#2nd 3d 4th and 5th were not backs by me i think they were by jace and or shibii (now retired from the comic)

[aristaspark]

Ranking Winx Enchantix outfits

Disclaimer: Enchantix is literally the perfect transformation so keep in mind that even the ones at the bottom of the list are incredible. And of course it's only based on my taste.

6th place: Musa 🎶

I remember liking it much more when I was 6 years old honestly. I think the reason I like it so much is because I think red and yellow is a match made in heaven (and I loved her transformation sequence). I love her wings, they look EXPENSIVE and her hairstyle goes well with the look. The only reason she's last is because I think the skirt looks kinda weird and messy (it's even more appearant in 3D). I also think the shape for the top could have been better, but it's really just nitpicking she looks amazing I just had to put someone last 😂

5th: Tecna 💾

The first transformation where Tecna doesn't look like a space power ranger 🥹

The outfit is perfect, I love the overall shape of it and it was so refreshing seeing her have a pretty transformation. The colors all go well together (I love the colors in the 3D version) and the outfit is a perfect example of a feminine yet futuristic aesthetic. The wings are so cute, like, it suits her sooo much: simple but classy. The only thing I find horrid is her hairstyle, my girl deserved better (and the weird green thing in her hair is the final nail in the coffin honestly, it looks like a radioactive spider 😂).

4th: Aisha/Layla 🌊

This one was really tricky to rank for me because I'm soooo bitter the went with the green version instead of the blue one. The outfit is super cute and is pretty in both colors honestly but the green one is really just TOO green for my liking. And I much prefer the yellow gloves over the purple ones. In the green outfit there are not enough variations (not even worth mentioning the 3D version because for some reason I think the shades of colors they picked are an eyesore). But as I said, the outfit is still very pretty and her wings are freaking gorgeous, the shape, the size, the colors...they are perfect (they stand out so much more in the blue version). I love her little crown thing and her hairstyle is just so amazing. Everything just goes so well together. So if I forget about what it could have been... it still looks amazing so she deserves her spot.

3rd: Stella ☀️

I honestly didn't think much about her transformation when I was a kid, but looking back at it now, I think it does look amazing. I love the shades they picked in both the 2D and 3D version and the colors just go amazing together. The top and the skirt compliments eachothers perfectly and I love that they added a little touch of blue. And her butterfly wiiiiings, I think I don't need to say anything, they are big and dramatic, I love their shape, they look like they're made of gold and they just elevate the whole look.

2nd: Bloom 🔥

Ok, this one might be a little controversial because I'm under the impression that not a lot of people love this outfit (I could be wrong though). But I don't know, I just love her dress. I was always a sucker for ruffle dresses. I also live for the color gradation from blue to green, I just love it soooo much, it looks like crystal clear water. Also, it's worth mentioning that if I were to only take the 3D versions into consideration Bloom would EASILY rank first. BY A MILE. The colors ? The silhouette ? Hello ? It just looks so beautiful, magical,... Her transformation in 3D is just so beautiful to me. The hairstyle is amazing and refreshing since she really didn't have any in the first transformation. I do wish her wings were a little more dramatic or shaped differently, but they're still pretty. Really, the only thing I "dislike" is the ribbon on her neck which I always thought looked like pasta 😭 but I must say I kinda grew to like it 😂.

1st: Flora 🌺

I think nobody is surprised. When I think about it, for Flora it's not really about the dress. I mean, the dress is beautiful but it's the last thing catching my eyes. But THE WINGS ? THE HAIRSTYLE ? I can't even describe it. She looks so etheral, I had to put her first. She looks like a freaking goddess. And I remember when I was a kid, Flora was the first fairy I saw in her enchantix form in promotional pictures and I was just in awe. I was like 😲...Fairies are too pretty. She really looks like she came from a fairytail book.

[processproduction-stefftravers]

Timeline

Week 1 - w/c 15th January  

Module launch  

Week 2 - w/c 22nd January 

Create a mind map  

Buy sketchbook for walk journal 

Start proposal and timeline 

Week 3 - w/c 29th January 

Finish proposal and timeline 

Look up site-specific artists and artworks – Doris Salcedo and Tracy Emin to start. 

Brief and timeline presentations - Wednesday 31st 

Brief and timeline to be submitted on Canvas – Friday 2nd  

Week 4 - w/c 5th February 

 Start research into walking as an art form – what kind of walks are there? Artists who use walking in their art practice – Richard Long and Hamish Fulton  

Look into the situationist international movement 

Plan for nature and night walk – respond in journal, collect found objects, document with photos and audio 

Respond to walks and materials gathered 

Tumblr research log up to date! 

Week 5 - w/c 12th February 

Continue walking research 

Plan for urban and “unplanned” walk - respond in journal, collect found objects and document with photos 

Respond to walk and materials gathered 

How else can I document my walks? 

Look at reading list 

Week 6 - w/c 19th February 

Start thinking in 3D – what materials do I need? 

Budget for materials if needed 

Look back at previous 3D workshops 

Artist research based on where my module has led me  

Sign up for 1 to 1 

Respond to feedback 

Tumblr research log up to date! 

Week 7 - w/c 26th February 

Go more walks, which walks were successful? Urban? Nature? Night? Unplanned? - Document this – reflect on previous developments 

Where would I install my final? 

 Have site picked  

Research based on feed back 

Week 8 - w/c 4th March 

Sign up for 1 to 1 

Respond to feedback 

Look at reading list 

Installation Proposal Submission on Canvas – Friday 8th  

Tumblr research log up to date! 

