#consignment pop up

[kidsfair]

Kids Consignment Sales | Kids Fair

What is a Kids Consignment Sale?

A kids consignment sale is an event where parents and caregivers can buy and sell gently used children's items, typically at a fraction of the retail price. These sales are organized and held by individuals, groups, or organizations and usually take place in a designated location such as a community center, school gymnasium, or church.

The purpose of a kids consignment sale is to provide a convenient platform for parents to sell their children's outgrown clothing, toys, books, baby gear, and other items that are still in good condition. Sellers price and tag their items, and then bring them to the sale venue during a specified drop-off period. The sale organizers typically handle the display and arrangement of the items for sale.

Buyers, including parents, grandparents, and caregivers, visit the consignment sale to browse and purchase items they need for their children. These sales often offer a wide variety of items, from newborn clothing to children's shoes, strollers, furniture, and more. Prices are generally lower than those found in retail stores since the items are typically secondhand.

Kids consignment sales can be a great way for families to save money on children's items, as well as for sellers to declutter their homes and earn some extra cash. They also promote sustainability by extending the life cycle of children's goods and reducing waste.

It's important to note that the specific details and organization of kids consignment sales may vary depending on the event and its organizers.

kids consignment

Kids consignment refers to the practice of buying and selling gently used children's items through consignment stores, online platforms, or consignment events. This process involves individuals, often parents or caregivers, bringing their pre-owned children's clothing, toys, books, furniture, and other related items to a consignment shop or event.

In a consignment arrangement, the consignor (the person selling the items) retains ownership of the goods until they are sold. The consignment store or event organizer acts as a middleman, displaying and selling the items on behalf of the consignor. When an item is sold, the consignor typically receives a percentage of the sale price, while the store or event organizer retains a commission as their fee for facilitating the sale.

Kids consignment offers several advantages for both buyers and sellers. Buyers can find affordable, gently used children's items at lower prices than buying new, making it an economical choice for growing families. Sellers can declutter their homes, recoup some of their investment, and contribute to the circular economy by extending the lifespan of children's goods.

[nyc-looks]

LZ

“The ostrich boots I found in Texas at a local spot near the boarder. The pants are thrifted and by Alessandro Vasini, the sweater is from a consignment shop in San Francisco. The jacket was a friend’s who got it from a friend— if you couldn’t tell, I love carrying stories. I got the glasses from my favorite vintage pop up that happens twice a year. Earrings are from a thrift store in Brooklyn. The artist likes to give his creations to them, they give me a call, and I swing by the next day. My style inspiration? I used to watch Pootie Tang with my grandparents on the only tv they had when I would spend summers in Mississippi. That with a dash of how my Detroit uncles and a hint of old Chicago. It’s all a reflection of where I’ve been. I buy pieces that call my name then rely on how I’m feeling that day to orchestrate the rest.“

Oct 15, 2023 ∙ Industry City

[companionjones]

We’ll Always Have Cuba

Pairing: Sierra Six/Courtland Gentry x Reader

Fandom: The Gray Man (Netflix)

Summary: After the events of The Gray Man, Claire and Six run off to Cuba because it doesn’t have an extradition treaty with the USA. There, they meet you. You are staying in the same apartment building as them for the summer. Over that summer, Six falls for you.

Warnings: None that I can think of, I skip over the smut

*******

    “You’re staring again.”

    Claire’s voice snapped Six out of the trance he was in as he gazed out the living room window. “Am not,” he childishly defended.

    “Are too.” Claire plopped down on the couch with her newest record folder in her lap. It was currently playing. Claire’s eyes scanned the words of the folder. “Is Y/n home?”

    Six turned away from the window. He glanced at the young girl as he headed for the front door. “Maybe,” he vaguely informed.

    “You’re a stalker!” she called after him as the door shut.

    He was far from that, he thought as he descended the stairs of the five-story apartment building. To be a stalker, one must follow a person places, and Six hadn’t done that in a couple months.

    Yes, he knew that sounded bad, but he was only checking to make sure you hadn’t been sent by the CIA to hurt him or Claire. His mental alarms were set off when you didn’t bat an eye at his code name, which Claire had presented to you as his real name. You just kept the same sweet (and beautiful) smile on your face and thanked them for welcoming you to the building.

    Six tried not to trust you after that. He followed you to stores and to the beach, looking for any sign that you weren’t the kind, gentle, and loving person that Six came to know you to be. He found nothing to contest what his instincts were saying about you. So, Six stopped following you, and consigned to only keeping a close eye on you while you were at the apartment building. Maybe too close an eye for what you warranted.

    “Oh, you’re a life-saver,” you smiled at Six as he started to help you with your bags. “One thing I won’t miss about this place: the five-floor walk-up.”

    He smirked at you. “It’s not so bad when you’ve got someone to talk to. That’s why I’m here.”

    You tried to hide a smile from Six, and that made his heart skip a beat. Because of that, the bags he was carrying seemed light as air.

    “You know, this was my last grocery trip here,” you pointed out as you and Six walked into the apartment you were staying at.

    Six’s brow furrowed when he felt his heart drop slightly. “You’re leaving at the end of next week, right?”

    “Yep.” You put the milk away, and opened the next bag. “I think the owner of this place told me that I’ve been at this Airbnb the longest out of his customer. A whole summer...And I really want to thank you and Claire for helping me feel more at home.”

    “No problem.” Six glanced at the ground to hide the sincerity behind his words. “Well, if that’s all you need...”

    Your eyes grew wide. “Oh! Yeah, you can go. I’ve got it from here. Thank you again!”

    “No problem,” Six repeated under his breath. He felt he needed to get out of there, or else he would end up saying something he would regret.

    “Hey, Six?”

    He turned around at the sound of your voice just in time to duck his head out of the way of a box. Of course, Six caught it. He read the English words on the box.

    Hubba Bubba Bubble Gum

    Six smiled.

    “I, um...found that at the store for you...I hope you like--”

    “I love it,” he interrupted you to say. “Thank you.”

    That put a smile on your face as well.

    Six popped one of the pieces into his mouth, and exited your apartment.

    “You’ve got it bad...” Claire teased as soon as Six came back into their living quarters.

    He snapped his fingers and pointed at her, “No, I don’t,” before moving to the kitchen to put away the gum.

    “Oh really? Then what’s that?” Claire leaned over the back of the couch as she referenced the present you had gotten Six.

    “None of your business,” Six warned with no real malice.

    Claire rolled her eyes. “Come on, Six. That’s just proof they’ve got it bad for you too. Why don’t you do something about it?”

    Six leaned on the counter and sighed. “You know why I can’t.”

    “Why? Because they’re leaving? That’s more of a reason to take the jump now, before you never see them again. And who knows, maybe they’ll--”

    “Not with the life we lead, Claire,” reminded Six.

    At that, Claire just shook her head. “You can’t let that hold you back forever, especially from stuff like this.”

    “Somewhere between getting kidnapped and running away to Cuba,” she shrugged.

    Six stood at the counter, contemplating for a moment more. Then, he figured he should go now before he talks himself out of it. Six marched toward the door, and yanked it open.

