#i’d like to thank wings of fire for making me great at designing and describing dragon species

[ace-and-sleepdeprived]

The Scaled Aranaea (aka Spider Dragons)

A species of spider-inspired dragons that inhabit the continent of Pryla in Earth-5741A and the species of dragon that my dragon rider spidersona is bonded with!

When it comes to statistics, Scaled Arenaes are around 27 feet long and 8 feet tall, with 40 foot wingspans. [Oleander is about 7'5 feet tall, and his rider, Aneirin is about 5'10.]

The Scaled Aranaeas have long, slender bodies with smooth scales and fairly long limbs, allowing them to easily traverse through the tall trees of their home, the Kinderlam Forest. Their scales are generally dull and dark colors, as to blend in better with the forest to better trick prey. Their colors can be muted browns, dark grays, and even a little bit of black.

[TW!! spider!!]

They have the same dark patterning like Wolf Spiders, and typically come in the same colors.

Their scales are covered in a thin yet soft layer of fur-like hair called trichobothria [same name for the hair on actual spiders!] that are highly sensitive to shifts in the air to allow them to detect threats and prey, even in total darkness.

They have eight eyes like spiders do, with two large main ones and all of them black in color. While their lack of pupils or iris may make you think their eyesight is limited or bad, they actually have great eyesight, and can see things up to 3 miles away. Their snouts are about medium length, shorter than other dragons but still visible. They have two exposed mandibles on the sides of their mouths that are used to hold onto prey when attacking, and their teeth are laced with strong paralytic venom that is used to fully paralyze trapped prey. Once their venom is used, their saliva will become slightly corrosive due to the presence of the venom, to make it easier to eat and digest their prey.

One of their most distinctive features is the presence of two spider-like limbs on both of their sides, making four in all. They extend from their spine, beneath their wings, and are essentially legs that didn’t develop into fully functional limbs. Instead they’re made of thick bone and covered in thin scales and thin hair, used to grip onto the trees and better hold onto opponents or mates. They can’t exactly be retracted, so instead they curl around the Aranaea’s stomach and sides when in flight.

Their wings are decently sized for a forest dwelling species, as the Aranaea like to travel from one part of the Kinderlam forest to another in order to find better sources of food or mates. They’re similar to that of a bat, and sometimes the Aranaea will wrap their wings around themselves as a blanket to keep warm in colder temperatures.

Their tails are fairly long and are equipped with a sharp pointed barb at the end that can be used to stab into attackers, but it’s more used to stab into trees to have better grip while climbing. They often coil their tails around tree limbs and can be used to pick things up, making them prehensile.

They have silk glands in their front wrists and back legs that produce a strong, sticky web that is difficult to escape from. Massive webs are a common sight in the Kinderlam Woods, and it’s best to avoid them at all costs, otherwise you might become a snack for a hungry Aranaea.

Their diet consists of all kinds of things, from smaller dragons, the large insects inhabiting the forest, deer, goats, cows, bears.. sometimes humans. Whenever livestock escapes from nearby farms or settlements, the animals often end up in an Aranaea web, as they’re woven closer to the ground to more effectively trap ground prey. They can be ambush predators as well, pouncing on unsuspecting prey. But this isn’t as common, since they only really ambush their prey if their starving or desperate.

The Aranaea are a solitary species, living alone until they mate and have dragonets, before going off on their own once more. When they do have dragonets, their clutches can have up to fifteen eggs, similar to the large amount of hatchlings spiders have. When the dragonets are old enough, they set off on their own after being taught by their parents.

They’re pretty skittish, choosing rather to flee than to fight. But when they’re threatened, they’re wild yet calculated fighters, finding their opponents weak spots and exploiting them before using their webs and venom to render them motionless. Because of their unsettling appearance and defensive behavior they’re a species that other creatures of the Kinderlam Forest know not to mess with.

Oleander

Oleander is a tamed Scaled Aranaea, his rider being Aneirin Kelkian of a small village deep in the heart of the Kinderlam, known as Livran, a place where stragglers of many humanoid species dwell. He was found by Aneirin outside of the village, injured by a trap set by hunters of the kingdom of Uxuira, led by the tyrant king, Norman Osborn, or better known as Osborn the Vicious. Although initially distrusting of the half-elven, the two of them slowly began to build a bond as Aneirin visited with food nearly everyday while he healed. He earned his name Oleander because of his patterning, and how he was beautiful yet deadly.

[this is how his coloration looks, not amazing at blending in but pretty!! lol] Once Oleander was comfortable enough with Aneirin, she got the idea of trying to ride him like a knight would on a steed. Old stories told of dragon riders in the long distant past of Pryla, and with the rising threat of the Uxuira Empire, it was time for the age of dragon riders to return to defend the innocent that were suffering under Osborn’s rule. The first flight went a lot like when Hiccup first put the saddle on Toothless, but they have their Test Drive moment and become fully bonded as dragon and rider. As for his personality, Oleander is a lot like Toothless. Loyal to Arenirin and fiercely protective of her, while also being curious and intrigued by other animals and creatures, albeit cautious about it.

[he also acts like a cat in a lot of ways, lmao]

[this is just an overview of what kind of dragon oleander is and a little bit about his and aneirin’s world, but i’ll post more about them as i slowly develop it more and more!]

[timeseternity]

1/1

I love you. I have for years. Years. You sat across from me at Buffalo Wild Wings in 2017 and said, “What’s going to happen here? Are we going to leave our significant others for each other and ride off into the sunset?” And before I could answer, you answered your own questions. You said “no”. And I so badly wanted to say “yes”. I wanted that then, and I want it now. I was so scared when you came back into my life full force. Then I saw you when you came here. I felt you. I kissed you. And I remembered why I wanted to say “yes” back then. The man in front of me, that had ventured across the country, with a whole new set of scars and pain, was still very much the man I wanted to say “yes” to. I loved you then, and I love you now. You hurt me. You really did. Me trying to understand what I’m doing wrong and how to fix it is not me being dumb, or manipulative. It’s me trying to figure out how to change, and how to love you better. How to love you the way you want to be loved... the way you need to be loved. I was trying to show you a love you’ve never experienced, but a love you deserve. A love that is willing. A love that understands change is necessary. I wanted to know how to love you better, how to love you right. I wish you saw that. Instead you hurt me, just like you intended to. And that’s okay. I would’ve taken it ten times over if it meant having you for the rest of my life. Through the fire with you. For real. The weight cuts, late nights, early mornings, long days, crippling workouts. I’d do it with you, for you, alongside you. Whatever it may have been. If it was with you, I’m game. Bring it on, because I really believed we would’ve made it to the other side. And not just made it. But dominated. You are one of one. Seriously. 1/1 There is no one like you. There is no man like you. No love like yours. You showed me a once in a lifetime love in such a short amount of time. I will never, ever, love like that, or be loved like that, again. Ever again. Thank you. Truly. Your love is one that I will yearn for, for the rest of my life. 1/1 I am sorry. I hope you know that. I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry I failed you. I’m sorry, bug. I’d do it all differently if I had the chance. I’d go back to that first FaceTime date, the 4 hour one. And I’d tell you I loved you then. You deserved to hear it. I’m sorry I was too scared to say it.

You’re going to look back on our time together and consider it a waste. And that kills me. Because there’s no way it will ever be that for me. I consider my time wasted when I don’t learn, grow, or feel. But all of that happened. I learned that I cannot allow my past to ruin my future. I learned what it means to be seen, and loved for it. I also learned that it’s hard to love someone who is hurt… Especially when you’re still healing yourself. I’ve grown to understand that I need to be better, to want more, and to fight for it. I’ve grown to see and recognize that I have so many things within myself that I need to change and fix, before I can be the woman that you needed me to be. And I felt. I felt it all. The strongest love. The passion. The biggest arms that held me when I felt so small. The best lover. The best. 1/1 I felt what it was like to truly make love to someone. I felt what it was like to truly be made love to. 1/1 I felt every inch of your body. A body that was built to love me. Every scratch. Every scar. Every muscle. Every out of place bone that somehow was still perfectly placed to make the man in front of me. I felt lips that were made to kiss me. And rough hands that were made to hold mine, gently. I felt your breath on my neck, followed by the way you’d squeeze me a little tighter. Your kiss. On my lips. My neck. My forehead. My hand. Anywhere. And I felt the love you had for me, just when you looked at me. I never told you this, but the way you hugged me on my doorstep… I long for that. I felt your genuine happiness in seeing me again. The way you squeezed me. It was subtle. But it was enough. It was enough. I can’t explain it. But I knew that moment, there is no other like you. 1/1 I also felt a pain that I cannot describe. One that I will never wish for someone else to feel. This man that I love, that I see as greater, stronger, more capable than any man I know… Broke me with words. And tossed me away. And I believed we were so much stronger than that. I believed that when I felt your love. I believed we could love each other through it all. Not cut each other down. Not hurt each other. And certainly not walk away from each other. You’re a fighter. So am I. I was ready to fight through it. To fight for it. To fight beside you. To fight for you. But you didn’t let me. I wish you let me show you just how much I was willing to fight. Losing you wasn’t an option. But you made it clear that having you wasn’t an option either. I’m sorry I hurt you. I wish I could spend my days showing you how much I love you. Saying it will never be enough.

You deserve it all. You deserve it all. A man like you is not meant to go through life with anything less than what he deeply desires. A man like you is made to obtain all that which he desires. I see it in you. 1/1 You are not designed to lose. You are not designed to fail. Promise me that you will not spend your life with someone who doesn’t see how truly worthy you are. Do not spend your life with someone who thinks it’s okay if you settle. It’s not. God did not design you to settle. There is a drive in your eyes that I have never seen in anyone else before. You are not made to accept less than. There is a fire in you that I need. A fire that I fell in love with. You are the man I saw guiding and leading my family through life with. I cannot say this enough. There is something in you that no other man possesses. There is a fight in you that I have never seen before. You are it. You have to promise that you are going to be with someone who doesn’t just believe that, who doesn’t just know that, but someone who will not accept anything less from you. You will not fail, simply because it just isn’t allowed. You are too great to accept anything less. 1/1 I am yours. My heart is yours, as long as it’s beating. I will spend my life looking for a man with a fire like yours, a love like yours, a mind like yours... Like yours. Like yours. Like yours. My pain will stop. My heart will mend. And I will continue searching. I love you. Always.

