#besides. the whole “mix all the designs ever created” thing is on brand for them since the beginning.

[sovamurka]

I will be perfectly honest, I somehow like every single detail about timebomb's lovestruck skins.

"It's all over the place", "too many clashing details", "seems like they couldn't choose what designs to put and then mixed them all together"

you see... that's exactly what I like about it.

IT'S SO THEM. AND THAT'S THE POINT.

the whole theme of "vibing, rocking, being in love 💞"

- leg warmers <--> jeans (we all joked about it at least once)

- Ekko now seems to sport the same side-bangs Jinx has

- spiky parts on their jackets are meant to form a heart

their accessories... oh... the way they match in all the little ways:

- Jinx's heart on her waist matches the heart Ekko has on his knee

- just like the heart on Jinx's left shoe matches the heart on Ekko's right shoe

- the cute round beads that imitate Jinx's second braid are also found on Ekko's pants... pants, on which he has very cute pins that may very sweetly parallel Jinx's jacket pins

- Jinx's half-a-heart necklace meant to form a heart with Ekko's half-a-heart knuckle accessory

[anne-hathway]

Once we get together, you need to tell me the whole story and how was the process to move from Mexico to Hollywood and how was the whole experience and how hard or easy was for you. I need to hear the whole story because it sounds like a story to tell to your grandchildren in the future. we have another thing in common, we started as a teenager stars? so, you definitely sing! If you say you played this music-loving girl and you recorded the soundtrack too. How old were you when you did all this! With all this experience you are like an old lady with a looooooong career over your shoulders! I need to listen one of these songs and corroborate if you’re a singer or you’re not. I’m a curious kitten now wanting to find out everything about you and this amazing career you´ve built and of course you will continue and make bigger and better. Besides your talent, what do you consider the main reason to have achieved all this at such a young age? Because you’re so young and you are already conquering the world, that’s amazing to see. It’s like a dream came true, getting to embrace and play Mia once again, work with my dear and idol Julie Andrews once again. Everything is turning out like a perfect dream because I’m coming back as andy sacks too in the devil wears prada sequel too, I have to stop for a while and try to process all this because for me this is perfect! We got the range baby, we could play whatever we want because we are good at this, don’t you think so? So if I ever get to play your friend, your lover or your mother, I will be pleased and I know we will be sooooo good at it because, hell, we were born for this, to play different people and create stories and make people cry, love, get angry and everything with different stories, and if I get to play something opposite you, I will be so happy and i would beg for all the sequels because I know I will want to repeat the experience over and over again. Right? I know you are going to enjoy of this film, it’s a perfect mix of music, passion, and a really nice love story. Girl, I think you are the dream of any designer, you look like a goddess with everything you wear. I would kill for looking like you even for a night, your body, your face, your hair, everything is perfect. i will try to watch this film before our encounter so i can tell you in person my impressions, probably i won't be able to speak because the way you described your character is already breathtaking. shut up! you own a tequila brand? what the hell?! tequila is my favorite drink and you have your own tequila? what is this?! i'm ready to taste it, give me all the tequila from casa azul! i want to try it and take some home for the holidays. i need to make everyone drink it and buy it from now and on. oh, no, don't cry, no yet, not until i can hug you and making you feel better. so wait, until tomorrow when i get to see you and comfort you. it is, honey. and i'm so grateful for my family, i wouldn't be here without them.

Yes! It feels like a lifetime ago, but it was definitely my first Hollywood break. Before that, I started in Mexican telenovelas when I was just a teenager. My big break was Lola, Érase Una Vez, where I played this quirky, music-loving Cinderella type. It was huge in Latin America, and it even came with a soundtrack—I got to sing as Lola, which is hilarious now considering I barely consider myself a singer. But it’s what set me on the path to where I am today, and I’ll always be grateful for it. Making the leap to Hollywood was daunting, but it’s projects like From Dusk Till Dawn and later Baby Driver that helped me find my place here. Every step, every challenge, has been a reminder of how much I love what I do. So yes, 10 years ago feels like yesterday and forever ago at the same time. You turning 18 while filming The Princess Diaries and now gearing up for the third installment? Iconic doesn’t even begin to cover it! I cannot begin to tell you how much I screamed when I saw that video of you announcing the third movie. And don’t worry, that crush is very much alive and will probably skyrocket when the next movie comes out. (Just warning you now.) And I completely agree—eight years is nothing. I mean, Hollywood loves throwing curveballs with casting, but I can absolutely see us playing best friends, colleagues, or even lovers. The range, Anne, the range. Okay, Mother Mary sounds like a dream. A love story wrapped in music, fashion, and glamour? Count me in. It already feels like such a vibe, and knowing you’re in it makes me even more excited. You’re right—I do love fashion. It’s such a fun way to express yourself, and I’ve been fortunate to work with incredible designers who understand the storytelling that comes with it. I can already tell this movie will be one of my new obsessions. And thank you so much for the kind words! Playing Marjorie was an absolute blast. Guy Ritchie was brilliant in bringing it all together. If you ever work with him, you’ll love it—he has this way of making everyone feel like they’re part of something special. Now, margaritas and confessions? You’re right, they’re a dangerous combination, but luckily, we’ll be safely tucked away in my home. And hey, if two margaritas lead to some juicy confessions, all the better—I’ll have to make sure my tequila game is strong. I actually have my own tequila brand called Casa Azul and I'd love for you to try it and give me your most honest review. Thank you for your sweet words, now you're going to get me emotional (in a good way). Family is so important, isn't it? And this conversation reminds me how special that sibling bond is, especially when they’re there for you in the big, life-changing moments.

[jessejostark]

The Neo-Punk Songwriter Bringing Softness To The Hard Edge

Find out how the new-wave rocker is informed by retro sensibilities.

Jesse Jo Stark may have been born and raised in California, but the new-wave rock chick currently lives between extremes. As a purely contemporary mix, she's an amalgamation of a Western folk singer with a deep-rooted punk spirit and style to boot. Think David Bowie meets Elvira. Plus, Stark's list of references is as legendary as the cultural tapestry she grew up surrounded by. Apparent in her twinkling melodies, folron imagery, and rockabilly flair, her tastes reflect multiple eras of music synthesized from a life in rock 'n' roll that started long before she ever took the stage. This is largely a result of growing up with the cult-followed brand Chrome Hearts, which her parents (Richard and Laurie Lynn Stark) founded in the '80s, giving the singer a unique introduction to showbusiness—emphasis on the business. The brand lauded by the likes of Virgil Abloh for dressing rock stars from Mötley Crüe to Travis Scott also gave Stark the blueprint for doing things on her terms. With a musical breakout that's seen the artist headlining a Los Angeles residency and opening stints for Lizzo, Jane's Addiction, Sunflower Bean, and The Vaccines, the "Tangerine" singer is gearing up for a new release and a life post-pandemic that befits her rock-star roots. Find out how this femme noir vixen found herself—and her song—in the midst of it all.

She got started at an early age

"I grew up around my family starting their business, and we traveled a lot, so I was always around so many adults. My parents were making leather pants for musicians, and I was on tour with my godmother (Cher) and I always took dance class every day. I begged my godmother for my first voice lesson—I begged her to let me use her vocal teacher, so she let me take lessons with Evelyn, and I went to the studio when I was like, seven or eight. I was so scared, and she said, 'You should just write what happened at school today,' and I'll never forget I was so excited but so nervous, and I wrote a song called 'My Heart's On Fire,' and it was about a boy and really short. I was in a band called It's Complicated with my friend, and we only covered Freaky Friday songs. She did vocals, and I remember having this feeling like I never don't want to be in the studio writing about how I feel. I just think I was really fortunate to have parents that supported me in every way, like if I wanted to play guitar or dance or play volleyball, they were always into that, and I saw hungry artists really supporting each other and starting out and collaborating, and it inspired me to be around a bunch of weirdos and it made me who I am."

Creativity was a touchstone

"I really wanted to do well in school and go to college, and I went to business school for a little bit, so I was always interested in different aspects of the company besides design. I just felt like I always wanted to perform—I always wanted to create and go to work with my dad and touch things. I made my first little bag with my friend by stapling together scraps from the leather shop, and I remember writing something out on a label maker and I think my mom still has it framed. I always thought I wasn't a good writer, and I realized I could write my own music. I always wanted to be sporty and get on teams, but then I ended up on the D team, which itself is so fucked. I just wanted to be creative." 

She learned from Chrome Hearts

"Everything my parents taught me was to be yourself, do it on your own terms, and go against the grain. They really fashioned their whole thing around doing everything organically and collaborating with people that they knew, not chasing anything, taking risks, and allowing this environment for all types of people. My mom would hate this, but it feels rebellious to me, and that's how I approach my music—I don't chase after anything because that's what I think is cool or what's gonna make me money or make me big. It's like everything is so homegrown and natural and from our heart. When we design something, it's never done fast, and one of the biggest annoying things about Chrome Hearts is it takes so long to make one thing. I've grown to appreciate that, so I've introduced it to my art, my visuals, my writing. I think that's where longevity comes in, because we do everything at our speed and I know that's a luxury, but it's something my parents taught me and it's something that works for them. We did it our own way, and I love that. My parents are my biggest inspiration and I don't even think I realized how much they affected me until the last couple of years."

It took adjusting to the pandemic

"I was in the studio finishing the album when we got cut short because of the pandemic. I was so bummed and everyone was, but from the musicians' standpoint, I remember feeling just so upset and confused. I started writing again with my guitar in quarantine, and then I got really frustrated because there were all these songs I already wrote and I wanted those to come out, but I had just started touring a lot, and every day it was like, what's the point? What does this mean? I felt really stunted creatively, and then my whole outlook changed. Even though there's so much sadness in the world, I know a lot of people felt this too, but I really got to know myself in the past year and how to take different risks internally with my music and connected more with artists that I didn't think I would want to collab with or work with and sounds I didn't know I wanted. I really got to know myself this year, and I remember clawing at the floor at times because I didn't know what to say, but I've written some of my favorite songs this past year, so I'm grateful. But I feel bad saying that because I'm not OK with anything that's happened because there's so much suffering, but to get to know yourself as an artist being stuck inside, I would have never experienced that. At first it was horrible, and still now it's like, when are we touring? I'm so ready to share everything, I get so ahead of myself, but I remember what my parents taught me and it's like, we just have to go with the fucking flow."

It's about the persistence of self

"I'm really excited about this album. I wanted it to be a little bit more modern—it's new for me, but it's still me, and creatively, I feel like I'm just really going back to what I love, which is chill punk. I have so many ideas, it's just about finding the right people and introducing them energetically to me, and like this new video, we're going out in a simple way, and I think it's about just connecting with my audience and it doesn't have to be all about the glitz and the glamour. I'm never creatively blocked. It happens for 24 hours or so, but I'm full of ideas—I'm totally ready to tour. I want to make a video for each song, I'm ready. It's still just me and it's still the same shit."

She loves the process just as much

"It's hard to write a song, be vulnerable and sit down and know what you want to say. It sounds simple, but if I try to have the same experience as the day before, it never works out. It's like trying to have the same two days at Disneyland, so I don't set expectations on myself, and I might even write here in the parking lot. For me, when the pressure is off, that's when I'm most creative, so it's never the same. Also, when I'm in the studio every day with no breaks, that's when I end up writing another album. In the studio and recording one thing, but you end up writing a whole 'nother album, so that's kind of what happens with me."

New music is coming

"I've been wanting to release new music for a while, and finally, it's time. It's coming out soon, and it's kind of like my birthday present to me. It's funkier than some of my other songs, and I'm really excited for people to hear it. I wanted to introduce little things that inspire me and make me feel like I'm in a good place."

[makemarchmagical]

WRITE YOUR HEART OUT

**fill some pages, get creative and happy**

Found Poem

get an old book, tear out a page, black out all the words besides the one used to create the poem

Soapbox

choose a topic you feel strongly about

power write for twelve minutes

refine the soapbox: use creative language, a mix of sentence lengths

one to two pages

Original Poem

write a poem

“I’m not who I once was..”

write about a moment that shifted you forever

no longer than two pages

be real

think about what you want to be taken from the story

Magical Words

fill a page with your favorite quotes, lyrics, advice, words

The Perfect Day

“Every morning when we wake up, we have twenty-four brand new hours to live. What a precious gift!” - Thich Nhat Hanh

music inspiration: “24” by Switchfoot, “You, Me, and the Bourgeoise” by The Submarines

write about your perfect day, could be one you have lived or one you hope to live

who is there

how do you spend your time

what is it about this day that would make it perfect

do you think it’s really possible to live a perfect day

Things I’ve Learned

what have you learned

consider lessons you’ve learned from school, life, family, and on your own

make a list or create categories for the lessons

write about yourself as a student

write about your teachers, each grade, etc.

write about what you haven’t learned

On My Mind

write what’s on your mind

Trace Something

pick something, trace it, and write about it

you can fill it in with a cool design, color or words

make it more than what is was

Cry Me a River

make a list of all the things that make/have made you cry

The Bubble

do you live in a bubble

what does that mean

have you ever been outside of the bubble

what was it like

is the bubble a good thing or a bad thing

is this the only bubble in the world

Definitely Beautiful

write these two words over and over and over again

43-Gold

music inspiration: “Gold” by Imagine Dragons, “Silver and Gold” by Sufjan Stevens

what is gold to you in your life

consider people, places, experiences, classes, activities, etc.

what are the qualifications for something to be golden to you

Where You Are Sitting

“The aspects of things that are most important for us are hidden because of their simplicity and familiarity. (One is unable to notice something - because it is always before one’s eyes).” - Ludwig Wittgenstein

list twenty things about where you are sitting right now that you hadn’t noticed when you sat down

use your senses

do it quickly

do not censor

Top 5

make some top five lists of whatever you want

Avalanche of Words

write for 10 min, 5 min, 2 pages, 5 pages, as long as you can

things you know to be true

things you should’ve learned by now

things that make you angry

things that give you hope

on the topic of “lost, broken, bent”

rant about your pet peeves

what you would say to your secret crush

what keeps you up at night/what you lose sleep over

things that make you feel whole

best childhood memories

the nicest person you know

the perfect road trip

something that doesn’t make sense to you

something unresolved

the monsters in your closet

describe fear

If you have any ideas you feel will fit, please send them in and I will add them!

(These things were all thought of before COVID. Please be cautious and safe as you choose what to do. Also, remember that every place has its own set of COVID rules. Please be respectful.)

MAGICAL MARCH HOME

[a-secondhand-sorrow]

one day we'll all get still

(ao3 link in the notes! title from a world alone by lorde)

The summer is quiet.

Impossibly quiet, really; it’s like the whole world decides to hold its breath and count to ten, like everyone is so used to the silence that the globe itself slows its rotations and stills, stretching out the days until everyone’s shadows are long on the sidewalks and the sky is painted in a million colors. The humidity in the air clings to everything and weighs it down until it rests on the burnt-out grass, watching, waiting.

Quiet is not quite a large enough word to encompass what the summer is.

Even in the hum of air conditioning units working overtime to provide some relief to those inside of their houses, there’s a peace that will never be felt in the autumn or the winter or the spring. That peace can’t be found unless you’re sitting with the sun hot on the back of your neck and the top of your head, full of worries, yes, but without any true care.

