#multimedia ceramic

[some-minor-inconvenience]

a few years ago I made this super cool mug in a ceramics class and it's very Magnus Archives inspired... flesh meets the eye

here's some concept art as art as well for those interested...

[aaleeb]

Gord continues to grow

I'm not sure if I were going to keep the stomach pooch

[sadlittleowl]

Fall Planet- ceramic, merengue cookies, and candy. Heavily inspired by The Little Prince.

Flavors are Mexican chocolate, orange and almond, and apple (made with freeze dried apple powder)

The tree was a bitch and a half to make and had to be reimagined a few times during the build, it it turned out so good! There were a few mistakes along the way (the thing over the rose is a kludged sugar glass dome that ended up….. like that), but overall I’m real happy with it

[pamesjatterson]

first day of the new semester and lf online classes . what if I (crazy explosion sfx)

[shorlinesorrows]

my jean & neil qpr agenda (part 1?)

after Neil orders the hit and Greyson becomes another Former Raven statistic for the media to go wild with, Jean ends up texting Neil. It's definitely not a thank you, but both of them know it kinda is (prob something like "you're an insufferable disease" lol)

They don't have contact for a while, but one day Neil reaches out by sending Jean the most atrocious multilingual French meme with "Kevin doesn't appreciate me or my humor, this is a hate crime"

It's sporadic from there, and maybe at one point they meet up while Neil and Andrew are on their summer road trip. Neil and Andrew end up in Colorado, and Jeremy, Cat, and Laila practically drag Jean there to see them (he'll deny that he had a good time, but he really did)

Andrew and Jean have a bizarre and interesting dynamic where they don't speak to each other often, but they eventually grow a mutual respect and shoot each other Looks about their "I'm Fine" partners. They don't mind just sitting in the same room and sharing space while they do their separate things.

When Jean and Jeremy start their pottery class, Jean takes to it like a fish to water.

He ends up majoring in Ceramics & Multimedia Art. Something about using his hands to create, rather than destroy.

He makes Neil a little exy racket charm for his keychain.

At one point, Jeremy makes a gc with Jean, Neil, Kevin, and Andrew on impulse. Jean "hates" it but doesn't leave the group chat. Andrew only stays in it because he can mute it, and it's useful for when they plan to meet up sometimes. It also makes Neil happy and it's not something he really minds

Jean also takes LOTS of pictures. With his phone, his friends' phones, a polaroid camera he gets as a gift from Cat, anything he can get his hands on. He hangs them up on his half of the room with Jeremy.

Eventually Jeremy and Jean do get separate rooms. They usually still sleep in the same room, but it's an important milestone for Jean and his recovery. Being able to have his own space, and know he's allowed to control who comes in it.

He decorates that room so much it's chaotic and beautiful and there's probably little pencil doodles on the wall next to his bed from when he can't sleep. He tends to draw daffodils :]

It becomes a bit of a tradition to meet Neil and Andrew every summer.

When they go pro, Jean and Neil end up on teams only a few hours' drive from each other. Neil and Andrew start on the same team, but the whole Minyard-Josten Rivalry is still a Thing because they're always shooting heated Russian at each other while "glaring" and no one else seems to realize it's their equivalent of flirting.

Jean thinks it's hilarious. He harasses Neil about it constantly.

Him and Kevin eventually mend their friendship, and they care about each other a lot.

Neil probably made the three of them matching "I survived Castle Evermore" shirts just to be a menace, and then Jean and Kevin have to make him swear that he'll never wear it in public.

Neil has a habit of just. Showing up at Jean's house and crashing sometimes.

Jeremy at one point jokes that he'll have to fight Neil for Jean's time in the future, but he's not really worried. They're happier when they spend time together. Jeremy and Andrew are chill with it.

When they meet up for the first time after a game between their pro teams, none of their teammates have any clue what's going on. Jean and Neil insult each other ferociously, but also can't seem to resist hip-checks and shoulder bumps and almost affectionate shoves.

Neil constantly sidles up to Jean and pretends like he doesn't know what he's doing. Jean usually responds by absently grabbing his hand so he knows where he is.

They are literally a cat and dog. Neil will deny that he's being caring or affectionate towards Jean all day long while actively attempting to be in Jean's space, and Jean practically perks up when Neil enters a room.

When their teams play against each other, they talk in French sometimes. Their checks are always a bit brutal (they know very well how far the other can be pushed before they break) but they help each other up at the end of quarters.

Jean is constantly antagonizing Neil by smiling and complimenting his striker skills while blocking him, and Neil is constantly taunting him with words that are plenty sharp, but never actually aimed for vital spots

Jean gets a service dog and Jeremy decides to name her Mr. Barkbark Flufferpants, following Andrew & Neil's naming scheme for their cats. They usually just call her "Mr."

When they make Court, the two of them practically live in each other's pockets.

Jeremy and Andrew watch both exasperatedly and amusedly (though Andrew just calls it annoyance when asked) as the two of them dance around their Big Queer Platonic Feelings

When they finally manage to actually communicate about it, it goes something like "Idk what's happening, I'm kinda obsessed with you but it is Not Romantic and I don't know what to do with that." And then "Oh thank hell, me too, I thought I was even weirder than I already am. Wanna go harrass the fbi together?" "No."

They become even more attached at the hip after that, can practically finish each other's sentences. It's like they freaking mind melded tbh.

At first Kevin gets worried that they're slipping into old habits from the Nest, especially Jean, but when he brings it up to Andrew and Jeremy, Andrew just goes "No, they're idiots." and Jeremy nods and says "I think they're in a honeymoon phase. If we see them slipping, we'll pull them out."

Kevin decides to wait and watch, and thankfully their relationship ends up being as healthy as Neil and Jean can be. There might be a little codependence going on, but they have other people and other grounding forces to help intervene if it seems to be unbalancing.

They both put each other on their emergency contacts list.

