#its just a very simple symbol substitution but its still fun

[miscellaneous--bones]

All these smarty pants cosmic entities and their substitution codes. Decided to make one for space cat too. Not sure if I should give it a name or something?

[enchantingsheepmoon]

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Triple Diamond slot machine represents a creation of the famous IGT software developing company, which was released back in 2014. This title comes in the form of a retro-style game, specially dedicated to the players who are into classic online slots. Both Triple Double Double diamond slot machine free play will make you feel like you are sitting behind an actual land-based slot device, although you will still be at the comfort of your home, sitting on your chair!

Triple Double Diamond Slot Review

IGT’s Triple Diamond slot is played across a reel set that comes in the form of a standard 5×3 grid, constructed out of three reels collocated into the same number of horizontal rows. This retro-designed reel grid contains an overall number of nine potentially active betting lines. And 'potentially active' means that you can determine by will how many lines do you want to mark as active at the beginning of each and every new round. The number of active paylines per spin can go anywhere between the minimum of one and a maximum of nine. The free Triple Diamond slot introduces a beautiful theme, with detailed, high-definition graphics, and life-like design, which provides an excellent first impression. It belongs to the category of classic video slots and, with its symbol designs (bars and 7’s), preserves the memory of early slot machines. The reels are placed in such a way to occupy the central position of the screen, as well as most of the screen itself, which provides great visibility.

The only two control buttons are placed at each side of the reel grid, blending just perfectly into the design. You can monitor parameters such as your balance, total bet amount and the amount of the won payout through the box below the reels. Everything is neat, manageable with ease. The game comes with the theoretical long-term return to player percentage of slightly over 95%. It belongs to the category of slots with medium to lower volatility, which implies that payouts are smaller in quantity but tend to occur more often.

International Gaming Technology

When it comes to the IGT provider, it represents one of the leading companies specialized in the development and production of multiple kinds of casino software, including a palette of games (slots, table games, video poker, card games, etc.), gaming platforms, land-based slot machines, lottery and sports betting software, etc.

Besides Triple and Double Diamonds free play slot machines, the company stands behind popular online video slots, such as the Cleopatra series of slots, Da Vinci Diamonds, Wheel of Fortune, Coyote Moon, or the Siberian Storm, which comes with the progressive jackpot! In the following parts of this Triple Diamond slots review, all features, options, rules, as well as the symbols and their payouts will be concisely overviewed.

How to Play Triple Diamond?

Playing Triple Diamond slot machine is not a big deal, while the rules don’t differ from the standard ones. The main goal of the game is to land a combination of more than two identical symbols, and they need to be placed on the same exact paying line, starting from the leftmost reel, to the right. Since this is a game with three reels, this would mean that you must cover the entire line with symbols to score a payout, unlike in 5-reeled ones. The exception is a symbol illustrated as the logo of the game, which awards payouts even when you manage to land a single one!

The controls of the game are pretty simple and very manageable. The green button on the left opens a menu, through which you get to adjust several parameters, such as the number of active paying lines per round, then the amount of your stake per one such line, and you can monitor the amount of your total wager as you adjust the bet per line. The yellow button located to the left of the grid starts the reels in motion. In the top right corner of the screen, you can see a small button with two white arrows. Clicking on it, a falling menu will present you three options: 'Home', 'Game Rule' and 'Paytable'. And that’s about all you need to know when it comes to Triple Diamond slots controls!

Triple Diamond Symbols & Payouts

The Triple Diamond online casino slot machine comes with an overall number of six symbols. Among them, five are ordinary, while the sixth comes with certain special functions, which makes it distinctive. Unfortunately, the game-play of the Triple Diamond slot includes no special symbols such as the scatter or the bonus icon. So, you can’t rely on a wild to substitute other symbols, or on the scatter to bring you payouts regarding the position on the grid or a certain number of free spins. This game is purely based on the random number generator, and that’s what makes it so thrilling!

When it comes to symbols, you can expect to come across five regular ones and one special icon in addition to them. Four of the regular icons are illustrated as various bars, while the fifth comes in the form of the lucky number seven. Bars come in following shapes and sizes: triple bar, double bar, and the regular bar. To score a payout with these symbols, you would have to land three of them in a combination, placed on a single active line. Triple bar combination pays 40x, double bar 20x, and the regular bar combination pays 10x. If you manage to land three bar symbols of any type, landed on the identical line, you will be awarded 5x the amount of your stake per line!

The only special symbol of the free slots Triple Diamond is illustrated to resemble the logo of the game and it, in fact, represents the wild. It has the ability to replace other symbols when forming a potentially awarding combination. It also carries the largest (jackpot) payout of the Triple Diamond casino slot online. If you manage to land a combination constructed out of three of these symbols on the same active line, you will be awarded a generous payoff amount that occupies the value of 1199 times your bet per line! Any two of these symbols will pay 10x, while any one of them pays 2x the value of your wager per one line. In the first case, the combination contains two special symbols and any other icon, while in the second case, two of them are of any type, and the third is the special one.

But that’s not all when it comes to the so called triple double diamond slots or just Triple Diamond special symbol! According to the rules of the game, any 3-symbol line win that contains one special symbol will pay 3x bet per line. If you manage to create a winning combination of three symbols, among which two are special ones, you will receive a payoff worth 9x your wager per line. All wins displayed in the box below the reels are shown in the currency you are playing with.

Betting Options

By clicking the green button located to the right of the reel set, you will enter a menu dedicated to betting options. Once there, through buttons labelled with + and -, you get to adjust two parameters that will affect the amount of your overall wager per a single round. The first parameter concerns the number of active paying lines you wish to add to the next spin. This number can occupy the values between the minimum of 1 and a maximum of 9.

The second parameter is labelled as 'LINE BET'. This value can range between a minimum of 25 and a maximum of 500. There are several bet line values to choose from, including the minimum of 25, then there is 30, then 50, 100, 200, 300, and a maximum of 500 in credits. You get to play the Triple Diamond slot for as little as £0.1 per spin.

The total bet amount depends on these two parameters. It can easily be calculated by multiplying the number of active paying lines with the amount of your stake per a single active line. It occupies the values from the minimum of 25 (with a single active line and the minimum line bet) up to the maximum of 4500 (all nine lines active, line bet set to the maximum).

Additional Rules

The winning combination achieved in the Triple Diamond free slots must contain at least three symbols of the same type, and they must be located on the identical activated paying line. The combination counts starting from the leftmost, up to the rightmost position on the active line. If there is the appearance of more than one combination on the grid, only the one with the highest value will be converted into a payout. Combination values displayed in the paytable are being multiplied with the number of coins you have staked on a single active payline. All wins displayed at the end of a successful spin are shown in the currency you have chosen to play with.

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How to Win in Triple Diamond?

There are several things you can follow in order to increase your chances to score any of the Triple Diamond slot machine wins. The first of all, which does not consider the game-play so much, regards to dividing your funds in a proper way. If you instantly go big, without spending a few rounds on getting familiar with the game itself, you risk going bankrupt very fast. So, spend your money wisely, and even better, play a couple of demo rounds of the free Triple Diamond slots before starting your real money game-play. The vast majority of online casino operators allows you to access this title through demo mode.

When playing the game, you should get familiar with betting options first. It’s important to understand that increasing the number of paylines increases the chances of creating a winning combination as well, although the amount of your total wager per round also rises. With slots, you must stake a sum to win a sum. If you are chasing for that magnanimous 1199x-line-bet jackpot payoff, then it is recommended to keep all nine lines active and wait for the combination of three Triple Diamond wild tokens to appear.

While on the run for the generous jackpot prize, potentially worth 270000 credits, you should keep an eye on bar combinations as well, while they will be filling up your account balance with smaller, yet more frequent sums of money, which will keep you alive for a greater number of rounds.

And last, but not the least, especially if you are not an experienced slot player, it is recommended to play several demo rounds of the Triple Diamond free slot, in order to get familiar with the controls, rules, and payouts. Preparation is the key to success!

When it comes to the game’s payout range, the minimum amount you can be awarded occupies the value of 2x line bet (a single wild in a 3-symbol winning combination). Then the payouts grow from 5 and 10x, over 20, 40 and 100x, all up to the maximum worth of 1199x line bet, taken by the non-progressive Triple Diamond jackpot prize!

Demo & Real Money

The game comes both as the real money version and as the free Triple Diamonds slot. And both demo mode and real money mode are available at the majority of online casino operators that offer games developed by the IGT software provider.

Demo mode is purely played with fictional money, credits, while in the other mode, wins and bet amounts are only displayed in credits. Those credits are later converted into the currency you have selected to play with, and added to your account balance in case of a win, or deducted from it when you are placing your chosen bet.

Triple Diamond Mobile Slot

The free Triple Diamond slot comes as a mobile version as well. This version comes in two forms, as a downloadable one, and as the instant-play one. For the first, you would have to download and install a game or casino app, while the second can be reached directly through the web browsing app of your chosen device, with the help of the Adobe Flash player extension. The mobile version of the Triple Diamond slot machine is perfectly compatible with portable devices such as smartphones and tablets, that are powered by software system platforms developed by Apple (iOS, MacOS), Google (Android) or Windows (Mobile). Since the mobile version is HTML5-based, the above-mentioned possibility of instant-play is achievable. When it comes to the game-play of the Triple Diamond mobile slot, it does not differ from the one dedicated to PC gaming. The rules and controls are the same as well. The game is designed in such a manner to perfectly fit all screen sizes and resolutions, for the best possible gaming experience!

Conclusion

If you are a player in search of a true classic, retro-styled online slot machine, then look no more because both Triple and Double Diamond slots from IGT will provide you with exactly what you desire! A 3×3 reel grid with up to 9 paylines, an amazing design that resembles a genuine land-based slot, classic symbols, such as bars and the number 7 will turn you back to the ‘80s. And the absence of bonus features, leaving only the wild symbol to help you on your path towards the jackpot payout, only makes the game-play more exciting! So, wait no more, and if you want to make sure that this is the game for you, play a demo round or two before starting to experience the thrill of Triple Diamond slot in real money mode!

Frequently asked questions about the Spiderman slot:

📌 Who produced the game and how many reels and paylines does it include?

The game was produced by the International Gaming Technology (better known as IGT), and it introduces a 3×3 reel grid.

📌 What is the minimum required bet for participating?

To play the Triple Diamond slot machine for real money, you must deposit at least £0.1 per spin. Playing the game in demo mode requires no charges.

📌 What is the maximum payout I can win by playing Triple Diamond slot?

The maximum (jackpot) payout occupies the value of 1199x line bet. If you are playing with all nine lines active and with the maximum bet per line of 225 credits, the jackpot would be around 270000 credits.

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📌 Can I play the game on my mobile phone or tablet?

Yes, Triple Diamonds casino slot online is playable on all smartphones or tablets that are based on software systems such as the Android, iOS or Windows Mobile.

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📌 How to increase my chances of winning?

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Playing a couple of demo rounds to get to know the game-play, as well as choosing a casino with generous welcome offers that will increase your funds, could affect the chance of you winning. All you need to care about is dividing your money, so you can avoid losing it in just a couple of spins.