Zoe sits on one such day. Her converse stretches out into the street with her legs, and from where she perches on the curb, she can see only what is immediately in front of her: houses that look the same as the houses next to them, rows of minivans and gardenias and shrubbery. She hears the hum of the air conditioners and she wishes she were inside, benefiting from their overtime instead of sweating through her class t-shirt like the eggs everyone always jokes about cooking on the sidewalk, but she knows she won’t. Shouldn’t. Can’t. There is too much turmoil, too much dust settling, and she doesn’t want to choke and accidentally set off another mine.

Is this house her childhood home or a cleverly disguised game of Minesweeper? Probably both.

Someone sits next to her, and she knows it’s Evan before anything else. She’s always known when it’s him; she can sense the difference between him and everyone else with eerie clarity. Evan sits, as though there’s nowhere he’d rather be than sitting beside her on the dusty, rough curb. As though he were designed for this and nothing else. Zoe doesn’t quite look at him, but from the corner of her eye, she sees everything he does. She couldn’t stop seeing him if she tried.

He offers her his hand. In the grand scheme of things - of all the contact they’ve shared, hours they’ve clung to each other, years they’ve spent sharing beds and curling up on furniture and breathing in the same breaths - it’s nothing. But somehow it feels like something as she places her palm atop his, still not quite looking at him, and lets her fingers lock with his, trapping the heat between their sealed hands.

Because, in all the years before that, they were Zoe Murphy and Evan Hansen, all sharp elbows and gangly limbs and bare feet pounding on mid-July pavement and the faint smell of sugar that seemed to follow them everywhere. They were flickering street lamps illuminating nothing but some weeds poking through blacktop, hands covered in chalk and rainbows of drawings blooming across the crumbling sidewalks. They were the feeling of a playground ball rough under your uneven fingertips, and the sound of small hands tearing at the brittle, dried grass, and swinging so high up on a swing that the swingset groaned under the weight of it. They were handfuls of moments trickling from between their fingers like sand on a beach, a collection so bright and so mighty that it seemed inevitable it would explode.

But they were sixteen and seventeen, respectively, far from the days of running carefree without any adults to look after them. They would sometimes watch reruns of the Andy Griffiths’ Show at the Murphy’s with glasses of Cynthia’s town-famous lemonade (which was really just half a pack of Crystal Light mixed with lemon juice, though Cynthia admitted this in whispers so low and conspiratorial to both kids that they would think they were guarding a national treasure of a secret), and they joked that they were Opie - between Zoe’s huge, monument-like home with her parents and brother and Evan’s tiny, cluttered house where his mother was never home, always picking up another shift at the hospital an hour’s drive away in the city, they rarely had any adults checking their whereabouts or any home to post up in just like their 1960s idol. Their laughs are more restrained but no less bright as teenagers, their smiles just as wide but more difficult to coax out, the smatters of freckles dashed across their faces just as strong from hours spent in front of the sun.

Summer brings out the children in them, even though you have to squint to see it.

Summers also used to be spent loudly, all the kids in town creating a general hum of excitement and wonder at the warm days and short nights. But when the summer before Zoe’s junior year hits, there’s no laughter to be heard echoing down streets with the chimes of bike bells, no smacks or shattering sounds accompanying ball games on the elementary school’s playground, no fire hydrants busted open to give everyone an impromptu pool party. It’s like the town itself can sense that something bad is coming and has silenced itself preemptively, like by keeping everyone taciturn and silent nothing bad can befall them. It’s no peaceful silence, either. It’s a loud silence, one that takes up space in every crack in every road; and it leaves everything looking off-kilter. Heidi is gone almost constantly, and Larry and Cynthia’s blow-out fights have peaked at least three times a week, and Connor...well, Connor would always be a whole other story.

Despite the silence that weighs over the town like a blanket, Zoe is far from comforted by the town-wide hush. She’s filled with unbidden energy, leaving her restless and fidgety and ready to crawl out of her skin at almost every moment.

So she stands up, yanking Evan with her. He follows as though there is nothing else he’d rather do, as though she is the only force that can move him despite the fact that he stands a good 6 inches taller than her even slouched as he always is.

There’s a little cafe in the next town over. They rarely go there - there’s not exactly a reason to, since they can do just fine finding their own food, and it’s a ripoff anyway. But occasionally, when the oppressive heat (one only a small town and the height of the summer can create) forces them into their lightest clothes and has them practically tearing their hair out, they make the trek just for something to do.

That day, they take Zoe’s car - she’s technically not allowed to drive with just another teenager in the car, but no one’s enforced that for as long as Zoe can remember. So they drive in her shiny, brand-new black Audi with paint you could practically eat off of and blast Lorde with the windows firmly shut, singing along because they know every word. They’ve been living off of her two albums ever since they’ve come out, and she can’t help but smile as she thinks of all the hours spent stretched out on her back on Evan’s bedroom floor, giggling as he dramatically mimics her deep tone in Ribs or sitting on her back porch where he tries to sing Liability in a high falsetto, forcing her water come out her nose with the strength of her laughs. He’s quieter that day, but the whole summer has felt that way, not just him. Everyone seems to be pressed down but some invisible force, words poised on the tips of their tongues without ever breaking free.

Normally, she’d be clinging onto his arm or throwing some limb around him to drag him towards the café, but the temperature in her car reads a toasty 96 degrees before even factoring in the humidity. She settles for dramatically opening the door for him, hiding a wince when the smooth flesh of her palm grills against the sun-heated metal door.

At first sight, the café appears to be empty, but as they look for another moment they see patrons dotted at the tables; they’d blent so seamlessly in with the walls of the shop, as though they did nothing but sit there always, that their brains could not help but write them out of the initial picture. True to form, there is no one behind the counter, but Zoe and Evan wait in front of it all the same; there was a chime when the door opened, and they are far too used to the way businesses operate when there’s little demand to expect anything more than this.

A woman barely three years older than them emerges from the back some minutes later while looking as though she stepped out from a sepia photo. Like the customers, she blends in. When she greets them, her voice is full of false cheer even though she seems to be wilting at the edges just like the poppies in their planters on the sidewalk.

“Hi,” Zoe replies, tearing her eyes away from the small menu nailed to the wall. “Uh, could I have a small blackberry iced tea and-” she glances at Evan, who fiddles with his shirt and lets his eyes jump around the air beside the server and decides to order for him. “And a small English Breakfast tea with cream?”

When the color-void server returns with the drinks and they take them out to the car, he thanks her from the passenger seat, but she just shushes him and starts up the ignition.

Zoe glances at him a lot over their drive home. It’s nothing she hasn’t seen before, but she still can’t stop. She can’t help but think that he’s so wildly different and so completely the same as he’s always been, even uncharacteristically silent on a car ride. He reaches one hand to adjust the sound on “A World Alone” and Lorde’s voice swells with his fingers twisting the dial.

“Maybe people are jerks, but not you.”

He starts to hum, then. His hair starts to fall into one eye, but he doesn’t move it; he simply taps one hand against his thigh. Between sips of tea, he hums a harmony to Lorde’s main melody, and the sound soothes her heart more than anything else. His lashes flutter against his cheek as they get into the chorus.

“You’re my best friend and we’re dancing in this world alone...”

At once, Evan sputters out a “Zoe!” around a mouth of tea and she slams the break just in time to see the red light bright above them. A horn beeps one long, prolonged honking sound from the intersection immediately to their right.

Evan speaks, his voice pitching up to be high and breathless. “Could’ve been worse, I guess.”

She’s reminded, suddenly, of the time after Connor’s birthday party in middle school when they helped her parents take down the blue and white balloons taped up everywhere. Evan had untied one of the balloons, his fingers exceptionally nimble for someone so incapable of staying still, and inhaled the helium inside so he’d get a funny voice, and Zoe followed suit. His voice is almost the same in her car, albeit from fear rather than helium, but she gets a sudden urge to laugh anyway.

“I guess so,” she says at length, and before she knows it the two of them are looking at each other and laughing. “I’m - I’m sorry, I did not mean to do that-”

“Ah, really? I thought you were finally acting on your plans to get rid of me.”

She pulls a face. “For what motive?”

He grins quickly before it fades again. “Annoyance.” Evan points ahead of them towards the light, which is newly returned to green. “Speaking of which, if we don’t want to get honked at or rear-ended…”

“This town would,” she mutters darkly, resuming her driving.

Pulling into the Murphy’s driveway is achingly familiar. Her mom’s tiny silver sedan gleams in the sun, contrasting the freshly-trimmed grass nicely. The imposing white of their house seems to melt into the air around it, making all edges soft and fuzzy as though distorted through water. (“You could swim through this air,” she remarks lightly as she steps out of the car, and going by Evan’s small yuk of disgust, he agrees.) Her car slides to a stop across the uneven gravel of their driveway, and with that, their journey is over.

They practically glide past the perfectly-manicured shrubs and flowers, moving determinedly towards the door. Although Zoe’s key is warm in her hand, the condensation from her iced tea still cooling on her palm, the door is hot enough to burn and scar. It takes a moment for her to brave the temperature and open it.

The sunlight reflects harshly off of the freshly-painted white walls, nearly blinding them as they stumble in. Zoe blinks as she makes her way down the hallway, letting the sound of her sneakers against the hardwood ensure her that she moved in the right direction. Her vision starts to adjust just as she enters the kitchen, Evan just behind her.

Connor is in the kitchen, clearly intending to pass her and take the route out the front door, but when he catches sight of Zoe and Evan he stops short with his hands rested in the pockets of his black hoodie. The siblings freeze at the same time, memories of a thousand old fights in the kitchen surfacing at once.

The problem with their fights is that neither seeks them out. They don’t know a storm is coming until the wind knocks them down.

“Hey, Connor,” Evan says, his hands already jumping to his shirt hem, probably in an attempt to diffuse the sudden tension in the air.

Connor nods briefly in Evan’s direction. He might mutter a “hey” back, but if he does it’s barely audible. He watches her as though gauging her mood when she finally regains control of her limbs and crosses to the kitchen table. She’s watching him, too, even if she’s more subtle about it. The July heat still clings to her skin, and it’s all she can think of as she looks at Connor’s outfit.

“You’re going to broil to death in that, Con,” she says before she can think to do otherwise. She stiffens almost immediately, and suddenly she can look anywhere in the room except her brother. Mentally shaking her head, she forces her hand to move and drop her sunglasses to the table, an action that is too nonchalant for the sudden tense air in the room. She just lets her fingers curl around her tea and waits with unavoidable acceptance for the blow-up to happen.

But it never comes.

“You’re going to burn to a crisp in that outfit,” is all Connor mutters in reply. Zoe gets the sudden urge to grin, but she suppresses it, electing instead to glance down at her tank top and shorts combo.

“There’s, like, a 90 percent humidity rate.”

Zoe finally meets Connor’s eye, and she could swear his muscles twitch as if with the urge to smile. “You, like, burn to a crisp in two seconds of sunlight.”

“That’s true,” Evan says just as Zoe exclaims that she “doesn’t burn,” she “freckles.”

She just throws a faux glare in his direction, examining the dark, freckled skin of her forearm at the same time. Curse her brother and his ability to not burn in the sun; despite their skin being the same shade, she was infinitely more susceptible to the sun’s strength.

Connor clears his throat suddenly. “Well,” he says, with a brief nod. “I’ll just…” and, with that, he slips out the front door.

Zoe shakes her head in his wake, clutching her tea tighter. She looks at Evan. His mouth is shaped as though he’s about to say something, but she brushes past him to move towards the stairs, effectively cutting him off. Footsteps sound behind her on every stair, so she knows he follows.

He trails after her into her pastel-splashed room, shutting the door behind them. Cynthia or Larry being home is unlikely, but the illusion of privacy is nice all the same. She crosses the carpeted floor to crack a window open almost immediately, nearly spilling her drink in the process. Her room is stiflingly hot, leaving the air clinging damply to them. Evan pulls a face, falling into the desk chair while completely indifferent to the fact that it’s covered in hoodies.

“I forgot your room is actually a greenhouse,” he says, watching as she feels the slightly cooler air from outside settle on her cheeks.

“It’s like the air conditioning is actively avoiding it,” she agrees. She turns back around to face him, leaning against the window sill and readjusting her drink in hand.

The edges of Evan’s dark brows pull together, and she sees as his jaw clenches and unclenches in rapid succession. “So, with C-”

“No,” she cuts him off before he can even begin. “I don’t think I can…”

Although she’s used to how heavy her head feels in the summer, the weight of her curls feels heavier than normal, and she tugs at the ends near her shoulders uncomfortably. When she doesn’t move them, they cling to her shoulder blades and refuse to budge. Evan’s eyes, the infinite pools like aged whiskey that are almost as intoxicating that she knows so well, study her as she fidgets until he can’t take it anymore and looks away. “Of course,” is all he says in response.

She drains the last of her tea and tosses it into the trashcan in one fluid motion.

At some point she puts some music on, no longer trusting Evan’s music taste even with her continued influence on him. They shift from activity to activity as they always do, sometimes speaking and sometimes just enjoying being with another person. Dodie’s voice fades to Paramore fades to Jasmine Cephas Jones fades to Hozier and then Zoe grabs her guitar to play along while perched on the edge of her bed. Evan, with his voice of an angel, sings as best as he can, laughing at the low notes and his attempts at a falsetto.

She’s so used to this, the notes of her guitar and the timbre of his laugh and the duvet under her legs, but in a summer that has felt entirely shifted just left of what she feels it should be something feels off all the same. Evan joins her on the bed, crossing his legs under him like a little kid, and she’s so used to being close to him but like everything else it feels different. More charged. More conscious. Like if she’s not careful she’ll tilt and land directly where she knows she can never be, her hands settling at the base of his jaw and sliding over his skin and his hair until there’s even less space between them.

They fall asleep on top of the covers of her bed anyway, sometimes after they tire themselves of singing. Their bodies manage to curl just short of each other, just as they’ve been sleeping since they were little kids. Zoe drifts off without any blankets or even a pillow under her head since it’s far too hot for anything on her. Her fingertips lightly brush Evan’s and that’s the last sensation she is aware of. Similarly, she’s vaguely aware of the fact that he pulls away at some point, and she feels his absence like the weight of a necklace around her throat, but although she’s aware of it, she isn’t roused till the taps come from her window.

She mentioned, once, that she wanted to be awoken one night with someone throwing rocks at her window while she was still in high school. Zoe never thought Evan would do more than laugh it off, but she’s proven wrong that night. The clock is barely gone eleven when quick, insistent taps sound at her windowpane, and she rouses - she’s always been a light sleeper. Evan’s grinning face meets her gaze from about four feet below her, and she takes a minute-long detour to throw a flannel on and brush her teeth before coming back to the window with a bottle of red wine she knows her parents won’t notice is missing. She drops down the half-flight and lands like a cat on her feet.

Well, not quite. She feels her ankle buckle beneath her as her converse make contact with the ground, and her whole body follows it. Letting out an involuntary hiss, she reaches her free hand to Evan and he’s in front of her before she can fall at all, his hands finding her elbows and hoisting her upright. She and Evan are genuinely worried she’s hurt it for a moment, and she hops into a more-standing position while leaning on Evan and bouncing on her good foot. But the pain passes quickly, and Evan laughs once he’s sure she’s okay.

“Wow, such an adult,” he says as she brandishes the bottle for him. She lightly shoves at his shoulder and just tells him to lead the way to wherever they’re going.

Evan is in rare form; he’s never this confident, surging forward along cracked sidewalks only half-illuminated in the dim streetlights the town never decides to fix. One flickers out as they pass beneath it, and she almost stumbles before he reaches out and wraps an arm around her waist. She leans into the touch, letting out an involuntary shudder that she blames on the night chill, and they continue the walk in the same fashion.

