#i want to draw cj more accurately

[occulee]

"'Cos if dreams can come true, what does that say about nightmares?

... I'll stay awake tonight."

[djpachipikachu]

Hey! You draw so beautifully! Do you think you can give me some tips for anatomy and sketching?

AW stop thank you so much ur so nice !!! and id love to :]

ive done a big post about some anatomy tips that you can check out here

but it is definitely a little old so here are more tips on anatomy !

i think my most utilized piece of advice for my own sketches is adding guidelines similar to the ones ppl usually add for the face to show where the body is facing? as an example here, i use a curved guide line to show how cj's body twists and tilts to build up a form , as well as lines for his legs and arms just to know where theyre facing

along with that CURVED LINES ARE YOUR BEST FRIEND !!! every part of the body is a glorified cylinder stacked on top of cylinders ! a lot of what helps make a body believable is that there Is some perspective used to show the dimensions even if there isnt any visible background

feet are also smth i see people struggle with and i dont Reallt know how to explain how i draw them but i usually draw a triangle with a half circle in front to mark where the toes are.,., make sure to include the arch of the foot and such..,,. make sure that the back of the heel pushes out a little further than where the leg connects....

this other small tip is about some of my favorite muscles to draw bc idk theyre fun LMAO but its about the deltoid and this other mass of muscle that control the neck

the deltoid is that triangle thats at the top of the arm and part of the shoulder ! adding some small lines that overlap into the arm and show the creases of the skin where the deltoid is placed helps add more solid form into the body :] and just drawing that sloped line of the neck muscles (green part) helps to connect the arm to the neck a littl more believably than if you just drew a straight line from the arm to the neck

HOWEVER LIKE . thats a stylization choice and also a matter of body type since im more used to drawing filled out muscular/fat body types, im not very experienced in bonier kinda bodies !

as for sketching advice ummm ..,. although i usually try to make a sketch as clean as possible first try , dont be afraid to have like a Super rough gesture type of sketch/thumbnail sketch just to get the movement and emotion down as best you can before refining it ! trying to make it accurate and detailed and shit on the get go can cause it to feel rly stiff , so get the Entire pose or comp down quickly in maybe 10-20min or less to just capture the motions before going over it again in a cleaner sketch ?

i tend to have the issue of forgetting to just capture everything first before getting into details so thats something i gotta remind mtself a lot LMAO here are some messy sketches i have where i just wanted to get shit down above all else

i also try to use as little lines as possible and get the vibe right in one brush stroke type of feel , no small chicken scratch/hairy lookin lines , which is mainly bc im aiming to be a storyboard artist and also bc i want to be able to post my sketches without needing to clean them up LMAO the only times i do a second sketch is for bigger pieces usually

another example of rly rough jotting down before cleaning it up

last bit of advice is using pen to do traditional sketches thank you and goodnight blows kisses

[thebiggerbear]

Hey there!!

Happy New Year 🎉

For the Artist and Fic Writer EOY Asks game, can I ask:

5. A scene you enjoyed creating

6. A scene you struggled with

7. Comfort character to create for

and

8. Most challenging character to write or draw.

💖

Awww thank you, my friend!!! Happy New Year, I hope yours is a wonderful, safe, and healthy one!!! 🥰

5. A scene you enjoyed creating - oooo that's a good one! The first one that comes to mind is one I did with CJ Braxton and a reader for a prompt response that I haven't posted yet but have previewed. It's filled with a lot of scenes I had fun writing but there is one that I particularly liked because it delves into the history of CJ and the reader (within that setup) that I very much enjoyed coming up with. Since I haven't posted it yet, I don't want to spoil it but when I do, I'll note which one it was if you're interested. 😉

6. A scene you struggled with - Hmm, I would have to say the scene I struggled with this year is the wake/funeral scenes in I need your hand but I don't want to burn it. I think because that story was so intensely personal for me and I was modeling it after my own experience this year (that was the first time I ever experienced that kind of grief on a full scale if that makes sense), I kept avoiding it. And full disclosure, I'm still struggling with those scenes and I'm still avoiding it lol. I'll be honest and say I don't know when I'm going to complete that second part due to those scenes. In two months, it'll be a year and I've had a lot of time to process and get to acceptance, so maybe I will try again then and see if I can finally complete them. I really, really want to post the rest of that story. That's another goal of mine this year.

7. Comfort character to create for - Beau Arlen was always my go to 😉 but these days I find myself leaning more towards Joe Velasco from L&O: SVU than anyone else

8. Most challenging character to write or draw - Boaz Priestly is definitely one because I don't feel I have a good grasp on him yet and I want to get more into his rhythm and mindset before I post any finished works for him. The other I would say is Beth Dutton from Yellowstone. To me, she's quite the challenge for me to try and capture her essence and attempt to portray her accurately for a couple of works I'm currently writing that involve her. I know this sounds a bit much but I think I'm a bit obsessive when it comes to this in writing (which is part of my problem LOL) because I want to get them 100% right but I'm also my harshest critic who just happens to be a little bit of a perfectionist in this area. 😂 I'm a weirdo, I know it, and I fully embrace that LOL.

Thank you so much for the asks, lovely!!! 💖💖

[drunkonimagination]

uh...may i add my two cents on this?

i know the tone is supposed to be light-hearted (i guess?) so please don't take this as a complaint or smth, i just want to shed some light on the topic since i'm an artist myself who actively makes content for the fandom/ship you're talking about here :')

first thing. i assure you that most artists do think about every single detail of a piece before posting it. and we do our best to avoid betraying the source material and try to depict everything as it's described/represented in the original media, especially when it comes to the things that matter most (regarding both the characters and the story).

now, let's take tom's tattoo for example. it is indeed on the left arm as you said and, if i'm not wrong, it's mentioned once (?) in the first book. so what if i have to draw thomas's tattoo and i don't remember its exact position nor i immediately find the information i need in the book? the first thing i do is search for official art!

and here comes the funny part.

despite there are some official artworks (like the charlie bowater one) in which thomas's tattoo is depicted on the left arm (so where it's supposed to be according to the information cc gave us in chog) there are other official ones (every single cassandra jean piece) in which thomas's tattoo is on the right arm.

so if i can't remember in which arm is located and the official illustrations i check are cj's ones (something i, for example, do quite often to play it safe) then i'll 100% draw it on the wrong arm 🤷🏻‍♀️

so even if we think it through and gather as much information as possible, we can still make mistakes or miss something....i mean, even official artworks can be confusing and offer slightly different versions of the same thing, especially when it comes to minor particulars (tom's tattoo, the right side of the seine) that are mentioned very few times.

all this to say: as long as it's not official art (in which i rightly expect it to be accurate and as faithful as possible) i think we should demand less from hobby artists/artists who are drawing the characters just for fun :')

p.s. i'm talking of oversights/little mistakes here, not about more serious issues like white-washing/fat-erasure, etc. in those cases it's always right to kindly point it out to make the artist aware (without insulting them/their art or throwing a tantrum before they even have the chance to aknowledge the mistake/explain themselves because oh boy the times it happens)

my biggest pet peeve is mistakes in fan arts. like i saw a gorgeous thomastair fan art of their time in paris, walking along the seine. however they were walking either in the wrong direction or on the wrong side of the seine 😭😭 and just now i saw another thomastair fan art with thomas’ tattoo on the wrong arm. i just cannot i -

[t4tbruharvey]

duela dent enigma and the fun storyline where they parallel twiddler and nothing bad happens to either of them ?? (hi btw!! <3)

ok ok ok so. for those who don't know (and i'm working off of a VERY brief summary from cj and also im here to have fun, not to make a minor character completely accurate to the comics etc etc) enigma was like. the most concise way i can phrase this is 'the riddlers punchline' except she wasn't a fascist she was just a fangirl who was eventually killed by the riddler

MYYY fun storyline is that duela and enigma find each other and decide to band together (they're both in their teens at this point, and they're not rogues in their own right, and in fact duela wouldn't call herself a rogue at all and is slightly disturbed by enigma's vehement desire to work with the riddler) and become girlbestfriends. duela is more working towards disrupting rogues' actions while also wholeheartedly resisting working with batman, whereas enigma is doing everything in her power to get the riddler's attention. timeline-wise (personally) this is a bit before punchline and anarky come onto the scene, and esp for the former it was small scale enough that it wouldn't have caught her attention (and also it was riddler focused so she wouldn't have cared anyway)

anyway duela is increasingly worried about enigma because she doesn't agree with the riddler on a moral level and wants enigma to protect herself and not seek out something destructive. it doesn't work. enigma gets picked up by the riddler and taken along for the ride. she's gotten what she wanted: she's his sidekick! she can ditch duela, in a move that feels very 'teen movie loser becomes popular and abandons the people that represent her old life'

duela keeps tabs on her

twoface, who is dating the riddler at this moment in time (at least, as much as it can be called dating) picks up on someone monitoring them, links it to enigma, and tells ed. ed, who has much more loyalty to twoface and harvey than he does to this teenage girl he decided to make a pet project a week ago, kills her and leaves her body in the river as a message for whoever was watching them, intending to draw them out. duela finds enigma's body, recognises it's bait, and doesn't take the bait. she goes underground for a bit and when she emerges it's to mess with freeze and scarecrow and clayface etc. not ed and NOT harvey. even though he's why she started doing this in the first place.