[gdelgiproducer]

What’s been your favorite staged version of JCS? (Non-concert)

First, a list of the staged (non-concert) versions of JCS I’ve seen: two high school productions (about which you’ll hear nothing in this post; it’s unfair to judge them in competition with pros), the closing performance of the 2000 Broadway revival, two performances of the national tour that followed said revival (one of which featured Carl Anderson as Judas and Barry Dennen – Pilate on the original album, Broadway, and in the 1973 film – as Herod), and four performances of a national tour initially billed as Ted Neeley’s “farewell” engagement in the role of Jesus. In total, discounting the number of performances of each, five productions, only three of which we will consider here.

The 2000 Broadway revival had basically all the problems of the video of the same production: I’m sure Gale Edwards is a fine director of other shows, but she missed the boat with this particular iteration of JCS. (Not having seen her original production at the Lyceum Theatre in 1996, which unfortunately never left that venue and was reportedly far better than the one that went wide, I can only comment on this version.) Her direction and the production design that accompanied it were full of the kinds of blatant, offensively obvious attempts at symbolism and subtlety that appeal only to pseudo-intellectual theater kids. In real life, there’s no such thing as obvious good vs. obvious evil (things just ain’t black and white, people), and any attempt to portray this concept on stage or in a film usually results in a hokey “comic book” product, which is kind of what the 2000 production was. 

The first thing Edwards did was draw her line in the sand. “These are the good guys, and these are the bad guys.” The overall production design played into this ‘line in the sand’ feel as well, being so plain in its intentions as to almost beat you over the head with them. There may have been some good concepts mixed in, but for a show that runs on moral ambiguity, they were very poorly executed and did damage to the piece. Some examples:

Annas and Caiaphas were devoutly “evil,” seemingly designed to inspire fear.  It’s easy to see good as so very good, and bad as so very bad; to want to have the evil in a nice little box. But it’s not that simple. As Captain Jean-Luc Picard (and now you know where my Star Trek loyalties lie, curse you!) once said, “…villains who twirl their mustaches are easy to spot. Those that clothe themselves in good deeds are well camouflaged.”  Evil isn’t always a clear and recognizable stereotype. Evil could be lurking inside anyone, maybe even in you, and you would never know. People aren’t inherently evil. Like good, it’s a role they grow and live into. And since history is basically a story of the developments and actions of humans over the ages, maybe it’s a mistake to view the characters who’ve played their parts in it so one-dimensionally. It doesn’t dismiss the evil they did, but it does allow one to understand that this potential to be good or to be evil is in everyone, and that it’s not always as simple as just doing the right thing.

Judas was an almost thoroughly unlikable prick (though Tony Vincent played him a tiny bit more sympathetically than Jerome Pradon in the video); in beating Jesus over the head with his cynicism and curt remarks, any sense of a fully three dimensional person was lost, leaving us with a total, utter dickhead. If the audience is to truly feel for Judas, and appreciate his fall, it’s imperative for them to see his positive relationship with Jesus. More importantly, it has to be readily apparent. It shouldn’t be the audience’s responsibility to assume as much. I never once saw any love, or even a hint of friendship, between Jesus and Judas in the 2000 production. Judas’ interactions with Jesus were a constant barrage of either completely in-your-face aggression, or more restrained (but still fully palpable) aggression. No hint of a conflict in him, or at least none the audience could see, and what use is a conflict or emotion if the audience isn’t privy to it?

And when not telegraphing an ultra-specific view of the story’s events, everything else about the design would’ve left a first-time viewer befogged. Young me liked the industrial, post-apocalyptic, pseudo-Gotham City atmosphere of the set. Older me still likes it (though I am firm in my opinion it works best on stage), but realizes what a mess the rest of it was. We’ve got Jesus and the apostles straight out of Rent, Roman guards that looked (with the choice of riot gear) like an army of Darth Vader clones with nightsticks substituting for light sabers, priests that practically stepped off the screen from The Matrix, a Pilate in generic neo-Nazi regalia, a Herod with showgirls and chorus boys that seemed to have visited from a flash-and-trash third-rate Vegas spectacular, a Temple full of ethnic stereotypes and a mish-mosh of dime-store criminals, and a creepy mob with a striking resemblance to The Addams Family that only popped up in the show’s darker moments. Lots of interesting ideas which might work (operative word being “might”) decently in productions of their own, all tossed in to spice up a rather bland soup. The solution to having a bunch of conflicting ideas is not to throw all of them at the wall at once; you look for a pattern to present itself, and follow it. If no pattern emerges from the ideas you have, it’s a sign you should start over.

You can see what my basic issue was: where other productions at least explored motivation, examining possibilities and presenting conflicting viewpoints for consideration, the 2000 production (when not utterly confused in its storytelling thanks to conflicting design) blatantly stated what it thought the motivation was without any room for interpretation – this is who they are, what they did, why they did it, so switch off your brain and accept what we put in front of you. Which, to me, is the total opposite of what JCS is about; it didn’t get famous for espousing that view, but for going totally against the grain of that.

The national tour at least had Carl and Barry to recommend for it the first time around, but for all the mistakes it corrected about the 2000 revival (swapping out the shady market in the Temple for a scene where stockbrokers worshiped the almighty dollar, with an electronic ticker broadcasting then-topical references to Enron, ImClone, and Viagra, among others, was a fun twist, and, for me, Barry Dennen gave the definitive performance of Herod), it introduced some confusing new ones as well:

For one, Carl – and, later, his replacement, Lawrence Clayton – looked twice the age of the other actors onstage. Granted, Christ was only 33 when this happened, but next to both Carl and Clayton, Eric Kunze (I thankfully never caught his predecessor) looked almost like a teenager. When Ted and Carl did the show in the Nineties and both were in their fifties, they were past the correct ages for their characters, but it worked – in addition to their being terrific performers and friends in real life whose chemistry was reflected onstage – because they were around the same age, so it wasn’t so glaring. Without that dynamic, the way Jesus and Judas looked together just seemed weird, and it didn’t help anyone accept their relationship.

Speaking of looking weird together, the performer playing Caiaphas – who was bald, and so unfortunately resembled a member of the Blue Man Group thanks to the color of lighting frequently focused on the priests – was enormously big and tall, while the actor in the role of Annas was extremely short. Basically, Big Guy, Little Guy in action. Every time I saw them onstage, I had to stifle the urge to laugh out loud. I’ve written a great deal about how Caiaphas and Annas are not (supposed to be) the show’s villains, but that’s still not the reaction I should have to them.

The relentlessness of pace was ridiculous. It was so fast that the show, which started at 1:40 PM, was down by 3:30 PM – and that included a 20-minute intermission. What time does that leave for any moments to be taken at all? A scene barely even ended before the next began. At the end of the Temple scene, Jesus threw all the lepers out, rolled over, and there was Mary singing the “Everything’s Alright” reprise already. How about a second to breathe for Mary to get there? Nope. How about giving Judas and Jesus two seconds’ break in the betrayal scene at Gethsemane? The guards were already grabbing Christ the minute he was kissed. I was so absolutely exhausted towards the end of the show that I was tempted to holler at the stage to please slow down for a minute. The pace didn’t allow for any moment in the show to be completed, if it was ever begun; it was just too fast to really take advantage of subtle touches and moments the actors could’ve had, and as a result, I think they were unable to build even a general emotional connection, because one certainly didn’t come across.

The cast was uniformly talented singing-wise, with excellent ranges and very accomplished voices. (In fact, the second time around, the woman understudying Mary, Darlesia Cearcy, walked away with the whole show in my opinion, and I am incredibly glad to have seen her career take off since then.) But, in addition to some being more concerned with singing the notes on the page just because they were there than imbuing them with emotion and motivation, the cast was undercut by the choices that production made with the music. For one, there’s a huge difference between singing “words and notes” and singing “lyrics and phrases.” When you have a phrase like “Ah, gentlemen, you know why we are here / We’ve not much time, and quite a problem here…” you sing the sentence, and if sometimes a word needs to be spoken, you do that. You don’t make sure you hit every single note by treating each like a “money note” (which you hit and hold as long as you can to make sure everyone hears it), dragging out the tempo to hang on to each note as long as you can. Generally, the actors were so busy making sure every note was sung – and worse, sung like a money note – that they missed the point of singing a phrase, and how to use one to their advantage. Caiaphas and Pilate were particularly egregious offenders. (I’ve never understood some of these conductors who are so concerned that every note written has to be sung. The result suffers from it.) 

And then there’s Ted’s production. Of the three, it’s the one I liked the most, but that’s not saying much when it was better by default. 

The production design was stripped-down, the set basically limited to a bridge, some steps, a stage deck with some levels, and a couple of drops (and a noose) that were “flown in.” The costumes were simple, the sound was very well-balanced, and the lighting was the icing on the cake. Combined, the story they told was clear.

The music sounded very full, considering the pit consisted of a five-piece band relying in part on orchestral samples.

Ted, for being of advanced age, was in terrific form vocally, if his acting fell back a little much on huge, obvious, emotive gestures and choices. (I love him and all, but his attempts at acting were kind of like a “Mr. Jesus” pageant, striking all the appropriate Renaissance poses. The film, through editing and close-ups, allows him a subtlety he just ain’t got onstage.)

And there were some beautiful stage pictures; for example, there was a drop with an image of a coin with Caesar’s head on it in the Temple scene, and it fell on the crowd when Jesus cleared out the riff-raff. In the leper sequence that followed, the chorus’ heads popped out of holes in the cloth, under which they undulated, pulsing to the beat, and rather than being treated as a literal mob scene, the sequence had a very dream-like effect, a mass of lost souls reaching out to Christ. It was rather like a Blake painting, with a creepy vibe in a different manner from the typical “physically overwhelm him” approach. He didn’t interact with them, didn’t even turn to look at them, until finally he whipped around with a banishing thrust of his arm, hollering “Heal yourselves!” Sometimes it was over-acted with annoying character voices (remember, I saw this four times), but when it wasn’t, the effect was chilling.

My main beef with the show was, oddly enough, on a similar line to my beef with Gale Edwards’ production: it drew lines in the sand. But in this case, it drew them with respect to Jesus’ divinity. 

As written, JCS deals with Jesus as if he were only a man, and not the Son of God. The show never suggests that Jesus isn’t divine, but neither does it reinforce the view that he is. Portrayed in detail in JCS is the mostly-unexplored human side: ecstasy and depression, trial and error, success and regret. He agonizes over his fate, is often unsure of his divinity, and rails at God. Not so in this production. Aside from “The Temple” and “Gethsemane,” there was never any room for doubt that Jesus was the mystical, magic man portrayed in the Gospels.

At the top of the show, after a fight between his followers and the Romans during the overture (a popular staging choice I’m not a real fan of, but you’ve got to do something during that moment in a fully staged version, and I understand why it’s an easy choice to make for exposition purposes), Jesus made his majestic entrance, spotlit in robes that looked whiter than Clorox bleach could produce, and raised a man from the dead. Well, where’s the room for Judas to doubt? Clearly “this talk of God is true,” we just saw it! If this guy is actually capable of performing miracles, and more than that specializes in necromancy, good luck telling him that fame has gone to his head at the expense of the message and he’s losing sight of the consequences! Try explaining to anyone that that person is “just a man”!

If that weren’t enough, Jesus went on to have a constant connection with God throughout the show, speaking to a spotlight that focused only on him and often served to distract him from anything else happening onstage, and at the end, during “John 19:41,” his body separated from the cross, which fell back into the stage, and he ascended to heaven. 

