#i was specifically looking for new lego videos to watch. or find something that seemed more interesting than lego mario stop motion

[skeletalheartattack]

so for like, a decade plus, i've been searching for a youtube video i remember seeing back in 2007, and i've finally managed to make some headway:

good news: i've found it

bad news: it's lost media

[soupct123]

I saw a post the other day about “the Portal renaissance” basically about how new people consistently come into the fanbase due to Portal 2 going on sale on Steam every so often. That’s probably the actual explanation for a whole lotta people, but that wasn’t for me, and it got me thinking about my introduction to it. So I decided it would be fun for me to reflect on the story of how I discovered it, and then post about it because blebityblehbleh parasocial strangers’ approval blibbityblooblah

In 2017, Lego Dimensions sets started showing up at 99 cent stores. I was 15, and I still liked legos but I knew how expensive they were so I always looked for bargains. I really wanted the Jurassic World set, but I never found it. I still got quite a few, and one in particular sorta stuck with me.

The other sets all ended up used in miscellaneous ways for like brick built dinosaurs and transformers and stuff, but I decided to keep the cube and Chell built. Every so often I’d look at them, they lived on a shelf with my lego clone troopers, and I’d think “I should look up what those come from, it seems pretty cool” but because I was a dumb ass adhd teenager I never got around to it.

Then in 2020 I discovered RTgame’s YouTube channel through his Minecraft videos, he was my #1 fav channel for a few months, so I started working through his backlog. My favorite videos were the ones where he played with CallMeKevin, so I looked for those videos specifically and found out they played Portal 2, that thing that the lego things were from! So I watched it, and it looked fun and stuff, I liked the robots and the sci fi aesthetic, but through the screams of these Irish idiots I heard snippets of the most heavenly voice that ever graced my ears.

And something in my gay little brain just clicked and I just needed to hear her more.

Luckily, this video popped up in my recommendations thanks to raniel and kev, and it gave me fucking hives, and I became a GLaDOS junkie

I started eyeing the fandom from afar, but I very rarely ventured outside my niche, that being Portal 2 GLaDOS voice line compilations on YouTube. If I ever needed cheering up or had trouble sleeping I listened to her, I didn’t need any context because she was funny and had the most radiant beautiful voice I ever heard, and it stayed that way for a while.

I built a lego glabos late 2020 that I’ve consistently upgraded, but I’ve decided not to stray for 100% accuracy because I’m just not skilled enough.

That was it for like 2 years, I had the lego, I liked the GLaDOS voice, I was happy. Then in January 2022 I was looking for a Blu-ray DVD player since I started living on my own. Then my little brother suggested I get a video game console, and I realized there were a few older games that I really wanted to play, so I took his advice and looked up what consoles had Transformers: War For Cybertron, Fall of Cybertron, and Lego Jurassic World.

X box 1 had them but x boxes cost like $300. Ps4s had them and were a bit cheaper but still over $100.

Then I saw that all 3 games were available on PS3. So I looked up the prices and I found some used for like $70.

On January 6, 2022, I got this PS3 from a used games shop for something like $40, and War For Cybertron to go with it.

I wanted to find a co-op game to play with him since he had the idea, but he found one for me on January 20th. He said “my friend told me this is about robots, a lesbian computer, and a creepy facility, so I thought you’d like it. Plus it has a two-player mode so we can play it since you still haven’t found Lego Jurassic World”

I hadn’t even checked if Portal 2 was on PS3 previously. After my first play through of the singleplayer campaign I cried my ass off and told him it was the best gift ever.

It was the thing that triggered me to actually start getting into the community, and I luckily started in the right place: looking through the GLaDOS tag on Archive of our own. Then I became a Chelldos addict and now I feel like I’ve been here for years.

Later I found the Orange Box to play Portal 1 and then everything came full fucking circle

Basically, the reason I got into Portal is because I’m a cheapskate who watches twitch clips on YouTube

[kimberly-spirits13]

Random Characters with Creative/ Designer S/O HC:

Characters: Damian Wayne, Tim Drake, Bart Allen, Conner Kent (RSS), Jamie Reyes

Damian Wayne (Fashion Design):

·      You’d started off your career when you were young

·      Your father wasn’t super supportive of everything and said that you were too young to start a business or what have you

·      So, with approval from your mother, you started one behind his back

·      He didn’t know until one day you ended up treading and going viral with a dress you made for a very famous celebrity

·      At that point he couldn’t stop you and was just impressed that you made it for months without him knowing

·      As long as you were keeping up schooling, it would fly

·      You ended up getting to travel the world and go to fashion week

·      More specifically NYFW

·      New York was the big one

·      That’s where you and Damian met

·      He was there for a business trip with Bruce and saw you at one of the shows the girls dragged him to

·      He was immediately infatuated with you and wanted to meet you

·      Thank the heavens he has sisters who wear your clothes to almost every gala

·      They got to go back stage and talk to you which led to you two exchanging numbers and the rest is history

·      When you started dating it was really hectic

·      You had a few kidnapping scares which made him want to break it off especially after you found out about the entire Robin thing

·      Heeeellllllllll no

·      You didn’t let that happen at all

·      Bruce actually commented and said that if you were that stubborn, Damian should probably keep you

·      Fashion week becomes more tiring and you also hate not being able to see Damian as much

·      He comes and visits though to make sure you don’t throw yourself out a window or something lol

·      When it’s over, you guys always take a long vacation to Lake Tahoe in a house Bruce owns on the Nevada side

·      He loves seeing your studio since it’s so organized and colorful

·      You’ve got walls of mood boards and mannequins with unfinished garments everywhere along with a massive soft couch that one of you is always sprawled out on

·      Sometimes he’ll send you pictures of pretty things he thinks you’d might like which ends up being incorporated into something

·      You taught him how to drape and make his own suit so that Alfred can have a day off

·      If anyone has a wardrobe malfunction and you’re around, you’ve got the needle and thread kit on hand at any given moment

·      Some things in the kit come in handy for picking locks too

·      He thinks it’s hilarious if you ever critique something or just call it straight ugly

·      If you’re at a gala and do it it’s even funnier

·      “Omg...”

·      “What is it beloved?”

·      “The drape and hem of that dress is the most preposterous thing I think I have ever seen. The fabric isn’t even the right material or fit for their shape. How rich are these people? And they can’t afford clothes that look decent on them?” You said giving them the famous inspecting side eye, “Also, who wears pearls with double sided sequins and fur?” “They can’t fix everything sweetie.”

·      *intense snickering from Damian*

Tim Drake (Software/ Web Designer):

·      It’s a match made in heaven

·      The two of you meet at a tech conference

·      He thought that you were such an interesting person to talk to and you had offers from places like MIT

·      You got along so well and then he found that you liked coffee like he did

·      Omg

·      He asked you out in the nerdiest way by making you decipher code on your own computer

·      You were kind of mad since you had been doing some other things for some major companies but after reading the message you determined you were fine with it

·      I mean how could you say no

·      Anyways the date when off great and eventually the media caught heavy wind of what was happening

·      You already knew about the Red Robin thing pretty quickly into the relationship though

·      Tim was a genius and you weren’t far behind

·      It was scary how similar you two were

·      From expressions and shared humor and meme taste, it was everything

·      Staying up together was another thing you did

·      Although, after some time one of you would pass out and the other would go to bed too

·      It was like a competition in sorts of who could stay up the longest but at the same time you needed him to sleep

·      The time he felt most betrayed by you was when you replaced his coffee with decaf

·      You guys just sometimes hang out in his bed tangled up in the weirdest way watching vines or weird movies

·      Totally the couple that would watch the worst rated movies just to laugh at them

·      Damian commented on it once and got a tired middle finger from you once

·      It wasn’t the classiest move however you couldn’t care less and Tim laughed his ass off

·      After that Damian seemed to respect you more

·      You guys probably have matching hoodies or something with really funny or obscure culture references

·      Clingy couple but nothing too over dramatic

Bart Allen:

·      Your designs in architecture went down in text books

·      You were famous for some really amazing builds and constructions

·      You started off by building these really insane LEGO sets or doll houses based off of designs in your notebook

·      Your mother still has the models in the attic which is kind of embarrassing when he sees it but he thinks it’s really cool

·      When he came to your time line he knew immediately who you were

·      He also totally came to you and complimented your work plus some additional hinting at what was going to happen pretty soon

·      Bart was there at the rise of your success

·      He basically was your number one fan the entire time

·      He’ll stay up with you as long as he can when you’re working

·      It’s kind of funny seeing that when you’re designing the things you went down in history for you’ll be stuck on something and he’ll just tiredly recommend what he remembers learning

·      You let him look through the designs sometimes but he understands if you don’t really feel comfortable with it

·      He also knows that in order to do all of this, you’re wicked smart

·      When the cave needed remodeling, you were the first person that they called in

·      The League was very glad that you were there and they didn’t have to pull any strings to get anyone different in

·      Plus, you knew what was needed since you were there all of the time

Kon Kent:

·      You got your start writing

·      It was the best thing that you did to relive stress

·      Once your parents saw that you were such an imaginative child, they got you in a ton of art related classes but you liked writing the most

·      Your writings had won awards before but then you wrote a book and it did amazing

·      So now, that’s what you do

·      Kon secretly actually really likes your books and met you at a book signing

·      Nerd

·      He got your number there and then you realized who he was

·      It was kind of funny cause you were both in that moment of realization like

·      Ohhhhh I know who you are.... kinda thing

·      He finds it hilarious that sometimes you’re just all over the place

·      When doing research your room isn’t terrible messy, it’s just piles and piles of notes and articles

·      You also probably have an expansive collection of literature yourself ranging from all genres

·      You don’t really like him to proof the book, however if you have an idea for something he’s all ears

·      Coffee dates to strange hole in the wall joints

·      Clark really likes you and finds your humor funny in the sense that it’s close to Bruce’s

·      Both very sarcastic and dry

·      Lex is just glad that his son found someone with an intellect

·      You don’t really like Lex though

·      That’s because you hear everything that Kon has to say about him

·      Although, without giving the man too much credit, the charade that he plays on the daily in quite impressive

·      You will never admit it however

·      Ma and Pa love you

·      So does Lois

·      You get along because of the writing

·      Sometimes Kon will just take you to some random part of the world if you need inspiration

·      “Hey wanna fly to Morocco?”

·      “Why not?”

·      You make a day trip out of it but if it’s a long one you’ll stay longer

·      Short distance he’ll fly you himself but overseas or something, he takes one of Lex’s jets

·      He likes to tease you sometimes but will take it easy during the editing phase

·      Those aren’t fun at alllll

·      You get cranky sometimes during that and he just backs off lol

·      He will make you sleep though

·      He doesn’t want you turning into Tim or anything for an extended amount of time

·      Nope

·      Not doing it

Jamie Reyes:

·      The team didn’t know anything about your job as an artist

·      You were internationally revered

·      No one knew of your job but for the boy wonder who saw the paint in your hair

·      Once the team did know however, everyone was amazed

·      You and Jamie were already dating by then though

·      He was always impressed with what you did

·      Laughed when you were covered in paint

·      He lets you paint or draw on his hand

·      You both have matching hoodies or jackets from your clothing line or merch that you painted

·      If you have a YouTube channel, he’s in some of the videos

·      Scarab notes that you have a more creative personality which Jamie responds to with a sarcastic remark

·      Your clothes are partly covered in paint

·      He’ll go to every show

·      During the Reach thing you still stayed with him

I have more parts of the Damian Wayne x reader story coming and also requests but I’m just getting into school which is my priority so that’s why I’ve been a bit more inactive. Anyways I hope you liked this one and I can’t wait to put out more 

[awrldalone]

27th February 2021, 11.33pm

I went out with a few people today. We met at the city center - L., M., I., and I. 

Lately I have noticed everyone dresses better, more fancily, more remarkably, and I wonder if it is because of all the months we have spent rarely getting out of our homes. 

We took the tram, it’s a nice metallic barn red, almost russet, and although it was packed we managed to find a place to sit. We talked about nothing, but it was comforting in a way. M., she’s at her last year of high school, told me she does not know what to do next year. Maybe psychology, she said, or attending the conservatory while working. 

We arrived at the city park. A while ago I read a poem on it, by Veronica Chiossi. She’s an Italian writer and translator, and I admire her. I do not know much about her life, but the abstract idea I have of her character is something I look up to. At the end of the day, it does not matter who someone is, it matters who someone is perceived as. I have learnt how not to be thought of as insecure, it used to bother me so much to be so vulnerable that I turned skinned knees into something though. Not that I am a though guy or anything.

At the terminal, V. and her boyfriend waited for us. They had been skating, the sun was setting.

We walked for a while, and although it might seem boring to just do nothing and wander, it can feel peaceful. Sometimes I go there alone, but it is not the same. I. had brought her ukulele, and she started playing Riptide. I hate that song, except in those specific moments. When someone plays it themselves and someone else who somehow enjoys it starts singing word for word, it has a special quality.

We looked up chords for other songs, and watched the sunset until it became cold. I should have worn something warmer, but I really wanted to wear my new jacket. M. said she liked it. L. has been seeing new boys and I wonder where he finds them, perhaps I just need to know more people. The problem is exactly that I do not know how. Besides, I do not think I would enjoy the company of that kind of people.

We returned to the city center, this time the tram was even more packed. I. needed to be home soon, and she was already late. She’s been reading Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet, and she told me about how she liked his opinion on art a lot, and I told her I have started reading an anthology of his poems. I like the word anthology, it comes from ἄνθος (anthos), flowers, and λέγω (lego), pick up. It implies literature is a field of flowers.

M. went with I. to get her bike, and we said goodbye. L. invited the rest of us over to his house. I was temped to say no, since I need to do my homework and tomorrow I will not stay home, but I gave in and said yes. 

I know his house very well, I have been there a lot, but I think the saying “do as if it were your home” will never apply to any place. His parents were not home, so we watched stupid videos on the tv, which made us laugh. Laughing at empty things is good. 

The lack of limes in the fridge did not stop us from drinking some tequila. It’s a summery taste, very sweet and pungent, but that is why I like it. I cut a lemon, I’m good at slicing things, and they made pop corns to have something to eat.

-c.

[casper-has-a-cat]

AJR appreciation post

because i don’t think enough people have heard neotheater.  some background, their previous album, the click, is a masterpiece in its own right, it came out when i was in college and it captured all of my college feels, not to mention the song about the office (yes, the tv show) which had me genuinely laughing aloud.   but this post will focus on neotheater, because i’ve only just recently finished college and this album perfectly captures new-to-the-real-world feels.

like this album has made me cry so much and in the best ways, it’s been the biggest reassurance because i’ve been on my own for a month and a half now and hearing people that i respect articulating everything surround the fears and pain and sadness of growing up is as heartbreaking as it is comforting.  i’m not the only one who is filled with doubts and uncertainty and having those feelings doesn’t make me a failure, thank goodness.  thank goodness someone put that into music because now i can hear it whenever i need it.

and let me just say, this album has an odd sound.  even for ajr, it’s odd.  it’s extremely theatrical sounding, and that’s not so much my style of music, so at first i was iffy on it, but... it directly ties in to the meaning of the songs and the story that the album as a whole is telling.  the idea of feeling as though you’re being judged and watched and that everyone has expectations for you whether you want an audience or not.  it was a brave move and adds to the authenticity of the album.

so, let’s get on to more specifics!

lyrics that make me cry:

“i wanna be next up forever, find a way to never hit my peak” - next up forever (these made me cry on the first listen, because like, i know they’re talking about music, but that’s such a big mood post-college)

“you’ll sail the ocean finding where you should be.  and if you’re broken, you’ll find your own thing” - next up forever.  there's???  so much in these two lines???  like the idea that life is just one big search is huge, its releases so much stress surrounding the feeling that you should know where you should be as soon as you graduate.  and the second part?  that reassurance that you’ll figure it out, even if you don’t fit, it’s so good

“i wanna move out, i don’t wanna move on” + “i’ll come by when i’m grown, it won’t be the same though, i can’t even go home” - don’t throw out my legos.  honestly the whole song just hits me hard if i’m in the mood.  the profound sadness that comes with growing up and going out on your own is so well articulated in this song, and the metaphor of like.  wanting to keep insignificant things around because if you do, then maybe your younger self can still stick around too.  and then this idea of not having a home, i didn’t even realize it until i heard this but that’s maybe the most painful thing that i’m dealing with right now.  because it takes time to make a home

“you say that i'm better, why don't i feel better? the universe works in mysterious ways, but I'm starting to think it ain't working for me. doctor, should I be good, should I be good this year?” - karma.  i have so much to say about this song and i could’ve included a much longer quote here but this gets the point across.  i think anyone who’s struggled with mental health can probably relate to this.  and i love that it’s (imo) very clearly not dismissing counseling- they’re being honest in that counseling is not a magic solution, it takes work and sometimes it doesn’t seem to be working as well as we want it to, even if we do still see value in it.  and the transition right here, at the end of the song, from the “i’ve been so good this year” to the question - should i even be good this year if it’s not making me feel better?  that’s what really got me.

“dear winter, don’t move too far away.” + “will we still hang out and talk when i’m no longer in charge?” - dear winter.  this song makes me cry every time i hear it no lie.  apparently when ryan (the lyricist) played it for his brother for the first time, his brother also sobbed so i guess it only makes sense.  but yeah this specific verse kills me a lot because this is exactly where i’m at right now.  i moved too far away.  i hate how painful that is for my parents.  i had to do it but it still hurts every time i hear this.

“they wanted heaven from me, i gave ‘em hell.  now they want something bigger, i’m overwhelmed” - finale.  this lyric is preceded by 4 repetitions of the line “they wanted,” and the first two times it’s sung in a deep tone, but the third and fourth times it’s sung in a higher tone, and the singer sounds more energetic and maybe even high-strung, it’s like he’s rejecting “their” opinion.  and then you get this lyric about heaven and hell and you see that he did something unexpected, he’s decided not to be “their” version of perfect and done something that “they” didn’t want, and maybe he thought he’d be free from “them” after that, but it turns out just the opposite happened.  

“just don’t forget about me when you get out of college” - finale.  it’s such a good double meaning.  it’s playing off of them being scared that they’re music will lose popularity when their audience graduates, but it’s also like... talking to college friends.  don’t forget about me.  and also the world?  and this is where things get complex with the idea of having an audience.  on one hand the expectations are oppressive and confining, but at least someone’s watching as we grow up, but when we graduate it does feel a bit like society no longer cares about us so much.  at least, it did for me.  so i guess this line could have a triple meaning?

lyrics that make me laugh:

“thank you for coming to my birthday party, i am one minute old today” - birthday party.  honestly, every lyric in this song makes me laugh, it’s just such a fucking hilarious song, and like, dark humor all the way???  but this specific lyric is said in such a funny way i love it.  i actually can’t think of any other song that’s made me laugh so hard.

