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artificialqueens · 4 years ago

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Galactica, Chapter 23 (Group Fic) - TheDane/Veronica

A/N: We know our posting schedule has gotten slower, but we hope you’re still enjoying the story. XOXO! Click here if you’re looking for previous chapters (or here if you’d rather read on AO3). 💫

Last Chapter: The Galactica afterparty brought people together in many different ways.

This Chapter: NYFW comes to an end, and the team leaves for London, some more enthusiastically than others.

***

Ivy strolled through the courtyard at Bryant Park, on her way to deliver a charged battery pack to Raja before the Ralph Lauren show began, since Raja was as incapable of keeping her own alive as she was caring for the plants she continually adopted, all of that falling on Ivy - who fortunately didn’t mind, enjoying the relaxing tasks of caring for them as a break from the craziness of corporate life.

Most assistants as experienced as Ivy would be annoyed at doing this kind of menial delivery task, some probably even seeing it as demeaning, but Ivy was happy for the excuse to get out of the office and observe the colorful chaos of New York Fashion Week in person. Especially today, on the last day, when people from every walk of life seemed to converge in Bryant Park in a strange and glorious blend of humanity.

If Ivy was being honest with herself, she was quite the people watcher. She loved sitting back and collecting knowledge about others, not because she wanted to do anything with the information, but just to satisfy her own relentless curiosity, which was as much a part of her as the gap in her teeth.

She’d seen so much over the course of this week, so many things that she knew people probably had no idea she knew. She had watched her own boss quietly panic a few hours before the Galactica show, a look in her eyes that everyone else missed--people always assumed that Raja was 100% confident all the time, but Ivy knew better. She’d seen the way Pearl showed up every day looking more and more hungover, the young executive clearly going through something that she was desperately trying to party away. She’d noticed Violet at the party last night, slipping away with Sutan, one of her first glimpses ever into Violet’s personal life.

After dropping off the battery pack, Ivy took her time returning to the line of waiting taxis, taking in the eclectic group of people swarming around and she stopped to buy herself an iced coffee. She was leaning against the wall when she noticed someone staring at her. Ivy definitely recognized the other woman, a redhead with even brighter hair than her own, but she couldn’t place her, which made her feel slightly uncomfortable as the other didn’t look away, their eyes meeting across the courtyard. A fellow observer, she supposed.

Ivy smiled a little, deciding to take a chance on fate, and raised her hand to wave, and the other woman returning it with the brightest smile Ivy had ever seen.

***

“Remember to check with the hotel if they have washed the sheets correctly. You know I can’t tolerate perfume.”

“Yes Miss.” Violet nodded as she jotted down the last of what Fame had asked her. They were leaving the last show of the week, the sun going down as Fame walked towards her car.

“And what about Monday?”

“Your travel itinerary is printed, packed and ready to go. I even emailed it to Mr. Bertschy.”

“Good.” Fame looked at Violet, her sunglasses perched in her blonde hair, and for a moment, just a moment, it almost seemed like Fame was smiling.

“That’s all.”

***

Courtney swayed a bit to the music in the crowded club. It was Saturday: New York Fashion Week was officially over, and on Monday, her boss was flying to Europe for three weeks. Three amazing weeks where she wouldn’t have to run around like a maniac fetching coffee or jumping up in fear every time she heard footsteps or trying to read her mind while on the receiving end of a withering glare.

“Uh oh…”

“What?” Courtney asked, seeing Willam’s furrowed brow.

“Four o’clock. Someone better call the wedgie police, because...yikes.”

Courtney giggled, turning her gaze in the direction Willam gestured and then immediately covering her face.

“Oh god, that looks painful!”

“I bet she’s bleeding.”

Courtney laughed harder. She’d been having a surprisingly good time with Willam; in spite of her apprehension about him, it wasn’t awkward at all. She felt comfortable, almost like she was with one of her girlfriends. He was funny and charming and when she said she was thinking about going vegan, didn’t make an annoyed face. He simply took out his phone and searched for the best vegan restaurants in the neighborhood.

He’d treated her to a pretty good dinner, where he’d again listened kindly while she vented about work, and then they’d made the short walk to the club, where Sólseturstríðsmenn was about to perform.

The best thing about Willam so far, though, was that he was such a perfect gentleman. He wasn’t trying to get her drunk, or getting handsy like most guys. He was treating her like a person, which Courtney supposed shouldn’t have been such a brand new experience on a date, but here she was.

“So, I know you said that you’re a lightweight, but I’m gonna grab another drink. You want one?”

“Um...yeah, okay,” Courtney said with a smile. “Why not?”

As he headed towards the bar, Courtney watched him closely, trying to gauge her attraction. As different as he was from the boys she’d dated in the past, there was something oddly compelling about him. She found her eyes drifting down to his ass--which wasn’t flat like most guys, but rounded, almost peachy, and Courtney wondered what it would feel like to just grab ahold of it. She looked away quickly, her cheeks growing hot.

She wondered if he would try to kiss her tonight. She didn’t love the idea of a beard against her face, but he did have full, soft lips, and maybe it would be nice. Maybe she did like Willam. Wouldn’t it be crazy to date a boy who didn’t make her sigh with irritation when his name came up on the caller ID?

When he returned with the drinks, she accepted hers gratefully and beamed up at him.

“What?” he asked, those pretty blue eyes looking at her with amused curiosity.

“I was just thinking about what a good time I’m having,” said Courtney.

“Why do you sound so surprised?” he laughed. “I’m a very fucking good time.”

Courtney gave a cute shrug, then giggled, taking his arm and leaning a head on his shoulder. Maybe she should have tried dating a guy who wasn’t an absolute dickhead much sooner.

***

“You’re such a brat,” Pearl laughed, sipping a beer as she watched Trixie stuff clothes into his suitcase, pouting the whole time.

He had really hoped to avoid Europe this year, or at least be able to cut his trip short. But instead, Fame had decided that it was important for the whole senior creative team to be there the entire time, to absorb the inspiration. As if he couldn't get all the inspiration he needed right here in New York.

Trixie looked up at Pearl with a scowl.

“Don’t you have your own packing to do?” he asked.

“It takes me exactly 4 minutes to pack,” Pearl told him, a smirk on her face. “When you’re this perfect, everything looks good together.”

“All black everything helps too.”

“I have whites.”

“Whatever.” Trixie rolled his eyes.

“I don’t know why you’re pouting, man. It’s three weeks in Europe, paid for by the company. Partying on someone else’s dime.” Pearl flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder. “It’s the dream.”

“I don’t like partying.”

“You used to like partying,” Pearl said, adding, “You used to be cool.”

“Well, I guess I’m just not cool anymore!” Trixie snapped, just as Katya appeared in the doorway.

“Of course you’re cool, baby,” she cooed. “The coolest cat in the joint.”

Pearl burst out laughing, and Trixie crossed his arms.

“Are you mocking me now, too?”

“Nooo, never!” Katya dropped down to her knees beside him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. “And just to show you how great I think you are, I’m making a special lunch just for you.”

“Oh yeah?” Trixie asked, suddenly interested.

“Uh huh…” Katya rubbed his back. “Now, I’ve never tasted this regional delicacy myself, but I have it on good authority that it’s one of your very favorites. It’s called ‘Tater Tot Hotdish.’”

“What? Tater Tot Hotdish? Seriously?” Trixie clapped his hands excitedly.

“Yes, baby, and I made enough for you to take a big old portion with you on the place tomorrow.”

“God, you’re the absolute best,” Trixie said, taking Katya’s face in his hands and laying a kiss on her. “I’m gonna miss you so much.”

“Aww, I’ll miss you too, along with the goods.” Katya squeezed his ass, giggling.

Trixie pulled back to study her face. She seemed normal, but he’d noticed her getting up early lately, meeting one of her friends from rehab in the mornings before work. They’d been together long enough for him to know that these things came in cycles, and getting some extra support was nothing to panic over, but with both him and Pearl leaving town at the same time, he couldn’t help but worry.

“Are you gonna be okay while we’re gone? Really?”

“Of course I am, sugarbutt.” Katya gave him one of her signature 1000-watt smiles. “Now, excuse me, I need to go check on your tots.”

He watched her go, still not entirely convinced. Maybe it would be a good idea for someone to check on her while he was away. Someone responsible and trustworthy...

***

Violet saw her work phone vibrate out of the corner of her eye, her screen lighting up. She tried to read it, tried to make out who had contacted her, when she was pulled out of her thoughts.

“Am I not entertaining enough?”

Violet turned to look, Sutan’s warm voice loud and clear, a smirk on his lips. They were eating breakfast at a cafe near his apartment, a plate of half eaten avocado on rye in front of her, while Sutan had opted for waffles and scrambled eggs.

“Of course.”

It had been Violet’s idea to meet up for breakfast before Sutan had to leave. She had meant to come over, had meant to spend more time with him, but the week had flown by, and suddenly it had passed without the two of them actually seeing each other.

“I just need-” Violet bit her lip and titled her phone, surprise hitting her when she saw that Trixie was the one who had texted. “Oh. I have to-”

“Lovely eyes-” Violet looked at him again, Sutan’s elbow leaning on the table, his fingers around a steaming hot cup of coffee. “What could possibly be more important than me?”

“Work.”

“Ow.” Sutan laughed, holding a hand to his heart, and Violet felt a surge of embarrassment crash over her.

“Sorry,” Violet hadn’t meant to be so blunt, hadn’t meant to dismiss him so harshly, “I didn’t-”

Her phone vibrated again, and Violet saw that she had gotten a second message from Trixie.

“I have to-”

“Ignore me if you must,” Sutan was clearly entertained by it, his tone teasing, “but know that I’m not usually treated like this Miss Chachki.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Violet opened the texts, quickly scanning them.

TRIXIE: Hi Violet. I was wondering if you could do me a favor? While I’m in Europe, do you mind checking in on Katya?

TRIXIE: Just once or twice if you have time.

Violet bit her lip. She considered Katya someone she liked, maybe even a friend if the blonde agreed, but she wasn’t sure and that she was close enough to check in on her, whatever that meant.

TRIXIE: You could bring her dinner? She likes chinese.

“So,” Sutan titled his head, his foot on tapping against her shin. “Is it important?”

Sutan’s voice was still warm, his tone still light, but Violet didn’t want to push him any further, didn’t want to risk him getting annoyed or tired. Violet flipped her phone, turning the screen to the table. “It’s not an emergency.”

“Good,” Sutan chuckled, and Violet felt her stomach do a flip, the man stupidly attractive when he was laughing, his dark eyes ones she swore she could drown in. “I was worried for a minute that Fame had remembered she was flying tomorrow.”

“Ah,” Violet hid a smile behind her teacup.

“I’m just happy that I’m on an entirely different flight.”

She had never seen Fame on a plane, but she had heard first hand experiences from senior staff who had been with her, and had even helped her prepare more than once.

“Speaking about phones though-” Sutan smirked.

“We weren’t-“

“I looked for you on Instagram.”

Violet raised an eyebrow, her food still forgotten on her plate. “Why?”

“Because I enjoy your company?” Sutan chuckled, and Violet realized that she was being unnecessarily harsh once again, but she didn’t like that Sutan had gone looking for information about her, her chest tightening. “I couldn’t find you, do you have a nickname or somethi-”

“I don’t have an account.”

“Violet,” Sutan leaned back in his chair, “Just because I wasn’t upset about the assistant thing doesn’t mean I’m okay with you lying.”

“I’m not lying.”

“Please.” Sutan rolled his eyes, actually sounding annoyed now. “Why wouldn’t you-“

“I don’t use social media.” Violet ran her fingers through her hair, looking directly at Sutan. “I don’t have time.”

She wasn’t lying. When everyone else had jumped on the social media train, Violet had been busy, so she had never gotten on Myspace or Twitter or Instagram or whatever else people had profiles on. When Violet applied to Parsons, she had even deactivated the Facebook her mom had made her make when she moved to New York, the decision almost making itself.

Her lack of social media was one of the reasons she became friends with Pearl, the blonde absolutely fascinated by the fact that the only way she could reach Violet was by email or text.

She wasn’t unaware of the online world, Pearl keeping her in the loop of trends, and she sometimes used the office computer to look at pugs on Youtube, but all in all, Violet simply wasn’t interested in creating her own content.

“Do you promise?”

Violet was happy with being anonymous, was very happy that she didn’t exist online, and she intended to keep it that way for as long as she possibly could.

“I promise,” Violet nodded, leaning over the table to give Sutan a quick, closed mouthed kiss.

***

“Darling,” Fame tightened her grip, the fabric of Patrick’s jacket between her fingers. The hustle and bustle of the airport was all around them, and Fame wished she could disappear. “Look at me.”

Fame huffed, turning her head and nuzzling further into Patrick’s neck.

“I know you’re upset-” Patrick ran a hand up her back.