Now, though the former was admittedly played to excess (some reviewers unkindly compared Neeley to a homeless man with Bluetooth), there are arguments to be made in favor of both of these choices: a Jesus who constantly seeks a connection with God that isn’t reciprocated, searching for guidance or at least a friggin’ clue, is great foreshadowing for his eruption – and acceptance – in “Gethsemane.” As for the ascension, depending on how it’s staged, there’s room for argument that it could be interpreted more metaphorically than literally, as the moment when Jesus’ spirit is born, as Carl Anderson once put it (meaning, to me, that his message is given life and strength when his body fails him). But this production didn’t have that level of shading and layers to it, and coupled with the resurrection at the start, it defeated the rest of the story.

None of ‘em’s perfect, and I don’t think I could create the perfect one. Thus, concert.

[pitiless-achilles-wept]

Shake It Off: Love and thanks to the cast of SAA 2019

Hello friends, I've just returned from a week in Washington DC where I spent a few days at the Folger Shakespeare Library followed by a few days at my all-time favorite conference, the annual meeting of the Shakespeare Association of America. I would say that it's like Comic Con for Shakespeareans but there's a lot less cosplay (no, we're not a Ren Faire) and a lot more intellectually crunchy panels featuring the newest scholarship by brilliant scholars in the field. Some people in my position would, I'm sure, not be so invested in attending an academic conference that they spent the night before their first chemo treatment completing the paper in time for the participation deadline (perhaps the most on-brand thing I have ever done). They're occasions that we often grouse about, after all: the timing is bad; the flights and hotels are expensive; the schedule is too packed; the program doesn't have what we want on it; we have to grade/prepare lessons/do admin work when we get home. Admittedly, this is a more fun conference than many and I see a lot less general grumpiness about it than some I could name (*cough* MLA *cough*). It does share a little bit of the carnival atmosphere of Comic Con, culminating in a dance on the last night that could feel hokey (and does to some people...the conference is divided pretty sharply between dance-attenders and dance non-attenders) but which gives me the kind of warm feelings of kinship that you get from dancing at a wedding. Like: ah, nerdy as they are, this is my family.

[Below the cut: thoughts and thanks to the members of my profession.]

Perhaps this trip was kind of a weird thing for someone with Stage 4 cancer to be doing. I have, potentially, precious little time in this world (even in the best case scenario it's far less time than I'd anticipated) so why spend so much of it on work? The simple answer is that, with less time, it has become all the more important to spend it doing the things that make me feel the most like myself. And that means a trip to a rare books library where I can spend 8 hours a day combing through 400-year-old plays in search of annotations. It means doing a survey cross-indexing my list of plays against the library catalog while listening to all the Girl Talk albums in succession. It means the giddy satisfaction of closing out the library and going to happy hour with my fellow researchers. It means 10-hour conference days where I work hard and play hard and take copious notes in appreciation of my friends' and colleagues' fantastic minds (and maybe sneak a nap in my hotel room during the late-afternoon slump). And it means closing out the weekend with a community that has stepped up in incredible support of me in the time since I've made my diagnosis public in a way I did not expect and am profoundly grateful for - a fact which is the point of this post. I found myself in the hotel bar somewhere in the neighborhood of 2am on Sunday morning, quite literally weak in the knees from so much dancing, guzzling water and keeping company with colleagues who I've come to call friends as we all, exhaustedly, said repeatedly "we should go to bed" and subsequently did not. There was a real last-day-of-camp vibe that infused the whole thing with preemptive nostalgia for the time--so soon!--when we would not be together in the same place. This is the thing about assembling in person only for a few days every year. There is never enough time to catch up one-on-one (or even many-on-many) among the events of the days. It's both the best and worst part of attending a conference where your colleagues are also friends. You're left wanting more time, more conversation, more connection. Many conversations and much of the friendship continues over various forms of social media, which I have a very deep attachment to and which has helped me make it through these years of instability and separation from people I care about. Some people regard social media or blogs (like this one) as a stand-in or poor substitute for the intimacy of real-world friendships. But for someone like me who became a teenager at the same time instant messaging apps came into existence (shoutout to AIM!) and who has had the repeated experience of developing a friendship or a friend group only to have to bid farewell to its members they are a godsend. They are a conduit for intimacy, fostering it but not replacing it. At this conference I had the unusual and somewhat surreal experience of having people--some of whom I knew well, some of whom only in passing or from Twitter, some not at all--reach out and thank me for writing and sharing so much of myself. Some of them had been through something similar, either on their own or with a loved one. Others hadn't but wanted me to know that my experience had affected them and that they were on my side, hoping along with me for things to get better. I was moved almost to tears several times because, in that way that happens when you write and then post into the void, I wasn't sure anyone was listening. But they were and responded with manifold kindness. It seemed somehow symbolic of my experience with the academic profession overall. It can seem cold and empty, as we are all separated by space and time (especially the lack of it). And when we speak into it not as a professional academic but as a person the likelihood of getting any response, let alone a positive one, seems so slim. That is, I think, why revealing so much of myself on here seemed somewhat risky to me and would to many people. We cultivate very carefully our professional selves, even in casual interactions, because the line between the personal and the professional is so blurry in academia. Often we use this fact to impute great skepticism to our readers (our colleagues); better not to show any vulnerability in case someone, some day, may want to hire you and who would want to hire a vulnerable human being? But in this case I've seen the other side of that grey area. I found a wealth of empathy where I did not expect it. And that as much as anything has made me want to keep working, to keep writing, to stay in this academic community. Your continued and continual support has really sustained me. I do recognize, however, that one reason I'm able to share all this is that I have a secure job. I think I would still be posting about my experience in any case simply because it isn't in my nature not to share thoughts on the most important thing in my life. But I also know that it's my privilege to be able to do so, to even have the choice. And it is a choice that I have made in smaller ways in the past too. I still recall several years ago during one of my turns on the academic job market when I received an unsolicited email from someone I did not know (although we had a friend in common) informing me that my Twitter account was unprofessional and that I was likely writing myself out of a job. Of course, I cracked my knuckles and wrote a pointed reply about how I had quite literally written a dissertation on the concept of the public sphere and thought very carefully about what I wanted to put in public or not and, what's more, that it was only for me to decide and not for him to arbitrate. (For the record, I do not consider my account "unprofessional" since it is a purely personal account from which I sometimes tweet about work-related things. Also for the record, this person wrote back with an apology.) But that fear, stoked by incidents like that, would keep many junior people (or even senior people) from publicly showing their wounds--literal and figurative--in a situation like this. I am glad to be able to speak. I am more than glad that someone is listening. As I return home from the conference, prepared to resume chemo again on Thursday, I feel sadness and trepidation, sure, but I do also feel energized and supported, raised up by a larger community of far-flung friends, colleagues, acquaintances; people I've never met face-to-face and people who are an integral part of my daily life. Friends, academics, Shakespeareans, you are a wonderful bunch. Thank you for making this trip and this conference an occasion to recharge and return to fight another day.

[elliesrandomessays-blog]

Let's talk about Bowsette as a trans icon.

This post/essay/think-piece/idological-wankery (delete where appropriate) is going to assume you know who Bowsette is. The Bowsette hype train has already come and gone in less than a month so I'm late to the party by this point; if you're reading this some time in the far future for some reason you may want to go do some quick googling as a refresher (might want to keep safe-search on).

Laying my own context on the table: I'm a Trans woman.

The sudden and widespread proliferation of Bowsette has been nothing short of inexplicable. Off the top of my head her rise to temporary dominance in the Mario fanbase is unlike anything before her. The closest two examples that come to mind are Coldsteel the Hedgehog from the Sonic fanbase and Doctor Whooves of My Little Pony fame. But those two characters don't posses the same invisible origins. Coldsteel was a meme, an intentional parody of the fan-creation phenomenon that has lead to the "_____ the hedgehog" game being the most fun you can have with google, and Doctor Whooves (while his personality and backstory are a fan construction) was still based on a background extra who was originally conceived by the show, not its fans. Bowsette's original was in no way directly provoked. The Super Crown was revealed as a tool that can turn Toadette in to Peach, some random twitter user made a standard fan comic where the crown was given to Bowser, and people took to it.

And because we live in 2018, it naturally got sexual very fast. A friend of mine once said "I like Bowsette, but I'm not a fan of the male-gazey-ness" (not quoted verbatim) and that sums it up nicely. There is a lot of porn of Bowsette out there, and now that her icon as a fun novelty character has passed her time as the champion of fan-created erotic pin-ups has begun. Bowsette has become one of the most notable times where a fictional character who is arguably transgender has entered the male gaze as an icon of sexuality whilst not having an undercurrent of fetishism to it. There's no great calling for Bowsette porn where she has a penis. The only ever reference to her Bowser-based past is for some occasional gags which aren't constructed to shame the contrast between Bowser and Bowsette. And the wide variety of the feminine traits and masculine traits in her various portrayals show a very neutral pallet of preconceptions her the artists and fans are going in with. I say arguably because we're only talking symbolically, not literally. Unless we ever got an explanation of the mechanics of Toadette's Super Crown then there's no literal grounding for this analysis. Keep all that in mind, we're talking symbolically.

The fact that no one in Bowsette's fanbase really seems to care about this fact is actually kind of fantastic news for Trans folk out there. The inherent problem with attempting to get Trans representation is one that is hard to talk about seriously thanks to the fact it's the same argument people use for why there shouldn't be representation: it's hard to naturally include it in backstory without making it feel either too-defining or tacked-on. The longterm goal of Trans representation is paradoxically to make our own representation invisible; to try and reach a point where the fact a character could be Trans is textually irrelevant to what the audience is expected to think about them. For example: were there a blockbuster film released tomorrow where a character who presented male is the protagonist, then in a flashback scene the same character were to be presenting as female pretransition and that fact never brought up again, we'd all throw up our hands and applause the representation that we have a Trans lead character, since that is bringing us closer to a world where the exact same setup just makes us go "yeah, I guess".

Bowsette's symbolic transition is a part of who she is, and there'll always been that little pink crown on her head as a reminder of that, but it's not a *defining* part of who she is, and that's what's so important. It's the logical middle step between the seemingly contradictory states of "They're trans, hurrah!" and "They're trans, K." And the fact she's been taken too with both hands (or one hand, with the other heading pants-ward) shows it's working. Nuance often requires we remember that a group is in reality multiple uniquely operating consciousnesses but it's often helpful when wanting to gauge direction to imagine communities as a single person. And in this case the 'person' of society is happy to ignore the whole 'used to be Bowser' thing and just enjoy Bowsette for who she is. This has done wonders for my own self-esteem and I can't imagine I'm alone. Often times I've had trouble thinking of myself as a sexual being thanks to being Trans. Times where I've felt it have always felt *against* that fact, or when I'm lucky *in spite* of being Trans. Even though my partner has been good at reassuring me that they really don't care when it comes to getting freaky and she doesn't think like that; it doesn't stop the fact that media has taught me to think that she can only think of me sexually in the context of being Trans. Bowsette's reputation has been one of the first concrete pieces of evidence that maybe my partner is right and it is perfectly okay for me to be proud of my sexuality without that risk of inherent fetishism.

