#priority numero uno is the bit

[beebopurr]

As a break from the sad I think if Casey jr tried pulling the parent trap it would almost work ONCE and just end up like this

And like 20 minutes later

[bearingwater]

January Forecast for Aquarius

Ease your way into 2019, as gently as you can. The calendar’s turn is always a little weird for you, because the Sun is in Capricorn and your sleepy twelfth house until the third week of January. Going straight from celebration to hibernation is what your system naturally wants to do. But this go-round, that might not be so easy. With two eclipses jolting you into action on January 5 and 21, there are important moves to make…and you don’t want to snooze through those!

On January 5, your twelfth house of closure is activated by a partial solar (new moon) eclipse in Capricorn, which could shut one door firmly so you can open another. What part of your identity or your past no longer serves you, Aquarius? Let it go so you can make way for the new. With structured Saturn traveling close to the Sun for the first week of the year (making an exact meetup on January 2), you may boldly shed an outworn part of your identity or life. Your father or a significant male might factor into events at this eclipse. You may also establish a new relationship with a mentor figure or be trained by a helpful person who’s a seasoned veteran of your industry. Artists and healers could gain unexpected recognition at the solar eclipse, or you might decide to commit yourself to mastering your craft in 2019.

On January 11, the mystical side of this eclipse could reveal itself, when the Sun makes its annual conjunction (meetup) with transformational Pluto in Capricorn. You may feel called to do some deep forgiveness work, especially if you’ve been clinging to resentment or projecting your past pain onto someone you care about. This Sun-Pluto meetup could bring a psychic moment, perhaps through a dream or a session with a healer. If you’ve ever wanted to try a past-life regression or work with a medium, you may get a serendipitous sign from a departed loved one now. Some profound puzzle pieces can come together in the first two weeks of the year, but you’ll have to be receptive to intuitive flashes and “messages” from your subconscious. Journaling, meditation or sound healing could open the channels.

Amid all this right-brained activity, your logical left brain will also have a heyday in January. Your co-ruler Uranus will rocket out of a five-month retrograde on January 6, powering forward in Aries and your third house of communication. Your trailblazing ideas (and possibly your shockingly authentic commentary) will be back on the fast track again. With assertive Mars also in Aries from January 1 to February 14, your feistiness could reach epic levels. Be careful not to get TOO in people’s faces about stuff, Aquarius, even if you’re valiantly defending your creative freedom or beliefs.

Still, it’s important to nail down your messaging now because on March 6, Uranus will depart Aries, not to return again in your lifetime. You’ve got two more months to put yourself out there in a bold and original way. Writing, teaching, social media and communication-based projects get a special boost. With Mars and Uranus in your third house of community, you might suddenly pick up and move to a new neighborhood or take on an unexpected role in a local project. Your inner social-justice warrior could be fired up now, and this is the perfect year to collaborate with like-minded people around a world-bettering cause.

But before you go splashing truth serum on the world or blasting out an opinion you can’t un-Tweet, make sure your thinking is clear. On January 13, the first of this year’s three challenging squares forms between outspoken Jupiter and hazy Neptune, which can lead to confusion and mixed messages. Jupiter is in your eleventh house of groups while Neptune is in your second house of money and security. This could bring anything from a confidence shake-up to disruptive drama in your social circle. Who are your real friends, and who’s just hanging around because they want something from you?

You may start to notice that a certain friendship has become one-sided or codependent, especially with needy Neptune in the mix. Perhaps there’s someone whose ego always needs a boost or who expects you to pick up the pieces (and the tab) when they make a mess out of their lives. Are you relying too heavily on others for validation or to boost your own status? With Jupiter in your technology house, you might need to take a social media break, especially if you’ve gotten overly concerned with counting “likes” at the expense of connection. Jupiter and Neptune will form two more exact squares on June 16 and September 21, but you’ll feel their tension throughout the year.

You’ll be ready to focus on numero uno again starting January 20, when the Sun swings into Aquarius for a month, kicking off your birthday season. Hibernation: interrupted! Those sluggish vibes that started the year will soon be a thing of the past. Unclear about your direction for 2019? The fog lifts, and you’ll radar in on what YOU want to accomplish this year. Any adventures topping your bucket list? Enlist a couple of trustworthy wingpeople and make those into a reality.

Your closest ties come under major scrutiny on January 21, when a Leo full supermoon and total lunar eclipse blaze into your seventh house of committed partnerships. From romance to finance to friendship, this eclipse will shake up the status quo. A budding connection could move swiftly into official status—or end abruptly. Or you could have an epiphany about what you’re willing to accept from a relationship or how to make your bottom line your top priority. If finding love is on your 2019 resolution list, this eclipse will bring a no-BS realization about how you might be blocking that…or what your savviest next steps should be.

This is the grand finale in a two-year series of eclipses that’s lit up the Leo-Aquarius axis since February 2017, transforming your personal identity as well as your approach to commitment. You’ve gotten so much clearer about who you are and what you stand for, since every six months an eclipse would nearly force you to assert yourself or step into the spotlight. Your interpersonal dynamics have naturally shifted, and as a result there could have been a reshuffling on Team Aquarius. You won’t experience eclipses here again until 2026, so use this powerful portal to make sure your relationships are on solid ground.

Once again, you may have to put on some filters before you clear the air, though. Also on January 21, intense Mars in your communication house locks into an embattled square with rigid Saturn in your twelfth house of closure. Even if you need to set a firm boundary or let someone know that you’re upset, watch your tone: This cosmic clash can either make you overly aggressive or the host of an epic pity party. Instead of hurling accusations or playing the blame game, try to begin any statement with “I feel” rather than “You.”

Or just wait a couple days until January 25, when Mars will form a harmonizing trine with authentic Jupiter, helping you serve up the #realtalk with love and generosity. The blissful union of these courageous planets will activate your interpersonal sectors, helping you step into other people’s shoes and listen with much more acceptance. It’s an amazing day to branch out and network, sparking up new dialogues and friendships.

Redirect your attention if you’re angry. Who knows? That person or issue that seemed SO infuriating a few days ago may now become comedic fodder. Your tale of woe could be a story so outrageous it sends you and a rapt audience into side-splitting hysterics when you reenact it. Laughter is truly the best medicine, and you might enjoy a hearty dose of it as the month ends.

Love & Romance

Witty banter and stimulating conversations are your most effective aphrodisiacs this month as lusty Mars blazes through Aries and your mental, expressive third house until February 14. This can have the effect of drawing people to you like moths to a tiki flame. If you’re looking for romance—or just some fun, flirty times—this is one exciting transit!

But if you’re coupled up, or just not feeling it, you may want to lay a little low because you WILL be found! You might be attracted to a brainy geek or wordsmith; “boring” is not going to cut it for you! With aggro Mars heating up your communication corner, watch for a tendency to be a bit argumentative or sarcastic. If you’re in a relationship, don’t take your beloved for granted or make the rookie error of dumping your stuff on them. It will NOT be appreciated!

The first week of January, when fellow lovebird Venus is flitting through Scorpio and your prominent tenth house, you might be stuck on being “right” or hammering home a point at the expense of getting along. Try to catch yourself in action and nip that behavior in the bud before it spins out of control and you foster resentment. On the upside, this is a great transit for talking about shared future plans and maybe launching a sideline business together. Single? You could be drawn to someone older or more established than you.

Then, from January 7 to February 3, Venus will sweep through Sagittarius and your eleventh house of socializing and technology. If you’re not attached at the hip, you’ll prefer to keep your interpersonal interactions on the light-and-breezy side and put off getting into anything too serious. Since this zone rules your digital life, this is a particularly good time for online dating. But focus on the fun and adventure of it, not the “end zone.”

January brings a pair of romantic red-letter days, so watch for them. On January 18, and Venus and Mars align in a harmonious trine that could set the stage for meeting someone through mutual friends or a dating site—which could catch you totally off-guard! On January 22, Venus makes her once-a-year merger with fellow “benefic” Jupiter. You might spark a new connection with a person from another culture, who lives in another time zone or works remotely from various location. But if the chemistry (and other qualities) are there, you won’t mind. Couples could travel together, perhaps with mutual friends. Rally your favorite people and book a ski lodge chalet or a cool Airbnb rental.

Love Days: 17, 21 Money Days: 27, 10 Luck Days: 25, 7 Off Days: 19, 23, 5

[canisxcanemxedit]

𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑹𝑨𝑪𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑺𝑯𝑬𝑬𝑻 * repost, don’t reblog !

𝘽𝘼𝙎𝙄𝘾𝙎 !

FULL NAME. Joshua Jeremiah Hopkins. MEANING. Joshua comes From the Hebrew name Yehoshu'a meaning “ Yahweh is salvation”. Ironic, of course. If anyone’s guiding Joss, it ain’t Yahweh.  NICKNAME. Turnabout Joss, on account of his M.O. GENDER.  Male HEIGHT. 5′8″ AGE. Mid forties to early fifties.  ZODIAC. Capricorn SPOKEN LANGUAGES. primarily English, but he knows a bit of native american (though he’s quick to admit he’s crap at it).