    And there you were.

    Both you and Six were shocked into silence.

    You were the first to speak. “Um, I know I have a couple weeks left, but I was wondering if you and Claire would like to come over for dinner, so I can properly thank you for all you’ve done for me.”

    Before Six said anything in return, Claire was off the couch and heading for her room. She gave a fake yawn. “I’m actually pretty tired. I think I’ll head to bed early tonight. You two kids have fun, though!” Her bedroom door shut behind her.

    “What was that about?” you said over a laugh.

    “Trust me, you don’t want to know,” Six smiled, hiding his embarrassed. “You sure you want to make dinner?”

    You answered as if it were obvious. “Of course I’m sure. Plus, I’m going to miss you-guys,” you clarified. “Why not start the goodbye now?”

    Six could feel his heart clench in his chest, but he hid it well. He closed his front door behind him, and followed you to your apartment.

    A couple of hours later, Six couldn’t remember ever being as relaxed as he was right then. There was just something about you that put him at ease.

    “What are you thinking about?” you asked as you sat down next to him on the sofa, two refilled glasses of wine in hand.

    Six couldn’t find it within himself to lie to you. “You,” he answered sincerely.

    You blinking, obviously taken off guard by the response. You tried to hide your nervousness. “What about me?”

    He smiled as he elaborated, “You brought me here to thank me, but I’m pretty sure I should be thanking you.”

    “For what?”

    “For being you.” Six informed, “You showed me...that life can be normal.”

    “Can you tell me what you mean by that?”

    Six hesitated. “My life, my whole life...has always been...less than normal.”

    You smiled, “I know, Six. I’ve always known when it comes to you.”

    That threw him off guard. It even scared him a little. “What do you mean?”

    “Well, I can’t guess the details, but I always figured you and Claire have lead less than easy lives. It’s in how you carry yourselves, and how you treat each other. I mean, come on, your name is Six.”

    He chuckled. His worries were somehow put at ease by you somewhat understanding his past.

    “I’ve lived a life, too,” you admitted, “Let’s just say there’s a reason behind why I ran away to Cuba for a summer.”

    Six’s interest was peaked, but he wasn’t going to ask about it if you didn’t want to know about his past for the moment.

    You took a drawn-out sip of your wine. “I really don’t want to go back. This summer has just been so amazing. Plus, there’s you and Claire.”

    A part of Six wanted to ask what else was keeping you from going back, but he surprised both you and himself by what he said next. “Stay.”

    Your brow furrowed a little as your soft voice questioned, “What?”

    Six put his glass down on the coffee table. “Stay with me, with Claire.” He took your glass from you and put it next to his Six took your hands in his. “Please, sweetheart. I don’t want you to go.”

    “Where is this coming from?” came your worried question.

    “It’s coming from what I’ve felt since the moment I laid eyes on you. I’m sorry, I just can’t keep this inside anymore--mmhh.”

    You had cut him off with a kiss.

    Six relaxed against you, but he tensed up again when a thought crossed his mind. He broke the kiss. “I’ve killed people.” He bluntly stated. He couldn’t let the night go on without you knowing.

    “I know.”

    He realized you had guessed as much as you caressed his face between your hands.

    “That don’t change anything for me.” You pulled him in to kiss you again, and this time, Six accepted it wholeheartedly.

    Hours later, you and Six were curled up in your bed together, with you in his arms.

    He kissed the top of your head. “You know, my real name is Courtland Gentry. Court.”

    You smiled, “That’s a nice name.”

    He went on. “I actually prefer Six.”

    “Why’s that?”

    He shrugged. “Because, for the longest time, it was tied to my purpose in life, the CIA. The name Six helps me kill bad guys and help good guys. And it doesn’t help that my abusive dad gave me the name Court.”

    “But?” You had guessed correctly that that word was coming.

    He smiled, “But...I don’t know. I’m not a part of the CIA anymore, my dad’s long dead, and I got a new purpose in life now.”

    “Taking care of Claire?”

    “And you, if you’ll let me.”

    You bit your lip and nodded, cuddling closer to him. “I think I like Court. Courtland Gentry.” You tested the name out.

    Court smirked. “I definitely liked the way you said that.” He put a hand on your cheek and guided you back to his lips.

*******

Author’s Note: Thank you for reading! Fill up that heart and reblog if you liked it. I would also really appreciate a comment, if you have the time. If you would like to read more, I have more stories over on my page, you should check it out. Have a nice day, night, or whatever time it is for you! <3 <3 <3

[notmusa]

went to an art pop-up at big whale consignment & got some prints & a planter pot. angel/devil cats print by shelby graffics

[lady-of-the-english]

Tommy and Grace and Marriage Part 2

So, I originally planned to start part 2 with season 2, but the season 1 thoughts are still going strong.

To be fair, season 2 begins with a recap of season 1, which is focused on Tommy and Grace. The only other character that appears in the recap is Campbell. We see Grace shooting him as the last thing she does before leaving Tommy and then England behind.

Otherwise, the recap is centered around juxtaposing Grace and Tommy's love scene with their goodbyes - both the last time we see them together in person, when Grace tells Tommy she loves him, and Tommy writing the letter to Grace telling her he isn't going to run away with her to New York.

I find it fascinating that Tommy does indeed flip the coin. While he tells Grace that "perhaps" he will do so, we get to see how torn he truly is. He isn't fully settled on the choice he has made, choosing his family, those he "loves," and the business success he's created over his "love." Our superstitious gypsy is relying on this crutch. When facing his own doubt and loneliness later, maybe he can console himself that it was fate that drove them apart. He could tell himself that they weren't meant to be, that they came from those different worlds, that he could never be enough, and thus, it was better that she went off without him. We know that Tommy finds Grace worthy of "impressing" and making himself a "success" as she "wasn't born to be with a man like" him. However, he'll still always know that the choice to flip the coin in the first place was his own and one that he can't get over, as he can't move on from Grace.

He tries to convince himself and others that he can move on, if only partially. When waiting for Kimber in the Garrison, Harry asks him if he'll "go looking for her," and Tommy shakes his head no asserting, "she's in the past" and "the past is not my concern. And the future is no longer my concern either" as his future is hers. It was his concern, as he planned to marry her, but now it is "no longer." He argues that all there is to life is the present "soldier's minute" but it is a claim that is juxtaposed with their love scene showing that his head and heart still think about the past he's lost and the future he dreamt of.

After telling Grace that they have no chance, he returns to his family, popping the champagne that "she brought" to celebrate their success. While his words are congratulatory towards his brothers, his tone and face are despondent as he lowers his head to the bar unable to witness the space that used to be filled with Grace, to participate in a celebration that she was to help lead.

Polly lovingly places her hand on his head, consoling him that "there will be others" and Tommy does agree, toasting to the others, "all of them," as he confirms that while he'll let her physically go, the emotional hold Grace has on him will remain. He won't swear off sex but he confirms that his one true love is gone and unable to be replaced.