It's a common sight to find the two of them twisted into impossible positions together just doing their own things, Jean drawing, Neil watching reruns of Exy matches, whatever.

Their dynamic just becomes Jean, who genuinely grows up to be a pretty chill dude, and Neil, who's an absolute gremlin. Except they kinda absorb each other's personalities, so they're both little shits together. They fit.

There is definitely all sorts of weird conversations that they have at 2AM in little sleepovers they do together (sometimes with Kevin, Jeremy, or Andrew) because they never got that as kids.

I bet Neil mercilessly teases Jean for being allosexual, especially when he gets flustered (all in good fun, of course)

Jean just snarks back with a "shut up, I literally saw you look at Andrew like a besotted elderly man with his partner of fifty years like five minutes ago." Neil sticks out his tongue at him.

Jean actually can sometimes read the ways that Neil and Andrew show affection for each other because of how much time he spends around them, which leads to him occasionally getting confused when other people don't automatically Get It

Neil takes a while to warm up to Jeremy because he seems Too Nice, but once he does he helps Jeremy plan to absolutely torment Jean with silly little romantic gestures that make him flush all the way down to his neck

At one point Neil tries to get Jean to explain what it feels like to be sexually attracted to someone without knowing them really closely, and it leads to a really surprisingly deep conversation about attraction before it turns into neil making dick jokes.

Cat and Laila still keep in close contact with Jean, as well as Renee. They make sure to meet up as often as they can. Cat and Jean always go for a bike ride together and they all cook dinner as a group.

They're both cuddle monsters when in the right mood. They also have the convenient ability to fall asleep Anywhere when they feel safe. So finding them curled up together in weird places at home is pretty commonplace.

They're forever partners, not in the way that the world and the Nest tried to make them be, but in a way that they created themselves.

It doesn't have to be romantic to be special, and if anyone ever suggested that they should be in a romantic relationship, they would both look at that person with absolute judgement and disgust. This person interrupted their conversation. They were talking shit about someone. Neil is lounging in Jean's lap. Andrew is saying he hates them both, and Jeremy is cackling at it all while taking a low-res picture for Cat and Laila.

idk i have a Lot of thoughts and could keep going. (i might write a fic if anyone wants to read it, and I'll definitely write little snippets for myself if I get the time. )

[knives-in-the-dishwater]

I've been meaning to do an "everyday carry" post for a while, but I've only recently had time to lay everything out. Details below the fold.

items pictured here (starting in the top left, going down roughly in columns):

sketch wallet clutch

20 oz water bottle (usually used for coffee, kombucha, or Gatorade)

64 oz water bottle (exclusively used for water)

earbud case

pocket mirror

UAG phone case (phone, which is being used to take this picture, is a Motorola moto-G power)

rope dart

Bluetooth multimedia controls (mounted on an armband)

notebook

paracord (550lb, approx. 12 feet)

stamps

Mantis Con Brillo fixed edge tanto (with paracord handle)

alumina ceramic sharpening rod (handle broke off, but it's still usable)

two emery boards

Burt's Bees lip balm

small tools roll

sharpie

pilot g-2 pen

6 inch steel needle (used as hair pin)

small diamond rake (in small tools roll)

large diamond rake (in small tools roll)

small hook rake (in small tools roll)

large hook rake (in small tools roll)

three tension tools (in small tools roll)

angled tweezers (in small tools roll)

small-tip screwdriver (in small tools roll)

ring sizer (in small tools roll; I don't really need to carry this but it's in the roll so it doesn't get lost)

large-tip screwdriver (in small tools roll)

needle-tip tweezers (in small tools roll)

keyring

karambit

three nine-inch throwing spikes (with sheath)

sunblock

sunglasses

glasses case (with microfiber cleaning cloth)

Bradley Kimura XI balisong with G10 scales and paracord latch (scales made by Squid Industries before they were a company; just one person with a cnc mill on reddit)

contents of Sketch Wallet:

1.0 mm Ohuhu drawing pen

0.05 mm Ohuhu drawing pen

brush-tip Ohuhu drawing pen

0.5 mm Kuru Toga mechanical pencil w/ red lead

three blank playing cards

sketch book

close-up of earbuds. Moondrop Arias with FiiO UTWS3 drivers and memory-foam tips. minor damage to the left side has been mitigated with a small elastic band used as a spacer.

lmk if y'all have any questions or wanna see anything in better detail.

[supersonicart]

Sydnie & Hayley Jimenez's "Right On Time."

Currently on view at Moosey Norwich in Norwich, England is artistic duo Sydnie & Hayley Jimenez's exhibition, "Right On Time."

This collection of ceramic sculptures, ceramic paintings, and multimedia drawings draws on memories of Sydnie and Haylie’s experiences with friends and found families. Clay is chosen as a medium for its universally ancient history and its unpredictable qualities. Each work draws directly or indirectly from specific memories that they have recalled with various friends in Chicago and the american south, creating certain nostalgic and expressive imagery.

“The title “Right on Time” comes from the acronym ROT, something that has become a symbolic representation of longevity and family within our friends in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but also encompasses the community and care found among queer and BIPOC friends in Chicago. Often as black and brown femmes, our actions of navigating what deadlines should be met and when as well as comments/concerns of how quickly or how slowly “life” is moving is often policed based on societal expectations; we view “Right on Time” as a sort of motto or lifestyle where we are where we’re meant to be.” Sydnie and Haylie tell us.

THE SUPERSONIC ART SHOP | FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM

[crowandmoonwriting]

Writing tip: Explorer Mode!

(Loosely based on Assassin's Creed's Discovery Mode)

Starting off a first draft? Not quite happy with your wording or the starting scene? Inclined to jump around the plot? No idea what the plot is, or who the characters are yet, but still determined to write?