To say that she was upset was an understatement. In fact, she was livid, anxiety and anger like a storm inside of her. She knew it wasn’t fair, knew she was being a child, but she didn’t want to fly without Patrick, didn’t want to risk her life without her husband at her side.

She had asked him to come along, had been ready to beg, but Patrick had work, had his own company to run, and it wasn’t fair of Fame to expect him to get on a transAtlantic flight with her, just so she didn’t have to do it alone.

“You’ll be fine.”

Fame sighed, the scent of Patrick filling her nose. They were waiting for Raja and Raven, Raja ready to take her hand and not let go until they touched down in London.

Fame knew that Raven hated it, but she could live with the stink eyes and Raven’s pouting if it meant that she had one of the few people she trusted by her side the entire time she was off the ground.

***

Courtney typed at lightning speed, adding the last three messages into Miss Fame’s phonesheet, then clicked back over to continue checking her emails.

Since most of the senior executives were on a plane to London, she had been expecting a chill morning, but it was the exact opposite: the phone was ringing off the hook: press requests for interviews and to borrow pieces of the collection, invitations, buyers, influencers. Not to mention the flurry of activity within the company to get the ready to wear versions of the Spring line into stores. Courtney could barely read one email before three more came in, she and Violet in constant communication as they made sure nothing slipped through the cracks.

The one saving grace was that apparently, it was tradition for things around the office to get much more casual while Fame and the others were away, and so she was wearing jeans, sneakers, and a cute Lululemon top.

The clothes were such a huge bonus that Courtney didn’t even mind that Violet had sent her to marketing three times: running up and down the stairs in sneakers was a hell of a lot nicer than doing it in heels.

Courtney was almost finished catching up on her emails when Violet stood up.

“I’m getting a cup of tea, do you want anything?”

Courtney looked up with a smile, thrilled that she and Violet were getting along so well today. Although the frenzied activity was a bit overwhelming for her, Violet seemed to thrive in it, and thus her patience had increased about two thousand percent.

“Um, I’ll take coconut water, if we have any. Thanks,” Courtney said, and Violet nodded, ducking into the kitchen.

The phone rang once again, and Courtney answered it, picking up her notepad and a pen. “Miss Fame’s office…”

“Hi, Bianca Del Rio for Fame.”

“I’m sorry, she’s unavailable right now, may I take a message?” Courtney asked sweetly. She couldn’t help wondering if Bianca might possibly recognize her voice, and found her cheeks coloring slightly at the thought.

“Oh shit. She’s on the plane to London now, huh?”

“Umm…” Courtney knew that she wasn’t supposed to reveal exactly where Fame was, but it was one of her closest friends, so maybe it would be okay. She settled on a slightly evasive, “...Possibly.”

Bianca laughed. “Very good work, Courtney. Protecting your boss’s privacy. I love it.”

“I do my best,” Courtney said, trying to suppress the grin she couldn’t seem to help whenever Bianca paid her a compliment. She wasn’t sure why, though, since Bianca obviously couldn’t see her, but even so… “Did you want to leave a message?”

“Nah...I’ll just text her,” Bianca said. “Bye, Courtney. Have a good day.”

“Bye, Bianca. You too.” Courtney hung up, just as Violet’s head appeared in the doorway, irritation all over her face.

“That better not have been Bianca Del Rio,” Violet said, a hand on her hip.

“Umm…”

“Courtney! We’ve been over this. You need to show people more respect. She’s the editor-in-chief of Marie-Claire, for god’s sake!”

“I know, but I…” Courtney trailed off, biting her lip. She wasn’t sure how to explain to Violet how wrong it would’ve felt to address Bianca as ‘Ms. Del Rio’ like she was supposed to. It was so stiff and formal, and their relationship felt much more casual than that. Courtney blushed, realizing that even the word ‘relationship’ was an overstatement. She was probably just being stupid, should probably just listen to Violet and shut up. “I’m sorry, I’ll remember next time.”

“You better,” Violet said. “Because if Miss Fame had heard that, she would’ve been livid.”

Courtney nodded, and Violet seemed satisfied with that, handing over the bottle of coconut water.

***

In the nearly four years that Ivy had worked for Raja, she’d lost count of the number of times people expressed amazement that the infamous “Dragon Lady” had managed to hold onto an assistant for so long.

In spite of Raja’s deserved reputation for being tough, Ivy felt immensely lucky to be working for her. For one thing, she was smart and insanely talented. And while she was by no means soft or low maintenance, Ivy always found her to be fair--even generous, when the situation warranted it. And the fact that she respected Ivy so much, often asking her for her opinions and consulting with her about important decisions, meant a lot--as did the trust she put in her to handle many things on her own. They had a system, and it worked for both of them.

But all that said, Ivy still enjoyed the few times a year when her boss was out of town. For one thing, it was nice to be more in control of her own schedule, and for another, it gave her the opportunity to work on one of her absolute favorite tasks: organizing the deep storage in one of their downstairs warehouses.

The styling closet next to Raja’s office was relatively easy to keep up with. Sure, it got a little messy at times, but if she stayed late or came in early every few weeks, she could manage. But the warehouse was another animal entirely. It often became the dumping ground for everything from design, referred to with nicknames like the Bermuda Triangle and the Couture Graveyard.

It was Ivy’s job to keep everything neat and labeled, and with how rare it was for her to get large amounts of time to handle it, this was no small feat. Right now, her task was to meticulously label and store every piece from the runway show, and to update her system to track the loans. She always felt a little bad about the cast-offs. In the past, they saved every garment, even the ones that were not approved, usually all smushed together in one extra-large garment bag--but this collection had about 10 times the amount of these little orphaned pieces as usual.

The three weeks of European Fashion Week were truly the greatest; all of senior management was gone, which meant that the support staff could wear whatever they wanted to the office. Ivy was personally dressed in something she would never get caught dead in with Raja in the office, but sneakers and jeans were perfect for dancing along to Taylor Swift and moving heavy boxes as she got down to the nitty gritty of cleaning the warehouse.

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magical-gays-au-fanartfunart · 5 years ago

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And We All Fall Down

Summary: Superhero AU- Superpowers aren’t always what makes someone dangerous. Aka: Roman gets into a pickle and Virgil doesn’t know what to do.

Ships: Logicality and Prinxiety (Prinxiety feels for this one)

Warnings: mmmm- Remus shows up and he ain’t particularly kind. Panic (so much panicking... like... half of this is all panicking), pain/injury, destruction, a whole building collapses, no biggie, death mentions, dissociation, crying, black-out, darkness, claustrophobic spaces, (and if you can’t handle no immediate relief (aka happy endings), um...... you should wait a while till I write the next part of this)

Tell me if anything else needs a warning!

Words: 1190-ish

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 -

A flash of red flooded the room and Roman sighed heavily, falling onto his bed face first.

“So if you’re Creativity what’s that make me?”

Roman stiffened, swearing under his breath. He stumbled to sit up and he looked at the intruder in his room.

Roman’s mirror image propped his fists under his head, smiling widely, “When do we get to tell mama y papa? Or would you prefer la familia keep out of your many wild stunts that may or may not result in your death?”

“Remus,” Roman hushed, wide eyes flickering towards the door.

“Roomann,” Remus mocked.

“Remus if you tell them-”

“What, they’ll yell at you? Ground you?” Remus scoffed, “No, they’re gonna give you a ‘talk’ and then they’re gonna let it go because you’re the golden boy.”

Roman tilted his head and frowned, “Remus I- That’s not what I’m worried about.”

“Oh?” Remus leaned back in the chair, “Then what’s the secret ID for? It’s not like you don’t like being known for all your ‘heroic’ deeds.”

Roman ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head, “I just... I don’t want to make anybody worry, okay?”

Remus rolled his eyes, “Sure-sies bro.”

He stood up, brow furrowed “Why are you in my room?”

“How’d you figure out you had powers? When? What’s it like? What’s the limit to what you can do? I can certainly think of some… unconventional uses for that power of yours-” Remus questioned instead, wiggling an eyebrow.

Roman showed his twin. “You’re avoiding the question! Why are you in my room?”

Remus pushed himself off the chair with a dramatic sigh, “Because your room has a window I can jump out of without a ‘splat’, and Mama’s a light sleeper, so she’d hear the door.”

Roman brought in a breath, “Wha- why”

“Aht!” Remus rather aggressively punched Roman’s shoulder, “I answer your question you answer mine! When’d you figure out you had powers?”

Roman glared, “A year ago, now-”

Remus flopped onto Roman’s bed, lying upside-down as he propped his legs up on the windowsill, “How though?”

“I don’t have to tell you,” Roman hissed, “Why the hell are you going out? How often do you do that?”

“Oh, like you haven’t basically been doing the same thing,” he smiled, “Creative minds think alike it seems.”

-Now.

4 years later-

“Go go go gogogo-” Creativity gasped out. He waved at the students, his grip on a shimmering shield faltering. The pair of freshmen scrambled through the sliver of light as rubble and dust settled around them.

His heart pounded in his head.

Crack. Rock. Falling.

Creativity screamed. Throat sore. Arms sore. It was dark. It was dark. So dark. The only light was a faint, dim red shimmer from above. Breaths shallow and wet, chest tight. Cheeks damp and salty. His stylist pen dug into his hip. Another scream tore itself from his lips.

A sob wracked through his body, a shift of gravel rumbled above him, arms shaking.

“Roman!” Virgil’s eyes flickered over the rubble of the school’s cafeteria, for some sign of movement. Virgil pushed against the flow of the crowd of students, balling his hands into the fabric of his hoodie. “Roman!”

….Roman flashed him a small smile, “This seat taken?”

Virgil coughed on the settling dust, “Roman!”

...Virgil shook his head. “Perfect!” Roman said, sliding into the seat across from him.

“What’s up? Do you need help with Bio homework or-”

Roman gasped, pressing a hand against his chest, “I can’t just want to enjoy your company, Lone Danger?”.....

A hand gripped his hoodie sleeve. “Hey! Kid! Get back from there!”

“My friend is still in there!” Virgil screamed, yanking his arm back.

...A laugh escaped his lips before he could help it. “Oh, I’m a danger now?”

Grinning ear to ear, Roman leaned forward, “Yep. A danger to my sanity.”

Virgil smirked, eyes narrowing, “How so?” Roman leaned back and Virgil became acutely aware of how much he had leaned into Roman’s space.

Roman hadn’t seemed to mind....

“Someone will go find them, but we don’t want you putting yourself in danger-”

A sound not unlike a hiss escaped Virgil’s lips as he pushed himself away from the adult, surging forward to scramble up onto the rubble.

....Roman’s jaw snapped shut as his eyes fell upon something across the cafeteria. Virgil tried to follow his gaze.

“ROMAN”

A flash of red.

Where is that stupid white outfit?

“Everyone get OUT!”

His ears rang.

A shove.

Virgil choked on a sob as someone’s hand brushed gently against his shoulders.

Noise. Like a tuning radio. Muffled and warped, tinged with static.

Blue. Blue eyes. Light blue. “Morality?” Virgil whispered.

The muffled noise cleared. “-ere we go. Are you okay?”

“Roman, Roman-” Virgil took in a breath, “You’ve got to find Roman- I can’t- I-”

Morality nodded, gentle hands rubbing into the fabric of Virgil’s hoodie. “I will, I will, I promise Kiddo. Where did you see him last?”

Virgil blinked, shaking his head, “He- He pushed me out of the way- I don’t- we were by the door-” Virgil blinked, “Can’t- Can’t you just do that thing where you find people with their feelings- I-”

“Too many similar feelings Kiddo, I- It’s a bit much… Hey, hey, keep breathing, slow down-”

“No, no I’ve got- I’ve got to find him- He- he-” a wet giggle came out of him of it’s own accord, “He’s scared of the dark.”

“I’ll find him ok Kiddo? I will. Stay here-”

Virgil clawed against Morality’s arms, “No! No I’ve got to- I can help! Pat, I need to help-”

Morality froze, his voice became impossibly quiet, “Anxiety… Breathing exercise, remember? Come on, I’ll listen for Ro and we’ll find him ok? We’ll find him, we will.”

Creativity took in sharp breaths as he tested shifting his leg. The red light flickered and a block of rubble collapsed through it. A scream split out of him as the rock cracked against his shoulder. His breaths heaved. He strained to keep his focus on the shimmering shield above him. “Please,” he whispered, “please.”

Muffled voices. Creativity stilled. He let out another hoarse throat-wrecking scream, cutting himself off with broken sobs. He yelped as another chunk of jagged rubble fell through the weak force field, falling onto his hip, a faint crack reminded him of the pen digging into his hip.

The muffled voices grew louder, more frantic. Creativity flinched as light broke through. The shield collapsed as he sharply curled in on himself, and the light stayed for hardly a moment before he succumbed to darkness again.

“Roman! Roman stay awake, please, please, stay awake!”

A flash of red returned Roman’s outfit to normal. Virgil hugged the other close to his chest, eyes searching Roman’s lightly freckled face. His breaths were so shallow. Too shallow.

