#this was specifically inspired by max alexander

[just-your-average-tangerine]

Why do people assume that kids can't be passionate about things?

Every time I see a video on instagram of a kid being passionate about something or good at something, the comments are full of people going "😢how sad, just let the kid be a kid😢"

Like, that kid is having the time of their life or is a fucking Oscar worthy actor.

Kids can have hobbies, kids can be good at things, and kids can care about things. And the fact that you don't think so tells me you don't know many kids.

And like, the conversation around kids on social media and the exploitation of kids on social media is a valid discussion to have, but it doesn't mean every kid with a passion is being forced into it.

[cartograffiti]

The books I read for the StoryGraph's Genre Challenge 2024

For a nonfiction book about food and/or drink...I read Tasting History by Max Miller. A straightforward choice, recipes and history by a YouTuber I have enjoyed.

For a historical novel set before 1900...I read The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett. Set beginning in 1547!

For a biography or memoir about/by a musician...I read Behind the Seams by Dolly Parton with Holly George-Warren and Rebecca Seaver. A memoir all about clothes people have made for Dolly over her career, also featuring hair and wig styling and make-up artists.

For manga...I read Witch Hat Atelier Vol. 1 by Shirahama Kamome (translated by Stephen Kohler). Another easy fit!

For a thriller or crime novel in translation...I read Malice by Higashino Keigo (translated by Alexander O. Smith). From Japanese, one of the Detective Kaga novels.

For a nonfiction book about psychology...I read On Looking: Eleven Walks with Expert Eyes by Alexandra Horowitz. An inexact fit; this book is also about nature, design and social habits.

For a science fiction or dystopian book by a woman or nonbinary author...I read A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers. A robot and a monk in the far future, on an alien moon.

For a middle grade book with queer representation...I read Battle Magic by Tamora Pierce. I have a feeling I wouldn't have counted this as middle grade if I hadn't just read those of the Emelan books that aim closer to that age group. The other Circle Reforged books reinforce that trio being YA, but that wasn't part of my initial takeaway from BM, so I'll stick to it!

For a short story collection by a Black author...I read Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor. The stories in this collection interlink, and I saw more than one take that they shouldn't therefore count as short stories, which I was happy to find is, in this case, silly. Chapters are a different creature.

For a debut literary or contemporary fiction novel...I read Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto. Sutanto's first book, this is a genre-straddler, but it's most neatly in contemporary.

I liked or loved all of these! The Dunnett, Shirahama, and Chambers books have sequels I have been devouring as well, and Malice impressed me so much I look forward to trying more Higashino.

On Looking is the book I'm least likely to recommend, with a caveat--I think some of the writing, as it transcribes conversations, only worked for me because I listened to the audiobook. It did work!

The memoir prompt pushed me the most out of my usual reading habits. I was also delighted to have a push back into reading manga, which I hadn't dipped into for several years. And the prompt I had the most fun looking for an eligible book was the crime novel in translation! This was a pleasant, easy challenge, but still specific enough to be inspiring.

[cornley-amateur-drama-society]

Defensemen

Robert Grove, Alternate Captain & Defenseman, #90

Nickname(s): Grover

Robert originally started playing hockey because both his older brother Alexander and his younger sister Ellie were playing. He didn't want to be left out, and it made it easier on their parents when it came to shuffling them around from school to practice and games.

Though he plays in goal when he plays with his siblings and cousins, when he's Officially on the Ice, he plays D. He found that his height and stature benefitted him greatly on the ice most in defense than in any other position.

He trained his niece Lucy when she was old enough to start playing. She followed in her Dad's footsteps and plays as Center.

He chose the number 90 because Alexander was #89 and Ellie was #91.

He was drafted in the first round as one of the top ten players and never lets anyone forget it.

He was in a relationship with Denise Amin, a well-known political biographer, for several years. They parted ways after five years of being together, and Denise has publicly stated that she holds no ill-will towards Robert, and in fact still does attend Cats games when she's able.

Robert publicly stated that he wishes the best for Denise in her future endeavours, and promotes her newest books or events on his social media.

Privately, Robert had a minor breakdown in front of half of the team around Christmastime after a 6-0 shutout loss against their rivals, the London Bulldogs. He woke up the next morning in Dennis' flat, and moved-in with his teammate two weeks later.

Trevor Watson, Defenseman, #54

Nickname(s): Trevsy

He used hockey as an excuse during Secondary to lay into the guys in his Year and the Year above that were bullying him. Ironically, him doing that led to those guys respecting him, and he eventually became Captain of his Secondary School team. (Go Lions!)

He chose defense specifically because it enabled him to knock the other guys into the boards, but he found he also liked the flexibility of the role when it came to what areas of the ice he was in charge of.

His family was full of athletes, though none ever went professional except his Nan, who ran several relays in the Olympics. He was the first to play ice hockey, though he was not the first to play hockey at all. That honor goes to his Auntie Carrol who decimated her opponents in her uni club. (She went on to coach women's field hockey.)

He chose #54 because he panicked when he was asked about it. He was drafted towards the end of the second round.

He has a very good sense of where players are on the ice, and is quick to corner players on the opposite team for the puck.

Sandra Wilkinson, Defenseman, #1

Nickname(s): Willser

She started her hockey career out on the pitch playing field hockey. And then she saw the film The Cutting Edge and decided she wanted to play hockey. Her parents were very confused at why she was drawn to hockey as opposed to figure skating, which arguably had a greater presence in the film.

But she was adamant, and Sandra is a hard person to say no to once she's set her mind on something.

This stubbornness is what inspired her family to suggest she play defense when she first started her hockey lessons and was trying out each position.

She fell in love with the position and has played defense ever since that fateful dinner.

She met Max after they'd been drafted. While he was drafted in the third round, she wasn't drafted until almost the end. (A fact which still grates on her to this day, even though she's more than proven herself on the ice.)

They got together after two seasons of very obvious and cute-awkward flirting. There was a Twitter account and an Instagram account, run by completely different people, that documented their relationship from their friendship on-ice to then their not-yet-dating-stage to the Catastrophe PR announcing their relationship officially.

For fans who hadn't been paying attention to their blossoming romance, the coupling seems odd. Max is so cheerful and optimistic that he sometimes comes across as naïve in interviews. Sandra, on the other hand, is very serious and focused, coming across as almost cold during interviews. People who weren't expecting the couple to get together were convinced that it would be Max and Nessa who would be dating, along with Sandra and Chris.

The four of them know about this, of course, and the PR Department had a lot of fun one April Fools where the players took advantage of the rumours. The Cornley Mirror ran an article the next day about it in their Lifestyle section.

The PR Department responded by filming Sandra, Max, Chris, and Nessa all signing their autographs around the article before it was placed in a frame and hung up in the coach's office.

Sandra and Max, because of their relationship, do not play on the same lines or shifts unless absolutely necessary. It's less to do with their ability to focus on the game (uncompromised, if you were wondering) and more to do with the coaching staff not wanting to give other teams an opportunity to claim some nonsense about the relationship that could lead to a fine or one of them getting sent down or traded.

This was part of why Sandra wasn't even considered for the role of alt when there were talks about it between the teammates and the coaches.

The PR department released a statement regarding favouritism and how the Cornley Catastrophe staff and players all strived to be as unbiased in their decision-making as possible.

(A Cornley Mirror op-ed went crazy with responses, but online the majority of fans seemed to approve of the statement.)

[redroseworks]

you should talk abt your earth-116 oc kids 👀

Akajsjakakah ok you asked for it lol

Idk where to start

Oh wait the three dc ocs that are kinda sort of their own thing except for one anyway

Lynn Small aka Selkie. Gothamite. Half Atleantean. Hates their dad. Goth. Eventually a sorcerer. Bad at coping.

Quatashia McFadden aka Lady Iris. Wonder Woman stan. Her mom is the goddess Iris. Would be offended by the pjo books. Retires from being a hero very early in life.

Jivika Chabra aka Kali. Her bio mother is lady shiva who donated her egg for a gay assassin couple to use with a surrogate. Yeah it's a long story. Also jivika isnt happy that they wanted her to be an assassin later in life. But like she only finds that out when they're both dead? They weren't planning on actually training her till she was 18 anyway. At least she can yell at their ghosts. Would kin Danny Phantom. She ends up dating Emiko Queen while in college!

Now my dickroy kiddos

Valerie Harper-Grayson. Adopted when she was three. Part Atleantean. Damian is her favorite Uncle bc he is almost always up for taking her to the aquarium. Then again Damian is basically all the Harper-Grayson kiddos fav Uncle. She never gets into the whole vigilante/hero business.