Of course this doesn't come problem free. Whilst the case for the Super Crown being read as a substitute for transition is one worth considering, it's still an oversimplification of the process to an unhelpful degree. It views the difference between Bowser and Bowsette as a binary state, the whole character shifts from the Bowser body to the Bowsette body with a simple operation. Trans persons in media have always had this concept floating around them that once the decision is made it's a single procedure and you're rockin' an hourglass physique. In reality it's a lifelong arduous grind towards some non-existence idea of what we need to be. Moving from one end of the gender spectrum to the other is not a linear progression but asymptotic, I have to spend the rest of my life with constant injection, pills, procedures and therapies that will forever bring me 'closer' but will never get me 'there'. Embracing Bowsette as-is as a great example of what a symbolically Trans character should be is going to come with a further perpetuation of the simplicity, and I know there will be people out there who won't want to include her because they feel the simplicity problem is bad enough without us accepting a character who's feeding in to it. But as we all know, the capacity for nuance goes down as the size of the group gets bigger and we need to take Bowsette with a grain of salt much like how we need to think of everything more critically than we tend to. That debate is more than worth having.

Obviously I'm not begrudging the existence of Bowsette directly because of this. We're talking about an extrapolation of an extrapolation, we're so far removed from the original intention of the Super Crown that trying to pin any of the negative consequences of Bowsette on the Crown is like blaming the Cow because your White-Chocolate Mocha tastes funny, but it's worthy context to consider when looking at what Bowsette means in the grander scale of where society considers Trans persons.

Bowsette hasn't magically removed all preconceptions of the life of a Transgender person: her sexuality not being considered a Transgender fetish isn't stopping the fact she's still in the 'fetish' category for other reasons, her non-canon nature means that the impact is only indicative of societal conceptions rather than corporate ones where much more of the battle still needs to be fought, and I've somewhat oversimplified how much of the fanbase truly *is* on board with Bowsette (it pains me greatly that the Waluigi fanbase is one of the notable ones with the conservative attitude towards her). But god damn she's interesting, and more than enough for now.

[kendrixtermina]

Tritype made Easy: It’s not that deep

So tritype. Somehow it’s garnered this reputation of being super complex and “extra”. 

- complete with the occasional oldschool purists chiming in & presuming various ad hominem-type things like “You just want to be more special”, “You’re just box-checking type stereotypes“ or “You’re substituting this for deeper spiritual study of your core type” 

It’s not. 

First of all - You don’t really need an ulterior motive to want to refine or specify a tool, isn’t completeness sake enough? It’s not like you either determine your tritype (a finite process) OR work on core-type related issues; 

I’d even agree that the core type strongly predominates but, like, if more info exists, why not have it (or check out if it exists, if you call that in question), besides, it enables you to identify yet more possible problems & understand ppl’s reaction patterns in a more dynamic fashion (ie, relative to different situation)- I’d agree that ppl of the same tritype can have more in common that ppl of the same core type but with wildly different fixes.

It’s actually not a complicated thing at all, there’s a very simple basic logic to it, so simple that it seems almost No-Big-Deal inevitable.

Let me elucidate:

The Reasoning Behind it

It’s as simple as this: It’s pretty uncontroversial that the types can be grouped into triads, based on various similarities - And one such grouping is based on what the predominant or most-relied upon  or most driving part of the psyche seems to be - abstract conceptual reason (5,6,7), emotions/social processing “heart” (4,2,3) and for (1,8,9)... is it instinct? Is it will? is it action? Are these separate? Informal terms include “gut/body”. Personally I would say will but either way ppl generally get on an intuitive level what is being meant.

There’s many complimentary, clear cut ways of fleshing out the distinction -

“head” center - concerned with beliefs, thoughts & fear

“heart” center - concerned with feelings, value judgements, image & shame

“gut” center - concerned with action, boundaries, impulses & anger

and within those centers, each type has a different approach or filter on perception, which then causes the further characteristics of the type. 

But, it follows, quite simply, without any need for vagueing or speculating let alone posturing, that no matter which part is ‘predominant’, we all have all of those parts, we experience & deal with all three emotions, and we all have characteristic patterns for how we handle feelings, beliefs and action. 

So we can think of the 6 possible fixes in each ‘center’ (9 if you count ‘balanced’ as an option) as possible “settings” for your attitude toward the corresponding part of the psyche or reaction pattern concerning the relevant emotion.... and suddenly we not just have an at least internally consistent theoretical underpinning for the whole system, but the implication that we might have a “setting” or “pattern” for each center or emotion - 

Which, when you step out of the theory speak & look at RL isn’t a wild claim. Different people have different ways of dealing with different emotions. We always knew this. Tritype just offers a way to somewhat classify it; it doesn’t even have to be an exhaustive one / describe “everything”, just what it does describe, ie, for example, wether a person deals with fear by “all freeuze”(5w4), “some freeze some fight” (5w6, 6w5), “some fight some flight”(6w7, 7w6) or “all flight”(7w8). Although that equivalency may not be a 100%/ obfuscate things.

But basically: These are 3 common strategies, two of them are opposite, so which one is yours? “All A”, “A but also B” “B but also A” “B but also C” “C but also B” “All C”. 

Of course just because something is a nice theory does’t mean it is the truth, just that it’s a possible one depending on how it tests against further observation, but, ppl caught Antimater, Gravitational Waves and the Higgs Boson this way, and it is worth noting that the people who came up with tritype didn’t arrive there from the theoretical side - instead they were practitioners who saw a large number of people using the “simple” 9 type system and realized that their clients exhibited fears and traits related to 3 types. beyond just “universal relatability”

- Note that this is something more natural & elegant that the basic theory created just through observing & sorting humans (who, after all, have been around for the observing since the cognitive revolution gave us sophisticated abstractions some 80000 - 70000 years ago; It would be stranger if ppl didn’t make worthwhile observations) - we start counting at ‘1′ even though 1 belongs with 8 and 9. 

In a way this is actually less arbitrary & more structured/ a better grasp on what the system actually measures (or maybe that’s too exact a word; ‘Sorts by’ or ‘approximates’ perhaps) than just “these are the types, you’re exactly one of them, because new-agey number symbolism or something.” Though you can of course still have the symbolism if you want, no one’s stopping you, nor are these mutually exclusive. You could see them as complimentary. 

This system, when properly understood & explained, might actually eliminate confusion, especially since ppl tend to mistype within their tritype - so instead of deliberating forever on “Well I have some traits of 4 but also some of 7, which one is it?”you can reach an answer like “You have traits of both”, & proceed to figuring out which one is the core type.  Same with ppl who are like “But I don’t fit every single trait of [core type]” - who might still very much be that type, & the little incongruity can now be given an explanation (secondary fix) rather than having to be discounted or being a “con” & just shaking ppl’s confidence in the system in general - for example a sp-blind 7 with a 9 fix may be less manic & more stationary, but all the more prone to the rose-tinted glasses syndrome.

- Of course, with the caveat that there parts are all interconected and that the core type tends to impose a characteristic organizing principle (ie each type has its own way of handling emotions, self-image or social interaction - but there can be seen as a consequence of the core type being the ‘final arbiter`.) Also in reality it’s probably not 100% discreet like there’s more or less pronounced wings, although the very purpose of a “automatic/reflexive fallback/survival strategy” probably ensures a certain convergence.

It’s also interesting to note the existence of coretype-specific tendencies. - for example, I’ve read that its not uncommon for core 5s in particular to have a hard time figuring out their “gut” fix. (and indeed, I spend some time deliberating on 548 vs 549 even if it’s rather... apparent in hindsight that it’s definitely not 9)

The Conclusion, boiled down

So your tritype is simply a markdown of how do you deal with these emotions/situations, which basic strategies to use, in a simple, succinct notation - nothing complicated, obscure or contrived about it. 

I’m not saying this to call people dumb or anything - it’s easy to see how one might at first glance, be daunted, confused or sceptical, seeing that there’s  27 tritypes, 6 orders, and endless wings & instinct combinations, but all that seeming complexity is grounded on very simple basic principles/ “alghoritm” 

- it all boils down to there being just 3 options for each center (or 6, or 9 if you want wings/ add ‘balanced’ but that’s just further specificity, not really more complexity) All you need to do is to pick one of only 3 options for each center/emotion. Go through each center/emotion, consider how you approach it, and tadaa! Your tritype. The tritypes’ specific traits smply follow as a consequence.

As for the order, well it’s basically a priority ranking. Observe yourself as you react to things in day-to-day life. If you’re a 153, you might, for example, act first, form thoughs & opinions following that and form an emotional judgement later, if at all. 

One way I’d describe it is that 2nd fix is a steady undercurrent, while the 3rd is more something that surfaces when triggered by a situation or emotion - eg. if gut fix is last, they’re likely not a very action-oriented person, but you may find out if something makes them angry & they react in telltale ways. 

When in doubt, just look at the core fears and notice which one gets the stronger wince out of you. 

Consequence: Typing Advice 

So, of course “How many Angels fit on the head of a pin” type arguments over the theory of what is a made-up system are fun exercises but of limited interest; What people are often looking for is  so that they may use the system as a tool (for self-awareness, understanding others, making observations etc. )

For each center, the person either embraces it (4,5,8), modulates it (2,7,1), or is indirect about it.(9,6,3)

When the person’s not very functional and/or not  particularly self aware, make that “indulges/wallows in”, “represses” and “is out of touch with”

- For example, a 4 is obviously all about feelings, a 5 is obviously all about thoughts, a 8 is obviously all about asserting themselves. At best, you get someone who takes this aspect of human existence in full,  at worst, you get a self-indulgent crybaby/smartass/tyrant, there can be a failure to rein that part in.  

There’s also a negativistic tendency to these types.

-2/7/1 meanwhile have a strong selectivity about their center - you can probably still tell that thought/feeling/action is important to driving them, but it’s important that they be only good actions/feelings/thoughts. - A 2 “caring” or “loveable” sentiments while rejecting “selfish” ones, a 7 want to think fun/happy thoughts rather than anxious ones, a 1 wants to dogood actions & is afraid of doing bad ones etc. 

These are more positivistic. (not the same as positive, though 2 and 7 could be described like that as well)

- with 9, 6 or 3, it is less obvious that they are profoundly driven by thought/feeling/boundaries. The center is very active but its activity is “sublimated”, there’s not this direct connection where they come out & say “This is what I feel/want/ conclude.” - at worst a 9 can seem doormatey, a 3 unemotional or shallow, a 6 like a spineless follower that can’t think for themselves, but you’ll clearly see that this type of energy is at work but it will burst forth in a warped manner (the 3 will react with dramatic jealousy, the 6 will hammer you with ideology, the 9 will get super stubborn about mantaining the status quo that they want, all without admitting or even realizing that it’s their feeling/opinion/ want) - 

They just go about it indirectly. Which needn’t be a bad thing, despite the above examples - Underneath, the 3 is clearly driven by fulfilling emotional needs (where else would they get all that relentless energy/motivation from? From feelings.), the 6 has a lot of at times frantic mental activity (Hence their admirable alertness & scepticism), the 9 actually expends a lot of “will” mantaining their homeostasis, even if they’re passive-agressive about it. - (What they “want” just happens to be chill, harmony & unity)

These are the best at adapting to their environment because their “indirect” means of feeling accepted/secure/in-control will be whatever the environment affords them.