In the face of the choice to let her go, I think Tommy thought that he could move on more than he does, even if not fully. He wants to convince himself that he can consign her to the past to be able to survive without her. However, the recap let's us know so clearly that while it might be "two years later," all of his feelings and internal conflicts are still there.

In the family meeting, Tommy tells Esme to speak for herself as they are a "modern" business that believes in equal rights. Polly challenges him asserting that "you don't listen to a word" the women say. She questions, "Maybe you don't trust us."

Tommy looks down and doesn't respond. Polly follows up, saying, "she was one woman, Thomas" with a switch from Tommy to Thomas. She appeals to his sense of family, her role of his elder who has known him and has taken care of him since birth. She implies she knows better. But he continues to look down and refuses to engage, very much like the little boy the name change suggests. For Tommy, she wasn't one woman, but the woman.

Polly suggests, "Maybe it's time to forget about her." "Forget about who," he finally replies, still refusing to look at her. And with this, Tommy wins the exchange. Polly gives in, unlocks the safe, and after Tommy leaves, she pushes coins off the table.

The level of frustration and the fact that they don't mention Grace's name but that everyone knows who they are talking about supports the idea that they've had this conversation many times before with the same results. Grace's memory and what she means to Tommy, being his "one," is still startlingly clear. And with that, we see his strategies to survive without her: bury his feelings and distract himself with work and sex as the exact next scene is his first sex scene with Lizzie.

As only the second sex scene we see Tommy in (astoundingly in contrast to later seasons), the scene couldn't be more explicit of how different this exchange is from his physical and emotional intimacy with Grace.

With Grace, they hold and gently caress the other. They kiss constantly and undress, surrendering to the other in their most vulnerable state. They change positions as Tommy pulls Grace on top of him in a position of control and power. He let Grace lead, not just willing to give up control for once but desiring it. He only makes a move with her in the first place after Grace implies that he should stay all night (before that he's trying to reassure her that he'll leave once the police search quiets down). What happens is dependent upon Grace's consent and desires, just as when he asks her "properly" to dance and thus touches her in the first place.

With Lizzie, this is a physical and economic exchange as he's called her as a sex worker to his office. He's almost fully clothed, barely touches her, doesn't look at her, and barely speaks to her when they are finished, and she's trying to engage with him. He is in complete control.

She asks him if he'll "come back" to visit her before he goes to London and he shortly says, "no" as he counts off her payment to lay on the desk. Disappointed, Lizzie relates that she "wishes just once you wouldn't pay me. As if we were ordinary people." Tommy just says, "yeah," and leaves.

It's significant that even when coping with sex, Tommy goes back to a past relationship before Grace verses the idea of moving on with anyone new. Lizzie thinks the distance between them is due to their positions. But in reality, he's only called her here to help drown out the memories of Grace that Polly evoked. She is what stands between them.

Thus, Tommy gives her what he can, even if it is not what Lizzie truly wants. As he hires her to be his secretary, he tells Lizzie, "You can stop the other work...all of it. No exceptions," including him - especially him. Hiring Lizzie for real is his way to end things between them officially.

Their exchanges aren't actually helping him to forget Grace, so he might as well stop. He tried to escape to a person and a time before her, but it's just not possible. What Lizzie wants - a loving future with Tommy - is still something he only wants to offer Grace.

The lovely irony of the episode is that Grace never truly appears. No one ever even says her name (not Polly, Tommy, or Campbell - who we'll address in part 3). However, she has so much presence in the episode and significance to the narrative: the development of all Tommy's other relationships with women and his central conflict of the season. She has so much impact on Tommy's life, even when she isn't physically present. It leaves the audience thinking about her, missing her, and longing for her return - purposefully mimicking Tommy's own feelings.

It will be Tommy at the beginning of 2×02 who will first directly and explicitly mention Grace - and it reveals so much of the hold she still has on him two years later (that we'll contemplate next time!).

[queer-reader-07]

earring tour!!

this is mostly for @bildads-shoes but hopefully other people enjoy this self-indulgent sharing of my earring collection. i hope this lives up to your expectations loz <333 (this was a nice break from my english homework)

(it is going under the cut because i have so many and i don't want to clog y'all's dashes)

left to right: 1) my aunt bought these for me from a jewelry store in my moms hometown in Brasil 2) i bought these at the thrift store, i do have to take out my second lobe piercing to wear them though 3) my friend bought these for me at the state fair, i love them but they are SO heavy

left to right: 1) i got these at a small, local farmer's market! they're some of my most worn earrings 2) i bought these at a vintage store in downtown Seattle, but they're from a local artist 3) these ones i got at the state fair when i went with one of my friends :)

left to right: 1) bought these from a woman on a sidewalk in Ireland (i don't remember which city, it was one of the Kil-something's) 2) my mom's best friend bought these for me, i don't know where from other than they're from Brasil 3) same as the blue ones, bought on a sidewalk in Ireland lol 4) same as the pink & blue clouds, i got them from the same vendor at the market!

left to right: 1 & 2) bought both of these the last time i visited Pike Place Market in Seattle 3) i got these ones when i spent a day in Mostar, Bosnia last summer 4) my mom bought these for me at local jewelry store last fall when she was in Brasil visiting family

left to right: 1) i believe i got these at a consignment store 2) i bought these from an independent, local artist! 3) my friend bought these for me when she went to NYC last spring 4) i bought these at the farmer's market as well

left to right: 1) my friend got these octopus earrings for me at a local pop up market 2 & 3) are both from when i went to the state fair with my friend

left to right: 1) i bought these at a street market in Dubrovnik, Croatia last summer 2) these ones are also from when i was in Bosnia 3) i bought these on the side of the road in rural Ireland from a woman who had a very cute dog with her 4) my aunt & uncle got me these for my birthday two years ago

left to right: 1) from my aunt in Brasil 2 & 3) also from my aunt and uncle two years ago at my birthday 4) you can't see it super well but these ones are mini copies of Dune by Frank Herbert which is my all time favorite novel, and my dad got these for me

these are a collection of studs from my parents, aunts and uncles, and one from my friend. i don't where them all that much because i'm a dangly earring guy at heart but i love them nonetheless

[theseerasures]

no i am not back

but an age ago @typeoneninja poked me for a V9 prediction post that i got a bit into before getting distracted by idk the vicissitudes of life and now i technically Know More but also technically Do We Truly Know Anything, Really

so in lieu of that here’s a collection of musings based on what we’ve seen so far halfway through the season--mytharc and theme related, yes i know Ruby is heading towards impending breakdown yes i know the Bees are gonna have sex in their castle on a cloud yes i know on Remnant everyone has gathered in a circle to throw pebbles at Winter Schnee

the name. Ever After as in happily ever after, as in the way fairytales end--or rather, how we know the storyteller is done telling a story, because “ever after,” in itself, does not convey an end but perpetuity. from an in-universe standpoint and they lived ever after is basically Salem’s curse, and now we have confirmation that nothing really dies in Ever After the place. on a metatextual level and they lived ever after becomes something else: a declaration that the people in a story live on and persist, even after the story is finished and the storytellers--like say, Alyx, or a pair of Brothers who declared a world should be Like So--have left. we already have multiple instances of RWBY going “uh Alyx why did you leave this out/wow Alyx things changed a lot after you left” for that second bit, but to return to the whole nothing really dies thing