Someone gently pulled Roman from his arms, and Virgil looked up. Logic. Logic gave him a tight, near-flat smile, shifting Roman into an oh so careful hold, and in a metaphorical blink, was gone.

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isaksforelsket · 5 years ago

Note

I’ll start with isak/even, but also, what are your other ships?

who hogs the duvet: isak. for sure. whenever we saw him wake up the boy had the covers tucked around him, now this could be because 1. even tucked him in cause he wanted him to be comfy, or 2. isak gets cold easily and just pulls all the blankets towards himself and wraps himself up like a burrito. even doesn’t mind really, cause isak just presses himself up against him and keeps him warm.

who texts/rings to check how their day is going: at first, it’s even who will text him throughout the day more often, but eventually isak starts doing it more often as well and usually messages even first, just asking him what time he’ll be home, what they’re having for dinner, ‘can you hurry up even im horny’ and shit like that, but usually he just asks him how he is and tells him he loves him. but even is the one to send him pictures of shit that reminds him of isak.

who’s the most creative when it comes to gifts: even is more creative, as in he’ll find weird and new things and even make shit for isak, but isak also knows what to get for presents, like he just remembers the shit the person has mentioned before and gets them that

who gets up first in the morning: even for sure. isak likes to sleep in for as long as possible, and really even loves it too, even if he’s awake he’ll stay in bed, just holding isak and making sure he’s sleeping peacefully, but eventually he’ll just have to get up and do shit.

writing the rest under this cause boy oh boy this got long

who suggests new things in bed: even, even, even. isak is a bit too shy about it at first so he wont suggest anything, but even will. as they’re making out, he’ll just go ‘wanna try something new?’ and isak would just nod numbly cause like he’s so fucking turned on, even can do whatever he wants to him honestly. but eventually isak brings shit up as well, but its still mostly even.

who cries at movies: i mean, we all know this right?? but even does cry often at movies cause ‘look at the cinematography isak!! its so beautiful’ and also he doesnt give a fuck, if he wants to cry at a movie, he’ll cry. but isak also cries but he acts like he isn’t, he gets all grumpy and frowns and wipes his cheeks all the while saying ‘im not fucking crying even’

who gives unprompted massages: even. isak gets stressed easily and his body is tense all the damn time so even will often just rub his back or his shoulders and get isak to relax his muscles and calm down.

who fusses over the other when they’re sick: both of them really, but mostly isak, he just tries to make sure even has everything until even tells him to go to school and that he’ll be fine and not to worry, but isak still worries and stays home for as long as possible. when isak is sick, even has to persuade him to let him take care of him, he just cuddles him a lot until isak stops being stubborn and just melts against his body.

who gets jealous easiest: isak gets jealous cause he worries that even will leave him and that he’s not enough, plus even is a really nice person and his kindness can get misinterpreted as flirting, so isak will often see the other person just looking up at even with fucking stars in their eyes and he’ll just go up to him and press himself against his body and whisper in his ear ‘can we please go home, i need you’ and obviously even will do so right away. while even gets like possessive, isak is kind of oblivious so if anyone hits on him he’ll have no idea, and even would be seething as he watches this guy get closer and closer to isak until even just walked up to them and wrapped an arm around isak’s waist, arching a brow in the guys direction and silently telling him to fuck off.

who has the most embarrassing taste in music: i mean, we all know its even, i dont need to elaborate on this right? he just listens to anything and everything, he doesn’t give a fuck.

who collects something unusual: hm hm hm, i dont feel like either one of them would collect anything unusual. they dont seem like the type. bUT maybe isak would like collect sand from all the beaches he’s went to with even? and he’d be real sentimental and keep like the receipts from restaurants they go to and all that. but i dont think they’d actually collect anything random.

who takes the longest to get ready: isak. the fact that he just rarely wants to go anywhere and wants to stay in and cuddle just makes him take fucking ages. just slow, languid movements around the flat, throwing the clothes around and complaining ‘evy i have nothing to weaaaar’ but even is just like ‘isak i love you so much but if you dont hurry up i’ll kick your cute lil ass’

who is the most tidy and organised: isak isak isak. he just wants their flat to look nice cause he never had a place of his own and now that he has, he wants it to feel and look like a home

who gets most excited about the holidays: even, he fucking loves that shit, gets in the holiday spirit and all. isak didn’t really celebrate anything much while growing up, and then he started disliking Christmas cause his dad left around that time and he was just going through a lot, so he absolutely hates it. but even still tries to make sure isak has nice holidays.

who is the big spoon/little spoon: usually isak is little spoon, he just loves the feeling of even’s arms around him (plus if he wants to he can press his ass against even’s dick ‘by accident’), but sometimes they switch, usually when even is depressed.

who gets most competitive when playing games and/or sports: honestly, both of them. they both love to win, but isak probably. he’ll play lil tricks on even to distract him so that he can win, just call him daddy or some shit in the middle of it to make even glance towards him. he’s just a little shit honestly.

who starts the most arguments: um, they dont really argue that much, they tend to talk things out, but id say that even maybe? like his insecurities will sometimes come through and he’ll snap at isak and tell him to leave or something. but they dont really argue that much.

who suggests that they buy a pet: even. isak is against it at first but even keeps showing him photos of kittens or puppies and eventually isak is like ‘fine whatever but you’re taking care of it’ and then when they finally get the pet, he loves them and hugs them and wakes up early to take them for a walk and shit.

what couple traditions they have: you cannot tell me that they dont go swimming together, especially on the anniversary of their first kiss. they also go on a trip somewhere every summer, either to a different country or something or they go on a road trip (someone write evak on a road trip pls).

what tv shows they watch together: rupauls drag race. fight me. they sort of get into it at some point and then they just keep watching and they argue over who’s going to win and who has the best looks.

what other couple they hang out with: jonas/mikael, mikael/adam, eskild/his bf whoever it is, eva/noora.

how they spend time together as a couple: they’re together all the time honestly, they try to go out on a date every week or every other week, just go to the movies or to get some food or something. but usually they just chill at home, cuddling, making out, having sex, watching movies cuddled up on the couch, or they cook for each other while laughing and dancing in the kitchen, or they just play some music and slow dance in the middle of the living room.

who made the first move: even, obviously, we all know this.

who brings flowers home: even, for sure. he’s just the romantic type to do that shit, and isak will like roll his eyes but he’s blushing so hard and smiling and he puts them in a vase straight away as even walks up behind him and wraps his arms around isak’s waist, kissing his blushy cheek.

who is the best cook: even, but listen, i think isak can cook, he’s just lazy. like my boy took care of himself the majority of his life, of course he can cook, he’d just rather not.

thank you for asking, this was fun!! and i dont mind what ship you send hehe i feel like i could do this about anyone.

send a ship and i’ll answer these questions

#anon #hc's #skam #evak

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write-as-raine · 5 years ago

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12.30.19

Though this won’t be my final blog post, it is my first one written while being back in the United States. In recent months, the writer within me—who sits at a desk that is covered in post-it notes, half-empty coffees gone cold, and pages of unfinished thoughts—has only wanted to stare off into the distance. Ironically, that distance has been me. While many variables combined have created the perfect situation for some high-quality introspection, my instinct always has been to document the maelstrom of thoughts that run through my mind in large volumes. At first, this took place as fiction, then I turned to poetry, but as of late nothing else seems quite right to write except for my own life. I do value introspection highly, but never before have I felt inclined to share so much of my life with any other living soul, so count yourself among the lucky few, dear reader. It feels entirely wrong to do so, but at the same time, it seems like such an extraordinary waste to keep it to myself.

It is presumptuous to assume anyone is even reading this, which I think makes it easier to write when my audience is more of an apparition than actuality.

All of that to say, however, that part of my process is writing random bits here and there, and that ultimately these blog posts become Jess's monster, one big body (paragraph) built of many different parts. This will likely be a mixture of things because returning to the United States has, emotionally, been a mixture of things.

Written 12.26.19, in reflection on 11.28.19

I was pondering my trip to London today, particularly the day that Lindsay and I saw Phantom of the Opera. That day has such a glimmering quality in my memory. We were both giddy on anticipation for the theatre, and we were all dressed up as we walked arm in arm, our music split between us in our knockoff AirPods. It was one of those powerful days where nothing could really go wrong if it tried. As we sat in the theatre, drinking overpriced Prosecco and basking in the sophisticated and somehow imposter-ish feeling of being in an ornate theatre in London, I could feel a strange sort of shifting around me, like everything was changing and undoing and becoming all at once. I was realizing, I think, that nothing would ever be quite like this moment again. I would never be in London, with Lindsay, on the cusp of everything ever again.

Between the theatre and the DLR, as we trotted through the city at London speed, the crisp air and bustle of a populace that is always up to something, I kept getting hints of it. Catching my unquenchable joy in the reflections of the windows we passed, my full moon cheeks aglow with my smile. Our reflection showed Lindsay facing what was next resolutely, while I looked into the present and attempted to hold it there in my mind.

On the DLR, as we watched the city shift from old to new and back, black water glittering with nightlife, side by side as the present flew past us, I was filled with some inexplicable settling within my chest. It was a sudden and rapid, heavy but not in an unpleasant way. It was just a falling in love, or a re-falling in love, with my life, and with the present, and the past that had somehow led me right up to the brink of what was to come. Lindsay, on this evening, paid me one of the loveliest compliments I think I've ever received.

"You've taught me to see so much beauty in the world that I never saw before,", she told me as we looked out over the diamond cut cityscape.

Such a simple, perfect day.

I think I was settling into the knowing that the near and inevitable future would not be easy. That I would come home and feel the initial surge of excitement over what my heart had missed for these months, but that a hollow and aimless feeling I am so accustomed to would creep in around the edges. I would feel the siren call of the city in the soles of my feet. Knowing that feeling would come, I still pushed my heart into the hands of those I loved, even though trusting people who have the power to hurt me has gotten me before, and would again. Because others have taught me that there is no point in bottling yourself up and pretending to be someone you’re not. My soul, in all it's wild and whimsy, will always be spilling over, and why not free it.

12.14.19

I feel that my time abroad was a transformative experience, I just don't quite know how to sum up what changed. I feel different, not in the way that I expected. London, sleek, elegant, historic, magical London left its mark on me in a new way. I saw so many real aspects of it, the hidden places that aren’t the ‘London’ that we imagine.

It all began with me accepting that my depression was too much for me to carry alone, which didn't magically solve my depression, but when I say that it felt like a fifty-pound weight had been lifted from my shoulders, I am not even kidding. Dealing with the scope of my complex and often confusing chemical imbalances and how they manifest in my every day, well that was a whole other beast. I am still on that path, and will always be. Sometimes I don't feel like getting out of bed, sometimes I feel nothing at all, sometimes everything all at once.

I stepped through a looking glass and into Ireland, where I met a cute stranger, and things immediately fell into place and then promptly apart again. In London, I moved in and became very close with two very lovely and wise Norwegian ladies, and I found my feisty personality doppelganger from Iowa, and nothing ever really went according to plan, or exactly as I imagined, but it was right, and it was one of the best semesters I've ever had. The last week was one of the most bittersweet moments of my life. As we wandered around the flat, we all felt a bit lost. I don't think any of us were quite capable of figuring out how to transition to not seeing each other every day. We ate most of our meals together, sometimes in companionable silence, just to be near each other. Lindsay essentially just moved the rest of the way in. On our final evening together, we had the last supper, and then we had our own small Christmas. When all the gifts had been exchanged, and the dinner tidied up, we dragged their beds into my room and had a very large slumber party.

On the way to the airport in the morning, as the four of us struggled to carry two people's worth of luggage from flat to bus to tube, we laughed to push back tears. At the airport, tissues were passed out, goodbyes were attempted, final words were choked on, and then we parted. Just like that, it was over. I felt a bit numb as I moved through the airport, alone. A full heart is a heavy burden to bear. All I could think as I sat on the plane as we taxied was, 'I feel very lucky, to have met such amazing people'.

As every mile between myself and London increased, I took deep, calming breaths, feeling a bit lost and very found, and every glance out of the window reminded me that life is magical and that castles seen from the sky are magical and oceans of clouds are magical, I really couldn't seem to do much else aside from sit in awe of what I had experienced in the past three and a half months.

It sounds like an exaggeration, or too good to be true. Don't get me wrong, there were plenty of mistakes, screw-ups, awkward times (did I tell you about how I fell down some castle steps, or completely forgot my ID the one time I tried to get into a club? Not me at my best, but me all the same).

But, those were all the pinches for the moments that often felt like dreams.

I learned a lot about my own mind, which I couldn't have done without the wildly intelligent, kind, and intriguing people that I met along the way. I learned a lot about the world too, and about how I interact with it. I learned a lot about kindness and the Universe. I learned valuable lessons about confrontation, which were stressful, and upsetting, and so very necessary. I learned a lot of Norwegian words, which I was not expecting. What I did not learn a lot about, was creative writing, at least not in the academic sense. Actively writing did teach me endlessly though.