(this has so so many repercussions when she befriends lonnie, because he's younger and just as idealistic and she can't lose someone else)

[perianth-nixie]

For Iberis 👀:

CJ

4, 7, 13, 38, 43

That's a lot of questions but let's go!

QUESTIONS FOR CREATORS

C) Did you have trouble figuring out where they fit in their own story?

Not really. Iberis-3 was a random OC and Young Wolf so it was 'prepared' for me as the gamer. I didn't expect Iberis to slap THAT MUCH. I didn't really care whether he fits or not. My style of storytelling is much different than the canonic one from Destiny 2. More comedy with a lot of sad stuff in life. (The black comedy, I guess). I just keep going, If I disliked something, I just get rid of this but I want to be sure it fits the main story of the game.

I didn't know what I did but it worked. Just some trust in myself in this rare moment.

J) Did you have to manipulate or exclude canon factors to allow them to create their character?

Yes, a lot. Usually, the Young Wolf is a character who looks like they forget how to speak but exactly knows how to punch someone's face. Silent OP character.

In the begging Iberis was supposed to have a much different character. More moody, mean shit without reason, who doesn't care about anyone. Boring Edge Lord. Luckily he changes to the current version.

My art style is not really similar to the canon one. I prefer cartoonish/comic style with too expressive faces and body language. Exos in the game are not really expressive (except Cayde cuz he was the only one Exo with eyebrows, srl. But y'know, It was Cayde, the very very special one).

I gave more human behavior to exo - crying, able to be drunk what is said in the lore-books they can't do. Even able to blush. Full realism and being 100% accurate to the canon is not my jam but looks like ppl don't blame and mock me for this so why not use this?

Also, my fake tooths, in my version, Exos have fake teeth 'cause It works better for me than the black whatever is it. So much stylization.

QUESTIONS FOR YOUR OCs

4) How easy is it to earn their trust?

It's a hard question. Usually, Iberis doesn't give his trust easily to anyone. His trauma in blueberry years, working with the Vanguards, and being the Famous Young Wolf learn him to not be open to others. But it doesn't mean Ibi cannot give trust someone.

Iberis-3 opens up when he has to deal with too strong emotions for him or he feels really bad and/or overwhelmed. He's very emotional but also he's a master at hiding this.

Also, he's able to give some trust if someone shares the same passion as him. Especially plants but painting and drawing too.

7) What triggers nostalgia for them, most often? Do they enjoy that feeling?

Definitely his early years on the farm. I don't mean the farm from EDZ but one in the Last City. Iberis-3 in his blueberry years left the tower and he refused to be a guardian but it's a story for another time. The farm was his workplace but also his 1st home. Eddy, his friend let him live here when Iberis was homeless but later Ibi become a part of this family.

In this place, Iberis finally starts to feel accepted and comfortable with himself, that he's something more than an undead warrior where only his combat skills mean something.

This farm was ruined during Red War. Eddy and his family survived this hard time, unlucky except for Eddy's dad who died at the begging attack on the city.

After/During Red War Iberis become the new Young Wolf so it was meant back to his role of guardian. He wasn't able back to Eddy's family. He still misses them but he knows it never be the same now.

13) What color do they think they look best in? Do they actually look best in that color?

Iberis usually like to wear black, grey, or white t-shirts with prints. He doesn't say no to colorful ones but he can be picky about this. He doesn't like main bright colors.

Did he look good? In my humble opinion yes, but everyone has their own sense of fashion so...

Tricky question.

38) What memory do they revisit the most often? 

Actually, there are two.

The 1st one is the death of Cayde. Iberis can't forgive himself because he wasn't able to save Cayde. The consequences are still with him until now (I mean especially Crow, the story for a different time too). Sometimes Iberis is wonder how it would be if Forsaken never happened. Maybe everything would be easier? We never knew the answer.

The 2nd one is related to Forsaken but that's more my story. Iberis after this broke up with Shiro. Both of them had personal problems after what happened in the Prison of Elders. Shiro has pissed off cuz Iberis goes alone to kill all barons and Uldren. Shiro was the last one of the hunter trio and lost many friends so losing the loved one was too much for him. Shiro chooses to be alone than lost another person in his life. He regrets this later.

On the other side, Iberis had to do this. We all know why so I don't think it's necessary to explain. Iberis is still back to these memories if he wanted or not.

Spoiler, not a spoiler. Ibi and Shiro are back to themself in the Season of Splicer. Both idiots had to grow up.

43) If someone asked them to explain their sexuality, how would they do so? 

One of the biggest enemies in his life. Iberis is not a person who shows his feeling around people, romantic too. You'll almost never see how Iberis and Shiro show their feelings around others.

Iberis is unable to explain why he's gay. It's natural to him if we can use 'natural' when we talk about Exo. It's just the way he is. He likes other men and... That's it.

In his personal opinion asking him why he is gay is rude and nosy. Why do you even care? Usually, when someone asks him about this he just says he's gay and the end of the theme. Thank you, goodbye.

...

I hope I answer everything correctly. Thx for your questions!

[frenchfriesoverguys]

moxie (2021) review

spoilers ahead & trigger warning: mentions of s*xual assault

as always: i have a degree in film and a real estate job due to the pandemic

first i want to address the biggest concern i’ve seen about this film. this is absolutely not a perfect film about intersectional feminism. they could have and should have given more screen time to the girls other than vivian. that being said, this is a film by a white women about a white girl’s experience noticing inequality and not being silent about it. if we want more films focusing on women of color and people in the lgbtq+ we need to focus on support and lifting up women of color and people in the lgbtq+ in film. please do not expect white men or women to tell a completely accurate story of WOC suffering. we need to bring more WOC into the spotlight to tell their stories. same goes for the lgbtq+. 

so no this film didn’t solve the feminist issue by any stretch of the means. its a 2 hour piece of film meant to get the conversation started. and i believe it did that. that’s how i view this film: a jumping off point. it didnt cover everything it needed to cover but women’s rights is a large topic. 

now lets get into the actual plot & characters.

vivian (hadley robinson) is likable enough to root for her but she’s not without fault. it makes her well rounded and relatable. her anger is powerful. she also adjusts once being called out. she does have certain privileges that she consistently failed to notice throughout the film. so she uses it at the end to give other women a platform.

but lucy. lucy (alycia pascual-pena) is the real star of the film. she calls everything how she sees it and she’s right every time. she knew mitchell was not just annoying but dangerous. she unites the girls and volunteers kiera. she encourages everyone and supports everyone. the only flaw in her character was her view of claudia, one she adjusted as the film went on. 

claudia (lauren tsai) was also so interesting to watch. i really didn’t like her until the tank top scene. everything clicked once the audience saw how she was with her mom. some women support causes differently. claudia could never protest boldly with her mom watching her every move. but she also shouldn’t feel like she had to. she operates in the shadows to not draw attention to herself. that’s okay. her calling out vivians privilege was so nice. like while vivian didn’t get in trouble for putting up the stickers, claudia got suspended just because she put her name down for the club. vivian acted without understanding the ramifications it would have on the WOC around her.  

kaitlynn (sabrina haskett) is also a good character but a little flat. moxie gives her the confidence to call out the unjust dress code that targeted her for being curvy. this is as far as her development goes. however you see her struggles with the boys harassing her by forcing her to sit on his lap and leering at her. adding to the topic of sexual harassment that is simply chalked up to boys being boys.

kiera (syndey park), amaya (anjelika washington), and cj (josie totah) deserved so much more. if this film did anyone dirty, it was them. they had no character development, no real plot besides the athletic scholarship and the school musical. they were essentially background characters with names. the relationship with amaya and lucy should have been more flushed out, even if it just had them holding hands. even emma (josephine langford) had more character development and she only had like 3 scenes. 

i love emma’s character development though. they set up her reveal at the end perfectly. she is shown to constantly be uncomfortable around mitchell (patrick schwarzenegger) and the audience assumes its because they’re exes. but lucy’s comments about mitchell’s behavior had established that yes he is capable of worse. emma reveals that to be true when she tells everyone he sexually assaulted her. and then ranked her most bangable. absolutely disgusting. she goes from being a silent victim to screaming like she always wanted to do. 

mr davies (ike barinholtz) and seth acosta (nico hiraga) exhibit two forms of male feminists. seth being one who supports women throughout the film. he volunteers keira, he draws the hearts and stars, he supports vivian as moxie. a great example of a male ally. as is mr davies. once he is called out by kaitlynn for being dismissive of the cause as it is a “women’s issue only” he actually changes his behavior. he listens and adjusts. he then encourages the girls to leave during the walk out. 

the ending was the best part of the entire film. women uniting to scream and make their voices heard. all while the principle is forced to take action and accept that she hasn’t been supporting the girls at her school. it was great. 

the line amy poehler delivered “it wasn’t perfect but it was better than doing nothing,” is exactly how this film reads. we needed this film. was it perfect? no. did it need to be made because it’s better than doing nothing for women’s rights? yes. i think white women specifically have this fear that when we talk about women’s rights that we’re not being intersectional enough or inclusive enough so we stay silent to avoid that. but in doing so we allow situations like what lucy and emma went through to happen. the key point of this film is to listen and adjust. vivian does it after claudia calls her out as a bit of a white feminist and mr davies does it after kaitlynn calls him out as being dismissive. not a perfect film but definitely starts the conversation on women’s rights and how we learn to accept it very early on.

