#art school in beaverton

[artworldschool]

No School Day Program Portland – Art World School

When schools are closed, Art World School's No School Day Program gives children a place to follow their artistic passions. Our program provides a variety of creative projects suited to different age groups, guaranteeing all participants fun and interesting experiences. Under the guidance of knowledgeable teachers, students are encouraged to develop their creative expression while picking up new skills. Through artistic understanding, Art World School aims to nurture a passion for art and promote personal development.

[ainews]

In 1906, a unique anaconda made of phlogopite was discovered along the banks of the Tualatin River in Beaverton, Oregon. This unusual find had a huge impact on the town’s history — the anaconda became a symbol for Beaverton’s burgeoning industry, connecting the growing town to its rural agricultural roots.

The anaconda was found during the construction of the Beaverton-Hillsboro Trail, which was built along the river as part of a new fast-moving transportation network that included the Electric Interurban Railway. Local news accounts suggest that the snake was made of chunks of “black matte” — a mineral known as phlogopite — likely discovered during the railroad construction. The precise date of its discovery is unknown, as is who exactly found it.

Sometime in the wake of the anaconda’s discovery, the sections of the mineral were put together to resemble a snake, allowing it to take its rightful place as an iconic landmark of Beaverton history. The natural mineral anaconda has come to symbolize the town’s spirit of resourcefulness and creative energy. It has been immortalized in local art and part of the local history lesson in the local schools.

Although the mystery of its origin persists, the anaconda remains a cherished symbol of Beaverton’s history, connecting the town to its vibrant agricultural past while remaining a tangible reminder of its creative spirit. The anaconda is an integral part of the greater Beaverton landscape, inspiring stories of determination, ingenuity, and creativity in equal measures — and it all began in 1906, with a unique find along the banks of the Tualatin River.

[mayhem-moth]

REEEEEEEE I DID ALL THESE QUESTION AND WAS ALMOST DONW TAGGING PEOPLE BUT THEN I HAD TO GO TO CLASS AND NOW ITS ALL ERASED👹👹👹💀💀💀💀💀😭😭😭😭😡😡😡😡

Are you named after anyone?

No

When's the last time you cried?

Last month

Do you have kids?

Nope

What sports do/have you played?

None sports are the bane of my existence. Unless you count ballet when i was five

Do you use sarcasm?

Depends

What is the first thing you notice about people?

Tone and mood

Whats your eye color?

Greyish blue i think

Scary movies or happy endings?

GIMME A DARK ASS STORY WITH A HAPPY ENDING

Any talents?

Uhhhhhh i can flare my nostrils on command

Where were you born?

Beaverton, Oregon

What are your hobbies?

Art, wasting time on my phone, and the occasional video game i fixiate on

Do you have any pets?

I have a little demon child(cat) named Saeherra. She's my adorable little butthead. I would die for her.

How tall are you?

Uhhh 5 something i dunno meth

Favorite subject in school?

Ceramics

Dream job?

An art job that won't drive me crazy

@lixorloveslicorice @howdosebrainwork @terrencetheshark14 @agentldiddy @good-wizard @magical-bear-dubin @f4y3w00d5 @aileaxthevoidien @monsterfucker-research-wizard @minotarvos @ripleyalamode @the-gnomish-bastard @yourlocalbreadenthusiast @willowplantcat @ashen-the-tiefling @aroace-wizard

And anyone else who wants to join!

15 Questions 15 Mutuals

@kaiarchives tagged me in this game that I haven't had the pleasure of seeing before, so that's exciting. The rules are: Answer the 15 questions and tag 15 of your mutuals.

1. Are you named after anyone?

No.

2. When was the last time you cried?

Last Sunday. I don't think it was for any particular reason, I just had a headache and was feeling down.

3. Do you have kids?

No.

4. What sports do you play/have played?

I played a bit of a football as a kid and a bit of volleyball for school. I also did range shooting in my tween years.

5. Do you use sarcasm?

Quite a lot. I've been trying to cut back and be a bit more genuine, but my habit for being sarcastic and my generally low moods have given me a bit of Resting Bitch Voice, so people don't always pick up on it.

6. What's the first thing you notice about people?

Facial shape I think. Before I learn someone's name I generally remember them by the shape of their jaw and cheeks.

7. What's your eye color?

Blue, but it's a kinda greyish blue.

8. Scary movies or Happy endings

I like scary movies with happy endings. Give me protagonists who face down with the worst of humanity or the nasties of the world and come out alive and swinging, if not a bit traumatized.

9. Any talents?

I'm told I have a way with words. In general I don't believe in talent in the "innate skill" way though.

10. Where were you born?

Oslo, Norway.

11. What are your hobbies?

Writing, reading, movies, video games (mostly strategy and roguelikes,) I used to sing in a choir and I kind of want to get back into that.

12. Do you have any pets?

No. Haven't really had the opportunity to, but I'd like to get a dog someday.

13. How tall are you?

178 cm, so... what, 5'10?

14. Favorite subject in school

Language and it's not close at all. Social Sciences as a second place I suppose.

15. Dream Job?

Author. Give me a way to live from writing and I'll churn out books at a brazen clip. It might drive me crazy, but it'll be worth it.

As for the tags: @frostedlemonwriter @shay-puppitty @longwuzhere @indigostudies @an-elegant-void @mjjune @marlenadutch @fire-but-ashes-too @meerawrites @sparrowrising @silverslipstream @floweryprosegarden @the-secondborn-of-seven @chishiio @a-had-matter

[dippedanddripped]

For more than a year, Los Angeles-based streetwear designer Tremaine Emory had been working with Converse on a red, green and black sneaker inspired by Jamaican political activist and Black nationalist Marcus Garvey’s Pan-African flag and artist David Hammons’ 1990 work “African-American Flag,” an original of which was acquired by the Broad museum in Los Angeles last year.

Emory’s brand, Denim Tears, tells the story of Black people in the United States starting in 1619, when the first documented enslaved Africans arrived in Virginia; according to the designer, the brand’s logo, a cotton plant, is a direct reference to slavery. That’s why the proposed packaging for his Converse sneaker collaboration depicts a coffin covered with Hammons’ flag and a cotton wreath, as a tribute to Black Americans who have died under unjust conditions. The image is based on an art installation, “A Proper Burial, Thanks America,” that Emory debuted in London last year.

However, in late May, as protests spread across the country after George Floyd’s death in police custody, Emory announced on Instagram that he and Denim Tears couldn’t go forward with the partnership until Converse’s parent company, Nike, went beyond its plan to donate $40 million over four years to support the Black community. (Michael Jordan, through his Nike subsidiary Jordan Brand, is donating an additional $100 million over 10 years.)

Emory called the move by Beaverton, Ore.,-based Nike, which reported $37.4 billion in revenue last fiscal year, a very expensive Band-Aid. He said he wanted to use his voice to push Nike to look inward at its own record on diversity and inclusion.

“It’s accountability,” Emory said in a phone interview. “It’s about Fortune 500 companies and how they are run under the guise of white supremacy and patriarchy and how I take accountability, that I need to see the steps — and brands that I work with dispensing that — or guys won’t work with me.”

In recent months, nearly all major industries, including entertainment, journalism and sports, have been forced to confront how closely their statements opposing systemic racism align with their treatment of Black and brown employees. The fashion industry, which has frequently been criticized for cultural appropriation, instances of blackface and a lack of diversity, is no different.

