#everything just feels so transient nowadays

[squidmaid]

sometimes I really MISS being young and feeling passionate about things like. I used to be so into writing and drawing and all these sorts of things and i could make myself work so much harder at them and nowadays I’m like. I would be content to be content at this point? like idk what I feel PASSIONATE about anymore I just aim to be comfortable but also sometimes that doesn’t feel like it’s enough. I miss that spark.

[esotl]

Performance - Chapter 8 (Part 15)

Writer: Akira

Season: Spring

Characters: Wataru, Tomoya, Mitsuru, Hokuto

Translation Directory

Nobody's born a genius - you become one slowly, through great effort.

There are no exceptions to that. It was the same for this Hibiki Wataru.

Location: Drama Club Room

Tomoya: Excuse me! Sorry for being late~!

Wataru: ...Well, you arrived in time for rehearsal, so I won't talk your ear off about it.

Are you perhaps losing motivation, Tomoya-kun? Punctuality is an absolute rule in the world of acting, you know.

Tomoya: Uu~ But it's frustrating being ragged on every day, for every rehearsal.

Before coming here, I thought I should try getting even just a bit better at acting.

But if I ended up being late because of that, I'd have gotten my priorities backwards. I'm sorry!

Wataru: Good, if you understand that, then that's enough. However, you'll get too relaxed if I always let you off the hook so easily, so let's set up a penalty.

From now on, whenever you make a careless blunder, I'll assign "Tomoya-kun DisapPoints" [1] according to my own judgement and prejudice.

At 100 DisapPoints, we'll have a hellish punishment game...☆

Right now, you have around 78 DisapPoints, so do watch yourself♪

Tomoya: Ueeh, I don't really get it, but that's scary! Don't play ominous games with me!

Huh? Usually when the Masked Freak's toying with me, Hokuto-senpai will casually come to my rescue... Is he not in?

Wataru: Ah, if you're looking for Hokuto-kun, he's on the other side of the clothes rack.

Hokuto: ......

Tomoya: Woah, he's completely hidden in the shadows... What's he doing?

Looks like he's staring intensely at a screen with Yuuki-senpai and the Transfer Student.

Wataru: Fufufu. That's the only place with an outlet, so he's ended up concealed.

It seems they're investigating a virtual something-or-other that's trendy nowadays.

That glasses-wearing child from Trickstar seems well-informed about it.

I too have grown interested in it, so I asked him to explain it from scratch. It looks to be a rather profound realm~ This world is overflowing with interesting things, isn't it?

Things such as theatre may already be a stale, obsolete culture.

Nothing disappears completely - everything leaves seeds behind here and there.

But ending up forgotten is always lonely.

Tomoya: I wasn't expecting that... Do you have some kind of deep attachment to theatre?

Wataru: Of course. It's an ideal world where I, who can't exist anywhere, who couldn't connect with anyone, could finally belong.

Atop the stage is the promised land I should live.

Though, I won't force you all into having that mindset. It's best if you can connect with this transient world in normal reality.

Tomoya: ...? Putting that aside, I have something I want to discuss with you, President.

Wataru: Fufufu. You only call me "President" and speak politely when you have something to request of me, don't you? Even though you're usually so harsh~ even though you speak of me like filth♪

Tomoya: Why do you look kind of happy about that...

Uh, though I feel I have something even more shameful to say.

Is it possible to reduce my lines a bit?

I can't remember them all... Though my role as the Chorus is to narrate, or rather, direct the story, so it can't be helped.

It somehow feels like I'm the only one going on and on and on...

At the start, I can kind of get away with reading off my notes as part of reciting the prologue lines.

But every line afterwards has to be said off the top of my head... I don't feel like I have the brain capacity for that.

Wataru: Hm. The role of the Chorus was originally a simple one anyone could do.

This story is a special one, so the difficulty's ended up increasing, hasn't it?

If we appoint someone to play alongside you, you should be able to share the lines...

H~m, though it'll still be quite a lot even then.

Well, all I can really say is to work hard at your given role without complaint.

You were the one who said "Even a supporting role is fine, I want to try doing something," weren't you?

Please don't go back on your word. This isn't a game, Tomoya-kun.

Tomoya: Uuu. You're so harsh~ Well, I did only ask because I figured I may as well see if something could be done. This is really troubling...

Recently, I've been having nothing but nightmares of forgetting my lines and freezing on stage.

Wataru: Hm. If it really seems impossible, how about I stand in for you every now and then?

Tomoya: Stand in? But you and I are completely different in height and appearance, so isn't that impossible...? Even if you are a genius at acting?

Wataru: Indeed. Though if I fold my body up, it is possible to perfectly replicate someone.

The problem at hand is that there are too many lines for you to memorise.

And so, I'll occasionally use my vocal mimicry skills to speak your lines for you.

It will be limited to scenes where I'm not present as Juliet, but I'll hide in the shadows and speak in secret.

Well, in the worst case scenario, I am able to throw my voice to trick the audience on where it's coming from.

But when playing Juliet, I wish to be completely absorbed in the play.

If you need my help at those times, please give me a signal.

In the unlikely event that you miss or forget a line, I'll say them for you, in your own voice~ that's the plan.

Though, I do want you to do your best to say your own lines when possible. I don't seek perfection from the current you, so please try to do as much as you can.

Tomoya: Uuu. Sorry, I really am pathetic.

Wataru: Not at all. Nobody's born a genius - you become one slowly, through great effort.

There are no exceptions to that. It was the same for this Hibiki Wataru.

Do your best. Giving you a rather difficult role with many lines is a manifestation of my expectations for you.

Rise up to them, if you are also a performer.

Tomoya: ...Right. All I can do is my best, so I'll give it my all one way or another.

Mitsuru: ......♪

Tomoya: Hm? What are you grinning at, Mitsuru... don't watch me being scolded too much, okay?

Mitsuru: Ehehe~ Tomo-chan's all lively, I'm jealous of how much fun you're having!

You really are different when doing club activities instead of Ra*bits activities, it's interesting!

Tomoya: Really? Aren't I always the same, no matter when?

Adonis: Tenma. I've packed everything up, so let's move to the Concert Hall.

Mitsuru: Ah, right!

Seeya Tomo-chan, do your best at rehearsal!

Tomoya: Oh...? Sorry Mitsuru, have you ended up helping out with a load of stuff?

Mitsuru: Nope! I'd share if I was troubled~ you're always taking care of me, Tomo-chan♪

I'm having lots of fun doing this, so don't worry about me!

Okay then, byebee~! Dashdashdash~☆

Tomoya: Ahaha. Mitsuru's always full of energy, I should learn from him.

Wataru: You should. That boy has a bright personality. I feel like I'm contradicting my words from earlier, but I think it's something that comes naturally to him.

He seems like he'd shine on stage much more than you.

Tomoya: Uuu. So in the end, I'm plain~...?

Wataru: ...Fufu♪

Tomoya: Wh-what? You're terrible, this isn't something to laugh about.

Wataru: No, excuse me. It's fun, isn't it, to have so many people clamouring together like this to prepare something...

It feels youthful, I love this sort of thing.

Tomoya: ......?

Wataru: Fufufu. Tomoya-kun, let's do our best to make the performance a success.

For that purpose, step one is to rehearse, step two is to train, steps three and four don't exist, and step five is Amazing......☆ [2]

Tomoya: I don't get what that means. But, well, I'll also do my best to go past my limits... President.

Disappointment Points. It wasn't originally a pun, but it was right there, so...

This is a Japanese turn of phrase using the format of "first is [], second is []" and so on, with the blank often (though not in this case) being the same word

[Chapter 7 • Directory • Chapter 9]

[enigmaincrimson-personal]

Hello, I’m another role player and I happened to see your blog and was reading through your experiences and like: this sentence, this sentence really spoke to me: “How would you feel if everyone you knew just stopped talking to you all at once?” It was like you read my mind.

Boy, was that me four years ago? That happened to me. I had partners and people I thought would always be there. Then, it happened. They all…left. There was no communication, no words, nothing. They all unfollowed, their muses became more hostile to mine until they disappeared altogether. There was never any real reason aside from this flimsy excuse: apparently they felt “uncomfy”writing with me but wouldn’t bother to say it. I wrote more with their characters than I ever did with anyone. My muses suffered from this and I found it harder to write each day. I know how it feels to have your entire circle of friends disappear in a single week.

It stinks when cliques run everything. You go back to being nothing. I lost so much. No one ever put it into words until now.

I don’t know your circumstances, but please know that you’re not alone. You’re not the only one who gets tired of how rping is treated like a freaking college course. I feel much better knowing that someone else has also experienced it-it’s not just in my head.

I too absolutely abhor just how antisocial and transient the rp community is nowadays. Thank you for writing your thoughts out-more people than you know have been where you are. Your words are vitally important. Please don’t stop doing this.

It’s important that those who get isolated or mistreated through rp get to have their voices heard. Thank you for sharing your experiences with me.

Admittedly, it does seem like it's getting worse over the past few years... not that back then was all that great either.

It's just weird to require everyone to fill out an application just to maybe have a chance to interact with them.

I don't mind putting up my thoughts though. I just worry that I might cause problems for others by not being as clear about my feelings as I should.

[thelionshymnal]

CaraDin - keep your eyes on me - ch3, scene 1

@mandothon is happening right now, and tho i’m sure my entries aren’t going to count properly, i’m utilizing the awesome event they put together to try and get back to working on keep your eyes on me because prompts and deadlines are a beautiful thing for inspiration! i meant to write the entirety of ch3 for day 4, sparring, but writing is still hard af for me right now and i only managed to pull off the opening scene (which didn’t go as intended because i got inspired by day 3, barricade) and you know what? that’s fine, i’m going to accept the progress for what it is, progress

tl;dr - this snippet is from a WIP i have on Ao3, and is the first scene of what will be ch3, inspired by @mandothon‘s March 3rd prompt, barricade. when i finish all the scenes for the chapter i’ll post it up on Ao3 in its entirety with edits

keep your eyes on me, CaraDin modern!AU, mature rating

Most of last night’s mood has left her by the time Cara’s alarm wakes her up, but not all of it. There’s still a restless ache beneath her skin, an itch that begs to be scratched or beaten out. She lays there in the dark for long minutes, rolling it over and over in her mind, the unhappy weight of it, the bitter taste. Nowadays, she’s never certain if the feeling is a learned trait, or just a part of who she is, who she’ll always be. It means too much that Din seems happy enough to accept it, all the fucked up angles as well as the softer parts of her. 

She sits up, sheets pooling around her waist. Grabs her phone and scrubs at her face as she opens up her texts, Din right at the top. She taps out you going to the gym today? and then hesitates before she can send it.

That restless ache flares brighter, and Cara realizes it’s fear.

She really had gotten so good at not wanting things. And now, here, Din has given her everything she’s been denying herself: friendship, trust, unwavering support. It’s a lot. It’s too much. She wants to keep it so very, very badly.