[juju-on-that-yeet]

Imperfect and Human Are We

Prompt: Whumptober Day 30, Recovery

Summary: MarkBop struggles with the temporary loss of his voice after the events of "Choke," and in a manner of speaking, so does Cameraman Jim after the events of "Silenced." Maybe Bop is just the person to help CJ start healing.

Warnings: Injury recovery, self-worth issues

Tagging: @peribloke @tired-eldritchhorror (ask to be tagged!)

Read on AO3 (Full Whumptober Series)

Enjoy!

~

MarkBop hates this.

One week ago, Bing brought him into Dr. Iplier’s clinic after he’d been strangled by a mugger. Apparently there’s nothing surgically that Dr. Iplier can do, and Bop just has to wait for his throat to heal on its own.

And that means no talking.

Not that he can, anyway. He’d lost his voice moments after he woke up from nearly suffocating to death and hasn’t yet gotten it back. Even if it comes back tomorrow, Dr. Iplier won’t let him talk until his throat is good and healed again.

It’s not that Bop is so upset about not talking. He knows a little bit of sign language, and Oliver gave him a notepad he snagged from the control room so Bop can write out more complicated sentences. He can still communicate with Bing and Oliver, still let Dr. Iplier know how he’s feeling.

But he hates not being able to sing.

Singing is what he was made to do. He was created to be a singer, and so he is. He listens to music nearly every waking moment, devouring albums like they’re candy and then listening to them again, over and over, until he knows every note. He only ever pauses the endless music to hum to himself, to tap the counter he’s sitting at, to draw out the earworm in his head by singing it. He’ll stay up all night, singing and recording until his throat hurts, and in the early hours of the morning he’ll crawl into bed with Bing and whisper love songs to his sleeping form until he falls asleep himself. If he can’t sing, then what else is there?

What else is there?

“What if I forget?” Bop writes on his notepad for Bing one day, too anxious to think through signing it. “What if I spend so long not singing I just…forget how?”

“You won’t forget, babe,” Bing reassures him, kissing him gently, “There’s no way you could forget how to sing. When your voice comes back it’ll be just like it was before.”

Bop wants to believe him, he knows Bing is right. Dr. Iplier has explained as much to Bop a few times already, reminding him that he’s a figment, and he can heal from anything. Reminding him that he was made to sing, and he could never lose that about himself. But Bop is afraid that every day he goes without singing is a day he loses muscle memory, breath control, skill. He might still be able to sing, but he’ll be out of practice and worse for it, won’t he? He fears gearing up to sing for the first time when his throat heals only for his voice to screech, to wobble when he wills it to be steady, to crack on high notes or fail on low notes.

But, even with all that anxiety in his head…he knows it could be worse.

Lightning apparently strikes twice at Ego Inc. because just a few days ago, Cameraman Jim was brought into the clinic with bruises, a black eye, and a crushed hand. Bop wasn’t there when he was admitted, but to hear Bim tell it, it was horrific. Poor CJ endured surgery on his hand to set the bones and remove the fragments that were too small to realign. His hand is bandaged, casted, immobile, leaving him with only one hand to sign with. Bop’s seen him after his surgery a couple times now during his daily check-ins with Dr. Iplier. Both times, Reporter Jim was there too, sitting on CJ’s bed with him and pressing his forehead to CJ’s, not speaking, just staying close.

Bop knows CJ’s left the clinic by now, probably healing the same way Bop is: One day at a time, hoping, wondering, fearing.

It’s confirmed when RJ approaches him one day, out of the blue.

“Music Jim?” he asks, “Can I, um, ask you for something?”

“Sure,” Bop signs, “What’s wrong?” RJ seems nervous, uncertain, to the point where Bop could’ve mistaken him for CJ had he not, well, spoke. The twins are practically impossible to tell apart without their differing personalities.

“It’s about CJ,” RJ says, “I mean, I know he got hurt and he has to get better, but…” He sighs, fidgeting. “But what happened really messed him up. More than his hand and his eye. He just…he won’t communicate at all. Not with me or Bim Jim or Doctor Jim or any Jim!” He hugs himself. “He could still sign okay with only one hand, and he could shake his head or nod or point to things, and I’ve tried to make him feel safe enough to speak but just…nothing works. He won’t do anything. I know he’s upset but I don’t – well, I mean, I kinda do know why he’s so upset.”

“Why?” Bop asks. He’s sort of forgotten that RJ prefaced this by asking for Bop’s help. He’s worried now, and curious, because he didn’t hear much about what happened to CJ, but what he did hear wasn’t good.

“Because the guys who hurt him…they…” RJ’s voice gets quiet. “When I scared them off, one of them called CJ the r-word, and I think…I think they said a lot of bad stuff to him while they were beating him up.” RJ sniffles. “And I think that’s why they broke his hand, because he was probably signing to them, and they must not’ve…not’ve liked it.”

Bop doesn’t know enough sign to convey how horrified he is by that knowledge. It must show on his face, because RJ nods in acknowledgement.

“It’s not the first time people have been rude to him,” RJ continues, “But no one’s ever been so cruel, and it’s never…” He whimpers. “It’s never happened when I wasn’t there.”

Bop fumbles with his notepad to write It wasn’t your fault as fast as he can manage. RJ sighs when he reads it.

“I know that, I guess,” he mumbles. “Bim Jim keeps telling me that. And he’s right, and you’re right, I just…I’d feel better if I could get CJ to communicate with me.” He brightens a little as he looks at Bop. “That’s why I came to you.”

What can I do?? Bop writes, hoping his face conveys his confusion accurately. It must, because RJ actually smiles a little.

“Well, what happened to you was a little similar, right?” RJ asks. “I mean, it was some cruel human who hurt you, and you got hurt somewhere important to you. I was thinking you could relate to him, and maybe help him out of this.”

Bop considers. It stings a little to be reminded of the reason for the notepad he’s writing on, but he knows RJ doesn’t mean anything by it. And maybe RJ has a point. Maybe CJ feels like Bop does: Gutted, purposeless, drifting, begging for the future and fearing it in the same breath. From what apparently happened to him, it wouldn’t be surprising. And Bop likes the Jims; they’re weird and goofy but sweet, and they keep asking to report on Bop’s latest covers and song releases, even though Bop is far too nervous to go on camera. If he really can help CJ, he wants to at least try.

“Okay,” Bop signs, and RJ immediately lights up.

“Thank you, thank you, Music Jim!!” he exclaims. He hugs Bop, a gangly long-limbed hug that’s tighter than Bop would’ve expected, before jumping back to bounce with excitement. “CJ’s in Bim Jim’s greenhouse!”

Bop nods and can’t help giving RJ a pat on the head before he goes.

Bop’s been to the greenhouse himself a few times, and he’s not surprised that CJ’s there. It’s a beautiful space, full of green and growth and light shimmering in from…somewhere. The greenhouse isn’t on the roof or even the top floor, yet natural light streams in through the ceiling anyway. Bop always shrugs it off as one of Ego Inc.’s weird-yet-convenient magical quirks. When he steps inside, the place is as bright as ever, the plants are glittering with water drops. The room is misty and humid, but it doesn’t take long to find CJ. He’s looking at a huge bundle of violet chrysanthemums. His hair is damp, there’s a plastic bag beaded with water over the cast on his hand. He’s probably been in here for a while.

Bop approaches him, making like he’s looking at the chrysanthemums, too. CJ’s eyes flick to him, but he says nothing and continues to stare at the flowers. He doesn’t smile. There’s bags under his eyes. Bop’s heart aches to see how bad he looks. He takes a deep breath and turns to CJ, catching his attention.