When Zoe sees the familiar sign of Ellison Park, she just looks to him, her eyebrows furrowing, but he grabs her free hand and drags her through their normal haunts in the park - the huge oak towards the entrance, the lone statue of a kid reading a book, a bench Zoe once got stung by a bee on - and through a thick crop of trees.

“If I get triple E from a goddamn mosquito, I’m blaming you,” she grumbles, swatting at imaginary bugs.

He shrugs, still leading her to destinations unknown. “Go for it.”

She has another snarky reply posed on the top of her tongue, but it slides away as they break away onto what appears to be the side of a hill surrounded by trees. Above them, the stars shine down as though to smile at them, brighter than anywhere else in town. The whole place is bathed in a faint silver light like something out of a dream.

“Holy shit,” she breathes, but it comes out croaky and near-silent because her breath can’t find its way out around the lump that has grown in her throat. “What is this place?”

Evan shrugs as a small half-smile crops onto his face. “Found it the other day. I can’t believe we haven’t seen it before.”

Wordlessly, Zoe trails over to the slight incline, letting herself flop over until she lies sprawled on her back. “Holy shit,” she says again, beckoning him over. He’s over in an instant, lying at a slight angle to her so his head is right below hers and his feet trail away to her left. “I haven’t seen Orion since I was a kid…”

And that’s how time moves, for them. The bottle of wine passes between them like a game of hot potato and Zoe points out constellations she knows Evan can’t see, even when he tries his best. There is nothing to do but lay there with your best friend and see the universe stretched out in front of you, and Zoe is all at once breathlessly thankful for this little town and its glacial pace.

“It looks so peaceful out there,” he mumbles as the wine starts to take effect in her brain.

She turns her face away from the sky for the first time that night; she’d felt his gaze on the side of her face while she spoke, even when he pretended to be looking at the constellations, but now he really seems to just be looking at the stars. The silvery light gives his dark skin an almost pearlescent sheen, and Zoe thinks he’s never looked so beautiful as he does then, all the glow of the moon captured in his face and the shine of the stars reflected in his deep brown eyes like a long-lost galaxy.

For a moment, she wonders if she’s been wrong this whole time. Maybe she’d thought she was looking at the sky when the whole sky she’d ever need was inches from her face.

“Like everything is where it’s meant to be,” he continues, indifferent to the way her thoughts have derailed. “Balanced. Purposeful. On some...predestined track, just thousands of particles and stars and novas being drawn together so we have something to look at and know that something larger exists.”

He doesn’t turn to face her, but she wishes he would. Zoe longs to feel his breath hot against her cheek like an errant star falling from the sky, to feel the tingle of his lips so close to the skin of her face that entire galaxies bloom across her skin, to feel the star shine words he utters without any air between them. She wishes he would turn his face, let their noses brush in some pseudo kiss. She wishes he would kiss her, or she would kiss him, but they’re caught in limbo instead.

And, tipsy under the stars in Ellison Park, Zoe reckons with the fact that she might be a little in love with Evan Hansen.

[grestionves]

Embroidery Thread Update for CUSTOM IRON ON PATCHES providers

Rather than neglecting the evident, focus on all the strings offered to today's embroiderers. visit this page Everyone recognize that 40 weight is the embroiderer's daily, go-to, general-purpose needlework thread. Yet if you are intending to end up formats that are special, personalized as well as also considered past the standard, it's important to identify the different other string kinds that go to your disposal. Complying with is a summary of numerous kinds of strings that get on the market; taking into consideration that they are not general function, each would absolutely be thought of a specialized string. But don't let the "S" word scare you. Some need little to no special focus, as well as having a toolbox of principles will absolutely ensure you are understood for your imagination and also analytic abilities. FINE DETAIL & & SMALL LETTERING Count on 60-weight needlework thread, CUSTOM IRON ON PATCHES, supplied in both rayon along with polyester, for great details as well as tiny message that can go less than 4mm. It asks for a smaller needle, yet will permit you to generate text, shading along with other fantastic info where general-purpose, 40-weight thread might not. It is conveniently offered in a selection of shades, normally Pantone matched and additionally matched to its 40-weight matchings. Fairly brand-new to the market is a 75-weight string, used in polyester, for when a format asks for truly small detail. When beginning a job that supplies a difficulty in the dimension of the letters in a logo layout, or the detail that is prepared for, 60- or 75-weight string is ideal for problem repairing. Make your digitizer experienced about any kind of detail at the start of a job, given that tweaking density may be vital. Due to the fact that a smaller needle will absolutely offer the very best results, some embroiderers will definitely "mark" a solitary needle to the increasingly noticeable 60-weight string in black or white for stitching the text in a logo style, thus conserving the minute of changing needles. GLIMMER & & SHINE To jazz up styles, metal string can be located in smooth, twisted, strong and variegated kinds, as well as numerous weights as well as tones. Some will definitely hold up to industrial-strength laundering, while others are made for facility, distinct residence decor. When choosing a metallic string, regularly take into consideration the item you are stitching, as well as likewise pick the longevity along with weight of your string as necessary. You can turn an ordinary attire right into an actually cutting-edge wearable, or produce a throw cushion that is a focal point of a house. Metal strings are perfect for blending right into a basic style to consist of a component of shock and also ensure that both you-- in addition to your client-- stand out from the team. Integrated with general-purpose rayon or polyester thread, a shiny steel makes a vibrant declaration. And for an added theatrical look, there is the sparkling influence of a different sort of metal thread, where the special turning offers an additional unique as well as gleaming result. The makers' recommendations on needle dimension along with maker tension should be stuck to for optimal results. As a whole, the maker's string stress should be developed a little looser than for standard 40-weight strings. Also, the device needs to run somewhat slower, and also for much heavier weight strings, the needle measurement will certainly improve. SHADING & & TONE You can create deepness, or shading, in needlework with the addition of matte-finish string. By integrating it with glossy 40-weight rayon or glossy 40-weight polyester string, you can accomplish a feeling of "layering." Matte-finish needlework string is ideal for use as "skin" when individuals or faces are related to a style. When subtlety or an added masculine look demand to be completed, as in tone-on-tone monogrammeds, matte-finish string will certainly offer the wanted effect. One matte-finish needlework string on the market is particularly colorfast and also is created to stand up to large amounts of ultraviolet rays from the sunlight, a fantastic selection for patio area cushions, watercraft covers, and so on . HAND-EMBROIDERED LOOK With its rough texture, wool-blend string will absolutely offer an appealing, hand-embroidered look. The large satin stitch, longer running stitch and also a variation of the covering stitch all are exceptional alternatives for this distinctive string. Numerous various other factors to think about when collaborating with this 12-weight thread are needle measurement, stress in addition to device price. The thick wool-blend string, with normally muted tones, calls for that you use a # 100/16 needle. Thinking about the usually" hirsute" appearance of the wool-blend string, clean the bobbin situations and also rotary location regularly than with numerous other threads. NATURAL & & APPEALING Popular with quilters, a cotton-blend thread likewise will certainly offer hand-embroidered results. Cotton's natural residential properties and additionally matte surface make it prominent for those attempting a special sewed style. The high cotton internet material in the 12-weight mix makes the resulting layout soft against the skin. This thicker string would definitely ask for a # 100/16 needle for suitable outcomes. SAFETY AND SECURITY FIRST Fireproof needlework thread is considered a specialized thread, yet not always one you would certainly choose unless asked for. It was established for use on clothes, logo designs or on any kind of type of garments where fire security is a concern. Industries such as oil, aerial, fire control, and also sports such as automobile racing or flying, are all prime opportunities for using this string. One of the most efficient fireproof threads are made from 100 %Aramid, a DuPont product. While not a best string for anything besides security as well as protection needs, you require to obtain comfy with it for whenever the demand develops. RADIANCE IN THE DARK Never ever before to be utilized when controlled safety and security concerns. worrying exposure are a worry, glow-in-the-dark needlework string was developed for pure originality. As well as likewise while its use can be relatively smart and additionally may add to the user's presence, it does not contain any kind of kind of service warranty of the size or efficiency of its luster. A 40-weight string, it should certainly not need any type of sort of unique element to consider when running. Popular around Halloween for childrenswear or carryall, this thread needs to be" billed" by being held under straight light. It will absolutely hold its gleam in darkness for a dimension of time that remains in percentage with the size of time it was billed. VARIEGATED, MULTI & & OMBRÉ When chosen appropriately, variegated, multi or ombré embroidery threads may actually. lower the number of shades you'll require for a design. As you sew with multicolor as well as likewise variegated strings, they will definitely change from one shade to an additional and also one more. With ombrés, one string will definitely develop various shades of a solitary color. A wide range of selections exist if you select to try a multicolored or shaded appearance, given that rayon, polyester, wool blends as well as metallics all can be located in variants of these random-looking shades. Dealing with these threads takes some experimenting as you uncover the impact the tones will certainly have on your design. Attempt using them in things that are all-natural, such as blooms. , leaves, water, rock and also hair-- along with permit the approximate adjustments of the thread to boost the style. QUICK FILL Ultimately, heavyweight rayon needlework thread might be an excellent option for financial reasons. It is used in 30 in addition to 12 weight. When your layout consists of extensive fill stitches, the 30-weight rayon will certainly fill promptly, lessening thread use in addition to production time. For synopsis stitches, stylish joints, in addition to finishing off the sides of badges along with symbols, 12-weight rayon is a wonderful option. These two threads require an adjustment in needle measurement, as well as would certainly be chosen for the aspects mentioned listed below. Or else, stay with your general-purpose, 40-weight rayon or polyester strings for the majority of your needlework work. With firm added inexpensive than ever, utilize your customers a great deal more creative, distinctive looks. If experiment with different string kinds quits you dead in your tracks, contact your needlework thread carrier. They typically will have suggestions as well as strategies online or in published kind to aid construct your guts. Great deals of will use a cost-free instance with a free layout so you can try unique threads before you dedicate to consisting of supply.

[02121jnjn]

String Update: Including Rate Of Interest to Sewouts for CUSTOMIZED PATCHES

Bring extra worth to your embroidery with specialty strings.

Whether you're servicing a sewn competitors access or job bid, to the victor goes the reward. Your possibilities-- as well as choices-- rise significantly when you assess all alternatives presently available. A lot of embroiderers have actually chosen their general-purpose, day-to-day 40-weight string by choosing lustrous rayon or solid polyester. However a lot of get comfy with never ever taking the complying with activity when making  CUSTOM PATCHES.

Several embroiderers' makers are developed for 40-weight string; furthermore, their stock designs are digitized for it, and likewise they equip substantial supply of 40-weight rayon or polyester string. Ah, the benefit location! Who suches as change anyhow? However that is specifically why it's time for making some innovative options, improving the selections in your supply as well as the alternatives for your sewouts.

You mean to develop a comfort level-- that convenience of working together with your equipment-- to be able to break out as well as likewise effort something brand-new. Several embroiderers reveal passion in attempting something out of the box, however the concept of transforming a needle, thickness setups or committing to discovering something new is paralyzing.

Yet arrangements-- as well as likewise competitions-- are won by differing from the group and also creating looks for you or your consumers that are unique, uncommon or artistically expressed. Understanding using a few of the specialized threads on the industry, and profiting from the education and learning as well as learning possibilities that accompany them, considerably raises the opportunities.

THE "WOW" ELEMENT

What are points that make us say, "Wow!" when we check out an amazing sewed sewout? Fine information as well as clearness; glimmer and sparkle; shade shading along with realism. Permit's think about these elements independently as well as just how you can include them to your needlework.

As in life, when it worries embroidery, too much of an excellent thing can end up working against you. Specialized strings seem to have the greatest impact when combined with other, a whole lot extra fundamental threads. Contrast-- the outcome of mixing 2 or even more opposite string kinds-- often is the wow component. As well as additionally measurement, bring about a huge or small design, can be an attention grabber.

Metallics. While there are lots of basic specialty-thread options, a lot of them belong to this group alone. Metal needlework string can be located in smooth or twisted plans, as well as different weights. Some will certainly stand up to industrial-strength laundering, while others are designed for exceptional residence decoration full with TLC. Always think of the item you're stitching as well as pick the durability of your string as necessary.

Special-effects strings frequently enter into play for, well, distinct effects. The metallics are outstanding for infiltrating a typical layout to include a component of shock, make a statement, tension part of a layout or logo design, or simply secure that wow element.

For example, if you are working with a logo design or design that consists of a product in grey (eating tools, machinery, tools, and so on), attempt utilizing silver metal thread. Or, effort exchanging in gold metal for a yellow- or gold-colored area in your design. Mixing a shiny metallic with your general-purpose rayon or polyester string gives unbelievable end results.

After that, there is the shimmering result of a various sort of metal string, where its unique transforming offers it an extra distinctive and likewise shimmering impact. Right here, too, additionally used in small parts of your layout, the extra element of sparkle, shimmer or sparkle will certainly develop a distinctive look that separates your style-- as well as likewise your organization-- from the prevalent rival.<br>

When including metal string to a style, bear in mind to select a stitch length that is appropriate for a thicker, rougher string. Use a # 90/14 needle, as a result of the # 30 weight of the thread. Whether it's luster, glimmer, iridescence, jewel tones, bling or simply focus that you search for, metal thread may be the treatment.

Abide by the producers' recommendations worrying needle dimension as well as likewise machine tension for maximum outcomes. The string stress on your manufacturer ought to be developed a little looser than for fundamental 40-weight strings along with the gadget speed need to be established rather slower. For heavier-weight threads, the needle dimension will definitely enhance.

60-Weight. For wonderful details as well as lettering smaller than 4mm, 60-weight string-- conveniently offered in both rayon and also polyester-- will certainly offer you well. It calls for a smaller sized needle, yet will certainly allow you to create message, securing and additionally other limited detail where general-purpose, 40-weight thread can fall short. It is readily offered in a variety of shades, typically Pantone-matched, in addition to matched to its 40-weight equivalents.

A thread to aim to for problem fixing, it is great to make your digitizer knowledgeable about it at the beginning of a project. Taking into consideration that a smaller sized needle will definitely supply excellent results, some embroiderers will definitely "designate" a solitary needle to 60-weight string in black or white for sewing the message in a logo layout.

Matte Finish. The improvement of matte-finish embroidery string enables you to develop depth, or shading, in your needlework. You can integrate it with shiny or glossy thread to attain a feeling of "layering." Matte-finish needlework string is excellent for use as "skin" when individuals or faces are related to a style.

As well as also when subtlety or an added macho look is wanted, as in tone-on-tone or when making for a customer that stays clear of sparkle, matte-finish string will definitely work well. One leading matte-finish embroidery string on the market is especially colorfast and additionally created to withstand large amounts of ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sunlight, making it a good choice for exterior patio area pillows, watercraft covers, and more. Mixing a matte-finish embroidery string with a shiny or shiny one for special shading outcomes, or replacing the matte surface totally for a crisp, subtle appearance will provide an unique format, putting you ahead of your competitors.

Wool-Blend. The harsh, unique wool-blend needlework string will certainly provide an appealing, hand-embroidered appearance. Blending it right into a stock design, or merely choosing how and likewise when to use it, requires cautious aspect to think about. The wide satin stitch, longer running stitch and a variation of the covering stitch all are excellent options for this distinct string. When dealing with these thicker strings, other factors to think about contain needle size, stress as well as devices speed.

