#we go by vibes! its whatever feels best for each unique individual post!

[vanityangel]

After saving Jey from a pin by Sami, Solo suddenly stops in his path stalking towards Sami and turns his menacing glare to his older brother who still lays fallen on the mat. WWE Backlash (May 6, 2023)

[vkelleyart]

Thoughts on fandom: inclusion and engagement.

(Art credit to the kindhearted @penpanoply​!)

There’s been some stuff floating around on Tumblr about strife in the CO/WS fandom, and though I haven’t been explicitly named-dropped on anything public, my DMs have been... active. lol Rather than rehash what’s been said already, I just want to impart a little wisdom and perspective in the hopes it may soothe frayed feelings and offer a way ahead for cultivating a respectful community. As someone who has been an active participant in online fandoms since the mid-’90s, which was the advent of online fandom content creation (shout out to my fellow X-Philes!), and who has also spent a chunk of her professional life managing social media for the federal government and for activist groups, I can promise you it’s all gonna be okay.

Here’s some context for why strife happens and what we can do to create a more inclusive and communicative fandom environment. 

1) It sounds cliché, but fandoms go through growing pains. 

In the case of the Simon Snow fandom, what was once a small and cozy space untouched by cataclysmic events (such as the release of *gasp* a sequel) has grown exponentially in a relatively short amount of time following the release of Wayward Son. Newcomers are eager to find a home in this space at the same time as folks who’ve been here a while may be consciously or unconsciously wary about widening their circle, and It’s important to remember that this is not necessarily an expression of bad behavior on either side but just human psychology doing its thing. 

The byproduct, however, is that tension and stress builds over time from the lack of meaningful communication across the divide, which subsequently fuels misunderstandings. Ironically, the interfaces we use to communicate don’t help with this because any existing communication about the tension happens in tiny vacuums until a trigger goes off and bad feelings go public. 

Way Ahead: These moments of destabilization are opportunities to see where we can be more self aware about how we engage with fandom and the kind of community we want to be. Can you promote, support, or befriend someone trying to gain a foothold? If yes, please do! Each person must reach their own decision about what they can do within the confines of their available energy, health, and time, but a little self awareness goes a long way as long as you’re honest with yourself and others if applicable about what you can contribute. Anyone who judges you for it isn’t worth the strife.

2) In a fandom comprised of vulnerable/marginalized people, it’s more accurate to say that cliques are “bubbles of trust.”

This one's important. Just by nature of the source material, the CO/WS fandom includes fans with a wide array of backgrounds and experiences, especially when it comes to those who identify with the characters’ queerness, mental illness, and/or trauma. I really believe––based on individual conversations/group chats––that the difficult lived experiences that so many of our fandom peers have endured has produced one of the most open, aware, and accepting fandoms I’ve had the pleasure of participating in. Our vulnerability is, in a real way, our strength.

That said, a community of survivors also has the side effect of cultivating small circles of engagement that I call “bubbles of trust.” When you’re a survivor of abuse, marginalization, mental illness, fill-in-the-blank, it’s often quite hard to risk casting a wide net and expanding your circle to include new faces––which can subsequently be internalized by equally sensitive and vulnerable newcomers as rejection, judgement, or inadequacy.

Way Ahead: First of all, there may indeed be gatekeeping and exclusion going on. But before internalizing someone’s cagey behavior as gatekeeping or purposely exclusionary, ask yourself if you have all the information. Many people are private (I include myself in this assessment) because life has regrettably taught them to be this way, and so they may insulate themselves to a small group of people who have earned their trust. Some people might also triggered by certain content (case in point: smut triggers my anxiety) so they don’t engage with it. Others might have something in their pasts that define how they handle certain subjects (for example, a person of color should not be tone policed for getting angry when confronted with a racialized microagression, however accidental it was). You just don’t know what you don’t know. 

The solution here is to regularly check your privilege and ask questions in a private space if you sense you’re being treated unfairly by someone. If you go public with your grievances in hopes of mobilizing the mob, you may accidentally find yourself stepping into the role of the aggressor instead of the victim.

3) Social Media is not built to help you get engagement. It’s built to help itself make money off of you.

Repeat after me: Hits/likes are not a measurable indicator of talent or worth. There are ridiculously talented folks on Tumblr and elsewhere who, for whatever reason, haven’t had their viral moment, and it’s not their fault. Loads of factors come into play where things like likes, reblogs, and comments are concerned, among them being posting frequency, subject matter, the time of day, the day of the week, the week of the month, the month of the year, the current administration, the stock exchange, the concentration of middle class users, who just won the Superbowl, a madman trying to steal an election and undermine the democratic process, a PANDEMIC, do you get where I’m going with this?? lol

At the end of the day, my humble successes have been helped along by good luck, good timing, high profile signal boosters, and an absurd amount of work. (This is why I try to signal boost new work whenever I get a chance over at @vkelleyshares.) 

So while you cannot control Tumblr’s interface, trends at large, or your fellow users, here’s what you can do to ensure you give your work the best possible chance of exposure.

Have an image ready to go with your post. Tumblr is a visual platform (no matter what it says about being good for text). Not good with images? Set up a Canva.com account and get access to free graphic software with a gazillion templates to create whatever attractive image you want to attach to your post.

Keep the outward facing text brief and easy on the eyes. Too long and eyes will glaze over. Put excess text behind a “read more.”

You may think you’re being cute when you do this, but don’t put yourself down in your posts. (Don’t put yourself down in general, of course.) Doing so acts as engagement repellant. If you don’t believe in your work, no one else will.

Related: Be your best cheerleader. Confidence is a magnet, and if you don’t have it, go ahead and fake it until you start to convince yourself you are worth the buzz. So promote yourself! You have gifts that only you can impart. Use that knowledge to fuel everything you do from your art/fiction writing to your outreach with other content creators, and by golly, if someone’s done it already, acknowledge that contribution and then tell the world that this is YOUR unique take on it.

Treat your fellow fandom creators as human beings, not art/fiction/content boosting machines. I cannot count how many times I’ve had folks slide into my DMs with offers of friendship only to disappear once they realize I’m not available to draw a picture for their fic. It hurts because it’s manipulative and it makes me want to hole up and not signal boost anyone. Creators who truly support each other will not give off a transactional vibe. I want to help you reach more people, but not if that’s all I’m good for in your eyes. 

The long and short of it: Lead with compassion, do your best with the opportunities at  your disposal, and remember that fandom belongs to everyone in it. ❤️

What saves a fandom made of sensitive and vulnerable souls from imploding when it goes through growing pains is radical compassion from those who can offer it. Begin with the assumption that your fellow fandomers are not trying to harm you, and wade into the water knowing that your insight into the lives of your peers is limited by default and you may need to temper your words or actions accordingly. If you’re a content creator, save compassion for yourself as well, as there are indeed challenges to gaining an audience, and lack of engagement does not mean you lack talent or skill. Be your best advocate, and if you have the bandwidth to lift up a fellow creator and make a new friend, please, go ahead do it! 

And finally, fandom belongs to everyone, and no one has a monopoly on characters, tropes, or themes. Create and consume what you love (with respect for your more vulnerable peers), and bask in the variety, my friends!

That’s all I’ve got in my head at the moment, although I’m sure there’s more I’m forgetting. Thanks so much to @penpanoply for letting me use her art for this and to everyone else, hang in there and try not to judge each other too harshly. These are unprecedented times, and most of us are doing our best in circumstances that are pushing us to our limits. 

As always, if you have questions or want to sound off on anything, shoot me a message or an ask, or ping me on Discord. It might take me a second to respond (thanks, Covid) but I’ll get to it! Love, love, and more love to all.

[enigmatic-elegance]

Mas’ Must Follow MASterpost

[In no particular order]

People

@risrielthron One of the best. You will feel as if you are talking with your lifelong friend. Sweet, friendly, and generous. A true example of who we should all try to be more like.

@theodorebennas Daddy Beans. Chill dude. Knows he can be a bit of a meme and owns it. Actually extremely smart and has a ton of good sense. Crusade!

@tanzrielle Super chill in the most not chill way. Will talk your ear off about their awesome characters and want to hear all about your own too. Great person to know and bounce ideas off of.

@thebattlesheep @a-sheep-does-art Sweet thing. Loves to meet new people. Does not RP much but when they do they kill it.

@possum Loser. (Seriously such a humorous, sweet, and all around amazing person.)

@wiedaashcroft Really great character, and the person who plays them is extremely laid back and chill.

@the-petalpaw-family They don’t RP as much right now, but their stories and characters are next level. No lie, they take things like plot and character lineage to places you rarely see. Amazing places.

@kat-hawke ICly very interesting and intense character. OOCly a more grounded individual. Blunt, but never cruel.

@darthscharactervault Someone who does not give themselves nearly enough credit for how creative they are with their ideas and characters.

@gwenya Often NSFW but she’s a gem of a person. Amazing, chill, down for whatever. She’s the raunchy friend you never knew you wanted.

@the-real-arcanist-val Smart person, fantastic writer, extremely sensible and rational. All around someone you want to know.

@vaard Never personally interacted with him, but he’s an iconic figure among the community. Everyone should follow. (Does not take commissions but is an amazing artist, too.)

@harvee-sarah-zena One of my closest RP partners. Might not post as much as they SHOULD but if you can catch them their RP is some amazing work. And their characters are all so unique.

@thegreatnyehehe Likely not returning to WoW any time soon, but still one of the best characters ever. To this day, worth reading through their posts.

@kinzorscarstorm Chill dude with a cool character. Have not interacted much IC, but respect them OOC for their char and methods.

@open-world-azeroth Not really a ‘person’ but a great resource for some fantastic RP spots.

@mediocre-bladeleaf Very cool aesthetic, and from what I see of their writings they have some awesome characters.

@draenei-tales Shout out to a fellow active and really cool looking Draenei RPer. All I see from them is extremely interesting.

@leora-strauss Don’t know much about the character but their aesthetic is so amazingly cool.

@serelia-evensong Active and interesting RPer. Will fill your dash up with fun to read posts of all kinds.

@susan-gampre Hoe. But she knows it. And she’s good at it. The character and RPer both are sassy and take no shit, and I love them for it.

@storykeeper-wra Spooky character. But not tired and boring spooky. The sort that’s very interesting. Like a good book. Makes sense they are the storykeeper, because their story is very appealing.

@halforc-mercenary Have always wanted to interact with their character but never much got the chance. Still adore their writings on my dash, and they often impress me with their plots and quality.

@rhysgoodwin Cute char, updates often, fantastic writer.

@priestess-nightfury Elf RP/Aesthetic at some of its very best.

@stonestridernerd They will love you and make you feel like the best person ever just be hurling likes at you and complimenting your work. They are just a gem of a person. So, so sweet.

@theshadowborn Shame I’[ve not interacted with their character much, but they are a clearly talented writer.

@durotan-ofthe-frostwolf Lot of OOC silly stuff, but genuinely a cool person and always a pleasure to see on your dash.

@ranekvilmas Just a very talented writer and all around chipper guy. One of those people who always has something interesting on their blog to read.

@penvenomstarkstar A good head on this one’s shoulders. ICly their character is extremely well written with so, so much depth. Endless things to discover here.

@ravenpriest DAMN awesome aesthetic. Really nails the gothica vibe.

@longveil Such a cool aesthetic. I’d follow for that alone, and there is so much more there too.

@kyuusei-shadowleaf Another blog worth the follow for aesthetic alone. So cool to see across your dash.

@k-sunrael Followed for a long time. Their blog can sometimes be a bit NSFW but the content is quality.

@monster-of-master In the vibe of ‘dark’ aesthetic without being overtly in your face. The sort of subtle horror we all secretly crave. Very much enjoy their content.

@summysparklesprocket Such an amazing, kind, and funny person. And the character is next level because they are a Gnome taken seriously. Love them.

@quai-mason @andrew-mason Extremely talented writer and one of the few who posts so, so frequently. You’ll eagerly await their next post, trust me.

@unabashedrebel ICly they are a very cool character with awesome stories. OOCly they are a smart and conscience driven individual with a good moral sense. More than once they’ve shown they are not afraid to stick up for what matters. Lot of respect.

@safrona-shadowsun Killer character aesthetic, great reblogs, and does not ruin their theme with bullshit. Fantastic follow, this one.

@helryder666 All over the place with their posts, but its never unwelcome or uninteresting. They always seem to know what you wanna see, even if you don’t know.

@thewardancer Some of the best troll aesthetic I’ve seen, honestly.

@brandstonethings Just a big bear of a man. I love him, and you will too. He’s so well written he feels alive.

@archmage--khadgar I hesitate with people who RP lore characters. This one managed to be one of my few exceptions. They actually do a really great job with it.

@forhonorandglory Only followed for a short time, but still worth it in my books. Sharp wit, great character.

@covexalexanderkingsley Don’t know if they still RP as much these days but they remain a very fantastic and creative individual.

@eilitheduskbringer Very talented writers. One of the best I’ve seen. And they host to an amazing community I’ve come to respect.

@thepalewolfhowls Great artist too, but I mainly know them for their awesome character and fantastic sense of story and plot.

Guild/Other

@the-royal-courier A fantastic source of events and stories. While they don’t host many writings of their own, they still reblog community events. Absolutely advise a follow.

@stormwinduniv Been around about as long as my old arse. Very talented group of writers who put on so many community events and intellectually focused debates.

@the-silver-circle A group of extremely talented writers focused entirely on Kaldorei writing and storylines. Very high levels of respect from me.

@moment-in-time-wra Less a ‘guild’ but still a great service for in game photography. They make your events look fantastic! Run by Risri.

@atc-wra A very talented small group of RPers who know how to make stories pop. You just want to be a part of them, or read what happens next.

@deadsunharbor Very fantastic crew who are open to all manner of amazing RP opportunities. They do criminal/dark correctly and with finesse rarely seen.

@oathswornvanguard Lawful good guild done proper. They have stood the test of time not only with their quality but their kindness and openness to the community.

@wraconnect A great source of WoW events and blogs to follow.

@wowrpevents Another fantastic source of WoW events and blogs to follow.

@wracentral ANOTHER fantastic source of WoW events and blogs to follow.

Artists

@whimsicallyart @elaianna Talented, intelligent, observant, and all around a gem of a person. Worth knowing.

@littleliongod One of the best I have worked with. Talented, priced very fair, extremely punctual, very communicative. Can not possibly recommend enough for any commission work.

@artofaokori Worked with them before and would absolutely do so again. Their style is very unique and you’ll recognize it anywhere in a good way.

@vintrove @vinsketchbook Extremely talented. Some next level stuff. Commissioned them twice and both times they blew me away with the end product.

@catbatart @cat-bat Such a shame I’ve only worked with them one time. One day, I must commission them again because they are the sort of artist who will go that extra mile and bring your piece to life.

@ferachidoesart They are Ferachi. They do art. Really well. Great style, super unique, and their commission prices are way more reasonable than you’d expect for their amazing quality.

@auggusst-art @auggusst Really such a kind and talented soul. One of those hidden gems of tumblr. They deserve more notice, so go give it to them!

@blackdogmelancholyooc @blackdogmelancholy Nerd. But actually a really cool dude with a ton of raw talent. They are great to work with.

@anzka Have not posted here in a while, but you should take a peek. Why? Because no one. Draws. Gnomes. Better.

@planktonheretic You like thick ladies? What about buff ones? Then my friend, have I got a treat for you. That treat is Plank. Check out their Twitter too for even more fantastic work!

@kellydidathing Amazing artist. Very busy person, but worth the investment because the art is top notch.

@izzarra Talk about raw talent refined into a craft. This artist is going places, seriously. Amazing stuff.

@thestringking @jane-fitzgerald @ahn-qiraj Extremely talented young lad who I know will go on to kill it in the art industry. Already one of the best out there, no lie.

Self Plug

My blog should be easy to find, right at the top of this post here, or the bottom. If you want to see all my character blogs, please check out RIGHT HERE (under repairs atm so a few of the characters might not work or link improperly) for a complete list. Each character page here contains a link just under their summary that will take you to their individual blog. Check out the ones that interest you!

Also want to plug my own guild, @coldwall-collective, for still being some of the best writers and content creators I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Go check us out!

Not Here?

Don’t be sad! Many reasons could be the cause. Maybe we’ve just not interacted enough. Or maybe I’ve not seen many of your posts. Maybe I overlooked you because I’m silly. Any of these could be a reason. If you don’t see yourself here, it does not mean I don’t appreciate you. I do. You’re a part of what makes this community great and I have all the respect for you.