“Hey, CJ,” he signs. “How are you doing?”

CJ looks at him but doesn’t respond. Not a nod, a head shake, a furtive glance, nothing. No wonder RJ was so upset, if this how CJ’s been acting. Bop takes out his notepad.

I’m guessing you’re not doing great, Bop writes, showing CJ the notepad after. CJ makes the slightest sound, a huff of breath out his nose, as if to say yeah, obviously. But it’s something, at least. Bop smiles, a little sheepish but happy for a response.

Yeah, I know, but I heard about what happened to you. Bop cringes as he writes, remembering what RJ told him, comparing it to the cast on CJ’s hand and the thin, yellowed ring still around his eye. I’m sorry. That sounds horrible.

CJ frowns, lips pursing like he’s holding back a reaction. He seems like he wants to look away but doesn’t want to be rude.

The moment stretches long and uncomfortable. But Bop keeps looking at CJ, and CJ keeps looking at Bop. Maybe CJ is tired of staying silent and closed-off, or maybe Bop came at the right time, or maybe Bop somehow said the right things. But CJ lifts his good hand, hesitant.

“You got hurt, too,” he signs, “How is it not being able to talk?”

Fortunately, Bop can read sign better than he can use it, and CJ’s questions rings loud and clear.

It really sucks, Bop admits. I’m still afraid I won’t be able to sing right when my voice comes back, even though everyone tells me not to be.

CJ nods, considering, before raising his hand again. He lowers it, biting his lip. He finally raises his hand and replies, still apprehensive, but once he starts he can’t seem to stop.

“Why can’t I just talk like normal people?” he asks, fingers shaking, “You can’t talk because you’re hurt. I don’t have any excuse. My voice box works but I can’t use it. RJ keeps telling me that those guys who hurt me were wrong, that I’m not stupid or weird because I can’t talk. And I know if I asked him why I can’t be normal he’d say I’m fine how I am or that I’m normal for me or something, but I just…” His hand pauses in the air for a moment. What Bop thought were misty droplets on his cheeks might actually be tears. “I don’t want to hear that. I just hate that I’m not normal. I hate that I need my hands to talk and one of them is broken. I hate how I feel broken.”

Bop feels his eyes tear up. He stares at his notepad, unsure of how to respond for a long moment.

I feel pretty broken right now, too, Bop finally begins, Being silent sucks. It feels so hard to get a word in sometimes, it makes me feel like I’m disconnected from people. This house is so loud, everyone’s so loud, and I love it, but I love it less when I can’t be loud, too. It’s like it swallows me up.

CJ’s eyes are wide and glittering as he reads, like Bop is speaking to his deepest thoughts. Maybe he is, for all Bop knows. Bop smiles gently as he continues writing.

But it’s not all bad, he continues, I feel like I’m better at listening lately. Not that I was bad before, but it comes easier now. It’s easier to focus because I’m not talking or singing to myself all the time. And I know, really know, who my friends are. The ones who look to me in the conversation and give me a chance to communicate. It’s hard to talk with people, but not with Bing and Oliver. They don’t talk over me or through me, they still keep me in the rhythm. I think there’s a lot of good in being quiet, as long as you have people you can still make yourself heard around.

CJ whimpers, wipes his eyes with his good hand before replying.

“I wish I could talk. All the time.”

Maybe you will one day, Bop writes, You’re still young compared to most of us. Maybe you’ll get enough confidence to talk all the time. But even if you don’t, you’ll still have all your other ways of talking and interacting with the world that people like me don’t, that we don’t even know about. I’m gonna go back to talking all the time and be a worse listener and bad at focusing again, but not you. He grins. You’ll still have all this cool stuff going on. It’s hard not being normal, but it’s fun, too. Plus, being normal is hard sometimes, too. Being a person can be hard. We’re all just people. We’re all weird here, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

CJ nods. He still looks sad, but he seems to be gathering himself.

“Maybe part of it is that I can’t film right now,” he admits, fingers slow. “With my hand like this, I can’t even hold a camera. I already tried shooting one-handed with my smaller cameras but I just can’t do it. I wouldn’t feel so bad if I could just…just…”

Do what you were made to do? Bop writes. He shows it to CJ, sees him duck his head with the slightest embarrassed smile, before he continues. I get that. It’s really hard. But I’m sure Doc’s told you that your hand will heal completely and eventually it’ll be like it never happened. That’s what he told me about my throat. He sighs. It’s hard to believe, but we have to trust him. He knows what he’s talking about. We just have to get through this. I think it’d be easier for you to get through this if you actually tried to communicate with people a little. He lightly, playfully shoulder-checks CJ, who’s come to stand beside him to read what he’s writing. CJ smiles again, a little bit broader.

“Yeah,” CJ signs. He looks away from Bop, back to the chrysanthemums. “I’m not really used to not being able to share an experience with RJ. He doesn’t know how I feel right now, he doesn’t know what I’m thinking, when he usually…just does. It sounds weird in words, but I like not having to worry about that. I like that he knows me so well. But he doesn’t know what I’m going through now, he wasn’t there when I got hurt, and he can’t…figure out all this stuff.”

So tell him!! Bop writes, animated, and CJ actually giggles when he reads it. He’s your brother, he loves you, he just wants to help you be okay. He’s the reason I came to talk to you in the first place. Bop grins. Maybe he knows what you’re feeling right now better than you think.

CJ nods. He smiles at Bop, a full, sunny smile, and his eyes sparkle. He hugs Bop, not as tight as RJ did but just as haphazard. This time, Bop has enough time to hug back. For a long moment, all is quiet, quiet without the internal noise of communication, only the dripping of water throughout the greenhouse and the hum of the fans. The sun somehow shines through the ceiling onto the pair, dappling the floor around them, and the flowers are as bright as ever, those purple chrysanthemums standing proud.

“Thanks,” whispers CJ, so quiet that Bop almost doesn’t hear it.

Bop’s jaw drops and his heart swells. CJ’s never spoken to him before. Excitement courses through him but he’s determined not to ruin the moment. He only hugs CJ tighter in response. When they finally pull away, they smile at each other, each elated but a little awkward. They don’t sign or write anything more, and nothing more is needed. CJ only waves goodbye, still smiling, before practically bouncing out of the greenhouse, no doubt to find RJ. Bop waves after him and sighs to himself, happier than he’s been since he got hurt in the first place.

He lingers in the greenhouse for a while in front of those purple chrysanthemums, just enjoying the moment.

[rovingsolitarything]

Daily Draw

27/04/20

Focus of query:

What is the theme of today?

Card:

The Magician (Reversed)

First impressions:

Perhaps you’re not sure how to use the tools available to you at the moment, or maybe you’re all too aware and things have crossed a line. You might be taking things to extremes - remember just because you can, doesn’t mean you should, and now is not the time to pursue personal gain. Think about your skills and how you can use them effectively. Are you feeling a little stir-crazy, or like you’re trying to pull something impressive from thin air? You’re not the only one. Be mindful of what your strengths are and how you exercise them. What are your intentions? What are the intentions of those around you? Try to see past all the smoke and mirrors - chances are, people can see through yours.

Guided reading:

Physician, magus, disgrace, mental illness, disquiet, trickery, illusions, out of touch, deceit, lack of energy, ill intentions, communication blocks, confusion.

Co-Star says:

(If anyone hasn’t used Co-Star yet, check it out! It’s a really interesting and highly personalised astrology app that explores your full natal chart and can be spookily accurate. I might start including more of this content to help me understand the links between astrology and divination - and because who doesn’t love getting dragged by the stars?)

Reflection:

This all feels like it’s come out of nowhere, and now we’re expected to make it work?! Today is all about the ability to create and utilise the tools at your disposal. Be practical, but resourceful and imaginative. This is especially important when it seems like this power has been taken away from us, or if you’re struggling with your mental health. Keep communication open. Think about what you want to manifest, and try to look for opportunities. Is there anything you’ve been too slow or too quick to take advantage of? You might be one of the lucky ones in tune with this energy, but if you feel drained and empty-handed, think about why you’re struggling to see progress. Are you working for the highest good? Maybe there’s something you’re not understanding, something missing that’s stopping you reaching your full potential. There’s very rarely a quick-fix/magic solution, and if you look for or find one, you’re likely to be disappointed right now, but perhaps there’s still something simple that will work. Make sure you’re not obsessing over the material world, and that you stay in touch with the more fantastical things. You want to embrace your skill and independence, do something impressive, but maybe this doesn’t have to involve all the theatrics. I know I’m guilty of trying to put on a show and wow people. Keep things clear, maintain balance, be practical and open about your intentions and capabilities, and watch the real magic happen!