𝙋𝙃𝙔𝙎𝙄𝘾𝘼𝙇 𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙍𝘼𝘾𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙄𝙎𝙏𝙄𝘾𝙎 !

HAIR COLOR. Copper EYE COLOR.  Brown SKIN TONE.  Tanned and, honestly, unwashed at most times.  BODY TYPE.  Slender, but surprisingly fit. ACCENT. Southern VOICE.  Kinda high, but not noticeably. DOMINANT HAND. Left. POSTURE. Somewhat aloof. SCARS. One down his left brow, one near his hip and a few on his shoulders from bullet grazes. TATTOOS. None. MOST NOTICEABLE FEATURE(S). His deceptively lanky frame, black duster & hat and his noticeably red hair.

𝘾𝙃𝙄𝙇𝘿𝙃𝙊𝙊𝘿 !

PLACE OF BIRTH. Can’t really say. HOMETOWN. Nowhere specific, but his old house was a few miles away from Valentine. MANNER OF BIRTH. Natural. FIRST WORDS. “Whisky” SIBLINGS.  None. PARENTS.  Annabelle “Belle” Hopkins & who the fuck knows who. PARENT INVOLVEMENT.  Joss’s mother worked in the local saloon as both an entertainer and “Working Girl”. Joss never knew his father, but he suspected to be one of Belle’s old clients. As for his mother, she only had a few precious hours a day to spend with Joss, but they both valued every second. She worked her ass off to support her son. Unfortunately, that busy life ended up spelling her death when Joss was 18. 

𝘼𝘿𝙐𝙇𝙏 𝙇𝙄𝙁𝙀 !

OCCUPATION. Outlaw. CURRENT RESIDENCE. Nowhere and everywhere. CLOSE FRIENDS. Chief Ahanu and his tribe.  RELATIONSHIP STATUS. Secretly taken. FINANCIAL STATUS.  He don’t have much often, but he gets by. DRIVER’S LICENSE.  For a horse? CRIMINAL RECORD.  And how!

𝙎𝙀𝙓 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙍𝙊𝙈𝘼𝙉𝘾𝙀 !

SEXUAL ORIENTATION.  Heterosexual ROMANTIC ORIENTATION.  Heteroromantic. PREFERRED EMOTIONAL ROLE.       submissive       |         dominant       |       switch PREFERRED SEXUAL ROLE.     submissive       |       dominant      |       switch LIBIDO.  About what you’d expect from a guy on the road. TURN ON’S. A lady who can kick his ass. TURN OFF’S.  Disloyalty, cruelty and being an all-around bitch.  LOVE LANGUAGE.  If he makes your wants and needs priority numero uno, it’s basically proof positive that he’s head over heals in love with you.  RELATIONSHIP TENDENCIES.  Though he’s usually out doing his outlaw thing, once Joss comes home to roost, his significant other will be his sole devotion. Seriously, he’ll be your knight and you’ll be his goddamn queen. 

𝙈𝙄𝙎𝘾𝙀𝙇𝙇𝘼𝙉𝙀𝙊𝙐𝙎 !

CHARACTER’S THEME SONG.   ''The Devil Inside'' by Extreme Music HOBBIES TO PASS TIME.  Getting drunk, playing cards, hunting game and so on. PHYSICAL ILLNESSES. None, to the surprise of everyone. LEFT OR RIGHT BRAINED.  Right brained, though he has his moments of left. FEARS AND PHOBIAS.  Trypanophobia - Fear of needles and injections. SELF CONFIDENCE LEVEL. Reasonably high. VULNERABILITIES. Joss has a bit of a temper and one hell of an unforgiving streak. Once someone does wrong by him, he can’t let it go unanswered, no matter how hard he tries. Defiantly one of those “Nemo me impune lacessit” types.

TAGGED BY:  @tornsurvivors​ (kinda) TAGGING: Whoever nabs it offa me.

[douxreviews]

The Umbrella Academy - ‘The Day That Wasn't’ Review

The Handler: "You're a great disappointment to me."

To put it bluntly, that quote more or less encapsulates the feelings I'm left with after 'The Day That Wasn't.' To get across fully the gravity of my abrupt reaction to this episode, obvious context is needed first, and not just in the manner you'd think.

It's a bit quaint to watch this feature a second time around and have my initial perceptions of certain characters drastically change for the better or for the worse; Luther's becoming tiresome as he fails to live up to his status as 'team leader' by repeatedly discussing why stopping the end of the world is priority numero uno, yet fails to offer up any pragmatic solutions himself, instead choosing to shoot down other workable and hands-on solutions offered up by the other siblings. On the other hand, we have Diego who's redeeming himself for me each passing episode with his wholesome qualities. Setting aside his penchant for reckless murder for the moment, his interactions and bonding with Klaus - in this episode's case, helping him reach sobriety - are among some of my favorite across the entire season. It's not exactly clear why Diego has such a soft spot for Klaus, and it's up in the air if that's a development the series will take the time to explore.

No, instead, this episode takes a big chunk of time to further progress the romantic tension between Luther and Allison. For the record, I will say that this development doesn't quite bother me as much as it does others in the audience, I'm more skimming the edges of the 'indifferent' camp. What is a little tedious for me is that The Umbrella Academy is choosing to wait until the ending of its sixth episode to finally lay the cards on the table about Luther and Allison, something the audience and the other Hargreeves siblings already knew was present. Nonetheless, it is each of their arcs making a sort of progress, and so with their feelings for each other out in the open, this possibly allows them the opportunity to grasp a new perspective on fending off the end of the world.

More truths are bought to light with Luther himself when it's shown to him by Pogo that Sir Hargreeves never took Luther's research on the moon seriously because he had only sent Luther there after his near-death experience due to seeing Luther as useless. Appropriately, this doesn't go over well with Luther and his reaction, performance-wise, is executed well, partly reminiscent of Loki learning his true heritage in Thor. The weight of this revelation too is why it's so conflicting for me to critique Luther sometimes, seeing that his trauma sustained from his father is just as valid as each of his siblings.

Meanwhile, Klaus has found newfound motivation for ditching his stashes of narcotics in the form of Dave, a comrade from Klaus' platoon that appears to have also been involved romantically with Klaus before his untimely death, a monumental factor in Klaus' uneasy state ever since he got back. From my understanding, Robert Sheehan had a bit of a hand in the androgynous wardrobe of Klaus, and I wonder for a moment if he also steered the direction of Klaus' relationship with Dave, and just how much was to be revealed to the audience about the two of them. What's relieving to see in Klaus' development here is that the importance Dave had to Klaus is showcased in the formidable manner of Klaus making great efforts to sober up and opening up to Diego about Dave more or less being the catalyst for that. Some series choose to beat the audience over the head repeatedly with the unquestionable assertion that they feature an LGBT+ character, but in doing so, they sap the remaining characterization out until their sexual orientation is the only thing left to define them by. In Klaus' instance, The Umbrella Academy smartly takes the route of 'show, don't tell'.

More fuel is thrown on the pyre regarding Vanya's increasing animosity towards her siblings. Understandably, she's pissed she wasn't reached out to by the others for her consult on how to stop the end of the world, but after she storms off, Allison's the only one to express guilt over this. It's disappointing that we haven't been allowed much of interactions between Vanya and her brothers because they all seem, to a practically comedic degree, very indifferent to her presence whenever she's in-and-out of the mansion. This potentially could feel very wonky in the future if things come to a head and the academy becomes compelled to defend Vanya from the threat Leonard may present, because their sense of protection over Vanya may feel out of nowhere.

Finally we come to Mr. Five's subplot. Five is taken by The Handler to The Commission's main headquarters and as soon as she begins laying out the inner workings of the institution in specific detail, it was very apparent that Five's end goal all along was to exploit The Commission's technology to his advantage. By the time of the climax, Five does just that, and manages to turn Hazel and Cha-Cha against each other by sending each a message instructing them to kill the other. He also neatly acquires the name of the supposed mastermind behind the imminent apocalypse: Harold Jenkins. Once Five has what he needs in tow, he returns to the prime-line to warn his siblings - one day earlier. The setting where this episode started up, with Luther, Allison, Diego and Klaus discussing how to ward off the apocalypse, is returned to, only with Five in attendance this time. Which means everything we witnessed, everything that was developed for these characters over the last forty-five minutes amounts to nothing. Zip. Nada. All so the series can end this chapter on a quirky little cliffhanger that could have played out just as easily if Five returned one day later.

I've seen this episode twice now and maybe I'm just missing the point this ending is trying to make but this is really an ineffective way to advance a narrative. If anything, had Five returned a day later and dropped the bombshell about Harold Jenkins, I sense that the siblings would have been even more prone to cooperate, now that they have an altered perspective on things to come: Vanya would have discovered Leonard possessing Sir Hargreeves' journal, Luther and Allison have new incentives to continue living, Klaus reunites with Dave in the afterlife (possibly making it past his withdrawal as well), and Diego learns Mom is alive again, courtesy of Pogo. And now all of that is undone and we are frustratingly left back at square one, so now who knows how long it'll be before these guys get their act together?