[grifhinx]

Nerf nerds (Wizard collection) - Recap

Who knew I could spin multiple ideas and interpretations of a single character class, and one of the larger ones too. I look at these sticking to my wall (’cause I haven’t yet acted on the magnetic mirror/whiteboard idea I had weeks/months back) and still wonder how I got to this, as in the literal entirety of this. The brainstorming, the sketching, the editing. So much work, I’ve come to think now.

I look at each individual work and thought how insanely detailed they’ve managed to get and thought perhaps the last few comments I made at each design post might be almost unnecessary now. But let’s see now...

Abjuration

I’m pretty surprised at how okay this looks, like “I got no problems keeping it as is” okay. I may want to revisit some more Burberry references tho, especially with the classic double-breasted, to really capture that former-military vibes that I wanted from the brand. 

Conjuration

Wild in the best way possible, it actually looks like. I wish there was a better way to integrate the trinkety design elements that are scattered across the bodice just underneath the magic circle. The d100 chains will definitely need special attention once at construction in order to do them properly.

d10/d100 Abjuration Chain

Divination

I feel like this design could take a leaf or two more from Alessandro Michele and his take on memories, the past, and a kind of nostalgia for childhood, which I think might come in handy in discovering some more elements that might work. Then it might be just me thinking things are pretty bland in this design. Perhaps the lining could pull a few more strings to give the garment a bigger pop.

Enchantment

The Chanel-like Enchanter could’ve still gone without a collar and do good, I would think. Looking at the entire collection, I really felt like I don’t want it to be too preoccupied with collars in some way.

Quick redo

Going full Chanel, I feel like, wouldn’t be a problem here if done well by respecting the classic elements of the brand’s tweed, almost going underneath all of it to release the more Wizardly elements like the circle and the dice. I think Enchantment as a kind of magic that I feel would have that element of trickery to it, but has to be hiding in a state of allure. 

Evocation

I have doubts with the double-button setup of this design, but then I really like its uniqueness in the collection and even the entire batch. It might feel like I’m split in the middle of getting rid of it or keeping it, but I’m pretty much leaning to the latter. 

Illusion

I keep walking into trouble with all of those design elements just underneath the circle. For stuff that I really want to be surreal, it’s kinda hard to pull off in a sketch. I’m just hoping the plan to fully embroider the front and the back of whatever surreal imagery a future client wants will work out okay. 

Necromancy

This first idea to mind started off pretty simple, but definitely grew in concept as we got along the collection, from the gravestone-style vertical lineup of the scripts at the back, to the mild hint of a rib-cage at the front, denoting a skeleton. It was all death in this design, but the original idea of the circle/coin as the “dice” still feels deep to me.

Transmutation

I’ve got pretty much nothing to say or change in this. I think it captured what I wanted in terms of the idea of transforming objects, especially the “nothing to something” vibe I wanted to pull from 

I keep telling myself to look up other local scripts and languages that would also be applicable to the designs. But later on I figured that it could be a give-and-take for me and the client in the future. They can indicate their preferred script; I could meet them halfway by suggesting alternatives related to them. Hopefully this would ease the initial effort of research from my end.

Transmutation

For those who noticed the “Necromancy” and “Night Flower” images, those might serve as a cue that I may have found a new trick I’ve managed to pick up from an interest in kaleidoscopes. It seems an idea of producing magic circles 

=====

This blog is a recap of the Wizard collection Nerf nerds, where I design the following character subclasses:

Guards but magic (Abjuration Wizard)

Movement lifestyle (Conjuration Wizard)

ESPN or something (Divination Wizard)

Allure (Enchantment Wizard)

Wizard duelists (Evocation Wizard)

It’s a show (Illusion Wizard)

Life, death, and undeath at the morgue (Necromancy Wizard)

Changing shapes (Transmutation Wizard)

=====

This blog is part of the first batch of collections under my Current Ideas project, where I make modern D&D character class fashion design sketches for flexible use in cosplay and casual wear, of which you can see more collections at:

Current ideas (D&D Modern character fashion collections)

[hillbillyhippiemusicreview]

Post #63, MarDe Brooks--Running Out of Time

Reviewed by Lyssa Culbertson

“Way back on the radio dial The fire got lit inside a bright-eyed child Every note just wrapped around his soul From steel guitars, to Memphis, all the way to rock and roll” -Eli Young Band

Every time I hear “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” by the Eli Young Band pass through my playlist, my mind cannot help but wander to the trajectory HHMR alum MarDe Brooks has had over the past couple of years. It is impressive what an ample amount of hard work, determination, faith, and if we are honest, an iota of craziness will manifest when it comes to chasing dreams. If you are unfamiliar with MarDe’s story, let me fill you in:

The Alabama born and bred singer-songwriter recently released his debut album, Running Out of Time, after a lifetime of desire to share his musical gifts with the world. Perhaps the album title is a nod to the notion of growing older and time slipping away, leaving you with no choice but to shelve your dreams or take a chance and live them with all you’ve got—but MarDe need not worry. With the impeccable artistry he possesses and a knack for heartfelt, honest songwriting, we’ll be hearing more out of him for years to come. With an practically permanent smile as wide as the Rio Grande and an electric energy radiating from him every time he steps on stage, he possesses an often unmatched zeal for his work that will surely keep him on everyone’s radar. His sound is as eclectic as he is, and that is the utmost compliment in my book. As I said in the review of his first single, “Memories,” MarDe cannot be caged by a genre, for this powerhouse of a songbird sings to the tune of whatever is in his heart—whether that’s a slow sentimental ballad about life on the road, or a rockin’ up-tempo song about love gone wrong. Running Out of Time has something to love for everyone, but odds are you’ll love it from the beginning of the “Memories” you’ll make whilst listening, to the last “Curtain Call.” Answering the desires of his soul to create his own original music, the collection of ten songs were written and composed in just under a year, and within the next year the record was recorded and MarDe hit the highway sharing his stories with anyone who would listen. On September 11, 2020, he added fuel to the fire that got lit inside the bright-eyed child of his youth when he debuted his first album to the world.

When listening to this record both as a whole and dissecting each individual song, it’s quite easy to hear the various musical influences that have helped shape MarDe into the artist he is. However, he infuses those notes of blues, old time rock-and-roll, country, southern rock, folk, and more into sound all his own. The first track on the record, “Memories,” incorporates all of these styles in a up-beat tune set against a bit of a dark subject matter. A failed relationship takes its toll and leads to self-destruction, but if you only listen to the melody, you wouldn’t have a clue. I love how MarDe plays a lyrical and musical trick on the listener’s ear on this one, and it was a solid first choice for a single release, as it showcases both his songwriting ability and musicality. Heading to the opposite end of the romantic spectrum, the next track, “Slow Time,” is a beautiful ballad that will transport you back to a time to when life ran at a slower pace, perhaps on the riverbank next to a loved one watching the summer clouds roll in, where nothing but the love you were in mattered. Speaking of rolling in, “I’ve Got Memphis” is one of the standouts on the record, as it details the feelings of a traveling musician counting the miles wearing on both the road and his soul. As a music lover with a heavy dose of Gypsy in my soul, when MarDe sings “Oklahoma calls out to me, and I miss that Kentucky high, I’d love to stay in Alabama, but I’ve got Memphis tomorrow night,” it resonates with me on a spiritual level. I love the sound of four wheels spinning down an open highway, but occasionally every mile marker makes me weary and I just want to be home, though there’s always another show down the road and work to be done. It’s a sentimental tune about the highs and lows of this life and is just so powerful. Track number four, “Down the Road,” happens to be one of my favorites off the record—it’s a total jam with an infectious groove that just won’t let go, much like how he bemuses the difficulty of letting go of his beloved and moving on in the tune. The way he once again juxtaposes an upbeat melody with a somewhat somber subject matter intrigued me from the first verse of the song, and I was hooked. We’ve all been there—in love with someone that it kills us to let go of, though we know we’re better off leaving them in our rearview. I admire how MarDe can write about real life situations with such clarity and cleverness.

As evidenced by the previous tracks mentioned, MarDe has such a versatile voice where one moment he can have you high on life singing along and the next morose and feeling every bit of heartache his vocals are seeped with on a song like “Home,” one of the most compelling works on the album. The imagery is quite vivid, as you can easily picture the man in the song with his “hands on the sink, face down to the floor” ruminating over his life. As I’ve listened to this song, it dawned on me that the character in the song was not simply speaking to a lost lover, but to the man in the mirror as well, because all too often we can break our own hearts by our choices with the aid of the demons we face. For many, alcohol can be one of those demons; however, as shown by MarDe’s joyful vibes in “Fifth by Noon,” sometimes it can be just the cure a man needs to patch up a broken heart. This tune is my favorite to see performed live because of the energy MarDe harnesses as he brings the song to life. A little ditty about the healing powers found in a fifth of your favorite whisky and good friends, the line “everything will be alright if I down a fifth by noon” has the possibility to become an adage for centuries to come. Likely not the wisest piece of advice, but one most can certainly empathize with if we’re honest. When he sings “I used to lay you down like Conway at night, but now you’re out there girl and you’re making different music tonight, so here’s an idea, why don’t you stay, yeah that’s where you made you made your bed and that’s where you can lay” it’s loud and clear how he feels about the woman in question—and I’m absolutely here for it. Such a killer, feisty verse that makes me cackle as I belt it out every time! The guitar solo prefacing the semi-acapella portion of the song backed by a chorus of voices and a drumline are my favorite parts of the song because it drives the point home and is so fun to jam out to.

Reflecting back on the record to this point, it’s easy to see the thematic presence of sorrow woven throughout the lyrics. Despite the best efforts we tend to put into anything in life, what we deserve is not always what the universe sends our way. Track number seven, “Earned,” is a prime lyrical example of that fact, especially in relation to futile relationships we may feel that we got the short end of the stick in, so to speak, because “even if you do things the right way, you don’t always get what is earned.” A heart is a fragile thing, and love is even more delicate, as heard in “On My Way.” MarDe croons “rules are made to be broken, but hearts aren’t the same, so many words left unspoken, could have silenced the pain” to a lover he’s leaving behind—and that is such a poignant line about the importance of communication. Quite frequently, it’s the words we do not say that could salvage important connections or bring closure to difficult goodbyes. His voice is soft and melodic on this tune, highlighting every bit of emotion involved, notably when he sings in the bridge “I couldn’t see through the flames when I promised my life, but all that smoke cleared just in time.” Every time I hear that particular lyric a single tear escapes my eye because I’ve lived that line and the emotions connected are just so painful—It hurts so good.

Although words sometimes possess the power to save relationships, they also have the power to destroy them. In the case of “Liar,” MarDe appears to be addressing a friend or mentor, rather than a past lover. “Your lies won’t let you tell the truth, you looked down on me, I looked up to you, you dig your hole try to pull me in the ground, you had your chance but it’s all over now”—WOW. In spite of the rather calm melody, the anger and disappointment boils over in every verse of this good riddance themed song, as he’s “on [his] way to the top now, and you can’t slow [him] down.” I often lightheartedly—but seriously—joke that people should not do wrong by a songwriter, because a song will inevitably be written about the offense, and “Liar” is a prime example of that, tying into the seemingly autobiographical journey MarDe details in the final song on the record, aptly titled “Curtain Call.” It’s a beautiful summation of his ride from the aforementioned bright-eyed dreamer of his youth to the man he is now, steadily achieving lifelong goals—while the highs and lows ebbed and flowed and it wasn’t always easy, the journey was without a doubt worth it, as evidenced by the quality and ultimate success of his first release.

MarDe either wrote or co-wrote every song on Running Out of Time and rounded up a group of gifted musicians to record the album at Rose City Recording in Charleston, WV with producer Greg McGowan. With a heavy dose of the keys, the lead/rhythm guitar, mandolin, violin, bass, drums, and pedal steel played by (in no particular order) musicians Jerimiah Hatfield, Joey Lafferty, Mark Cline Bates, Jeremy “Wood” Roberts, Eric Robbins, David McGuire, Molly Lynn Page, Travis Egnor, and MarDe himself, this record is a unique work of art, reflective of the array of musical styles that encompass the artist MarDe Brooks is. The support from background vocalists Ritch Henderson, Eric Robbins, Jerimiah Hatfield, and Mark Cline Bates adds a spark to each track they are featured on. My only critique of the record is that you cannot truly hear the extent of the passion and range MarDe possesses behind his vocals, as that essence can only be captured live—which is why you must catch him a live show, soon! You can find tour dates, merch, and other important info at www.mardebrooks.com, or you can follow him on Facebook at MarDe Brooks and on Instagram at @mardebrooksmusic.

Peace, love, & music,

Lyssa

————————

*This is an independent review. The Hillbilly Hippie Music Review was not compensated for this review.

*The opinions expressed are solely that of the author(s).

*These images are not ours, nor do we claim them in any way. They are copyrighted by MarDe Brooks & Jimbo Valentine of Amalgam United.

[inikavulpixelreviews]

Let’s Talk About Pokemon - Z...eroara?

570: Zorua

Welp. This is it. It's all downhill from here. This is the highlight. The big triumph over my heart. We won't see another Pokemon be able to top this one across the entirety of this review series. (Unless of course something even more perfect graces us in a future Generation...)

That's right folks. If you know me from my personal blog, it may be no surprise that I absolutely adore Zorua here. I've done my best to not outright say it on here, but I wouldn't be surprised if I laid out less than subtle hints. If not, well, er. Here it is. Zorua, my absolute #1 favorite Pokemon. And if that's not enough, these two collectively are also my favorite evolutionary family to boot!

And while I'll make an entire segment to just gush about both of them, I'll cover the two individually since they're fairly aesthetically different from each other.

Zorua here is the absolute perfect fox creature for me. Literally the only absent bit to it is that it's not a baby nine-tailed fox. But we'll be fair since we've already come up with one, and this one has a cooler theme at least just stand-alone as a fox. The tricky and shady look to it isn't just a personality choice; this Pokemon can change its appearance on a whim. Emphasis on appearance though. It's not like ditto where it'll literally shapeshift, but rather more like an illusionist; only appearing to shape shift. Which can create situations where you can fake-out opponents (or cheese the computer-controlled trainers by making it take on the shape of a Poison type as they desperately try to hit it wish Psychic moves that just won't work for whatever reason.)

The lil guy's tuft of hair even takes on the appearance of a little leaf over its head. Giving it some Tanooki vibes! Which is a Japanese mythical creature I'm surprised took this long for us to get a representative of. And even then, it's a fairly indirect one. It loses the look entirely when it evolves, but it at least fits with Zorua between the “leaf” on its head and the ability to psuedo-shape-shift.

Not to mention, Zorua's also got a bit of sentimental value being not only the first Pokemon I've laid eyes on from Gen 5 (comes with being the first of the two revealed, alongside Zoroark). But also this little bit of self-trivia I suppose. By now, a lot of people that follow me on any social medias or art sites will see me draw plenty of Pokemon the day they're announced to exist in a trailer or what-have-you, especially if I like them a lot. Zorua's the very first time I've ever done this. I guess granting I didn't start taking art seriously until well after Gen 4 was released, but still.

Personal Score: 10/10

I'm not quite done talking about Zorua, but let's get a word in for Zoroark too before we really get into gushing mode.

571: Zoroark

Zoroark may understandably be a put-off given it had marketing advertising it as the next Lucario and it's another anthropomorphic canid. But Zoroark is leagues ahead of Lucario with an overall tighter theme and aesthetic. Zoroark looks much more animalistic; mostly enough to be firmly out of any uncanny valley that it would have fallen in, and its design elements flow much better than Lucario's rather clunky execution. So I didn't mind Gamefreak trying to push this one as the “your new favorite Pokemon” shtick they like to pull. That's very selfish I know, but...

It's also very unique given anthropomorphic foxes in fiction. A lot of them take after Renamon or the like to be very pretty and upright. While Zoroark's still a design I'd describe as “pretty,” it's also very gangly and menacing, complete with the shit-eating grin, long face, and a design the emphasizes a flow into aggressive forward...ness.

My one solitary issue with the design is that its midsection looks a bit too skinny. I get it, sleek, tricky fox. But that's a step too far, I feel.

Personal Score: 10/10

A pair of near-perfect tricky foxies!!

Overall:

Ohhhh no. We're not getting off Matt's wild ride that easily. It's my absolute favorite, so instead of an “overall” segment, I'm gonna take a number from Bogleech and say let's do a...

Top 10 Things I Love About Zorua and Zoroark:

1. A Fox

Let's get this out of the way since that's a given. But I don't meant to point that out because I'm shallow like that; I can get REALLY picky about how my fox monsters look. But rather, these two are plenty unique among the other fox or fox-like Pokemon. Sure, I love me some Vulpix, Fennekin, and some of the Eeveelutions, but they all end up sharing the same general cutesy look. Zorua on the other hand takes on a whole other personality from the previously established foxy Pokemon. And Zoroark too! Ninetales and Delphox generally lean more toward looking beautiful more than anything, but that's not Zoroark's sole focus here. Instead, we get a much cooler looking monster with a more gangly face, which is a type of fox-look sorely missing from the foxmons all the way up until now. The only downside is that it isn't full gangly crookedness like Murkrow. But that's fine by me.

