to further enhance spaces within the tech industry. However, the versatility of VR allows it to be used across multiple industries, whether old or new. For example, even in a profession as dated as construction, VR technology has a way of bringing a new perspective to the job. During the 2017 Intex Expo, the world’s largest trade show dedicated to walling and ceiling, Continental Building Products used the VR headsets to teach attendees how to apply their drywall product, Rapid Deco, at an actual construction site. The process was annotated throughout, combining VR and AR capabilities. This educational experience helped attendees better understand the strength of the product as well as appreciate the discipline of construction.

Moving Forward

Virtual reality and augmented reality present great new opportunities for event organizers to create truly novel experiences that capture the hearts and minds of event attendees. Currently, people are excited by these new experiences and are eager to try them.

Event organizers should think about how they can design event experiences that can help attendees to engage with one another, speakers, sponsors and exhibitors more effectively and in many cases it seems that these new pieces of tech can help.

from Cameron Jones Updates https://blog.bizzabo.com/virtual-and-augmented-reality-for-event-organizers

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ogiuemaniax · 7 years ago

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When a brand-new convention decides to call itself “Anime NYC,” it’s practically asking to have the deck stacked against it. Running a first-year convention is no small task, doubly so if it’s in the heart of Manhattan. And with no reputation to go by, potential attendees may feel reluctant to try things out. Small attendance numbers can mean a lack of overall interest and the inability to justify the high costs of NYC, while large numbers means a greater chance of disaster striking if mismanaged. As a longtime resident of New York City, I’ve seen cons come and go, but somehow, someway, Anime NYC went so swimmingly that I almost can’t believe it was real.

General Impressions and Exhibitor’s Hall

Those who attended New York Anime Festival and the first few New York Comic Cons might recall what it was like to go through the Jacob Javits Center without feeling like sardines. Walking through Anime NYC felt reminiscent of that environment, as the con was fairly heavily populated but with plenty of elbow room to spare. Panel rooms were right next to the Exhibitor’s Hall, making transitions between checking out the goods and listening in on industry and fan talks. Special events were held in a Main Event Hall that was a fair distance away, though nowhere near as disorienting as, say, the Baltimore Convention Center where Otakon used to take place.

Because it was so easy to navigate (without the space feeling overly empty), I came out of the three-day con feeling satisfied yet unstressed. Usually one comes with the other due to the hustle and bustle of trying to get everything done, or because there’s so little to do at the event itself that boredom and lethargy set in. Anime NYC struck a Goldilocks-type balance with a schedule that thrilled but did not overwhelm body and mind.

A major contrast between Anime NYC and NYCC is that the latter is focused on being a general comics pop culture event, with a film and television presence that all but overshadows the “comic” in comic con. Anime NYC, on the other hand, is first and foremost concerned with anime and manga. A few features branched out from that core, such as the presence of Overwatch voice actors who were there to meet the fans and sell autographs, but this was certainly no “anime ghetto,” as fans took to calling New York Anime Fest when it began to be dissolved into NYCC. For those who love anime and love a big convention feel but think New York Comic Con’s a bit too much, Anime NYC has potential to be a gathering point for anime fans in the tri-state area.

Concerts

Anime NYC featured two concerts that shone in different ways. The first was Anime Diva Night, while the second was the Gundam Thunderbolt Concert.

https://twitter.com/yonekurachihiro/status/931742317039505409

At Anime Diva Night, three Japanese musical guests performed as part of the Anisong World Matsuri. Two of the singers, Ishida Yoko and TRUE, are amazing vocalists in their own right, but the third, Yonekura Chihiro, was the reason I wanted to attend. She’s the voice of so many amazing anime themes over the years that it almost doesn’t compare. Notably, she sang the opening and ending themes to Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team.

While having Yonekura alone would’ve sufficed in my case, all three did a wonderful job. Some singers sound significantly better in the recording booth than they do onstage, but this was not the case for the Anime Diva trio, who sounded incredible even though the makeshift Main Events Hall did not have ideal acoustics.

The concert had a somewhat unusual format. Rather than move from one act to the next, each performer would do a few songs, perform a duet with another, and then the newer singer would take over before the next duet. There were two rotations in total, with all three singers performing together at the start and end of the show. All of the group performances were cover songs of popular anime themes—”Cruel Angel’s Thesis,” “Moonlight Densetsu,” “God Knows,” etc.—while the solo acts were their signature songs. Yonekura did indeed sing the Gundam 08th MS Team opening, but also an old favorite of mine in “Will” from the anime Hoshin Engi (aka Soul Hunter). Highlights from the other two singers included TRUE performing the first Sound!! Euphonium opening and Ishida doing arguably her most famous song, “Otome no Policy” from Sailor Moon R.