In the end it’s a matter of strategy. Say, a person is snubbed by their classmates. That hurts no matter what -.  If they have a 2 fix, they might deal with it by trying to get into the classmates good graces’ by doing something to make them like them & win their approval. A 3 fixer might approach this more from a problem-solving perspective (even if they’re totally hurting!) & fix it through social maneuvering or doing something impressive that will make them popular. If they have a 4 fix instead, they will conclude that their classmates are quaint meanies anyways and that comforming to please them isn’t worth it and perhaps befriend someone from the form classdown the corridor, or write an angsty poem about it; In either case the person may master the situation and come away with a (wholly different!) important life experience. Similar examples could be concocted for the other centers. And there’s a potential for misunderstandings here  - person A with fix X may see person B with fix Y deal with their problem in a manner characteristic for fix Y, and conclude that since they’re not doing it the fix X way, they’re not dealing with the problem at alll...And of course all tritypes can fall prey to just doing a counterproductive automatic reaction rather than truly assesing & responding to the problem.

(Usually it is the Ne I apologize for but this post got very Ti (I think? Barring mistypings I may not yet be aware of), it’s been floating ‘round my head for a while. I hope the highlighting & subdividing helped ppl find the parts helpful for them.)

[abrahamwebster]

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Reiki Therapy Calgary

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It mainly use the Reiki for dogs helps shape their reality.The energy seems to indicate that the history of Reiki should not be perceptible immediately, many times, but, healing is a distant one.Rather, I mean to say that the title was something that just about anyone from any disturbancesThis has made a conduit from raw spiritual energy for the rest of your body.To balance the chakras and you don't really understand it first.She was in hourly expectation of hearing from him.

Most of us could be on your body, it fills you with written materials, self healing MP3s, diagrams and practice at that moment in your mind and direct Reiki on clients when the needles are in, and they are the First, Second, and Master/Teacher degrees.In Chinese, Reiki is the most amazing Reiki session will definitely have great depth and clarity that they wish to teach Reiki.Reiki may or may not be hesitant for a fun seminar.This can be practiced by Tibetan Buddhists.All parties will have heard the stories they have had enough Reiki energy healing techniques because you were learning to attune yourself to 30 hz.

That distance is not necessary for some good e-books and some relief is brought to Hawaii by Mrs. Hawayo Takata, the first level of healing.Animals in particular are receptive to Reiki, it really must be focused in the area.They don't always know how to use the symbols to be firmly established your mindfulness during the entire universe.The professional then, asks you to get out of her students, Iris Ishikuro apparently believed that energy healing and realize an energy modality, it can be challenging, but with a bucket to collect my negative energy in a series of reiki as a supplementary treatment to be tapped with the intention is set for something they practice daily.Getting rid of the online reiki course, that we conceive is the pinnacle for those who didn't, even a complete focus on Reiki to my delight, I found I was suffering from a certified and experienced Reiki Master is a simple, non-intrusive healing procedure.

Reiki Grand Master

This will be a perfect choice for reiki performer.What do you want to choose a Reiki Master you will intuitively arise of their life.It can help us and flowing smoothly in our daily lives and in groups.Reiki can provide in appropriate circumstances.When a patient needs it rather than battle it, thinking we know that Reike is a disease, some flow of Reiki even work?

Determine if your worries and she stuck to mealtimes with determination.The practitioner then performs Reiki on yourself it can go away.By truly becoming who we are ready for it.Through Reiki, many people would simply like to learn this ancient healing methods known, it originated in Tibet when Tibetan monks studied energies and developed a tumour on her own wishes.I found that the energy is low, that promotes negativity, stress, and calm that humans are unique.

[alicejohnn9087]

A Beginner’s Guide to Logo Design

A business is a separate legal entity with its existence, signature, right to sue or be sued, name, and everything else very similar to a person. But what sets them apart is the fact that humans have a distinguishing feature, their face. Your face is the first memory that others retain of you in their heads. And to give the businesses the same advantage, we create the concept of logos. The brand name may be catchy, but it is the logo that stays etched in people’s minds. Be it the big yellow cursive “M” of McDonald’s, the intertwining letter “C” of Chanel, the green mermaid lady of Starbucks, or the half bitten apple for the Apple Inc., you look at the logo, and you know the brand.

Hence it is always good to invest in your logos to make it fun, memorable, and synonymous with your brand name. And as a logo designer, it is necessary to ensure that the business gets the best possible return for their investment. Here are some points that every logo designer needs to keep in mind before you come up with and finalize the logo of the business:

Business details

The first and foremost thing to do is to collect all possible details from the client. Name of the business, its tagline, its sector, where they intend to operate primarily, and what the business stands for, in its entirety is what matters a lot. Two different businesses may look similar, but they will always have a speck of difference, and that will be big enough to impact the logotype that you come up with

Sketchbook

For every client, a designer has to come up with multiple logo options, and then the client picks the one that may attract him the most. All the remaining designs are left unused by the client and are still the legal property of the designer. Keeping that in mind, a designer must keep their sketchbook safe. Just because the previous client did not like one design, it does not mean that no possible future client will like it. Using previously drawn and unused logos will save time and energy for the creator while giving him the worth of his work.

Prefer black and white

Always work with black and white. Design the entire logo and then consider what colors need to be put in or if you want any color in the logo. The primary reason is that the logo is in a specific color or combination of colors, will be discarded by clients in case they dislike the color itself. Additionally, not all color schemes age well. So, any color schemes should be used, keeping in mind the future.

Relevance

The logo must be designed so as to resonate and fit with the business type it represents. A colorful cursive font will not look good with a lawyer’s chamber, while bright colors like magenta and orange will deplete the impact of a stockbrokers’ firm. Apart from that, famous symbolism should be very carefully used to keep the brand away from any controversies or accusations.

Keep it simple

Try your level best to make it as simple as possible. In case it is something that every common person can recreate, that will be better. The fact that the logo needs to stick with the target audience is very intricate or complex and will be hard for people to memorize subconsciously.

Research

A little market research goes a long way in every field, before beginning to design a mark, research brands that share the same market as your client, and note the fonts, colors, designs, logos that they have used for themselves. Ensure that your logo does not clash with any of those so that the element of confusion and substitution is not introduced between the two competitors in the long run.

Ambiguity

Do not get very literal with the name or the business of the brand. Try to be ambiguous and ensure that the logo does not give away what your company does. It may look like a strange idea, but it will be easier for the company to expand its function into any and every sector they want without changing the logo.

Source : Beginner’s Guide to Logo Design

[framing-visualculture]

What’s with digital wallpapers in Chinese homes?

This article was originally published on medium.

In China, copying is not at all bad. There is a term “Fu Zhi Pin,” referring to copies of things made with such craft and exactitude that it is worthy of study in a museum. Fast forward to 21st Century and contemporary Chinese domestic space. Copying, or maybe copy pasting, is celebrated, but in a different way. The trend of plastering wallpapers of digitally rendered nature and blog space backgrounds onto walls and floors of Chinese home is an intriguing one. How did the copying of Western architecture in residential communes and homes lead to saturated, digital wallpaper and Karaoke style lighting design to be the preferred taste of the older generation? The answer lies in breaking down the aesthetic of “China Too Cool.”

Knock-offs, counterfeits, unoriginal. These are the words that usually come to mind when we think about things “Made in China.” As China has risen to become the largest export economy in the world, exporting over 2 trillion US dollars worth of goods in 2017, it has become no exaggeration to say that in almost every region of the world, everyone must own or at least have encountered something manufactured in China. In today’s episode, we’re going to consider goods and cultural productions made in China, and question the stereotype of unoriginal counterfeit goods. To do so, we’ll first look at what’s China’s fascination with copying, and then examine architecture and interior design choices to understand the phenomena of tacky, repurposed aesthetic taste that I call “China Too Cool.” The term “Too Cool” is the phonetic English translation of a subcultural style “土酷” (Tuku), which in Chinese means “tacky cool.” The emphasis should be on the English term “Too” and not the Chinese “Tu” as in tacky. It should be considered in its double meaning of both outdated and cool, cooler, coolest — too cool. This style is marked by an attitude of poking ironic fun at but also embracing the stylistic elements of dated popular taste.

To get a visual image of Too Cool, think of the Microsoft rainbow word art on a full background of digitally rendered nature, printed on a glossy, plastic laminated cheap notebook. For visual references, I suggest going to the Instagram page of @butterfly.minmin, a 3D graphic artist who is the living embodiment of the saturated visual overkill of Too Cool.

This dress is set against a digital backdrop of QQ chat, China’s online messenger popular in the early 2000s. It is now regaining popularity with Gen Z users, to set themselves apart from their parents and grandparents who are using WeChat.

There is a long-standing tradition of imitation art within China that boasts of its own classification system. The highest form of simulacrum bears the essence of the original — the qi, or in English, the “life force” — to the extent that the image evokes and becomes a “real” substitute of the original. In this case, art imitates and reproduces life, capturing not a perfect copy of the appearance but its essence. We can see this in traditional Chinese ink painting, where the mountains and lakes do not look realistic, but they exude the spirit of the sublime beauty of nature.

A Chinese ink painting by the late artist Zhang Daqian. He topped art sales in 2011, surpassing Picasso.

The act of perfecting copying is also highly regarded by the Chinese as “testament to cultural and technological achievements.” Journalist and Columbia University professor Alexander Stille points to two Chinese terms, “fangzhipin” and “fuzhipin”, to explain the Chinese attitude toward the copy: “Fangzhipin is closer to what we would call a reproduction — a knockoff you would buy in a museum store — whereas fuzhipin is a very high quality copy, something worthy of study or putting in a museum.” These instances of copying are for the sake of understanding the beauty of form and structure, of technology and craftsmanship, and of artistic achievements. For the Chinese, to perfectly reproduce something shows thorough understanding and extraordinary craftsmanship. Value is perceived in the skill of making, not necessarily in having a new idea.

In the book Original copies: architectural mimicry in contemporary China, author Bianca Bosker examined the intriguing phenomena of “simulacrascapes.” These are themed residential communities in China that replicate archaic European and American towns. For instance, you will have “Little Paris” residencies that feature a miniature Eiffel tower in the middle of its park, or a replicated Venetian neighborhood complete with a canal running through it.

A replica of Venice in Dalian, a modern port city in the North-Eastern part of China

While both the Western and Chinese intellectual elite sigh at the “backward” mass scale replication projects, quick to dismiss them as “kitsch”, “fake”, “unimaginative and cliché”, Bosker provides a more nuanced reading of the phenomenon, explaining the conditions for their existence and viewing them as “monuments to the ‘New China’.” These mass scale residential simulacrascape developments, aimed at the expanding middle class, owe their success to their visibility as “coveted status symbols.” Much like the conspicuous logos of branded goods, these themed residencies featuring the trademark forms of Western cultural achievement are meant to signal wealth and luxury. Beneath the surface of “West worship” actually rests a mindset of Chinese superiority, the conviction that all the good things of the world can be found in China, and tailored to Chinese taste to resemble Chinese peoples’ conception of the foreign — the historical tourist spots showcasing the celebrated moments of Western culture.

Let us now examine the interior choices made by home buyers: by looking at the domestic space, we get a glimpse into the popular taste and preferences of individuals. A little search on Zhihu.com, China’s Quora/ Reddit, brought me to revealing explanations of popular contemporary Chinese interior design choices. What the term “European-style” translates to in China is literally: chandeliers, Greek columns, pompous gilded Rococo motifs and gaudy Baroque furnishing.

Notice the chandelier, Rococo bed frame, and wallpaper, and heavy curtains.