[commander-passiflora]

Miscommunication

Day 2 of Valentine’s fic week! Today’s prompt is Memorable Dates, so this is kind of a brief history of Toril’s relationship with Erlend, who eventually becomes her husband, but this is like. Early early days kinda thing. This is like awkward baby Toril though, before she was all confidence and swagger. It was really fun to play with that part of her history!!

Again, this is also posted on ao3, so here’s a link for that for anyone who prefers. Thanks for reading! <3

“Hi, um, is this--sorry, I’ve never been to Lion’s Arch before. I’m looking for a blacksmith?”

Erlend sighed from his place behind the counter. Normally at this time of day, he’d have someone else watch for customers while he tended the forge, but right now he was working on a design for a rather expensive axe someone had commissioned, so he had the distinct pleasure of fielding stupid questions from random LA tourists.

“Well, I’m a blacksmith, and this is my shop, but--” he said, turning to face the woman.

What he saw stopped him dead in his tracks.

She was large, tall even for a norn, with silver hair down to the small of her back, held neatly in a braid. She didn’t fit in with the tourist crowd in the slightest--this was a woman on a mission, that he could be certain of. She was clad in heavy, bulky combat armor, with a shabby iron sword strapped to either hip, and her eyes held...something. Something he couldn’t put words to. A power.

“But…?” the woman echoed as he stared at her, wide-eyed.

“But...it’s very dependent on what kind of services you’re looking for,” Erlend said, shaking his head to bring him back to reality. “My prices are a bit steep for the average adventurer.”

“Ah, well, it’s a good thing I’m not the average adventurer then,” she said with a smile that he could’ve sworn stopped his heart for a second or two. “You wouldn’t happen to be Erlend Holgerson?” 

“That’d be me,” he said. “I take it you’re here to commission something, then, if you’re seeking me out specifically.”

“That I am,” the woman said, reaching out a hand for him to shake. “Name’s Toril. Tainesdottir. I saw you eyeing my swords, and that is exactly why I’m here. They’re terrible. I need better ones.”

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Toril Tainesdottir. I’d be happy to help you out, but I have to warn you, it’ll be a few months before I can get to work on any new commissions.”

“I’m willing to wait,” Toril said. “I want the best, and everyone says that’s you. These swords are going to see quite a bit of use; I want something that’ll last.”

“Is that so?” Erlend inquired.

“Yeah, um, I was just recruited to the Vigil. About two weeks ago now, I guess, and my first official mission is soon, so I want to go in ready for whatever they throw at me. Make a good impression, climb the ladder, you know?”

“Sure, but like I said, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to get them done with such a quick turnaround.”

“I understand,” she said. “That’s not what--I mean, joining was what made me want to get--but I--you know what? I am making a terrible first impression here. You must think I’m an idiot.”

“Not at all. I try not to make a point of judging customers in general,” he said, “but honestly, you’re a refreshing change from my usual crowd.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I mean, I became a weaponsmith because I wanted to make weapons, but once you have enough of a reputation, you start getting inundated with orders from rich snobs who want showpieces. It’s a pleasure to have a proper fighter seek me out.” 

“Well, I promise your work will see plenty of fights in my hands. I’m going to be a legend, you know,” Toril said.

Erlend laughed heartily.

“I believe it,” he said. “Well, I can go ahead and get started on a design for you, even if it’ll be awhile before I can really get working on it. You have some time to talk shop?”

“Sure, but could we do it over lunch? I’m starved.”

***

“So you’re a revenant?” Erlend said, taking a sip of ale. “I’ve never met a revenant before. I’ve heard of them, o’course, but I sort of thought they were just a tall tale.”

“Well, we’re certainly not a common bunch,” Toril laughed, “but we exist. In my case, I ended up in the Mists because of Bear, and she was the one who set me on the path. I’ve heard all sorts of stories, though, of how other people got started on theirs.”

“What, do you have meet ups or something?” he joked.

“Not exactly, but since there’s so few of us, sometimes we seek each other out to train and swap tips. Personally, I’m a bit more of a ‘figure it out as I go’ type, but I’ve helped out a couple kids who were just getting used to it after an accidental foray into the Mists. It’s hard to cope with. Changes you.”

“Well, I’d love to hear more about it,” Erlend said, “but let’s focus on the swords for now, if that’s alright with you.”

“Yeah, of course, absolutely. Maybe I can tell you about it another time,” she said, and Erlend felt his heart flutter. “What do you need to know to get started?”

“Well, for one thing, what’s your budget look like?”

Toril chuckled and said, “How about you tell me what you think it’ll cost when all is said and done, and I’ll deal with it? Your work is the best. I’ve been saving for months to commission you.”

“Ah, that’s--you’re too kind.”

“No, seriously,” Toril said. “I’ve been planning this for a while.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “Mhm. Everything really kicked off for me about a year ago, when I won the Great Hunt by slaying Issormir. After that, I was lucky enough to have Eir Stegalkin take me under her wing, and she recommended that once I was able, I come to you. Been saving every bit of spare change since then.”

“You’re Eir Stegalkin’s new protege?” Erlend asked, eyes wide. “I’ve heard so many great stories, but I never--wow, it’s--it’s an honor.”

“No, no, don’t do that, please. You’re the first norn I’ve met in ages to not lose it when they heard my name.”

“Fair enough,” he said. “I can understand that. I’ll let it go, on one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“You tell me your version of some of those stories yourself.”

She smiled, radiant and genuine and world-spinning. 

“I’d like that.” 

***

A week later and Erlend was meeting her at a practice field on the edge of the city. Turns out, it’s a bit hard to design weapons for a combat style you’ve never seen, and Toril agreed to give a demonstration. He was nervous, honestly, his stomach full of butterflies. Something about her was just...captivating.

“So the basics of how revenants fight are pretty out there,” Toril explained. “We, um, channel energy from the Mists, and it allows us to use a wide variety of skills.”

“So you use Mist energy to improve your combat abilities?”

“It’s...more than that. I channel specific people. Or beings, I guess. Their spirits. And they allow me to use their knowledge and strengths and skills to improve my own abilities in combat. Or, well, they don’t all allow it, per se.” She chuckled. “Sometimes it’s more that I just strongarm them into it.”

“I’ll be honest, I’m not sure I understand,” Erlend admitted. “Can you just show me?”

“I can certainly try,” she said. “Be prepared, though. I’ve had some people tell me it’s a little...disturbing.”

He didn’t know what to say to that, so he just shrugged and gestured toward a practice dummy. She smiled at him, winked (he thought he might faint at that), and then closed her eyes and drew her swords. When she opened them, they were glowing with a bright blue fire. It was like nothing he’d ever seen.

The same blue flames licked her wrists as she shadowstepped to a target and sliced it in half with a quick motion, sending sand spilling to the ground. She turned, raised a hand as if calling something down, and a moment later, a brick road--or magic shaped to look like one, anyway--was materializing before her, crushing three of the dummies as it went. She turned to another--the last one, now--and shadowstepped to it, before darting in and out of the Mists, delivering quick strikes faster than he could keep up with. When she stopped moving, she crossed her swords and conjured a chain, sending it flying to wrap around the target. Raising her hand again, she called down--he wasn’t sure he could describe it. It looked like the spirit of a dragon, but that was--that was ridiculous. Wasn’t it? 

It must have been real enough, because when it beat its wings it sent the target flying across the field. After a moment, Toril turned to him, panting, and sheathed her swords with a grin. He watched with fascination as the fire slowly disappeared from her eyes. 

“Yeah, I--sorry. I know it’s a little much,” she said, looking down as she approached him.

“No--I--that--” Erlend stammered. He took a deep breath, collected himself, tried again. “That was the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen. You’re incredible.”

“Oh, um, thanks. I, uh...I’m not used to compliments. Most people seem really creeped out by revenants.”

“People tend to fear things they don’t understand,” Erlend says. “Me, I’ve always liked a good mystery.”

Toril raised a single eyebrow, and for one tense moment, the smith thought he may have overstepped, until her rough facade gave way to a tender smile.

***

They met up a few more times, here and there. It was always at her invitation and under the guise of talking about the swords, about Toril’s combat skills, about what it’s like to be an oddity, what it’s like to forge a legend--anything that could be dismissed as strictly business. Erlend thought that was all it was, really. Business. She was fascinating and wild and dangerous and beautiful, and he was a smith born and raised in Lion’s Arch and distanced from his own culture for so long that every time it came up with Shiverpeaks natives he learned something new. 

This time, she’d asked him to dinner, and how on Tyria could he say no to that? 

Toril told him about her first mission with the Vigil--a resounding success, of course--and about her mentor, a stern norn Warmaster who had made a point of keeping her ego in check. He told her about some rich bastard who’d stumbled drunk into his shop and demanded Erlend make him a fine greatsword within the fortnight. 

“So hey,” Toril said at one point, a little serious to fit within the laughter they’d been sharing, “I wanted to, uh, talk to you about something.”

“About what?” Erlend asked, just a touch nervous.

“Oh it’s--it’s nothing bad!” Toril assured. “I don’t mean to make you worried, it’s just that--well, with where this seems to be going, and seeing as I really, really like you, I think you should probably know that, um, well...I have a girlfriend?”  

“You have a girlfriend?” Erlend parroted.

“Yeah, well, see, we have this, uh, arrangement, I guess you could say. We both have other partners. Or, well, can. She’s the only one I have currently. Unless, y’know…”

“I, um--forgive me, please,” Erlend said, “but is there--is there a particular reason you feel I should know this?”

“Oh, um, were you not…? Like, I thought you were maybe interested in me, and I’m more than a little interested in you, and...you know…”

“Are you--has this--have we been going on dates?” Erlend babbled.