I'll humor my lingering optimism and say that this ending may be able to be forgiven come next episode if a new turn of events pushes these characters back into the acceptances we saw this episode. So better luck next time, academy.

Name That Tune:

Of course we wouldn't be fully convinced that Klaus spent a year in the late 1960's if his presence in Vietnam wasn't played to the backdrop of The Doors, more specifically 'Soul Kitchen'.

Hargreeves Humor:

Allison: "But can we trust him? I don't know if you've noticed, but Five's a little..." Klaus: "Our little psycho."

Klaus: "We all died fighting this thing the first time around. Remember?" Diego: "Klaus, shockingly, has a point." 

Aaron Studer loves spending his time reading, writing and defending the existence of cryptids because they can’t do it themselves.

[fit-as-fxck]

its Christmas Eve Eve

I’m not ashamed to say I fucked up. But not in the way you would think. For instance, I was busy all day today, got a coffee and didn't eat until 10:30 pm. What. The. Fuck. I picked up two chicken tacos to inhale and the guy at the drive thru hit on me. I might have had a wrench thrown in my Christmas but I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off. Then, helped a friend bake like 63 dozen cookies and chocolates until she dropped, fought with a 12 year old about icing cookies and then got beat by a 6 year old in Super Smash Brothers. I took the last couple days off of lifting because of the hectic shit storm of festivities and dinner parties. I think I might have bit off more than I could chew this year. I haven't been strict on my diet because I can't always control whats offered at dinners etc, but I have remained fairly sensible, haven't backtracked much and haven't been hitting the sweets even tho I spend 75% of my time elbow deep in them.

The last two weeks I’ve felt a tiny impingement in between my shoulder blades. I thought I could pop whatever it was back into place. It wasn't painful, it was just incredibly uncomfortable. I spent a lot of time foam rolling, stretching and trying to work it back (or into place, whatever) but it was still there. So I didn't feel bad taking a couple days off after last week, I don't want to put a barbell on my back or cause excessive pressure on my thoracic spine until I know I won't fuck anything up. It seems to be working itself out. Two more days and then shit goes back to normal for me. I'll reevaluate things at the turn of the year but for now, getting through this holiday is priority numero uno. Tomorrow is my chill day (F I N A L L Y). I’ll get a run in just to keep the blood pumping, make sure I drink enough water and not wait until almost 11 pm to eat something. I’ll be hibernating all day. At least now I can make sure I get enough sleep. I was so tired yesterday I fell asleep on the couch using my dog as a goddamn pillow and personal heater.

[whimsical--dragon]

Dream Last Night

So this dream just... felt weird and a little wrong and I wanted to write it down but I'm lazy so here it is. Under the cut, because it’s a bit long. And weird.

The way I remember it starting is that I was on a team chasing down a serial killer that had escaped prison. His name was Tobias, and he was notorious for killing (and sometimes cannibalizing) young adults. He had no preference for race, gender, sexuality, anything else. He was on a train trying to escape us and when it unloaded, our team tried to get in and through the crowd and find him. I caught a glimpse of him, but he was already running down the path of the station and into the sort of dark part where you’re really not supposed to be. He jumped a guardrail and I chased after him, only realizing once I was on said guard rail that I had swung out farther than I intended to and was suspended above the train track.

I had encountered Tobias before, where he had used a dart filled with some kind of neuro drug that basically made you calmer and loyal to the person that hit you with it. I realized “oh shit he’s gonna shoot me with that again” and managed to dodge the first dart he shot, but since I was stuck on the rail I couldn’t dodge the second one. After a few seconds, the drug overtook my system and I let him help me down off of the rail. I could see my team out of the corner of my eye, now not only looking for Tobias but me as well as he led me away to this giant manor house.

My team DID manage to track me down, but they only could find the vague area where I was. We were around the top floor of the manor house, with my team walking around below. I wanted to alert my team but the drug was still in my system, so I felt too docile and subservient to the villain to actually do something. I remember having the knowledge that the drug became more effective after each time it was used, so I was 2x as fucked as I would have normally been. My team spotted us, but it took the entire crew to get me out of there, and since that was priority numero uno they weren’t able to capture Tobias or better fortify the manor. They grabbed me, helped me work the drug out of my system, and took me home.

However, this was not the end!!! Returning home, I reunited with my fiance, James, (because evidently, I had that) and met his parents (who were, by the way, high ranking members of hell) and tried to forget about what had happened. But just as things seemed to be settling back to normal, James disappeared. We were told that Tobias claimed responsibility for it. He had made an offer: he would give up the locations of some of his victims and NOT kill James IF I came back to him one more time. Now going by fairy rules, as most things in my head do, if I was drugged by him a third time that was game over. I basically would have no chance of getting out of his control if I did that.

Still, I returned to the manor. Of course, this time, I did it accompanied by my team, and we all wore protective clothing that masked our identities. Our goal was to reclaim James and take down the protective magic surrounding the manor. Since I was super not supposed to get in range of Tobias, I was on manor magic duty. The first section was the manor grounds, hallways of pillars and crumbling roofing that created what would be a sort of romantic grounding if I wasn’t being chased by wolves. They had purple eyes and when they opened their jaws I could see the purple magic that coloured the condensation of their breath.

I was racing towards a position where I would be between a rock and a hard place- either face the wolves, or go inside the manor and face a serial killer seeking to kidnap me. I chose wolves. But when I lashed out at the first one, the pack stopped. my hands glowed with the same magic that fueled them. Evidently the drug that had been used to control me also gave me some of the magic that it utilized. Practicing weilding the magic, I called the pack to me, and set off to disarm the other three protections of the manor. The second was atop a cliff that overlooked the building, where I caught the magic user with orange magic and forced him to give his power to me.

The orange allowed me to die and respawn at a point of my choosing, which I set to the manor lawn for now. And then I jumped off the cliff. The next part was vivid and horrible, but I’m not going to explain it in detail because woof that’s rough. I felt my legs break but didn’t die, and had to inflict more minor damage onto myself to reset. It hurt a lot. Finally I felt myself drift away into darkness, before the sun shone on me again through the clouds as I sat in the middle of the manor lawn. My legs were no longer broken, and I was completely healed. But I still had a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach, the realization of what I had just done.

I had different problems to worry about. The fall had knocked my helmet off, and that hadn’t come with me when I respawned. And I hadn’t disarmed the other two defenses of the manor. I tried to cover my face or hide, but someone had already seen me. I was dragged, fighting the entire way, into the manor and put into a room.

The sight of Tobias activated the previous effects of the drug, although to a lesser extent because it wasn’t actively in my system. But I still felt calmer, more comfortable, and content. And that made me feel guilty and terrified. He hadn’t drugged me again yet, but I knew it was over. He would eventually, and my team knew that on the third time, I was a lost cause. I tried to lash out with my magic but he deflected it with his own. The feeling of hopelessness washed over me. My team wasn’t coming for me. I was one step away from being absolutely defenseless.

But instead of drugging me a final time, the man sat back on the bed. Beside him lying prone was James. I rushed over to make sure he was okay. Physically, he was fine, but I could tell that he had already been drugged once to make him docile. And in my panic, I had made a mistake. The closer I was to Tobias, the stronger the thrall became. He patted the bed between him and James. Coaxed by the influence of the drug, I obeyed, climbing over to the spot he had indicated. I curled up, facing my fiance, blisteringly aware of the presence of the serial killer at my back. I shut my eyes tightly as he rolled onto his side, settling his head on the pillow right beside mine.

Calmed by the sound of the two men breathing peacefully, I drifted off to sleep myself, the feeling in my stomach a void of fear and guilt. I had time for one thought before I woke up in the real world: I’m fucked.

[hweianime]

Do you have any snippets from Hellsanity you could share with us?

Yeah. I might as well feed you guys my scraps since I’m having so much trouble with the meal. *cry*

“Remember!” Harry points at the crowd, “No one is just born for the camera- you are made for the camera!”

“Yo.” Noble salutes where he is lazily draping over the couch and partly on Severin. The reporter, clearly a fan, giggles into her fist and waves. Severin rolls his eyes, “God, it is so sad when you try to act young.” He jibes dryly, causing Noble to shove him playfully in response. 

“Oh come off it, just because you and Tom are secretly sixty-seven, doesn’t mean I have to be.”

“Thank you.” Tom replies sarcastically, “For making us look horrible not fifteen seconds into this very important interview.” 

“Noble’s the type of actor that would deliver a four-page soliloquy after getting a fatal wound,” Severin smirked.