There were a couple of songs that didn’t make the concert that I was hoping for: Yonekura’s “Yakusoku no Basho e” from Kaleido Star and Ishida’s “White Destiny” from Pretear, but it was a small loss for an otherwise amazing concert.

The Gundam Thunderbolt Concert was highly unusual compared to what typically happens at an anime con performances. Generally, they’re closer to Anime Diva Night, sounding like the j-pop or j-rock one expects out of anime. To have the Gundam Thunderbolt composer Kikuchi Naruyoshi lead a jazz band himself on saxophone was a truly rare treat, and it’s one of the most unique experiences I’ve had at an anime con. The closest equivalent I could think of was Kanno Yoko’s concert at Otakon 2013.

I am no jazz aficionado, but thanks to the concert, I felt as if I began to understand the almost primal appeal that jazz holds for listeners. As I listened, an analogy popped into my head: jazz is like constructing a human being from music. They can be loud one moment and quiet the next. They can be a mess of contradictions, yet still function. I’m unsure if this will send me towards checking out more jazz in the future, but my curiosity is definitely piqued.

I’ve been more or less referring to the Gundam Thunderbolt Concert as a “jazz performance,” but that’s not entirely accurate. To everyone’s surprise, the concert also included performances by the singers of some of the 50s/60s-style pop songs from the Gundam Thunderbolt anime. In the context of the series, the two main characters, Io and Daryl, are two soldiers on opposite sides of a war who each listen to music as they battle. Io is an intense man who loves equally powerful jazz, while the handicapped Daryl prefers softer ballads.

At the Gundam Thunderbolt panel, Kikuchi mentioned that these are basically his two favorite genres of music, and he thought both fit the characters well. Interestingly, while the Gundam Thunderbolt manga included jazz already, Kikuchi composed entirely new songs that he felt fit Io’s character better.

One funny coincidence of sorts when it comes to Kikuchi’s choice to add a golden oldies aspect to the Gundam Thunderbolt score is that one of the biggest names in classic mid-20th-century American pop, Neil Sedaka, once composed the theme songs to Mobile Suit Z Gundam in the 1980s. I’d be curious to know what Kikuchi would think about this.

Artist Alley

More than Exhibitors’ Halls, Artist Alleys at cons can be affected heavily by the space they occupy. Regardless of the artists’ skills, or the amount of people in the alley, a bad space can make an attendee want to leave as quickly as possible, while a good space encourages more browsing and exploring.

Anime NYC’s is probably the best I’ve ever seen. Held on the top floor of the Jacob Javits Center, natural light shined down on the entire Artist Alley from an entirely windowed roof. At times, it almost felt like an outdoor European boutique, which made it just a pleasant place to peruse.

I purchased a few items at the Artist Alley, mainly from Japanese artists (something of a rarity even at anime cons). One booth was ran by the wife and assistant (pictured above) of manga artist Ohno Junji, creator behind the manga for obscure titles Mobile Suit Gundam: Missing Link and Mobile Suit Gundam The Origin MSD: Cucuruz Doan’s Island. Unfortunately, the artist couldn’t attend himself. They were selling art packages from Ohno himself and his assistant, Ally Suwabe:

Ohno Junji

Ally Suwabe

Axel Rex is Ohno’s original web comic he drew for Kodanasha/Yahoo!! Comics from 2008 to 2009.

The other Japanese artist attending was Tatsuyuki “Mikey” Maeda, who’s worked for the past 10 years as a manga assistant. In a way, while manga artists themselves only attend cons sparingly, their assistants are even rarer. Maeda was selling a short guide called “Secrets of Manga: Basics of the Tools & Trade.” In it, he gives various technical tips to aspiring manga creators, the kinds of things that often get glossed over in favor of “character design” and “how to draw mecha.” The guide talks about differences in pen nibs (such as what you should use if you have a light touch vs. a heavy hand), how to effectively use white-out, and more. I highly recommend it.

Panels

Gundam Thunderbolt Panel

Panels are an important part of the con experience for me, though due to my schedule I could not attend as many as I would have liked. Still, the Gundam Thunderbolt panel was highly informative, as were the Inifini-T Force and LeSean Thomas panels.

