#or stick to a very specific time period or architect or something

[0beythydemon]

Obey Me OC/MC update!!

I just want to say if anyone is reading this and if you have an OC for anything you have all right to change and correct things and you shouldn’t feel bad, guilty or nervous. Sometimes you just don’t vibe with things you first created which is okay.

So I used to be okay at drawing but not so much now so we’re sticking with picrew, sorry not sorry.

Oc Template before- what I’m gonna be referring to.

Before I described her with having ‘light golden blonde’ hair

I’ve changed this to her having ‘strawberry blonde with gold peachy undertones/rose gold hair’

(If that makes sense. I have a very specific shade in my head and it’s hard to convey) She still styles it half up in a bun with a ribbon.

Outfit-

Nina typically falls into the light academia aesthetic with muted pinks and dark forest greens thrown in.

Her normal attire: A muted pink cardigan, white long sleeve shirt, maroon brown tartan skirt, white socks and Dr Martens platform boots or Mary Janes. Accompanied by her round frame glasses.

About them:

Personality and background-

Nothing really has changed personality wise or bio. Background I wanted to flush it out and change somethings:

- Nina grew up with her mother, an interior designer and architect that focuses on historic\old houses (idk if that is a real thing but we’re going with it) and her younger brother Julien.

- Because of this they’ve lived in places such as London, Paris, Amsterdam and New York.

- She has been drawing since she was little and is quite exceptional at it. Her sketch book is covered in drawings and paintings of anything and everything.

- She has a slight fascination with the macabre and is a huge history nut, which she got from her mother.

-Nina doesn’t remember when this started, but if you asked her mother she’ll say that she inherited it from her. Like mother like daughter.

- She also loves literature and reading in general.

- Since Nina has moved around a lot she never really formed a solid group of friends, so because of that she has never shared/expressed her true self or interests to anyone. So she was always known as ‘the weird new girl’

- Besides one time, she developed a close relationship with some girls at one of the many schools she attended and felt close enough to them that she showed them one of her sketch books that held her drawings.

-She wasn’t friends with them after this…however this incident only made her more passionate and headstrong about her art and herself. But she was never really friends with anyone after this incident.

- Nina developed a self dependent attitude since her mother would work long ours or would be away for long periods of time and her and her brother would be left alone or with a babysitter/nanny after they came home from school, plus she’s the oldest. Her bluntness and sarcasm she slowly developed because of school.

- On the inside and with her family Nina’s rather soft and cares about them a lot. She adores her brother and they get along really well, they recommend each other books and anime and would often play games together.

- She has a real admiration and respect for her mother since her mother was the one to take interest in her drawings and her art and pushed her to evolve her talents and didn’t find her more gothic/macabre drawings weird but encouraged her to draw more and also gave her advice.

- She was working at a coffee house during her break from her first year at Art University when she got accepted into the Devildom exchange program.

Songs or a song that describes them-

- mxmtoon- quiet motions

- Gracie Abrams- Hard to sleep

- Florence + The Machine- Various Storms & Saints

Relationships with the characters-

Lucifer- same

Mammon- same

Levi-same also- When she saw Levi so open and expressive with his love of TSL and anime Nina felt a little more comfortable with her own passions and likes. Plus he kinda reminds her of her own brother.

Satan- From both having a love of books, from fictional stories to history Nina was automatically drawn to Satan and after getting to know each other that small like turned into a big crush. They are often seen together either reading, studying or discussing a topic they both found intriguing into the early hours of the morning and on occasion going on a ‘date’ to a cat cafe or to the museum to see a new exhibit...if Mammon doesn’t insert himself and basically third wheels.

Asmo- At first she didn’t pay any mind to the avatar of lust. Sometimes he reminded her of those girls from high school. But after getting to know him and slowly beginning to open herself up more they soon became really close friends. She discovered they have a few things in common with each other. Now Asmo is the only other person she feels comfortable venting and talking to.

They often do skin care routines together and hang out in his room. Asmo often helps her with her sketches, modelling and posing for her to sketch and in return Asmo gets to keep a portrait of himself that she drew.

Beel- same

Belphie- So after figuring out Nina a bit more I decided to re-valuate Belphie and her relationship.

After...what happened, Nina kept her distance for a bit. It took a while but she sucked up her own fear and tried to move on for the sake of the brothers. She’s still weary around him sometimes and she knows deep down inside she’ll hold on to what happened for the rest of her mortal life.

Diavolo- same also- Tried not to bombard him with questions about everything about the Devildom and Demons in general. Very fascinated by everything and she respects him a lot.

Barbatos- same

Solomon- After getting to know each other a bit more and becoming an assistant and voluntary Guinea pig for his spells and experiments, Nina (even though she will deny this and never admit it to herself) started developing a little (big) crush on him. She finds him quite intriguing and interesting and they get along really well.

Simeon- same

Luke- same

Mephistopheles-The fact that he was the one to design the Prince Lucifer and Princess Diavolo stickers automatically makes Nina want to be friends with him. Although he seems to not like her that much. She wants to get to know him and figure him out and the relationship he has with Diavolo and Lucifer.

13-Sometimes she reminds Nina of those girls she was friends with in high school that she had a hard time with but she tries to move past this. Still a bit wary of her but open.

Raphael-Finds him interesting, especially since he actually likes and eats Solomon’s cooking plus the fact that he is closest to Michael (besides Lucifer from before the fall) Likes the fact that he’s not that talkative but feels like he’s silently judging her all the time.

Other-

Nina has relatively bad eyesight so she needs to wear her glasses predominantly all the time.

She also has two little moles right under her right eye.

She has suffered from bouts of insomnia since she was a kid and still gets them sometimes.

Loves a glass of white wine on a Friday night.

We all know Asmo loves clubbing so he tries to drag Nina with him as much as possible as Nina hasn’t exactly experienced anything to do with clubbing when she was in the human world. She loves the dressing up part of it but not so much the actual clubbing part as of yet. It feels too hectic for her.

She likes spending her time at the Royal Library (obviously) but also at the Mausoleum. She finds the architecture rather interesting and she loves learning about history and the past of the Devildom, it’s lore and it’s past kings.

She has secretly sketched all of the Brothers. Satan and Asmo most of all because she spends most of her time with them. She’s slowly starting to draw the others, the most difficult one to draw without said person noticing is Barbatos.

She has introduced her brother to Levi during an online gaming session and now both of them are friends and regularly have gaming sessions with each other, which she is very happy about. Both for her brother and for Levi gaining a new friend.

Her favourite things the brothers have gifted to her are: A matching tea cup set from Satan, matching earrings from Asmo (they both have one earring and the other one has the other) and the ring Solomon gave to her.

If she could, she 100% would take one of the Little.D’s home with her. Her mother would absolutely love them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So that’s it for now, I might add some stuff later💕

[theanimeview]

My Nitpick Issue with Sherlock in Moriarty the Patriot

By: Peggy Sue Wood | @pswediting​

It may surprise some of you to know that I have degrees in book reading and writing. While earning those degrees I studied one specific time period more than the others--that being British Literature from late-17th/18th century through the early 20th century. This is to say that it is a time period I know a little more about than you might think. And early 1900s is probably my favorite period out of that timeline, particularly England under Victoria’s rule. 

And, perhaps, because of this strange obsession I have with the period, I presently have a small bone to pick over Moriarty the Patriot. 

It’s not the minor inaccuracies of the clothes, nor the adaptation of character designs. It’s not even the adjustment to social tendencies depicted that are more Japanese than British-English of any period thus far either--because those kinds of things happen frequently in adaptations. And it's not Moriarty or his backstory too! Because, again, this is an adaptation, and liberties will be taken to fit the new story (besides, even in the original works by Doyle the man’s backstory was inconsistent). 

My issue is with the character of Sherlock and his supposed “deductions.” Well, maybe more accurately it's with the writing of Sherlock. 

You see, Sherlock is almost always introduced the same way in an adaptation. He makes a judgment about someone (usually about Watson or the Watson stand-in) and then proves it using his observational skills. This introduction is important because it clarifies that the world of the characters is one based on where common sense and science not only work but make sense. His deductions are logical and based on some semblance of rationality. Here is an excerpt from the original novel: 

“I knew you came from Afghanistan. From long habit the train of thoughts ran so swiftly through my mind, that I arrived at the conclusion without being conscious of intermediate steps. There were such steps, however. The train of reasoning ran, `Here is a gentleman of a medical type, but with the air of a military man. Clearly an army doctor, then. He has just come from the tropics, for his face is dark, and that is not the natural tint of his skin, for his wrists are fair. He has undergone hardship and sickness, as his haggard face says clearly. His left arm has been injured. He holds it in a stiff and unnatural manner. Where in the tropics could an English army doctor have seen much hardship and got his arm wounded? Clearly in Afghanistan.' 

How does this prove we are in a world where common sense and logic works? Well, because he didn’t pull any of these deductions from thin air. He just used his eyes and common knowledge to make a quick judgment. 

In the example above, everything that Sherlock assumes is true and based on reasonable assumptions about the time period and about what he can observe of the person before him. 

The tan of Watson’s skin is something he notes because London is usually dark and wet around this season, so you’re unlikely to get a tan. The way the man walks and stands is also a thing he can observe, and fresh military men walk very differently from the average citizen or gentleman. These two observations, coupled with noticeable injury and limp could lead one to think that maybe he has just come back from the current war (the First Anglo-Afghan War). Of course, maybe he wasn’t injured in the war at all--maybe something else happened; however, you can make a pretty good guess that an abled bodied soldier would not be home and looking for a room in the middle of war-times if something hadn’t happened to him on the battlefield.

My point is that all of Sherlock’s deductions come from observing details, paying attention to the basics of the world (such as the ongoing war or understanding rigor mortis), and using your senses. Sure, there may be a few things the average person doesn’t know that Sherlock does, but that’s because Sherlock has studied different things and to a more serious degree. The level of understanding is different, but not impossible to achieve in one’s own time or effort. And, as another note, Sherlock is not perfectly observant all of the time. There are plenty of examples of him needing to take breaks, of him closing his eyes to block out distractions so he can better focus on what someone is saying, and of him smoking to zone out for a bit so that he can come back to a problem with fresh eyes at a later time. 

It’s absolutely vital to Sherlock’s character, and the original story, that all of the deductions are based on the “possible,” which is why the introduction of Sherlock in Episode 6 of this adaptation immediately irritated me. Here is the scene:

Side note:  I’m sorry it’s shown as a poorly made gif--I literally could not find a copy of the clip with English subtitles on YouTube so I could not include it as a video. If you want to look at it in the episode itself, it starts at about the 13:00 minute mark. EPISODE LINK)

Here is what bothers me so much. Why would a mathematician be checking to see if the staircase on a ship fits the golden ratio? More importantly, why would that in any way matter to Moriarty as a character? Based on what we’ve seen so far of this character, and we’ve had 6 and 1/2 episodes to define him so far, none of Sherlock’s statement makes sense here. 

Like, at all. (And I know that this also happens in the manga--doesn’t make sense there either.)

You know what would make sense though? For the time period and the character development we’ve seen of Moriarty thus far? A pause to consider-- and maybe even compare--staircases on the ship between the main steps for passengers and the steps for commoners or staff. 

Why would that make sense? Oh, thank you so much for asking. Time to get real nerdy here for a minute: 

Class issues were a serious problem in Victorian England (as they are now, though in a different way). These issues were not necessarily the same as depicted in the show but it was still consistently present throughout the society as a whole. (A good, short read on the subject can be found here for those of you interested: Social Life in Victorian England.)

One way that this issue came out was in the very architecture of homes. In Victorian England, nobleman homes and estates were built with main staircases, where the residents and guests walked, and servent staircases, where the staff and other temporary employees walked. The difference in these stairs was huge, as the servant staircases were basically death traps. 

In the late 1800s, a mathematician (and architect) named Peter Nickolson figured out the exact measurements that would generally ensure a comfortable and easy walk upstairs: 

BTW: Here is a great video on the subject and how they were death traps: Staircases in Victorian England

However, Nickolson’s math and designs were not used regularly in the design of houses for years to come. 

By the setting of the story, and given Moriarty’s interest in maths, his understanding of class issues, and beyond--this kind of knowledge would make far more sense than searching for the golden ratio in a man-made set of stairs. 

Moreover, the golden ratio is generally interesting to mathematicians (to my understanding) because it can be seen in nature frequently. It is a pattern found everywhere, from the way that petals grow on flowers, to how seashells form, to freaking hurricane formations! So why on Earth would Moriarty be interested in an architect's choice to use such a ration when planning a staircase? 

He wouldn’t, I believe. Nor would Sherlock generally be able to make that assumption based on his time gazing at the staircase, distance from said staircase, nor angle. 

So what can he deduce, if not that? Well, he may be able to deduce that Moriarty is a nobleman based on his attire. He may also be able to deduce that the man is a student based on age, as in an earlier episode we were told he’s quite young to be teaching in university and appears close in age to his students. Maybe he’s a student of architecture? But, if he’s a nobleman--as we suspect he is based on his attire--then it's unlikely he works a labor-intensive job or one close to it. So, he must be in academia for academic reasons such as mathematics. Physics during that time, as an academic subject, focused more on lighting, heat, electricity, magnetism, and such. And, Sherlock notes that Moriarty is specifically looking at the stairs, not the lights of the ship. 

So, BAM! I’ve deduced Moriarty is a young nobleman who is likely a student of mathematics. Perhaps he’s recently had a lesson on staircases or another algebraic concept that’s caused him to pause with momentary interest. 

It makes a heck of a lot more sense than finding a “golden ratio” in a man-planned and man-made staircase... don’t you think? And, maybe, we can even deduce that rather than a student he’s a professor who has just thought up an interesting lesson--though that would be a BIG jump from the data we’ve been provided here. 

Deductions that come from major leaps in logic make it seem like Sherlock is doing magic... and he is--because it is magical that people find it impressive or believable. It’s not. And I would argue that the original character would find it insulting based on his comments to Watson regarding being compared to other fictional detectives.

Pay in mind, I have this feeling about several adaptations, so my judgment on Moriarty the Patriot isn’t technically exclusive. It just hit me so hard in my first viewing that I felt I needed to share because generally, this issue of deductions becoming magic rather than stemming from logic doesn’t happen in the first two minutes of meeting Sherlock Holmes.

So... yeah. Thanks for coming to my absurd history/lit lesson through Moriarty the Patriot. I appreciate you sticking with me to the end and hope it was enjoyable.

You can watch the series on Funimation.com right now at: https://www.funimation.com/shows/moriarty-the-patriot 

Overall, it’s a pretty good series; although there was a lot more child-murder than I expected...

[kunsthalextracity]

The History of Queer Nightlife in Antwerp: Self-Interview in a Convex Mirror

In the framework of the group exhibition ‘Daily Nightshift’, Kunsthal Extra City collaborated with the Urban Studies Institute of the University of Antwerp on a lecture series. Due to COVID-19 we unfortunately couldn’t allow these lectures to take place at our premises.

To replace his lecture, professor Bart Eeckhout wrote an interview with himself.