“Damn right I would.” Noble says proudly, “If you’re going to kill me off,” Boos from the audience, “Then I’m going to milk every second of screen-time on my scene. I’m talking monologues and flashbacks and telling every character not to miss me and what the fuck were they doing while I was getting stabbed. Seriously, saving my ass should be priority numero uno.” Cheers from the audience.

“Then I’ll haunt the series with more flashbacks until finally, I revive A’ la Supernatural style with a meppic plot twist and a smoking hot new outfit.”

I also planned some really dark shit in the story as well. It’s really the main bit that’s messing up my mojo but I want it soooo bad

Severus finally stands up, shaking and weak like a newborn foal that had been shot in the legs. He looks up to the still form of his past love, with her eyes bloody and gaping and empty. He looks and then he turns around to promptly hurl up his meal in between violent wrecking sobs.

The other professors don’t do anything. They are still and pale and honestly not that far off of what Snape’s current state is. Even Quirrell slash Voldemort looks incredibly disturbed and ill. Harry pulls off his mask and grins. “Well hit me with a stick and call me Sally, you’ve won Professor Snape. I mean, you’ve got vomit on your robes but you aren’t halfway out of the hall so congratulations.”

“L-ily.” Snape rasps, his face is a mess. Just tears and snot and bile. “Oh Merlin, Lily, I-I’m so s-s-sorry.”

Harry laughs cruelly at the man’s wrecked apologies. “Don’t be a fucking idiot professor,” he sneered as the man kept muttering useless apologetic drivel and crying, “As if I know what happened to my mother. I’m clairvoyant not a ghost whisperer. I don’t see what happens after this lifetime." 

"Why,” McGonagall asks softly, her eyes too are wet with tears but now they burn with anger and disgust. “Why would you do this then?”

This is so lame but I want them to do a magical boy tv show. It will be on Netflix and it would be amazing. The movie wouldn’t be that great tho. Because. Let’s face it. They never really are.

“Lunaaaar Lance!” Noble shouts as he throws his crescent moon shaped comb. It glows brightly and swerves back to the young man like a boomerang, encircling his figure with its glow. A flick of his wrists and the glow around his hands scatter to reveal pure white gloves, the change moves upwards, revealing a deep blue coat and a generally musketeer type outfit, feather-tipped hat and all. He opens his eyes and the glow fade into his skin, hardening into an ornately engraved white gold mask that effectively covered the top half of his face. 

“Suuuuun Burst!” Tom yells after, throwing his ring upwards, the golden accessory glows in a sun shape as it stops above the man’s head to twirl and enlarge until it’s fiery light encases the young man. His previous clothes burn away, replacing itself with stylised warrior monk garb. The long red robe he wears is cut off with a fire-like pattern lined with gold and his dark leather gloves have a yellow sun shaped gem on the back of his hands that hold a bright flame in them. Lastly, the fire converges onto his face, giving one last burst before Tom’s eyes snap open and the fire melts into a phoenix shaped mask.

Severin presses his lips against the large green gem on his bracelet which glow brightly in response. Closing his eyes, he tips his head back and brings both of his arms out in front of him, criss-crossed, letting the pentagram star insignia in the gem rise up and hover over his hands. Stretching his arms out to the side, the floating star design seems to split apart so both limbs had a hovering star pentagram. Twisting his arms so the palms of his hand are now facing the star formation, two rather futuristic handguns of white, green and gold seem to drop from the star, into his hands. The moment the weapons touch Severin, small glittering stars began to encircle him, altering his clothes into a dark green and gold cowboy-esque design. 

“Staaaaaaar Shooter!” 

“We are-“ the trio all pose dramatically, Noble’s hand is lightly touching his mask as he faces to the side, Severin’s guns are crisscrossed making an ‘X’ shape with his arms, and Tom is looking confident with his arms flexed and fists raised. “-The Celestial Squad!” 

[michelemoore]

Takhuk

April 29, 2020

Michele Moore Veldhoen

“Tis good to laugh. Yer gotta laugh and laugh out loud,” said the leprechaun. “You can cry if you want to but laughin’s better.” Jacqueline Edgington, Happy Jack

With so much stress and sorrow in our world these days, we need to turn to  Happy Jack and to Mel Brooks who said, "Humour is just another defense against the universe." Right now, we definitely need humour. Lots and lots of humour. I hope you get a laugh or two here today. Take care.

A RUST BUCKET, A GAS GUZZLER, AND A LAND YACHT

Being that most Albertans enjoy a special relationship with their cars and trucks, and being that so many of them are sitting idle in our garages these days, I offer you a sentimental and fond reflection of  three cars I once owned and that are rumbling, overheating, and plowing through the unoccupied regions of my mind.

MY FIRST CAR

1963 Chevy Impala.  Price: $100.00

It was whitish (I’m sure it was the original paint job, thus, it was whitish). The interior was red leather, with a fair bit of deterioration (tears in the seats big enough to conceal a machete). This vintage look was nicely complemented with the flaking red rust trim around the wheel wells and along the door edges. The source of the rust was the bottom of the trunk which had a hole so massive I couldn’t keep a spare tire in there because it would have fallen out.  Oh, and the exhaust preferred to disperse itself through the car interior rather than the exhaust pipe, which come to think of it, was missing. Therefore, the windows had to remain open at all times. In winter, this made for some frostbitten trips down Elbow Drive from my home in Southwood to my high school on 17th Avenue southwest.

I bought that rust bucket from my brother for $100 bucks cash. Money I saved from my cashier job at K-Mart. When my brother offered to sell me the Impala, I wasn’t old enough yet to get a license, but I bought it anyway. I had my priorities. Owning and driving my own car was numero uno. That car, any car, would do. It was about freedom of movement, man, and being in control of my own destiny.

The Impala sat on the driveway of my house for several months, waiting for me to turn sixteen. (I already knew how to drive. I learned when I was twelve and competed against my brother and cousins in a demolition derby. There were three cars in that event. We smashed them all up pretty good and walked away without a bruise and everything we needed to know about driving.)

It would be impossible for me to overstate the pride and satisfaction I felt driving that dilapidated, afflicted, contraption. I could compare it to the obvious delight a young dog exhibits when it has fetched its’ first stick. I could compare it to a young child who has just served his mother his first Easy Bake cake, or has just received his first Student of the Month award, or has just scored his first goal, his lungs bursting with so much pride and love he is afraid to exhale or he might cry. Or that feeling, for which there are no words, a new parent gets holding her first newborn child. It was like that.

My peacock feathers were on display every day I drove that car into my school’s parking lot. I was completely oblivious to the much finer, rust free, sporty type cars driven by other students at Western Canada High. (Which, for the record, was where the Mount Royal kids went to school, so you can imagine the cars.)

I will admit though, my pride was dampened (literally, with sweat) by the relief I felt every time I completed that trip to school accident free. And when I say relief, I mean relief from the kind of heart pounding that feels like your teenage son is pounding his drum set under your rib cage.  

You see, aside from the rust, and the missing exhaust pipe, the Impala had another issue. This one was with the steering. The problem was that the steering wheel had more play in it than a car load of toddlers. Handling the Impala felt like floating. On big ocean waves. In a dime store rubber raft. Keeping her safely between the lane lines while negotiating the many curves and bends of Elbow Drive was like trying to walk a straight line on the midway at the Calgary Stampede. It can be done, but it takes a great deal of concentration and constant course adjustments. After every trip, I felt dazed and amazed that I got that boat to school or home without incident. I have no idea how many close calls I had, but honking car horns occasionally echo in my memory bank.

As big a thrill as it was, driving that old rust bucket, when my father offered to sell me his car, I was ready for an upgrade. He may also have pointed out that my Impala had used up most of its life and would likely crater in the spring potholes.

MY SECOND CAR

1974 Oldsmobile Toronado.  Price: $2,700.00

Teal blue with a white leather interior. She had all the bells and whistles and was in mint condition; after all, two staple items on my dad’s grocery list were Armour All and Turtle Wax. The price was steep, but dad let me pay off the purchase in monthly payments, interest free. Seems to me the payments were $120.00/month. Which was a good thing because, soon after taking ownership of that gas guzzling brute, all its’ bells and whistles stopped ringing and whistling. Repairs to power steering, electric windows, and transmissions are expensive. (Is the transmission a bell or a whistle?) For the next couple of years I gave away most of my typist’s salary in post-dated cheques to the local mechanic, who kept me on the road.

Despite the Toronado barreling through all my entertainment and future education funds, I loved that car as much as I had loved the Impala. Whenever I was first in line at a red traffic light and there was another teenage driver in the lane beside me, on the green light I would put the pedal to the metal which often triggered a similar response in the other driver, who invariably behind the wheel of a hoppy little car that would leap ahead. The lead was short lived. I would keep my foot on the floor, and a few seconds later would wave at the driver as my 454 horsepower engine and I rumbled on by.  Oh, how I reveled in the superiority of that elegant behemoth.

