kiarou

[kiarou]

ULTIMUS SPIRITUS MORIENTIS LUPI

“Brothers and comrades - present your shields, your swords, yours arrows, imagining that you are a hunting party after wild boars, so that the impious may learn that they are dealing not with dumb animals but with their lords and masters, the descendants of the Greeks and the Romans. Consider then how the commemoration of our death, our memory, fame and freedom can be rendered eternal.” -Constantine XI 1453

In 1453, the burgeoning glory of the Ottoman Turks claimed their millennium long prize- the Jewel of the Romans, or what was left of them- Constantinople. But even as that city was engulfed in flames and the walls crumbled, Constantine Xi- the last Roman emperor, stood defiant. The Eastern Romans/Byzantines were not merely custodians of Roman glory; they were the living successors. Though their language had shifted and their faith transformed, their spirit remained Roman. From the splendor of Hagia Sophia to the legal reforms of Justinian, Byzantium carried forth the torch of Romulus, Augustus, and Constantine the Great, merging the might of Rome with the intellect and spirituality of Hellenic culture. From the hordes of Hunnic invaders to the resistances shown to Persians, Arabs, and Bulgars sieges- Roman had become, in truth, the shield of Europa during the tumultuous centuries of Late Antiquity.

Even their conquerors, the Ottomans, could not escape the pretentions of the Roman legacy. Even as Mehmet II raised the flag of Osman, he immediately styled himself a Caesar of Rome. The Ottomans went as far as adopting the administrative and cultural frameworks from Byzantium, grafting their Islamic empire onto the rootstock of Roman governance. In that innovation was birthed a Golden Age for the Arab world.

In truth, the fall of Constantinople seemed inevitable and by that point, nothing more than the last ragged breath of a dying wolf. An old and weary wolf, battered by more than a thousand years of internal strife and external assault. Yet this lupine beast fell not with a whimper, but a howl that shattered the barriers of the medieval world. Refugee scholars fled westward, igniting a reintroduction of European kingdoms with their own ancient past. Trade routes were barred, spurring a desire for new and alternative routes. And with the Islamic conquering of the east, a new border and seat for their superpower was now firmly established. Though Rome fell, its legacy seeded the future, ensuring that the ideas and achievements of thousands of years would never perish.

“Those of Ruhm are people of sea and rock. Alas, they are your associates to the end of time." -The Prophet

[kiarou]

AUGUSTUS: THE ACTOR

The son of a god. The prince of Roman peace. Augustus Caesar. The king of the known world in all but name—ever smooth, ever aware of his limits, his image, and his abilities. The power of Augustus, Emperor of the Romans, was not in his skill with a sword or in his ability to lead an army, but in his ability to play a part. The life of Augustus—born Gaius Octavius—was ever shifting, and his role upon the Roman stage was ever demanding.

When the dictator Gaius Julius Caesar was struck down by a hail of assassin’s daggers, the Roman Republic was once again plunged into chaos and civil war. A three-way struggle erupted between Mark Antony, the conspirators Cassius and Brutus, and the traditionalists of the Senate—into which a dark horse suddenly emerged. Posthumously adopted and granted full possession of Caesar’s name and estate, the seventeen-year-old Octavian was remade into Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus.

Young, inexperienced, and of frail constitution, Octavian seemed an unlikely heir to Rome’s greatest general. Yet what he lacked in stature, he more than made up for in cunning. Whatever the deified Julius had seen in his nephew, it proved true. Octavian navigated thirteen years of brutal civil war with cold precision, until at last he stood victorious. Then, the final riddle left by his late, divine father remained: It takes a king to quell the Roman wolf, but a will always never live long- so then, how can one become a king without being a king?

Octavian discovered the answer in his talent for performance. In his youth, he was the avenging son of a god, an agent of justice against Caesar’s murderers. Later, he was a ruthless terrorist, extorting, proscribing, and eliminating his enemies with merciless efficiency. At another time, he was the beloved commander of legions, the Imperator of common soldiers. And still later, he reinvented himself as the humble princeps—the “first citizen”.