Just a few nights ago, I saw a shooting star in a sea of other celestial bodies. I have gotten to play with my chickens on the farm, and with our baby cow, who is very hungry all the time because he is a growing boy, and with our baby goats, who are absurdly tiny and very vocal. Also, since I arrived at home, our cat, Tabitha, a proper aloof feline in all regards, has decided that she thoroughly enjoys my company, and will often stretch herself out on the floor next to me for rubs. This is a very large win because she is an adorable, fickle creature.

Now, as a new year looms before me, although 'looms' isn't the correct word, because looms sounds scary, and while change is nerve-wracking, I have so much to look forward to, as I keep reminding myself, and so much to look back on. So, as the future dawns before me, I feel apprehension, of course, but also great powerful hope and excitement, because there is so much unexpected goodness stored there. I know that it is not always sunshine and even if it were, that I cast my own shadows. Yet here I am, showing my shadows that if I dance, then so must they.

Until the next time, or perhaps, until next year,

jess

P.S. I’ve decided to grow my bangs out. If getting bangs signifies a mental break, does growing them out mean I’m starting to figure things out?

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burgeonmeraki · 4 years ago

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20 Random Things You Don’t Know About Me

Hi guys! I thought I would do something a little fun, humiliating (LOL), and different on my blog today and share 20 things you might not know about me. I get it. As a reader, I, too, love learning a bit more about the people I read. So here goes!

1. I have this weird habit where I want my feet warm especially at night before I go to sleep. I usually put some lotion on it and then put my socks on. And if there are no socks, I put a pillow under my feet, like I'm a mermaid LOL. Weird, I know! But it prevents me from having leg cramps in the morning.

That is my trophy for the singing contest. This picture was taken 2010, and I couldn’t find my trophy anymore so deal with that picture. Just kiddin’

2. I won first place at a singing contest at a talent show back when I was in kindergarten. I sang this 90s hit song My Heart Will Go On By Celine Dion. And I believe that if my parents put me or enrolled me in a voice lesson, girl, I could've been a singer today, and I might be joining singing contest like The Voice. But I only do the singing thing at the shower and karaoke. Hahaha

Left Pic: My oldest brother wasn’t there because he was working abroad Right Pic: My oldest sister is living in Canada, and my older brother is living in South Korea. My mom was holding her phone because that's them on the videocall.

3. I was supposed to have six siblings so that would make us a total of seven. I had an oldest sister, supposed to be the second child, who died because of some complications in her heart when she was still a newborn. Next is my Ate Jaz, which makes her my oldest sister alive. Then after Ate Jaz, my mom had a miscarriage. Basically, my Ate was in between two dead babies. And if ever my two siblings were alive today, I might not be here or I probably don't exist. I have such a huge age gap with my siblings because my mom had me at the age of 38, and she said that I was her only child who made her pregnancy and giving birth so hard. I was born via C-Section and the rest of my siblings were all delivered normal. So, lucky me for being here! LOL

My collection of Candy Magazine back in High School.

4. Back in High School, I used to collect Candy Magazine until first-year college. This magazine helped me with all my teenage issues like self-esteem, body image, peer pressure, beauty, fashion, dating, friendship, career, etc. They have a bunch of articles there that I enjoyed reading. And I've always wanted to be one of their models, but I was an ugly duckling, and I'm not the confident type of girl back then. I still kept these magazines inside my sentimental box.

This is my box full of photos, letters, diaries, and other stuff.

5. Speaking of the sentimental box, I'm a very sentimental person. I have boxes of stuff from my friends, family, and ex-boyfriends. I kept this stuff for good memories purposes because I like reminiscing good memories. It reminds me of these real moments that I was once shared with these people, and it's like my return ticket to that memories, whether it's funny, romantic, or sad. Plus good times need to be remembered. They need to celebrate and felt. You know, we're not getting any younger anymore, time will come that a part of our brain might forget those memories. So keeping pictures, letters, and diaries is one way to keep those memories alive.

These are my IDs from the Youth Camp Fellowship.

6. I used to be active in Church back when I was in High School. I even joined the Music Ministry and tried to learn how to play the piano. I went to a few Youth Camp Fellowship and met a lot of people, and it was fun. The reason why I became so active in Church because I had a crush on our drummer guy (he’s my first kiss). Yuck! LOL

vimeo

Love Me Like You Do By Ellie Goulding (Short Clip) / Stay By Rihanna (Cover)

7. As I was saying on number 6, I used to play the piano before. They made us choose a musical instrument that we want to play, and I was supposedly gonna go for drums because it's cool, plus I used to listen to a lot of rock bands back then, but I didn't choose it because my crush is going to be the one who's going to teach us, and I was shy, so I end up with piano. I actually tried learning how to play the guitar but you got to have callouses on your fingers in order to play it well because it freaking hurts girl! Hehe

8. Okay, let's talk about Puppy Love. When I was in grade school, I have a crush on this guy who's like 3 years older than me, and he's our neighbor. When I got into 6th grade, he started noticing me, and we became, I don't know, together? Like boyfriend and girlfriend? Haha. But since I'm a shy type kind of girl, I was having a hard time talking to him without blushing, I couldn't even let him hold my hands, or hug me, or kiss me. None of that happened. So we write letters to each other (cellphone is not a thing at that time). I know it's all cheesy and mushy and all, but anyways. I asked my niece to be our messenger haha. So I will give the letter to her, and she will give it to him, and then vice versa. Okay, so this is the funny part!! My niece left my goddamn letter for him at our dining table! And my sister and brother read the whole thing. I was so annoyed at my niece. My siblings were like mad at me for having a boyfriend at such a young age because you know, I'm their little sister, and little sissy is not allowed to have a boyfriend LOL. And then they threatened me that they're going to tell it to my mom, so I broke up with him after a week using a letter haha. We kept in touch til I got into High School. I think we went out before, we watch a movie but I brought a chaperone with me. HAHA we didn’t end up together because he’s such a playboy. FYI: I don't count him as my ex-boyfriend. LOL

youtube

9. I had a puppy named Mocha because she’s dark brown and it suits her. She’s a shih tzu and she’s the cutest puppy in the world but she died because she got sick. I miss her so much! :(

Snorkeling at Coron, Palawan.

10. I love going to the beach. I love swimming! My mom’s sister owns a beach resort and it was just an hour away from our place. We always go there every summer, and that’s where I learned how to swim, not in the swimming pool, but in the ocean. I was supposedly going to be a swimmer. My 4th grade teacher trained me, and he trained other students in other sports like badminton and volleyball, and they joined sports competition, and they win medals. So I got very interested because I want to win medals too. So I did my training but I was having a hard time to dive. I know I'm doing it wrong because the water kept going inside my nose and it freaking hurts. So I stopped and quit the training because I couldn't do it properly. Haha

I think I was in 3rd Grade in here. Lol

11. I joined Girl Scout back in grade school. I can't remember why I joined. All I know is I am going to have a lot of fun in here. And that was my first camping experience. We camped out at our school, and yeah, it was fun and scary at the same time because there are lots of ghost stories in our school. Our motto: "Girl Scouts are always ready and prepared.”

I also joined Drum & Bugle. I was a Majorette, the one who throws the baton in the air and twirls it. I just love to dance back then, and nope, I'm not a professional dancer. It's just that life is better when you dance! :)

Junior Year High School. Cheer Dance Competition during our Intramurals Day.

12. When I got into High School, I've always wanted to join Cheer Dance Competition since I was in my freshman year. But most of the girls in my school back then were all pretty and mean. I only joined when I was in my junior year, and we won 2nd place. I'm really not a good dancer, but I know I've got moves. I just don't know what happened today LOL. I'm one of those girls who they always lift and toss because obviously in the picture I'm thin as a rake haha. Then I tried joining again in College, and I got into an accident. I freaking fell flat on my back while we're doing our pyramid stunt and no one's there to catch me. Ouchie! I'm on the second level, standing on my right leg at this guy's shoulder, and then my left leg was angled and lifted because on the third level, a girl's going to stand on my left thigh. She was scared and not keeping her balance well so she dragged me backward with her. Someone caught her and none for me because the way I go down the pyramid is by jumping in front. Our coach didn't see that coming and I thought I am gonna go home with broken hips.

Left to Right: Elementary Graduation Day; Sophomore Year in College; Junior Year - wearing retainer; Retainer and Braces Free

13. I first had my braces when I was in 6th grade because my sister got one, so I want one too LOL. I had it for a very long time. Since I got it at such a young age, my teeth were not complete yet. And based on my x-ray, I've got several impacted wisdom tooth that's going to come out so my doctor waited for it. I only got it removed when I was in my 3rd-year college. So I had my braces for 7 years. HAHA

14. I can’t whistle. I tried. I don’t know how to. I can’t do it. PERIOD

Cupcake Nail Art, Cheetah Print Nail Art, Polka Dots Nail Art

15. I love doing my nail art from when I was in High School to College. I don't like my nails plain and simple back then, so I put a design on it and make it fun. I'm always into art and being creative. Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun. So my parents saw that potential in me, and they made me choose Architecture as my profession.

These are my high school arts that I saw on my facebook LOL.

Circa 2015. Photographed By: Iks Virina

16. I'm not a morning person. I hate waking up so early. I only wake up so early if I have important errands to run or if I have to go to work. I love sleeping during the day and staying up during the night. I'm a night owl. There's something about being up at night that makes it more peaceful to work and think. Most of my creative juices come out during the night. And I've read that night owls have better mental alertness than early risers. I don't need caffeine to keep me up at night. LOL

Circa 2015. Photographed By: Iks Virina

17. I'm not a coffee person. Don't get me wrong, I love the smell of coffee. It's just that the coffee doesn't like me at all. Every time I drink coffee, especially those with high caffeine like espresso, I end up palpitating and having heartburn. I can drink it but not too much, and sometimes I preferred Frappuccino. I'm more of a tea person. I love chamomile and red berries flavors.

FEU I.D. vs BPSU I.D.

18. I went to two schools back in College. When I was in my senior year in High School, I didn't really plan my college life. I have no idea what school I am going to attend. I only know was my mom wants me to take up Architecture even though I don't want to. So yeah, I end up going to Far Eastern University for 2 years. Then, my Dad, he was working abroad in Libya, and there was a war at that time in the Middle East. So they had to go home and stopped working. We have no income, we had financial issues, and that's when I decided to return home and study in my hometown, get a scholarship because I have no choice. I was in college for 6 years, supposedly 5 years only but I had to retake some of my subjects that I already took up in my previous school because the school didn't credit it.

Back in 2015, I tried to dress up like Blair Waldorf. She loves wearing headband hehe

19. My favorite show of all time is Gossip Girl. It's like the first rated r tv shows that I really got hooked up and fall in love with. It's the reason why I've always wanted to go to New York. I have watched this already a few times, and it doesn't get old. I love Serena Van Der Woodsen (Blake Lively), her style, and the way she carries her clothes. She's this free-spirited, charming, nice, laidback IT GIRL. And then Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester) aside from her classy, preppy style, I like her domineering and loyal personality. Plus her romantic on and off love affair with Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick). But my biggest crush on this show is Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford), oh god I love his eyes, it's so sexy! HAHA

Sandbox Adventure at Pampanga; Bike Trailing and Wakeboarding at Nuvali, Laguna; and Skimboarding at Boracay

20. I love some good adventure. I have this bucket list of things to do before I die, and I want to fulfill that. Like traveling the whole world, plus I want to go skydiving or bungee jumping. Aside from that, you're just not creating memories, you're also trying new things. And I'm always up for trying new things, and I like challenging myself sometimes. Life is boring if you don't at least try or go out of your comfort zone. Just try new things once in a while, and don't be afraid to soar high.

What’s something random about you? And if you make a post, share it below. Thank you so much for dropping by!

Love Lots, Jamie

#lifestyle

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vieuxnoyesrp · 7 years ago

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Dani. Katherine Pierce has become infamous not just as a character - but as tool that’s been used time and time again to spice up many storylines - both on the show and in many roleplay spinoffs that stemmed from it. Just like her personality, there’s both a thrill and a danger to that; the former because she’s so fun to have around, the latter because it’s so unfortunately easy to see her turned into a flat stereotype or a poorly-layered plot contrivance. For us, your application was refreshing in that you went back to the basics; showed us the building-blocks of her character and alluded to the links she still has to her past. She felt more human than myth. Your headcanons were totally outside-of-the-box and your writing was impeccable. Most of all, we loved that you showed us who Katherine is as an individual; beyond the overly familiar scope of her connections to the men in her life; to Klaus, Elijah or the Salvatores. You hit the nail on the head with this application and we’re grateful for it!

Dani, thank you very much for applying. As for Katherine…

⚜ ~ WELCOME TO VIEUX NOYÉS!!! ~ ⚜

Wondering what to do next? Click here and let the good times roll!