That magnificent machine, with her front wheel drive, could’ve plowed through a field of hay bales without slowing down or suffering a scratch. Once, in fact, while parked in front of my house on an icy winter street, a City of Calgary Transit bus came around the corner and slid into the back end of her. The grill of the bus was mangled, but the bus driver and I could not find a scratch, dent, or scrape on my bumper.  After that, I wasn’t afraid to use the back end of that beast to push out of my way any car that had boxed me into a parking spot.

Even when she malfunctioned, she did so in a spectacular fashion. Once, when driving west toward home on Anderson Road, white smoke began streaming out from under the hood. (Having watched too many Smoky and the Bandit type movies, I didn’t think steam, I thought SMOKE). I stepped on it, making for the nearest gas station. (Why I didn’t just stop on the side of the road right there and then remains a mystery.) Speeding up, of course, made the SMOKE/steam billow in huge cloud formations above the massive hood which meant that, when I roared into the gas station, the attendants watched a terrified teen/ woman in a pencil skirt and heels come flying out of the cloud screaming, “it’s gonna explode! It’s gonna explode!”

After she had cooled off and had her radiator refilled and later repaired, I kept driving, and repairing, her for several more years. She just had too much charisma to give up on.

Unfortunately, the day came when I had to come down from my high horse-powered white leather perch and take up a different, upholstered one behind the wheel of another monstrous hunk of steel that had none of the sex appeal of the Toronado, but did have four doors. An important feature when you have a couple of toddlers in car seats.

MY THIRD CAR

Early ‘80’s Chrysler Imperial – price: Giving up my Toronado

I was not, at all, happy about giving up my Toronado, but my husband was not happy about the repairs, so I acquiesced. The regret I felt when he brought home the Chrysler was worse than the regret I felt the second time I cut my own hair. (I had beginner’s luck the first time.) (For the record, this was not a coronavirus haircut, it was a different era entirely.)

That land yacht was plain blue and boring, but it became my home away from home and a place of joy and abundance. On any given day you could always find a blanket, some stuffies and snacks between my two little boys in the backseat, who sang, laughed, wrestled, and slept in the back of that cavernous heap of iron. Nothing could touch them back there behind me. Not even me, which they knew perfectly well when they were deliberately annoying one another.

Although that dreadfully dull car was a reliable steel fort within which my children were safely transported, I did not lose any sleep when she was retired because I had begun to notice that no one else on the road still drove cars the size of yachts. In fact, most people in the countryside where I lived drove trucks. And so, I got a Jeep and entered the modern era.

I could go on about the two Jeeps I drove over the next twenty or so years but each one went to one of my kids and they have better stories than me about their days in those bouncy go anywhere rides. I know on at least one occasion one of those jeeps went floating down the Kicking Horse River……

I bet you have a story or two about your old cars. Please share!

Onion rings in the car cushions do not improve with time. Erma Bombeck

 www.thetreeswallow.com

[felinehearted-archive-blog]

hiya ! it’s willa again a million years late (i was so tired i fell asleep right after posting last night lmao) and this is everyone’s favorite alley cat selina kyle aka catwoman. since she’s not in the arrowverse i’m going to take a bit of creative liberty --- she’s not 100 percent based off any one source, but instead a mixture of various versions of her (mostly the earlier new earth comic selina with the cat from the dark knight rises.)

she, at heart, is neutral. she wouldn’t call herself a villain, but she’d also punch you in the face if you called her a hero. what side she’s on at the moment is entirely based on which side best suits her self interests. priority numero uno to selina kyle is selina kyle.

her childhood was pretty traumatic, but she doesn’t like to talk about it. she ended up at an orphanage by the time she was ten years old. if you ask about her biological family she tells a different lie every time, usually involving them being regretful about giving her up and still searching for her to this day. in truth, they’re both dead.

she was never adopted, and actually ended up running away after only a year. the streets of gotham became her first home. it was there she learned how to manipulate people into giving her what she wanted, or if that failed, to steal it.

she’s a pretty experienced/notorious thief and prides herself on her skills. pickpocketing, lockpicking, stealth, ect. if there’s something valuable, you bet she’s going to go after it.

she moved to central city after gotham got a bit dull for her tastes and she wanted a bit more excitement. now she’s no longer a street rat, but has an apartment funded by the larger heists she pulls off 

obviously most people don’t know that selina kyle = catwoman so you wouldn’t recognize her on the street or anything. also if you’re curious, her costume is the one from the dark knight rises bc i’m trash for it tbh

[archstylemx]

V-Ray RT

V-Ray RT (Real-Time) es un motor de render interactivo que puede utilizar la aceleración de hardware de CPU y GPU para ver las actualizaciones de la escena en tiempo real. Los ajustes de V-Ray RT están disponibles en la pestaña V-Ray RT; con una interfaz única para cada modo (ActiveShade & Production).

V-Ray RT Parameters

A continuación, explicaré los parámetros presentes en modo ActiveShade.

Default UI Mode

Engine type – Especifica el sistema para el motor RT. Los valores posibles son:

CPU – Se usa el motor de la CPU. Este motor no requiere una tarjeta gráfica y es compatible con muchas de las características comunes de V-Ray, incluidas texturas procedurales y materiales complejos.

OpenCL – Se usa un motor GPU basado en OpenCL. Este motor utiliza tarjetas gráficas que admiten OpenCL y puede ser muy rápido dependiendo del hardware, pero tiene capacidades algo limitadas con respecto a los shaders. Los motores OpenCL y CUDA tienen el mismo conjunto de capacidades, pero para las GPU NVIDIA se recomienda utilizar el motor CUDA.

CUDA – Un motor de GPU basado en la plataforma NVIDIA CUDA. Este motor utiliza tarjetas gráficas NVIDIA que admiten CUDA y es el motor recomendado para las GPU NVIDIA. Al igual que el motor OpenCL, puede ser muy rápido dependiendo del hardware, pero tiene capacidades limitadas con respecto a los shaders. Los motores OpenCL y CUDA tienen el mismo conjunto de capacidades.

Trace depth – Representa el número máximo de rebotes que se computarán para reflexiones y refracciones. La profundidad de refracción/reflexión de cada material aún se considera, siempre que no excedan el valor aquí especificado.

GI depth – El número de rebotes para la iluminación indirecta. Otras configuraciones GI (es decir, si GI está habilitado o deshabilitado) se toman del modo Production V-Ray Renderer. Esto no tiene efecto si el motor GI secundario es light cache; en ese caso, V-Ray configurará los rebotes GI de manera automática.

Override mtl – Cuando está activo, esta opción hace que los objetos se rendericen con un material seleccionado (en lugar de los materiales asignados en la escena), pero solo si se selecciona un material de anulación. Esta opción no afecta las asignaciones de materiales reales; solo afecta los materiales tal como aparecen en RT.

None button – Asigna el material a utilizar en Override mtl.

Exclude list – Permite excluir partes de la escena de Override mtl.

Include/Exclude list – (Exlude botton) muestra la ventana 3ds Max Include/Exclude para incluir o excluir objetos de la asignación de material Override mtl.

Exclude layers – (Layer Botton) muesta la ventana Select layers. Todos los objetos de las capas seleccionadas se excluirán de Override mtl y se renderizarán con sus materiales asignados. Usar el botón Ctrl para borrar una selección.

Exclude object IDs – Sólo se excluirán los objetos que tengan Object ID que coincida con la entrada en el campo; separar con “comas” para ingresar múltiples ID.

Max time (min) – Especifica el tiempo máximo (en minutos) para refinar la imagen.

Show statistics – Cuando está habilitado, se muestran algunos valores útiles en la esquina superior derecha de la ventana V-Ray Frame Buffer:

Versión de V-Ray RT

Numero de muestras de imagen por segundo.

Tiempo transcurrido desde que la imagen actual comenzó a renderizarse. Este valor se restablece cada vez que se realiza un cambio en la escena que requiere un nuevo cálculo de la imagen.

Fit to VFB – Cuando está habilitado, al cambiar manualmente el tamaño del VFB durante el renderizado cambiará la resolución de renderizado que utiliza ActiveShade, haciendo que la resolución coincida con la ventana de nuevo tamaño. Cuando está deshabilitada, la resolución de ActiveShade está limitada a la resolución establecida en la pestaña Common, incluso si se cambia el tamaño del VFB.

Max paths/pixel – Especifica el máximo de muestras (por pixel) que definen la imagen. Esta opción es particularmente útil cuando el modo Production Renderer está configurado en V-Ray RT, ya que garantiza la calidad constante de los diferentes cuadros; V-Ray realiza un muestreo adaptativo en la imagen, tratando de poner más muestras en áreas que tienen más ruido.

Distributed rendering – Habilita o deshabilita DR para V-Ray RT. Use el botón Render Servers para especificar las máquinas que se usarán para la DR.

Max. noise – Limite que determina cuándo dejar de refinar un pixel. Los valores más altos permiten más ruido en la imagen, mientras que los valores más bajos intentan reducir el ruido. Un valor de 0.0 rastrea la imagen completa incondicionalmente.