For my next trick, watch me disappear! Tada! No? Still here? Apocalypse still happening? Oops. Honestly, it’s fine if you’re not quite there yet. Maybe next time start smaller - forget the smoke machine and use the front door...

- CJ

[flockofdoves]

4, 9, 25!

omg.. these are all questions when looking through it i was like. i have a lot of Thoughts abt those ones fdkgjhdfkg. thank you angel!!! also please don’t feel obligated to read All This

i’m kinda embarrassed i wrote this much but i’m not good at editing things down after the fact

4. do you like your name?  is there another name you think would fit you better?

i do! chiara is my birthname and at times through my life i’ve wished for a more androgynous/masculine name but i guess like. my name and its pronunciation and spelling and what it meant to my mom in naming me has been consistent throughout my life i don’t feel like myself without that. if i grew up in italy i’d probably feel differently though bc at least in the north its become like . italian “maddie” lol i get so confused when i go there bc all of a sudden i’ll be hearing my name everywhere

chiaroscura i came up with as a melodramatic kid after i got excited about reading the tale of despereaux that the rat character chiaroscuro had a name so similar to mine and i thought it was cool he shortened it to roscuro. i liked the art style too and it helped people know how to pronounce my name sometimes. no one irl really called me roscura but i’ve been going by it online in addition to chiara since i was a tween

i’ve tried to go by other names throughout my life like cj and arie (pronounced in 3 syllables ah-ree-ay) and rio but none of them really stuck outside of very specific contexts even if i wanted something more androgynous i think i’m just ingrained with this. i’ve thought about having it be chiaroscuro instead but chiaro for short just seems dumb. idk. and even if roscuro sounds fine roscura isnt just Me me its also a name i really associate with like uhhhh.. some dissociative alter stuff so i wouldnt want to take that away from her idk

i was sure when i was younger i’d want to change my middle and last name. my middle name is anne lol so thats very common and i thought it was boring and didnt feel like Me and too feminine etc but in the past couple years with my nana (dads mom) dying and her name was ann and then also my grandma (moms mom) is annette and my moms own middle name is anne i guess even if i dont like it without context i can keep it for history

similarly with my last name. its anglicized swedish and i have no connection to that part of my family and when i was having a really difficult time with my dad i didn’t want it but now that hes died and our relationship got better towards the end i’m more okay with it.

not sure what i’ll do if i ever get married. also have considered changing my name if i ever have trouble with how fucking stupid i’ve been with being openly a communist/disabled/gay/etc online with my full name since i was 11 lol but i doubt that

9. are you an artist?

lol. i’m not sure anymore tbh :( i at least drew stuff almost every day of my life up until like a bit over a year ago now and even if i didn’t think i was any “good” compared to my peers in like . high school AP art who went on to art school and stuff it was a big part of my identity but i let myself fall out of it even when i’d never let depression do that before and just didn’t get that momentum again. i stress about it almost every day since then i keep saying i’m Finally getting back into it but beyond like . art therapy when i was in a php program or the couple sculpture classes i took before i had to drop out of even part time classes and then a few sketches i still haven’t really provably picked things up again. and its not just digital art or cartooning its also my other creative passions like making clothing and cosplay and making stories i feel like a shell of a person without it i’m tired of saying i’ll Soon get back into it. got as far as sketching something for an actual traditional art thing last week so maybe if i finish that i can prove to myself again. i think i have trouble and why i stopped is i wasn’t doing art because i enjoyed the process anymore, i wanted the final product to be good and got discouraged and fell into a grating routine to make art. i need to learn how to enjoy that process again (or just? let myself? idk) i really need to learn that with making comics because i don’t have much proof at all that i can make things beyond like. 6 pages long. and of course with webcomics you’re constantly learning and growing in developing them thats part of the medium. i want to be able to call myself an artist again even if its hard to see that right now. i almost started drawing before i started answering this right now. i hate that i keep pushing it off. i’ve definitely said this before, but it has to be soon

25. could you live as a hermit?

i think this past 9 months has been the closest i’ve ever been to a hermit and its made me very confident that i absolutely could not lmao. i’m so sick of this i need to see proof of life beyond this place and with irl interaction with loved ones beyond my mom on a regular basis stagnating here for even a few months longer is just too much i don’t even feel like a real person anymore and thats concerning on multiple levels lol. its wild to me i even got to this point and kind of ironic that i feel the most isolated i’ve ever felt once i moved to one of the biggest cities in this country. right now i’m sustaining myself by chasing hope of a way out with the start of maybe actual concrete steps towards just . seeing people i love again irl. but honestly even that is freaking me out because realistically it might take longer to get out of this than i’d like to and i really can’t handle being in this situation more than a few months more.

also just in a general sense i think humans need to collaborate and provide for each other. individualist fantasies of just providing for oneself and not having to care for others both jsut . tend to not actually be accurate and can be pretty reactionary. so many people are so isolated in many ways under capitalism and that makes divide and conquer easier but to ensure a future where that won’t be the case we need to build community/dual power/solidarity/etc etc. i feel a bit guilty i’m not putting my actions where my mouth is with that as an individual right now but i guess it makes sense how i got here when so much is structurally at play. its weird intellectualizing that balance sometimes.

i’m so sorry this turned into some fucking . vent tumblr therapy session jesus christ fdgkjhd

[sociologyontherock]

The media’s Representation of Social Activism by Iranian Women

By Elahe Nezhadhossein

The Situation of Women in Iran

Political and religious events in Iran, especially since 1925, have had an impact on Iranian women’s social and economic activities. This includes Reza Khan and Pahlavi’s dynasty and their anti-hijab policies; and after the 1979 Islamic Revolution the compulsory hijab and oppressive laws against women. But what is poorly understood by most people in the West is that the major problems related to gender inequality come from an undemocratic political system rather than the Shi’a interpretation of Islam. Political systems can support patriarchy through the legal system, for example by supporting men through family laws (see, for example, Sylvia Walby).

Despite the oppression that occurs in fundamentalist political systems, women delaying marriage and completing high levels of education challenge patriarchy and fundamentalism (Homa Hoodfar & Fatemeh Sadeghi). Not only did religious laws after the Islamic Revolution not have a negative influence on the economic situations of women, their financial conditions actually improved much more quickly after the Revolution.

 Some feminist activists and scholars in the West as well as Western journalists have an inaccurate impression of the oppression and the veil wearing of Middle Eastern and Muslim women in general. Their misconceptions are based in part on ignorance, racism, and colonialism (Chandra Talpade Mohanty). In her studies of Iranian and other Middle Eastern women’s histories of wearing veils and their social and economic activities, Homa Hoodfar  asserts that Western images of oppression are far from the real situation of these women. Part of the reason why inaccurate and stereotyped images of contemporary women in Muslim countries are common in the West is because the present Iranian government tends to emphasize the more traditional pictures of women and does not portray their active roles in the economic, social, and political arenas of society. At the same time Western commercial mass media tend to focus on images of the more oppressed women because the main news values are novelty, negativity, and deviance.

 The irony of governments subsidizing organizations fostering minority empowerment is that it can lead to bureaucratization and economic dependence on the government. This can divert minority movements and institutions (including the women’s movement) from their radical demands (Roxana Ng). In a country like Iran, which has an ideological government, some women’s institutions poorly reflect the women’s movement. The official institutions for women in Iran support the government’s ideology and encourage the domestic role of women because they receive funding from the government (Valentine Moghadam). This is another reason why representations of Iranian women in that nation’s national media do not aptly represent the activities and situations of its female citizens.

 Comparing employment rates is one way of measuring gender inequality. Rates increased much more quickly for Iranian women in the 1990s than they did during the 1960s and 70s when a pro-Western secular regime was in power (Roksana Bahramitash). This sharp increase in women’s employment challenges the view that religion is responsible for the economic status of women in Muslim countries. Even though women were forced to wear the hijab after the Islamic Revolution of 1979, they have continued to be politically active (Faegheh Shirazi) and active in the economy, including education and business. Behind the hijabs that cover today’s women, there are great minds which are hard at work and committed to transforming their country.

 Social Movements, Media, and Women

 After the Iranian Presidential elections of June 2009, the Green Movement sprang up, protesting the election results that awarded Ahmadinejad a second Presidential term. In response to the widespread positive reaction to this movement, the government expelled in less than one week all international journalists and imprisoned many Iranian journalists and activists. Consequently, fewer free journalists were able to cover the events occurring in the streets in Tehran and other cities.

 Following this crackdown, ordinary citizens began to fill the gap in documenting the Green Movement. They posted the images and videos they took with their hand cams and cell phones on websites such as YouTube and Facebook. These images taken by ordinary citizens were the only record that documented the presence and activism of women.