Week 9 - w/c 11th March 

Reflect on work so far. What can be pushed and taken further? 

Week 10 - w/c 18th March 

Begin planning finals. Reflect on previous developments - Do I need to plan another walk? What routes work best?  

Plan budget if new supplies are needed 

Health & Safety/Studio Practice checklist to be submitted on Canvas – Friday 22nd 

Tumblr research log up to date! 

Week 11 - w/c 25th March  

Start final/s 

Spring Break  

Continue with final/s  

Start draft evaluation reflect on work so far 

Week 12 - w/c 15th April 

Finish evaluation 

Last day in studio 

Have everything in studio installed and ready for assessment  

Folio on Tumblr of max 10 images of final  

50-word project statement  

Tumblr research log up to date! 

[belleandkurtbastian]

Ranking the Glee "Don't Stop Believin'"s:

7th place - 1x13 Sectionals (Haverbrook School for the Deaf)

Just not a fan of the show using Haverbrook as a butt of the joke at the best of times, but also this entire set-list storyline bugs me to no end anyway.

6th place - 1x05 The Rhodes Not Taken (New Directions Season 1 with Finn and Quinn)

I appreciate this one for what it is, and it's like... the ONLY time we really see ND rehearsing a song for a set-list long in advance... Thematically, this one is fine, and it makes sense... But really, it just shows Will's inability to arrange for someone other than Rachel and Finn, because this is NOT a Quinn song, and it's not in a Quinn arrangement.

5th place - Glee: The 3D Concert Movie (New Directions Season 2 with Finn and Rachel)

It feels a little weird thinking this is the only 'Season 2' version of DSB. In any case, the arrangement is uninspired, the sound mix is a bit awkward (Cory is REALLY buried in there), and after the Regionals version, I just expect more than Finn and Rachel duetting. There's not even an Artie or Mercedes fill at any point. Not awful, just not my favourite.

4th place - 4x19 Sweet Dreams (Rachel with the New Directions original 6)

Okay, getting into the "real" versions now. Again, thematically this one somewhat makes sense, and I like the arrangement here, and the mixed diegesis of the real audition and the imaginary backing vocals. But in some ways, I just can't get past singing DSB to audition for... Fanny Brice... Also, Rachel's melismas at the end of lines aren't the greatest she's ever done.

3rd place - 5x13 New Directions (New Directions S1-5 with Rachel, Kurt, Artie, Will, Blaine, and Tina)

This one starts off SO good, thematically and staging-wise. Like, the entry order makes perfect sense, and the first half of the song's line division makes sense. Rachel, then Kurt (representing both himself and Finn), then the other three original members. Then the rest of the S1 cast... Then the S2-5 cast entering in the order: Sam, Blaine, S4 newbies, and Will. That is EXACTLY right... Will sings, makes sense... And then they ruin it by bizarrely giving Blaine and Tina the next solo sections. If this were a "passing the baton" thing and, say, Marley and Jake got the next section after that, I'd get it... But they don't? It goes back to Rachel and Blaine with Artie...

I like the arrangement and staging. It's not the CLEANEST number the show ever did, but it makes sense in context and it's well put-together... but the musical division of lines is just weird and really brings it down for me.

(Also they totally blew this idea on 5x13, and then had to scramble to recreate the concept in 6x13. Look at I Lived and TELL ME they didn't think of doing DSB for the finale.)

2nd place - 1x01 Pilot / 6x12 2009 (New Directions original 6 with Finn and Rachel)

The classic rendition. Really, honestly, it's hard to mark this down, because thematically it just makes sense, and while it's not the musically greatest performance, I think it works for the "rag-tag" concept. But it's not my favourite. This one honestly gets so high up just on the basis of it being novel at the time, and nostalgia... and the fact that I have gripes with the arrangement of the Season 5 version. :P

1st place - 1x22 Journey (New Directions Season 1 with Finn, Rachel, Puck, Santana, Artie and Mercedes)

Honestly, THIS is the iconic version of the song, to me. It's just a really nice book-end to Season 1, and it really brings home the growth over the season.

They start with the classic introduction order: Artie, Kurt, Mercedes, Tina, Rachel, Finn, GO!. That's what you need to do, and they NAILED it this time, like they do in 5x13. But they continue to give solo lines to Santana and Puck (and I wish we got to hear them together more, because their voices work), Kurt (cut from the episode version, which... it was the weakest performance, so I'm not too torn up about it), and then Mercedes and Artie. That's all the major voices that could do this song... Jenna could, but Tina couldn't. Quinn already demonstrated she couldn't. Brittany, Mike, and Matt don't really get solos at this stage.

Then the key change. This song doesn't NEED a key change (case in point... they never do it again)... but for the final number of a competition set, having Mercedes belt over a key change makes sense for the energy.

The actual performance, from a dance standpoint is... not great. It's a very basic walking song, really, but the overall staging and context and theming... Yeah, this is my favourite version.