Ascension. they don’t die but they do...that, when they break or wear out finish what they were made to do, and through that process remember what they wanted to be and find their purpose, which could be the same or different from before, with memories...in flux, since the heart apparently remembers. i guess we could call it, uh. a Semblance of memory? and not just in a punny way, because the Semblance is also an externalization of the soul and presumably, what the heart remembers and wants to be. i find it interesting is that they call it Ascension but it...sure as hell LOOKS like death, which our heroes even comment on: the Herbalist is buried, which we know most familiarly as a death rite. there’s also the contrast between what they call it and what actually happens: they ascend by going beneath--that is, by descending, and every example of ascension we’ve seen thus far has involved regression. a King becomes a Prince, RWBY is confronted with their pre-Beacon selves. still, whatever pops out after Ascension is a...refinement of identity, however the previous iteration wants to define that. but it’s also not entirely up to the previous iteration as we see with the Herbalist, because

the heart. his heart was too weak to listen, which the Curious Cat fixed. so we have the idea that a weakness of heart is related to stasis and denial, and Ascension being connected to co-existence and communication, but not necessarily equal to it: CC also gave the Prince a lil bit of their heart with no Ascension necessary. the giving of the heart is very reminiscent of the smaller, more honest soul idea, but also interesting is how Ever After seems to run on trading and deals, while CC’s heart is freely given. they don’t seem all that worried about running out, which on the one hand is a very wise and mature way of thinking about things, but at the same time CC doesn’t seem all that worried about ANYTHING, except maybe

the Jabberwalker(s). of which there is supposed to be only one. thanks Neo! according to Curious Cat getting eaten by the Jabberwalker means you CAN’T ascend, which okay: on Remnant there is death, but there are also aberrant creatures who live without souls, led by a queen who never dies. and in the Ever After there is no death, EXCEPT for this aberrant creature who will cut off the normal cycle of rebirth. they’re opposites but also they’re the same, because Ascension or rebirth isn’t possible without leaving something behind even if you don’t call it dying. at what point does consigning a person to stasis mean the same thing as consigning them to life, Ever After? at all points and none, is probably what CC would say, but all this coupled with Ascension being (as far as we know) a kind of going forward by going back means the boundaries between life and death, un-life and un-death, real and not real are blurrier than ever, which obviously brings us to

Summer Rose’s Scabbard Axe Rifle Thing. not sure about y’all, but i’d been working with the idea that because RWBY’s (well. WBY’s) weapons seem to be the ones that fell with them and Crocea Mors is still its broken ass self the part of Floating Array they encounter was also the result of it falling during last season’s showdown. the collection in the Blacksmith’s forge muddies the waters somewhat, because that’s...probably not Summer’s actual weapon, unless Ever After is superhell after all. so fine: this literally confirms what we all kinda knew already, which is that Ruby hasn’t found Crescent Rose yet because she doesn’t WANT Crescent Rose to be found. but what else can be made of the weapons in the Forge? the ones we saw all belonged to people who “left” in some way: Summer and Penny died, and Alyx left the Ever After. so the weapon is the Remnant of one’s identity--what is never truly lost? the Blacksmith offers Ruby a choice of the pickings, so presumably a choice of new (old) identities, which again just sounds like Ascension, especially with the whole butterfly motif. with that offer comes the idea that Ruby can set her burdens down, which read one way means “if you pick one of these up it will result in your burdens being gone,” but given the deal-driven nature of Ever After, it could also mean “you can have one of these, in exchange for your burdens.” it’s possible then that the Blacksmith got these weapons as the result of previous exchanges. or it could be just Rubyvision, since we know she sees weapons as an extension of identity--but not burden, because that can still be exchanged. either way, Ruby turns the offer down on the basis that she already has a weapon, which could have been a proud declaration of her autonomous self, but she hasn’t tried very hard to look for Crescent Rose either, so what she wants is...uh, not-identity. or oblivion. and THAT sounds eerily like what might have happened to Summer.

taken as a whole: Ever After may not be tied to the Brothers but is definitely tied to Remnant, and not just in the sense that Remnant’s people keep gatecrashing Ever After’s party--there’s a thematic symbiosis going on here. Alyx and our heroes traveled to the Ever After, ergo it is real. and Ever After is real, ergo Alyx and our heroes can travel to it. that doesn’t necessarily mean Ever After is wholly outside of the Brothers’ purview though; it could be another remainder after the Brothers’ sundering of the world. like Remnant, only this time the Brothers discarded and discounted it entirely. they assumed its death, but the truth is that it lived ever after.

[travissimblr]

Sunset Valley - Fixed and Renovated.  World Download

Sunset Valley Renewal

What is this?

-Sunset Valley map edited in CAW to group all of the new community lots from all the expansion into their own neighborhood.  Original road layout is still in place just a few extra lots added. -Relocated Most of the expansion community Lots that EA took absolutely no effort to place within the world.  Almost all of the EA Expansion lots were facing the wrong direction, incorrect lot sizes etc.  Now they are all in one location with the exception of the Equestrian lot as its requires a large lot so that lot has been left in its original location.  ( I might update this in the future by adding a new lot within CAW) -Multiple Residential lots have been relocated in order to accommodate the new Community lots but all of the original EA lots/families are still within the world. -Fixed many of the ugly roof lines of the original EA builds. -Every House has been "toned down" with more neutral colors inside.  No more mustard and olive green bathrooms and kitchens! -Multiple houses have been redesigned to a more functional floor plan.  For Example: Plus Plus no longer has that ugly tree house looking addition to the back of the house.  It now resembles a colonial style two story home. -Most homes have had their exterior colors either changed or toned down from their Crayola box colors.

I have to say this is to my tastes.  I admit I am a fan of blues and grays so there might be a bit of a common theme with some lots.  I did go out of my comfort zone quite a bit however and used some color.  Overall this is a drastic improvement over the vanilla game while trying to keep the same feel of the original Sunset Valley.

** I have all of the expansion packs and some stuff packs installed.  I also own some store content but I don't think any of it was used.  This isn’t necessary to use this world.  If you start the game and see some missing windows etc that just means you don't have that expansion/pack.  You can just replace whats missing.  The game world will still work fine. **

**Scroll for File and Pics **

The Pics...

This is an Example of how EA added Expansion pack lots into the game.  The building is facing the wrong direction and placed in an odd location on the map.

 New Commercial District with most of the Expansion pack lots.  Fire Station, Clubs, Laundromat, Consignment Store etc.

Before....

After...

Interior Before.....  So much Mustard and Olive green... Yuck!

After.  Neutral colors and doesn’t make your eyeballs hurt.

Before... I don’t even know what this is lol

After... Removed that weird diagonal bit, rotated the lot cleaned up the roof lines.

Before....

After.  Because everyone loves a grungy trailer.