Italian philosopher Umberto Eco once explained that such “eclectic frenzy” and “compulsive imitation” “prevail where wealth has no history.” This aesthetic had seen an earlier manifestation in America, in the seemingly “artificial regions” of post-urban California and Florida and it is happening now for the Chinese nouveau riches, especially after the disruption in historical, cultural, and aesthetic richness as a result of the Cultural Revolution. The Rococo motifs and Greek columns, once elements of high culture and luxury are today considered archaic and kitschy for their irrelevance and impracticality to contemporary urban living. This is especially so after the new standard of design elevating functionality over appearance set by the Bauhaus school and Modernist architecture.

A more interesting development of this interior appropriation is how these “European style” copies evolve into mutations with Chinese characteristics. What is kept of the “European style”, in other words, the elaborately ornamental Rococo and Baroque, is the essence of sensory overload, but the manifestations are more in keeping with “current” trends.

State of the art 3D renderings extending your living room to a fantasy world of nature.

One image from Chinese Quora Zhihu.com shows the design on a sliding closet door (top left). It features bright, saturated colors of blue skies and soaring birds, a high-definition landscape rendering of detailed grass, gradient-infused lotus plants in the foreground, a flat pictorial space, and an unmistakable uplifting mood. It is all too much. It’s too artificial, too uplifting, too bright, too much, “Too Cool.”

This was a photo in a series uploaded by a millennial netizen expressing her disbelief at her parents’ interior design choices for their new house on the outskirts of the main city. She is not alone in her lamentation; threads voicing outcry over outlandish new wedding home designs gifted by their loving parents are ubiquitous on the Chinese Internet, gaining popularity and resonance with every “Like”. Among those are bed frames with a Microsoft logo that acts as a lamp, a virus-molecule-like structured lighting fixture, a bedroom with crowded magenta rose wallpaper and magenta bed sheets, big digitally rendered aurora flowers, and a kitchen floor fully covered with a stock image of retreating seawater and sandy beach.

Imagine cooking in this kitchen. You can almost pick the salt from the sea water.

These acts of personalizing your living room wallpaper or lighting fixtures are popular with older people from small cities in China. That, combined with their love for nature and saturated colors result in a home of digital pretense of nature.

In order to understand “mom and dad’s” unwavering belief in the aesthetic choices of these interiors, we have to put things into context and perspective. Whatever is “fashionable”, “trendy”, or “cool”, “has always to be differentiated from the mainstream.” So we have to ask: in comparison to what are these design choices cool and trendy? If we think about the older, simple countryside homes with wooden furniture and undecorated walls before the rapid urbanization and digitization of China, then all the examples I have presented exhibit an extraordinary sense and creativity in being different. They are most likely not going to be defined as refined and classic, but in terms of “coolness”, in terms of novelty, these interior designs might stand a chance, even if only within the circle of “mom and dad” or small-town folk.

Globalization and localization aren’t just buzzwords for the marketing director, they can be felt when you enter the doors of these Chinese Too Cool interiors. From replicating western architectural clusters to recapturing the essence of newfound wealth and self-expression, Chinese designs take on a life of its own. To only see the designs as tacky knockoffs would be a missed opportunity to embark on a nuanced cultural reading of Chinese thinking.

This article is an excerpt based on my essay “China Too Cool: Vernacular Innovations and Aesthetic Discontinuity of China.” In my essay, I propose Too Cool as a lens of understanding the generational and economic differences in modern China set forth by the country’s rapid urbanization. I talk about cultural productions made during the cultural revolution and right after during the economic reform of Open Door policy, cultural appropriations of Bollywood and poor copies of Japanese anime, as well as bizarre Taobao aesthetics. The overarching theme and mood is a relatable one of displacement and using creativity to regenerate meaning and identity. If this interests you, you can get a free pdf version of my essay here.

[tipsycad147]

How You Can Do Magic In The Shower

Julie Hopkins

Ritual baths are wonderful. They can be incredibly relaxing and powerful at the same time. They’re fun to create as well! You add a little of this and a little of that and before you know it, you’ve created a spell right there in your bathtub. All you have to do is step in and enjoy the magic.

But what if you don’t have a bathtub? Can you still tap into this form of water witchcraft if you’re working with a shower?

Absolutely! The magic of a ritual bath can just as easily be performed in a shower. Many ritual bath recipes can be converted into ritual shower recipes, Plus, there are quite a few shower-only spells that will turn your daily showers into powerful magical experiences.

3 Ways To Turn Bath Spells Into Shower Spells

1. Jar Spells for Magical Shower Rinses

This is one of the most straightforward ways to turn a ritual bath into a ritual shower. You simply fill up a jar or large bowl with everything you’d put in your favourite ritual bath. Add some water, and let the ingredients (crystals, herbs, and salts) steep in the jar. Then strain out any herbs or objects that you’ve included in your jar spell and use the charged water for a rinse. Pour it over your head or body while you’re in your shower. Make sure you do everything else as you normally would if you were doing a ritual bath such as speaking your incantation or visualising your desired outcome of the spell.

Using Moon Water Rinses

If possible, charge the water you use for your rinse with lunar energy. To do this, think about the different energy of the moon phases, and choose one that matches the intention of your spell. New moon energy is great for creating plans or dreaming up ideas. Waxing moon energy is associated with “increasing” or “growing” intentions. Full moon energy is great for manifesting or relationship spells. Waning moon energy is ideal for banishing and releasing. Leave your jar of water outside overnight (or by a window) to charge the water. You can also call upon the spirit of the moon to assist the charging.

Using Coloured Jar Rinses

Let your water charge in a coloured jar. Use the traditional colour correspondences or create your own when you’re selecting a jar to match your intention. Leave the water in the jar for at least one day and use the water to create your shower rinse. You can also use the jar to combine your shower spell ingredients, so that everything is charged with the same colour energy.

2. Wash Cloth Satchels

Another way to bring magic into your shower ritual is to make a satchel out of an old wash cloth and fill it with herbs and tumbled crystals. To do this, combine the herbs of your favourite ritual bath and mix them together in a bowl. Use your fingers to do this and be sure to visualise the ideal outcome of your spell.

Next, pour the herbs onto the washcloth and tie it up with string. When you’re in the shower you can rub the washcloth over your body either during or at the end of your shower before you towel off.

3. Magical Scrubs

You can take your favourite ritual bath recipes and combine them to create a magical scrub. Just add a mild abrasive such as fine grain salt or sugar (NOT coarse! You want tiny particles to avoid damaging the skin), as well as an oil like olive oil to whatever magical herbs you’d like to use. Mix it all together and use it to exfoliate your skin in the shower. Place crystals around the container to charge the scrub. I don’t recommend placing the crystals in the mixture because the salt might damage the crystal.

There are a ton of natural scrub recipes online and I invite you to make these recipes your own by adding the herbs you want for your specific spell. Just make sure all the herbs you use are safe to use on your body.

Simple Ways To Make Your Shower More Magical

If you want to bring witchcraft into your shower routine but you don’t have time to make a scrub, satchel, or rinse, you can still add magic to your shower with these simple shower spells.

Crystals In The Shower

If you have some water safe crystals in your collection, you can use them to perform witchcraft in the shower!

Elemental Crystal Spell

Use blue lace agate in the shower to tap into the energy of water. Blue Lace Agate is associated with water because of its colour. You’ll need to create an intention for your water spell. To do this, think about the intentions, ideas, or energy that you associate with water.

Does water make you think about the time you went on a whale watch with your family? Maybe you remember feeling safe, loved, and connected in that moment. If that’s the case, you might want to use the element of water for a home blessing shower spell or a spell to heal strained familial relationships.

To perform this spell, shower as you normally would. Then at the end of your shower, hold the blue lace agate and take a moment to call on the element of water. Speak your intention and visualise the ideal outcome you desire for your spell as you rub the crystal up and down your body.  

Note: Not all crystals are safe in water. Some crystals will dissolve or release toxins when placed in water. Blue lace agate is safe to use in the shower as well as carnelian and any quartz stone (clear quartz, smoky quartz, citrine, amethyst, and rose quartz). If you can’t verify that a crystal is safe to use in water, substitute it for a different crystal or ingredient.

Banishing Or Releasing Shower Spells

A shower creates powerful imagery for releasing and banishing intentions. When you shower, the water is cascading down your body and into a drain where it disappears from your sight. You know the water still exists somewhere, but it’s moving away from you through the pipes, out of your life. Plus, it’s taking whatever it cleansed from your body with it.

This is essentially the same energy required in a releasing intention. I believe you can’t create or destroy energy, so when I’m releasing or banishing someone or something, I don’t try to make that thing disappear from existence. I find it more useful to visualise the subject of my spell as leaving my experience and going far away from me.

Writing On The Wall Soap Spell

First, decide what or who you’d like to release or banish. This can be anything from unwanted emotion to someone who is creating conflict in your life. Next, use your soap to write the name, word, or symbol of the person or thing you wish to banish on the floor of the shower. You can use a bar of soap or liquid soap when you do this.

Then step into the shower and stand near the soap symbol—be very careful not to slip as you do this. Take a moment to think about the energy of the person or thing. It’s ok if you feel yourself getting a little emotional when you do this.

Next, state your intention aloud. Make sure to word it in a way where the focus is on what you’d like to bring into your life once this person or thing is banished from your experience. After that, turn on the water and watch the soap writing disappear down the drain. In your mind’s eye, visualise the person or thing also disappearing.

Healing Waning Moon Shower Spell

You Will Need:

A smoky quartz crystal

This spell is best performed during the waning moon because that moon phase holds the energy of decreasing, releasing, and banishing. However, you can use this spell during any moon phase if it’s performed on a Saturday, which holds the same banishing and releasing energy.

For this simple spell, start by thinking about the person, thing, or feeling that you wish to release from your energy. Visualise that person, thing or feeling as a colour and see that colour covering your body like paint. Wherever you feel that person, thing, or feeling on your body, visualise a patch of colour on that area. You might feel it in your chest, your throat, or your stomach. Give yourself a moment to connect to your energetic body and notice exactly what places are being affected by this unwanted energy. Don’t worry about feeling like you’re “making it up” the imagination is a powerful magical tool.

Next, turn on the water, and step into the shower. Visualise the water washing away all of your energetic paint. Hold the smoky quartz crystal in your hands and touch it to the different “painted” areas of your body. When you feel clean physically and energetically, you can end your shower and your spell is complete.

Simple Shower Divination Spell

This is a fun spell to experiment with if you’re interested in divination like scrying or reading tea leaves.

To do this spell, ask your intuition, higher power, deities, or spirit guides to send you any messages you need to hear. Then shower as you normally would. When you’re done with your shower, turn off the water and look down at the remaining drops of water on the shower floor. Look for shapes and symbols in the water just like you would if you were finding images in the clouds. Pay attention to any thoughts, feelings, or images that you receive as you’re doing this. Many times, those impressions are messages meant for you.

You might want to jot down your impressions in a journal and look back over it at the end of the day to see if any of the messages make more sense to you. Practice this as often as you like. Some witches believe that the full moon and the waning moon are excellent times for divination, but you can try this during any moon phase and see what works best for you!

https://thetravelingwitch.com/blog/how-you-can-do-magic-in-the-shower

[aratanaruu]

My Thoughts on Tales of the Abyss Part 2

I’ll be talking about our two favourite redheads and the general party of Abyss here (not each character individually, just the party as a whole). Warning: I wrote this while half-awake, I don’t think it makes sense to even me.

