#project: lunar new years 2018

[koyoriin]

happy lunar new year! ✨ figured i'd celebrate with a new emily drawing :) i know i haven't drawn her and the other 2018 OCs as much lately, but i will try to this year! i've been a bit preoccupied with another personal project but they are far from forgotten! ❤️

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[poomphuripan]

rosyspell doesn’t have the special chapters of pbd. would you be able to summarize them? 💞💞

hi nonnie! of course i'd be happy to (o゜▽゜)o☆

full disclaimer: my knowledge of 188 novels is still limited so i might not cover all of the special chapters, these are just the ones i've been able to read/know due to the handful of vietnamese/english translations i've been accessible to.

so there are generally a lot of official extras: the written word extra chapters, additional material like interview with the characters, official chibi/cartoon au... which is why for this post i'll just focus on summarizing the post-canon extra chapters. i'll also be linking a few translations i found.

Post-canon extra chapters of Professional Body Double

(i read all of these post-canon extra chapters through a vietnamese translation here, you can google translate and get the gist of them)

Daily life a couple: Ming is sulky at Joe for always being so busy with work because he's busy himself but he can always spend time with Joe while Joe has a lot of projects to film. Joe coaxes Ming by agreeing to go on a short trip with him to the beach. They have kinky sex on the beach.

Period of Happiness: Joe surprises Ming by returning home early from his work trip. Joe hears the sounds coming from the bedroom while Ming quickly turns off what he was watching. Joe got curious so he secretly looks at what Ming had been watching, turns out Ming was watching old films which Joe 1.0 starred in. Joe feels conflicted, a bit envy of his old face, is kinda forlorn and down mood. Next morning, Ming notices something's wrong with Joe and apologizes profusely to Joe for watching films of Joe 1.0 while Joe is like it's fine (he was in fact, not fine). In the evening, Joe tells Ming he's gonna take a walk outside but Ming got all paranoid that Joe is still mad at him and starts crying and begging him to stay, promising he'll never watch films of Joe 1.0 again if Joe stays (all this kid knows is how to beg and cry lawd). Joe is like no he's just worried that Ming cannot fully accept his new look compared to his old one. Ming was like no he should be the one worrying here, worrying that one day Joe can get upset and leave him without saying goodbye like Joe once did. Ming does regret that he's never had a picture taken with Joe 1.0 but promises that he only loves the current Joe in front of him. They had hot emotional sex after resolving their conflict.

Injured Xiang-Ge: Joe gets injured on set and broke his rib a little bit. Ming immediately flies home to see Joe and take care of him. Ming expresses his fears and worries about what if one day Joe hits his head and lose all conciousness of Joe 1.0 or if Joe 2.0's soul return to this body. Joe reassures Ming that he will be more careful later on when filming.

New Year Vacation: A snowstorm hit the set where Joe is filming, causing a delay in production. Joe messages Ming to coax him about not being able to come back home in time to celebrate Lunar New Year with him. Ming surprises Joe at the hotel where he was staying to celebrate new year with him.

Jealous Little Gong: Ming is jealous over the news reporting about Joe's new film and dating rumors with his actress co-star. Joe is being sickenly sweet trying to coax Ming.

Summer Limited (adapted audiodrama here): famous actor Joe is invited to Italy for Milan Fashion Week, Ming is somewhere in Europe working around the same time so he received an invitation to the FW by the organizers to walk with Joe. Ming surprises Joe with his appearance and they're all lovey dovey with their public appearance at Joe's hesitance because it's implied that Ming's father still disapproves of his gay son.

Vacation in Munich in 2018 (english tl here): Joe takes some time off acting when he's at the height of his career to travelled with Ming to Germany where Ming is supposed to be working there for some time. They take a walk around the city one day and run into a female acquaintance of Ming. Basically Ming teases Joe about whether he's jealous, they're just being lovey and dovey bantering.

English translations of official AUs

ABO AU - read here Sentinel & Guide AU - read here

[mrschwartz]

Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner: ‘I’m comfortable with the idea that things don’t have to be a pop song’

The most influential frontman of his generation is also the least at ease with it. He discusses abandoning rock norms, singing from the gut and treading the fine line between cryptic and gooey on new album The Car

Not for the first time, Alex Turner has lost his train of thought. In a booth of a downtown Manhattan diner, the Arctic Monkeys frontman is hunched forward, grasping for words to describe their new album – a black-tie orgy of cinematic soul, lurid funk and perfumed 60s strings. A waiter swoops in to save him. Would Turner like some milk for his coffee? “I’ll have a bit of milk, yes please,” he says. She returns a minute later, and Turner, having strung together no more than half a sentence, eagerly tops up his mug. “OK,” he says, rubbing his hands. “OK. Now we’ve got it.”

During our two-hour conversation, the affable introvert is determinedly, delightfully animated: he bashes imaginary woodblocks, sprawls across his moulded seat, clasps thin air and shakes it like a Magic 8 Ball. His turquoise jumper’s V-neck reveals a thin gold necklace, which he fondles while digressing into monologues on the genius of composer David Axelrod. Turner has been portrayed as aloof and evasive, but he is a man of pensive silences – an ambivalent overthinker trapped in an eccentric entertainer’s body.

He tries to describe orchestrating that new album, The Car. “Rather than strings on top of rock,” he says finally, “I was interested in switching the ‘rock band’ bit on and off.” He tweaks levels on a mixing desk in his mind’s eye. “With the Sculptures song” – the dizzyingly gorgeous Sculptures of Anything Goes – “the ‘rock band’ fader comes up for two bars here and there, and then it’s switched back off.”

He inspects this thought, then ​​flings out his arms and freezes. He looks like a magician alarmed the rabbit is missing from his hat. Slowly, he reboots. “And I don’t remember doing that quite so … deliberately before,” he concludes. A boyish smile. “Phew!” He clutches his chest. “I didn’t think I was gonna get to the end of that sentence.”

But Turner, 36, is nothing if not acutely self-aware and very funny with it. But surely this superstar, whose new haircuts trend on Twitter, is too famous to be such a brooder. Each of his eight albums, including the two with the Last Shadow Puppets, his project with friend Miles Kane, has debuted at No 1 in the UK. Since its 2013 release, the Monkeys’ juggernaut of a fifth album, AM, has taken just one week’s holiday from the UK Top 100. It spent most of September back inside the Top 10, after the band headlined Reading and Leeds festivals.

The AM era lasted a couple of years – long enough for the Sheffield boys’ image as pomade-slick, leather-jacketed Los Angeles dirtbags to stick in the public memory for good. So when Arctic Monkeys got back to mischief, with 2018’s fantastically strange Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, fans were confounded. Turner had assembled a cast of distractible narrators to interrogate modern society – technology, politics, hyperreal LA – in a retro-futurist concept album set in a lunar colony. On stage, dressed like a 70s geography teacher, he now addressed crowds with comical formality. Sceptics said he had lost the plot, calling it an act of self-sabotage – or worse, a class betrayal. In Sheffield, somebody graffitied a coffin on a gate at Hunter’s Bar – the area immortalised in Fake Tales of San Francisco. “Hey Alex,” the caption read. “How’s California?”

While tighter and grander than its predecessor, Arctic Monkeys’ seventh album is blissfully unconcerned with correcting the record. It swings from a louche, movie-soundtrack intro to Portishead-stark noir, improbably catchy yacht-funk and the poppy bombast of Elliott Smith’s LA era. At times, Turner dips into a slick, syrupy croon, though he recoils from the word’s stuffy baggage.

“You sort of wish there was a way around the things attached to that word [croon],” he says. “But yeah, everything’s come down a little bit. And I like that, because if it’s come down here” – he runs a finger from his forehead to his ribcage – “it’s out of your head. It’s more coming from …”

He hunts for the word. The heart? I suggest, as he flings invisible confetti from his chest.

“The heart,” he agrees, sounding a bit uncomfortable. “Or even better: the gut.”

Turner is not all the way out of his head just yet. He sings much of The Car in a falsetto that trapezes between Sly Stone and David Byrne. The anxious melodies strike a delicate balance with the sumptuous strings. “You don’t want it to get gooey,” he reasons. “But it’s nice to get to the perimeter of that. There may have been discussions about where that line is, and how many times you can get close to it.”

Still, Turner’s bamboozling lyrics preclude slushiness. Traces of Yorkshire chansonnier Jake Thackray and punk-poet John Cooper Clarke remain, but Turner’s bon mots are now elaborately encrypted. Struggle though you may to picture festival crowds bellowing some of the lyrics here (Hello You opens: “Lego Napoleon movie / written in noble gas-filled glass tubes / underlined in sparks”), you can never rule it out. The similarly inscrutable 505, an album cut from 2007’s Favourite Worst Nightmare, recently caused a sensation on TikTok.

Maybe tackling impenetrable lyrics helps bring us deeper into a song, I suggest. Turner laughs. “I like the idea of you putting that in here and everybody going: ‘Ah, I dunno, sounds tough. We won’t give it a listen after all.’” He admits to scribbling notes in his printed lyric book, teasing out themes mysterious even to him. “The Annotated Lyrics,” he jokes, imitating a 1950s ad man. “Get that stocking filler out for Christmas.”

From the moment in the mid-00s when Arctic Monkeys blew up, Turner has longed to go incognito. He strode undercover into his new public life, a frightened teenager hiding inside a big swagger, collecting shiny awards for songs he had written for mates of mates in pub backrooms. In 2006, the band released what was then the UK’s all-time fastest-selling debut album – a death sentence for his man-of-the-people, kitchen-sink writing style.