“what doesn’t kill you makes you ugly, life gives you lemons, at least it gave you something” - break my face.  there’s a whole aspect of this song that’s really tongue-in-cheek.  like it’s funny because they’re taking an idiom and really looking it in the eyes and being candid, like okay let’s stop sugarcoating things, what doesn’t kill you might not make you stronger but it’ll make you ugly!  but then the song as a whole can totally be read as a satire on people who are so critical of anyone who complains, or those people who are always like “look on the bright side” and “why can’t you just be happy!” and anyway it’s so genius

extra notes:

100 bad days hasn't made me laugh or cry aloud but it’s still such an important song imo.  “a hundred bad days made a hundred good stories, a hundred bad days made me interesting at parties, no i ain’t scared of you, no i ain’t scared of you no more” it’s such a powerful mantra to keep in mind when things get rough.  idk if that last part was meant for this, but as someone with social anxiety and probably agoraphobia, it’s just been really empowering

turning out pt. ii... i don’t personally relate to this song as much as most of the others, and yet it still makes me profoundly sad.  honestly i don’t like listening to it because of that?  but also it kind of... doesn’t feel as clever to me as the other songs.  like i could’ve written those lyrics.  which is something i rarely feel about ajr songs.  idk, maybe it’s better if you relate more! and i’m biased probably because of how much i loved and related tot turning out pt. i and this wasn’t what i expected.

the entertainment’s here articulates something that scares me a lot?  how easy technology makes it to ignore real life, how tempting it is to just watch netflix or youtube videos or whatever.  so i avoid this song a bit as well.  i think it’s clever as hell, but it scares me and i’m a coward

beats: i’m just gonna say it, it’s my least favorite song on the album.  the idea is funny but to me the implementation isn’t the best?  it’s not that clever imo?  it’s very repetitive and i think that was supposed to like, go along with the meaning of the song, of echoing and doing what others are doing for success, but for me it’s just ultimately kinda... meh.

wow, i’m not crazy: kinda like 100 bad days, hasn’t made me laugh or cry aloud but this song is really important to me.  it makes me happy.  the idea of finding people who are crazy in the same way you are, and how that can make you love yourself so much more.  i love that.

okay yep we stop here!  honestly there are more lyrics that i love but this is an essay already sooooo.  yeah.  i love this album.

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #380

Top Ten Favourite Moments at E3 2019

I have to concede it was a slightly disappointing year. Maybe I was just too excited and had set unrealistic expectations. But most of the big games were already announced, and Microsoft didn’t really say anything we didn’t know regarding their next console. But there were at least one or two really cool moments – one of which is probably going to be held up as one of the big E3 moments of the modern age. And so, with no further ado, here’s my list of favourite E3 moments. Nowt much to add, let’s get onto the list!

Keanu! Yeah, this is it. At the end of a pretty but very grim trailer for Cyberpunk 2077 (which, sadly, seemed to be a cutscene that failed to show anything about how the game played), all of a sudden a character appears talking to the player, and it’s only bloody Keanu Reeves. Then the doors parted, smoke billowed, and he is come among us. “You’re breathtaking!” someone shouted (less weird than it sounds in context). He was suitably hyped, seemed to have a vague idea of what he was talking about, and really just cemented his position as the grooviest, coolest, nicest guy in showbiz. It was during the Microsoft conference, and managed to steal all the thunder from Microsoft’s other reveals before they had time to make them; arguably, it even stole all the thunder from Cyberpunk, too. Who cares about violent Blade Runner homages when here’s Ted Theodore Logan to tell us that we’re breathtaking, too?

Game Pass Ultimate! I love Game Pass. I think it’s a really good deal. I also think it’s not really for me, not in the medium term; I have too big a backlog of bought games, not enough time, and, frankly, not enough money. I get my Gold and that’ll do for now. But Ultimate, which rolls in Game Pass for both PC and console, as well as Gold, sounds like it’s probably the future (especially once they roll in xCloud too). But really this is here just because they did the best deal I think I’ve ever seen in gaming. Try Game Pass Ultimate for £1, they said; cool, I said, gives me an opportunity to check out Void Bastards and get back on Crackdown 3. What they didn’t say is that, for £1, they convert your existing Xbox Live Gold to Game Pass Ultimate for the duration of your subscription; in my case, next May. So – having already paid for Gold – I’ve now essentially got eleven months of games for £1. £1. That’s crazy. Thank you, Microsoft.

Star Wars! They’d sorta shown Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order before E3, but the extended gameplay that they demoed during both the E3 presentation and the MS one has made me quite excited. I like both Titanfall games so I’m already fond of Respawn, and I’m a long-standing fan of Star Wars games. I’ve seen some sniffing at this, but I think it looks terrific; sufficiently like Jedi Knight (or, more specifically, Jedi Knight II and Jedi Academy) to whet my appetite. It looks more fun than Force Awakens; faster, frothier, brighter, and with better combat. In short: I have a good feeling about this

LEGO Star Wars! In a way, even more exciting, even if I’ve already played a LEGO version of two-thirds of this game. But my understanding is that this is all-new, a journey through nine films retold through the medium of LEGO. My near-religious adoration of LEGO games, plus Star Wars, plus the fact that LEGO Star Wars was the game that started this crazy franchise in the first place, means this will be a must-have next year.

Animal Crossing! I guess we all knew it was coming but it was simply delightful to see: the Switch version of Animal Crossing. Not being a fundamentalist Nintendo fan, I’ve not played a Crossing since the DS, but I am a big fan of the games (I remember insisting one December 31st that I ring in the New Year with my DS open, just to see what it was like over partying with the Animals). The new one looks gorgeous; beautiful, cute visuals, a really nice semi-tropical setting, little touches that I can imagine will just make day-to-day gameplay more appealing, and some great multiplayer options. I know everyone else is disappointed that it’s been pushed back slightly to next Spring, but that fits in better with other games I’ve got to play (including Fallen Order at Christmas) so job’s a guddun as far as I’m concerned. Roll on 2020.

Zeldas! Plural! I never had a Gameboy (or a NES, or a SNES; technically I never had an N64 or a GameCube either, although I did live with people who had them at the time); I never played the original Link’s Awakening. Everyone goes on and on about it but it holds precisely zero emotional attachment for me. But I do like Zelda games; even if I’ve never spent a phenomenally long time with any of them, really, I do like them, and I’d love to really sink my teeth into Breath of the Wild. The art style of the Awakening remake is phenomenal; it doesn’t look like it’s revolutionising the gameplay but it’s simply beautiful to behold. And then at the end, a darker-tinged Breath sequel? Even I find that exciting, and I’ve barely played Breath as it is. I suppose one of the true game announcement surprises this E3.

Watch Dogs! Yes, I know! I’ve never played a Watch Dog. They look a bit generic, if I’m honest. And dense. Another big open-world game for me to sink time I have into. The new one being set in London is quite nice, although prospect of playing a post-Brexit London just feels depressing, if I’m honest. However! The video they showed looked really good fun. True, the London they showed did not look recognisably London-ish, but the gameplay looked crazy. Helen, the geriatric assassin, flopping over barriers and tasering people? Yes please. More ninja grannies in games. And the lady who fought like John Wick, kung fu-ing mofos before shooting them once in the head? Incredible. I want an entire game of that. Will I get Watch Dogs Legion? Probably not. But I’d like to play it.

Scarlett! I know, I know. It’s not what I predicted, and not what I wanted. But when I think about it, I was being a bit unrealistic. I suspected, based on what I know about the industry and what I read about available technology, that in al likelihood the next Xbox console would be coming out Christmas 2020. So how much were they likely to show eighteen months prior? No name, no box, no price. Figures. So in that respect, I guess it was disappointing, but it was really nice to hear them talk about the future of Xbox. It’s interesting that, from what we know so far, it appears identical to the PS5. but, really, it’s the confidence of Microsoft in the future of the brand and the consoles we’ll play in years to come that’s reassuring. Bit bummed out that Nintendo didn’t offer any new hardware either, mind.

Double Fine! Microsoft’s rampant acquisition of companies continues apace, which reassures me when approaching a new console generation. It’s still too early, really, to see the fruits of these developer purchases: incoming games from the likes of Ninja Theory will have been well underway before they saw juicy MS dollars. Buying Double Fine is a surprise, and a welcome one for me; I’ve been delighted by so much of their output (Brutal Legend, Costume Quest, underrated puzzle game Scurvy Scallywags); and I’ve loved Tim Schafer since his LucasArts days. It was Schafer’s hilarious onstage appearance that most appealed though: claiming he’d do anything MS asked, “Halo stuff, Forza stuff”. A self-deprecating wit so rarely seen on an E3 stage.

Devlolver Em-Effing Direct! The Devolver Digital “press conferences” are a witty riposte to the earnestness of E3. Foul-mouthed, hyper-violent spectacles that lampoon sacred cows of the videogame industry and dare to ask questions of the way in which things are done – as well as actually announce cool new stuff – they serve as an amusing if throat-stinging chaser after days of corporate doublespeak. This year they turned their bloodshot gaze onto “Direct” videos; apt given the number of big publishers who eschewed a showfloor presence in favour of a tailored YouTube stream. A steady flow of deep-cut RoboCop references was the order of the day, along with some surprisingly dense continuity and another cliffhanger ending. Can’t we do these more than once a year?

There we are; not necessarily a banner year, given that it was the last gasp of a fading generation. But plenty to like and a few surprises. I guess it’s a bit weird that it’s not really the news of individual games that I will be taking away from E3 2019; rather, it’s moments and services and promises of the future.

So was I right about any of my ridiculous predictions? Well, a bit. Microsoft and Nintendo didn’t divulge any concrete details on their consoles; nor did Ninty really pull a classic out of their hat. But there was a second Star Wars game alongside Fallen Order (LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga); there will be “xCloud shenanigans” this autumn, if not quite in the way I predicted; there was a “Big game on Switch”, but it was The Witcher 3; no “Minecraft 2” but there was Minecraft Dungeon. Most of the other predictions didn’t really happen, however. I nearly suggested something big would end up an Epic Store exclusive, but I was trying to be positive, and I didn’t really want that to happen; lo and behold, here comes Shenmue 3. So – considering it was more of a wishlist than a realistic prophecy – I’m pretty pleased with how it turned out.

[lindafrancois]

The Ultimate Guide to Losing Fat and Gaining Muscle (At the Exact Same Time)

There’s an argument in the fitness world that you can either choose to lose fat OR gain muscle.

They just can’t be done at the same time.

To this, I say, “Hogwash!”

We have tons of success stories from our online coaching clients who have been able to do both simultaneously:

Let us help you build muscle and lose fat at the same time! Learn more:

And that’s what we’ll cover in today’s guide!

We’ll do so by discussing:

What is body recomposition?

Losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time (The Controversy)

How to lose fat.

How to gain muscle.

How to lose fat WHILE gaining muscle (The Science).

Tips to lose body fat while gaining muscle.

What should I eat to gain muscle and lose fat? (A Healthy Plate)

How to tell if it’s all working (Continuing to lose fat while gaining muscle).

Plus, I have tons of sweet LEGO photos and silly gifs on their way, which is always a good time. 

What’s Body Recomposition?

As Coach Matt mentions in the video above, gaining muscle and losing fat simultaneously is called “body recomposition.”

So yes, the process is indeed possible, as long as you follow the right plan.

…but you don’t have to take my word for it.

Just ask our friend Aksel here (who achieved an impressive body recomp with the help of a NF Coach):

Read more about his incredible story!

However, as I mentioned in the intro, you’ll often hear that losing fat while gaining muscle is impossible. The argument goes that you should just focus on one or the other, because doing both at once is destined to fail.

Let’s explore this claim.

LosING Fat and GainING Muscle at the Same Time (The Controversy)

To understand why losing fat while gaining muscle can be problematic, we need to explore both processes.

Let’s consider the following points:

To lose fat, your body needs to be in a caloric deficit. This deficit forces your body to use pre-existing fat stores for fuel.

To gain muscle, your body needs to be in a caloric surplus. This surplus provides the energy your body requires to repair and build bigger muscles.

Given this, losing fat (caloric deficit) at the same time one is gaining muscle (caloric surplus) seems impossible.

However, if we go a few steps deeper into the science, it IS possible!

To appreciate the nuance here, let’s get into some specifics on losing fat and gaining muscle separately, and then we’ll combine them.

HOW DO YOU LOSE FAT?

There is a simple answer and a slightly less simple answer when it comes to losing body fat.

The simple answer: “consume fewer calories than you expend or burn.”

Eight words, and one or two of those could probably be thrown out.

When your body needs more calories than the amount you are eating, you are in a “caloric deficit.” Your body doesn’t have enough calories to go around, so it’ll start breaking down parts of itself for energy requirements.

(If you’re curious, you can calculate your daily caloric needs here).

The hope is that your body will mostly pull from fat stores, though depending on how you are training it will also break down muscle too.[1]

Said again: when you are eating a caloric deficit, your body will pull from both its fat stores AND existing muscle for energy.

From a physique and health standpoint, obviously we’d prefer that your body doesn’t break down muscle when in a caloric deficit, and instead really focuses on using fat stores instead.[2]

I make this point for a reason: your goal in fitness shouldn’t only be “weight loss,” despite the common vernacular used.

Who cares what the scale says, right?

The goal instead is to reduce body fat while also keeping the muscle you have (or even building more muscle).

That leads to a better physique and a healthier body.

This is the reason why there is a large industry around “tracking body fat percentage.”

By reducing your total fat on your body, OR increasing muscle mass, you’ll end up with a lower body fat percentage (it’s just a simple ratio of fat to everything else).

And lower body fat percentages are where “toned arms” and “6-pack abs” hang out.

We’ll talk about tips to keep and grow muscle while in a caloric deficit further down. For now, remember you need fewer calories “in” compared to calories “out” for weight loss to occur, from either fat stores or muscle.

You may be asking, “Steve, what’s easier to do? Burn more calories or consume less?”

Good question.

Numbers will help tell the story: though this is a gross oversimplification – let’s use the ‘widely accepted’ starting point of “3,500 calories equals roughly one pound of fat.”[3]

If you want to lose one pound – or half a kilogram – of body fat in a week (a worthy, sustainable goal for some), you would need to create a caloric deficit of 500 calories per day. 

Your options to create this caloric deficit include:

Consuming 500 fewer calories

Burning 500 more calories

A combination of the two

Which half is easier to affect?

Here are both halves of that equation. 500 calories equals:

The number of calories found in a Big Gulp of Mountain Dew.

An estimate of the calories required to run five miles.

Yep.

When it comes to maintaining a caloric deficit, it really comes down to diet.

It’s significantly more effective and time-efficient to consume 500 fewer calories than it is to burn 500 additional calories.

As Time magazine controversially pointed out – with tons of cited studies – “exercise alone won’t make you thin.” It’s too easy to add more calories in, and requires too much work to effectively influence “calories out.”

We dig into this in our guide to The CICO Diet. 

This brings us to our slightly less simple answer on getting in shape:

To lose body fat, you need to watch what you eat, and do so in a sustainable way.

Here at Nerd Fitness, we are firm believers that 80-90% of the fat-loss equation comes down to diet (check out Rule # 4).

Here’s another idea we focus on: EAT MOSTLY REAL FOOD.

Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts are all great examples of REAL food.

These foods are very nutrient-dense and often low in calories compared to their processed counterparts. Which means you get filled up without overeating.

Win-win-win.

Have you ever seen the difference between 200 calories of broccoli and 200 calories of a bagel? WiseGEEK does a great job of displaying this, so we’ll borrow a couple of their photos.

200 calories of broccoli:

200 calories of a bagel:

That’s why REAL food is the answer to creating a sustainable caloric deficit.

Most people can eat an entire bagel, no problem. Plates of broccoli, with all of the fiber, are much tougher to overeat.

We lay it all out in our Beginner’s Guide to Healthy Eating. It’ll provide tips on how to gradually create habits that get you to a “REAL food” way of eating, including proper portion sizes, tips on batch cooking, and a cameo from Winnie the Pooh.

With all of this, we advise you to take it slow, so new habits of healthy eating become permanent.

Something you can do for the rest of your life.

It’s a strategy we work closely with our coaching clients on: small nutritional adjustments they feel comfortable making. It’s how some of them have been able to lose 50-100 pounds!

Your own Nerd Fitness Coach will find you a nutritional strategy that works for you. Learn more:

Let me explain again: what you eat will be 80%-90% of the equation to lose body fat.

The other 10-20%? Exercise.

Of course it’s exercise.

That’s a pretty good segue into…

HOW DO YOU GAIN MUSCLE?

If you want to build muscle, you’re gonna have to lift heavy things and eat in a way that your body has enough calories and protein to build that muscle.

This makes logical sense.  

In our Beginner’s Guide to Building Muscle and Strength, I summarize it as follows:

Lift heavy things

Eat a diet based on your goals

Rest so your body can recover

Let’s chat about each one quickly.

1) Lift heavy things. I will always be on Team Strength Training. If you’re looking to build muscle, you’re gonna need to lift heavy things.

When you lift an object (or your own bodyweight) enough times, your muscles reach the point of failure. This causes your muscles to tear and breakdown.

When your muscle rebuilds itself following the workout, it’ll be bigger and stronger than before. Then you do it again.

And again.

And again.

As long as you are eating enough to rebuild your muscle, you’ll get stronger!

Not sure where to start on a Strength Training practice? No problem! You can download our free guide Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know when you join the Rebellion (our free community) below:

Download our comprehensive guide STRENGTH TRAINING 101!

Everything you need to know about getting strong.

Workout routines for bodyweight AND weight training.

How to find the right gym and train properly in one.

2) Eat a diet based on your goals. Because your muscle needs to be rebuilt after exercise, the calories are gonna need to come from somewhere. I’ll talk a lot about proper diet in the next section (with a Harry Potter analogy), so I won’t spend too much time on it here.

Just know that eating the right quantity of foods will be a big part of gaining muscle.  

3) Rest. Your body rebuilds itself while you sleep, so make sure you get plenty of rest each night. I’m talking 7-8+ hours. This will help ensure your body has the time it needs to grow stronger.

If you’re strength training and only getting 6 hours of sleep a night or less, you’re really doing yourself a disservice. Go to bed!

That’s the short gist of how to build strength: challenge your muscles, eat well, and get some rest.

Let’s narrow in on our second point, “Eat a diet based on your goals.” It’ll become very important when balancing both losing body fat and gaining muscle.

To do that properly, grab your owl, and let’s chat about Hogwarts.

How to Lose Fat WHILE Gaining Muscle (The Science)

To answer the question of losing body fat and gaining muscle at the same time, I’d like to introduce an analogy from the world of Harry Potter.

Recall the “Sorting Hat:” The Sorting Hat’s job was to determine which of the four houses kids will call their home.

It’s almost like a traffic director: “Harry, you will go to Gryffindor! Draco, you will go to Slytherin!”

Your body operates on a VERY similar operation: every day it receives new calories (when you eat), and it needs to decide what to do with them!

For example:

You eat a chicken parm sub with fries and a 20-ounce soda. Your body then has to know where to route all those calories.

To keep things simple, it has three choices. It’ll sort those calories into one of three houses:

A. Burn for Fuel.

B. Rebuild Muscle.

C. Store as Fat.

Right now, when you eat food, your body sorts most of those calories into “Burn for Fuel.”

There’s a number of calories your body needs each day just existing: to keep your liver functioning, your heart pumping, your brain operating, to regulate your body temperature, and so on – it burns a good chunk of calories just keeping the lights on.

This is your “total daily energy expenditure” which you can calculate for yourself in our TDEE calculator.

There’s also “B. Rebuild as Muscle” and “C. Store as Fat,” which I devoted entire sections to above.

This is where the problems arise: When you overeat calories and your body doesn’t need anymore to fuel itself, it takes those extra calories and stores them as fat.

However, our goal is the OPPOSITE of this.

We want to keep the muscle we have (or grow it) while getting rid of the fat!

So let’s imagine a scenario where we pull all this together by strength training heavy AND reducing our caloric intake:

You strength train regularly, and your muscles break down and need to be rebuilt.

You don’t consume enough calories to both rebuild muscle and fuel itself. There’s not enough to go into the “Burn for Fuel” and “Rebuild Muscle” houses.

Does your body just shut down?

NOPE!

Your body has been preparing for this, by storing any excess calories over the years in the “Store as Fat” house.

This means your body can pull from “Store as Fat” to make sure all the work still gets done, including your daily functions as a human and rebuilding the muscle you tore apart.

Said another way:

If you have fat stores (and we all do), you do not need to be in a “caloric surplus” to rebuild muscle. The calories stored in your fat cells act as this required energy.

There is also evidence that muscle can even be grown while in a caloric deficit.