FILE:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4bj3icoveb1l756/Sunset%20Valley%20Renewal.zip?dl=0

Installation:

Please read through these instructions carefully.  Most people should understand how to do this but I prefer not having to answer questions on what should be very simple instructions.

1.  Unzip the file to a separate folder.  You should see a file called Sunset Valley Renewal.Sims3Pack (World File) and a folder called Sunset Valley Renewal.sims3 (Game Save)

2.  Copy the Sunset Valley Renewal.Sims3Pack to you Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Downloads.  In Windows 10/11 you can just open up File Explorer and in the left bar you will see "Documents"  otherwise it will be copied to X:\Users\(Your Windows Login Name)\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Downloads.  Keep the Sims 3 Folder open as you will need this again in a few steps.

3.  Open The sims 3 launcher (S3Launcher.exe).  Click on Downloads.  If you copied the world file to the correct location you should see Sunset Valley Renewal there.  Click on the check box to the left of the name and click install.  A box will pop up.  Wait for it to finish installing.  Close the box and then close the launcher.

4.  Next you will need to install my save game in order to have the world be populated.  Otherwise if you start a new game the world will be empty.  All of the lots will be there but there will be no sims in any of the houses.

5.  Copy the folder Sunset Valley Renewal.sims3 to Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Saves.  Be sure to copy the entire folder over not just the files inside of the folder.

6.  Now you're done!  If you copied the save game correctly when you start the game you should see a new save called Sunset Valley Renewal.  Load this up and you're good to go.  Do not start a New Game with the world or the world will be unpopulated!  Of course you can always play with the world unpopulated and populate it with your own sims but if you want it populated use the save.

7.  Another note...  If you want to be able to start a new game in this world in the future after loading into the world Save As and rename it to whatever you want that way in the future you will be able to use my save to start fresh in Sunset Valley again.

Thanks and Enjoy!

**Please feel free to share this, all I ask is that you link back to this post for the file.**

[dollsonmain]

I am clean and have shower-mind clarity.

So, there's a CVS right on the corner where That Guy turns to go to work.

They are an open-24-hours store looking for part-time cashiers.

If I could get them to consistently schedule me for 5:30 or 6am to lunch time (I've found that the only way to get that to happen is to set that as your only availability...), that would add about 10-20 minutes each way to That Guy's commute depending on how stupid that intersection is at the time. It can get pretty jammed up during high traffic times.

That does mean I'd need to find somewhere to be for at least 4 hours until he got home around 4.

Now, that's not a problem because that CVS is right on the edge of downtown, and there are shops I could spend time in each day. There's a coffee place, a small handful of restaurants I could get lunch at (pricey, though). There are places I can go. Inside.

Like, I could get a different lunch every day and spend an hour or so in the restaurant, then go do the coffee place for an hour, and visit the gaming store which is a little bit of a walk but that's ok, and there's a succulents place and the kids' consignment that has a lot of AG dolls in the window right now, and there's the food bank I could maybe volunteer at for a few hours just to be indoors...

I would be in the main hub of town.

I would earn slightly less than enough to pay the premiums on an insurance policy each month after taxes.

But I realized that it wouldn't matter because I would still have to apply for the insurance myself since part-timers don't qualify for insurance through work (it wouldn't matter if I managed to find multiple part time jobs, which is another reason being downtown doesn't sound so bad because maybe I could leave CVS and walk down the street a little to another place for another shift...), That Guy still would be claiming me as a dependent, and the whole reason I can't get insurance right now as it is, is because he refuses to consent to the insurance companies verifying his identity.

So either way, again, me working would cost him more money than I'd be bringing in because we'd still be out of pocket on my medicals and I'd be having to buy restaurant food every day.

Though I would NOT need a car, only need a few pair of pants and shirts, one good pair of shoes, wouldn't have to worry about hair and makeup much, and I could take on a small bill or two. Maybe.

-

ooh a full time position popped up....

WHICH CVS in town, though. If it's the other one, then that's a lot more commute for him but it would be full time so I'd be less outside..... The other one's also near the grocery store, etc.

hmmmmmmmm

[blackyote]

"On three?"

Hunter flexed his hand on the mic and gave Luz a nod over his shoulder. It was just a practice session, but still, the venue was technically open, which meant a couple employees bouncing between tasks and some people who had seemingly wandered in off the street, perhaps having heard the bass thumping and gotten curious.

The next song on their setlist was one they hadn't performed together yet. It was a cover of an older pop song, basically their bread and butter, and Hunter had made sure to listen to both versions, starting with the original then moving to the punk rock cover. He had practiced at home (singing in the shower, singing into his computer's microphone so he could play it back) and rehearsed the lyrics in his head as he walked downtown. Honestly, he preferred the original, but the cover undeniably had more punch, suited the Bad Girl Coven's style better.

Luz tapped her drumsticks, one two three, and the band came alive around him: Amity jumping into the main riff, Willow strumming the bass line at his side, Luz setting the rhythm, and Gus working his synthesizer.

"Kiss me, out of the bearded barley Nightly, beside the green, green grass Swing, swing, swing the spinning step I'll wear those shoes and you will wear that dress"

His voice started out a little warbling and uncertain, maybe just to his own ears, but that's what practice was for. No one down on the floor stopped what they were doing, but continued to mill around, consigning him to background music. As the first verse bled into the chorus, he intentionally loosened up, let himself sing as confidently as he had to the showerhead.

"Oh, kiss me, beneath the milky twilight Lead me out on the moonlit floor Lift your open hand Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance Silver moon's sparkling So kiss me"

For a split second he caught Willow's eye and almost froze like a deer in the headlights. No no no. He wasn't ready to sing this to anyone. Least of all her. On reflex he glanced the other way, at Amity, who smiled encouragingly. The band was sounding flawless. He didn't want to mess this up.

"Kiss me, down by the broken treehouse Swing me, upon its hanging tire Bring, bring, bring your flowered hat We'll take the trail marked on your father's map"

He let himself pretend the lights were dimmed, that the floor was packed with people singing and bouncing. While Amity had been coaching him on his singing, Luz was the one to remind him to go out and have a good time. How could the audience have fun if he wasn't? Maybe it was an oxymoron to focus on having fun, but he tried to let the self-consciousness slip away, replaced by the music filling his bones. He moved around the stage, let all of him be part of the performance.

"Oh, kiss me, beneath the milky twilight Lead me out on the moonlit floor Lift your open hand Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance Silver moon's sparkling So kiss me"

He was feeling it now, gesticulating striking up the band, pointing to the imagined moon, rocking forward with the end of the chorus, pumping the mic along with Luz's drums as the instrumental bridge took over.

Then he made the mistake of looking over at their bassist. It was like her whole body moved with every strum of the strings, her skirt swishing around her legs. This came so easily to her, and with the lights making her hair a beautiful indigo, the brightness in her eyes, Hunter was transfixed.

"Kiss him already, jeez!" someone down near the bar shouted, just for a laugh.

It worked on Willow, her teeth flashing prettily, and Hunter felt his whole face heat up.

Distantly, he realized the band had stopped playing, with only Luz still working the drums. Willow gave him a quizzical look.