In his text Eeckhout, board member of the Urban Studies Institute at the University of Antwerp, researches the history of queer nightlife in Antwerp and the spatial shifts that have occurred along the way. Where in the city were sexual minorities able to make contact? In what kind of places of entertainment? How did these change in shape and location? Which material traces of this nightlife remain?

Text & images: Bart Eeckhout

The History of Queer Nightlife in Antwerp: Self-Interview in a Convex Mirror

Q. So, professor, before Covid-19 changed everyone’s plans, you were going to give a lecture about the history of queer nightlife in Antwerp as part of the public program for the exhibition?

A. Well, not quite a lecture.

Q. But you were going to entertain our audience with lots of slides and flashy pictures?

A. Not really. As a matter of fact, I was wondering how to turn the presentation into something more than the delivery of an academic text, something that could satisfy an audience that is drowning in audiovisual information. The thing is that I saw myself forced to talk about a topic that is hard to illustrate, and to do so moreover as an amateur historian.

Q. How do you mean?

A. I actually teach English and American literature. But I happen to be the only board member of the Urban Studies Institute at the University of Antwerp who is simultaneously on the board of A*, the network of colleagues who specialize in gender and sexuality studies. There I have a reputation for being into queer studies and for stimulating the collaboration between queer academics and activists, since I consider myself to be both.

Q. And so the organizers came knocking on your door to ask if you could speak to the topic of queer nightlife in Antwerp?

A. Yes. And I accepted to do so because I have coincidentally been acquiring some expertise on the topic. Last year a colleague with whom I love to collaborate at the university, the media scholar Alexander Dhoest, got an invitation to contribute a chapter on Antwerp for an international book on gay neighborhoods in cities around the world – what used to be called “gay ghettoes.” We remembered that a PhD student of ours, the musicologist Rob Herreman, had spent a lot of time in archives to find out more about the recent history of LGBTQs in Antwerp in relation to music. Though we were hesitant to venture into terrain that should ideally be explored by skilled historians, we’re not aware of any Flemish colleagues doing academic research into recent LGBTQ history, certainly not with a specific focus on Antwerp. In addition, the book for which we were invited was being put together by architects and would thus probably cut us some slack. So we realized that the case of Antwerp would get attention in the collection only if we were willing to undertake the job ourselves.

Accepting to write the chapter has meant that we were forced to immerse ourselves quickly in the materials and sources we had at our disposal so as to develop a critical narrative that would meet the minimum requirements of academic scholarship. We were primarily interested in all the things we might learn from the exercise.

Q. And did you learn a few things?

A. I certainly hope so! One thing we hypothesized from the start is that the Anglo-American way of understanding gay neighborhoods would be only partially applicable to Antwerp, at best. And that is also what we argued at the more theoretical level. If you want to look for queer forms of geographic clustering in a Flemish city such as Antwerp, you should omit a lot of the social functions you find historically in the gay neighborhoods of New York or San Francisco. The “reverse diaspora” of sexual minorities from the countryside to the city that underpinned these metropolitan neighborhoods in the US never took place to the same extent, or in the same manner, in Flanders or Belgium. 

In addition, a historic city such as Antwerp is relatively small by international standards. Getting around, even on foot or by bicycle, is easy, so that there’s no urgent need to choose particular residential areas if you happen to be queer. For these and several other reasons, the first thing to note about gay neighborhoods in Antwerp is that there was never anything more than some spatially clustered nightlife.

Q. Let’s talk for a moment about that nightlife then. How easy was it to go back in time to undertake your investigation?

A. That was one of the difficulties. It’s not as if you can simply fall back on standard published histories of queer life in Belgium or Flanders, let alone histories that deal specifically with Antwerp. The larger context isn’t so hard to sketch, but the specifics are a bit of a problem. When you research the history of public sex in Antwerp – by which in this case I mean the institutional environment for nondomestic sexual interactions among citizens – it isn’t hard to figure out how the first red-light district emerged during the city’s historic heyday in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. As this red-light district catered primarily to sailors, it was understandably located close to the river, in the narrow streets just north of the City Hall that came to be known as the Schipperskwartier or Skippers Quarter.

This much is standard knowledge. But how did same-sex interactions ever figure into that lusting, lawless, lowlife milieu? What might possibly be the historic sources in which you might find reliable evidence for same-sex intercourse taking place in this environment? There isn’t much you can go by. You must hope that somewhere a slight flicker will flare up to evoke a fleeting image of what might have been going on. Let me illustrate this by showing the invisibility of our topic at its most palpable. Here’s the picture of a street in the former Skippers Quarter. Do you recognize it?

Q. Not immediately.

A. Don’t blame yourself. Though I personally love to roam through all the little streets of Antwerp’s historic center, I must confess I had never bothered to walk through this one before my research took me there. It’s called the Gorter Street and it’s a very short, narrow, one-way street that is about as bland and uninteresting as you can imagine. Do you see the red-brick house in the middle of the image? That wasn’t always there, of course. If we can trust the history of house numbers, it stands where previously the Crystal Palace was to be found, a gay bar whose building collapsed, literally, sometime in the 1960s. But before the Crystal Palace was a gay bar, it was a luxury brothel, as far back as the turn of the twentieth century and even earlier. And that’s where we were able to locate our first piece of not entirely reliable evidence for same-sex goings-on – not entirely reliable because it requires a detour via the fictive world of novels and a willingness to fill in the blanks. What do you remember about the Flemish writer Georges Eekhoud?

Q. Not much.

A. He was our own Oscar Wilde, if you like – the first famous gay writer in Flanders who, like Wilde, had to defend himself in court. Unfortunately, he wrote in French, which means we’ve forgotten him even more efficiently than if he’d written in Dutch. Anyway, he published a novel in 1888, La nouvelle Carthage, in which he appears to evoke this particular brothel in great detail as a cave full of mirrors in which “all stages of debauchery” took place. Given his own sexual orientation, it’s very easy to imagine that these must have included same-sex interactions, but in his description Eekhoud preferred to remain coy about the sexual acts, so that it’s really for our own 21st-century imaginations to flesh out the specifics.

Q. So for what period did you find the first evidence of same-sex activities in the Skippers Quarter that didn’t take the form of literary fiction but of nonfictional testimony?

A. We had to jump to the first half of the twentieth century for that. Mainly, what we then find is people testifying to drag performances taking place in the Skippers Quarter. Our favorite example is that of Danny’s Bar, a notorious bar for sailors where both the owner and his male staff were dressed as women and the sailors were being tempted into maximum binging.

On an online forum for retired sailors, we found some very juicy recollections of the kind of ritual that typically went on in this bar – how young sailors were being lured in as a sort of prank by older sailors, how these youngsters tended to be awestruck by the Hollywood-star prettiness of the women, and how they would be made to drink so much (and sometimes be drugged as well) until they woke up in bed upstairs only to find they had been sleeping with a man. It’s fair to speculate that some of the visiting sailors must have known they were going to be able to sleep with a man at Danny’s Bar and must have returned to the place to experiment with sexual desires and gender identities that fell outside the mainstream norms of their day and age.

Q. Are there any signs left of Danny’s Bar?

A. Not unless you have x-ray vision. The street is now almost entirely residential, though there is a modern-day “brasserie” in the house where the bar used to be. If walls could talk!

Q. These recollections of Danny’s Bar take us automatically into the second half of the twentieth century, I guess?

A. Yes they do. On the eve of the Second World War, we know that the Skippers Quarter had acquired a gay connotation to those in the know. Yet it didn’t stick to that area. After the war, its gay nightlife started to spread beyond the city’s traditional red-light district. A few of these new bars were still nearby, in the area around the Cathedral and the City Hall, but the majority sprang up close to the Central Station. This is also when we’re beginning to see some diversification. The Shakespeare, for instance, was a bar in the historic center. On the one hand, it was still occasionally visited by sailors and sex workers. On the other, and more importantly, it had a female bartender and gradually came to attract a female crowd – a niche for which there hadn’t been a market yet in the Skippers Quarter. 

Meanwhile, in the working-class streets leading toward the Central Station, a number of bars were opening that were all operated by men and served a male clientele – places like Fortunia, Week-End (later known as La Vie en Rose), and La Ronde. These were generally small operations. One of the streets, the Van Schoonhovenstraat, would go on to sport more than twenty such gay bars. In this picture I recently took, you get a sense of what this may have been like when you look at the structure of the street front, for instance the houses in the middle painted in blue and mauve (one of them surviving as a sex shop):

But the Van Schoonhovenstraat wasn’t the only street. Even if nearly all of the area’s gay bars have in turn disappeared, you might still recognize this iconic place, the one with the greatest staying power and cult status: 

Q. Ah yes, Café Strange! It’s in the Dambruggestraat, right?

A. Yes, and it still allows you to step into a time machine and take a trip down memory lane. We used it as our prime architectural case study, because its history shows you a lot about such gay bars in the second half of the twentieth century. A few facts and details hopefully help bring this history to life.

Café Strange was started by a gay couple as a gay-friendly “brasserie” back in 1955. The name, “Strange,” was meant to be suggestive without being explicit. In those years, the curtains behind the windows were still systematically drawn so that no passerby could look inside. You couldn’t just step inside either, but had to knock or ring a bell and wait for someone to let you in. To expedite this process, a small porch was constructed so that you could first step into the anonymous porch, close the door behind you and then open the door to the actual café – all with an eye to being as discrete as possible. 

Over the years, the bar became so successful that its interior had to be reorganized and expanded so that it could accommodate not only a buffet at the back but also make some space for a dance floor. The café had a good reputation for many years until one of the owners died in the mid-seventies and his remaining partner got into various kinds of trouble that ended dramatically with his getting killed. It was then that a new gay couple, Armand and Roger, took over – you probably know Armand as the remaining owner. This was in 1980, in the era of early emancipation, and so they decided to be less discrete by painting the building’s façade in a sort of pink and adding a drawing of a sexy sailor on the outside. Inside, pictures of semi-naked and naked men were hung on the walls. The buffet was moved to the front of the room and a professional DJ was hired to turn the place into a small part-time disco. For a while, the owners even produced their own little magazine to inform gay patrons about leisure opportunities – remember that this was before the internet made looking up such information a piece of cake. 

The first decades under the new owners went well: the place had the reputation of being at the same time modern, unpretentious, and laid back. There were a lot of flamboyant theme parties in which patrons could win grand prizes such as a flight to Athens or a weekend in Amsterdam or Paris. What’s interesting to observe also about the history of Café Strange is the shift in demographic over the years: while in the 1980s you could find a mix of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals from a wide range of ages and social classes in the bar, this narrowed down in the 1990s to mostly gay men, and then by the new millennium morphed again into a mix of gay and gay-friendly visitors. Indeed, by the nineties, these smaller gay bars in especially the area close to the station were increasingly being pushed out of business by a new type of venue, such as The Hessenhuis. 

A building with a totally different allure, of course. It’s originally from 1564 and part of the city’s historical patrimony. After undergoing renovation in 1975, it reopened as a temporary exhibition space, and then in 1993 a gay-friendly bar opened that doubled at night as a club for mainly gay youngsters. Soon, the Hessenhuis became one of their two favorite commercial nightlife venues, together with the Red & Blue. This new generation of larger, trendier, more spectacular, and essentially self-contained clubs gradually drove the small gay bars out of the market, and thus also put an end to the sense of a particular neighborhood or area in which many such bars were clustered.

Today, much of the city’s history of gay and lesbian nighttime entertainment has evaporated and become materially invisible in the streetscape. There was a time, during the second half of the twentieth century, that Antwerp contained literally dozens of gay and lesbian bars, but almost none of these survive now. Unfortunately, I’m not aware that anyone is actively trying to honor this material history by installing commemorative plaques or making exhibitions about it. It survives mostly in the memory of an aging cohort of participants, hence my insistence at the outset about the relative difficulty of bringing my topic to life to a younger generation raised on a constant stream of immersive images. But perhaps now that Alexander, Rob, and I have made our first archeological efforts and undertaken a basic form of mental mapping, a curious young historian will come along to flesh out our very schematic findings and dig up all the beautiful, funny, and naughty traces of queer nightlife that may still be hiding in public and private archives. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

[wisteria-lodge]

The Sorting Hat Chats System - Rivers of London

Still playing with @sortinghatchats​ philosophical / psychological Sorting Hat system. Basically, they give each character two houses: a ‘primary’ and a ‘secondary.’ I’m gonna do a simplified run-down:

Your ‘primary’ is WHY you do things. So - 

Gryffindor: because I feel this is right. (Everything for the Cause)

Ravenclaw: because I decided this is correct. (Everything for the Truth)

Hufflepuff: because this helps my community. (Everything for People) 

Slytherin: because this helps me/my inner circle. (Everything for My People)

Your ‘secondary’ is HOW you do things. So - 

Gryffindor: Smash the system! Charge!

Ravenclaw: Plan, build tools, gather information. 

Hufflepuff: Community-build, caretake, call in favors

Slytherin: Act, adapt, find the loophole

Now some character analysis! Spoilers though Foxglove Summer, because that’s as far as I’ve read at the moment. 

Peter Grant has an absurdly loud Hufflepuff primary. His groups are his everything. His family, his neighborhood, the Metropolitan Police, his beloved London. He will happily risk his life for a family of German tourists he just met - they are people on his turf after all. It bothers him that the magical community is so disjointed, and it is his dream (his “gift” to Hugh Oswald) to stitch it all into one piece. Peter’s vows to the police matter, his vows as a magician of the Folly matter. In a perfect world he would unite his two communities so they never come into conflict with each other. 

Peter also has a very loud Ravenclaw secondary. He learns about magic, then immediately starts setting up experiments with controls and objective measurements instead of practicing more heavy-hitting spells. When he uses magic in practical settings, he still favors set-up and planning. He likes building traps and magical detector grids. 

He also has a huge reserve of knowledge, mostly to do with London history, architecture, and jazz. It feels very Ravenclaw that the one advantage Peter has over villains like Mr. Punch and the Faceless Man is that he knows the names of ancient Romano-British priests and what a stadtkrone is. Peter saves the day with bits of trivia, by working out some unusual way to use magic, or by inspiring powerful friends to come to his aid with that blinding-bright Puff primary. 

There’s a fairly serviceable Slytherin secondary performance in there too, one that’s mainly used for police work. Peter has his “command voice” and “community policing manner.” He’ll play dumb to get a confession. He’ll manipulate a suspect. He can make himself look more or less suspicious. (basically, he mimics Lesley). But he still approaches those Slytherin skills in a systematic Ravenclaw way, and drops them when he’s off the clock. 

And honestly, he gets his best results when he polices though his Hufflepuff primary. (”You should talk to me because I genuinely care about your problem.”) If you are a person, Peter Grant feels responsible. He also has a pretty broad definition of “person.” When he learns about ‘jazz vampires’ and ‘secret underground tunnel people,’ he goes right to THEY ARE CITIZENS OF LONDON AND THUS DESERVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION. (Pretty much the most Huffleclaw response ever.) 

Thomas Nightingale was, once upon a time, a Slytherin primary with a huge inner circle. David Mellenby was part of it. Maybe wizard Uncle Stanley. Probably the teachers and classmates he reminisces about so fondly. But then there was WWII, and Ettersburg, and Nightingale was left alone, hand-carving thousands of names into a memorial wall no one but him would ever see. If that’s not the act of a broken, mourning Slytherin, I don’t know what is. 