The thick wool-blend string, with normally soft tones, requires that you make use of a # 100/16 needle. For tension setups on your needlework tool, only tighten up the leading anxiety. If you transform the bobbin tension, you will certainly have difficulties running the numerous other strings in the style. Along with just to be on the risk-free side, taking into consideration the normally "hirsute" structure of the wool-blend thread, tidy the bobbin instances and likewise turning area much more regularly than with other threads.

Fireproof. This is considered a specialized string, yet not always one you would absolutely choose unless the production needed it. It was developed for usage on attires, logo designs or any type of kind of garments where safety is a problem. Industries such as oil, aerial along with fire control, and additionally sporting tasks such as automobile racing or flying, all present prime opportunities for using this string.

The very best high quality fireproof strings are made from 100% Aramid, a DuPont item. One more time, while not a best thread for anything besides safety and security needs, it is an excellent string type to be comfortable with, for whenever the need occurs. You will absolutely see it made use of most often in logo layouts or for customizing safety and security as well as safety and security outfits.

Variegated and also Multicolor. While design, or your customer, might identify whether you stay with a solid color or put a multi-color look right into the mix, your selections are relatively unlimited. With multicolor strings, as you sew, the string will certainly go from one color to another and also an additional. With ombrés, one string will definitely produce numerous tones of a singular shade. You have a wide range of choices if you choose to attempt a different tinted or shaded look, since rayon, polyester, woollen blends along with metallics all come in variations of these random-looking tones.

Working with these strings takes some trial and error to ensure that you can find out the quantity of control you have-- if any type of-- over just how the tones or tones will go down. If mixing in multicolors, or ombrés, it may be best to utilize them in large areas, as the ombrés that are prominent with fashion

developers-- in layouts that are all-natural in look-- allow the random adjustments of the thread to enhance the style.

Glow-in-the-Dark. For pure uniqueness-- as well as Halloween is the prime motivation-- this specialized thread is prominent for childrenswear or shoulder bag. It is a string that requires to be "billed" by being held under direct light, and afterwards will certainly hold its glow-in-the-dark houses for a dimension of time that stays symmetrical with the length of time it was billed.

This thread is not to be utilized when controlled security problems are an issue. It was developed for pure novelty and, while its usage can be quite creative and might contribute to the customer's direct exposure, it does not birth any kind of type of guarantee of the size or efficiency of its luster. A 40-weight string, it must not need any type of unique factor to think about when running.

SLIPPING BY THE COMPETITION

Special-effects strings truly will set you besides the rivals when you master working with them.

Wool-blend string provides a home-spun influence, while 60-weight string is optimal for attaining logo layouts that are the envy of your competition. Usage metallics for results that "pop," matte-finished string integrated with the gloss of rayon or the gloss of polyester for shielding, glow-in-the-dark for youngsters's clothes, and so on. All will certainly permit you to supply your consumers embroidery they may not discover anywhere else.

Using some down time to experiment, as well as likewise end up being skilled as well as safe in expanding your toolbox, will certainly confirm well worth it; including some of the previously pointed out threads can increase your charges up to 20%. Several of these strings originally will call for some digitizing in addition to machine-tension adjustments, along with needle modifications in addition to-- possibly most significantly-- perseverance. But the results will definitely give you a side over your peers, and a leg up in the rivals circuit.

[thelocalshooter]

The Local Shooter Vs. Kira

(LS) Goodmorning thank you being part of this great come up, and welcome, so Kira; do you mind telling us where you’re from and why it is that you do?

(K) Originally I’m from Mesa but I been all around, I initially got into making music by making beats. This was when I was living In Alexandria Virginia, I had a homie who had the same interests in music as me and we would try to create our own version of shit we were listening to. The homie actually put me on to a lot of legends in this scene We were barley walking into. Those artists consist of Lil Ugly Mane, Supasortahuman, and SpaceGhostPurrp, just to name a few. These influences really shaped the type of sounds I was using in my beats. I eventually started releasing my beats as $limKira just before I turned 18. I would promote myself on twitter a lot by posting little snippets of beats I was working on at that time. People would fuck with it and I was really social on my Twitter at that time always working making new connections, always sending out beats that type of shit, I happened to find myself in a group chat full of artists that were from a lot of different parts of the country and I just kept building from there. Eventually I turned 18 and made my way back home to Az were all this music shit for me really started and where I Progressed into becoming an artist of my own. FuccKira.

(LS) Being from Arizona how do you feel the music scene has changed in the last couple years? I know we’ve had prior interaction through Ace McCain but doing it back then I’m sure was a bit more different and definitely harder based off the fact people didn’t really have venue selections, or even ways to get music recorded, but now everyone is throwing shoes left and right! Do you think Arizona separates themselves within groups or? As far as being an east valley or west valley artist.

(K) Not too familiar with Ace McCain but I’m really close with Multiplexes out there, he pretty much took me under his wing when everything else didn’t pan out as planned, really good and genuine dude he is. But to be honest I feel like I haven’t been in Arizona in so long I can’t give an opinion on the current state of the music scene, I know when I was out there in 2017-2018 the group I was with would get shows at club red or it’d be a warehouse show and shit would be jumpin. Recording wasn’t really a problem for me cause we’d just record at a homies crib or wherever we were staying at, it’s all about the mixing lmao but a lot of bridges since then have been burned so for me now it’s really a matter of staying true and making good music. Don’t get me wrong although the Music scene in Arizona can get hectic, it is definitely full of talent no matter where your from within it or who you fuck with out there, and just for the record I have love for everyone out there It takes a lot to be an artist and to be a successful one at that and so it’s always respect from my side.

(LS) You’ve released many projects and have done a handful of shows, why do you think you’re still missing as an artist? Are you constantly elevating yourself to be greater or are you still trying to figure it out yourself?

(K) Facts, I have released many tracks but they’re not anything I would say I’m proud of and that’s why I’m missing as an artist because I’m still trying to figure out what music I love making. I haven't truly focused on only myself or my own progression with my music and that’s another reason why I feel I’m still missing as an artist, my confidence behind each track needs to be 100% in order for me to drop and feel good about it. That’s why most of my tracks are on private and I’ve only got 3 tracks on my SoundCloud currently . They need to be worth listening. I want people to hear my music and want the next track immediately. Shows are always fun and give people a way of seeing a face behind the music, my experience with shows has taught me it really brings a better connection with your audience/fanbase when your up there performing what they been bumping on their own time, that was a big favorite of mine out there was seeing the energy at each show. I remember waking up the next day after my first show with my whole body sore ready to schedule the next one. As far as the question goes I’m still trynna figure myself out as an artist, but progress is definitely being made. I’m always looking to make a better track than my last, so I would also say it’s a goal of mine to continue to exceed my own Expectations.

(LS) What the next move? You currently dropped “Voodoo” (https://soundcloud.com/fucckira/voodoo-prod-srry ) over 48 hours ago, now do you plan on doing any visuals or are you already back in the booth?

(K) A visual would be cool for the track, I might look into getting one made for it if the track continues to do well. Visuals are 2nd to my priority when it comes to what I’m trynna do right now. Actually releasing quality music is my main focus right now but like I said I’d be down to do a video, I actually know a couple people that can get that done. As far as any new music I do have a song ready to release prod. rose (my lil bro) , it’s wild my lil bro watched me do all this shit as a kid and now he’s making beats for other artists and myself. Deadass makes better beats than I ever did and he makes em off his phone lmaoo fuck a beat pad kids only 15 too. No doubt in my mind he’s gonna be successful. Lil dude is already building connections wit people on his own it’s only a matter of time.

K- Goals for me this year is to really gain and maintain a steady fan base. Thats something I’ve always strived for and wanted, I love when people give me feedback on how the songs make them feel, like I said energy is a big thing for me. I also would like to finally figure myself out as an artist and find my own sound I feel like I’m on my way there. Besides music I fuck with clothes heavy my homie Albert owns a brand out there called Macabre, fuckin ridiculous. I don’t own a single shirt that doesn’t say macabre. Anyway I would be down to do modeling for any upcoming clothing designers or any street wear brands. I’ve done it in the past for Garza out in AZ, (idk if your familiar) but it’s pretty cool would love more opportunities like that from other designers/brands.

(LS) With music being a main focus for you I’m sure it has a heavy impact on your life, when do you first remember falling in love with music? Was it a certain track? A certain time in your life?

K- I remember the first major thing I did for

music was use the money I had saved up for a

car to buy a new computer to make music on

because my laptop had completely died. Had to use my skate board to get everywhere until I turned 18 and got a car lmao. During this time in my life my parents trust in me was at 0 so I pretty much was secluded to my room most of the time making beats and getting high. Music was all I had when I felt I had nothing so I believe buying that computer was a pretty fuckin good decision. Just wish I coulda used Uber back then lmao

(LS) As an artist, do you find it difficult to work with other artist? Especially other local artist? Being that everyone in Arizona has their own sound, do you usually go out of state for collabs or how does that work?

K- working with other artist isn’t hard at all. I’m very straight forward when it comes to the music ima be working on. If I dont fuck with it I’ll tell you and try to find something I can get a hit with us both on. As far as Collabs go I don’t like doing them if I’m being honest. Reason being I just truly believe I’m better off on my own shit UNLESS the energy is right. If we in the Stu and everything is going right and the engineer knows what he’s doing and everythings organic then fuck yeah that’s a collab ima fuck with. Dont get me wrong I still got collabs on the way. matter of fact I have a few with some artist out of El Paso, TX

Chris Apex , Saybien and Jesse Commas just to name a few.

(LS) Are you looking to stay independent? Or to sign a deal one day? What’s your game plan as far as career wise? And why? Which do you think will help you more in the long run?

K- I wouldn’t be opposed to signing a deal one day but the freedom of being an independent artists is something that would be hard to give up. I’m really early in this scene as far as being an artist so for now I’m just focused on releasing quality music and gaining a loyal fan base. I feel if my supporters are behind me with every track I drop it’s bound to bring me more opportunities in the future.

(LS) Making music for over 5 years already, what’s are some tips or struggles you faced as an artist you’d like to let new up and coming artist know? Any motivation you can give knowing how hard the grind is?

K- lmao don’t join any groups. Stick to yourself. Be transparent and be consistent! Don’t be scared to be social either that’s how you build connections. When I first started I would send beats to MY favorite artists for ex. Supasortahuman was one of the first artist to follow me back and support my music by telling me through dm. That was wild to me because like I said previously he was an inspiration for me when I was barley starting making beats. For him to tell me he fucks with my music and he keeps up with me really gave me the motivation to keep making music and sending it out.You never know. Shouts out sortahuman too he still supporting the music I make as an artist.

(LS) Thank you again for being apart of this great come up and is there any last things you’d like to mention to the viewers? And links you wanna add where they can check out your music or even contact you? Much love Kira!

(K) Viewers can keep up with me through my social media’s!

Instagram.com/fucckira

Twitter.com/fucckira

Also my Music Links:

SoundCloud.com/fucckira

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/fucckira/1485190577

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0brnKNJ2UDC6e4dAOXU6YN?si=mx245oXGTEO6WtaBlRLK3Q

Thank you for the opportunity to let y’all know a little bit about me and what my goals are looking like this year. I appreciate all the love and support. More music coming soon!

[universedesiccant]

Desiccant manufacturers in india

Maybe this is the hottest and useful thing on the planet. It's been used since several years at the manufacturing components. It's also a very crucial thing in pharmaceuticals, compound businesses and so forth. It really is but one of those fundamental items employed in filters. Silica gels can be utilized for adsorption. This is actually a process whereby the impurities from water have been all removed. These impurities collect on the top of protein gel. Thus, silica-gel is quite essential for purification of drinking water. Besides removing impurities, in addition, it adsorbs certain minerals . This also boosts the quality of drinking water. Thus, silica gel can be quite a helpful item. A variety of manufacturers want regular distribution of aloe vera. Thus, it's extremely crucial to possess a silica-gel supplier that offers premium excellent material. Big businesses receive yourself a source of silica gel out of big silica-gel manufacturer businesses. With a normal supply of excellent quality silica-gel, purification procedure is going to be looked after easily. Thus, it's extremely crucial that you acquire yourself a fantastic source of this particular material. There are lots of silica gels, providing businesses. Silica gel can be found in a number of colours and forms. Every one of those variations has their particular benefits. Thus, businesses desire silica dyes in large amounts. Its porous temperament makes it effortless to adsorb impurities onto its own surface. It's affordable and works nicely. These features contribute to its wide usage.

That really is just another helpful material employed in most places. A desiccant is a chemical which aids keeping in mind the environment dry. It lessens the moisture content at the area and so prevents compounds out of shifting thanks to water. That is essential for compounds. Thus, compound businesses use this chemical on a big scale. Such a substance is quite vital in most places. It really is but one of those moisture absorbers. Since water material from the atmosphere can spoil lots of helpful goods, desiccants can be used widely to avoid this from happening. Desiccants generally stop the current presence of water throughout the process known as adsorption. The water molecules accumulate on the face of these chemicals and may therefore be eliminated. Thus giving more life to the substances that might be readily turned into unworthy by responding with water. Because so most places possess moist states, such compounds prove very beneficial for changing the ecological illness. Desiccants play a important part to keep a variety of services and products in good shape. They're an equally significant part storage of such services and products. In most places, they have been also used throughout the chemical reaction between various substances to find the preferred product. Desiccants are likewise an essential chemical in the food market. Ever since packed food could possibly get cluttered in regards in contact with moisture, desiccants have been utilized to avoid this from occurring. There are lots of kinds of these chemicals. Desiccants are utilized dependent on their physiological conditions and their capacity to answer various things. These would be the 2 chief aspects which can be thought before using desiccants. There are various providers of these chemicals. Because so most businesses utilize them, it's crucial to have desiccants from the ideal source. Many fabricating units concentrate for making those substances. Chemical organizations start looking for a trustworthy desiccant supplier. Probably one of the very useful desiccants can be that a molecular sieve. This is definitely an remarkable thing. It's used widely owing to the effective usage as well as result. It's used for specific absorption of particular substances. It's created in a way that it works perfectly to adsorb just tiny molecules. The human body with this sieve contains small pores that will make it hard for larger molecules to experience. Even the smaller molecules are adsorbed that so separated. Thus, it offers contributes to easy methods. These pockets work well in the right separation of items centered on how big these molecules. Ergo, undesired things might be taken out of the blend of numerous substances. There are various kinds of such molecular sieves. They're utilized due to these easy usage. With these kinds of matters, it will become an easy task to distinguish various substances in chemical businesses. They're particularly utilized to distinguish the numerous pollutants from eachother. These things are employed when no other process enables you to different substances from the mix. With good usage, businesses obtain the specified results in several easy ways. All these sieves are available commonly in chemical businesses. For the correct functioning of these sieves, then they have to be produced together with accuracy. The pores of those sieves needs to really be designed in a way they adsorb the ideal molecules. Thus, it's crucial to possess a suitable molecular sieve manufacturer. With the manufacture of such goods, many businesses will benefit by the using such sieves.

As its name implies this really is a card which shows the moisture content from the atmosphere. Since moisture plays a main part in changing their condition of varied services and products, it's necessary to continue to keep this variable under assess. With all these cards, it will become simple to find the ideal moisture information. Thus, the usage of these goes together with the measures used to regulate humidity. All these cards have been made in a manner that they allow it to be simple to grasp the content. It's a moisture sensitive compound that affects whilst the moisture rises. There are lots of complex humidity signs which found in lots of businesses. A whole lot of humidity index cards are created in a way that people discover that it's simple to see the fluctuations in humidity from studying them. There are signs written on these cards. This makes it straightforward to utilize these cards from businesses.