2. The Kabuki Dancer Theme

More prominent with Zoroark, for sure, is the fact that these two take heavily after Kabuki theater. Zoroark's really rocking the tons-o-hair look, with the both sporting some red markings to look like makeup.

3. Their Color Scheme

It's hard to go wrong with black and red, sure. That's a pretty go-to color scheme for something shady or, dare I say, “edgy”. But it serves these two better than most given they lean more toward the “shifty shadows” type of critter than “ultimate edgelord” like Shadow or Reaper or what have you. Then you also add in the teal, bluish green. Just the absolute perfect amount. A tiny accent and little more. Not too obtrusive or anything, because too much of that color could've easily thrown the whole thing off. But they held their restraint. Thank goodness.

4. Their Faces

I've gone over Zoroark's face enough by now, and how wonderful it is. But Zorua's adorably smug look and sly fox visage is the totally perfect foxy face. Now flaws. Just a sleezy friend.

5. They're Fluffy as Hell

Okay, this one I will admit is shallow as heck. But I don't care. Zorua's got the good ol neck ruff that makes it look super huggable. Zoroark may be sorely lacking a tail, but it plenty makes up for it with that big, poofy head of hair. Hair so big and poofy that their Zorua children can sleep in it. That's cute as hell.

6. The Okami Vibes

Obviously not in art style or even saying they deliberately went for an Okami look, but they certainly look like they wouldn't be too out of place as a creature out of Okami wouldn't they? Zoroark's design even calls Ninetails to mind, even moreso than the actual Ninetales. While Okami does tend to favor ogre-ish and Oni-like designs for their monsters, they do have such creatures running around like the tricky Tube Fox.

7. They Don't Kill Each Other's Vibe

It happens far too often that a cute or unique Pokemon will evolve into an ultimate badass that, while cool, end up really losing out on the original form's charm. These two, while pretty drastically different, aren't so completely detached that I'd say Zoroark is missing the same aesthetic cues of Zorua or vice versa!

8. They're Even Fun To Use Ingame!

Because of their Illusion ability, they can end up having a unique play pattern different form most other Pokemon. Especially if you're playing in the single-player parts of the game. Sadly, Zoroark can be predicted into with online battles since you get to see team layouts, but in a regular casual playthrough of a Pokemon game it's definitely fun to watch the AI fall for your disguise tricks. Especially when you disguise your Zoroark as a Fighting or Poison type fighting a Psychic type and watch as they hopelessly attempt to use Psychic moves against a Dark type.

I've also got a fun fascination with shapeshifting, so. Even psuedo-shapeshifting like with these two is neat. Ditto is cool and all but. A fox that shapeshifts? Get outta here. Now you're just toying with me.

9. Ridiculously Photogenic

Yeah, I guess technically any Pokemon is subject to this but. Just looking at illustrations of them is always really nice. Especially when you find really good ones. TCG art is for the most part pretty great, so of course I'm a fan of the illustration on certain cards.

10. Extremely Fun to Draw

Yeah, maybe that's not a totally fair thing but. I really can't say I'd ever get tired of drawing these two. I could draw them into infinity if I really wanted to just never draw anything else ever. That's the true problem with the world! To many things that are also fun to draw! Keeping me from drawing Zorua constantly! Bah!

There are two shames to this line. One being you could say that these two are pretty much sequels to Riolu and Lucario, Pokemon I've previously tore into. And Pokemon's not seemed shy of introducing, I hate putting it this way but, “furrybait” Pokemon. So these two had a success formulated in much the same way as Lucario. But they both pull it off so much more tastefully than Lucario's nonsense design does.

The other bummer being that, in a post-Gen 5 world, their popularity has significantly fallen off. Don't get me wrong, I'm fine with Pokemon other than my absolute favorites getting some time in the limelight, but it's so annoying seeing repeated Pokemon Marketing All-Stars that you find boring getting things like Mega Evolutions or Alolan Forms with your top favorite Pokemon of all time sadly getting left out. Lucario can get a Mega, Charizard can get two, but not Zoroark?!

Anyway, sure, this review has gone on long enough. Fiiiiine. I got to sing all the praise I can. Fox Pokemon has historically been the best of the canid Pokemon. So hopefully all foxes from this point onward don't disappoint. You got high standards to live up to!

[Archive]

[musicoccurred]

Pearl Jam -The Home Shows

Who: Pearl Jam Where: The Home Shows, Seattle, WA. When: August 8, 10 2018

I've said this before and it remains true. A Pearl Jam concert is much more than just a show. It's a celebration. A celebration of music, of a long relationship and of course, life. Very few places do I feel absolutely at home but a Pearl Jam show is one of them. Certainly we're all different people but for 3 hours we're one. These Seattle shows reminded me of a pilgrimage, I'm sure there were lots of Seattle folks there but most of the people I chatted with were from other places. For me it was a bucket-list item, to see Pearl Jam in their home city, a city that gave us so much music and so many iconic bands.

These concerts, "The Home Shows," given that name because the tour takes place mainly in MLB stadiums, had a similar feel to PJ20 the 20th anniversary shows in Alpine Valley, Wisconsin in 2011. No, there weren't multiple bands on the bill, but there were multiple activities and certainly a festive vibe. The Seattle Museum of Pop Culture, aka MoPop, had an exhibit dedicated to Pearl Jam opening on the Saturday after the shows but 10c (Ten Club, Pearl Jam's fanclub) members could gain access on Thursday during the day off between shows. London Bridge Studios where Ten was recorded also had Pearl Jam specific tours and legendary concert photographer Danny Clinch had a pop up shop with photos available for autograph and purchase. Did I mention it all took place in Seattle? Not only a great city but a city full of Pearl Jam history, we're talking The Off Ramp, Moore Theater, Benaroya Hall, Showbox, Easy Street Records, the list goes on!

Wednesday, Night 1

It has become popular again for bands to have artists make posters for concerts, particularly individual posters for each show. Pearl Jam is one of the few that's always done this. It is an expensive habit and the posters are treated as currency among 10c members. For these shows there were 5 unique posters all by artists Pearl Jam has used extensively in the past. A point of contention here, at their larger shows, the band has started setting up tents to sell merch throughout the day and even on days before and after the shows. Because they are open to the public, it's safe to say there are people there buying and going straight to eBay. The lines took many hours to navigate, there has to be a better way. How about when a 10c member buys a ticket through the band's website we get a code unique to us that allows us to purchase merch online and have it shipped to our homes? Place whatever quantity limits you want, something needs to change. A highlight of waiting around in the sun all day, I met a cool young man that had traveled from Tokyo to attend his first Pearl Jam show. There were people coming to Seattle from all over the world, this guy was in for a night he won't soon forget.

Several years ago Pearl Jam shows began lasting +- 3 hours. They always played a lot of songs but when this happened they finally shed the opening act. No complaints here. At 8:30 straight up the band took the stage to a loop of "Aye Davanita" from Vitalogy and ease into "Long Road." Now PJ's MO is that they play a quiet track or two then something noisy. Not on this night, Eddie wanted it to be an intimate gathering so "Long Road" led to "Release" followed by "Low Light" and crowd favorite, the singalong "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town." Genius. How do you transition from slow and quiet into something noisy? "Corduroy" that's how. Even though it's a song that PJ play pretty much every show it remains a favorite for me. Its long intro whips the crowd into a frenzy that continued with "Go,"  "Do the Evolution" and the Ramones-esque "Mind Your Manners." Each setlist is crafted by Ed with input from the band to fit the venue, audience and history of the band/city. Probably the most notable moment of the show was when Eddie broke down the meaning of "Evenflow." "Evenflow" is a concert staple, performed pretty much every time they play. In the 90s it was the song people liked when they didn't like PJ. Fast drums and guitars, weird lyrics just a fun rock song. But on this night, after the band had worked hard with politicians and local businesses to raise money and awareness for Seattle's horrible homeless problems Ed opened up a bit. When the band had just formed they spent a lot of time in the Belltown/Pioneer Square areas of Seattle. They befriended another Eddie, this one a homeless African-American Vietnam Veteran with mental health problems. He was known for his wild hair and wearing a tarp like a poncho. When he was mentally present he would tell them about Vietnam and his struggles with returning to civilian life. Other times, he simply wasn't there mentally. His visits greatly affected the band and when they came back from a tour they couldn't find him. Searching all over Seattle they finally found him sleeping on concrete under a viaduct. Returning from a later tour they again couldn't find him and discovered he had passed away. Suddenly "Evenflow" makes perfect sense, Ed held on to that story for 28 years. Other highlights, Ed performed a solo rendition of Jack White's "We're Going to be Friends" in honor of teachers everywhere. During the performance, his daughters danced with their favorite teachers (clad in Mariners jerseys with Vedder on the back) behind him. During the encore Brandi Carlile joined the band for "Again Tonight" a song PJ had covered for a benefit album. I love when other musicians join Pearl Jam on stage and look out at the giant crowd with wide eyes, Brandi ever the badass, threw her head back and screamed into the Seattle sky. They closed the show with "Rockin' in the Free World" and my least favorite live song, "Yellow Ledbetter" the show clocked in at 33 songs over 3 hours.

Thursday, Day Off

I snoozed on the London Bridge Studios tickets so that was out. I was looking forward to roaming around the city and attending the Pearl Jam exhibit at MoPop. Situated near the Space Needle and the Experience Music Project, MoPop is covered in tourists. Lucky for us this was a 10c event only. Jeff Ament is the de facto historian of the band keeping massive amounts of memorabilia in a warehouse. This band kept everything. I mean EVERYTHING. They have the cassettes that Stone/Jeff and Ed mailed back and forth to begin their relationship. Seeing these in person was powerful. Pearl Jam have provided the soundtrack to my life and quite literally if those tapes didn't exist I wouldn't have been standing there all those years later. Favorite moments: seeing the typed and written lyrics and loads of Ed's notebooks, the incredible statue of Andy Wood that Jeff commissioned (more on that here) as well as posters from every show. If you're in Seattle I highly recommend seeing this exhibit.

Friday, Night 2

Again starting at 8:30 PJ opens with three slow burners, "Oceans," "Footsteps" and "Nothingman" before blasting off with "Why Go" and "Brain of J." This was going to be awesome. I love the 2nd PJ shows, all of my needs are met by the first night. Nervousness is gone, just relax and enjoy the show. This show really focused on older material, only two tracks were post 2000. The band were much looser as was the crowd. The singalongs were louder and sharper, I refrained, choosing instead to just absorb the love and energy flying around the stadium. During "I Won't Back Down," a solo tribute to the great Tom Petty, Eddie asked the crowd to turn on their cell phone flashlights so Tom could see. The result was mesmerizing. The band also honored Chris Cornell by performing "Missing," a very rare deep cut. Speaking of Cornell, Kim Thayil joined the band for "Kick Out the Jams" and later joined Steve Turner and Mark Arm of Mudhoney (and Green River!) for "Search and Destroy" and "Sonic Reducer." Favorite moments: the aforementioned songs plus Ed hosing up the intro to "Rearviewmirror" to the point the band had to stop. Ed broke into "Fernando" by Abba saying that's what he was hearing. What can I say, the guy is hilarious. Other notable moments, Mike's solo on "Evenflow" was one of the best I can remember. What a beautiful night. 36 amazing songs over 3.5 hours in the glorious Seattle night.

Setlist Night 1:

Long Road Release Low Light Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town Corduroy Go Do the Evolution Mind Your Manners Throw Your Hatred Down (Neil Young cover) Lightning Bolt Given to Fly All Those Yesterdays Even Flow Help! (The Beatles cover) (snippet) Help Help Black Setting Forth Play Video I Am a Patriot (Little Steven cover) Porch Encore: We're Going to Be Friends (The White Stripes cover) (live debut by PJ) Nothing as It Seems Let Me Sleep Breath Again Today (with Brandi Carlile) State of Love and Trust Rearviewmirror Encore 2: Wasted Reprise Better Man (with “Save It for Later” tag) Comfortably Numb (Pink Floyd cover) Alive I've Got a Feeling (The Beatles cover) Rockin' in the Free World (Neil Young cover) Yellow Ledbetter

Setlist Night 2:

Oceans Footsteps Nothingman Why Go Brain of J. Interstellar Overdrive (Pink Floyd cover) Corduroy Rats In Hiding Whipping Even Flow Missing (Chris Cornell cover) (live debut by PJ) Daughter (with "W.M.A" and "It's Ok" tags) Immortality I'm Open Unthought Known Can't Deny Me Do the Evolution Lukin Porch Encore: I Won't Back Down (Tom Petty cover) (EV solo) Thin Air Better Man (with "Save It for Later" by English Beat tag) All or None Crown of Thorns (Mother Love Bone cover) Kick Out the Jams (MC5 cover) (with Kim Thayil) Spin the Black Circle Play Video Rearviewmirror (with "Fernando" (ABBA)… more ) Crazy Mary (Victoria Williams cover) Jeremy Leash Search and Destroy (Iggy and The Stooges cover) (With Kim Thayil, Steve Turner, and Mark Arm) Sonic Reducer (Dead Boys cover) (With Kim Thayil, Steve Turner, and Mark Arm) Alive Baba O'Riley (The Who cover) Yellow Ledbetter

-JS

[your-dietician]

Sue Bird Talks Asterisk, Olympics, and the Fallout From WNBA Twitter Beef

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/wnba/sue-bird-talks-asterisk-olympics-and-the-fallout-from-wnba-twitter-beef/

Sue Bird Talks Asterisk, Olympics, and the Fallout From WNBA Twitter Beef

Sue Bird is WNBA royalty and in the middle of her 18th season, with 11 All-Star nods and four titles on her resume, she is uniquely qualified like few other individuals to offer up an opinion on just about everything related to the league that’s celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Including some Twitter beef that may have caught your attention from earlier this week.

If you somehow missed it, the Liberty’s Jazmine Jones and the Mercury’s Skylar Diggins-Smith jawed at each other on social media after an outlet posted a highlight of Diggins-Smith deking Didi Richards with her impressive handle despite the Liberty ultimately prevailing. Being the sage basketball observer that she is, the living legend—who let’s not forget also won two NCAA titles during her days at UConn—hopes sports fans don’t ignore the serious issues the controversy unearthed.  

“I think the other conversation that’s really happening in this Twitter war right now is that what you see in women’s sports—because we get such small coverage, there’s percentages out there, like 4 percent, 5 percent of media coverage—it’s just a very small piece of the pie,” says Bird. “Because we only get one highlight a week people are going to be scrapping and clawing for it. The problem isn’t this one thing, it’s that there needs to be more coverage for everybody, there needs to be more than one highlight per week on some of these channels.”

She’s right, of course, and there are even deeper issues the Twitter scuffle brought to light that Bird says should be properly addressed. But because she’s one of Complex’s favorite basketball personalities to chat with, we peppered her with a bunch of other basketball-related questions during our phone conversation Wednesday. We tackled topics that included asterisks, this summer’s Olympics where she could become just the second basketball player ever to win five gold medals, and her participation in the latest Moët & Chandon Greatness Under Pressure campaign that also features Carmelo Anthony and designer Don C.

(This interview has been edited and condensed.)

Speaking of greatness, you’ve authored a few incredible performances during your career. Curious if you think that WNBA title you and the Storm won last season was the hardest and most rewarding championship in the league’s 25-year history? Yeah, a lot of people have talked about their being an asterisk during the 2020 season, but this was the hardest one. The reason why is because there was just obviously so much more going on and the season was representing something much bigger than basketball. But simultaneously we were still being asked to be professional athletes and play the game and play at a high level. What’s interesting is you can really connect it to Greatness Under Pressure because there was just a lot on all of our plates. We were fighting for certain things from a social justice standpoint, advocating, we were being strategic, and being an activist in our world requires a lot of energy—emotional energy, a lot of time, and here we were dedicating our time to that, but also dedicating our time to the basketball part of it and finding ways to continue to be great under that pressure, because it did exist. So for me and our team, we happened to be the team standing at the end, but I happen to believe that every single person in that was in that bubble came out on top because we accomplished so much off the court.