John Bo Harper-Grayson. Yeah John Bo is his whole first name. He goes by Bo. Hes biologically Roy and dicks kid. He'll eventually become Nightwing but he stays out of vigilante stuff till hes about 19.

Dylras Harper-Grayson. He was adopted as a baby from New Tamaran! He was rescued from uhh human/alien traffickers. He becomes Flamebird to Bo's Nightwing.

So now Bo's best friend: Jordan Lance-Queen! Haldinahollie's kid.

Jordan is biologically Hal's and a surrogate. They literally tried to find a surrogate that looked like Dinah. Jordan ends up being nonbinary so luckily they already had a gender neutral name. They'll eventually become Green Arrow! Their main goal in life is to make Bo suffer.

And then there are the Kent-Waynes and Allen-Waynes. Timkonbart kiddos.

Logan Kent-Wayne is tim and kons kid. Hes a really sweet kid though I havent wrote him as well him yet since I've mainly written him in a time period where he hasn't come out yet. He literally named himself after an actor cough garfield logan cough from a science fiction show he liked but then he found out said actor is friends with his uncle dick and he will never admit this.

Then there are the actually older than Logan twins. Except their clones. Made by lex luthor with DNA from kon and tim, Clark and Bruce Kent-Wayne use to be known as Alexander and Alexa Legacy. Maybe they were a little evil but they changed. They wanted to choose new names for their new lifes and asked tim, bart, and kon about names. Bruce's gender identity came out when he choose the name Bruce. Bruce and Robbie Troy end up dating (for a second time, first time being back when b was a little evil) and doing humanitarian work around the globe while also being heroes. Clark ends up going to Metropolis University to study elementary education!

And then there are tim and bart's pair of twins Meloni and Dana Allen-Wayne. I've only written them as babies so far so I havent given them much thought

Oh that reminds me Thad Allen (used to be Thawne but I feel like thad would change it) has an adopted son who he named Max

Now these two aren't kiddos but: Ezra and Amber Kane, Bette Kanes parents. Ezra is the youngest kid of whatever the fuck martha and Jacob's parents names were. He was a bit of a surprise considering his parents were pretty old when he was born so hes like 20 years younger than his closest sibling in age jacob. Hes also only like 8 years older than bruce and doted on his nephew as much as he could and hes the inspiration of the whole brucue wayne playboy act despite him not being a playboy at all but anyway. Hes also a pro tennis player. Amber Kane is his wife and best friend. She once dated Janet Drake. She had a shitty life and despite being an actress her childhood is still mainly secret. A few vague details are known but not specific not that it matters anyway. Her parents died when she was young and was taken in by some not so good people who got away with it bc they had money. Ezra and Amber spend any minute they can with Bette bc they love her and she is the light of their lives (well besides each other).

Then there's Faith, Bane, and Soledad Kerzner. Scandal, Kay, and Liana's kids. Faith and Bane are biologically Lianas with Thomas Blake as the sperm donor. Soledad was adopted when she was two . Faith... is a bit rebellious and gets caught up in some shit she really shouldn't have. Bane and Soledad are two characters I havent really explored yet but anyway they all love their three moms.

Viola and Robin Thomas are Duke Thomas and Jackson hyde's adopted kids. Viola is Martian which is really difficult considering her abilities. Shes a sweet kid though and really likes to help her dads! Robin is an Atleantean baby Jackson saved and brought home and it was kinda like that icarly meme (duke: jackson what do you have there? Jackson, holding robin and a smoothie: a smoothie) but like more dramatic bc Jackson was injured and had only come home because it was close and he really needed to actually go to a hospital anyway yay. Viola will become the signal and robin will become aqualad on day

Oh and there's Lilith "Lili" Bloomberg. Shes rose Wilson and eddie Bloomberg's daughter. She likes to watch blue devil. Shes really sensitive. Rose and eddie never got married to each other but Rose and Mia dearden married when Lilith was sorta young and eddie was married to jason todd for a little while before they got divorced and later he enters a relationship with zach zatara but I havent decided if that will last or not. Lilith is really close with tommy Blake bc hes kind of like an older brother to her

And then there's mystery girl wilson... I have yet to name her but shes a character I'm working on but her dad is slade

And that's it for now. There's more but I dont feel like going into then right now. But there more like Jason Todd's group of adopted kiddos and some others but I feel like this answer is getting way too long

[spaceskam]

beautiful dreamer

this is in place of rnmweek day 3 because i got so far off topic it’s not even funny. inspired by the original where isabel could go into other people’s dreams.

ao3

“You wouldn’t happen to, like, have a yearbook?” 

Max looked up at Isobel from his place on the couch, raising an eyebrow.

“Why?”

“Because… I need one.”

“Are you going into people’s dreams again?”

“It’s just one night! I haven’t done it since high school! I just wanna see if I still can!”

“Isobel.”

“Look, I can’t sleep and I sleep better after I invade someone else’s mind, is that a crime?”

“I mean… it should be.”

Isobel pursed her lips as she narrowed her eyes at him, crossing her arms over her chest. He knew damn well she hadn’t been sleeping since Noah, that’s why she was staying at his house in the first place. He didn’t have any interesting pictures of people on the walls, so she had to resort to a yearbook to get her fix. If he forked it over, that is.

“C’mon, Max, please,” she pouted. He stared at her for a while before sighing.

“Fine, just… stay out of mine and Liz’s. And Michael’s because he always knows and throws a fit,” Max complied, standing up and reluctantly going to find their senior yearbook. She took it with gracious, giddy hands. Max looked like he regretted every decision he ever made.

“No problem, will stay out of those people’s dreams.”

Isobel walked back to his guest room, flipping open to a random page as she flopped onto the bed. She kicked the door closed and took in the faces on the page. It was the seniors, all of them dressed in faux cap and gowns, glowing smiles on everyone’s faces with the exception of Alex Manes who just glared into your soul. His senior quote was simply ’They told me cursing wasn’t allowed’. Isobel snorted.

“Well, let’s see what you’re up to in that mind of yours,” Isobel whispered, lowering her gaze as she stroked over the picture of his face. He seemed like a fun target to play with it.

You know, assuming she wasn’t going to be thrust into a violent warzone of a dream. Or an abusive childhood scene. Or literally any number of traumatic things. Maybe she should’ve thought more about this.

However, her head hit the pillow before she had much time to pull back before it started.

She slipped into Alex’s dream with ease, the whole view dark and murky. There was sand beneath her bare feet and stars decorating the sky. She spun around to look for something, someone, but only found a truck a little distance away. Michael’s truck.

Her eyebrows pulled together as she neared it, knowing that Alex wouldn’t notice her no matter what she did. She’d hidden for a while in people’s dreams before she realized that they couldn’t see her if she didn’t want them to. But, still, she was confused about why Michael’s truck was here. Last she heard, Alex was more than angry at her brother. He’d left him for his best friend, they hadn’t spoken in months.

Which made it that much more surprising to find the two men in nothing but their underwear in the back of the truck, both drenched from was she hoped was rain that was no longer falling.  They were breathing hard, their grins overtaking their faces and their pupils were blown and bloodshot to hell as they stared at the sky.

“Well, you’ve outdone yourself this time, Alexander,” Michael laughed his hands going behind his head while Alex turned to look at him with the same dopey smile. Isobel scrunched up her nose.

“Straight Sativa.”

Great, she entered a them-getting-high dream.

“Mmm, you’re a bad influence,” Micahel said, turning to face him. Isobel had to wonder if this was actually a memory and Alex was just imaging them as adults. However, she couldn’t remember Michael ever being high. Then again, she hadn’t been very in control of her own mind in their senior year.

“Says the guy who stole shit from the emporium last week. Yeah, I saw you. Managed to be seen on the one security camera we have. You’re lucky I erased it,” Alex teased. Michael bit on his lip, kicking Alex’s leg softly.

“I’m really lucky my best friend is a computer genius,” Michael said before his smile softened and he grabbed Alex’s hand, “Actually… I’m just really lucky to have you in general.”

And Alex smiled. And Michael leaned in. And Isobel decided she was going to leave because this was boring and she wasn’t really ready to see her brother get plowed.

However, the moment Michael leaned all up into Alex’s space and Alex closed his eyes, Michael vanished. Which was even more confusing than the situation previously happening. Alex seemed to think so too as concern washed over his face, sitting up.

“Michael? Michael?!” he called, looking around in a panic. Then he seemed to focus on something behind Isobel. “Michael!”

In an instant, Alex jumped off the bed of the truck and broke into a full sprint. Isobel barely let herself process it before following him towards a massive building that didn’t look too much unlike a prison. What the fuck?