[subarashiet]

lifes been weird and sad , got so much stuff i wanna say dont even know if thats the right subred to but here goes.i m 18 , from Greece , first year in Uni and life is not the way i want it to bei live on my own , rent is being paid by mom and her husband , month pocket money given by dad and by my part time jobat some point in high school i understood that our school years were our most carefree years , tho only now do i really understand itman this post is gonna cramp my fingers shouldve used the pcused to hang out a lot till 2nd year of high school then in 3rd year cause of me studying more i was hanging out less , used to have around 4groups of ppl to hang around then only one , cliche but i wasnt anyone special in school , gotta mention i went to a music middle-high school , only highlights i remember are in 2th-3rd grade trading blows with a girl (think she was 5th grade) ,3rd grade kissing a girl in her cheek then running away from the boy-horde coming after me , 4th grade trading blows with a 6th grader ,6th grade punching a guy for calling names my little sis (we good now see him out we talk he a nice dud) , 9th grade a girl i had a chance with but fucked it up big time , 9th grade breaking a cello almost getting expelled ,12th grade playing bass at a concert in Thessaloniki with a music group of my schooldidnt really have many close friends but there were some from school and other places you can call closer friends , but now even with them i ve started to fade away which i cannot bear but i m the type of giving up and not trying until i m lategot laboratory this morning and this is gonna take a while hope i can get some sleepfeels weird using reddit to express my thoughts i even find it a bit cringy talking to myself but oh welli wanted to visit a physiatrist because i ve been so mentally tired that i think i might have crippling sadness xD but i tried to arrange that back in July-August pre my 18th bday so she said a parent was required to be present so i just kept all the stuff to myselfi was learning classic guitar from 1st grade to 8th still play to this day , in music school i kinda learned h2p electric but didnt practice enough to be able to play good , also know some pianobeen listening to post rock and mostly fate music these past 10 monthssucker for good anime tho i ve been out of it lately havent even finished my summer ones , oregairu has a nice ending from what i got spoiled fromanyway thing is i am sad most of the time , i try not to show it cause i like the stereotype of being the strong guy that everyone can depend on and almost never see being emotional and also like the cool tempered guy type , tho lately i ve been craving a lot of attention that i drop the act of the calm n cool sometimesthings with my parents didnt go to well these past years , only now i can say that we ve finally kinda calmed down , mom and dad started falling out of it around 8th grade cause lots of fighting , big sis kindof took the role of mother while on her teen years , feels like she had it much worse than me10th grade sis leaves home to go elsewhere to start studies for uni , i m left with ma and lil sis back homethen i understand that i have to be there for my little sis which also got in my school that year (3kids-3years difference each) so i tried to assume the role of the big brother but she was closer to her older sister than me , i was closer to my older sister as well , feels like i was doing my lil sis wrong but i cpould relate more to big sis and could chat with her more about stufflil sis didnt open up to me a lot even to this day , she has been a lot more comfortable with me through the years i think cause she told me something important recently , kinda feelsbadman tho cause i wanted to be closer to her and i kinda tried but i think not hard enough cause she didnt seem to get any closer , cried once about it in front of my mother which was the absoluteliest worst cause i didnt want her to see me being fragile jesustho even now that i m not home i talk to her play some among us tried making her start xenoverse 2 that didnt go farhave some friends from school , we would only go all together at internet cafes , but mostly 4 of em would go out togetherin my school i had some friends from scouts tooi have an insta , used to post "cool" pics kinda stopped cause i like looking cool in front of others but i havent been in the mood to try in around a year nowused to be in some conservatory guitar groups with some other kids there , with one girl from there i used to be quite in touch until recently that i stopped seeing her for some reasons maybe i ll explain l8rwe had fun and i really mean it , we used to go on trips to play songs on different cities and stages , our group became kinda known the 2-3 good active years we were active , it still is but these years were the originals , now there are other peoplefucking christ its 2:27started playing in that group with the originals in 2017 till 2019 , we were kids from different ages going from 6th to 10th graders but i didnt understand the different in our ages until recently that i found one of the guys from the group in my cityanother closer friend is a guy from my school , met him in grade 7 still talk to him , used to sit together most of the years pretty neat guy , peculiar character but really interesting kind smart and hard workingman why couldnt my teen years be like shirou from fsn that would be awesomehad entrance exams 4-5 months ago , didnt really go as planned , shooted for Corfu didnt get in cause rather than 15 i got 10 in my last exam so i m still in my city , tho i live alone and go to my local uni insteadJuly 2019 i moved out of my old house moved in with ma and her husband with my sis , stayed there till september then till june-july 2020 i was living with my fathertbh i decided to write this post after watching a vid of Korone talking about Okayu thinking that i ve never been in an actual relationship and that i eould want to experience that but dont know where to start from , losing weight ? becoming outgoing again ? learn how to talk to girls ?i started watching anime back in 2015 on my 3ds i remember watching dubbed Inazuma Elevensince like 2 weeks ago i reached 201 anime completedok i ll stop here for tonight cause i got online uni classes tmrw i keep stimestamps for whenever i finally post this -Tuesday 3/11/2020 02:41used to be around 85-90kg in 12th grade , put on around 20-28 kilos since March 2020 , managed to lose 8-10 kilos in the summer but i m still around 30kilos up from the normal amount based on my height , got a subscription to a gym jan2019 but only managed to get into it for a short period on spring 2019 then autumn 2019 then lost motivation and let go , since March2020 i ve been doing some weights at home , tho when i look at myself in the mirror it doesnt really change how bad i feel about my body , i think my old motivation used to be a girl i used to have a crush on but not surethings with my parents werent all that great and i was mentally better when i would talk with them , they are openminded af and supportive too but puberty makes you see stuff differently like everyone is against you like the world is against you (last one might be true dunno yet) , living on my own now seems to be a bit better but as our Greek ancestors used to say theres no good without bad and the bad in this scenario is that its lonely as fuck , having lived for 18 years with my family it really hits a weird spot , everything feels lonelier now with the virus spreading around not being able to see others as much as we used to , uni doesnt feel nice , many people dont pay attention and its like the second half of 12th grade all over againgot my monthly money 4days ago , went from 200 to 9.28 quickly , when i have money i spend when i dont i m stingy , mostly like to build computers , watch lots of Linus , Paul , Kyle , Jay etc. most of my money goes to buying stuff about computers food , used to give lots of money to internet cafes when i used to hang out with the guys from school , not anymorewith the start of uni we all met new friends even i but i still feel like i am drifting apart day by day , stopped talking to my old girl friend cause i was kinda done with her attitude , called me some names i didnt appreciate because i put up with her attitude , most of the time in her own world , only would really pay attention and try to change herself when it was something she cared about , one of them wasnt her character , but to give the goods of her she was a good friend dont know if i can say she still is a friend or just someone i know , she helped me even with the girl i had a crush on , was really fun on trips with the guitar group , all in all a fun person , thing is i stopped texting her and telling her to go out cause it was 80% me trying and the other 20% her and i think that proved right when i stopped talking to her cause i thought she will see that i m not talking to her she ll think somethings wrong she ll message me to go out and have fun , send me a happy bday message posted some pics of me , didnt send me anything else after , stopped talking to her around the start of October , if i hadnt asked her something about her uni and if it wasnt my bday i dont think we wouldve talked in all of october . last saturday i was working in the area she lives in my city decided to call her sometimes didnt answer tried to suprise her and see how she is by going to her house , noone answered maybe they were on a trip idk , but it feels weird man , in the first half of the year me and a common friend of her and me went out one night , ended up being the bad guy to make her understand that she did something wrong that night , after she left i was left with our common friend talked about stuff and mostly her and i expressed myself , i knew that coming summer me and her would end up at different places so i wanted to tell her all the wrongs with her so that she could finally understand what i ve been putting up against and make her understand that she HAS to pay attention to people around her and that she will meet new people and that she ll have to be careful about her character , used to have a bit of crush on her back in 7th grade , can kinda understand why that went . On the other hand i didnt want to part ways with her with our last words being me ranting , one thing brought the other and she wont be going to her uni's city until early 2021 so i managed to go out with her some more in the summer and september . kinda feels bad to see that almost noone remembered my bday cause i remember in cram school when someone had their bday they would get a fucking cake , dont mistake me i got one , from my ma my two sisters and my moms husband , thing is i wanted to have something happen with friends , nothing happend , around 4 people remembered my bday and the others just send me some happy bday messages after seeing posts from the girl i m talking about .also heres a good song to listen to while reading stuff on reddit Sorrow from FSN by MN64 cant post links from what i understandgonna stop here for now might edit later -Tuesday 3/11/2020 15:15thing is reddit is not the right place to get help and i need a friend but it seems i cant get any from my friends , even my other friend the guy i used to sit with in all middle-high school he has drifted apart , talking more with other of his friends doing other stuff etc , that one time i needed to talk to him he said i ll call you in a while , waitied 1 and a half hour then asked him why he didnt call he said he forgot (i think) , feelsbadmananyway i dont think i m gonna keep editing this i ranted enough , gonna leave the post up for a day or so in case anyone wants to add anything then taking it down -Tuesday 3/11/2020 23:58