These chemicals require a special reference. They're utilized because of their easy accessibility and effective outcomes. Carbon adsorbents are essentially carbon atoms which consume dirt contaminants. Thus, they're employed at plenty of businesses. Since purification is extremely vital oftentimes, businesses strain on the using premium quality carbon adsorbents. With these kinds of goods, purification turns into a simple endeavor. Thus, it's crucial to make use of carbon adsorbents. Considering these adsorbents different an extensive selection of impurities, their usage is essential. With no, businesses might need to spend money on lots of procedures for removing those impurities.

As cotton is quite decent for its practice of adsorption, it's commonly utilized in chemical businesses. Cotton brings impurities that stay glued to its own surface. This effortless mechanism may be utilised in businesses such as effective separation of varied combinations. Throughout the practice of fabricating a variety of compounds, cotton coils might be useful for dividing the impurities once the ideal product can be available. As they have been available readily, folks utilize them all of the time in numerous businesses. Silk coils are specially found in pharmaceutical and chemical businesses. They aid keep the capsules and tablets at good problems. These cotton coils take advantage of highquality cotton which may withstand pressure and also function well.

Aluminum is found in lots of places. As a result of several options that come with the element, many applications are made as a result. Aluminum tubes are just one item that's truly beneficial. As a result of very low resistance of aluminum, these tubes might be utilized in many chemical businesses. They have been also utilised in construction businesses. In general, these tubes have been found at a great deal of businesses as a result of their simplicity of usage and less reactivity.

Moisture Adsorbing Sheet That is just another item that's used to avoid moisture from destroying materials fabricated in businesses. It's created by hydrocarbons and uses adsorption for producing results. It eliminates the moisture from the services and products, hence keeping them tender. This aids in reducing the consequences of moisture onto the services and products. These sheets come in many manufacturing components. They truly are very popular because of their large surface . These sheets could be changed into horizontal boards too. Thus they have been elastic and also have a great deal of importance. They're used in scenarios where moisture content is quite high.

Concerning Supplier Organizations

These things are utilized on daily basis in most places. With a suitable supplier, compound businesses may benefit into a wonderful scope. Thus, there's obviously a demand to get the successful supplier. With this kind of a supplier, businesses can depend on the fantastic grade of these services and products and get exceptional results. Businesses employing such services and products have a great deal of expectations out of their store. Considering the services and products play a very important part within the manufacturing procedures, they ought to meet all your expectations. Because of this, it's challenging to find the ideal supplier. Many businesses have been in the industry to be the adsorbents supplier. Ever since supplying such items can be quite a significant endeavor, organizations hope, just experienced and expert men and women. If low end services and products are properly used, the creation of these businesses are affected. Thus, to keep up decent quality, substances that provide accomplishment are all used. The history of the supplier organizations is essential. Because there are brand new and advanced services and products coming from the market daily, the supplier corporation needs to be in a position to supply the most useful services and products. With advanced level procedures, businesses can always offer the best outcomes. Thus, new improvements in the compound field needs to be implemented effortlessly. With the usage of complex procedures, energy and time is going to be stored. Chemical science has grown to a fantastic extent. Thus, by means of latest technology and improved procedures, lots of new services and products can be manufactured. It's ideal to get a supplier who's producing a number of merchandise. This will offer many choices to big businesses to pick the merchandise they desire. The supplier of those products ought to have a great comprehension of those. It's going to aid with good production and provide fine results. Thus, obtaining a fantastic supplier is quite crucial.

Selecting the Most Appropriate Products

Another huge choice to make could be the ideal selection of the services and products. As there are lots of adsorption substances, it's very important to pick the proper ones. Each product has its own very own benefit. Predicated on the condition, businesses should find the item which best solves the specified situation. There may be a lot more than 1 product which may fit your job. There are quite a few other things which need to be looked at while deciding upon the adsorbent. The price tag, simple finding the solution and the effect written by it will be a number of the critical facts to think about prior to picking an adsorbent.

Putting It Together

In general, you can find lots of adsorbents to select from. Since adsorption is this a well-researched procedure, you can find lots of products available that may boost this procedure. The need for adsorption has resulted in lots of fresh services and products which may be useful for greater absorption. Numerous properties of those products should know before with them. This is going to lead to better usage and guarantee exemplary work. With the most useful services and products for adsorption, the significance of the resulting products is going to undoubtedly be rather significant. In regions very purity is quite essential, such adsorption procedure is vital. It's in charge of proper products that are finished at the conclusion of most the manufacturing procedures.

Sorbead India could be producer of supreme quality Adsorbents and Desiccant services and products to fulfill up with the maximum caliber and mass desiccants. A few of the Goods are Activated Alumina, Silica Gels, Container Stains, Molecular Sieves and Oxygen Absorbers.

[deafeninglovebasement]

Imac As Display For Mac Pro

Press Command (⌘) + F2 on the keyboard of the iMac that you want to use as a display. Your target iMac will now display the desktop of the other, connected Mac. To exit TDM, just press Command + F2.

in short, i understand the answer is 'no', but I am wrestling with the alternatives.

16in MacBook Pro versus 27in iMac. We'll start with the more powerful, and more expensive, 27in iMac and 16in MacBook Pro. The 27in iMac was updated in August 2020, so it's relatively new. Apple's new Pro Display XDR is the first own-brand monitor that the company has produced since it discontinued the 27in Thunderbolt Display back in 2016. Intended as a companion for the.

The Problem:

I have a MacBook Pro (Retina, 15', 2014) at work, and I tend to work from home a few times per week.

I currently use a very old external display (>15 yrs, CRT via VGA adapter) when I work from home.

That PC is now completely dead (Win XP, corrupted hal.sys) so I was planning to buy the new iMac Retina 5K as my new home computer.

Then I found out that the new iMac Retina 5K cannot be used as a Target Display for a MacBook Pro, and possibly will never work in that capacity.

(bandwidth limitations of ThunderBolt 1.2 can't drive that many pixels, or something like that, but doesn't really matter)

As a work-around, I was hoping to put the MBP in Target Disk Mode, and boot the iMac from the MBP disk.

I tried that at the Apple Store this morning with one of the 'Geniuses'.

We selected the MBP disk on startup, but the iMac just ignored the MBP disk and booted from it's own internal disk.

I suspect that is the same issue where the MBP cannot drive the iMac display, and/or Thunderbolt limitation, but again, doesn't matter.

The Alternatives, each with it's own set of Cons:

1. Buy last year's iMac which works fine as an external ('Target') display for the latest MacBook pro.

I really don't like the idea of buying last year's technology, especially since I tend to hang on to my PCs longer than average.

Also, I have compared last year's iMac to the Retina 5K side-by-side, so obviously, I would really like to get the 5K. :-)

2. Reboot the MBP into Target Disk Mode, mount it as an external disk from the iMac, and have access to my work apps and data.

I tested a few things at the Apple Store this morning. Some apps crashed, but I am still running Mavericks on the MBP, so I suspect this will be fine once I upgrade the MBP to Yosemite. Of course, this would be a pain having to reboot my MacBook every day or two. Besides the time hit, I would lose all my context from one day to the next. :-(

3. Get the new iMac Retina 5K and a separate display for the MacBook when I work from home.

This seems like it would be a silly waste of money and limited desk space.

4. Just use the MBP display when I work from home.

I have a herniated disc in my neck, so using the MBP display all day long is literally a pain.

Any other / better solutions I haven't considered?

What are people doing who have bought the Retina 5K but also have a MacBook?

TIA,

Nate

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014), OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)

Posted on

Believing is seeing.

The first 32-inch Retina 6K display ever. Up to 1600 nits of brightness. An astonishing 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and superwide viewing angle. Over a billion colors presented with exceptional accuracy. And dynamic range that transforms the professional workflow. Introducing Apple Pro Display XDR, the world’s best pro display.

XDR. Dynamic range to the extreme.

The contrast your eyes see between brightness and darkness is very challenging to reproduce in a display, leading to the development of High Dynamic Range (HDR). With breakthrough backlighting technology, Pro Display XDR takes brightness, contrast, and color to a new level. Far beyond HDR, it’s Extreme Dynamic Range (XDR).

A brighter idea.

Typical desktop displays have sustained brightness around 350 nits. Some pro displays exceed this, but most can only sustain it for short periods of time. Pro Display XDR produces an industry-leading 1000 nits of full-screen sustained brightness and 1600 nits at its peak.1 It gives you the power to maintain extreme brightness without ever dimming. Along with efficient backlight control, this delivers outstanding contrast between the brightest brights and the blackest blacks. The result is an incredible 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and stunningly real XDR imagery.

1600 nitspeak brightness

Show your truest colors.

Pro Display XDR always gives you the truest representation of your work. A P3 wide color gamut provides a color palette capable of creating the most vibrant imagery. With true 10-bit color, Pro Display XDR can produce more than a billion colors with extreme accuracy. State-of-the-art calibration and a sophisticated algorithm ensure that you get the highest-quality color possible.

P3wide color gamut

LED in a whole new light.

True-to-life imagery requires having extremely bright areas of the screen right next to extremely dark areas. Without precise backlight control, this can cause an unintended glow called blooming. Pro Display XDR is able to dramatically reduce blooming using advanced LED technology, light shaping, and intelligent image processing.

Innovation in every layer.

Every aspect of the light imaging system in Pro Display XDR is crucial to the overall quality of what you see onscreen. Each element builds on top of the last to create a display with unbelievable brightness and contrast.

576 blue LEDs work together.

Typical LCDs are edge-lit by a strip of white LEDs. The 2D backlighting system in Pro Display XDR is unlike any other. It uses a superbright array of 576 blue LEDs that allows for unmatched light control compared with white LEDs. Twelve controllers rapidly modulate each LED so that areas of the screen can be incredibly bright while other areas are incredibly dark. All of this produces an extraordinary contrast that’s the foundation for XDR.

Light is mixed and shaped.

For even greater control of light, each LED is treated with a reflective layer, a highly customized lens, and a geometrically optimized reflector that are all unique to Pro Display XDR. Through a pioneering design, light is reflected, mixed, and shaped between two layers to minimize blooming and provide uniform lighting.

Color is transformed.

Converting blue light to white is a difficult process that requires extremely precise color conversion. It’s why most display makers use white LEDs. Pro Display XDR accomplishes this conversion with an expertly designed color transformation sheet made of hundreds of layers that control the light spectrum passing through them.

Brightness is taken to the edge.

Pro Display XDR extends exceptional image quality to the very edge. To ensure that LEDs along the sides of the display mix well with adjacent ones, a micro-lens array boosts light along the edges. This creates uniform color and brightness across the entire screen.

One chip makes it all possible.

With a massive amount of processing power, the timing controller (TCON) chip utilizes an algorithm specifically created to analyze and reproduce images. It controls LEDs at over 10 times the refresh rate of the LCD itself, reducing latency and blooming. It’s capable of multiple refresh rates for amazingly smooth playback. Managing both the LED array and LCD pixels, the TCON precisely directs light and color to bring your work to life with stunning accuracy.

Superwide viewing angle.

When multiple people review work together on a single screen, it’s critical that everyone sees the same thing. While most pro desktop displays claim a wide viewing angle, in reality, color and image quality become distorted when seen off-axis. With industry-leading polarizer technology, Pro Display XDR achieves a superwide viewing angle that maintains exceptional color and contrast.

Up to25xbetter off-axis contrast than a typical LCD

Nano-texture glass.

Light scattered to further reduce glare.

Less glare. And even less glare.

Every Pro Display XDR screen is engineered for extremely low reflectivity. And if you’re in an especially uncontrolled lighting environment, there’s an innovative matte option with nano-texture glass. Typical matte displays have a coating added to their surface that scatters light. However, these coatings lower contrast while producing unwanted haze and sparkle. The nano-texture on Pro Display XDR is actually etched into the glass at the nanometer level. The result is a screen with beautiful image quality that maintains contrast while scattering light to reduce glare to the barest minimum.

Goes with the workflow.

Professionals require a lot from their displays. But each person has different needs. Resolution, reference modes, reliable calibration. Pro Display XDR has everything you need in a modern workflow, bringing a new level of efficiency to every production. It wasn’t just made for the pro workflow. It redefines it.

5K

Retina 6K. Expand your view.

Higher resolution means more than just a better-quality image. With a Retina 6K display, Pro Display XDR gives you nearly 40 percent more screen real estate than a 5K display. While most displays max out at around 150 pixels per inch (ppi), our Retina display has 218 ppi, providing astoundingly sharp and detailed imagery. It’s a massive creative canvas that easily fits 4K content, your tools, and much more all in one screen.

Many creatives. One vision.

Pro video workflows involve a range of professionals with unique setups. What’s always been missing is the ability to see the same image across an entire production. Pro Display XDR allows pros at every point in the process to experience exactly the same groundbreaking picture quality.

On location.

From the start of a shoot, Pro Display XDR reveals the content you’re capturing with incredible accuracy.

Post-production.

Image reproduction remains consistent across every point of your workflow, ensuring that everyone is always on the same page.

Reference modes.

It’s easy to adjust Pro Display XDR to match the requirements of HDR, HD, SD video, digital cinema, and broader uses such as photography, web development, design, and print. Just select a mode, and the display reconfigures itself to match a specified color space, white point, gamma, and brightness. And coming soon, you’ll have the ability to create custom reference modes.

True Tone.

The lighting around you can affect the way you see onscreen colors. True Tone on Pro Display XDR uses a breakthrough dual ambient light sensor design — with a sensor on the front and another on the back — to better gauge your overall lighting environment. This facilitates more exact adjustments to the color and intensity of your display, so you can have accurate viewing in all lighting conditions.

Expertly calibrated.

Pro Display XDR is optimized to more than meet the standards of creative professionals. Every display goes through our state-of-the-art color calibration. Each of the display’s 576 LEDs is also individually calibrated and has its light profile stored. An algorithm then uses this information to determine the exact light intensity at which each LED should be modulated to produce the best possible image.

A beautiful picture is only part of the story.

Best Displays For Mac Pro

Pro Display XDR is stunning every way you look at it. Its screen stretches edge to edge with just a 9 mm border, so your work takes center stage. The aluminum enclosure is just an inch thick and features an innovative lattice pattern that reduces weight and increases airflow.

More air than metal.

The lattice pattern machined into the aluminum has many advantages. It more than doubles the surface area exposed to air, facilitating additional airflow and acting as a heat sink. This allows for fast and quiet cooling, enabling Pro Display XDR to sustain an extreme level of brightness indefinitely. Inlet and exhaust vents work through this pattern to draw in cool air and eject hot air away from the system, limiting the potential for hot air to be reingested.

Elevate your work. And rotate it, too.

Imac As Display For Mac Pro 12.9

Every aspect of Pro Display XDR was designed with pros in mind. Pro Stand is no exception. Height, tilt, rotation — it’s completely adjustable. It’s stable without taking up much space. And its ability to rotate to landscape or portrait makes it perfect for any type of work.

Fine-tuned fine‑tuning.

Pro Stand makes every adjustment of your display feel seamless. Precision tilting and 120 mm of height adjustment help Pro Display XDR adapt to any viewing condition. The angle of the display stays true even as you adjust the height. With Pro Stand, you get a display that feels weightless, moves effortlessly where you want it, and stays exactly where you leave it.