When she crossed over into the building, Alex was suddenly full clothed again and he was just sprinting, limping just a little bit and seeming to be pushing through as he ran down a flight of stairs. He looked like he was on the verge of tears and it was causing her some extra distress that she didn’t understand. What was she about to oversee?

“Guerin! Guerin, we need to get out of here! That alarm isn’t a fucking suggestion!” Alex screamed as he hit the bottom of the stairs and only then did she hear the siren blaring through the building.  Isobel froze on the third to last step as she took in her surroundings. There were cells lining the walls, all holding a person‒someone like her‒who stood still with their hands against the glass doors as if Alex’s subconscious hadn’t bothered to animate them.

“I’m not going anywhere, Alex! They’re my family!” Michael screamed, grabbing her attention.

Alex looked around in a panic and desperately pulled at his hair.

“Alright, maybe! But you are mine!” Alex shouted back, desperation in his voice and Michael looking at him like he’d lost it. Her heart weighed heavy as she realized this was just a replay of the night Michael avoided talking about. He just said they were in a prison, that he found his mother, that she died. He didn’t talk about it any more than that.

He definitely didn’t talk about this conversation.

“What? No. Get out of here, Alex.”

“I’m not letting you die here!”

“I’m sure as hell not letting you die here, so get out! Go!” Michael shouted, frantically turning towards one specific cell and hitting it a few more times. Alex’s back hit the desk behind him, a type of acceptance forming on his face.

Oh no.

“I don’t look away, Guerin,” Alex said. Michael seemed to freeze in his spot. “I never have, I never will.” Michael turned around, eyes wide and body shaking.

”No,” Michael said, “Go!” His arm thrust Isobel’s way and she felt like she’d had the wind knocked out of her. She fell back on the step, hand over her heart as she tried to steady her breathing.

Oh my god. Oh my god.

“Go! I don’t love you!” Michael shouted and Alex visibly flinched. “We’ve been holding onto this, this thing. Where’s it gotten us? Just-just go. Just let it go. Let it go.”

“You’re a miserable liar.”

Michael’s jaw clenched so hard as the sirens seemed to blare louder, faster. They were running out of time. They needed to go. This wasn’t the time for this.

“I’m not walking away, Michael,” Alex whispered and she somehow heard it. Tears pricked at her own eyes as she breathed even heavier. They needed to get out, what the fuck were they doing? “Not anymore.”

”Alex,” Michael damn near whimpered, taking a wobbly step towards him.

”Get out!” Isobel found herself screaming as if they could hear her, as if she could change it.

And then a handprint pressed to the glass behind them and Michael turned around as if on command. Isobel pressed her hand to her mouth, breathing shakily as she watched him press his hand against it.

Alex watched him patiently as he went into a trance-like state as if they had time to be patient. She put her head in her hands, watching and watching and waiting to see if they get out. Please, get out.

It took a moment and the sirens got louder, but Michael pulled out the trance and immediately fell onto Alex. He pulled him into his arms graciously, supporting his weight as if he hadn’t previously been struggling to support his own. Isobel watched with tears streaming down her face as her brother panted and held onto Alex with a death grip.

“Sh-she’s my- my- my m- my mo-”

“Your mother?” Alex finished, the two of them nodding together as Michael sobbed. Couldn’t they have this conversation when they weren’t about to die? Jesus. “What’d she say?”

“She… she said she loves me.”

Isobel’s heart seemed to burst with pain as she watched Alex actually smile through his teary eyes. She had never felt so weak in her life.

“She said you love me.”

“I do, Michael, you know I do,” Alex gushed right back, holding onto him. Michael nodded, his eyes closing as he relaxed into Alex. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”

Isobel’s hands slid into her hair, crying even harder than she wanted to admit as she watched these two idiotic men relax when they were seconds away from dying. They didn’t have time. They just didn’t. She was going to watch her brother explode.

“She also said,” Michael gulped, his hand slipping down to Alex’s and gripping it hard, “to run.”

They both broke into a sprint, running up the steps and straight through her body which inevitably woke her up.

Isobel burst into consciousness with panicked gasps, throwing the yearbook across the room as she scrambled to the head of her bed. She pulled her knees to her chest, steadying her breaths. Were Alex’s dreams always that fucking traumatic? Did he always have to imagine her brother almost dying and them having a dramatic love confession?

Was that actually what happened?

She made a vow to stay out of people’s dreams for the foreseeable future.

[thelightofthebane]

A rainbow for you

Summary: Alec challenges himself at making a very magical gift for his husband. What could go wrong, right? Pairing: Magnus Bane/Alexander Lightwood

You can also read here: ao3

So, this is a gift for @aria-lerendeair because she deserves a lot of sweeties and much more. (°◡°♡).:｡

________________________________________

Yellow.

Joy, brightness, hope.

Petals of sunflowers to shine as the sun, of daisies and buttercups to bring the freshness of Spring, of yellow zinnia flowers for the fond memories they share since day 1.

Alec plucks them out, one by one, with utmost care and thoughtfulness. His calloused fingers brush the soft texture for a moment before ripping tiny pieces inside the wooden bowl.

Green.

Prosperity, health, resilience.

Petals of bells of Ireland for good luck, of green zinnias to brighten everything up, of green spider flowers for liveliness like the very core of his husband – even in the bad days –, of green cymbidium orchid for a little bit of naughtiness.

He smiles while crunches the petals and mixtures them with a sandalwood oil he spent the last week brooding. It was easy when your instructor was one of the smartest warlocks in the world, but like training, it could be a bit… distracting, not wanting to kiss your instructor all the time. So, he is doing everything alone now.

And because it’s a surprise for Magnus.

Purple.

Power, wisdom, creativity.

Petals of purple roses for calmness, of lavender for serenity, of violets to remember everything they had to go through to be together, of purple lily to remember that even though Magnus is the royal child of a demon, his grandioseness didn’t come from his blood, but from his heart. And, well, he would always be the king of Alec’s heart anyway.

Alec waits for the water to boil a bit more while checks a heavy book of spells. Most of it is written in some languages he doesn’t understand. Mundane ones, warlock ones. He needed to ask Madzie to translate a specific spell for him since Max is still training at the Spiral Labyrinth. The spell is relatively simple and it’s only required to add final touches to what he is creating by himself. When a spiral scent of grass and nectar tickles his nose along a silver line of smoke, he resumes his work.

Black.

Strength, mystery, uniqueness.

Petals of black pansies for all the dramatics, which is certainly another one of his husband’s traits, of black petunias to reinforce that black goes well with everything (and hell, Magnus was a living proof of that – black eyeliner, black eyeshadow, black nail polish, even black attires with all that jewels), of bat orchids because these ones in special Magnus brought from Malaysia, after a quick trip to Indonesia where they visited his husband’s homeland.

Alec stops for a moment to admire the flower. Magnus is still healing. His mother’s demise is a scar too deep to cure once for all, but he is getting better. Now he can go there for one or two days without cracking. He can put flowers inside a bamboo garden where his mother was buried centuries ago. He can pray without shattering, just wishing she is well – wherever her soul is – and not hating him anymore.

White.

Beauty, spirituality, new beginnings.

Petals of white hydrangea for unconditional devotion, of white magnolias for unconditional love, of white roses as a symbol of true love, the very one he shares with the man who is his home, his heaven, his life, his everything.

Their garden is full of these little ones. Magnus has always liked to maintain a certain variety from all over the world, but it was Alec’s request to spare a corner for just them. For someone who had spent most of his life in the shadows, wearing black, being able to see something brighter is some kind of relief. Of new perspectives. For Shadowhunters, it is a color for mourning. For him, it is the reminder of a rebirth to a better self.

Pink.

Grace, elegance, passion.

Petals of pink dahlias for kindness and commitment, of stargazers for everlasting love, of astilbes just because it’s also called false goat’s beard, thus reminding him of Magnus’ goatee.

Alec smiles fondly, tapping another book, one with flowers’ meanings. His choice of them has nothing to do with their magical properties (hence why he guaranteed they wouldn’t interfere in his project’s result), but only with their meanings. For all the colors he needs, he could just pick any flower, but he thinks it’s much more special choosing the ones who convey the best everything you feel for the one you love.

Orange.

Courage, excitement, warmth.

Petals of marigold for blissful joy, of cockscomb for silliness and laugh (and the delights of all the memories he has from non-official missions with Magnus that just proved how dumb they can be together), of ranunculus for all the charm his husband is overflowing. Like he doesn’t need an ounce of magic to make Alec feels like he is enchanted.