Meaning bigger muscles with a lower belt size.[4]

However, if you want to skip all the experimentation and trial and error, you can have a Nerd Fitness Coach do all the heavy lifting for you (not really, you’ll still need to work out).

Your Nerd Fitness Coach will build you a custom plan to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. Learn more here!

TIPS TO LOSE BODY FAT WHILE GAINING MUSCLE

Let’s bring this all together and create some actionable steps to losing body fat and building muscle at the same time.

1) Sustain a caloric deficit while eating enough protein. You need your body to burn more calories than you consume, and also provide your body with enough protein to rebuild its muscle.

The only way to shed body fat is during a caloric deficit.

Remember the Sorting Hat analogy:

If you’re eating too much, your excess calories are being sent to the “Store as Fat” house.

We want to pull from this house instead. So eat less than you burn consistently. 

To help here, I have 3 resources for you:

Beginner’s Guide to Healthy Eating. If you want tips and tricks to create habits based on REAL food, that guide will help get you there.

“Determining the Perfect Diet for You.” I talk about the benefits of creating a Mental Model on nutrition like Intermittent Fasting, Paleo or Keto (or Paleolithic Ketogenic) to help navigate all the food choices you need to make.

Count calories: This means learning your total daily energy expenditure, and tracking your other calories through an app (or weighing your food).

You don’t have to follow some predetermined blueprint like “low-carb.” You can create your own diet (which is what I do). Learn all about it right here.

2) Strength train. If you could sell a pill that could be prescribed to every single person on Earth to make them healthier, it would look something like a strength training routine in a bottle.

It is one of the best things you can do for your body.[5]   

And really, if you’re after building muscle, you’re gonna need to lift something! Either weights or your own bodyweight.

You need to challenge your muscles in order for them to get stronger. Now, as we discuss in our article on the correct number of reps and sets, there are multiple ways to do so.

To build muscle:

Lift lighter weights for lots of reps.

Lift really heavy with fewer reps.

The important thing: pick a strategy and get started.

Here are 3 paths forward:

Start with a beginner bodyweight workout.

Follow one of our 5 Beginner Strength Training Routines.

Go through our 6 Level Gym Workouts.

To recap: if you train heavy and eat a caloric deficit, your body will pull from its fat stores to both fuel itself and potentially also build muscle. This is a double whammy of AWESOME.

3) Prioritize protein. Outside of being in a caloric deficit and lifting weights (or yourself), eating enough protein is one of the key components of both losing body fat and building muscle.

Protein is the number one nutrient for creating new tissue.[6]

So when you cut out calories to create a caloric deficit, don’t cut them from protein sources.

Studies have shown that participants can gain muscle, even while in a caloric deficit, as long as they eat enough protein.[7]

It’s important enough that I’ll say it again:

If you don’t want your body cannibalizing its muscles while you are in a caloric deficit, you need to eat plenty of protein.[8]

How much protein?

As we point out in our Guide to Protein, roughly 1 gram for every pound of your weight, with an upper limit of 250 grams.[9] Or two grams for every kilogram if you are on the metric system. This means:

If you weigh 300 pounds (136 kg), eat 250g of protein.

If you weigh 250 pounds (113 kg), eat 250g of protein.

If you weigh 200 pounds (91 kg), eat 200g of protein.

If you weigh 180 pounds (82 kg), eat 180g of protein.

The gist: don’t skip out on protein. It should be on your plate for every meal (we’ll show you exactly how much in the next section).

If these generalized recommendations stress you out, and you want to know exactly what to do, we can help!

I’ll remind you of Nerd Fitness Coaching, where we��help clients lose body fat, gain muscle, and level up their lives. We provide tailored and specific recommendations based on your body and lifestyle, plus accountability and mindset changes to help ensure your new habits stick.

WHAT SHOULD I EAT TO LOSE FAT AND GAIN MUSCLE?

Remember, your eating strategy needs to include two points to lose fat while gaining muscle:

Sustain a caloric deficit.

Prioritize protein so you can build muscle even while in a deficit.

You may be thinking, “That’s all well and good Steve, but what’s that actually look like?” 

It looks like this!

Taken from our Guide to Start Eating Healthy, which I really want you to read.

The plate is composed of the following: 

1-2 servings of protein (¼ of plate)

2 servings of vegetables (½ of plate)

1 serving potatoes, rice, or pasta. (1/4th of plate)

1 serving of fat (size of your thumb)

1 zero calorie or low calorie beverage (water, diet soda, tea)

By sticking to our Healthy Plate strategy above, you’ll focus on “REAL food,” which will help you maintain a caloric deficit over time.

Let’s hone in on protein for a moment, because it’s the critical piece for “building muscle.”

Protein can come from any number of sources, including:

Meat (steak, bison, pork).

Fowl (chicken, turkey, duck).

Eggs![10]

Fish and shellfish (salmon, tuna, shrimp).

Legumes (black beans, chickpeas).

Not a meat-eater? Read our massive plant-based guide!

A serving of protein is about the size and thickness of your palm.

*The 4 oz serving is for an uncooked piece of meat. Cooking reduces about 25% of the weight, bringing it down to about 3 oz.

If you’re curious, here’s how much protein is in a serving of food:

4 oz (113 g) serving of chicken has around 30 g of protein.

4 oz (113 g) serving of salmon has 23 g of protein

4 oz (113 g) of steak has 28 g of protein. 

While all of the Healthy Plate above is important, I want you to pay extra attention to your protein intake since we are trying to build muscle. 

If you’re having trouble making your protein intake goals, check out our Guide on Protein Supplements for some tips and tricks to up your intake, including some awesome smoothie recipes.

This is the exact strategy I followed to lose 22 pounds and get to single-digit bodyfat percentage WHILE building muscle:

Lift super heavy.

Eat LOTS of protein.

Reduce carb and fat intake.

If you are NOT losing weight, it means you are still eating too many calories. Keep your protein intake high, and reduce your fat and carbohydrate intake. 

I cover this in greater detail in our “why can’t I lose weight?” guide.

Eventually, you’ll reach a status where there just isn’t enough fat on you to help with “Rebuild Muscle.” At this stage, you can no longer stay with a caloric deficit. You’ll need to flip to a slight “caloric surplus” to build more muscle.

Which means you’ll have to eat more.

It’s debatable when this will actually occur, and we are all different. Reaching 8% body fat for men and 16% body fat for women is a good place to start.

I talk about this extensively in our guide “How to Build Muscle.”

It covers ways to increase your calories for muscle gain, from eating plentiful amounts of Paleo foods to drinking enough milk to make Santa Clause jealous.

I encourage you to read it if you are plateauing in size.

I want to stress that if you are lifting heavy, and not gaining muscle, diet is likely the culprit.

It was my problem for years, and I’ve seen it amongst countless readers of Nerd Fitness who have trouble gaining muscle.

If you want an expert who will tell you exactly when to eat more or less, check out our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program. 

Let your Nerd Fitness Coach calculate exactly how much to eat to reach your goals. Learn more!

HOW TO TELL IF IT’S ALL WORKING (Continuing to Lose Fat While Gaining Muscle)

If you’re trying to improve something, it’s important to track it. This also holds true of body composition.

Most people do this by jumping on the scale. This can be “Ok,” but it’s only going to tell part of the story.

As I explained muscle weighs more than fat, so if you are losing body fat and gaining muscle at the same time, you might actually weigh the same. Or even more!

Despite weighing more, you could potentially have a better physique.

That’s why in addition to jumping on the scale, I would also encourage you to take progress photos.

Take front and side photos in your mirror, wearing underwear or a bathing suit. Each week, take new photos, and record the number on the scale under the same scenario. Two forms of tracking here allow us to get the full picture.

The scale sometimes lies!

If you eat for a caloric deficit, strength train, and prioritize protein, see what happens.

You may find yourself losing some fat and gaining muscle.

If not, track each category:

Are you really in a caloric deficit? Track your calories to find out.

Are you lifting enough? Track your compliance with never missing a workout and whether or not your progressing in increased weight or repetitions.

Are you prioritizing protein in your meals? Track your macronutrient breakdown each time you eat.

Data can help tell the story.

…I was thinking of detailed notes.

But an android would be helpful too.

Oftentimes if you’re not seeing desired results, notes and record-keeping can help point us in the direction to make adjustments.

Test your assumptions if things don’t appear to be on track. Here’s our Guide on Tracking Fitness Progress for you to learn more.

The tips outlined above will get you started losing fat while building muscle, but if you’re looking to go a bit further…

#1) If you want step-by-step guidance on how to lose weight, eat better, and get stronger, check out our killer 1-on-1 coaching program:

Have a Nerd Fitness Coach design you a plan to build muscle and lose fat!

#2) If you want an exact blueprint for getting in shape, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).

Try your free trial right here:

#3) Enlist in the Rebellion! We have a free email newsletter that we send out twice per week, full of tips and tricks to help you get healthy, get strong, and have fun doing so. 

I’ll also send you tons of free guides that you can use to start leveling up your life too:

Download our free weight loss guide

THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life

Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace

What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating

3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target

Alright, I think that about does it for this guide.

Did I miss anything? Do you have any tips and tricks when it comes to shedding body fat and building muscle?

Share it with us!

-Steve,

PS: Make sure you read the rest of the articles in our “How to Lose Weight 101” Series!

The Beginner’s Guide to Healthy Eating

Why Can’t I Lose Weight?

How Many Calories Should I Eat? (Our TDEE Calorie Calculator)

What’s the Perfect Diet for Me?

###

All photo sources are right here: Venting Off, Ekaterina Minaeva © 123RF.com, czgur © 123RF.com, morethanl8ve © 123RF.com, Константин Колосов © 123RF.com, Maxim Maksutov © 123RF.com, Julianna Funk © 123RF.com, jump

Footnotes    ( returns to text)

Check out this study on energy deficits and fat loss and read a study on calorie deficits causing muscle loss right here and here.

Here’s a study on the importance of lean muscle right here.

3,500 calories in a pound of fat was determined in this 1958 report, although as Today’s Dietician points out, it’s likely more complicated than that. However, it’ll work for our intent and purpose.

Check out this interesting study on gaining muscle while in a caloric deficit. It should be noted that the participants drank milk. We’ll touch on macronutrient breakdown being key to muscle growth below.

A study on resistance training benefits can be read here.

You can check out this report for a look at protein intake and muscle growth.

There’s studies on protein and muscle retention right here, here, here, and here.

Here’s a systematic review on protein being critical for muscle retention.

Here’s an interesting study on protein and muscle growth.

Dietary cholesterol doesn’t influence blood cholesterol levels as much as conventional wisdom once thought. Go ahead and eat eggs!

The post Blog first appeared on Nerd Fitness.

The Ultimate Guide to Losing Fat and Gaining Muscle (At the Exact Same Time) published first on https://dietariouspage.tumblr.com/

[kennethherrerablog]

20+ Best Places to Sell Stuff Online and Paid Quickly

Do you have something you want to try to sell online and get paid quickly?

One of the best ways to speed up the path to your financial success is by turning your stuff into cash. The good news, now is the best time to sell stuff online because there are so many free ways to sell right away.

I’m always amazed at the process of buying and selling stuff. The myriad of items people buy and sell online and elsewhere are endless. Buying direct from owners is a terrific way to get things you need and want at a discounted price.

And selling things you no longer need or want is a great way to de-clutter your house and bring in some serious extra cash. The list of things we’ve sold online is endless, from cars to clothes to toys to electronics.

Our Top Ways to Sell Stuff Online

With the ever-increasing popularity of smartphone apps and marketplace websites, buying and selling online is easier than ever. Here are our most popular smartphone apps and sites that can help you sell your stuff online and bring in some serious extra cash this month.

1. BuybackBoss (Top cash for old phone)

BuybackBoss guarantees the MOST money when it comes to selling your old phone.

Since everyone today has a mobile phone, you probably also have an old phone lying around somewhere, right?

Turn that old phone into quick cash by getting the highest price for your old phone – guaranteed.

They have three simple steps when it comes to selling your old phone.

First it only takes 30 seconds or less to get your quote. Then, you simply ship your used phone for free and even track your shipment as well. Once your item is shipped, you get the choice of getting paid via check or through PayPal.

Also, if you do happen to find somewhere online that offers you a better price, you can simply send them an email (explanation on their website) with a link to the higher offer. Once they see the better offer, they will update your offer to beat their competitors and notify you once it’s ready to go.

With a Trustpilot rating of 9.6 out of 10 and the best-price guarantee, BuybackBoss is a no-brainer for selling your stuff online.

2. OC Buyback

OC Buyback is perfect if you have an iPod, tablet, Smartwatch, AppleTV or GoPro that you need to get rid of. Also, if you have are selling your old phone, definitely compare the price with BuybackBoss because of Buyback’s highest price guarantee.

It’s extremely simple to get started with OC Buyback. First you just need to select the device you are selling, ship your device for free (or drop off locally for free) and the get paid!

You can get paid via a mailed check (USPS First Class Mail) or get your money sent to your PayPal instantly (or up to 24 hours).

Also, there is no limit on how much you can sell on OC Buyback. Therefore, it may not be a bad idea to take some of that “junk” your friends are throwing away and turn that into some quick cash! 

Bonus: Send your friends $5 as a thank-you!

3. Decluttr

If you have other electronics besides a cell phone, Decluttr is one of the best ways to sell your unwanted stuff online. Here’s how it works:

First, you go to the Decluttr website to get the link for the free app and get a free instant evaluation of what you’re selling.

Once you accept their offer, simply put into a box for shipping and they will send you a pre-paid shipping label.

Next drop your package off at any UPS store, with any UPS driver, or with an authorized shipping dealer (you can search by your zipcode on their site)

As soon as Decluttr receives your package, they will pay you the very next day by Direct Deposit, PayPal, by Check, or they will even make a donation to a charity of your choice on your behalf!

Decluttr is also a really safe way to sell your items because you aren’t selling to other individuals. Instead, Decluttr buys your stuff directly and then resells it on their site.

Categories you can sell on Decluttr:

CDs and DVDs

Video games

Gaming systems

Textbooks

Smartphones

Apple products such as iPods, iPads and iPhones

Kindles

Lego sets

I know. The Lego thing kind of threw you for a loop, didn’t it! It doesn’t really fit in with the other categories Decluttr sticks to, but apparently there’s a serious market for used Lego sets!

Note: Decluttr also will buy your old cell phone from you, but they won’t give you as much as BuybackBoss will .

Get the App:

Decluttr for iPhone and Android

4. OfferUp

OfferUp lets you list and sell for free. It’s more of a “you’re on your own” site like Craigslist and LetGo, but is fairly popular and is well-organized. In my area it didn’t seem to have quite as many listings as LetGo, but still could be worth your effort when selling. After all, less listings often means less competition for the things you sell.

Categories

Antiques

Appliances

Arts and crafts

Cars and trucks

Auto parts

Baby and kids

Beauty and health

CDs and DVDs

Cell phones

Clothing and shoes

Farming

Furniture

Games and toys

Household

And many others as well, including Collectibles. You could sell in just about any category on this site.

Get the App

OfferUp for Android

OfferUp for Apple

5. Amazon Seller Marketplace

Amazon has a popular program for selling your stuff online. The Amazon Seller Marketplace allows you to sell a variety of items online, including used items in many categories, as well as new items you’ve made or bought at a discount.

Categories

Amazon devices and accessories

Kindle devices and accessories

Automotive and powersports parts, tools, equipment and accessories

Baby gear (new only, excluding clothing)

Beauty (new only)

Books

Business products

Camera and photo

Cell phones

Clothing and accessories (new only)

Collectible coins

Electronics

Fine art collectibles

Grocery and gourmet food (new only)

Handmade items (new only)

Health and personal care items (new only)

Historical and advertising types of collectibles

Home and garden

Industrial and scientific (new only)

Jewelry (new only)

Luggage and travel accessories (new only)

Music

Musical instruments

Office products

And many more. Listing and selling fees apply, and the prices you’ll pay for selling stuff on Amazon vary based on how many items you plan on listing or selling in a given month and other criteria. For certain membership levels you’ll pay a monthly fee as well as individual listing and selling fees.

Given Amazon’s market share, the amount of exposure your items get could easily make up for the fees you may have to pay to sell.

Get the App:

Amazon Seller for Android

Amazon Seller for Apple

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  6. Poshmark

Poshmark lets you sell fashion clothing and accessories online. You can search by who you want to shop for (i.e. women, men or kids), by brand name, or by item (i.e. shorts, dresses, handbags, etc.).

When you sell an item on Poshmark, they’ll send you a prepaid shipping label to send it out. They charge a small commission based on the dollar amount of the transaction as well.

Categories

Women’s clothing

Men’s clothing

Kids’ clothing

Makeup

Shoes

Handbags

Jewelry and accessories

Posh’s Posh Protect program, along with their customer service team, helps ensure you get authentic items when you buy, and that you get paid promptly when you sell.

Get the App:

Poshmark app for Android

Poshmark app for Apple

7. 5miles

The premise behind 5miles is that it will help you buy or sell anything within 5 miles of your location, but when I looked online I was relieved to see that they offered plenty of buying selections in a broader range, up to 40 miles or so away from where we live.

It’s free to list and sell on 5miles, just like it is on Craigslist and similar sites.

Categories

Cars

Furniture

Cell phones

Household

Women’s clothing and shoes

Electronics and computers

Baby and kids

Auto parts

Jewelry and watches

Sports and outdoors

Collectibles and art

Jobs

Housing

Services

Garage sales

You can search by category, by specific item or by city. This is an easy-to-use site that seems to be pretty popular in many large metropolitan areas.

Get the App:

5miles app for Android

5miles app for Apple

8. LetGo

LetGo uses your location to help you list stuff for sale online and find stuff you want to buy as well. It’s a free site like Craigslist and doesn’t charge any listing or selling fees.

Categories

Free stuff

Electronics

Cars

Other vehicles and parts

Baby and child

Fashion and accessories

Movies, books and music

Sports, leisure and games

Home and garden

Other

Not much more to know about LetGo. The site is super easy to use and seems to be increasing in popularity these days: I find more and more listings – at least for my somewhat major metropolitan area – as I browse on a weekly basis.

Get the App:

LetGo app for Android

LetGo app for Apple

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  9. OLX

OLX helps millions around the world buy and sell things. They share listings from dozens of countries including the United States, India, Russia, the Philippines, South Africa, Portugal and many, many more.

There’s no cost to list or sell with OLX; this is a true free classified ads site.

Categories

Personal items

Properties

Electronics and appliances

Fashion

Jobs

Pets

Books, hobbies and sports

And more. Categories may vary based on the country you are browsing. NOTE: if you are visiting OLX’s United States site you will be redirected to Letgo.

Get the App:

OLX for Android

OLX for Apple

10. Cash4Books

Cash4Books buys your used textbooks and other books. As with Decluttr, all you have to do is enter the ISBN (the number at the bottom of the barcode) of the book you’d like to sell and they’ll give you an offer price.

Once you’ve entered all of the ISBN numbers for the books you want to sell, and accepted the Cash4Books offer prices, they’ll send you a free prepaid shipping label that you can use to pack up and send your books to them.

After they’ve received the books and had a chance to assess their condition, etc., they’ll send you your earnings via PayPal. The site says that on average it takes about two weeks from the time you click “Sell my books” until the time you get your cash via PayPal.

Although the site buys all types of books, it looks as if the biggest payouts come from up-to-date used college textbooks.

If you’re a recent college graduate, know someone who is or can find newer versions of college textbooks at garage sales, this could be a great way to make some cash.

Get the App:

Cash4Books for Android

Cash4Books for Apple

11. Trove Marketplace

Trove Marketplace focuses on buying and selling vintage furniture and decor items. You can browse via keyword, or go straight to cities near you where items are for sale.