According to a count by trade publication Women’s Wear Daily, Black people make up only 4% — 19 out of 477 members — of the invitation-only Council of Fashion Designers of America, whose new chairman is Tom Ford. In an email to The Times, a CFDA spokesman said, “The CFDA does not record nor require members to state their race upon application, but it is estimated that members of color make up approximately 25% of the total membership.”

June 8, 2020

In anecdotal comments, Black streetwear designers from L.A. to New York told The Times that their subset of the fashion industry is no different.

“You can’t ignore the fact that there aren’t many Black brand owners in the streetwear space,” said Scott Sasso, who founded 10.Deep in 1995 while he was a student at Vassar. “And [at] some of the biggest companies, I don’t know if they’ve even had Black employees.”

Streetwear brands such as Denim Tears and 10.Deep offer casual clothing, primarily for men, that blend the styles of various subcultures, including hip-hop (as popularized in the 1990s by brands such as FUBU, Walker Wear and Phat Farm) as well as surf and skate motifs. It’s an identity that can be found in the clothing from brands such as Supreme and Stüssy. Instead of offering widely available, mass-produced products, streetwear brands tend to offer limited-edition drops for consumers who hear about companies through social media or by word of mouth.

Although Black style — from hip-hop to sneaker culture — has played a major role in shaping the fashion industry while bringing new designers and brands to prominence, Black fashion professionals and streetwear brand owners said in interviews with The Times that the clothing industry has failed to elevate and promote Black creatives in a way that reflects that influence.

Several designers also questioned the sincerity of corporations promising to invest in Black communities. They reflected on their own experiences trying to explain Black art to predominantly white company leaders.

Chicago-based designer Joe Freshgoods started selling T-shirts in high school and has been selling his designs out of Fat Tiger Workshop, the streetwear retail hub he co-owns, since 2013.

“I feel like a lot of these brands are in these boardrooms having these talks about how to fix this or how to just clean up their mistakes real fast, and it’s just like, ‘Hey, let’s just fill in the blanks real quick and see if this will make them happy,’” Freshgoods said.

He said he tried to include the logo of the Black Panther Party on a design for an Oakland-themed collaboration with an apparel brand last year. The company’s legal department rejected his proposal. At the time he went along with it, but now he’d push back, he said.

“A lot of Black collaborators are the reason why a lot of brands are super successful right now, so that’s a lot of power to have,” Freshgoods said.

Emory, who has partnered with New Balance and Levi’s, called on Nike to stop supporting Republicans while President Trump is the party’s leader. He also wants the company to release more information on its record of hiring Black employees and assist in “the defunding and total reform of all the police departments across America.”

Since his initial Instagram post in June, Emory has spoken to Converse Chief Executive G. Scott Uzzell or Uzzell’s team about a half dozen times over the phone or in video-conference meetings. In those discussions, Emory said the company acknowledged it hasn’t done everything it could in terms of creating a diverse corporate structure and laid out its hiring plan, especially in its executive suite. The designer said he discussed current initiatives at Nike to invest in Black communities and to address systemic racism and police brutality. “They want to get involved in all that, and we will see,” he said.

The release date for his red, black and green Converse sneaker has been moved up from February to October, ahead of the November election. Emory said the marketing for the shoe will focus on promoting voting. The shoe will be available in North America, Europe and online for $95 to $100.

“We respect and encourage the efforts of any collaborator or athlete we work with to raise their voice against racial injustice,” a Converse spokesperson said in a statement to The Times. “We have spoken with Tremaine and look forward to working through these issues together.”

At its core, streetwear is about authenticity and the personal connection between consumers and the designers and labels they love.

The push by larger brands and corporations — specifically in the fashion industry — to meet the current moment with statements, donations and new initiatives is in direct contrast to what many Black streetwear designers have been doing since the inception of their brands. Those designers have been hiring diverse staff, speaking up about political issues and infusing their works with references to Black culture.

“Now I feel like everybody’s rushing to make some type of relevant shirt or make some relevant message on their Instagram,” said Zac Clark, a Black designer who started his brand, FTP, while in high school in Los Angeles. “To me, a lot of this stuff right now seems very unnatural and just forced from a lot of these brands, so they won’t get ‘canceled.’”

Olivia Anthony, the designer behind the Livstreetwear brand, said the turning point for her New York-based company was her 2017 My Love Letter to Our Culture collection, which paid tribute to Black trends of the ’90s — think long nails, grills and slicked-down baby hairs — that were largely considered unfashionable until they were adopted by other races.

“It was so beautiful, but it was looked down upon,” said Anthony, adding that she wanted her brand to reflect how those Black trends, now featured in magazines including Vogue, have been “shown in a different light.”

Kacey Lynch said he created his South L.A.-based streetwear company, Bricks & Wood, after years of working at streetwear brands where he felt Black representation was missing.

“They wanted a lot from us, but they didn’t want to do the work, what it took to understand us,” Lynch said of his past employers. “Whether that’s Black culture, South-Central, minorities … wherever the cool came from, they all wanted it but they didn’t really know how to identify with it.”

In May 2019, fashion website Hypebeast and Strategy&, a consulting firm in the PwC network, released its Streetwear Impact Report, based on interviews with more than 40,000 Hypebeast readers and 700 global industry insiders. The survey found that 70% of respondents said they care about social issues, 59% said brand activism is important and 47% said they would stop shopping from a brand because of inappropriate behavior.

“It’s fine as a starting point for corporations to say, ‘This is what we stand for and this is what we believe,’” said Elena Romero, a fashion journalist and author of 2012’s “Free Stylin’: How Hip Hop Changed the Fashion Industry.”“But that’s not going to be enough.”

Romero, an assistant professor at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, said companies likely will face questions over where they invest their profits, the diversity of their staff and how they’ve helped build the communities from which their dollars are coming. She said many companies will realize they’ve fallen short because the answers to those questions weren’t a priority until their profits were at risk.

“Now the consumer is saying, ‘You can’t fool us anymore,’” she said. “If you’re not authentic and truly supporting the very same things that these young people believe, your business will suffer.”

The result has been an industrywide push to make those investments now but also to make amends for past inaction. After Black Adidas employees criticized the company’s response to racism, Adidas announced June 9 that it would add more diverse staff, start a scholarship program for Black employees and invest an additional $20 million over four years in programs that serve the Black community. A day later, Adidas upped its $20 million pledge to $120 million. (In addition to those changes at Adidas, the company’s global head of human resources, Karen Parkin, resigned at the end of June after facing criticism for her handling of racial discrimination.)

Adidas also apologized for its past silence. “For most of you, this message is too little, too late,” a tweet from the Adidas account read. “We’ve celebrated athletes and artists in the Black community and used their image to define ourselves culturally as a brand but missed the message in reflecting such little representation within our walls.”

In the broader fashion community, various organizations and members of the industry have offered different strategies for creating a more inclusive environment. Aurora James, a New York-based creative director, started the Fifteen Percent Pledge, which calls on companies to provide at least 15% of their shelf space or contracts to Black-owned businesses.