You bring up the whole asterisk thing and that’s kind of theme for some NBA fans these days. As a competitor, how do you feel about fans or observers wanting to attach an asterisk to every single champion in the history of basketball? Everybody wants to put an asterisk on everything. And the truth is that’s a part of sports. The news just came out about Chris Paul and sadly the world we live in with COVID right now that’s a part of sports. There are things out of your control. And they happen every year. So what makes any year different from the next when these types of moments take place? I’ve been fortunate enough to win four times and there’s a little bit of luck that goes into winning a championship. And I’ve also been on the unlucky side of it where there’s been years our best player got injured and couldn’t play in the playoffs. That’s what it is.

In the WNBA doc, there’s that scene where Megan Rapinoe, who entered the bubble toward the end, told you about the special sense of community she observed while down there. How much of that carried over into this season? As a league we’ve really figured out who we are. We’ve established who we are, what we stand for, what our values are, and I think the bubble just put that on another level and it really set a standard for how we want to move in this world, like I said what we want to stand for, and that community gives you confidence. I think I’m going to go out on a limb a little bit here, but not really—I think women do a really good job of leaning on each other in those moments and we understood we’re a community. We understood that our voice was going to be louder as 144. It wasn’t going to be one person on one social media channel doing one thing. It wasn’t going to be that. We knew we had to be together, locked in, and together as I said 144 of us. That was going to be where our big microphone was going to live. We learned from that and moving forward we’ll always move as one.

Now I need you to pick a side. Where do you fall on the Jazmine Jones/Skylar Diggins-Smith Twitter squabble? [Laughs.] Let me start by saying this, truthfully you could probably go back and forth on the sides. In the end, what Skylar was talking about is a real issue, a real point to make so I’m probably on Skylar’s side with that. The overarching argument here is two things. 1. Obviously, what Skylar said in terms of which players are being marketed the most, is that based on skin color, that kind of a vibe, that’s a conversation that needs to be had. I think the other conversation that’s really happening in this Twitter war right now is that what you see in women’s sports—because we get such small coverage, there’s percentages out there, like 4 percent, 5 percent of media coverage—it’s just a very small piece of the pie. Shout out to Bleacher Report for putting a highlight on their channel, but because we only get one highlight a week people are going to be scrapping and clawing for it. The problem isn’t this one thing, it’s that there needs to be more coverage for everybody, there needs to be more than one highlight per week on some of these channels. Then you would see the Skylar highlight, which was legit. That deserved to be played. Then you would also see Betnijah Laney balling out and winning the game. And then you would see other players. So that’s really to me what this argument also brings up that in the larger scale we need more coverage, more highlights. Not just one opportunity so everybody has to scratch and claw for it.

Wanted to talk about the Olympics because they’re coming up. I know the team hasn’t been selected, but you’re widely expected to be on it. I think that would be a no-brainer. Have you allowed yourself to think about what the emotional ride will be like if this is your last run at a gold medal? No, I haven’t at all. I just don’t operate well like that [laughs]. I get real nostalgic and kind of take it as it comes. Listen, if they call me up and tell me I’ve made the team of course I’m going to be super excited about that. It’ll mean a lot—for me growing up there was no WNBA so the Olympics was always the end all, be all, the ultimate goal. So to have a chance to do it for a fifth time is incredible. To represent your country is incredible. To go into other countries is incredible. However it shakes out, I’m excited about it.

Let’s talk about the campaign you’re appearing in for Moët & Chandon. I gotta say, you looked pretty fly dribbling in a silk suit for it. Listen, dribbling in a silk suit, it just flows, it just works. I had a lot of space in there, it was working with me, I loved it. It’s been great being involved in this campaign. It’s one of those partnerships that makes sense. Whenever you can have a partnership make sense, obviously with Moët and NBA, including myself, Moët’s really been there for a lot of huge moments, for my career, for a lot of athletes’ careers, and the things this company represents and wants to put forth is really what all of the people are about, right. What it is is you see the success at the end, you see the rings, you see the championship, but it’s all about what it takes to get there and that’s the whole Greatness Under Pressure aspect of it. It was a lot of fun to be a part of, I had a lot of fun in my silk suit, and it came out super dope and I’m super excited to be a part of it.

You just touched on it, but I’ll ask you to go a little deeper. What does Greatness Under Pressure mean to you? When it comes to what you see at the end, like I said, which is the rings and the championship, it’s really about the journey and the little things that it takes to get to those moments. Because Greatness Under Pressure for me, those pressure moments aren’t about that moment itself. It’s about all the work you did to get to that point where you don’t even notice the pressure. Or if you do, you’re comfortable in it because you’ve already put the work in. And that’s not specific to athletes. I think that can go for really anybody in any walk of life, whatever it is you’re doing. I think people can relate to having to put in the work over time in order to get to that pressure moment and seeing the greatness come through.

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[phynxrizng]

DECEMBERS ENERGY REPORT

SOURCE... support@enlighteninglife.com Search … December 2017 Energy Report by Jennifer | Dec 4, 2017 | 2017, awareness, blog, Boundaries, December 2017, determination, Energy, faith, joy, relationships, Spiritual Path, transformation | It’s the final month of 2017 and if we look back on the past 11 months we have a lot to celebrate, it has been quite a wild ride with lots of progress. When I hear thousands of people say ‘mass awakening’ to describe what they see happening in the world, I know we have succeeded greatly. Now we can use the energy of December to prepare for 2018, representing another level of master as it’s an 11 year. So it’s not surprising that the energy themes for December is grounding, which is transcension, alignment, and integration, and serenity, which is clarity and the state of being ‘composed’. Let’s look at how December begins – with a Mercury retrograde and a full moon supermoon. Full moons bring up a lot of emotional energy and they also light up the heavens and the earth. With a full moon the Sun shines on the Moon, they reflect each other. And this one is even more special as we look at the connection between the full moon, Mercury retro and Neptune. The full moon sets off Neptune (a square aspect) between the signs Gemini and Sagittarius. The short version of this longer astro story is, Gemini is the mind, Sag is higher thought and both are set off by Neptune, planet of illusion, spirituality, and the spiritual world. Think of it as the difference between low thinking and high thinking, knowing and wisdom, the chaotic, chattering mind and the serene, aware mind. This full moon on December 3rd is a movement from denial (which is both the inability and the unwillingness to see other potentials) to awareness, a state of expanded knowing, to release the limitations of fear, doubt, and confusion to expand into acceptance, self awareness, wisdom, and divinity. This is the point of intersection between human and spirit. This has been our soul mission for eons, integrating our divinity in our humanity for the achievement of congruent wholeness, not holiness as the church would have you believe. And if that isn’t enough we have more action this month (December is a huge turning point to prepare for 2018). Venus, representing value, worthiness, love and self love, and balance, hits 3 signs this month, Scorpio, Sagittarius and Capricorn. These are not Venus’ best signs to be in so they challenge her ability to maintain her self worth and serenity (another December energy theme) in tough situations. They are also the signs that deal with being in the world, especially Capricorn. How safe do you feel in the world? Have you been hibernating, afraid to shine your light? Does the world feel cold, ruthless, and dangerous to you? This starts to shift in December, opening to a much larger shift in 2018. We cannot open our hearts until we feel that our spiritual essence is safe and free from attack. One way to protect ourselves is to hibernate, another is to be serene and confident. Did you hear the Soul Trauma Healing Secrets free webinar? It is available for another 36 hours and you can register here (registration is required) and gain instant access to this 90 minute information packed free webinar. I think this is a reflection of what we are seeing in the world, the battle between the people and the ‘deep state’, overthrowing the self serving politics of governments and agencies for the benefit of humanity. If you don’t already know it, we are involved in this battle right now and while we’re making headway, the battle is not yet won but the light is being spread by many more people now, so the light work that was once the exclusive mission of the light ‘workers’ is now being shared by a greater collective. That’s a relief. Mars goes into Scorpio on the 10th and that’s a challenging placement because the planet of war can become a little too brashly confident in the sign of transformation. But it will be balanced out by Jupiter, also in Scorpio. Saturn makes its long awaited move into Capricorn on the 23rd where it will meet up with Pluto in early 2020. Saturn/Pluto conjunctions are rare and this one arrives at a pivotal time in our collective evolution and ascension. What happens when the planetary taskmaster meets up with the planet of deep transformation? We don’t have to wait for 2020 as it is beginning right now. Keep those lights shining, they are very necessary to maintain our ascension and 5D integration for the next few years. The most important energy activity this month is the Pluto/North Node aspect, at 150 degrees it is a very uncomfortable angle which is exact from November 25 to December 5. Take a look at what is happening in the political arena, the ‘mass awakening’ we are seeing in the world, the sexual harassment scandals, the government scandals, this is the result of this aspect. It’s also going to set the stage for what unravels in December, so watch for more reports of dirty deeds to hit the public awareness. The December 18 new moon lights up Saturn on its last day in Sagittarius as it prepares to move into Capricorn. This is a last hurrah before we get down to work. This fiery new moon also involves Venus, Eris, and Uranus, another reminder that the power of transformation is chugging along. December brings the promise of transformation but we have to hitch our own wagons to that star and keep the energy moving in the direction we want it to go. December’s first theme is grounding but this is less about maintaining the current stability of your own energy than it is to learn how to maintain that stability as you expand, integrate, align with, and anchor the energy you want to see in your life. If you want peace, love, joy, and prosperity, you have to create those energetic frequencies. They are not a random gift that magically appears in your life. They are a potential and potential without intention is vaporware. Potential needs to be grounded in our reality through intention and the world will be changed through our collective intention to create the world we want to live in. December’s second theme is serenity which means more than peace, calm, and quiet. It means having clarity and being ‘unclouded’. If we want serenity we have to remove those things that cloud our energy, which is our own fear, self doubt, and self judgment. As energetically sovereign beings we are in control of our individual and collective realities. We do get to call the shots, so to speak, but not when we are distracted and disloyal to our own power. No one takes our power from us, we give it away without realizing that in doing so we are robbing ourselves of the joy, love, peace, and prosperity that we wish we had. Being serene also means releasing your soul trauma, the painful energetic memory of lifetimes of trauma that serves the purpose of creating soul wounds to remind us of the karmic healing that is our life purpose but at some point it just drags us down energetically. And in order to move farther along the 5D integration and ascension path, we must make a conscious and deliberate choice to release ourselves and everyone involved in this karma. That time has come. Set yourself free by envisioning the energetic outcomes you want in your life and let them become real-ized in your reality. December has many opportunities for karmic release and forward movement. This does come with some challenges as releasing our karmic ties also shifts all of our relationships. In some cases we move to new levels together; in other cases we move apart. Don’t fear the outcome, let the energy flow where it needs to for the fulfillment of your joy. Whatever leaves your life gets replaced by something else. Use the energetic potential of December to clear out the dark corners and scary spaces to prepare for a masterful time in 2018 and a new level of 5D integration and ascension for everyone. ======================================= If you like this article and would like to work with me because you are ready for profound personal and spiritual transformation, consider a personal intuitive consultation or intuitive coaching, where we work together to examine your life path, purpose, potential, and possibilities and help you choose one that will bring you the joy, abundance, love, peace and power that you are ready for. Click here to explore the possibilities for transformation. Copyright (c) 2017 by Jennifer Hoffman. All rights reserved. You may quote, copy, translate and link to this article, in its entirety, on free, non-donation based websites only, as long as you include the author name and a working link back to this website. All other uses are strictly prohibited. Energetic Congruence, Christed Awareness, Martyred Healer, Empowered Master, Life Re-Vibed, Energetic Significance, Light Age, Light Beacon, and Enlightened Mastery are trademarks of Enlightening Life OmniMedia. High Vibes Living® is a registered trademark of Enlightening Life OmniMedia, Inc. Comments 0 comments  Submit a Comment Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *  Comment  Name *  Email *  Website Submit Comment  Notify me of follow-up comments by email.  Notify me of new posts by email. Soul Wound Healing Program  Release Soul Wounds now Surrender Course to Allow & Receive  Learn to Surrender so you can Allow & Receive Schedule a Session  Recent Posts December 2017 Energy Report Singularity, Uniqueness and Connection How Much Are You Paying for Parking? Judging, Judgment and Energy Flows November 2017 Energy Report Tags 3D 5D 2012 abundance alignment angels ascension awareness boundaries connection consciousness dimensions emotional energy emotions empowerment energy fear healing heart integration intention journey joy karma life purpose light LOVE manifest manifestation peace potential power purpose reality relationship relationships soul spirit spiritual transformation truth Universe vibration victim wholeness Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress SOURCE, JENNIFER HOFFMAN/ENLIGHTNINGLIFE.COM REPOSTED BY, PHYNXRIZNG

[kwispayne]

The Top 10 Albums Of 2019

This year for music was spectacular. One of the better in a while. Usually I do a mini list of albums that were the worst that I don't release, but even the bad albums this year were just a bit bland or misguided (although this is from what I've heard, I know there is mountains of bad music out there). This year's top 10 is very much a list of artists who I have enjoyed or who was aware of who just completely laid out their A game. Some of these guys have been in my lists before and have barely scraped the top and this year they have just pushed their way in or completely floored me. Choosing this years list was hard as there are a lot of honorable mentions. You'll have to ask me which ones they are yourself.

Now before I go on I must explain that…

1. Yes, this is very biased, off course.

2. I haven’t listened to most great stuff which has came out this year. In fact, I have alot of CDs and stuff I still need to listen to, so this is of what I’ve heard so far. I really don’t have time to listen to alot of music and stuff at the moment.

3. All recommendations would be helpful for stuff that I should have listened to or reconsidered.

10. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Infest The Rats Nest

Genres: Thrash, Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, Stoner Metal

Country of origin: Australia

For some strange reason I have kept these guys off my radar for a long time. I do not know how or why. These guys literally are for me. A group of crazy Australians who change their genre willy nilly and have experimented with some of my favorite sounds. So this year I decided to buy their first album for this year Fishing For Fishies (not in this list, but an honorable mention), a glam rock psych folk freak out. And then for them to turn around and release a progressive thrash metal concept album about sci fi and the environment...it just confused and intrigued me. The production on this album is one of my favorite little quirks. With less focus on modern compression, there's a very retro late 70's sound added to the early 80's thrash metal vibe, and it works perfectly. I'm also really impressed at Stu Mackenzie's ability to adopt a gruff thrash timbre when comparing to the voice he uses for their lighter material. Lyrically they have also been able to add a great niche to the eco metal trend, being not afraid to be honest with a good sense of satire and imagination.

9. Devin Townsend - Empath

Genres: Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Extreme Metal, Experimental Rock, Art Rock, Djent, Comedy

Country of origin: Canada

This proves how great this year is. Usually Devin gets a higher position, and while I have preferred his most recent material to this album, this is still an exceptional piece of work. Having disbanded the Devin Townsend Project, Devin decided to really take his sound and expand it to heights he hasn't been fully to achieve within the context of a band. With orchestras, choirs and harder compositions, Devin is the perfect example of an individual who under the stress of having too many big ideas, that he's able to create a piece of art and come out alive and well at the other end. Lyrically again we see Devin constantly seeking balance in the difficult world we live in, and as always Devin's approach to this is almost childlike, to the point where he even has a narrator reading out parts of what seems to be a children's story. Epic, grandiose, heavy, groovy and incredibly successful at pulling on the audience and the performers heartstrings.

8. Periphery - Periphery IV: Hail Stan

Genres: Djent, Progressive Metal, Extreme Metal, Experimental Rock, Pop Rock

Country of origin: USA

For a few years Periphery have always been on my radar and I have enjoyed a lot of their music, but as an albums band they have never really blown me away (the closest they got was Juggernaut: Alpha). But they are back again with their heaviest and most powerful album to date. I remember reading an interview with one of their old producers who claimed that these guys are their own worst enemies because they are obsessed with following their own path without the help of others and I'm glad that on this album they have stuck to their guns from what they've been building on for the past few years because it has all finally paid off. Musically brilliant as always, the real shining moment has to be Spencer Sotelo's vocals and lyrics. The range this guy has, from cleans, screams and growls, it really covers the full gamut of a metal vocalist. I think if this career doesn't work, he definitely could be an easy replacement for Chester Bennington from Linkin Park. I'm glad to finally have these guys in my top 10 lists, proving that djent isn't just a meme and can produce some great art.

7. Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

Genres: Pop, Art Pop, Experimental Rock, Electronic

Country of origin: USA

This was an artist I really didn't see to blow up as big as she did. Whenever she was originally presented to me, I thought she would be massive in the indie world with a potential for crossover. But wow, this really has been her year. I think the hype around this album is as true as it could get, but I'd like to think I get a little bit more our of her music as most people would. Being a big fan of artists like Björk & Imogen Heap, I thought this would be a lot more like a modern version of what they are doing, but she definitely will be the next big thing over the next few years. Production wise, this album is in a complete league of its own. In many ways its very quiet, but the quietness of it very much adds to a certain level of dangerous. In many ways you could say the effect of her music is a bit like an electronic version of Pixies. The song writing and lyrics on this album are fantastic and really are impressive as this whole album is very much just an experiment between 2 siblings. Billie's vocals too are also very unique. In many ways she is like a less dynamic Björk, where she has this childlike quietness, but unlike Björk, she has an added sinister undertone. Worth the hype and whatever she comes out with next will interest me.