Trove Marketplace isn’t in every major metropolitan city, however you could offer for items you’re selling to be shipped if you want to appeal to buyers outside of your area. Current cities with Trove listings include:

Atlanta

Austin

Boston

Charlotte

Chicago

Dallas

Detroit

Houston

Los Angeles

Miami

New York

Philadelphia

Phoenix

San Francisco

Seattle

Washington DC

More cities may be added by the time you’re reading this.

Note: there is a selling fee for selling your items on this site. At the time of this writing the Trove Marketplace website showed it to be 10%.

Get the App:

Trove Marketplace for Android

Trove Marketplace for Apple

12. Mercari

Mercari allows you to sell your stuff online without any listing fees. However, you will pay a selling fee of 10% of the listing price, so be sure to price carefully. In other words, if you list something for $100 and a buyer bargains you down to $50, you’re still paying Mercari a $10 selling fee.

If you end up selling to a buyer who wants an item shipped to them, Mercari will help you do that by offering to print (and charge you for) a shipping label, or you can ship on your own.

Categories

Women

Men

Kids

Home

Vintage

Beauty

Tech

Sports

Handmade

Other

The “other category” can include a variety of items such as automotive (they even had cars listed in addition to auto parts), daily and travel items, musical instruments, office supplies, pet supplies and more.

As I searched the site looked like they had many items for sale in all 50 states, which indicates Mercari is a well-known and well-used site.

Get the App:

Mercari for Android

Mercari for Apple

13. Dealo

Dealo touts itself as a “faster, safer way to buy and sell anything”. The site itself has very little information about how Dealo works, who is using it and where or what the fees are. Categories are not listed either, however the site states you can register, list or buy within 30 seconds.

Get the App:

Dealo for Android

Dealo for Apple

14. Carousell

Carousell helps connect buyers and sellers by listing things people want to sell and coordinating groups based on similar interests.

You can browse the listings via the home page or the specific category you’re selling or buying in, or you can search via location. No listing or selling fees; you just meet up with your seller or chat online to arrange trade of money for your item.

Categories

For him

For her

Furniture and home

Kitchen and appliances

Beauty products

Design and craft

Baby and kids

Bicycles and bicycle parts

Outdoors and gardening

Musical instruments

Books

Textbooks

Community

Housing

Games and toys

It’s fast and easy to list on Carousell with their app.

Get the App:

Carousell for Android

Carousell for Apple

15. Depop

Depop is sort of an online flea market type of a site. Lots of fun vintage items on this site. Browsing through the listings was like taking a serious step back in time and was really fun. You use the app to buy and sell, and there are no fees or commissions paid.

There are no specific categories listed; the site just says “Find something that means something”. Most of the listings that I found on the site were clothing and accessory type items such as shirts, hats, jeans, jewelry, etc.

Most of the sellers on the site listed shipping fees to appeal to those who were buying from out of the area. The site is pretty simple and easy to use with the app, so if you have some cool, different or vintage clothing or accessories, this could be the way to go.

Get the App:

Depop for Android

Depop for Apple

16. Tradyo

Tradyo helps people buy and sell right in their local area. The site seems to be European based, however there were plenty of listings in my major metropolitan area in the U.S. Listings are free, and you can use instant chat to connect with potential buyers.

I typed in my zip code and found several items available for sale nearby. Then, just for fun I typed “90210” in the search bar (the only out-of-state zip code I know off the top of my head; yeah, I know – I’m dating myself), and there were a lot of listings for that area as well.

Categories

Art, antiques and collectibles

Autos, cars and other vehicles

Baby and kids

Bikes

Books and comics

Car accessories and parts

Clothing and fashion

Electronics, cell phones and cameras

Free stuff

Gaming consoles and games

Garage sales

Health and beauty

Home and furniture

Music

Services

Sporting goods and exercise

Tickets

Tools and equipment

Other

Lots of categories to choose from, and Tradyo is a site that is easy to use.

Get the App:

Tradyo on Android

Tradyo on Apple

17. Varage Sale

With Varage Sale you can list your items for sale and then meet up with buyers in your neighborhood. There are no categories listed for searching on this site, but there is a search bar that allows you to enter what you may be looking for, along with your location so you can find items near your home or work.

You need to sign up with Facebook or an email account so they can verify who you are – all buyers and sellers have to go through a verification process before they’re approved to buy or sell on the site.

In other words, you can browse the site’s listings, but both buyers and sellers need to sign up in order to get access to contact others within the site. This is a safety precaution that many buying and selling sites are implementing these days.

No listing or selling fees and no charge to bump your listing to the top of the site. A great alternative to the traditional garage sale.

Get the App:

Varage Sale for Android

Varage Sale for Apple

18. Chairish

Chairish is an online consignment store where you can sell used items in a number of categories. The site says it takes less than two minutes to list your item, and that you take home 80% of the sale price.

That’s a much higher percentage than what many brick-and-mortar consignment shops will offer to pay you since they have to cover space rental costs and employee pay and benefits.

You can sell items on Chairish to local people or ship the items out of state. Chairish helps you organize shipping arrangements too. This could be a good venue for you if you have lots of art deco or vintage items for the home.

Categories

Furniture

Art and mirrors

Rugs

Lighting

Decor

Outdoor

And more. Listing is free, the site has great tips on how to take the best photos to sell your item, and they have 24/7 customer service support as well.

Get the App:

Chairish for Android: No Chairish app for Android users as of yet

Chairish for Apple

19. Wallapop

Wallapop offers free local classified ads for you to sell your stuff on. Kind of like other flea market or classifieds apps, you simply use your app to write a short description and name your price.

Sellers figure out a plan for meeting up with buyers to exchange money and products, whether it’s meeting up in your local area or arranging shipping.

Get the App:

Wallapop for Android

Wallapop for Apple

20. SocialSell

SocialSell has a variety of listings in many areas in the U.S. Their website isn’t worth heading to at this writing; the apps have all the information you need for buying and selling.

Categories

Electronics

Men’s apparel

Women’s apparel

Household and yard

Entertainment

Music

Antiques

Automotive

Children and kids

Collectibles and memorabilia

Education

Living

Outdoors

Sports and fitness

And more. Like Craigslist there are no listing or selling fees. Mandatory user profiles help keep sellers and buyers safe.

Get the App:

SocialSell for Android

SocialSell for Apple

21. Vinted

With Vinted you can sell or buy used second-hand wardrobe items such as shoes, clothes, and accessories. There’s no cost to list or sell with Vinted, and like many other selling sites these days, users have to create a profile in order to enhance safety and security.

Categories

Women’s clothing, shoes and accessories

Beauty

Kids

Men’s items

You can meet up in person if you find a local buyer, or ship and get payment via PayPal.

Get the App:

Vinted for Android

Vinted for Apple

22. Shpock

Shpock helps you buy and sell things in your local area. There are no listing fees or selling fees and the app makes listing your items and communicating with potential buyers easy.

Get the App:

Shpock for Android

Shpock for Apple

23. Pxsell

Pxsell is the “easiest way” to sell your stuff, according to its app site. Just snap a picture, enter a few details and you’re done. This app focuses on selling in your local area and helping you designate a meet up with sellers.

You won’t pay listing or selling fees with Pxsell.

Categories

Electronics

Video games

Books

Music

Movies

Sports

Recreation

Cars

Clothes

Health

Beauty

Home

Baby and kids

Art

Antiques

collectibles

Pxsell requires community profiles for users in order to help ensure safety for buyers and sellers.

Get the App:

Pxsell for Android

Pxsell for Apple

Don’t Get Ripped Off (Here’s How)

Now that we’ve shared some of the more popular apps for selling stuff online, I want to take just a few minutes to talk about online selling and buying safety.

The world is full of con artists and other unsavory people, and it’s important to make sure you’re ahead of the game when it comes to online scammers in the selling and buying marketplace. Here are some tips that I’ve found helpful when it comes to avoiding selling scams.

We’ve not been the direct victim of a scam when selling stuff online, but that’s only because we’ve educated ourselves on what to look for to avoid getting ripped off.

Selling stuff online can be daunting, intimidating and sometimes frustrating. One time when we were selling a fishing boat, a guy got super angry at us because we had several potential buyers on the line and wouldn’t hold the boat for him until he got off work.

Another time we were selling some used furniture and a gal said she’d show up but never did. When I contacted her to ask why, she said “Oh, it was raining and I didn’t feel like going.” No phone call – nothing. She just didn’t show!

Just recently we listed a snow plow for sale. My husband got a weird text from a guy who offered to pay us over and above what we were asking if we’d accept a PayPal payment, and that he’d send his “agent” to pick up the several hundred pound plow. Sounds fishy, right?

Here are some things you can do to protect yourself as you sell your stuff online.

Don’t Deviate From Normal Payment Options

Most sites have you pay one of a couple of different ways: you can meet in person and accept cash or a cashier’s check, or you can accept a PayPal payment if you’re shipping an item.

When selling something and meeting a person directly we only accept cash – never a personal check or money order. We will accept a cashier’s check for big ticket items, but we always call and verify with the bank it’s issued off of first.

Have a First Come, First Served Rule

Don’t offer to hold items for people that may never show up unless you have a good and valid reason to do so. Holding items puts you at risk for losing out on selling your item.

If someone wants your item bad enough they’ll find a way to make it there quickly.

Beware of Giving Second Chances

If someone doesn’t show up or doesn’t do what they’ve promised, be wary. In our case with the lady who wanted to buy our furniture but never showed up, she asked if she could come another time. We didn’t answer.

We like to follow the “Screw me once, shame on you, screw me twice, shame on me” mantra when selling stuff online. If someone disses us once we won’t give them a chance to do it again.

Meet Up with Potential Buyers in a Public Place if Possible

We don’t follow this rule always, but many times we’ll meet buyers at a central location as long as it’s somewhere with a lot of traffic, such as across the street from the local police department or at a big box store such as Walmart.

It’s important to not put yourself in a situation where you’re in an isolated area with strangers.

Never Meet Up with Buyers Alone

Always bring somebody along if you’re meeting up with potential buyers too. I don’t recommend ever going alone, simply for safety reasons.

Always Tell Somebody When You’re Meeting Up with a Potential Buyer

When you’re meeting up with a potential buyer – whether alone or with somebody else – always, always leave information about where you’re going, who you’re meeting (leave the contact info you’ve been using to communicate with them), what you’re doing and when you expect to be back.

Tell your loved ones to call you and check in if you’re not back when you say you expect to be back. It probably wouldn’t hurt to bring pepper spray or some other item to protect yourself if need be too.

If Something Seems “Off”, Go With Your Gut

When you’re selling or buying something online and something seems off, it’s probably best to pull out of the deal. If someone is offering you way too much for an item, or is trying to finagle some weird payment arrangements other than what is typical, I’d bail on the deal.

There are many scam artists out there who offer to give you “this” if you’ll do “that” when you’re doing online selling and buying. For instance they’ll arrange for third-party payment, or send you over what you want and ask you to give them back the difference, or other similar odd types of requests.

These requests often come with a sob story that will play on your emotions in hopes that you’ll ignore the warning signs in an effort to help. Don’t fall for it. The world’s struggles are not all on your shoulders.

Stick to the rules and make sure you’re paid as promised with no goofy back and forth stuff. Selling stuff online can be a lucrative income source, especially if you’ve got a house full of unused stuff.

Just be sure to use selling sites and apps the way they are intended and keep a leg up on potential scam artists. This way you’ll maximize your income and make big strides toward reaching all of your financial goals and dreams.

Summary

As you can, there are so many options for you to sell your stuff online. Selling apps for both iOs and Android are picking up in popularity and people are looking beyond just eBay and Craigslist to buy your stuff. Whether you are in a hurry to sell your stuff online or you simply want to get the best offer, you have great options. Try a few of these different apps out and let us know what is working best for you.

What have you used to sell stuff online?

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20+ Best Places to Sell Stuff Online and Paid Quickly published first on https://justinbetreviews.tumblr.com/

[darcyfarber]

20+ Best Places to Sell Stuff Online and Paid Quickly

Do you have something you want to try to sell online and get paid quickly?

One of the best ways to speed up the path to your financial success is by turning your stuff into cash. The good news, now is the best time to sell stuff online because there are so many free ways to sell right away.

I’m always amazed at the process of buying and selling stuff. The myriad of items people buy and sell online and elsewhere are endless. Buying direct from owners is a terrific way to get things you need and want at a discounted price.

And selling things you no longer need or want is a great way to de-clutter your house and bring in some serious extra cash. The list of things we’ve sold online is endless, from cars to clothes to toys to electronics.

Our Top Ways to Sell Stuff Online

With the ever-increasing popularity of smartphone apps and marketplace websites, buying and selling online is easier than ever. Here are our most popular smartphone apps and sites that can help you sell your stuff online and bring in some serious extra cash this month.

Table of Contents

Our Top Ways to Sell Stuff Online

1. BuybackBoss (Top cash for old phone)

2. OC Buyback

3. Decluttr

4. OfferUp

5. Amazon Seller Marketplace

6. Poshmark

7. 5miles

8. LetGo

9. OLX

10. Cash4Books

11. Trove Marketplace

12. Mercari

13. Dealo

14. Carousell

15. Depop

16. Tradyo

17. Varage Sale

18. Chairish

19. Wallapop

20. SocialSell

21. Vinted

22. Shpock

23. Pxsell

Don't Get Ripped Off (Here's How)

Don’t Deviate From Normal Payment Options

Have a First Come, First Served Rule

Beware of Giving Second Chances

Meet Up with Potential Buyers in a Public Place if Possible

Never Meet Up with Buyers Alone

Always Tell Somebody When You’re Meeting Up with a Potential Buyer

If Something Seems “Off”, Go With Your Gut

Summary

1. BuybackBoss (Top cash for old phone)

BuybackBoss guarantees the MOST money when it comes to selling your old phone.

Since everyone today has a mobile phone, you probably also have an old phone lying around somewhere, right?

Turn that old phone into quick cash by getting the highest price for your old phone – guaranteed.

They have three simple steps when it comes to selling your old phone.

First it only takes 30 seconds or less to get your quote. Then, you simply ship your used phone for free and even track your shipment as well. Once your item is shipped, you get the choice of getting paid via check or through PayPal.

Also, if you do happen to find somewhere online that offers you a better price, you can simply send them an email (explanation on their website) with a link to the higher offer. Once they see the better offer, they will update your offer to beat their competitors and notify you once it’s ready to go.

With a Trustpilot rating of 9.6 out of 10 and the best-price guarantee, BuybackBoss is a no-brainer for selling your stuff online.

2. OC Buyback

OC Buyback is perfect if you have an iPod, tablet, Smartwatch, AppleTV or GoPro that you need to get rid of. Also, if you have are selling your old phone, definitely compare the price with BuybackBoss because of Buyback’s highest price guarantee.

It’s extremely simple to get started with OC Buyback. First you just need to select the device you are selling, ship your device for free (or drop off locally for free) and the get paid!

You can get paid via a mailed check (USPS First Class Mail) or get your money sent to your PayPal instantly (or up to 24 hours).

Also, there is no limit on how much you can sell on OC Buyback. Therefore, it may not be a bad idea to take some of that “junk” your friends are throwing away and turn that into some quick cash! 

Bonus: Send your friends $5 as a thank-you!

3. Decluttr

If you have other electronics besides a cell phone, Decluttr is one of the best ways to sell your unwanted stuff online. Here’s how it works:

First, you go to the Decluttr website to get the link for the free app and get a free instant evaluation of what you’re selling.

Once you accept their offer, simply put into a box for shipping and they will send you a pre-paid shipping label.

Next drop your package off at any UPS store, with any UPS driver, or with an authorized shipping dealer (you can search by your zipcode on their site)

As soon as Decluttr receives your package, they will pay you the very next day by Direct Deposit, PayPal, by Check, or they will even make a donation to a charity of your choice on your behalf!

Decluttr is also a really safe way to sell your items because you aren’t selling to other individuals. Instead, Decluttr buys your stuff directly and then resells it on their site.

Categories you can sell on Decluttr:

CDs and DVDs

Video games

Gaming systems

Textbooks

Smartphones

Apple products such as iPods, iPads and iPhones

Kindles

Lego sets

I know. The Lego thing kind of threw you for a loop, didn’t it! It doesn’t really fit in with the other categories Decluttr sticks to, but apparently there’s a serious market for used Lego sets!

Note: Decluttr also will buy your old cell phone from you, but they won’t give you as much as BuybackBoss will .

Get the App:

Decluttr for iPhone and Android

4. OfferUp

OfferUp lets you list and sell for free. It’s more of a “you’re on your own” site like Craigslist and LetGo, but is fairly popular and is well-organized. In my area it didn’t seem to have quite as many listings as LetGo, but still could be worth your effort when selling. After all, less listings often means less competition for the things you sell.

Categories

Antiques

Appliances

Arts and crafts

Cars and trucks

Auto parts

Baby and kids

Beauty and health

CDs and DVDs

Cell phones

Clothing and shoes

Farming

Furniture

Games and toys

Household

And many others as well, including Collectibles. You could sell in just about any category on this site.

Get the App

OfferUp for Android

OfferUp for Apple

5. Amazon Seller Marketplace

Amazon has a popular program for selling your stuff online. The Amazon Seller Marketplace allows you to sell a variety of items online, including used items in many categories, as well as new items you’ve made or bought at a discount.

Categories

Amazon devices and accessories

Kindle devices and accessories

Automotive and powersports parts, tools, equipment and accessories

Baby gear (new only, excluding clothing)

Beauty (new only)

Books

Business products

Camera and photo

Cell phones

Clothing and accessories (new only)

Collectible coins

Electronics

Fine art collectibles

Grocery and gourmet food (new only)

Handmade items (new only)

Health and personal care items (new only)

Historical and advertising types of collectibles

Home and garden

Industrial and scientific (new only)

Jewelry (new only)

Luggage and travel accessories (new only)

Music

Musical instruments

Office products

And many more. Listing and selling fees apply, and the prices you’ll pay for selling stuff on Amazon vary based on how many items you plan on listing or selling in a given month and other criteria. For certain membership levels you’ll pay a monthly fee as well as individual listing and selling fees.

Given Amazon’s market share, the amount of exposure your items get could easily make up for the fees you may have to pay to sell.

Get the App:

Amazon Seller for Android

Amazon Seller for Apple

  Do you shop on Amazon? Here’s a list of companies that will pay you in the form of Amazon Gift Cards. Read the post here.

  6. Poshmark

Poshmark lets you sell fashion clothing and accessories online. You can search by who you want to shop for (i.e. women, men or kids), by brand name, or by item (i.e. shorts, dresses, handbags, etc.).

When you sell an item on Poshmark, they’ll send you a prepaid shipping label to send it out. They charge a small commission based on the dollar amount of the transaction as well.

Categories

Women’s clothing

Men’s clothing

Kids’ clothing

Makeup

Shoes

Handbags

Jewelry and accessories

Posh’s Posh Protect program, along with their customer service team, helps ensure you get authentic items when you buy, and that you get paid promptly when you sell.

Get the App:

Poshmark app for Android

Poshmark app for Apple

7. 5miles

The premise behind 5miles is that it will help you buy or sell anything within 5 miles of your location, but when I looked online I was relieved to see that they offered plenty of buying selections in a broader range, up to 40 miles or so away from where we live.

It’s free to list and sell on 5miles, just like it is on Craigslist and similar sites.

Categories

Cars

Furniture

Cell phones

Household

Women’s clothing and shoes

Electronics and computers

Baby and kids

Auto parts

Jewelry and watches

Sports and outdoors

Collectibles and art

Jobs

Housing

Services

Garage sales

You can search by category, by specific item or by city. This is an easy-to-use site that seems to be pretty popular in many large metropolitan areas.

Get the App:

5miles app for Android

5miles app for Apple

8. LetGo

LetGo uses your location to help you list stuff for sale online and find stuff you want to buy as well. It’s a free site like Craigslist and doesn’t charge any listing or selling fees.