After the CFDA announced its plan to promote diversity, a group called the Kelly Initiative called for the CFDA to adopt its proposal to conduct and publish a census of diversity in the industry, audit its recruitment practices and release an annual list of top Black talent, the Kelly List. The initiative is named after the late Patrick Kelly, a Black fashion designer who rose to prominence in the 1980s with work that played with Black cultural symbols and racial stereotypes.

April Walker, whose New York brand Walker Wear was worn by ’90s hip-hop stars including Method Man, Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G., stressed that Black designers need to look outside the fashion industry for success by collaborating, mentoring and sharing resources with their counterparts.

“We just need to not look for the fashion industry, as it’s been very oppressive for the last 30 years, to be the end-all, be-all for our opportunities,” she said, “but to create our own.”

Among streetwear companies, the effort to fight systemic racism in the country and the fashion industry has been on an individual basis, with brand owners of all races deciding how much they’re willing to give back and how comfortable they are using their platforms to discuss and condemn racism.

For some, that means speaking up in solidarity with the Black community. Bobby Kim, cofounder of the Hundreds, a Vernon-based clothing brand, teamed with Pharrell Williams’ brand Billionaire Boys Club to raise money for Black Lives Matter and the Black Mental Health Alliance with a shirt that was available for 48 hours. After the Fairfax shopping district where his shop is located was vandalized in late May, Kim, who’s Korean American, defended the right to protest.

In an interview, Kim said, “If you have been given a lot of money, and especially if that money has come by way of participating, contributing, or even stealing or borrowing from Black culture, then you — more than anybody else right now — need to tithe, need to pay up, in a sense, in order to reflect how influential Black culture has been in your career and your profitability as a company.”

Sasso’s 10.Deep stopped selling its regular collection for most of June and instead offered a new line of 10.Deep products to draw attention to activism against racial injustice and police brutality. The profits went to national bail funds for protesters.

“Streetwear, in its truest form, is about shooting yourself in the foot as often as possible but also just doing what you think is right,” Sasso said.

He said he was drawn to streetwear because it was a multiethnic community of different countercultures, a blend of the skate, surf, hip-hop and graffiti scenes, with a dash of punk rock, united by an exclusive knowledge of where to find and buy certain brands.

However, he has noticed a shift among streetwear consumers. For some shoppers, it’s not about the community. It’s just about the clothes.

He said he lost “several thousand” social media followers after he posted about Black Lives Matter and has received comments asking him to just stick to fashion.

“My thought is: If you want just some regular clothes, go buy Banana Republic, go buy Levi’s,” he said. “Those are companies that aren’t gonna take political stances. They’re providing basic stuff. This space is about a culture. If you want to participate in it, this is what it’s about.”

[laresearchette]

Friday, October 18, 2019 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: SID & JUDY (Crave 3) 8:00pm LONG ISLAND MEDIUM (TLC Canada) 9:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT DYNASTY (CW Feed) GOLD RUSH (Premiering on October 15 on Discovery Canada at 8:00pm) COMEDY CENTRAL STAND-UP PRESENTS... (TBD - CTV Comedy) LOOKING FOR ALASKA (TBD) WOUNDS (TBD)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME/CRAVE/NETFLIX CANADA/CBC GEM:

AMAZON PRIME MODERN LOVE (Season 1) THE PURGE (Season 2)

CRAVE TV SID & JUDY

NETFLIX CANADA THE YARD (AVLU) (Season 1) BABY (Season 2) ELI INTERIOR DESIGN MASTERS (Season 1) THE HOUSE OF FLOWERS (Season 2) THE LAUNDROMAT LIVING WITH YOURSELF (Season 1) MEATEATER (Season 8) MIGHTY LITTLE BHEEM: DIWALI SEVENTEEN SPIRIT RIDING FREE: PONY TALES SUITS (Season 8 New Episodes) TELL ME WHO I AM (Season 1)   TOON (Seasons 1-2) UNNATURAL SELECTION (Season 1) UPSTARTS

CFL FOOTBALL (TSN/TSN3/TSN4) 7:00pm: Argos at Alouettes (TSN/TSN3/TSN5) 10:00pm: Riders at Lions

A COLONY (Crave) 7:25pm: A timid 12-year-old girl is about to leave her native countryside to begin high school. She becomes lost in the hostile environment, and along the way, she encounters a young indigenous outsider who helps her embrace herself.

NBA BASKETBALL (TSN2) 7:30pm: Raptors at Nets

marketplace (CBC) 8:00pm: An investigation into top food delivery apps.

THE BEAVERTON: THE BEAVERTON MOCKS THE VOTE (CTV) 8:00pm:  Emma and Miguel fulfill a lifelong dream of covering the Canadian Federal Election.

THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS SCANDAL (City) 8:00pm: Two wealthy mothers share an obsession with getting their teenagers into the best colleges.

DEADSIGHT (Super Channel Fuse) 8:00pm: A pregnant police officer and a blind man fight for their lives against swarms of the living dead.

IN THE MAKING (CBC) 8:30pm: Visual artist Deanna Bowen opens an ambitious exhibition about the relationship between her family's history and the rarely told legacy of black life in Vancouver.

NHL HOCKEY (SN1) 9:00pm: Red Wings at Oilers

THE WAY YOU SEE IT: A PETER MANSBRIDGE SPECIAL (CBC) 9:00pm:  Peter Mansbridge travels the country to talk to Canadians about what's on their minds on the eve of an election.

THE WEDDING GUEST (Crave) 9:00pm: Jay is a man with a secret who travels from Britain to Pakistan to attend a wedding - armed with duct tape, a shotgun, and a plan to kidnap the bride-to-be. Despite his cold efficiency, the plot quickly spirals out of control.

GHOSTS (BBC Canada) 9:00pm: It's Pat's 'death day' and he prepares himself for his family's annual pilgrimage to the site of his demise.

FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER (BBC Canada) 9:30pm: The boys and Grandma think that Mum's new curtains are horrible.

CARNIVAL EATS (Food Network Canada) 10:30pm: Noah Cappe is ready to have his taste buds fired up at the Spencerport Volunteer Firemen's Association Carnival in New York with the Flaming Weck to the Five Alarm Fries and Backyard BBQ Burrito to Smash Potato Waffles.

CBC ARTS: EXHIBITIONISTS (CBC) 11:30pm: A sculptor builds a tiny Drake; an artist whose tools include the paintbrush and the hairbrush.

[tinyriver]

i was tagged by two amazing people for this, @petegoestotown and @soft-wlw-babey!!

Are you named after anyone?

Umm, not technically. I go by Mae, my middle name, which stems from a family tradition (which i’ve probably mixed up) of naming every other generation’s first girl Mary. But my parents hated the name Mary, since all their grandparents and aunts had the name, so they went with a variation of Mary, Mae, for my middle name.

When was the last time you cried?

When you-know-who died in the new Lion King movie (and I’m not talking about Voldemort).

Do you have kids?

No

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

On occasion. But not a lot.

What‘s the first thing you notice about people?

Hair. Usually if it’s curly or not, so I can bond with fellow curly people. Also how much energy they have.

Scary movie or happy ending

I really cannot do horror. Absolutely not. So happy endings? I like any endings though...

Any special talents?

having 30+ tabs open and knowing exactly which one is which

Where were you born?

In a hospital between Beaverton, Oregon, USA, and Portland, Oregon, USA.

What are your hobbies?

long walks, crafts, painting, baking

Do you have any pets?