On 2009’s Humbug, co-produced by Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, Turner escaped into a rock archetype. The band’s hairier second phase amped up the sleaze and elliptical lyrics, culminating in the darkly spectacular AM. By this point, the bequiffed Turner was harder to read, particularly in his divisive speech at the 2014 Brit Awards. “That rock’n’roll, eh,” he drawled with indeterminate sincerity. “It’s always waiting there, just around the corner. Ready to make its way back through the sludge and smash through the glass ceiling, looking better than ever. Yeah, that rock’n’roll …”

At the mention of the speech, and its concluding mic drop, Turner winces, sucking air through his teeth. But, I say, since Tranquility, the moment looks more like performance art – perhaps it anticipated his scepticism towards the rock construct. He listens intently, then, on the last point, springs back as if harpooned to his seat. “That’s interesting, yeah, yeah, yeah,” he says, head bobbing vigorously. He chews it over, talking half to himself. “So we’re saying it’s tied to AM, because of the haircut and … that performer …”

He seems unsure just how much of himself was in the mic-dropping rock star.

“When you think about that, and the clothes,” he continues, “I wasn’t doing that with [fourth album] Suck It and See or [third] Humbug. It wasn’t grease in the hair.” He pauses again, considering each album’s “performer” – always a fractured reflection of himself. “Normally, the record you make encourages a certain style of performance. But thinking about the performer in relation to Tranquility, or even this thing” – meaning the new album – “I have considered that you can invert that. The performer can influence the music, rather than the other way around.”

The Car’s performer more closely resembles the Turner I meet today: brilliant company but palpably self-scrutinising – a far cry from the headstrong Brits character. Turner wrote most of the album at the piano, souping up Tranquility’s vanquished lounge singer with a spritz of Rat Pack razzmatazz. Turner and the band’s producer, James Ford, separately drafted string arrangements that the composer Bridget Samuels simplified and edited.

Turner seems mildly embarrassed by the prospect of using strings live (a proposed orchestral TV special was deemed too predictable), but the album sounds just as exquisite without them. During a stunning show at Brooklyn’s Kings theatre the week of our interview, the band premiere three songs: the resplendent There’d Better Be a Mirrorball, a fingerpicked heart-warmer called Mr Schwartz and soon-to-be staple Body Paint, whose gnomic chorus crowdsurfs along a festival-slaying melody: “Straight from the cover shoot,” Turner coos, “There’s still a trace of body paint / On your legs and on your arms and on your face.”

As with 505 or Crying Lightning, it is a head-scratcher fated for mass seduction. “Not exactly what you’d imagine singing over the loud bit,” Turner concurs, chuckling. The body paint could represent almost anything: a literal costume; a stubborn artistic persona; or in a spunkier reading, the residue of an illicit affair. “But it’s as much about the musical ideas as the lyrics,” Turner says. “On Mirrorball, before the words even come in, that instrumental piece [establishes] the feel of the record”: wistful, enigmatic, acutely reminiscent of 70s European cinema. “All right,” Turner recalls thinking after writing it in 2020. “This feels like how the next record starts.”

Turner now lives between London and Paris with the French singer-songwriter Louise Verneuil. He composed most of the album alone, using the technique he road-tested on AM and adopted wholesale on Tranquility: compose, demo, inspect, tweak and re-record, repeat the process to death and eventually add drums and vintage keyboards. Finally: bring in the band.

In the summer of 2021, Arctic Monkeys convened at Butley Priory, a wedding venue and makeshift studio in Suffolk. On a whim, Turner brought his 60mm video camera to document the sessions, later compiling his footage for the impressively chic There’d Better Be a Mirrorball video. “That gave everybody a bit of room,” he says. “James [Ford] definitely didn’t mind that I had something to play with.” During downtime, the band watched the Euros and nipped outdoors for kickabouts. “I do get caught up in those tournaments. Something about that feeling connects you to when you were a kid. You find yourself thinking about Euro 96. And then it ends, and you almost feel a bit mad for feeling like that.”

That proximity to yesteryear haunts the record, not least in the creeping jazz element, which evokes his jazz-musician dad’s records and saxophone noodlings in Turner’s childhood home. “It came out the front in Tranquility, and there’s definitely a bit more this time,” he says. “It’s one of those things that you try to fly quite close to without [crossing over]. That music you’re around when you’re a kid always has a special power.”

Strikingly, the more sentimentality creeps into the music, the less forthright emotion surfaces in Turner’s lyrics. I ask if he is equally withholding in private – does he find it harder, as he gets older, to tell people he loves them? He laughs. “No, no, I don’t think so. I like to think that outside songwriting, I find it more straightforward to be direct.” He is prone to embarrassment by lyrics from bygone years. Perhaps the more elemental style, with fewer obvious footholds, helps minimise the cringing? “I like the idea that I’m getting better at the … I sort of want to say distillation.” He handles the word cautiously. “I think I’m better at picking the moment to expose the idea behind the song. But you have to be comfortable with the idea that things don’t have to be a pop song.”

What has remained constant since the beginning, he says, “is the instinct of it all”. Even the meticulous experiments of Tranquility and The Car stem from his faith in his bloody-minded intuition. I remind him of something he said, aged 19, about the perils of fame: “When you want it and you get obsessive, you mould yourself to be whatever they want you to be.”

He laughs. “It’s a heck of a time to drop a quote from 2005, when we’re talking about stuff to be embarrassed about.” But he agrees Arctic Monkeys’ instincts and gang mentality insulated them from industry games and greed. “The name of the band seems to allude to how limited the expectations were,” he adds. “If you realised you were gonna be doing this 20 years later, you might’ve had another hour in that meeting.”

Fatalistic fans have already forecast the band’s demise based on the single’s valedictory lyrics, but while the album abounds with goodbyes, Turner seems full of optimism about the future. His bandmates are, too. “You can tell when they’re excited and when there’s that palpable indifference,” he says, grinning. Does he still get much of the latter? “Surely. Intermittently. I’m grateful for it sometimes.” He drifts off again with a dreamy look, zeroing in on the right turn of phrase. “Between the band and James Ford …” he begins, unhappy with the imperfect words he has found. “I can’t do it on my own, I guess is what I’m trying to say.”

[alexturne]

Arctic Monkeys aren’t done evolving (Alternative Press)

By Ashley Reese. Published: October 18, 2022

ALEX TURNER IS THINKING ABOUT a parking lot. Specifically, one in Hollywood, California where Arctic Monkeys performed on April 26, 2007 as musical guests on Jimmy Kimmel Live. At the time, Turner was 21 years old, delivering a blistering rendition of “Brianstorm” to a crowd that lined up around the block to see the latest from the most hyped band coming out of the British indie-rock scene. There were the Libertines, Franz Ferdinand, the Rapture, Bloc Party, the Cribs, the Kooks, but there was no one quite like Arctic Monkeys.

“It’s funny, innit?” Turner smirks. Currently, the Arctic Monkeys bandleader is at ease and upbeat sitting at a New York City hotel restaurant, awaiting a cappuccino. “I haven’t thought about that for a while, but when you said it then… I feel like I can remember what T-shirt I was wearing or something.”

As Turner, 36, muses about how surreal it is to reminisce about gigs they played 15 years ago, he pauses. “Not to get bogged down in memory lane,” he says apologetically. “But there’s something about how vividly some of that stuff stays with you, and maybe not what you would expect to.”

Memory lane for Turner is largely paved in polo shirts and leather jackets, shoulder-length locks and buzzcuts, tiny gigs and stadium tours, unremarkable Sheffield pubs and bohemian Hollywood bungalows. He has spent the majority of his life in a band, and most of that time in the limelight.

Too much reminiscing about the old days, though, is enough to make anyone feel washed, perhaps even someone as effortlessly cool as Turner. But after 20 years as one of the biggest rock bands around, it’s hard not to get hung up on the past every once in a while.

IT WAS 2002 WHEN Arctic Monkeys formed, gaining popularity by word of mouth and via free demo CDs making the rounds in their hometown of Sheffield and elsewhere in Northern England. From the jump, this was a band that was associated with their loyal fanbase: Even their MySpace page back in the mid-aughts was run by fans, not the band itself. By 2005, the band signed with Domino, and in 2006, their frenzied debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not became the fastest-selling debut album in U.K. music history.

This success was swiftly followed by Favourite Worst Nightmare in 2007, but they managed to avoid becoming nothing more than a landfill indie band in 2009 with the release of Humbug, a dark, sonic departure for the band that set the stage for a musical legacy that defied stagnancy and predictability. Their 2011 album Suck It And See was followed by AM, the record that not only solidified the band’s success in America — beyond the Anglophiles and indie sleaze veterans — but introduced them to Gen Z Tumblristas. The AM-era sound and aesthetic arguably overshadowed the previous iterations of the group, threatening to damn them — and especially Turner — to a leather-jacket-and-mop-top image forever.

Their 2018 album, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, put a swift end to that. The band’s delightfully oddball exploration of politics, tech and cheese from the perspective of characters on a lunar resort was a reminder to fans old and new to never make assumptions about where Turner is going next.

And yet, the band’s forthcoming studio album, The Car, still manages to defy expectations of what an Arctic Monkeys album can sound like. If TBHC was a divisive response, The Car may very well be seismic. So whether fans like it or not is almost irrelevant: It won’t stop them from stanning and duking it out over coveted concert tickets.

“The way the project was put together this time was not unlike, what in my mind I imagine, making a movie might be like,” Turner says of The Car. “Obviously, I have no idea what that's actually like, but there was a longer post-production period in this, trying to take a lot more care of how everything fits together, the space and the dynamics within it… making it a thing that works from start to finish,” he ponders, before smirking and pivoting to self-deprecation. “It isn’t like I haven’t been trying to do all along.”