[mw-draws]

ranking each Doctor Who opening titles cause I have nothing better to do with my time

1st Doctor title - that shit's og, y'know? there's just a sense of timelessness to it and it makes me feel dead happy listening to it. it's got that wobbly shit going on and it actually looks really cool, especially for 1960's television. this shit fucking revolutionised TV, honestly. - 8/10

2nd Doctor titles - just an all round improvement on the first Doctor's titles. there's more twinkle in the beginning of the tune, like, yes, keep that shit up. and it looks fucking amazing. the way Patrick Troughton's face morphs into the titles is fucking spooky and sums him up. like, he just appears whether you want him to or not. that started one of my favourite opening titles tropes actually. also, the slight tease of the middle 8? yes. Doctor Who fans can have a little middle 8. as a treat. - 8.5/10

3rd Doctor (1) - I love how these titles are basically like "GUYS WE HAVE COLOUR TV NOW, DID YOU KNOW?! LOOK AT ALL THE CRAZY SHIT WE CAN DO WITH THIS" and you know what? fucking superb. have all the fun you want with that. the music is pretty much the same, but the way they just plonk Jon Pertwee's face there never fails to amuse me. 8.5/10

3rd Doctor (2) - were in hyperspace now. the way Jon Pertwee just fucking flies off into the background is never funny to me. he's like "I'm too gay and fabulous for this shit, I'm out" and I respect that. the sudden "no more crazy colours" is a bit disappointing to me though. - 7/10

4th Doctor (1) - basically the same as 3(2) but it opens with the tardis and looks a little funkier. I love Tom Baker just sitting there like he didn't know that this was happening and I really love how the Time vortex takes the shape of the silhouette of whatever is in the front actually, I think that's really cool. doesn't wow me though, plus, the music is still the basically the same, just a little slower. - 7.5/10

4th Doctor (2) - now this is the shit. a pure classic, 80s sci-fi to a fucking T. the music is super funky and synthy, it's beautiful. the fact that we're in space and there's stars everywhere? perfect. Tom Baker's face being built up from the stars?? unprecedented, just incredible. same with the Doctor Who logo, just amazing. - 9/10

5th Doctor - basically the same as 4(2) except its Peter Davison and a bit more blue. 9/10