"Hunter!" Amity called, trying to get his attention.

"Dude, you were zoning out again. You forgot your cue." Gus seemed equal parts concerned and amused, perhaps noticing who had snared their singer's attention.

Hunter started, shaking himself out of it. "Sorry! I got... distracted."

"Maybe Willow and I should trade places," Gus teased, which did nothing to help the embarrassed flush on Hunter's face.

"Leave him alone, Gus," Willow said. "He's still adjusting, that's all."

Hunter attempted a laugh, but it was more a squeak. "Uh. Sorry, guys." He rubbed his neck, chagrined. "From the top?"

Luz counted them down. This time, Hunter nailed it.

---

Inspired by Sol's awesome Band AU art! It's so cute, I'm obsessed!

[asknarashikari]

*sees the movie*

Inb4 Hiromi has connections within the Kurama Zaibatsu as the airfield used is kinda similar to the one used in Revice.

Also Neon pulling a Hiromi and Mii-tan, using everything in their arsenal to get what they wanted.

Hiromi with his connections

Mii-tan with her fans

Hiromi explicitly says that the plane was formerly Fenix's. And I imagine they had other bases other the airship that went boom, since Ararat's shelters didn't just pop up out of nowhere you know. So likely the hangar with the jet was one that got abandoned when Fenix fell (the movie takes place after that). And Hiromi just swooped in before it fell into someone else's hands.

We also know Hiromi brought defectors from Fenix over to Weekend. So alternatively, maybe he convinced the defectors to... consign some of Fenix's resources to Weekend 😂

Plus, airfields could have multiple hangars, so the Kuramas could have one and Fenix could have one at the same airfield lol. Who knows.

But yeah Hiromi don't need no capitalist bastard CEO connections he's got all the connections he needs from being Kadota Hiromi the handsome and charismatic commander of Fenix

[anisalarkwood-author]

Oh my god, you guys!!! 😍 The Surrender paperback is going to be on the shelves at the Austin Public Library soon!

This was my first 🌟BIG🌟 goal for my debut novel, and I can't believe it's happening! When I saw this pop up, I actually got teary. 😭 This is a library nerd's dream come true. 🤓

Now I'm just biding my time until they reopen the call for local author consignments for the bookstore at Central... I'm patient, I'll be good... I'm not hopping from foot to foot and wiggling with excitement, I swear 😂

[gwydionmisha]

‘80′s Goths (aka Trad Goths)

A thing I wrote about '80's Goth style in response to a comment from an obviously younger person commenting on the '80's make up video from the previous aggregate.

Early Goth basically grew out of Punk with a lot of metal and some new wave thrown in.  Goth had no sub-genres yet because those didn't develop until some point in the '90's.  It was all just Goth.  You can see the cross pollination in the music of the period.  Sisters of Mercy is as quintessentially as '80's Goth as it gets, and you can hear how heavy their sound is compared to the also very Goth Smiths at the other end of the sound spectrum.  Goths of my era listened to an eclectic mix of stuff.  It was totally reasonable to be a Goth and also like Metallica (Metal), and classic Punk and poppier new wave influenced things like Depeche Mode.

Glam hadn't really been a thing since we were kids.  Bowie wasn't Glam himself by the time Goth was happening, remember, though some of us DID look back stylistically to his Ziggy Stardust Era which you can see in the corsets and make up choices, but you can also see a lot of new wave in hair and make up mixed in with the original punk and some metal influence.  Clothing was often where punk and metal really mixed.  

My first Mohawk was black, but my second in early '89 was a dark purple.  Goths were allowed to have whatever hair.  Not everyone could afford hair dye in the era before the brighter cheaper colours came in.  Again, it's a matter of what you could afford and what you had access to.  I saved up to get mine done professionally, but we were in the era of bleach and Koolaid options as well as people repurposing DIY hair products.  If you had dark hair, you could get bright orange with Sun In for example.  Yes, black was most common and you actually could buy black Clairol or the like, which made it the most popular option, but most popular doesn't mean only option.

You can't really separate the 80's Goth Look from the '80's Goth Music because the two things were so intertwined and so much what early Goth was as a culture.

Something it is super hard to make people who didn't start dressing this way until after commodification really grasp is just how DIY early Goth was.  You couldn't just go to a store and buy Goth clothes and jewelry at first.  By the end of the decade you could buy an ankh necklace because of things like sandman, but most of the jewelry was handmade by the people wearing it or other Goths, selling it, often on blankets while they made more, or it was vintage stuff that had be repurposed, bought from second hand stores or raided from older relatives.  Building a goth wardrobe was exhausting and time consuming and often involved patience.

Finding clothes was an endless round of scavenger hunting and DIY and repurposing.  Most of us were very poor and again, nothing was made for us except a few things other impoverished Goths made at the end of the decade.  Basically, think etsy only without the internet, so consignment stores and craft fairs and little pop up carts next to those people selling their jewelry on blankets and really that's more an early '90's thing.

We would scouer second hand shops.  Luckily places like Good Will were not as picked over then.  We looked through old boxes of elder relative's clothes.  We learned to do it yourself dye things that were a good cut but the wrong color.  We used to make things or repurpose things or patch things together out of multiple pieces and maybe some netting.  We learned to add trims and frills if we were into that.  We bodged things together with safety pins like the punks we grew out of.  We made do.

Yes really, some people had things with glittery fabrics some times or beading or lace or sequins.  It depended entirely on your taste and what you could find or knew how to make.  Some of the nuance is lost in the photos because this was an era of Polaroids and film photography and some stuff aged better than others.

There was no uniform.  No one true style.  No mass production.  Everything was individual.  I can not describe '80's goth in terms of strict criteria because that criteria didn't exist.  It should NOT exist now.  We knew Goth when we saw or heard it.  That was enough.

I think this is why so many of us Elder Goths go ballistic when someone starts trying to police or gate keep Goth.  (Except for literal NAZIs who can fuck right off.  We don't want them, whatever they are calling themselves that decade.  It's the same thing as the Punk community self-policeing over that).  Anything else? It's like Gender: you are Goth if you say you are Goth.  Work out your own version of what that means.  

So yes, purple hair in the late '80's is historically accurate.  Yes, you could have things like a glittery or sequined or beaded shirt or sweater or dress for those who wore dresses or skirts.  (Some Goth clothing was gendered; some was super androgynous.  A lot of '80's and '90's goths were some brand of queer, gender-nonconforming, trans, and or what we'd now call non-binary, but back then we mostly called ourselves androgynous.  Some cis men wore skirts because they liked how they looked or found them comfortable.  A lot of them switched to kilts later on, but not always.  In the late '80's-early '90's Goth culture was full of people playing with gender expression for a host of reasons).  