A weak puff of gold escapes the caldron. Almost there. He just needs to crush some more petals, cast the last binding spell and it would be done. Luckily, it would be finished before Magnus is back from one of his outside requests. That morning, he said something about Hong Kong and a problem with a warlock teenager who was trying to conjure real dragons to be her pets. And then he would go to the Veneza Institute to talk with Rafe. Their son is currently there for some internal affairs as co-Head of the New York Institute with Izzy’s eldest daughter. Alec couldn’t be more proud of his family.

Red.

Love, life, desire.

Petals of amaryllis for determination, of red tulips for timeless pure love, of red poppies for a statement that they’ve fought a lot of wars, prejudice, greater demons, and a whole society just to be together. Oh, and some petals of red roses, the ultimate symbol of love, because after thirty years of marriage Alec could be a bit sappy.

Magnus’ apothecary resembles a giant flower bed. Petals and flowers stem everywhere. Alec scratches his left brow for a moment, taking in all the mess. It wouldn’t take much to clean everything, but somehow it makes him recalls memories from when Max and Rafe were still kids, turning the loft upside down. He misses that. Perhaps he could suggest expanding their little family…

Puff.

Oh, it’s almost done!

Blue.

Serenity, inspiration, intimacy.

Petals of morning glories for the duality they represent, something both Magnus and Alec has to endure all the time as they navigate between being leaders and husbands, dark and light, demons and angels. Petals of hyacinth for trust and clematis for loyalty. And, at last, petals of blue rose. A rare one.

For immortality.

Moreover, for having the same mesmerizing beauty as Magnus’ magic.

Their magic.

Blue sparkles dances around Alec’s hands, warming them. Thanks to the enhanced and permanent Alliance Rune, he shares Magnus’ soul, power and vitality. They share a forever together.

Alec uses the magic he kick-started and pours into his creation, concluding it. Another puff and it’s finished.

A whole pot of magical and homemade glitter.

He smirks, proud of himself. It is a self-sustained glitter that replenishes by itself, can be used with anything and can turn into whatever color and exhales whichever flower fragrance the owner desires.

Just in time, he hears the opening of a portal at the loft entrance and knows that Magnus has arrived. Smiling like a mischievous kid, he puts a handful portion into a glass bowl and strides towards his husband to show him.

“Hello, darling!” Magnus smiles brightly, even though the tiredness of a lot of portal traveling has clearly worn him off.

“Hi,” Alec greets back, grinning and holding the bowl near his chest, then extending it towards Magnus. “I made this for you. My first attempt alone at breeding a substance induced by a shape-shifting spell.”

Magnus stares to all that colorful and vibrant glitter in awe. It took over a decade for Alexander asking him how to make potions, and even if in the beginning he had a lot of difficulties to get used to, his stubborn Shadowhunter was never one to give up a challenge. He isn’t a genius like Izzy, but he is smart and focused enough to hold up the game.

“Hmm…” Magnus takes a moment to appreciate his husband’s sweet gesture. The glitter has a distinct spectrum of colors more intense and brighter than the mundane one. Magnus smiles, his eyes crinkling at the corners with tenderness. “I loved it, Alexander. Thank you.”

“It has a perfume of your choice, too.”

“Oh?” Magnus approaches his face to try and smell when something tickles his nose and he sneezes.

And then there is glitter in the air, on their faces and clothes.

They stare at each other for a moment, too shocked to say or do something. They are positively sparkling more than any fairy they have ever met.

Alec is the first to come to his senses, clearing his throat as he reaches for Magnus’ face.

“Here, let me…” he trails off, not sure what to say, when Magnus squirms under his touch. Alec’s hand freezes in the air as he stares at his husband with a shocked expression. Then, he tries again, and Magnus does the same thing, though now he also giggles. “What the…”

After calming himself and organizing his thoughts, Magnus also extends a tentative hand, brushing alongside Alec’s ribs. The result is some kind of jolt and a strangled sound from his throat, as if Alec is trying to not laugh.

“Darling, did you put roses in this glitter?”

“Yes.”

“Different colors?”

“…Yes. Why?”

Magnus hums, understanding.

“Roses have strong magical power, especially the blue ones. If you mix them together, the shield spell to neutralize their mystic effects will eventually crack after some time. One of the side effects of so much flowery powder is body sensibility. To pain or…”

Alec mischievous grin returned.

“Tickles,” he lifts his hands and wiggles his fingers towards Magnus, who backs off instinctively.

“Alexander Gideon Lightwood-Bane, don’t you dare…” Magnus says cautiously, narrowing his eyes.

“Why? After all, I do have magical fingers now. Very, very magical,” he smirks, approaching his husband like a predator.

“Don’t you try this bullshit of pun with me.”

“Why?” Alec repeats, finally cornering Magnus. “I learned with the best. A medium-rare one.”

“You will never let me forget that, will you?” He gritted his teeth. “It has been 31 years, Alexander. 31!”

“Never.” Alec finally grabs Magnus and spins him around, his fingers pressing the most sensitive spots of Magnus’ body that Alec memorized with utmost pleasure. His husband squirms again, tries to run away, but end up turning into a mess of giggles and laughs.

Somehow, after some time, Magnus is able to have his sweet revenge, and both engage in a very childish fight of who can make the other laugh more, stealing breathless kisses between fingers’ attacks and teasing words.

They could wait for the spell to wear off or try to make an antidote, but for now they would enjoy the contentment of their love’s smiles and laughs.

[ironforgedrp]

Could you please suggest some FCs for Houses of the Riverlands? I'm interested in House Whent, Ryger and Piper! Thank-you so much, TIA xxxxxx

     oh, yes, we love the riverlands folk.  as a result of the schism, the riverlands is known as THE TRIDENT KINGDOM of the riverlands, and is ruled by npc king medgar tully.

     we weren’t sure if you were after female or male suggestions so we just went with both, hopefully some will catch your eye!

SUGGESTIONS, as gathered by muns and admins collectively (for house whent, as they are canonly fair-skinned at ironforged)

MALE: finn jones, aaron tveit, robbie kay, isaac hempstead wright, sam heughan, max irons, alfie allen, david oakes, craig horner, douglas booth, joshua sassee, sam claflin, thomas brodie-sangster, tom hopper, jonathan keltz, jonathan rhys myers

FEMALE: mallory jansen, anna popplewell, eva green, rose williams, natalie dormer, lily james, sarah bolger, lily collins, ginnifer goodwin, elizabeth lail, emilie de ravin, alyssa sutherland, rebecca ferguson, keira knightley, jessica brown findlay, rachel skarsten

SUGGESTIONS, as gathered by muns and admins collectively (for houses ryger and piper, there is no canon specifications around these two, so it’s up to you!)

FEMALE: karen david, dichen lachman, adelaide kane, caitlyn stasey, alyssa sutherland, aiysha hart, katrina law, lucy lawlesss, marina ruy barbosa, viva bianca, natalie dormer, rebecca ferguson, anna walton, jessica parker kennedy, ashley madewke, eva green, helena bonham carter, anna poppelwell, oona chaplain, crystal reed, elisse chappell, kim taeri, nathalie emmanuel, sybilla dean, ni ni, liu yifei, ellie bamber, anastasia tsilimpiou, cynthia addai robbinson, sibel kekili, liv tyler, sofia boutella, mirana otto, evangeline lily, esra bilgiç, merve bolugur, bruna marquezine, claire danes, michelle pfieffer, indira varma, maise williams, rose leslie, hannah mangan-lawrence, gizem karaca, megan follows, annabel scholey, beren saat, beste kokdemir, florence pugh, emma watson, emma riby, hailee steinfeld, heida reed, hera hilmar, jodie comer

MALE: aiden turner, richard armitage, jonathan rhys myers, michiel huisman, hong jong hyun, remi hii, alexander vlahos, anuerin bernard, aiden gillen,  ben barnes, craig parker, daniel sharman, mahesh jadu, sam heughan, riz ahmed, romulo estrela, jacob andersen, ian glen, iwan rheon, alfie allen, orlando bloom (POTC), cillian murphy, keanu reeves, david oakes, siniqua walls, ben wishaw, elliot knight, finn jones, garrett hedlund, joe dempsie, francious arnaud

    we also have a PAGE of suggestions, and a TAG as well -   hopefully some of these will be a bit of inspiration for you!

[nellie-elizabeth]

Supernatural: Don't Go in the Woods (14x16)

The monster-of-the-week plot in this episode felt more like filler than most, but the subplot had a lot of really important stuff going on. Let's take a look.

Cons:

I had no problem with the concept of the case of the week, with Sam and Dean hunting a Cajunta. But it felt like the story was padded a lot, and had even less of a connection to the main story than usual. The half-hearted attempts to connect it to bigger story points felt pretty insufficient. Sam and Dean ostensibly learn a lesson about being honest with Jack, but I feel like that's something they could have worked out with just a conversation, instead of having an example of it play out during the case. Sam is still struggling because of the deaths of the hunters, but that doesn't seem to have lingering effects here.