Augustus not only played the part but lived it. He dined on simple foods, wore plain clothing, and resided in a house far humbler than the aristocrats of the senate. He was ever conscious of his image, never allowing himself to appear richer, stronger, or more extravagant than the citizens he ruled. In his Dignitas was a shadow left by Augustus would be the figure that every Emperor, medieval King and pre-modern dictator would strive to mimic.

And yet, for such a consequential figure, the question of ‘who was the true Octavian?’ remains hauntingly obscure. Was he the frail boy carried upward by fortune, the cold schemer who dealt in blood and betrayal, the modest and wise citizen, or the august sovereign whose name became synonymous with power itself? Perhaps all of these and maybe none. In his death, he was deified as an immortal god, and perhaps on the stage of history, this is true. Octavian may as well have been a shape with no substance- just a role. Whatever role Rome required him to play, he wore the mask that kept peace upon the world’s greatest stage.

Sources: Tom Holland, Dynasty (2015) Suetonius, The Life of Augustus (121 AD)

[kiarou]

Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and Archduke Franz Ferdinand: Friendships Overcast

Kaiser Wilhelm the second of Germany and Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austro-Hungary first met as young men in their 20’s, shortly after Wilhelm’s coronation as Kaiser. Initially, their relationship was formal, but as they became more acquainted with each other, a deep and unlikely friendship formed. Despite hailing from powerful dynasties, they were considered outsiders within their own families. Wilhelm, with his withered left arm—a result of a birth injury that caused him physical torture from his own mother and a lifelong insecurity—was known for his vibrant personality and unbridled enthusiasm. Though he often appeared reckless, behind the scenes, Wilhelm was cautious, especially in matters of war. Though he is remembered for his militarism, Wilhelm was surprisingly wary of outright conflict and frequently sought to prevent wars through personal diplomacy, particularly by appealing to his royal relatives across Europe.

Franz Ferdinand, on the other hand, was a more reserved, brooding figure. The Hapsburg family viewed him with suspicion and Emperor Franz Joseph never fully accepted him. But Franz’s defiance only strengthened his resolve to shape the future of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Far from the war-hungry image that many attributed to him, Franz Ferdinand was a proponent of a reformed representative state that would grant greater autonomy to the various ethnic groups within the empire. When Franz defied the court and married a lowly countess, Sophie Chotek, his wife and children were punished by having their rights, titles and inheritances stripped. In formal court settings, Sophie was purposefully disrespected and isolated. However, there was one royal court where Sophie was treated with equal dignity and veneration- that of Germany and Wilhelm the second.

The friendship of Wilhelm and Franz was formed as young men who found common ground in their shared love of nature and travel. Both men were avid gardeners, particularly drawn to the beauty and symbolism of roses. Franz meticulously cultivated his rose gardens at his Konopiste estate, while Wilhelm maintained vast and vibrant rose gardens at his palaces, using them as places of reflection and escape from the demands of rule. They often wrote to each other to give updates on their gardening along with invitations to visit one another.

Their friendship was further strengthened by a shared curiosity for the wider world, both were keen travelers and loved to share their appreciation of other lands and cultures. Wilhelm, with his love of the ships, embarked on journeys across the sea. Franz Ferdinand, who undertook a grand world tour in 1892, visited countries from Australia, Japan, China and the United States, learning about different systems of governance and cultures.

Despite Franz’s dedication to reformation and his desire to grant ethnic groups their own autonomy, he was vilified as a warmonger and the flames of hate stoked at every given opportunity by a vengeful royal court. This mischaracterization would end in the tragic assassination of Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie on June 28, 1914. This devastating event deeply affected Wilhelm on a personal level. He was gutted by the loss of his close friend and the brutal murder of the woman he had so greatly admired. The tragedy marked a turning point for Wilhelm, who struggled with feelings of guilt and grief, knowing that the alliance between Austro-Hungary and Germany, which he had hoped would bring peace and stability, had instead become a spark that lit ablaze the flames of war. Their friendship, though the catalyst for a greater conflict, offers a glimpse into the human qualities often overshadowed by blood and war.