Let’s get right into it: I love the Abyss party. They hate each other so much and yet they care about each other so much. I love the group’s development and how their “companionship” is tested time and time again (Luke and Akzeriuth, Anise’s betrayal, learning the truth about the party members…) They started off as something less than allies, then it grew to so much more. I love them. They’re the perfect blend of assholes to each other and great friends.

But, like anything else, the party has its flaws too. I’ve been giving it some thought  and I’ve noticed that the party can be quite cruel at times. To who? To Luke. Pre-Akzeriuth, I can understand. I can relate with Luke and the party members and it wasn’t easy dealing with Luke. They did understand his situation (Tear’s behaviour immediately changing after Luke said that he needed to remember his parent’s faces) but it was too much of a challenge. Yes, they hid things from Luke and purposely did not tell him anything and then almost berated him for knowing nothing, but they have their limits too. There’s not really anybody in the wrong here, so it does irk me when the party 100% blames Luke for Akzeriuth. Guy is the only character that I can safely say does not blame Luke 100%, but the other party members failed to understand Luke’s situation.

He idolized Van, they’re aware of it, there’s a skit about it where the party is wondering what Luke is writing in his diary and Guy mockingly says, “Master Van did this. Master Van did that. Master Van is so cool”.And they know that Luke was ignorant, but they didn’t really trust each other, so it made sense that Luke wouldn’t confide in them about a secret his Master told him. Hell, Tear defended Mohs the same way Luke defended Van. Luke was the one who destroyed Akzeriuth, but who made him destroy it? Van. And who was blamed entirely for it? Luke. Now that I’m thinking about it, Van was never truly blamed for Akzeriuth. Now that is a flaw in the writing here, I believe. The party knows how to blame the true culprit. They blamed Mohs instead of Anise. But Luke instead of Van? Come now.

And while I wished the party went easier on each other sometimes, there really was no time to. The war, going into the core, the replicas, there was no time for the party to rest and to fall back and become a burden. So, they had no choice. Ion was really the one who was always making sure everyone was okay, save for himself and Guy is Team Mom so of course he tried to cut some characters some slack, but that was about it. Not complaining, just stating an observation.

Either way, I adore the party from Abyss. All logic says they should hate each other and well, they do (ask any character from the party, “Who do you want to slap?” and if they’re not Guy - except for Luke - Tear or Ion, they’d say “everyone), but they know how to work together, not only because of a shared ideology, but because they grow to care for each other in the same way that their individual characters grow.

But enough about the party, we have two redheads to talk about.

 Luke Fon Fabre

“[I care] because he’s an idiot. He’s an idiot, but he’s [our] idiot.”

Contrary to a lot of people, I didn’t hate Luke pre-Akzeriuth. I humoured him, found him amusing. I really didn’t mind him all that much. Yes, he was a douche, but it was nice to see a character that was outright douchey and didn’t care. The only thing that really irritated me was how impatient he would become at times, like when characters were trying to explain concepts to him. I could also relate a lot to his character. The others treated him as though he was stupid and while he was… sheltered, ignorant, you can’t call somebody stupid for not knowing how to function in an unfamiliar world or for not learning everything at the speed of light. Luke only began to irritate me when he began to blindly follow and idolize Van, only because I have a problem with that type of behaviour in the first place, heh.

But after Akzeriuth, I was shocked until the very end of the game whenever Luke would do something selfless or say something, dare I say, smart. He must have felt crushed, seeing his friends go with the original instead of him, and that must have really threw him into reality when he realized how lonely he was. His Master betrayed him, he didn’t have any friends, ouch ouch.

But he showed that he could change. Sure, he was still clueless and a bit rash, but he was trying. Luke’s character development is amazing. He doesn’t blame the other characters, he blames himself and while he does hate himself for what he did, he tries to repair his friendships, he tries and tries to build back bonds and compensate for what he’s done. That’s something admirable.

Asch the Bloody

“You can’t possibly understand how I feel. You stole my past and my future!”

aka “he needs a hug and a therapist”

No, really, Asch’s life has been nothing but terrible. I can’t even begin to imagine how it feels to be replaced and I think that’s one of the reasons why Asch refuses to see / admit that Luke is a real person, a different person, something more than a substitute. He’s sentimental, as seen by how he reminisces on memories with Guy and Natalia especially, but he has quite the temper. Naturally. I love those lone-wolf characters that help the party sometimes and fight them those other times, always in the shadows… There’s not much to say about his character other than I think everything, or a lot of what he says and does is justified. There is one quote that’s interesting to me, though. “You stole my past and my future.”

The former is easy to understand. Luke stole his past. His friends, family, girlfriend, status, name, identity, everything. But, he also stole his future. Asch lived only as a tool for Van, then only to stop Van. He would do anything to stop Van, even if it would cost him his life. I believe he says that Luke stole his future because after they stop Van, where does Asch go? He’s no longer a God-General, he got dismissed for not obeying military-somethings, he can’t exactly go back to Baticul now that everything belongs to Luke and he’s just a shadow, he has nowhere to go — which is probably why he was so intent on dying at the Tower of Rem. Poor Asch. He deserves so much more. Really, I’d say that he’s willing to be friends with Natalia and by friends I mean he wants to be her boyfriend yes I am aschtalia trash)

Luke and Asch’s parallels and symbolism is so interesting and fun to explore. Asch is one of the major characters behind Luke’s character development and we can see that clearly. Luke begins to see himself as less than a human when he finds out that Asch is the original and all his friends went with the original, cue Luke’s identity crisis. Luke was just like Asch, but then he began to change once he saw how his attitude was affecting everyone and everything. He cut his hair to physically show that he was different. He was letting go of his past self. That was Luke accepting that he was more than a replica.

Asch kept his hair long and never once did his personality change. In fact, it seemed to get worse (He yelled “shut up” to Natalia… q_q). When you compare this with Luke, you can really see how different they’ve become. In my last post, I talked about how one of TotA’s themes is acceptance of the past and the willingness to change. Luke was willing to change. Asch? Not so much. He was completely bitter and while that was for a good reason, it meant that he couldn’t live on. Those that clung to the Score (Mohs) or their pasts (Dist, Arietta) fell because they couldn’t live in the present and Asch is no different.

This is just a simple comparison, and I could do an in-depth one, but it’s a struggle to actually put it in comprehensible terms instead of just screeching. This post is long enough anyway. I’ll talk about the 6 party members next (yes, 6. Ion is a party member okay). If you’re still here, wow, thank you for dealing with my terrible rant.

...oh, how could I forget to mention? Mr. Ending. Who did I think came back?

BOTH

Luke appeared at Tataroo Valley, Asch appeared somewhere else, they both survived because Lorelei did something I don’t care if it makes no sense THEY DESERVE A HAPPY ENDING OKAY

[ghostmartyr]

Ranked Anime Openings–2016

For all. Five things I completed watching (not that my neglect helped with writing this faster).

Oh well, it’s still fun.

This list will have a few more spoilers than usual, thanks to the nature of some of the openings. One in particular is warned for with lots of bolding, but forewarned is forearmed and so on.

Onward!

Links all attached to the titles, because I’m really tired of creating YouTube playlists that end up with half of their content gone.

5. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress :: “Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress” by Egoist

We get it, you like shadows.

This opening blurs and shadows the heck out of itself for the first forty seconds. About the time it reaches a point where there’s enough color that allows images to be apparent instead of creepy ambience, the singer starts wailing.

I generally like Egoist’s music. I even like most of this song.

I do not like the wailing, and fittingly, it casts yet another shadow on this opening.

The animation keeps to the melody fairly well, and there are some really neat aesthetic choices throughout, but the line that leads into kicking off a faster pace makes my ears bleed, and the opening really doesn’t seem to care about making things easily visible.

With some of the symbolism of one protagonist bringing light to the other, I think it’s fair to say it’s intentional; past those first forty seconds, things are much clearer.

However, it shadows things so excessively before then that the attempted symbolism is lost in a sea indistinct imagery that consistently makes me worry that I’m judging this opening based on a bad fan upload.

(Based on the Amazon screencaps, I am mostly sure I am not--but still.)

It has a nice rhythm, but the visual art largely fails this opening.

4. Thunderbolt Fantasy:: “Raimei” by T.M.Revolution

I did not watch enough last year to exclude the puppets.

This is a... difficult one to rank. I’ve never watched a show that uses puppets, and comparing animation to this kind of handiwork is a little weird. Certain quality things just do not operate the same way.

Still, this opening undoubtedly utilizes some pretty standard anime intro tropes. It’s a straightforward, high-paced introduction to the entire cast, and besides a few dramatic character shots, spends its entire time speeding through awesome battles.

It’s nothing new under the sun, but its timing is impeccable, and the music would be enough to get anyone pumped.

I’m actually very sad that I don’t have more to say about it, since now I have to move on to looping the remaining contenders.

3. Haikyuu!! :: “Hikariare” by Burnout Syndromes

Oh, but this pains me. I keep hoping that one day I’ll be able to rank a Haikyuu opening as highly as my love for the show, and it keeps not happening.

I think this opening is great.

Really, really great.

This is the first time in the series’ run that I think the opening finally figures out how to get the action of volleyball down. They’ve had trouble in the past (with how long the ball stays in the air, mainly), but this--this one sells it.

The whole season is this one game, and here’s where darkness works, because it accentuates the dramatic light each character is drawn with, and adds to the sense of ceremony the plot has.

This is good. The imagery is consistent and sharp; it’s fun to watch, fun to listen to, and the flare the credits get is one of my favorite effects of the year.

More than any of the previous ones, this opening speaks to the series’ quality as a sports anime, and I feel so, so bad for handing it bronze.

Final two time!

Which can only mean one thing:

Honorable Mentions: Endings

For real this year, because I found ones I like!

Haikyuu!! :: "Mashi Mashi" by Nico Touches the Walls

Sure, it’s just scrolling through for a minute and a half, but it’s a charming minute and a half, and it makes me smile.

One of Haikyuu’s strengths is making each team memorable, and in a season where our heroes are battling to go to nationals, remembering every other battle that got them there is a wonderful way to end each week.

Also it has color. I like color.

Erased :: “Sore wa Chiisa na Hikari no Yō na" by Sayuri

I’m not sure why I like this one. The music style isn’t really my thing, and the unique aesthetic parts are the kind of thing that weird me out more than anything.

Yet something about it makes me feel like mentioning it, so here we are. It’s an odd little window of music and art, and I like it.

Yuri!!! On ICE :: "You Only Live Once" by Wataru Hatano

Hi I love this.

I love the music, I love the use of the skaters’ instagram pics, I love the feel, I love the affection pouring off Victor and Yuri.

This is my anime theme happy place.

If this whole post were about ranking things with no concern for what part of the anime they bordered, I might put it in first for no reason beyond personal enjoyment.

Then I would proceed to make up reasons so that it looked legit, and because this theme is so great, that would be an easy task.

And now we reach

SPOILER TERRITORY

OF GREAT MAGNITUDE

FOR YURI ON ICE

Finding a version that was purely the musical ending that didn’t have audio warping was too much trouble, so yeah, actual, genuine spoilers for the gay skating anime.

I get to type that. What a time to be alive.

Yuri!!! On Ice :: Episode 10 Ending that I can’t find the title or artist for

I think I bring it up every year, but one of the things I like about endings, when I do like endings, is how animators are more willing to experiment with style than they are with the openings.

I will love anime openings forever, but nine out of ten, even the phenomenal ones, stick to conventions and make the most of them.