Pros:

For what we got with the case though, I'll admit there's something comforting, in a strange way, about a simple case - Sam and Dean on the road, hunting monsters. It's always fun when they reveal the truth about monsters to people, because we get to see the myriad reactions that this reveal inspires. I also thought the specific details of the case were intriguing, and the story between the sheriff and his son was well developed even though it didn't get a ton of screen-time. I can't speak to the origins of Cajunta in legend, but I felt like the episode did a good job of tying in the history of white invasion and was respectful of the legend.

On a small note, I must once again state my appreciation for this episode taking the time to explain Cas' absence. It looks like in the next episode Cas is up to some shenanigans behind the Winchesters' backs, but this week all we get to know is that he took off because he needed to get out of the bunker for a while. Fair enough! That's all I need to know, and I appreciate the episode for giving that to me.

The plot with Jack is where all the meat of this episode rests. There was tons of great stuff going on here.

Alexander Calvert's performance as Jack is so, so good. At first you might think he's basically just got the one trick - hilariously naive and puppy-like, but then also incredibly powerful. But there's so much depth here. He's not sure how much of his soul may be gone, so there's this potent mix of innocence because of his short life, and potential ruthlessness and lack of compassion that comes from having no soul. If Eliot, Stacy, and Max had stayed still and not freaked out, Jack's trick with the flying knife probably would have resulted in no injury. Jack did seem to be in control of his magic. But it didn't occur to him to care that his new friends were scared. He wasn't considerate of how they were feeling, and it led to a near tragic disaster.

We can see the complexities of Jack's worldview, as he tries to sort out how to behave. What would the Winchesters do? Well, they probably wouldn't tell a group of kids everything about monsters and magic, that's for sure, but Jack's desire for friends outside of just the Winchesters is totally understandable. What would the Winchesters do? Lie to each other about their problems? Absolutely. That's vintage Winchester. But Jack's lie to Sam and Dean at the end of the episode comes right after they make a point of being honest with him. They're trying to do better, but Jack isn't quite there yet.

I really like the trio of friends. Max and Stacy's romance is cute, Eliot's enthusiasm for the Ghost Facers is hilarious and somewhat charming, and their kindness towards Jack, a guy that they admittedly find a bit strange, is quite endearing. I know that things went bad this week, but I do hope we can see them again at some point.

There was a lot of humor in this subplot, mostly due to Jack's line delivery. "I'm two..enty. I'm twenty. Two. I'm twenty two." That just cracked me up. And then when he tells Sam and Dean that he couldn't get beer because he doesn't have an ID... there's something so great about this all-powerful being who is stymied at the simple task of procuring groceries.

Okay, I think that's all I've got for now. We've got next week off, so it'll be two weeks before we can pick up the story and see what sort of trouble Cas gets himself into...

7.5/10

[bookdragonlibrary]

Pain is the French word for bread.

Agreste is also a type of butterfly.

Césaire is also the last name of a famous Black French poet known for his engagement again racism in France.

Nino is a Spanish name meaning the disciple of the Christ or little boy.

Alix could have two origins: one from the Teutonic name Adalhaid which means noble. Another theory makes the name come from Alexander which means the one who protects men.

For me, Kim is a Vietnamese name more than the Welsh name (for his case specifically). It was originated from China (Jīn (金)) and became a Vietnamese name through Korea. It means gold. It's true Lê Chiến looks like the French word for dog but I think it's just a coincidence (but it doesn't help the French dub pronounces it that way...)

Bruel is also the name of a famous singer Patrick Bruel as Ivan also writes songs, poems and sings them.

If Kanté refers to Kant, it's also the name of a famous philosopher Emmanuel Kant. Otherwise it's also a last name in Mali for clans of blacksmiths and griots, which is for me the most logical one for Max.

Kurtzberg is also the real last name of Jack Kirby, a famous comic artist. It’s a name which comes from Germany but is also a Jewish name.

For Rose, you have the switch her names Lavillant Rose which means la vie en rose (the life in pink) which is a famous song of Edith Piaf, a singer like Rose. It's an French expression meaning to see the like in a positive light, which is also Rose's philosophy.

For the Couffaine, it's a pun from the French acouphène (meaning tinnitus in English) since the whole family play music super loud.

Luka (which can be written Lucas, Luca, Lukas depending of the origin) comes from the ancient Greek leukos or the latin lux (like Luke) both meaning light.

Lila could also be a flower and a color (lilac in English) and lila (leela) is the orthograph in Italian. So since her last name is also Italian, I would rather think it's the accurate meaning.

Aurore can also be translated as dawn in English. There is also a pun in her last name Beauréal instead of Boréal with beau meaning beautiful and could also be a reference to the make-up brand L'Oréal.

Zoé Lee: Zoé also has an ancient Greek origin just like Chloé: it comes from the word zôê and means life. Lee is a Chinese and Korean name meaning standing and sharp/cutting (please, Chinese speaker, tell me if I'm wrong!).

Kagami Tsurugi: Kagami means mirror and Tsurugi (剣) means bladed weapon (aka a sword, a knife, etc.) in Japanese, linked to Kagami and her mother being fencers.

Tomoe Tsurugi: tomoe means turning in a circular way or in spiral. It's an old Japanese symbol commonly used in old families' emblem. Its form is called a magatama, which was used as an inspiration for the kwagatama (the present Tikki gave to Marinette for her birthday).

Thank you for all the information you found! Just wanna share mine too and explain the French puns/cultural references ^^

Meaning of the ML names

[adamwatchesmovies]

2018/06/10 - A Long-overdue Collection Update

When was the last time I did one of these? The movies I’ve been adding to my collection have piled up way high. Here are the latest additions, a stack of Disney films.

Moana (2016) – 2-Disc Blu-ray, DVD + Digital Copy Edition

I love this movie. In fact, I’m going to call it a new favorite. It’s got a great soundtrack, amazing visuals, memorable characters (many of which manage to do so without having any dialogue) and even squeezes in an homage to Mad Max: Fury Road! It’s packed with special features, including a director’s commentary that hints at some of the Easter Eggs found throughout, but doesn’t actually reveal them, much to my frustration. I watched a number of scenes over and over and found nothing so I’ve given up. I’ll just look at the trivia section on IMDB.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) – 3-Disc Target Exclusive Blu-ray, DVD & Digital Copy Combo

When I reviewed Spider-Man: Homecoming I gave it a 3.5/5, which is good but lower than what I gave Sam Raimi’s take on the character, the sequel from 2004 and even The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which is a polarizing film that pleased me immensely. Then, I heard a friend of mine dismiss this picture, tell me she lost interest thirty minutes in and didn’t bother finishing it. I was shocked. Does that ever happen to you? You hear someone else talk smack about a film and you suddenly realize you actually like it a lot more than you thought initially? Anyway, this 3-Disc Target exclusive is a great package. Even without the exclusive special features, it’s just a great-looking set – as it takes some visual cues from the picture’s inspired end credits and includes a comic book!

Thor 3: Ragnarok (2017) – 2-Disc Multi-screen Edition Blu-ray, DVD & Digital Copy Combo

Wildly tonally different from the other two Thor films, this third chapter makes you a little sad. It’s so good you wish they’d started off in this direction, with brilliant art direction, great humor, many homages to the works of the great Jack Kirby, and a terrific use of Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk. Not so much of the Warriors Three (Tadanobu Asano, Ray Stevenson, and Zachary Levi) or of Jaimie Alexander’s Sif (who doesn’t appear), but otherwise I’d be tempted to place it among some of the best of the Marvel films. Take note that when you redeem the digital copy for this 2-Disc combo, you now have the option of choosing Google Play as the platform, which I prefer since iTunes is tied to specific devices.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) – 3-Disc Walmart Exclusive Multi-screen Edition with interchangable covers/postcards

I know this picture made A LOT of people mad. Not me. The decisions made by writer/director Rian Johnson take the series in a very interesting direction and I greatly appreciated how rich the character arcs were. Like The Force Awakens before it, the film is available in a number of different retailer exclusives, none of which blew me away. Just make sure to pay attention to the content when you pick yours up. This Walmart exclusive contains both the Blu-ray and the DVD; some releases do not.