Sources : The Sleepwalkers (Christopher Clark) Young Wilhelm: The Kaiser's Early Life, 1859-1888 (John C. G. Röhl)

[kiarou]

Caligula's Madness

Caligula. Born as Caesar Germanicus. From the time he was born until the age of 6, he spent his early life in the careful tutelage of his father, General Germanicus. Caligula’s future seemed bright- his father was the heir apparent Caesar Augustus and his family was beloved by the Roman public. But that bright future was snuffed out when his father was poisoned by Emperor Tiberius and Livia Drusus, for fear of the young General’s growing popularity. Caligula’s family was immediately exiled, his brothers murdered, his mother and sisters tortured. He himself taken as a trophy by Emperor Tiberius to the island of Capri...

On the island of Capri, hidden from prying eyes, Tiberius indulged in perverse and depraved habits, transforming the island into a sanctuary of excess and cruelty. As a prisoner, Caligula was forced to witness and endure the most perverse and cruel acts, inflicted by a man who had become a twisted shell of power. The young Caligula, stripped of his innocence, was molded in the shadow of Tiberius's depraved games. The great grandson of the Augustus and the once beloved jewel of the Roman world, was scarred by the relentless torment and games that Tiberius inflicted onto him and hordes of other innocent young boys that Tiberius coldly referred to as...his ‘little fishes’.

Once old enough, Caligula snuffed out the old and brittle Emperor’s fading life in the middle of the night. Finally free from his tormentor, he returned to Rome. Despite the horrors and scars he endured during his time on Capri, the spirit of his father and the bright future he wished for his son, never left Caligula.

When welcomed to Rome as the return of a lost son, Caligula did all he could to honor the legacy of his father and his great grandfather, Augustus... And for a time, the scars seemed a thing of the past. He ruled Rome with dignity, respect and mercy- all in stark contrast to the reign of Tiberius. But a rope once frayed continues to fray- and when he was poisoned by conspirators, like his father before him, the culmination of terror and madness could no longer be dammed up.

Once he recovered from his near death experience, the damage of his early life blazed forth in a terrifying display of rage and depravity. The once loved son of Germanicus became known as the "Mad Emperor". However, his madness was not born from ambition or pride, but from the deep, festering wounds left by Tiberius's abuse. What the world saw as insanity was, in truth, the fractured remnants of a once-promising life shattered by years of psychological and physical torment. And now, Caligula would unleash that reflective chaos onto the Roman world... Rome herself would be his own plaything, like the island of Capri- and all her citizens...his own ‘little fishes’...

Sources: The Lives of the Caesars (Suetonius) Annals (Tacitus) Tiberius and His Age: Myth, Sex, Luxury, and Power (Edward Champlin)

[kiarou]

HELEN OF TROY

"For her beauty was so remarkable that all men were completely enchanted by it…and there is no one who has not heard of the beauty of Helen, nor has any man ever blamed her because the Greeks and barbarians by their own volition and in pursuit of her sight endured many toils and dangers. In truth, if there had been no such beauty, such a story would never have been told." -Isocrates 436-338 BC

Born as the first daughter of Zeus; hatched from an ivory egg, Helen of Troy (known as Helen of Sparta), was cursed with a divine beauty that drove all around her completely mad. Born as a Spartan, she was privileged (as all Spartan women were) with a good education, a strong upbringing in gymnastics and the signature Spartan spirit of fierce independence. But her curse was a heavy burden, not just for her but all around her. By the time she became suitable for marriage she was kidnapped by the King of Athens. This violation bred jealousy amongst the other Greek city-states and kings alike until a conflict broke out and rapidly devolved until nearly all of Greece was set ablaze in war and destruction. Helen’s Sister and Brother rescued her and the conflict was put to an end, for now. But the King of Sparta understood that Helen’s curse would always drive men mad, and this would not be the last battle fought over this divine beauty.

Thus the King of Sparta gave Helen a rare gift, the right to choose her own husband- with the stipulation that every man who entered for a chance at her hand was bound to a sacrosanct pact. A blood ritual at the feet of a sacred horse- and every man swore: whosoever Helen chooses, the decision would be honored and if any man violated this choice, all would band together to restore Helen’s honor. A brilliant solution, a plan of mutually assured destruction would promise the stability for all of Greece. After all, who would be so foolish to violate such terms…?