Render Servers button – Abre la ventana de configuración V-Ray interactive renderer DR.

GPU textures – Determina cómo se manejará la resolución / tamaño de las texturas para ayudar a optimizar el uso de la memoria. Este parámetro solo es efectivo cuando Type se establece en OpenCL o CUDA.

Full-size textures – Las texturas se cargan en su tamaño original.

Resize all textures – Ajusta el tamaño de las texturas de alta resolución a una resolución más pequeña para optimizar el rendimiento del renderizado. El motor de la GPU cargará la mayor cantidad posible de tiles de textura en la GPU, luego intercambiará las que se necesitan entre la RAM de la GPU y la RAM de la CPU.

On-demand mip-mapped textures – En lugar de cargar todos los archivos de textura con su resolución predeterminada (original o redimensionada), V-Ray cargará las texturas según sea necesario. Como resultado, el consumo de memoria de la GPU podría reducirse; las texturas que no son visibles no se cargarán, y las texturas que están más alejadas de la cámara se cargarán con una resolución más baja. Durante el proceso de detección de textura, V-Ray GPU rendirá más lento. Una vez que detecta que todas las texturas están cargadas, cambia automáticamente al modo tradicional (más rápido) (aparecerá un mensaje sobre el cambio de modos en el registro de V-Ray). Esta opción solo está disponible en Production Rendering Mode.

Low GPU thread priority – Cuando está habilitado, V-Ray intentará disminuir el uso de GPU que trabajan en la visualización de gráficos para proporcionarles más recursos para completar otros procesos y tareas para el sistema operativo. Esto puede afectar el rendimiento general y la velocidad de renderizado puede reducirse. Si es posible, se recomienda utilizar una GPU separada para la pantalla.

GPU texture size – Cuando el parámetro de GPU textures está configurado en modo Resize all textures, este valor especifica la resolución a la que se redimensionarán las texturas. También controla la resolución para texturas procedurales no compatibles con bitmaps para que puedan cargarse en la memoria.

Texture format – La cantidad de bits por canal utilizado para almacenar la información de textura del material en la memoria. Esto no afecta las texturas usadas para luces y displacement.

8-bit – 8 bits de datos utilizados por canal de color.

Half – 16 bits de datos utilizados por canal de color.

Float – 32 bits de datos utilizados por canal de color.

Stereo mode – Determina el tipo de pantalla (estereoscópica) adicional:

Disabled – La reproducción estéreo y la pantalla adicional están deshabilitadas, y una sola imagen se representa en la ventana de ActiveShade.

Left/Right – Las vistas izquierda y derecha se muestran en ventanas separadas que se pueden maximizar en diferentes pantallas.

Interlaced – Una ventana separada muestra una combinación entrelazada de las imágenes del ojo izquierdo y derecho. Esto es útil para pantallas que admiten estéreo entrelazado.

Checkered – Una ventana separada muestra una combinación de verificadores de las imágenes del ojo izquierdo y derecho. Esto es útil para pantallas que admiten estéreo a cuadros.

Anaglyph (Red, Cyan) – Una ventana separada muestra una vista previa de anaglifo rojo / cian de las imágenes estéreo. Se requieren lentes anaglifos a juego para ver el efecto estéreo.

Anaglyph (Green, Magenta) – Una ventana separada muestra una vista previa de anaglifo verde / magenta de las imágenes estéreo. Se requieren lentes anaglifos a juego para ver el efecto estéreo.

OpenGL stereo – Una ventana separada alterna entre las imágenes del ojo izquierdo y derecho. Para ver el efecto estéreo se necesitan gafas de obturador activas y una tarjeta de video compatible.

Duplicate (mono) – Duplica el contenido de la ventana de ActiveShade para que se pueda maximizar en otra pantalla. Este no es un modo estéreo.

Output layout – Determina si la salida estéreo se mostrará de modo Side-by-side o Top-bottom.

V-Ray Interactive Renderer DR Settings Window

A continuación, explicaré los parametros que controlar V-Ray DR.

Add server – Agregar un servidor de forma manual al ingresar su dirección IP o nombre de red.

Edit server – Cambiar los datos sobre un servidor de renderizado.

Remove server – Elimina los servidores seleccionados actualmente de la lista.

Resolve – Resuelve las direcciones IP de todos los servidores.

Use local host – Determina si V-Ray RT debe ejecutarse en la máquina local cuando se usa DR. Cuando está habilitado, V-Ray RT se ejecutará en la máquina local, así como en todas las máquinas incluidas en DR. Cuando está deshabilitado, V-Ray RT no se ejecutará en la máquina local y en su lugar solo usará los servidores de renderizado. Use esta opción cuando la máquina local es necesaria para otras tareas.

Advanced UI Mode

Los siguientes parámetros se agregan a la interfaz cuando se encuentra en el modo Advanced.

Auto update bitmaps – Cuando está habilitado, V-Ray RT intentará actualizar de manera automática la imagen renderizada cada vez que se cambie uno de los bitmaps utilizados en la escena.

Use 32 bit frame buffer – Cuando está habilitado, V-Ray RT intentará crear un buffer de cuadros de coma flotante de 32 bits que contenga información HDR.

Ray bundle size – Controla el número de rayos que se envían a los servidores de renderizado V-Ray RT. Cuando se utiliza DR, los tamaños más pequeños provocan una comunicación más frecuente, disminuye así la velocidad del renderizado, pero aumenta la interactividad; por el contrario, los tamaños más grandes aumentan la velocidad del renderizado, pero disminuyen la interactividad. Hay que tener en cuenta que este número no es la cantidad exacta de rayos, sino que es proporcional a él. No se recomienda aumentar este valor más allá de 512.

Undersampling – Cuando está habilitado, V-Ray RT comienza a renderizar la imagen a una resolución más baja para acelerar la vista previa inicial; más tarde, la imagen se procesa en su resolución final.

Rays per pixel – Número de rayos que se rastrean para cada píxel durante un paso. Cuanto mayor sea el valor, más suave será la imagen desde el comienzo de la renderización con GI, pero la interactividad podría reducirse de manera significativa. El aumento de este valor también reduce la cantidad de datos transferidos desde los servidores de renderizado a la máquina del cliente.

Lock render buffer – Bloquea el buffer para que no se reflejen más cambios en la escena; sin embargo, V-Ray RT continúa refinando la imagen. Se debe tener en cuenta que antes de que se inicie el renderizador interactivo V-Ray RT, esta opción aparerá atenuada. Si esta opción está habilitada durante el procesamiento, se vuelve a atenuar de color gris, por lo que es imposible restaurar la interactividad una vez que el buffer está bloqueado. Para restaurar la interactividad, se debe reiniciar el renderizado.

Progressive RPP – Cuando está habilitado, V-Ray RT comienza a renderizar la imagen con un valor de Rays per pixel bajo y luego la aumenta progresivamente. Esto acelera la vista previa inicial de la imagen.

In-process RT engine – Cuando está habilitado, RT ocurre dentro de 3ds Max. Cuando está deshabilitado, se inicia un servidor de renderización independiente de V-Ray en el modo DR para realizar el render. Esta opción podría necesitar ser deshabilitada si V-Ray RT no puede encontrar GPUs adecuadas para renderizar con los motores CUDA o OpenCL (al mezclar tarjetas de video).

VRayProxy objects – Cuando está habilitado, los objetos proxy de V-Ray son renderizados ​​por el motor RT.

Displacement – Cuando está habilitado, el motor RT mostrará el displacement en tiempo real.

X-Ref scenes and containers – Cuando está habilitado, el motor RT también mostrará escenas y contenedores X-Ref.

Motion blur – Cuando está habilitado, el motor de RT respetará la configuración de motion blur del modo production renderer o physical camera. El desenfoque de movimiento es compatible tanto con la CPU como con los motores de la GPU.

Particle systems – Cuando está habilitado, el motor RT mostrará los sistemas de partículas.

Swap left/right – Intercambia las imágenes del ojo izquierdo y derecho.

Eye distance – La distancia entre las dos cámaras estéreo virtuales (en unidades mundiales). Las cámaras siempre se enfocan en el objetivo para la vista actual.

Warn for non-physical settings – Cuando está habilitado, el motor RT mostrará advertencias para configuraciones no físicas (es decir, multiplicadores GI diferentes de 1.0, luces invisibles, etc.).

Warn for unsupported features – Cuando está habilitado, el motor RT mostrará advertencias sobre características del modo production renderer que no se pueden representar correctamente en el motor RT actual (CPU o GPU).

Message delay (s) – La cantidad de segundos que los mensajes de información y las advertencias permanecen en la pantalla. Establézcalo en 0 para deshabilitar los mensajes de información.

Export .vrscene – Si está habilitado y se configuran la ruta de archivo completa, el nombre y la extensión, la escena de 3ds Max se exporta al archivo .vrscene especificado cuando se inicia V-Ray  RT.