6th Doctor - basically the same as 4(2) and 5, but there's 100% more colour. they looked at 4 and 5's title sequences and went "hmm, what could we do to improve this? OH, MORE COLOUR" "don't you think that'll take away from the fact thei-" "MORE. COLOUR. IT'S THE 80'S, CARL". also, Colin Baker's face appears and is surrounded by the lesbian and bi flag. gay rights. - 8/10

Trial of a Time Lord - this is a special one because its the same, but a bit better. the music is like "fucking let's go, let's get all fucking funky. get that synth going. give us the synth but like bass synth y'know". the visuals are a lot smoother. more lesbians and bi's. gay rights. Colin Baker gives us a wee smile. thank you sir, I love you too. - 8.5/10

7th Doctor - this is when Doctor Who discovered CGI. also, a lot of synth, like w o w. the rocks flying in a the same time as the "doo doo doo"? nice. the music is all weird and fucky, BUT brought the middle 8 in, buut, because the music is all fucky, it doesn't sound right. Sylvester McCoy's face appearing and winking? that fucking blew me away when I was younger. I still love it. very 80's. - 6/10

The Movie - HELL YEEAAAAHH, OPEN WITH THE MIDDLE 8 BECAUSE WE'RE FUCKING EPIC. FIREWORKS, BECAUSE FUCK YOU! LET'S GO LESBIANS. - 9/10

9th Doctor - yeeaaaasss. it's a fucking nostalgia trip this one. the tardis flying about the time vortex, the string, the "oooweeeooo" perfect. sums up the 00's - 8/10

10th Doctor (1) - just the same, except it says David Tennant - 8/10

10th Doctor (2) - OJHHHHHHH YEEAAAAHH. THE FUCKING. GUITARS. THE FUCKING ORCHESTRA RECORDING. THE FUCKIIINGSTIRNGS. YES this is what it's all about. epic. unprecedented. the "dudu dudu dudu dudu dududuududududud dudu" perfect. New logo, nice bright and orange. my rights. - 10/10

11th Doctor (1) - still recovering from that switch from SUPERFUCKINGFASTANDEPIC to slow. but epic. a bit weird, not too much of a fan of the slow opening, but then once it kicks off, hell fucking yeah. I like the clouds, dunno why they're there, but there we go - 7.5/10

11th Doctor (2) - no. who the fuck allowed this. what am I looking at? what the fuck am I listening to? how the fuck did we go from "oh, this is kinda epic" to "how the fuck is this even slower". I just don't like this. what I'd going on?am I in a washing machine. why is it whining. what is this? sound effects??? fuck off???? at least it brought back the face thing, that was fun while it lasted - 4/10 (four points are from the face coming back)

12th Doctor - I really like the rock style of this one, matches 12 really well. I like that the time vortex is literally a clock, that's really fucking cool. I only wish that they used an actual guitar like they did for Before the Flood, that was really cool, but without it, you can really hear the whines where they're trying to recreate the sound of an electric guitar. - 7/10

13th Doctor - hell. fucking. yes. the ball of space and time is fucking cool as fuck. the bass drop is like "you fucking ready? LET'S GO LESBIANS." and throws us right in. miss the 8 bar opening though, gave me more time to prepare ksjsks. but it looks fantastic, then we get to stars swirling around everywhere and it's all round really pretty and I love how it just goes into the title of the ep, like that. fucking fab, music's a bit fucky, but visually stunning. it's the 3rd Doctor's first one but 3D and beautiful - 8.5/10

[anne-lister-adventures]

Thursday, 9 April 1840

7 1/2

11 1/2 

Fine morning – No sun – Reaumur 6 1/4º on the window seat close to my bedhead at 8 1/2 – Slept very well but the terrible jolting one has day after day makes one a sort of lassitude even on getting up after a few hours sleep – I slept from about one last night to 7 a.m. – Cold here so high among the mountains – Casbek after Elbrus the highest summit of the Caucasus – Breakfast over at 9 1/2 then sat reading Murray till now 10 3/4 article Persia II. p.[page] 396 et seq. and here is the account of the Province of Shirwan &c. now ceded to Russia – 

A-[Ann] sketched the little church neat new ashlar red stone church and its very pretty picturesque little clock separate standing on 4 little arcades open at the bottom – Out from 11 1/4 to 1 1/2 – I sauntered about 1st by myself then sought George – Went up to the little Gurian (as George called it) rude chapel and cemetery at a little height on the hill (East) above the Town – The chapel oblong very small door towards the West – Fast –

Rather tapering – Roof of rough walling retiring roof wise stood on little knoll above the chapel gazing till I could see nothing my eyes ached towards Casbek –

The monastery full in view for 3 or 4 minutes or more at 12 1/4 then clouded over – Kasbek appears to be behind rather South of the monastery – From the glimpse of his centreforts he must be magnificent and 1/3 way up the horizon seen from this little knoll – The monastery handsome looking high dome-topped church and handsome tower (round topped?) clocher – Largeish handsome looking place – 5 v.[versts] from Kasbek – 

The Gergeti Trinity Church, above Stepantsminda (Kasbek in Anne’s time), which Anne deemed a “monastery”. (Image Source)

A village en route about 1/2 way? up the hill or not so much – But this village flat topped like the village town here – Counted 40 squares at 6 families each these squares like little bomb roof forts or casemattes – Covered with gravel at top – Quite like a fine gravelled square to walk – 4 or 6 little round openings are chimneys for the 2d.[2nd] story the ground story has little loop holes at each side front and back which let out the smoke and give all the light there is – The fire on the ground à la Calmuck – It seems I did not over calculate houses or people the latter = 1000 an old man said his house was very ancient was standing in Peter the Great’s time – 