But this time, he thinks, they’ve nailed it. This wasn’t the case with their first two albums.

“They’re all over the place when I think about them now,” Turner reflects. “It's fast and everything is just done really quickly and kind of reaching all over the place to figure out where it's going.”

And now, Turner’s attempt at this meticulously crafted project culminates into a record that feels like a natural progression from TBHC, if only in that Turner, drummer Matt Helders, guitarist Jamie Cook and bassist Nick O’Malley have decided to continue down the path of “fuck it, let’s make it weird.”

“The first song that really gave me a sense of ‘OK, this is a direction that feels like it might be quite exciting to move in’ was ‘There’d Better Be A Mirrorball,’” Turner says. From there, he built out a mellow and complex album over the next two years.

So it feels reductive to say that the first thought that came to mind when “There’d Better Be A Mirrorball” debuted was to conclude that they’re in their soft-rock era. Their dad-rock era. Their Steely Dan era.

Perhaps those are pejoratives, but at times the album does little to distance itself from such epithets, and it’s impossible to miss the Frampton-esque twang in “Jet Skis On The Moat.” Yet, it doesn’t find itself trapped in it. This project is lush, string-heavy and has a decidedly cinematic flair, with songs like “The Car,” evoking a scene of an outlaw driving out west with a body in the trunk like a scene out of Fargo, and “Hello You,” which has a decidedly funky Quincy Jones film score-like bent.

“I mean, I’m absolutely all right with that [comparison],” Turner says, visibly chuffed. (And, yes, he’d love to try his hand at a film score).

As Turner continues to explain — or, rather, justify — the heavy use of strings on the album, he stops; the conversation at a table nearby has grown louder by the second. He thoughtfully frets over the integrity of our recorded interview, but he also admits that he’s distracted. After suggesting we relocate to another part of the room, he grabs both of our coffees and belongings and perches at the bar. He says distractions help keep him on his toes, preparing him for the next gauntlet to come his way. And Turner is always careful with his words, rolling them around in his mouth a bit and seeing how they taste before sharing them with the class. It makes for a slightly slower interview, but a meaningful one without the puff. He’s methodical and patient, with himself above all else, at one point going as far as to regret not using a different synonym for the word “distortion.” And it’s this meticulousness that translates into his lyrical prowess, crafting words and phrases into increasingly cryptic songs.

So it’s fitting that The Car’s best and most striking song is neither groovy nor soft; instead, it’s a pulsating, spooky track called “Sculptures of Anything Goes,” and it’s the first song co-writing credit with Arctic Monkeys guitarist Cook since “Still Take You Home" on their debut album.

Turner immediately perks up when the song is mentioned.

“Jamie got the Moog synthesizer and was playing with this sort of computer rhythm, like a rolling drum machine,” Turner explains. “He was putting that through the synth, so when you hit the key, you'd hear the drum machine and then it’d fade out. I basically wrote a song for that sound.”

The result: an ominous little earworm with the dark sex appeal of 2013’s AM and the eerieness of Humbug. “There's a bit of [a] desert thing still hanging around,” Turner agrees, referring to Joshua Tree where much of Humbug, their third album, was recorded.

Drummer Helders also cited the track as his favorite, noting that “there's a lot of scope for a cool video for that one.” He even assumed that “Sculptures” would be the first single from The Car. But that would have been misleading. Turner was correct in saying that “Mirrorball” sets the tone for the album at large, and the reception of that one mirrors how well they might receive the album in general.

There’s plenty to love about The Car: Turner has never sounded so confident in his singing voice, and his songwriting still cements him as one of the generation's most talented songwriters. But there will be Arctic Monkeys fans — longtime devotees who knew the band from their frenzied “Teddy Picker” days, “Arabella” bandwagoners and “Batphone” evangelists alike — who will find themselves uninspired by the band’s latest.

Following the release of “Body Paint,” someone tweeted, “Free Matt Helders, let him play drums on the new album.” Fair enough: Helders’ spirited drumming style has certainly taken a backseat on this album, but it’s a move Helders says he doesn’t mind (he suggests seeing them live or listening to the older albums for those who miss his drumming so much). And while Turner doesn’t seem entirely indifferent about the idea of alienating his fans, he’s not interested in placating them to the point of regression. If anything, Turner is perplexed by those who don’t see that their growth as a band is less about abandonment and more about evolving.

“Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I'm like, can't you see that [throughline]?” Turner says.“ I feel like we’ve got to move on… it’s been almost 10 years since [AM]. I don't think there's a way to keep doing that. And I think [we] sound like the same band that we did in the beginning.”

In short, Turner is ready for AM’s pomade-laden funeral pyre.

THROUGHOUT ALL OF Arctic Monkeys’ eras, Turner maintains an admirable level of faith in his fans; but maybe that’s because he doesn’t see all the shitposting on social. Turner famously — and, perhaps, smartly — doesn’t have a public social media account. In fact, his aversion has led his fans to jokingly refer to him as a Luddite who doesn’t know how to operate a smartphone.

So, does that mean we shouldn’t expect Turner to show up on TikTok one day and do a dance challenge?

Over Zoom, Helders quipped, “That’s the day I leave the band.”

“I’m not ruling it out!” Turner exclaims. Then, he adds, somewhat distressed, “There aren’t enough hours in the day! And this is not a criticism of anyone at all… I just don't know how I would be able to do a good job.”

No need. The TikTok generation has picked up his slack, and they’re out in full force waiting in line for the band at gigs and online. While old heads stick to the official forums to theorize the meaning behind song snippets (for a while, its members debated whether “I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am” is about The Great Gatsby), the stan accounts who shitpost all day get the most spotlight. The band’s single “Body Paint” — a cynical love song, accompanied by a beautifully shot music video — has already been memed to death with Turner’s faraway staredown set to elevator music and clips of him playing guitar on a rotating platform compared to food heating up in the microwave. The shitposts come from a place of love, but it’s hard to imagine Turner having a full understanding of some of his loudest online fans’ antics. Still, it’s undoubtedly them who will help shape the narrative following The Car’s release, and help the band continue to build their legacy.

But it’s a fool's errand, bothering to have any real expectations going into a new Arctic Monkeys release. Every record has offered something different — even their sophomore album, Favourite Worst Nightmare, released just a year after their record-breaking debut, experimented with some darker elements that would be fully explored in the psych-rock-adjacent Humbug, turned lovesick in Suck It And See, terminally horny on AM and out of this world on Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino.

No noise will prevent anyone from clamoring to see them live next year when they travel to North America, Europe, the U.K. and Ireland to promote The Car on their stadium tour; the bloodbath over concert tickets in recent weeks has become so unhinged that some fans have jokingly tried to cancel the band in an attempt to dissuade potential concertgoers from buying tickets. Every tweet announcing additional tour dates is met with fans wondering — or rather, demanding to know — why the band aren’t hitting their neck of the woods: “Come to Brazil in 2023;” “Drop Asia tour;” “Eastern Europe when?”

It’s a far cry from the parking lot.

[sunaleisocial]

NASA Goddard to Build Quake Detector for Artemis III Moon Landing - NASA

New Post has been published on https://sunalei.org/news/nasa-goddard-to-build-quake-detector-for-artemis-iii-moon-landing-nasa/

NASA Goddard to Build Quake Detector for Artemis III Moon Landing - NASA

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, will build a moonquake detector for astronauts to deploy on the Moon in 2026 during the Artemis III mission, which will return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time in more than 50 years.  

NASA selected the instrument, the Lunar Environment Monitoring Station (LEMS) as one of the first three potential payloads for Artemis III. LEMS is a compact, autonomous seismometer designed to carry out continuous, long-term monitoring of ground motion from moonquakes in the region around the lunar South Pole. The data LEMS gathers will help scientists study the Moon’s internal structure and could help refine our understanding of how the Moon formed.

Planetary scientist Mehdi Benna, of the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) Center for Space Sciences Technology (CSST), leads the LEMS team at NASA Goddard.

“The LEMS project is the culmination of several years of collaboration between UMBC, University of Maryland, College Park, and NASA Goddard,” Benna said.

Benna began conceptualizing the idea behind the LEMS instrument in 2018 after realizing the need for technology that could withstand the Moon’s harsh conditions to measure lunar geophysical activity for a long duration of time.

The team began developing his idea of a small, self-sustaining station that operates almost like a buoy in the ocean — what Benna calls a “lunar buoy” — that can survive on the surface through the lunar night and operate during the day. In 2018, Benna’s team received funding from NASA’s Development and Advancement of Lunar Instrumentation program to develop LEMS to flight readiness.

LEMS is intended to operate on the lunar surface from three months up to two years and could become a key station in a future global lunar geophysical network.

Moonquakes were first observed after Apollo astronauts placed seismometers on the lunar surface during their missions between 1969 and 1972. Moonquakes’ sources include the same tug of gravity between Earth and the Moon that cause ocean tides. In addition, the Moon trembles as it expands and contracts due to temperature changes, like a house creaking when the weather heats up or cools down.

The Apollo seismic data was collected on the Earth-facing side of the Moon near the lunar equator. “We don’t have seismic data from the lunar South Pole that can inform us on the local and global lunar subsurface structure,” said Naoma McCall, LEMS co-investigator and seismologist at NASA Goddard.

UMBC leads LEM’s science investigation. NASA Goddard will build and operate LEMS. The University of Arizona will supply LEMS’ two state-of-the-art seismometer sensors; Morehead State University in Kentucky will provide LEMS’ telecommunication system and the homebase of the mission’s operation center, and Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, will manage the instrument’s data processing and dissemination to the larger scientific community. 