Categories

Free stuff

Electronics

Cars

Other vehicles and parts

Baby and child

Fashion and accessories

Movies, books and music

Sports, leisure and games

Home and garden

Other

Not much more to know about LetGo. The site is super easy to use and seems to be increasing in popularity these days: I find more and more listings – at least for my somewhat major metropolitan area – as I browse on a weekly basis.

Get the App:

LetGo app for Android

LetGo app for Apple

  Need a little extra money this month? How about a list of the top 84 Side Hustles that actually work? There are 84 of them – I promise you there is at least one for you. Read top 84 side hustles here.

  9. OLX

OLX helps millions around the world buy and sell things. They share listings from dozens of countries including the United States, India, Russia, the Philippines, South Africa, Portugal and many, many more.

There’s no cost to list or sell with OLX; this is a true free classified ads site.

Categories

Personal items

Properties

Electronics and appliances

Fashion

Jobs

Pets

Books, hobbies and sports

And more. Categories may vary based on the country you are browsing. NOTE: if you are visiting OLX’s United States site you will be redirected to Letgo.

Get the App:

OLX for Android

OLX for Apple

10. Cash4Books

Cash4Books buys your used textbooks and other books. As with Decluttr, all you have to do is enter the ISBN (the number at the bottom of the barcode) of the book you’d like to sell and they’ll give you an offer price.

Once you’ve entered all of the ISBN numbers for the books you want to sell, and accepted the Cash4Books offer prices, they’ll send you a free prepaid shipping label that you can use to pack up and send your books to them.

After they’ve received the books and had a chance to assess their condition, etc., they’ll send you your earnings via PayPal. The site says that on average it takes about two weeks from the time you click “Sell my books” until the time you get your cash via PayPal.

Although the site buys all types of books, it looks as if the biggest payouts come from up-to-date used college textbooks.

If you’re a recent college graduate, know someone who is or can find newer versions of college textbooks at garage sales, this could be a great way to make some cash.

Get the App:

Cash4Books for Android

Cash4Books for Apple

11. Trove Marketplace

Trove Marketplace focuses on buying and selling vintage furniture and decor items. You can browse via keyword, or go straight to cities near you where items are for sale.

Trove Marketplace isn’t in every major metropolitan city, however you could offer for items you’re selling to be shipped if you want to appeal to buyers outside of your area. Current cities with Trove listings include:

Atlanta

Austin

Boston

Charlotte

Chicago

Dallas

Detroit

Houston

Los Angeles

Miami

New York

Philadelphia

Phoenix

San Francisco

Seattle

Washington DC

More cities may be added by the time you’re reading this.

Note: there is a selling fee for selling your items on this site. At the time of this writing the Trove Marketplace website showed it to be 10%.

Get the App:

Trove Marketplace for Android

Trove Marketplace for Apple

12. Mercari

Mercari allows you to sell your stuff online without any listing fees. However, you will pay a selling fee of 10% of the listing price, so be sure to price carefully. In other words, if you list something for $100 and a buyer bargains you down to $50, you’re still paying Mercari a $10 selling fee.

If you end up selling to a buyer who wants an item shipped to them, Mercari will help you do that by offering to print (and charge you for) a shipping label, or you can ship on your own.

Categories

Women

Men

Kids

Home

Vintage

Beauty

Tech

Sports

Handmade

Other

The “other category” can include a variety of items such as automotive (they even had cars listed in addition to auto parts), daily and travel items, musical instruments, office supplies, pet supplies and more.

As I searched the site looked like they had many items for sale in all 50 states, which indicates Mercari is a well-known and well-used site.

Get the App:

Mercari for Android

Mercari for Apple

13. Dealo

Dealo touts itself as a “faster, safer way to buy and sell anything”. The site itself has very little information about how Dealo works, who is using it and where or what the fees are. Categories are not listed either, however the site states you can register, list or buy within 30 seconds.

Get the App:

Dealo for Android

Dealo for Apple

14. Carousell

Carousell helps connect buyers and sellers by listing things people want to sell and coordinating groups based on similar interests.

You can browse the listings via the home page or the specific category you’re selling or buying in, or you can search via location. No listing or selling fees; you just meet up with your seller or chat online to arrange trade of money for your item.

Categories

For him

For her

Furniture and home

Kitchen and appliances

Beauty products

Design and craft

Baby and kids

Bicycles and bicycle parts

Outdoors and gardening

Musical instruments

Books

Textbooks

Community

Housing

Games and toys

It’s fast and easy to list on Carousell with their app.

Get the App:

Carousell for Android

Carousell for Apple

15. Depop

Depop is sort of an online flea market type of a site. Lots of fun vintage items on this site. Browsing through the listings was like taking a serious step back in time and was really fun. You use the app to buy and sell, and there are no fees or commissions paid.

There are no specific categories listed; the site just says “Find something that means something”. Most of the listings that I found on the site were clothing and accessory type items such as shirts, hats, jeans, jewelry, etc.

Most of the sellers on the site listed shipping fees to appeal to those who were buying from out of the area. The site is pretty simple and easy to use with the app, so if you have some cool, different or vintage clothing or accessories, this could be the way to go.

Get the App:

Depop for Android

Depop for Apple

16. Tradyo

Tradyo helps people buy and sell right in their local area. The site seems to be European based, however there were plenty of listings in my major metropolitan area in the U.S. Listings are free, and you can use instant chat to connect with potential buyers.

I typed in my zip code and found several items available for sale nearby. Then, just for fun I typed “90210” in the search bar (the only out-of-state zip code I know off the top of my head; yeah, I know – I’m dating myself), and there were a lot of listings for that area as well.

Categories

Art, antiques and collectibles

Autos, cars and other vehicles

Baby and kids

Bikes

Books and comics

Car accessories and parts

Clothing and fashion

Electronics, cell phones and cameras

Free stuff

Gaming consoles and games

Garage sales

Health and beauty

Home and furniture

Music

Services

Sporting goods and exercise

Tickets

Tools and equipment

Other

Lots of categories to choose from, and Tradyo is a site that is easy to use.

Get the App:

Tradyo on Android

Tradyo on Apple

17. Varage Sale

With Varage Sale you can list your items for sale and then meet up with buyers in your neighborhood. There are no categories listed for searching on this site, but there is a search bar that allows you to enter what you may be looking for, along with your location so you can find items near your home or work.

You need to sign up with Facebook or an email account so they can verify who you are – all buyers and sellers have to go through a verification process before they’re approved to buy or sell on the site.

In other words, you can browse the site’s listings, but both buyers and sellers need to sign up in order to get access to contact others within the site. This is a safety precaution that many buying and selling sites are implementing these days.

No listing or selling fees and no charge to bump your listing to the top of the site. A great alternative to the traditional garage sale.

Get the App:

Varage Sale for Android

Varage Sale for Apple

18. Chairish

Chairish is an online consignment store where you can sell used items in a number of categories. The site says it takes less than two minutes to list your item, and that you take home 80% of the sale price.

That’s a much higher percentage than what many brick-and-mortar consignment shops will offer to pay you since they have to cover space rental costs and employee pay and benefits.

You can sell items on Chairish to local people or ship the items out of state. Chairish helps you organize shipping arrangements too. This could be a good venue for you if you have lots of art deco or vintage items for the home.

Categories

Furniture

Art and mirrors

Rugs

Lighting

Decor

Outdoor

And more. Listing is free, the site has great tips on how to take the best photos to sell your item, and they have 24/7 customer service support as well.

Get the App:

Chairish for Android: No Chairish app for Android users as of yet

Chairish for Apple

19. Wallapop

Wallapop offers free local classified ads for you to sell your stuff on. Kind of like other flea market or classifieds apps, you simply use your app to write a short description and name your price.

Sellers figure out a plan for meeting up with buyers to exchange money and products, whether it’s meeting up in your local area or arranging shipping.

Get the App:

Wallapop for Android

Wallapop for Apple

20. SocialSell

SocialSell has a variety of listings in many areas in the U.S. Their website isn’t worth heading to at this writing; the apps have all the information you need for buying and selling.

Categories

Electronics

Men’s apparel

Women’s apparel

Household and yard

Entertainment

Music

Antiques

Automotive

Children and kids

Collectibles and memorabilia

Education

Living

Outdoors

Sports and fitness

And more. Like Craigslist there are no listing or selling fees. Mandatory user profiles help keep sellers and buyers safe.

Get the App:

SocialSell for Android

SocialSell for Apple

21. Vinted

With Vinted you can sell or buy used second-hand wardrobe items such as shoes, clothes, and accessories. There’s no cost to list or sell with Vinted, and like many other selling sites these days, users have to create a profile in order to enhance safety and security.

Categories

Women’s clothing, shoes and accessories

Beauty

Kids

Men’s items

You can meet up in person if you find a local buyer, or ship and get payment via PayPal.

Get the App:

Vinted for Android

Vinted for Apple

22. Shpock

Shpock helps you buy and sell things in your local area. There are no listing fees or selling fees and the app makes listing your items and communicating with potential buyers easy.

Get the App:

Shpock for Android

Shpock for Apple

23. Pxsell

Pxsell is the “easiest way” to sell your stuff, according to its app site. Just snap a picture, enter a few details and you’re done. This app focuses on selling in your local area and helping you designate a meet up with sellers.

You won’t pay listing or selling fees with Pxsell.

Categories

Electronics

Video games

Books

Music

Movies

Sports

Recreation

Cars

Clothes

Health

Beauty

Home

Baby and kids

Art

Antiques

collectibles

Pxsell requires community profiles for users in order to help ensure safety for buyers and sellers.

Get the App:

Pxsell for Android

Pxsell for Apple

Don’t Get Ripped Off (Here’s How)

Now that we’ve shared some of the more popular apps for selling stuff online, I want to take just a few minutes to talk about online selling and buying safety.

The world is full of con artists and other unsavory people, and it’s important to make sure you’re ahead of the game when it comes to online scammers in the selling and buying marketplace. Here are some tips that I’ve found helpful when it comes to avoiding selling scams.

We’ve not been the direct victim of a scam when selling stuff online, but that’s only because we’ve educated ourselves on what to look for to avoid getting ripped off.

Selling stuff online can be daunting, intimidating and sometimes frustrating. One time when we were selling a fishing boat, a guy got super angry at us because we had several potential buyers on the line and wouldn’t hold the boat for him until he got off work.

Another time we were selling some used furniture and a gal said she’d show up but never did. When I contacted her to ask why, she said “Oh, it was raining and I didn’t feel like going.” No phone call – nothing. She just didn’t show!

Just recently we listed a snow plow for sale. My husband got a weird text from a guy who offered to pay us over and above what we were asking if we’d accept a PayPal payment, and that he’d send his “agent” to pick up the several hundred pound plow. Sounds fishy, right?

Here are some things you can do to protect yourself as you sell your stuff online.

Don’t Deviate From Normal Payment Options

Most sites have you pay one of a couple of different ways: you can meet in person and accept cash or a cashier’s check, or you can accept a PayPal payment if you’re shipping an item.

When selling something and meeting a person directly we only accept cash – never a personal check or money order. We will accept a cashier’s check for big ticket items, but we always call and verify with the bank it’s issued off of first.

Have a First Come, First Served Rule

Don’t offer to hold items for people that may never show up unless you have a good and valid reason to do so. Holding items puts you at risk for losing out on selling your item.

If someone wants your item bad enough they’ll find a way to make it there quickly.

Beware of Giving Second Chances

If someone doesn’t show up or doesn’t do what they’ve promised, be wary. In our case with the lady who wanted to buy our furniture but never showed up, she asked if she could come another time. We didn’t answer.

We like to follow the “Screw me once, shame on you, screw me twice, shame on me” mantra when selling stuff online. If someone disses us once we won’t give them a chance to do it again.

Meet Up with Potential Buyers in a Public Place if Possible

We don’t follow this rule always, but many times we’ll meet buyers at a central location as long as it’s somewhere with a lot of traffic, such as across the street from the local police department or at a big box store such as Walmart.

It’s important to not put yourself in a situation where you’re in an isolated area with strangers.

Never Meet Up with Buyers Alone

Always bring somebody along if you’re meeting up with potential buyers too. I don’t recommend ever going alone, simply for safety reasons.

Always Tell Somebody When You’re Meeting Up with a Potential Buyer

When you’re meeting up with a potential buyer – whether alone or with somebody else – always, always leave information about where you’re going, who you’re meeting (leave the contact info you’ve been using to communicate with them), what you’re doing and when you expect to be back.

Tell your loved ones to call you and check in if you’re not back when you say you expect to be back. It probably wouldn’t hurt to bring pepper spray or some other item to protect yourself if need be too.

If Something Seems “Off”, Go With Your Gut

When you’re selling or buying something online and something seems off, it’s probably best to pull out of the deal. If someone is offering you way too much for an item, or is trying to finagle some weird payment arrangements other than what is typical, I’d bail on the deal.

There are many scam artists out there who offer to give you “this” if you’ll do “that” when you’re doing online selling and buying. For instance they’ll arrange for third-party payment, or send you over what you want and ask you to give them back the difference, or other similar odd types of requests.

These requests often come with a sob story that will play on your emotions in hopes that you’ll ignore the warning signs in an effort to help. Don’t fall for it. The world’s struggles are not all on your shoulders.

Stick to the rules and make sure you’re paid as promised with no goofy back and forth stuff. Selling stuff online can be a lucrative income source, especially if you’ve got a house full of unused stuff.

Just be sure to use selling sites and apps the way they are intended and keep a leg up on potential scam artists. This way you’ll maximize your income and make big strides toward reaching all of your financial goals and dreams.

Summary

As you can, there are so many options for you to sell your stuff online. Selling apps for both iOs and Android are picking up in popularity and people are looking beyond just eBay and Craigslist to buy your stuff. Whether you are in a hurry to sell your stuff online or you simply want to get the best offer, you have great options. Try a few of these different apps out and let us know what is working best for you.

What have you used to sell stuff online?

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[theantisocialcritic]

This AntiSocial Life: Revenge of the Outsider

I’m furious today. I’m rarely ever mad but today I’m furious. In the light of the horrifying terrorist attack by an extremist in New Zealand that resulted in the death of 49 innocent people, I’m more furious than I’ve ever been in one of these public massacres. It’s easy to be cold and cynical and let the numbers pass by in the background at work while you move on with your daily life but today I’m stewing in my anger. 

Christchurch, New Zealand 

A monstrous white nationalist and self-described “eco-fascist” psychopath (and apparently three of his friends) sought to end the lives of dozens of innocent people and succeeded. What followed was the usual cavalcade of cynical bi-partisan political pandering. The side loosely affiliated with the attacker obfuscates any involvement and/or distances themselves from their actions. The other side begins pandering about how the violence proves their arguments right and tries to push legislation that goes nowhere. We’ve all seen this song and dance dozens of times at this point. 

What became more frustrating in the hours that followed was the slow realization of just how bad things had gotten. Even beyond the horror that was the Australian Senator blaming Islamic immigration for the massacre, it quickly settled over the situation that the normal debate and bi-partisan dehumanization was something the shooter was actively seeking to perpetuate. In the shooter’s own manifesto he stated that the entire purpose of the shooting was to be as politically calculated as possible to spark mutual disdain and purposely accelerate reactions. 

Beyond the obvious uncontionable violence he inflicted on an innocent house of worship, he did everything he could to make his event as infuriating as possible. He used weapons he knew would start firearms debates across the world. He namedropped contentious political and cultural figures like Candace Owns and Pewdiepie. At a time when the edgiest parts of the internet are hotly contested (in Europe, copyright laws are about to become so strict that they could effectively ban memes) he lined the weapons he used with memes just to draw attention to them. He did everything in his power to make sure his act of violence translated into vicious political discourse in a purposeful attempt to get contentious conversations about gun control and social media censorship rolling as a backdoor means of brewing hostility. 

We’re at the point in discourse where vicious politics are so predictable that psychopaths can read the room enough to direct the outrage to purposely make discourse of difficult topics more broken. He actually thought he could go as far as to start a race war with his actions. Remember, the second bloodiest war in human history was caused by one man being assassinated. It could’ve worked. We’re already so far beyond the pale already that there’s hardly been any discussion of the actual people who were victimized in the massacre. Nobody cares about the dead and wounded beyond how useful they are as tools for political gain. Ask yourself, what did you hear first: the names of the victims or calls for a political response? For all the discussions of gun control, far right extremism, far left extremism, radical Islam, toxic masculinity, mental health reform, overzealous media coverage and hate speech that spins every time these events happen there’s never a truthful discourse about the most important things that matter. What is causing young men to actually become so nihilistic and disenfranchised in the first place? 

The Revenge of the Outsider

I’m primarily a film writer but I do most of my writing for websites that primarily cover politics and religion. Outside of my Flawed Faith series, I very rarely talk about these issues outside of the venues in which I’m generally encouraged to do so. Simply put, I’m not a confrontational person and I don’t want to spend my entire life litigating contentious issues. My entire ethos as an entertainment writer and TV host has been that entertainment is the last bastion of shared culture in the modern world. There is a reason that films become hotly debated topics like Ghostbusters, The Last Jedi and Captain Marvel. People recognize the politicization of films is effective and either see it as useful or as innately divisive. Historically I’ve attempted to stay out of these conversations because they’ve seemed innately useless to me. Today however I need to make an exception. 

Prior to today, I’d been deliberating a lot about the messages of a number of recent films. I’d been thinking of it ever since I saw The LEGO Movie 2 last month. That movie crystalized an interesting idea in my mind about the nature of villainy in recent popular films. There's an undercurrent of satire that covers a number of the most popular films of the past several years. In this movie, I finally understood it in the character of Rex Dangervest. Spoiler for The LEGO Movie 2 but it turns out that Rex Dangervest is an older version of Emmet who was lost for several years and decided to take revenge on his friends for abandoning him to suffer alone for years without hope of rescue. In order to do this, he foments hostility between The Man Upstair’s children to cause the LEGO equivalent of the apocalypse as retribution. With this character, I suddenly began to realize how much this story is repeated in recent films. 

In Black Panther, we have a version of this with Killmonger, a man who was abandoned as a child by Wakanda after his father betrayed them and who was left alone to suffer in poverty now seeking his claim to the throne as a means of overthrowing the world and fomenting a worldwide revolution. 

In Star Wars, we see this embodied in the character of Kylo Ren, a young man once destined to inherit the ways of the Jedi who was failed by every adult and institution in his life except for the leader of the First Order who offered him the opportunity to blow up the system that betrayed him. His most famous lines in the recent movies have all been variations of letting the past die. The moment the power reaches his hands and he takes control of the Imperial Death Cult, all he wants to do with it is reign destruction down on the Galaxy and destroy every institution before him. 

Of course, the most famous example of this story is unquestionably The Dark Knight. In that film, the battle of the soul of Gotham City is literally played out by a battle of minds between symbols of order and chaos. It predicted the modern world of escalation and reactionary impulses that drive radical movements across the political spectrum. The Joker in that film doesn’t actually have a singular motivation for his impulse but that doesn’t matter in that film. He’s the embodiment of chaos, meant to call the hypocrisies of the world out as he sees them and create some semblance of equilibrium as he sees it. 

It struck me just how frequently this kind of story pops up in modern fiction. What’s interesting in these stories is that at the end of the day, the heroes facing off against these villains ultimately come to the conclusion that society itself is at fault for the disenfranchisement of the villains. The order they perceived in the world was a lie that could only be set straight by ending the circumstances that gave the ideologies of each of these characters are very different, coming from identity, abandonment, oppression of the minority at the fringe of society, etc. What’s important is what they have in common. Regardless of the ideology of the viewer, there is a shared collective sense that society is fomenting the forces that seek to destroy it unintentionally. These characters all share a combined desire to destroy order and rule over the ruins. 