I have an amazing black cat named Octavia who I will not see for almost a year since she’s with my parents and sister in the USA while I’m living in Germany. 

What sports do you play?

I used to fence, and played volleyball and soccer/football, but only because i had to. I was also on a swim team. But I don’t really enjoy sports.

How tall are you?

5′5″ish or 166 cm

Favourite Subject in School?

art history, spanish

Dream job?

set designer, art historian, art conservator, museum curator....

I’m gonna tag @bloodyblowjob, @goth-ghuleh, @slyngureinsogminkur, @mun-sigra and @become-god and anyone else who sees this and wants to do it :)

[mcgiggers]

Special Collectibles Edition (Bagel Dunk) - January 2023

This is not an invitation to brunch or a late-night nosh. It’s a report on the quest to buy a pair of sneakers, more specifically, the Nike Bagel Dunk Low PRM. The pursuit unfolds over a little more than 24 hours and pits physical stamina alongside virtual dexterity (or lack thereof), and features everything from weathering the elements to frozen screens, and last-minute disappointments to an unlikely surprise. All for a pair of sneakers? Yes, but sneakers with a truly unique design and steeped with a rich cultural provenance that is close to the heart.

While Nike has released many sneakers dedicated to cities around the world, there has never been one that pays homage to Montreal, until now. The city’s rich history of sports teams and celebrities, as well as important artists and iconic landmarks could have easily served as more typical inspirations for the shoe’s design. Instead, the Beaverton creative types turned to the humble bagel as their muse, the thought being that the widespread adoption of the delectable treat of immigrant origins into the city’s culture was representative of the multiculturalism that thrives in Montreal and was worth celebrating. With Montreal being my home and having a strong appreciation of the diversity the city offers as well as a huge fondness for our bagels, I was swept away by the premise and the prospects of acquiring a pair.

In designing the shoe, Nike was careful to sidestep the debate as to who the true originator of the bagel was or whether Fairmount Bagel or St. Viateur Bagel makes the better one. The focus instead was to highlight the characteristics that make the dense, chewy, doughy Montreal bagel unique and truly different from all others.  

The Nike Bagel Dunk Low PRM (product code: DZ4853-200) is anchored off the familiar dunk low model and the PRM moniker indicates the use of premium materials. From there, the Montreal bagel inspirations take over and transform the shoe into a contemporary masterwork of wearable art. As per the Nike copy, it features a two-tone upper with a textured Sesame seed print that is accented by a Royal Blue swoosh representing the colours of the flag of Quebec. The creamy white set of laces and the tongue labels pay homage to the classic bagel condiment, cream cheese, while the translucent gum sole nods to the honey water Montreal-style bagels are dipped into before being traditionally wood fired, the planks of which are emblazoned on the insoles of the shoes. As a bonus exclusive to the Canadian market, the sneakers are packaged in a special Montreal Bagel Dunk box featuring the artwork of Montreal-based artist Chien Champion. I got hungrier just reading about it.

Nike’s official release date for the shoe in North America is January 17, 2023. It was a pre-release on January 13th that kicked off the odyssey. Off the Hook, a Montreal-based sneaker retailer, in partnership with Nike, were offering early access to the shoes through an old school physical store launch. Doors would open at 11 am that day, and if you wanted a pair, you had to line up. I was psyched to try my luck notwithstanding my hesitation of undertaking anything of importance on a Friday the 13th. Bad omen aside, the strategy was to make my way downtown at an early hour and queue up for the shoes. That morning Montrealers woke up to about 15 cm of snow on the ground and blistery winter conditions. The plan to get to the store before sunrise was already delayed by an hour of driveway shoveling.  No problem, if I’m delayed, everyone else would be. Slightly tired, but still motivated, I was downtown by 8:00 am. There I was greeted by a queue of about 250 people in a line that wrapped around the city block. While disappointed with my prospects of getting my hands on a pair of Bagel Dunks and the sad reality of being out hustled by so many, I was impressed with the commitment and passion of all the sneakerheads and shoe aficionados that braved the conditions.  Reportedly, some had been there since 10 pm the previous night. As one might expect, these were predominantly Gen Zers with some Millennials and the odd Gen Xer.

Not much went on in anticipation of the store opening. The occasional snow plough passing and watching cars navigate wintery conditions was as exciting as it got. Meanwhile, snow kept falling which didn’t seem to faze people, some of whom had set up lawn chairs to wait it out. Thankfully the temperature remained around minus 3 degrees Celsius, but after hours of standing in the same place, even that felt much colder.

By the time 11 am rolled around, people began taking down camp with the hope of quickly moving forward. Regrettably, things just inched along. The news filtered down the queue that 5 to 10 people at a time were being let in the store. I resisted doing the math and remained optimistic that the pace would pick up. At noon, I was just rounding the bend and had the OTH awning in sight, but there were still a lot of people ahead of me. At 1 pm, the good news/bad news was delivered. Sizes 8.5 through 11, and 12 were sold out, but some of those sizes would be restocked during the day or over the next few days. Basically, a raincheck was being offered. It was all bad news in my opinion. Firstly, there was no great exodus of people leaving the line, and secondly, the shortage in supply would jeopardize my ability to land a pair of size 13s as those desperate to get their hands on shoes of any size were now more likely to scoop up whatever was left. Anyways, too late to abandon ship now, even though I was frozen and very hungry. Some bagels and coffee were making their way up and down the queue, but it always seemed that supplies ran out before reaching me or started being served to the people in the long line behind me.

The big push for the door happened at 2 pm, a full six hours after getting there. The final effort was up two flights of stairs to the service counter. Once arrived, the excitement of summiting was quickly defused by the news that there were no longer any 13s available and that they would not be restocked. I was offered the opportunity to get on a waitlist for a shoe size that would be restocked, which I did (opting for a size 12). “We’ll call you.” And with those words, I was ushered out empty handed and made my way back home to a couple more hours of shoveling.

Later that afternoon, I reached out to my nephew and chided him about not seeing him in line for the drop. Sensing my disappointment, he directed me to the websites of a couple of sneaker retailers that were having online launches the next day at 10 am. I decided half-heartedly to try my luck online, but realistically had no real hope of being successful. I mean, how do you compete in an online drop? I have this notion of an algorithm scooping up all available shoes in a nanosecond. And, that’s what it felt like. Two of us at home and a daughter in Toronto were each monitoring two sites simultaneously when 10 am rolled around, and then, before you could hit the refresh button, everything was sold. More desperate attempts were made and foiled by frozen screens and 404 Page Not Found messages.

By this time, it was about 10:15 am, when my daughter offered to walk by the actual store of one of the online retailers which was having their Toronto launch at 11 am. It wasn’t far, and so I didn’t discourage her, fully expecting that she would meet up with the same crowds I had experienced the previous day in Montreal. She got to there around 10:30 am and was second in line. The store opened on time, and she walked out with a pair of size 13s shortly thereafter. It’s amazing that none of the national and local press coverage around the sneaker launch and the mayhem of the Montreal prelaunch didn’t spill over to Toronto, and even more remarkable that the big expat Montreal community didn’t rally around the homage to their former home. Well, no complaints here. While it felt totally silly to have waited in line for over six hours the previous day, perhaps it was the karma of the 24-hour effort that led to the favourable turn of events.