Every side is its good side.

Pro Stand gives you the ability to move between landscape and portrait whenever you want. All you have to do is unlock the slider and turn the display. Whether you’re a developer, a photographer, or a composer, you can see more of your work without endless scrolling.

Detach. Move. Attach.

Having the freedom to move between being on set and working in the studio can make a big difference. The magnetic connector on Pro Stand makes it easy to attach and detach from its polar-opposite magnet on the back of Pro Display XDR. These magnets guide the connection while latches automatically engage and securely lock the stand to the display. Detaching it is as simple as unlocking the slider.

Available VESA Mount Adapter.

Imac As Display For Macbook Pro

Many pros have unique mounting setups for their displays. The VESA Mount Adapter attaches to the display in a matter of seconds for quick and easy mounting.

Powerful partnerships.

Connecting Macbook Pro To Imac

Pair Pro Display XDR with Mac Pro to create the ultimate professional workstation. Or connect it to your MacBook Pro with Thunderbolt 3.2

Use AR to see Pro Display XDR in your workspace.

Open this page on your iPhone or iPad to view Pro Display XDR in AR.

[secret-diary-of-an-fa]

Crash Bandicoot 4: Better Than You’d Expect (a Review)

Right, you horrible lot. I promised you a review of Crash Bandicoot 4 and, as I appear to be the last stable person and/or thing in the chaos of modern Britain, I suppose I had better deliver. I would say something about Xmas, but what with this being International Year of the COVID Virus, there sort of wasn’t one. With that in mind: Crash 4- what, why and is it any good?

As a kid, I used to really like the Crash Bandicoot games on the old PS1: the levels were beautiful and imaginative (although, to this day, the ‘Road To Nowhere’ level and its sequel in Crash 1 can fuck right off), the characters were funny and compelling and the move-set was entertainingly bonkers. Naturally, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (and yes, that is the real title) pushed my Nostalgia Button even faster and harder than I’d push Boris Johnson down and endless flight of stairs, given half a chance. It helps that it’s superbly well-made by a developer that clearly cares deeply about the games and not just the selling power of their brand name.

The game is a direct sequel to the original three Crash games and sweeps the intervening efforts from lesser developers under the great rug of history. For the most part, this is probably wise considering that their quality usually hovered somewhere between ‘sewage’ and ‘being trapped at a Beyonce concert without a cyanide pill’ (yes, Internet, I still hate Beyonce. Just because I haven’t mentioned it in awhile, doesn’t mean I’ve warmed to the catawalling bint or her irritating ubiquity on otherwise-acceptable supermarket mix tapes. That would require a frontal lobotomy and the removal of my ears, but I digress). I do think it’s a bit unfair on Crash: Twinsanity, which at least had an interesting core gameplay concept and some funny dialogue, even if it wasn’t very well-realised on the mechanical level. But ho-hum: I can nit-pick later during the loose ‘what I didn’t like’ section- these early paragraphs are meant to be mainly praise.

The actual plot concerns an escape attempt by Neo Cortex and N. Tropy, who were apparently trapped at the beginning of time after the events of Crash 3. News to me: I guess you had to collect all the hidden extras to see that ending and, while the 90s were a much slower decade, I still didn’t have time for that shit, even back then. Anyway, they break back into the timeline, in the process shattering reality itself and forcing Crash to make his way across the multiverse and different worlds at different points in history in order to stop them. There’s not a lot of complexity there, but as a justification for having the levels all be radically aesthetically different and providing a jumping-in premise for fan favourite characters, it’s a plot that does its job. Despite it’s simplicity, it’s also offered up with a surprising number of twists, fun cut-scene asides and surprising little narrative flourishes. The re-introduction of Tawna (Crash’s girlfriend from the first game who was tastefully removed after the original developers fired Kevin The Furry from their team) is kind of sweet and handled pretty neatly. And I mean that in the sense of ‘aww, that’s sweet’ not ‘Ah, sweet, bro’, just to be clear. She’s obviously not the same character from the original games, but the developers have taken care to give her enough quirks and entertaining lines that she’s not just the standard ‘Badass Action Girl’ trope made flesh. The levels that where you get to play as Cortex and get into the head of a cartoon evil genius are fun, too, even if they don’t tell us anything about the character we couldn’t have figured out for ourselves.

As with the original games, the worlds and levels have a really idiosyncratic and stylish look. Just looking at the scenery is a blast. My personal favourites are a level clearly based on New Orleans in the middle of Mardi Gras, the planet Bermagula and basically all of the levels set in a Crash-ised version of Feudal Japan.

As nice as the levels are to look at, they’re mostly pleasant to play through, too, with a staggering variety of different gameplay elements coming together to create intricate challenges. That said, I should stress that the phrase ‘mostly pleasant’ comes with a massive, throbbing caveat, which brings us neatly to the designated gripes and nitpicks section of this review.

You see, while the levels are mostly well-designed, there are individual platforming challenges that just lump too much together for any normal person to keep track of and then demand that you solve them at speed and they break the delicate, wafer-thin boundary between ‘fair challenge’ and ‘taking the piss’. Actually, the incidents of this phenomena towards the start of the game take the piss. By the later levels, they’ve graduated to demanding other bodily fluids, too, such as tears and blood. I feel like the developers were a bit too in love with the original games’ reputation for punishing difficulty and got into a bad habit of opting for design choices that emulated it over design choices that were fun.

I also feel that, considering the game takes place across a time-shattered multiverse, the levels might have been a bit more varied. Don’t get me wrong, there are some gorgeous and brilliantly creative worlds on offer in Crash 4, and every level is a visual blast. However, with the single, solitary exception of Bermagula, every alternate universe you visit is ultimately a reflection of something familiar from our own world or culture. N. Sanity Beach is… well, it’s just a tropical beach with generically tribal ruins a bit further inland. The Hazardous Wastes are just an off-brand post-disaster planet Earth that owes more than a little to the Mad Max franchise and where you’ve definitely seen every individual component before (even if they’ve never been assembled in such a Crash-y way until now). Then there’s the made-entirely-of-pirate-tropes world, the Japan-but-not-really world, the Inevitable Fucking Ice World (which keeps getting included in games despite the fact that uncontrollable sliding is even less fun in precision platformers than it is in real life) and the Generically Futuristic City world, because the old Crash games had them so this one has to as well. None of these worlds are bad- like I said, I enjoyed all of them, and the others that didn’t quite merit an honourable mention besides. It’s just that I feel like greater flights of fancy could have been taken: we could have seen some truly alien geography and architecture; viewed whole of evolutionary timelines, all through the lens of Crash’s brilliantly slick, cartoony art-style. The only truly ‘out there’ world we visit is Bermagula, which takes up precisely one fucking level, then that’s your lot: it’s back to Crash-y versions of Earth locales.

I’m also not a big fan of the ‘gems’ system. Yes, it’s great that developers chose to use the gems that were such a big part of previous games to unlock funky little cosmetic bonus costumes for the playable characters. On the other hand, the outfits you unlock should be tied to the number of gems you have overall, not your ability to collect certain numbers from specific levels. That way, your wardrobe would be a measure of your general skill at the game, not of which levels’ platforming challenges you were most willing to put up with for multiple play-throughs.

I’m tempted to compare all this to the superlative one-two punch that was Rayman: Origins and Rayman: Legends- two of the best platforming games ever made. With the exception of a couple of fuck-off unreasonable boss fights, the platforming challenges in those games were perfectly, legitimately fair. Insanely tough sometimes, but fair. Their level and world design also nailed the ‘weird-as-fuck flight of fancy’ vibe as well. Even the Inevitable Fucking Ice World in those games had the decency to throw in some giant cocktail umbrellas and slices of lemon to make you feel like you were ice-skating your way through the world’s biggest Martini while a fucking dragon in a chef’s hat tried to bit a mountain in the background. They also tied cosmetic unlocks to overall performance.

None of this is to say that Crash 4 isn’t good, it’s just that it doesn’t quite measure up to the gold standard set by the Rayman: Origins and its sequel. If it helps, think of it like comparing The Talos Principle to Portal. Yes, the former is good, but it’s never going to outshine the latter’s star. I recommend Crash 4, but if the last platformer you played was the undeniable high water mark of either of the Raymans, just remember to adjust your filters going in.

Before I go, does anyone else find it funny that these games have such colourful, kiddy-friendly aesthetics and characters yet demand a level of competence and coordination that’s usually only achieved by more seasoned, grown-up gamers? I mean, there are challenges in Crash 4- admittedly optional ones- that might one day be completed only if a being comes into existence that has the reflexes of a supercomputer crossed with a surprised feline and is made entirely out of thumbs.

And on that horrifying mental image, I must say goodnight. Tune in next time for my usual end-of-year roundup.

[gwfmp]

Research - Sci - Fi Architecture

Science Fiction Architecture can vary as much as real life architecture, even more so since it isn't beholden to our own culture and technology; that being said there are two styles that are used pretty regularly, these being extremely clean, and bright, even sterile or there is the opposite, which is rather broken down, unkempt and dirty. These two styles are often seen within the same piece of media, usually to display the disparity between the rich and poor, or the overwhelmingly strong evil compared to the heavily disadvantaged good guy.

Star Wars:

Given that Star Wars is based in a galaxy filled with countless different alien species, so the range of architecture and environments is vast. I'm going to focus on the worlds seen in the films, because EU and Legends are near infinite.

Tatooine - A consequence of Tatooine being a desert planet, all of the buildings that you see in the films are made of sandstone, with any other building resource rarely being seen. The buildings have a blocky quality to them, often with a domed roof. While looking at photos, most structures don't seem to have windows and those that do only seem to have holes placed into the walls, I assume because when you live in such a hot environment, you'd rarely need to close a window.

Aside from sandstone that dominates the environment, there's a few flashes of metal, mostly making up the doors of the buildings and the antennae esque moisture condensers that poke out from inbetweeners the buildings.

Kamino - The exterior of Kamino's buildings are a dark grey with lights shining through the windows from the interior, the shape the structures are mostly shallow domes, some growing in a point, all of them seemingly designed to allow rain to run off of the roofs into the ocean below. Each of the buildings are connected with walkways, these walkways usually forcing the individual to exit out and traverse through the constant rain. There are also many landing pads dotted through out, on the side of buildings, along walkways and occasionally even making up the walk way itself.

In the interior of the structured, it's all very sterile with white and black walls, with almost empty rooms and hallways, any furniture or equipment is usually scientific equipment, basic necessities like chairs or cloning facilities. While I can't explain why Kamino looks so empty, beside the fact it's inhabitants may be very minimalistic, I can explain the bright white walls; while we only see white walls, the Kaminoans can see th Ultra Violet spectrum of light, meaning the walls are covered in bright, vibrant, diverse colours from their point of view.

Coruscant - Practically the whole surface of Coruscant is made of metal after the entire planet was eventually converted into a city. There's a level, blocky layer of metal that seems to be consistent everywhere on the planet, then theres the spires that raise into the sky, all of which seem to be of a different design; there are more cubic towards, all hard edges and sharp corners and more industrial in appearance, then theres the towers that have plenty of curves, eventually ending in a sharp point, giving it a more elegant appearance. Then there are the towers that seem to have a combination of these two qualities. There are also large channels cut into the metal surface that run further down that you can see and these are used as hover car lanes with streets being built into the side.

Coruscant reminds me of a combination between the two extremes found in Star Wars, those being a galaxy is immaculate, as of brand new and a galaxy that is feeling the effects of entropy and everything is degraded to the point of falling apart. Depending on which level of Coruscant you're on, you'll see an entirely different environment. Any place where you can see the sky is in the best condition, the interior architecture being immaculate and of a faux greek/roman mix style. The further down you go, the worse the situation gets, the style used on higher levels disappears and everything become very utilitarian, it becomes more claustrophobic and cramped, the technology becomes more obsolete and decrepit, the walls are scorched black from pollution and neon lights and holograms light up the otherwise dark interior of the planet.

Desting 2:

Earth -

Cabal - The cabal in Destiny 2 are a very warlike, industrious and reflects in the way they build things,

Awoken - Awoken architecture, which is primarily seen inside of The Dreaming City, seems to follow the same principles of the Elven cities in LOTRs. All the buildings have a very organic shape, avoiding hard edges when ever possible and always having some sort of curve to them. It feels just as if you'd brought the LOTRs elves millennia into the future, there is a giant gazebo found inside of the Gardens of Elisa that looks like it was pulled straight from one of the films. The buildings are a bright white, with blue being the reoccurring sub colour, often incorporating gold trim in some way and they're almost always symmetrical. The blue parts of the buildings are in fact stained glass windows, intricately detailed and made up of many small geometric shapes that create a floral pattern.

The interiors of the structures feel like a fantasy castle/cathedral given a science fiction coat, though it may not even seem like science fiction from a screenshot, that may just be the added context from the rest of the game. The roome have vaulted ceilings and numerous pillars, arched doors and windows, these all add to the medieval fantasy aesthetic and make them seem like a cousin of the Norman style I discuss in a previous post, albeit a more grandiose cousin. The architecture itself is almost like a white marble with a few blue tones here and there, with gold continuing to be inlaid throughout the interior. You may also come across, large, crystal walls that replace the usual pristine white.

What is actually used to decorate the scene is in fact a multitude of different statues representing cultural figures in the Awoken's history, areas where plants are allowed to grow, usually to fill the larger halls or the edges of hallways (Further adding to the LOTR feel), there'll also be minor things such as floating lights, vases, braziers and many of the things you imagine to be in a fantasy castle. The walls are in fact covered in very floral engravings, continuing the theme created by the stained glass windows; these engravings actually serve a function however, as they are the Awoken's written language.

The layout of the Awoken building varies, but a common pattern is large rooms being connected to long hallways through an anti chamber, these anti chambers often having a central piece in the middle of the room, whether it be a statue or a kind of plant.

Vex - The architecture used by the Vex reflects their mechanical state quite well, all of the structures created by the Vex are all made of primitive shapes, namely cubes with cylinders and spheres making; they're the most simple shape and probably the most efficient shape to build structures out of and they're built in a very blocky manner, with parts of the shape jutting out and others receding inwards. The design of the structures varies slightly, they're built in such a way where they have an inner layer filled with technology, then there is a layer that looks similar to a metal cage and then the outer layer seems to be made out of concrete and it varies in the way these layers are shown. This layered system can actually help to display just how old he construct is. If the outer concrete layer is intact, the structure is generally rather new, then you get to the stage where the concrete starts to crack and you can see into the inner layer, then eventually the concrete is gone and you're just left with the metal cage and the tech, even after that the cage can be decayed to the point where there isnt much left besides some metal struts surrounding electronics.

There isn't many ways that the environment is decorated besides the slight difference of colour of the structures, or the overgrowth of plants that can often be found in Vex complexes, however you can occasionally see different stone statues depicting different Vex enemy types. (Which feels a little out place given their very mechanical nature, I wouldn't have thought machines would have much use for statues.) There are also points in the Infinite Forest on Mercury that you can see Vex have decided to put gold trim in their architecture.