Use Explorer Mode! Your story is an adventure in and of itself, and you are Indiana Jones in the Temple of your Creativity. Write notes, scenes, memes, character motivations, bits of poetry or prose from books or media that inspire you, doodle in the margins, but write. Draw a map from one scene to another. Document your journey, even where you fall into a plot hole full of snakes. You are here to find the story, not make a finished project. It's not so much a first draft as it is a draft zero.

How to switch into Explorer Mode:

It's best to have a dedicated journal to wreck, but you can use whatever writing software you like. Some recommendations: Obsidian, Notion, Campfire Writing, and World Anvil.

At the top of the page, write Explorer Mode, and use it as a header or footer for each page if you have to, to remind you.

Keep it loose. You don't have to keep anything you write in here, but try not to discard anything. Whatever you have might be useful for writing the first draft later, or laughing at with friends.

Make it multimedia! If it's a physical journal, decorate it, draw on it, paint on it, add stickes and fancy scrapbooking paper, pretty washi tape, whatever you like. Cut out pictures from magazines, or tear out pages from old books. Don't be afraid to get messy with it.

Music, music, music! Definitely write down some playlists, or put in some links if you're using a digital journal. Write down the actual names and artists of the songs, however, and when you listen to each one, take notes. What character or scene might this relate to? Who would sing it? What lyrics inspire you? When you close your eyes and just listen, what do you picture in your mind's eye?

Involve the senses! There is nothing so evocative for the memory as scent. Scent your journal, or your pages. Add in a perfume, a fragrance oil, and lightly dab a page. Make a small envelope for a sachet of spices or a scented bit of gauze. What does the scene you're writing smell like? If you're working digitally, write down the notes of fragrances, or which candle you'd like to burn while writing this scene. You can do this with taste, too. Have a few dedicated recipes, if you like to cook, or places to eat that remind you of characters, settings, or plot points. What are your characters' favourite foods? Their comfort foods? For more on food and worldbuilding see my post here.

Get crafty! Make artefacts from your world or story. Embrace other art forms to realise it in your own world. Once when I was taking a ceramics class, I made a series of cups, goblets, and tea pots in the style of one of the countries from my high fantasy world. I love to see them and hold them, and imagine my characters having items just like these (or pretend that these are the real items they used). Sculpt, sketch, make delicate jewellery, sew clothes or a quilt, look up some fun DIY projects on YouTube that might relate to your story or character's interests and give it a go! Remember this is an exploration, so these crafts don't have to be perfect. It's a good idea to have something physical to do, something that you can do while listening to your story playlists, something you can accomplish while you daydream.

And that's about it! Take breaks from Explorer Mode whenever you like, to either actually start work on the first draft because you now feel more confident and comfortable with it, or just to chill and not think of anything for a while. That's important too. Most importantly, have fun! This is art we're making here, and we are artists, but we are also archaeologists, anthropologists, scientists, historians, and explorers of every kind.

Now go out there and have an adventure!

[mtaartsdesign]

We join the mourning of artist and educator Dina Bursztyn, a pillar of the Bronx community. Bursztyn grew up in Argentina, where she studied Latin American literature before moving to New York to pursue a career in writing. Here she discovered a passion for ceramics that blossomed into a prolific multimedia career in both visual arts and writing. She worked in a variety of media, including ceramics, illustration, and installation. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her children’s books, and her artwork can be seen in the public collections of El Museo del Barrio, the New York Public Library, and NYC Public Schools, among others. Parallel to her art practice, she was an art educator and the co-founder of Open Studio, a mixed-use arts exhibition and fabrication space. Her permanent artwork “Views From Above” (2006) at 170 St (4) station in the Bronx carries her legacy in a beautiful kaleidoscope of color.

Photos: MTA A&D

[prehistoricmancunt]

updated about me :0)

multimedia artist (largely fiber artist, painter, poet w dalliances with ceramics, bookbinding, paintmaking, etc)

your local grief advocate (i write abt grief on substack!!!!)

there is something deeply unwell within my spirit & something very nefarious happening within my pussy

I’m genderfluid & bi & disabled & white & bald

my love language is sharing knowledge

[lunchtimebedamned1997]

Why Do I Feel Uncomfortable, Media Literacy, & The Crime of Opinions

(This is something I've had half-finished in my documents for a couple months now that I decided to try and finish up tonight. Just some thoughts that have been percolating)

...

Recently, I’ve been beginning to pre-film some reactions, that are perhaps more akin to commentary or media analysis videos, of the new live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender. Coming at it as a nostalgic fan of the original animated series, long-time lover of media (television in particular has always been a love of mine), and as someone with a background in many creative areas – From writing (personal screenwriting, WIP novels, fanfic + more), as well as art (digital, traditional, multimedia, ceramics, prop making, etc.), sewing, SFX makeup, practical effects whore (enthusiast), and too much more to list.

But though I’ve only watched and filmed two episodes at the time of writing this, I’ve noticed something; I continually apologize for not loving it. And/or apologize if I am possibly, maybe, by chance, coming off too harshly or negatively.

But why?

The point of a reaction video, of any opinion piece, is just that: opinion.

So why is there this nagging notion of feeling like I should not be ‘negative’?

Or more acutely:

Why do I feel uncomfortable with expressing discontent with a creative work?

To be clear before I go into things, this bit of writing will not be a review of the series as I have not yet finished it (nor has it yet been so egregious that I feel called to DNF it), and cannot thusly have a fully-formed concept of my overall thoughts just yet. Rather, this will be about the question posed above; an examination of myself, the current state of online reactions towards expressed discontent, and an overall rambling, hypothesizing bit of writing on the topics at hand.

…

Firstly, and most obviously, I think some of the feeling stems from the clear signs of hard work put into this particular series. While the overall outcome (thus far) may have failings, it is not the fault of the many talented artisans and creatives employed, and I do not want it to come across as though I am discounting the very good work those folks have done.