Molly gets him though the next few years (not his job, not his legacy, not his community) but there are still probably periods where she has to force him to eat. Their relationship is ambiguous, but I see an element of debt or contract there. Like Molly helped a reckless younger Nightingale out of a tough spot, and in return he promised her sanctuary for as long as she should require it. There might even be a magical component - some ritual Nightingale does to keep her happy and healthy. I’d sort Molly as Slytherin/Hufflepuff, but since she doesn’t talk and isn’t really written as human, it’s hard to say. 

At this point, Nightingale has booted himself out of his own inner circle. Molly matters, and that’s about it - certainly Thomas Nightingale deserves no consideration. He’s content to watch English magic die, and then die himself. But then he starts mysteriously getting younger. He can’t just wait for the clock to run out anymore. He’s forced to adapt to the new world. 

So Nightingale uses healthy selfishness as a way to heal. He is a broken, petrified Slytherin deciding that actually, yes, he is worth something. He goes out to buy himself an expensive, beautiful wardrobe and an expensive, beautiful car. Then he starts doing the parts of his job he finds interesting. Over the next few decades he un-petrifies to the point where he starts to maybe consider recruiting an apprentice. 

Then Peter Grant happens. And Nightingale starts going to police briefings because that will make Peter’s life easier. He adopts Peter’s lexicon. He protects him from disturbing information and dangerous situations, and descends like the wrath of God on anyone who tries to hurt him. (Peter starts counting on this, and factoring it into his plans.) Nightingale doesn’t care about the police, doesn’t care about the status of magic, doesn’t even really care about helping the helpless. No, he cares about Peter Grant. He’s one of those Sam Gamgee-style Slytherin primaries who adopt the morality of their Most Important Person. 

(And there is going to be a reckoning if he ever has to choose between Peter and the good of the community. Because he will choose Peter - and Peter will hate it.) 

Nightingale’s secondary is a little harder to figure out. He seems so Ravenclaw when he’s teaching Peter magic, but in retrospect he’s almost certainly performing the Ravenclaw secondary of whoever taught him. When we hear about his service record, the SS price on his head, his actions at the battle of Ettersburg - it becomes very clear that Captain Thomas “Tigertank” Nightingale once had a blazing Gryffindor secondary. One that he’s proud of. It burnt away, when his primary petrified, but comes back as he builds up his new inner circle. 

Now, Nightingale will consider the possibility that a dangerous situation is a trap, and then walk in anyway. He totally trusts his his improvisational Gryffindor secondary to blast though anything he might find in Varvara’s barn or the Strip Club of Doctor Moreau. Nightingale solves problems by making things explode. (And he always seems a little suspicious of Peter’s complex battle plans.)

Lesley May is a Ravenclaw primary whose system, whose Truth, is the Metropolitan Police. (She’s a bit like Javert that way.) Peter just wants to serve London. He happens to be a cop, but he could just as easily be helping his city as an architect or community organizer. But we are told again and again that Lesley is police.

That is why, when her face is destroyed, she Falls so hard. Her lowest, most desperate point is when she visits the police bar and drinks herself sick because she realizes that she can’t be a policeman anymore. Not really. And the terrible thing is, Peter brought her there to cheer her up. After all, he’s a Loyalist Hufflepuff powered by communities. It would have cheered him up. But all it does is drop Idealist Lesley into existential despair. She tries to find a new Truth in magic and the Folly, but all she gets is a new tool that she cannot use to be a policeman. So when the Faceless Man says he can give Lesley her face back... personal loyalties can’t really compete. 

Lesley also has a Slytherin secondary. Peter uses a similar secondary when he polices, but hers is so much more natural. She delights in finding clever ways to bend the system to her advantage. She has fun coming up with mundane explanations for magical events. (Peter seems to stick with “gas explosion” and “multiple gas explosions.”) Lesley is such a good liar - she has plans to defect during all of Broken Homes, and Peter and Nightingale have no idea.

At the beginning of the series, she is comfortable being around Peter in her neutral state. But as the books go on, that neutral state becomes more and more of an act. The horror of the facial injury shows up here too: how cruel is it to take away a Slytherin secondary’s ability to change faces by forcing them to always wear a mask?

Beverley Brook is a Hufflepuff primary. It’s possible that all the Rivers are Puff primaries (Lady Ty certainly is). Because what else would the god of a specific place be, if not a community-orientated Puff? Bev is loyal to her River and her family, and happily goes upstream in a hostage exchange to keep the peace. She doesn’t give Peter the time of day at first (probably thinks he’s another Slytherin, like Nightingale) but starts falling for him when she sees how much deference he pays to London and the various Rivers. How much he wants to help. Beverley and Peter are both Hufflepuff primaries who value people, but Bev is more likely to think of rivers, forests, and old trees as “people” (sometimes more than she thinks of actual humans as “people.”) 

Beverley definitely presents a loud Gryffindor secondary. She’s brash, she has no problem being shocking, she enjoys wearing T-shirts with provocative slogans written on them. She rescues Peter by steam-rolling the fairy court with a train. But... it was a train she borrowed from a friend. Her Gryffindor is actually a model masking a much deeper and more subtle Hufflepuff secondary. She problem-solves by doing favors, asking for favors, and making friends. This even ties into her magical powers of persuasion, and he way she needs permission to really unlock her powers. In the climax of the first book Beverley is wired like a genie - crazy powerful when she is in the service of someone else. Very, very Puff.

tl;dr

Peter Grant - Hufflepuff / Ravenclaw, with a Slytherin performance he borrows from Lesley and uses for police work. 

Thomas Nightingale - Slytherin who mostly adopts Peter’s morality system, because Peter is Important / Semi-burnt Gryffindor. Models Ravenclaw when he teaches. 

Molly - Slytherin / Hufflepuff

Lesley May - Ravenclaw whose Truth is the police. Fell when she lost her face / Slytherin. 

Beverley Brook - Hufflepuff / Hufflepuff, Gryffindor model

[dragonthunders01]

For many millions of years since the foundation of the Galactic Republic, most of the races that appeared throughout the galaxy, both natural and artificial, tended to maintain always a bilateral body, of more than two body planes, or radial, in its totality with little or no variation in its sides, being quite absent the existence of asymmetric intelligent species. Although some species with the ability to modify their anatomy through genetic makeup had created classes with variations in their bauplan in general, the existence of a species with a  asymmetric radical variation in their morphology something that was not considered that could appear, however the surprise would come in a planet of high gravity, mostly desert with several oceans scattered on its surface and thousands of lagoons and lakes approximately 510 million years ago. The large planet just known as Yag hosted a diverse variety of organisms adapted to extreme gravity (which would be 2 times that of the earth in comparison) which most of these have main common features like flat and/or elongated bodies, very stick to the ground, with short limbs, being some of these mollusk-like organisms. One species in particular, a shrubby, opportunistic omnivore similar to a mix of a crab and a clam had escalated in the development of technology and thought to the point of creating civilizations, then in a period of more than 60,000 years to be able to leave the planet and colonize other worlds despite the fact that gravity of their world brought them problems in the process. Free of the restrictions of their homeworld gravity, these eventually expanded through the stars, encountering different worlds totally different to its own with less gravity, which brought a push of the development of a new variety of these organisms, being the next generations changing form a flat crab/clam like creatures to a much more erect and with a more elongated body form. The new class eventually became much more widespread for space colonization, leading to relegate their ancestors to their home world, and becoming these able to discover the hyperluminic travel and thus contacting the galactic republic although didn't unite to them until some millions of years after, these were the Turabas, the only assymetrical sapient species known from the clorn era. These creatures of crustacean/mollusk look reached a height of up to 90 cm, being characterized by the way their body was configured which was the result of natural selection and the sudden modification directed by themselves when they moved out of their home world. Their bodies were divided into 3 parts, the thorax, the mandibular area and the eye above it; The chest covered mostly by a keratin shell was where most of its organs are found including a double ring-shaped brain around the neck that connects the second section, as well six orifices which each one has a specific fuction from 3 for breathing, 2 for smell and one to hear. On side of its body protruded around 14 pseudopods which on each side four of them work together functioning as a full leg when he needs to walk, although they were able to take individual steps with each pseudopod in slow step. From all these limbs there were a pair of minor tentacles in the middle of the three groups, which they were used for breeding functioning as special reproductive organs. In the upper part of the body around the back part there were two long limbs which were used as manipulators with different proportions in length: the left limb was shortest, with a fleshy tongs with dozens of palps around the inner edge, being mainly for food handling and tools; the right limb  was much larger, with a more muscular arm, his pincer lacks palps and turns out to be more hardened in his inner area, made to grasp and take with enough force. The second part of the body, the mandibular area contains 2 lateral mouths that open at the top, being mainly devoid of teeth or some type of dental structure, it rises several centimeters from its thorax, thanks to its extendable neck that was able to retract and seal; and above this, on another small neck is located what looks like two eyes were actually only one big eye, only divided by a covering of keratin in the middle, also able to retract. This variety of bizarre characteristics made for a long time difficult the integration of this race in the republic because they considered other races unpleasant looking for their simmetry, creating a xenophobic barrier of other species although leaving relationships in a neutral position for almost 3 million years, but eventually with time they passed from disgust to tolerate their interstellar neighbors to finally join the union of civilizations. For a long time they remained relegated to roam and colonize certain worlds, however and eventually with preference to low gravity habitats being more preferable of artificial environments for the ability to control their environments, added to a capacity for the construction inata in they became quite effective architects of structures reaching the creation of varied mega-structures and artificial worlds. Eventually they have had to face their own demise during the great cataclism of 470 m.y. that wiped out the Galactic republic, or at least the class that abandoned their homeworld as the original form survived on its own way during millions of years apart of its kind, silent in the safe of their high gravity world and eventually rising in the aftermath.

[mindtraptotravel]

What You Need to Know Before Visiting Rome

A SHORT BREAK IN ROME

Ahh,'' Roma.

It ought to really be composed in most individual's fate they will go for the Eternal town in the least one time within the course of their life, to go through the love, both the foundation and also the charisma that's the funding of Italy. Even a quick break in Rome can look to be a compromise, in fact, a good couple time is sufficient to see a superb piece of existence very different to your particular presence. To sit down ponder life's puzzles while appreciating affogato at a piazza, or even to throw jewels at the Fontana di Trevi and need to get a come back into the enchanting location, are minutes which warrant producing the travel to get a brief rest in Rome.

Lodging alternatives differ from miniature hole-in-the-wall overnighters to expansive hotels you won't ever need to depart from, to proceed holiday. Based upon the right time of season you decide to choose your short break in Rome, you'll save substantial amounts of funds, or you also might be at a disadvantage. Likewise intending in progress may function nicely, whereas some times, eleventh-hour discounts are affordable.

If you're Catholic, Jewish or Buddhist, quitting from the Vatican the two motivates and humbles; should maybe not to your own spiritual importance, subsequently to marvel in the historic character. Researching the Coliseumyou are going to see about the glorious gladiators who struggled for glory and fame. In the roads, you'll exude random fleets of both Fiats and Ferraris, even though assessing out the fashionistas who appear to loiter at each corner see and be viewed. A good quick break in Rome will transplant enormous fascination in your heart.

Quite a few traveling agents may organize weekend itineraries for one who will encircle most of the total must-visits of all Rome. It's true that you might need to produce such as a textbook vacationer and stick to the well-worn avenues of countless who've gone , nevertheless if time is of their character, you undoubtedly don't desire to squander it upon analyzing map novels, requesting guidelines in an unknown terminology and mastering the challenging way just how never to take good advantage of. Even a quick break in Rome is often exhausting and thrilling as some other last-minute bus excursion throughout all of Europe.

In case you are prepared to reserve your own brief break in Rome, stop by our official site for several of the information you're going to want, and also some fantastic discounts and"Insider" secrets and techniques about traveling into the endless city.

The most trick to earning the maximum of the brief fracture in Rome will be always to package lighting and plan beforehand and become nicely rested until you will arrive. And also become ready to slumber hardly any as often there is something to watch at amazing Roma, night or day, summer or winter, rain or shine.

TOUR OF ROME

Even in the event that you may spend a week in Rome, you won't be capable of seeing all of it. For travelers on the move, although, here's really a lightning-fast excursion of Rome.

Morning -- Catch a cappuccino and a croissant in the café from the Prati area, that can be appropriate by Vatican Metropolis. Right after your rapid breakfast, then get consistent in the Vatican Museum. It opens in 8:45AM, nevertheless, you're going to wish to become consistent from 8:00 in order to steer clear of that the throngs of holidaymakers which will undoubtedly become. Start outside by moving for the outside courtyard to respect the early figurines of Laocoon and Apollo Belvedere. The statue of Laocoon, that will be not exactly 2, 000 years of age, has been hailed among the absolute most astonishing figurines of its own time. Next move throughout the magnificent rooms painted by Raphael and end upward by Getting dismissed from the Sistine Chapel and terrified from Michelangelo's Final Judgment.

Afternoon-- This big fortification was used by Popes throughout days of warfare and also plenty of fortifications have been manufactured by stripping off and melt parts of their Pantheon. Cross the Tiber and mind South-east throughout Piazza Navona. Catch a fast lunch in Baffeto's, that functions the very optimal/optimally pizza in the city, then head farther east before you hit on the Pantheon. Veer west and soon you reach through Del Corso, among the absolute most well-known shopping roads in Rome. Fight the audiences while you go north over the avenue and get at most of the ridiculously costly Italian identify brands.

Nighttime -- Kick the bus into your Trastevere area, among the Absolute Most vibrant Aspects of Rome. Wander across the scenic roads and soon you discover a cafe which is for your own liking. You'll find lots of restaurants within this spot, and also the meals are commonly better and cheaper compared to someone of those additional regions you will see in Rome. After having a yummy dinner, then bite some gelato and increase the local Gianicolo Hill to delight in a magnificent night perspective of this Eternal town.

ADVANTAGE OF BOOKING IN CENTRAL ROME

A suggestion you need to find out after making your booking is always to request a corner place. Corner chairs tend to be greater, quieter and do have more light and windows compared to conventional rooms, plus so they usually do not price tag more. Generally, ask whether the lodge is renovating: whether it's, ask an area off in your renovation job. You may even inquire concerning the positioning of these lifts restaurants eating places and pubs at the resort and all origins of frustrating sound.

Pesto along with the marinara sauce, ravioli along with risotto, cannoli and tiramisu are all found on an identical menu. Still another benefit of all Rome's layout and cosmopolitan character is really you may uncover very fantastic restaurants Down Town using food items from around the entire world: Rome is your very best possibility to seek out several kinds of cuisine.

The everlasting metropolis was not built every day as well as to adapt its own tourists, it has been enlarging together with an increase of lodges, starting hours for both museums as well as several other sights, especially during vacations and the summertime.

Rome center delivers also some fabulous chances for fans of their performing arts. All of the significant actors go to Rome along with the metropolis has customarily become the popular location for theatre creation in Italy. The scenery favorably burgeons in the summer season every time an overwhelming scope of performances is staged across town in many different indoor and outside places.