The other candidate instruments selected alongside LEMS are the Lunar Effects on Agricultural Flora instrument, led by researchers at Space Lab Technologies in Boulder, Colorado, and the Lunar Dielectric Analyzer instrument, led by researchers at the University of Tokyo and supported by JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). 

Together these instruments could collect valuable scientific data about the lunar environment, the lunar interior and how to sustain a long-duration human presence on the Moon, helping prepare NASA to send astronauts to Mars. Final manifesting decisions for Artemis III will be made at a later date.

By Adriana Fraser, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Edited by Rani Gran, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

[jcmarchi]

China Sends Signal Relay Satellite to Moon's Dark Side - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/china-sends-signal-relay-satellite-to-moons-dark-side-technology-org/

China Sends Signal Relay Satellite to Moon's Dark Side - Technology Org

China initiated the launch of a satellite aimed at establishing a communications link between terrestrial operations on Earth and an upcoming expedition to the far side of the moon.

On March 19th, the Long March 8 rocket embarks on its journey from the Wenchang spaceport in the Eastern region, bearing the Queqiao-2 lunar relay satellite. Credit: CNSA

This Wednesday’s launch marks a significant advancement in China’s extensive lunar exploration initiative.

The Queqiao-2 satellite, weighing 1.2 metric tons and named after a legendary mythical bridge composed of magpies, along with two miniature satellites named Tiandu-1 and -2, were transported into space by a Long March 8 rocket from the southern island province of Hainan.

Since the moon’s near side always remains visible from Earth, direct data transmission from the far side has historically been difficult due to the absence of a direct line of sight. Queqiao-2 is set to circumnavigate the moon, facilitating the relay of signals to and from the forthcoming Chang’e-6 mission, scheduled for launch in May.

The primary objective of the Chang’e-6 mission is to collect and return samples from an ancient basin located on the hidden side of the moon, marking the first instance of lunar material retrieval from this region.

Furthermore, Queqiao-2 will serve as a pivotal relay platform for subsequent lunar expeditions, including the Chang’e-7 mission in 2026 and the Chang’e-8 mission in 2028. By the year 2040, it is anticipated that Queqiao-2 will form part of a network of relay satellites, functioning as a vital communications conduit for manned lunar missions and exploration endeavors on celestial bodies like Mars and Venus. Additionally, the Tiandu-1 and -2 miniature satellites will engage in experimental trials to advance the development of a satellite constellation.

The satellite constellation will additionally provide vital support for China’s planned lunar research station situated at the moon’s south pole. Queqiao-2 will join a fleet of approximately half a dozen orbiters deployed by various nations, including the United States, India, and Japan.

Designed to operate for a minimum of eight years, Queqiao-2 is planned to support lunar missions beyond 2030. This also coincides with China’s projected endeavor to land its first astronauts on the lunar surface. It is anticipated that the satellite will enter a trajectory that closely approaches the moon’s south pole, the designated location for China’s research facility.

Queqiao-2’s orbital path will be elliptical, extending up to 8,600 kilometers above the lunar terrain, thereby establishing a communication link between Earth and the moon for over eight hours. During the remaining duration of its approximately 12-hour orbit, Queqiao-2 will descend to as low as 300 kilometers above the moon’s surface.

Taking over the responsibilities of its predecessor, Queqiao-1, launched in 2018, Queqiao-2 has a triple mass compared to its precursor. Queqiao-1, initially intended to operate for five years, served as the inaugural relay satellite dispatched to the far side of the moon, aiding the Chang’e-4 mission. Despite exceeding its projected lifespan, Queqiao-1 continues to operate, orbiting a point in space approximately 70,000 kilometers beyond the lunar surface.

In 2019, the Chang’e-4 mission achieved a historic milestone by executing a soft landing on the far side of the moon, facilitating the deployment of the robotic rover Yutu-2, also known as Jade Rabbit in Chinese. Yutu-2 remains operational, continuing its scientific exploration endeavors on the lunar terrain.

You can offer your link to a page which is relevant to the topic of this post.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 1.31 (after 1945)

1945 – US Army private Eddie Slovik is executed for desertion, the first such execution of an American soldier since the Civil War. 1945 – World War II: About 3,000 inmates from the Stutthof concentration camp are forcibly marched into the Baltic Sea at Palmnicken (now Yantarny, Russia) and executed. 1945 – World War II: The end of fighting in the Battle of Hill 170 during the Burma Campaign, in which the British 3 Commando Brigade repulsed a Japanese counterattack on their positions and precipitated a general retirement from the Arakan Peninsula. 1946 – Cold War: Yugoslavia's new constitution, modeling that of the Soviet Union, establishes six constituent republics (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia). 1946 – The Democratic Republic of Vietnam introduces the đồng to replace the French Indochinese piastre at par. 1949 – These Are My Children, the first television daytime soap opera, is broadcast by the NBC station in Chicago. 1950 – President Truman orders the development of thermonuclear weapons. 1951 – United Nations Security Council Resolution 90 relating to the Korean War is adopted. 1953 – A North Sea flood causes over 1,800 deaths in the Netherlands and over 300 in the United Kingdom. 1957 – Eight people (five total crew from two aircraft and three on the ground) in Pacoima, California are killed following the mid-air collision between a Douglas DC-7 airliner and a Northrop F-89 Scorpion fighter jet. 1958 – Cold War: Space Race: The first successful American satellite detects the Van Allen radiation belt. 1961 – Project Mercury: Mercury-Redstone 2: The chimpanzee Ham travels into outer space. 1966 – The Soviet Union launches the unmanned Luna 9 spacecraft as part of the Luna program. 1968 – Vietnam War: Viet Cong guerrillas attack the United States embassy in Saigon, and other attacks, in the early morning hours, later grouped together as the Tet Offensive. 1968 – Nauru gains independence from Australia. 1971 – Apollo program: Apollo 14: Astronauts Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa, and Edgar Mitchell, aboard a Saturn V, lift off for a mission to the Fra Mauro Highlands on the Moon. 1971 – The Winter Soldier Investigation, organized by the Vietnam Veterans Against the War to publicize alleged war crimes and atrocities by Americans and allies in Vietnam, begins in Detroit. 1978 – The Crown of St. Stephen (also known as the Holy Crown of Hungary) goes on public display after being returned to Hungary from the United States, where it was held after World War II. 1988 – Doug Williams becomes the first African American quarterback to play in a Super Bowl and leads the Washington Redskins to victory in Super Bowl XXII. 1996 – An explosives-filled truck rams into the gates of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka in Colombo, killing at least 86 people and injuring 1,400. 2000 – Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crash: An MD-83, experiencing horizontal stabilizer problems, crashes in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Point Mugu, California, killing all 88 aboard. 2001 – In the Netherlands, a Scottish court convicts Libyan Abdelbaset al-Megrahi and acquits another Libyan citizen for their part in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988. 2001 – Two Japan Airlines planes nearly collide over Suruga Bay in Japan. 2003 – The Waterfall rail accident occurs near Waterfall, New South Wales, Australia. 2007 – Emergency officials in Boston mistakenly identified battery-powered LED placards depicting characters from Aqua Teen Hunger Force as Improvised explosive devices (IEDs), causing a panic. 2009 – In Kenya, at least 113 people are killed and over 200 injured following an oil spillage ignition in Molo, days after a massive fire at a Nakumatt supermarket in Nairobi killed at least 25 people. 2018 – Both a blue moon and a total lunar eclipse occur. 2020 – The United Kingdom's membership within the European Union ceases in accordance with Article 50, after 47 years of being a member state. 2023 – The last Boeing 747, the first wide-body airliner, is delivered.

[nmiinh]

Compulsory Question 2

Restate your artistic vision statement

My journey into graphic design commenced in high school when I joined my school's music club. At first, I applied just for fun and didn’t think much. Eventually, my passion started to grow in me and I realised that I wanted to pursue this as my future career.

Initially, I perceived design as akin to art, a misconception that gradually dissolved. I discovered that design transcends mere aesthetics, it's fundamentally about problem-solving. The realization marked a turning point, expanding my understanding of the discipline. It's not solely about creating visually appealing compositions but involves addressing challenges, meeting objectives, and communicating effectively through design elements.

As my skills evolved, I found joy in tackling complex issues, finding innovative solutions, and enhancing user experiences through thoughtful design. The interplay between form and function became a fascinating exploration. This insight reshaped my perspective, fueling my commitment to the dynamic and multifaceted realm of graphic design. Looking ahead, I am enthusiastic about continuing this journey, honing my skills, and contributing meaningfully to the intersection of creativity and problem-solving in the field of graphic design.

Select at least one work of design that really resonates with you.

NARAKA PROJECT

This is a fictional project called "NARAKA PROJECT". It's a packaging design for mouse trap inspired by 18 levels of Hell, based on our Vietnamese beliefs.

Naraka in Sanskrit means 18 levels of hell. The team got the idea from the different punishments at each level.

As a junior graphic designer, my perpetual fascination with Vietnamese culture serves as a profound wellspring of inspiration for my work. The rich tapestry of traditions, vibrant colours, and intricate stories embedded in the cultural heritage resonates deeply with me. Integrating these elements into my designs isn't just a professional choice; it's a personal connection to my roots. This symbiotic relationship infuses my creations with authenticity and a unique narrative. Every project becomes a canvas where the hues of Vietnamese culture converge with contemporary design, creating a harmonious blend that not only visually captivates but also serves as a testament to my cultural identity.

Therefore, I've crafted artwork for the Lunar New Year, a celebration and embrace of our culture. It's evolved into an enjoyable tradition, a creative challenge my friends and I eagerly tackle each Lunar New Year.