[kiarou]

La Malinche's Revenge

And Moctezuma said, laughing in his princely way of speaking: “Malinche, I know very well that these people of Tlaxcala, with whom you are such good friends, have told you that I am a sort of God or Teul, and that everything in my houses is made of gold and silver and precious stones, I know well enough that you are wise and do not believe it. Behold now, Señor Malinche, my body is of flesh and bone like yours, my houses and palaces of stone and wood and lime; that I am a great king and inherit the riches of my ancestors is true, but not all the nonsense and lies that they have told you about me, although of course you treated it as a joke, as I did your thunder and lightning.” Florentine Codex by Bernal Díaz

La Malinche, born at the turn of the 16th century, began her life as the cherished heir to a noble Nahuatl family in the Aztec Empire. However, her fate took a cruel turn when her mother remarried. In a devastating betrayal, her tribe sold her into slavery to secure the inheritance of the new son. At just 9 years old, La Malinche’s was cast into a life of suffering and subjugation.

Her Aztec captors sold her to the Yucatec Mayans, where she endured years of servitude. Though her noble status had been ripped from her, she still held an extraordinary gift: an aptitude for language. Immersed in the culture of her captors, she mastered the Mayan language. Fate then granted her another gift, a chance alliance with a strange shipwrecked foreigner who had also been enslaved. From him, she began to learn his strange native tongue which he called “Spanish”.

And then one day … “they” arrived. On the shores of the Yucatan, the strange bearded men with their wooden mountains and steel clothes. La Malinche was once again passed to a new hand, this time one of the bearded men named Hernán Cortés. Her fluency in both Nahuatl, Maya and her emergent Spanish skills allowed her to serve as the only intermediary on the continent. No one else on all the earth could bridge the linguistic chasm between her world and the men of the Other World.

Every word, every strategy, every piece of negotiation had to go through La Malinche. Even as these “Conquistadors” met with the legendary God-Seer King Moctezuma, it was her words that were spoken. Not Cortés’ words; Not Moctezuma’s words; and as it turns out, words can control the destiny of an entire empire. For these Conquistadors sought one thing: Gold. And they would take it at any cost.

And if it was gold these Conquistadors sought, then La Malinche knew exactly where this gold could be found- in the land of her enslavers, her once homeland - the Aztec Empire. Fifth Sun: A New

Sources on the subject that I can personally recommend Malintzin's Choices: An Indian Woman in the Conquest of Mexico (Camilla Townsend) Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs (Camilla Townsend)

[kiarou]

Hadrian & Antinous

"Oct 30, 130 AD. While sailing on the Nile Hadrian lost his Antinous, for whom he wept like a woman. And having died in Egypt, either by falling as Hadrian says, or perhaps having been offered in sacrifice. For Hadrian was in any case very keen on the curious arts, and made use of divinations and incantations of all kinds. But in any case, Hadrian honoured his Antinous – either on account of this sacrifice or in truth, his love." -Cassius Dio 211AD

Hadrian and Antinous : one of the great tragedies of the ancient world. Hadrian was known as the Emperor who never rested. While on tour, he found love in the most improbable places- in the mountains of Bithynia, a young man of common birth named Antinous enchanted the emperor with his beauty, intellect and charisma. Hadrian saw to it that Antinous was selected to be sent to Rome for education. After completing his schooling in Italy, Antinous joined the Emperor’s personal entourage for a grand tour across the empire.

Their journey was a transformative one. In each city of the eastern empire, Greek and Hellenic culture was celebrated and revitalized by Hadrian and Antinous , reviving a new pan-Hellenic identity throughout the ancient world. However, tragedy struck along the shores of the Nile. Antinous was found dead under mysterious circumstances, leaving Hadrian devastated and forever darkened in spirit.

As it happens, a comet of portent streaked across the sky and in his grief Hadrian believed it to be reassurance that his lover still lived. Having met his end in Egypt, it seemed only appropriate that Antinous was proclaimed a new Osiris, a resurrected god. He was immediately deified by official decree and immortalized through worship across the empire. Yet, even with Antinous' ascension as a god, the thought of his companion living among the divine offered Hadrian little solace.

As Emperor, Hadrian’s temper grew shorter; rebellions and uprisings were crushed with unprecedented cruelty and impunity. Eventually, he retired to his villa to spend his remaining years in solitude, surrounded by statues and icons of the god Antinous. There, among pools of mercury, columns of gold, and cascading hot springs—meticulously constructed to recreate the realm of the gods—Hadrian sought a connection to the afterlife. So that in his musings, he could feel close to his beloved, once more.