�� Roleplayer:

⤜ Name/alias: Dani ⤜ Pronouns: She/Her ⤜ Age: 20 ⤜ Timezone: EST ⤜ Activity: I try to be on at least once a day, though replies tend to take a day or two to get done! These last months have been a bit stressful, but after next week’s hiatus a lot of time will be clearing up which will allow me to participate daily rather than every other day, or every other other day. ⤜ Best form of contact: (Skype, gmail, or just here on tumblr, etc.) My twitter: daniellaferri or my skype danidanidani are all good! ParacosmicMuse is also an alternative since it’s my personal. ⤜ Any Triggers? (If so, please tell us how you want the subject to be treated in this roleplay (whether to be tagged accordingly or avoided completely, etc.) Shootings, gun violence, eating disorders, sexual assault ⤜ How did you find Vieux Noyés? Rose was kind enough to recommend it to me at a time I was looking for another writing group. ⤜ What drew you to the RP? Not trying to kiss major ass or anything, but the admins. I’ve known all of you a brief amount of time truly, but the fact that you three are collaborating makes me feel in insanely good hands. The RP itself has so much attention to detail and wonderful people, of course, and that creative take on these characters keeps me motivated to be a part of it all. ⤜ What is one subplot/element from the Plot page that you are particularly looking forward to seeing in this roleplay? I’m really eager to see the Salem and New Orleans witches play, tbh. Like I love everything, but I’m really excited to see how ancestral magic and magic from the earth differentiate and how the covens ( the NOLA one already having major differences and a weak community at the moment ) will co-exist. Also, what will the ancestors say about it? Cause from what I’ve seen on TO they have a lot more dominion over their coven than i think the witches realize, and I don’t see the ancestors responding too well to the possibility of their legacies switching over to a different kind of magic, with a group of foreigners. It all sounds really interesting, I hope I get to see that played out one day.

⚜ Desired Character:

⤜ Why do you want this character?

TVD was a show that took a while, and some effort, for me to get into. I always stopped watching after season 2 simply because I didn’t feel entirely attached to the problems the ensemble faced, nor was I a fan of the ‘love triangle’ trope in my fourteen or fifteen years of age. One of my few favorite parts of the show was Katherine Pierce. I think she was a really underutilized character. In attempts to kind of do something bigger and greater, the writers threw her potential under the bus and the more I think on her character, the more I wonder about her mentality, her development, and what her story would have been where she not pushed into irrelevancy in the middle of the series. I really want to explore that in this new setting.

⤜ What are your future plans for this character?

I want to test Katherine’s resolve, and her self-acceptance. She’s adamant about no longer running, and yet, she has a slew of enemies in New Orleans, multiple characters who wouldn’t mind killing her or casting her out, and do not owe her any favors. So while she tries to develop a network of defenses as she has all her life, I really want to see where that humanity comes in, and whether or not she’s willing to confront the fact that a part of her genuinely wants to live ( not just survive ), if it means fighting against, not just physical violence against her, but people’s beliefs about her, and a lot of distrust that has just generally followed her around in all her time running from Klaus.

⤜ Put yourself in your character’s shoes. Give us a few lines to describe a day in the life of your character… Where do they live? Where and how do they spend their time?

Not one for traipsing across the Bayou in heels, or finding comfort in the solitary fields by the old plantation homes, Katherine Pierce has settled down at the heart of the city. Well, sort of. For now, she stays at the Hotel Royal, intent on hunting for real estate only after she’s obtained sanctuary from either of the notorious king pins of the quarter: Klaus Mikaelson or Marcel Gerard. For now, she remains unlisted, under their noses, and the patron of an all inclusive continental breakfast. She knows the constant bustling streets will work in her favor, seeing as she needs to lay low for awhile.

Katherine is always on the go, which means, unless she’s certain no one in her vicinity will go blabbing to some higher-up about her location, she doesn’t linger in many coffee shops or bars. She favors the antiquities shop occasionally, for it’s cluttered space, and luxury finds, gets her morning coffee at the French Market when she doesn’t order it at the hotel, and, should she need to meet someone for a chat, she’ll usually take to some overzealous tourist trap bar on Bourbon Street.

By now she’s noticed a few key players making constant appearances at Rousseau’s and Tulane University. Which is why if she’s ever spotted there, it’s usually because she wants to be found. At the moment her days are spent trying to establish enough formidable connections so that, should things go south she won’t have to flee, again.

⤜ Give us three headcanons regarding your character of choice.

Second to Mystic Falls ( Circa 1800s ), Île-de-France remains Katherine’s favorite place she’s traveled. She had arrived in the Parisian Region in 1718, and had managed to reside there for as many as four years before continuing the game of cat and mouse Klaus refused to relieve her of. In that brief time, she’d assimilated beautifully to the luxury, the politics, the gambling of the aristocrats. The men found her beautiful, and she basked in the jewels she’d been gifted, and the balls she’d been taken to. The Palace of Versailles has seen blood spilt by her before, and still it retains some of her happier memories of the past. Briefly, the formidable château made her feel safe, without leaving her bored. She resents that it’s more of a tourist attraction now.

Her license is expired, but her IDs are always up to date. With the aid of several supernaturals in the identity theft ring, Katherine has been known to keep herself under the radar with the use of countless false identification cards, all up to date, all dummy-proof. Still, she has no driver’s license, and her current one is a few years past. Usually, she’ll compel her way out of traffic violations, and drive when necessary, but makes use of taxi cabs and compact cities to keep her off foot and unreported.

Katherine has but one keepsake from her past. Too much time on the run, and too little emotional involvement left her taking only what she needed in her travels. And though she’d sooner mock the everyday hoarder, than replicate them, Katherine still holds onto the resin light blue cameo necklace she wore during her time at the Salvatore Estate. Bewitched by Emily Bennett, the pendant became outdated over time, but unlike the rest of her daylight accessories from her past, this jewel was one she carried with her well into the next century. To this day, it remains in her jewelry box, carrying memories of a time in love she’s not willing to forget so easily.

⤜ What are some plots you’d like to explore with your characater?

I’m looking forward to the plot between her and Caroline. This misunderstanding that Elena was the one who turned her seems so interesting to me, and refreshing, that I really want to see how Katherine will attempt to play it all out in her favor, and what her back up plan might be should Caroline discover the truth and redirect her anger to it’s rightful owner.

I also look forward to seeing how Katherine ‘play’s nice’, for lack of a better term, with Marcel. She’s so prideful that I feel like there’s definitely room for struggle there, in terms of how much ass she’s willing to kiss and how much she’s willing to bank on the king of New Orleans. Also, Klaus and Marcel have a very temperamental relationship, so I think it’d be really fun to explore how Katherine keeps up with, and plots around, that unsteady alliance.

In regards to developing her character, I really want to see how Katherine will fight to remain in New Orleans. By that I mean, I noticed a lot of her connections don’t really understand why she’s decided to finally stop running, and stop in New Orleans of all places. And I think the character herself struggles to accept/address how deep that longing for stable ground and love runs, or how long its been festering. Since she’s truly put herself in ‘the lion’s den’, as it were, I want to see her earn that freedom from those that want to kill her, but I also want to see her realize that not all of it is as easy as an endless list of back up plans and manipulation tactics.

⤜ Para sample:

(Retained for privacy.)

————— ⤜ Would you like to be considered for another character if not accepted as your primary choice? No, i’ll stick to just Bonnie. But thank you! ⤜ Have you read the rules? Yes ⤜ Anything else? That’s all <3

#tvd rpg #Nina Dobrev #Nina Dobrev FC #Katherine Pierce #Katherine Pierce RP #accepted

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hyunijinremadeonceagain · 5 years ago

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the boyz

these charts are almost nct level bad

1. jacob

after a lot, a lot of contemplating, this is the best chart amongst them. he’s a sweet talker! when he’s invested in a conversation it will never end!!! he’s thoughtful, a real charmer ... a very likeable person!!! people always have good things to say about him. he’s a bit of a ditz on the surface but he’s also smart, kind, and a true friend.

2. changmin

LOUD, sharp humour, quick intellect yet completely clueless at the same time. knows more than he even realizes. a homebody ... finds comfort in friends, family, places of familiarity, ect. protective of himself, loved ones and possessions.

3. chanhee

never thought id say a double taurus has this good of a chart but here we are. he’s incredibly smart, the kind that almost shocks people at first, its not what they were excepting. he’s care free, doesnt care too much what others think, some may even say he’s full of himself but its all under the guise of a joke. he’s a romantic to the bone.... he gives the type of love that makes you feel safe no matter what.

4. kevin

all pisces n cap placements babyyyyyy. mega mega creative and superrr dreamy, elegant, 80s movie star energy. he is hilarious ... almost everything said is not to be taken seriously even though he’s being dead serious. feels a lot but can’t express it well.

5. eric

we already know i feel about his chart. that aqua venus is like the plague but fortunately for him there are worse charts. he’s the type to be “mean” to the people he cares about bc he has a tough time probably getting his emotions across to people, scared of opening up without realizing it. an Intense thinker .... feels deeply but doesn’t let anyone see.

6. hyunjae

i put him here at the half way point on purpose bc our charts are nearly the same and i don’t know if i’d love that or hate that. he’s good at paying attention to details, sees the things others don’t always notice or pick up on. he has big ambitions, wants to be the best because nothing less will leave him satisfied. he’s competitive, easily motivated, driven, gets what he wants.

7. hwall

tries too hard to be cool but it comes off as awfully endearing, the quirky type. a flirt ... its almost embarrassing but theres something so sweet and almost child like about it that people just melt for him. possibly has a victim complex and wants to paint himself as the innocent one even when he’s wrong.

8. sunwoo

a little bit messy and emotionally unstable but its okay hes trying his best <3 he’s funny and snarky, never one to miss a punch. always down to talk or hang out but also needs his fair share of being alone, acts as everyones therapist but never seeks anything in return.

9. sangyeon

i rlly dont have anything to say, i’ve seen worse but it’s not particularly good either. all i can tell you is his ego is mega huge.

10. younghoon

you guys wanna say water signs are whiny? spend one day with someone who has this chart, then you’ll see. needs attention or he’ll die, literally. cant hide his emotions!!! acts tough but is just babey.

11. juyeon

bad . its just bad . scary bad. god complex level 1000000, probably always pissed off, never knows when to cut it out.

12. haknyeon

not to project but this is like my dads chart and i cant shake that thought whenever i see it. he’s easily angered and way too sensitive its unbearable, can’t hold a grudge and gets over thing in 3 seconds flat, lies in order to make himself look good. has a horrid sense of humour, thinks he’s funny and thats why he’s not, can’t keep opinions to himself.

#mia #mailbox #send me a kpop group and i’ll rank their charts!#this was so hard theyre all not that greatsjwbdjsns . god

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adambstingus · 7 years ago

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10 Fun, Cheap Date Nights You Can Have At Home (That Aren’t Netflix)

How often have I babbled on about the importance of keeping the romance alive in your relationship? Im not trying to be annoying or repetitive, but it is important! I am a firm believer that religiously practicing date night on a regular basis is crucial to relationship health. Let me be mores specific. Im not talking about a double or triple date where the conversation is flying six different ways. I do love those group dates with my favorite couples, but I am talking about the importance of one-on-one dates with your boo. Setting aside quality time to spend with your hubby with no distractions is like an apple a day for your relationship.

To keep these date nights interesting, youll want to mix it up and try new things. Obviously, date night has the potential of becoming a very expensive activity. Try hitting up Groupon and Living Social for not only cheap dates, but dates you would have never thought of yourself, like flying trapeze classes or a painting class at a local bar. But for those of us that arent rolling in the dough, these internet deals can still be a splurge. Dont worry, I am here to tell you that you can still have a date night every two weeks (or once a month, whichever you fancy) at home and on a budget. Here are some creative ways to make your date night romantic, entertaining, and low cost.

1. Living Room Camping

This is one has sentimental value to me. When my fianc and I first started dating I was going through a rough time in generally and the bad days at work didnt help. When Id had a particularly crappy day, I would come home to find a good old fashioned fort in the living room. The outside was made with sheets and furniture; inside he made a comfortable cushioned floor using pillows and comforters. We would take refuge inside the fort and forget about all of our problems. Dont knock it until you try it! Use your fireplace or some candles as a mock campfire, roast some marshmallows and tell ghost stories. How does that not sound like a good time?

2. Outdoor Dining

If youve got a nice or even just a clean backyard, use it! Set up a small table for two outside complete with candles and a bottle of wine. Put on some nice background music and have a good old fashioned backyard dinner. Its very romantic. Unlike eating on patio of a restaurant with twenty other couples sharing your moment, this makes for a very private and intimate setting. Think your backyard or patio doesnt have the ambiance needed for outdoor dining? An easy fix is to hang cheap outdoor lights. Its amazing how one detail can work wonders on setting the mood.