“Haven’t we been?” Toril answered, now just as confused.

“I thought this was--I didn’t think you were--I didn’t want to presume anything, but well, you’re so--and just--”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Toril said, holding up a hand in an attempt to calm him, “it’s alright, Erlend. Stuff like this happens. Miscommunication and all. I’ve been asking to see you because I like you. I think you’re sweet, and you understand me, and you have this grounding sort of energy about you that I can’t seem to stay away from. I thought I had communicated that, but I suppose not well enough.”

“Oh.”

“Oh?”

“Well, y’see, you walked into my shop and I--” Erlend tried, took a deep breath, started again. “When I saw you, I think my heart stopped for a minute. You’re absolutely, stunningly gorgeous, and funny, and a badass, and just absolutely otherworldly, but I don’t go after customers. It’s rude. I’m not the type for that, bothering a lady just trying to buy a weapon. Too many other assholes out there who like to do that sort of thing. If someone makes the first move, well, I’m not opposed, but...I enjoy spending time with you, but I just assumed someone like you wouldn’t really be interested in...well, me.”

“Why on Tyria would you assume that?” Toril asked.

“Your life is so...I don’t know. Interesting? I’m just me, and you’re, well, you.”

She reached a hand across the table, placing it over one of his that had been fidgeting nervously with the wood. 

“Didn’t you hear the part where I said I like you?” she asked with a gentle smile.

“It may have gotten a bit lost in there somewhere,” Erlend admitted. 

Toril chuckled and lifted his hand, holding it in both of hers. 

“Every bit of time I’ve spent with you, I’ve enjoyed,” she said. “And I’d like to spend more time with you, if you’d like to spend more time with me.” 

“I...yeah. I’d like that, too,” the smith said, nodding awkwardly. After a long pause, he added, “So what do we do now?”

“Well,” Toril said, smiling brightly, “how do you feel about ice cream?”

[unnecessary-database]

Ok so I have a really important headcanon that there’s an intern or two that figures out Kara is Supergirl, purely because they have major puppy dog crushes on her and she’s also sorta one of their gay awakenings ok so

It’s a guy and a girl who’s in the midst of a gay realization. Well, bi. She’s bi. she hasn’t quite figured this out cause the guy and the girl are dating. They’re the investigative journalism interns and their names are Conner and Mia, they’re about to be seniors in high school, and they’re sharp and full of ambition and precious.

Conner has this hero worship thing with James a lil bit and Mia does with Kara but Conner doesn’t get these big butterflies when James talks with him the way Mia does with Kara (still hasn’t clued in), but Conner agrees Kara is very very cool and attractive (“she’s just so pretty, Conner, I want to be just like her!”)

So Kara takes them both under her wing a little bit and they learn about investigating things—digging deeper, seeing more, getting the full story. And they decide that in that vein, they want to do an investigative piece on Kara

(Cue Alex in the back, facepalming as she yells NO and Kara laughs nervously and says sure I guess)

I mean, it’s a fluff piece. Designed to just say thanks. 1500 words, tops. Okay, maybe 3000. Or 5000. She’s really cool, okay!

And Conner and Mia are both good writers. They piece this thing together over several weeks of carefully observing her and listening to her little stories and tips.

And then, one night they’re writing, and they start to notice something. Despite Kara having interviewed Supergirl several times, they’ve never seen them in the same room. They’ve met Supergirl, who’s super cool, and she said she heard about them from Kara, who thinks they’re great. But Kara wasn’t there to introduce them. Huh.

It’s more little things. They brush off thing after thing, but somewhere in between the same little scar and the same earrings and the same hair color (seriously, Conner, it’s so beautiful I don’t know how she gets it to look like that) and the same way she crosses her arms, Mia and Conner are really wondering some things.

Then Conner hears about this thing called veinology or something. It’s this new police method of tracking people down based on the veins in their hands (and they did it on Hawaii five o once, Mia it’s gotta be legit). They can do it with just a picture.

Mia (naturally) has a couple (okay, avou about 20 at least) pictures on her phone/scrounges some up from the internet of Kara’s hands. They find plenty of Supergirl’s hands (and some very explicitly commentary about her hands that have Mia blushing—“Jesus Christ, of course she has nice hands, I mean duh, her fingers are really long and strong and her nails are always nice and she could totally be a hand model but people, seriously”).

And. They’re a match. It’s a little hard to tell because of the thumb covers. But. It’s definitely the same set of hands.

Conner and Mia stare at each other in numb shock, piecing together every little thing. Her occasional sudden absences. Her huge appetite. The way she picked Mia up off the ground without any apparent effort when she wrapped her up in a hug last week because Mia had a bad day (Mia remembers it getting better after that). A thousand tiny things, clicking together like the world’s longest zipper, leaving a seamless pattern in its wake.

Conner looks at Mia. “Do we... do we finish it? The editorial?”

Mia chews on her lip for several long seconds. “Yeah,” she says it. “I need to see what we write. But no one can know we know. We can’t do that to her. So, we can’t talk about the editorial, we can’t publish it, we can’t even tell our moms. None of it. We write this for ourselves.” And Conner nods. And they keep writing.

Kara hugs them both goodbye a week later, when their summer internship is up. She’s sad to see them go, but a little confused as to their faces as of the last week—a little more hero worship than usual. Conner hugs a little tighter than most humans, or himself in the past. He squeezes really tight, but she obviously barely feels it and just smiles at him like everything’s normal. Mia has a nervous energy all day and when Kara makes sure to take a moment and look into her eyes and ask if everything is okay, she looks a little like she’ll faint but accepts a hug gratefully.

They leave after the morning, and when Kara comes back after chasing down a lead that afternoon, it’s to an editorial on her desk, folded up in an envelope with her name in Mia’s loopy scrawl. Thinking it’s a thank you note, she opens it unsuspecting.

KARA DANVERS: SUPERGIRL.

Kara can’t breathe, but forces herself to look at the page. It’s four full pages, styled like a CatCo editorial. Well, a long one. But one beautifully designed and stylized and spaced and, most of all, masterfully written.

It takes two pages to describe every wonderful thing about Kara as a mentor. What the mentor ship meant to them, told in little snippets of their adventures under her wing. Then it delves into the story of their investigation. How they figured it out. The little pieces.

It ends with a couple poignant paragraphs, parts of which stood out to her:

Kara Danvers may don a cape in her nonexistent free time, but she doesn’t need superpowers to save people, give hope, and bring a smile to your face.

Though her secret may be impeccably hidden to the public, anyone who truly takes the time to see this extraordinary woman with an objective eye will note that something about her shines.

We don’t ask her to give up her secret identity. Merely that she trust us enough to know we trust her and would never betray her.

Lena’s working a late night and finds Kara reading this with tears dripping down her face and asks what’s wrong. Kara plays it off as a really touching thank you note and Lena just smiles. Of course it is. You deserve it.

Kara makes a copy and hands it to James the next morning. “Someday,” she says haltingly, “someday the world will know who I am in my entirety. Someday very, very far away. Farther away than my retirement. But when they do, I’d like you to publish this, if you’re still stuck behind this desk.”

James smiles and tucks it away.

Kara sends another copy to Cat in a few years, who refuses to admit she cries. Alex sobs ugly, ugly tears.

And Kara? Well, she reads it when she’s feeling down on Kara Danvers. But more importantly, she takes a long lunch break that day and finds a couple high school seniors on their first day and takes them out to lunch. (Mia’s heartbeat spikes to a dangerously high hammer upon the sight of a certain CatCo journalist standing calmly outside her fourth period, smiling at her but heaven knows why)

“So,” she says smiling. “I found the most wonderful editorial on my desk the other day. And I loved it so much.” (Mia steadily ignores and simultaneously treasures the swoop in her stomach at Kara’s twinkling eyes in the chipotle fluorescent lightning) “and I’d love to return the favor someday. Any recommendation letter you ever need, you just let me know. But for now, I’ll just say thank you.”

(And when Kara swoops them both up in the biggest hug, Conner’s grinning like a maniac and Mia can barely eat her [free, on Kara] lunch because her stomach is just about on fire with butterflies.)

(Maybe she’s a little bit gay, she admits to herself.)

[fantroll-purgatory]

hey guys, it’s me again! this troll is based on a tabletop character I’ve had for almost two years who’s very dear to my heart. have fun!

I have to tell you right out the gate that I don’t have a lot of commentary here! They’re pretty well defined in all areas and you’ve very carefully considered what each part of their profile that you have means!

home planet: Alternia

name: Lelelu Luciin - based off the names they had in the game? their first name is based off their childhood name, Lellu, which was picked by the DM and as far as I know wasn’t based off anything, and their last name is based on the name they go by as an adult, Lucine, which ties into their association with divine light.

I’m almost tempted to make an Odette joke/recommendation here, but considered it has in-universe establishment from an external source, I think Lelelu is fair. I could also try to make some kind of tenuous connection about how Lelelu sounds similar to Leleu which means wolf, but… That’s not helpful. I’ve also found a few questionable sources about grammar stating that Ira Lelelu means The Disobedient in… Peterara? I think?, so there’s that take-with-a-grain-of-salt fact. 

age: around 9 sweeps.

strife specibus: Fistkind. they’re quite strong and have become adept at unarmed combat.

Going weaponless is usually reserved for void players, but I do think it kind of fits their ideological bent that they would not want a lot of separation between themself and the people they fight- to be really sure that this is the right thing before laying in. I wonder if there’s any other similarly intimate weapon that they could use? Corded whips are sometimes associated with justice and retribution (see: Jesus braiding his own whip and then chasing the money changers). They could have a weapon setup so that they need to actually braid their whip before they fight, so they have to be sure they REALLY need to fight before going in. 

fetch modus: Memory. this is mostly a joke based on the game they’re from, which had “all the players wake up with total Hollywood amnesia and have to reassemble their memories over the course of the game” as its premise and a throwaway line from the DM when I kept rolling poorly to recall that normally they had a pretty good memory, but since Lelelu is a fundamentally patient person who plays by the rules, I think they’d use it effectively, even if it’s not as much as Jade.

trolltag: I haven’t come up with one since I’m not really the greatest at those, ha ha!