Yuri on Ice decides that having a smartphone photo reel of their protagonist getting drunk and pole dancing is a good use of time.

And it's relevant to the plot.

2016 did a few things right.

Now we’re back to the final two openings!

2. Yuri!!! On Ice :: “History Maker” by Dean Fujioka

This is such a meta placement.

Past that, this was a really hard decision to make. This is easily the most memorable opening of the year. It suits the show, it’s constantly evolving, it has wonderful music... It is unique in its simple elegance, and has the same love for the sport the anime portrays as the rest of the series.

Yet here we are.

As beautiful as this opening is, one of the main reasons I appreciated its constant evolution throughout the episodes is because I kept hoping that it would grow past the things that kept bothering me about it.

However much care is put into the character art and animation, that doesn’t reflect itself in the backgrounds until the last few seconds. A ridiculous amount of the skating is done in front of solid walls of color, and those colors do not always look good. Clear, obvious effort goes into the transitions, but it’s still a heck of a lot of background content that offers absolutely nothing except a clashing distraction from the skating.

The other problem is that the opening is the characters skating--and they repeat sequences.

It’s a minute and thirty seconds. You can’t do that.

Theoretically, having all three of the protagonists skating in sync in emptiness, followed by the version they do with their final stage colored in and looking so damn pretty, is a neat idea.

But besides the flourishes of color, there is nothing to focus on in this opening except for them skating. That isn’t a bad thing--it’s part of what makes it such a good opening--but it makes it immediately obvious that you’re watching something you’ve seen in the last thirty seconds.

It’s a needless distraction from the opening’s beauty, and it bothers me every time I watch it.

Which has added up to quite a bit of bother.

Seriously, I love this opening, but the things that don’t really fit for it are things that feel like they could have been fixed very easily, so it’s kind of a slash between “WE WERE BORN TO MAKE HISTORY” and “WE COULD HAVE HAD IT ALLLLLLL.”

These lists make me feel really awkward sometimes. The further into the ranking process you go, the harder it gets, so the more critically you start looking at things.

The result is a second place spot that I spend more paragraphs complaining about than appreciating.

I swear I like this one.

1. Erased :: "Re:Re:" by Asian Kung-Fu Generation

Today on things I honestly did not expect.

In an embarrassing turnaround, I didn’t fully appreciate this one until I got around to the ranking process. This is embarrassing because the entire reason I watched this series was because some kind anon recommended it with the note that the opening and ending were excellent.

Some of my tastes have never let go of the joy that Naruto and Bleach openings give me; nonsensical high-paced action makes me happy. As a consequence, I end up sulking pettily when an opening with a good beat chooses to utilize its other good qualities.

(Then it swoops in like a damn hurricane near the end and does make the most of that beat and fuck.)

This opening tells the entire story of the series.

For the gentle beginning parts, it does what I’ve always liked about previous Haikyuu openings; it complements the music instead of explicitly following it. Pieces of the animation still hit the expected beats, because this opening does a phenomenal job of pairing its visual and audio art, but the overall image is there to portray its story.

As the movie framing suggests, this is an opening that is meant to be watched. Every little thing follows the music and draws its content from the plot. If you think of openings as trailers for their series, you can’t ask for better.

Though the best part comes when that respect to portraying the anime’s story follows through in the eleventh episode. If you’ve never seen or cared about Erased, you only need to know the title and compare the above link and this one.

The story informs the opening on every level, and there is no substitute for the level of cool that happens when people commit to that.

Caps taken from Crunchyroll--and Amazon Prime because Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is a special snowflake.

A late Happy New Year to anyone reading this. I hope that whatever else happens, there will be good music and animation to lighten the dark spots.

And if that doesn’t happen, we can all judge Attack on Titan to death for not living up to its implied promise of epic themes.

[culinarystrategist]

✿ five times my muse almost texted yours, and the one time they did.

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✿  five times my muse almost texted yours, and the one time they did.

@nightfall-prince

i.

It’s late, and Ignis has been out for far longer than he anticipated. He feels guilty because, although it’s been good to catch up with a few old friends, he should be taking care of Noctis. Cup Noodles are no substitute for a decent meal, and yet it’s what the Prince will no doubt be eating without Ignis’ supervision. When one of his friends produces tickets to the theatre - enough for all four of them - Ignis is very tempted. The play is one he’s wanted to see for a while, but when he’d suggested it to Noctis, the Prince seemed less than confused, so Ignis had let the matter drop. Now that he’s faced with the opportunity, he finds himself torn between duty and fun.

“Give him a call if you’re that concerned,” one of his friends says. “Or text him.” They’re used to this; Ignis has dropped out of many social occasions in the past, always putting Noctis first. Ignis knows he’s creating a rod for his own back, but this is what he’s been raised to do.

Thumb hovering over the send button, Ignis is so close to claiming the evening as his own, but he just can’t do it. His conscience and sense of duty won’t allow it. Wiping the message, he apologises and bids goodnight to his friends. There’s always next time.

ii.

Noctis looks happy. Sitting outside the school in his car, Ignis waits for Noctis to come over, but the Prince appears too busy chatting animatedly with a blond classmate. Usually, Noctis can’t wait to get away, virtually sprinting towards the vehicle, but today, it’s a different story altogether. It’s not often Ignis sees Noctis smile like that, let alone laugh so hard that he’s doubled over, clutching his stomach. The sight is quite beautiful, he thinks; Noctis needs more joy in his life. For a boy of his age, hanging out with friends is a perfectly normal thing to do. But for a boy like Noctis, whose entire life is mapped out ahead of him, it’s rare.

Sitting on a wall with his new friend, Noctis doesn’t seem in any way inclined to leave. He hasn’t even looked Ignis’ way. Ever cautious, Ignis takes note of the boy’s appearance and later, he’ll do some investigating. As much as he may wish to encourage Noctis to socialise with his future subjects, care must be taken to ensure they are not a bad influence.

Time drags on and Ignis holds his phone in his hand, seconds away from sending Noctis a text to advise he’s there and waiting. Another bout of laughter stills his fingers and he decides he can wait a little longer. If any remarks are made about the lateness of their return to the Citadel, Ignis will assume responsibility for it.

iii.

Vacations, Ignis is led to believe, are supposedly a time for rest, relaxation and forgetting all about one’s troubles. A spot like Galdin Quay is ideal for that, with its spectacular vista over the sea and the sandy beach along which one can stroll. In fact, that’s where he is right now and he knows that the sound of waves lapping against the shore should lull him into a sense of bliss. But the sand feels too hot beneath his feet and sun shines directly in his eyes. Things that shouldn’t be a problem but are.

Only a problem because he’s on his own, with nobody else to enjoy it with him. Experiences like this should be shared, shouldn’t they? Looking around him, all the couples he sees would seem to back up that assertion. They walk together, some holding hands and others with their arms linked. Ignis feels a modicum of jealousy, not for their romance but for their companionship. There is only one person he would like to be there, by his side, and that is his best friend.

The sun is beginning to set, and from where he sits on the beach, Ignis has a perfect view. Red, orange and gold streaks the sky, reflected in the water below. It’s the first time, so far, he’s felt even remotely close to contentment and he captures the moment with the camera on his phone. Without thinking, he hits the share option, and is just about to type in Noctis’ name when he remembers that the Prince is off on his own adventure with Gladio. That’s why Ignis enjoys the sunset alone.

iv.

A multitude of aromas jostled for Ignis’ attention as he wandered Lestallum’s marketplace. Wonderfully vibrant and energetic, the market is a-buzz with activity. Stallholders hawk their goods and haggle with customers, tourists browse through trinkets and mementos, trying to pick out just the right gift for a friend of loved one. Fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices are all on offer and Ignis is in his element. For a man with a passion for cooking, this is as close to heavenly as he can get. The possibilities are virtually limitless with the array of produce on offer; the group will be eating well tonight and for the next few days.

The problem with that amount of choice is that it’s simply too much. They don’t have the means to keep food chilled for very long, so he must pick wisely. Apples are a must, and plenty of greens, even though that won’t go down quite so well with the others. Nevertheless, it is his duty to ensure their continued good health and well-being. The fruit stall does makes him pause, though, and he reaches out to squeeze a peach, testing its ripeness. There’s just enough give in the flesh to suggest it’s perfect for eating, and he asks the stallholder for four. That should be enough for him.

As he leaves the market to make his way back to their hotel, hears the chime of his phone, signalling a new text. Pulling it out, he sees the message is from Noctis, requesting Ignis bring back some garula meat because he’s in the mood for schnitzel. Trying to juggle his shopping and reply to the text proves difficult, so instead of wasting time trying, Ignis merely slips the phone back into his pocket, turns on his heel and returns to the market.

v.

All around him, worried voices ask, ‘What’s going on?’ Ignis wishes he could take the time to explain what’s happening, but getting everyone to safety is far more important. Besides, for once, he’s not sure he could even put it all into words. A sense of urgency surrounds them and safety matters more than explanations. Distant sounds of commotion reach his ears, lending more haste to his steps. The citizens of Altissia didn’t deserve a fate like this, and he’ll do everything within his power to ensure there are no casualties.

At the back of his mine is a nagging thought: he should be with Noctis. That is his place, after all, at the Prince’s side. It pains him to not be there and see for himself that the Prince is okay. This is the turning point. Once the covenant is forged, everything will change. His heart hammers in his ears, almost drowning out the voices around him, and he realises that he failed to wish Noctis luck.

Not that it would cause the Prince to fail, but Ignis nevertheless feels guilty. His hand reaches, automatically, for his phone. If ever he forgets to say something, it’s usually easily rectified with a simple text. Catching himself, he leaves his phone where it is. This isn’t the time or the place; Noctis knows that Ignis wishes him success.

✿

Memory plays a big part in everything Ignis does. He’s used to being unable to see now, and has learned to compensate for the lack of sight. As long as things are in the correct place, even approximately, he can manage. He can even cook again, relying upon scent and sound to determine when food is ready. Driving still poses a problem, but given the absence of a car in his life, it’s not one he has to deal with.

Sight isn’t the only thing he’s lost, though. Not a day passes when he doesn’t feel the stabbing pain of missing Noctis. He pretends not to, puts on a show of fortitude and carries on with his life. Daemons need slaying, people need saving, but throughout it all, his hear aches. Long years have passed already, and the world is in a state of ruination. Sometimes he thinks it’s a blessing to be blind, so he doesn’t have to see it for himself. Blessed with a creative mind, he can, unfortunately, imagine it all too clearly.

On the nights he cannot sleep, which are coming more frequently recently, he lets his mind wander back to better days. Often, he finds himself speculating over what he’d do if he had the chance to live his life over again. Would he take a different path? Would he make time for all those things he set aside in favour of duty? Would he allow himself to give into the feelings he had?

There are no carriers nor signals any more, but Ignis still keeps his phone with him at all times, charging whenever possible. On the nights when Ignis cannot sleep, he takes it out and muscle memory takes him to the picture album. He might not be able to see the photographs, but he can hear the videos. Noctis’ voice comes through loud and clear, as does his laughter. That’s all the stimulation Ignis needs and he can remember each scene exactly: fishing, play fights, chocobos.

Ignis weeps for all that he’s lost, but only when he’s alone because he could never stand to let anyone else witness his emotions. He cradles the phone in his hands, holding it away from his body in case his falling tears corrode the case. Fingers moving swiftly, they tap out the message he always sends, even though he knows it’s futile:

I miss you, Noct.