3. Boudoir Photo Shoot

Okay, so if you are a little more on the reserved side (cough, prude, cough), this one may not be your cup of tea, but hear me out before you rule it out completely. Date night is supposed to be all out coming together with your significant other and getting intimate. I think this is pretty intimate, not to mention fun for all parties involved. Start by choosing a designated back drop like a free wall, a hanging sheet, the bed, etc. Pick a few different pieces of lingerie to change into. Give your guy a camera (prob best if its not a camera phone, dont want these pictures accidentally getting posted on Facebook or Instagram), and let him take control of the photo shoot. Youre the model, he is the director. Enjoy (insert winky face here).

4. Wine Tasting

If you and your guy are wine-os, youll love this one. Use your kitchen table, bar, or coffee table. Set out a few different bottles of wine and glasses. Make sure to set out some food that pairs well with what youll be drinking, think cheeses, veggies, bread, etc. No food equals getting drunk way too fast, passing out early, and a nasty hangover. That being said, take your time as you would if you were in Napa on a rustic vineyard. Swirl, sniff, sip, and then discuss your opinions on flavor and stuff. Obviously I am not well educated on wine specifics, but you dont have to be to enjoy this. Its just you and your boo, no wine snobs to make you feel dumb. If you are a wine snob, great! Youll have fun with this one too and there wont be any amateurs to slow down your night. Remember to light some candles and put on background music!

5. Game Night

Game night can go one of three ways and Ill leave it up to you to try one or all three. The first is nostalgia game night. Choose your favorite childhood board games (mine are Candy Land and Operation) and laugh at the memories over a bottle of wine or your favorite beer. The second is adult game night. This includes a more grown up version with games like Cards Against Humanity. The third is x-rated game night. Go to your local sex shop or search online for an intimate adult game. There are tons to choose from involving blind folds, melted chocolate, and roll of the body part dice. Whether you choose PG, x-rated, or all three, game night with your handsome babe is sure to be loads of fun.

6. Project/Craft Night

With all of the hours we spend pinning cool crafts on Pinterest, this option seems very appealing. But please, for the love of god, do not make your significant other do something he will hate like knitting or scrap-booking. Choose a house project youve been meaning to get around to or a fun project you can both be involved in. Make sure this is an activity that interests BOTH of you, not just you and not just him. Youll also make sure this is something that is more fun than it is hard work, remember you are doing this as a date. Order a pizza or take out and of course you can add alcohol to the mix if you fancy. Put on your favorite Pandora station and get to work. My man and I did this as a date night with a painting I had seen on Pinterest. It was a hand painting in which each family members hand was in a different color and the prints were all over the canvas, overlapping each other. It looked really cool, so we tried it and of course included the dogs. It was interesting night to say the least, dogs and paint can get messy. No matter, now we have a somewhat decent piece of handmade art to hang in our home.

7. Karaoke

Yes, Blake and I have done this and it was so much fun! We didnt plan on it, it just happened. We started one night with tacos and margaritas, an hour later we were taking turns on the Play Station 3 mic and singing our little hearts out. A bit of heads up, this may not be the greatest idea if you have close proximity neighbors who dont like crappy singing and loud music. If you can, do this! Such a great way to let loose with the one you love. Not into singing? No problem, make it a dance party instead. Im not a video game person, not in the slightest, but karaoke and dancing games are perfect for this. We have Sing Star and Just Dance for Play Station. If you dont have these games but want to try them, check your local rental store or RedBox. You wont regret this one!

8. Spa Session

I know what youre thinking, my manly man wont even get in a bubble bath. First of all, that sucks for him. Second of all, he will end up truly enjoying this one if he approaches it with an open mind. Okay ladies, dont torture your men! No tweezing, waxing, or anything else that is painful and/or will change his appearance. Thats how youll send him running and screaming out of the bathroom. Instead, make this a relaxation effort, not a make over. Run a warm bubble bath with salts and scented oils. While youre waiting for the tub to fill, start with a face mask. I like the warming ones, they immediately send my mind into relaxation mode. Help your beau apply and rinse off his mask. Slip into the tub together and just relax and talk. For added romance, carefully place a few candles safely around the tub and bring a glass of wine for each of you. Just dont get so relaxed that you fall asleep, because after the tub youll want to move it into the bedroom and take turns giving each other back massages. Stop by a body shop like Bath & Body Works for some aromatherapy massage oil. Best spa session ever.

9. Cooking Class

I know I said in home and I meant it. When I say cooking class I dont mean attending an actual cooking class, I mean doing your own cooking class with just the two of you. Find a recipe from a cooking magazine, book, or show that sounds delish to both of you but neither have any experience with cooking such a dish. You will work together, sharing the tasks at hand. And I mean for you to cook an actual gourmet meal, not Mac & Cheese from a box, no matter how much you crave it sometimes. This is your date night activity, so have some fun with it. Put on your aprons and help each other chop, season, and stir the ingredients. When youve completed your edible masterpiece, its time to dig in. Sit down to a table set for two and cheers each other to your cooking accomplishment.

10. Star Gazing

Its back outside for this date night. Sometimes all you need is star-filled night sky to add that little extra bit of romance. If you have a cozy backyard (and ideally a fire pit to keep you warm), take a thermos filled with hot cocoa or spiked cider, a blanket, and your loved one to do some star gazing. Do some research before hand and make a game of trying to spot certain constellations. If you have a stable flat roof, set up some lawn chairs and enjoy the view from up there. Be careful getting on and off your roof! No back yard or accessible roof? Take a stroll down to your local park. Odds are, it will be deserted after dark and the jungle gym style toys make for great seats.

No matter what you choose to do on your date nights, make sure you are focused on each other. Make it about you two and nothing else. Hopefully Ive inspired you to try something new with your partner in crime. Maybe one of these unique date nights will start a spark and youll be truly glad you branched out. If nothing else, simply relish in the company of your loved one.

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/2017/07/27/10-fun-cheap-date-nights-you-can-have-at-home-that-arent-netflix/ from All of Beer https://allofbeercom.tumblr.com/post/163476190967

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samanthasroberts · 7 years ago

Text

10 Fun, Cheap Date Nights You Can Have At Home (That Aren’t Netflix)

1. Living Room Camping

2. Outdoor Dining

3. Boudoir Photo Shoot

4. Wine Tasting

5. Game Night

6. Project/Craft Night

7. Karaoke

8. Spa Session

9. Cooking Class

10. Star Gazing

Source: http://allofbeer.com/2017/07/27/10-fun-cheap-date-nights-you-can-have-at-home-that-arent-netflix/

from All of Beer https://allofbeer.wordpress.com/2017/07/27/10-fun-cheap-date-nights-you-can-have-at-home-that-arent-netflix/

0 notes

allofbeercom · 7 years ago

Text

10 Fun, Cheap Date Nights You Can Have At Home (That Aren’t Netflix)

1. Living Room Camping

2. Outdoor Dining

3. Boudoir Photo Shoot

4. Wine Tasting

5. Game Night

6. Project/Craft Night

7. Karaoke

8. Spa Session

9. Cooking Class

10. Star Gazing

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/2017/07/27/10-fun-cheap-date-nights-you-can-have-at-home-that-arent-netflix/

0 notes

niamsuggitt · 7 years ago

Text

The Ides Of June 2017

Hello there! And welcome all to this month’s ‘The Ides Of’ column, where I write just a little bit about all of the various stuff and nonsense I’ve been enjoying over the past 30 days. Yes, this instalment is late, but it’s been lovely and warm, so I haven’t had the inclination to stay indoors and write this stuff. I’ve actually been outside and I’ve even been wearing shorts! What is the world coming to?

This month is a decent one I think, there’s a lot of movies (although some are rewatches), 2 intriguing books, more great TV and I bought another Switch game! Unfortunately there’s no new music this time out, but next month will change that, with new Royal Blood and Public Service Broadcasting albums on the horizon.

So let’s do it to it!

—

Movies

Lot’s of movies to talk about this time, so let’s not waste any time with preamble! First up is Prometheus (Ridley Scott 2012), which I finally actually got around to watching due to the release of it’s sequel, Alien: Covenant, which I haven’t actually seen. That’s kind of me in a nutshell really, the release of a new thing makes me realise I haven’t actually seen the old thing yet! See also Schmidt, Kimmy later on. Anyway, I mostly enjoyed Prometheus, although as the rest of the internet has already explained ad nauseum, it certainly has it’s problems and, at a bit of a remove, doesn’t really make that much sense. I like the previous Alien films, and have the Quadrilogy box-set, but wouldn’t say I was any kind of mega-fan, so I don’t have any real issues per se with Scott going back and removing some of the mystery. Especially because, every answer he gives only raises more and more questions! I came out of the film wanting to know more, so in that way, it was a success. I think the things that really stood out to me here were the visuals, because whatever you think of Ridley Scott, the man has one of the best eyes for science fiction out there, and also the fantastic performance of Michael Fassbender as the android, David. He is just superb, although his role in the plot is one that frustrates me, as it’s never really explained why David is fucking with things, he just… is. Maybe the answers are waiting for me in Covenant? I also found that frustration with Charlize Theron’s character. She’s just kind of a dick for no reason, you find out Weyland is her dad… and then she dies. There must be more to it than that, but there isn’t. A lot of the other performances are like that really, good actors doing something potentially good, but not as much as you like, Idris Elba, Race Spall and Sean Harris all deserve more I think. Especially as Noomi Rapace, who is nominally the lead, isn’t quite as interesting, at least to me. Her performance is good, particularly in the fantastic ‘abortion’ scene that’s probably the film’s highlight. Unfortunately for Rapace, in an Alien film, a female lead is always going to be compared to Sigourney Weaver, and she doesn’t quite match up! Prometheus is, I would say, not a particularly great film, but it is a very interesting one.

Next, I watched a documentary that actually uses footage from Prometheus in parts, Jodorowsky’s Dune (Frank Pavich 2013). This film tells the inside story of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s failed attempt to adapt Frank Herbert’s ‘Dune’ novel into a movie in the 1970s, and wow, this movie that never got made is far more interesting than most ones that do make it! Jodorowsky’s ambition here was huge, and I would go as far to say a bit insane. If you’ve seen any of his actual films (I really like El Topo), you’ll know that he’s a bit out there, but this would have been something else. He wanted Salvador Dali, Orson Welles and Mick Jagger in the film, he made his young son learn to swordfight, it is mental. The film features some fascinating interview snippets not just with Jodorowsky and others who worked on the film, but also with outsiders like Nicolas Winding Refn, who once sat with Jodorowsky all night whilst he acted out the film. In the end, this is not just an intriguing look at a film that never came to be, but also a great monument to the power of creativity, and a unique creative mind. Because even in failure, Dune had a massive impact. It brought Jodorowsky together with Moebius, and they would later collaborate on the Incal comic series. It had a huge influence in so much other science fiction, including Alien (Dan O’Bannon and HR Giger worked on Dune, and some of the structures in Promethus are straight from the Dune sketchbook), Flash Gordon, Star Wars and basically… everything we nerds love today. My only complaint would be that, a lot of the interviews were in French, and there were no subtitles, so I couldn’t grasp what Michel Seydoux was saying. But other than that, highly recommended.

I wrote earlier about a Michael Fassbender performance being the best part of a movie, and whilst that’s true for Prometheus, it’s definitely the case for X-Men: Apocalypse (Bryan Singer 2016), which I found to be really quite a mess, and definitely indicative of how far behind the X-Men film franchise is lagging behind others right now (please note, I haven’t seen Logan yet). As a comics fan, I of course love the X-Men, but I must admit that I haven’t really been behind the X-Men movies in a while. X3 was the last one I saw in the cinema, and Deadpool and First Class are probably the ones I would actually say were good movies these days. I haven’t watched 1 or 2 in ages, but I fear they won’t have aged well. Apocalypse is indicative of this malaise really. The plot is incredibly perfunctory, with Apocalypse just coming back, being evil, and the X-Men stopping him. There’s barely a hint of a plan from him, which is incredibly disappointing, especially as it means the normally brilliant Oscar Isaac is just wasted under layers of Ivan Ooze make-up. The rest of the cast is actually good, I mentioned him earlier, but Fassbender is just superb as Magneto. He and James McAvoy’s Professor X basically make this period piece series work singlehandedly. I initially rolled my eyes at the film manipulating our emotions by giving Magneto a family only to immediately kill them off, but damn, Fassbender sells it. Jennifer Lawrence is once again inexplicably front and centre as Mystique. I really find it weird how they’ve insisted on making her such a big hero, obviously it caught them off-guard after First Class how big a star she became, but it just doesn’t make sense to me, especially when compared the the comics. The film re-introduces a lot of familiar faces with new actors, so we now have a teen Cyclops, Jean Grey, Nightcrawler and Storm. These young actors are fine, but they aren’t given too much to do really. It pissed me off how the film has Storm side with Apocalypse for most of it and then switch sides and tries to plays it off as a big surprise. Storm one of the most famous X-Men of all of them, everyone knows she’s a good guy, you can’t get away with silly shit like that. This film just felt a bit flat and uninspired throughout, there’s an entirely unnecessary Wolverine cameo (that I actually managed to be surprised by), a decent enough Quicksilver sequence that just feels like a poor re-tread of the one in Days Of Future Past, and just a whole heap of bad CGI and lame moments. I liked parts of it, but it in no way stands up to the MCU, and isn’t even aggressively stupid bad like Suicide Squad. I really hope the X-Men movies can improve, I know that Logan is supposed to be good, and the Legion TV show was amazing, but there needs to be another good, main franchise X-Movie. Will Dark Phoenix manage that? I have my doubts. Maybe New Mutants will be good.