Bambi (1940) – 2-Disc Blu-ray, DVD + Digital Copy Combo Signature Collection

I praised the look of many of the other films in this stack, but if I had to pick a winner in terms of the visuals, it’d be Bambi. Decisions made regarding the look of backgrounds and characters are so perfect, you don’t even think about them. The way the undergrowth is handled, for example. It’s busy enough for you to understand the wilderness the animals live in but reigned in enough for you to be able to actually see what is going on. I’ve heard many call Bambi a traumatic film and for very small children it is too intense… if they watch it on their own. Bambi and films like Watership Down are appropriate for children under the right circumstances. It’s great to see rabbits, piglets, lions, etc. turned into cuddly pets that sing and dance but they’re not like that in real life and like it or not, kids are going to have to learn about the circle of life eventually. I see this animated picture as a reason for you to sit down with your children and have a discussion. Or you can be like me and just watch it by yourself. Either way, it’s great.

[whittlebaggett8]

Kate Middleton’s Easter outfit included a subtle tribute to her upcoming wedding anniversary, Defence Online

caption

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended the classic Easter Sunday church provider at St George’s Chapel.

resource

Max Mumby/ Indigo/ Getty Pictures

Kate Middleton and Prince William will rejoice their eighth wedding ceremony anniversary on April 29, 2019.

The few not long ago attended the Easter Sunday service at St George’s Chapel, and Middleton’s outfit definitely turned heads.

Eagle-eyed enthusiasts discovered she wore her wedding earrings to the function as a sweet tribute to her partner.

The duchess has only been noticed wearing the earrings a handful of occasions since their marriage ceremony in 2011.

Take a look at INSIDER’s homepage for more stories.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended an Easter assistance at St George’s Chapel on Sunday, and Kate Middleton’s outfit certainly turned heads – but not for the motives you may possibly assume.

Read more: The most iconic photo from each and every 12 months of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s connection

As the pair tactic their eighth marriage anniversary on April 29, the duchess created a sweet tribute to her spouse by putting on the identical diamond earrings that she wore on their marriage day back again in 2011.

resource

Max Mumby/ Indigo/ Getty Images

The pear-drop set of jewels by Robinson Pelham have been inspired by the Middleton family’s coat of arms, and were gifted to the duchess by her moms and dads for the celebration, according to CBS.

The duchess may well be the queen of rewearing outfits, but she has only worn this specific earrings on a handful of occasions.

source

Chris Jackson/Getty Pictures

The very last time she was spotted wearing them was in June 2016, through the Get of the Garter company at St George’s Chapel.

Middleton also wore a powder blue Alexander McQueen coatdress, which she wore 5 decades prior in the course of her time in Sydney, Australia. She completed the seem with a Jane Taylor fascinator.

Prince William is at this time visiting New Zealand on behalf of the Queen. The duke is having to pay tribute to individuals affected by the horrific Christchurch attacks by going to survivors and crisis assistance staff who responded to the capturing back in March.

Browse additional: An psychological image demonstrates Prince William supplying New Zealand Primary Minister Jacinda Ardern a standard Māori greeting a month soon after the Christchurch terror assaults that still left 50 people today lifeless

It is unclear if the few have designs to reunite for their anniversary on Monday.

It is achievable that they could be leaving the working day open, as it is considered that Meghan Markle could be providing beginning at the finish of the thirty day period.

The post Kate Middleton’s Easter outfit included a subtle tribute to her upcoming wedding anniversary, Defence Online appeared first on Defence Online.

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[houseofvans]

ART SCHOOL | JONNY ALEXANDER (Detroit, MI)

Inspired by his love of the outdoors, artist and Head Screen Printer Jonny Alexander’s work incorporates Nature, landscapes, and its objects/processes, creating large open landscapes to cross sectional terrestrial islands sometimes floating in space, surrounded by oceans, or inhabiting surreal terrains.  Devoid of humans and human interactions, his visual narratives do, however, reflect his own “existential quandaries” or spotlight the human consequences to the environment as in a 2016 mural he created with the Pangeaseed: SeaWalls Murals in New Zealand.  We’re super excited to chat with Jonny about his art school experiences, his love of the outdoors, as well as his work ethic and tenacious attitude, all in this session of Art School. 

Photographs courtesy of the artist

Introduce yourself. Jonny Alexander / Currently in Detroit, Lived all previous years in California. I’m a painter, muralist, printmaker and Head Screen Printer for 1XRUN in Detroit

If you weren’t a painter, what do you think you would have ended up doing professionally?

Well, I kind of am doing something else professionally besides / as well as painting. I work full time as the Master Printer for the publishing company and gallery 1XRUN / Inner State in Detroit. I am also a full time painter… so I guess that means two full time jobs haha.  The Screen Printing is consistent and structured employment and the painting is sporadic in payment but constant in development.

We’re glad you’re a painter and an artist though, can you tell us about your journey? What was art school like for you? What were some of the best things you took away from that experience? What were you glad to get away from, once you graduated?  How was life after school for you at the time?

I’ll do a quick rundown of pre-college art. 9-13 years old I got introduced and started writing graffiti with neighborhood skateboarding friends. With high school friends we also skated, we weren’t doing graffiti but drawing weird shit in sketchbooks and starting to screen print t-shirts in the garage. Cut to college I moved from San Diego to Northern California and went to CSU, Chico, which is about 3 hours northeast of San Francisco. I went into college thinking I didn’t want to study art cause it might kill the enjoyment of making it, but I was wrong about that. I took courses regardless though and was introduced to the world of Printmaking. I only knew screen printing, but I took an intro course that had me doing etching, woodblock printing, screen printing, monotypes etc. I was pretty intrigued with the process. I realized that being in other classes was just taking time away from working on art. So I went full on into a Bachelor or Fine Arts with an emphasis in printmaking.I recognized from going through school studying art that the experience is honestly what you make of it. No one is going to teach you style, no one is going to teach you really how or what to paint or draw or make. But they will give you the fundamentals and above all the time and deadlines to produce as much art as you can. That was really what I got most from it. It gave me a really strong work ethic; it pushed me to form a strong studio practice and to produce work. It also, if you are lucky, gives you a strong community of peers to bounce ideas off of and pushes you with healthy competition to get better. What I did like getting away from was some of the real intense academic push to defend everything you make. I don’t want that to come off the wrong way. I genuinely cherish conceptual art and having meaning and depth to what you make, understanding what and why you are doing something and the context in which it lies in the grand narrative or art history. But I found myself chasing ideas into weird places that didn’t even feel like art to me. I would think myself out of a painting or print because I couldn’t conceptualize it, instead of just making it and moving on. I enjoyed the freedom when I finished school of just making a painting to make it. If only for its aesthetic, color or composition without heavy weighted conceptual arguments attached. It helped me to work faster and really push forward in developing my style.

Life after school was fruitful and painful. Lots of uncertainty with the newfound freedom, lack of structure and lack of employment but also a lot of fun. My girlfriend of 4 years broke up with me shortly after we finished school. Shortly after that I quite my crap job at a pizza place, took all the left over house paint I had and went into the rural hills of Northern California and started practicing painting murals. I painted 4 murals in 4 weeks on abandon structures. I was heartbroken the whole time but working my ass off, using my tears to wash my brushes after a long day painting. Haha But really that was the bootcamp I put myself through to break ground on painting murals. Less than a year later I was an assistant to my friend Tavar Zawacki who is a longtime artist who goes by the name ABOVE. He took me out to Detroit to help him with a Solo Exhibition with Inner State Gallery / 1XRUN. About 8 months after that I was moving from California to Detroit to be 1XRUNS Head Screen Printer. It has been almost two years now that I have been here. Side note: The girlfriend of 4 years that broke up with me after school, we got back together a little later on….Hey Bertha I love you

Having acquired a degree in printmaking, what aspects of that particular skill set proved to be super helpful or maybe gave you a different approach to painting as an art form? Or how have you used your printmaking skills to inform what you do as a painter?

One thing that was helpful, as I had kind of mentioned earlier is that it led me into the job I hold with 1XRUN today. It is a pretty useful trade to have and I see myself being a print maker and screen printer for years to come. But in terms of my art practice printmaking definitely helped develop my drawing style. Printmaking also broke down layers for me as well. To make a screen print you have to lay down colors in a specific order. It is a pretty methodic and regimented order of operations. This method of a layering process has come into my painting practice and really into my mural practice. It has helped me to think about how colors “stack” if you think of them as layers. I think it helped me to be able to translate my smaller more time consuming paintings into larger murals by way of simplifying the approach.

In terms of your paintings the landscapes, the natural environments, and the colors of nature – are heightened in a way. As if the viewer is often experiencing a different type of hyper landscape. Could you tells us a little more about these “psychedelic landscapes” and how these visuals came about?