 This movement was named the Green Movement because the reformist Presidential candidate Mousavi, who became the leader of the movement after the elections, had chosen the color green as a symbol for his party. After the election his supporters kept using green to show publicly that they had voted for him. The main demand of the activists was for democracy and the rejection of the thirty-year-old theocratic authoritarian regime. Iranian women played a huge role in the social uprising after the 2009 election. They believed the democratic movement would successfully help them gain their rights and freedom.

 During the protests of the Green Movement, many women were injured and killed by government forces. The brutality of the police forces left many women with scarred faces, which made it easy to identify them later. But this did not stop them from continuing their protests in the streets. Such bravery also reflects their physically active resistance and the limits of their oppression. Most of the women participating in the Green Movement did not completely cover their hair, resisting the government’s laws aimed at controlling women’s bodies and movement in public. These women have been labeled “bad hijabs” by the regime. Some women did cover their heads and faces but because they did not want the government to recognize them.

Most of the women in the Green Movement were not wearing the roosari properly, as is required by the government’s unwritten rules. This shows their resistance against discriminatory laws. At the same time, some women fully covered their hair or were wearing the chador, though there were not many in comparison to the other women called “bad hijabs.” This shows that even religious women (or women who prefer to cover their hair) were also asking for equal rights for all women and were fighting the government’s discrimination and gender inequality. Women’s participation in the Green Movement was as valuable as that of men.

 After facing increased oppression, women moved their spheres of activity from NGOs and the public to cyberspace, which was safer and more accessible (Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh). Comparing women’s participation in social movements in Iran, Egypt, and Tunisia shows that women were actively – though peacefully – fighting and changing the oppressive system against them (Elham Gheytanchi & Valentine Moghadam).

 Social movements are dependent on communication tools including person-to-person conversations, rumors, the press, the internet, etc. The tools of mass media help movements to organize their activities because they allow participants to share their ideas. New media and the Internet in particular help social movements communicate independently from traditional government control.

 In all societies mass media are under the surveillance of political elites. At the same time activists are likely to be critics of the prevailing power structures. Women’s movements, for instance, have often critiqued media representations of their activities because journalists perpetuate stereotypes about women (Jenn Goddu). But connections between mass media and social movements are multifaceted and dynamic (Suzanne Staggenborg). Social movements result in a wide range of effects, from changing a political regime or laws and policies to invisible changes which occur in people’s minds. Changing policies, laws, political and economic structures may be the main goals of social movements, but over time, their most impressive achievements are likely to be changing people’s perceptions and priorities (Mark CJ Stoddart).

 Drawing on theories of ideology, discourses in the media, networks of power, and the evolution of social movements, I explore Canadian and American mass media. I investigate the extent to which media discourses have been affected or challenged by women’s activities. The discourses disseminated in a nation’s media outlets can be tools for both maintaining – and challenging – power structures with respect to race, ethnicity, and gender. In exploring this phenomenon, I apply content analysis and critical discourse analysis to widely read Canadian and American newspapers. This includes analyzing the manifest and the latent content of news stories about Iranian women (Van Den Hoonard) and comparing images and texts from different time periods.

According to Laclau and Mouffe, discourses shape our views of political and social realities. Mainstream commercial media are likely to be one of the main battlefields for creating and disseminating dominant discourses. Ideologies and texts do not necessarily explain realities accurately. Thus the goal of any analysis of an ideology or discourse should be to expose the realities behind distortions (Stuart Hall). The complicating factor is that readers do not automatically believe something just because it appears in the news. After all, propaganda can be counterproductive. Sometimes the fundamental question is not about truth versus fake news. The reading and viewing practices of audiences can result in the production of counter-discourses. Questions like this then arise. Who benefits from a dominant discourse? What segment of society would benefit if a counter-discourse became more popular? Although a dominant discourse may characterize mainstream news stories, how much information is conveyed in these stories which would let readers come to different understandings of events than the one which is emphasized? In other words, can one-sided news stories encourage dialogue?

[maybetheres-hope]

Ten Things That You Never Expect On roofing.

Next, it is very important get good references. Many roofing firms can provide you with a good estimate, but you wish to make sure that their estimates are accurate and that they get the work executed in the amount of time they indicate in their proposal. Additionally, you need to make it possible for there have been no problems with how the guys who work for the roofing service interact with the family members in the house. You will discover out all this data by contacting individuals who've used their companies up to now. Be sure that to ask open ended questions and questions that give the opportunity for praise as well as critique. You want to listen to the better of what they have to say about the company and the worst. Understanding how a contractor handles adversity and potential setbacks is simply as necessary as the standard of their work. The very first thing that it is advisable to concentrate on is whether or not the contractor has a wealthy work experience or not. Next you'll want to enquire about the kind of labor he has been doing to this point. Take references from him and check out his work high quality. Does your contractor conduct an intensive inspection, analyze the roof condition and provide you with a written price range estimate? A top quality contractor does. The contractor should be such that before taking up the project, he makes an in depth report on the form of damages (exactly mentioning the injury spots). Such a report might embody the roof drawings or pictures (if the contractor is a extra skilled one). The payment mode, which the contractor demands, will also be taken as a parameter to guage his quality. Genuine roofing contractors by no means demand full payment previous to initiation of the undertaking. If your contractor prefers this mode, treat it as a warning sign. By no means rely on a contractor except he enters right into a written contract with you before the commencement of labor. Insert the flashing, put some more cement above it, and push the shingle down. A common proverb says, 'it is better late than never'. Nonetheless, on the subject of roof maintenance, even 'late' can result in severe consequences. Considering at the moment's large apartments and office buildings (with a number of floors), roofs are below immense pressure and are extra liable to damages. In such a state of affairs their upkeep turns into crucial and any delay of their restore can lead to heavy losses. What services roofing contractors provide? When faced with roof troubles, all that that you must search for is-roofing contractors. These contractors provide numerous roofing services, starting from fixing minor issues to putting in a completely new roof.

Had been there problems with the corporate's staff

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Establishes Model Recall

How much does the completed system add to the useless load weight of the roof construction

You first have to loosen the strip that is broken and those on each sides with the pry bar. Apply the roofing cement beneath the shingle where you're going to position the new flashing. Insert the flashing, put some more cement above it, and push the shingle down. Apply sufficient strain so it should correctly attach to the flashing. site here You should at all times be sure that your roof gutters are working correctly. Proper licensing and insurance coverage - Whereas the contractors are on the job you could possibly be held chargeable for any accidents in the event that they haven't got correct licensing and insurance. Any legitimate roofing restore contractor shall be able to provide these paperwork upon request. There is no such thing as a better means to choose the fitting contractor than by doing all your analysis. Really feel confident you might be choosing the right roofing firm for your own home or industrial property. The phrase Search engine optimization means search engine optimizations. At any time when a customer searches for a selected product on a search engine like Google, this engine scrolls by way of big quantity of net pages in addition to exhibits the ends in descending order of relevance. In case your company is displayed contained in the very first page of the search outcomes, you'll acquire greater number of purchasers as a result of people very hardly ever seem past the very first web page. Why Select CJ Roofing? Landscaping and gentle fixtures play supporting roles but the shutter/door colour is key. And here’s the (digital) answer. Brick, wood, steel -all surfaces and substrates- have a definitive hue bias. The hue bias of the brick, for instance, is not any totally different than if it were painted siding. Still using the brick for instance, it’s what I referred to earlier than - a everlasting fixed or non-transient exterior element. And it’s from the everlasting mounted, non-transient parts that you construct exterior shade schemes. As a result of roofs, gutters, shutters, doorways, and so on. might come and go but you’ll by no means replace the brick. It might have been a better plan to coordinate the roof color with the hue bias of the brick however that’s not how this situation played out. Fewer than 1% of roofers nationally hold even one of those designations, much less all three! Why Choose CJ Roofing? Our goal at CJ Roofing is so that you can have an expertise that invites you to be a customer for life. At the beginning, we install an important roof but that's not sufficient. We again our work with the CJ Roofing Assure. We measure ourselves by the experience of our customers and constantly look for tactics to improve their experience with CJ Roofing; that’s why we’ve partnered with GuildQuality to survey every residential replacement buyer. Click right here to see our evaluations. Lastly, you want to try to discover a roofing service firm that offers different providers for the home as effectively. Along with yearly roof upkeep, additionally it is important to do yearly gutter cleaning, siding energy washing, deck cleaning, etc. Many roofing firms have diversified their choices to be able to satisfy more of their customer's wants. People are more likely to deliver you again for roof upkeep in the event that they can also get their siding and gutters washed and cleaned. The issue is more likely to spread-close by shingles additionally are ripped simply or blown away. Missing or torn shingles ought to be changed as quickly as potential. Shingle deterioration: When shingles are previous and worn out, they curl, cut up and lose their waterproofing effectiveness. Weakened shingles simply are blown off, torn or lifted by wind gusts. The tip result is structural rot and inside damage. A deteriorated roof system solely gets worse with time-it must be changed as quickly as doable. Flashing deterioration: Many obvious roof leaks really are flashing leaks.