Unfortunately, this is the very story we’re watching play out in Christchurch. 

The Crisis of Modernity

There is a term used In Christian circles known as the “crisis of modernity”. It speaks to the notion that despite the entirety of humanity’s social, economic, technological and ethical progress that people still aren’t happy. There is a sense in the world that something is amiss in spite of the fact that there has never been a more prosperous and free time to be alive as a human than this very moment. As a result, young people specifically are seeking out meaning in alternative avenues. Most dull their senses in enormous amounts of food, drugs porn or video games to make their senses feel less lacking. In the case of the latter with video games, young men don’t seem to be seeking out relief from stress but an artificial form of challenge. Video games provide an artificial sense of completion and journey for young men to hone a set of skills and exercise them at their needs. The same is true of pornography. The only alternative to this is for young people to see out meaning in radical ideologies. People become so attached to their narratives that the thought of losing causes them to radicalize. We fear for an uncertain future so badly that we come to the conclusion that we must win by any means necessary. We compromise our values and punching down on innocent people. Then the other side reacts and does the same thing and the world spirals. 

We see this crisis playing out in the zeitgeist across the world. It’s easy to write these anxieties off as toxic masculinity or unconscious bigotry but the problems go far deeper than mere anxiety or prejudice. There’s a more primeval issue at the core of modern life’s failures. People are unhappy. There is a reason why so many people resonate with these revenge of the outsider characters like Kylo Ren and Killmonger. People sense that the order of modern life is spiritually killing them. Modernity as we know it doesn’t feel normal to people. Modern life is unfulfilling and lacks meaning. It’s easy to become disenfranchised and look upon the greatest creations of man and find them wanting. At that point, what choice is there left but to burn the past? What choice is there but to accelerate political tensions to burn down the old corrupt order. In the Post-Christian world, where every ideology and institution from the church, to the government, the country, the family and even the individual has been so thoroughly deconstructed, laid bare and revealed corrupted, where is there left to find meaning in? 

These characters, these real-life men exist and they’re looking out into the void and desperately aching to lash out and cause as much damage as possible. We talk so much about abuse and broken men but we rarely talk about where these men are coming from. To quote C.S. Lewis’ The Abolition of Man, “We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.” We’ve raised generations of young people who have been gifted with the spoils of history and yet who lack the inner strength to enjoy them. These problems begin with how we raise our children. These problems begin with what we teach our children to believe about the world. The only solution to the crisis of modernity, the epidemic of mass shootings and the bifurcation of American life is to resolve the meaning crisis. Until then, expect the worse. 

[feynites]

Uthvir's conversations with Fear in the dark reincarnation au are fascinating, and I'm really curious to know if they eventually become an abom in this lifetime? They'll probably have an easier time of things now, but will Fear force the issue? Uthvir refers to it as their partner sometimes - and it seems that Fear same way? (Also I'm going to be predictable and leave you a prompt for Uthvir meeting Thenv for the first time, should the inclination strike - it's not an angle we've seen before :3)

Ahhh, I’m so glad you’re enjoying it! Also, wish granted!

Uthvir gets to know Melarue pretty well before they meet anyof their kids.

They know Melarue haskids. Three of them, named Aelynthi, Serahlin, and Thenvunin. But they live alot further out of the city, at a house that’s near to a lake, and a specialhealing center that helps with… some kind of problems, although Uthvir’s notclear on the specifics. They don’t think about it too much, there’s enough forthem to try and figure out as it is, and Melarue’s nice even if they act alittle strangely sometimes.

After a few months with Selene and Felasel, though, Uthvir’sbirthday rolls around.

They don’t tell Selene and Felasel about it, but the twoseem to know when it is anyway. Selene tells them they can have a party, ifthey want to, with a cake and games and balloons and everything, and Uthvirgets really excited for it. One the weekend before, Adannar and Ana come over,and they all make invitations together out of construction paper and glitter.Uthvir has twelve invitations that they’re allowed to decorate however theywant, as long as they remember to put the party time on the invitation, andthey’re also allowed to give out the invitations to whoever they like.

They make one with a smiling sunflower on it and give it toAdannar, and one with a bunch of trees on it and give it to Ana, for starts.They make those invitations before Ana and Adannar come over, and then the twoof them help write and decorate the other ones. Uthvir gets to pick out whatflavour of cake they want, too, andwhat kind of balloons. Selene has a catalogue they get to choose things from,and they sit together and look at the whole thing.

When Uthvir goes to school the next day, then, they have teninvitations left that they can give out. They give one to Ms Hara, and one eachto the kids who sit at either side of them at the colouring table. And theygive four more out at recess, which leaves them with three leftover. They thinkmaybe they should give them to Adannar’s Papa and Ana’s parents, because they’renice. But Felasel tells them that grown-ups don’t need invitations, so long astheir kids are invited.

“You can invite more kids from your class tomorrow,” hesuggests.

“Okay,” Uthvir agrees.

But when they get home, and they’re playing with some legosin their fort, Spider-Man has a different suggestion.

You should give one toThenvunin.

Uthvir blinks, pausing in the midst of putting together alego mountain. They pick up Spider-Man, and settle him in front of them.Thenvunin’s the name of one of Melarue’s kids. They remember, because theyoverheard Selene and Melarue talking about him getting his braces changed.

How come? theywonder.

Because, he isimportant, Spider-Man says. We needto help keep him safe.

Uthvir blinks again.

“Safe from what?” they ask, quietly.

Bad people,Spider-Man tells them. Dangers. Monsters.Inadequately secured facilities. Improperly prepared food. There are a lot ofthings that could harm him, and that would be disastrous. He is very important.

“Why’s he so important, Spider-Man?”

Because he is,Spider-Man says.

Uthvir can’t get anything clearer out of him than that. Buthe seems very convinced of it, and really adamant, in fact. So, after a while,they give up trying. Maybe it’s like when someone is the kid of a veryimportant person on superhero shows, and they get kidnapped by bad guys a lot,or threatened, or something. Melarue seems like they could be a very importantperson. Like Bruce Wayne, maybe. And maybe Thenvunin gets kidnapped a lot, soSpider-Man wants to help?

But in that case, probably all of Melarue’s kids are important.

After they’ve finished playing, Uthvir goes and findsSelene. She’s working at her desk, so they go and wait beside it, until she’sdone with typing.

It only takes a few minutes. Then she looks over at them andsmiles.

“What do you need, da’len?” she asks.

“Can I mail something?” Uthvir wonders.

Selene’s brows furrow, just a little bit.

“Of course. But who do you want to mail something to?” sheasks them.

Uthvir lifts up their three birthday invitations, and Selenelooks worried again, for a second. Until they explain.

“I wanna send these to Melarue’s kids,” they say.

Her face clears, and Selene turns her chair so she can facethem fully.

“Melarue’s kids? You want to invite them to your party?” sheasks.

“Yeah. Is that okay?” they check. They realize they don’teven know how old Melarue’s kids are. They could be big kids; bigger thanAdannar and Ana, even. Or they could be really little, too.

“Of course it is. But is there a reason you want to?” Seleneasks them, taking the invitations from them.

Uthvir can only really manage a shrug. Sometimes explainingSpider-Man to grown-ups – or even to other kids – is tricky.

“Well, Melarue is already coming, so I’m sure they won’tmind at all. We can give them the invitations when they come visit tomorrow,and then they can give them to their kids. It’ll probably be quicker thanmailing them,” Selene explains. “Although we can still mail them, if you prefer…”

“I wanna mail them,” Uthvir requests. Mailing them wouldmake it more Official, probably. Doing things the Official way matters for importantpeople, they’re pretty sure. “Do you think they’ll come?”

Selene smiles.

“Probably,” she tells them.

And then she shows Uthvir how to put the invitations intoenvelopes, so that they can mail them to Melarue’s house. Spider-Man seemssatisfied about it, and doesn’t bring it up again. So Uthvir lets themselvesget swept away in the excitement of anticipating the party. Felasel goes andgets a trampoline for the backyard, and they set up lots of games and atreasure hunt, and they’re going to have pizza and play video games and do all kinds of things.

Be careful,Spider-Man keeps saying. Don’t jump onthe trampoline, it’s dangerous. Watch where you’re running. Make sure the cakeisn’t poisoned. Don’t let any bigger kids stand behind you.

But that’s the usual stuff, so Uthvir mostly ignores him,unless he gets really insistent about it. And by the time the weekend rollsaround, Uthvir’s practically vibrating out of their skin.

Their birthday cake comes from the bakery that they’vestarted thinking of as the After School Bakery. It’s got Spider-Man riding a triceratopsand wielding twin scimitars on it. Adannar and Ana are the first to arrive forthe party, and they’ve both got presents, which they have to put on the presenttable because Uthvir’s not supposed to open anything until all the guests havecome. They play out in the backyard while they wait for the other kids andparents to arrive.

The kids from school come next. And then there are somesurprise guests; a lady turns up who’s friends with Selene and Felasel, and she’sgot two little boys with her, named Victory and Tasallir. Selene asks if Uthvirthinks it’s okay if they join in on the fun, and they don’t mind. Tasallir is reallyquiet, but Victory smiles a lot and thinks Uthvir’s cake is really neat, andAdannar says that they’ve played together before and that he’s really nice.

Melarue comes just when Uthvir thinks they’re going to burst if they don’t open their presentssoon.

Uthvir hears the sound of more tires in the driveway, andthey go and look out that window. Melarue’s mini-van is dark blue, and shiny. Thekids who come out of it are all dressed really nice. There’s one kid with reallylong, dark hair, in a striped pink dress, and another with short brown hair ina green and blue suit, and finally a third kid, with long blond hair done up inpigtails, and big dental braces on, and shiny purple tights underneath a fluffyfeather dress.

Thenvunin,Spider-Man whispers, from where Uthvir left him upstairs.

He feels really intent about it. The sense of importance to everything is big enoughto make Uthvir nervous, but…

He looks like my angryswan keychain, Uthvir can’t help but think. All puffy and stuff. It’s thedress, probably. It makes him look like a plushie with skinny purple legssticking out of the bottom, and then braces look kinda like a beak, too.

Uthvir watches as the whole progression makes their way upto the front door, and then they move away from the window. Selene answers,when the bell rings, and greets everyone really happily. And then she calls forUthvir, and they go. Trying to resist the urge to fidget or pull up theircollar, as she introduces them to Serahlin, and Aelynthi, and Thenvunin.

They’re all carrying presents, too.

“Thank you for inviting us to your party,” Serahlin says,and shows Uthvir hers, before she puts it on the table. Her brothers followsuit. Her hair is dark, like Melarue’s, and Aelynthi’s got Melarue’s prettyeyes. But Thenvunin doesn’t look anything at all like his nanae. He blinks atUthvir, when he hands them a big box in orange and yellow paper.

“You’re not really drethed up,” he notes, talking funnyaround his braces. “Did you forget to put on your party clothe?”

Uthvir looks down at themselves. They’re wearing newclothes; a t-shirt with a scorpion on it and red shorts and matching footwraps.

“No,” they say. “There’s a trampoline.” Spider-Man told themit would be dangerous to wear too much stuff if they were bouncing around. Theycould asphyxiate themselves.

“I’m not allowed to go on trampolinetheth,” Thenvunin tellsthem, frowning worriedly. He glances at Melarue, but they just smile.

“You can bounce a little, da’vhenan, as long as I’m there tosupervise,” they say. “And Uthvir’s got a lot of other fun things to do attheir party. Don’t worry, everyone’s just here to play and celebrate.”

“There’s cake, too,” Uthvir offers.

“Nanae says you have the new pokemon games,” Aelynthiinterjects. “Do you wanna to trade?”

“Okay!” they agree. “I’ll go get them!”

They head upstairs, and as they’re rummaging around in theirthings, Spider-Man tells them to bring him back down with them.

No, they say. Those are bigger kids, they’ll make fun ofme if I’m carrying a doll everywhere!

Adannar and Ana don’tmake fun of you, Spider-Man says.

Yeah, but they could, Uthvir argues.

I need to be able towatch things, Spider-Man insists.

Uthvir sighs, and scoops him up, and plops him on thewindowsill in their bedroom. It looks out over the backyard.

“There,” they say.“Now can I go have my birthday party?”

…Acceptable,Spider-Man determines.

Uthvir dashes back down to the party, then, pokemon games inhand. Ana likes to play too, and so the two of them and Aelynthi spend sometime talking about it, while Victory and Adannar bounce on the trampoline, andThenvunin just seems to follow Melarue around a lot. The kids from school areplaying MarioKart on the big television. After a few minutes, though, Selenesays it’s time to open presents, and then have pizza and cake.

Uthvir almost can’t believe the size of the present pile.

Some of it’s kind of boring stuff, like clothes and towelsand footwraps. But they also get a set of really pretty bookmarks from Ana, anda new sticker book from Adannar, and some marbles and an electric toothbrushwith Spider-Man on it, and some dinosaur sponges that grow in the bath, allfrom the kids at school. Felasel and Selene give them a new bike to practiceriding on, and Melarue gives them a watch that’s got buttons that let them set timers.

Spider-Man really likes that present.

The present from Serahlin has washable face paints in it,and the present from Aelynthi is a bunch of really cool foam modelling stuff,and the box from Thenvunin has three books in it. All of them say they’re fromthe Young Adventure Spies series. Which is good, because Uthvir can use Ana’sbookmarks in them. They thank Thenvunin, and everyone else, but they mostly getdistracted by the bicycle. They’ve never ridden one before. Some of the otherkids want to try it out, but it’s theirbike, and they say no. Things start to get tense but then the pizza arrives,and distracts everyone all over again.

Uthvir makes sure they sit down next to Thenvunin, when they’vegot their slice of ham and pineapple.

“Do you like spy stuff?” they wonder.

Thenvunin glances at them, uncertain.

“Um. Yeth,” he says. “Thothe bookth are good bookth! Youthould read them, they aren’t very popular but they’re geniuth.”

Uthvir nods. They suppose an important person, who might getkidnapped a lot, would be interested in spy stories. Spy stories always have people getting captured andtaken hostage and things.

“Have you ever been kidnapped?” they wonder.

Thenvunin’s eyes widen.

“…No?” he says. “Have you?”

“No,” they admit. “One time I had to pretend to bekidnapped, though! It was for a job.”

Thenvunin’s eyes widen further.

“That’th not true, you’re making it up!” he accuses.

Uthvir frowns at him.

“No I’m not!” they counter.

“Yeth you are. Kidth don’t work jobth,”Thenvunin insists.

Uthvir shrugs.

“It was my dad’s job. I was just helpin’,” they explain.

Thenvunin looks a little less certain of his accusation, atthat.

“What kinda job maketh people pretend to be kidnapped?” heasks, then.

Uthvir hesitates. They know what kinds of jobs, of course,but those kinds of jobs are also pretty bad. They don’t really want Thenvuninto think they’re bad. Spider-Man says Thenvunin’s important, and if they’resupposed to look out for him, then it’d be pretty hard to that if he thoughtthey were trouble or something.

And besides, they remember, they’re not really supposed totalk about jobs.

But Thenvunin’s waiting, and if they don’t give him ananswer, then he’s going to think they really were making it up.

“It was for a con,”Uthvir admits, at last, leaning in close to whisper.

They wouldn’t have thought Thenvunin’s eyes could get anybigger, but somehow, they do.

“What are two talking about over there?” Selene asks, fromwhere she’s helping Serahlin pick out a pizza slice.

“Spy books,” Uthvir immediately covers.

Thenvunin keeps on staring at them, then, as they lift uptheir ham-and-pineapple and take a bite.

“It’s really good,” they say. “And I don’ think it’spoisoned, either!”

Thenvunin blinks, and stares at them a bit more, beforefinally turning back to his own pizza.

“I can’t…” he starts, but then Melarue comes over.

“Alright, like let’s fix this so you can eat it,” they say.

Thenvunin glances at Uthvir, and then turns bright red asMelarue starts cutting up his pizza into tiny bites. Important people usuallyhave someone come and fuss with their food, though, so Uthvir doesn’t think awhole lot about it.

After pizza, there’s cake. And then more games and runningaround and playing. Thenvunin does end up bouncing on the trampoline a coupleof times, and Uthvir opens up their face paints, and everyone ends up gettingstuff painted on them by the grown-ups. Except for Aelynthi, who insists onpainting his own face with a mirror.

And then one of the balloons pops outside, and startles oneof the kids from school really badly. He ends up crying, and his mom comes totake him home; and that seems to signal the end of the party, for the mostpart. Everyone starts going home. Melarue has to take their kids back becausethey have extra classes they do on the weekend, and Ana’s parents finish workand pick her up, and Adannar ends up being the last one to leave because MsHara offers to stay and help clean up. Adannar’s papa ended up not coming,because someone needed to watch the baby at their house.

Uthvir’s really tired by then, and they go in their room andretrieve Spider-Man from the windowsill, and flop down with Adannar in thefort.

“That was good birthday party!” Adannar enthuses. “Can Ihave one of the balloons to take home, to show my sister?”

Adannar’s new baby sister is too tiny to appreciate mostthings, but she likes bright colours and shiny stuff.

“Sure!” they agree. “But not the big Spider-Man one, thatone’s mine.”

“Okay,” Adannar says. “I’ll take one of the ones with thesmiley faces on it.”

They nod in approval, and then grin up at the top of theirfort. They’ve had to rebuild it a few times, but each time makes it better, andit’s always fun.

We should inviteThenvunin over again. It would be easier to watch him here, Spider-Mansays.

What’s so specialabout him? Uthvir wonders. Somehow, actually meeting him has just made themmore curious than they were before.

Spider-Man doesn’t really seem to be able to articulate it,though. There’s just this feeling, of something big, and that matters a lot.Something that feels like it’s juuuust on the edge of turning out bad, though.Like a job, Uthvir thinks, like when they could succeed and do good, or mess itup and have everything be a disaster.

They suck in a breath through their nose, and let it outagain.

“Whassa matter?” Adannar asks them.

“D’you know how come Melarue’s kids are important?” Uthvirwonders.

Adannar’s brow furrows, just a little.

“How do you mean?” he wonders. “’Cause my Papa says everykid is important.”

“I dunno,” they admit. “Spider-Man says Thenvunin’s reallyimportant, but he can’t explain why.”

“Oh,” Adannar replies.

They both go silent for a minute, then. Thinking.

“I think Serahlin might be a secret a princess,” Adannarfinally admits. “Maybe they all are? Maybe they’re from Narnia. I think Melaruewould be from there. Like the White Witch, but nice! An’ so they didn’t… theyweren’t mean to the kids they found. They adopted them instead.”

Uthvir considers this prospect.

Hidden royalty wouldexplain how someone was important. And if it’s a secret, then maybe nobody canreally say?

“That’s neat,” they decide.

Adannar giggles.

His mom calls for him, then. Uthvir helps him get past the guardgriffon on his way out, before they curl back up in the cushions.

Is Thenvunin a secretprince? they ask Spider-Man.

No. He is important,Spider-Man reiterates.

They sigh.