Nhâm Dần Girl - Tiger Girl (2022)

Joining the spirit of Lunar New Year 2022 - Year of the Tiger, we create a figure with the vibe of the Tết holiday (Lunar New Year event in Vietnam) in our own visualization: áo dài, khăn xếp, cherry blossom. Not only spreading the spirit of the Lunar New Year, but we also somehow want to spread out the beauty of Vietnamese culture as my pride to be one of the new generations to nourish it.

Kim Ngân Mão - Chromium Cat (2023)

2023 in some Asian cultures is the year of the Hare, but in Vietnam, it’s the year of the Cat. Specifically, it’s Chromium Cat as the element of metal, which brings wealth in the new year.

Word count: 476 words

References:

Behance. “NARAKA PROJECT.” Behance, 1 Nov. 2018, www.behance.net/gallery/72172873/NARAKA-PROJECT.

“Behance.” Www.behance.net, www.behance.net/gallery/136858007/NHAM-DAN-GIRL-TIGER-GIRL.

Behance. ““Kim Ngân Mão - Chromium Cat” LUNAR NEW YEAR 2023.” Behance, 1 Jan. 2023, www.behance.net/gallery/162036175/Kim-Ngan-Mao-Chromium-Cat-LUNAR-NEW-YEAR-2023.

[tamgdenettebya]

Новая лунная гонка

Знамений рисунок Леонардо спирального пропеллера. Идею геликоптера он впервые высказал в 1475 году.

В новом году на Луну сядут сразу три космических корабля. Самый амбициозный проект — китайский Чанъэ-4, запущенный 7 декабря с космодрома Сичан. Мягкая посадка на обратной стороне Луны может стать первой в истории. Индийский «Чандраян-2» отправится к ночному светилу в январе. Посадка планируется в районе Южного полюса Луны. Луноход будет собирать образцы 2-3 недели. Ранее проект Индия хотела реализовывать совместно с Российским космическим агентством.

Израильская компания SpaceIL планирует запустить лунный зонд Sparrow («Воробей») в начале 2019 года с помощью американской ракеты Falcon-9 и через пару месяцев прилуниться. «Воробей» будет самым маленьким и легким в истории. И первой негосударственной лунной миссией. Американские компании Moon Express и Astrobotics надеются получить новое финансирование от НАСА в 2019 году. Японцы планируют запустить аппарат в 2020 году.

В России концепция исследования и освоения Луны была озвучена 28 ноября 2018 года. Предполагается запуск окололунной станции (2021 год), пилотируемого корабля «Федерация», исследование Луны автоматическими станциями серии «Луна» (25, 26, 27, 28), а также высадка космонавтов и создание полноценной лунной базы после 2035 г.

_____________________________________

Omens drawing by Leonardo of a spiral propeller. He first expressed the idea of ​​a helicopter in 1475. In the new year, three spacecraft will land on the moon at once. The most ambitious project is the Chinese Chang'e-4, launched on December 7 from the Xichang Cosmodrome. A soft landing on the far side of the moon could be the first in history. The Indian "Chandrayan-2" will go to the night luminary in January. Landing is planned in the region of the South Pole of the Moon. Lunokhod will collect samples for 2-3 weeks. Previously, India wanted to implement the project jointly with the Russian Space Agency.

The Israeli company SpaceIL plans to launch the Sparrow lunar probe (“Sparrow”) in early 2019 using the American Falcon-9 rocket and land in a couple of months. "Sparrow" will be the smallest and lightest in history. And the first non-state lunar mission. US companies Moon Express and Astrobotics hope to receive new funding from NASA in 2019. The Japanese plan to launch the device in 2020. In Russia, the concept of exploration and exploration of the Moon was announced on November 28, 2018. It is planned to launch a near-lunar station (2021), a manned spacecraft "Federation", the exploration of the Moon by automatic stations of the "Luna" series (25, 26, 27, 28), as well as the landing of astronauts and the creation of a full-fledged lunar base after 2035.

«Край света»

Этот рисунок космического аппарата в стиле да Винчи – «новодел». Автоматическая межпланетная станция НАСА «Новые горизонты». Запущена 19 января 2006 года американской ракетой «Атлас-5» с российским двигателем РД-180. 1 января она достигнет Пояса Койпера. Ледяной мир на окраине Солнечной системы за орбитой Нептуна. Около 7 миллиардов км от Земли.

______________________________

This da Vinci-style drawing of a spacecraft is a "remake". Automatic interplanetary station NASA "New Horizons". It was launched on January 19, 2006 by an American Atlas-5 rocket with a Russian RD-180 engine. On January 1, it will reach the Kuiper Belt. An icy world on the outskirts of the solar system beyond the orbit of Neptune. About 7 billion km from Earth.

[perfectlyprofoundsalad]

Everything we Know about Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas's Romance

The full study delves deeper into dating app use and user sentiment along a number of lines, including demographic breakdowns, breakdowns by level of education and user opinion. Social media buttons allow people to share their opinion about you and follow you on social media. נערות ליווי במרכז If you want to find the right woman, you have to get out there and search for people with the same criterias as you. This site was chosen to collect rocks blasted out during Imbrium’s formation, and the astronauts brought about 43 kilograms of samples from the region. It was among the 110 kilograms of samples the Apollo 17 astronauts brought to Earth. Apollo samples revealed that some of the Moon’s largest basins formed between 4.1 to 3.8 billion years ago, a (geologically) short period. Lab studies revealed that the lava here is slightly younger than at the Apollo 11 site, but still over 3.1 billion years old. My disillusionment with Medium over several years led to a bit of a memory hole gap in documentation… Scientists determined that Serenitatis formed 3.9 billion years ago, right in the time range when large asteroids and comets were bombarding all the planets and moons in our solar system.

In August 2018, Tinder co-founder Sean Rad filed a $2 billion lawsuit against Match Group, claiming that Match Group and its parent company IAC purposely undervalued Tinder to avoid paying out stock options to the company's original team. Some of Libby's original samples have since been retested, and the results, published in 2018, were generally in good agreement with Libby's original results. Out of the 77 kilograms of lunar samples Apollo 15 brought to Earth, one of them called the Genesis Rock represented ancient material that forms much of the Moon’s highlands. Apollo 16 visited near the ancient Descartes crater within the lunar highlands. The last Apollo mission landed near the edge of Mare Serenitatis in 1972. The various layers of ancient lava flows at the site indicated a volcanic period that lasted 700 million years. My goal would be to resurrect an old BBS project I wrote many years ago. It's at least as important to replace your old instinctive habits of thought with new habits of thought. Similarly, dating habits formed during quarantine could shift business strategy for all online platforms, not just those already in the romancing space.

Line Goes Up - The Problem With NFTs - An incredibly well-researched and articulately presented video essay on the systemic issues with the blockchain/cryptocurrency space. The rim complex includes the buildings and space enclosed by a wall on the canyon rim, as well as the buildings at the base of the cliff directly below the rim. The subject specially resonates with my own techno-skepticism as well as my heritage: my mother grew up in a Mennonite family of farmers, and many of my relatives are Amish or Mennonite. There were some ancient rocks similar to Apollo 15’s Genesis rock as well. Apollo 15 landed near the Hadley rille, an ancient lava channel formed 3.3 billion years ago when the Moon was volcanically active. Among the most fascinating finds was orange volcanic soil, later dated to be 3.6 billion years old. Age dating the sample in labs found it to be 4.1 billion years old, only about 300 million years younger than the Moon’s primordial crust. This led scientists to realize that the Moon’s crust isn’t consistent throughout, as was long assumed, pointing to a richer history.

It’s perfectly fine if you’re someone who prefers playing the field and isn’t open to being in a committed relationship, but I’d rather be made aware of that from the get-go because we won’t be a good match otherwise. It’s better to be safe than sorry. It’s essentially a long list of tersely formatted status updates that I collect and maintain along with some commentary. Please Contact Us and specify list of icons you need. To achieve success in this industry, you need to choose a narrow specialization for your business. Be yourself. No need to get stressed and start talking in that high-pitched 'could-this-be-more-painful? Online dating is easy and all you need is a computer and an internet connection to get the process started. All You Need To Know About The Music Business, 10th ed. Yuji Yokoo: “Developing your Dreamcast games with mruby” - Did you know? WebTV Japan Sega DreamCast Background Music - This is insane. WebTV Secrets - Obsessed with the obscure as I am, there are some incredibly interesting pieces of research on the Web TV platform to check out here. To find out more, please read our complete terms of use.

[project-ml]

Project: Lunar New Years 2018 Chapter Five (FINAL)

Concept/Plot: @qookyquiche, @chalala-chan, @panda013, @piikoarts, @purr-cat-stinate

Comic Version

Sketch Artist: @piikoarts

Line Artist: @skeletordraws

Color Artist: @chalala-chan

Fan Fiction

Author: @jezzicabell | (Ao3)

Beta: @panda013 | (Ao3)

Word Count: 1074

Summary: After Story time with Master Fu, Marinette and Adrien leave to finish their day at the festival

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Masterposts

“I knew Ladybug could be found in Egyptian mythology,” Marinette commented, “but I never knew she was in the beginning of Chinese mythology, too.”

“Who is to say that Ladybug cannot be found elsewhere? I am sure there are stories of their history that even I do not know,” Master Fu replied.

“Thank you for the story,” Adrien said with a kind smile.

“It was my pleasure. Knowing our history is important,” he said, standing up with the help of his cane. “Now if you wait just a moment before you both go rushing off, I think I may have something for you.”

As he disappeared into the second room of the tent, the two teenagers glanced at each other.

“That was such an interesting tale. Ladybug turned out to be just the person to balance out Chat Noir,” Adrien commented.

“Yes, and just as Ladybug is the balance to Chat Noir,” Master Fu commented as he emerged from the back room with something draped over his arm, “Chat Noir is the balance to Ladybug; yin and yang.”