How To Choose a New Roof for Your House A great intro to tiles and slates There are many different types of roof … http://irishbusinessblog.blogspot.com/2017/08/how-to-choose-new-roof-for-your-house.html … — Complete Car Wash (@completecarwas) August 7, 2017

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[candylani18]

With all the ranting and hate towards @cartoonjunkie for weeks now, I wanted to make this little drawing for her. Now, for anyone curious, there’s been a bunch of things happening on Twitter. NOW, DO KNOW THAT NOT EVERYTHING I SAY WILL BE ACCURATE, I’M PARAPHRASING BASED ON TWITTER AND DEVIANTART. AND IF THERE’S ANY POINTS I MISSED, LET ME KNOW.

So, for anyone who doesn’t know CJ, she’s mostly known to for her Septiplier drawings. Admittedly, when I first saw these drawings, it both got me into the ship and see her as a bit of inspiration. But like every artist, she wasn’t perfect. With all of the cute and funny Septiplier pictures, there were always some really smutty and not very appropriate drawings that you’d have to look deep into the web to find. And especially considering the fact that Jack and Mark are not alright with that stuff, it eventually led to Mark unfollowing her on Twitter. If you want more info, read this.

And for anyone who was oblivious to this certain action, like me, was greeted with several tweets from CJ talking about ending her Septiplier shipping and calling it unreal. For the most part, I was surprised and a little shook, as it came outta nowhere. I was worried if something bad happened and was concerned. And then like a chain reaction, several hate tweets and anon asks came kicking in.

Right now, I’m upset at both sides, and here’s why. I’ll admit, CJ went beyond too far with some of the Septiplier drawings and such, and while Septiplier definitely isn’t real, it felt like backlashing; however, at the same time, for the anons and other certain people who [allegedly] hacked and also send hate asks...just, why? I’m pretty sure she understands her mistakes and wants to move on, belittling her helps nobody. We all do stupid shit online, and many of us learn from our mistakes not to do them again.

But, for the people who are still behind CJ’s back and wants to be there for her, shoutout to you all. As for me, I’m mostly neutral, but if it gets to a point to where hate exceeds, I will not step back.

CJ, if you see this, please know that I don’t want you to stop drawing whatever you feel like drawing; if you don’t want to draw Septiplier anymore, that’s fine with me; if someone hates on you for what you do, forget them. You are one of my favorite internet artists, and I don’t want you to close the curtains or work yourself up. I know that it’s difficult, none of us like hate, but with support and love, the hate can be silenced and we can all move on from this fiasco. I hope you have a great day and keep doing what you love to do.

With love,

candylani18

[xpwewarchive]

XPWEW Friday Night Pyro (1-3-2020)

XPWEW Friday Night Pyro

January 3rd, 2020

Houston, Texas in The Fertitta Center

*Show intro*

Golden Bryce enters the ring to a pretty good pop, he’s popular here as the New International Champion (instant replay shows how he defeated Slayer for it last week at the 2019 Xtremey Awards edition of Pyro)

Golden Bryce enters the ring with microphone in hand and hyped up the Houston crowd to his dismay he is interrupted by The XPWEW World Champ Champagne Clausen who enters wearing Louis Vuitton red bottom shoes and a canary suit, looks pretty G I’ll admit it.

-Champagne says Golden Bryce is just like Deshaun Watson of the Houston Texans, *crowd boos* Unproven and Overrated. *crowd boos*

And as a man from upstate New York, myself I am very excited to see my Buffalo Bills beat you guys tomorrow ha ha ha *crowd boos* BILLS MAFIA!

Golden Bryce smiles and nods “Champagne if I’m the Houston Texans then maybe you are the Buffalo Bills, maybe that’s applicable because just like Bill Mafia I think you’d look a hell of a lot better going through a table *crowd cheers*

Champagne “HA HA HA! Yeah Houston laugh it up, yeah look at you Bryce so pathetic, clinging on with sports jokes, timely references to draw the ire of this crowd here. Truth is nobody likes you and everyone here is tired of you and I know we haven’t been properly introduced but I’ll do that now. I’m Champagne Clausen. I’m YOUR world champion. I’m (SHUT UP!) I’m Houston’s world champion and I am not scared of your challenge. As a matter of fact I endorse it. I’ve beaten Masato Tanaka twice on pay-per-view! Okay I beat the lovable moron Freight Train last week, I even did something you didn’t Bryce (heh) I actually beat Jake Awesome. (Crowd ooos)

Bryce: “So what’s the deal are we doing a Tables match?” (Crowd pops)

Champagne “On God. On Bills Mafia as my witness...You’re damn right” (Champagne cheers his world title with Bryce’s I-N title around his waist) *walks away*

-Ethan Bedlam already in the ring, loosening up and hyping himself up

Garrett Thompson enters

M1: (((Squash Match)))

Garrett Thompson defeats Ethan Bedlam

After the match: All Man comes out with All Woman and goes to speak towards GT but Scott Steiner jerks the mic right out of his hand *Big Pop*

Scott Steiner: “Houston! We have a problem that crumpet and tea drinking big bastard wants a piece of the biggest arms in the world! Ha I’ll break your back you goof!

((Garrett yelling obscenities))

Steiner continued: “All my freaks here wanna see the Big Bad Booty Daddy put a beatdown on some punk that’s why you better find a partner or else get slumped by me and the All man, or just fold like a b**ch (crowd pops)

GG enters and starts punching All Man and Scott Steiner and GT runs up to the ramp and we have an impromptu 2 on 2 right now

M2: Tag Team Match

GT & GG defeat Scott Steiner & All Man w/ All Woman

The match ends when GT hits Steiner with the elbow smash to which GG hits his finisher “The Plunge” off the top rope for the 1-2-3 - All Woman was just a little too slow to break up the count and the tag division might just have a new team in GT & GG (Quite odd bedfellows)

Backstage: James Westerbeck is here for an interview with John Oliver and John just says he’s happy to be here on Friday Night Pyro and since doing his segment on professional wrestling on his show “Last Week Tonight” a few months ago he’s become obsessed with the culture and it’s just a thank you fest until women’s Champ Amy Lee enters with Brian Lee behind her (silent). Amy says she doesn’t like when people who aren’t wrestlers get involved in her business. Oliver makes a quick wit joke “I don’t like when people who aren’t talented at communication get involved in the act” *crowd oohs*

Amy: “Are you calling me stupid? I could break your little ass in half boy”

Lola Starr enters “John, I love your show I watch it every week. I respect your open minded opinions”!

Amy towards Lola: “What the hell do you think your doing freak!”

Lola Starr: “I’m stepping up and ive been here for months and I’ve yet to be given opportunity, being showcased. It’s like I got signed because of the headline. Yes. I’m trans and yes I identify as a woman and yes I am going to challenge you for that title. Tonight.

Amy (looks at Brian Lee)....You got it, let’s see what you goin. (Amy looks at John Oliver and gives him a huge dramatic pull in sloppy kiss).....

Leonard, Dragon and Ms. Ryu enter

Joe Gacy, Brodie Croyle & Kiera Hogan enter

M3: Non Title Match

Leonard McGraw & Dragon Kid (c) vs The Plagueground w/ Kiera Hogan

(((ENDS IN NO CONTEST)))

Match abruptly ends when 3M Ultra comes out and attacks Croyle and Gacy for revenge on them injuring his partner M3 Quintillo last week, He beats them both down with his XTREMEY award and at the climax breaks it over Kiera Hogan’s skull (rough spot)

3M Ultra angrily grabs the mic and says last week my partner was decimated for absolutely no reason by these a**h****s and then the damn company that I bust my ass for gave me that trophy! Really? “The WOAT award” Is this a joke? Get that camera up close I will be taking seriously

Leonard McGraw stances up “Son, do you wanna be taking seriously?”

3M Ultra “Hell Yes!”((Leonard McGraw decks him with a buckshot clothesline) crowd pops huge

McGraw: “I don’t give a damn if it’s Plagueground, The Larva, GT, GG, All Man, All Woman, Kiera Hogan, Hulk Hogan I’m fixin’ to whoop some ass and I’ll do it on anybody who wants smoke. And I got two words for every son of a bitch in the back F*** You

(((McGraw does the hook’em horns and the Houston crowd pops huge)))

Backstage: Doxy Deity is talking sweet and cute-like with Jordan Oliver until Ruckus, Siaka & Chrissy Rivera Walk up

Ruckus “I ain’t tryna buss on ya but bitches really just waste your time pimp”

Doxy “who the f*** you calling a bitch, m*****f*****?”