Sources on the subject that I can personally recommend Pax: War and Peace in Rome's Golden Age (Tom Holland) The Twelve Caesars (Suetonius)

[kiarou]

Season 2 of Vinland Saga has been everything I could have wished for. I’ve written before about my thoughts of season 1, and everything still stands but more so. Every frame of the show has been so beautiful and cinematic in a way that anime just doesn't get the chance to be now days. I really get the sense that each episode’s directors are really enjoying the opportunity to be artistic and cinematic. It's hard to put into words all the ways the show has touched me, so I tried to convey it in this painting

[kiarou]

《时光代理人》 Link Click If you haven’t seen Link Click, I highly recommend it. A uniquely Chinese show that has a modern-ness and a style that is absolutely irresistible. The crew involved did an amazing job and I can only hope future 動畫 can follow the example.

[kiarou]

Lord of the Rings: Perseverance and Failure

Recently watched a fan edit of LotR trilogy that broke up all of the movies into episodes. It’s been a fun watching experience and I have to say, the pacing works surprisingly well in that format.

My relationship with Lord of the Rings and Tolkien’s work  is probably an outlier from the whole. I have a profound appreciation for Tolkien’s work for it’s innovation, it’s thoughtfulness and it’s mythic proportions. Though as the story and the characters go, they don’t have the same moving effect on me like some other works of fiction and fantasy do. However, where that pure characterization fails, I find a deeper, almost unconscious, meaning that stirs my sprit.

Tolkien’s philosophy instilled a mythical nature into this work, where you can see the etchings of a man wracked by war and how he resolved those traumas in his own mind. The friend’s he made and lost along the way. The feeling of being separated but still holding faith in their return. Seeing how Tolkien took those trauma’s, anxieties and guilt and transformed them into something productive and miraculous is a level of authenticity that has and should rightly be admired.

For example, on the surface, Frodo as a character is not particularly compelling to me until I consider and fully appreciate him as a representation. For Frodo is  a mirror to our own weakness in character, foolishness in life and ultimate failure against darkness. However, in him we can also see the grace and the strength of spirit to keep persevering and always resist until the end. When it all comes down to it, Tolkien was correct. The acts of small and ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay.

[kiarou]

Lord of the Rings: Perseverance and Failure

Recently watched a fan edit of LotR trilogy that broke up all of the movies into episodes. It’s been a fun watching experience and I have to say, the pacing works surprisingly well in that format.

My relationship with Lord of the Rings and Tolkien’s work  is probably an outlier from the whole. I have a profound appreciation for Tolkien’s work for it’s innovation, it’s thoughtfulness and it’s mythic proportions. Though as the story and the characters go, they don’t have the same moving effect on me like some other works of fiction and fantasy do. However, where that pure characterization fails, I find a deeper, almost unconscious, meaning that stirs my sprit.

Tolkien’s philosophy instilled a mythical nature into this work, where you can see the etchings of a man wracked by war and how he resolved those traumas in his own mind. The friend’s he made and lost along the way. The feeling of being separated but still holding faith in their return. Seeing how Tolkien took those trauma’s, anxieties and guilt and transformed them into something productive and miraculous is a level of authenticity that has and should rightly be admired.

For example, on the surface, Frodo as a character is not particularly compelling to me until I consider and fully appreciate him as a representation. For Frodo is  a mirror to our own weakness in character, foolishness in life and ultimate failure against darkness. However, in him we can also see the grace and the strength of spirit to keep persevering and always resist until the end. When it all comes down to it, Tolkien was correct. The acts of small and ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay.

[kiarou]

Finally got a chance to watch Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna. It’s been a long time since I’ve draw Digimon. And any long time followers know how much I love the Ange- evolution line. So I had to do a piece for old time’s sake. I kept closer to the original design than I used to in my younger days, but still added my own touches (°◡°♡)

My thoughts about the Kizuna/Adventure 01: 

Over 20 years later and I still find Digimon to be one of those series that I never quite grow out of. That’s a good thing, of course. Digimon Adventure 01 was, like many others my age, a foundational experience with a non-episodic show. It was my introduction into characters with internal struggles and real growth and change. Even as a kid I had that sense that these characters were different from the rest of the characters that populated those old later 90s tube TVs.