The two teenagers blushed at the implications as their minds flashed to their partners for a moment. Marinette shook herself out of it quickly, sneaking a glance at Adrien before returning her attention to Master Fu.

Master Fu chuckled lightly before unfolding the fabric over his arm.

“Now this old jacket was given to me many a year ago, and I do believe you’ll put it to much better use,” he said to Adrien. “Sate an old man’s curiosity and try it on, would you?”

Adrien blinked at the offered jacket, a little bewildered, before gingerly accepting the garment and carefully shrugging it on. Adrien was amazed at how smooth the silky red fabric felt and while doing up the buttons on the front he was amazed at how well the jacket fit. Of course, most of his clothes were fitted, but this jacket hadn’t been tailored to him yet it still seamed like it was. Adrien held back the chuckle at his own pun. Feeling rather giddy at receiving such a wonderful gift, he held out his arms after doing up the last button.

“Well, how does it look?” he asked with a wide grin.

Poor Marinette was at loss for words.

“It looks like you both match now,” Master Fu commented with a pleased smile. The kids blushed not making eye contact. “You should go and enjoy the rest of the festivities now,” Master Fu insisted, making shooing motions at the two.

Adrien nodded and smiled, turning and offering his arm to Marinette. “Shall we depart, Marinette?”

Marinette paused, feeling an odd sense of deja vu. She reached out to take the offer before reaching out and grabbing his hand instead, taking Adrien by surprise.

She nodded before turning to Master Fu once more. “Thank you again for the story,” she said before dragging Adrien out of the tent.

Adrien waved on his way out, also giving his thanks.

“An intriguing pair, Master.”

“Yes indeed, Wayzz. A pair to watch. I’m sure they’ll do great things.”

“Marinette, look, they’re selling paper lanterns over there, let’s go have a look!”

It was nearing the end of the festival day and Marinette was finally getting used to this very excitable Adrien.

“Of course, of course, slow down!” Marinette laughed as she was dragged to the paper lantern display. There were lanterns of all different shapes and sizes. Some Lanterns were to float on water and some for floating in the sky or hanging on strings. Red and gold were predominant but there were a few colourful ones for the young children.

“We should get one to send out,” Adrien suggested.

“Sure,” Marinette agreed as she peered at the wide selection of lanterns in front of them. “There are a lot to choose from, though! Which one do you want?”

Adrien thought for a moment, looking at the display, before grinning and pointing at a particular design. It looked like it was selling really well, and Marinette could see why when she spotted the polka dots.

“How about this one?” Adrien asked, picking it up for a closer look. Marinette leaned over his arm and saw that it wasn’t just a Ladybug lantern, as she had kind of feared. It was red with black dots, but it also apparently had two black ears and a tail. She found herself smiling.

“How much is it?” she asked, reaching for her money. “We can split it.”

“No, it’s my treat!” Adrien announced, shaking his head. “Your mom gave us all those pastries, remember?”

“And she’d kill me if I let you pay me back for them!”

With a slightly mischievous grin, Adrien sang, “What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her!”

Before Marinette could protest anymore, Adrien had already handed over the money for the paper lantern and she sighed, letting her purse fall back to her side. If it made him happy to buy the lantern, then she’d let him get away with it.

“If you’ve bought a lantern, they’re setting them out down by the Seine,” a woman told them from the next lantern stall, smiling at them. “I think they’ve got someone waiting to photograph them when they go past the Eiffel Tower, too. Why don’t you guys head down that way and check it out?”

“Thank you!” Adrien was practically beaming by now, and he reached for Marinette’s hand. “Come on, Marinette, let’s go!”

Laughing, Marinette called, “Adrien, slow down!” but allowed herself to be pulled toward the riverbank.

It had taken the pair a little while to find an empty bench by the Seine that wasn’t being crowded by the many family and friends gathered to release lanterns. Already a few of the water lanterns were drifting out towards the middle of the river.

Releasing their lantern the two sat side by side on the bench overlooking over Seine, watching as the lantern floated off. They tracked it with their eyes as it bobbed on the water surface before drifting off with the other lanterns that had been released. As the lantern floated among its peers and was lost to the crowd of lanterns making their way down the Seine and towards the Eiffel tower the two turned to smile at each other. Feeling content, the pair stayed silent and watched the dance of the lanterns.

“Happy Lunar New Year, Adrien.”

“Happy Lunar New Year.”

[gpalmora]

Kong Hei Fat Choi! 🏮 It's the Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve. Let me start 2018 again.

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

On 20 July 1969, 650 million people throughout the world watched with bated breath as Neil Armstrong successfully fulfilled President Kennedy’s vision. The United States achieved what had seemed impossible just a few decades before. We had sent a man to the moon.

On that historic day, the entire world came together to celebrate the enormous accomplishment as Armstrong’s voice boomed from our television sets: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

In just eight short years the US, led by our extraordinary scientists, engineers and astronauts at NASA, had opened up a new world for humanity. And while the entire world rejoiced, there was a special joy and pride in our country because this was an American project. It was our financing, our political will, our scientific ingenuity, our courage that had accomplished this milestone in human history. We had not only “won” the international space race, but more importantly, we had created unthinkable opportunities for all of humankind.

Fifty-three years later, as a result of a huge effort to privatize space exploration, I am concerned that Nasa has become little more than an ATM machine to fuel a space race not between the US and other countries, but between the two wealthiest men in America – Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, who are worth more than $450BN combined.

After many billions of dollars of taxpayer funding the American people are going to have to make a very fundamental decision. If we are going to send more human beings to the moon and eventually to Mars, who will control the enterprise and what will be the purpose of that exploration? Will the goal be to benefit the people of the United States and the entire world, or will it be a vast boondoggle to make billionaires even richer and open up outer space to corporate greed and exploitation?

At this moment, if you can believe it, Congress is considering legislation to provide a $10bn bailout to Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin space company for a contract to build a lunar lander. This legislation is taking place after Blue Origin lost a competitive bid to SpaceX, Musk’s company.

Bezos is worth some $180bn. In a given year, he has paid nothing in federal income taxes. He is the owner of Amazon, which, in a given year, has also paid nothing in federal income taxes after making billions in profits. Bezos has enough money to own a $500m mega-yacht, a $23m mansion in Washington DC, a $175m estate in Beverly Hills and a $78m, 14-acre estate in Maui.

At a time when over half of the people in this country live paycheck to paycheck, when more than 70 million are uninsured or underinsured and when some 600,000 Americans are homeless, should we really be providing a multibillion-dollar taxpayer bailout for Bezos to fuel his space hobby? I don’t think so.

Let’s be clear, however. This issue goes well beyond just one contract for Bezos to go to the moon.

The reality is that the space economy – which today mostly consists of private companies utilizing NASA facilities and technology essentially free of charge to launch satellites into orbit – is already very profitable and has the potential to become exponentially more profitable in the future. Bank of America predicts that over the next eight years the space economy will triple in size to $1.4tn – that’s trillion with a “t”.

In 2018, private corporations made over $94bn in profits from goods or services that are used in space – profits that could not have been achieved without generous subsidies and support from NASA and the taxpayers of America. The satellite business is growing rapidly. SpaceX alone plans to launch tens of thousands of its Starlink telecommunications satellites over the next few years.

In addition to the launching of new satellites, corporations like SpaceX will be making substantial sums from the “space tourism” business. Recently, three extremely wealthy individuals paid $55m each in order to visit the International Space Station. The good news is that if you are a billionaire tired of vacationing in the Caribbean, there are some exciting travel opportunities for you. The bad news is that American taxpayers are subsidizing some of that trip.

And while it may seem like a bad science fiction movie today, decades from now the real money to be made will not come from satellites or space tourism but to those who discover how to mine lucrative minerals on asteroids.

In fact, both Goldman Sachs and the noted astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson have predicted that the world’s first trillionaire will be the person who figures out how to harness and exploit natural resources on asteroids.

NASA has identified over 12,000 asteroids within 45m kilometers of Earth that contain iron ore, nickel, precious metals and other minerals. Just a single 3,000ft asteroid may contain platinum worth over $5tn. Another asteroid’s rare earth metals could be worth more than $20tn alone. According to the Silicon Valley entrepreneur Peter Diamandis, “There are twenty-trillion-dollar checks up there, waiting to be cashed!”

The questions we must ask are: who will be cashing those checks? Who will, overall, be benefiting from space exploration? Will it be a handful of billionaires or will it be the people of our country and all of humanity?

As it stands now, as a result of the 2015 Space Act that passed the Senate with virtually no floor debate, private corporations are able to own all of the resources that they discover in space. In other words, the taxpayers of this country who made it possible for these private enterprises to go into space will get a 0% return on their investment.

The time is now to have a serious debate in Congress and throughout our country as to how to develop a rational space policy that does not simply socialize all of the risks and privatize all of the profits. Whether it is expanding affordable high-speed internet and cellphone service in remote areas, tracking natural disasters and climate change, establishing colonies on the moon and Mars or mining asteroids, the scientific achievements we make should be shared by all of us, not just the wealthy few.

Space exploration is very exciting. Its potential to improve life here on planet Earth is limitless. But it also has the potential to make the richest people in the world incredibly richer and unimaginably more powerful. When we take that next giant leap into space let us do it to benefit all of humanity, not to turn a handful of billionaires into trillionaires.

[weidol-ent]

✧･ﾟ:* HYESOO, THE LUNAR BLOOM !

hyesoo is the first idol that ever signed to weidol entertainment, and the only soloist currently being promoted by the company. with her soft, ethereal tone and knack for producing lo-fi bops, she was scouted straight out of high school after posting an original song on what was once weidol web collective. with little more to say, her music went viral, paving the way not just for herself, but for weidol as a company.