But Cara’s living in an apartment that she’s leasing month-to-month because what she has here with Din and his kid and Captain Karga was only ever supposed to be a brief detour. A transient period in her life. Whenever she stops to think about how much better her life feels now, how happy she is, she gets...scared. Cara hates being scared, so she’s done her best to lock it all down and not think about any of it beyond the moment. If there’s fall out from that, she figured she’d just deal with it. She always does.

Only now she can’t stop thinking about it.

All those pictures on her phone, the easy way her and Din’s lives have become entangled, slotting together so neatly. How much of themselves they’ve given to each other. And now, here’s Cara, pressing at those seams, testing the give, trying to see if there’s space for more, and that realization is like a kick to the chest, staggering in its enormity. 

Because Cara knows better, damn it. 

She wishes she’d never taken off her shirt. She wishes that Greef had never told her Din was interested in her, that Din hadn’t dropped those hot dogs or been so obviously affected the other day at their desks. She wishes she’d never gotten to see what a flush of arousal looked like on the back of his neck, because now she can’t stop thinking about it, can’t stop wanting it, and--

That messes everything up, doesn’t it?

It might, which is fucking terrifying when Cara stops to think about it, which is why she fucking hasn’t been.

Because she...she wants it. Him. Everything Din’s given her, but also more, as much as she can take. She’s always been the greedy sort, so it was easier to stop wanting anything than to keep being disappointed when she couldn’t have it all. 

The thing is, with Din, she thinks that maybe she could.

Cara wishes she could just go up to Din and say “Hey, I think I might be falling kind of in love with you? And also I know I’m a detective and everything but I would definitely murder someone to protect your kid, just sayin’. Mind if I kiss you?” but she can’t. There’s no way in fuck she can do it, not yet. Even knowing Din might say yes, even knowing how badly she wants him to say yes, it--

Well, it makes it harder, actually. 

She doesn’t like being vulnerable. She doesn’t like taking risks with her heart. She doesn’t want to fuck everything up and go back to having nothing again. 

It’s terrifying having something to lose.

“Fuck,” she mutters, blinking down at her phone, which has gone dark in her hand. It’s early, she hasn’t had any coffee, and she’s just up and admitted to herself exactly what she’s been avoiding thinking about, entirely by accident. She blames the half-asleep state. Fucking filthy thoughts creeping in while her defenses are lowered, laying bare exactly why she’s been going about this in such a fucked up way. Groaning, she pulls her legs up and presses her forehead tight against the hard curve of her kneecaps. 

This is all so stupid. And what’s worse, she’s going to just keep on going about as she has been, because knowing what she’s doing and why isn’t going to miraculously make the fear go away. 

She doesn’t know how to trust that Din actually wants her.

But then her phone vibrates in her hand, lighting up with a text from Din. Cara leans against her bent legs and opens it up, reading: Headed early to the gym. See you there? and just--

Fuck.

Fucking fuck, this soft asshole is going to be the end of her. Because Din doesn’t go to the gym this early, usually spending the time with his kid before dropping him off at daycare or with Kuiil. But Cara does, especially when she gets caught up in a mood like last night. Which Din has apparently noted, and taken into consideration.

So, she’s got two options, she figures, in dealing with this. One, she could tell him no; start putting distance up, begin building a barricade around her heart so that if Din doesn’t want her the way she wants him to, it won’t matter, it won’t hurt because she’ll never put herself into a position where she can be hurt. Or...

Cara takes a deep breath and deletes her earlier text, going with option two, instead. you know me so well, see you in 20?

Sounds good. Prepare to get your ass handed to you, Dune.

in your fucking dreams, she replies, kicking off her sheets, already grinning.

Because fine, yes, all right. Cara can trust that Din wants her in his life, at least, even if she can’t quite trust in what capacity. He cares. Cara matters to him. And Cara--

As always, Cara wants too many things.

For once, she’s not going to let fear keep her from trying to get them.

---

[hornsandthings]

sober connection;

pairing: human!connor anderson x reader

summary: connor does not find the distraction and comfort he seeks in a usual wild night of partying, but instead finds it with you.

warnings: omg, the angst. the Angst! & fluff. 

the pulsing neons, the crowds, the deep bass feeling like a dark heart’s reverberations – connor didn’t expect anything less from one of kamski’s signature parties. no doubt that the music was composed by an android – the electronica was menacing, low and omniscient as it shook the floors. he was late, as he always was, so it was already in full swing. slowly moving through the throng of bodies, he kept an eye out for the host, time moving in stop-motion with each flicker of the lights.

           usually, this was his element – the alcohol, the hedonist abandon, the euphoria in forgetting oneself. he needed that; the rawness of the heart exposed but still clad in the anonymity of the masses. but tonight, he just couldn’t get into it. the sweat of the crowd made him grimace in disgust, the music was already causing a headache and goddamit it’s going to take ages to get to the bar–

           “connor!” called some voice, and he got dragged into a circle of friends, or acquaintances – he wasn’t keeping track anymore. warm vodka spilled over his fingers as someone forced two shots into his hands, and by way of greeting, he downed them in a heartbeat. a round of cheers, applause; it barely managed to quirk his mouth into a smirk. he stood there on the dancefloor, trapped by bodies, hands in pockets as idle conversation continued through shouts and yells. he tried to listen at first, contribute, but not even the deafening music could overpower the volume of his thoughts.

           he felt empty. and not the usual empty, which made him seek out events such as this in the first place, it was a different sort of vacancy; both within him and next to him. he stood still in the tide of writhing bodies, of talking mouths. the usual desolation on his shoulders felt even more pronounced, and he knew that however long he stayed at this loud, crowded house party, he would not find the distraction which he so longingly sought.

           when kamski finally emerged from one of bedrooms, shirtless and still fixing his pants, he was just in time to see connor’s curdory jacket catch the light as he left.

meanwhile, the only sound in your apartment was the clatter of your nails against the removable keyboard. you watched as your words appeared against the wall of the living room, the hologram projection rendering the use of a traditional screen useless. one by one, letters appeared in the air, your linguistic creation hovering in front of you. you would marvel at the magical quality of the technology, but you were pressed for time with this report.

every now and then a notification would float up in the corner of the projection, displaying the most recent social media post of those you followed. kamski was throwing yet another one of his legendary parties – and you knew, without a doubt, that’s where connor was. he belonged to that raw expression of youth, in that reckless abandon where inhibitions went extinct. he’d forsake everything for a party, for a free bar, for that opportunity to lose himself.

a knock on your door startled you, and the knocker even more so – it was connor, framed in the doorway. he was leaning against it, clad in dark materials – black heavy metal t-shirt, skinny jeans, and that ever-present, wasting corduroy jacket. his hair was ruffled so much that it was curling, and he was just running his hand through it when you opened the door.

he looked tired, as always, but for once he didn’t smell like his vices of alcohol and cigarettes; your eyebrows rose. “weren’t you going to kamski’s party?” you asked, surprised that he’d show up at your place, your quiet, boring place when there was an absoluterager going on across town, according to all the posts.

he did not answer you, instead letting his gaze wander across your body. you did not blush, even though you were already dressed for bed, because his eyes were not appraising – they were clouded with something else. “connor?” you prompted, confusion taking root now. you seldom saw him sober nowadays. as he stood in front of you, he looked relatively above the influence, and you wondered if you only thought this due to the look of unadulterated melancholy on his face.

“would rather be with you,” he mumbled, caught between looking sheepish and looking uncomfortable, fingers fiddling with the ends of his sleeves. “can i spend the night with you?”

you almost scoffed in disbelief. connor, self-destructive, sharp-tongued, self-sufficient connor anderson was shifting on his feet in front of you, asking, pleading, in his own subtle way, for you to give him back what he had lost almost a year ago: safety. happiness. love.you couldn’t give him all of these things, but you’d certainly try.  

“of course, connor,” you said, pulling him against you. the tall man had to lean over you to embrace you properly, but he clearly didn’t mind – his arms caged you against him, his body curving toward you as he rested his chin on top of your head. you felt his heartbeat where your forehead rested against his chest, a sound so transient when put in the perspective of eternity. connor always troubled you; he managed to make his sadness unknowable, seemed to hold on to it, unable to let it go. when he began shaking in your arms, shoulders heaving alongside his heavy breaths, the only thing you could do was hold him tighter.

“what’s wrong?” you whispered, hoping that he’d hear the muffled words. his body tensed, and silence lingered for a few moments.

“i still feel alone when i’m surrounded, or when i’ve drank so much that i don’t remember my name. my identity might go away, but there’s an emptiness that stays.” he spoke into the crook of your neck, voice hoarse and breath hot. “sometimes i want to rip my heart out for making me feel this way. it’s too much.”

your blood ran cold. staring at the empty hall over his shoulder, you felt your heart race as you processed his words, trying to think of anything to say, but nothing felt appropriate. you only gripped him tighter, trying to convey through gesture that you had heard him, that you were grateful for him feeling comfortable enough to confide in you. the wetness on your neck didn’t bother you, but he kissed each of his fallen tears on your skin away, shifting so he could look at your face.

“but it’s a little more bearable when i’m with you.”

[thecooksjournal]

For the Love of Food

So where does my love of food come from? I firmly believe that my passion for all things food related and my willingness to try almost anything stems from my childhood and my family upbringing. My much loved Nan and Grandad must take most of the credit as from a very early age I was introduced to a wide variety of home-grown and home-cooked foods. My Grandad was an avid gardener growing a whole manner of fruit and vegetables in his garden. He showed me the delights of growing runner beans, cabbage and cauliflower along with a whole range of soft fruit ranging from English plums to gooseberries. My Nan like my Grandad was old school so everything in the kitchen was made from scratch using what was grown in the garden. I can still remember watching her cook and learning how to make pastry and cakes from basic ingredients.

Some of my fondest memories as a child are of the big family meals we had at their house at 218, London Road Waterlooville (sadly now demolished). At various times during the school holidays my cousins, uncles and aunties would all come to stay. This would be a big event for me as we would have fantastic traditional roast dinners with all the trimmings and yes if you didn’t eat your vegetables you most definitely wouldn’t get any dessert! To be honest I wasn’t a fussy eater even as a kid. As I recall it was only Brussels sprouts and Stilton cheese that I could have quite happily avoided throughout those formative years. The only real problem I had at these family meals was whether I could finish my meal and get to that last roast potato before my cousin Glen, who despite being younger than me could always match me for appetite.  My much missed Mum carried on the tradition set by her parents and although home-cooking has changed a lot over the years she has always instilled the same values in me to experiment and try everything at least once.

My Mum worked as a waitress in a local café called The Black Cat Café. I can remember going to work with her on one occasion and being allowed to watch what went on in the kitchen. My clearest memory here is one of the veg prep guys giving me a raw carrot to try. I had always eaten carrots from my Grandad’s garden but cannot recall eating them raw so this was a new experience. Even now I can still taste that distinct flavour which was somewhat of an epiphany moment for me. Like eating your first oyster or you first taste of true caviar this was a profound moment for me.