Now, what to do with the sneakers – wear them, store them, or sell them? Definitely not the latter. The last time I engaged with wearable art was in 2015 (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/05/18/fashion/The-Mens-Medium-Is-Fashion-at-Frieze-New-York.html). I have not since taken Pia Camil’s poncho out of the closet. Maybe the right compromise is to display them. We’ll see.

 Meanwhile, there was no positive karma left for the Dinos. After putting together three wins in a row (I know, two against the Hornets), the Raptors couldn’t extend their streak against the Atlanta Hawks who find themselves just ahead of the Dinos in Eastern Conference standings and battling for a play-in spot. Perhaps it’s all for the best as the euphoria of another win against one of the league’s lesser opponents might have given a false sense of hope to a squad that’s disappointing on so many levels. Upper management, coaches and players, all have their feet to the fire as the trade deadline approaches and pressure mounts to get results or change course. Wholesale changes are a real possibility with only Crazy Eyes being immune. Like with the sneakers, we’ll see.

 For more information on the Nike Bagel Dunk Low PRM and availability in local markets, or the fate of the Dinos and any pending changes, “Just Google It”.

 There you have it sportsfans,

 MC Giggers

(www.mcgiggers.tumblr.com)

 PS. Special thanks to Daniel, Cynthia and Ally for their help!

Reporter’s Certification

I, MC Giggers, hereby certify that the views expressed in this report accurately reflect my personal views and that no part of my compensation was or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific views expressed herein.

I also certify that I may or may not own, directly or indirectly, works of artists mentioned in this report and that I may or may not have a strong bias for such artists and, more generally, for “Pictures of Nothing”.

[jennyhumortgagebroker]

Portland OR Metro Real Estate Introduction Sep 2022

Compared to some west coast big cities, Portland is a little bit smaller but it has its own charm – green, laidback, and fun. You can easily access some amazing scenes within one hour drive – mountains, rivers and beach scene. You can do so many outdoor activities here.

<Authorized by sungchoi photography>

Portland’s name was shamed during Covid for its downtown protests. But it’s still a great town for many reasons. Here are some reasons you should consider investing in Portland’s real estate now!!!

Reason #1: Relatively Cheap Compared to Other West Coast Cities.

Tech company jobs，mild climate, cultural diversity, etc. West coast is always the top option for many investors or immigrants for many reasons. Between Seattle, The Bay area and Los Angeles, Portland is affordable and cost-effective.  If you compare the income to house price, it’s affordable here.  And rents return more profit with less risk compared to the other major West Coast large cities.

2022 Q2 Median Price in Major West Coast Cities: (single family house)

Reason #2: Acceptable Rental Cash Flow + Strong Appreciation

West coast houses are known for strong appreciation but bad cash flow when it’s a rental. In Bellevue or San Jose, a 1.5M house can only rent for $4000-5000. But being a landlord in Portland area could still expect some positive cash flow. For example, a 450k rental, with 330K loan, if interest rate is 6%, monthly payment is about $1979 + $450 tax, insurance. Monthly rent is about $2300-2500. It’s solid cash flow with the appreciation component.

Reason #3: Asian Community is Growing

Portland metro Asian population is about 8.65% (Chinese 1.7%, Korean 0.4%). In Seattle Asian population is about 16.3%  (Chinese 7.3%, Korean about 1.1%）These numbers are growing each year. A lot of Asian chain businesses have opened here recently including grocery stores (H-mart, Ranch 99), bakeries (Tous Le Jours, Paris Baugette, 85 degree), Restaurants (Din Tai Fung), Bubble tea shops (Sharetea, Tiger Sugar, Yomie Rice Yogart.) These chain franchises have done their own research and believe they can thrive with the increasing Asian population.

4 Popular Counties –

Washington, Multnomah, Clackamas, Clark

Washington County

This is my favorite. West of Portland downtown. There are many good high paying jobs here with Nike, Intel, Columbia Sportswear and other tech firms. Practical local governments, diverse & educated population, good schools and healthy commercial opportunities.

Popular cities here: Beaverton, Tigard, NW Portland (97229), Sherwood, Hillsboro. You can choose quiet residential neighborhoods to raise kids or some convenient locations with walking distance restaurants & shopping. If you purchase a rental property here, usually you will run into better quality renters.

Big employers here:

Intel has several campuses in Hillsboro (22,000 employees.) Intel offers a lot of high paying engineer jobs + mid-level technician jobs. There are also many smaller sized employers here as Intel suppliers. Intel’s future is pretty secure since Congress passed “Chip Act” in 2022 to sponsor domestic semiconductors manufactures. In many ways it’s a safe bet to invest in this area.

Nike Headquarter in Beaverton (8000 employees)

Nike are still building several high-rise office buildings, including a brand new Serena Williams Building opened in April 2022.

Other good employers in Washington County: Lam Research, ASML (600), Microsoft (200), Apple has a small Lab too.

Multnomah County

Multnomah county’s core is Downtown Portland and extends to the East side. It’s where Portland started. A lot of historical buildings and interesting stories here. You will find the most creative food culture and art scenes. Multnomah county is also known for its progressive political views shared by most residents. There are many great neighborhoods with high Walkscore. Biking is very popular in this area too.

Some criticisms though are 1. Too Political 2. Higher tax 3. Homeless issue 4. Increasing crime rate. In general, this is an area most investors will avoid at this time. But it’s still a big draw for young people. If you are someone drawn to interesting city life, bar/restaurant experience, and more social life, this area is perfect for you.

Good communities: Inner SE Portland, NE Portland, Pearl District, Sellwood.

Clackamas County

Another great area with slightly conservative atmosphere.

Lake Oswego is very popular and is where you will probably see the most local “Old money”. If Washington county generates “Tech money,” Old money comes from inheritance, finance and legal industry, and all kinds of self-employed businesses. Great schools and cute businesses everywhere. Houses are a little bit older here and pretty expensive.

West Linn located next to Lake Oswego and is somewhat similar. But it is quieter and even more residential.  

If you go further East to Happy Valley and Clackamas, or south to Wilsonville, these cities are also good neighborhoods with cheaper and newer houses.

Clark County (Vancouver WA)

Portland lies just south of Vancouver Washington. The 2 cities are divided by Columbia River. Vancouver WA is another popular place for investors for the following reasons:

Vancouver is slightly cheaper but also still part of Portland Metro.

Cheaper property tax, NO State income TAX ,(Compared to Oregon average 9% income tax) Since work from home became a new norm, it has drawn a lot of high paying WFH folks to move here.

Slightly more friendly to landlords compared to Portland.

Cleaner and less homeless issues

Camas and Ridgefield are considered 2 cities with best schools. Union High in Vancouver is good too. Other than school districts and hospitals, some famous employers are: Fisher Investment (1700 employees), Wafer Tech (A TSMC company,500-1000 employees), HP (700 employees)

Concerns:

Lacking of a giant cornerstone employer like Intel that can drive and maintain economic growth.

Only relying on highway I-5 and 205 to commute to Oregon side. Traffic is horrible during rush hours. Downtown Portland still has more to offer.