✧･ﾟ:* BASIC INFO !

birth name :: cho hyesoo (조혜수).

stage name :: hyesoo.

date of birth :: april 29, 1998.

place of birth :: seoul, south korea.

nationality :: korean.

ethnicity :: korean.

face claim :: jung jinsol.

✧･ﾟ:* CAREER INFO !

company :: weidol entertainment (since 2018).

occupation :: idol (soloist), producer.

years active :: 2018 - present.

position :: N/A.

✧･ﾟ:* SKILL RANKING ! * * idol’s skills (rap, dance, vocals, etcetera) are ranked from best to worst.

vocals.

visuals.

social media presence.

stage presence.

charisma.

dance.

rap.

leadership.

✧･ﾟ:* FUN FACTS !

hyesoo did not expect to be scouted after leaving high school, and was planning to one day become a teacher. however, after her music went viral, she knew that her life wouldn't be the same afterwards.

she’s very popular with new k-pop fans, since her music is incredibly influenced by western lo-fi hiphop. for this, she’s often called a k-pop “ gateway drug. ”.

she’s currently taking english and mandarin lessons in order to broaden her horizons when it comes to promoting, as well as to communicate more with her fans.

hyesoo knows how to play the violin, and is known to sing and play on-stage from time to time. many lunettes on twitter jokingly ask her to “ release the violin album. ”

her favourite food is doenjang jjigae, but she can put away so much food that it’s almost unreal. a lot of her friends say that she has a neverending stomach..

hyesoo has been featured on many of weidol’s television programs, such as the trainee survival show, weidol girls project and HARPY CLUB’s reality show, HARPY TAKE FLIGHT. she’s also hinted at a new survival show coming in the winter . . .

[alchemabotana]

Horoscopes for the Full Moon in Capricorn June 24th 2021

Antonina “Little Thunder” Whaples

@whaplesantonina

If you enjoy these horoscopes, please consider supporting by voting for me as Ms. Health and Fitness 2021 for Muscle & Fitness Hers Magazine. You can vote once every 24 hours for free. If I win, I am donating the proceeds to herbal medicine school scholarships. To vote: https://mshealthandfitness.com/2021/antonina

Strawberry Moon - Pen & Ink Sketch by Antonina Whaples 

Horoscopes for the Full Moon in Capricorn June 24th 2021

Strawberry Moon

This lunar Opening in Capricorn June 24th 2021 is a cry of righteousness on the hilly planes of our spiritual landscapes. With this meregoat’s lunation, we will experience the inherent benefits of the systematic work we’ve done since 2018, with a special emphasis on decisions made to change personal system errors. The Gods of karma are smiling at our intentions and efforts, and rewards will be reaped by those who invest in self discovery. Our ritual work has been seen and blessed in the Summer Solstice shifts by the spirits of the Land. If you listen closely on this strawberry moon, you may just hear the call of the Cosmic tricksters as they work their mojo on the psychopomp of Earthly frustrations. When you’re feeling the pull of your natal oppositions this moon, tune into the tendons of your actions and see where the motion stems from. You may be relieved to find that the strings that once pulled your puppet are made of finer ancestral threads and your permission to be free was always there. When you check into the Cosmic Chess Board you may find something of a rubix cube has emerged in your new dimensional awarenesses. Instead of throwing yourself into the equations necessary to unlock this next level, revel in the achievements that brought you to this very moment. In a cosmic landscape where the processes of life and death have been hyper focused in our collective consciousness it feels rebellious to change the font and type settings of the ancestral notepads in our minds. Representing the waters that run deeply within the Earth, Capricorn’s fullness in the night sky will illuminate various Spirits whose presence have been well established, but not necessarily recognized. A sign of the power of mental affirmation, your thoughts and words will hold a special magic in this moment. Remember that your Guides, Spirit Animals, Power Totems, Good Medicine Ancestors, and the Spirits of the Land are excellent translators, and with Mercury about to pop out of retrograde (watch out for its shadow til June 30th), its final lesson is one of the personal spiritual variety. When what we seek is Truth & Justice, we allow our souls to attune to protective forces that help us autocorrect, fold into origami, and transcend with temperance.

Aries:

It’s no surprise that an old tune holds the secret code from that earlier recording of the master tape your memory has been searching for in the old filing system. In these moments you realize just how deep and densely tracked the highways and byways of your mental system are. You’re the original wayfinder of your own uncharted territory of the mind. This state of curiosity opens you up to spiritual healing that aligns your personal ideals and values with the actions a person desires to embody. When your actions meet your words, you tend to feel the most at home in the grander machinations of Spaceship Earth.

I’m not sure if I’m feeling funky or groovy, jazzy or bluesy? Does it jive with you? Is it feeling all right? What songs have got you buzzed on this full moon night? I’m enjoying the humour of the human experience, and I find ways to incorporate positive sources of enjoyment into my daily routine. I recognize that I can be sensitive to the frequencies I consume mentally, and I’m manifesting sources of comedic gold into my awareness. I can be my own clown, and enjoy an inside-inside joke anytime my mind decides that laughter is the best medicine. I love to laugh, and allow myself this simple pleasure in life. 

Taurus: 

Saturn in Aquarius square Uranus in Taurus has been creating a nuanced ping-pong table in your mind. This influence has been upon your daily life for sometime, and shall continue on through the rest of the year, with another exact square in December 2021. Accept the exactness of this T-squared engineer level measurement on the corners of your ascension blueprints. It’s ok to look at the world from your own angles, and you may be happily surprised by the moments that unfold joyously when you use your sharpness to hone the hedges of your self doubt. There’s a special magic in this moon for you, as the meregoat lights a part of the puzzle we wanted to get done anyway. This refocused energy gives you the internal resources to wait to make your next move, even though the ones you’ve planned are quite clever already, when mercury rx clears you’ll have fine tuned your intel.

I give in to the epic bonestructure of my cosmic face in the universe. I know that on these edges are where the hedgerows grow. In these sanctuaries of my boundaries, I give spaces for things I truly want to cultivate to be engendered. I find which spaceships are allowed to dock at my intergalactic port of plenty, and make sure that my shields are up when psychic frequencies intend to disrupt my qi. When I breathe, I give space to the energy around myself, and I feel permission to let go. When I let go, I allow myself to accept instructions in the forms of feelings and intuitions. I do not allow the opinions or voices of others to upset my internal compass. I feel centered and grounded and know I will continue to make positive choices and believe in myself. I choose to honor myself, and that makes me feel good. 

Gemini: 

You’ve been carefully funneling resources into a variety of investments. Financial and interpersonal projects and alliances deepen, although it is not a time to throw caution to the wind. Caution and planning is what has allowed you to learn to trust the ebb and flow of the cosmic money winds, and you’re trying to siphon your own renewable sources, not steal from the Gods. When you place yourself in alignment with your internal resources, you can learn to embody compassion to provide yourself when feelings of self worth or insecurities prod you to feel guilty about the ways you regenerate. Let your conscience be your guide, and allow others to do the same. The path of self acceptance is most rich for you at this juncture, and it would be wise to use the Full moon to clear the psychic debris of your aura through ritual bathing, sound healing, and aromatics. 

I can sometimes turn my mirrors askance to the equations I cannot seem to readily solve. But, in doing so I lose reflections that empower me. I accept that it's time to look at some of those patterns again and see if they even deserve a place on the chalkboard of my mind. When I make space to use my memory card to run programs that make me have feelings I actually enjoy, I look into my secret box of fantasies and realize I may have already realized many of those experiences. In these moments of clarity, I hold a space for myself to enjoy what I may not have allowed myself to in the past. In this way, I take back my energy and transform myself in the present. 

Cancer:

In this moon you are finally able to feel that rebound-snap! Ka-bow! sh-zing! of Mars’ exit from your cozy airbnb. You’re reminded that you should be charging premiums for your ability to stay level-headed when the Gods and Goddesses war in the Heavens, and on Earth. You enjoy a good ritual bath, but to stay out of hot waters, this crab needs a cool-down. This Capricorn Moon is just what the doctor ordered, and something about the good medicine flowing through you can’t help but seep into certain streams where the mojo is most needed. This is an excellent time for you to pause in your personal space and take a moment to feel the beauty of your domain.

My soundtrack of life is a high luxury five star bathhouse of the Spirits. I’ve been Spirited Away to lands of emotional remembrance. The roots of my ancestors have spoken to me, and I have heard their instructions. I need not fear the judgments of others, because I am a sacred part of creation. I will not allow negative voices to infiltrate my consciousness, but instead, I will choose to believe that my work has been blessed by the Cosmic Super Computer and shall continue to have its content prioritized. In this space of trust, I allow myself to turn my consciousness to what I’ve relegated as “frivolous artistic pursuits”. I find the time and space to make something just because. When I experience this energy releasing through the act of creation, I realize why it mattered in the first place. 

Leo: 

The grass is pretty green in your patch. Both career aspirations and spiritual wealth appear to be presenting itself to you in all new fashions. You may literally be feeling called to new ways to express yourself externally, and this exploration of your presentation to the world helps you heal. You’ve been feeling called to healing in general, feeling like it may be a good time to start a new way of moving, or to add a healing ritual to your daily experience. If you happen to use stone medicine, Turquoise will be especially healing in nature during the transit of Mars through Leo, and can be just the cooling mechanism you need to keep your Roar without the bite.

Sometimes I’m just feeling high octane. When I find the right stomping grounds to release my charge I am able to do so safely through friendly communication strategies, good topics of conversation, interesting objects within my spacial periphery, and calming colors. It’s ok to turn the volume all the way up, but when the outside world adjusts its tone to match, I can switch to a different groove. I’m in awe of my co-creative power to engage my environment and use my influence therein to bring forth collective healing experiences.