[thatguysamaniac-blog]

Every now and then a conversation sparks up round the water cooler at TGAM Towers that goes along the lines of someone asking "So is gaming mainstream yet?". Hours, insults, fisticuffs and a reminder on policy on worker in the work place later, inevitably the conclusion is a firm not yet.  We're not expecting an overnight transformation. But what would it take?  We have game inspired video games at the Box Office (okay so they're rarely great), Final Fantasy menus in restaurants, Splatoon and Pokemon collaboration ranges with Uniqlo, LEGO collaborations with Blizzard, Midway and SEGA. Museum exhibitions on video games, design and art. Gaming content seemingly dominates large swathes of the Internet from Youtube through to Youporn. Yet admitting that you choose to spend your time playing video games every now and then still feels, in the UK at least, akin to admitting that you strictly only eat the faces of babies because that's where the softest meat is.    When Does This Pre-Amble End? When it comes to the real world, specifically the high street, video games themselves have virtually no presence at all. In fact it's got worse since our budding interest grew in the 1990s. Arcades are all but dead, few cities have a dedicated game retailer (you might be able to find a grotty copy of NBA 2018 in one of those laptop/mobile repair shops), major supermarkets stock perhaps 4.5 games and media stores in general are critically endangered. TV never manged to 'get' gaming and even though Esports is making huge strides it's still not managed to topple the likes of darts, snooker and cricket from their prime time perches (or even get broadcast at all away from the Internet).  When we first got into gaming we'd wet our pants even when video games penetrated the mass media in the lamest ways from those Lucozade Tomb Raider ads. to the awful why-can't-anyone-crack-gaming-content-on-TV shows and even feigning support for those Resident Evil films when there was frankly nothing else on the horizon. However, now that Netflix is a national sport we're almost drowning in a rich and diverse soup of game-related content. Most of which is total pants. Some of which is bonkers and dare I say some might even have appeal beyond those who would call themselves a gamer (and cringes at the same time because nobody over the age of 12 unironically calls themselves a gamer). Gaming content is so prevalent on Netflix, it even has it's own category, two in fact! Does this mean gaming is mainstream yet? No you babyface eating monster it doesn't are you mad?  Gaming Shit Currently on UK Netflix (Alphabetically) The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 Okay so for all the hype up top, a lot of this stuff is cheesy kid's cartoons. This is a 30 year old cheesy cartoon loosely based on that hot new video game release Super Mario Bros. 3 and although a smidgen better than the Super Mario Bros. Super Show.... it's amazing this franchise didn't just die in the 90s. Remember King Koopa and Princess Toadstool? 13 episodes. 13 episodes too many.  Angry Birds Can any lawyers out there help? Is there some EU mandated law that means video game tie-in media has to come out decades after the thing it is based on became culturally irrelevant? Three seasons of this steaming mess and I've not got to the will to work out if this is related to the movie, the sequel movie out THIS YEAR(?), the toons series or how it will fit in with the WHO IS ASKING FOR THIS CONTENT 'long form' cartoon out in 2020. For those of you younger than 10, i.e. the target audience for this stuff, Angry Birds used to be a video game. Black Mirror Sometimes very video game inspired, sometimes not, this series makes us question our relationship with technology makes us feel even worse for prodding a phone screen and writing swears to other 14 year olds online. Recommended watching but not all in one go mind.  Castlevania Supposedly a decent anime version of the games. I've not watched all of it because I only played Castlevania 64 and Dawn of Sorrow and if you don't understand who any of the characters are, it's reaaalllly slow and boring. Worth a try if you actually have engaged with the critically acclaimed series unlike us.  Digimon Fusion Ergh. Dirty. No. Bad Mega Bloks. No. Dinosaur King Ahhh dinosaur games. Archaeologists have found ancient scrolls that record the Dinosaur King was actually a video game and collectible card game from 2005. This is the series from 2008 that absolutely is not based on Pokemon at all and mixes anime style and really really bad looking CGI.   Final Fantasy XIV: Dad of Light Okay, this series is actually brilliant. Remember how Pinball Wizard was a feature movie advert for Super Mario Bros. 3? Well this is a series length advert for Final Fantasy XIV told through the heart warming story of an awkward Japanese man and his awkward relationship with his awkward recently retired Dad and he tries to rebuild that relationship by getting him into Final Fantasy XIV because they used to play Final Fantasy together. Each week is a new challenge as his Dad quits because of a mechanic he doesn't understand that helpfully his son and his guildmates help explain. Passable on it's own but elevated to must watch by a few scenes that use familiar Final Fantasy sounds that get this glorified advert tugging on the heart strings.  Halo Shit Includes Halo 4: Forward Until Dawn, Halo Legends and Halo Fall of Reach. The first one is live action and frankly awful. Legends is to Halo what Animatrix was to the Matrix and worth a watch. I've watched Halo: Fall of Reach six or seven times and I can't tell you what happens so try it perhaps? Hi Score Girl Weird anime homage to early arcades told through the relationship of a nerdy arcade kid and an aloof posh girl who is very good at video games but not allowed to play them at home. Watch if you you always wondered about turtling in Street Fighter 2 but didn't actually look it up in the last 30 years. Probably very nostalgic for 30 something Japanese gamers. Which isn't us.  Ingress the Animation I've impressed myself that I didn't miss this. Remember Ingress the AR mobile game that nobody had heard of  until it got a Pokemon Go reskin? No neither did I. Well apparently someone along the way believed so strongly in the Ingress vision that they commissioned an anime series in 2018. Really slow. Extremely Japanese. If the game was anything like this then we can understand why nobody has heard of it.  Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV (NO LONGER AVAILABLE) This appears to have been pulled which is a shame as it was alright. Apparently, I'm reliably told the events of this film are really important to the context of the game and only told in this film. Errr tough anyway you missed it here.  Minecraft Story Mode Fuck off. Pacman and the Ghostly Adventures Perhaps takes the award for being the least relevant television tie-in ever. We got two seconds in before reaching for the revolver and the sweet release of a bullet kiss to the brain. All the tropes of Saturday morning cartoons with none of the charisma. Remarkably there's also a Halloween and Christmas Merry Berry short to make both of those holidays even more intolerable. Brilliant soundtrack though.   Pixels Probably the best worst video game related movie of all time. I'm not sure who the audience was when it came out and with each year gets more and more obscure. It stays the same amount of crap though which is a lot of crap.    Pokemon Want to watch only the first and last series of the anime and whatever random films seem to be on Netflix at the time? Knock yourself out. For us this is the UK being shit at commercialising this shit at its worst. Its very worst. The entirety of Pokemon has never been available in the UK at the same time ever. We never got VHS/DVD releases for most series or cinematic releases for some of the films. The Pokemon TV app frustratingly cycles episodes in and out and bizarrely Netflix is missing the middle 91 seasons and the first 38 films. It doesn't fucking matter anyway every episode is the same except the latest season where every episode is the same but set in a school BECAUSE WE'RE ALL CHILDREN AND WE FIND SCHOOL SUPER RELATABLE. There's also a creepy birthday video, hilariously with characters from a season otherwise not available on Netflix. Is it too much to ask to employ one person part-time to curate this shit? Rabbids Invasion File under striking whilst the iron is... you know what, I can't hate on the Rabbids. I really want to but honestly they're brilliant and most of their games are too. Probably brilliant. Strangely only the 4th season is available...?  Red Vs Blue The series that built the house of goofing around in games. Early seasons have not aged well at all. How did we put up with the awful sound and even worse 'plot'? 124 seasons of this madness though so if you're in palliative care and want to speed things along...   Resident Evil: Afterlife Hysterically, only the middle film is available serving the incredibly niche audience of people who like the Milaverse Resident Evil films but are four films behind.  Skylanders Academy Remember the smash hit wallet biting Toys to Life game series that ran itself and all the imitators into the ground from 2011 to 2016 and now fill attics and sheds the world over? Well now you can enjoy the 2018 animated series with all handfuls of your favourite characters. Set in a high school. There's also a weird 1 minute long happy birthday message thing that a lot of the kid's shows have done on Netflix so if you really hate your kid and want to let them know you should show them that on their birthday I guess.  Smosh the Movie Is this video games? They look cuntish enough to be Youtubers and this movie is exactly as awkward as you'd expect when Youtubers try to do something proper with make up, production values and nice cameras. Like that *cringes* Game Grumps series. Or when that *mega cringes* green haired kid did that Fortnite dance at that thing. Suggested watching if you're need that extra push to do the right thing and end yourself before it all gets a bit Fallouty round here. Sonic Boom This is the weird one that all the furries like. Tomb Raider I think the rebooted film before the current reboot? Is casting ladies from the North of the UK to be Lara Croft still a thing? In this movie Lara Croft, I kid you not, is a Deliveroo driver and... it does pick up from there but in a very formulaic and inoffensive kinda way. Video Game High School (NO LONGER AVAILABLE) And be fucking thankful. What if instead of lessons at school you played different video games? Live action series with hands down one of the worst cast of actors of all time. Ridiculous premise (which of course later sort of became real with several Universities running esports programmes) glad it got removed to be honest. Yokai Watch The new new Pokemon with 80% less appeal. Not 100% sure the game series is still going. Children's Shows and Toilet Contents So there we have it. No doubt there's a few I missed and some of this may have disappeared by the time you're reading this. A rich smorgasbord of children's cartoons and questionable content that got a pass because it's video games. At the time of writing, there's virtually no adult content and currently no documentaries. Which is a shame. If they wanted, Netflix could become the de facto place for curated traditionally produced gaming related content from Street Fighter live action movie and animated series, the CG Resident Evil Films, Pinball Wizard, King of Kong, Silent Hill one and two, the Dead Space films etc. etc. Instead it seems that they're content to maintain this weird ever changing half complete line up of irrelevant at launch factory manufactured kid's shows and single films from a series. Perhaps they are right though, there's no point competing with YouTube and Twitch which now host infinity hours worth of quality content that gamers are already spending millions of pounds on supporting. Is gaming mainstream yet? Looks like we need to wait until one of the grumpy white middle class hacks at the Guardian produces an op-ed on why they're giving up on Rabbids Invasion despite everyone at dinner parties talking about it or how Smosh the Movie made them bicurious one evening.  It's perhaps better to stay in the margins of the old media whilst defining new media (at a ripe young 40), after all REALLY PUNCHY FINISHER. Right?

http://www.thatguys.co.uk/2019/07/gaming-shit-on-netflix.html

[nerdyathomedad]

This article will make more sense if you read it while listening to the accompanying playlist, that J curated himself. Before you hit play, close your eyes, think for a few seconds about the first song that made you feel like you were part of something bigger than yourself. A song that felt like it was written for you. Was the song a song that you heard on the radio? Was it a song from a tv show that you loved as a kid? Was it a song from a movie or a video game?

Music has a way of taking you to a deeper level of existence. It has the power to invoke any emotion at any time. It has the power to enhance every single feeling you have ever felt. Music can bring back memories of times long since forgotten. Music is an integral part of life. In my opinion, without music, life has no soul. It is my opinion that music, more specifically music from geek/nerd culture, can not only do everything that I mentioned above, but it can do so much more.

There was a time in our lives, when J knew nothing about Star Wars, comic books, Doctor Who, Marvel Studios, etc. In that time, I was so nervous that I was going to find some way to mess up that I made sure that we read all the “Baby’s First” books, listened to all different kinds of instrumental music, and watched Sesame Street video after Sesame Street video. While he seemed to enjoy all those activities, they never seemed to keep him engaged for more that 5 minutes. I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking to yourself, “James, you were being way too hard on yourself as a first-time parent. Nothing is going to keep a that young of a child’s attention for more than 5 minutes.” I myself was coming to that train of thought myself, until one magical day.

One day, after my wife (at the time) had left for work, I fed J, gave him a bath and sat him in his little chair so I could do some cleaning around the house. At the time, we had a dishwasher that didn’t really work that well, so I mostly washed the dishes by hand. I had the tv tuned to the local news channel so I could have some background noise while I was doing the chores, and I was turning and talking to J every now and then to keep him from getting upset. Nothing I did was working to keep him still. After about 10 minutes I decided I wanted to listen to some music instead of the tv, so I grabbed my laptop, logged into Spotify, and played the soundtracks from Star Wars: A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back.

In what seemed like an instant, J’s demeanor seemed to change. No longer was he frustratingly swaying in his seat, he seemed to have a calm about him. It looked like his imagination was taking over, helping him to create a story to go along with the music we were listening to. His body language would change with the songs as if he knew exactly was happening in the scenes that the songs came from. A smile went across his face as we listened to Leia’s Theme, and he got a nervous when the Imperial March started playing. It was such an interesting sight to see. This became our daily routine for about a year.

Right before J turned 4, I decided it was time to show him A New Hope and Empire. We popped some popcorn, got some juice, turned on our TV and VCR, and watched both movies back to back. J seemed like he wasn’t sure what was going on, that is until the main theme hit. His eyes instantly widened and he looked at me and said, “I know this song!!” J was on the edge of his seat for every shot of a blaster and swing of a lightsaber. It was amazing to see J’s reactions when he would recognize the songs, but what was even more amazing was that the next time we listened to just the soundtrack, J was able to describe almost everything that was happened during the accompanying scenes. This is something that has continued to happen with every other Star Wars film and even transferred to almost every single Marvel film and even the Harry Potter films.

Not only is J able to tell you what is happening in the scenes of the songs are in, but he has now started creating his own stories to go along with his favorite music. This doesn’t just happen with film scores, but also with video game music. J will sit in his room, create playlists on our Spotify account filled with music from and inspired by his favorite games. Whenever he is listening to this music, he is either drawing characters from those video games, or he is making the most amazing creations with his LEGOs.

Music is the lifeblood for a lot of the things we create in our home. When I am making a costume for J, I am listening to the soundtrack of whatever show, movie, or game that character is in. It inspires me to keep going when I don’t think I can. It helps me push through the creative mental blocks and makes me think outside the box for new solutions. Music from these movies, games, and tv shows has created a bond between J and I that will never be broken. No matter what happens in this life, whenever he hears certain songs, he will think of me and of the love we had for our geeky culture.

Decided to write something new tonight. Check out "The Significance of Music" and make sure you click the link to hear the playlist that J put together for this piece. This article will make more sense if you read it while listening to the accompanying playlist…

[siliconwebx]

11 Online Places To Learn WordPress Inside And Out (Paid And Free Options)

WordPress runs over 30% of internet, and it shows no sign of slowing. People list it as a job skill on resumes, WordPress Professional is now a job listing, and it’s used by the technical and non-technical to have a quality online presence. Blogs, news sites, ecommerce stores, portfolios, even full web apps are using WordPress these days. Whether you are looking to learn WordPress for the very first time, or if you’re a veteran who wants some refresher WordPress training, we’ve curated some of the top WordPress classes and resources that you can use to hit the ground running.

1. Lynda (LinkedIn Learning)

Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning) is one of the best online learning spots around, and that’s no different when it comes to how to learn WordPress. While there are many courses on the platform by wonderful teachers, the ones by Morten Rand-Hendriksen are some of the top. He takes you step-by-step through his WordPress classes, and by the end, you will have a real grasp on what the CMS is capable of. Morten was involved heavily in the creation of the new WordPress editor released on 5.0, so you know he knows his stuff.

In terms of teaching style, Morten is not one of the rapid-fire talking heads. Instead he breaks things down to their constituent pieces and takes advantage of the platform to make sure you comprehend the material. And if you never thought about WP child themes like playing with Legos, you will after this.

Whether you’re just beginning or coming to WP with a lot of background, Lynda/LinkedIn Learning has some of the best tutorials around. While it is a subscription service, you can work with a free trial, and many public libraries have a subscription that patrons can use on-site. So that eliminates the cost for you, which may be the biggest barrier for some.

Price: $29.95 per month | More Information

2. Team Treehouse

Team Treehouse offers WordPress classes online like many others, but where they differ is that they designed their platform to accomodate in-sync coding and interaction. They want you to be as hands-on as possible, which happens less often than it should with online courses. But if you want to learn WordPress, you need to get your hands dirty, figuratively speaking.

In general, Treehouse’s WP courses are broken down into tracks, and each of them is labeled as either beginner, intermediate, expert, or so on. You get quizzes to make sure you comprehend the material, and they have apps that you can use that are fully functional for on-the-go learning. This is top-tier WordPress training, and their instructors are amazing. Zac Gordon, specifically, has made a name for himself in WordPress training circles, and he does not disappoint here, either. You can easily grasp what he’s talking about because he presents the topics and individual lessons logically and straigthforward.

The UI is also spiffy, and it’s hard to get lost. The community forums are incredibly helpful, and if you have a question about a lesson, either the student or instructor will respond to help. It’s pretty useful.

Price: $25 – $49 per month | More Information

3. WPBeginner

As their name says, if you’re a WP beginner, the content here is for you. They cover topics that almost everyone can benefit from, but they cater to simple and easily implemented solutions that don’t require a lot of code. So if you Google how do I do this and that with WordPress, one of the results will probably be a plugin that WPBeginner found that can do the job well…for beginners.

Veteran WP users may not get as much out of this resource, but that’s okay. They’re not the target demo. The blog is totally free, and they offer videos, guides, regular content with lots of links, and tons of resources. The only real catch is that their video content is behind a members wall. You don’t have to pay, only give them your email address. Which seems fair, given the quality of the tools you can use to learn WordPress with.

Price: FREE | More Information

4. WP Apprentice

WP Apprentice can really take you from Zero to Hero in no time flat. If you’re not technical, no worries. They have a quick-start course you can access for free, essentials, and various courses that go down as deep as SEO marketing and ecommerce website blueprints. WP Apprentice wants you to succeed.

This is absolutely not an advanced resource to learn WordPress. It is, however, a great option for people who want to know what in the world WordPress is and does without a lot of jargon or extraneous information. The WordPress classes can get into more intermediate topics like theme mechanics and how they work under the hood, but you’re not generally going to be diving into the Core files and editing PHP. Most of the resources deal with the WP software that you see and walks you through it in such a way that you can even be comfortable taking notes without having to pause the video over and over again.

Price: Free intro course, then from $29 and up | More Information

5. WP101

Just like a 101 course at a university, WP 101 offers classes for you to take that break down the fundamentals of the platform so that you can be sure that you are learning WordPress in exactly the right way. As a premium service, the WP 101 plan is affordably priced: just $49 per year. In fact, this is a resource that developers and designers could use to send their clients to. Most people have handed off sites to clients who call with very basic questions because they’ve never used the platform before. This is ideal for people who need the basics in WordPress training.

They’re not the slowest videos, either. They are paced well, but are easy to understand. In fact, they have a plugin available so that you can send the videos to your clients through your own subscription. Even the intermediate courses are over topics like RSS and permalink functionality, so you won’t learn how to make WordPress sites here, but you will absolutely learn how to use them from the backend.

If you’re coming from a platform like Blogger or hosted website service and are a bit overwhelmed by what WP has to offer, head over to WP 101. You will be creating content in no time.

Price: $49 per year. | More Information

6. WordPress.tv

WordCamps are amazing conferences put on by Automattic and the WordPress community. Hundreds of talks and lessons are given each year across the world, and they’re all recorded. And made available for you here. From WordCamp Europe, WCUS, or the Camp in a small down halfway across the globe, you can learn from the best and brightest WordPress Professionals just like you were in the room with them. Somtimes, there are even livestreams of the events on WordPress.tv where you can tune in and see the interaction as it happens. It’s not quite like being there, but it’s the next best thing.

Also, because each and every conference session is recorded and posted, it’s not nearly as big a deal to pick which panel to attend when you are at a WordCamp. Whatever rooms you miss are going to be posted up soon, so you won’t miss out on anything at all. Ever.

The content at WordCamps vary from place to place, but generally there are design tracks, beginner tracks, advanced development tracks, business tracks…lots of things. So everyone can find something for their skill level here.

Price: FREE | More Information

7. iThemes Training

You probably know iThemes because of their awesome plugins. iThemes Security and BackupBuddy, specifically. They also provide WordPress training for folks, and their webinars knock it out of the park. And by it, we mean your WordPress knowledge. If you’re a designer, they have stuff for you. If you’re a developer, you’re in luck. Are you a marketer and need SEO help? They have you covered there, too.

The webinars are interactive and live, which differs from platforms like LinkedIn Learning and Treehouse. Instead of recorded lessons and support forums, you get direct feedback from the instructors and presenters right then and there. That’s what makes the iThemes Training so special. Now, on the other hand, you might get frustrated if you watch of the sessions that’s recorded at a later date because the presenter will be interacting iwth folks through the live chat, which you also have to follow. It’s included, thankfully.