6. Bring Me The Horizon - Amo

Genres: Pop, Hard Rock, Art Pop, Post Hardcore, Electronic, Experimental Rock

Country of origin: England

3 years ago, these guys were able to slowly morph their way into a poppy sound, but keep the angst and metallic vibes they were presenting years previously. Now on this album, they have very much gone full force into the pop world. Now, in many ways this could be seen as a band selling out, but with Bring Me The Horizon it very much isn't, because the version of pop that they have decided to enter into, isn't very much a cash grab. Instead, the band have experimented with a murkier electronic tone and whenever the album moves into more radio friendly stuff, they are seen experimenting with indie electronic artist's like Grimes, beatboxer Rahzel and even Dani Filth from Cradle Of Filth. Bring Me The Horizon in my opinion now are part of what I believe to be a new level of artist (along with other artists like Enter Shikari or Jamie Lenman), where genre lables are unimportant, but sound is very much a focus. Lyrically also, the band deals with some some rather unpoppy subject matter, so I can't see these guys going down the Take That road just yet. In my opinion this is their greatest work, and I'm hopefully for whatever they decide to experiment with next.

5. The Claypool Lennon Delirium - South Of Reality

Genres: Progressive Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Experimental Rock, Comedy, Art Rock

Country of origin: USA

I am so glad that this wasn't a one time thing. A few years ago, this album was also able to find a place in my top 10, and I'm glad that they're 2nd album is even better. Musically as always, Les Claypool's bass playing is out of this world, but Sean Lennon has to be one of the most underrated guitar players out there. While their first album was very much a very well crafted experiment, this album is a tiny bit maturer, with a great focus on the songwriting and clearer production. Lyrically the album is very much full of humor or odd stories, but overall they add to the psychedelic sound (Like Flea's though is a great piece of environmental satire). In many ways, choosing this album to be in my top list is mainly just to confirm bias, because the sound these guys make is very much just a box tick list of sounds I like.

4. Vampire Weekend - Father Of The Bride

Genres: Pop, Indie Rock, Experimental Rock, Adult Contemporary, Hipster

Country of origin: USA

I have been a fan of these guys for a long time now, and while they've never made I've been unhappy with this, I do believe this album to be their masterpiece. The quirkiness of these guys is still very much an important part of their sound but the best quality of this album would have to be a bigger and better focus on the songwriting. At times this album is very much a bow down to the past, but at times the production can change to a more modern and experimental feel, with the added flourishes of vocoder and electronics. In many ways you could say that the band have successfully been able to make a millennial album for boomers. But jokes aside, the songwriting quality, the catchiness of the material and the surprisingly at times complex song structures and musicianship make this album and Vampire Weekend a band that sticks out in both the popular and indie sides of music.

3. Motorpsycho -The Crucible

Genres: Progressive Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Heavy Prog, Hard Rock, Stoner Metal, Experimental Rock

Country of origin: Norway

Each year these guys make an album, they always just scrape the barrel to be left off my top 10. I always feel back about leaving these guys off, because these guys really are one of the best prog bands out there. The best way I can describe this album is that it's like a modern version of Yes' Close To The Edge...but in reverse. This time around, the band only have 3 tracks, with them all being within the 8-20 minute mark. But each one is very much a different mood or mindset, moving from epic suites, crushing riffs, beautiful crescendos and insane freak out sections. I also love how vocally imperfect the guys in this band can be. They sometimes tackle things outside their range, but it's done in a way which adds to the emotional impact of the music that they're making. In my opinion this is their masterpiece but it also keeps me excited for whatever project they next have in store for us.

2. Neal Morse - Jesus Christ: The Exorcist

Genres: Progressive Rock, Hard Rock, Musical, Christian Rock

Country of origin: USA

I have been a Neal Morse fan for over 10 years now. Even after his exit from Spock's Beard, I have always followed his career, from his prog rock carefree to his Jesus loving aftermath. Now, to be honest, when I first heard about this project...I thought it was a joke. The title...come on...Jesus Christ and The Exorcist. But, it's not a joke at all. In fact it might be the greatest piece of work Neal has done. Apparently this project has been a few years in the works, and I'm glad that Neal has graced us with the release of the music itself. In many ways you could say that musically it is Neal by numbers, but it is a genuinely well crafted musical that I hope Broadway or the West End can snap up, because there is a wide audience for this (I'm not religious, but I can jam to this message). The voice cast he assembled for the recordings is great too, but the real fan boy moment was being able to get all 3 vocalists who have been in Spock's Beard, and in one song even to get them all to sing. The smile I still have stuck to my face from listening to this is not an easy one to get rid off.

1. Elbow - Giant Of All Sizes

Genres: Pop Rock, Progressive Rock, Indie Rock, Experimental Rock

Country of origin: England

England have won again for creating an artist which takes the top spot of my favorite album of the year. Now Elbow have been on my lists before, but I definitely think they are band who is getting better and better, and this album only proves it, as I think this is very much their greatest work. While they're previous 2 releases saw the band experimenting with different sounds, this album in many ways is a mire grander and experimental album with a conceptual feel. One of the elements that has always drawn me to this band is how in tune they all are musicians, made especially focused on this album. Production wise it is pretty much clear and crisp, but there is the odd experiment heard throughout. One of the best elements of this album is that it is very epic in scope, but behind it there is a a raw heart to it, which very well bodes to the concept which I perceive to be a working class emotion to the chaotic times that we live in. Guy Garvey's vocals and projection of his lyrics are always one the strongest feats of the band (I don't think I've ever met anyone who could hate his voice). Elbow are very much a band that I could say are very much a modern Beatles, where they go deep into the pop stratosphere trying to make their music as perfect sounding, but never losing the quality of their songwriting. Also, the album cover is dope too.

[lovehaswonangelnumbers]

New Post has been published on https://lovehaswonangelnumbers.org/summer-2019-karmic-tools-weekly-forecast-june-16-22-2019/

Summer 2019 & Karmic Tools Weekly Forecast: June 16 – 22, 2019

Summer 2019 & Karmic Tools Weekly Forecast: June 16 – 22, 2019

By Kelly M. Beard

The video version of this forecast, as read by Kelly, is available here.

This Summer, we have some potent alignments, intense energies & radical shifts to initiate, anchor and integrate. As we are able to do that, we prepare for more major changes coming over the next year. June allows you to release anything no longer Truth for you with the Sagittarius Full Moon (June 17th) and prepares you to initiate a new cycle & pattern with the Cancer New Moon/Solar Eclipse (July 2nd). As we initiate this new cycle/pattern, across the way, Saturn & Pluto are digging up the last 20-30 years (or more) and removing anything non-essential to the growth & evolution of your New Cancer-led Path & Direction (in the here and now).

With Sun in Cancer (June/July), the sign of the Mother, the Moon’s Rhythm rules ALL Life and all life is dependent on Mother Earth so the Holy Trinity of the most vital things to living as a healthy, evolving, earth-bound organism is: Sun, Moon & Earth and Eclipses involve all three. The direction we are initiating will anchor over the next 4-5 years but support us for the next 20+ years if we set it up properly. It’s time for you to birth a new rhythm for your SoulSelf to follow so your Body/Mind can function with more ease, grace and natural balance. It is time to honor The Great Mother, in every sense, micro-to-macro.

We are supported to create a new relationship, starting here & now, with the Sacred Feminine within and around us. The Sacred Feminine is the part of us and our world that is comfortable with the natural Life/Death/Life process, the part of us that is willing to let go and trust that all we need, desire & deserve will be provided along the way. The Sacred Feminine allows space for mystery & organic development. The Sacred Feminine cultivates Wisdom, Beauty & Sustenance in all Her creations, there is no hierarchy and all life is included and valued for its contribution however minute. We can cultivate lives that honor the Sacred Balance of both the Feminine and Masculine, on all levels.

It is time to set completely new intentions where your definition of self-care, quality nutrient for your body, mind & spirit, your definition of home, family, support & protection are all concerned. Many of us consider our friends to be our family, while others have been blessed to incarnate into families which yield beautiful and lifelong friendships. Cancer rules sacred space, home base, what nurtures and protects you and with two Eclipses this summer, we can set completely new intentions for how we would like to live at this time and going forward for this new 9 and 18-year cycles, not only for ourselves, but for ALL Life.

At this time (June 2019), on one hand, we are completing a cycle that we initiated 6-months ago, in December 2018, which was a major crossroads for many around the world. Winter Solstice 2018 initiated the new Solar year when we set intentions for the new year with the Capricorn New Moon (1.5.2019). Now we are approaching Summer Solstice, which will reveal what has blossomed beautifully and what needs pruning this Capricorn Full Moon (July 16th). And because it is also a Lunar Eclipse, it will reverberate further than 6-months, up to 3-years before and after this summer. Eclipses add potency, intensity & permanent change to the alchemical mix of *now*. They always signify major changes, crossroads and radical shifts which will complete their current journey by next year (before moving into Gemini/Sag to shift the lessons & the blessings of those departments/areas of life).

Pluto’s journey through Capricorn (2008-2024) amplifies the power of this Eclipse Season 100-fold, as it did in 2009-2011, but will never again cross through this territory during our lifetime. This is a rare time in the history of our planet, this is also a slightly less rare time in America’s history, but it is a super-unique time for humanity to right some ancient wrongs and re-set things so we do not pollute or degrade Mother any further but begin to heal and restore balance. Connecting our personal, individual stories to this larger story of humanity’s evolution, can speed your own evolution in a special way if/when you consciously co-create with the energies and alignments. I say that anything you are ready, willing & able to change can be permanently released at this time, which can benefit 7-generations before and after YOU! Simply by balancing out your own life, it will ripple outward. So let the bigger energies do some of the heavy lifting, you just choose/decide and clear space for the new, the Universe will provide the rest!

This may make you more emotional than usual due to the overwhelming choices and changes you’ve had to process just in the last 6 months alone. And a certain amount of honoring what you’ve completed and released is fine, however, do no linger, do not mourn overlong. This is a new beginning that deserves to be celebrated! The only way you can create a new sense of home and/or heart-centered work is going to be if you can release whatever is no longer relevant or serving your needs in the here and now, get back to basics and follow your *Heart*.

We have an unprecedented opportunity to tap in to this *Maximum Light* energy for deep soul work, fusion and strength and the calls have been a tremendous resource for all who participate, near and far, so I hope you will join us in June for more energy, support & guidance.

Weekly Forecast: June 16 – 22, 2019

The Karmic Tools Weekly Forecast covers the current planetary transits which affect people in different ways and to various degrees of intensity. Take notice when it is a Personal planet (Sun / Moon / Mercury / Venus / Mars) interacting with a Social (Jupiter/Saturn) or Collective planet (Uranus / Neptune/Pluto). And pay extremely close attention when it is a Social planet interacting with a Collective planet because that means something *big* is brewing that will move large groups of people along their evolutionary paths. Tuning in to the energy and rhythm of the planets can serve as a useful *guide* as you move along your Individual Path. It also helps to understand your place within the context of the larger Social & Collective Story. Below, you will find out how these energies tend to manifest, as well as guidance and direction. 

*NOTE*  There are some days when there are NO CONTACTS (besides the Moon), please note that there are no missing entries, we just list the actual Activations of each week + the day they happen.

6/16 ~ Mercury (ideas) ~trine~ Neptune (dreams): This energy activates your creative process & intuition. You may catch yourSelf unconsciously drifting aimlessly but a better use of this combination is to open to the other realms for ideas & information and play with it, free flow, see where it leads. It is not the time for pragmatic analysis, but more a time to explore the infinite possibilities available to you, as well as what’s going on in your own consciousness. You may be more sensitive than usual, opening yourself to information or awareness that isn’t always that readily available. Remember, to keep good boundaries when *opening* like this and if you have to be around people, try to maintain the mystical, creative vibe this energy is best for.

6/16 ~ Mercury (ideas, thoughts & concepts) ~oppose~ Saturn (reality & physical limitations): Here the opposition is between your thoughts and your reality or current responsibilities. It’s also about your mental and physical getting integrated on some level. Are you working too hard, causing mental or physical exhaustion? Are you too stuck in idea-mode, delaying actions and actual commitments? It’s time to take a realistic look at your life to see where you could change your mind and your reality would naturally follow. You may find yourself asking what your truth and purpose really are or you may be concerned about how to provide for your very basic, essential needs and why you have been constantly limited in that way. Everything can seem bleak and depressing but really it is just the Universe’s way of getting your attention and helping you to focus on what really matters. You’re being pushed to think of new ways to function on a practical level. You may feel like leaving a mate or partner at this time, but it’s not really the best time to actually act on this impulse. Wait until this energy passes and give your Self some time to clear that negative thinking that is actually coloring your judgment at this time. If you feel this way in another week or two then begin to plan releasing this person in the healthiest, most compassionate possible way so as not to create more karma YOU will have to deal with later. What this energy is good for is giving you the ability to see what is wrong and connect to a positive, realistic way of creating change for the better. If you are still unsure about what direction to take, this energy supports consulting a person you respect, usually someone older and/or more experienced, for guidance and support.

6/16 ~ Jupiter (Truth/Story) ~square~ Neptune (Vision/Spirituality): (2 of 3: 1/13 ~ 6/16 ~ 9/21) These two are somewhat related and seem to create a possibility for “too much of a good thing” ~ over-idealizing ~ over-extending ~ along with faith and charity in the wrong direction. The *square* is creating the friction that helps you catch “glimpses” of your reality as the illusion “cracks” and hopefully, it will spur you on to manifesting your ideals in practical/3D ways. By recognizing what you no longer believe, a new vision begins to emerge, though it still needs to be cultivated & nurtured. The *TEST* that squares bring, push us to grow and develop in a way that moves things along. When a Social Planet (Jupiter) hits a Collective Planet (Neptune) then large numbers of humans evolve around the same time. Additionally, if you have the Signs activated in your individual chart, then it can become “personal” for you. In general, these energies coming together should help you develop a Truth/Belief System of your own, while still creating the *Daily Practice* that will animate and support it going forward. This energy will activate your generosity of spirit, so make sure to give to those worthy of your investment and try not to be foolish, deluded or tricked. Use this combo to expand your consciousness and practice what you preach.

6/17 ~ SAGITTARIUS Full Moon: This month supports process & assimilation exercises. What have you learned or discovered? that you now need to integrate as a true knowing or earned wisdom. If you do not integrate the changes you’ve been through, the choices you’ve made, the knowledge you’ve learned & the wisdom you’ve earned, then they never convert from ideas-to-bricks in the Base that supports you, that foundation of your own creation. Many will stay in ‘overwhelm’ or go even deeper at this point because this much information, that does NOT get filed or deleted, WILL overwhelm the system. Gemini (May/June) time is a good time to review & explore the ideas, concepts & perceptions that have been revealed over the last 3-6-9-12 months. It’s good to note that next month (Cancer) the ‘fundamentals’ will be UP again, along with Eclipses activating more changes. You are supported to review which of the ideas that come up now will actually nourish, support & protect you going forward. Choose ideas that have life & vitality, choose ideas that *feel* right from your Heart-Center, choose ideas that expand your life, rather than limit it. Simplify, Prioritize & RE-Allocate Your Resources and Redirect your energy.

The SAG Full Moon is a spectacular opportunity to release anything that no longer reflects your personal *Truth & Story*, which ultimately contributes to the larger social/collective Story as well. As we activate our new thought patterns and recognize the incredibly new path we are on, the Sag Full Moon is going to shine a light on that which is no longer true (before it will reveal any new Truth). This Full Moon is a Sacred Opportunity to recalibrate your belief system, based on the new beginning you recently initiated with the Gemini New Moon (6/3). What is more or less of a priority? and can be released so that something of greater value can be Lived ~ Experienced ~ Expressed! How has your thinking been liberated by a broader perspective? Based on this broader perspective, what is the anchor or cornerstone, which supports & encourages you? What is worn-out and ready to be released? Give it to Mama Moon!

6/18 ~ Saturn (reality & responsibility) ~sextile~ Neptune (dreams & spirituality): This is a Social and a Collective planet coming together which happens over a much longer stretch of time, however, it is still relevant for us as individuals and is a supportive energy that helps us make our dreams a reality! The last time these two danced together was in 2015-2016 in a Sag/Pisces Square – a push to grow in our belief system and our spirituality, a push to learn & expand as an individual and still honor the whole and it was Fire & Water working together, facilitating a purification of sorts. Those years got really *REAL* in a lot of ways, for a lot of people. Reality versus Illusion and a growth moment where things inevitably changed. How’s it been going for you ever since?