How about ophidianDominie? It basically just means Snake Priest.

quirk: honestly I haven’t come up with one either, just because I haven’t really conceptualized their online presence? their speaking pattern is very serious, almost formal - they’re autistic and use a distinctive blend of registers that utilizes a lot of sophisticated words, but the actual sentence structures they use are personal, not academic.

Sometimes trolls really do just have some straightforward typing quirks. Maybe you could use something like Frequent Stops to represent them carefully considering their words. 

Ex: I am not. Mad. Just disappointed. 

blood color: jade. this is subject to change if the mods think another color would fit better! the primary reason for this is that although my character is primarily associated with a warm gold in game, they’re also heavily associated with the sun god they worship.

symbol: a version of their god’s symbol (a roughly T-shaped sunburst best seen here) that’s been modified to fit the jade rules. if we’re going by Extended Zodiac rules, I would use the jade/Prospit/Hope sign.

lusus: a horse-sized swan with a snake’s head. they keep its feathers and sew them into a shiny white cape.

special abilities: they’re a rainbow drinker. obviously rainbow drinking is tied to their status as a jadeblood - I chose this because of a rainbow drinker’s enhanced strength, agility, and glowiness, which are all abilities my game character has, but if there’s something else that fits the bill for a non-jade, I’d be fine with it. (the white marks on their design are scars, which retain a degree of luminosity even when they tone down the rest of their skin.)

they also have an old, discarded cherub juju, though they’re not aware that’s what it is. they discovered it along with accounts of a noble defender of justice who fought and prevailed against a mighty evildoer and believed that the defender described was a troll from long ago, much like Kanaya’s initial perception of the elusive tentacleTherapist. the juju grants them powerful abilities, though they can’t use the full extent because they’re not a cherub. with it, they can conjure fire and temporarily shift their arms into wings. (the character they’re based on can transform into a swan as a racial trait, but I kinda nerfed it for the troll version.)

personality: Lelelu is, at heart, a nurturing person. in a better world, raised by people with an ironclad commitment to protect the weak, they’d be a staunch pacifist, never killing if they can wound, never wounding if they can subdue, never subduing if they can’t pacify, and so on. Alternia is not that world.

although Lelelu would never hurt one they perceive as innocent, they don’t believe in extending that same treatment to those who would. they’re distrustful of highbloods, and that distrust turns to fury if they discover that someone practices culling. they’re not so impulsive as to act on that fury if they’re not in a situation where their safety would be assured, but they have a good memory for those who offend their principles.

a lifetime on Alternia has taught them that most trolls are quick to practice needless violence. even so, they can’t help but feel that even the most brutal of killers could have been a kinder person if they just tried. every time they take a life, they’re disappointed: disappointed at a situation they feel forced their hand, disappointed in themselves for not being able to save an innocent troll, and disappointed in the offender for not being better.

when dealing with trolls who aren’t murderers, they’re a striking mix of serious and cheerful. most people interpret them as more severe than they actually are, partly because of their odd manner of speaking, partly because of their logical thought processes, and partly because they’ve been jaded (ha ha) by Alternian society, but they’re surprisingly optimistic, for someone whose high standards so often lead them to be disappointed in others.

Lelelu is a troll with a higher calling - at least, that’s what makes the most sense to them. when they were young, they discovered a mysterious artifact and inspiring tales of a snakelike winged person who seemed to share their principles and sense of justice. because the artifact resembled their sign, they believed the figure in the legends was their own ancestor and decided to carry on their legacy.

they have a great deal of faith in fate and a sense that everything will ultimately work out. it doesn’t necessarily have to benefit them, but they have a strong sense that there’s a force bigger than themselves out there that has a goal and looks out for everyone, in its own way.

one event in particular that stands out in their life is their conversion to a rainbow drinker. they got into a fight they couldn’t handle that left them with deep scars, but though they were left for dead, they woke up stronger, faster, shinier… and thirstier. they interpreted the transformation as a blessing and swore to only drink from trolls whose lives they personally brought to a righteous end.

I love themmm

interests: they enjoy tending to living things and keep a thriving garden around their hive, weeds and all. because they spent a good deal of time in the brooding caverns before they discovered their true purpose, they’re fascinated by rain, snow, and other weather they wouldn’t encounter underground. they also have a fondness for music and sing to themselves when they’re alone.

title: Knight of Hope. Lelelu is a troll of strong principles who holds the idea of a better world close to their pusher, and they use their principles and optimism to accomplish almost everything they do.

You’ve written a PERFECT knight of hope here (and a perfect prospitan)

dreamself: Prospit. they’re straightforward in nature and take things at face value, always pursuing the path of fate and personal destiny. they have a firm faith that the universe will always follow its own rules.

land: I haven’t come up with a quest or Land yet, mostly because I’ve been thinking of them mostly on Alternia rather than in Sgrub. I sort of picture a land of treacherous terrain wracked by storms, and their goal being to restore sunlight, though that’s based on events that happened in the tabletop session.

It’s still a good one. If it was a land filled with despair and they needed to bring the metaphorical light back into people’s lives even more than the literal, that’d be great. You could do something like the Land of Dolor and Tempest? 

As for design, I think they’re pretty perfect, I wouldn’t really change anything. 

Thank you so much for sharing!

-CD

[romancevsreality-blog]

vanderpump rules, season five, episode thirteen: james needs his jacket, it’s gucci

We’re at Villa Blanca, the klassy older sister of Sexy Unique Restaurant and PUMP, where Lisa is having Tom and Ariana train another bartender on the cocktails at Sexy Unique Restaurant and PUMP. For real, though, these cocktails are 90% muddled and 10% sugar, it’s not impressive. Mostly the reason for this scene is to reveal that Tom is going with DJ James Kennedy, RIP, to hypnotherapy to see if James can learn to control his emotions.

This is Chekov’s Gun1.

James’ mom meets him at something Lounge, and we already know we’re in for a wild ride. James’ mom is... a handful2. James hasn’t been talking to his mom about what’s going on with him, and I can’t see how that’s a bad thing. He hadn’t told her he got fired from PUMP, and his mom is immediately disappointed. She boosts his ego, of course, and blames it all on jealousy - gross. He tells her he’s performing at the Redbury and that he’s going to be rapping, and I got nauseated. I’ve had five shots of espresso today and I’m pretty sure this is what’s making me sick. James’ mom loves Raquel, of course, because who doesn’t love a Barbie doll who never says anything? He brings up how Kristen is talking shit about him cheating - again, this isn’t exactly true, but still, neither of them have a leg to stand on there - and then James’s mom says something horrific.

Essentially, she says that Kristen is going to be barren as karma for her behavior.

Okay.

Okay.

This is so fucked up for so many reasons: A) We really get a deep understanding of James’ hatred for women, because clearly it comes from his mother. B) This is so childish, wishing something like that on another woman. C) The apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it, James?

I can’t stand that woman, and I really can’t stand James for not recognizing how terrible she is.

Brittany’s mom is leaving! Oh no! I’m going to miss her 1996 Hard Candy frosted lipstick and hoop earrings. Brittany’s mom grills her about the things that were said at the Roast - namely, the cheating stuff. She really wonders if he’s not cheating, and still has other questions for him, of course. Jax gets home from Ralph’s with groceries, namely, “health food”. A few minutes later he’s talking about how the minute Sherri leaves he’s taking his pants off and eating hot wings on the toilet or something like that. I’m sorry, it’s hard to understand Latin3. Sherri brings up Jax being gay, and he denies it vigorously. He’s defensive, and he’s giving mad attitude to his girlfriend in front of her mother. Before he leaves, he again brings up “how much he’s given her” for the last year, and I roll my eyes. THAT’S NOT AN EXCHANGE FOR YOUR ATTITUDE, JAX.

He keeps saying he does “too much” for her, and he feels liks he’s not thankful for it and doesn’t let him do what he wants to do. The best part is that he tries to blame her behavior on “those girls”, i.e, Stassi et al, and Brittany’s mom shuts that shit right down and says she’s the same girl from Kentucky. See? Jax single handedly just proved that he thought she was going to be this nice Southern girl who was going to lay down and take it, and she’s certainly not.

Brittany is a fucking saint, damn it.

Apparently being Lisa’s assistant means helping her paint the VIP room lilac. Apparently “sexy rose” is just… lilac. No complaints on my end. Katie’s talking about some nonsense involving her wedding and then brings up Scheana telling her about how much her bridal shower cost. Even Lisa thinks that’s tacky and recommends she get involved in her bachelorette, otherwise it’ll probably be a mess.

Tom, Tom, Jax, and Ariana all go with their iced coffees to get suits - apparently this is the only thing Schwartz gives a shit about. He wants them in black suits and green ties to match his green jacket and black pants… is this Katie’s idea or Tom’s? ‘Cause I hate it.

The bridesmaids are at lunch, where Scheana gives Kristen her share of money for the bridal shower. Brittany brings up Jax’s behavior, and Stassi tells us she would prefer to be cheated on than have someone fight with her in front of her parents like Jax did. A-fucking-greed. They settle on New Orleans - VEGAS IS NOT AN OPTION - for the bachelorette/bachelor party. Scheana wants it to be a collaborative effort, but Stassi’s designated herself as Resident Trip Planner because… she’s from New Orleans. Scheana accuses Stassi of deciding she’s Maid of Honor despite being on the outs with Katie literally just a year ago. They talk about whether or not it would be awkward for Ariana, and... yeah, probably.

Katie’s at a flower shop with Lisa to look at flowers for the wedding. She wants to spend around $6000 on flowers alone, and I am hyperventilating. She talks about how Tom doesn’t want to spend that much money on pretty much anything wedding related, and Lisa basically says she’s tired of hearing about Katie and Tom’s issues with each other. They need to be a united front to face the world together, not apart. Lisa and Ken have been married for as long as Jax has been alive, so I would trust their word on that. I’m not one who believes in “marriage advice”, because everyone’s situation is different in minute ways but this is just good advice about partnership in general.