Another early food memory is also somewhat unusual. My Nan and Grandad lived in a big house next to a petrol station. The station had one of the first vending machines I can remember on the forecourt next to where the air and water could be found. This particular vending machine dispensed milk shake. My particular favourite was a raspberry milk shake which became a firm favourite with me so much so that if ever I had any money this would be my first purchase. The petrol station is still there but the machine has long gone but the taste of this milk shake still lingers in my senses. Every so often if I taste very fresh raspberries I get transported back in time to this very happy period in my life.

Food always seems to give me happy memories so it is probably no surprise that I followed my nose 9and stomach) into the industry. I began my adventure by training  as a Chef at Highbury College in Cosham. At the time I started there I was a fresh faced sixteen year old. The catering facility at Highbury was only a year old and at the time regarded as one of the best places to learn the trade in the UK. I studied there for three years from 1981 to 1984 and was as proud as anything to emerge with my Diploma in Professional Cookery. If my family gave me my love of food then the lecturers and college definitely fed my addiction. It was one of the happiest times of my life and I am forever grateful to all my lecturers and fellow students who taught me so much that stood me in good stead for later life. I would heartily recommend to anyone thinking of studying catering to go ahead and do it. Even if you never cook professionally after you leave, the skills you learn there will be with you for life.

I can still remember my first day at college as one of the new influx of PCD (Professional Cookery Diploma) students. We were all resplendent in a blizzard of spotless white jackets and blue checked trousers, wearing our new uniforms with pride for the very first time. Our aprons were trailing down to the floor and our starched hats were pointing proudly to the ceiling, we really must have been quite a sight. Over the years our aprons shortened until eventually they were folded into nothing more than miniskirts that just about covered our crutches; while the starched Mohawk-like hats were replaced by neat uniform disposable paper ones. We had finally come of age and were ready to launch our talents onto an unsuspecting world. Looking back it was hard work and frightening at times but honestly worth every second and an experience I would do all over again if I had the chance. It was the days before politically correctness had reared its head so it was a harsh environment for a young teenager.

Saying that the harshness was nothing to what I found when working in a professional kitchen. For a short while I was able to work as a Commis in The Café Royal, Claridge's, Langans Brasserie and Simpson's in the Strand. Working as a Chef in London was fresh, exciting and frightening. Working as a Commis you were on of the lowest ranked employees only one up from the pot wash. You were treated with disdain and generally verbally and sometimes physically abused. Nowadays this sounds horrific but it was pretty standard at the time in the industry. London tended to amplify this somewhat but wherever you worked in the UK it was pretty much the same. This harsh treatment either broke you or made you stronger. The restaurant trade has always been pretty transient so to survive you had to be strong. As a Commis you had to prove yourself before you were let anywhere near a stove. Although I was a qualified chef I spent 6 months peeling and turning potatoes, turning mushrooms and preparing the mise en place ready for service. I can remember many occasions when my julienne of carrot or my bruinoise of vegetables was unceremoniously thrown in the bin because it was not perfect. Through sheer persistence I managed to survive and once I gained the trust of the brigade I was able to watch and learn from the more senior Chefs. As time went on I was allowed to do more and more in the kitchen until I was welcomed as one of the team. I still have very fond memories of the loud punk music played prior to service and the sense of belonging I felt as part of the team. Outside of work we played hard and in London this could be very hard but I had a lot of fun and learnt a great deal.

My experience in London was for a relatively short time but it is an experience that has left its mark on me both personally and professionally. To this day I have a strange affinity with London and simply love the old school restaurants there. My career took me back down to the South Coast and away to sea working front of house for a change before ending up as a Food Buyer procuring high end products for the cruise industry. I have never forgotten my roots and although my time in the front line was brief I still regard it as one of the best experiences of my life. I am indebted to my college lecturers who got me the placements and hopefully I have paid my dues to the industry.

At home I still cook every day and still get that same sense of enjoyment I felt at 16. I genuinely love food and will try just about anything if I feel it is something that I might enjoy. I am frequently asked what is the best meal I have ever eaten. I have been lucky enough after nearly 40 years in the industry to have eaten in a lot of top restaurants and to have had the opportunity to try a myriad of dishes across the world. I have tried many unusual dishes and as a Food Buyer had the opportunity to taste many new and innovative ingredients before they reach the trade.

It therefore can come of something of a surprise when I reveal my favourite meal is not only very simple but from a most unusual food outlet. The location was Hong Kong International Airport around 2005 in restaurant which if my memory serves me correct was situated upstairs on Level 8 of the main concourse above the various check in desks. The restaurant itself is very simple, quite large but very unassuming. It was early morning and I was catching a flight back to the UK. I was not particularly hungry so I was just looking for something light before my flight was ready to board.

I opted to go for a simple Prawn Foo Yung. The picture above is exactly what was presented to me. You cannot see it on the picture as the colours are pretty subdued but the scrambled egg was almost orange in colour. To this day it is the freshest egg I have ever eaten. For such a simple dish the flavours were exceptional and taught me that to have a great dish sometimes simplicity is really the best. As long as you use good quality ingredients less really is more. Sometimes the most complex recipes containing multiple ingredients are no better than a single ingredient prepared well.

Life can quite easily be compared to food Choose your friends and your ingredients carefully and you will find that good friends and good ingredients can give you much happiness. As a Chef I can give you no better advice than love your life and love your food.

[weararemyclothes]

Human services tips : All the propensities you ought to follow to remain solid in the forthcoming year

Keeping up a sound way of life is one of the most basic things you have to do so as to have a disease free life. It can help forestall ceaseless sicknesses just as long haul illnesses. What's more, despite the fact that you may feel that there are a huge amount of various thing you have to do to keep up a sound way of life, you in reality simply need to follow a couple of solid propensities. Rolling out these improvements and following certain schedules will help make things much less complex and more beneficial for you.

Here are a couple of tips that will assist you with remaining sound in the up and coming year.

Remain hydrated: We can't pressure enough on how significant this is. Remaining hydrated ought to be your main need. Water is the mixture to life. In addition to the fact that it flushes poisons from your body it can assist you with keeping up your weight. Additionally, drinking a lot of water can likewise help your skin by holding its flexibility and keeping it saturated and brilliant.

Keep up your weight: Ever known about the colloquialism 'The type of food you eat will affect you general health'? Indeed, it applies to you in light of the fact that the more beneficial your food is, the more advantageous you'll be. In this way, attempt to guarantee that you cut down on your utilization of low quality nourishments and furthermore abstain from indulging. You should recollect that you have to consume a greater number of calories than you expend.

Remember assortment for your nourishments: Fad slims down have essentially assumed control over the world nowadays. And keeping in mind that they may furnish you with some moment transient advantages, over the long haul, they can end up being destructive to you. The purpose behind this is these weight control plans frequently prohibit certain gatherings of food by and large from your eating regimen. Furthermore, your body needs a smidgen of everything so as to flourish. Along these lines, attempt to remember an assortment of nourishment for your eating routine like proteins, starches, nutrient rich products of the soil, vegetables, nourishments with omega-3 unsaturated fats and those that are wealthy in cancer prevention agents.

Improve your heart wellbeing: We know it's hard to do this however in the event that you could stop smoking totally, it'll do ponders for your heart wellbeing as well as for your general wellbeing when all is said in done. Additionally, attempt to get in any event 30 minutes of physical movement every day for in any event 5 days per week as it'll help improve the quality of your heart. Settle on a physical action you like; it could be strolling, running, swimming, playing a game and so forth.

[sagebodisattva]

Improve Your Illusion?

Speaking on the subject of delusion and illusion, more people tend to speak free and easy about it nowadays. They say:

“Yeah, it's an illusion, it's a dream, it's the matrix, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm in it. It still doesn't change the fact that I am struggling to make the proper changes in my life that will bring me happiness.”

And that's just it. One of the most common misunderstandings, when it comes to what's referred to as spirituality, is this notion that some kind of personal change is required in order to be better prepared for spiritual growth. Or that, the goal of spirituality is self improvement, transformation, or a metamorphosis into something other then what we already are. This notion in itself causes most of the problems people struggle with when seeking an awakening. The issue is, that you are not that which you seek to change. It's a misidentification. The trouble is, you are not sure where the illusion starts and where the illusion ends. So the question should be asked: who are you? And what needs to be emphasized in order to self recognize?

Getting into great shape, exercising, doing lots of cardio, expanding your biceps, pecs and gluts, losing the gut and obtaining a six pack, isn't it.

Studying, doing research, obtaining knowledge, and building up an impressive intellect and high IQ, isn't it.

Engaging in martial arts, yoga, or any other practices that promise to balance the body and brain, isn't it.

Eating vegetarian, vegan, organic, gluten free, low carb, no carb, high protein, low fat, calorie free, vitamin enriched diets, isn't it.

Prayer, attending religious services, rubbing beads, reciting scripture, doing rituals and observing holy days, isn't it.

Seeking to find out the TRUTH about your external world by sifting through history, politics, symbolism, conspiracy theories, and corruption, isn't it.

The moment you move beyond the seeing, you are in the wrong place.

It's not an external environment, it's not a narrative, it's not a concept, it's not an object, it's not your ego, your persona, or your physical body. All of these are beyond the seeing, and are part of the passing show.

So what good does it do to improve on an illusion? This is why I say, self improvement is masturbation, no matter what form it comes in. What does "improved" mean anyway, other then just being a subjective opinion? How would such an opinion fare in the grand scheme of the spiritual spectrum? Focusing on the seen disempowers oneself, no matter how self improved one feels.

But how does de-emphasizing the drive for extrinsic improvement help at all, right? How would such a philosophical application lend tangible utility? It wouldn't improve our bodies, our community, medicine, schools, job opportunities, family life or our country. It makes one self oriented, right?

Seeing as how anything in the seen is a projection of the inner condition, a better way to, quote, “IMPROVE”, these things, would be found in establishing inner serenity. Inner peace brings peace to the outer. Inner health brings outer health. So, as ironic as it may seem, bringing about inner happiness is the most unselfish commitment you could make. It helps so called "other people" also find inner peace.

If inner tranquility is not a foundation within, no amount of external fixes or improvements will amount to any real lasting world peace. Ignoring the internal, and only focusing on the external circumstance, is much akin to overlooking the root cause of disease and only treating the symptoms. If one can find inner happiness, then they become some of the most selfless people in the world.

Detachment doesn't mean that you don't love, care, fulfill responsibilities or become a self oriented individual, all it means, is that one is ceasing to indulge in the desire to sustain certain circumstances or the desire to avoid certain circumstances, whatever those circumstances might be. Peace, happiness and freedom from suffering, is not found within grasping or pushing away circumstances. And the primary reason why, is because circumstances constantly change.