Infini-T Force is a current 3DCG anime series crossing over the classic heroes of Tatsunoko Production—Gatchaman, Casshan/Casshern, Hurricane Polymar, and Tekkaman. The fact that Tatsunoko, one of the most influential anime studios ever, had a con presence at all was the main reason I decided to attend their panel. Overall, it was a fairly basic introduction to Tatsunoko, but I like that they conveyed a bit of the studio’s historical significance. They’re one of the most influential studios ever, pushing the limits of animation in Japan since their inception in the 1960s. They were also willing to discuss a bit of the reception Infini-T Force has received in Japan, such as the fact that the primary female character is a little contentious to Japanese audiences. This is also somewhat unusual for Japanese companies, and was somewhat refreshing.

The LeSean Thomas panel was a general Q&A, but was one of the highlights of Anime NYC. It was inspiring to see attendee after attendee express how Thomas inspired them to keep working at their art, and how his success as a creator of color gave them the courage to never give up. I previously interviewed him at Otakon 2016, and he does make for an excellent role model.

Cosplay

In this case, I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves:

In Conclusion

Given how much I’ve praised Anime NYC, it might seem like I’m a paid shill, but I assure my readers that this is not the case. The con was actually executed so smoothly that there’s little I can complain about that would be the fault of the convention itself. While I attended for free as press, even the weekend ticket was affordable, especially compared to New York Comic Con ($60 vs. over $200 to buy four 1-day NYCC passes).

At approximately 20,000 attendees, Anime NYC has already become one of the larger anime cons in the US. The convention appears to have done a sound job of attracting locals, and I’m curious to see how much more it can grow. If the convention keeps up this level of quality, I’d be happy and proud to call Anime NYC “home.”

Teikoku State of Mind: Anime NYC 2017 When a brand-new convention decides to call itself "Anime NYC," it's practically asking to have the deck stacked against it.

#anime nyc #chihiro yonekura #gundam 08th ms team #gundam thunderbolt #TRUE #yoko ishida

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radioonfire · 7 years ago

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Olly, olly..

I’m still deciding on how, when and what to post, but I think I’ll stick to something I know like gaming or movies and maybe make it into a weekly post. Then, set the queue to post every Friday afternoon.

Let’s start off with a game I finished last month, Oxenfree.

Title: Oxenfree Release Date: Jan. 16, 2016 Available on: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Android, iOS Find it on Steam here

Oxenfree is a graphic adventure game where the idea of attending a beach party on an isolated island seemed to be the perfect escape but only proved to be the beginning of the escape. You find Alex, a blue-haired teenaged girl, riding a ferry to the island with Ren, Alex’s stoner friend, and Jonas, Alex’s new step-brother. After joining the rest of the beach party attendees, Alex, Ren and Jonas decide to check out the mysterious caves found on the island that offer secrets of the past and threats of the unknown. In order to tap into the past, Alex attempts to pick up frequencies using her radio and eventually kicks off the start of a weird time loop de loop. De loop.

I was immediately hooked to the story because 1) the conversations seemed real and made the characters more relatable, and 2) it allowed you to share Alex's inner thoughts and sort of collaborate on how to act with people. The conversation drives the game as you venture through the island and you're sometimes given an option to remain silent during certain conversations. As you probably expected, your choices add up to one of many available endings. So you'll have to watch who you choose to team up with, side with and talk to. If you bond with one person but during a confrontation, you choose the side contrary to theirs, they can end up going their own way after things are done.

The story itself is time-twisty. I say time-twisty because a lot of the puzzles use odd radio transmissions and time manipulation. This is truly an attempt to distort the line between reality and fiction by supplying disjointed sounds riddled with possible Jedi mind ghost tricks. So expect, talkwalk-AH!-puzzle-timeyweirdness-walktalk-puzzle-AH!-moretimey-walktalk. Don’t fall for the timey weirdness.

To Try or not to Try?

I didn’t (nor did Jonas) like that it took some time to surf the radio stations to find the slightest weird noise to trigger certain events. If there’s an easier way to station surf, my bad on that because my brain simply glossed over it and said “don’t listen to instructions, PLAY THISGAEM”. Also, having to click everywhere on the screen to see if I could pick up a shiny object that would randomly catch my eye was annoying. Well, not everywhere on the screen but within an inch of the shiny object area. However, that might have been some weirdness with my PC. I was running it via Steamlink and using a 360 controller.

I thought it was an overall fluid story that kept me engaged throughout the odd noises, emotionally scarring events, and trippy alternative characters. Each of those elements kept me on my toes as I attempted to save my character and her friends from things that one can consider to be possibly worse than death. I'm really late on playing this but try it out if you haven't already. Get lost in the time-twisty beach party cave frequency. Don’t forget to bring your radio.