Secondly, I feel as though it worthy to mention the dreaded society-as-a-whole aspect of my discomfort. Growing up as a neurodivergent child in the very early 2000s, being ‘ungrateful’ or showing discontent was not often a ticket into being deemed as ‘good’. It was far more often the kind of behavior that landed you on the road to being labeled as ‘difficult’.

With so much of how things ‘worked’ for others being an absolute mystery to me, it’s really no wonder that I, along with many others (especially those who are also neurodivergent and/or AFAB), learned that we should limit our ‘negative’ expressions. That if we do express them, we must be perfectly eloquent, calm, and poised in order to be taken seriously and receive any semblance of the benefit of the doubt.

While a calm, well-thought portrayal of one’s feelings may be generally accepted as good conduct and, obviously, usually the best way to keep the neutral attention of those listening to you, it is of course the expectation, particularly for those raised and socialized as girls/women that are expected, even in distressing circumstances or obviously valid emotional turmoil, to act quietly and calmly in order to be listened to. So the difference of course lies, like with all things, in the context of any given situation.

This quite obviously is touching on the subject of misogyny overall, but as that is both widely discussed and I assume, generally understood by those who’d click on this post, I do not feel the need to delve into that particular wormy can – other than pointing out the intersection of being unaware and unable to control who exactly will view what you post online – especially an algorithm-based site where one may not even have to be looking for your particular posts.

Thirdly, and the one I feel most interested to discuss here, is the general attitude online – where of course, I intend to eventually post what I have been pre-filming.

I stumbled across a video on YouTube titled “booktok, brainrot, and why it’s okay to be a hater” by alisha not alihsha and it really kickstarted some thoughts I’ve been having for a while, but before we breakdown some of my thoughts here, I also want to mention @/ briana.glynn on TikTok (also @/ briaiswriting on Insta, Threads, and Storygraph).

While I cannot find the first post I saw by them, I remember fondly the way it made me feel – relief. A weight off my shoulders. To read from the page of someone who states their perceptions and opinions as they are: a byproduct of human existence. All well-written and concise – from a point of effort and not obligation (re: the above tangent on societal expectations). The feeling it invoked in me was the starting point of this blogpost in some sense.

Some may feel as though this is a silly topic; but I could not personally disagree more. Media and the arts as a whole have always been humanity’s main though line to self-expression. Art itself can help us understand the world around us, ourselves, and the people who may surround us. Whether by what society may call more ‘innocent’ means, or as an act of rebellion and revolution. The whole of human experience can be witnessed if one had enough time to view all we have made.

Which is precisely why the growing trend of attacking those with opposing opinions is so glaringly concerning. There would be little point in trying to psychoanalyze the root or overall cause of these behaviors within this blogpost, but I know for me, upon self-reflection after my pre-filmed episodes, it is fear.

Fear of being attacked.

Fear of being different.

The internet has allowed people to find those who share similar ideals, ideas, and ways of life (for better or worse), and with that, I think we’re seeing the natural rise to cling onto that initial sense of belonging. From the hyper-specific aesthetics and ‘core’’s, to the echo that might just be ringing in all out ears:

“Why can’t you just let people enjoy things?!”

Tiffany Ferg, along with many others like Mina Le have discussed the topic in their own video essays on the concept of ‘the rising lack of media literacy’.

It would be surprising if anyone with their head up the internet’s ass didn’t know what I meant when I mention ‘the bean soup of it all’.

So where am I going with this, and what do I think it all means?

               In short: I think we’ve created a reactionary, bad-faith, negative feedback loop of assumptions, instead of taking time to think and process what exactly we – meaning internet users as a whole – are consuming, and what is being said.

               To be more elaborative:

The looming presence of cancellation, and the very human fear of being disliked.

I know at this point, most of us are tired of hearing about ‘cancel culture’ (myself included), as well as increasingly aware of it’s overall ineffectiveness as a tool for education and growth. But that weight of being shunned or shamed by online (and sometimes IRL) society can create fear even for those who would never fall into the ‘cancelation’ parameters. To be human is to make mistakes. To learn. It is through our failings and our experiences that we broaden our perspectives and grow throughout our lives – but with something like cancel culture, the threat of being denied growth looms overhead.

And the folly of being human, is that we are bound to royally fuck up at least once in our lives – probably more than once. Perhaps enough times we become unable to keep count. But being uneducated is not a crime; it is the lack of willingness to learn when the opportunity is available, after a gap in one’s knowledge is presented to them by the appropriate parties, that can be the true tell of things.

This is not, of course, to say that it is not sometimes justified to remove the public support of someone voicing harmful opinions out into the world, particularly when they have a wide influence. But rather - well, let me borrow one of my father’s favorite phrases:

“It is not what you do, but the intensity at which you do it.”

Which is really the hard pill of it all, isn’t it? Its not that the show or removal of support is wrong, its that the intensity at which it is often preformed (particularly towards the objectively less severe offences) that ends up removing the opportunity for growth and (genuine) lessons learned in the future of that individual’s life, and creates a vacuum of fear in which we all begin to operate from – some weird sort of digital fight-or-flight.

And one might consider that if any particular individual is educated enough, and eloquent enough, they need not worry. And while to a certain extent that is definitely true, we are unable to know everything. To lack controversial opinions or ‘hot-takes’ is to limit ourselves to a stagnant loop of whatever that culture was when opinions started to be viewed moreso as attacks.

But again – context is important. One (such as me, rn) might say that: Understanding nuance, and that to be human is to contradict oneself, is one of the cornerstones of healthy communication.

If someone is sharing an opinion that is harmful, objectively false/uneducated, and/or targets a marginalized group who are literally only asking to be allowed to live their lives in peace (one may think of JK Rowling and her ‘manifesto’ of sorts as a prime example here), then that is a valid point to condemn one’s actions!