Psychedelic Landscapes was a joke between my friend Ian Roffe and myself in school. Haha I think the real root of it is from my upbringing as a child. Growing up in San Diego my parents could have taken us to Disneyland or something like that but instead we spent all of our family road trips going up to the Eastern Sierras. Going to National Parks or almost every other weekend spent up in the local mountains in San Diego fishing, hiking and camping. I was always picking up rocks and sticks and looking at the patterns in them, collecting them, doing some “organic hoarding” that I still do to this day. I also grew up surfing by myself. None of my close friends picked up surfing so again I spent a lot of time roaming the cliffs and rock formations of some of San Diego’s coastline. I think all that naturally filtered into my paintings. I was really into some of the surrealist painters like Dali and Max Ernst in my younger years so that love of large open landscapes was really appealing. I think it has been a common thread throughout my art making and has just evolved and transformed over the years.

Your paintings often depict geological layers / structures and other aspects of the natural world. What natural structures or landscapes have influenced you the most and what about them most captivated you and percolated into your works?

Rocks man….goddamn rocks. They are so cool. There is so much variation in them. In the texture, the color the way they crack and fold. The way that erosion goes to work on them over years, it’s just some very beautiful patterning. There is also good metaphor for me in rocks and mountains. Rocks are really old material compressed together over vast amounts of time and buried deep in the earth. They have some wisdom to them for that reason. I titled a piece a number of years ago, “The Wisdom Rocks of Old are the Souls of the Past” which kind of sums up that thought. Mountains also though, they are the pushing up of these old chunks of earth and we can climb up them to see beyond what we could from the ground level maybe to get clarity or furthered vision. I think there is metaphor to see in all nature if you are looking for it. I think that is why I have continued to use it in my paintings over the years. Most of my paintings don’t have people in them so I rely on nature and objects to create narratives referring to existential quandaries I have. I read this quote years ago, which I think is pretty nice and applicable. “The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time”. - Henry David Thoreau

Who are some of your top 5 favorite contemporary artists? 5 favorites of all time? I would have to say… Interesni Kazki Aaron Glasson & Celeste Byers (good friends) Michael Reeder Saner Pat Perry James Turrell Salvador Dali Caravaggio Andy Goldsworthy Radiohead

What are your top 5 materials? Is there a medium you haven’t yet tried, but are looking to learn? Acrylic Gouache Micron and Radiographs Waterbased Screen Printed Gradients Wood Panels built by my friend Craig (For real if you want to buy heavy really nicely made wood panels DM this guy @chejka ) I have painted with oils a couple times but would like to start making some oil paintings and getting some real nice smooth gradients

We gotta find out - What are your favorite Vans?

Love me some Sk8-Hi’s, always been a sucker for high tops, cause they feel good on my feet and look cool with pants and can also make you look like a goofy shit when you wear them with some short shortz.

Being a lover of the outdoors, where’s a place you’d love to go for artistic inspiration and why?

That’s a tough one. There is a ton of places…so lets go for a list? Right? Never been to Zion or Bryce Canyon, plan on going there in the next year. Andes in Peru South Island of New Zealand Iceland (including small plane flights over all the crazy land formations) Yellowstone (Not in peak season maybe go in late fall) The bottom of the Grand Canyon Patagonia, Argentina Um… Probably a lot more places But mainly I’d like to go to most of those places to see some intense and awe inspiring natural beauty.

What’s a question you’d like to answer that you’ve never get asked in terms of art? How do you formulate ideas and what is their lifecycle? (It would be a really long and disjointed answer, but fun to talk about.

I read that you often love painting outside at the beach or just outdoors. What about painting in the outdoors do you enjoy? And when you can’t paint outdoors, what is your studio like? (What do you put in it for inspiration?)

I think I have to change that previous statement about liking to paint outdoors. I think I may have talked about that before I ever really had a proper studio. For most of my life my “studio” has been whatever bedroom I lived in at the time. That was very cramped and limiting. So I used to just go out somewhere and set up and work on stuff, which was really fun. But now that I have been living in my loft in Detroit for 2 years, I really love having a nice open space to work. I have a nice big table, I have panels to paint lying around, I paint upright on the wall, which is nice for my back as apposed to sitting in the sand at the beach. I love having space to sit all day and paint, cause I find I need at least 4-8 hours to really sit and have a successful session painting. My studio does have quite a few plants around, some weird organic hoarding trinkets and always music or a podcast floating through the air. I do still carry a sketchbook with me wherever I go and like to do some drawing outdoors, but I find I am usually too preoccupied with what is going on around me to just look into my book.

You’ve been doing a lot of large scale paintings and murals in the last few years. What was the your favorite large scale work, and what were the challenges (if any) and how did you overcome them? What’s the best advice you’d give to someone working large scale?

I had a lot of fun about a year ago (March 2016) with the Pangeaseed: SeaWalls Murals for Oceans project in Napier, New Zealand. The challenge as it is with murals is the weather. It rained 3 out of the 5 days we were supposed to paint. Which, when using brushes, is a big problem. You can get away with spray paint in some light rain, but liquid house paint with a brush just won’t stick. Besides that it was a really fun piece to work on, it had a definite message to it about sea level rise and the causality of it coming from us humans consumption habits. I also got a lot more comfortable using spray paint on this mural. Previously I had barely every used it, I worked mainly with brushes, but I was able to practice and get much more comfortable with cans. Advice I would give to someone is to have a plan of attack. As I had said before about thinking of it in simplified layers, that really helps. Day 1 for me is usually getting the sketch on the wall nice and proportioned how I want it. Day 2 I fill in all the large flat area of colors and then all the rest days it just tightening things up and doing all the detail and line work.

What advice if any, would you give upcoming artists or folks who want to become artists?

Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. You’ve got to be very tenacious and dedicated to it and you have to sustain that momentum for a very long time. I have been at it for years now and I still have so much I need and want to do. Also be wise about splitting up time between creating the work and getting the work out to the world. A bunch of painting stuffed under the bed should see the light of day. You kind of have to be the artist, manager, content editor, prompter etc. I think that’s all I’ve got. Well maybe just be genuine and don’t rip off other people work or chase trends, try to be authentic and people can appreciate that. And network! Go meet people in your artist community!!

Finally, what projects or shows do you have that you’re excited about coming up? I just had a piece in the “Paint It Forward” Exhibition at Cass Contemporary in Tampa last month. I will be showing at Inner State Gallery’s LAX/DTW show curated by Thinkspace in the summer. I have some fun things coming up in my studio working with a friend who does Neon here in Detroit. I am supposed to be painting a mural in Kiev, Ukraine at some point this spring or summer with a project called Art United Us, which will be my largest mural to date. I am also looking for any murals projects the world has to throw at me! Thank you for your time!

Follow Jonny Website: http://jonnyalexander.com Instagram: @jonnyalexander 

[id-d]

Theometrica is a generative sound synthesis instrument inspired by acupuncture.

Created by Oscar Palou & Alexander Müller-Rakow, Theometrica is a sound interface designed to explore “the relation of ethnologic, geometric graphics and generative sound synthesis”.

Inspired by acupuncture, this sculptural instrument is designed to control sound elements in real time by fixing specific pins into a spinning disk. 99 prepared needles, a distance rangefinder and Max/MSP sound generation software work together to let you use the pins to create geometric shapes that are translated into sound.

[cathrynstreich]

Women in Leadership: Celebrating the New Majority

Sixty-three percent of the Real Estate Webmasters leadership team are women. And in a month where we celebrate International Women’s Day, here’s why that matters to me—and why it should matter to you.

2019 is shaping up to be a banner year here at Real Estate Webmasters (REW). Our aggregate sales are approaching $150 million. Our user base is on pace for 75,000 by the end of the year. And having dominated the North American market, we are now expanding into Europe.

In an era where it’s tough for a technology company to maintain its status quo, why am I ambitious and bullish for our future? It’s because of the team at Real Estate Webmasters. We have 150 of the best and brightest employees, hard at work in Canada and the United States—and I’m grateful for their dedication to our company and our customers. But I want to talk about the leadership team, specifically those who comprise its majority: the women leaders at REW.

Five of our eight leadership positions are filled by talented, extraordinary women: Janet Krastel (CFO), Vy Luu (Director of Product Development), Laura Monroe (Head of Industry), Laura Miller (Head of Marketing) and Allison Largue (Manager of Customer Support). These women are in these roles not to fill quotas, but because we hire the best candidates. That said, in searching out and recruiting for top talent, we do keep a purposeful eye on gender diversity.

Hiring more women is proven to lead to healthier, more dynamic workplaces. Gender diversity can mean more creative and collaborative environments, driving better bottom line results. And when your hiring practices reflect the demographics of your customer base, you provide better experiences and services.