Rome can be a sort of culinary melting kettle for regional styles that are distinctive.

Since you're able to picture, you can not walk anyplace in Rome without having to step onto a few levels of Roman archaeological continues to be. It's frequently annoying for those who live there: they are able to do nothing below or above the earth without needing to end and attentively think of what's actually being lost as well as located.

The subject Trastevere was inhabited with the working class and 1970 was stuffed with fresh motels, tour excursions along with sidewalk distributors. The initial people of the field belong to your blended ancestry, chiefly Jewish, Greek and Roman and also for years that they certainly were famous for talking their dialect within a speech more demanding than that spoken in central Rome.

Trastevere stays certainly one of Rome's most vibrant quarters, even although supposing it's a little cluttered plus it will understand being a" town in a town".

The lodges in fundamental Rome make it possible for individuals to conserve cash when cruising as people are able to pay every one of the significant monuments few hours using a pleasing promenade.

Actually, when you've reserved a resort close to the Spanish actions you may observe how Rome is entered by Porta del Popolo constructed at the Renaissance time period from the architect Vignola in your layouts of Michelangelo.

The following guide is the intention to spell out what we want for fundamental Rome along with the huge benefits to book a resort inside this region.

For fundamental Rome, we imply specifical districts such as the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and Trastevere.

[fiercequeengrassi-blog]

No Time? No Money? No Problem! How You Can Get Columbus Concrete Patios With A Zero-dollar Budget

Your patio is an important part of your own home. It might serve as the area that you simply entertain buddies in the course of a summer barbeque or possessing a relaxing poolside afternoon.

They even had to bring in the base and screed by buckets. The complete approach was performed quickly and successfully, within three days from get started to finish such as sealing the pavers. They left the areas they labored in day-to-day, our patio and garage, in improved problem than every time they arrived. There was a slight set back throughout the job, which is something we are accustomed to from our other house advancement endeavors. A thing that we're not accustomed to nonetheless is the response from Jeff and Patios by B&B. Our earlier knowledge has long been that when problems occur on the challenge that's commonly in the event the contractor starts jacking up the cost; sticking it into the customer. But that is certainly far from what occurred In cases like this with Jeff and Patios by B&B. Jeff's practical experience, dedication to consumer pleasure and becoming the very best out of doors remodeling specialist in SoCal seriously shined. Jeff arrived in and took care of everything and performed interference with the varied get-togethers associated to rectify the situation. It had been at this stage in the job that we were being confident we created the appropriate collection in contractors to remodel our patio. Jeff stood powering every thing he promised us commencing with the primary telephone call to routine an in-residence session through closing payment and inspection. He contacted us when he mentioned that he would, commenced and finished the project within the timeframe he dedicated to, was obtainable in any respect hrs in the day and night time and above all, honored his quotation. We are quite discerning and skeptical consumers In terms of contractors, getting been burned just one far too again and again, and they are delighted to report that Jeff Goldman and Patios by B&B stood approximately, and occasionally, exceeded our substantial specifications. While on paper the bid from Patios by B&B was in the midst of every one of the bids gained, the value in their customer care much surpassed the opposite bids. Patios by B&B can be an Excellent company and we really advocate them to anyone looking for leading excellent function and Outstanding customer care! It?s too bad they only focus on out of doors transforming; we wish we could utilize them for all of our household advancement jobs! Excellent work and thank you to All people at Patios by B&B and particularly to Jeff, Gabrielle & his crew!!

Real brick patios can cost you approximately $twenty per square foot. What this means is it’s good information which you can get that same pattern for any portion of the price. Brick stamped concrete is a great way to present your patio a classic and uniform overall look.

Definitely Incredible Patio!We referred to as about three or four companies to operate on our patio, but when Avi (job supervisor) showed up from Creative Residence Reworking Services, we cherished him. The cost that he gave us was in the middle of the opposite contractor’s costs but we felt quite comfy with Avi, so we employed him. We at first believed we needed flagstone, because several of the others experienced given us estimates on flagstone and stamped cement, but we didn’t know sufficient about stamped cement. Immediately after Avi gave us many designs on various different types of patios, our hearts were set on stamped cement. His value and Frame of mind with regard to the task affected us to exchange the walkway while in the front and over the aspect of the house, obviously the value received just a little larger but pretty affordable. Then, following the task started out Avi was known as absent to do another thing, so he sent Nir to deal with about the task and he was Wonderful too. The workers Auturo, Jesus, Pepe and a number of other Other people labored with us no matter the number of thoughts we requested, or how often times we modified our mind, they stored on smiling.

The better part of this feature is that it may be very easily taken down in case of intense climatic conditions which include storms.

These textures will also be paired with exciting coloration styles. Given that they are supposed to be organic, it’s popular that shades or pairs of colours occur into use.

In case you are considering installing a concrete patio, you'll want to peruse the following pointers and tips to really make it a welcoming, sturdy and delightful addition for your backyard.

Terrific position! Owing to Monthly bill and his crew, We've got the beautiful yard we often dreamed of. The cost and time to complete The task labored with our spending budget and plan. We advocate Monthly bill and his group.

Rowland and Broughton Raising the roofline and including clerestory windows to this mid-century ranch dwelling in Aspen, Colorado flooded the living Areas with organic light-weight. Rowland and Broughton included a rooftop patio to The only-story house, alongside with a patio off the back of your dwelling with white polished concrete flooring.

Nonetheless, irregular stone surfaces make to get a tough strolling location. Along with the burden, stone’s irregularity also helps make laying stone out to get timely and difficult for some. Stone patios tend to be dearer than concrete pavers or poured concrete.

John Montgomery Landscape Architects A very well-designed patio cover can enhance your outdoor residing practical experience and boost the period of time you invest exterior. For virtually any main out of doors structure, you'll be wanting to work with an experienced, like an architect or landscape architect, to be certain your constructing complies with town codes and is engineered effectively. Other considerations just before organizing, designing and developing a patio address involve:

The patio appears to be like amazing way past what I could of hope for. I'm able to only describe his get the job done as as remarkable, impressive, and very skillfully completed. Bruce would be the consummate Skilled. Thanks to get a job well accomplished.

Southview Designs A garden in Minneapolis is with a corner whole lot with minimal space, making a problem for Southview Designs To optimize its probable.

One place that some may perhaps think about a drawback is the fact that concrete requires a while to established. Throughout and after set up, you ought to be prepared to prevent your patio for as much as three to 5 days not to injury the design. It could aid to find the task done all through a time of year that you simply don’t Recurrent your patio.

[queenlua]

cool stuff i noticed while rereading the script of Inception

I wasn't planning to write this all tonight, but uh, I really love inception y'all.

NOLAN’S WRITERLY FLAWS

Here's a lengthy bit from the original script, which got cut from the movie:

MILES Everybody dreams, Cobb. Architects are supposed to make those dreams real.

COBB That's not what you used to say. You told me that in the real world I'd be building attic conversions and gas stations. You said that if I mastered the dream-share I'd have a whole new way of creating and showing people my creations. You told me it would free me.

Miles looks at Cobb, sad.

MILES And I'm sorry. I was wrong.

COBB No, you weren't. Your vision was a vision of pure creativity. It's where we took it that was wrong.

It's a rare glimpse into a side of Cobb we don't really see in the movie—young, drawn to the idea of pure creation, to all the beautiful high-minded concepts behind this dream-sharing business. You can almost feel Nolan himself, giddy, beneath this—as a creator that's got to be one of the coolest parts of this whole idea of dream-sharing; hell, when I first saw this move in The Year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Ten, I went straight home and started writing some fanfiction, not about any of the characters, but about the intensity of feeling behind sharing dreams, what it would mean to create in that way—

—and it was totally right not to stick it in the film, because though Inception is a beautiful film with beautiful ideas, it's a heist movie at heart, and it has to focus on the pragmatic while giving the lofty beauty of it all a sly wink. The "youthful idealist architect Cobb" only comes across in subtext—a slight lightness in his step during his training sessions with Ariadne, maybe a bit when musing over what would draw the intense and beautiful Mal to him.

Here's another bit—from the scene when Cobb is having his final confrontation with Mal, and she's trying to convince him to stay in limbo with her. I italicized / surrounded with asterisks the bit that got cut:

MAL So certain of your world. Of what's real. Do you think he is- (points at Cobb) Or do you think he's as lost as I was?

COBB I know what's real.

***MAL What are the distinguishing characteristics of a dream? Mutable laws of physics? Tell that to the quantum physicists. Reappearance of the dead? What about heaven and hell? Persecution of the dreamer, the creator, the messiah? They crucified Christ, didn't they?***

COBB I know what's real.

MAL No creeping doubts? Not feeling persecuted, Dom? Chased around the globe by anonymous corporations and police forces? The way the projections persecute the dreamer?

Gosh, that line is just... what? We have this super-emotionally-charged moment, the make-it-or-break-it for Cobb to wrest his way from Mal's grasp, and we're throwing in random references to quantum physics and Christiainty??? It made the cutting board, as it should have.

But what I like about these lines is that they show us Nolan's rough edges—and it's Nolan the goddamn nerd, who loved Star Wars as a kid and talked about The Matrix a lot when talking about this movie and, based on his writing style, I honestly suspect is a little bit of a closet anime nerd. This is a guy who's really jazzed about ideas, who veers on the side of babbling too much about a beloved topic, or just reaaaaally wants that physics reference in there because of the cool parallels with the other ideas. I love it.

He also tends to add awkward touches of melodrama when left to his own devices. A line like "I performed [inception] on my wife and reaped the bitter rewards" gets transformed, with Leo's quiet humanity, into "I knew inception was possible because I did it to her first." Which gets a little into "what the actors brought to the movie", which I'll get into later.

I have a pet theory that what draws people to, say, a favorite author, or a favorite filmographer, is a love for both what they do well and their flaws. I was struck by this when reading a review of the Sea of Fertility tetraology, by my favorite author, and found myself basically agreeing with the review—the only difference was, the shit that drove the reviewer crazy were the things that gripped me in weird ways, that I recognized as flawed but still enjoyed warmly. Mishima's writing is melodramatic and Isao comes across as weirdly robotic and his pretenses at intellectualization come across as strained and confused—those were all things that drew me in deeper.

Which is not an argument against editors, and doing the Actual Right Thing; this is stuff that very rightly made the cutting board. But when it's a tough call for what the right way forward is, Nolan goes a little bit dorky, a little bit melodramatic, and those tiny moments are delectable.

MAKING EMOTIONAL SENSE

Something that struck me, when I rewatched Inception this weekend: Cobb's description of inception on Mal doesn't entirely make sense. It's not quite impossible according to the rules of the script, but it intuitively seems like performing inception in limbo is a very different thing than doing it from within a dream. He refers to having built everything in limbo; why would anything in limbo relate to specific parts of one mind? And it seems like it'd be easier to trace the genesis of the idea when you're right there in limbo with them when they do it, I'd think?

The point isn't whether it makes sense or not—I'm sure nerds on the argument could argue either side—but the point is that you don't even question the mechanics of it when it's described, because it made complete emotional sense. All through the movie, we've been getting hints that something terrible happened, some subtle thing Cobb's got stored away—and when we finally see it, with that choice imagery, oh, lifting the little locked-away top in Mal's home and spinning it—makes you say oh, makes you gasp, brings it together.

I went to a talk once by one of the writers of Lost, and he talked about this concept in the context of the episode "The Constant." Basically (as is tragically typical with Lost), a character's gotten his consciousness stuck in some sort of bizarre time loop, he keeps flashing back for longer and longer periods of time, and he's gonna die if he can't cut out this "simultaneously stuck in two time periods" thing. So a physics-y character says that Desmond needs to contact a "constant", something present in both time periods, so he can "stabilize" his mental state, and who does he call but his ex-girlfriend.

Does that make a goddamn lick of sense? No, not really. But the show'd already gotten us incredibly invested in this relationship between Desmond and Penny, they've been hinting for a while that Penny's been desperately looking for Desmond, and Desmond's love for her is really heart-melting, and they're using a science-y word ("a constant! like gravity's a constant, bro!"), and the feeling of something converging is the thing that really carries the moment. Lost pulled this kind of shit a lot, really, and it explains a lot of the divisiveness of the show. Invariably when I talk to people who liked Lost, they're usually watching for character, and freely confess the plot wasn't even trying to make sense after season two but that's so not the point. If you were focusing on the plot, you were doomed to be disappointed.

I want to spend more time thinking about this—how you construct something that makes "emotional sense." Do it wrong and there's just a gaping plot hole or bizarre deus ex machina that's going to irk everyone watching it. And, to be clear, I actually don't think these sorts of scenes work in spite of the vagueness/implausibility, but because of it—the important thing in Cobb's moment of inception is the beautiful resonance of that spinning top, the important thing in that Lost episode is the feeling that somehow, some way, love can be the thing that grounds you and saves you. Maybe that's the answer, really—you have to earn it in some other way. Lost earned it by pouring so much attention into Desmond's backstory, and his love for Penny, and the brief desperate glances we got into her search for him—to the point where we were yearning for a resolution. Inception did it in a more Nolanesque way, with its wonderful, precise control of exactly what is on the screen at all times—leading to a the confluence of motifs coming together all at once. Cobb repeats "an idea is like a virus", we see Mal's house again, we see the top, and the salt-swept shores of Limbo and the pair of them clinging to each other, all coming together at once.

WHAT LEO BROUGHT TO COBB

I get the sense, reading the script, that Cobb was meant to be a more, uh, "edgy"/dark/moody-teenage-protagonist-esque character than he actually became. There's just touches, here and there, in the script. There's a scene where, in the movie, Arthur sympathetically says, "I know how much you want to go home." In the movie, Arthur's posture is closed-off, and he's staring out a window, and says nothing until Arthur talks again. In the script though, Cobb cuts him off with a sharp "No, you don't." Touchy, tetchy.

Or how about this bit:

Cobb GRABS SAITO AND PUTS HIS HEAD TO THE FLOOR, gun pressed into his cheek. Saito looks into Cobb's eyes--sees he will pull the trigger. Saito BLINKS, looks away in shame. When he NOTICES SOMETHING. And starts LAUGHING.

Oh man, Cobb is so tough, making the tough Japanese businessman look away in shame—

—except, in the movie, at this point Cobb's getting totally desperate, and instead of playing it deadly-cool, he's waving a gun and fucking screaming at Saito, "TELL US WHAT YOU KNOW! TELL US WHAT YOU KNOW NOW!", and Saito performs no "look of shame."

The other instances are more slight and tedious to cite, but—there's moments in the script where Cobb was supposed to hold a broody stare, and instead got flustered and cut into the next topic right off, moments when he's giving cocky grins that turn more poker-face-y in the movie.

It gives you an appreciation for really good actor can do, what they're bringing to the movie—the subtle changes of expression, turns of phrase, ways they hold themselves can change so much of the mood and feel of a character. I don't think of Cobb as like, the Greatest Character Ever, but as an anchor for the movie, he's pretty solid and rather unique—not quite cold-and-aloof-tragic-past type, not quite the hard-edged-bristly-loner type—something more mature, more weathered, more adult. He comes across as a touch more cerebral, a touch more intense, and those touches resonate really well with what's a reasonably cerebral and a very intense movie.