However, someone expressing their personal dislike of a piece of media, is not necessarily an attack on your tastes or you enjoying that thing. Even if the reasons they proport as to why they dislike it are objectively ‘bad’ (in the sense of lacking some fundamental understanding of the media they are consuming) in the end, it does not matter. They are allowed to feel as they will, and if they are a person who has a fundamental misunderstanding of the work, we cannot force them to want to learn. We cannot spam-comment the will to understand into them.

And sometimes, quite often, it is not so much a lack of understanding for the material, but a different set of life experiences that cause someone to process and view things differently than you. And that is not something that you can take away from someone, or ‘teach’ them to view differently.

If they would like to have an open dialogue, and invite you to share your perception with them – well, to a media nerd like me, that just sounds like good fandom fun! But to react to someone’s perception by stating your perception as fact, is a great way to “Um, actually” your way into Honorary Mansplainer, and grade-A dick, because by doing that, you paint their experience with something as ‘wrong’ or ‘bad’ simply for being different than yours!

Other people’s view points may hurt to hear as you come across them, they may even make you question how you feel about a particular piece of media, or events you’ve experienced IRL, and that can be very uncomfortable in certain circumstances! But it is not, in these cases, a personal attack. Though, I can certainly understand that it may feel like one.

A good example of this would be the character Spike from the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. (skip this brief section (jump to the *) if you would like to avoid spoilers or mentions of SA) If I say “the bathroom scene” Buffy fans all around will cringe at the mention of it. And within minutes there will be a group of people who turn off the chat, another who discuss it calmly, and a third who quickly devolve into throwing terrible accusations at each other.

The long and short of it is, after an abusive situationship fraught with contradicting yes’s and no’s, abysmal lack of communication, and a lot of rough, depression-and-trauma-fueled sex, there comes a point where we have… The Bathroom Scene. The scene where Spike doesn’t understand that Buffy actually means “No” this time. So, during a couple of manic, painful-to-watch minutes, he pulls at her clothes, doesn’t (or refuses to hear) that her “No”’s are genuine, and Buffy responds by using her super strength to kick him off and across the bathroom. At which point Spike reaches a moment of clarity, free from his manic sort of attitude he was in, and freaks the fuck out realizing what he almost did to her – because he didn’t intend, well, that. To rape her was never his intention. She tells him to leave, and this time he does.

He spends the next couple episodes, absolutely losing his mind over what he almost did. Having to reevaluate what kind of a person he really is, and how he reached this point. And he ends up leaving, going across the world to complete deadly trials to win back his soul so that he will never be the sort of man who would come close to anything like that again. Because – oh yeah, during this whole above sections he’s a soulless demon (vampire).

So. How does this relate? Even if you’re not in the fandom, I bet you can guess.

There are some people who find Spike to be forever irredeemable, that his character is retroactively and in future, forever ruined. They cannot forgive him, and never will. There are some that will only forgive him because he (post-S6) has a soul. Some that will forgive him because Buffy (the injured party) does (I personally fall into this camp, if you were curious). And those whose opinions are unaffected by that plot point entirely, often stating that ‘it’s fiction, and therefore characters simply have to be interesting to watch in order for them to like said character’. The thing is, NONE of these opinions are wrong. They are opinions. Not stated facts. While these might be able to tell someone a bit what someone may be like as a person, or how their brain works, it cannot tell you whether that person themselves is ‘good’ or ‘bad’. That’s just not how that works.

*However, someone saying something rude about the people who like certain books/authors (one may think of Coleen Hoover and BookTok) is where things may become more murky, and the importance of analysis becomes even more vital.

At this point, the conversation has moved away from the realm of a perception on a fictional person, and gone towards a judgement of a group of people. Not inherently evil, in the case of this Colleen Hoover example, but not always pleasant either.

The truth is, it’s a hard fact of life that not everyone is going to like you or agree with you.

That is part of what makes life and our world so interesting. There is something and someone for everyone. If someone attacks you personally, or tells you to your face (or your comment section, or DMs) that they think you’re terrible because you like XYZ (Twilight, Colleen Hoover, etc), that’s obviously ridiculous and cruel, seemingly just for the sake of it. You’re not hurting anyone by liking those things, and you are allowed to enjoy things!

The difference is, when someone points out issues with a piece of media, say for example, grammatical errors, toxic behaviors, being marketed confusingly (cutesy innocent-looking cartoon covers children are oft drawn to on smut books, for example – I think the most common I’ve seen of the book cover issue is called Ice Breaker?), etc. that is their opinion, whether you like it or not, they are simply sharing what they think. They are not actually trying to stop you from enjoying things.

There seems to be this common perception nowadays that to criticize is to say: ‘Thing bad. Thing irredeemable. Thing so horrendous that if you like thing, you are a terrible person with terrible taste by proxy and you should feel shame.’

Because of the space so many people are operating from, because so much of the algorithm’s job is making sure you’re hearing people who you agree with day in and day out, we get a warped sense of what is ‘right’ or ‘true’. It’s why people can be so easily radicalized online to either end of the political spectrum. And those, particularly on the far right, use fear of the ‘other’ to keep people in line and create a warped sense of solidarity among members of that party.

And odd microcosm of that is occurring online right before us. Everything too different scares us. We see so many horrors on our screens everyday that of course we react to even ‘harmless’ other-ness (like opinions on media) with fear and harsh bad-faith reactions. We are exposed to a world of two groups: “The people who are like me, and the people who are wrong” obviously, this is a more extreme phrasing, but all of this plays into what we see online.

If you question something, then you must be part of the ‘other’ trying to hurt the cause. If you criticize something, then you ‘clearly don’t like it as much as real stans’. If you voice an unpopular opinion or hot-take that isn’t witty enough, and is just honest and phrased how the average person speaks, then you’re just a killjoy who’s trying to have fun by making everyone else feel bad about what they like.