(L to R) Laura Miller, Head of Marketing; Laura Monroe, Head of Industry; Allison Largue, Manager of Customer Support; and Vy Luu, Director of Product Development at Real Estate Webmasters

According to the National Association of REALTORS®, 63 percent of REALTORS® are women, yet women are underrepresented at the leadership table. There are some amazing women leaders like Yvette Boatwright (Realty Austin), Sara MacLennan (Liv Real Estate), Stacie Staub (West + Main Homes) and Pamela Alexander (RE/MAX Integra), but as demonstrated in annual industry lists and rankings, there is much more to be done to advocate for women at the leadership level.

This needs to change—and it’s starting to change. Amazing initiatives like the C.A.R.’s WomenUp® program are working to inspire and support women in the real estate industry, but those of us in leadership positions can certainly do more. We should all serve as advocates and continue to press for change. While I am proud of the gender diversity on my leadership team, I also know to keep the pressure on, to continue to hire the best candidates and improve gender diversity throughout REW’s ranks.

We are proud of all our women team members at REW. Meet them at realestatewebmasters.com/womenintech.

Morgan Carey is the CEO of Real Estate Webmasters. For more information, please visit www.realestatewebmasters.com.

The post Women in Leadership: Celebrating the New Majority appeared first on RISMedia.

Women in Leadership: Celebrating the New Majority published first on https://thegardenresidences.tumblr.com/

[hashtagblogfan]

17 Principles Of Personal Development From Napoleon Hill

17 Principles Of Personal Development From Napoleon Hill

  Napoleon Hill has dedicated his life to the study of how some people achieve success.He interviewed and analyzed the success of more than 500 of the greatest 20th century entrepreneurs like Henry Ford, JP Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison.Her research has shown that the essence of success lies in 17 simple principles that, when used together, serve as an infallible formula for achieving success.

His world-renowned book “Think and Grow Rich” remains a source of motivation for many entrepreneurs

1. Determine the goal Determining the goal to achieve is the starting point for all self-realization. Without a goal and a plan no success is possible.

  2. Mastering collaborations This principle is based on the collaboration of two or more spirits working in perfect harmony to achieve a specific and common goal.Success does not come without the cooperation of others.

  3. Have faith Faith is a state of mind through which your goals, desires and plans can be translated into their physical or financial equivalent.

4. Exceed expectations It is the action of rendering a better service than the one for which you are currently paid.When you go beyond expectations, the law of compensation comes into play.

5. Have a nice personality Personality is the sum total of traits and habits that distinguish us from each other mentally, spiritually and physically. It is the factor that determines whether we are loved or hated by others.

  6.Personal initiative Self-initiative is the force that inspires the realization of what we begin. It is the force that drives all action. No one is free until they learn to think for themselves and have the courage to act on their own.

    7. Positive attitude A positive spirit is the attitude to have in all circumstances. Success attracts more success while failure attracts more failure.

8. Enthusiasm Enthusiasm is faith in action. It is the intense emotion known as the burning desire.It comes from within but radiates outward in the expression of voice and face.

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    9. Self-discipline Self-discipline begins with mastery of thought. If you do not control your thoughts, you can not control your needs. Self-discipline calls for a balance between the emotions of your heart and the reasoning faculty of your brain.

10. Thinking The power of thought is the most dangerous or beneficial power of man according to the way he uses it.

11. Control of attention Controlled attention leads to mastery in any type of human activity because it allows one to focus the powers of one’s mind on achieving a specific goal.

    12. Teamwork Teamwork is a harmonious cooperation that is voluntary and free.Success is inevitable whenever team spirit is the dominant influence. Harmonious cooperation is an invaluable asset that you can acquire.

13. Adversity and Defeat Success is usually proportional to the losses an individual has known and mastered.Many so-called failures represent only a temporary defeat that can prove to be a blessing.

    14. Creative vision The Creative Vision develops through the use of the imagination.

15. Health Being healthy begins with an awareness of one’s health just as financial success begins with an awareness of one’s prosperity.

16. Manage time and money Time and money are precious resources and few people struggling to achieve success think that they both have excess.

17. Habits Developing and establishing positive habits leads to peace of mind, health and financial security. You are what you are because of your habits,your thoughts and your actions.

    17 Principles Of Personal Development From Napoleon Hill

source https://hashtag3r.com/personal-development-from-napoleon-hill/

[newssplashy]

Entertainment: Latte art begone! Here come the bold freaks of Instagram

Hannah Rose Dalton recently posted an image to Instagram of herself in a pink outfit. But this wasn’t some Barbie princess fantasy.

A design resembling barbed wire or lightning bolts ran from her cheek along the side of her bald, conical head; there was a smooth patch where her nose should be, and her eyes were a blank sea of putrid yellow. The caption read, “Gurl bye.”

In another post, Dalton stands alongside Steven Raj Bhaskaran, her partner in life and business, who wears a white buttoned shirt and leather harness over a black asymmetric skirt and towering black platform boots.

From his mouth hangs a long black appendage, like a swollen tongue or overgrown tail. Two stringy black locks of hair dangle from the sides of his head.

Together Bhaskaran and Dalton post under the name Fecal Matter, broadcasting their unnerving interpretation of beauty to almost 300,000 followers. Taking up to five hours to assemble, it’s a vision influenced heavily by horror films, Japanese manga cartoons and science fiction: a stark departure from the typical Insta-fare of designer clothes and beauty products.

“We’re not trying to be an influencer,” Bhaskaran, 24, said during a recent phone call from London. “We’re not trying to follow the rules. The rules were not made for us. Instead of trying to reach a standard that’s not going to happen, we want to have fun and create what we want to create.”

Tired of banal and homogeneous standards of beauty, some social-media users have begun exploring aesthetic territory once thought of as underground, alternative or even ominous, and they’re exposing it to the mainstream.

“Looking at what we’re afraid of, that fuels what we do,” said Dalton, 23. She and Bhaskaran design accessories and apparel, which is sold on the e-commerce platform Depop.

But “we’re not going into it, like, ‘What’s dark? What’s scary? What’s going to shock society?'” she said. “Society looks upon your fears and your vulnerabilities, the negative side of your mind, as something that’s bad. We’re trying to make our fears into something positive and beautiful.”

Accounts like Salvia, Hungry and Aunt Petunias Friendz are also marrying the macabre and the glamorous. They have antecedents in the work of Alexander McQueen, 1990s club kids, Cindy Sherman (currently posting eerie self-portraits on her own Instagram account) and Lady Gaga.

Salvia, the Instagram persona of Lilith Morris, a 17-year-old who lives in Wales, is ethereal and scary, like a fairy possessed by a demon. “My look is inspired by science fiction and drag, I find inspiration in so many places,” Morris wrote in an email. “Recently I have been feeling very inspired by tarot cards and the women depicted in Pre-Raphaelite art.”

Her posts can recall the familiar hyperfemininity of Amanda Lepore, the downtown transgender night life fixture, or be more shocking, featuring animalistic and extraterrestrial imagery.

Theresa Yee, the senior beauty editor at the global trend forecasting firm WGSN, said that “this otherworldly aesthetic comes from the rise in the spiritual and mystical beauty trend that’s so current right now.”

Last fall, Yee and her team named a strain of the trend “Dark Wonder,” highlighting the “overlap between reality and virtual reality coming to the fore and inspiring beauty looks that are experimental, futuristic and with a sci-fi twist.”

As artificial intelligence and automation threaten the job market, is it so strange that some would like to dress up as robots? With the looming threat of ecological disaster, what’s the harm in using makeup to explore life as a post-human mutant?

And why be so negative? Maybe accounts like Salvia and Fecal Matter are in fact heralding an imagined, idealized future of pan-gender, post-racial identity.

“Beauty was very narrowly defined for a very long time,” said Sarah Brown, an editor and a consultant who was the longtime beauty director of Vogue. “It was a type of person, it was a type of look. I’m talking about beauty, race, body, everything.” Now, she said, “I think we’re at this incredible moment where people feel comfortable enough to express themselves. They’re being accepted and celebrated for what their idea of beauty is.”

While the images may be off-putting to some, they also require an impressive technical virtuosity. “The level of artistry is just off the charts,” Brown said. She was accustomed to seeing that level from elite makeup artists, like Pat McGrath, she said, but “not used to seeing that from an average, aspiring person. I’m just amazed by what people are able to do, the prosthetics and the theatrics and how dramatic it all is.”

Bhaskaran and Dalton stress that this extreme form of dressing isn’t a way to get attention — which, when they get it, is often negative, they point out.

“Our whole lives, we didn’t look the way we look right now,” Bhaskaran said. “We had eyebrows, we had hair, we wore flats. For us specifically, the way were are living right now has been the way we always wanted to live.”

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

Max Berlinger © 2018 The New York Times

source http://www.newssplashy.com/2018/08/entertainment-latte-art-begone-here_12.html