Keep reading

[kiarou]

My tribute to Arcane. What a fantastic series. This is the gold standard to what every video game adaptation should be- a real story and characterization first. Lovely work from all of the animators and writers who worked on this project. Truly an inspiration.

[kiarou]

Chapter 2 of #MessengerToGevurah, is finished! Thank you everyone for all of the lovely support so far! Messenger to Gevurah is a free to read fantasy Webcomic, check it below:

Mobile formats Tapas: tinyurl.com/y6s9g2vk Webtoon: tinyurl.com/y2agt3d7

Desktop formats: Homebase: messengertogevurah.net Flowfo: tinyurl.com/y6bdbm72

To celebrate this milestone, we will be holding an ama! Ask us anything, whether it's about the story so far, the comic making process, or just general art/writing questions!Just comment below! 

[kiarou]

Finally got a chance to watch Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna. It's been a long time since I've draw Digimon. And any long time followers know how much I love the Ange- evolution line. So I had to do a piece for old time's sake. I kept closer to the original design than I used to in my younger days, but still added my own touches (°◡°♡)

My thoughts about the Kizuna/Adventure 01: 

Over 20 years later and I still find Digimon to be one of those series that I never quite grow out of. That’s a good thing, of course. Digimon Adventure 01 was, like many others my age, a foundational experience with a non-episodic show. It was my introduction into characters with internal struggles and real growth and change. Even as a kid I had that sense that these characters were different from the rest of the characters that populated those old later 90s tube TVs.

Looking back in retrospect, there’s a lot of powerful ideas in Digimon- from the characters to the (criminally underutilized) lore. Somewhere along the way I ended up conceptualizing Digimon as my generation’s The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. As ridiculous as that sounds on premise, there’s a lot to be said about a coming of age story featuring kids living on the precipice of a new era. Being thrown into another world, forced to survive and sacrifice. And in the end gain the essential virtues they need to return back into their world and prosper in this new (Digital) age.

The kids struggled with real problems that required virtue, not power, to overcome. Taichi had to learn the balance between courage and foolhardiness, Yamato had to deal with the anger of his parents’ divorce, Koushiro had to allow himself to be vulnerable and accept his adopted parent’s love as genuine love, etc. Each kid had their personal challenges and they grew in spite of them

And that’s the rub, really. The cast of Digimon not only grew older, they grew up. Which is why I’m so glad this final movie was made. I largely ignored Tri due to its poor story and animation, but this movie more than made up for it in my mind. It was the goodbye I wanted to see- the closure I needed for these childhood heroes.

It’s not a perfect movie- but neither was the original series. Yet it has heart and it hit me in all the right places. I was thankful for the emotional value it gave me. Emotional value that enhances the foundation Adventure 01 gave me. While I wish we got more time with the other kids, or at least got some shorts afterwards about Koushiro, Sora, Jou, Mimi, Takeru & Hikari’s final goodbye- I’m thankful we got to be there for Taichi and Yamato’s.

In the end, I can’t say ‘goodbye’ to Digimon. Instead, it's better to just say... “Thank you, Digimon”

[kiarou]

We are very excited to announce our original fantasy webcomic Messenger To Gevurah will now be mirrored and updated weekly on flowfo.me

>HERE: flowfo.me/artwork/MessengerToGevurah/Messenger-To-Gevurah---

FlowFo is new multi-format webcomic platform with a fantastic desktop & mobile reader. If you want to enjoy the comic on mobile in it's original format, this platform's app is a great option! I highly recommend this platform for any comic artists or content creators looking for good alternatives to the webtoons format.

[kiarou]

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

Chapter 1 of Messenger To Gevurah is finally published! To celebrate, @mouiface and I are having a Q&A! You can submit your questions by commenting below or emailing messengertogevurah@gmail.com. Answers will be released on 8/25, but we have plenty of bonus content until then, so stay tuned!

And if you haven’t read Chapter 1 yet, please check it out! We have two formats for your viewing pleasure

Traditional Manga format: https://messengertogevurah.net/

Mobile format: webtoons or Tapas

Check it out and let us know what you think! And thank you for all of the support so far<3