It's like how people would get in actual screaming matches over the internet because one person liked pineapple on pizza, or did their milk & cereal in the ‘wrong order’.

We are weird, little, feral, goblin-y animals! We are supposed to be weird! And different! It is all okay as long as your opinion is not actually hurting someone! (looking at you, JKR). We are not meant to be ‘normal’! We are not robots! We do not have a set program that makes us do the same and think the same! Aggie Cromwell in Halloween Town said “Being normal is vastly overrated!” and she’s right! Normal doesn’t exist! Commonalities do! Structure does! Innovation does not happen without growth! Growth does not happen without change! And change does not happen when you’re trying so hard to be someone else’s idea of ‘good’!!!

IT IS OKAY IF SOMEONE ELSE’S OPINION IS DIFFERENT THAN YOURS!

EVEN IF IT MAKES YOU SAD OR HURTS YOUR FEELINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN’T LOVE ‘XYZ’ LIKE YOU DO!!!

YOU ARE STILL ALLOWED TO LIKE THE ‘BAD’ BOOK/MOVIE/GAME!!!

2. The perceptions of society, and how assumptions sting.

During my first year of university classes, I decided to take a film studies course. As the stereotype goes, I was the only AFAB person in the class, but I liked my professor and valued his opinions; and I’ve never been one to shy away from my passions. So little 16/17-year-old-me got ready for a whole term talking about movies (I went to Uni early). We watched a few of the first films ever made. Some of the classics like Casablanca. We did a whole section on Groundhogs Day. And through it all, I raised my hand, I talked, and I was listened to. Eventually, even the oldest guys in the class started looking more attentive when I talked. I thought I was being heard, and I thought my opinions were valued like the other people in the class.

So one day, after a lecture that made it relevant to bring up, I went to my professor and recommended him Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as it carried a lot of the themes he was particularly interested by, and paved the way for a lot of what we see today in modern TV. He kind of laughed and rolled his eyes, and I was taken aback. I told him that “Oh, yeah. I know it has a silly title, but they actually teach university courses on the series! The first season is a bit heavy on cheesiness, but by the middle of the second season it really becomes something unforgettable.” And he kind of shrugged me off. But he was older, and he’d just gotten finished teaching a long class, so I decided to let it go for the day. I’d already recommended it to my friend in the class (we’ll call him Steve), and he said he’d been enjoying it, so my hyperfixation was satisfied.

But, I’m me, so a few days later I emailed my professor about it (he’d been taken recommendations from other students, btw) I carefully wrote out a few, concise points, and even included Why You Should Watch Buffy from Passion of the Nerd on YouTube (10/10 recommend Ian’s channel btw!). I never received an email back. Which was not typical of this professor.

So a few days later, I went up to him after class and asked if he got my email, and he laughed at me, and said that he was, basically, trying to be nice before, but he was never going to watch something made for ‘teenage girls’.

               It might sound dramatic, but from someone I respected, it felt like a slap in the face.

And so I told Steve about what our Professor said, looking for comfort from a friend, expecting him to tell me that that was harsh, and rude. Instead, Steve laughed at me, and said

“Wait, you actually like it? I thought you just wanted me to watch it because the main girl looks like you.” (Nevermind that I still cannot understand why a character looking like me would be grounds for recommendation???? Perhaps if I was a raging narcissist? I really don’t know –) but he’d told me he’d been watching it, so I pressed further.

“You – but you said you liked it. So why would you think that? Why would you think that was the reason even if you didn’t like it?”

My face felt hot as I spoke to him, and I was flooded with a sense of humiliated shock. I’d honestly never experienced something like this before, I’d only seen it in movies. The sheer level of disrespect and dismissal because of my age and gender was almost comical.

I don’t remember exactly what Steve said after that. Just that it boiled down to that he liked me – as more than a friend. Which really meant he was attracted to me physically, since he clearly didn’t know much about me after almost six months of being ‘friends’.

I felt humiliated as the realization came crashing down that everyone in that class was humoring me. That to them I was just a ‘silly teenage girl’ with ‘silly teenage girl interests’ and that they would never see me differently. Even if my insights were interesting. Even if sometimes I said what the other students were thinking before they could articulate it. None of that mattered to them.

I didn’t respect any of them beyond the basic ‘you’re-a-living-person-too’ level after that.

But I kept going to class to get the grade. I kept going and talking and sharing what I thought even if none of them cared. I would not be anyone other than myself just because they couldn’t see what I had to offer. (I'm still very proud of my younger self for that :3)

I say all this to illustrate the point here:

Sometimes people will be cruel to you from a place of ignorance, social conditioning, or any number of things that have nothing to do with your personally.

Even if people try to discount you, that doesn’t mean that you’re doing something wrong. Not if they don’t have anything but insults to say.

You don’t need someone else to validate you or see your worth for you to be right.

The things you think, and your existence as a whole are enough. Just by virtue of you existing in this moment. Just by you staying true to yourself and not treating others poorly.

That you are allowed to change your mind about things, about people.

And,

You cannot change the minds of people who are unwilling to listen. Who are unwilling to learn.

By understanding the difference between ignorance and volume, between criticism and bullying, and between stated-as-a-fact and stated-as-an-opinion, we can learn so much, from so many brilliant people.

And it’s hard when other people are not in that headspace. And the fear and pre-experience exhaustion of having to deal with people who either want to be in, or are stuck in a knee-jerk reactionary space, well, it can cause you to do things like apologizing in your ATLA live action reaction videos for having ‘negative’ opinions.

Yes, that was a self-directed face-palm. Thank you.

But it is hard. It’s hard to navigate the world, IRL and online. And its easy to get stuck in the other extreme with this topic as well (not just reserved for politics) where you can fall into the ego-trap of starting to think you’re better than someone because you’re educated (to whatever degree, from whatever source) and they’re just ‘not even trying *pitying scoff*’.

Beware the pitfalls, my friends.