Nota: Los archivos .vrscene también se pueden exportar directamente desde MaxScript utilizando la función global vrayRTExportScene, o desde la ventana gráfica usando el comando vrscene (X).

Don't render (just export) – Permite que la escena solo se exporte sin renderizar. La sesión de ActiveShade se cerrará tan pronto como se cree el archivo .vrscene (V-Ray Standalone).

Nota: En este menú, la escena se exporta solo para el fotograma actual, sin animación. La animación se puede exportar usando la configuración en el comando .vrscene del menú Max Quad.

V-Ray RT GPU Render Devices Select

Cada vez que el tipo de motor V-Ray RT se establece en OpenCL o CUDA se especifica qué dispositivos GPU se usará para el render. V-Ray RT Render Devices Select ( ocldeviceselect.exe ) permite que los dispositivos se cambien sin reiniciar 3ds Max.

Selecciona un dispositivos específicos para renderizar puede ayudar si se tiene varias GPU y se desea dejar una de ellas libre para trabajar en la interfaz de usuario o si desea combinar su CPU y GPU para un render híbrido.

Notas:

El estado ActiveShade de una ventana gráfica se guarda con la escena 3ds Max, pero V-Ray RT no se iniciará de manera automática en la ventana gráfica cuando se cargue la escena.

Si la opción Show Safe Frame está habilitada para la ventana gráfica, el procesamiento está restringido dentro de éste.

[bodyguardi]

6 HACKS TO MAKE FAT LOSS EASIER by @grantgirsky - While fat loss is never simple, here are a few tips that can make the process a little bit easier. - Keep in mind, just because you implement these ‘hacks’…doesn't necessarily mean you will lose weight… - They are just steps in the right direction that can aid the process. - Remember, when it comes to fat loss, creating a calorie deficit (burning more calories than you take in via food) is always priority numero uno. - As you look on this list, you will see that these tips are all based around controlling energy balance in some way (except pizza…because pizza is delicious 😋). - 🍽 Smaller Plates: Using smaller plates can help with the whole “well, it’s in front of me, I might as well eat it all” conundrum. - ☕ Coffee: As long as you’re only adding minimal amounts of cream/sugar (or even better, just black), coffee can be a great option to curb hunger & give you a nice energy boost. - 🍓 Strawberries: For reference here, a whole pound of strawberries is only 150 calories. You can eat half a pound of strawberries for 75 calories…talk about feeling full & satisfied! - 🥤Sparkling Water: Zero calorie drinks can be a great option to hold you over between meals. Sometimes just giving yourself something different that plain water to sip on can make a noticeable difference. - 👣 Step Goals: Setting a daily step goal can help to increase daily activity levels and burn additional calories, without actually feeling like you have to add dedicated time to your day for exercise. Go for a walk, park at the back of the parking lot, get up from your desk every 30 minutes, etc. - 🍕 Pizza: As surprised as you may be to see pizza make the list, it absolutely can be a fat loss hack. For many, being able to occasionally incorporate foods you enjoy (like pizza) into your plan can help big time when it comes to sustainability and actually adhering to your diet. - Do you currently use any of these hacks? Or do you have another that’s helped you? - Let me know below! via @grantgirsky @bodyguardi_health — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2o7ctrS

[waynebomberger]

We Lived Here, We Loved Here

The funny thing about a house is that it takes on a persona. Whether you assign it to her or not, she becomes more than just a thing; she becomes alive.

At least that’s what happened to us with the Victorian. When we bought her in 2012, she was, quite frankly, a bit of a hot mess. She had been neglected. She had gone into foreclosure. For three years, no one crossed her threshold. We couldn’t believe that a lady so regal and elegant as she could be, well, forgotten.

The Queen Anne in 2012

From the moment we stepped foot within her confines, though, we knew she was meant to be ours. We could tell that under the cobwebs and the cheap plaster ceilings, beneath the rotting wood and the chipping paint, that she had potential—so, so much potential. And just like many ladies of a certain age, she needed her chin waxed, a nip here, a tuck there, but that’s all it took before her true beauty began to emerge.

It feels somewhat like a gut punch to her then that we have decided to leave. Dear one, our beloved first home, it has very little to do with how you have wronged us—rather, you have loved us as much if not more as we have loved you and given us our very first home together, one that belonged only to us—and everything to do with how we have evolved, as individuals, as a couple, as entrepreneurs.

And sometimes, it’s just time to move on.

But please know, old house, that this is hardly the end. We could never bear to part ways with you, at least not on paper; no, you’ll always belong to us, to your dying breath. Just because we will not physically inhabit you anymore doesn’t mean we are disappearing; you’ll just have new day-to-day residents who we will make sure treat you as you deserve.

I’ve found that often in life, “forever” means “for right now,” and so for us and for you, “forever” was a great seven-year run. And forever you will belong to us.

As first-time homeowners who lucked into such a find as you, it was easy to get caught up in the concept of a “forever house,” thinking you were our end goal, when in reality, none of us know what tomorrow will hold, let alone “forever.”

People change, adapt, evolve. Priorities shift. What was important to us seven years ago hardly seems to matter now. We are ready for a community again. We have missed having neighbors (at least ones with a pulse). We have different concerns, new desires, hobbies and passions we want to pursue. For SVV, that starts with the garage and workshop he’s always wanted; for me, it’s a walk-in closet and killer home office/studio. For both of us, it’s better schools (and squirrels) for Ella. Because at the end of the day, she’s our numero uno.

Thank you, old house, for so many memories. For so much blood spattered on the floor boards while using dangerous power tools. For the bruises collected every time I banged my elbow going down that tight back stairway, which was often (daily). For the tears shed in the bedroom when I got news of my dad’s stroke.

For the dozens of friends who came and went, staying for hours or days or sometimes even weeks. For the thousands of photos taken while we lovingly restored you to your rightful state, the grandeur and opulence you so deserve. For the giddy excitement of buying and tackling our first house, together. For seven years of taking care of us when we thought we were the ones taking care of you.

And though we have a new gal who will be taking watching over us daily, know that you were always our first caretaker. And you never forget your first.

But listen, this isn’t good-bye. We’re not going anywhere, at least not metaphorically. This is “see you soon”—this weekend, actually, when we return to begin the laborious task of fixing some of your graying spots in preparation for the next tenants who will hopefully love and respect you as we always will. You will always be ours, but I’m holding out hope that, over time, you will also be theirs, too.

  PIN IT HERE

from Camels & Chocolate: Travel & Lifestyles Blog https://ift.tt/2TIYztM

[beowulfs-booty-call]

Ooh, a reading would be cool! :D What should I ask... Will I be successful in my goal to make others happy?

Aye, sis! Okay, so being real with you right now, I’m honored to read your fortunes right now! Now that I’m ecstatic to tell you your cards!

Now, you’ve got one helluva wonderful wish right off the bat, but your cards also wanna stress that while you can and already do make others happy, don’t forget to make yourself happy as well! Nothing good can come without some good coming back, my grandmother used to say...!

Now, for your cards...!

Card Numero Uno) Bella Rosa: The Devil card: Detachment

Now, no need to fret on the term “devil” in a way! The devil is merely card meant to the attraction of temptation or the effects of emotions...!In this case, it tells us that while it’s okay to have a naturally good persona and want to help others as best as possible, sometimes, we may feed into that persona a bit too much and end up burning out over excess help so to speak. In this regard, mind yourself! It’s personally fine to detach every now and again and treat yourself as well as you treat everyone, and it goes double if you don’t have a good day! 

While this card typically doesn’t have that broad of an actual effect on your wish, it’s a warning of not to take too much effort in making others happy, that it blinds you of your own happiness or theirs. As Garnet once said in Steven Universe, “Sometimes, people don’t deserve your patience...” And in truth, you don’t have to give that same love and patience if someone is toxic to you or does not need the happiness you seek for them (In some ways, happiness is subjective, so, true happiness sometimes for others, need to be cultivated by that person, if that helps make more sense...?)

Detach yourself from things if anything gets too unhealthy, and make sure to remember you’re a priority as well!

Card Numero Dos) Two of  Swords: Fantasy

Now this one is a bit more in depth compared to the Devil card...! To fully assess and grant your wish, you’ll have to make many difficult choices and use your instincts fully. Maybe this means this wish will shape you as a person so much, you’ll have to end up laying some ground rules for yourself so you can make other happy through a new perspective or lifestyle change. Sometimes, even a new outlook can accomplish this! 

But of course, don’t forget to check out any part of yourself that needs some love too,

“If you can’t love yourself, how the heck are you gonna love somebody else?” is the message my deck is saying to me about your desire. It’s noble, but it also takes a lot of self sacrifice. Can you sometimes push down yourself for others? Or will you give yourself a boundary to abide by to keep yourself as happy as you make others? In a sense, to truly aim for that goal, you need to decide yourself what makes you happy, and maybe keep that as a side “quest” so to speak. 