What is most present, real and lasting, is the now of awareness. The now of awareness is immune to the pleasures and pains of circumstances. It isn't awareness that is the recipient of ecstasy or suffering. These transactions take place beyond the seeing, in the array of the seen. These passing transient nonpermanent phenomena are the stuff of illusion. And nothing that takes place within illusion can ever improve or degrade awareness.

Yes, BUT, right? Isn't this where the “yes but”, comes in? That everything I'm saying may very well be the case, but it doesn't lessen the suffering. We still have to navigate our lives and wade through the pain, anguish and discomfort. The fact that it's all illusion doesn't negate our place in it, and the philosophy I speak is just a coping mechanism that only helps us lie to ourselves and pretend that it's better then it really is, or that we are somehow above and beyond it all, right?

All of these ideas are constructed on a foundation of desire. When you keep addressing the particulars of navigating illusion with desire as your steering wheel, and the ego in the driver's seat, of course it's not going to seem very practical to think you recognize the illusion and the methods to circumvent the pitfalls by way of intellectual notations. Obtaining knowledge isn't a useful way to address the visceral, or to realize the nature of illusion.

Deconstructing the conditioning of identification with a false self begins to open the pathway to lucidity. To begin to unglue the attention from the projections of appearances allows the space for lucidity to find ground. Realizing illusion empirically is much different then learning of illusion from study. Only from the standpoint of the intellect does the goal appear to be: specific desired circumstances gained and sustained through a change of being which will also afford an individual avoidance of specific undesired circumstances.

So this is why the prospect of recognizing illusion cannot be appreciated from a false identity. It's the foundation and facets of the false identity itself that is the cause of suffering, and the mis-framed concept that the objective is found in sifting through the illusion to find elements that will assist one in a search, or change, that will facilitate escaping or embracing aspects of the illusion.

So, of course the prospect of understanding illusion seems pointless, because the whole notion is being approached based on a false premise, made from a false identification. And if followed through intellectually from this framework, no, learning about illusion won't change anything. But that's just it. The aim was never to change anything. The aim was to stop awareness from attaching itself to illusion. This is where the issue of lucidity comes into play. And we'll go more into depth on lucidity in the next episode.

[morshtalon]

Dragon Quest

What would be the consequence in the videogame industry if Dragon Quest never existed?

For those who somehow don’t know yet, Dragon Quest, released as Dragon Warrior overseas due to some complications with trademarks, while there is some controversy as to what was truly entirely pioneered by it, is credited as the first game to embrace and present the common tropes we associate with classic, console jRPGs today. Even if those credits can be contested, however, it still bears undeniable meta importance within the zeitgeist of japanese gaming, and countless upon countless games can have their origins traced back into DQ’s legacy...

For example, Mr. Shigesato Itoi would use it as direct inspiration for his mother series (the first game bearing many similarities to Dragon Quest with some fresh coatings of paint), which later went on to itself inspire a certain game called Undertale, don’t know if you’ve heard about it?

For further example, there’s this one series called Final Fantasy that basically owes every aspect of its existence to Dragon Quest, considering most of its own games are improvements and twists on mechanics taken from DQ’s own installments. How’s that one doing now?

Also, if you scroll down a bit, you’ll come across my Lufia 1 review. Give it a read while thinking about this, if you could.

In any case, it’s interesting to form this “genealogy” and view just exactly how powerful an impact one thing can have within its medium.

That said, it is essentially a 1986 game with few guidelines driving its design, drawn from its own inspirations in the Wizardry and Ultima series of western RPGs, which can have their lineage traced back to dungeons and dragons, which emerged from tabletop wargames, which... anyway, I digress. Nowadays jRPG gaming has evolved into something far, far apart from DQ’s idiosyncrasies, going on to develop idiosyncrasies of its own, and therefore with modern eyes the game doesn’t even feel like it belongs in the same place. I’ve read reviewers having trouble distinguishing nostalgia from things that are actual merits of the game, and the answer to the question of whether it is an antiquated piece of vaporware belonging in a museum or the aforementioned different approach to concepts that have drifted away over the years is difficult to answer with that state of mind. The first time I played DQ to completion was in 2018, so bearing absolutely no nostalgia for it, I will aim to answer this question in the clearest manner possible.

Dragon Quest is the story of one lone dude with historically inaccurate viking headwear on a bloodline-driven quest to square off against a not-ancient (!!!) evil dude, who took an incandescent lightbulb (that really has no point being there at all), painted it black so the light wouldn’t shine through the coating and that resulted in the land being overrun with monsters conveniently spread out from his fortress to the hero’s starting position in a balanced scaling level of difficulty, in order to provide the hero with the opportunity to build up his muscles and learn healmore eventually because you can’t win the game without it. In the way, there are no plot surprises, there are no rivals, heck, there aren ‘t even any friends (though there is one quite friendly character), you have one major goal given to you right at the start that never changes and one minor one that’s entirely optional and also pretty much given to you at the same point, a cute little world to explore, a few puzzle-esque minor hoops to jump through in order to reach the final dungeon (which together probably don’t amount to half an hour) and tons and tons and TONS of level grinding to do. But how does it execute it all?

Depending on what you’re looking for, holding dragon quest up to scrutiny with the most recently released wizardry or ultima at the time is akin to comparing a book to a movie: many of the complexities and raw content of the formats being used are eschewed in favor of a simpler, trimmed-out experience with a more visual approach (which is humorous now considering the intense density of text contained in DQ in comparison to modern games). Yuji Horii intentionally designed the game to be an experience that newcomers would find easy to learn but veterans would still dive into the intricacies of the mechanics. There is only one party member, only one enemy per battle, only 2 stats besides HP and MP, spells are few and perform simplistic effects, equipment follows a straightforward progression with no multiple choices to he found and the list goes on. To that end I must say I don’t agree with the second part or Mr. Horii’s statement: of course there ARE people who dissected the entire game and have figured out, mattered and exposed every single assembly line there is about this product, but only liminal knowledge of the mechanics is required for one to complete the game, and there is an at best marginal need to even know what’s going on in order to play it with reasonable success; there is just THAT little to it. The most complex strategies involved in the battles amount to casting sleep or stopspell beforehand to prevent enemies from murdering you if you are at a suboptimal level and otherwise wailing away until one or the other gives in.

Is it possible, then, that one of the pivotal and more dearly beloved games in history only achieved its success due to favorable circumstances and a nice (at the time) coating of paint hiding an otherwise non-daring and understimulating product?

...Yes. It is entirely possible. It’s happened many times before with other media, and it’s happened many times since. So is the game a piece of shit? Well... that’s a more complicated answer.

You see, with many future dragon quest games; there’s always something or other I can pinpoint as being  a particularity pioneered or otherwise codified and popularized by dragon quest. For example: 2 made popular the common party member progression utilized in many RPG’s throughout time; 3 brought party customization and archetypes (mostly reworked from its blood fathers) into the mainstream; 4 had that AI controlled party member thing and a creative chapter-based method of storytelling (not to mention having a plot back in the day), and so on. Up until now, I hadn’t been able to do the same for the first installment; as previously showcased, the game doesn’t really have innovation, it’s just a simplified version of older stuff.

Then it hit me: the keyword I’ve been looking all along is structure. It’s so obvious to me now that it baffles me I hadn’t thought of it beforehand.

Allow me to illustrate: Ultima barely knew what to even do with its numbers. Levels didn’t serve any purpose for at least 2 games, HP was gained extremely arbitrarily and so were weapons, dungeons also served little to no purpose and there were more red herrings in the game than not-red herrings. Wizardry was more functional but no less loose; party members were these transient things that sort of mattered but sort of didn’t, stats rose and fell in a completely arbitrary fashion and it was once again difficult to discern any practical function in them whatsoever (there are still discussions nowadays about what exactly they do, with only at best vague answers based on more common sense things). Dragon Quest, in its simplicity, had a clear-cut, very obvious flow, everything does exactly what you think it does, nothing is ever lost arbitrarily and items and equipment are beseeched and acquired in 100% non-obtuse, sensical and understandable fashion with no need for peripherals outside the game. This set the base for further development and complexity as the series went on without ever losing track of the main, core design principle of “anyone could pick this up and spend very little time internalizing the concepts herein”. As the complexity began to accumulate, Horii’s statement forged its path to full realization, and along with Dragon Quest, basically every single jRPG followed suit in its advances.

Therefore, this game’s -practical- importance is still, in my opinion, entirely credulous and valid; it’s a stepping stone and a filter, in its reductiveness refashioning dated concepts and sculpting the mindset of players for the ushering in of a new, refined design philosophy, one which would be built upon by its own successors too, but also its peers, all collectively working to fully inject and transform RPG gameplay into the idiossyncratic identity it retains in electronic gaming to this day.

So, that’s all nice and good to discuss, but what is one’s emotion and response when actually playing the game?

There’s no way to answer this question outside of 100% personal input, so in my humble opinion, it’s enjoyable-ish for the right mindset. I already went into it knowing that I would have to appreciate some stuff more conceptually than practically, and I did in fact get enthralled by its offbeat quirks, for what it’s worth. The game really is one “big” item collection puzzle, almost a simplified King’s Quest if you took out the battles, and this worldwide exploration quest would go on to dominate early DQ’s core mindset, with 5 being the first one to break away from it and offer a more linear progression. Frankly, I really enjoy the fact that these old games can get away with disregarding logic sometimes in favor of making the puzzles more interesting (i.e. abusing map boundaries to circle around city walls and access a secret area), and I’m glad the precedent, for a while, was set with DQ, without going overboard with oblique design the way point and click games usually did - perhaps as a byproduct of the memory being busy handling the RPGness of it - and becoming far more fun for it. As previously stated, there is a lot of level grinding, and nothing can really prepare you from the hours of boredom walking left and right waiting for a random encounter, which does act in the game's detriment, but the remakes have softened up the chore I guess so there’s always that option.

Synthesizing the museum piece and actual game aspect of it, Dragon Quest, to me, deserves a 6 out of 10. It is, unfortunately, too simplistic to warrant any higher a rank, and focuses far too much of its time on gameplay that isn’t fun, almost enough to surprise me that the game fared so well, being so intimidating with its earlygame grinding. As I said, however, its importance hoists what fun the gameplay does have into bearably numbing status, and it will give you a feeling of accomplishment when you do strike that death blow against the final boss, like you completed an initiation ritual. I’d recommend it if you’re a genre enthusiast, but you probably already played it if you are so...

[kaibutsushidousha]

Artbook Data - Kaede Akamatsu

There was at least one implied chapter 6 spoiler on this one.

Seiyuu’s comment: Sayaka Kanda

I already had the honor of participating in DanganRonpa: The Stage before, but this is my first in a DanganRonpa game, so I was a bit nervous in the first recordings (laughs). Kaede Akamatsu-chan is a character as adorable as she looks, so I’m very, very glad to have voiced her. I played her with as much energy, as much spirit of “I wanna pull everyone closer to me” as I could.