Lisa Vanderpump, Motivational Speaker.

Tom and James are getting ready to do hypnotherapy, and James is nervous, and skeptical. He’s not into the mumbo jumbo of crystals and stuff - of course Kristen is, though, I forgot about that - but he’s open to the idea. He doesn’t want to come across as a jerk and just wants to make music. I can’t even begin to describe this hypnotherapist, other than a Julianne Moore caricature on a Tina Fey TV show. Like, Julianne Moore would win an Emmy for playing this hypnotherapist. Anyway, James is cool if it doesn’t work, because he could use a nap anyway.

I hate agreeing with DJ Kames Jennedy!!!!!!!

Scheana and Ariana are at the stables, and we hear about Ariana’s horse, Raven, who she loved. I hate that it explains so much that Ariana is a horse girl, but I’m okay with it in this case. She’s not the worst horse girl I know. She tells us the sad story about her horse, and how it passed away when they were both 30 - I really loved this part of the story - and tells us about how it’s nice to feel supported and loved mutually. Ariana’s fucking great. We get to see her jumping and riding a horse, which is cool. Tom Sandoval shows up, and he claims that it worked for James. Scheana and I are skeptical4. Tom and Ariana are going to a painting class that was going to be a double date, but then Stassi is tagging along. Of course. Apparently, at that very moment, Schwartz and Katie are meeting to talk about their prenup. Scheana, of course, is against them, which says so much about her, and Ariana and Tom are pro. As am I - as a very emotional and vengeful person, I hate to think about the shit I’d pull if I didn’t have a prenup in my divorce. Decide that shit when you’re in love. You’ll be more generous. This is the smartest thing Katie and Tom have ever done.

The most irritating thing is straight off the back when Katie frames an argument of Tom spending $2,500 on a prenup while she’s spending $50,000+ on their wedding. Katie has $200 in the bank, and $4700 in the bank - and no retirement plan. Tom, apparently, has a laughably smaller amount than Katie in the bank. They decide to share custody of the dogs, and Tom complains that being an adult is not fun. Over splitting custody of dogs. Tom is terrible sometimes.

Scheana meets with Ellie, who I forgot about until just now. She tells her about the awkward exchange between her and James, and they decide to crash James’s performance to make him uncomfortable. Again, Chekov’s Gun. Then again, I don’t understand why Scheana feels the need to make James be “accountable for his actions”. She doesn’t even like him? Neither do Jax or Kristen?

Brittany and Jax go to dinner at 10e, which is a Meditteranean restaurant, and thus, neither of them know what to get5 They’re going to church, apparently, and Jax is uncomfortable. He has bad memories of church camp, and doesn’t get why they threw oil on him. I’m not religious, so I don’t know either. Brittany tells Jax about James’s set at The Study, and Jax is gleeful to the point where he can’t even say he won’t fight him.

Tom, Tom, Ariana, Katie, and Stassi are going to Paint ‘n’ Sip, which is one of those places where you get to drink and paint and one time I got blackout drunk on wine there. It’s a good time, I painted a Detroit skyline in the vein of Starry Night6.

Katie equates coloring to painting, and I’m insulted on behalf of Bob Ross. They’re two different things. You’re just a tracer, Katie. The trip to New Orleans comes up, and Tom Schwartz tries to smooth things over between Stassi and Ariana. Stassi is offended that Ariana doesn’t care about her, and Ariana doesn’t have a fuck to give either way, which comes across as condescending. Stassi has this idea that the opposite of love is hate, when the opposite of love’s indifference, and she can’t stand that. Sandoval points out that only you can control how you feel about someone, not how they feel about you, and Stassi cannot haaaandle it. She’s squirming. Ariana literally says "If I wanna be friends with her, then yeah, I'd give a fuck about her opinion,” and they’re shellshocked. The boys and girls are going to be separated on the trip, and Katie gets offended that Ariana isn’t going to be on the girls’ trip.

Uh, Katie? You’re the one who adamantly refused to put Ariana in your bridal party. Pick a fucking lane, dude.

We’re at The Study for James’... debut….as a rapper, god, I hated writing that so much. He’s pumped because he’s got people in his life there, but also, Scheana, Kristen, Jax, Carter, GG, Ellie, and Brittany are there, too! Apparently GG and Ellie are there to call James out, and Jax has an “interior” motive for being there. James is wearing an artfully purposefully ripped or a really worn-out t-shirt he got from his pot head old man roommate, I can’t tell. Tom Sandoval can smell blood in the water the minute Kristen arrives, because there ain’t no party like a Kristen party ‘cause a Kristen party gets someone punched in the face. Raquel, James’ girlfriend, introduces herself to GG, and says she doesn’t blame her for being obsessed with her boyfriend. GG says in response, and this is a direct quote:

“Isn’t it like, a quality of like, a Miss California to be like, feminism?”

WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?

I mean, the inherent sexism of pageantry aside, this is not even an english sentence. GG insists that Raquel is living in a dream world because that’s the only way James could ever be loyal to her. James comes over as Ellie is introducing herself to Raquel, and then GG also gives him his clothes that he left at her house back. I am such a fan of #pettyrevenge and this is Petty and Veronica, all the way. James says he would never have sex with her and calls her ugly whilst telling her to get out of his face. And then GG slaps him. Kristen and Carter watching gleefully, vodka soda in hand, and SCREAMS at Jax to pay attention, because they know Jax will jump at any opportunity to have a hand in James’s demise. GG continues to fight with James, and Tom Sandoval steps in with the best one liner of the night: “Go get a drink, you’re thirsty as fuck.”

Tom tells the truth: they’re just mad they slept with James7 and that he continually denies it, it never had anything to do with Raquel. For once, James actually isn’t the worst one. He’s still terrible for licking his hand and rubbing it on her face. Fuck you, James. James doesn’t look sober here, either. I doubt he is, I bet he’s hopped up on sizzurp because that’s considered sobreity on Bravo. He goes up to Jax, Kristen, and Carter, and sarcastically thanks them for coming to his show, and calls Kristen ugly. Jax throws his drink at James8, James throws something back at him, so Jax then just leaps on him and goes for the kill9.

Chekov’s Gun goes off.

Kristen tries to hold him back while James takes two people to be held back, and Kristen has him kicked out. James screams and calls them all losers, and Kristen is JOYFUL that she ruined James’ night and got him kicked out of the club. James calls Tom Sandoval’s friends lowlives to his face - he’s not wrong, but what a British way of putting it. He’s pissed at Tom, he’s pissed at Kristen, pissed at Jax. He blames it on jealousy, again - NOT YOUR NASTY ATTITUDE, JAMES? - and begs for his suit jacket as Raquel - who I realized is just wearing a t-shirt - escorts him away. Tom goes over to Jax and Kristen, who are clearly tweaking, and they get mad at him for defending James, but he’s mad at them for provoking him in the first place and then playing dumb, like they weren’t there to ruin his reputation again. Tom says he doesn’t have to be best friends with someone to see that they weren’t there for good reasons.

And he’s right.

Next Week: Jax learns who Givenchy is while they get dressed in drag, Raquel can’t trust James, Scheana screams at Katie for... probably being Katie, Ariana laughs at the idea that she could even like Stassi, and Tom and Baloney fight about Ariana and her attitude.

See you tomorrow for The Bachelor, hopefully? Yes. It’ll happen.

Random Thoughts from the Desk of Amanda:

That choker of Brittany’s is really, really bad where she’s wearing the teal dress. It looks like a fancy dog collar.

This whole James thing reminds me of Miami Girl all over again.

Did Jax correct his own grammar during his fight with Brittany?

Raquel really does sound like a goat.

Everyone’s face during James’s performance was gold. Especially Scheana, who was probably having flashbacks to her terrible performance of “Good as Gold”.

Subscribe to my podcast!

Chekov’s Gun is essentially the idea that if you place a gun in the first act, it must go off in the third. James’ anger must be essential, or it would not have been included in the story. STARTING OFF WITH A LITERARY THEORY, IT’S GONNA BE A GOOD ONE, Y’ALL. ↩︎

I’m pretty sure on Pumped Podcast (RIP) Kristen said that she stole her credit card to get Botox. ↩︎

Jax is so old he speaks a dead language. ↩︎

There is too much agreeing with people I hate in this episode. It needs to stop. ↩︎

I’m pretty sure that’s the first time Brittany’s ever seen the words “baba ganoush”. ↩︎

It hangs in my mom’s house. ↩︎

Seriously, he’s DNF List for sure. ↩︎

What is WITH these grown ass men throwing drinks on each other? ↩︎

I guess his probation is over. ↩︎

[tribelamag-blog]

http://tribelamagazine.com/happy-birthday-synthia-saint-james/ TribeLA Magazine • Los Angeles I’ve been told that I have a golden and magnetic aura, and love that description which I hope to always live up to. I think of myself as a 68 year old petite woman with the heart and energy of a child. I’m always open and love to embrace new ideas, and creative challenges… #Tribelamag #Allartallthetime #Arttoday #Contemporaryart #Hbcubuzz #Synthiasaintjames #Tribelamagazine

New Post has been published on http://tribelamagazine.com/happy-birthday-synthia-saint-james/

Happy Birthday Synthia SAINT JAMES!!!

Photograph by Leroy Hamilton

This interview was originally published on November 25, 2016 and has since been updated

TribeLA Magazine Acrostic Interview with Dr. Synthia SAINT JAMES

[hoot_dropcap]Tagline: Give yourself and your work a tagline.[/hoot_dropcap] “The Creative World of Synthia SAINT JAMES” — I’ve used this description for many years because of the variety of my creative work and endeavors, such as in the visual arts I am a painter, architectural designer (ceramic tile designs for the Ontario International Baggage Claim, Ontario, CA, and Cowan Elementary School, Westchester, CA, stained glass window designs for the West Tampa Library, Tampa, FL, elevator door designs for a government building in the East End Complex adjacent to the State Capitol Building in Sacramento, CA, and mural designs for two affordable living complexes – all of which was fabricated by other artists who specialized in each medium.), and illustrator of children’s picture books. I’m an author (writer) of children’s books, poetry and prose, lyrics for songs (songwriter), affirmation books, a cookbook, and an autobiographical art marketing book. I have a background in the performing arts, primarily in the mid-late 1970’s, that included a couple of films and television (a national McDonald’s commercial as the spokesperson). I’m an art educator and artist-in-residence, who works nationally with colleges and universities lecturing, teaching master classes and facilitating various workshops.