#oxenfree #gaming #review

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travellingthoughts · 7 years ago

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Friday the 7th of July 2017

After 4 days in Zakynthos/Kefalonia I was on a journey and a half to Larissa. Literally travelled by boat, car, taxi and bus over an 11 hour journey. I loved it though because I could just relax after being so busy in Zakynthos. Anyone who knows me well knows that I literally sleep my life away! I can sleep at what ever time, in whatever position and literally be out cold. It certainly has come in handy on this trip I'll tell you that much! So I slept the entire journey no problems asked. In Larissa, I was staying with Jamie's Nouna, Dina, for the week! Larissa is a relatively large town north of Athens. It has it all; amazing shopping, lively night life, and most importantly lovely people. I have a LOT of family there like legit we sat down to have dinner and two of my cousins (which I didn't know I had) just happened to walk past! I spent my first couple of days getting a tattoo (which was an awesome and sentimental experience) and roaming around Larissa doing some shopping and discovering. However on the third day I woke up ill as fuck. Like my stomach was in so much pain so I kept going to bed thinking that I'll wake up feeling better.... which never happened. Ended up realising at 8:30pm at night that it just wasn't to happen and finally got out of bed. After that it's a bit of a blur because my SISTERS GOT OUT OF A TAXI AND SURPRISED THE FUCK OUT OF ME IN GREECE!!!!!! Oh my god it was fkn wild, I literally had no clue they were coming. About a week before this happened I was on the phone telling them to just book their fkn tickets and come and lie with my on a beach somewhere in Santorini. Little did I know the bitches were muting themselves on our phone call and laughing because they HAD ALREADY BOOKED THEIR TICKETS 😆 The joke was clearly on me! Check out on Facebook the video of my jaw literally hitting the floor, the swearing, the scream and the many cuddles that were shared when this all unfolded! What an incredible experience to be able to share such an amazing journey with two of my bestest friends. I still pinch my self when I get their phone call in the morning saying 'what are we doing today?' ☺️ In all seriousness though, thank the lord they have me because A) they were fighting within the first 5 minutes of arriving in Mykonos, B) they are weak as shit and can't carry 25kgs up 50 stairs so I had to do it FOR BOTH OF THEM and C) they have no clue what they're doing so I am pretty much their personal tour guide 🙃 We have already had so many laughs and fun times, and I know these are memories that will last a lifetime. Anyway back to Larissa. It turned out I had fkn drunk the water by accident in Zakynthos and became sick as a fkn dog for the next 6 days. Literally whatever went down my throat came out again within maximum 5 minutes. Couldn't keep anything in my stomach, not even water. As shitty (pun intended) as being sick was, I definitely was very lucky to have my sisters constantly checking up on me and the fact that I was with my family who went above and beyond to get me on the road to recovery. Wouldn't have had it any other way. So my fun in Larissa ended after Tez and Jays arrived 😂 We did go to Karditsa, Farsala and Stomio to see more family which was fantastic. The girls went to Thessaloniki as well but I didn't make it because I was still really sick. Before I knew it (...literally because I had slept my life away!!) we were on our way to Piraeus which is one of the main ports of Greece. Conveniently, Terri's Nona lives there with her family so we stayed for a night before catching the 7am ferry to Mykonos the next day. That night was so much fun, we went for a stroll around town and went to Haagen-Daaz for some waffles and icecream! It wasn't what we did but it was the amazing company we had 😍 The 7am kick off to get to Mykonos was interesting 😂 As per usual we were running late and how we made it on that boat is fkn beyond me. The ride consisted of Terri not allowing me to fall asleep because everything single time I almost did, she would tickle my nose or something ridiculous. Could have punched her square in the face but decided that wasn't the best idea...so I made her buy me a hot chocolate which cost 5.80€ 😂 Our first impression of Mykonos is that it's fucking stunning. Whatever image comes to your head (crystal clear beaches with white houses on hills) is EXACTLY what it was like. However we were fortunate enough to discover the island from North to South and East to West. We hired a car and I, the driver, officially banned Terri from being in the front seat because she almost pulled the handbrake on me twice ❌ While the main town looks picturesque, the rest is actually quite hilly, rocky, windy and underdeveloped. It was astonishing to see the island for what it really is, with some of the most amazing beaches and hidden gems we would have only discovered by hiring that car. Highly suggest it... however there is a funny story that comes along with that 😂 So Greeks drive like fucking crazy okay. That's the perfect and only intro you need into this story. I was going down a really narrow and windy road when another car comes speeding around a corner (how the fuck they didn't spin out idk?) and is pretty much in my lane now still going fast. So I slam on the