EXPOSITION IS HARD

Inception is an exposition-heavy movie.  I remember it all flowing seamlessly when I first watched it, but on re-watches it does feel like a bit much, and sometimes awkward (Arthur explaining the concept of limbo while in a shouting match with Cobb, urgh).

But it's interesting how much more there is that didn't even make it into the movie—tons more slips of awkward exposition that got cut. For instance, in the script verion of Cobb's visit to France, when he's trying to get the professor to get him an architect, there's a whole conversation that lays out the “what happened between Cobb and Mal” alarmingly baladly:

COBB I know. I thought you could talk to Marie about bringing them on vacation. Somewhere I could meet--

MILES Why would she listen to me?

COBB You were married for twenty years.

MILES She blames me as much as you.

COBB Doesn't she understand that my kids need me?

MILES Yes, she does. We all do. Go back and face the music, Dom. Explain what Mal did.

COBB Be realistic, Stephen. They'd never understand− they'd lock me up and throwaway the key. Or worse.

MILES You think what you're doing now is helping your case?

COBB Lawyers don't pay for themselves.

I'm glad that didn't make the movie—we get the sense that something happened, but we don't know Mal did something, and while it's made obvious Cobb can't go back to America due to a crime, he doesn't drop a line like "lock me up and throw away the key" ick, etc.

Perhaps Nolan deliberately wrote in more exposition than necessary, with the idea he could cut it based on what sort of context the actors could imply with their actions? The trickiest thing with writing exposition, I think, is that whole "the writer already knows everything" bit—how do you determine what people need to know, and when, and how, when you've already got the whole picture and the pieces seem so obvious to you? I've received praise on some of my original fantasy writing for executing well on this sort of thing—but (1) I think it's goddamn impossible to do much fantasy/scifi writing at all without gaining chops in this area; it's the central challenge of the genres, and (2) I think it's easier in a prose setting—you can toss in throwaway words and references more easily, adding texture and feel without actually following up on it, whereas a movie is crunched for time and every word/reference/etc usually has to count, materially advancing the plot and the reader's understanding.

[scrambledsignals]

Tagged by half-rutter to answer Arty-Farty Questions for Arty-Farty Friends! It’s a ramble so sticking it behind a break, if you are reading this then you are ~tagged~ to answer the questions too:

1) Have you ever been moved to tears by a painting / sculpture / work of art? What was it? Not memorably, certainly have been captivated and sometimes saddened but I think only music, films and books have provoked tears, to date. Perhaps I have cried after coming home from an art gallery, but I often do that at the end of a busy day of being out anyway.

2) When was the last time you were so engrossed in a book you disregarded something IRL, such as missing a stop on your train? (Bonus, do you remember what was the scene in the book?) Specific memories are murky - although I know it has happened. I think I missed one stop on the tube when I was working near Piccadilly and reading a collection of Anna Kavan stories. As a kid I would stay awake too late reading with a torch under the bedclothes. 

3) What film would you most love to live inside? (This refers to costumes, set, locations, time period, characters - but you do not have to be constrained by the film’s exact plot.) I like the concept - and the distinction. Thinking about this, the films I’ve been most impressed by and found enjoyable are definitely not ones I’d want to exist inside of. I suppose ‘La Belle Vert’ since the colonised planet was kind of Utopian, if a little bit creepy.

4) Architecture - you are allowed to live for one year in any building designed by any architect (it will be made habitable for you, and bills and furnishings will be taken care of.) What building (existing or existed) and/or what architect to design a ~dream building~? Oh, this is a good one! I’ve always said that the Canterbury city cemetery should let Roger & me live in the chapel (John Green Hall was the architect) because we spend so much time lurking there at night as students. 

5) What’s your favourite museum in the world? I guess this would have to be Sciworks in Winston Salem since the wonder of the small child is so potent that this was the place I first experienced lots of things for the first time - particularly the planetarium where I’m told I amused the whole room by saying “ooh, stars!” as a very young one. Other than that there was an animatronic dinosaur, a giant plastic mouth, harmonograph, zoetrope and geode that I remember well. Again, not the grandest but fond memories.

6) An eccentric billionaire has made a bequest: upon your death, a small plaque and a moderate grant will be given to the individual museum, gallery or performing arts venue that has made the most positive impact on your creative life. Where will your plaque go? I don’t know what place has most influenced my own creativity - probably my school, various pubs, friends’ houses and libraries since it’s daily experience that prompts such things for me, rather than other peoples’ work and so on. Going to National Trust & English Heritage places with my family growing up made me appreciate quality in crafts. Living history and re-enactment prompted an interest in authenticity and making things from scratch in traditional ways. I’d be happy if a donation was made to The Union Chapel since I have only ever had moving and memorable experiences there and that definitely contributes to creativity holistically. 

7) Were you taught to play any instruments while you were growing up? (It doesn’t matter if you can play them now.) If you could go back and arrange lessons for your child self, what instrument would you have played? I pestered my parents to let me learn the trumpet during primary school and was supposed to take the grade 2 exams but the teacher kept saying he’d forgotten to arrange it. My parents told me I wouldn’t have time to keep learning when I started secondary school and that was that. They have since apologised and I’ve accepted that I don’t have aptitudes for understanding how to play music so would probably focus my attention elsewhere instead.

8) Do you do any crafts? Knitting, sewing, whittling, metalwork, beading, photography, printmaking, anything you can make yourself? I’m no good at knitting but do cross-stitch & blackwork embroidery. Have dabbled with spinning and intend to do more when my course finishes. A bit of whittling, a bit of weaving. I love print making but don’t do it enough - I have lino blocks and a silkscreen but not really the space. Some scribbly sketches and comic cartoons, some collage, marbling, embossing, making soap & candles. The best things I’ve done have mainly been textile-based. I’ve made dresses and jackets, though with the guidance of teachers at the time. I’d like to get a decent sewing machine and get back into that. Taking pictures is also a creative thing, I suppose, but the process feels very different - more like writing a letter than making a print or something. Perhaps it’s the process more than the end result with some things. 

9) Dance lessons (ballet, tap, contemporary, salsa, it’s all good!) Yes / No / Was Forced But Hated It / Always Wanted To But Wasn’t Allowed? We had to do dance at (all girls) secondary school. We wore leotards and had a formidable German teacher who would stand at the front of the hall and screech “doubletime girls, faster! faster!” during the aerobics warm-up. I shudder at the memories. Went to a couple of salsa classes with some friends when we were 18ish but the men were so creepy I couldn’t face continuing. My co-ordination and bodily awareness is fairly lacking so I wouldn’t attempt dancing, other than ceilidhs which I enjoy with a kind of invigorating fear.

10) Do you know any poetry by heart? And if someone really wanted to impress you, what poet or poem would they recite to you? Other than my own, which I learned to perform back when I wanted to *be* a performance poet and still remember now - mostly just things such as On An Hour Glass by John Hall which have come up in music, often folk-type things. The process of choosing a suitable poem would be part of what would be impressive, which is an evasive way of not having anything particular in mind!

[happy24-7]

Dave Escamilla's Departure from Crown the Empire

Escamilla's statement:

"So with much consideration in how I wanted to prepare a statement, I feel the best way is to be as transparent as I can about the entire situation and what led to the decision the band and I came to. I'm tired of conveying my life like it's a commercial business. Because it's not. I'm a human being like any one of you and I'm not afraid to be honest about that despite how it may look on my "image" or any other artificial view of me that may exist. So with that being said. I want you to understand what led the decisions made and the place we're in now. Right before I started the recording process for Retrograde, we had been touring for months with little down time. Which I knew came with the job. No problem. What I didn't understand was the lifestyle I was very susceptible to by being on the road and almost trying to live this "rockstar" lifestyle. I'm guilty. I fell into it. The drugs, the alcohol, the partying, all of it. What most people don't understand is that, abuse of any of those things can mess with your head. And sometimes in very significant ways depending on the substance. This abuse was a significant role in my transition into a downward spiral. I was extremely unhappy, depressed, and experienced many terrible things that people shouldn't have to go though all by my own doing. My band, my loved ones, and my fans all stood by me through this even though I was very undeserving. I realized this by the time we did the Rise Records tour in Japan especially after a specific incident on that tour because shortly after, I became aware that Hawaii would be my last show with CTE. As disappointed as I was, I came to terms with it understanding that it was mainly my fault... What was even more disappointing and heartbreaking was that I never got closure with my brothers. The guys that welcomed me into their band 4 years ago with open arms. The guys I thought I would know until I was on my death bed. The guys that I thought would meet my family one day and back up the amazing stories we have. I lost that. And yes, It was partly my doing but at the same time I needed help that wasn't there when I needed it most. Instead, I came home from Hawaii with no contact from anyone in our team besides our manager. And he was letting me know I had a legal agreement to not participate in any activities involving Crown The Empire as well as to not say anything about the situation. Which I felt I deserved... After this was a much needed time of self rehabilitation. I stopped every substance I abused and focused on my health and well being. As this period of time went on, I realized my lack of fulfillment with my role in CTE... The members of the band are talented individuals, but we had extremely little creative input. There were days from the studio during the Retrograde process that we weren't welcome into the studio to contribute to writing. When this happened, I felt like something was wrong. I understand when people have no experience writing songs, but I believe whole heartedly in the journey to understand your creative contribution. I wanted to sit in there and suck until I figured out how to get better. And I believe that's how you get good at anything. It takes dedication and love to a craft. When you pay people to do that with your music, you have to "act" like you believe in it. It defeats the purpose of being a musician to begin with to me. So when we toured on Retrograde, I felt like I was being robbed of the opportunity to put love into my craft. I was being paid to do a job. And that's not why I picked up a guitar and microphone when I was 12 years old. So without any contact with the band, I notified our manager that I wanted to part ways with CTE. Since then, I have yet to hear from any of them but I truly wish them the best because I know deep down, they deserve it. I won't let my circumstances interfere with the potential I see for the band. As for me, for now, I'm not making any big statement to build hype on anything. I'm simply going to create music and share it with you as I go until I discover myself as an artist better. When I'm confident, and I feel you guys agree. I will move forward and hopefully have many more experiences with you guys on the road in the future. To the people who are willing to stick by me and accept my failures as well as see me move forward, I can't thank you enough. You're the one thing that made me want to continue doing this when I was at my lowest point. When I would consider giving up, I had another fan come along and change my mind. You guys can't even begin to understand what that means to me. You kept my love for this thriving. And I couldn't be more grateful. With love, Dave."

Band's statement:

"Bands are a lot like a relationship; you've all heard this. Sometimes when shit goes south, it's hard to tell who broke up with whom, if you're ever going to get back together, when to give them back their things - it's messy, and it takes a while to figure out how to get back to focusing on just yourself, when all you've known for a good part of your life is sharing it with this other person. Dave isn't in Crown The Empire anymore. That's how the chips have landed after the smoke has cleared. Everyone will try and make it out like it's a big corporate thing, and say we're "very excited about the future of what both he and ourselves make as we all continue to pursue music" but we all know that when you see your girl or guy with someone else it sucks. The difference is that we turned to each other during this time. The four of us found solace, respect, friendship renewed, and our purpose within this band, and stopped letting our selfishness divide us. Instead we've come together, bonded more than ever to help build each other up. We've never heard or seen Dave make anything, artistically or musically in the 4 years he was in our band, so we're just as excited to see what he does make as you are. We've had enough time to lick our wounds and can truly say we wish him the best, but we don't want any of our fans to think he was at the heart of what made Crown - Crown. I don't think you'll see him say anything different. Yes, - the "members" as you know it of Crown The Empire were not the primary song writers, but to us, our best friend Brendan, has basically always been in our band, and wrote with us from the very first song. An architect can't say he's made a house without someone to actually build it. It's not like some random person that we pay and say "hey make us famüs" he's literally a brother of the band, and that has not changed. We will continue on as we have, together, tighter, more creative, and more excited, amicable and finally free of negativity than we've ever been. Dave is an incredible talent that we'll never be able to replace in our sound, but we're excited to build an identity around Andy as the singer of this band once more, and we can't wait to bring our creations to you. Because at the end of the day, anything we create is ultimately not for us. It's for a point in time in the world and the people in it. Thank you all for being participants in our fucked up little universe so far, and we hope that you all will stick around to see how it evolves. With Love, Andy, Brandon, Taddie, Tree"

[maskdirect]

Minneapolis Kitchen Remodelers Guide: Why a Kitchen Remodel can Help you Love your Minneapolis Home

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Minneapolis Kitchen Remodelers Guide: Why a Kitchen Remodel can Help you Love your Minneapolis Home

Minneapolis is listed as one of the top ten places to live in America in 2019 according to U.S. News. With three professional sports stadiums within 1.3 miles of each other, a beautiful skyline, theaters just about everywhere, and a paradise for foodies around the world, it’s not hard to see why this place ranks so high. The only inconvenience is that there is a lot of competition for homes around the area, but lucky for you, we created this Minneapolis kitchen remodelers guide to give you another option if you are living in or found a home in Minneapolis, and have a need for a new kitchen. 

The kitchen has changed pretty dramatically over time from a place back in the day where food was simply prepared in another room, to what it has become now as a modern design multi-functional open area that serves as the centerpiece of the household.  

What to consider in the Remodel

When considering your kitchen remodel, one thing that you want to be sure of is that your kitchen reflects you and your lifestyle. It should be able to provide you with a sufficient amount of space for cooking, plenty of storage space, and of course, a spot to chow down and enjoy all the hard work that goes on in there. 

Start your remodel process by thinking and reflecting on why you’re remodeling and what you are looking to get out of it. 

You will want to think about the size and space you need. This will determine what the layout of the kitchen will look like if you will have an island, extra space for storage, and whatever else you are hoping to have in your kitchen. 

Don’t feel that you need to stay committed to the present layout of your kitchen. Windows and doors have the ability to be moved if desired, as they are rarely in the right spot, especially if you are looking to do a remodel. But if you are not open to the idea of moving doors and windows around, there are always other ways to modify and play around with the layout. Try to think about things like ‘how easy is it to move around?’ or ‘what it’s like when more than one person is cooking at the same time.’ 

If you’re living in an older home, one thing that you may need to consider is the electrical and plumbing as you remodel. You can check with an architect-engineer team to make sure these are sufficient enough to accommodate the new technology that will be installed. 

What is your lifestyle like and how will you be using your kitchen? Are you the type of person that needs professional appliances for cooking taking up a majority of the kitchen? Or are you looking more of an open layout that is more beneficial for entertaining purposes? 

When determining your budget, it is important to set a realistic budget and decide on where you want to save and where you want to splurge. Experts say that you should figure between 6%-10% of your home’s value for a complete remodel. 

Types of Kitchens to Consider

Gourmet Kitchen – this kitchen is performance focused and is filled with professional-grade appliances, sturdy and easy-to-clean surfaces, and storage space for spices, pots, pans, and other cooking utensils. This kitchen will have focus areas for preparing your food and meals, as well as cleaning up and serving. 