There are 2 towers (tapering square) in the ville – The one we passed last night is quite in ruin only the 2 sides towards last night, standing, and the fog so soon hid it, could see nothing it – Appears (at the distance I saw it, from the cemetery above named) to have had 6 étages and was perhaps gathered up into a stone roof – Singular Town this – The 1st instance we have seen of the quite flat gravelled walk-like roofs of the East – 

Some of the better places open into a little court the 2d.[2nd] story entered by rude stone (black schist from the neighbouring mountains) stairs and a broad balcony gravelled like the roofs – This reminds me of Mouravieff’s description of Khiva &c. Perhaps the 50 chambers of the Palace of Priam were something in this style - ∴[therefore] might be one or 2 stories high – Here the squares are sometimes the dots signify the fire places and there is no division between 2 families –

The middle part is a sort of passage divided off by a wattling – For calves &c. &c. which also seem to be admitted even into the family apartment – The people never wash – Terribly dirty – Had just written so far now at 2 1/2 – A new road from here, George says; but the old one, by Kobi, tho’ longer still the one travelled – Probably the other not yet quite monté – Inquire – From here the defile fait fourche –

Ours is the one of Terek to the right en sortant Kasbek – Paid the post horses 3 Kopek en argent per v.[verst] per horse 16 1/2 v.[versts] = 4/95 + -/12 greasing en argent – ‘Tis now 2 3/4 – Off at 2 50/’’ from Kasbek a very interesting place – It has made me understand the Ossetine Towns – The fort is 2 pieces of canon in the courtyard the sight of the Town except the 2 tall Towers soon lost – At 3 little wood bridge over little stream - At 3 10/’’ right, little distance, on high promontory of rock –                    

a Inn

b Mr. Bachmetieff’s house

c another corresponding house  

d great court and parade yard

e line of barracks for the soldiers

f stable yard

g blacksmiths shop

h Cossack stable for about 12 horses

i large joiners shop and sort of coach house?

k post horse stable for 18 or 20 horses all one story buildings ascended by a step or two

View from a fort on the Russian side of the border. Forts like this one were common along the sides of the Georgian Military Road, which Anne and Ann are using in this stage.

1st village 1 lofty Tower 5 stories high and 2 lower Towers – All tapering square – About 6 of the squares (as at Kasbek) reckoned them at 6 families per square but they are all 2 stories high, and there are generally 6 on one floor or at least 4 families in these Sacles (Sacle signifies house in the language of the people) say 50 families in this village (but there are more?), and reckon 50 families = 200 souls just after this village that was high above us, Crocuses along our road purple and white 1st time and a thorny low, whitish little shrub covering the bottom of the Defile (Zizyphus? No! What is it?) 

At 3 1/4 at the fourche a fine ravine left (saw no traces of the new road George mentioned) and a few coarse grass thatched stone huts, and enter our prong 2d.[2nd] of the fork, right, at 3 1/4 – At 3 20/’’ another fortification-like village (right) on the steep perpendicular rock, with 2 or 3 square Towers but low ones, and a little white line of mountain streamlet (misseau) tumbling down from the high summits close on this side the village – The 1st of these misseaux so common in the Alps and Pyrenees that we have seen here and on pinnacle of rock above the 2d.[2nd] village another village – Several square dry walled flat roofed stone houses along the flat bottom about a verst 3d.[3rd] wide good road – 

At 3 25/’’ the village on pinnacle of rock above the 2d.[2nd] village – 2 more rock-seated picturesque villages in sight ahead of us the nearest with high tapering chimney like Tower 4th little Towerless village or hamlet left on the plaine rather in the glen defile to the left – At 3 33/’’ descend upon little wood bridge over little rapidy streamlet – 4 Ossete women on the bridge in picturesque costume mouths covered with dirty white handkerchiefs – 

Traditional costumes of the people of the North Caucasus. Ossetian costumes are first from the left.

Another little village or 5th hamlet beyond the last and a peep at still another on the mountain side above the 5th village still farther in the the glen to the left

6th

8th the tall chimney-tower fortification old castle like village (vide line 7 above) on steep rocky projection high above us, left – The tall Tower 10 to 15 yards high – Narrows one half – The base seemed about 4 yards the top about 2 yards wide – One of the Towers at Kasbek seemed to narrow (to diminish) 1 yard in 5 yards of height – I could not see it quite from the bottom – The base might be 5 yards wide? – 

Steep descent and drag now at 3 40/’’ down into glen (ravine) with little stream and wood bridge just below the chimney Towered village or Ossetine Town this tall small Tower seen from far in all directions – Little Tower on high rock on the other side of us opposite village no.[number] 8 – This pass has been well fortified in ancient times – The tall Tower of no.[number] 8 walled with lime – Looks a large old fortified place towards the South, out works a good way along the ridge that stretches (towards the South) up to the high mountain – The rock quite perpendicular towards our road – 2 great caves in the hill side joining part of the ridge strewed without works, more walling –

Ruined Tower &c. – Very picturesque – A little beyond us – 9 and 10 on the other side the deep ravine of river, at 3 55/’’ 2 villages on high ridge at a little distance apart one beyond and above the other – There must be plenty of common juniper near tho’ not seen by us for here we passed a Drovne on wheels loaded with it – 