Ruckus: Hoe don’t give me no nut roll

Jordan: Ruckus bro don’t man it ain’t necessary for all this beef right now

Ruckus: Nigga I’m trying to win titles ok and if we gonna be a team I need to make sure you got Noooooooo distractions and Dox, I, I, I, I respect you, you know what I’m saying but my boy here is young, he dumb and he over this (crowd laughs). Listen pimp I don’t care what y’all do, I might even get Chrissy to watch, shit but I wanna win gold and if you ain’t trying to do that, Then I might have to dip and go solo and get mines cause best believe Ima get mines.....

Rosemary walks by McGraw and Dragon Kid quickly and comes to the aid of Kiera Hogan her just got blasted in the head by 3M Ultra with his “WOAT” Xtremey Award..

Slayer enters

Dramatic pause between entrances because the crowd knows this is CJ’s final match

))((Chris Johnson Career Retrospective Video Plays))((

Chris Johnson enters the ring; one final time to his old theme song “Stay Fly by Three 6ix Mafia”

Chris Johnson’s wife Erin Brown aka Misty Mundae is in the front row of the ramp way and he kisses her forehead during his entrance

Retirement Match

M4: Slayer w/ Rosemary & Kiera Hogan defeats Chris Johnson

After the match and the loss the crowd pops for Chris Johnson

((THANK YOU CJ *clap clap clap clap*))

Chris Johnson grabs the mic: No complaints about the match, No complaints about this crowd, No complaints, No excuses. Wherever we were, Whatever I did. I always left my blood and sweat on this canvas and I’m not gone, I’ll be around but this is my final night as an in-ring competitior and...

***lights go purple***

LOTUS enters

((Lotus walks into the ring and Chris Johnson looks around, perplexed and confused.))

((Lotus kicks Chris Johnson square in the groin))

{{Crowd oddly pops for it though, Houston is weird}}

LOTUS unmasks

Nick Simmonds on commentary : “ Katie, that’s. Wait that’s..that’s Slayer’s daughter Hazel! What the world!

Kaitlyn Khaos on commentary: “Nick, Hazel has a very very odd past with Chris Johnson”

Lotus looks at a downed Chris Johnson “Do you remember me!!!! The anguish and abuse you put me thorough!!! You tried to take me away from my family. You son of a bitch I’ve waited a long time to do this!!!”

((Slayer beaten up and Rosemary looking on from the corner of the ring))

LOTUS goes outside and grabs a steel chair and beats Chris Johnson with the steel chair over and over again repeatedly until eventually even Slayer and Rosemary try to get her to stop and LOTUS looks at Slayer and Rosemary then just whams Chris Johnson with the chair really hard one more time. *Crowd stunned*

Chris Johnson is lifeless in the ring

LOTUS exits slowly by herself and then walks by Erin Brown (the wife of Chris Johnson). Drags her over the guardrail and starts pulling her hair and kicking her until Arena security gets involved and pulls LOTUS away kicking and screaming.

Advertisement: Golden Bryce and Dr. Disrespect “What is Twitch” commercial #2

HBO’s Last Week Tonight set up is put together pretty accurately in the ring

John Oliver enters

In ring segment: Welcome to Last Pyro, Tonight with John Oliver. Please welcome tonight’s guest the xpwew world champion Champagne Clausen

Oliver makes jokes at Champagne’s expense

Compares the vegetation of his father to the Brexit events

Regina Clausen is really the Ivanka Trump of XPWEW, because she’s talentless, has done nothing to earn her position, Only in said position because her father gave it to her and at times it looked like he wanted to have sex with her (crowd groans)

John Oliver runs down the numbers between Champagne’s 22-0 streak vs Jacques 89-0 streak.

John Oliver shows much sympathy for how the story of Freight Train has been one of hope and disaster

After sitting there for the most part taking in all of these insults Champagne sits up in his chair and Says

Champagne: “John I like you. I even like your show well I guess used to. I always start John Stewart did it better (crowd groans). John you come out here and mock my father, my sister. I don’t even care. They didn’t win this title for me. I wasn’t handed anything lest I remind you I worked very hard for the past 5 years to get to this level, to this stage. Hell, to even be in a monstrosity of a segment with someone like you John. And my answer is I don’t care. None of your jokes phase me. My dad is a vegetable. Yea. I drove my sister off the stage inside of a Pope mobile. I did that. John I’m not like a politician who will look you in the face and lie. I did these things. I’m glad my dad is in a coma. I’m happy my sister is damn near handicapped somewhere. And I’m freakin’ ecstatic that Freight Train’s Cinderella story last week came to a screeching hault.

John Oliver (was that pun intended?)

Golden Bryce enters

(Stage hands clear the Last Week Tonight set quickly but leave John Oliver’s table in the ring, this table match is gonna start

World Champ vs International Champ

Tables Match

M5: Champagne Clausen defeats Golden Bryce

(((John Oliver got mildly involved in the match but he didn’t take a bump, just ran away)))

The match ends when both men our on the top rope and Bryce was sizing up Champagne for the Super-Plex off the top rope and Champagne had the resilience to reverse it, slide down Bryce’s back and hoist him backward for the Electric Chair drop through the table and your winner Champagne Clausen!!!!

Champagne Clausen rolls out of the ring with ease and pushes over the John Oliver “Last Week Tonight” screen monitor then holds him world title up walking up the ramp as the show ends...

[mredwinsmith]

3 Insider Tips to Land the Art Internship of Your Dreams

Goodbye Summer, Hello Internship!

Richard Whitten’s intern, Ashley Pelletier, is working on underpainting for a series of small experimental paintings.

  We know how important it is to land an art residency or internship. We also know how hard it is to feel noticed, and we want to help.

It’s time to set aside the suntan lotion and perfect those resumes! Accomplished artist Richard Whitten is here with three steps to get you closer to your dream internship.

1. Research

To start, research your state arts council. These state organizations are partially funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and collectively represented by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies.

State arts councils are great sources not only of grant monies but also of information. They provide seminars on artist professionalism, and they keep artist registries which are accessed by organizations across the country.

And, when looking for residencies, try resartis.org. This website is wonderful because it gives a comprehensive listing of residencies by country.

If you are more interested in an internship than a residency, you need to understand most professional artists use assistants. But the manner in which the relationship is made isn’t standardized. I usually cherry-pick students who have or could develop skills I need in the studio. But, more commonly, students write letters to artists offering to work for them.

Fingers crossed you get an interview, but be aware the artist will determine whether he or she can work closely with you. Respect the fact you’ll not be entering just any studio, but the artist’s private world of art-making. You’ll be living with his or her work habits, not imposing your own.

2. Apply

Manifest Creative Resource Gallery and Drawing Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, invites artists to apply for a residency that provides housing and studio space.

  Applications to residencies and even letters inquiring about internships all include the same elements: samples of your work, an artist’s statement and project proposals. Submit the best possible images of your work. The standard number for a set of application images is 10.

Learn basic Photoshop techniques. The full Photoshop application is expensive, but Photoshop Elements isn’t. Take high-resolution images that can be reduced to the specifications of the grant.

  Australian-born artist CJ Hendry works with a studio manager and director in New York.

  Keep your artist’s statement simple and short, under one page. Avoid flights of fancy and poetry and clichés: “I could never have been anything but an artist;” “My paintings are a communion of my soul and yours.” Read your statement aloud, and make sure the sentences actually mean something. Be honest. Don’t brag, but don’t underplay yourself.

The best projects to propose are the ones that are already half finished. If you’ve completed a similar project in the past, so much the better, because you’ll be able to describe the current project accurately. Your objective is to show your project is worthwhile and you’re capable of completing it within the time and budget allotted.

  Illustrator Elisha Cooper works in a studio out of his home.

3. Get started NOW!

One final bit of advice: Don’t wait until the last minute! Organize your images and write your three essays. Then the application process won’t be so daunting when an opportunity arises. You’ll easily be able to modify your essays and image selection to fit individual applications. Good luck, artists!

*The information featured in this post was written by Richard Whitten and pulled from an upcoming article of The Artist’s Magazine

The post 3 Insider Tips to Land the Art Internship of Your Dreams appeared first on Artist's Network.

from Artist's Network http://ift.tt/2hu4NeW

[villasinkottayam]

HOME IN KOTTAYAM Part - I

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What ignites our fire is our ability to constantly translate our clients' needs into a spectacular home they have been dreaming about . Our secret to success is no secret to those who have chosen CJS Haritha Homes. We provide quality customer service and complete client satisfaction. Our teams' communication with our clients is foremost in creating an enjoyable home-building experience as well as providing our clients with product information and construction process knowledge. You can be confident that we have the resources to build your home with the highest level of design and craftsmanship. Our commitment to excellence is reflected through our focus on your refined personal tastes. We view dwellings as essential art forms -- not commodities.

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