Speaking of New Mutants, the future Magik, Anya Taylor-Joy, is the star of the next film on the docket, The Witch (Robert Eggers 2015). This is a very atmospheric and creepy horror film set in 17th Century America, as an isolated Puritan Family comes face to face with, well, a witch. This is my kind of horror movie, not so much made up of jump scares and gore, but instead an overall unease about it, and slow ramping up of terror until everything boils over into weirdness and a talking demon goat. There are some truly unsettling sequences in this story, and it really did keep me guessing throughout as to what was going on. One thing I really appreciated was the script, as Eggers tried to make it as period accurate as possible. At first the language seems odd, but you soon get used to it. The performances are all strong, Taylor-Joy is excellent as Thomasin, and it was great to see Leeds’ own Ralph Ineson get a starring role after being excellent on so many TV shows throughout the years. And what can you even say about Black Phillip? A tour-de-force from that Goat. The Witch is really strong film, but it is genuinely scary, it took me about 3 months to build up the courage to watch it, and it has stuck with me!

I continued the horror by watching The Babadook (Jennifer Kent 2014), and yes, I was inspired to watch it because of the ‘Babadook as a gay icon’ meme, which is just hilarious. I didn’t find that much queer subtext in the film (although he does come out of a closet…) but I did very much enjoy it. Like The Witch, this film delivers the kind of scares I like, psychological, and lingering in the background, and most importantly, rooted in real human emotions. The Babadook might not even be real, and is probably some kind of grief manifestation. But, again, like The Witch, I enjoy the ambiguity about it. Another thing I really liked is how willing the film was to make the kid into an unlikeable dick, whilst also still allowing us to care about him. The two main characters here a very complex, and there’s a lot to unpack still. The design of the Babadook is another really cool thing about this film, it’s just iconic (gay or otherwise) and I think this character could end up in the pantheon of great monsters, it really is that effectively creepy.

I also re-watched 2 big blockbusters on Blu-Ray that I wrote about more extensively when they were in the cinema; Doctor Strange (Scott Derrickson 2016) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Gareth Edwards 2016), or as I like to call them ‘Mads Mikkelson does Disney’. Both held up on a second viewing, and I think I actually liked Doctor Strange more this time around. The visuals were amazing, and, along with Guardians Of The Galaxy 2, show that they really are willing to take the Marvel Cinematic Universe into different places. Rogue One’s tragic ending didn’t quite hit me as much this time out for obvious reasons, as I knew it was coming, but I still enjoyed it. I paid more attention to the performances, in particular Diego Luna and Ben Mendelsohn. I think Cassian Andor might be one of the most interesting characters in a Star Wars movie, I certainly would like to see more of his story, so get on it Marvel!

Television

There’s no new or returning shows this month, it’s all quick hits, and I will try and be quick!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX) wrapped up it’s season in fine form with a bunch of double-episodes. I really enjoyed Gina Gershon’s guest role, and the way the season ended, with Rosa and Jake being sent to prison was a great cliffhanger, even topping last years! As an Earwolf podcast nerd, it was of course also great to get cameos from Scott Aukerman, Kulap Vilaysack in the finale. I get a kick out of hearing those familiar voices come out of actual faces. This is now one of the most consistently funny US sitcoms out there… hell, it’s one of the few.

The ending of Better Call Saul (AMC) Season 3 was also very good, particularly the fate of Chuck, which was just shocking and tragic. When BCS is on, it’s the best drama on TV, and it certainly has the best characters. I will say though that this 3rd season has been a bit too disjointed, as those characters were too disparate. I can’t remember the last time Jimmy and Mike shared a scene (Episode 4?) and the same can really be said for Mike and Nacho. At times it felt like 2 different shows, maybe even 3, happening concurrently. Now, all of those shows were good, but it didn’t cohere as well as it might. Hopefully Season 4 will bring things closer together. Gus’ knowing look at the end seems to indicate he knows what Nacho was up to, so I can imagine the criminal element consolidating. Plus, with Chuck dead and Kim sidelined with injury, things are bound to change for Jimmy McGill, and I imagine we’re only going to get more and more of Saul Goodman. This was an odd year for the show, but it’s still excellent, and Michael McKean really should win all the awards, he was superb throughout this season, making us loathe and sympathise with Chuck all at the same time. Any awards that don't go to him should go to Odenkirk of course.

I’m basically just going to be talking about finales this month aren’t? Archer (FXX) ended it’s ‘Dreamland’ storyline with some seriously surprising violence, I couldn’t believe how far they actually took Barry’s rampage. In the end, I thought the concept of Archer being in this Noir fever dream petered out a bit, and they didn’t stick the landing. But it was still funny, with all of the voice actors on full cylinders. I do think that it might be time to end Archer though, they’ve stretched this tone and character as far as it can go. After a whole season that’s a dream, what next? Take a leaf out of the LOST podcast joke and do a zombie season?

Gotham (FOX) got even more silly and ridiculous at the end of Season 3, with the introduction of Ra’s Al Ghul and the revelation that long-time henchman extraordinaire is Butch Gilzean is actually called Cyrus Gold, and is therefore eventually going to become Solomon Grundy. As dumb as this is, I loved it. This show is best when it verges on the camp, and these last few episodes delivered, particularly as Morena Baccarin finally got to be a bit interesting when playing an ‘evil’ Leslie Tompkins. It was great fun seeing her chew the scenery. And man, that final scene, where Bruce Wayne goes out on the streets to fight crime… it’s mad that they are doing that so soon, but I don’t care at this point. Gotham needs to go full on Adam West (RIP by the way) and never look back.

I must admit to being rather disappointed by the finale of The Flash (The CW), because the fake out of it actually being HR to die instead of Iris felt way too easy, and also because HR was just the best. I’ll miss him, but I’m sure whatever the hell version of Wells Tom Cavanaugh plays in Season 4 will also be great. The real highlight of this last set of episodes was the return of Captain Cold in ‘Infantino Street’. I can’t say it enough, but Wentworth Miller is just the best in that role. The ending of the Season redeemed things for me somewhat though, with Barry disappearing into the Speed Force, in what I think is meant to be the show’s version of his ‘death’ in Crisis On Infinite Earths (a story I have actually never read). How cool would it be if Wally was the Flash for like, half of Season 4? I would dig that. But it won’t happen.

Rounding out Superhero Corner until The Defenders comes out in the summer, Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC) had a great finale to a really strong season. It’s brilliant to see how far this show has come. They managed to tie all of the separate ‘pods’ of the season together, as Ghost Rider returned to help take out Aida in a very satisfying way. I really hope they keep this up in Season 5.

Like with Better Call Saul, it really has been an odd year for The Americans (FX), as the series shifted gears and became much more of an introspective character piece, particularly when it comes to the character of Philip. It took a while to get used to, and by the finale I was still a bit let down by how little ‘happened’, but in the end, I like where we are now. The characters, who were already well rounded, are even deeper now, and things are set up for a fascinating final season. And when you think about it, these smaller stories actually show the impact of Philip and Elizabeth’s job better than big missions. That slow grind, that loss of humanity, as driving a teenage boy to attempted suicide becomes the aim of a mission. It’s the more human side, rather than just chess pieces. And that’s really what I think The Americans is about, seeing what the Cold War was like on the ground. Let’s hope that Season 6 can marry what was good about Season 5 with the previous 4, and we really do go out with a bang. You can rest assured the acting will be fantastic, because Rhys and Russell always are.

Now for some shows that I haven’t watched the end of yet! American Gods (Starz) is still rolling along very nicely indeed, and even though as I said, I don’t really remember the book all too well, it’s adapting the story well, and even in some places improving on it. What I’ve found interesting is that, in a season of only 8 episodes, they’ve had the confidence to do 2 whole episodes that didn’t feature the 2 main characters of Shadow and Wednesday at all. One of those was all about Laura Moon coming back to life, and the other told the back-story of Mad Sweeney and Essie. Both were fantastic, and that willingness to switch things up really impressed me. The visuals of this show continue to be superb, and I am excited for the finale. It’s sitting there waiting for me right now…

iZombie (The CW) is rocketing towards it’s finale by piling on storyline after storyline and mashing them all together. At times it’s felt a bit over-stuffed, what with Blaine, Harley Johns, Stacey Boss, the conspiracy about the guy committing suicide in his cell, investigating Wally’s murder and the Mayoral Election, but mostly I think it’s worked. The most recent episode in particular did a good job a streamlining things I think and the ending was great, the world now knows zombies exist? What the? The performance of Rose McIver continues to be superb, and I loved the conceit of having her, Blaine and Don E all on the same brain at the same time, it’s awesome how they can still switch things up. I’m also enjoying the arrival of Logan Echolls himself, Jason Dohring. Can we dare hope for a Kristen Bell appearance?

Silicon Valley (HBO) is still delivering consistently strong laughs and intriguing twists and turns. I think my favourite part of this run of episodes has been Haley Joel Osment as Keenan Feldspar, he’s just really funny. I am worried about the finale now that we know that T.J. Miller is leaving the show, I don’t know how they are going to write out Ehrlich, but I don’t want them to! Hopefully Bighead will return to fill the void. I swear, he hasn’t been in like, the last 5 episodes or something.

Veep (HBO) has kicked it up a notch towards the end of Season 6, as a lot of chickens came home to roost, and Selina Meyer’s secrets were leaked to the world. It was a great episode, and was a strong use of continuity. I do still think this show has gotten a bit too broad when compared to the Iannucci years, but it is still very funny and the level of profanity and meanness still at times truly shocking. I can’t wait to see how the finale up-ends things. Selina is in a good place right now with the world finally knowing that she freed Tibet, but that can’t last, we all know it.

And finally, inspired by the start of it’s third season, I finally got around to finishing off Season 2 of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix). I did the same thing with Season 1, and will probably do the same thing with this new season. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Anyway, this was another very funny, surprisingly dark season of what is a fantastic show. I loved Tina Fey’s role as Kimmy’s therapist, and the casting of Kimmy’s mother was brilliant. I also found the romance between Titus and Mikey to be surprisingly sweet, but mainly because Titus is one of the best characters on television. My only complaint would be not enough Jon Hamm, but given that cliffhanger, I’m sure that will change!

Music

As I said in the intro, no new music this month so I won’t be able to contribute to any ‘Song Of The Summer’ debate just yet. Although that’s not actually a thing and we all know it.

Books

2 books to talk about this month, and both of them are from writers linked to my one true passion, comics. First up is Norse Mythology (2017) by Neil Gaiman, which as the title would suggest, is a re-telling of the Norse myths from Gaiman. It’s pretty cool to read his take on the direct myths, as these characters have popped up throughout his work. Whether in Sandman or American Gods, Gaiman has put his stamp on the likes of Odin and Loki, and it’s interesting to see him interpret the original stories. Like Gaiman, I first encountered the Norse Gods in the pages of Marvel Comics, and whilst these versions are therefore familiar, there’s something different about them, something darker for sure. This felt like a faithful, albeit poetic adaptation of the stories, as most of them were ones I knew, whether from the comics (if you’ve never read Matt Fraction and Patrick Zircher’s series of Thor one-shots that re-tell the myths you need to rectify that) or from previous takes on the myths or even just cultural osmosis. All of the familiar Gods appear, and you get stories like when Thor dressed as a woman to kill a Frost Giant, or the old beggar who built Asgard in a year. One thing I liked is that Gaiman really gets across how these stories are part of an oral tradition, and not all of them survive, so you get intentional continuity errors and characters just disappearing. It’s clear that there were other myths back then, but not all of them have survived to today. The short chapter length means that this book would probably actually be perfect for reading aloud, and I may even listen to the audiobook if Gaiman is reading it himself. He has a fantastic voice for audiobooks, it’s how I read The Graveyard Book for the first time. One other advantage this re-telling has over the comics is that Gaiman is able to actually reach ‘Ragnarok’, the death of the Gods, and go through with it. In the Marvel Universe, even though Ragnarok has happened (a couple of times in fact) and Thor has died or been replaced even more, you still know that nothing will change, but not in this case. All of the Gods, particularly Balder and Loki, meet their eventual tragic ends. This is a very enjoyable read, especially for someone who, like me, has an interest in myths and legends. It’s clear that Gaiman has a lot of affection for these Gods (particularly Loki, who is wonderfully complex here) and stories, and he more than does them justice. I would certainly be interesting in seeing Gaiman tackle other Pantheons, I personally like Greek Myth the best, but would like to know more about Egyptian as well.