Astonishing the no.[number] of villages on the high steep rocks, and ridges, and bits of platforms under the high mountains – 11 another little village at 4, on the same ridge, on high point of rock above the 2 last villages there must be a little high valley between this ridge and the high mountains – 

And now at 4 Terek 200 ft.[feet] in steep ravine close below us (right) – No guard – We might easily slip off the side of the narrow road into the river, a blueish, whitish, rapidy, 8 or 10 yards broad stream – Here, red, perpendicular schistose, irony? coloured mountain on the other side (left bank) of Terek, and on our left, always singularly rough, projectiony-pointed mountains –

I think there may be 2 or 3 more villages along the same ridge above named to the end of it but the mist is lowering now at 4 1/4 and all to lower than the top of this ridge will soon be hid on our right – 

The bottom of our Defile becomes more strewed with big stones as well as little – The little at Kasbek and everywhere today gathered into large heaps to clear the champs which they sow with corn a small grain said one of the Ossetes at Kasbek – Blé sarrazin i.e. buck wheat? But he said it was all burnt up last summer – 

12th village at 4 16/’’ with tapering not high square tower on the side of high mountain right – 13 village a little beyond and much lower down them the last on the same mountain side 14 ditto at the foot of the same mountain close upon stream? (rather far from us) an affluent of the Terek from deep glen or little valley from the North westward – 

Little frozen small snow flying about now at 4 20/’’ as we toil up to higher ground a broad plateau above the deep ravine of river Terek – And in a minute or 2 steep pitch thro’ the snow narrow road along the brink of deep ravine going down to the Terek – The Courier wanted us to alight – He alighted and walked up – 

15 at 4 1/2 (right) on mountain side village with square Tapering tower at a little distance above and beyond it but this village unlike all the rest has some sloping roofs tho’ looking fortress-like outside – All the villages of dark coloured stone hardly distinguishable from the rock – 

High plateau of débris on each side Terek thro’ which it has formed the deep ravine – The mist covers 1/2 way down right, and now the ragged pointed summits left – We are perhaps 200 yards from foot of high mountains left and perhaps 300 or 400 yards from foot of ditto right – Some deep water courses down the mountains right but dry now – 

4 40/’’ more snow on the road and mountains left much covered with snow, and very streaky right – At 4 50/’’ Kobi just in sight peeping from behind mountain head, right – At 5 steep descent from our plateau into the bottom down to the river divided into several little streams in the little basin like opening out of defile in which the dot near a is Kobi at 5 5/’’ cross little wood bridge over one of the streams still driving small snow –

d our road tomorrow

b castle          

e Defile of the Terek 12 v.[versts] to its source said Colonel G-[Grauert] they say here one can go 15 v.[versts] along this defile and no farther –

c village

f ditto

16 old castle and at 5 10/’’ on rocky ridge (left) about in a line with Kobi, and at a little distance below this castle little fort-like village in and at the entrance of the little Defile to the East and about opposite another village at foot of high mountain right – 

Enter Kobi at 5 1/4 thro’ little street of low flat-roofed shops about 8 on a side – Right side with little rude covered passage (portico) – At 5 17/’’ alight at our nice little stone? yellow washed Inn – This and 2 more such like buildings and the Ossetine Sâcles form the whole town of Kobi – No Krepost – The few Cossacks in low flat roofed huts near the Sacles – Delivered our 3 letters – The Prince of the place came – To be off very early – The Courier with empty carriages at 4 1/2 a.m. and we at 6 a.m. – 

A-[Ann] and I went out – She sketched – I (with a soldier) went to the Sacles – Less good than those at Kasbek – 20 or 30 families or more – A neat little white washed stone church just before entering the village – 

Tea over at 8 – ‘Tis now 11 5/’’ as I have just written so far – Fine day till the driving small snow in the afternoon (vide above) – Tonight they want us all to set off together – An officer and 25 men instead of 10 as the Prince said – 3 Traineaux – 2 for baggage instead of one! Our people frightened – I told George I should set off after the Courier and empty carriages – took off only pelerine and lay down in my gown and black stuff cloak at eleven and a half

Anne’s and Ann’s route on this day.

[symbols in the margin of the page:]         +          𐐥

[in the margin of the page:]            Kasbeck

[in the margin of the page:]            Leave Kasbek

[in the margin of the page:]            Population of village

[in the margin of the page:]            steep pitch

Page References: SH:7/ML/E/24/0077 and SH:7/ML/E/24/0078 and SH:7/ML/E/24/0079

[withluvliv]

journal 023 | 12.14.19

♪ | i fall in love too easily | chet baker

I think this is one of my favorite photos of myself. Captured by my dad as we journeyed through an art museum, there’s me, gazing in reverence at the first Monet I’d ever seen in person. Ribbon in my hair, wearing one of my favorite outfits, completely lost in the moment of being in that small, quiet museum- this photo so perfectly captures who I am. It was magical. There was no crowd pushing against me to get a better view of the painting, no guard shouting at small children, “Too close, too close!” The small museum was silent. My dad and I were the only ones on the 2nd floor where the painting resided. It was just Monet and me for a moment in time and space.

xx

It’s been a lovely few days! I visited the Phoenix Art Museum! While I know it can’t compare to the grandeur of big city museums, its empty halls and silent exhibits are so perfect for me. I never felt rushed or cramped or self-conscious. I can’t wait go go back again soon. Museums are my happy place :) Backtracking a little bit in the events that have happened in the past few days, I took my pre calculus final on Thursday after being off the grid for the past week studying hard. My work paid off, and I got 100% on the final! I actually hadn’t gotten 100% on a unit or final math test since freshman year, so you can imagine my excitement when my grade came back. On Friday, I turned in my final project for chemistry and took my final, which I also did very well on :) This marked the end of my first semester of junior year. Time flies.