[theteenagetrickster]

DJM-V10: Pioneer DJ's new 6-channel mixer looks like it was designed by a techno DJ - DJ TechTools

A new DJM-V10 mixer from Pioneer DJ has 6 networks, professional isolators, 4 band EQ, per-channel squeezing knobs and also sends for each stations. You might be eliminated for presuming that our team are actually listing attributes on an Allen & & Health DJ mixer.The brand new system is actually anticipated to be present today at NAMM 2020 in Anaheim, so our team'll be actually taking a very first examine it quickly. Always keep going through for all the information on Pioneer DJ's brand-new mixer and our experts'll take a better examine the attribute collection as well as layout.DJM-V10 Let's beginning along with the noticeable: this mixer practically thinks that someone at Trailblazer DJ considered Richie Hawtin's Style 1 mixer layout and also stated "our team can possibly do that!" There's no state-of-the-art sculpting EQ, but a ton of the various other components of the blender experience unbelievably inspired through Xone mixers.Here's what you need to have to recognize concerning the functions on the DJM-V10: It assists 6 channels of audio This is actually the initial DJ mixer coming from Leader to possess six stations because the shelf place 19-inch DJM-1000. Remarkably, that blender additionally had a master isolator like this one.Just because you can play six stations doesn't suggest that you'll begin to see DJ cubicles along with 6 CDJs or maybe 4 CDJs as well as pair of DJS-1000 sampler/sequencers. Trailblazer DJ Pro Link limits the lot of linked devices to 4, which suggests that the additional two networks are well used for devices that do not rely upon being actually linked.One other design details that Leader DJ reveals in their release: the channels on the peak of the system associate the input ports on the back of the unit.

This implies much less messing around behind the mixer figuring out where to connect in each input.There are actually 4-band EQs Four-band EQs are actually traditionally therefore very Allen & Health, and as such the DJM-V10 is testing that notion."The regularities, arcs, as well as increase and also cut amounts on each band have all been specifically created to

provide you total adaptability. Completely isolate the & high and/or reduced and modify the 2 the middle of variations-- which have their very own custom-made arcs-- to tweak your mix."Every channel has a filter, they are actually not dual-pole The traditional Leader DJ dual-pole filter set is actually gone on this mixer, substituted by a filter design that's identical to the DJM-2000NXS. Each network possesses a committed filter opener, as well as the filters have actually been strengthened. Listed here is actually how Trailblazer DJ clarifies it:"Drastically change the sound of a keep track of or even make little changes using the recently created filter along with vibration control. Activate higher or reduced go by pressing either switch, then switch the button from all the way to the left (no filter used )to the furthest position on the right(optimum filter

applied). Due to the fact that the higher and also reduced elapsed are divided, the entire stable of the button is actually devoted to the choice you choose, providing you two times the settlement to have fun with compared to the filter on the DJM-900NXS2. "The mixer has a Master Isolator Big, chunky knobs for isolators are actually very enjoyable to control the expert output with. "[ the 3-band isolator] attributes brand-new boost/cut contours as well as modifications to the crossover frequencies and also other guidelines. "Per-Channel Compressors!Compression is actually an effective device if utilized in the workshop, but it is actually hardly ever used in the DJ cubicle. Actually, lots of DJM mixers

possess squeezing on them, hidden inside the Different colors FX, but that indicates losing filter control.On the DJM-V10, there's a compressor opener on every stations. This may be especially beneficial if you're participating in older/unmastered songs that may pale in contrast

to brand-new music. "Switch the converter button on the relevant channel and also the blender will certainly"boost "the sound directly . The quieter the track, the extra tension is included, enhancing the noise of"weaker "monitors and having a minimal effect on learnt music. "Send/Return Built-In+External FX A devoted send/return FX system that was incorporated to the DJM-900NXS2 rated, yet the send/return area on the DJM-V10 goes rather a bit more. There are 4 built-in send/return FX: Short Hold-up, Long Hold-up, Dub Mirror, and Reverb-- and afterwards you can easily hook up other units to the TRS ports for more options.For those integrated FX, there's an entire hoard of specification commands: Lastly, option the leading sound from the Send/Return FX unit to either the professional or even out to one of the stations on

the blender. Delivering it to a network implies you can then use additional EQ and filters to the damp mix.Two DJs may sign individually Below's an additional component that is actually straight off of the Model 1 blender: two collections of earphone hint results. If you are actually playing B2B, you can listen closely to one channel, as well as your partner could be listening to anything else-- zero much more passing your earphones backward and forward here.Worth taking note, the Headphones A slots are actually on the leading

of the blender, while the Headphones B slots are on the skin of it. A little bit of a peculiar selection as often there's no ports on the main face of Leader DJ mixers.Fix your monitors with Cubicle EQ Performs your display seem like foolishness? Is actually there no other way to change the displays to create all of them seem much better? Not a problem along with the DJM-V10, since it possesses 2 knobs for HI/LOW EQing of the display output.A New Beat Result, Shimmer All the Beat FX recognize on the DJM-V10 besides a brand-new one, Shimmer, which is actually shown in all the promotion photos. It appears to generate tone-- our company'll improve this once we've actually heard it or even observed a video recording of it in use.Sound Premium "Studio-quality 64-bit combining as well as dithering handling, 32-bit high quality A/D as well as D/A converters, a low-jitter time clock circuit, as well as many other parts all function to create a full low-end, lively mids, as well as exact highs." The DJM-900NXS2 was actually significant measure up in sound top quality versus the original NXS, but Pioneer DJ appears to have actually tripled adverse this mixer.

They've created a whole lot about the changes listed below, and while clearly a few of it calls for much higher end components, we are actually hoping that they use some of what they have actually built below in other future products too.What The DJM-V10 Functions Along With There is actually built in assistance for a handful of various tools

, applications, and services

at launch."This makes it possible for DJs, technological developers, LJs, as well as VJs to make use of all the significant relevant information coming from the DJM-V10, such as real fader and also handle postures, to efficiently straighten sound as well as visuals as well as create series that

blow target markets away. Some of the DJM-V10 settings may be actually remotely configured through ShowKontrol software application."What about a brand new CDJ/other Trailblazer DJ gear?Interesting that up until now we haven't observed any kind of the things that our experts supposed might chop up at NAMM this year from Leader DJ. That post is actually still well worth a gone through to observe what the crystal clear choices were for NAMM launches.

This content was originally published here.

[cutiecrates]

Cutie Reviews: Kawaii Box July 19

Here we are guys, the Kawaii Box I’ll be reviewing tonight. I’ve had these pictures ready since Sunday but I blame my birthday and the delivery issues for the Lucky Treat as to why it took me almost a week...

Let’s hope the next one is quicker :D

Word of the month: Ryokou - Trip

“Create the best summer vacation ever with this month’s selection of kawaii goodies!“

Happy Day Pill Organizer & Kawaii Candy Wrapper Hairclips

For a summer holiday it can come in handy to have some little necessities with you, especially if they’re really cute ones. Both items are available in other designs/colors on Blippo.com.

First up is this little pill box, featuring a ball chain you can attach to a bag or purse, or even pants or belt loops for easy access to your vitamins or essential medication. I think you could even pack other tiny items, like a handy place to hold small jewelry, ear/nose plugs, contacts (maybe), little hair accessories, etc.

I’ve gotten a few other pill box containers, but they really do come in handy. Not only can I pack the above items, but I’ve also started taking vitamins these past two years, I also have an antibiotic I’m on right now, and I try to keep ibuprofen and stomach medicines on hand for me or others. Because I have a couple it also saves me room in my bed-side table.

So yeah, I’ve been making good use of them. 

-------

Hair care and accessories can also be a necessity, clips provide an easy and quick method of getting hair out of the face. They also look adorable~

These clips are made to resemble wrapped candies or sweets, with a clear resin or plastic on front decorated with various items and a painted back, along with a vibrant semi-translucent clip. The clip quality is nice with little spiked pieces to weave through the hair and securely hold it, and the charm itself isn’t loose or flimsy.

I love their original hair clips (except for those neon nightmare ribbons from a few months ago), and these are very sweet and fun. The candy theme and colorful mix of vibrant and pastels makes them perfect not only for summer, but any occasion!

Aiko Headphone Case

Next up is this adorable Aiko-chan case for... I assume earbuds? It says headphone but I don’t think they would fit in there. Anyway, it features a double-sided image and an attachable pink metal piece so that you can connect this to various items, or you could even loop something else through the strap if you wanted.

The inside is a basic black, with a half-mesh piece on one of the sides. It’s compact but you could definitely fit some decent things in here besides earbuds; like everything I listed above, a hand sanitizier, small makeup items, toothpicks or ear cleaners, mints, candy, a mini notepad or sticky note set, etc.

This is really cute, but I kinda wish the design was more... summery? Like using the one from the booklet cover, which is what they usually do.

Hello Kitty Mermaid Plushie

Now this is what I’m talking about- although... this would have been a better match for the previous months box, with the mermaid items don’t you agree?

This is from a brand or company called Nakajima, and is part of a Sanrio Characters line. It’s officially worth or costs 20 Sanrio points, and I’m pretty sure its based on the much larger Hello Kitty mermaid plushies. I’ve seen a handful of them though so this could just be another catfish in the sea ;3 She has a light pink piece of tulle on her head adorned by a glittery felt star, with the same tulle around the top of the chest, and her tail is light purple with a shimmery, glittery hot pink semi-translucent fin. By the corner of her eye are two stitched stars in matching colors.

The plush is soft in the paws, but the head is more firm, with the tail just slightly softer. She’s well made and she even has a ball chain, so I could attach her to things as well if I wanted and bring her with me~

Icy Pastel Popsicle Pen

As usual we got a fun pen, and these never fail to please when it comes to fun, cuteness, and theme matching. So this month we have a multicolored pastel popsicle-shaped piece attached to the nubbin’ of a pen lid. The pen itself is a plain, thin white tube and there is a fine tip; and as usual it’s available in a few other colors. I love popsicles too, so I made sure to add it to the other pens I enjoy using. 

There isn’t really much to say about the pen quality wise, other than the fact it needs a few minutes to dry. The pen can hold a line for a long time (as in, you don’t need to force flowage) and it can dot and write very easy and smooth.

Tiny Party Sparkly Stickers

As usual we also get adorable stickers, and this month we have a set of adorable, glittery, pastel items perfect for not only a fun party during summer or a get-together with friends, but also add a sweet touch to various items- like letters, notes, photo albums, picture frames, etc.

The stickers are “barely puffy“ to give them a 3D look, and what I think is adorable is on the upper corner, where it lists this:

Calories: ???

Enjoyment: 110%

Happiness: 100%

I really like all of the stickers but I think my most favorite are the candy containers, the unicorn cupcake or ice cream, and the jelly desserts.

Happy Nikukyu Polar Bear Gummies

We’ve gotten gummies like these before from Kawaii Box, and in a few other boxes, but usually they are cat or dog themed. To cool down from the warm summer weather, we’re invited to enjoy these chilling polar bear paw gummies, which as you can see are filled with a creamy gel. The bag is re-sealable and the entire bag is 102 calories- which I don’t really think is too bad. If you ate the whole bag it’d be a nice little snack.

I usually like these gummies, and they’ve never been filled before so this was a fun change. I also love soda flavors, and these are very yummy. The cooling effect lasts for a few minutes and is very soothing, it isn’t harsh or minty at all.

Korean DIY Kawaii Bracelet Set

Fun for a rainy day or just a bout of boredom or some time to yourself, we have this cute and colorful jewelry set. It consists of several colorful charms in various shapes and sizes, and it has a long bundled up stretchy string.

I pulled out the more “random charms“ to show you guys, and there was several that I only had one of, like that heart, the flower, the big, that big rose. I had multiple of the heels, but I thought they were so random and cute I couldn’t help but include them. I also noticed a lot of spare little bits of plastic I can’t do anything with, and there was one or two pieces with extra plastic I’ll need to remove before use.

However... I actually kind of like how they look in the little jar, I’m a bit hesitant about using them. I might just leave them as is. But I’ll probably use a couple pieces.

Korean DIY Kawaii Cupcake Set

I’ve done a couple of kits like this before, they’re a lot of fun and I love to see how different they are between each one. I do wish we could have a little more variety kit wise, but because they differ it’s not that bad. Plus there are color variations so you can have a lot of fun making these, then re-using them for re-ment or dolls, or just cutesy displays later.

So as you can see we have two frostings, along with 3 cupcake liners and 3 glasses, and four bottles of deco bits: Styrofoam balls, glittery green stars, fruits and random other canes, and various glittery bits.

Here are 3 I did, including 1 cupcake and 2 drinks. I’ve gone ahead and did another cupcake sometime after this pic, but I still have 2 pieces left over and a little bit of the “frosting“, which is a lot like glue in terms of consistency and feel. When you finish, it has a smooth and puffy texture, but it hardens over time and loses the squishiness.

I believe there would be enough to finish the last 2 pieces, but I’m unsure. The cupcake isn’t entirely frosting, I used spare bits to fill the bottom, a squirt of blue frosting, then filled it in white.

It’s very fun, but I will warn you, from the experience I’ve had with these types of things you definitely want tweezers to use. It will make the job loads easier and less-messy.

♥ Cutie Ranking ♥

Content - 5 out of 5: The items are well-made and really sweet, I like them all.

Theme - 2.5 out of 5: I felt like this could have been a lot better, I want to say at least half of the box was summery vacation themed

Total Rank: 8 out of 10 Cuties. I liked the items a lot, but I didn’t feel excited or super-thrilled with the box either. It was just good, not great or fantastic though, but you can’t please everyone and I still really liked it. The items are cute and colorful, and fun and practical. I can’t help but wonder what Augusts’ box will be like though, since both this one and the June one are both falling short on summer expectations. We’ll just have to wait to find out!

♥Cutie Scale ♥

1. Polar Bear Paw Gummies - These were delicious, I’d recommend them if you ever see them

2. Kawaii Hairclips - As I said above, I love the unique hair accessories we get from Blippo/Kawaii Box, I especially love these ones inspired by food items :3 I’ve worn them a couple of times and I really, really like them.

3. Popsicle Pen - It’s so cute, I just wish the pens tube wasn’t so plain. It’s a little boring, but I can understand the design choice.

4. Sparkly Stickers - I probably won’t use these because of how much I like them. Unless I just find the perfect place for them that is~

5. Pill Organizer - It’s very fun and I love the use of black as a pop of color to the soft pastels. It’s been easy to use and it came in handy freeing up space.

6. Hello Kitty Mermaid - It’s very cute and I’m obsessed with Hello Kitty, I don’t have a mermaid hello kitty, unless you count the large dress-up hello kitty doll I have, who was mermaid themed when I bought her.

7. DIY Bracelet Kit - Same as below, but I’m less-likely to actually touch it right now. I love looking at all the pieces~

8. DIY Cupcake Set - It’s very cute and fun, and relaxing too. But I’ve been there done that. 

9. Aiko Case - It’s very cute and small, I won’t be using them for earbuds or headphones but I know I can find a use for it in my bed-side table or purse. I still wish they used the design from the front though...

[wearegrlgang-blog]

DJ, producer, label owner, radio host and overall badass Wenzday is fresh off of the release of her Heartbreak House EP and a huge performance at EDC Las Vegas.

With releases on Circus Records, Dim Mak, IN / ROTATION, Play Me Records, and more, it’s clear that the LA native has been putting in work, but she isn’t stopping anytime soon. With tons more on the way, we’re excited to get an inside look at all things Wenzday and even a sneak preview of what we might hear from her next. Check out her exclusive interview and guest mix for GRL GANG below.

Thanks for chatting with us today! How did your recent performance at EDC Las Vegas go?

Thanks so much for chatting with me! EDC was a dream. I got to play the Corona Electric Beach stage and it was probably the most fun I've ever had playing a show. Since I just put out my Heartbreak House EP I wanted my set to reflect that theme so I mixed in a lot of "break up" dance anthems and it got an amazing reaction!