Features of a Gourmet Kitchen

Professional grade ranges – Generally, gourmet chefs prefer gas ranges, so if you are looking for a gourmet kitchen, odds are you will have a gas range. 

Double oven – As a gourmet cook, you will spend a good amount of time in the kitchen, and cook a lot. Having a double oven will help save time and will come in handy on the big nights of cooking. One of those ovens should be convection, which means there is a fan that circulates hot air around the oven so food can cook more efficiently.

Warming drawer – A warming drawer helps to protect the moisture of your food and allow you to keep the food warm for extended periods of time until it is ready to serve. That way you don’t need to reheat it all in the microwave.

Convection microwave – This microwave has the ability to double as a simple reheating unit, as well as an efficient convection oven.

Refrigerator – You are able to get stand-alone unit refrigerators in counter-depth configurations so they have more of that built-in look to them as opposed to sticking out in the open. French-door style refrigerators are good options to look at, as they are more attractive and allow the cook to have a clear view with less space being taken up as the doors open. 

Under-cabinet lighting – This lets you focus the light on specific workspaces in the kitchen where prepping, cooking, and cleaning are taking place.

Entertainment Kitchen – This type of kitchen is focused on entertainment, specifically, in your kitchen. When designing a kitchen that functions as an effective entertaining space, it’s all about the specialty features that are integrated into the space to make serving food and beverages easier. The size will determine whether or not you can include features like an island and extra dining space for more guests.  

Features of an Entertainment Kitchen 

Sleek appliances – When your kitchen is made for entertainment purposes, you want some showpieces to dazzle the guests. You probably don’t need to purchase the professional-grade equipment unless you plan to seriously cook for guests, but get something that is quality and looks nice. A very popular purchase today is stainless steel, as many have it as a priority, which will help at resale if you ever decide to do that.

Point-of-service refrigeration – Refrigerator drawers and specialty units, like wine coolers, give you and your guests better access to things that need to stay chilled and cool. Something that will come in handy on a warm summer day. 

Warming drawers – As an entertainer, you will need a space to keep food and appetizers warm while maintaining the quality. This will help to save time and energy as well as limit the running back and forth between your guests and the microwave. 

Double dishwashers – Depending on the type of entertaining you do, double dishwashers will help save time on all the dishes after the party. This is something that would really only be needed if entertaining for large crowds was something that you do habitually. 

Flat-screen television – If you do your entertaining during sports events or tv viewing parties, or the kitchen is where you and the party normally kick it, then this is pretty much a must-have.

Island – Depending on the space you have to work with, an island can be a great addition to your entertainment kitchen. You can have a place to serve your guests, extra seating, etc. But the biggest key is making sure there is enough room.

Family-Centered Kitchen – For a family kitchen, you are going to see the value you get in the extra space and cabinetry features. These will help improve how the kitchen functions for you and your family’s everyday life. It is important to remember that your kids will grow up one day and you will eventually have it all to yourselves, so you are going to want to keep that in mind when you are going through the design and details, this way you can come up with an idea that is suitable for both areas of your life.

Features of a Family-Centered Kitchen

Easy-to-clean surfaces – With a handful of little ones running around the kitchen, easy to clean surfaces are going to save you so much time. This will save you from having to break out the special equipment to clean up the bowl of cereal or glass of milk. 

Accessible pantry – Having enough storage space for groceries is a must for a family. Maybe you have lower sections and areas for your children with pre-approved snacks and beverages for them to take at their convenience. 

Open plan – The kitchen and living room should flow into the other. This allows for more open space for traffic to get in and out, as well as giving you the ability to keep an eye on everyone. 

Island – An island will multitask in a family kitchen. It can serve as a snack area, place to do homework, or the dining place for the kids. 

Convection microwave – This microwave will be a life-saver. It works for reheating and cooking, and also performs as a fast-speed oven. This allows you to not have to put in a double oven and make reheating leftovers easy. 

Hopefully, this will help with your Minneapolis kitchen remodel. Yes, there are a lot of options to choose from, but once you start to narrow things down toward your lifestyle, things become a little more clear as to what you and your family need.

[angelsandcelestials]

Messages from your Angels & Guides~January 7-14, 2019

Happy New Year! Good afternoon my tribe!

How was your New Year's Eve? Mine was spent with the family at my place, playing music and drinking champagne. I'm not a drinker so that is something unusual for me... lol, I usually spend my NYE watching the Twilight Zone on SYFY. Don't ask me why I do this when my one of my son's bought the entire show (every last episode) on DVD for me as a Christmas gift a few years ago...lol  Now that the New Year has begun, are you ready for a do-over?  When you think of turning over a new leaf, perhaps you envision a leaf from a tree, but that’s not what the expression means. Back in the 1500s, pages of books were called leaves. Turning over a new leaf meant turning to a blank page to begin again. Every January we have the opportunity to turn the page and start afresh

The theme for January is Resolute.

resolute: Firm or determined; unwavering. ... Having a decided purpose; determined; resolved; fixed in a determination; hence, bold; firm; steady.

Let's face it, January is when everyone is talking about making resolutions. But ( and I am sure you all can relate) the momentum dies quickly. You may feel overwhelmed or unmotivated after a while. Who really sticks with their New Year's Resolutions for the entire year?  So let's try something different.  Try this when thinking of the goals you want to achieve.

Take one day at a time.

Take baby steps each day,

Keep the big picture in mind.

January has 31 days, remain resolute in taking action each day, little by little, to manifesting the life of your dreams.  This is not some lip service I am feeding you. I am working right alongside you to change things in my life. I am walking my talk and practicing what I preach. I heard a lot of people saying 2018 was a killer year for them. I won't say that it was necessarily that way for me, but I did have plenty of eye-opening moments. Some life-long beliefs that I had needed to be dropped. I thought a lot the direction I wanted my life to go in. Especially after the deaths of some people last year. One being, my ex and my youngest daughter's father, who went to sleep and did not wake up. This happened on New Year's Day of 2018.  Then the night before Mother's Day, I happened to be watching the news and learned that an acquaintance of mine, a dedicated school teacher was missing. I knew in my heart that this was not going to have a good ending. And it didn't he was found dead.  Then in the fall of 2018, another acquaintance from FB died in a horrific fire. Sobering, isn't it? It made me contemplate my own mortality. These people all thought they would see another day. I decided that waiting for things to fall in my lap wasn't going to cut it. I had to take the bull by the horns. But 2018 wasn't all sad.  I also had plenty of fun moments. The highlight of 2018 was going on the cruise to Bermuda. I took a medieval history course. I spent time at Atlantic Beach.  Museum trips, movies. I just saw a new movie over the weekend called The Favourite.

So where am I going with this? You got to make each day count. You can't put off the things you really want to do.  Whatever it is you wish to achieve.. Go for it!!  You have to live your life, no more fooling around. 2019 is a 3 year and is all about creativity. Find and ignite your passion. Take those steps. Be firm, be resolute. #2019levelup

Affirm: I remain resolute in achieving my goals.

This week's message is Frequency Shift

You are about to experience a Frequency Shift.  This message is to ready you by showing you what to expect.  And you will know how to get through this transitional period.

This kind of shift occurs when your soul is ready for the next part of its journey.  However, on the physical level, you may not be ready.  The things that alter during this time be difficult to endure, But you will make it through and be much better for it.

Most times, when this shift begins, you will experience depression or feeling the need to withdraw from the world. Usually, there are events that precede the shift, which causes a need to step back from the world.

It is during this very part, which makes it feel the most difficult. You feel you cannot relate to others and you feel your purpose in this life has all but vanished. You begin to question your life, your purpose. What am I here for?  

Your intuition will also take a direct hit. You will feel as if you have lost your psychic abilities. They just seem to stop working. The connection with Spirit is completely severed.    The guidance you have been receiving is now silent.

Basically, everything will shut down. And this is because your energetic engine is overhauling itself. And it can not be left running while it happens.  But just so you know, once this shift completes, you will be stronger than ever.  More than likely, you will have a new team of guides working with you. And this is because you will be able to bring through higher energies in whatever work you do. You will be more focused on your purpose and doing the work of  Spirit, than ever before.

And finally, here is a message from the Beaver

"Never, ever give up." -Beaver

When the Beaver appears, you are encouraged to remain diligent until the task is completed.

The Beaver is a master architect, a dream visionary. Beaver has the ability to locate the spot for the perfect home in order to provide security and abundant resources right outside the front door.  

In essence, the beaver tells us to believe in our dreams as if they were real. Beaver asks us to build on our dreams as if they are already our reality.

It’s pretty clear when you observe the beaver for a bit. On a symbolic level, the beaver beckons us to change the course of our life-flow and create a new design that better suits our needs. In short, the animal symbolism of the beaver deals with building our lives up around our dreams.

And that is the message for this week. Have a magical week!

I do hope that this week’s messages resonated with you. If it hasn’t at first glance, then feel free to re-read them. There may be a deeper or hidden message specifically for you from your angels and/or guides. These messages may also apply to several people and/or the collective. That’s how Spirit works..lol Let me know though I would love to hear from you. Also, please share, reblog, and like. This way you will be paying it forward for others to receive this guidance. Follow Angels & Celestials on Instagram And on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AngelsandCelestials111/

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The Definition Of Little Black Dresses

Little black dresses can move you consistently from the workplace to a gathering - all with the expansion or expulsion of the correct extras and correlative attire. Since we are in reality as we know it where refinement is the key, ladies dependably interest the best approach to being extraordinary and to emerge among all. So by what means can a little black dress be changed in accordance with have any kind of effect? 

As a matter of first importance, not all little black dresses are the same; some of them have more style and appropriateness than others. Day wear for gatherings, snacks and occasions call for fitted black move dress, with a sliced neck area. It is helpful to abstain from anything that sticks to the body and fit towards dresses that skim the body forms. The length should drop just underneath the knee. This is additionally reasonable for work considering the texture. For example, gentler textures and lightweight fleece crepe look extraordinary in black and give a dash of restraint and class. 

Slinkier is an extraordinary choice for a night wear but then ought to stay very much molded. For night occasions a ruched black dress with ties, tight however in texture that hides all, and with a heart-molded bodice may be a decent decision. The length should end on the knee to extend complexity. Be that as it may if the event is more easygoing a black fold over silk pullover, a black cloth shirt, and the easy-going black stretchy dress are for the most part appropriate. 

Having found the diverse of this dress it's sharp to recollect, the virtuoso of the little black dress lies in its flexibility; however regardless of how great the outline, you will require a couple of accomplices to finish the look. For instance, pantyhose level out the legs skin tone can give the completing touch to the look. For night wear, transparent black or dim tinted pantyhose are an amazing decision. It's likewise a determination to pick a couple of shimmering adornments, for example, a precious stone tennis wrist trinket or a sequined satchel or night sack. For a less formal occasion, straightforward stud hoops and an a la mode belt look pleasant. 

Shoes are now and again considered as frill yet they really assume and essential part when characterizing an outfit. Sprucing up this garments with shoes is a noteworthy piece of the look in light of the fact that the shoes can give differentiating shading or style to the dress. Shoes worn with the little black dress ought to be of good to phenomenal quality since they are an element piece and individuals' eyes will be attracted to them with the black dress background. A couple of sling-backs or foot rear areas is fundamental to finish the look. While black is the undeniable shading decision, it is vital to every so often blend it up and run with a great silver foot rear area, by and by red pumps can likewise make a famous look particularly when worn with red lipstick or another red highlight, for example, a clasp or belt. 

With a little black dress every one of the embellishments ought to have a shading subject. The same goes for the cosmetics. You may ensure the nail clean, eye shadow, and lipstick coordinate the closet; generally the entire look may appear like a composition or palette of hues with a black foundation. Guarantee that the cosmetics features the best highlights of the face and offers life to the whole look. 

At long last, owning the ideal little black dress permits to either dress it up or down for any event just like an unbiased closet piece that lets the lady to exhibit her identity and claim style. This without a doubt will give the trust in another party gown and will set aside the projection of a hot certain lady.

History of the Little Black Dress

The little black dress might be monochromatic yet it has a widely bright history. Despite the fact that it is extremely hard to follow the first foundation of these dresses, previously 1926 a black dress was chiefly worn by women to go to funerals. Individuals were not prepared to investigate it and translate the style of such a dress. As you would all be able to expect however, the scene changed with a specific issue of Vogue magazine where Coco Channel exhibited a little black dress in the Ford outline. The dress was short, at knee length, sleeveless, and had an inclining outline. This dress extremely set up the pattern that in the end brought about the LBDs that we see today. 

Nothing influenced the western world as the World War II and the little black dress was no special case also. Actually, numerous specialists trust that the little black dresses were made mainstream on the grounds that there was a deficiency of texture that was immensely expected to fabricate the uniform of the fighters. Regardless of whether that was an embellishment or not, the little black dress gave ladies of that period a considerable measure of freedom and genuinely necessary style to cheer about. For Femme Fatales like Marilyn Monroe the dress gave considerably greater chance to tempt. Amid 50s, the pattern stayed mainstream to a great extent since it was rich and beautiful. 

The pattern changed a little in the 1960s. After the World War was finished, the conservatism set in with another energy. Be that as it may, in the 1960s, the new age wandered out for experimentation with something new and strong. In like manner, form architects thought of miniskirts, openings and other intense outlines. It was amid that time when Audrey Hepburn showed up in the LBD in Breakfast at Tiffany's. The pattern subsided a little in the 1970s however the LBD was, in no way, shape or form, out of vogue. It was hues instead of black that was the request of the day. 

The little black dress again took the inside stage in 1980s. The furor for wellness, and pursuit of smooth outlines kept it in vogue even in the 1990s. Nonetheless, individuals had just begun exploring different avenues regarding different lengths of the LBDs. Indeed, even in the 21st century, the LBD appears to overwhelm the design world. It is exquisite, viable, valuable and exceptionally engaging. Surely, you can't request any preferable mix over that. In addition, obviously, there is the incredibly wide value go from $50 to anything near a couple of thousand.

A Little Black Dress Can Really Take You Places

In the realm of design, and additionally in any brilliant ladies' closet a little black dress certainly holds an exceptional place. In spite of the fact that streaming textures and long outfits with vivacious hues were more in vogue in the ongoing decade, our little black dress, or LBD, as it is prominently known never lost its hugeness. It is as yet a transcendent shade for the form cognizant refined women. It has been a staple and sure thing for any event when a lady is confounded about what to wear. Indeed, even the cutting edge current fashioners treat this straightforward rich idea of little black dress with respect. 

On the off chance that we get some information about their most loved gathering outfit, the appropriate response would definitely be a little black dress. There are reasons aplenty for the same. The most evident being, it unquestionably compliments the figure and gives the thinning impact which everybody would concur. You can multitask with it which implies it very well may be worn at work with a formal coat and after that changed as gathering wear for night or even on an easygoing hang out with companions. In spite of the fact that it gives one a thinning impact it is basic that your little black dress has an impeccable fit, great quality and an immortal style. This would guarantee influencing you to look modern and in addition provocative. Presently it can get exhausting at times to wear the little black dress for some events. In any case, rest be guaranteed, there are ways and intends to convey your dull outfit to greatness. It very well may be spruced up for gatherings, weddings or be dressed down for memorial service, formal gatherings and so forth. 