Kodaka’s comment: A girl kind, strong and most of all, dignified

As one of the two protagonists of this game, we developed her design in a way that makes her feel opposite to the other protagonist Saihara. We decided to make her a female protagonist from the start, but we want to make her different from Komaru Naegi, the protagonist of Ultra Despair Girls, much more protagonist-like than her, so we carefully designed her to make her facial expression kinder and stronger. Also, like all the protagonists before her, we cared make reasonably plain, with no huge personality quirks, to facilitate empathy between the protagonist and the player. It didn’t took much longer for us to decide to make her a pianist. The idea came from us thinking we could use a song as the key element for her conversations with Saihara. Her name is positive but also transient... that’s basically the idea I was trying to convey.

Now about her role, in all DanganRonpas so far I always aimed to make it so that “all characters get as much characterization as the protagonist and you never know who the culprit and the victim will be”. In that case we’re still missing the plotline where the protagonist falls victim to the killing, no? That’s how the story started. More than that, we didn’t make it so that she was the victim, we went one step further and made it into the story I’m sure you are all familiar with. But this part of the script was really  the most difficult to write in the entire series.

A protagonist switch requires making the player grow attached to both the old and the new protagonist for it to work. For that reason, we meticulously calculated everything that would made Akamatsu more sympathetic when incorporating it to the script. Another step for the plan is the huge help I got from her seiyuu Sayaka Kanda. Being the protagonist gives you a lot of attention from the media and interviews, so this process can be quite hard without someone I can trust to support me as an “accomplice”. Kanda-san not only has already performed on The Stage, but is also someone I know to deeply understand DanganRonpa, so she was the best choice for this point. This also means you can say I can’t imagine anyone other than Kanda-san playing her.

Design Notes:

Music Note Hairpin: She holds her hair with music note-themed hairpins very popular with music fans. She places them on both sides of her forehead combining style and practicity.

Flat chest: Iruma calls it like that every freaking time, but if you look at the numbers or even at the actual chest, anyone can tell she’s wrong. She’s not even close to a flatboard!

Backpack: Score sheets, CDs, music players. She a lot of things she needs to carry around and it’s super convinient not to need to carry all of this in her hands. It’s a trendy box-shape backpack whose main selling point is its large volume.

Underwear: Pink panties, always popular with girls. The noble design with the modest lace boys dream of is an item we would want to thank god for.

Fingers: Her miraculous fingertips gave life to melodies admired by the world. In other words, these are the tools of her trade. She takes thorough care of them so they won’t get hurt and trims her nails very short to hit the keys with more accuracy.

Skirt: A skirt designed with music notes running through a staff notation score. It’s fairly short but with her amazingly admirable activeness, she climbs and crawls with it without a care, always marching forward in the energetic pace of a Zundoko-bushi.

High Socks: High socks decorated with crest of the Hikariboshi International Academy. Thigh-highs are what’s mainstream nowadays and it’s nice that they show her youthful good-looking kneecaps.

Favorite presents:

High-End Headphones: A pair of high-quality headphones for elitists, specialized in reproducing the fine, delicate sounds from classical, jazz and similars. It satisfies even Akamatsu’s fine ears.

Tattered Music Sheet: Worn-out hand-drawn music sheets. The unfinished work of a highly famed composer, or so it claims itself to be. It’s good enough to make the classical music fangirl Akamatsu drool!

Metronome: A musical tool used to measure the tempo with a fixed reverse pendulum when playing an instrument. Akamatsu is in a long-term relationship with metronomes since she was six.

Hated presents: 

Pigeon Food: Carefully selected fresh seed to feed pigeons with. You can’t just give to wild pigeons thoughtlessly. A horribly unsuitable gift to give to a girl!

Key phrases:

The Piano Freak’s Grand Brilliant Journey: Akamatsu is the Super High School Level Pianist she is now thanks to her natural talent and sensitivity and to her continuous efforts through her entire life. Since she was very little, she was raised with pianos instead of toys and only developed interest in things related to music, almost as if she born just for the sake of becoming a pianist. In the past she has even  performed Chopin’s 3 Grand Brilliant Waltzes (Trois grandes valses brillantes) to an European King travelling incognito. Knowing about her succesful career led to one student offering her an absurd invitation to rule the underworld as his partner, but she can ignore that and keep really looking forward to her future works!

Her Beloved Musics: Like the young celebrated pianist she is, Akamatsu’s favorite song are all state-of-art classical music. She casually namedrops famous songs like Satie’s Gyminopedia, Ravel’s Sonatine, Chopin’s Military Polonaise and Raindrop or Debussy’s Clair de Lune in regular conversation. Her acute sense to find rich emotions was most certainly fostered by her contact with famed songs.

The song she wanted to perform to encourage Saihara was Debussy’s Claire de Lune. It’s a song that moves people closer to her.

The Prologue to the Escape!: “The prisoners of Saishuu Academy will ultimately not manage to escape”. Monokuma said this as nothing but a threat. Even if he really means all the lunacies he says about the Killing Game, she will prove they can escape. With that idea stuck in her mind, Akamatsu encouraged her friends with her characteristic positivity and hot-blooded words, leading them to repeatedly embark on the secret road that looks like a possible secret exit. An underground tunnel with tons of traps and misteries waiting for them. But no matter how dangerous, she could never refuse to give a try as long there’s still a possibility. The 16 keep moving motivated by outstanding indomitable spirit, but for what end?!

The Pianist Loves Automated Mechanisms: A “Rube Goldberg Machine” is a mechanism that operates through multiple intrincately connected part moving in a chain reaction, similar to a karakuri puppet. This weirdly fun device, designed perform unnecessary domino effects and perform simple tasks through excessively complicated methods is named after its creator. Akamatsu is a real fan of this chain/domino setups and karakuris. I wonder if the hidden camera setup she thought up along with Saihara will work just as those?

Main Quotes: 

“Once all of us leave this place, how about we become friends outside?”: The Kiling Game enforced by Monokuma with their escape as the stakes. Strangers would naturally all throw suspicion leading to an unavoidable chain reaction of distrust, but things might be different if they are all trusted friends. But Akamatsu would never give to any to cause tragedy through discord. She declares everyone will overcome all dangers and become friends. If anyone was feeling down, she would use her strong positive words to make them believe in a future shining with the light of hope.

“That’s why... No matter how scary it is, we gotta fight. With the truth“: They must expose the culprit of the murder case among their surviving friends. Realizing how this fact is making Saihara tense, Akamatsu whispers to him: “I know you can do it“. Because they investigated together, she can fully trust and encourage him. For Saihara, who struggles because revealing the truth can make people suffre, her words feels like the biggest support he can get.

Final comment: Annoyingly unable to give up hope! After sheding her tears in secret, she will keep a strong face to encourage everyone one more time. Here starts heart-burning Akamatsu March!

[truehopecanada]

TrueHope Canada

866-397-3121 Cerebrum practices are currently viewed as entirely typical. It appears to be that wherever you go nowadays you will run over individuals doing crosswords, Sudoku and different kinds of exercises to keep the mind fit as a fiddle however not very far in the past the possibility that the cerebrum required practicing would have met with criticism or doubt.

I have consistently had faith in all encompassing well being and, revolutionizing mind & body health harking back to the eighties we were becoming keen on another type of eye work out. At the point when we referenced it among a gathering of loved ones they thought we had lost the plot. One can just envision the thing they would have said about cerebrum works out.

While clearly the vast majority need to save everything ready to rock 'n roll as far as might be feasible, its an obvious fact that, dread of dementia as we age is a main thrust behind the cerebrum practice blast. People born after WW2, of which I am one, hope to live for quite a while and they hope to achieve more than their folks and grandparents.

Individuals need to be fit and beneficial to partake in the last piece of their lives so mind wellbeing is turning into an acknowledged piece of our wellbeing and wellness system.

A solid way of life can possibly forestall around 33% of all dementia. Indeed, even individuals in the beginning phases of the illness can in any case have an effect on the off chance that they make changes useful to the wellbeing of their cerebrum. Despite the fact that it isn't using any and all means indisputable, clinical science and exploration have demonstrated that a sound way of life has an effect to the wellbeing of our cerebrum.

A portion of the key factors that might assist with reducing the effect of dementia are genuinely known to a great many people at this point yet it merits repeating them.

Abstain from Smoking. Not smoking assists with forestalling the beginning of dementia. It additionally brings down the danger of a few other smoker related illnesses. Detached smoking can in any case be an issue however has been enormously diminished by presentation of smoking boycotts in the working environment and public regions.

It's undeniably true that when you quit smoking the body begins fixing itself immediately paying little mind to how long you have been a smoker. At the point when the body is all around kept up with and really focused on it will run effectively well into advanced age.

Liquor Consumption. Nobody can direct exactly how much liquor someone else should drink yet the standard beverages rule sets rules for capable drinking. Liquor very much like smoking has an entire pontoon of related infections that are all around reported.

Actual Exercise. Corpulence is currently approaching as the following wellbeing related fiasco; this is stunning when you feel that it is a preventable infection. Strolling, cycling or cardiovascular exercise reinforces the heart and the veins to the cerebrum. Aside from keeping you in great shape, it assists the cerebrum with becoming more keen and more ready.

Sufficient Sleep. A strong night's rest is basic for acceptable wellbeing. This is the solitary time the body can mend and revive itself. While it is feasible to make due with insignificant rest in the momentary it isn't savvy to do it consistently.

Over the long run lack of sleep can cause significant medical issues. Also, specialists are currently contemplating the impact that absence of rest can have on the cerebrum. They have demonstrated that in the transient it can influence judgment, mind-set, and the capacity to learn and hold data.

Absence of rest can likewise upset the resistant framework and long haul it can prompt infections like coronary illness, hypertension and diabetes.

Good dieting Habits. A sound eating routine ought to incorporate new healthy food and next to zero prepared food. Keep your liquid levels beat up with water instead of soda pops or sweet squeezes.

The entire eating regimen issue can be somewhat of a minefield, it simply is preposterous to expect to recommend an eating plan that suits everybody. Do your exploration, don't get taken in by extravagant advertising and recollect that enhancements are only that; they are to enhance an eating routine that is lacking of a specific nutrient or mineral. They can't absolutely make up for the absence of a reasonable eating routine.

Give not eating a shot the run, bite food completely and if conceivable eat at a table in an agreeable position. It is never past the point where it is possible to make changes to your way of life.

Way of life Changes.

The beneficial thing about practicing the mind is the sheer number of activities or exercises that are accessible. Anyway differ practices so they don't become repetition.

Obviously cerebrum practices don't need to be practices in the strictest terms, any action that includes believing is an activity in itself.

An action which includes gaining some new useful knowledge is useful for the mind, promoting brain and body health, promoting brain and body health even a basic assignment being accomplished interestingly draws in the cerebrum into deduction mode.

It very well may be contended that individuals who work or have a bustling existence don't have to do mind practices yet it relies upon the amount they really stretch the cerebrum. Undertakings which before all else may have appeared to be unpredictable become simpler so the cerebrum doesn't buckle down.