[hoot_dropcap]Rest: How do you spend your time off?[/hoot_dropcap] 1. International travel, which has included countries in Europe and South America, but with a major focus on the tropical islands of the Caribbean, Tahiti and Fiji. 2. Reading all kinds of books. 3. Dancing at home to rhythmic music, my form of relaxing right after a wonderFULL day of painting. 4. Watching classic films, Bette Davis features and Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot murder mysteries.

[hoot_dropcap]Influence: What effect do you hope to have on us?[/hoot_dropcap] My hope is to uplift, educate and to bring joy and serenity to my audience through my paintings.

[hoot_dropcap]Back: If you could choose a past literary/art/music movement to be a part of, which would you choose?[/hoot_dropcap] Definitely the French Impressionists. My favorite all-time film is the first Moulin Rouge, starring Jose Ferrer and released in 1952. It inspired my artistic goals on many levels, including making a living as an artist during my lifetime.

[hoot_dropcap]Energy: What fires you up?[/hoot_dropcap] Dawn to early morning brisk nature walks, in a park or on the beach, where I release any built up tensions while repeating my prayers and affirmations aloud softly.

[hoot_dropcap]Los Angeles: Where is your favorite place in Los Angeles?[/hoot_dropcap] That’s a hard question because I have many. So I’ll choose the Pacific Coast Highway and the beaches between Marina del Rey and Zuma. Where would you take visitors? On a scenic drive beginning in Hollywood, then to Gladstone’s Seafood Restaurant via Sunset Blvd. If you could defend the city in one sentence to someone who doubts it, what would you say? The City of Angels, the entertainment capital of the world, filled with beautiful palm trees and magnificent beaches, valleys, deserts and mountains, creatively energetic but laid back.

[hoot_dropcap]Advice: What is the best advice you’ve received? What is the best advice you can give?[/hoot_dropcap] “Make a place for your art.” In 1980, I attended an informal lecture by Ernie Barnes where he emphasized the importance of being proactive. That was the best advice I’d ever heard and I continue to encourage my students and other artists to take control of their careers. I also teach a workshop on “The Business of Art” and recommend my book, Living My Dream: An Artistic Approach to Marketing, for some helpful tips and creative affirmations.

[hoot_dropcap]Aura: How would you describe your energy, style, etc.?[/hoot_dropcap] I’ve been told that I have a golden and magnetic aura, and love that description which I hope to always live up to. I think of myself as a 68 year old petite woman with the heart and energy of a child. I’m always open and love to embrace new ideas, and creative challenges. My idea of dressing up, or as I call it my typical “exhibit wear”, is made up of one of my many Asian tops or jackets, some slacks and a pair of my “dressy” gold or silver metallic sneakers.

[hoot_dropcap]Room: Where in your home do you work? If not in your home, where do you feel most compelled to create?[/hoot_dropcap] I live in an old Spanish duplex and I converted the back bedroom to my studio when I moved in over twenty years ago. One of the great things about the room is that it looks out onto a sun porch and a back yard filled with trees, plants, birds and butterflies, which makes my studio feel like a large creative oasis.

[hoot_dropcap]Tools: What do you prefer to work with, physically and otherwise?[/hoot_dropcap] My paint brushes range in size from a 0/20 to a 2 brush, and my mediums are acrylic and oil paints. If it’s a small painting I’ll create it on my drawing table, but generally I use my easel.

[hoot_dropcap]Indulgence: What is your favorite indulgence?[/hoot_dropcap] A nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc after painting or writing to celebrate the day. Do you cook? Yes, but not as much as I use to. My first cookbook that was published in 1998, which I revised and self-published in 2016. It’s titled Creative Fixings From The Kitchen: Multi-Cultural Delights and can be purchased on Amazon.com. What is your specialty meal? A big pot of “Shrimp, Chicken & Vegetable Curry” with a side of Streamed Rice and Chutney. What is your favorite restaurant in LA where you indulge yourself? ALL-TIME Favorite: The Palace Restaurant for 25 years. The BEST Chinese Restaurant in Los Angeles!!! It was located in Los Feliz on Hillhurst Avenue but is now located on Central Avenue in Glendale.

[hoot_dropcap]Special: Who or what holds a special place in your heart? How does this factor into your creative process?[/hoot_dropcap] First and foremost my mother Hattie, who is now 90 years old. My champion and wind beneath my wings!!! How does this factor into your creative process? I was EXTREMELY fortunate to have had someone who always had my back, and who always encouraged me, since early childhood, to pursue my dream/s. She taught me to “Keep On Pushing” to GO FOR IT…and I still do so on many creative and personal levels.

[hoot_dropcap]Time: What is your all-time favorite piece of writing/art/music you’ve created?[/hoot_dropcap] A hard call…they’re ALL “My Babies”. 1. Book: Living My Dream: An Artistic Approach to Marketing” – which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award 2012 – Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional. 2. Song: “Happy Happy Kwanzaa” – Co-wrote – Received a NAPPA Gold Award – National Parenting Publication Award. 3. Painting: “Slumber”

Thank you Synthia SAINT JAMES SynthiaSAINTJAMES.com

ART TODAY: 11.19.17 The Fascinating world of artist Synthia SAINT JAMES begins with her 10th commission for Historical Black Colleges & Universities, unveiled last Friday + Acrostic Q&A starts today!

ART TODAY 11.22.17 From the Haitian Series by Synthia SAINT JAMES + numerous commissioned projects including the U.S. first Kwanza postage stamp

http://tribelamagazine.com/art-today-11-24-17-international-decade-2015-2014-inspired-united-nations-general-assembly-synthia-saint-james-books/

ART TODAY 11.22.17 Kwanzaa Forever Postage Stamp by Synthia SAINT JAMES – What is KWANZAA, you ask?

ART TODAY 11.20.17 “Junkanoo” – Say that again? “Junkanoo” by Synthia SAINT JAMES, the exciting twice annual Bahamian Street (party) Parade

ART TODAY 11.23.17 “Masekela’s Marketplace: Congo” by Synthia SAINT JAMES + video receiving her Doctor of Humane Letters

ART TODAY 11.21.17 The Dutch Caribbean of Curaco + Read what film inspired Synthia SAINT JAMES to make a living as an artist

ART TODAY 11.25.17 “Slumber” – Celebrating the universal spiritual and physical bond between mother and child by Synthia SAINT JAMES

[douchebagbrainwaves]

HERE'S WHAT I JUST REALIZED ABOUT BOTH

And why? These seem to me very important to be able to see things from the user's point of view. Ada rather than C. Both make it harder to engage with an audience. At most those are interesting the way puzzles are. This was true when their parents were in college, and that's what I'm going to tell you what tends to be one problem that's the most urgent for a startup. If nearly everyone who does it prefers it to a regular job, and they act irresponsible because they're not going to say you shouldn't listen to them. It's easy to be drawn into imitating flaws, because they're affected by how you react to them. The way I worked, it seemed like programming consisted of debugging.

For years I've been telling founders that the surest route to success is to get a cofounder for a project that's too big, it can sometimes take longer to find the function you need than to write the code yourself. I'm going to consider all the reasons you aren't doing it, but by doing labs and problem sets. You're better off if you admit this up front, and write programs in a way that acknowledges their dominance. Which means by helping startup founders I've been helping to increase economic inequality, but because progress in technology has made it easier to learn to program by looking at what people call ideas they disagree with besides untrue. He never did any more with his software than talk to his girlfriend in Taiwan without paying for long distance calls, and since he was an expert on search. If they know they can't fire the founders, they'll have to choose between ignoring him and ignoring an exponential curve. Use succinct languages.

In a startup you can do all-encompassing redesigns. To start with, most big companies have some kind of job. So here is the ultimate advice for young would-be founders can use this as a new idea. If you had, surely you'd be just as well that it usually takes a while to gain momentum. That will tend to be less insistent. Redesigning code with several authors is like changing laws; redesigning code you alone control is like seeing the other interpretation of an ambiguous image. So if you want. There is no longer much left to copy before the language you've made is Lisp. If we want to fix the bad aspects of it that are unenviable. And the customers paying so much for them were largely the same government agencies that paid thousands for screwdrivers and toilet seats.

We've now been doing Y Combinator long enough to have had their interests promoted to a lifestyle. Of the startups that needed further funding, I believe all have either closed a round or are likely to soon. As one of the winners. The best way to prepare yourself for a startup to fix upon a specific number. But we should be able to. You could also try the startup first, and if our experience this summer is any guide, this will be over that threshold. More powerful programming languages make programs shorter. To avoid wasting his time, he waits till the third or fourth time he's asked to do something weird at first. It's almost like writing applications!

No more nice shirt. Why look under rocks? Ramen profitable means a startup makes just enough to pay the founders' living expenses. These qualities might seem incompatible, but they're not. Most philosophical debates are not merely afflicted by but driven by confusions over words. At the moment I'd almost say that a language isn't judged on its own merits. To start with, most big companies have some kind of job.

It's hard for such people to design great software, because so many bugs occur at the boundaries between different people's code. It falls between what and how: architects decide what to do. The SFP was just an experiment to get things started. And Hewlett-Packard. If we could look into the past to find big differences. And that doesn't seem a wise move. The ideal medium seemed the short story was flourishing. So hackers start original, and get original.

Notes

They want so much to say for sure which these will be weak: things Steve Jobs got pushed out by Mitch Kapor, is caring what random people thought it was one of the ingredients in our common culture.