Each of the one needs to do is to decorate the little black dress suitably and diversely for various events. 

Gems 

It is the most essential intends to give another look to your little black dress. Eye getting accessory or studs extending from fragile pearls to precious stones or even stout overwhelming gems and bangles supplement the little black dress with no ado. It additionally demonstrates your pizazz for style. Contingent upon the event, the adornments can be chosen. Indeed, even pin gives it that exceptional search for any popular event. 

Shoes 

You can change the look by trying different things with shoes which can influence your little black dress to look totally changed. Running from high obeyed stilettos which run strikingly well with little black dress, to a basic combine of black pumps likewise suit the outfit. As black shoes would exhaust and unsurprising on black outfit, going beautiful would be a superior thought. It will likewise give that truly necessary difference to the outfit. 

Packs and Belts 

Embellishing with the correct grip or purse will add to the marvelousness factor. Either a basic or popular grip with exhibit of hues runs well with the black outfit. The shoes and pack can be coordinated or possibly supplement each other which would make the entire look striking in totality. Additionally belts give that genuinely necessary accentuation and redirection from the black dress. It additionally can help in changing the look of the dress. Contingent on your body structure the belt can help secluded from everything the defects and upgrading the benefits. 

Caps, scarves and tights 

With the over 3 extras you can make a chic and ultra current look. Right shading and decision can add shading to your little black dress. So simply ahead and explore different avenues regarding distinctive sorts of caps and diverse material and shades of scarves and tights. As each shading runs well with black.

How To Choose The Perfect Little Black Dress

Little black dresses are the ideal party dresses to create an impression so there's no better method to work the room on an uncommon event. It's the sort of dress each lady ought to have in her closet since it is attractive and flexible. 

History of the Little Black Dress 

You may think about the little black dress (LBD) as the most present day of current looks, however did you realize that its history returns to the 1920s? Before the 1920s, black was generally utilized for grieving and ladies wore layers and layers of material. Coco Chanel changed all that by making a basic black dress. Abruptly, hot gathering dresses were the stature of mold - and they've never left style from that point forward. The LBD has been constantly refreshed and is a staple for those searching for the ideal party dress or semi-formal dress. It likewise makes an awesome day to night dress. 

Picking Your Little Black Dress 

So how would you ensure that your little black dress emerges from the group? Above all else, you need to pick the correct dress. On the off chance that you need your dress to keep going for in excess of a season at that point consider an exemplary knee-length hemline. Numerous ladies wear their attractive gathering dresses for a considerable length of time so ensure you pick a style that will last. Or on the other hand why not set out and demonstrate a little knee? A short, cheeky number will be ideal for some events. 

Finding The Right Accessories 

Obviously, what settles on the look is your selection of frill and these begin from the back to front. To maximize your LBD ensure you have the correct underpants to set it off to flawlessness - all things considered, you need to be responsible for which bends you appear. 

Next, consider your neck area and how much cleavage you need to appear. Regardless of whether you intend to wear a choker or long stout globules will figure out which dress best suits your necessities. Furthermore, there is no reason for picking the ideal party dress without picking the correct shoes. For extreme flexibility pick a dress that you can wear including shoes to boots. 

Regular Party Dresses 

At long last, for all year regular goodness, a black party dress that you can wear with a wrap, coat or scarf is the best decision. Another option is to have two black night dresses - one with three-quarter sleeves for fall and winter and a short sleeved variant for spring and summer. One thing is without a doubt - the little black dress will never leave style - and neither will you!

What Makes The Little Black Dress So Special?

The Little Black Dress, or LBD, as it is lovingly called has turned into a staple in numerous ladies' closets since it has a tendency to be very flexible and fitting for a wide range of events. Generally speaking, form dresses are to some degree less demanding to wear than isolates in light of the fact that a lady should simply put a dress on and dash out the entryway as there is no coordination of discrete pieces of clothing included. Nonetheless, there is something unique about 'little' dresses that are black. Indeed, the Little Black Dress has accomplished such a level of prominence these days that usually alluded to as having a notorious status. 

Yet, what is so unique about design dresses of the 'LBD' assortment? All things considered, aside from being flexible and simple to wear, they have a specific persona that is reminiscent of the inky-toned article of clothing made celebrated by Audrey Hepburn in the motion picture 'Breakfast At Tiffany's'. By one means or another, the LBDs of today figure out how to exemplify the excitement of the Hepburn unique yet this isn't just by ideals of being black. Absolutely, the way that this notable dress is black adds to its appeal since black basically runs with everything and is an exceptionally well known shade to wear nowadays. In any case, beside the prevalence of the shade, the appeal of the Little Black Dress is to a great extent due absolutely to the indefinable quality that it has, a quality that the French allude to as 'Je ne sais quoi' or 'I don't recognize what' - an expression that lamentably does not sound a remarkable same in English. 

By and by, while Audrey Hepburn carried the LBD into the spotlight, it was initially Coco Chanel who first observed its potential. Givenchy, the planner of Audrey's outfit for the film, gave the Little Black Dress its notoriety yet it really started in the 1920s. Amid that decade, Coco Chanel took the black shade that was customarily saved for grieving garments in the West and made it into mold dresses that any lady could wear. Add to this the straightforwardness and advancement of line that was normal for Chanel's way to deal with dressmaking and you have the formula for the super-accomplishment of the LBD. 

That being stated, it likewise takes the lady wearing it to make a Little Black Dress 'sparkle'. In undeniable reality, one might say that the lady ought to be the genuine superstar, in a manner of speaking, and not simply the dress. A decent piece of clothing dependably goes about as a background for the wearer's face and identity and should neither overwhelm nor cheapen their appearance. In this sense, the LBD plays a supporting part: helping the lady to feel sure that she looks great in what she is wearing and abandoning her liberated to be a star. That is the thing that makes the Little Black Dress really extraordinary!

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Minimalist logo designs: Inspirational showcase

How to create a minimalist logo design? You would think it’s simple, but you still have to be careful not to create a logo that is just basic.

Simplification and reduction is not a new trend – it has been around for more than a decade, present in all design facets from fine arts to interior design.

The common name of these simplification processes is minimalism.

Rather than a technical approach, minimalism is modern way of thinking that strips and unveils the core of the design subject.

With minimalism in the front plan, all superfluous elements are brought down to bare essentials, so that an observer would not be distracted from the purpose of that design. As practical as it is, minimalism may as well be the leading design movement of the 20th and 21st century.

At the same time, bringing elements down to bare essentials is a very difficult process, as it takes a while for a designer to appreciate the beneficial effects of simplicity. Is it really worth it? Let’s explore.

Is simplicity everything there is to a minimalist design? Yes, but not necessarily. What makes the difference is the definition of minimalism you chose to follow:

Minimalism: An abstract painting and sculpture school (ABC art) that uses simple forms, basic shapes, and monochromatic, primary-based colour palettes. It is also recognizable for its style anonymity and objectivity, and a strong tendency towards rejective art and reductivism.

Minimalism: Applying the bare essentials and core elements in design, art, or literature.

Minimalism: A contemporary music mode popular by simple patterns, rhythms, and harmonies, melodic repetitions and prolonged chordals, as well as a trancelike effect.

Minimalism – meaning

In the simplest way possible, minimalism can be described as a deliberate lack of adornment and decoration in any design faucet.

Minimalism helps designers make their work simpler and more functional, doing as little as to stripe back all elements that are not necessary. In such way, they manage to convey their brand’s message, and encourage potential users to accomplish the exact action they expect.

By ‘minimalism’, we’re not referring to empty spaces and text-free schemes, nor do we encourage users to believe simplicity is the perfect solution. To come up with a masterpiece, you should think the way your audience does, and give them the elements they expect regardless of what the minimalist trends impose.

People must find your information to be relevant and engaging, which means that content, should be purposeful, rather than short.

Designers nowadays advise focusing on the message and the content and leaving all other elements aside.

Minimalism, of course, will be tricky for first time users who often underestimate the difficulty of applying it.

The digital revolution and rise of mobile devices gave minimalism its 5 minutes of fame, and many companies grabbed the moment to enable technology to change our lifestyles.

A short overview on the history of minimalism

Quality examples of minimalist design can be found in almost any art or architecture style and era. Going back to some of them, we’d understand the reasons why designers decided to come back to it.

To examine the emergence of minimalism, we should look primarily to three historical periods:

De stijl art movement: ‘de stijl’ (a Dutch term for ‘the style’) marks the period between 1917 and 1930, when designers focused mainly on abstract ideas, simple shapes and lines, and primary colours.

Van Der Rohe – inspired architecture. Van Der Rohe is a popular post WWI architect whose designs are recognizable for simple structural frameworks, clean lines, and lots of open space.

Traditional Japanese design: Simplicity and Zen are the first and main synonyms of Japanese culture, and belong to a large minimalist movement that appeared everywhere, from clothing to pottery and architecture.

Minimalism nowadays

The essence of minimalism didn’t change much over the years, in particular if we exclude the influence of other design trends, and how it interacts with them. Basically, what makes minimalism refined nowadays is its implementation with card-style elements, full screen headers, and flat and video design.

The core concepts, nonetheless, didn’t change at all. The same as their predecessors, talented designers work with simple black-and-white schemes, use blank spaces around central elements, and often avoid types other than sans serif. These may not be universally accepted rules of minimalist design, but they make it easier for us to identify minimalism when we see it, regardless of its origins.

Designing like a pro – Tips & Tricks

Work around your goals, and make a plan. It comes without saying that a good design requires planning, but instead of rushing into the process, you should devote each and every element the attention it deserves.

Walk in your audience’s shoes. Who is your design supposed to serve? How will you attract potential visitors? The process will likely be more complex than you think, and may require you to give up elements you thought were essential.

Last, but not least, minimalism should be applied on each and every element, including colours, space, contrast, typography, hierarchy, and all other dominant visuals.

Contrasts: The reason why so many designers use black-and-white schemes is the amount of contrast this scheme can create, but this doesn’t mean you should focus on the classic colours. Instead, you can opt for any high-level contrast, and pair elements with yin-and-yang concepts to benefit from opposing forces. This means: using small and large text and images, placing a single element within a blank and open field, or even bringing two apparently opposing styles under the same roof.

Palettes: To perfect your minimalist design skills, you should be able to differ between colours and contrasts as separate visuals. Colours are used to create contrasts, so choose them first. Overusing colours is just as dangerous as sticking to a plain black-and-white scheme, and a good way to stay on the safe side is to apply a single colour on a lighter/darker backdrop..

Dominant visuals: The visuals trap is difficult to avoid, especially for designers who are not exactly sure which element should dominate. Dominant elements are not necessarily the largest or most colourful ones, but they’re easy to recognize as being the most contrasting ones. The ideal centrepiece should be a beautiful image, a block of important text, a welcoming video, or any other element that deserves viewers’ attention.

Typography: The common choice of minimalist designers is sans serif, and this is the type you should use for a truly minimalist experience. Any other type with simple strokes and clean lines will work, and you can also use bolds and italics depending on the purpose of the text. In case a text block is supposed to be the dominant element, you can consider a more ornate or personalized font.

Is minimalism worth it?

To foresee the benefits of applying minimalism in their design, flowers of this trend must learn to differ between ‘minimal’ and ‘simple’. In short, a blank or very basic form is not necessarily minimal.

Minimalism as a way of life

We can only speak of minimalism as a design trend after the beginning of the 20th century, as it is when it started influencing art and technology. However, minimalism as a philosophy and way of life emerged way earlier, attributed to people who believe they can leave with the bare essentials, and remove everything that is not absolutely necessary.

Minimalist typography

Minimalist designs use straightforward and crisp fonts, and avoid decorations as much as possible. Serifs and ornate solutions are not strictly forbidden, but their usage is very limited.

Tips

Colours: Give your colour scheme some serious thinking, and opt for bold contrasts that comply with your brand’s theme. For instance, the minimalist logo of an environmental or a health company should always incorporate nature-inspired and earthy tones.

Simplicity: Make negative space work for you, and create extraordinary graphics with subtle inverts and implied liens.

Function and form: The shapes should be natural and organic, and the minimalist logo of the company should always be placed within a simple shape form.

Minimalist logo ideas and why you should consider them

Black and white minimalistic logos

The best minimal logos are black and white. This is why we recommend you to start your project using these colours, and then proceed with other coloured elements. If you have a logo that can’t work without several different colours, you may as well rethink its entire looks.

Other elements to consider for an engaging and catchy minimalist logo are gradients and textures, but you should only think of those once the basic concept is completed.

Experiment with Squiggles

Whimsical design is another hot trend in recent years, and you can make it work for you by crafting a minimal squiggle for your minimalistic logo. Squiggles are, in fact, clusters of crooked lines, but they look so attractive that they easily become iconic parts of a brand’s identity, making it easy for viewers to focus on specific words in the logo. You can develop your own squiggle in many different ways, as for instance introducing a spiral line or any free-flowing shape.

Squiggles are nice because they let you inject a bit of ‘yourself’ in plain and simplistic logos, as you’re basically drawing them by hand. Other popular ideas are stylish sketches and illustrated elements that would look breathtaking against a textured background.

Craft your own logotype

If not sure how your minimal logo should look, work around your brand’s name (even your own), and practice some creative lettering to create a beautiful logotype.

The type should always be readable and friendly, but the style is not limited. You can get something trendy; something more customized, or even bend-and-twist letters in a vintage package. The better your minimalist logo turns out, the longer it will last!

Keep in mind that a solid logotype will be used quite frequently, and applied pretty much everywhere your brand’s being mentioned

Think retro

As we mentioned several times, minimalism is not a new trend. Instead, its popularity relies on its old glory and classic concepts, and that sets a mood you can use to design a funky and retro logo.

How should a retro minimalist logo look? Most of the retro styles in minimalist design use simplified types and clean line, and surround text with a simple circle. Other details that can indicate this period are sketches and thin strokes.

Once the basic sketch is ready, bring up sepia or neon tones for a distinct 80s vibe. This shouldn’t be a challenge, as you can pull off tricks and ideas from multiple eras, and revive a minimalist hit many have forgotten about.

Work with geometric shapes

The trick in minimalism is to make people understand what you’re saying even without words, and geometric shapes are simply irreplaceable for the purpose. People will recognize them instantly, regardless of how you’ve chosen to combine them.

Another important role of geometric shapes is to capture users’ attention, and to indicate the importance of a particular action about to be performed. This is how it works:

Circles: Circles have no beginning and no end to distinguish, and this is why the eye identifies them with movement. They are also considered to be less sharp and more feminine, and are often used to convey love, power, and energy messages. Harmony is another of their multiple distinctive meanings.

Squares: Squares are used to indicate a sense of comfort, compactness, and equality. They inspire trust and stability, but using them too frequently may overwhelm users.

Triangles: Triangles are commonly associated with power, sturdiness, and stability. On the other hand, if you choose to use them upside down, they may cause tension, instability, or even conflict.

Crosses: Crosses are religious symbols, which is why people associate them with hope, peace, welfare, health, and balance.