Now, they are together activating a major opportunity and working via Earth & Water to create something real and meaningful for you personally. Saturn in Capricorn is restructuring our lives on many levels and revealing what we are and are not responsible for at this time. While Neptune in Pisces is reuniting us with our primordial oceanic womb-like Mother, out of which ALL life springs and eternally bonds us all together. If one life or species suffers, they ALL suffer. Anyway, this week’s activation is really good for deepening your dedication to a spiritual practice that fills you with inspiration, clarity & inner peace so that you can navigate whatever life throws your way. (It’s not too late to join Shanta’s 7-day Solstice Anustan!) This is the best time to work on your biggest dream because Saturn helps you create a step-by-step process of manifestation and keeps you present to the work that has to be done for you to embody this new vision completely. This is an excellent time to develop your relationship to your Council of Elders, Ancestors & Guides and remember your magical roots! A reminder that all that you need, desire & deserve is sourced within you and it’s your job to unlock it all this lifetime and see how it all works and what it really means for your individual purpose for being here, a Spirit in human form.

Relevant Reflections: I go into more detail of the larger cycle of Saturn & Neptune HERE during their last interaction in 2016. It too will illuminate more clues as to what you are doing and where you can gain some traction in your manifesting realms.

6/18 ~ Mercury (thoughts) ~conjunct~ Mars (energy): I have to preface this with two things: (1) is when Mercury is involved, it is a relatively fast-moving energy. (2) is when Mars is involved, being the lower version of power (Pluto being the Higher version), reminds us that with power, also comes responsibility. Now, that all said, the positive expression of this energy is that you can control your mind and direct it with passion, getting tangible results. This heightens your intellectual ability and mental capacity (for better or worse). You will be able to clearly articulate your thoughts and you should have quick, effective responses. If you maintain your integrity, this is an excellent time to ‘fuel’ major creative expression. If this energy manifests its negative side, it can make you petty & combative, arguing over nonsense and wasting precious time & energy in ego control-dramas. And if it is not coming FROM you, it is just as possible to be coming AT you (from others). This is the best time to put your energy (Mars) behind your thoughts, ideas and words (Mercury) and get creative. The power of this pairing is that they are occupying the same space, essentially energizing each other and initiating a new cycle.

6/19 ~ Mercury (communication & self-expression) ~oppose~ Pluto (purification & transformation): This opposition is between your ideas, thoughts & concepts and your unconscious drives. It is supporting some deep-digging into the power of your mind and thoughts. How has your thinking shaped your choices over the last 6-months? Are you still operating from an old paradigm of thought? Any opposition is a chance for true integration and we will always have to work at balancing our conscious and unconscious thinking as it affects our day-to-day choices. This could be a good time to consult with a trusted advisor or wise friend to clarify what is coming into your conscious awareness about your own self-sabotaging ideas, thoughts or concepts. This activation supports pulling it out by the root. Often, we address the symptoms rather than the true cause of our discomfort. Pluto won’t allow that. It’s time to go deeper and recognize your own power, the power of your heart and mind, and find that middle ground that allows you peace within and effectiveness in the world.

6/19 ~ Mars (desire) ~oppose~ Pluto (transformation): This energy is higher will versus lower will, an opposition which always brings tension and the need to balance & integrate whatever your dealing with at the time. It’s not a good time to be selfish, go it alone or let ego lead. Something you did not consider may become obvious and force you to change in some fundamental way. You may have to decide if the path you are on at this time is really going to lead you to the destination you originally chose. If you have been clear about your desires and willing to sacrifice, work hard (and consistently) this energy will activate a turning point. You will have access to energy and passion that propels you forward when based in love and light. However, if your ego has been leading, you may find yourself at an impasse. This energy is all about power and with that power comes great responsibility. Be very careful of abusing that power as it will likely backfire on you.

6/20 ~ Juno Enters LEO: I don’t usually work these in for general public but I think I will start 😉  I love the asteroids, they represent our Sacred Feminine Wisdom, which is wired into each and every one of us in a unique way, whether you’re a man or a woman. Juno is known as the Divine Consort or Wife and she represents what we are deeply committed to and how we honor our own commitment needs, whether personal or professional. According to my asteroid bible, Asteroid Goddesses by Demetra George & Douglas Bloch, “Juno describes the ways in which we face the issues of compatibility, receptivity to others, mutual sharing, trust, jealousy, possessiveness and power struggles. Juno in the signs describes the twelve styles of relating and meeting our intimacy needs. If these needs are denied, then Juno signifies the subsequent neurotic interactions that we will experience. Juno in the houses shows where we are most likely to experience the need to relate and in what area of life these experiences we will encounter our most important relationship lessons.”

Juno spends about 2-months in a Sign, and helps us recommit in that area of life. In Leo, you recommit to the Heart, to being your Authentic Self and radiating joy, beauty & power as you dedicate yourself only to those people or causes that are really important to your Heart. She can also help us all recommit to some kind of unique expression, art, music, sports – anything that you get to learn, play and SHINE! As you develop that deeper sense of Self that is emerging at this time, she will move into Virgo which will ask you to get organized, grounded and back to basics in some way. I tell you this only to suggest that over the next 4-months, you have an opportunity to clarify within who you are, what you want and what you are willing to truly commit to going forward because once she enters Libra, it is where she will linger and retrograde, which will naturally affect our current commitments, partnerships & relationships. Be prepared to renegotiate with ongoing relationships as they are evolving and also prepare to have all new relationships to integrate into your life by the end of the year. Who/whatever does not survive her retrograde, will be transmuted into something better! Trust your Heart!

*****

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[sylvaetria]

Secular Magic: Energy Sources

anonymous asked:

If you have the time/energy/desire, could you explain a bit about secular witchcraft, a la a beginner's guide. How do you charge spells/sigils/etc without a deity, how secular magic works, etc. Thanks!

I haven’t written a proper post in a while, so I’m taking this opportunity to get really into it and ramble on about things. Yay!

Warning: UPG and personal opinion abound.

We all know that witchcraft isn’t inherently religious - it can be performed just as successfully as any magical path that also happens to mingle with deities. It is also definitely possible to be religious and still practice secular magic; you just wouldn’t incorporate your religion into your magic, invoke your deity’s power, that sort of thing - they remain separate. The flavor of the magic / energy used in secular magic versus non-secular magic is a bit different, in my opinion, based off the sources you draw from - even individual sources of energy in secular magic still have their own vibrations and “best used for’s.

Before I get too into it about what these methods actually are, please note that while I’ll do my best to list as many as I can think of, the energy sources I will be listing here certainly aren’t all of them. This list is not extensive, as people are constantly finding new sources of energy to fuel spells with, and methods to utilize the more “common” energy sources in new ways.

The main source of energy for secular magic, in my opinion, is from one’s own body, our intents and desires and wishes. (This is not the only one, just the one I think gets utilized the most / the “default.”) We generate the energy required for the spells within ourselves, by summoning up the emotions and vibrations that match and fuel our intent, and then pushing them out into the spell. This is particularly strong in regards to cursing, if you happen to do them - you need to summon up all the anger and mean / hurtful feelings towards your target and use it to fuel the curse / redirect that energy to the target. This isn’t the only example of emotional magic, just the one that came first to mind.

Not only that, but think about what our body actually does! Blood is always pumping through our veins, our heart is always pounding, muscles are almost constantly flexing and exerting energy, synapses in our brains are firing. Think also about the physical energy we get from eating, or the heat and energy generated from exercise, even as simple as walking. All of those things can be drawn upon in spells and used to fuel magic.

The energy for secular magic can also be pulled from the world around us, environment wise. Some people do actually worship or revere the elements, as well as the planet, but that wouldn’t really fall under secular witchcraft anymore. It is still possible to utilize the energy from our environments in spells in a non-religious / -worshiping context, however. For instance, a lot of times that witches use their own energies for spells, they find they are drained, and then draw up energy from the earth / ocean to replenish themselves (a.k.a. a form of grounding). This can also be done before spellwork to ensure that you don’t suffer from the ever-possible energy drain from putting too much into your magic. Energy is drawn from storms, the ocean, even snowfall. The elements each have their own associations and energy vibes as well, and can be used individually, or drawn from all at once to encompass as much area, energy-wise, as possible.

Energy can be pulled from a bit further from home, too. Space witches draw their power and energy from the entire universe, from the planets and stars, from the infinite possibilities of space. While some do worship space (as @cosmic-witch speaks of in their post about [Astrolatry]), that isn’t necessarily in order to draw energy from the cosmos. I feel like people do more space magic than they think of. Items can be left to charge in sunlight, cleanse in moonlight; each of the planets have their own correspondences as well. 

In the case of drawing energy from the environment, or space, some people do tend to leave offerings as a sort of thank-you or attempt to give back what they took. This doesn’t necessarily equate to worship or drawing from a deity, but more honoring the source of the energy, or even trying to replenish what they may have taken by giving something back. (Some people do see these things as having spirits, but that doesn’t technically count as deities? :p)

Energy for spells in secular magic can also be drawn from objects. We know of the stereotypical herbs, candles, crystals, etc. These ingredients are so popular and commonly used because they have been used for a long, long time. And for good reason - each has its own vibration of energy, a different feel and purpose to its energy that can be drawn on and manipulated for use for our own purposes. They have proved time and time again to provide excellent fuel for magical workings. They also come in such a wide variety of types and intents, that allow for a huge range of work to be done for each. (Think of how people say rosemary is the go-to herb to replace one you don’t have, or quartz for crystals, white for candle colors, etc.)

Pulling energy in from external sources can also be considered a magic of its own. Just pulling in to you a certain frequency / “vibe” of energy can be enough to have an affect. For example - holding on to a piece of amethyst and feeling its calming energies flowing into you to help soothe anxiety.

In my opinion, anything that can generate energy, can have that energy channeled into magic. This includes electronics. The way I like to think about it, is every object is technically vibrating, some more than others, on a molecular level. That is the power that I think I draw on when I practice magic. Electricity is still a form of energy, and whether or not you channel it from a natural source (storm witches and lightning), or a “produced” source (teach witches and power sources like plugs or generators). These sorts of sources are still absolutely valid for drawing energy from.

Again, though, each source of energy will have different sorts of vibrations and feels to the energy, and you might find that certain energies are better suited for certain types of magic or intents. For instance, I feel that using the body’s natural energy (from blood pumping and exercise, etc) is best used to charge sigils drawn on the body. Herbs and crystals are best combined, I have found, or used in conjunction with other methods. Experiment, try out different sources of energy, see which ones you like best, which feel best to you, which might work best with different intents, etc. See if you can discover any sources of energy I haven’t mentioned here, or tweak some that already exist. Possibilities are limitless. :)

I wanna make a sidenote here, not necessarily exclusive to secular magic, but just magic in general. Some say that things “natural” from the earth or universe are the most potent for energy / spellwork, and should really be the things that you go for to use in magic. Along this train of thought is that organic herbs are better than dried / processed. Not true. While the energies might be different (if anything maybe slightly more potent at best, but not enough to matter in my opinion), that doesn’t mean that alternatives will not work as well - heck, maybe even better. Everything that has an association with it - imagery, symbolism - those things can be drawn on and used to fuel or contribute to a spell in some way. Your personal connections to certain things are super potent energy-wise as well, which can make a well-loved plastic charm more suited for a calming spell than one you don’t like made of rose gold.

Tl;dr - the energy for secular witchcraft comes from many sources, ranging from yourself to the environment, and from the natural world to the man-made one.

I hope that covered this topic enough, or answered your question adequately anon! I know it was a long post, but I felt it deserved it, and I also feel I was a bit slacking on my posts lately. 

Again, this list is not complete or extensive in any way, but are just some of the energy sources that I feel are pretty common or well known, and also the ones I could think of at the time of writing this post. My opinions bout what I wrote here may change over time; however, this is how I currently feel on the topic. Feel free to agree or disagree - after all, witchcraft is unique to everyone who practices it, and you are allowed your own opinions (as am I, writing this heavily opinionated post, lol), even if they differ from the masses. Feel free to break out, try something new, prove me wrong, whatever you wanna do - your craft, your choices. :D

[happybestgoodwishes995774]

Happy Best Wishes For Birthday Mom And Dad

Moms hold an exceptional spot in our lives similarly as in our spirits as well. They are a blessing to us from God, and they present their lives to our prosperity and satisfaction. We trust that their worship and fondness can never be reimbursed. Regardless, on their unique days like a birthday, you can endeavor several endeavors and make her vibe astounding and glad. Express glad birthday mother to the individual who is an extraordinary soul. Send some astounding birthday requirements for mother since she is amazingly an exceptional individual. Send brilliant wishes for her on her birthday. In the event that you are on the look for the correct words to wish your mother on her birthday, you have connected at the supportive spot since we can assist you with what to write in a birthday card for mother and she is absolutely going to welcome it. Your mother is noteworthy in her routes as such ought to be her birthday. Send your mummy the all the best, and she will continually be happy with you. For your dumbfounding mother, pick enchanting birthday alludes to for mother. Such birthday references are certain to be cherished and respected by her start and end through her life.

Joyful birthday, Mother! I need you to comprehend that I am nothing without you, yet I can be everything with you close by. Adore you!

Just a super mother can do all that you do and still look stunning each day! Cheerful birthday to a mother who just continues getting progressively enthusiastic on the most critical measurement.

Each birthday memory I have solidifies you lighting the candles on my cake. Much appreciation to you for all that you have done, and I am predicting giving back where its due the current week's end.

In the event that you were not my mother definitively, by then I would be completely desirous of whoever was your young woman. You're splendid, Mother. Enthusiastic Birthday!

Enthusiastic birthday to my mother… the lady who yielded different a productive minutes for an astounding length, with the target that I could have them in mine.

In spite of what I've said yet where it incorporates into my heart, you are the one I acknowledge, remain relentless with and love returning home to. Glad birthday mother.

The splendid recollections of my energy have changed into my shadow. They tail me wherever I go, and I trust it is generally so. Glad birthday mother.

In the event that I can grow up to finish up being even a Minor piece of what U are, I will consider myself to be to have accomplished a Ton. Sprightly birthday mother.

Dear Mother, You are the best mother on earth. Upbeat Birthday Mother!

Mother as the birthday events are coming, U are persuading the chance to be progressively fiery. Peppy birthday mummy.

Mother I so fortunate to have a mother like you. You are my closest companion. Sporty birthday sweet and kind mother

Mother upbeat birthday to you, I am what I am today fundamentally because of U.

All that I am or ever plan to be, I owe to my grand agent mother. Energetic Birthday mother.

As moms and young women, we are connected with each other. My mom is the bones of my spine, keeping me straight and guaranteed. She is my blood, promising it runs rich and solid. She is the throbbing of my heart. I can't eventually envision a nearness without her. Glad Birthday mother.

Favored is a mother that would surrender some piece of her spirit for her youngsters' bliss. Enthusiastic Birthday mother.

I would express that my mom is the absolute most imperative real model in my life, at any rate that term doesn't appear to wrap enough when I use it about her. She was the kinship for my life. Glad Birthday mother.

The sun is happy to gleam dynamically wonderful today. The moon would be glad to have all the earmarks of being cooler today around evening time. The stars will continue cheering in the sky when they're out. All since they're complimenting my adolescent.

U are the one I ensured to dependably ensure, love and care for, you are my mom and no detestable will whenever come to you. Lively Birthday my mummy!

Having a mother is mind blowing yet having a Mother like you is the best. You're not simply the best, you're superior to the best. You're one of each a sort. Cheerful birthday to you mother.

U will dependably and constantly be the major lady I will give my heart to. U are my mother and nothing will ever change that. Have a remarkable birthday my mother.

Cards to offer significant thanks for Guards: Quit keeping it together for Dad's Day, Mother's Day, birthday merriments and explain acknowledgment talks. You needn't upset an astounding day to state Thank You to your mother and father. Pick an eccentric minute to offer thankful for the way where your kin have brought you up. See their undying warmth and their boundless remunerations. Take thoughts from these declarations to shape a message that liquefies their hearts. Content it, tweet it, post it on Facebook, share it on Pinterest, structure it on a charming welcome card or doodle it out on a sweet note – figure out how to make them grin. Certainly, even the most short joke will go far in making them feel fulfilled to have a tyke like you.

1) Mother and father… you've experienced a ton of battle and torment. Notwithstanding, I guarantee, I won't let all that go inconsequential. I need to do an incentive to each time you had faith in me. I will grow up, to be similarly as can be typical be.

2) Achievement is in my walk, around I have guardians like you close by.