Any individual who has ever figured out how to drive can identify with this. At first it is startling attempting to recollect every one of the moves, particularly in case it is a manual drive. Anyway it before long turns out to be normal to the point that you scarcely need to mull over everything, it is somewhat similar to being on programmed pilot. It is as though the cerebrum is saying "Wake me when something occurs". The familiar adage "Use it or lose it" has a lot of legitimacy where the mind is concerned, so practicing it bode well.

Contact details: 

Address:  680 North, 300 East P.O. Box 888 Raymond, AB Canada T0K 2S0

Phone no:  866-397-3121

Email:  info@truehopeemp.ca

[impossiblechaosluminary]

80 Great Compelling Argumentative Research Topics.

Discussion is that the iron square whereupon the glimmer of truth is struck. Most breathed life into conversations are reliably discussions. We overall wish to quarrel about something and if you accept that this is not for you, trust in us, you essentially didn't find an invigorating subject to squabble about.

We battle a day , we mention everything with our friends and family, and every one that seems, by all accounts, to be so clear and reasonable. Regardless, once you got to arrange the discussion during a formed design, that's where everything seems to be genuine. Generally, teachers provides a subject to elucidate , and every one of your issues tight right down to the chase of data and to forming a book. Regardless, at whatever point you get an opportunity to select a subject isolated, it can transform into a true terrible dream. You face a psychological snag, the sector of study isn't captivating for you, so you are feeling no enthusiasm over the making task. The summary of potential issues are often deferred. We acknowledge that those understudies who can pick a subject are lucky ones! You get a probability to elucidate things that turn your wrench, what's to not revere? assignment writer. Section by part list . How to pick fantastic hostile investigation paper focuses? . Debatable divisive composition focuses . Extraordinary divisive composition subjects . The best divisive composition focuses . Magnificent divisive article focuses for focus school . Hostile composition focuses for college . Charming divisive article focuses for auxiliary school . Sports divisive composition topics . Divisive composition topics preparing . Clinical divisive composition topics . Music divisive composition topics . Mercian history divisive composition topics . Cerebrum science divisive composition focuses . Advancement divisive composition topics . Divisive perspective composition topics . Hostile article topics about animals . Hostile article topics on development How to pick fantastic contentious assessment paper topics? . Here is one clear guideline: you'll not at any point make a top of the road dissident paper if your point doesn't actuate a discussion. It should be a problematic subject without clear answer so you'll endeavor to battle everybody with the other point of view into your position. Assignment writer. . Here are a few of signs of the getting theme: . It hits a rough nerve so various peruses can recognize it. . You can find solid real factors to assist your point of view. . It isn't to hide moral issues because it is tough to possess a wise discussion. . It leaves a waiting flavor therefore the peruse will consider the ten ,000 foot view after he finishes the way toward examining. . Most importantly, you are feeling lively about it. . If a shortfall of inspiration causes you to bum considering the foremost fitting aggressive investigation paper subjects, examine our overview of the simplest focuses to investigate! Questionable antagonistic composition focuses . Is authoritative issues reliably a unclean game? . Is weapon control a useful strategy to regulate infringement? . Should animals be utilized in tests/testing? . Simply an individual with nearby limit can transform into an unprecedented government official. . Is the execution useful? Incredible antagonistic composition subjects . Everyone should get a high level training. . Would people have the choice to affect natural change? . Is Spanish the foremost un-complex language to consider? . Is workmanship a calling? . Will a researcher win for the duration of normal daily existence? The best bellicose article topics Free induction to the web harms understudies' ability to think about . . Are tests just like the SAT are viable nowadays? . Could school outfits change rich and vulnerable understudies? . Prisoners shouldn't be allowed to project a voting form. . Young women today act even more strongly towards various young women. Magnificent divisive composition subjects for focus school . Would it be a sensible thought for us responsible instructors if understudies show low leads to testing? . Would it be a sensible thought for us to blacklist sweets machines at school? . People should submit greater freedom to rest. . Young people shouldn't watch violence motion pictures. . Should gatekeepers be allowed to rebuff their children? Combative paper subjects for college . The most appropriate age to start out projecting a voting form. . Is the blameless embellishment commendable if reality irritates someone? . It is imperative to blacklist eager drinks. . Should schools fuse contenders as a bit of faculty life? . Is it alternative to assist charges for rich people? Captivating quarrelsome paper focuses for optional school . Is youth lead liked or more awful lately over it had been 20 years earlier? . Is it worthwhile for understudies to travel to single-sex schools? . Nowadays humanity is excessively dependent upon propels . Should the general public position sway our eating routine? . Is there any relationship between wild PC games and ruthless direct? Sports antagonistic paper focuses . NCAA unfavorably influences the tutorial progression of understudy contenders. assignment writer. . Steroids should be considered unlawful. . Schools spend an overabundance of cash on sports. . Female understudy contenders are defrauded. . Is cheerleading an authentic game? Dissident article topics guidance . Are extensive schools important for "general preparing" understudies? . Will state managed tests choose the extent of knowledge and capacity of an understudy? . Should everyone get a high level training? . How does sexual direction impact guidance? . How does gatekeepers' poverty impact the child's tutoring? Clinical dissident article focuses . Is it choice to prevent treatment in see from getting exacting feelings? . Should adolescents be allowed to try to to plastic operation without gatekeepers' approval?  . Should experts confine patients who cannot be alive without life support machines? . Should the general public position rebuke down and out watchmen of youths with bulkiness? . Do experts mishandle the young people's advantages if they do not give treatment consistent with the parent's refusal to treat the child? Music quarrelsome composition focuses . What will be the accompanying music revolt? . Could awful sections in tunes impact unpleasant lead? . Is music within the workspace a disturbance? . Would music have the choice to be referred to as a craftsmanship? . Are the present stanzas exposure great? American history combative paper subjects . The impact of Mormons on the American perspective. . Could Lincoln excuse the Southern States from the Union without war? . How did servitude influence the American economy? . The Federal Reserve System unbelievably influenced the good Depression. . The Second Amendment is that the most questionable spot of the Constitution. Mind science divisive work focuses . Child Girl partnership is meaningless . . Should men be shielded from ladies' dissident attacks? . Should surrogacy be legitimized? . Misery is that the essential infection of society. . Do gatekeepers stimulate sexual direction speculations? Development aggressive work focuses . Could web dating override certifiable dating? . Development limits creative mind. . Examining space is an abuse of cash . . Progressions cause people to feel miserable. . Progressions vehemently influence preparing. Dissident perspective article focuses . Moral rules oppress people. . Should early end be authorized? . Is it good to use drugs to overhaul awareness? . Should energy be seen as a morals? . Are people adequate or evil normally? Dissident article subjects about animals . Zoos are helpful for animals. . Wearing cover and cowhide is reliably dishonest. . Is it OK for people to stay stunning pets? . Are characteristic daily routine jam sound for all species that have there? . Should animal shape be limited? Disagreeable article subjects on relocation . Relocation may be a help to the general public economy. . Unlawful development can instigate mental fighting. . The posterity of unlawful pilgrims should move toward the general public system. . Evacuees should be seen as real pioneers. . A comprehensive check of reports by managers will reduce the number of unlawful transients. Picked the good topic, nonetheless, haven't any inspiration to form the composition? actually , our master researchers are continually impelled to supply you some help! Snap the catch to get extra.

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[itswomanswork]

6 Reasons Why Snapchat Is Content Marketing’s Not-So-Secret Weapon

Snapchat is a unique social platform and one that has exploded in popularity rather suddenly since its release in 2011. Now reaching around 8 billion views daily (and there are only 7.4 billion of us in the world, remember), the medium of ephemeral content has well and truly taken off. So how can content marketers use this to their advantage?

Snapchat is the only platform that reaches younger, teen users in substantial numbers. It’s easy to see why, what with all the fun features it’s packing. Whereas Facebook and Instagram integrate advertising as part of their business model, Snapchat requires a slightly different approach – one that’s more personal, engaging and rough around the edges.

Here’s why Snapchat is becoming content marketing’s not-so-secret weapon.

1. It’s popular with teens

There’s no question that Snapchat is a key social platform for marketers who are specifically looking to target younger people. Snapchat is constantly updating and adding new features to stay fresh and relevant, which is just one of the reasons teens love it so much. By contrast, networks like Facebook and Twitter have, for the most part, remained much the same.

Features like Snapchat Discover and a seemingly unending array of picture and video filters (such as face-swapping) mean the novelty of Snapchat never quite wears off.

Another reason for its popularity among the younger generation is its focus on images and video, rather than text-based posts. As a rule, teens (and to an extent, users in general) are more interested in flipping through visual content than written content.

An eMarketer study says more teens than expected are leaving Facebook for Instagram and Snapchat since they are “more aligned with how they communicate”.

2. It’s all about fun

When it first came out, there were a lot of people who dismissed Snapchat as a gimmick that would never become a serious social network contender. How wrong they were!

One thing that Snapchat does particularly well is promoting a playful user experience. As we now know, just because a product is frivolous and lighthearted, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be taken seriously. In fact, when it comes to content marketing, playful is often the perfect angle.

Our Facebook news feeds are often flooded with hard news – a lot of doom and gloom. Snapchat meets our need for light, entertaining content that doesn’t fill us with anxiety about the state of the world. Ultimately, users will always be drawn to fun – as long as it’s brand-appropriate.

3. It puts mobile first

Image Source: Snapchat

In the same way as Instagram, Snapchat is designed specifically for use on mobile devices – you actually can’t use it on a desktop. This means that users take it with them wherever they go, heightening the relevance of their location at any given time. Snapchat has a ‘find your friends’ feature that enables users to see where their friends are, and what they’re up to.

This puts it right ‘in the moment’. Everything on Snapchat is happening right here, right now. It satisfies our craving for the new and exciting and plugs us into the lives of our friendship circle in real-time. Already, brands are hopping on board, creating branded filters and events that are both urgent and engaging: the double-duo of desirable content.

Because the app is made for smartphones first and foremost, Snapchat marketing is ideal for eCommerce businesses with a lot of mobile users. While Snapchat may not be the first place you think of when it comes to selling your products, it can actually be a surprisingly good platform for spreading brand awareness. Rather than funneling all of your budget into Facebook advertising, consider how you can create specialist content that will captivate the mobile market.

4. It encourages impulse buying

If there’s one thing we can say about the Millennial and Gen-Z generations, it’s that they’re pretty firmly plugged into their phones. And you’d be surprised how often that influences their purchasing decisions. Or maybe not so surprised.

We turn to our phones for everything nowadays, whether it’s deciding where to eat, finding a local event, or searching for a new pair of sunglasses. ‘Local’ is a key word here, because one of Snapchat’s most brilliant advantages is its knowledge of users’ locations, and with it, the ability to target them with locally relevant offers.