Virgo: 

Something about this moon in Capricorn feels familiar to you, and perhaps it's the quiet watch you’ve held & the prayers of your heart being answered. Your physical being is finding ways to heal through your insights to your movements in daily life. As your mind/body/spirit awareness grows, you find new ways of expressing yourself. This ability to shift and transform might seem like deja vu, but it's your memories finding their way to the surface. When our minds give us abstract feelings and visions, we can move mountainous emotions safely within our systems, without harming ourselves or others. Breathe deeply and find a place to scream loudly if you need that release.

I have crossed some barren deserts, but I have not died of thirst. I am blessed with the life I have co-created in the spiritual planes of my intelligent manifestations. My awareness of the barren corners of life have given me compassionate reflective capacity and a recognition of my gifts by those whose opinions matter to me. I am enjoying the small moments of joy and call them precious to me. I forgive myself for any moments where I’ve expected too much of myself while I was grieving a loss. My heart is tender, and my spirit gentle. I wish to live in harmony with myself and others. 

Libra:

This Capricorn moon you are more annoyed than usual at laundry, other people’s messes, and scapegoating. Your sensitivity to physical objects is heightened under this Full Moon and it may feel overwhelming to be in the midst of the messes others leave for you to clean up. It’s more than frustrating when you acknowledge how your time/energy has been appropriated. Instead of letting loose the fire brigade when the bridge seems to be burning, walk away from the moments today that feel like a temptation. Make sure to find objects that reflect healthy energy back to you, and sit amidst a tiny oasis of your creation, and pay no attention to chaos of the Gods. You deserve a Full Battery, and the spirits are conspiring to recharge your battery banks this lunation.

I gather strength from my service to my community. When I have been unbalanced in the past, I allow my weight to ground in all directions through the sacred communions of my own secret tabernacles of the human experience. I make new covenants with myself and the way I speak and treat myself, so that I no longer need to suffer under the weight of the past. I don’t need to feel any guilt in laying down my load, and don’t need any permission to do so. When I feel safe, I will allow those who I trust to provide the respite necessary for me to heal my visions of my life and expand into an abundant awareness of how truly loved I am for being myself, and how needed my cosmic ray of intellect is to this world. 

Scorpio:

Known for your secrets and depth, you’ve been hiding like the Cosmic Sphinx between the pillars of the temple gates. You’ve been allowed to watch the clashes of the Giants unscathed, and your insight will outlast this passing phase of planetary tensions. You���ve been sending alien text messages to Neptune’s work phone, and the intel has been legit. Your attraction to Art, Color, Shape, Form, Music, and Theatre are encouraging you to make insightful investments in your own dreams. This Full Moon beckons you to create with abandon and let the waves of inspiration quench your desire for pleasure. 

I feel like the whole choir singing in one unison. I weave through the soundwaves, key changes, and rhythm switch-ups as I keep time with the sacred union of celestial sounds. I am aware that the tunes of the planet herself offer me a sacred respite from the cacophony of the cosmic movements. When I ground myself into the soothing waters of my spiritual essence I define for myself how my energy is used for the goodness of my own healing. 

Sagittarius: 

It feels like you’ve been getting along pretty well with the planetary forces, and everyone secretly enjoys the protection that your bow provides for the tribe. You may be feeling a bit cramped in the yellow submarine of the pandemic, dare we say you could have cabin fever? The Trines, Sextiles, and satellite signals of the skies indicate that you can find a special type of relief from the feelings of squished with mandalas, botanical drawings, and spirographs. When you take the time to let your mind journey in these ways, it lets your hunter’s mind relax for the next best chance. And no worries, you’ve got plenty of chances ahead, Sagittarius. 

Life is good. I do my hair toss, check my nails - baby how you doing? Hey, life is good. He’s got his eye on the sparrow and I guess that’s me? I’m playing with the chemistry... cause that’s how I be? When I look into the mirror I see a babe, a real dude of the neighborhood - my sister, mothers, daddy, and the community. I guess when I see you, I see me. And when I’m in that light in me, and you are in that light in you. There is only one of us: namaste my bissssssch 

Capricorn: 

This Full Moon in Capricorn you endeavour to ask outloud: “What Giant’s Bones Have We Built Ourselves Upon?” Your Full Lunation is opposing the Sun in Cancer, shining a shadow on our collective exoskeleton. This Full Moon feels like an archeological discovery when proverbial bones rattle out of the closet to give us a hoodoo prayer’s chance for self liberation. You’ve been waiting for a moment like this, and it's OK if you’re not ready to take that leap of faith. But should you choose, the moon lights up an emotional healing around the concept of “home”. You really want to know if you’re believing the right thing from one moment to the next, but keeping your head out of the secret sauce is key to giving your subconscious the space it needs right now to send out signals to the future. Soon enough you’ll be receiving confirmations of cosmic flavors right into your spiritual inbox.

I called Stephen Hawking and he called me back. My voicemail said: “Hey friend. I know this is a hard time on planet earth. I think people are doing better than they believe they are. It’s hard to be a human. I remember the constraints of the body, and I understand when you want to just fly away somewhere. I believe in you. Capricorns get a bad rap sometimes. I can see your progress, and I hope you take the time to see it too. By the way, we always have the time to say how much we matter to each other. Thanks for being, and enjoy this life, you deserve it”. 

Aquarius: 

There have been a lot of light bulbs going off in your spiritual laboratory. This Full Moon when the light shifts, your awareness of the dimensionality of the objects and purpose of your life is heightened. You may be experiencing some grief and loss around feelings of closeness with others. Recently you’ve been asked to hold a deep stability for the collective’s growth. Your actions haven’t gone unnoticed, and you’ve been receiving opportunities for advancement in your career. However, you are feeling uncomfortable with commitment while under a deep pressure to perform. These archetypal struggles are up for healing on the altar of the Full Moon. Your magic fairy dust works the best when you sprinkle it on yourself. You are learning the ways of Illuminated Prosperity.

My voice is a symphony of grace within a cacophony of sound. I breathe in the knowledge that my very existence is a miracle of my own embracing. I find myself at home in my surroundings and know I belong. Whoever “They” are, I know I can be myself around “Them”. I trust that my instincts are perfected beyond doubt. I’ve taken all the tests and quizzes and my insights are showing precision on whichever experiments have survived my tests of time and spirit. When I tune into my highest self it's because I’m recognizing my ability to be in that place no matter what surrounds me. Even when my circumstances deny me, I do not deny myself. I believe that I am worthy of the life I am living, and anticipate my surroundings shifting to match the unique vibrational fingerprint that I offer planet Earth. 

Pisces: 

You’ve been holding down some major spiritual territory during the recent seasonal shifts. The light of the meregoat acts as a lighthouse beacon for the whales and whistleblowers of your waters. You’re not particularly interested in that island, and prefer to spend this Lunation in Capricorn Gardening, Cleaning Out the Car, Writing about your art, Feeding the fairies, Calling in positivity, Releasing the Past, Testing New Grounds, and let’s just say it: looking pretty guuuuuuud while doing it. So good. You might want to tune into some whale call noises, or turn on a beachy video. The seas are definitely calling your name, and your inner explorer could watch Moana a few times through the eyes of the grandmother, the eyes of Moana, and the eyes of Te Fiti. 

I am a sound rising on the waves of creation. I turn my eyes to the heavens and I’m in the medicine nation. I forgive myself for all my wavering, I know my power lies in my cravings. I can wish upon the starry skies, and watch the birds where e’er they fly. I’m curious to know the names of all the fairies, and their games. I want to know what games I’ll win when I’m laughing with a cheshire grin. I know what gods have sent me here, I know which path I’m meant to clear. And when the waters run to quickly, or the bushes get too prickly - I can lay my spirit down. My minds’a palace, my head a crown. You could call me king or queen, but my magics’still unseen. I’m so much bigger than my titles, or whichever ones I didn’t get. I’ve given all at my recitals, and I’m my own best bet. 

[lance-arts]

Merry (belated) Christmas & A Happy (also belated) New Year 2022!

FINALLY after fighting bouts of lack-of-motivation and my body telling me to fall asleep at my desk, right before the final day of Christmas, it is DONE!!!

More below the cut!

Now this is a Christmas Project that I had thought up a while ago and have been meaning to make. Originally I wanted to animate it, but didn't have time. It was also meant to be more minimalistic, with both characters representing two of my favourite colours, Purple and Green Teal.

Speaking of Characters, not only is this a Christmas double art feature, this art also counts as the anniversaries of both my OCs Michelle Aquastone (space pirate slime girl) and Janus Moonhare (Chillax Lunar Demi-God), the former of which I created 5 years ago (Dec 20th 2016) and the latter I created 15 years ago (Sep 24th 2006)! Oh yeah and then there's 3 year old Kittowl critter companion fella, another OC I made on the 7th of Sep 2018. (Keep in mind though these aren't their actual ages lore-wise)

So yeah, this basically doubles as their birthday gifts. Truly a Christmas miracle!

My only regret is that I chose to make this right before Christmas day, thinking I could power through and complete it before then, or even before the end of the year instead of, ya know, doing it a week before in advance so I could spend a little bit more time spending the 12 days of Christmas relaxing with friends and family (which ofcourse I did, I just wish I did a bit more of it instead of working).

With that all said and done though, I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays, and a prosperous new year!

Characters and Art are all mine.

Music is the Mike Oldfield cover of In Dulci Jubilo which was performed at the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony.

You can check out the YT version of this here which also includes additional links to the artwork on it's own!

-> https://youtu.be/xcLeFYMRUzE