3) Mother and father, I grew up cased in your glow, improved by your grasps and charged by your lives… and I wouldn't have it some other way. A commitment of gratefulness is all together for everything.

4) Dear mother and father, I have given such a broad number of years a chance to surrender offering thanks toward you both. In any case, you haven't discharged a particular second without valuing me truly.

5) I have never perceived any compliments since where it checks inside I comprehend that every one of them genuinely have a spot with you both. Grateful for everything, mother and father.

6) for the term of customary every day presence, no one close to your kin will mind to dismiss who you have pushed toward getting the opportunity to be and keep putting stock in what you can in any case be.

7) All around done mother and father. You are the principal two individuals with or without clowning you upbraided me, repulsed me and grounded me every so often.

8) At whatever point you inconvenience me I discover it unimaginably irritating, yet that is transitory. My heart dependably comprehends that regardless, you consistently have good intentions for me. Appreciative.

9) You yielded your own one of a kind fulfillment, to ensure I could be cheerful. It might take a lifetime, yet I'll do everything to compensate for what you have accomplished for me. Grateful mother and father.

10) One day I'll be gainful and individuals will ask me which school I went to. I'll state, 'It doesn't have any sort of impact since it is my kin who made me what I am today'.

11) Mother and father, I have no words to see the apologies you made and the fantasies you expected to surrender, just to give me a shot at accomplishing mine. Appreciative.

12) I haven't adequately legitimize guardians as great as you. In any case now, I affirmation to proceed with an authentic nearness that values to all that you've accomplished for me. Much esteemed.

13) When the world shut its entries on me, you both opened your arms for me. Right when individuals shut their ears for me, you both opened your hearts for me. Mother and father, a commitment of gratefulness is all together for reliably being there for me.

14) Life changes into a CAKEwalk when guided by gatekeepers like you so SWEET. Grateful to you.

15) Mother and father… of the broad number of partners and educators I've had in my life, you both have been the best.

16) I've discovered that your father will continually be your heavenly individual and your mother will never-endingly remain your life's most essential motivation.

17) A commitment of thankfulness is all together for making me the raison d'etre and joie de vivre of your lives. It is a prompt eventual outcome of your childhood that I am among the crème de la crème today.

18) Nothing in my life, would have been without your conflict. Nothing I can say, can ever genuinely pass on. Nothing that I do, can show my appreciation for you. Mother and father you are, the best guardians by a long shot.

19) When I was fiery I generally felt that you were determinedly on my back. In any case now I grasp that you were basically watching my back. A commitment of thankfulness is all together for everything.

20) Thanks mother and father for instructing me to comprehend life's uncommon issues with no other person's data. That is the thing that influenced me to comprehend that they were not extraordinary notwithstanding.

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Top 10 Off the Beaten Path (but Right on the Money) 'Must-Try' Restaurants in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Our top ten pick of favorite restaurants in Siem Reap Cambodia off the beaten path

There are probably several hundred restaurants woven into back alleys, pouring out from driveways, and lining the main thoroughfares in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Some no more than a rusting push cart; others, proud, smooth buildings bursting with glitz and glamour … All of them vying for your tourists’ dollar.

“Where to Eat?” becomes a dizzying decision in an already potentially overstimulating environment. You could spend years attempting to sample every dining option in Siem Reap, but (truthfully) even locals get lulled into a routine of familiarity and fail to tap into the exciting and ever-changing canvas of food options merely a short scooter ride away. The unsuspecting traveler’s foodie experience is further stymied by the neon canopy of common franchises, tour provided buffets, and endless sea of identical, red, beer-touting restaurant placards.

So, for all of those times you really just have a craving for a particular spice, need a new budget-friendly Khmer go-to spot, would kill for good pasta, or must satisfy your hunger for quiche before you crack, here are our top ten picks to start the new year (based on overall value, quality, and variety).

PRICE POINT REFERENCE (USD$ per person) ($: 1-2;   $$: 3-5;   $$$: 6-8;   $$$$: 9+)

AtMOsphere

PRICE: $$ – $$$

The moment we walked up to Mo’s I knew we’d hit something special. Friendly strangers graciously shared their table with us for a while (as the restaurant was already filled to the seams with lively chatter). Whether you choose Western tables and chairs over ground mats and cushions you are served a feast fit for a king. I was pleased by the wide variety of Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean dishes, fair prices and sharable dish sizes. We all left full and happy after capping the meal with a variety of spectacularly decadent desserts and herbal tea. At some time during your visit take a moment to chat with the owner, ‘Mo’. He is a colorful gentleman with an easy smile and quick laugh; you will quickly learn why this is already a happening place to be. As I write this, Atmosphere is celebrating its grand re-opening in a larger location. Great job guys!

Belmiro’s Pizza & Subs

PRICE: $$ – $$$

You are just a stone’s throw from famed ‘Pub Street’ when you belly-up to the well-stocked, mirrored ebony bar and burgundy walls of Belmiro’s. The pub’s great location as an exterior corner with patio perimeter is trimmed in hanging flags from the world over giving it a welcoming glow. But … if you are craving a little bit of a States-style urban pub feel, this is your place. The portions aren’t stingy, and daily drink specials are easy on the pocketbook. Boston-style pizzas are Belmiro’s specialty, although I do find myself craving their cheesy, meatball sub-sandwich regularly. Stuffed crust and deep-dish pizzas (for the carb-craver in the group) aren’t the only indulgent options. Weekly rotating chicken wing flavors on ‘Wing Wednesdays’ is always a family favorite. If you are a true Ranch dressing-loving American, get excited … This is one of a very select group of eateries in the entire city which carry the staple dipping sauce at all!

Chanty Grill Beef

PRICE: $ – $$

The ‘South End’ of Siem Reap is a fabulous business collective of Khmer and foreign trailblazers looking to foster the growth of this budding artisan community, empower the local workforce, and grow art appreciation in this already culturally rich hive. Needless to say, we are smitten with the vibe of the South End and are eager to unearth all of the lovely foodie gems within. Fortunately, we happened upon Chanty early in our search (and quite by mistake). We went looking for Khmer fusion and found the best value for chicken and beef kebob BBQ we know of in town. Shoulder to shoulder with its neighbor, this bare bones shop isn’t fussy and gets right down to the job of making outstanding food at a price even backpackers can afford. Chanty offers more than generous serving sizes (we ate so much we had to take home half of our order) and the staff is super friendly. Grab a plastic chair and belly up to the folding table, Chanty’s got the grill fired up and aims to please.

Curry Walla (both locations)

PRICE: $$$ – $$$$

Curry Walla owns two comparable restaurants on opposite ends of Sivutha Blvd. Being that Sivutha is like the spine of the most heavily traveled network of roads in the entire Siem Reap downtown area it could be easy to pass right by either storefront without a second glance. These no-frills dining halls aren’t heavy on ambiance, but don’t let their uninspired facade lead you astray. What Namaskar and Khmer Chef lack in tactile luster they make up for several times over in a savory curry flavor palate, the rich aroma of stewed Indian meats, and beautiful vegetarian dishes that restore my faith in humanity. We never choose individual dishes at this feast; If ‘sharing is caring’, then this is the meal of my family’s love language. A treat of a meal ,well-worth the incremental increase in cost per person.

Ivy Guest House & Bar

PRICE: $$ – $$$

We happened upon this tucked away gem on a quest for the camaraderie and mental stimulation of a good pub quiz. What we ended up with, was a fabulous all-ages evening out and a new favorite haunt. The ice-cream drenched, chocolate banana bread made everyone sit up and take notice right off. Upon further exploration of Ivy’s culinary vision we discovered many engaging flavor pairings not often seen in a town full of repetitive menus: a delightful Italian chicken cheesesteak sandwich, rich, spinach and feta ravioli in a complimentary al fresco sauce, and an extraordinary homemade chocolate mousse … to name a few. Imagine an Italian inspired kitchen hidden in the heart of a palm-thatched, traditional wooden Khmer village home, and dress the whole thing up as a Western-minded ‘chill pad’ (complete with free billiards and Cambodian memorabilia wall). If you get comfortable enough you can always get a room in the attached guesthouse and enjoy the Ivy’s cooking all day long.

Jungle Burger Sports Bar & Bistro

PRICE: $$ – $$$

Clayton and his happy little crew work hard to make sure you enjoy your experience at JB. From the pool table to the funky bike yard art, the vibe here is laid-back and playful. Cool beats play while the bar does it’s job putting on a sports-pub fare feast. Spot-on, gooey homemade mac & cheese are a strong stand-alone meal or a great side to share. Jungle Burger is unrivaled in my opinion for their burger and sandwich menu; no bad options here. The crown jewel of which is the ‘Burg Khalif burger’, easily a full meal for two people. You will find a surprisingly well-rounded salad selection, and all-around ample portion sizes for sharing. If you want to add a little (or a lot, if you ask nice) spice to your meal, order up a signature chili & mango margarita … it burns so good!

Mom New River (I & II)

PRICE: $ – $$

We have been eating at the Mom New River location in the alley at one end of Pub Street for five years now. We come back week after week, year after year, because the value and consistent quality this family-owned business offers just cannot be denied. This is another very modest and traditional Khmer restaurant on our list, and why not? After all, it represents a remarkable culture offering a myriad of signature dishes and almost as many family-specific tweaks to each one. Like the generational patterns woven into the precious, golden Khmer silk, recipes like: amok, lok-lak, prahok, and num ngov soup all have been honed to unique perfection by their Cambodian chefs. Laughably, Mom New River’s weighty menu resembles a homemade telephone directory riddled with inconsistent pagination and rife with fun English spelling errors, but the up-side is that you are bound to find something for everyone’s taste at a really great price. Again, you may be tempted to pass by in search of a more striking or familiar setting, but don’t. Pull out a seat, order any kind of lovely fresh fruit shake you can imagine, and just know that whatever you order will be made with pride, taste great, and give you a glimpse into the wonderful flavors Khmer food brings to the table.

Paris Bakery

PRICE: $$ – $$$

All the refined sweetness and splendid pomp of a fine Parisian bakery … a continent away from France. Plump breads and crunchy baguettes baked daily lure you into the boulangerie via a seductive olfactory trance. Delicate pastries and tarts crowned in sugary filagree dazzle the eyes like proudly displayed fine jewels. The unexpectedly keen selection of European deli meats compliments the bread offerings nicely, and a pleasant coffee/tea offering rounds out this quality experience. Don’t forget the quiche, glorious quiche! Admittedly, my unprecedented favorite guilty pleasures are their almond paste filled croissants. Ah, bliss! Not an everyday budge-friendly option, but a magnificent treat without breaking the bank. The bustling ‘street corner bistro’ vibe in a pedestrian-friendly metro area also lends itself nicely to a quick stop-in for take-away dining.

Peace Cafe

PRICE: $$ – $$$

A surprising number of vegan and vegetarian restaurants are popping up all over town, but this one effortlessly spans the gap from crepes to paninis. In between, it hits the mark on a wide array of lovely, body-nourishing, taste bud-tickling fresh juice concoctions. You are drawn into the spacious garden and the easy rattan lounge dining room for a respite from the surrounding city activity. Thankfully, these grounds are spared the worst of the periodically excessive Siem Reap heat. Sit a spell, catch up with yourself (or a friend) over a large pot of herbal tea; take a yoga class; peruse the artsy/craftsy trinkets made by local artisans for sale in Peace Cafe’s gift shop … it’s all good! Focused on civic and spiritual enrichment, Peace Cafe partners with several NGO’s to empower local Khmer people through education, vocational training, and employment. The fare doesn’t lend itself to over-indulgence by nature, but you will leave satisfied and feeling nourished.

Safari Sushi Bar

PRICE: $$$ – $$$$

Seen as how Siem Reap is nowhere near an ocean, I had been remiss to try sushi in my adopted town. However, on the occasion we get to put on our fancy Chacos and dine in style celebrating of a good friend, I must face my doubts about the quality of sushi available this far inland. I am here to say, happily, that Safari Sushi hit on all the marks: value, presentation, ambiance, quality, and service. The lush entrance draws you into a private garden oasis. Guests are greeted by the koi pond’s tranquil gurgling and encouraged to lounge on the patio before dining. Once inside the restaurant, the finishes are tasteful and guests are not crowded together. The space allows you to linger comfortably in conversation and the staff is helpful without hovering. We ordered an assortment of nigiri, sashimi, and even an impressive sampler roll to share around the table … no one left hungry. The fish was firm and fresh and the selection fair. Our little party enjoyed a decadent meal of sushi and sake (topped of with hot jasmine tea) at a fraction of the cost of the more flashy sushi restaurants in Siem Reap. Um, yes please! I know I will be voting for sushi on my next ‘date night’.

FYI, the restaurants listed here are in alphabetical order for the sake of satisfying my left-brain tendencies, by no means is the order in which they appear a ranking. Each place is uniquely wonderful, and there are, inevitably, countless similarly worthy eateries in Siem Reap … we just haven’t found them yet. If you have a favorite spot to grab a bite in Angkor-town, let us know! We are always up for a new foodie adventure and welcome your comments.

[outfittrends]

30 Ideas on What to Wear to a Fashion Show Outfit Trends - Ideas How to Wear & What to Wear

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30 Ideas on What to Wear to a Fashion Show

Outfits for Fashion Shows: It is an exciting offer to receive the invite for a fashion show especially if it is your first time. You can finally showcase your passion for fashion and going over the top is finally allowed. Each year we see different styles and themes followed by our favorite fashion bloggers and the celebrities and it is like a dream come true to finally style your first outfit for the fashion week.

If you have any outrageous prints and vibrant colored garments that you have been reluctant to try till yet, it is time to bring them to the light and proudly stroll around in them. We have gathered 30 different styles that you can try for your next fashion week invitation and probably you can find a style that you can call your own.

How to Dress Yourself for Fashion Week

Here are a few tips to get you ready:

Pay attention to the location and weather of the location you are attending the fashion show at which can give you hints about your outfit choice.

Find outfits relevant to your budget as you are there to enjoy the show without going bankrupt over fancy clothes.

Keep your footwear comfortable and choose comfort over style so that you won’t get injured or hurting feet.

Invest in a cute handbag that is versatile so it can be used again. However, don’t carry an oversized bag instead carry a smart clutch or purse.

Prepare a nice pose that you can immediately strike in case you are asked for photographs.

Applaud openly and encourage the designer’s efforts.

�� 30. Fuzzy Faux Fur Attire

If you are thinking cozy and extremely trendy too, well grab a faux fur coat and you are ready to go. Once considered as a priced and luxe item used by a chosen few, it is now not so off the charts. You can either chose to wear a really funky and bold yeti-style fuzzy faux fur jacket or one that is a little more practical and less fluff. Fur jackets perfectly complement both bold dresses and patterned pants and you can create a million different looks with this piece. You can get your hands on this funky fur jacket here and the bright red dress here. We highly recommend that you check out our earlier post on Outfits with Faux Fur Coats.

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↓ 29. Animal Print Outfit

Bring out the tigress in you with an audacious animal print outfit. You can either use one piece of this brilliant print like these statement denim pants paired with a graphic white tee and a leather jacket or a full outfit that totally embraces this theme. You can never have too much of animal print and it will surely make you stand out in the crowd.

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↓ 28. Faux Leather Leggings

If you are siding with an all-black look, do it with grace. Faux leather leggings are super smart because they hug you in all the right places and can be dressed up for a fancy look. A combination of these panelled black leggings and black and silver sequin striped top are lethal with black heels and silver earrings. Let your hair loose and enjoy the show. You can carry a silver bejewelled clutch for the show. You can find these leggings here and the shirt here.

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↓  27. Strong Power Suit Game

Entice with a hot pink power suit with a sharp V-neck and whether you choose to wear a power suit in feminine pink or crazy neon, you can totally rock this look. You can make this look casual with sneakers and a ponytail or extremely classy with a buttoned-up look and hair falling down your shoulders.

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↓ 26. Going Metallic

Add edgy to your basic with a beautiful metallic skirt whether it is a mini one or pleated midi one. There are so many options of combinations that will go well with this skirt. You can choose a plain turtleneck shirt with thigh-high boots for winter or an off-shoulder top and gladiators for summer fashion shows. You can get this metallic gold skirt here. Also have a look at these 26 Best Ideas on How To Wear Metallic Outfits For Girls.

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↓ 25. Team Up with a Friend

Forget the idea of individual dressing and instead opt for choosing a theme and following it with your friends. It would be fun to try and experiment with as you and your friends will have unique fashion tastes and preference and it would be cool to see how each one of your follow the theme successfully. This theme can be in terms of colors or prints or whatever seems fun to you.