[artworldschool]

After School Program for McKinley - Art World School

After School Program for McKinley at Art World School gives kids an interesting and motivating experience by combining learning with artistic expression. Students can engage with a variety of materials and techniques, from painting and crafts to 3D art projects, which helps them develop their artistic abilities and confidence. The goal of each session is to promote personal development and self-expression by allowing students to embrace their creativity in a friendly and accepting environment. For children who want to explore and develop their artistic skills in a pleasant, organized setting, Art World School is perfect.

[cherry-robot]

Another shirt sold! Thank you for supporting Sean! #SeanMcDonell is the founder of #C4K Him and @ithinkshesfunny (Kevin Bryan) run it together and produce the world's best coffee AND with every coffee purchase we at C4K donate 10% of each pound to @micasakids to help feed them and get them through high-school then college!! Learn more at our 2 websites👇 🎨☕️ www.coffee4kids.org ✊ www.micasakids.org 🏖 #CherryRobot #Coffee4Kids #CoffeeArtist #NitroBrew #CBDBrew #HempBrew #ColdBrew #BrewBrew #JamesFarmer #Jamesland #Art #Toymancer #TheToymancer #TheNext #SaveTheKids #TheFuture #thatsCherry #cherryLife #BendCoffee #CoffeeDaily #CoffeeShredders #CoffeeNation #BendOregon #Oregon #BestCoffee #Create #Passion (at Beaverton, Oregon) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ44E86vuY7/?utm_medium=tumblr

[traitor-boyfriend]

I just read your post about Stan and Kyle's relationship and I totally agree, but I was wondering if you might elaborate on what you mean when you said Kyle acts as a moral/ethical guide for Stan? I'm not disagreeing but I'd love to hear you talk more about it

sure!

kyle is obviously the most morally fixated of the four boys and i would say after about season four or so is when they really began to take this direction with his character. whenever something transpires within the group, kyle is almost always the first to disagree w whatever plot they (’they’ almost always meaning cartman) start brainstorming to keep themselves from getting into trouble, that they should instead own up to their mistakes and take responsibility and suffer the consequences that come along w it. rarely if ever does anyone actually listen to kyle and he’s cajoled into complicity but that doesn’t stop him from offering his disapproval at every turn in the name of wanting to do the right thing. the best example of this is ‘toilet paper’ where they tp their art teacher’s house for making them stay late; kenny and stan are immediately on board when cartman suggests it but kyle is uncomfortable w the idea entirely, and after it’s done he’s racked w guilt and is seen as the weakest link in all of them b/c of his compulsion to tell the truth. we get to see kyle struggling w guilt pretty often and the apex of it is usually when some outside force is preventing or coercing him from coming clean about whatever it is he’s done. though stan and kyle both shared the whole ‘gay little speech’ element in the very beginning, it’s pretty much been exclusive to kyle for the majority of the series -- kyle is the one to always explain what they learned at the end of the episode, to tie together the moral lesson you’re supposed to take away from it

because he’s a kid, kyle can occasionally be swayed out of his conviction if the consequences are great enough for him to be afraid of (this tends to be his mom). when butters’ gets the ninja star stuck in his eye in ‘good times with weapons’, kyle initially panics and agrees with cartman’s idea to kill butters and bury him in kyle’s backyard b/c he’s so petrified by the idea of his mother finding out what he was doing. but even then his moral center comes back around, even if he doesn’t follow through; he protests the idea of taking butters to a vet instead of a hospital and later tries to get rid of his ninja weapon and instead confess to what happened. in ‘crack baby athletic association’ kyle is outraged and disgusted by what he sees as cartman exploiting the babies born addicted to narcotics and wants to expose him, but he changes his tune after learning how much money cartman is making. so he eventually joins cartman but justifies it to himself as taking care of these babies, giving them opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise get, raising awareness, etc -- even though he’s in the wrong, kyle tries to view his actions through a benevolent lens in that what he’s doing -is- the right thing; that’s why it bothers him so much when stan tells him he sounds just like cartman. stan is seeing both of their actions clearly in the same vein, but in kyle’s mind, he’s incapable of conceiving himself being in anyway like cartman and has to further delude himself into seeing the positives of his actions. he goes as far as showing up in stan’s bedroom in the middle of the night to legitimize his actions, both to himself and to stan, because stan’s opinion of him matters so much that kyle can’t move past it unless he’s able to convince stan that he’s in the right. to his credit, kyle does try to rectify his actions with the ea sports deal and building an orphanage and whatnot. two wrongs don’t make a right, but that won’t stop kyle from trying.

basically i’m just trying to fully highlight the extent of kyle’s dedication to being honest, being kind, being a good person etc. it matters a lot to him and it’s also touched on briefly now and then w regards to his being jewish -- that being a good person is important if not only for the sake of being a good person.

it’s not that stan isn’t concerned w being a good person or doing the right thing, but he has more of a selfish or self-centered impulse than kyle does. stan cares a great deal more than kyle of what people think of him and is more desperate to be accepted or liked by his peers, so he’s often subservient to the whims of passing trends and fads or following the crowd. this is a debatable point but i also think because of this stan is generally more prone to blatant egotism than kyle -- when he leads some kind of superficial crusade (’butterballs’, ‘scause for applause’, ‘bass to mouth’), it’s pretty plainly about himself and his own feelings whereas when kyle gets wrapped up in a similar power-trip it’s usually at least manifested/disguised in some cause greater than himself, even if it’s a self-centered one. 

i’m gonna touch on the examples i provided above briefly:

-butterballs: stan begins the anti-bullying campaign initially out of concern for butters but when he sees how highly his classmates regard him for taking a stand, it very quickly divulges into stan riding the high of peer approval w regards to the music video, making it seen, going on dr. oz etc. kyle is the only one who finds fault with it -- “don’t act for me, stan, really” is a really caustic but honest assessment of the situation on kyle’s end b/c he sees that stan is more concerned w how his efforts are being received and praised rather than helping butters. again highlighted by their interaction in the bathroom when stan insists his video needs to be seen by everyone and kyle tells him to put it on the internet for free instead if he feels that way. stan is dumbstruck b/c he doesn’t know how to defend himself b/c he knows kyle is right, and he cares more about accolades/profit more than he does actually making any kind of grand social change.

-scause for applause: my favorite example, i think. again, stan’s refusal to take off the bracelet starts as something personal to him and very, very quickly transforms into a selfish movement about himself, ‘stanground’, b/c he loves the positive affirmation he receives as a result. craig then accuses him of having lied, and stan berates him in front of everyone in a really acerbic manner and only fuels the fire that eventually brings him down. when everyone hates stan after finding out he actually did cut off his bracelet, kyle tries to nudge stan in the right direction by urging him to tell the truth, but stan only doubles down and tries to get everyone on his side again w a convoluted scheme to make it seem as if the whole thing was intentional. when this blows up in his face, again, kyle -- without judgement -- confronts him about having asked heidi to borrow superglue the week before. stan scoffs and i think he says something like “you’re still on that, dude?” and of course kyle is! why wouldn’t he be! he doesn’t want to see his friend dig himself any further a hole than he already has. 