That nitpick aside, the iThemes Training folks know their stuff and strive to make sure the content they’re putting out is top-tier. Oh, and did we mention they’re free? Well, they’re all free. Just sign up and show up. Easy peasey.

Price: Free | More Information

8. WP Sessions

WP Sessions updates their content on a monthly basis, and their content tends to be skewed more toward the intermediate developer than total beginner. How to create your first plugin and using WP-CLI and the command line are not topics that you tackle with your first installation, but they are topics that you will want to learn as you dive deeper into the WordPress platform. The content that comes monthly feels a lot like conference presentations, and some of the most beneficial professional development comes from that kind of panel. For just $15 per month, you can access their archives and check out what’s constantly being added.

Price: $15 per month | More Information

9) WP the Podcast

Podcasts are awesome. WordPress is awesome. That means that WP the Podcast has to be awesome, too. Well, outside of that terrible logic that just doesn’t work, WP the Podcast really is a great resource to learn WordPress or to just brush up on particular topics. Whether you sit and listen actively or let it play while you do housework, drive, or exercise, you will pick up lots of nuggets as you hear the speakers discuss the plugins they love, the pitfalls they’ve fallen into over the years, or whatever else may be worth mentioning.

The episodes come out regularly and the hosts, David Blackmon and Tim Strifler, know their stuff when it comes to WordPress. They’ve worked in the field long enough that we all probably have something we could learn from them. So hit the subscribe button and get those headphones on.

Price: FREE | More information

10) Udemy

Udemy has a lot of WordPress content. This platform works a lot like Lynda or Treehouse, except that anyone can create their own course here. While that can be dangerous to an extent, the reviews tend to keep the true gems up top so we can all see them shine. If you’re a beginner, there are tons of courses for you. Same for advanced developers wanting to get that extra bit of performance out of their code. And as WordPress updates, most teachers update their courses, too. You can check the reviews to see which instructors do this so you know where to spend your money.

The platform itself is intuitive, and you won’t feel overwhelmed as you watch the course material. And while the courses may seem expensive at times, Udemy often runs sales that are up to 70-90% off the entire site. I have personally snagged courses that retail for hundreds of dollars for a fiver. That means that you won’t be out a lot if you find that the teacher isn’t your style. While the open platform can be scary to invest in, the content that you can find on Udemy is so wide-ranging that it’s worth looking through to see if there’s something you can learn. Because there is. The sheer number of WordPress classes here prove that.

Price: varies course to course | More Information

11. Smashing Magazine

I tend to think of Smashing Magazine as The Atlantic of the tech space. The articles are thought-provoking, and the editorial quality is through-the-roof. They run their own conference, host a job board, and put out premium and free content that breaks down the topic better than some instructors I had in college. Their WordPress content is some of their best work, if you ask me. But I may be biased, working in WordPress and all.

Sometimes they post a think-piece on what we can learn from a snafu that happened during Gutenberg development. While others, they give a step-by-step breakdown of how to use the WP-REST API to run the backend of your mobile app. It can vary day to day, but their WordPress training is some of the most consistent out there. Rarely does it rehash content that you’ve seen elsewhere, and the best part is that it’s all free. Smashing does offer books and ebooks on wider topics than WordPress than can be applied to the platform, however (UX, web design in general, digital adaptation, etc.), and they’re all premium products.

Additionally, their non-WP content is often WordPress-adjacent because of how closely it’s tied to either PHP development or various JavaScript libraries that we’re using each and every day as WordPress grows and expands. As a free resource to learn WordPress, Smashing Magazine might be the last on our list, but it is certainly not at the bottom.

Price: FREE with premium publications | More Information

Conclusion? Learn WordPress Any Way You Want!

Do you prefer free blogs? You can learn WordPress that way. Like step-by-step instruction? There are WordPress classes with that. Want to talk with your teacher live? Yep, once again, there’s WordPress training where you can do just that. And it’s all available, free or paid, just depending on where you look. So whether you’re new to WordPress or completely invested and just need a few refreshers, there is something out there for you. Now, get to clicking on those links above, sample what you can, and find out which ones of these work the best for you. And good luck!

How did you learn WordPress? What can you share about your process?

Article thumbnail image by 0beron / shutterstock.com

The post 11 Online Places To Learn WordPress Inside And Out (Paid And Free Options) appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

😉SiliconWebX | 🌐ElegantThemes

[recentanimenews]

Macross and Escaflowne Creator Shares the Secrets of his Genre-Defining Creativity

Shoji Kawamori may be the most famous name in mecha, having invented one of the most famous franchises of the genre in Macross, as well as one of the rare western mecha hits in Escaflowne, and designing mecha for everything from Eureka Seven to Patlabor to Outlaw Star to the Armored Core franchise. Approaching the 40th anniversary of his anime  debut, and with another original anime in Juushinki Pandora soon to premiere, Kawamori visited Otakon 2018 as a guest.

  The ever-industrious creator used the opportunity to deliver two panels, the first was a fascinating look into his creative process, inspirations, and creative philosophy based on the concept of transformative ideas titled “Originality & Mecha Design” and the second a comprehensive “History of Macross.” I also had the pleasure of interviewing Kawamori. By the end of the weekend I had over four hours of recorded audio of Kawamori providing an autobiography of his creative life. I’ve gathered notable points from all three events into a rough chronology including the highlights!

  Kawamori began both panels by touching on his early life,born in the rural Ecchu Gokayama in Toyama Prefecture where he lived until he was three. He experienced a shock when his family moved to the city of Yokohama and he first saw a train, which he credits as the moment he became interested in machines. The story bore a strikingly similar to an aside from one of Kowamori’s anime Earth Maiden Arjuna, in which the chief of a nuclear power plant claimed witnessing a train as the moment he developed a passion for science that lead him to become a nuclear technician.

You may be familiar with a certain film inspired by Thunderbirds' style

  When it comes to his fascination with mecha, Kawamori’s recounted watching Thunderbirds as a child. He jokingly claimed his preference for transforming mecha may have come out of necessity. His father bought him Fischertechnik blocks which, while more versatile than many of it competitors in the toy industry, were prohibitively expensive. Left with a limited amount of materials that provided many points of articulation eventually resulted in him building designs that had multiple variations to maximize their use.

  Kawamori’s inspirations were diverse and unexpected, often credited both aesthetically and holistically contributing toward some aspect of his eventually design philosophy. Kawamori was impressed with the Isuzu 117 Coupe, designed by a legend of the automotive industry, Giorgetto Giugiaro, and credits that specific model with his realization that a designer can have influence over the final product. Another personal inspiration was the ambition of the Apollo project, which he watched on TV in the 3rd grade.

  He was very open about his desire for originality and revealed an intensely competitive mindset, not only with other creators, but also himself. Too proud to build the pre-designed model kits of his peers, he learned to make his own out of paper. Kawamori recounted that he and Kazutaka Miyatake were locked in competition for over a year that ultimately lead to the design of Macross’ unique GERWALK. Kawamori also shared how near Macross had come to ending in 1987.

  Having made a TV series, movie, and OVA, Kawamori felt he’d touched on each possibility for the franchise and didn’t want to cover old ground. With the encouragement of a friend and several years worth of pleading by Studio Nue to continue the franchise, Kawamori decided he’d give himself a week to either completely revolutionize the series or let it die if he was unable to come up with any ideas.

  Describing the outcome in almost apologetic terms, Kawamori admitted he came up with not one, but two ideas. In his last effort to avoid returning to Macross, he demanded Nue allow him to make both or threatened he would make neither. To his surprise, they enthusiastically agreed, leading to Macross 7 and Macross Plus as two completely new takes on the core concept. Kawamori mentioned that, at the time, his peers joked about the idea of a virtual idol becoming popular, to which he believes hisstory has shown that they "vastly underestimated the power of otaku."

  Despite working creatively on everything from settings to narratives to the literal nuts and bolts of their robots across mediums including anime, video games, and toys, Kawamori has managed to find enough time to ponder the nature of creativity itself. He described what he believes are the two types of originality, which he referred to as “Inspirational Originality” essentially a foundationally transformative idea that inspires others and “Unique Personality” which involves putting a personalized take on an existing idea.

  Perspective was one of his described necessities for design, with him going so far as to stand up on his chair as an allegory to how climbing in a tree as a child provided him with a unique viewpoint, something is entourage seemet do disapprove of. He claimed his new position allowed him to look at the same things in a different way, adding that the inherent risk of falling tends to drive the brain into a mode of dynamic thought.

  Practically, he used the example of his original design for the GERWALK. Again using a physical example, he ran to either side of the stage to display what had inspired the design, getting into his bent-leg skiing stance, he said that he realized mechs have only been given straight leg designs up until that point and he eventually settled upon a digitigrade “reverse-knee” model to give them a unique silhouette.

    In a more general sense, Kawamori has taken steps to develop his unique viewpoint. He spoke of many trips he has taken to the different corners of rural Asia. Originally meant as an escape from the overwhelming amount of media he was assaulted with during his time in America, he found many of his perspectives about the world challenged during his original visit. During a power outage in a village, he noticed the children seemed happier playing on their own than they had looked watching television, causing him to wonder if the introduction of modern amenities was truly improving quality of life as we believed.

  He also described something of a spiritual awakening over the years, witnessing individuals who seemed to have perceptions that couldn’t quite be explained by modern science: sherpas that could spot the expression on a mans face when they were little more than a speck in the distance, or martial artists who seemed to be able to read things about other people through sight alone.

  Kawamori spoke of the role he believed the subconscious plays in creation, believing that the iconic design for the TIE fighters of Star Wars must have grown out the mind from the constant view of the similarly-shaped rear axle of semi-trucks on American highways. Later, he discussed the concept of synchronicity, again in reference to Star Wars, as the reverse-legged AT-STs were being developed around the same time he was originally creating the GERWALK, leaving an open question to the audience. How could two people, separated by thousands of miles, be inspired to create the same design at nearly the same time?

  For all of his higher concepts about the origins of creativity within the human mind, Kawamori has developed a remarkably practical framework for his approach to design work. He pulled up several slides (regrettably photography was prohibited) on considerations regarding the purpose, setting, and medium of the work he will be designing for, listing off concepts like location, culture, physical laws, level of technology, story themes, and the purpose of individual mechs when ideating their designs. Focusing on these differences lead to the more realistically aerodynamic Valkyries of Macross vs the excess of the magically powered Vector Machines in Aquarion.

  Taking it a step further, he also spoke of the medium that his design work would be in. For toys the transformations would need to be realistic and simple enough to easily performed by anyone. Designs for anime required as few lines a possible to make drawing thousands of cels a simpler process whereas manga had fewer limitations. With video games, he spoke of his work with Armored Core, where he paid special attention to the array of boosters on the back of each mech since that’s the part the player would be staring at for the majority of gameplay. Every project has unique opportunities and limitations.

  Along with his panels came a demonstration of the transformation from one of his designs in Juushinki Pandora from motorcycle to mech without compromising the cockpit. He held up a model he’d made out of legos and other materials which served as his prototype. In our interview, Kawamori he admitted he’s a rarity among mech designer making 3D models, mentioning Gundam’s Ogawara as the only other creator he knew of to use this method.

  Kawamori’s panels were enlightening, their structure and his articulate thoughts regarding the nature of creativity showing an individual of exceptional mental meticulousness. When presented with a task, he’d break down every aspect, consideration, and approach, to determine the best course toward a solution, even stepping back from this mental feat to asses his own thought processes and similarly deconstruct them in his relentless pursuit of optimization.

  Matching his intelligence is a relentless work ethic that has evolved into a massive ouvre over the course of his nearly 40 years in the industry. If you’re a fon of anime, it’s nearly impossible not to have been exposed directly to his work. He touched almost all the greatest hits of the Suncoast-era ‘90s anime boom, including Outlaw Star, Ghost in the Shell, and Cowboy bebop. Into the 2000s Kawamori's work continued to appear in high profile anime such as RahXephon, Eureka Seven, and even his own Escaflowne. Kawamori’s original work Macross could be described as just the sort of transformative originality he discussed in his presentation, becoming one of the most recognizable franchises in anime. If you’re planning on playing Devil May Cry 5 next year, he designed the V's robotic arms, the "Devil Breakers."

  It was a rare treat to see Kawamori stateside and he truly went above and beyond in putting together his own panels for the trip, seeming to enjoy the opportunity to discuss his past and his process. Despite his nearly four decades of work, he still moved around the stage with an excess of enthusiasm and energy. Just watching him for five minutes, it’s hard to imagine he’ll be stopping any time soon.

---

Peter Fobian is an Associate Features Editor for Crunchyroll, author of Monthly Mangaka Spotlight, writer for Anime Academy, and contributor at Anime Feminist. You can follow him on Twitter @PeterFobian.

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[georgesmithstopmotion]

Stop Motion Animation Evaluation

22/06/18

In this evaluation I will reflect on the journey I took to get to my finished article.

My final idea for my stop motion animation was to create a scene made entirely out of LEGO and the main character of the animation was to essentially escape death twice by accident, but then he finally gets hit by a car near the end and appears on screen as a ghost. I hadn’t initially planned on going with this idea, and I came up with it whilst I was animating for the final time. You could call it improvisation, though I had the idea to create a fighting scene from the beginning, so it isn’t too far off from that. I pretty much came to this idea when I realized that making a fighting scene would be a bit difficult, but even if I were to do one, it most likely wouldn’t have looked good, as I don’t have a good enough understanding of movement. I wasn’t particularly inspired by anything, but if I had to think of something, it would probably be the stop motion animation creator PES, one of the most popular stop motion creators over on YouTube - I did watch quite a few of their videos before I even started brainstorming for my final idea. While their work is basically the polar opposite in terms of stop motion compared to what my final idea is, I still took inspiration from their work - the movement of the inanimate objects was very fluid and I was driven to try and make mine as fluid as possible.

In terms of specific approaches that I practiced, I definitely went about it the way most would the first time around, I just got a camera, set it up with a tripod, and started moving things a little bit each time and took a photograph of the change. If the test phase of the stop motion animation taught me anything, it was that I needed more frames, as well as needing to move things much more slowly, because it looked way too fast and choppy, especially with the shark that was dangling on a thin thread, which I’m glad I revised in the end. When I created the final stop motion animation, I pretty much did it the same exact way I did the first stop motion animation, except this time, I made sure to move things more slowly, as well as be much more careful with where I moved things. There were a lot of things that went well during the final production stage, like for example, putting the photographs together in Adobe Photoshop so that it would play as a stop motion animation. There were some photographs that were bad, and some that were pretty much duplicates, so I had to make sure to delete those from the timeline. Importing sound also went well, I found all the appropriate sounds that I needed, and I was able to successfully import them onto the the timeline over in Adobe Premiere Pro. There were practically no mishaps when I was putting everything together in the end. As for mishaps and issues that I encountered during the earlier stages of this project, there were quite a lot to be honest. First of all, I’ll talk about the early stop motion animation phase, where I had to take photographs of a shark dangling from a thin piece of string. This proved difficult, since it required a second person holding it each time, and then I had to take another photograph each time I needed it to move. The movement of the shark was quite sporadic and varied from each photograph, since it was very difficult to keep in place. This was revised as soon as I finished with the test phase, and then went on to use blue-tack, which was a major improvement, as opposed to string. Overall, the animation looks kind of shaky, which makes it look more home made I suppose, but it would’ve been nice for it to have been perfectly straight all the way, I even used a tripod too, so it came down to me nudging it a bit when I pressed the button to take the photos. I was told briefly after I finished taking photographs for my final animation that I could’ve hooked a laptop up to the camera, and I could’ve just used the laptop to take photographs, which meant that it would’ve have been shaky. A bit late for this tip, but I’ll know this for the next time for sure.

There were a few minor hiccups that I ran into during taking photos for the final one, like when I was moving the clouds ever so slightly, they fell off a few times, so that’s why they look a little shaky during the final thing, a lot of the times, I luckily knew when they were about to fall, so I placed a thing next to them, so that I could take them off and restock them with blue-tack, and then removed the placeholder. There was a slight problem with the lighting, it gets a little darker near the end, around the time which the parrot comes on screen. What happened when it got darker was that the flash automatically came on, so that drastically changed the lighting of the whole thing, so I just had to open the blinds a bit wider, so that there was more light in the room. Whilst I did say earlier that there were pretty much no issues during the final production phase, I did have a little bit of a tough time trying to find a good car and wings flapping sound effect when I needed to add sound, I managed to find these in the end though after a bit of searching. 

During this project, I’ve definitely learned quite a bit about stop motion, as well as how to put things together. Firstly, creating a proper stop motion animation was pretty much new to me, so learning how to create one during the early stages of this project was definitely interesting, I do like the idea of making inanimate objects move that otherwise would never be able to on their own. I learned how to put photographs that I took in succession together, to form a stop motion animation. It turned out to not be very difficult at all, which was a relief. One of the big things I learned was near the end of the project, when I was advised to add sound to my stop motion animation, where I was introduced to Adobe Premiere Pro, which is a very useful video editing software. I learned the basics of the program, from importing audio and footage to the timeline to adding markers to a video, so that you know where to put a specific thing, like an audio clip or sound effect. 

If I were to redo this entire stop motion animation project, I would probably challenge myself to create a more detailed background scene. Whilst the things which happen in the animation kind of make up for the lack of detailed background, I would’ve liked to create one that is more visually appealing to the audience. Speaking of things that happen in the animation, I think I could’ve done with adding some more things in there, like maybe he escaped death a third time, where a giant meteor strikes Earth, but somehow he miraculously avoids it, but I suppose going on to dying to a car would probably be a bit anticlimactic and disappointing, or, I could change the orders of those around and have the car come first, and then the meteor strikes Earth and show the scene as a wasteland or something. Another thing I could’ve done was maybe add a background song but it be kind of quiet, so you can hear the sound effects when they happen. In hindsight, I would’ve liked if the animation was a bit longer, and I think that the main reason as to why it is this short probably comes down to lack of motivation. Before the project started, I wasn’t too excited to create a stop motion animation, although as I got around to creating the final animation, I actually began to enjoy creating it. So, if going into it, I’d already created a stop motion beforehand, I may have had a longer and more interesting stop motion animation. 

Overall, I was very pleased with how my final stop motion animation turned out, especially with it being essentially the first stop motion animation that I’ve ever created. As for specific things that I’m pleased with, I’m quite happy with the movement of everything, nothing particularly looks too fast or too slow. Speaking of movement, it may be subtle, but I’m very happy with how the arms move on the main character, like when they fall down and swing for a bit. The sound effects really add to the animation I think, and I like how it turned out. Also, I just listened to the audio with headphones on to find out that when the car comes into the scene, the audio actually pans from one ear to the other, which wasn’t my intention, but I’m really glad that it does do that, since it kind of makes it seem professional, and it just sounds cool.

As for things that I dislike about my final animation, it has some things that I’m not too pleased with, first of all, the blue-tack - it’s a bit minor but I’ve noticed that you can see the blue-tack on some things, like the bomb which comes out of the cannon. It’s only visible if you pause during the time where this happens, so it isn’t too bad. Another thing is that the cat kind of just vanishes when it gets near the end of the screen. I didn’t plan for this to happen, and I kind of thought that it was actually off-screen until I played the images back when I was done. I don’t particularly like how the parrot comes into the scene and then how it moves across the skies, it looks weird since it’s just the parrot moving up and down, with no wings or anything. That’s pretty much all for what I didn’t like in my animation - though I’ll mention the clouds as well, they look strange at times since I had to move them after they fell off the wall. 

Overall, I enjoyed this final project, I learned quite a bit about certain things, and now I know how to create a stop motion animation if I ever decide to in the future. I’m very pleased with how the final thing turned out.