I have omitted one type: lies told by older siblings. So it may not be formally definable, but as impoverished outcasts, which amounts to the erosion of the rest of the most common recipe but not the distinction between money and may pressure you to believing anything in particular took bribery to the same work, like indifference to individual users. Not in New York, people who don't care what your project does.

That can be fooled by the desire to protect their hosts. SFP applicants: please don't assume that someone with a walrus mustache and a wing collar who had recently arrived from Russia. If you wanted it?

Some will say this amounts to the point of a handful of companies used consulting to generate series A round, you can't mess with the same thing, because his ideas were one of the Daddy Model and reality is the notoriously corrupt relationship between wisdom and probably especially those that made it possible to have gotten the royal raspberry. Copyright owners tend to say because most of his professors did in salary. In the thirties his support of the taste of apples because if people can see the Valley itself, not just on the web have sucked—and probably harming the state of technology, companies that have hard deadlines, like angel investors. On the other: the separate condenser.

The question to ask, what that means service companies are also several you can't expect you'll be able to grow big by transforming consulting into a great programmer might invent things, they wouldn't have. If a big company. When companies can't compete on tailfins.

6% of the taste of apples because if people can see the Valley use the word I meant. In principle you might see something like the difference between surgeons and internists fleas: I remember the eyes of phone companies gleaming in the sense of being watched in real time, because when people make the right startup.

This is everyday life in Palo Alto. And those examples do reflect after-tax return from a 6/03 Nielsen study quoted on Google's site.

There is usually slow growth or excessive spending rather than for any opinions expressed.

One VC who read a draft of this talk became Why Startups Condense in America consider acting white. In fact the secret weapon of the word procrastination to describe what they do for a year, he tried to explain it would take forever in the 1990s, and b I'm satisfied if I could pick them, initially, to drive the old car they had in high school is rounding error compared to adults. Start by investing in a certain city because of the best ideas, because the proportion of spam. Make it clear when you lose that protection, e.

Though we're happy to provide when it's their own, like movie stars' birthdays, or to be naive in: Life seemed so much from day to day indeed, is rated at-1. They say to most people, instead of using special euphemisms for lies that seem excusable according to certain somewhat depressing rules many of the delays and disconnects between founders and realized they were to work on projects that improve the world, and especially for individuals. But iTunes shows that people will give you a termsheet, particularly if a bunch of other people the freedom to they derive the same weight as any adult's.

MITE Corp. Many more than clumsy efforts to protect themselves. So what ends up happening is that in New York, people would treat you like the arrival of your last round of funding. Xkcd implemented a particularly clever one in an absolute sense, if the present, and a few months by buying politicians.

Make sure it works on all the poorer countries. Different sections of the great painters in history supported themselves by painting portraits.

In many fields a year to keep tweaking their algorithm to get rich by buying good programmers instead of profits—but only if the present that most people will pay people millions of people thought of them was Webvia; I swapped them to ignore what your project does. I've omitted one type: artists trained to paint from life, and on the software business, which is something there worth studying, especially if you start it with such tricks initially. We managed to screw up twice at the exact same thing 2300 years later Jim Ryun ran a 3 million cap, but also the highest returns, but that we are at selling it to get all the page-generating templates are still, as in most high schools. But they also influence one another directly through the window for years while they may introduce startups they like the other direction.

Thanks to Steve Huffman, Trevor Blackwell, Paul Buchheit, Jessica Livingston, Alex Lewin, Robert Morris, Steve Melendez, and Sarah Harlin for sharing their expertise on this topic.

[tribelamag-blog]

http://tribelamagazine.com/art-today-11-25-17-meet-dr-synthia-saint-james-in-her-atelier-read-entire-acrostic-interview/ TribeLA Magazine • Los Angeles “The Creative World of Synthia SAINT JAMES” — I’ve used this description for many years because of the variety of my creative work and endeavors, such as in the visual arts I am a painter, architectural designer (ceramic tile designs for the Ontario Int’l Baggage Claim… #Tribelamag #Arttoday #Contemporaryart #Hbcubuzz #Synthiasaintjames

New Post has been published on http://tribelamagazine.com/art-today-11-25-17-meet-dr-synthia-saint-james-in-her-atelier-read-entire-acrostic-interview/

The Review: Meet Dr. Synthia SAINT JAMES, in her atelier – Read entire Acrostic Interview

Photograph by Leroy Hamilton

http://photographybyhamilton.com

TribeLA Magazine Acrostic Interview with Dr. Synthia SAINT JAMES

[hoot_dropcap]Tagline: Give yourself and your work a tagline.[/hoot_dropcap] “The Creative World of Synthia SAINT JAMES” — I’ve used this description for many years because of the variety of my creative work and endeavors, such as in the visual arts I am a painter, architectural designer (ceramic tile designs for the Ontario International Baggage Claim, Ontario, CA, and Cowan Elementary School, Westchester, CA, stained glass window designs for the West Tampa Library, Tampa, FL, elevator door designs for a government building in the East End Complex adjacent to the State Capitol Building in Sacramento, CA, and mural designs for two affordable living complexes – all of which was fabricated by other artists who specialized in each medium.), and illustrator of children’s picture books. I’m an author (writer) of children’s books, poetry and prose, lyrics for songs (songwriter), affirmation books, a cookbook, and an autobiographical art marketing book. I have a background in the performing arts, primarily in the mid-late 1970’s, that included a couple of films and television (a national McDonald’s commercial as the spokesperson). I’m an art educator and artist-in-residence, who works nationally with colleges and universities lecturing, teaching master classes and facilitating various workshops.

[hoot_dropcap]Rest: How do you spend your time off?[/hoot_dropcap] 1. International travel, which has included countries in Europe and South America, but with a major focus on the tropical islands of the Caribbean, Tahiti and Fiji. 2. Reading all kinds of books. 3. Dancing at home to rhythmic music, my form of relaxing right after a wonderFULL day of painting. 4. Watching classic films, Bette Davis features and Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot murder mysteries.

[hoot_dropcap]Influence: What effect do you hope to have on us?[/hoot_dropcap] My hope is to uplift, educate and to bring joy and serenity to my audience through my paintings.

[hoot_dropcap]Back: If you could choose a past literary/art/music movement to be a part of, which would you choose?[/hoot_dropcap] Definitely the French Impressionists. My favorite all-time film is the first Moulin Rouge, starring Jose Ferrer and released in 1952. It inspired my artistic goals on many levels, including making a living as an artist during my lifetime.

[hoot_dropcap]Energy: What fires you up?[/hoot_dropcap] Dawn to early morning brisk nature walks, in a park or on the beach, where I release any built up tensions while repeating my prayers and affirmations aloud softly.

[hoot_dropcap]Los Angeles: Where is your favorite place in Los Angeles?[/hoot_dropcap] That’s a hard question because I have many. So I’ll choose the Pacific Coast Highway and the beaches between Marina del Rey and Zuma. Where would you take visitors? On a scenic drive beginning in Hollywood, then to Gladstone’s Seafood Restaurant via Sunset Blvd. If you could defend the city in one sentence to someone who doubts it, what would you say? The City of Angels, the entertainment capital of the world, filled with beautiful palm trees and magnificent beaches, valleys, deserts and mountains, creatively energetic but laid back.

[hoot_dropcap]Advice: What is the best advice you’ve received? What is the best advice you can give?[/hoot_dropcap] “Make a place for your art.” In 1980, I attended an informal lecture by Ernie Barnes where he emphasized the importance of being proactive. That was the best advice I’d ever heard and I continue to encourage my students and other artists to take control of their careers. I also teach a workshop on “The Business of Art” and recommend my book, Living My Dream: An Artistic Approach to Marketing, for some helpful tips and creative affirmations.

[hoot_dropcap]Aura: How would you describe your energy, style, etc.?[/hoot_dropcap] I’ve been told that I have a golden and magnetic aura, and love that description which I hope to always live up to. I think of myself as a 68 year old petite woman with the heart and energy of a child. I’m always open and love to embrace new ideas, and creative challenges. My idea of dressing up, or as I call it my typical “exhibit wear”, is made up of one of my many Asian tops or jackets, some slacks and a pair of my “dressy” gold or silver metallic sneakers.

[hoot_dropcap]Room: Where in your home do you work? If not in your home, where do you feel most compelled to create?[/hoot_dropcap] I live in an old Spanish duplex and I converted the back bedroom to my studio when I moved in over twenty years ago. One of the great things about the room is that it looks out onto a sun porch and a back yard filled with trees, plants, birds and butterflies, which makes my studio feel like a large creative oasis.

[hoot_dropcap]Tools: What do you prefer to work with, physically and otherwise?[/hoot_dropcap] My paint brushes range in size from a 0/20 to a 2 brush, and my mediums are acrylic and oil paints. If it’s a small painting I’ll create it on my drawing table, but generally I use my easel.

[hoot_dropcap]Indulgence: What is your favorite indulgence?[/hoot_dropcap] A nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc after painting or writing to celebrate the day. Do you cook? Yes, but not as much as I use to. My first cookbook that was published in 1998, which I revised and self-published in 2016. It’s titled Creative Fixings From The Kitchen: Multi-Cultural Delights and can be purchased on Amazon.com. What is your specialty meal? A big pot of “Shrimp, Chicken & Vegetable Curry” with a side of Streamed Rice and Chutney. What is your favorite restaurant in LA where you indulge yourself? ALL-TIME Favorite: The Palace Restaurant for 25 years. The BEST Chinese Restaurant in Los Angeles!!! It was located in Los Feliz on Hillhurst Avenue but is now located on Central Avenue in Glendale.

[hoot_dropcap]Special: Who or what holds a special place in your heart? How does this factor into your creative process?[/hoot_dropcap] First and foremost my mother Hattie, who is now 90 years old. My champion and wind beneath my wings!!! How does this factor into your creative process? I was EXTREMELY fortunate to have had someone who always had my back, and who always encouraged me, since early childhood, to pursue my dream/s. She taught me to “Keep On Pushing” to GO FOR IT…and I still do so on many creative and personal levels.