I’m currently just under half-way through Michael Chabon’s Moonglow (2016) and am very much enjoying it. This novel is styled as a memoir and sees Chabon detail the life of his grandparents, particularly his grandfather. Jumping back and forth throughout his life, Chabon allows us to see what his grandfather was like as a child, as a soldier in WW2, as a newlywed, and and as an old man. So far it’s a fascinating book, both in terms of how Chabon details the complex characters of both grandparents, and also in how he tackles the hazy nature of memory and truth. It’s never clear just how much of the book is actually true, the characters are never actually named (it’s just ‘my grandfather’ or ‘my mother’) so it could all be 100% fiction. I tend to lean into it mostly being true, but in the end, it doesn’t really matter does it? As is usual with Chabon, the writing here is very strong, with some very beautiful sentences and moments. The fact that we know that the central characters here die at the very outset makes everything, particularly the romance, bittersweet, and Chabon nails that. It’s interesting, but the book I keep comparing this to is Pynchon’s Gravity’s Rainbow. Both books are about V2 rockets in WW2, but one is a weird, sprawling epic, whereas the other is an intimate character piece. It just shows how different writers can approach the same topic in completely differing ways. I don’t think Moonglow is quite as good as Kavalier and Clay, but what is? It’s still a very good book and I am excited to read the rest of it.

Games

After going months, nay, years, with no games section, I now have 2 games to write about! You wait for a bus…

Anyway, along with Zelda, I’ve now also bought Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo Switch 2017) and whilst I haven’t played it a whole lot, is a whole lot of fun, because, well, it’s Mario Kart! Those games are always fun, the more things change, the more things stay the same. They may have added a boat-load of new characters (including Link, which is weird) and added a bunch of bells and whistles and para-gliders onto the Karts, but it’s basically the same game I’ve been playing since the N64, a mad-cap race on some insane courses. I haven’t played every track yet, but I’m getting there. One thing I really appreciate about this particular version is that you can use a single Switch Joycon as a controller, so I didn’t need to shell (heh) out £60 for another controller in order to play multiplayer. I’ve always enjoyed playing against someone else who’s actually in the room over online, so that’s a huge plus, not just for Mario Kart but for the Switch in general if future games follow suit. Mario Kart is hard to really talk about critically because it’s so pure at what it is, but I do love it. And who do I play as you ask? Yoshi of course, always Yoshi. Although sometimes Toad.

As for The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild (Nintendo Switch 2017) I’ve spent most of my recent time trying in vain to capture and train horses. I’ve really been embracing the freedom the game provides to do things in whatever order I want. I haven’t even gone to Kakariko Village yet! I’m probably a bad player, but I don’t mind, I’m having a lot of fun and the game is still as beautiful and clever as ever. There’s a real romance to this game, I find it an emotional and exhilarating experience to play.

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So that’s your lot, hope you enjoyed it. I’ll be back in about a month with some more. It’s summer, so expect there to be a lot less TV and maybe just a whole lot less of everything if this weather keeps up! Although you can take Switches outside…

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anciawendprocessjournalip · 7 years ago

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Individual Project

Preliminary ideas:

From the start of the semester I found it difficult to come up with a solid idea for my individual project, for a few weeks I had nothing while just aimlessly researching.

After about 3 weeks I finally stumbled across Vanessa McKowens work of mashing two things together to create a surreal still life photo. After looking at her work and researching more I wanted to create my own photo mash-ups.

For the viva I researched various photographers work and even sports wear campaigns and tried to figure out just how they did it.

I wanted to create images that were weird and bizarre, and definitely out of the ordinary. I wanted people to see my images and have that moment of “oh OH, haha I get it.”

Viva Shoots:

I started out with the idea of spaghetti being headphones. And played around with a small light box I have at home, and just using the material backgrounds that came with it. Although I liked the idea the execution of the images was not well done, and the backgrounds of the light box just looked awful.

From here I moved into the studio and used some light coloured paper on the S table to create a smooth even endless background, like a mini cyclorama.

Here I played around with some simple food mash up ideas, like the spaghetti-headphones idea. And I even tried just a simple mascara and chocolate idea, although this idea didn’t work very well as it didn’t quite make sense.

From feedback in class it was determined I needed to replace a certain aspect of objects or food, with something that ‘could’ look like the aspect I’m replacing, not just anything (like the chocolate and mascara).

I went back to do a simple test shoot of a banana and corn, I shot the two separately and photo shopped the corn into the banana photo. This was relatively simple. Although the background then has too many shadows so I proceeded to fully remove all shadows and have a very fake one coloured background. Once showing this image in class, Alannah and others did enjoy the photo although the fact it was a food and food mashup, not food and an everyday object, I decided to steer away from that idea.

After looking closer into my 3 past test shoots I realised the shadows did add the touch of realism the photos needed. As removing the shadows like in the corn-banana image it took it a step too far into the surreal. And I wanted to create images that still left you wondering if it could be real. And leaving the shadows within the image I believe creates that other dimension where the photos could in turn be perceived as a real image.

From here I decided to do some more research into other photographers who have explored similar photographic techniques. And I found Zucas Zarebinski’s work. Whilst answering my own questions for the VIVA I found Zarebinskis work had the photographic look I was after. His harsh lighting, which creates bold colours, was the same techniques I wanted to use for my images. The very direct shooting, of looking directly at the object was also a look I wanted to create. Also using a two tone image, of a surface, and a backdrop inspired me to start exploring using two colour background instead of one flat coloured surface.

Although I spoke of many artists in my VIVA I found Benjamin Henon’s Work very interesting. His images were very surreal and life like, that you could hardly tell if it was real or fake. This is exactly the response I wanted to evoke from my images, the unknown and disbelief of the surreal life imagery. His postproduction is so careful and complex I could only strive to be as advanced as he is. Henon’s use of everyday objects also ties back into the real. I wanted to also incorporate the use of everyday objects most of us use on a daily basis within my images, as this would allow the audience to relate to the images on a personal level.

After this research I explored 6 different object mashups to complete for my VIVA, I had written notes in my phone every time an idea would pop into my head, or an object that could possibly be used for a mashup. For my first shoots, I used a table with a coloured card on the surface, and hung other complimentary colour from behind to create the “wall”. My first few images were shot using direct lighting from the side; I set my camera on f8, 1/125, and iso100. The one directional studio light was set on 6.0 a moderately low setting.

The settings on my camera allowed for enough of the shot to be in focus, and at a very sharp quality and a slow enough shutter speed to catch the flash. These images came out with a very harsh shadow; so dark it was almost black. I firstly didn’t mind this, although after receiving feedback from Alannah it was decided to try and bring up the shadows, and try to reduce them for the other images.

For the other 3 shoots I decided to bounce my light against a large Styrofoam board. This created a softer light onto the objects, and dramatically less harsh shadows. Since I was now bouncing the light, but wanted to keep the same focus and speed on my camera, I bumped up the light to a 6.5-7.0 intensity to compensate for the light lost in bouncing.

Getting the lighting and backgrounds right was the easy part. The hardest part of this semester I found was coming up with good mashup ideas that worked. For my VIVA I wasn’t 100% happy with all of my images as they weren’t as refined and pre-planned as they could have been. Some of the mashup ideas, just didn’t work. As I struggled to find inspiration without copying other peoples ideas I had seen on pinterest etc, I spent almost an hour just walking through woolworths and kmart just looking and every possible object and correlating food item that could work together. Sometimes the inspiration would hit and then I would try it in the studio and it just wouldn’t work, or I couldn’t find the exact object or colour I was after. It turned out to be a much harder experience than I initially thought it would be.

Once I found objects and foods that would work together, shooting each object took at least and hour or 2 per mashup. As halfway through finalising my VIVA I decided I wanted the objects to be floating, as this again added in the touch of the surreal. Although making object ‘float’ is really bloody hard as I found out. Some objects were much easier than others, but some were almost impossible although the best solution I had was fishing line and a lot of bluetac. Although some objects just required some strategic placement and holding so it could be photo shopped out later.

Photo shopping the objects was time consuming although rather easy, some objects could be done in camera which made my life much easier.

Once it came time to present the VIVA, my images were getting closer to what I wanted them to be in the end. Although as I didn’t have time to reshoot all of the images, half of the images were still left with dark harsh shadows and half were the new lighting with softer shadows. Also there were some objects that were not floating and didn’t work as well as the ‘surreal’ images that were ‘floating’.

Once the VIVA was finished, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue with the duel coloured backgrounds or go back into single colours. But from feedback it was decided the two colours worked better than the single colours. From here I needed to explore further ides that worked together, and worked well together. Again I found myself taking random notes on my phone of objects that could work together. I again went back looking at the artists I had used for my VIVA more specifically Benjamin Henon and Vanessa McKowen. I didn’t want to copy anything they had already done, but just seeing where their ideas went, and the random things they came up with helped spark up a few ideas for myself.

From the VIVA completion to the final shooting, I did cut it fine with time. As we had other assignments due I lost track of time and didn’t spend as much time as I would have liked shooting and planning all of my ideas.

For my final shoots I again set the lighting up with bounce lighting on a 7.0 intensity setting. And set my camera on f7.1-f8. Using my 24-105mm lens, shooting mostly between 70-105mm. Using the wider aperture meant that more of the objects would have been in sharp focus, and the telephoto lens, although cropped close allowed for the objects to not get distorted and be shot within a tight frame.

Final Shoot:

For my final ideas I decided to shoot a lipstick as a chilli. Firstly I left the chill uncut in its natural form, although once showing my peers, it was suggested I cut the chilli into the shape of a standard lipstick, and have some of the chilli seeds showing through. This idea worked much better and made the “lipstick” more authentic.

For my second image I shot a bubble-gum as sticky tape. Getting the bubble gum into the sticky tape holder was much more difficult that I first expected, but as this shot was done all in camera, it was much easier to execute.

For the third image I decided to do a condom as a lollipop, as the shape of the wrapper and the condom within could easily be perceived as the shape of your average wrapped lollipop. With some handy bluetac on the back of the condom wrapper this shot was easily done in camera, with little hassle.

For my fourth image I wanted to imitate a Christmas bauble, as a lime. This shot took a bit of creative effort as the lime was too heavy for the top of the bauble to hold it up. So I had to shoot each shot separately. First the lime, hanging by the Christmas bauble top (no idea what this bit is actually called) just held on with some bluetac, which looked awful and is why I didn’t use it to do it in camera. I then show the Christmas bauble hanging from some fishing line to get the top in focus, and then proceeded to Photoshop the two together.

For my fifth image I decided to revisit my roller with bread, and replace it with corn, I felt like the corn worked better as it is a completely cylinder object, unlike the bread which has a flat side to it. Again I had to shoot each object separately as I was unable to shoot it in-camera. Once photo shopping I did have to puppet warp the corn slightly to allow it to fit seamlessly into the paint roller.

For my sixth image I wanted to create a basketball with an orange. Doing so I just drew the lines for the ball straight onto the orange (although this could have been done much better now I look back at it). To create the illusion of the orange floating it was very difficult, firstly I tried just dropping it and seeing if that would work, although with my camera settings it didn’t go to plan. Then I decided to use a long wooden skewer and stick it almost all the way through and balance the orange on there, and Photoshop the rest out later. Some puppet warp was used to create a more round ‘ball’.

For my final 2 images I decided to use the ice cream and light bulb image and popsicle-sponge image from my viva, as I felt these two images worked well and didn’t need to be reshot.

Evaluation:

Looking back at this whole experience this semester, I did have a rocky start and a did of a late start off the bat getting my ideas in place, but once I had my idea set it was easy to get started but I did have moment where I felt very, very stuck for ideas and it was quite frustrating at times. Looking back at my techniques and images I do feel like I could have executed them better, and spent more time and effort photo shopping and refining the images, to make the perfect like Benjamin Henon made his. The lighting isn’t as consistent as I would have liked it over the images, and the backdrops need a bit of work and the lines are all different angles, and if I was to go further I would either have the all diagonal or on the same degree of a slope. Although I found this assignment difficult at times, I did really enjoy seeing my work come to life, and being quite proud of myself when images worked, and the cool mashup ideas really worked well together. I belive I have quite good photo shop skills and I was constantly learning new techniques and ways to execute the images I was producing, although using brushes at 1% pixels did start to hurt my eyes and I would have to take constant breaks before all I saw were pixels, I did enjoy this assignment, although I am unsure where I would like to take it next semester as I struggled to come up with new ideas this semester I will need to think about where I can take this in the future and what else needs to be modified and changed to be able to continue this and perfect it for next semester.

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