-bass to mouth: everyone participates in the wikileaks gossip site at school but kyle; he’s the only one who has an outright problem with such an invasion of privacy, and stan tries to get him to lighten up. kyle remarks that it wouldn’t be funny if something about stan were written on there; stan responds flippantly that there isn’t, only for something about him to show up shortly after. cue stan leading the charge to find out who the site-runner is only for kyle to remind him during the meeting that, okay, now that it happened to you, it isn’t funny, right? 

not necessarily in the same vein of selfishness, ‘two days before the day after tomorrow’ is another great example of kyle wanting stan to do the right thing. after they destroy the dam, cartman and stan agree not to tell anyone, but when stan is confronted by the destruction his actions have caused with the people of beaverton being trapped in their flooded homes, he feels immensely remorseful. cartman sternly demands that he not tell kyle b/c kyle will obviously try to get him to confess to what they did. stan ends up telling kyle anyway to the exact result, advising him to let everyone know he’s responsible so the people stranded can receive actual help. cartman becomes irate when he realizes kyle knows, but instead of following his advice, stan tries to do the right thing in a roundabout way: rescue the people himself so he can “do the right thing, but still lie about it.” this doesn’t work and only serves to put the boys themselves in grave danger, and kyle pleads for stan to own up to what he did if for their sake only. he calls randy and comes so close to following through only to decide against it, to which kyle is visibly angry and upset with him. by the time stan does come around to telling the truth it’s too late -- everyone thinks he’s speaking metaphorically about breaking the dam instead of literally which leaves him frustrated.

there’s more examples of this, but kyle very frequently is the first one who tries to intervene when stan gets himself in more trouble than he can handle by trying to guide him toward what’s honest and what’s right. stan is often described as the everyman or the straight man of the group, and for the most part i agree with this -- stan himself is a very average kid. but i think it helps to also look at his family dynamic; he has no siblings he can really rely on as shelly is far too volatile, and though she’s shown some moments of genuine concern and care for stan (that i love and wish there was more of!) she generally holds stan with disdain and irritation. sharon is shown to love and care deeply for stan’s well-being but is also largely unaware of the extent of his problems as her hands are usually tied up elsewhere (and doesn’t receive enough one-on-one interaction with stan for me to really comment on how well she handles those problems). randy is a fucking mess and speaking as someone w a parent who was a functioning alcoholic as randy is, i can attest to how fragile and chaotic a relationship like that can be. randy is certainly no role model of decency. i mean, christ, there’s an entire episode based around the concept of randy teaching stan how to lie effectively wherein which he demonstrates ‘tells’ for stan only to exhibit them when he tells stan he loves him. obviously this is played as a joke, but stan notices this and is rightly upset. randy, as a parent and a person, is incredibly selfish, has no sense of boundaries, acts in his own self-interest, and treats stan like a friend instead of son -- not a very good friend at that. not that randy has absolutely no redeeming qualities, but they’re few and far between, and the rare occasion we see him genuinely try to help or bond with stan usually ends up in another wacky misadventure. my point being, stan doesn’t have a very strong support system within his home and thus has to rely entirely on his own will to guide himself.

kyle is one of very few who is really ever shown to expect better of stan, to want him to be better than he is, to want him to be better for the simple fact that he should want it for himself as well -- not so he can get anything out of it.

that was what i mean by kyle being a moral guide for stan and helping keep him grounded. sorry this became so long, but i hope this answered your question!

[graypdx]

A portrait of Georgia O’Keeffe for a Social Studies Project! She’s always been a huge inspiration for my art, and it was so cool learning more about her and her work. (at Beaverton High School)

[sangklp]

We spy origami fish & octopuses made by Culture Week Planning Committee team at the International School of Beaverton. What other sea creatures can you find? Join the #OceanChallenge! Create your own art to support our partners #oceanconservation efforts: https://t.co/TMtGY2njQS https://t.co/1pCn9j4YWB https://www.youtube.com/c/lifesang

[whipple-effect]

WHPLEFCT’s Vacation

I’m back from Finland. So… Where to start?

I’ll preface this by saying that this will feel like I’m repeating myself. TL;DR The food was amazing, the country was beautiful, and never have I felt my life take as big of a step forward before. My conviction toward my future is as strong as its even been, and I owe that to Jenna.

Without further ado, let’s begin.

Looking out the window of my plane, I was struck with a feeling of familiarity. Seeing the grey sky, the trees, I felt like I was back in Portland. That alone did wonders to instill this feeling that Finland will become a home away from home… Although it didn’t do much in helping me find out where to go; I couldn’t find the way to the terminal and there wan’t much in the way of help in getting my bearings. Eventually I found my way out, but that’s something we’d come to laugh about over the course of the trip.

The first week spent getting acquainted with my new surroundings. I wanted to see things and explore. Our first stops were the art and history museums. For a country that’s only celebrating its centennial this year (yes I’m aware Finland was a country before their independence), it has a storied and rich cultural history. Seeing the kind of decor and religious artworks match the same things you saw in college texts books put pictures to… Well, pictures. Both Jenna and I’s favorite exhibit was the history of travel posters. I picked up a book containing the entire exhibit it was so interesting.

Exploring more of the Helsinki area was a blast. Seeing the intermingling of old world architecture and modern convenience was a sight to behold. The photos below are of Senate Square, where one of the older Lutheran churches presides. Of course we had to get a photo on the steps, what are you crazy?

After that came the big one. On the 18th we headed out to Savonlinna for the weekend, with a stop in Lappeenranta to meet Jenna’s father. Lappeenranta is a smaller town, and it definitely feels like it. It parallels Beaverton with it’s foot traffic friendly streets and little food shacks. Speaking of, we picked up meat pies at one… My only regret was I didn’t get 3. The museums we lovely, as was getting acquainted with Jenna’s father. Although, one of my personal favorite moments from this trip was learning Jenna painted a mural during her senior year of high school; I did the exact same thing during my final year of school. It feels more and more destined that we’re together, I swear.

We arrived in Savonlinna that night and we immediately settled in. The accommodations were comfortable, and the food continued to be delicious. The next day we headed into town to see the sights and pick up some necessities; namely some swim trunks for myself. Can’t go into a hot tub in jeans, what are you crazy? Other than that, we were met with more scenic beauty that never failed to amaze. Seeing ice sheets cracking atop lakes and rivers was beautiful.

Returning home, we were lucky to find that the recent mall renovations were complete. Why does this matter? Because it offer us an insane number of new restaurants to try. All in all, this was a very culinarily indulgent trip. Not only from the restaurants we visited, but the dishes we prepared in our modest kitchen. For things like these, pictures speak louder than words, so I’ll link you to the mass post of food pictures I posted already:

I feel the pictures with Mario 64 don’t need an explanation. I will say this though: Childhood dream fulfilled.

Once I felt stable enough to venture out on my own, I found a nearby trail perfect for morning walks. Not only was it scenic, a skate park that was tucked away in the trees hosted some fantastic graffiti. I had to stop and take it all in.

Coming up on the dusk of the trip, things slowed down to a comfortable groove. The prior weeks were dedicated to exploration and excitement. These final days were more intimate and slow, a perfect way to reflect on what was turning out to be one of the greatest experiences in my young life.

May 1st. Vappu. A holiday to the Finnish people, the one day out of the year everyone is encouraged to get out, enjoy the sunshine, and mingle with their fellow man (at least that’s how Jenna explained it to me). We had a champagne picnic in the park, the revelry of people around us partnered with the booming bloom of springtime filled me with a sense of camaraderie. Maybe it was just the timing, perhaps I just happen to miss these experiences at home, never before have I felt a true sense of belonging and zest for life than in those moments. I miss it already.