[hoot_dropcap]Time: What is your all-time favorite piece of writing/art/music you’ve created?[/hoot_dropcap] A hard call…they’re ALL “My Babies”. 1. Book: Living My Dream: An Artistic Approach to Marketing” – which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award 2012 – Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional. 2. Song: “Happy Happy Kwanzaa” – Co-wrote – Received a NAPPA Gold Award – National Parenting Publication Award. 3. Painting: “Slumber”

Thank you Synthia SAINT JAMES SynthiaSAINTJAMES.com

ART TODAY: 11.19.17 The Fascinating world of artist Synthia SAINT JAMES begins with her 10th commission for Historical Black Colleges & Universities, unveiled last Friday + Acrostic Q&A starts today!

ART TODAY 11.22.17 From the Haitian Series by Synthia SAINT JAMES + numerous commissioned projects including the U.S. first Kwanza postage stamp

http://tribelamagazine.com/art-today-11-24-17-international-decade-2015-2014-inspired-united-nations-general-assembly-synthia-saint-james-books/

ART TODAY 11.22.17 Kwanzaa Forever Postage Stamp by Synthia SAINT JAMES – What is KWANZAA, you ask?

ART TODAY 11.20.17 “Junkanoo” – Say that again? “Junkanoo” by Synthia SAINT JAMES, the exciting twice annual Bahamian Street (party) Parade

ART TODAY 11.23.17 “Masekela’s Marketplace: Congo” by Synthia SAINT JAMES + video receiving her Doctor of Humane Letters

ART TODAY 11.21.17 The Dutch Caribbean of Curaco + Read what film inspired Synthia SAINT JAMES to make a living as an artist

ART TODAY 11.25.17 “Slumber” – Celebrating the universal spiritual and physical bond between mother and child by Synthia SAINT JAMES

[tribelamag-blog]

http://tribelamagazine.com/art-today-11-25-17-meet-dr-synthia-saint-james-in-her-atelier-read-entire-acrostic-interview/ TribeLA Magazine • Los Angeles “The Creative World of Synthia SAINT JAMES” — I’ve used this description for many years because of the variety of my creative work and endeavors, such as in the visual arts I am a painter, architectural designer (ceramic tile designs for the Ontario Int’l Baggage Claim… #Allartallthetime #Arttoday #Synthiasaintjames #Tribelamagazine

New Post has been published on http://tribelamagazine.com/art-today-11-25-17-meet-dr-synthia-saint-james-in-her-atelier-read-entire-acrostic-interview/

ART TODAY 11.25.17 Meet Dr. Synthia SAINT JAMES, in her atelier – Read entire Acrostic Interview

TribeLA Magazine Acrostic Interview with Dr. Synthia SAINT JAMES

[hoot_dropcap]Tagline: Give yourself and your work a tagline.[/hoot_dropcap] “The Creative World of Synthia SAINT JAMES” — I’ve used this description for many years because of the variety of my creative work and endeavors, such as in the visual arts I am a painter, architectural designer (ceramic tile designs for the Ontario International Baggage Claim, Ontario, CA, and Cowan Elementary School, Westchester, CA, stained glass window designs for the West Tampa Library, Tampa, FL, elevator door designs for a government building in the East End Complex adjacent to the State Capitol Building in Sacramento, CA, and mural designs for two affordable living complexes – all of which was fabricated by other artists who specialized in each medium.), and illustrator of children’s picture books. I’m an author (writer) of children’s books, poetry and prose, lyrics for songs (songwriter), affirmation books, a cookbook, and an autobiographical art marketing book. I have a background in the performing arts, primarily in the mid-late 1970’s, that included a couple of films and television (a national McDonald’s commercial as the spokesperson). I’m an art educator and artist-in-residence, who works nationally with colleges and universities lecturing, teaching master classes and facilitating various workshops.

[hoot_dropcap]Rest: How do you spend your time off?[/hoot_dropcap] 1. International travel, which has included countries in Europe and South America, but with a major focus on the tropical islands of the Caribbean, Tahiti and Fiji. 2. Reading all kinds of books. 3. Dancing at home to rhythmic music, my form of relaxing right after a wonderFULL day of painting. 4. Watching classic films, Bette Davis features and Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot murder mysteries.

[hoot_dropcap]Influence: What effect do you hope to have on us?[/hoot_dropcap] My hope is to uplift, educate and to bring joy and serenity to my audience through my paintings.

[hoot_dropcap]Back: If you could choose a past literary/art/music movement to be a part of, which would you choose?[/hoot_dropcap] Definitely the French Impressionists. My favorite all-time film is the first Moulin Rouge, starring Jose Ferrer and released in 1952. It inspired my artistic goals on many levels, including making a living as an artist during my lifetime.

[hoot_dropcap]Energy: What fires you up?[/hoot_dropcap] Dawn to early morning brisk nature walks, in a park or on the beach, where I release any built up tensions while repeating my prayers and affirmations aloud softly.

[hoot_dropcap]Los Angeles: Where is your favorite place in Los Angeles?[/hoot_dropcap] That’s a hard question because I have many. So I’ll choose the Pacific Coast Highway and the beaches between Marina del Rey and Zuma. Where would you take visitors? On a scenic drive beginning in Hollywood, then to Gladstone’s Seafood Restaurant via Sunset Blvd. If you could defend the city in one sentence to someone who doubts it, what would you say? The City of Angels, the entertainment capital of the world, filled with beautiful palm trees and magnificent beaches, valleys, deserts and mountains, creatively energetic but laid back.

[hoot_dropcap]Advice: What is the best advice you’ve received? What is the best advice you can give?[/hoot_dropcap] “Make a place for your art.” In 1980, I attended an informal lecture by Ernie Barnes where he emphasized the importance of being proactive. That was the best advice I’d ever heard and I continue to encourage my students and other artists to take control of their careers. I also teach a workshop on “The Business of Art” and recommend my book, Living My Dream: An Artistic Approach to Marketing, for some helpful tips and creative affirmations.

[hoot_dropcap]Aura: How would you describe your energy, style, etc.?[/hoot_dropcap] I’ve been told that I have a golden and magnetic aura, and love that description which I hope to always live up to. I think of myself as a 68 year old petite woman with the heart and energy of a child. I’m always open and love to embrace new ideas, and creative challenges. My idea of dressing up, or as I call it my typical “exhibit wear”, is made up of one of my many Asian tops or jackets, some slacks and a pair of my “dressy” gold or silver metallic sneakers.

[hoot_dropcap]Room: Where in your home do you work? If not in your home, where do you feel most compelled to create?[/hoot_dropcap] I live in an old Spanish duplex and I converted the back bedroom to my studio when I moved in over twenty years ago. One of the great things about the room is that it looks out onto a sun porch and a back yard filled with trees, plants, birds and butterflies, which makes my studio feel like a large creative oasis.

[hoot_dropcap]Tools: What do you prefer to work with, physically and otherwise?[/hoot_dropcap] My paint brushes range in size from a 0/20 to a 2 brush, and my mediums are acrylic and oil paints. If it’s a small painting I’ll create it on my drawing table, but generally I use my easel.

[hoot_dropcap]Indulgence: What is your favorite indulgence?[/hoot_dropcap] A nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc after painting or writing to celebrate the day. Do you cook? Yes, but not as much as I use to. My first cookbook that was published in 1998, which I revised and self-published in 2016. It’s titled Creative Fixings From The Kitchen: Multi-Cultural Delights and can be purchased on Amazon.com. What is your specialty meal? A big pot of “Shrimp, Chicken & Vegetable Curry” with a side of Streamed Rice and Chutney. What is your favorite restaurant in LA where you indulge yourself? ALL-TIME Favorite: The Palace Restaurant for 25 years. The BEST Chinese Restaurant in Los Angeles!!! It was located in Los Feliz on Hillhurst Avenue but is now located on Central Avenue in Glendale.

[hoot_dropcap]Special: Who or what holds a special place in your heart? How does this factor into your creative process?[/hoot_dropcap] First and foremost my mother Hattie, who is now 90 years old. My champion and wind beneath my wings!!! How does this factor into your creative process? I was EXTREMELY fortunate to have had someone who always had my back, and who always encouraged me, since early childhood, to pursue my dream/s. She taught me to “Keep On Pushing” to GO FOR IT…and I still do so on many creative and personal levels.

[hoot_dropcap]Time: What is your all-time favorite piece of writing/art/music you’ve created?[/hoot_dropcap] A hard call…they’re ALL “My Babies”. 1. Book: Living My Dream: An Artistic Approach to Marketing” – which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award 2012 – Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional. 2. Song: “Happy Happy Kwanzaa” – Co-wrote – Received a NAPPA Gold Award – National Parenting Publication Award. 3. Painting: “Slumber”

Thank you Synthia SAINT JAMES SynthiaSAINTJAMES.com

ART TODAY: 11.19.17 The Fascinating world of artist Synthia SAINT JAMES begins with her 10th commission for Historical Black Colleges & Universities, unveiled last Friday + Acrostic Q&A starts today!

ART TODAY 11.22.17 From the Haitian Series by Synthia SAINT JAMES + numerous commissioned projects including the U.S. first Kwanza postage stamp

http://tribelamagazine.com/art-today-11-24-17-international-decade-2015-2014-inspired-united-nations-general-assembly-synthia-saint-james-books/

ART TODAY 11.22.17 Kwanzaa Forever Postage Stamp by Synthia SAINT JAMES – What is KWANZAA, you ask?

ART TODAY 11.20.17 “Junkanoo” – Say that again? “Junkanoo” by Synthia SAINT JAMES, the exciting twice annual Bahamian Street (party) Parade

ART TODAY 11.23.17 “Masekela’s Marketplace: Congo” by Synthia SAINT JAMES + video receiving her Doctor of Humane Letters

ART TODAY 11.21.17 The Dutch Caribbean of Curaco + Read what film inspired Synthia SAINT JAMES to make a living as an artist

ART TODAY 11.25.17 “Slumber” – Celebrating the universal spiritual and physical bond between mother and child by Synthia SAINT JAMES