brake (dirt road btw so skidded instead of halted) and pulled over. In the process, I marked the car with about a 2.5cm BLACK scratch on a WHITE CAR. I was gutted because I knew they were going to notice it when we returned the car and that they were going to charge me a fuck tonne for it. So we go to the damn beach we were driving to when this happened and were then driving to the next beach when I spot a fucking mechanics (and probably the only one on the island) and swerve in like James Bond. And can I say I had luck just like James Bond! I'm trying to communicate in Greek to this guy and he is literally laughing at me stressing #bitch. He tells me to wait a minute and before I know he comes back with a cloth and some charcoal coloured substance. I freak out even more because like I said it's a white car and I'm thinking that he will make it worse #lenthinkingsheknowseverything. He rubs it on the car and then like magic before my eyes, the mark was gone. I literally told him that I love him and that he saved my life and that he is the best person to walk this earth. And before I could even finish we were back on our way dancing like absolute idiots out of pure joy 🙃 Mykonos is by far my favourite island out of the 3; including Ios and Santorini. It is absolutely stunning by day and night, the beaches are crystal clear and is good for a great boogie. My only fault is that it's expensive as fuck. But so so worth it. I met some amazing people in my dorm (you know who you are) and proceeded to go out until the AM partying and bar (that did just get autocorrected to bae) hoping. We had so much luck that night because every place we went to we were treated like royalty. Skipped the lines, skipped the entry fee, got given free shots and drinks. It was to die for 😍 The night ended with Souvlaki's and a really drunk walk home 😂 Next stop was Ios. I fkn loved Ios for its party scene. I FROTH a good time and that's the vibe that Ios had. Funny story: when we rocked up by bus at FarOut I was laughing because we saw teeny ass canvas tents and I said 'that would suck if you had to stay in one of them'. Before I know it I received my keys and found my... MOTHERFUCKING TENT FML 😫 Don't know how I fucked up so bad but like legit this thing had a door that was just about off its hinges, a "window" that was made of a holy mesh (mosquito friendly which means Eleni says ❌❌❌), and beds that should have been bought by a massage parlour. The girls (who at least booked a place with aircon and walls) weren't happy with their room either, so we upgraded to a villa with three beds and a bathroom! Fuck yessssssss! Life in Ios was pretty sweet after the accomodation sitch was sorted. We didn't do much exploring like we did in Mykonos. Partying by day and night was the plan ✔️ Met some sick chickens whilst partying, and also spent loads of time with Jack, Yianni, Emma, Jess and Amy who we knew from home. Bar crawls and wet t-shirt contests were (regrettably) attended. Let's just say... anyone who went on that stage in the wet tshirt comp would have needed a deadly amount of alcohol and a few types of drugs to morally get through. Other then partying double parked, time was spent on the beach or by the pool soaking up grecian rays ☀️ Then came the biggest disappointment that is Santorini. I should have never expected anything and that's why I feel let down. The white walls you see everyone taking photos of are pretty much only in Oia which is ridiculously expensive. It's the place to supposedly see the sunset but what you don't expect is thousands of tourists trying to get through streets which are 2 meters wide. Forget the balcony or castle where people take sunset pictures from. It is gorgeous though minus the tourists. However a positive is that they do have an entire street of clubs and bars so when you get bored at one, the next isn't too far away ☺️ Fira, another town close by where we stayed, was nice and lively but the streets in the centre couldn't compare to Mykonos'. As I'm writing this my time in the Greek islands is up. I'm on a ferry which came 1.5 hours late (welcome to Greek time...it's legit a thing) and is so rocky I think I'm going over board. My next few days include Athens with my Nouna and Nono. Going to take my sisters around to see some sights and then will go to The Ranch (where my god brother works) and say our final goodbyes :( So excited for my family's cuddles and kisses 😍 It's a good night from me xx P.S- wish me luck because the boat is about to tip P.P.S - I can't swim or even doggy paddle. P.P.P.S- the last PPS reminds me of another LOL- in Santorini, the girls and I did a tour to the volcano, thermal springs, Thirasia and Oia. When we reached the hot springs, which is literally in the middle of the ocean next to the rocks, Jamie and I thought it would be a fabulous idea to suss it out. So we jumped off the boat into the water and the waves were going over our heads. We start laughing (out of pure panic) because we can't swim for shit and it made trying to battle the waves so much harder. We looked at eachother whilst all of this was going on and knew what we were both thinking; that we are going to drown. I told Jamie to calm down and just keep your body afloat. Anyway, we clearly made the 200m distance back to the boat because I'm writing this now P.P.P.P.S - don't tell my mum that last story because I'll cop an ear full 😂

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