There was a mainstream trend for fancy tights and pantyhose with designs or glitter or different colours in them.  Goths could actually find black pantyhose and tights and fishnets at a reasonable price in mainstream stores.  Some of the panty hose had cute little patterns on them, usually at the ankles or up the back, but also all over sometimes.  some were glittery or extra shiny.  It was fine!  It was the same with lace and fishnet and long satin elbow gloves mostly thanks to Madonna.  This is why you see old trad goths wearing these types of accessories.  You could afford them!  You didn't have to hand make them!  The bead and cross and rosary thing was because you could buy those cheap at stores because mainstream people also wore them.   Thanks to people like Cyndi Lauper and Madonna creating a mainstream market for accessories we could use too.

Our subculture hasn't been properly captured in media it's easy to access.  Most of Goths in movie or TV in the '80's and early '90's were stereotypes made or chosen by people who weren't goth either to demonize us as part of a moral panic or as a punchline or a freak show.  The fair representation is in the photographs taken of goths by goths at the time and in the memories of Elder Goths like me.

Trust me, the Karolina Żebrowska makeover looks just fine to me, within the range of what people were wearing then.  She could have walked into a club or a house party and fit right the fuck in.  Looking at her made me a little nostalgic for the scent of clove cigarettes even though I'm allergic.  She did just fine.

[racefortheironthrone]

on thor (and i suppose this can be extended to the marvel versions of human gods in general - Hercules and Zeus rather than Galactus and Tribunal), do you prefer the seemingly original idea that they were aliens so advanced and involved with humans that they were known as gods, or as it pops up now and then the idea that they are literal divine upper case g Gods, and that they all exist? for me, both ideas have merit but taken together are kinda at odds sometimes

I'm not such a fan of the aliens paradigm, because it's pretty directly inspired by the whole Ancient Astronauts thing, and while I know that Jack Kirby got a lot of inspiration out of that and thus we got the New Gods and the Eternals and the like, Von Däniken's work is pretty inextricably racist and should be consigned to the dustbin of history.

I much prefer the idea that Kieron Gillen ran with in his Journey into Mystery run in which the gods are gods, but they are gods that humanity creates through story-telling and its connection to imagination and thus faith. (Which isn't exactly original to Gillen, it's got a legacy that stretches back to Terry Pratchett and ultimately back to Xenophanes of Colophon.)

That being said, I'm very excited to see what Al Ewing has cooked up, and I'm especially curious to see him and Jonathan Hickman working in such similar territory - the comic equivalent of dueling violins by two writers who share the admirable quality of always wanting to top their previous accomplishments.

[operat0r]

to move beyond its reach.

The Orbiter is, by rule, never truly quiet.

The Tenno read once of old earth-born technologies: of engines and thrusters half the size but twice as loud, unrefined and primordial in the way that metal and fire can be. They would burn bright as suns, roar and belch flame and smoke and, if everyone was lucky and the stars were aligned just so, they would just manage to carry those early rockets up and up and up past the sky, through the atmosphere, and into the vacuum.

He thinks of Lua and how in those days of rocket fuel and reckless dreams, it had been all but inaccessible; that there had been a scant few who had ever been able to reach it. He thinks of how people strapped themselves to these crude and treacherous things, more akin to bombs than proper thrusters, and touched down upon the dust of a place long dead. Never could they have imagined, he thinks, what would become of their sacred moon: what would hatch beneath its craters and seep out into the galaxy, or what would steal it away from its place in their heaven.

He thinks of Lua, the Tenno, somehow haunted by its image even as he stares at it through the viewport. Steeled and consigned as he is to the inevitable betrayal of heart and mind, the Tenno nevertheless feels the bile rise in him when thoughts of Lua become thoughts of the Lotus.

The Orbiter is never without its din, nor is the lander. If it is not the pop and grumble of communications leeching through, then it is not the perpetual hum of all the machinery that lives beneath its skin. If it is not the crackling of the foundry, then it is the creak and groan of vacuum trying to peel the vessel apart. If it is not that, then it is not Ordis chiming in with yet another inane thing. The Tenno knows he cannot be blamed. There is something splintered in him, something the Tenno understands even if he's yet to try to find its source, if such a thing could even be found.

He doesn't know. The lander hangs over Lua, observing its cracked face and great thorned shackle, and while there is the ever present presence of his ship all around him, the Tenno can hardly fathom it. If there is any love between them, it is decidedly one-sided. But for once, having just returned to his senses breathless and bewildered, the Tenno finds himself still and waiting, kneeling in heart of the bridge, fists balled and knuckles digging into his thighs.

The Lotus, wherever she is, wherever she has gone, is silent.

----------

The first time Ordis generates her facsimile, the Tenno snaps at him so viciously he swears he sees the lights flicker and dim. It cannot be helped. Ordis is a shattered thing. Whatever he reflects must also be a ruin.

The second time, the facade is only a little more refined.

[rainydawgradioblog]

Interview with Samba Jean-Baptiste

The other day I came across an article about AI bots mass-releasing auto-generated music on Spotify under different names. A concept as democratic as “unfettered access to music by way of streaming services” was bound to be corrupted by bad actors. Artists are consigned to grueling tour schedules in order to make a living because streaming pays them in Monopoly money. Pitchfork is gone and the writing is on the wall for Bandcamp, because curation is now being handled by algorithms. It’s important to keep in mind that any artist releasing music today has to navigate a culture in which there’s more out there than ever before, it's all at the tip of one’s  fingers, and everything except for the music itself is worse than it used to be. 

The topic of how the internet has shaped music came up frequently in my discussion with Samba Jean-Baptiste, an independent artist out of Brooklyn. I discovered his work after seeing Dean Blunt’s music video to “Felony” (his best song? I’m ready to make the argument), and the Algorithm decided I might like a video titled “talk / pleasure.” Behind a camera that might be a flip phone, somone offers Jean-Baptiste directions: “Wait, look off that way, and start the song. Then just start doing your shit.” The music plays and we hear Samba’s subdued voice over acoustic guitar strumming. He crosses a wide urban boulevard. All of it is easy and unforced. 

“Talk / Pleasure” was released on Cardinal, a project that’s difficult to categorize and beautiful and disarming. Jean-Baptiste chiefly uses acoustic guitar and his voice to create stripped-back art pop, as if the Young Marble Giants grew up listening to Stereolab instead of Lou Reed. The relationship between skilled yet raw guitar playing and more attuned peripheral production toes a line between an open mic performance and sound leaking from someone else’s headphones. There’s some really incredible interplay between organic and auto tuned vocals on “Windows.” The string and warped piano accompaniments on “A Wish Slanted” perfectly compliment Jean-Baptiste’s rhythmic strumming. It seems like he’s drawing from so much, because he’s had access to (and has seeked out) so much. The internet has given us windows into every corner of musical expression imaginable. If you’re an artist, how do you reckon with that, how does it find its way into your art? I didn’t want to put words in Jean-Baptiste’s mouth, so I reached out to see if he’d be interested in an interview for the Blawg. 

He was kind enough to agree back in early December; we spoke over the phone for about 40 minutes. I think he was playing Dave Bixby in the background. In addition to the internet’s impact on the music landscape, he touched on song-writing, looping, and Veeze. Hope you all enjoy it. Please, check out Cardinal on Spotify, Apple Music, Youtube, and Bandcamp (before it’s subscription based).