Function instead of form

Here comes our cherry-on-the-cake advice – do not embellish your minimalist logo!

A logo can look breathtaking even when it is simple, as long as it accomplishes the purpose it was created for – telling people who you are, and what you do. The moment you decide to adopt a minimalist strategy just because it is trendy, all of your efforts will be in vain. Instead, you should be experimenting with several different mock-ups and sketches to preselect the most beneficial ones.

The key if flatness – a minimal logo is a logo everyone can understand and relate with, and a logo that can be read and memorized right away. Most of the time, this will mean giving up on all extras, and coming up with a truly manual and basic solution.

The more you exercise, the more able you will be to depict the mistakes and inconsistencies in your work, and that’s a good place to start. Think of ways to streamline your minimalist logo design concept, and test the result of your work before you publish it.

It will take time

The less-is-more minimalist logo approach looks simple at first sight, but it takes a bunch of trials, errors, and wrong experiments to create a minimalist logo that works. If not sure, observe the work of successful designers and companies, and learn from their mistakes – nobody designed the ultimate minimalistic logo overnight.

Ending thoughts on minimalist logo designs

Minimalism didn’t, and may never go out of style. Trends appear and disappear all the time, but a minimalist logo will likely be able to work just fine with all of them (think of Nike’s Swoosh mark that didn’t change to this point).

Simple and minimalist logo designs are easy to identify and remember, and viewers understand their purpose as soon as they see them. Designing simplistic logos, however, is an art that takes years to master, so pave the path for your creativity, and enjoy the process!

If you liked this article with minimalist logos, you should check out these as well:

Badge Logo Design Ideas To Use As Inspiration

Bird Logo Design: Examples and Bird Symbolism

Cool Logos: Design, Ideas, Inspiration, and Examples

Logos on Pinterest

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Point of arrival Design: Common Mistakes and Counter-Measures to Sell Effectively

As a Bollywood sweetheart, I have frequently experienced section of the lead performing artist or performer as richly amazing, for which the gatherings of people are in effect overwhelmingly snared to in light of the fact that they cherish what's getting screened. Similarly, the greeting page of your site, where one enters the first in the wake of being diverted from your advertisement battle, must be very significant, important and fascinating for your focused on gathering of people, with the goal that you're ready to squash the opposition, as well as lift the web design company in pune

Yet, a greater part of site proprietors regularly underestimates the significance of presentation page plan and neglect to focus on specific angles. This prompts basic errors which bring about high bob rate, therefore deal dives over the period. What's more, the fantasy of commending the advancement fete goes murkier.

For the higher transformation of business drives, the promotion and its point of arrival should be all around arranged for which devoting some additional time and endeavors will surely pay off. I have conflated the basic mix-ups and also some counter-measures to manage the presentation page plan and change it up for higher deals. In this way, how about we observe.

• Hidden And Ineffective CTAs

CTAs otherwise known as Call To Actions should emerge on your greeting page with the goal that the client is diverted to play out the undertaking that you need him/her to. The greater part of the architects includes an excessive number of components the point of arrival to pull in the client which may eclipse or shroud the CTA. Some may even include CTAs that don't run with the promotion that drove the client to the point of arrival which may invalidate all your advertisement endeavors. Not having the clear call to activities on your point of arrival that flies up directly after the presentation page burdens might hamper your transformation. Truth be told, numerous fashioners include different activities the greeting page which may cover the genuine activity under the overlay.

Counter Measures: keeping in mind the end goal to build your transformation, it is basic that you include viable CTAs your point of arrival. Shading matters in your CTA and ought to be picked in the wake of concentrate the intended interest group. Make the CTA fly out on the greeting page and constrain the client to tap on it. For more points of interest visit the Website development company in pune

Different Ad And Page Headline

Another enormous mix-up made by creators is top botch up the feature. Having an alternate feature for the advertisement and not utilizing it on the greeting page may leave the client in a mess. The clearness and curtness of feature assume a vital part of the transformation. The feature on the advertisement that sidetracks to the presentation page ought to be same as that utilized on the page or generally the client may feel deceived with ineffectively coordinated guarantees.

Counter Measures: keeping in mind the end goal to expand transformation and at last lift deals, it is critical that you put a viable feature that runs consummately with the advertisement. Thusly you keep the client's consideration as well as guarantee that the offer that pulled them, in any case, is genuine and not phony. Make consistency and promotion coordinating feature your presentation page song of praise to see higher transformations and eventually helped deals.

• Too Slow To Load

Architects include various components and top-notch pictures on the greeting page that influence its speed and influence it to ease back to the stack. A presentation page that doesn't stack up within 5 seconds of tapping on the promotion would be safeguarded by very nearly 74% of the clients. On the off chance that the clients don't stick around long to perceive what your page brings to the table, there's no utilization putting viable CTAs and coordinating feature in any case.

Counter Measure: Various measures can be taken to help the greeting page speed. You can pack and resize the pictures, de-mess the wreckage, update the facilitating and afterward test for speed occasionally to guarantee that it stacks in under 3 seconds. Different devices like Google's PageSpeed Insights apparatus and Pingdom can be utilized to quantify and examine the page stack speed also.

• Many Visual Distractions

The greatest error you can do to your presentation page is to overlook what its primary intention is. Keep in mind, every one of your endeavors ought to be guided towards getting the general population to act and not enjoy different assignments on the page. I've seen various planners who put in numerous components on the greeting page like pictures, recordings, GIFs, and substantial substance that might divert the group of onlookers. It influences the client to occupy from the real way of tapping the CTA and get occupied by other stuff on the page.

Counter Measure: You have to embrace the KISS mantra for your point of arrival, i.e., Keep It Simple, Stupid. Have one objective and be particular about it. Incorporate all the "absolute necessities" for your point of arrival to upsurge your transformation rates and thusly your deals. Have a to the point CTA and keep away from some other kind of visual diversions from the page that could get the client's consideration. In the event that fundamental, utilize the moderate approach and utilize a solitary picture with strong content on it and a powerful CTA set deliberately where it gets all the consideration.

• Complicated Forms

I've gone over various presentation pages that immediate the client to fill various confused structures and believe me whatever they do is trigger the client to tap the 'Back' catch in a flash. Including a 3-5 field, the frame would not do much damage and help in social affair information/memberships. Be that as it may, a convoluted shape in the greeting page is a major NO.

Counter Measure: If you would prefer not to lose those additional leads you've created utilizing the additional endeavors of advertisement battle, supplant the structures in the presentation page with the compelling call to activities. In the event that the frame is an indispensable piece of the promotion battle, keep it straight with no pointless fields. Try not to ask excessively data from the client. Offer something valuable each time like the web design company india.

For nothing to get a handle on the favor of the client while additionally getting their helpful data. When you have the data, utilize that information viably to retarget those clients for expanded odds of offers.

These may not be everything except rather are unquestionably five of the greatest missteps that you could make on a greeting page. Abstain from committing any of these errors and take after the counter-measures in your point of arrival configuration to see your business shooting up. Observe your point of arrival and check in the event that you perceive any of these oversights. Pick up the pace and utilize the counter-measures to see your business increment successfully right away.

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[zeroeffortenvironment]

voyager

Do you know how far Voyager 1 is from earth at this moment? It's 13 Billion miles. That's with a B. We as a species made something with our own hands and then put it in interstellar space! I'm not sure what's more inconcievable, the sheer fact of it, or that it got to where it is because we hurled it there at a rate of 38,000 miles per hour, using machinery and knowhow that came from under those same hands. that's almost 50 times the speed of sound. certainly not the fastest thing we've ever threw in the air but this one also sends picture postcards from where he at!! this is with a setup that was bolted in place in 1977. That not only predates your stupid hashtag-riddled instagram feed, but predates instagram altogether, it predates quad band phones, GSM, CDMA, digital light sensor, internet, and based on the fact that you're reading this blog, it probably predated you too...

Anyway. pictures from Voyager reach us in about 20 hours. that's from what? 13 billion miles away. So assuming that I post something here every day (which of COURSE I do), I am happy to report that I am floating in the vacuum so far up the universe's Yeah that by comparison to me the voyager just got the memo and started packing for his trip. to be precise the reason why it's been 682 days is because I'm 1.86 light years away, which, in cubic inches and football fields is 1.0984153e+13 miles out. I'd type it out but I trust google on it. this figure has more places than I have neurons within my skull.

And that, your honour, is why it may SEEEM that I've been slacking on this blog for the last ahem.. 2 years.

It's 10 am, on December 23rd, 2017. I'm on a couch, Roxanna is asleep. It's properly chilly, but I'm not wearing socks, otherwise it wouldn't even be worth mentioning. A great big factory-like window graces a concrete wall to my left, deligently trying to keep out the sounds of a noxious hvac system of a shopping center across the street. For its size it's doing a pretty respectable job. Meanwhile to the right of me the dishwasher is having a deep-tech warehouse rave. the air is a mixture of coffee that's getting cold, and that indescribable but not necessarily unpleasant smell of a place on a cold day when you just wake up. I'm surrounded by plants, plants, some plants, pictures, paper, wires, a bicycle ominously hangs off the wall on a redwood shelf quietly waiting like a panther on a tree for the perfect moment to fall onto its victim. Ahead of me is the door into the bedroom. An ages-old ikea lamp curiously sticks its head out where my desk is, beyond that, more wires, more plants, our DIY plywood bed, graced by a pile of blankets, cats, and potentially roxanna, and an 8' closet door mirror. All of this aligned like planets on Voyager's journey with a reflection of my face at its end 2.25522e-15 light years away.

I look a little disheveled. but not awful. Roxanna has been putting pins in my hair for the last couple months because I refuse to cut it. She is convinced it looks adolescent left to its own devices. At work Jeff Su, our in-house older asian guy with a gray camry and no filter, remarked that I look like a golden poodle. I think it looks fine. more importantly I couldn't care less if anyone thinks otherwise.

This is beat-matched near perfectly with how I feel about almost everything else around me lately. Christmas is in two days, and I feel like all I want this year is to be floating in the vast nothingness of space in complete silence, absence of stimuli, thought or air pressure in my lungs. Or at least in a raft in the middle of a bay. Instead what might be happening is as follows: after christmas, the very morning of the 26ths, I have to be seen in a queue at the LA Federal Building at 7 am flat - that's when they open. I will be there with a heap of documents, forms, and passport photos procuring a same-day passport made using a citizenship certificate that I have just received in the mail which has the CORRECT spelling of my lastname. Once (or rather If) I get this, I am to pack expiditiously and be on a plane with Roxanna at 1AM the following day (27th), which will fly us to Morelia Mexico, where we will be joined by some of her bdgjillion relatives who will take us to a mountain cabin retreat at Zirauen. While out there we will be enjoying great company, and scenery whilst sleeping in a tent for a few days. Come the 28th or 29th (not sure) we set out for Caretero, and perhaps Guanojuato, where we will be impromptu-crashing at the home of other relatives. On the 3rd we fly back, ah! which reminds me - I need to send an email to my colleagues saying I won't be at work until the 4th. Which should technically be 5th because I am a human afterall and don't run on aderol.

ALL of this was figured out last night, between the hours of 5pm when I picked up my certificate in the mail and midnight or so. None of it was by me. I should really be teling this to my spouce, and I guess I will soon enough - but to me planning a last-minute trip of such complexity on such short notice is batshit insane, puts an undue burden on the folks that will be hosting us, and most importantly is the direct opposite of floating in a raft in the middle of the bay. And it is so by virtue of the fact that the latter constitutes Rest, the former - doesn't.

I don't doubt that parts of it will be fun, and I'll see lovely familiar faces and some beautiful places, but the problem really isn't our upcoming trip to Zirahuen, it isn't Mexico, Roxanna, or her great big army of amazing relatives. Btw it's worth a mention that I have already been to Mexico once for a Mayra and Tonio's wedding in Morelia last year, and had a blast.

The problem is not with traveling, it's with making plans. Or rather my perpetually empty calendar and never objecting to anything that other people may want to put on it.

Let's talk about Goals. Cheryl Crow's analysis of the matter falls way short of the Noble Peace prize - it is Not wanting what you got, not getting what you want, it's wanting something in the first place. You know what the hardest thing about meeting your goals is? THE absolute hardest thing no matter whether you're perfecting plie's in an intro ballet class or building the next Voyager - the hardest thing is having a goal in the first place. Because a goal worth having is the kind you absolutely can't live without - it defines you as much as your first and last name and your reflection in the mirror you see every day. With a goal like this, everything else is machine work - resources, design, problem solving, are all a matter of logic. I am convinced that all superhuman feats in history are results of having such goals, and have been dreamed, worked out, built, launched, and remembered because people woke up every morning, looking in the mirror and seeing the voyager reflect in their cornea...

Well, to get straight to point - I don't have one of these. And the longer i think about it the more I'm convinced that I never did. And if anything, this is one thing that keeps my mind completely devoid of thought as I float in my vacuum, and it is this:

if I want nothing and make zero effort towards achieving things I don't want (read: everything), then why the hell are there three achievement awards on my desk? why is my desk electric and goes up and down with a push of a button, and costs $3000 of company cash? How did I come up with Two degrees in Architecture at Cal Poly and UCLA? How did I even get INTO either of these two schools? How did I manage to not only get a job, but to keep it from 2009 until 2014, a period in architecture that was absolutely plagued by the recession. I am not putting myself on a pedestal here. The reason I bring up all these things is because I never looked at myself in the mirror and saw an architect with two degrees, three glass sculptures with my name etched into them, or the handful of buildings that I contributed design efforts to. None of this was ever a clear goal. Neither is the advancement up the ladder that I could be striving for, nor is architectural license that is the next logical step to your advancement up the ladder as an architect. I am not looking forward to any of that. I am particularly not looking forward to my performance review in early January where I will certainly be asked questions pertaining specifically to my ambitions in the firm, the industry, and my career direction.

It's a bizarre problem and I've learned to live with it - being exceptionally good at something but arguably having little interest in it. But it also leaves me in a perpetual search for something to BE interested in, because I'm a human, and we're a curious species, and I'm wired to have goals and predispositions. And like a bit-coin mining rig, my mind is occupied with this all the fucking time, to the point that I get tired of just thinking about it. In the meantime the world around me revolves according to its own rules. And whether I like it or not until I find something worth adjusting my trajectory for, I am at the mercy of the forces that make this world turn. So far, I think, they have been good to me. 

To this end I wonder if the Voyager gives two shits where it's going? here is an amazing thing - thousands of years of star gazing, invention, evolutionary thought and technological breakthroughs, wrapped up in a glistening contraption of elegant and perfectly straight trusses, it's own metallic mind and set of eyes forever traveling at 38,000 miles per hour. If the gods were to add up everything we achieved as a species and pick 10 top things - this is one of them! Here's an amazing thing that we made, and then we just sent it off away from us as fast as we fucking could. The only thing we know about the voyager's plans is that 44,000 years from now he has a date with a neighboring star. If that was ever someone's goal for it, they certainly aren't sticking around to achieve it. And thus I believe Voyager has no destination. it's moving in a straight line, occasionally adjusted by the orbits of planets it slingshots off of. And maybe the Voyager is also perfectly fine with that...

crap, I gotta pack...