We’re all surprised that quicksand wasn’t more of an issue in our day-to-day adult life, but it turns out the real quicksand is the fucking ping pong tournament between self-flagellations and an ego trip, trying not to let yourself get more than waist deep in either pit, back and forth. If you’re lucky, you can stay in that solid, middle ground between the two, but for most of us, that’s hard. It’s work. It’s check-ins.

And you can never be perfect. (sorry, it’s true ☹)

None of this is internet-bashing either. There is so much good to be found online. But the internet is a reflection of people, which means some of it is lovely, some of it is cruel, and some of it is somewhere in between.

I have SO MUCH more I could say on this, especially in regards to the attacks against Hazbin Hotel fans (as well as the in-fandom ‘Valentino of it all’ discourse), Arcane and the Sexuality Policing that goes on, etc. But I think that’s best served for another piece of writing since that will be even more heavily colored by my own perceptions and opinions.

Regardless, I’d like to sum up my thoughts by saying that I think we all need to become more comfortable with hating things without that morphing into attacking, and with working on becoming more comfortable with seeing other people express hatred for things that we love when it’s not an attack. I’m no fucking saint, I get so wounded – deeply, personally, viscerally – when I see people hate the shows or characters that I love. When I feel like things or themes are being misrepresented or misinterpreted. It makes me want to stand up on a soap box and give 30,000 Ted Talks on why Thing Is Actually So Good, Please See It Like I Do.

But the block/’not interested’ buttons are a godsend. If someone is upsetting you or you just get ~ookie vibes~, BLOCK THEM! For no reason even! Protect your peace, but try to allow yourself to absorb alternative opinions when you have the spoons! We all have to be in the real world, so if you want your internet time to be 100% watching people build sandcastles on the beach with ocean wave ASMR, then curate that, Pookies! Ignore everything else! The internet is an endless sandbox we all get to play in, find the part of it you like, and go visit others if you feel so inclined, just don’t kick over their stuff because their shovel is a color you don’t like XD

Even with all of that, there’s probably three times as much that I forgot to say, but this is good enough for now, I might add more later, and I might write about the aforementioned Hazbin and Arcane stuff I’ve seen around, but I’m sleepy so that’s very much a maybe later thing haha

TLDR: Be nice to each other! Please! We’re all little freaks, find your niche and thrive my loves XD

[gromlyn]

About, Tags, & Links

🌿🏺🧿🌟Find me elsewhere!🌟🧿🏺🌿

Hello! I’m Ciaran (keer-an)

I’m a sculptor/ceramicist/general artist turned theology grad student

I live with my partner, his little dog Winslow, and our 3 wonderful kitties- Pan, Thistle, and Bacchus

I mostly just reblog/post about things I enjoy. While I am a Certified Hater™️, I try to keep discourse posting to a minimum

My current biggest interests include: a song of ice and fire, house of the dragon, it’s always sunny in philadelphia, flight rising, dragon age, evangelion, dungeon meshi, the Roman Empire, chainsaw man, silent hill, puppets, Pokémon, gundam, religious studies, christianity, world mythology, and horror in general.

When it comes to christianity, I fundamentally believe being queer is a blessing from god and that all lgbtqia+ people are made in his image. Any bigotry in the name of Christ is not welcome here :)

I’m always open for commission inquiries! Feel free to message me with any ideas you have and we can work something out :)

Tags

#my art - all my artwork can be found here!

#ciarans dragons - my flight rising dragons :)

#fr dragon art - all my flight rising art lives here!

#pixel art - all pixel art goes here!

#my ocs - my original characters can all be found here

#the book of elisheva - a multimedia project inspired by apocryphal texts, Gnosticism, and christian mysticism

#moondragon - an original fantasy world building project of mine :)

#untitled creature collector - a fake video game project I’m working on with my partner <3

#asoiaf au - a needlessly complicated a song of ice and fire alternate universe project

#asoiaf fanart - all a song of ice and fire/game of thrones/house of the dragon fanart can be found here!

#angel art - any artwork featuring angels

#ceramics - all ceramic work (sculpture and non-sculpture)

#sculpture - all non-ceramic sculpture work

(blinkies made @ blinkies.cafe <3)

[roycegb14]

STEM, which means SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, and MATHEMATICS strand for senior high school students who are going to take courses in college which are mostly related in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Courses you may take from this strand are ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, GEOLOGY, MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, PHYSICS, APPLIED PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY, FOOD TECHNOLOGY, NUTRITION AND DIETETICS, MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, MIDWIFERY, NURSING, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, PHARMACY, RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY, and RESPIRATORY THERAPY, which goes under science.

In technology, we have COMPUTER SCIENCE, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INFORMATION SYSTEMS, DIGITAL COMMUNICATION and MEDIA/MULTIMEDIA ANIMATION, INTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGY, VIDEO GRAPHICS, and SPECIAL EFFECTS.

Next are the courses you may take from stem, which are under the engineering. These are: AERONAUTICAL, CERAMIC, CHEMICAL, CIVIL, COMPUTER, ELECTRICAL, ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATIONS, GEODETIC, GEOLOGICAL, INDUSTRIAL, MARINE MATERIALS, MECHANICAL, METALLURGICAL, MINING, PETROLEUM, SANITARY, MARINE TRANSPORTATION, and ARCHITECTURE.

Lastly is about the courses you may take under math, which are MATHEMATICS, APPLIED MATHEMATICS, and STATISTICS.

This strand is hard if you don't have any knowledge about this.

[dying-signals]

I want to get back into ceramics & clay work so bad. Avery lore I won second place in my county’s art festival for a multimedia clay sculpture of flowers.

[k00286712]

artist research

Shayna Leib and Baptiste Debombourg

Shayna Leib is a multimedia artist with who works in both sculptural and 2d mediums with 26 years experience focusing on glass and ceramic. I love her wind and water series.