Sometimes, as oddly as this will sound, you can pick yourself an “identity” so to speak, to help with that sense of making decisions and understanding yourself. Of course, this same identity is meant in a way to help you deal with those problems, I wouldn't suggest anything too rash then, say, 

“You had a bad day, so, instead of being sad only about the things that happened to you, you think of a cheerful character like say Sailor Moon, and you remember that whenever she was down, she always perked herself up by sharing some ice cream with a friend, so... You do just that!”

Fantasy, in this way, goes the long mile!

Card Numero Tres) Four of Wands:Enthusiasm and healing

Now, from what I’m garnering as a trend in your fortune, the wish you have is of course, a wonderful one, but, a very “treacherous” path so to speak. You need to take some time out, and say, heal your own wounds before you can achieve your wish in the lifelong term. In the general time line, of course you’ll achieve things! But, my thoughts and my cards are leaning towards the, “I just want everyone happy in my life, whenever they need to be, they are” sort of ideal, which lingers on the lifelong achievement.

That said, in some cases, while you want others happy, and to make them that happy, they may also want you happy too! So this card emphasizes to love yourself a lot more than you may not have seen or tried, look in the mirror and say to yourself you are beautiful, walk the long path to home when you have the chance, take the time and make yourself feel fulfilled! Dance to your favorite song, groove out and do what you love! Don’t hold back! And when you don’t, bring others to that happiness and share it too!

Card Number Four) Seven of Cups: Regret

Now this card comes with a cost. You may have taken up this mantle because you regretted certain things in life you may or may not have had control and you want to make up for them in the future. That’s perfectly okay! But... Know that there’s no sense in regretting what you had done or had experienced and try to sacrifice yourself so no one has to be hurt again! What you can and should do, in my opinion, is take time out and let time heal the regrets and hurt feelings you had had before, before letting them fall out of your arms, into the river and watch them go by and move on.

You’ve touched the lives of more people than you know, is an important thing to remember, and well, regardless of what happened in the past, the future is an important thing to think of, but not as much as your present! Don’t lose sight of the important things in life, but don’t forget to heal what has hurt you too. In the end, you can’t heal others if you yourself are wounded, so, do take time out for yourself and treat yourself!

Your wish to make others happy will inevitably come true, but, always remember to put yourself as a priority, as well as let your past be ancient history and carve your future with the present. Take joy in your life, and grasp it with both hands and share it with those you care, and soon, you too will be the happy one...!

I hope this reading helps you, even in the littlest ways like a smile and a hum!

It’s a pleasure doing your reading!

[ponyforyou]

I’ve sort of noticed this myself, and I think it may have to do with what I mentioned later in the episode - time moves so slowly for gems that change comes painfully slow for them. They did rebel against their Homeworld, though, so they must be capable of change in some capacity. 

Just like his mom! Heh, but yeah - Steven’s decision or failure to mention all of this is a bit strange. I guess you can chalk it up to using it as a means for later plot development (if Steven had mentioned the Rose cave and sword and Lion to Pearl before, we wouldn’t have this episode), or to Steven being negligent/not realizing the importance of it all. I wonder how much he’ll explain to them after all of this has come out into the light now, though?

I’m glad you stuck it out with me! But in all seriousness - sleep is priority numero uno. Don’t be like me and go to sleep at 5...6...7 AM. Bad vibes, man.

@storysongandstars

Well now I just want MORE on their relationship! That is the worst thing about this show, and I’ve said it time and time over, but every time one thing is answered, it gives way for triple the questions. 

Oh, and I just now realized this is why Pearl is so weird around Greg, too! He stole her girl. Damn.

[sabreean]

The saga of my zero-waste, hippie-dippie life in paradise

I now live on a small Hawaiian island* that 1) is privately owned by someone who is trying to make the island eco friendly and environmentally sustainable and 2) has no recycling.** This has made me think hard about the amount of plastic we use. Also, our little cottage is only 505 square feet including the porch which makes space-saving a thing, and being so remote means that we have had to rethink a lot of our habits and priorities: do we really need this thing, do we really need it right now, is there really nothing else we already possess that could serve the same purpose?

Don’t expect me to be a cheerleader - I went through a very serious hippie period until something over two years ago and had my bubble burst about many things. A lot of supposed earth-friendly stuff is either pure marketing bullshit or just doesn’t work to a satisfactory standard, especially for the premium prices it carries. A largely eco-friendly lifestyle is a choice, and a one that is largely available only to people with a certain level of financial and geographic privilege, and this is a point that seems to be missing from a lot of conversations. I lived in Austin, Texas for almost 28 years and it offered a ridiculous wealth of ways and means to live my ethics and values. Which is why I feel so strongly that I should make these choices - because I can, and it makes me happy. Do I expect many people to make these choices? Hell no, it’s not practical or in some cases even rational for many people depending on life circumstances. Do I hope that every person who is able to make these choices will do so? I suppose I hope anyone who is able to make at least a few changes will. But everyone's mileage will vary.

You also will not find woo-woo here. I am not at all down with the woo-woo. No homeopathy, no crystals or stones and their energy or whatever, no talk about 'toxins' (I will slap you down for that dumb shit, you have these things called livers and kidneys and they do all the cleansing you could possibly need because if they didn't YOU'D BE DEAD). No rocks or steam in your vajayjay. Our home is all about Bill Nye and Dr. Fauci, not Gwyneth Paltrow or Dr. Oz.

So I am using my new home as an excuse to indulge my hippie compulsions and try to go as plastic-free, tree-free, zero-waste and ecofriendly as I can, and I will use this Tumblr to chronicle how it’s going. I’ll put all the links to what I’ve tried at the end, or in a separate post that I’ll pin if possible, or maybe a blogroll, does Tumblr do blog rolls? A few notes:

Numero uno: I read a lot of reviews before I choose a brand to try and if it’s a new product I choose a brand that sells small trial-friendly quantities. You will notice that I am ordering multiple products from the same brands, not because those brands are necessarily stocked with superior products but just to try and keep ordering easy, hence the extra points for subscription services.

Numero Two-o: Products must have plastic-free packaging as well as composition.

Numero Three-o: nobody can surpass me in my love for Lush’s products and business ethics but they have no shops in Hawaii and years of experience have taught that many of the products will not survive the weather conditions of shipping here. When you plug those two factors into an equation that already includes a complete lack of unscented products (I’m not particularly sensitive but all those competing scents piled on each other gets on my nerves), the number of products that come in plastic bottles and pots, the recent discontinuation of most of my favorites and being currently sold out of the favorites that are left…it’s time to move on.

And Numero Four-o: I order direct from the brand whenever possible to support those companies that are doing good things for the environment that sustains living species. I won’t lie, you can’t live in any semblance of comfort on this island without Amazon Prime - there is no car ferry to the bigger islands so a trip to Target et al is time consuming and expensive. For example, just a trip to the nearest Safeway would be minimum four hours (not counting the wait for a Lyft/Uber/taxi) and $110: one person round trip on the ferry (90 minutes, $60, although I'll get a discount once I obtain my Hawaii drivers license) and the round trip car between store and port. But whenever possible I prefer that these companies get all of my money, even if it means that it will take a bit longer to get to me and I pay extra for shipping.

Here are the Joe Bob Drive-In totals: zero breasts (except chicken), zero dead bodies (except food), assumed aardvarking, bamboo fu, silicone fu (unelated to aardvarking), sunburn fu, drive-in academy awards for Google for research, Amazon for at least offering eco friendly products when it really doesn’t need to, Austin for setting me on the hippie path, and the Whole Earth Catalog for being way ahead of it’s time. Four stars, Joe Bob says, check it out.

*Think Mayberry RFD, not Magnum PI.

**I know that's a contradiction but recycling is probably cost prohibitive. Transporting the stuff to storage/sorting facilities that are difficult to establish because of health and safety regulations, finding employees to staff such a storage facility on a small island with a small population, moving it off-island by barge, then probably to the mainland for processing by ship. I just can’t imagine that the product would fetch a price that would come close to covering those costs. TANSTAAFL.

[reluctantrenegade]

365 Day Writing Challenge,  Day 349

Write about goals for the next year. 

Oof. So many. 

I want to get a new job. That’s priority numero UNO for sure. My job sucks. I’m seeing a career counselor now, so I’m doing something, at least. 

Maybe date more. I hate dating. I downloaded Hinge like a month ago and never set it up because I am 2 percent human and 98 percent anxiety. 

I would love to actually commit to writing a long original story, which I haven’t done in forever. 

But obviously still wanna work on my baby, Hell Is Other People. 

Should probably do more yoga, and get better about making time for it every day. 

That’s the big stuff. I could also sort through a lot of my clothes and books and shit and get my Kondo-ing on, but...I don’t know if I’m gonna do that. Maybe in little bits. 

I would like to say, though, that I’m kinda pleasantly surprised that I’ve stuck to this 2019 goal for so long and am on track to finish it. That’s pretty cool.