You graduated from the prestigious Icon Collective Music School in LA. Do you think your experience there made you who you are today?

Attending Icon Collective absolutely changed my life. Besides learning the ins and outs of music production and music business, I made lifelong friendships and connections. Icon also helped me zero in on what really matters to me and my artist project and how to make my goals a reality. I went into Icon barely knowing how to open any DAW and came out with completed songs and a clear vision of what I wanted the WENZDAY project to be.

What are three of your current favorite songs to play out?

The first is probably "Heartbreak House" ft. Kevin Flum. I'm so proud of this song and really the whole EP in general so I open all my sets with it. This song is my entire heart and the reaction to it has been really amazing.  

"Bang" from Matroda ft. Dances With White Girls has become a regular in my sets as well. It's such a vibe and I'm such a huge fan of both of these artists.

"Infinite" from Habstrakt is also a tune I've been playing out a lot. There's so many layers to this song--the vocals, sound design, and vibe that make it really fun to play out because it builds so well and gets the crowd hyped at the drop. Habby has also been such a great friend and mentor to me in this scene so I always have to support.

What was your inspiration for founding 40oz Collective? Do you have any advice for producers who want to start a label of their own?

40oz Cult represents the opposite of bottle service culture. We wanted to form a collective of like minded artists who stick to their guns and put out music and art because it means something to them instead of just following trends.  My brother, Hami, and I have been incredibly lucky to have such talented and supportive friends in this scene and we wanted to create a platform for all of us to release music together with creative freedom. In terms of advice--I think that in order to start a label you need to make sure that your personal brand is consistent and you have the reach and influence within your genre or community.  From there, start aligning yourself with like minded individuals who are down to support whether thru reposting or playing out live. Once you develop that community, the label side becomes easy- especially with all of the technology and distribution platforms out there right now. I think a label is only as strong as its artists and fan support so make sure you are ready to build with your team!

I absolutely loved 'Heartbreak House' and it seems like you really stepped out of your comfort zone throughout the EP. What was the process like creating it?

Thank you! Heartbreak House was an extremely cathartic experience for me. It's a concept EP that illustrates the stages of a break up from the position of the person doing the breakup. There are so many breakup songs and albums about being left or wanting someone and I wanted to put something out there for the people who are the other side of that. It still hurts. You still mourn the relationship. But in the end, you have to do what is right for you.

I was so fortunate to work with Kevin Flum, Sippy, and B-Sides. All of these artists are great friends who understood my vision and where I was coming from and I'm so proud of this body of work. My live sets are also extremely diverse so I wanted a collection of songs that I could play out in my sets and that reflected the genres I love right now!

Can you name a must-have on your rider?

Redbull!!! I jump around a lot when I play so this is a must!

What's your Number 1 LA food staple?

I love Veggie Grill! I'm probably at Veggie Grill once a week when I'm home. It's cheap and delicious and everyone should eat there.

What will be hearing in your mix today?

I included a bunch of my tunes including "All The Way Home" and  "Heartbreak House" and my new collab with my friend Badjokes. I also tried to include as many tunes from or featuring badass females killing it in the scene right now like Blossom, Anna Lunoe, and Kendoll. There's also tunes from the homies Dr. Fresch, Masteria, and Birthdayy Partyy. I wanted a mix that you can listen to any time of day or night and hopefully people will discover some new artists or songs they haven't heard before!

Finally, What does GRL GANG mean to you?

GRL GANG is all about supporting women. Especially right now, girls need to stick together! It's so easy to be supportive by reposting a song, liking a photo online, or playing out fellow female artists. I have been extremely lucky in my career to have had support from both men and women and I hope that I can do the same for upcoming artists and friends!

Tracklist:

Wenzday- All The Way Home

Wenzday x Badjokes- ID

Wenzday-Jungle Demon

Matroda ft. Dances With White Girls- Bang

Walker & Royce ft. VNSSA-Word

Kendoll-OMG

Masteria-Lose Control

Blossom ft. Noises-Buzzin'

Spice Girls- Wannabe (Freak On Remix)

Billie Eillish- Bad Guy (Masteria Remix)

Diplo ft. Tove Lo-Win Win

Anna Lunoe- 303 (Flava D Remix)

Cassie- Me & U (Birthdayy Partyy Remix)

Wenzday ft. Kevin Flum-Heartbreak House

Odae ft. Kevin Flum- Go Down

Badjokes-Cannibal Cop

Dr. Fresch & Sinden-No Good

[holytheoristtastemaker]

Social media platforms are excellent places to showcase your best work and promote yourself as a creative. Your online presence could help you to secure a new job, gain freelance clients or creative collaborators, as well as build your professional reputation.

But with so many social media platforms to choose from, how do you know which ones to use? To find out, we listened to the advice of a range of creative professionals including artists, photographers, designers and filmmakers. We learned what they like about each social media platform and why you might find each one useful for displaying elements of your portfolio (for more portfolio inspo, see our graphic design portfolio post), or maybe something else.

We used their answers to list the most useful social media platforms for artists and designers right now. (Note that we haven't included video sharing app TikTok, but you can read all you need to know about it in our guide to the TikTok app.)

01. Dayflash

Greg McMillan's work on Dayflash

Never heard of Dayflash? You're not alone. But right now, it's rapidly gaining popularity amongst creatives. And that's because the iOS app, launched last year, basically works like Instagram used to. In its own words, there's "no algorithm and no more missing posts from your friends".

Co-founder Rupali Renjen tells us that, in her view, "Photo sharing platforms unfairly use algorithms to dictate which followers get to see a user's posts. And as they push users to spend more time on stories from friends, long-form videos and shopping, all so they can make more money on ads and business accounts, less and less time is being spent on creators, which is taking away visibility and opportunity".

You can post full resolution photos, no algorithms, always genuine engagement, no bots

David Castillo

And creatives do indeed seem to be responding well to the new platform. "I love using Dayflash," says New York photographer David Castilllo. "You can post full resolution photos, no algorithms, always genuine engagement, no bots. And I love the aesthetics of the interface."

Scott Terry, a Chicago-based creator and ambassador for brands, agrees. "It’s pretty great because you can post full frame and high resolution, unlike Instagram," he points out. And there's video, too.

"For me personally, I love being able to show my work as I’ve made it, rather than being compressed like on Twitter or Instagram," says filmmaker Tyler Palmer. "And even with little following, my work still gets seen."

LA-based photographer Torenzo Perry is also a fan. "I personally love the app because it focuses more on the content, and less on the likes and views," he says. While Greg McMillan, an iPhoneographer and co-host of the Tiny Shutter podcast, admires both the app and the philosophy of its makers. "They have it figured out as to what a social platform should be and how it should work," he enthuses. 

And it's not just photographers who are fans. Take Brazilian character artist Danielle Pioli, who uses it to share her illustrations and comic strips. "I really like Dayflash," she says. "Since I began using it, it has improved a lot. Not only the usability of the app but also the quality of the content inside it. I see this app as a new trend for visual artists of all kinds. It's easy to use, pretty straightforward, and fun.

02. ArtStation

ArtStation is a must for 2D and 3D artists

Launched in 2014, ArtStation may not have changed a great deal over the years. But it remains the place to post your profile for professional 2D and 3D artists, especially those working in the games, film, media and entertainment industries, or those aspiring to do so.

As we reported in our article how to get a job as a video games artist, recruiters nowadays don't just encourage you to post your work on ArtStation; they expect it. Some artists still hold back from doing so, because they don’t want to engage in what they see as a popularity contest. But by and large, recruiters don’t really care how many likes or followers you have; it's purely about whether or not they like your art, and if it fits what they're looking for. 

“We’re interested in artists who produce the sort of work that we can use; that’s it," says Kevin McDowell, art director for Creative Assembly's Total War series. "So make sure it’s visible to us, and don’t worry about the numbers.”

03. DeviantArt

Katy L Wood's work on DeviantArt

Launched in 2000, DeviantArt has more of an amateur, hobbyist feel to it than ArtStation. And so while you're less likely to get commissions directly through it, it's a better platform for putting your art in front of your peers and getting feedback.

People tend to come and go from DeviantArt over time, and author and illustrator Katy L Wood is no exception. "DeviantArt was the first social media site I joined, about 13 years ago, when I was a teenager," she recalls. "It was a huge part of my growth as an artist, due to all the amazing free resources it had, from tutorials to brushes to stock. Plus, back then, DeviantArt had a great community. People really talked and interacted and had fun."

Eventually, though, she felt the community had started to wane and turned her attentions elsewhere. "However, in the last year I've been working my way back into using DeviantArt, especially with its delightful rebrand," she says. "I came back primarily because DeviantArt is straightforward. There are no algorithms to game, it's well organised, and it's supportive of every type of art and writing I do."

04. The Dots

Work by Joanna Kosinska on The Dots

Launched in 2014, The Dots is an online professional network that aims to be "LinkedIn for creatives". And it's had a fair amount of success in doing so, attracting companies such as Google, Burberry, Sony Pictures, Viacom, M&C Saatchi, Warner Music, Tate, Discovery Networks and VICE to use it as a recruiting tool.

There are lot of other things you can do on the platform besides just waiting to be offered a job, though. These include connecting with other creatives in your field, checking out people's side hustles, responding to requests for collaborations, keeping up to the latest events and more. 

It's very much a case, then, of what getting out what you put in. And unlike LinkedIn, every page you interact with is beautifully designed.

Currently, most creatives seem to use The Dots as part of a self-promo mix, rather than focusing on it exclusively. Yorkshire-based freelancer Joanna Kosinska, for example, says: "I will post my work pretty much anywhere where I can gain traction, including The Dots, Behance, Dribbble, and Creativepool. 

"As a graphic designer and photographer, I have to put my name out there. So any platform that makes it easier to find my work is my friend, and I'll gladly invest time to create a profile and share projects."

05. Dribbble

Work by Laundry on Dribbble

Launched in 2009 by Dan Cederholm and Rich Thornett, Dribbble was never intended to be a straightforward portfolio site like Behance. Its specific angle was about teasing out small glimpses of what you were working on, when you were unable to share the whole project.

Dribbble has since evolved beyond web and mobile app design to take in icon design, branding, animations, prototypes, illustrations, graphic art and other disciplines. But there's still a focus on informally sharing small screengrabs (known as 'Shots'), rather than setting out big and detailed images in an organised and carefully annotated way. As Albuquerque-based web designer Jack Harner puts it: "Dribbble feels more like a community than a portfolio site."

That doesn't mean it's just designers talking to designers, though. The platform now actively helps companies such as Apple, Airbnb, Facebook, Google, Dropbox and Slack to hire designers, and many clients use it to find people to commission.

"Dribbble has been a great platform for us to generate new business especially within the tech industry," says PJ Richardson, partner at Los Angeles design studio Laundry. "Very graphic and illustrated work seems to play the best, but we've also gotten new clients because of what we post there as well."

For others like Nicola Jones, aka Hello I'm Nik Design, Dribbble is a place for posting work that doesn't fit in your main portfolio. "This is where I put my personal project illustrations, which is something I’d like to do more, so if I ever get any illustration enquiries I point them there. Illustration is more of a side thing for me, as I do brand and marketing design before all that for clients."

06. Behance

Work by George Kofi Prah on Behance

Behance is the closest thing on this list to a pure portfolio platform, but with a social aspect plugged in. Founded by Matias Corea and Scott Belsky in November 2005, the company was acquired by Adobe in 2012, and its reach has since become enormous.

Unlike, say, Dribbble or Instagram, Behance offers a way to show more of your work than just a single, eye-grabbing image. As motion designer and 3D generalist Jesus Suarez explains: "Behance is great for sharing the making of and behind the scenes aspects. It allows for more complete look at the project."

Of course, you could do all that on your own website, but the social aspects of Behance means that it's worth posting stuff there too, if even you're just duplicating the same content. 

It is an ideal place for us to share the behind-the-scenes and case study aspects of our projects

PJ Richardson

And that's exactly the approach Laundry takes, says Richardson. "Our Behance basically mirrors our company site," he explains, "but because it is so shareable and other creatives go to Behance for creative inspiration, it is an ideal place for us to share the behind-the-scenes and case study aspects of our projects."

London-based illustrator, designer & photographer Tim Easley takes a similar view. "I use Behance for full projects alongside my website, because there’s a decent chance of being featured there, which brings in a lot of views," he says. While Cliff Nowicki, a web designer based in Michigan, USA says. "I use Behance because it's super easy to just put something up online."  

07. Instagram

Tim Easley's work on Instagram

The rise of Dayflash (number one on our list) is a sign that a few people's love affair with Instagram is waning. But overall, Instagram remains far and away the most popular visuals-based social media platform today, and for most creatives, a presence of some sort on the image sharing platform remains a must.

"While, Behance is great for sharing and getting your work in front of professional eyes, I tend to use Instagram mostly," says George Kofi Prah, designer at New York and LA branding agency loyalkaspar. "It's the perfect tool for creatives in the way that Spotify is for musicians. 

"It provides access to a much wider audience than any other platform and allows me to engage with literally anyone. Using hashtags makes being discovered and finding new and interesting things a lot easier."

Ease of use is also an important factor for many. "I use Instagram, followed by The Dots, because these platforms are easier and more accessible in terms of commitment per post," says Welsh/Sri Lankan artist Murugiah. "Behance has too many fields to fill in per post!"

We need to promote our work where our audience lives

Amy Kilner

For Amy Kilner, freelance designer and founder of inspiration blog The Design Fix, using Instagram is a no-brainer. "You have to remember we're designing for our clients' objectives, not other creatives," she points out. "So we need to promote our work where our audience lives. Don’t get me wrong, I love creative sites – I run my own, after all - but it’s not where my clients are!"

Laundry follows the same logic, says Richardson. "Artists and clients alike all seem to go to Instagram for design and animation inspiration, which is why we use it," he reasons. "We've even landed projects from it and clients increasingly ask to track our work there. It's also the easiest to share and always has been. Additionally, it is easy to schedule posts without formatting problems."

How to change the font in your Instagram bio

Luke Manning, creative director of Pencil Studio, is primarily interested in getting work shared amongst the creative community, and for that it’s been Instagram and Twitter that have been the most effective, he says. "Our own posts have been picked up shared by popular design blog sites and we’ve even had direct contact by brand owners via sharing our latest projects," he explains. "I like Behance and how it works, but for us it is yet to be fruitful beyond having a place to store projects." 

And if you're wondering how to be successful on Instagram, we've got a guide packed full of pro tips on how to increase Instagram engagement.

08. LinkedIn

Work by Ben the Illustrator on LinkedIn

Even though it's had a total rebrand, LinkedIn doesn't immediately grab you as being a useful social platform for creatives. But art, design and filmmaking are businesses like any other, and many creative pros say they're making good use of LinkedIn regardless of what it looks like.

Take Frank Suyker, aka Mr Sugar, an art director based in the Netherlands. "I use LinkedIn to get recurring revenue out of my existing clients," he explains. "By posting my blog posts on LinkedIn, I'm kept top of mind. And when they do have work that needs to be done, they come to me."

Laundry has also made a shift to LinkedIn recently, which it has been actively using for the past year. "Facebook used to be a great place to share work but it became cluttered with ads and not design-focused posts," says Richardson. "in contrast, the very work-focused and curated nature of LinkedIn has made it a forum to share design, animation, and behind-the-scenes content, which has garnered a lot of great attention for us."