I took the ACT for the first time this morning. I definitely felt like I could have done much better but oh well- I’m planning on taking it a few times. I feel like nothing can prepare you for sitting in a small classroom for 5 hours with one small break in the middle, taking a test that defines your future. It’s tiring and I was thankful to come home and break out my old 3DS to play some Animal Crossing! That game is so incredibly relaxing! It has the same vibes as the old ‘90s and early ‘00s Ghibli films- innocent and beautiful and pure and relaxing and oh so nostalgic.

I spent the night getting organized for the break and tying up loose ends with teachers and classmates. I’m not exactly sure when I go back to school (I haven’t checked the schedule recently- I think it’s the 4th or 5th of January) but in this moment, I just want to be content and, well, live in the moment. Last week, in a slightly panicked moment, my workaholic self asked a friend what in the world I should do on break. “Liv!” she laughed. “You work so hard on violin and school all year. Do absolutely nothing this break!” I think I’ll take her advice- do a bunch of nothing for the next 2-3 weeks. Bake some cookies. Read a few books (I started Jane Eyre this evening). Go on bike rides. Explore some libraries. Go on some long drives. I still don’t have many friends here in Phoenix, but I’m excited to FaceTime my best friend from back home a bunch! I’m just excited to relax and take a good mental break before school and new college classes start up again.

I’m headed to my little brother’s golf tournament tomorrow and I’m excited to cheer him on! The course is in the art district of the city and I’m so happy to be there again. It’s where I feel the most myself and if I end up staying here in the desert, I can see myself living there. Sorry for the long update- I promise I’ll get back to posting various photos of my own, mood boards, and playlists at least once a day again! Much love!!

- 𝓁𝒾𝓋

[freakin-edikan]

THE OFFICIAL MARIO CIRCUIT MUSIC RANKING

From what I know, there are eight official iterations of the music track Mario Circuit from Super Mario Kart. What I like about the fact that there are eight versions of this song is that that’s exactly the number of places in Mario Kart up until Mario Kart Wii, so I get to rank ‘em like real race. Or something. Here, I, a vaguely (in)competent musician, shall attempt to rank them from worst to best.

8th Place: Mario Kart Super Circuit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7jGuHlk8tw

Oh. Yikes. This feels like the version of the song I first imagined it sound like before I really gave the song a listen. This arrangement changes the root of most of the chords in the song to match the melody, making it sound less rich. The choice of sound is good for the GameBoy Advance, but beyond that, it sounds clunky and weird to me, at least.

7th Place: Super Mario Kart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIEizf2S9As

The one to start them all! The composition of this song is lovely and intricate and I’m a little disappointed that I don’t hear these composers or their works anywhere else. Unfortunately, the major thing holding this version back is its primitive soundscape. It’s very ambitious and unique; especially when many other SNES games wanted to emulate “real” instruments, this one went for a more contemporary sound, but it doesn’t hold up as well.

6th Place: Mario Kart 7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MX3Pd3syqA

Mario Kart 7′s music has really weird balancing. In this one, the melody and bass are well put together, but the embellishments are much too quiet. The instruments are nicer, but this version cleans up so much that it feels like parts of the original are missing somehow.

5th Place: Mario Kart Wii

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti2L_LpLp7A

The Mario Kart Wii version is a 1:1 remaster of the original. It’s nearly the same, but with the selection of samples being cleaned up a little, which I think is great! But that only makes it a little less beholden to the shortcomings of the original.

4th Place: Mario Kart DS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih4IzutuOWg

Although the sound engine for Mario Kart DS is notoriously bad, the instrumentation of this song sounds really good, and I like the way the instruments are mixed better than the other Mario Karts. I had difficulty placing this one because the whistle part is, um, awful. But it’s only under a second of song and the rest of it sounds great, so why bump it down for something so trivial?

3rd Place: Fortune Street

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN5fo98Uwq8

Oooh, this one’s funky fresh! The change from the 80s dance bass to something resembling a slap bass is very welcome, introducing (finally) some new ideas to this ages-old song. The reverb is a little much, and there are parts in the bassline where I can hear that they didn’t hit the notes they may have been going for, but those are minor quibbles.

2nd Place: Super Smash Bros. Brawl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKBkiusXNZg

I could never really hear how great this one sounded because of my TV and its mixing with the sound effects in Brawl, although thinking about it now, I could have fixed that myself...hey, I was ten when I first played the game! I applaud the arrangement for adapting this oddball funk-dance tune into something that could plausibly fit not just Smash but any fighting game. I like the incorporation of the sound effects and the reharmonization, unlike that in Super Circuit, tries to keep if not extend the complexity of the original. This isn’t to say that more complex means better, because if that were the case...

1st Place: Super Mario 3D World

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMHGioWDZDA

...I wouldn’t have put this as my number one. I feel like this is the version of Mario Circuit Fortune Street wanted to be, but perhaps fell a little short. The Brawl version of Mario Circuit is cool, but for me it veers off the track far too much (no pun intended) into it’s own thing. That doesn’t mean it’s bad. That doesn’t mean anything, actually; I just *really* like this version of Mario Circuit.

And there you have it! In my honest onion, the objective official ranking of Mario Circuits.