Can you tell me a little about yourself? 

Yeah, I’m 22, about to be 23, I live in Bedstuy, Brooklyn, I cook at a Japanese Breakfast restaurant that’s also in Brooklyn. That’s kinda what I do four days a week. I grew up in Massachusetts playing classical music, me and my sister, I played Cello, my sister played violin and we grew up playing in the Boston Symphony Orchestra. That’s where I gained a lot of interest in music, because when I wasn’t playing cello, everyone would be showing off like, what pop song [they] could play on the piano, and from there everything trailed into, you know, writing a little song about a crush or something when I was a kid. 

My family is from Haiti. That’s important to me. In middle school I used to just make beats so I was really into dubstep and a bunch of stuff on youtube. I was always big on youtube, listening to people make beats at home, and then soundcloud blew up, which gave so much access to random nooks and crannies to the country and world for that matter. Got into songwriting a little bit. Used to make a lot of different sounding stuff to now. Picked up guitar, somehow, and I guess that landed me to where I’m at now. 

Songs like “Better Now” from Cardinal feature a lot of looping. Do you find that to be a big part of your process? 

It’s funny because looping, from making beats in middle school, looping is such a big part of it. You make something, you loop it, you progress from there. But by the time I realized I could be playing actual instruments in my recordings, I still had that mentality. I’ll record something and think: “this part is great, I’m just gonna loop it.” And it doesn’t feel unethical. Cause for me, for a long time, looping other people’s music was like, “you’re going to hell, you’re not making music” but somehow my eyes have opened up and my ears have opened up to so many new ways of sound creation, rather than seeing it like “you have to create from the sound up like you’re fucking Beethoven.” You can hear something and make something out of that and that’s ok. It’s not yours, it's everyone’s. 

Looping is really interesting too because everytime you hear something or see something you can see something new about it. There’s albums I’ve listened to kajillions of times and it’s like I’m learning something new about it every listen. The same thing can happen with a simple loop, it’ll just be new information, newly perceived information each time. So yeah loops are super important to me. 

When you’re writing a song, do you have an idea of what you want the finished product to be, or does it evolve naturally over the course of the entire process?

Definitely the latter. That’s funny I was talking to my dad *today* that when I make songs, or work on an idea, I have to like make the whole song, just so that when I go back to these drafts, I can see the full blueprint. [...] It’s definitely a process. If I write a song in one sitting, I’ll kinda just… show a friend. That’s not the stuff I like releasing. 

How did Cardinal become more acoustic than your previous album, Pandora? 

It wasn’t so much a conscious decision to be like, I have to be different from the last record, but it was a conscious decision in my process. Because Pandora was made while I was still primarily recording through my laptop, and like, there’s guitar on there, but it’s all pitched up, and my voice isn’t in my natural cadence. But in the same way I realized I could use my instruments and play them in my recordings, I was like damn. That feels natural. I can also just sing in my natural low voice, I don’t have to be reaching for something that I’m not. So it sort of just trailed in that direction naturally. 

I was wondering if playing the cello made picking up guitar easier, or otherwise informs your guitar playing? You said you “stumbled on guitar,” which sounds like a bigger undertaking than you make it out to be. 

Yeah, picking up guitar was pretty simple for me because of that knowledge, but like, there’s six strings on a guitar [compared to cello’s four], so I’ve found new ways to approach an instrument, because there’s a learning curve there. A lot of my songs, if you listen to them, it’s all the same chords, because I only know so much, and sometimes I’m fucking lazy and I know certain chords and they make me feel good enough. 

Also it's funny because some songs are written on different guitars. “I Could Have Cried” was written on a guitar with five strings (the high E is gone) because my roommate didn’t finish stringing it. The other one I got in London, that one plays “Talk/Pleasure” and “A Wish Slanted” and it has four strings because two of them snapped. Each weird situation lends itself to a new creation, which is like a huge part of my process anyway. Error is so acceptable, if not sought out. 

The stream of consciousness of it? Less premeditated? 

Right. There’s a mix too though. I love when records have noise added after cause that’s real. You can only listen to so much perfect, cookie cutter stuff.

When you were making Cardinal, were there any major songs or artists that you took inspiration from? 

Nah I had no influences, I came up with this shit. I’m playing, of course, of course, there’s so many. I feel like a lot of people are finding my music through like Dean Blunt youtube wormhole, and he’s for sure one of my big influences, like all my influences are like 30+ year old black people doing their thing. But the main influence is music that sounds like wind, water, grass, and that all relates to guitar.

I wish I had a list of my influences, cause on this record there’s a lot you know? I had a lot of people in my life showing me new things, because I’m so closed minded often. And I like to try to surround myself with people that will show me something new. A lot of inspiration is what’s new to me. 

I think wind, water, grass sums it up great. Wrapping up, would you have any recommendations for me and the good people of Rainy Dawg Radio as a whole? Movies, music, books, etc?

Hell yeah. I just finished this book called Your Love is Not Good, by Johanna Hedver… Movies? I’m still learning about movies. Two or three things I know about her. I’m into Jean Luc Godard, that slice of life stuff where nothing happens, cause it’s just like looping music to me. Music? I’ll just give you what I’ve been into recently, cause I have huge influences but they’re probably everybody’s. I’ve been listening to this song called “Tea in Bed” by Blessed and Blushing. That shit’s incredible. I’ve been listening to this song called “Everybody Knows” by Glucose. I’ve been listening to a Serge Gainsbourg record, The History of Melody Nelson. I’ve been listening to Veeze, you know, Ganger. There’s so much shit. There’s so much out there. Michael White is this great jazz violinist, I’d definitely recommend him.  Forma Norte, that guy’s incredible.

Who’s that, Forma Norte? 

Yeah, you know what’s funny is I found him on my “related artists,” online, and sometimes I find stuff I really hate through that. But sometimes I think “damn this guy’s awesome, how’s he related to me?” 

It’s so interesting to hear an artist’s perspective of their “fans also like” on Spotify. 

That first one I said, Tea in Bed by Blessed and Blushing, is just blowing my mind recently. I’m like, “who is sitting down and making this shit?,” it’s so good. And that’s what’s crazy is there’s so much music now, it’s like, is there even a point in trying to make a career out of this? No. I don’t think so. Which I think is lending itself to the best music ever, cause people are like “there’s no fucking way I’m gonna make a career out of this, I might as well just make what I want, whatever I want.” 

You used to have to deal with the label, but now everything is just, “yeah go for it.”

It’s such a blessed time in that regard, but at the same time… let me chill on that. Let’s say, Marvin Gaye, “I Want You”? We’re not getting that right now. And that’s no hate to right now.  But it’s just like that was a whole different way of living, thinking, moving, breathing you know. It’s just a whole different way of recording. 

But we’re so blessed to be able to do exactly what we want without the idea of needing to make money off it. Obviously it would be nice. But it’s unlikely so people are just making cool shit. And I’m really thankful for that. 

You can find Samba Jean-Baptiste on Instagram here and YouTube here. Once again, listen to Cardinal any way you get your music.