After that, what more is there to say? Jenna and I lived together. For trips like these, they say it’s the little things you’ll always hold close in your memory. This proved to be exactly right. Waking up to a beautiful morning and cook breakfast for the woman I love was a privilege. Learning who her favorite streamers and YouTubers are. Sharing the WIPs of work we were getting done, the little breaks that ended up longer than we thought, the games we played, the music we experienced… I’ll say it again: I’ve never felt my life take as big of a step forward before this trip. It showed me a life I wanted. A life of my own, which of course, I can share with someone. I felt I loved Jenna before. This trip cemented it as a truly honest and beautiful feeling. A connection I had been missing all my life… Alas, I had to return back home.

What’s next for me? Well, my Air Force plans are still going ahead. I have a driver’s test setup this Monday, and once I accomplish that, I’ll be reaching out to a recruiter. Wish me luck everyone, that license is the last stepping stone I need to get over before I can pursue my Fire Protection career (well that and the ASVAB of course).

When I said this vacation renewed my conviction to my future, I meant it. Everything I do going forward will be to reunite myself with Jenna so we can build our lives together. I know this is the right decision. I just do. And I can’t wait to see what our future holds.

[jeramymobley]

Why Harvard Students Threw Their Shoes at Virgil Abloh

Invited on Oct. 26th to speak about his many hats that bring him to interact with leading brands—designer, DJ and founder of his own apparel brand,Off-White—Virgil Abloh urged Harvard’s Graduate School of Design attendees to find their unique creative voices in a recent hour-long talk which ended with audience members tossing their sneakers towards the podium.

A post shared by @virgilabloh on Oct 26, 2017 at 6:03pm PDT

His lecture, called “Insert Complex Title Here,” attracted a packed audience. It was his second visit to Harvard, following a talk with Kanye West, with whom he worked as art director.

VIRGIL ABLOH SPEAKS AT HARVARD (FULL LECTURE) https://t.co/IHkcsFn0cv [@virgilabloh] http://pic.twitter.com/m8CIJLZfR7

— ֆȶɨʟʟ (@illroots) October 30, 2017

Abloh presented a seven-point manifesto called “Personal Design Language,” encouraging speaking to “the tourist and purist simultaneously,” in a “3 percent approach.”

“Things are intriguing to me when they’re slightly edited, like these shoes,” he said, removing one of his Nike Air Force 1 shoes. “I was only interested in restraining myself, and only editing it 3 percent.”

A post shared by @virgilabloh on Oct 24, 2017 at 8:10am PDT

Eric Howeler, associate professor of architecture told The Harvard Gazette, “He’s a contemporary young voice who can disrupt. Architecture needs some disruption. Design has never been as well-regarded as it is today. He’s connecting to people, to clients, to fashion. It’s great for people to think big about design, not just architecture.”

Abloh explained in his talk (well worth watching; above) how and why he works with global brands such as IKEA, where he collaborated on a millennial-focused furniture line.

“My idea is that humans don’t make things by themselves,” Abloh said during a live Q&A session with IKEA creative leader Henrik Most at an event in Milan. “Collaboration is not a punchline… I only collaborate with the best in each category.”

Abloh aims to provide “new solutions for a millennial’s first home. I don’t have the patience to be a non-creator,” he continued, adding that IKEA let him put his “opinion on a classic.” The collection is projected to drop in 2019 but a prototype of his rug was shown in Milan.

“Surreal” was his initial reaction to being contacted by IKEA. “Architecture, I used to think, was building buildings, but me navigating my way into this institution that provides furniture to real people — if I can bring an ounce of an idea, that’s already an idea,” he said at Harvard.

Abloh’s collaboration with Nike actually began when he was a teenager and sketched shoe ideas with his friends that they sent to the brand. “We were enamored with Air Jordans. Michael Jordan was larger than life — he was Superman to me. My entire design background and ethos came from the ‘90s.”

“By the time I made my first trip to Beaverton, I immediately wanted to make something,” Abloh says. “I didn’t wait all those years just to have meetings at Nike.”

On that first visit, he rebuilt a pair of triple-black Air Force 1 Low shoes with an X-ACTO knife, drew on them with markers, and created one-offs for his staff to wear at that December’s Design Miami where he presented OFF-WHITE furniture.

Abloh’s recreation of design language led to The Ten, a collaborative exploration of 10 Nike footwear silhouettes. “These 10 shoes have broken barriers in performance and style,” he said. “To me, they are on the same level as a sculpture of David or the Mona Lisa. You can debate it all you want, but they mean something. And that’s what’s important.”

He divided the 10 shoes into “REVEALING,” hand-cut, open-source and reconstructed including Air Jordan I, Nike Air Max 90, Nike Air Presto, Nike Air VaporMax and Nike Blazer Mid; and “GHOSTING,” with translucent uppers revealing and uniting the second set of silhouettes through common material and including Converse Chuck Taylor, Nike Zoom Fly SP, Nike Air Force 1 Low, Nike React Hyperdunk 2017 and Nike Air Max 97.

“My high school years were made up of playing soccer, skateboarding and biking year-round,” says Abloh. “What I’ve learned from playing sports and also being obsessed with design is that there is an inherent style and focus that exists amongst athletes and designers alike: What propels them to be the best comes from deep within.”

Abloh earned a master’s degree in architecture from Illinois Institute of Technology, and was nominated for a Grammy for art direction for his work on the Jay Z-Kanye West album “Watch the Throne” in 2011. He founded Milan-based fashion label Off-White in 2013, inspired by Diana, Princess of Wales. Now Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art is planning a retrospective of Abloh’s work for 2019.

The iconoclastic designer credits Rem Koolhaas, Donald Judd, Jim Joe, among others as inspirations. “I have mentors who are dead. I have mentors 30 years older than me. I have mentors 10 years younger,” he said at Harvard.

He ended his GSD talk by suggesting a new title, “Insert Yourself Here,” and telling the audience, “Put yourself in my shoes,” he said. “I’m not that special.” How they responded? By throwing their sneakers, by the dozen, to the front of the hall by the podium for him to doodle on—something even Kanye wasn’t asked to do.

without thinking it through, "toss 5 shoes up here and I'll draw on them"..

A post shared by @virgilabloh on Oct 26, 2017 at 3:24pm PDT

The post Why Harvard Students Threw Their Shoes at Virgil Abloh appeared first on brandchannel:.

[cherry-robot]

Always enjoy reposting this fan art my friend @the_sunflower_cactus drew for me while we were in Aviation school stationed at Fort Eustis 🎨👨‍✈️ 🍒🤖🍒🤖🍒🤖🍒🤖🍒🤖🍒🤖🍒 . #CherryRobot #CherrysGirl #CyborgPrincess #Toymancer #Toy #Toys #ToyMad #ToyMaker #ToyDesigner #ToySplicer #thatsCherry #cherryLife #cherrysAcolyte #Create #Creator #Creation #Art #Artist #TheTwilightGoddess #TheFuture #TheToymancer #JamesFarmer #Jamesland #combatCherry #OregonArt #Hooah #HighAboveTheBest #ShredTheDead #Sculptor #TheNext (at Beaverton, Oregon) https://www.instagram.com/p/CYyAaZvLB7O/?utm_medium=tumblr