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↓ 24. What to Wear in the Winter Fashion Show

Winter fashion shows appearance means you can easily layer up with comfort and style. Choose your layers selectively and don’t go overboard with it. A neutral sweater is the best option to start with along with teddy coats that have been very popular this year along with black pants. Wear a crossbody purse with this attire and black boots and you can stroll your way into any fashion show.

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↓ 23. Tall Girl Fashion

For a tall girl, with long legs, the question that arises in everyone’s mind is aren’t you so lucky? However, sometimes you can feel stressed out while selecting dresses. Go for something that will go best with your figure and our best bet is that wear a pretty jumpsuit. With a defined waist and a cute ribbon bow at the front, you can totally depend on a great jumpsuit. Wear a cute faux fur scarf for jumpsuits styling in fall. For winters, you can wear jumpsuits with some gorgeous cardigan or coat. Wear nude heels to give off elegant vibes.

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↓ 22. How to Layer a Dress

We are always looking out for dresses and wearing them without a second thought whether it is a little black dress or a summery maxi dress. However, when attending a fashion show, you want to just do something extra with that plain old dress. Here is how layering and add something extra can work its magic. Either go with something smart like draping a vibrant cardigan or blazer over your shoulders or wear a large statement bow on the waist to highlight your gorgeous silhouette.

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↓ 21. Parisian Chic Attire

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↓ 20. Fabulous Spring Time Ensemble

Vibrant hues and bold floral prints are what spring is all about and let that show in your choice of ensemble for the fashion show. Be casually brilliant with a floral dress or skirt and pair it up with a shirt or cardigan that brings out the colors of the skirt/dress. You can find this favorite skirt of ours here.

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↓ 19. Love Affair with Summer Dress

Summer dresses and finally being able to shed layers upon layers of garments is a relief for all of us. For a summer fashion show, go for softer fabrics that are flowy and breathable. Linen is the perfect fabric for summer dresses and you should choose a nice hat and sunglasses when you are out and about.

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↓ 18. Vibrant Patterns

Wearing different vibrant patterns can sometimes really work in your favor. This beautiful plaid dress is an example and sometimes you can cleverly use two separate prints to make the perfect outfit.

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↓ 17. Going Hipster

Flared jeans can now be brought back to life as you pair them up with a bright colored blazer and neutral shirt for a hippy look.

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↓ 16. All Pink Outfit

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↓ 15. Going Monochromatic

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↓ 14. Crop Tops

Wear crop tops or crop sweater with a jacket and high-waisted patterned pants and beret cap for winter fashion shows. Here are 25 Cute Ways to Wear Crop Tops This Season.

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↓ 13. Retro Dress

Pull back the time when bold macro polka dot print was loved by everyone and you can wear those comfortable heels and feel ladylike and all feminine.

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↓ 12. Statement with Velvet

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↓ 11. Bold Jumpsuits

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↓ 10. Tulle for a Feminine Touch

You might have been hiding a tulle skirt in your closet and thinking of that perfect Carrie Bradshaw moment to wear it, so here is your chance. A layered tulle skirt looks adorable with a statement top and a structured blazer along with a chunky belt on the waist. You are allowed to go with over the top and eccentric accessories to carry this look with panache.

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↓ 9. Mesh Top with Pants

Sheer mesh tops are perfect to pair up in several different styles and transparent tops are not such a bad thing. If you feel reluctant to show off some skin, there are ways to wear these tops in the most refined and chic manner. For summer, you can wear them with off-shoulder sweetheart neckline shirts and for fall, you can wear a leather jacket with them. High-waisted pants look amazing with sheer tops. Wear comfortable loafers with this attire for a classy appearance.

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↓ 8. Pop of Color

Style appeal for colorful outfits is high at fashion shows. However, if you are not such a fan of wearing colorful outfits, the best way to go about it is to select either a black and white outfit or something monochromatic and then pair it with a loud pop of color. This pop of color can come from a cardigan, blazer or even from a piece of accessories like jewelry, sunglasses or purse.

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↓ 7. Styling Blazer

Every woman needs a strong blazer in her corner, that can go well with most dresses and is easy to style. This fashionable red check blazer is awesome for a fashion show in London and you can add a beautiful red beret cap and printed tights to the mix for a graceful look. Do check out this amazing collection of ideas on What to Wear with Printed Blazer.

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↓ 6. Lace Cover-up

Lace coverups are very popular and have this boho-chic vibe around them. When you don’t want to go overboard with your dress or want to pull out the last minute perfect outfit, a lace cover-up is perfect as you can wear it upon any shirt and denim shorts combination and you will surely turn eyes in your direction.

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↓ 5. Ethnic Vibes

The best thing to do is to bring a little piece of your culture to the fashion show along with you. Choose some ethnic prints or pieces that are unique to your culture like a head wrap, kaftan, kimono, saree or anything that can be worn in a modern way. You can even create a great outfit with the perfect twist on east meets west.

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↓ 4. Dramatic Appearance

If you like to make dramatic entrances, nothing will give you as much pleasure as an asymmetrical high low dress in bold hues. With a sexy off-shoulder style and A-line silhouette, it gives you that Cinderella kind of a feel for a great evening ahead. Wear it with gladiator heels in a bold matching color and you are already the star of the evening. You can get a similar dress here.

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↓ 3. Executing Holographic Attire Perfectly

If none of the above styles has caught your fancy and nothing is super eccentric, wait till you get your hands on holographic pieces of clothing. You can sure sparkle and stand out in this super cool attire. Wear a holographic shirt or blazer with long sleeves and a checkboard skirt for an alluring look. You can also wear this shirt with cropped black denim shorts for an edgy look.

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↓ 2. Using Accessories the Right Way

Accessories need to be your priority while going to a fashion show because they can reflect your taste and show off how trendy you are. Every season, new accessories are introduced and for now, we can give you the advice of what can work best. Classy and feminine hats will always be your best bet and the floppier the better.

Sunglasses are optional and people do try to add more funk with statement sunglasses but you can skip them if you need to.

Choose the style of the purse that is perfect to carry your stuff and is modern in style. Birdcage purses are very in these days and they are so versatile that you can carry them with almost any outfit.

Go for statement necklaces, chokers and chunky earrings for the show in case you are dressing in a simpler fashion and try to use subtle jewelry if you want to make a statement with your dress.

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↓ 1. Over the Top Footwear

Choose comfortable footwear when attending a fashion show but that doesn’t mean you can get over the top with it? Flaunt your luxurious self in golden metallic oversized shoes or something equally glam. Take the weather and the duration in the account, and then choose the footwear so you won’t be uncomfortable.

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[liugeaux]

2017: The Year of the Concert

4 years ago I deemed 2013 as the Year of the Concert. I had gone to 6 shows that year and they were some of the best I had seen in a long time. It was the first year that I really started going to concerts again regularly. Little did I know that all 2013 was, was the spark that re-ignited my love for the live show.  

Numerous shows later and a huge realization that 3 hours isn’t that far to drive and well, 2017 blew 2013 out of the water. It has the new crown of The Year of the Concert. 13 distinct shows in 2017 made it the most memorable concert year of my entire life. Here’s a rundown of this year’s shows. (Some of them I’ve already written extensively about, and it’ll make sese when you get to those.)  

Ben Folds - 3/2/2017 -  L'Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge, LA

I’ve been a casual fan of Folds for 20 years and I knew he was known for having great live shows. This was just him and a piano and it was stellar. He had charming stories between songs, and despite being the only person on stage his sound was huge. Even if you’re not familiar with his work I would suggest you check him out. I would dive into this show more, but you’ll see that I’ve got much more Ben Folds talk later.  

Better Than Ezra - 4/28/2017 - BankPlus Amphitheater  Southaven, MS

Here’s my write up on the BTE show.  

Highly Suspect - 5/10/2017 -  Saturn Birmingham, AL

Here’s my write-up on the Highly Suspect show.

Incubus w/Jimmy Eat World and Judah and the Lion - 8/2/2017 - Champion’s Square New Orleans, LA

Here’s my write-up on the Incubus show.

John Mayer w/The Night Game - 8/9/2017 - Smoothie King Center New Orleans, LA

Here’s my write-up on the John Mayer show. 

Green Day w/Catfish and the Bottlemen - 9/6/2017 - The Wharf Amphitheater Orange Beach, AL

Here’s my write up on the Green Day show.

Austin John Winkler w/Smile Empty Soul - 9/30/2017 - The Hideaway Jackson, MS

As the year came to a close and we were going to so many shows it was hard to keep up with my blog posts about them. September saw a local show happen at The Hideaway. “Austin John” is best known as the former singer of Hinder.  Having never been a huge fan of Hinder I was more interested in the opener, Smile Empty Soul.  

Ultimately they put on two VERY different rock shows. Winkler’s was highlighted by super-catchy sing-songy numbers, and Smile’s set was an old-school styled Grunge show. Neither was very flashy, then again it was a show at the Hideaway, the spectacle can only be so big.  

The result was me realizing that I actually like Hinder more than I thought I did, despite Winkler’s lazy attempt at a Scott Weiland style glam look. I was impressed that Smile Empty Soul can still tour the country and make a living making C-tier rock music. Also, the band Winkler hired as his backing band, Autumn Rove, is pretty cool.  

Paramore - 10/2/2017 - Fox Theatre Atlanta, GA

The Paramore show was cool. I’ve been a fan for about 10 years and seeing Williams’ growth over that time is inspiring. I gushed earlier in the year about how much I liked their latest album, After Laughter. The new album was prominently featured at the show and as always they sounded great.  

The show worked for me because I’m a huge fan. However, I’m sure casuals that are/were only familiar with their more popular early work (Riot and Brand New Eyes) didn’t get the same warm feeling I did. They noticeably left out popular tracks like “Decode”, “Crushcrushcrush”, “Hallelujah”, and “The Only Exception”.  

The oddest part of the whole show was the distinctive exclusion of any big hits during the encore. The encore is typically where you stick your crowd-pleasers to bring the show home, but this show had two album tracks and a HalfNoise song as the encore. I’m not complaining...it was just odd. This wasn’t my first time seeing Paramore and if I have any say in the matter it will not be my last.  

Plain White T’s - 10/11/2017 - MS State Fair Jackson, MS

“Free” State Fair shows are always hit or miss, some years you get good shows, some years it's not even worth the $5 ticket to the fair. The Plain White T’s was one of the good ones great ones. I saw them about 10 years ago at Memphis in May, at the height of their popularity. “Hey There Delilah” was charting and they were the “up and coming” emo band of the moment. My interest in them wained over the years and I had to do some catching up before this show to re-acquaint myself with the T’s.

By doing this, I found their absolutely fantastic 2015 album American Nights. Suddenly my interest in the band skyrocketed and this was all before the show even started. The concert itself was probably the most vanilla show I saw all year. That’s not a knock on it, it's just how I would describe the 2017 Plain White T’s. They’ve moved on from their vaguely emo roots and now they make super solid heartland-influenced power pop.  

Somehow they’ve managed to lose their relevance and become a better band.  Without a doubt, they were the best sounding band I saw all year. Their harmonies were on point, the sound quality was impeccable and unlike most concerts, every word could be heard.  Trust me when I say, THAT NEVER HAPPENS! I came out of that show a bigger fan than I was going in.  

Breaking Benjamin - 10/12/2017 - City Hall Live Brandon, MS

Without a doubt, the weirdest show of the year goes to Breaking Benjamin. It was in my hometown’s old city hall building, which itself is an old grocery store. There was no opening act, they were selling signed setlists of the show, and for seemingly no reason, it was acoustic.  

I’ve seen Breaking Benjamin no less than 5 times...possibly more and this was the worst one. Its hard to say it was bad, it was just weird. The setlist was as close to perfect as they were going to get it, and it was great hearing their newer stuff, but the whole show was performed as if the guitars were electric. Also, the lighting guys at the show consistently failed to put the spotlight on singer Ben Burnley..and it became noticeable. (see pic above)  

Traditionally, acoustic shows are stripped down, intimate affairs that have sort of a storytellers vibe. This was a full-on rock show, big drums, loud guitars, screamed vocals and all, but the guitars didn’t have the same punch. It almost felt like the band didn’t understand what makes acoustic shows special and were just using acoustic guitars to check a box.  

The good news is that Ben Burnley has grown into a quite the showman. When I first saw them in 2002, he was a tight-lipped nervous face that hid behind his loud music. He didn’t have any crowd interaction and didn’t seem comfortable on stage. At the Brandon show, he was telling stories and jokes, and clearly having a great time. I’m curious to see them again in a non-acoustic setting. I’m sure its a much better show.  

Ben Folds - 11/7/2017 - Jackson Prep Fortenberry Theatre Flowood, MS

Never in a million years would I have guessed that I would see Ben Folds twice in one year. Never would I have thought it would be necessary. After seeing the standard Folds show in Baton Rouge, I was shocked to see the announcement of an in-town “Paper Airplane Request Tour” date at Jackson Prep, of all places. Nothing about the announcement made sense to me.

Why is he playing the Jackson area? Why is he playing a high school auditorium? Why was I so excited to see the Paper Airplane aspect of the show? I had to go! He played 20 songs, the first 10 were pre-planned and served as the first “set”. After a short intermission, the crowd, who had been given blank sheets of paper, got to throw their requests on-stage as paper airplanes. Ben then came out and picked 10 random airplanes and played whatever was written on them. It was FASCINATING!

Just the thought that Ben Folds is talented enough to pull songs out of his brain at the drop of a...um...paper airplane, was mindblowing. Seeing him pick up the planes and giggle to himself knowing he was about to belt out an impromptu show-stopper was one of the most unique concert experiences I’ve ever had.  

The Maine - 11/17/2017 - House of Blues New Orleans, LA

My interest in The Maine has grown slowly over the past 10 years, it peaking with their 2 most recent albums, American Candy and Lovely Little Lonely. When they announced a NOLA show where they would only be playing those two albums, the ticket purchase was really a no-brainer. 

I had never been to an album themed show. The idea of being upfront with fans and saying “Here’s what we’re going to play, if you don’t like it, don’t buy a ticket,” seemed like a bold move. After seeing the resulting show, the move seemed even bolder than I imagined. 

The Maine came out and played Lovely Little Lonely, start to finish, track for track, interludes included. They left the stage, returned 15 minutes later and did the same for American Candy. Both of those albums are solid pop-punk art-pieces. Playing them in their entirety is more reverence than I can imagine anyone else giving them. Not that they don’t deserve it, the practice just seems an unlikely and intrepid one.  

The one problem though is that albums aren’t constructed the same way concerts are. A properly organized album tracklist is very top-heavy with its crowd-pleasers. Concerts are distinctly opposite of that. Songs like “Same Suit, Different Tie,” “English Girls,” “Bad Behavior,” and "Black Butterflies and Déjà Vu" need to be toward the end of the set. The result was a lopsided show that kinda dragged towards the end of each individual set.  

I super-respect The Maine for building a show around their albums regardless of how impractical the actual show ended up being.  

New Found Glory - 12/2/2017 - Saturn Birmingham, AL

This write-up isn’t going to be about New Found Glory. It’s going to be about my wonderful wife. NFG put on a perfect show. For their 20th anniversary, they played through their self-titled album and Sticks and Stones and the whole night felt like a party from my college years. I LOVE NFG, but this isn’t about them.  

Ariel is not a huge fan of the band. Its not that she doesn’t like them, she has just had limited exposure to them. Consequently, she had to find a way to entertain herself during the show. After a few drinks, she went on a mission that ended with her/us stealing the end of the show.  

She turned to me about 1/2 way through the concert and asked for my (wedding) ring. I gave it to her and she disappeared. 5 minutes later she reappeared 10 feet in front of me (2 feet from the stage) holding her phone facing band. She was so close to the stage that the bassist, Ian Grushka, could see her phone. 

She held her phone up to the band for about 4-5 songs. It was obvious she was trying to send a message. The band finished the main set with the classic “Hit or Miss” and she returned to my side obviously feeling defeated. The band emerged for the encore and after two songs Grushka motions to the area of the crowd Ariel had been standing. That’s where this video picks up.  

Yeah, that’s right, Ariel convinced New Found Glory to surrender their concert to her so she could propose to her “manfriend”. What started out as a normal pop-punk show, ended as one of the most memorable nights of my entire life. No one, I say no one, can pull off the things my wife can. This stunt is proof that she’s a truly special individual, and this amongst many other reasons is why I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.  

On a side note, 2017 was the best year we’ve ever had when it comes to getting setlists and in the back of my mind, I think the NFG stunt was just her way to ensuring she leave that venue with the epic two page setlist.  Thus complete the Ariel Blackwell perfect setlist year. Every show she attended in 2017 ended with her getting a setlist...there is nothing this woman isn’t capable of.  

2018...here...we...come!