Image Source: Snapchat

In other words, we’re about to see an explosive growth in geo-targeting and geo-filters. And as is Snapchat’s way, most of these offers will only last for around 30 minutes, which dramatically increases the likelihood of impulse buying so as ‘not to miss out’.

Content marketers should look to adapt their strategies accordingly. Here are some examples of other brands using ephemeral content to their advantage.

5. It allows you to combine the physical and virtual

Image Source: Wikipedia

Let’s examine one of Snapchat’s best PR stunts – Spectacles. With this maneuver, the company managed to bring their short-term ethos into the real world, with video-recording sunglasses sold through pop-up vending machines that were gone almost as soon as they appeared. The app also gave users the chance to virtually ‘try on’ the glasses before deciding whether to buy.

With this stunt, Snapchat created an experience that their most loyal users could feel part of and get excited about. And that’s really what good content marketing is about. Next, Snapchat plans to roll out its new augmented reality feature, which will enable marketers to pay for words and images to be overlaid onto the world, as viewed through a user’s smartphone camera.

These ads, which will be known as ‘sponsored world lenses’, are different to Snapchat’s existing features in that they will apply to the outward-facing camera – not just for selfies. There is, of course, the option to sponsor the ever-popular face-distorting lenses as well.

New advertising formats like this are increasingly popular and completely different to anything we’re seeing from the other social platforms. Marketers, take note.

6. There’s less competition

It seems like every brand ever has a Facebook account and a Twitter profile these days, and increasingly, more of them are present on Instagram and Pinterest too. Because of this, it can sometimes be hard to make sure your content stands out on these platforms.

But Snapchat is still relatively new on the scene, and a lot of businesses are either unfamiliar with it or don’t really take it seriously. This will all start to change very soon, but for the moment, there remains considerably less competition for businesses on Snapchat, compared to other networks.

Yes – it’s very different. The audience is much younger, and they expect a different sort of branded content. But these differences can also work to your advantage – it’s just knowing the right way to go about it.

Wrap up

It’s certainly clear that Snapchat is not your average advertising platform. It deals exclusively in the wacky, the weird, the playful and the transient. But if you play to its strengths, it’s a powerful tool that is yet to reach its peak, opening doors into the lucrative Millennial and Gen Z market.

What are your experiences with using Snapchat for business?

Guest author: Victoria Greene is a Brand Marketing Consultant and Freelance Writer. I work with eCommerce businesses & marketing teams to create content and targeted SEO strategies. In my line of work, customer research is very important, so I have my fair share of experience with it. Check out my website for more about what I do.

The post 6 Reasons Why Snapchat Is Content Marketing’s Not-So-Secret Weapon appeared first on Jeffbullas’s Blog.

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[ronisharifuddin]

There is no shortage of people burdened with emotions and conscience. Yet why so much inhumanity? It is difficult to find. But is it just a trick in the name of emotion and conscience? When the power of human feeling, observation and perception is incapable of exercising its power, man is left with nothing but robots. Feelings, observations and perceptions need to know emotions and emotions first and foremost. Otherwise, it is not possible to be liberated by this deception.

Emotion is a temporary feeling formed by reality and imagination. People cannot easily escape from that. That is why people feel the pull of events no matter what. But since there is no contact of knowledge in that town, it remains unpublished most of the time. The emotions that are released are transient. How real are the emotions of the people we see nowadays? That is what reality tells us. Some emotions are permanent in human beings. That is why human beings are automatic in expressing their emotions.

Conscience is the standard of external and internal judgment. By which we all face judgment. If someone cuts it off, someone will nurture it in their own midst. Those who ignore their conscience become destructive. On the other hand, those who nurture sound and genuine conscience play a role in building society. Being an individual, the environment of knowledge development and the process of education play a helpful role.

Everything in this world wants coordination. When a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen occurs, a different substance is formed. In the same way, if there is a combination of conscience and emotion between a person, he will be seen as a unique person. In the midst of which balanced rigidity and tenderness will be observed. The level of emotion and consciousness may not be unbalanced, but the balance of life may be lost. In that case it has to be controlled by the door of knowledge.

[duhragonball]

Babbling about Comics

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to get back in gear with my plan to read my entire collection of X-Men comics.   I had this big plan to do it in 2015, but I only made it about halfway, which put me around Uncanny X-Men #280 (September 1991).   That’s about 29 years’ worth of comics, though, so my plan was probably unrealistic.

Ever since I reblogged this, I’ve been thinking about how I used to be big into American comic books, but not so much anymore.  One person in that thread jokes about how complicated it is to start reading X-Men and Wolverine, and the thing is, I actually know how to do that, because I spent maybe a week in 2014 obsessively studying the Marvel Chronology Project website to come up with a good reading order.  Honestly, it’s kind of fun, but only because I’m a maniac.  I can’t see how any normal person would even want to bother untangling that mess.  The system was designed for only two kinds of immersion.

1) You bought the comics when they were published, and read them in more or less their intended reading order, because you had no other choice.

2) You’re a maniac like myself, who accumulated all this stuff after the fact and you’re determined to go back and figure out what happened.

Nowadays, it’s a lot easier for a new fan to dig into the past, because so much of Marvel’s back catalog is available in digital format, but it’s still a pretty big paywall when you think about how many X-Men comics they’ve made.   And even if you download torrents, you still have to read the whole thing, and who has time for that?  Generally, Marvel’s marketing strategy has been to try to make the new stories accessible enough for new readers to follow, while only reprinting the older material that’s important or popular.   As a collector and a completist, this always frustrated me, but I think I’ve finally begun to see the wisdom of that approach.

See, the real gateway to a franchise like this is to stick to the greatest hits.  For me, that’s Uncanny X-Men #94-167, which spans 1975-1983.  Then you jump all the way to Wolverine’s solo book, which started in 1988.  The first thirty issues of that are really, really good.   I like the stuff that Larry Hama did with Wolverine later, but it’s not for everyone.  If you want to read a crossover, I’d recommend “X-Tinction Agenda”, since it provides a decent snapshot of where the X-Books were at in 1990.  Now, I’m skipping over a lot of other material from the period, but a lot of it was pretty awful, and the good issues of X-Factor and New Mutants  were kind of inessential.   The point is that you have to sample the best stuff first, then decide if you care enough about the characters to go dumpster diving through the rest of it.   You’ll find some gems, but you have to be willing to put up with some real crap to get at it. 

For example, right now, I’m in the middle of 1992, which was sort of a defining period for the X-Men franchise.   Chris Claremont had ended a 17-year run as the writer, and they were trying to build everything around superstar penciller Jim Lee.  I don’t know what went wrong exactly, but by the end of the year Lee had left to start his own company, and a lot of the X-Men comics from that year have a long list of co-plotters, co-scripters, and guest artists.  The flagship title, X-Men v.2, held up reasonably well, but it’s sister Uncanny X-Men suffered from neglect.  UXM #281 was supposed to herald this bold new era, but instead it just looks like a tire fire, one that continued to burn until #293 at least.   But, those issues are notable because they introduce Lucas Bishop to the franchise. 

I never cared much about Bishop, except that he looks pretty cool, and he had a cool voice in the X-Men cartoon.  Otherwise, I only knew he was a guy from the future with a gun, just like the dozen other future-guys-with-guns in 90′s comics.    But when Bishop was introduced, he hailed from the year 2062, where he’s part of a Judge Dredd-style security force.  Bishop revered the X-Men as legends, but once he meets the real deal he quickly finds out they’re not what he expected.  Bishop sees himself as a peacekeeper, and he’s honored to join the X-Men, but he keeps finding his violent, hair trigger methods at odds with the X-Men’s rigid protocol. 

The thing is, I identify with the guy.   I used to write him off as a knock off of Cable, or one of the other loose-cannon hardcases the X-Men keep recruiting, but they actually found a way to make Bishop stand out from the crowd.   He loves the X-Men in theory,  but he really doesn’t understand what makes them work.  Which is sort of like me trying to read all these comics I only know by reputation.    A lot of of the things fans praise the X-Men for are vastly overrated or completely misrepresented.  The conventional wisdom I always got from the fans was that the X-Men were only great when Claremont wrote them, and then Scott Lobdell took over and Ruined Everything(tm).    The reality (from my perspective) is that Claremont ran out of mojo around Year Eight of his 17-year run, and he was running on fumes from ‘83 to ‘91.  I’ve seen fans carry a torch over what happened to Madelyne Pryor, but as far as I’m concerned Madelyne Pryor’s introduction was when the Claremont run jumped the shark.  Her whole character arc was a no-win scenario and their biggest mistake was in not ending it sooner.  I used to think the X-Men comics of the early 90′s were a creative train-wreck, but somehow it managed to generate Bishop, and that gives me hope. 

Also, there is something oddly comforting about reading these old comics.   Nothing ever really changes with the X-Men.   If a character gets killed, they just come back a few years later.   If a character quits or turns evil, it’ll get reversed later.  The X-Men never really win or lose any battles.  They just sort of show up and fight, and then something else happens and they get distracted by that for several issues.  Last night I read the issue where Forge gets upset because he’s in love with Storm and he hasn’t even gotten five minutes alone with her to rekindle their feelings from 1988.   He awkwardly proposes to her, and she punts, telling him she’ll think about it.   In the very next scene they have together, he leave the mansion before she can even give her answer.  Forge is convinced that Storm doesn’t really love him, and that she’ll never set aside her X-Men career long enough to make time for a serious relationship.   As he slams the door, she mutters “I would have said... yes.”    That’s classic X-Men for you.   All angst, all turmoil, no resolution.   We don’t know if Storm is sincere or not, and Forge won’t even stick around to find out.   Is he right about her, or is he just too afraid of rejection?   Maybe we’ll see in a later issue, but I bet we don’t.   It’s Schrödinger’s ship.   Everything sort of hangs in midair. 

Now, I might have said that this is why I’ve come to prefer anime lately, because the stories are more decisive.   Goku married Chi-Chi and that’s it.    Done.   There’s no hotshot editor trying to split that up or retcon it to clear the way for a fresh pairing.   The real tragedy of Storm is that she’s trapped in Comic Book Time, so she couldn’t have a long term relationship even if she wanted to.    If she had married Forge in 1992 they would have inevitably been divorced a short time later, because Marvel likes to rotate romantic partners around every few years.   Storm actually married the Black Panther later on, but I’m pretty sure that’s over now.   But Goku’s marriage to Chi-Chi is absolute.   I like certainty.   It helps make the characters feel more genuine, and less like imaginary dolls driven by editorial whims and sales charts.

But, having recently finished Revolutionary Girl Utena, I find the X-Men’s open-endedness kind of soothing.   I didn’t get what I wanted from the ending of the Utena TV series.  I’m not sure what I wanted, exactly, but what I got wasn’t completely satisfying.  I may warm up to it later on, or I’ll watch the movie version and see if that’s more to my liking, but that’s pretty much all I’m going to get.   With the X-Men, I’m not particularly invested in the characters, and I have a general knowledge of what happens to them, and that anything that happens to them is mutable and transient.  It takes a lot of the punch out of Forge walking out on Storm, but it’s still decent theatre, and I’m not in the mood for dramatic punch right now.   Utena was like getting dramatically punched by Star Platinum for five pages.   I’d watch one episode and then I’d have to take a break before moving to the next one.    Not everything needs to be like that.  Sometimes it can be Bishop possibly getting Storm on the rebound, only to discover that she’s not as good in bed as the history books said she was.