I would love to try like this falling into a big puddle showing the power of water like shayna.

His projects are related in one way or another to an aspect of human relations: our mistakes, our doubts, our desires, our perceptions of certain realities.

I love his work and how they flow. the scale of them is so intriguing too and would see them in real like.

[govindhtech]

Xiaomi 15 Series With Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 Debut October 2024

The Xiaomi 15 Series’ incredible flagship smartphone selection has caught the IT community’s attention. Xiaomi constantly innovates, leading the smartphone industry in features and cost. Xiaomi leads smartphone features and pricing with ongoing innovation. This article discusses the Xiaomi 15 Series‘ design, performance, camera technology, and battery life, emphasizing its benefits over rivals.

Magnificent Style and Construction Quality

Xiaomi’s sleek, high-end Xiaomi 15 Series design shows its exceptional design commitment. Some models have polished metal frames, matte glass, and beautiful ceramic back panels. Due to their rounded edges and slim profiles, these smartphones are attractive and comfortable to handle.

Important components of the design include

Very tiny bezels that optimize the ratio of screen to body.

AMOLED screens with curves that provide a more engaging visual experience.

IP68 water and dust resistance guarantees longevity under harsh circumstances.

The Xiaomi 15 Series‘ meticulous design makes sure that these phones appear as nice as they function.

Display Technology: A Masterpiece of Vision

A highlight of the Xiaomi 15 Series is its outstanding display technology. In strong sunlight, these smartphones’ 6.7-inch QHD+ AMOLED panels provide deep blacks and beautiful colors. The 120Hz refresh rate enhances scrolling, gaming, and entertainment.

The Xiaomi 15 Series display’s highlights include:

Support for HDR10+ for improved color accuracy and contrast.

Dolby Vision for the highest caliber of video playback.

Refresh rate that is adaptive, changing dynamically according on the content to save battery life.

High peak brightness, guaranteeing visibility under all kinds of illumination.

With its cutting-edge display technology, the Xiaomi 15 Series is an excellent option for work, gaming, and media consumption.

Performance: Driven by the Most Recent Snapdragon CPU

Xiaomi 15 Series phones use the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 CPU. This CPU makes smartphones ideal for gaming, multitasking, and demanding applications because to its lightning-fast performance. Together with UFS 4.0 storage and up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, the phones provide remarkable speed and economy.

Important aspects of performance comprise:

AI-powered speed optimization to ensure seamless functioning under all circumstances.

5G connection offering faster and more reliable networks.

Wi-Fi 7 compatibility, providing increased range and speedier internet connections.

For prolonged gaming sessions or high-performance jobs, graphene cooling systems help avoid overheating.

The Xiaomi 15 Series excels in all areas, whether you’re a power user or simply want a quick, dependable phone.

Camera Features: A New Chapter in Mobile Photography History

Xiaomi continues to lead smartphone photography technology with the 15 Series. Due to its Sony IMX989 sensor, the 50MP primary camera has excellent dynamic range, color accuracy, and low-light performance. The telephoto and ultra-wide lenses enhance the primary sensor and provide more shooting options.

Crucial advancements made in the Xiaomi 15 Series camera:

AI-powered photography for more intelligent scene identification and ideal configurations.

OIS and EIS are included in 8K video recording for smooth, cinematic imagery.

The periscope telephoto lens is ideal for distant shots with a 10x optical magnification.

Night Mode 2.0 takes sharp, well-lit images in low light.

Photographers and multimedia creators like the Xiaomi 15 Series‘ outstanding photography, which may rival professional cameras.

Durability and Battery Life: Fast and Accurate

Every smartphone user worries about battery life, but Xiaomi’s 15 Series’ 5000mAh battery solves this. Due to its powerful battery and power management, this phone can last all day.

What the Xiaomi 15 Series can charge:

With 120W HyperCharge technology, a battery can be charged from 0% to 100% in under 20 minutes.

50W wireless charging offers quick, easy power boosts without the need for wires.

While traveling, use reverse wireless charging to swiftly charge wearables and earbuds.

The Xiaomi 15 Series‘ battery and charging capabilities make it one of the most versatile and user-friendly flagship gadgets.

The MIUI 15 interface is plenty with features

The 15 Series’ MIUI 15, Xiaomi’s overlay atop Android 14, is smooth and simple to use. MIUI 15 makes everyday tasks more enjoyable and productive with its many customization options, increased security, and AI-driven advancements.

Among the notable MIUI 15 features are:

The goal of focus mode is to reduce outside distractions while working or learning.

improvements to privacy, include AI-powered call filtering and permission control for apps.

Enhanced mobile gaming technologies like Game Turbo 5.0 increase fluidity and resource efficiency.

Customers can maximize their Xiaomi 15 Series smartphones for work and pleasure with MIUI 15’s customization and capabilities.

Xiaomi 15 Series launch

Xiaomi 15 series is expected to launch in October 2024. This follows Xiaomi’s flagship product release trends and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor’s scheduled introduction.

Cost and Availability

The Xiaomi has always been recognized for its affordable prices, the Xiaomi 15 Series carries on this heritage by providing flagship features at a cheaper cost than rival models. There are many configurations for this series; the basic model costs €799, while the Pro and Ultra models, which come with more RAM and storage choices, cost €1299.

Price breakdown for the Xiaomi 15 Series:

Xiaomi 15 (256GB storage + 8GB RAM) costs €799

12GB RAM + 512GB storage on the Xiaomi 15 Pro costs €1099.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra (16GB RAM, 1TB storage): €1299

Many online and offline stores sell the Xiaomi 15 Series in Europe, Asia, and North America.

Conclusion

Xiaomi 15 Series matches premium smartphones in style, camera, and battery life. Xiaomi’s rigorous attention to detail and inexpensive cutting-edge technology make the Xiaomi 15 Series popular among value-seekers.

Read more on Govindhtech.com