Nevertheless, I think this is something the comics industry needs to address.  I got fed up with following comics because the new ones are expensive and inconsistently produced, and nothing worthwhile ever happens in them either.  They keep relaunching series with new #1′s, or renumbering them every time they get close to a Big Round Number, so it’s probably even harder to keep the reading order straight than it was twenty or thirty years ago.   So it’s a lot of the same hassles you get from back issues, except my back issues are already bought and paid for, so I might as well waste my time reading them instead of paying for overpriced new stuff.   Their best bet is to introduce new characters, especially female, POC, and LBGT+ characters that are tough to find in the back issue rack, because that’s something novel they can use to draw modern audiences.   Because Thor’s dealt with Ragnarok about a dozen times already, and the X-Men haven’t accomplished anything tangible in 30 years, so eventually no one’s going to fall for the same corny “Nothing Will Ever Be the Same!” gimmick.

[beindiymusic]

Home Studio Recording Mistakes You Might Be Making! Killing your chance of making a hit record!

If you really want to produce music in your own home recording studio but you don't know where to begin hopefully this guide is going to help you out! Once you've got your home studio set up for recording with these 5 Music Production Studio Essentials, there's nothing to stop you and you can actually begin creating music, and avoid the most common mistakes with home studio recording. To save time from the get-go, knowing about these 10 common mistakes people tend to make when first starting out will hopefully mean that you won't make them yourself. Of course, making mistakes is all part of the learning curve towards achieving your goal and some errors are unavoidable - blunders are always part of the process - it's how we learn.

Photo by Jesman fabio  Once you've finished reading you will know about 10 common home studio recording mistakes that people often make and hopefully it will instrument you in actually avoiding making these mistakes yourself! It's always good to know what you're doing in advance and instead of feeling unprepared, you're going to know exactly what to do if you encounter any of these oversights... Here are 10 common home studio recording mistakes you need to check out to make sure that your home music recordings are at a decent level that can be acceptable to a music industry professional: Recording at 16 bit . First of all something to understand is that audio resolution is measured in 'bits' and nowadays we record at 24 bits - the more bits, the greater the dynamic range of soft to loud sounds that your song can have. When CDs were first introduced back in the 1980s, they were only 16-bit. 24-bit dynamic range gives the digital music more quality by allowing more headroom for peaks so there's less risk of 'clipping' and it also enables a greater separation between the recorded audio and the noise floor. In the simplest sense, audio clipping is a form of waveform distortion.MAX MCALLISTER - ProduceLikeAPro.com Whilst producing an audio file in your home recording studio you will want all the headroom you can get which is why 24bit beats 16! More headroom means you can worry less about transient peaks causing clipping distortion, and generally results in a better, more open and natural sound, so it's a good thing. Use 24-bit audio and record at lower levels, that way you don’t have to worry about putting your recording into the red because that is something that can't be fixed later in the process. .

. Not considering the amount of 'room noise' . First and foremost most home studio recording takes place in rooms that aren't exactly acoustically ideal. Sound that might end up in your song isn't always obvious to the naked ear and sometimes unwanted noises can end up in your audio file especially during the early stages of learning to record at home - noise exists everywhere and can be captured or generated at any stage of the production process. Simple things like your PC itself, heaters, air con units, etc. all produce sound, and noise is a troublesome issue for a home recording studio. So your set up is important and during the recording process, you should switch off whatever isn't essential and banish anything noisy as far away as possible! Click here to learn how to soundproof your own home recording studio. . Having the microphone too close to the wall . The next possible oversight when first starting out in your home recording studio is having your microphone too close to the wall. Positioning a microphone can be tricky in any home recording studio situation, particularly if your mic is omnidirectional. Where to place your mic for vocal recordings varies according to your set-up and the size and shape of your room. The wall is a reflective surface so the closer you are to the wall the faster sound is going to come back to your microphone and interfere with your recording so try to stay away from the wall. However, if you have no choice but to be near to a wall you need to put some kind of absorbing material up on the wall closest to where your microphone is so that sound doesn't immediately bounce back into your microphone. Check out this article for some effective soundproofing ideas for your room and it may also be wise to invest in a reflection filter for your mic to stop unwanted sounds getting to it. . Having the microphone level up too high . Nowadays with everything being digital, you don't really need to record so loud. Back in the analog days', people would overload their pre-amps because they enjoyed how it sounded but with digital audio recording, it doesn't sound good, it's just going to cause distortion on your song. Most audio interfaces already come with built-in preamps, and 'gain' is the first control that the microphone signal goes through in a mixer. As a rule of thumb, most producers record usually somewhere around negative 6 DB but it depends on your space and who or what you're recording. If you turn the pre-amp gain up too high whilst recording it will clip, which looks like this: .

So gain is the volume of the input level of the microphone and you need to make sure that's set at the correct setting so your audio waves flow and there's no distortion. Digital clipping sounds terrible! And should always be avoided! . Having the microphone level too low . Depending on what you’re recording, there are three variables; . how loud the sound source isthe microphone distancethe microphone sensitivity . And the same way that having your mic level up too high can result in an imperfect recording, having the mic level too low can also cause problems later down the production road. The trick is to improve the level of signal coming into the mic. If the microphone preamplifier gain control is turned down way too low basically later once you start to add EQ, and compression, etc. and you need to turn that audio up you will hear everything on the noise floor increase too. So just remember everything else the mic picked up will also get louder too. To fully understand the ins and outs of gain control of a microphone preamplifier click here. . Being too close or singing into the wrong side of the microphone . The next mistake that you'll often hear pro producers complaining about when receiving home studio recordings to mix is that they just aren't clear enough. This happens because the vocalist has either recorded too close to the mic or delivered their vocals at the wrong angle! All microphones have a pickup pattern and not singing into the right side or being too close creates sound distortions that happen from overloading the mic from being excessive. If you're not sure which way your mic should be facing or what side you should sing into, read the instructions manual. As a vocalist, you may have to try out many techniques and learn how to position yourself correctly - practice singing or rapping into the mic to discover what works best. The two biggest peeves are whenever a vocalist sings a “p” or “b” sound or any other sound from your mouth that has a quick expulsion of breath through the lips. You will hear them being referred to as "P-Pops" or "plosives"! Then there's also 'sibilance' which is excessive hissing when producing S’s and F’s sounds. This can be minimized by using a pop filter screen so just get a pop filter to place 2-3 inches away from the microphone and reduce those plosives! Or you can make one yourself with a clothes hanger and some tights! Here's an article Microphone Setups – How To Find The Sweet Spot if you want to learn more about getting the perfect vocal recording from your home recording studio. How close you should stand or how far you should be from the mic is up to you, it differs because it will depend on your space and what type of microphone you are using - click here to learn about all the different microphone types. Quick Tip: To minimize the proximity effect you should be looking to place your microphone between 15 and 30 cm (6-12 inches) away from the sound source.

. Not using nice-sounding vocals . Whilst we're on the subject of vocals and vocalists...if you suck at singing and you can't hit the notes you desire for your song perhaps it's best to find some else to do it for you. You can ask around or hire someone who's vocally talented before you record it for others to listen to. Don't put yourself on the song, just for the sake of it because it would be a huge shame and a pretty bad mistake if you are creative and can really make amazing music but then the vocals just kill it! A good song that you've written but let someone who's better sing it has more chance of success. You can record yourself prior to hitting the studio to give the person an idea of what you want? If you have an okay voice then singing lessons and practice will help you learn to perform your songs better. Either improve your own skill or get someone who's voice is their forte to do the vocals for you. . Recording mono sources onto a stereo track . If you plan on creating music from your own home recording studio something you need to wrap your head around is the concept of mono and stereo. Many newbies when starting out in their home studio make the mistake of recording a mono source onto a stereo track. Mono audio means recording onto one channel of audio; one recording with one microphone onto one channel. If you have one microphone, one XLR cable, and you're using one input on your audio interface, you are recording in mono. Stereo tracks need two input sources; both left AND right. Nowadays most music is mixed in stereo, stereo is two channels of audio; left and right. When we listen to music through our headphones or speakers we are hearing mono sound in a stereo environment. Watch this video to understand it all a bit more to ensure you don't make the mistake of recording mono audio onto a stereo track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVgc7v-4n8k Joe Gilder • Home Studio Corner -What's the Difference Between Mono and Stereo? ...or you can read this: The Difference Between Mono and Stereo Sound which will teach you the the difference between mono and stereo audio files, playback, and recording. . Having the hardware buffer size turned up too high . Another mistake people make and it's definitely something to avoid...is having the hardware buffer size turned up too high. Buffer size and latency can affect your recording in your digital audio workstation (DAW). Buffer is to do with latency; buffer size dictates how much latency that you will have when you are recording instruments and vocals. . What is latency? Latency is basically the time that it takes for the audio signal (of whatever it is that you're recording) to travel from the microphone through your interface and then back out to the headphones or your monitor. . Generally, you might hear that the hardware buffer size should be set high for mixing and low for recording - the lower you go the less latency and the higher...the more latency! So there's a time delay there - latency is the time difference between a sound being created and heard. You want to have your hardware buffer set as low as you can possibly handle and many pros will recommend anywhere between 256 and lower. The higher you go, the more latency so you'll get a form of an echoey, delay effect which is why you've got to ensure you've got the correct buffer size setting to avoid latency. . Over-Compression . Compression is the best way to control dynamics, not only does it bring control and keep some instruments in check it makes other elements of the mix tighter and more powerful. Too much compression can make your tracks distort. The two hallmarks of over-compressed vocals are sibilance and pumping. If you're wondering whether you should EQ before or after compression generally, using EQ in front of your compressor produces a warmer, rounder tone, while using EQ after your compressor produces a cleaner, clearer sound - EQ is a massive subject for professional audio engineers.  Keep in mind that a little compression goes a long way.The producer's handbook to mixing audio stories . Click here to check out 'The Animated Guide to Compression' . Of course the only real way to get better at making music in your own home recording studio is just by jumping straight in and doing it because with time and practice comes knowledge and skill - it's inevitable that you will learn and improve. It's definitely important that you get some professional mixing services on your song once you've finished but to avoid any embarrassment you want to get your production to a point that's semi-professional right? If you follow the advice given above you can combat any of these problems should you encounter them. At Indiy, we believe artists should have complete ownership of their creative content.  We are the online marketplace for musicians, the place to buy and sell your music services. . Get your music heard and build your audience with us, or head to our home page to take a look at some of the amazing services being offered to help you progress on your music career journey. Read the full article