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miniimapp · 2 years

Text

4*TOWN as Your Seatmate in Class - Highschool AU

Gen. ;; Fluff + tiny amounts of angst - Headcanons/Scenarios

Warnings ;; Bullying + Stress (Robaire's section)

Proofread + Edited ;; No, sorry !!

Auth. Note ;; This was supposed to be posted yesterday but I'm an idiot and forgot to finish Tae Young's section and when I noticed I was too tired to write anything remotely good :'D !!

Also, quick disclaimer, I'm not American so I have no idea what type of school system they have over there, I'm basing this high school experience off of my own experience :)

I really struggled with writing Z's and Tae's and I think it's obvious in both the length and the quality so I hope you can forgive me (especially Tae's in comparison to the last one)

Enjoy !!

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Aaron T - The One Who Steals Your Shit

It's a hate-love relationship

You hate when he asks to borrow your stuff

You love when he leaves you alone

Not one single class goes by where T isn't asking you for something

A pencil, a pen, a ruler, a rubber (eraser), tape, colouring pencils, specifically a purple crayon, post-it notes, a compass and protractor, glue - things that you can find in most shops

Has this man never heard of the stationary section ??

You don't even know why T needs half the stuff he asks you for given it's an English class but there we go-

It's gotten to the point where you're just giving him your pencil case before he even opens his mouth

T gets this goofy grin whenever you give him what he needs (which is every time he asks)

And maybe you keep giving him your stuff just to see that grin

What of it ??

Look,, I'm not saying you're a simp

But I'm not not saying you're a simp either

It's okay, we all go through our phases

One day I'm sure you'll be able to look at a pretty boy and not throw your empty wallet at his feet

But until that day it looks like Mr. Aaron T has got you wrapped around his finger

It's not all one-sided though !!

Because T's got a secret (Another day, I'm back at school. I thin about him, he's so cool !!)

He absolutely has every single piece of stationary he's ever asked you for in his bag

I don't mean he's stolen your stuff

I mean T already has all the stationary he needs in his bag he just chooses not to get it out so that he has a reason to talk to you

Yeah this is that trope - buckle in

Mama T has made sure her baby has everything he ever will ever need and makes him pack his bag every night before school

So I bet you're wondering how you found out about this

If you weren't wondering before you better start now

Well, friend, it was the unzipped backpack trap

Y'know when you're walking and your bag is completely open

Oh yeah

You know exactly where I'm going with this

It was the end of class (and the day) and everyone was packing up or already gone - you got back the fineliner T had borrowed and you were ready to go home

And then the loudest unzipping sound came from your right

You turned just in time to see a waterfall of multi-coloured stationary fall out of an unzipped pencil case that was falling out of an unzipped bag

And a frozen T, watching as all his stuff went crashing into the floor, stood with his bag swung in front of him as he prepared to leave

Mans is giving all fish a run for their money with his impression rn

Poor boy is just opening and closing his mouth trying to think of something to say

And you have so many things to say you can't choose which one to say first !!

T glances at you...and then tries his best to avoid your attempts at eye contact

"Who put all of that in there...haha...wow..."

The loudest snort escapes you as you cover your mouth trying to muffle your laughter

T can't help but smile - at least you were laughing, despite his embarrassment at least you didn't hate him

Bit dramatic but then again this would be boring if it wasn't

"You're such an idiot, oh my god" in between wheezes, snorts and loud hyena laughter

As T joins you in laughter he finds himself glad that this happened, even if it is a blow to his ego, otherwise he would never know this side of you

From this day on, T pledges to be the reason you smile brighter and laugh louder every day

Jesse - The One Who's Never Paying Attention

Jesse's the kinda bitch who gets the highest grades every time - he's top of the class in most things - yet he never pays attention

And its beginning to get to you

Big time

And you're way too sleep deprived to be dealing with this mental stress rn

Sitting next to this boy is torture because as you put all of your effort into focusing and still struggle to keep up with the lesson while Jesse has no problems

So confident in his abilities that he doesn't even try

Which definitely isn't the case

I think Jesse is someone who cares deeply about doing well in school, though he'd never admit it (he definitely instilled this mindset into his kids too)

He studies every night at home and reads ahead on the material so he knows it in preparation for class

Because the teachers don't teach in a way he understands, it just doesn't click for him

So he takes his education into his own hands

King behaviour tbh

So during class time ?? He's completely up in the clouds

Jesse loves to sketch in class

He'd prefer pottery but y'know...not exactly possible to bring out his wheel in the middle of a maths lesson

Oh yeah, this is a maths class

So he sketches pottery designs and whatever catches his attention really

As Jesse sketches, you are contemplating putting yourself into a coma (death's straight up commitment dude and you're too indecisive for that-)

But for now slamming your head into your desk repeatedly will have to do :)

How the hell is any of what this teacher is babbling on about meant to make sense in any way, shape or form ??

Literally name a part of their "explanation" because you call bs !!

You keep quiet because imagine having the teacher call you out as you have a breakdown ?? literally bye

However, being your seatmate, Jesse has no choice but to pay attention

Literally, you're causing his lines to shake-

But also because you've caught Jesse's attention and your...movements are making you hard to draw

How can he draw that sparkle in your eyes if you're face down on your desk ??

A light tap on your shoulder brings you out of your wallowing

Fuck, the teacher's caught you now

They're gonna hate you for forever now and you're gonna fail because they'll make sure to never explain anything in a way you understand and fuck shit damn it you need to pass this class

You look up - ready to really put on a show of tears and pretend your friend's grandma's pet's uncle Gustopher died last night-

Oh...

...that's not a teacher

Arguably worse it's Mr. Know-It-All

And fuck if he doesn't look like god's gift to the world in this stupid lighting from this stupid angle which no one should look attractive from

It's official: you hate Jesse Whats-His-Last-Name

"You alright, love?"

(Because of course Jesse is just as free about pet names as he is when he's grown up - probably even more so)

GOD DAMMIT AISAKJBSLABDBC

How dare he use that on you ??

Especially looking like that

"...no."

WELL AREN'T YOU ARTICULATE ??

"Okay, how about you rest for a bit, I'll take some notes for you, alright?"

ADBSJJSKKAJCKDHGEJDNC

WHAT-

for you ?????

SKDFNKJHSDLVKNBJCB

You manage a nod and a watery smile

And somehow you manage to pass out for the rest of the lesson

...

You wake up to the sound of chairs scraping and loud talking

On the left side of your desk is a sheet of neatly written notes with diagrams (you could cry-)

As you pick it up to put away in a safe place you notice another piece of paper underneath it - folded.

Curiosity obviously wins out so you pick it up and are met with many sketches

Flowers, clouds, lots of pretty things

But the two noticeable drawings ??

They're of you

One of you staring forwards with your pen held against you bottom lip

And the other one of you sleeping at your desk

You couldn't lie they were beautiful

You were beautiful

Is this really how you look ??

Did Jesse see you this way ??

You hope he does

Speaking of- you look around for Jesse but he's long gone - along with everyone else

Better skedaddle before the teacher attempts conversation- oh wait they're gone too

Great ??

You let yourself smile as you slip both of the pieces of paper into your bag

Maybe he isn't so bad

Aaron Z - The One Who Comes to Class Injured

Oh man, you have major concerns about Z

Every other week he's sporting some new injury

A month or so ago he was on crutches with a sprained ankle

2 weeks ago he had a black eye

Last week he nearly ripped a tendon and wasn't allowed to come in

And now he's got himself a broken arm

Fucking how ??

What the hell is Z doing to get these injuries ??

Is someone hurting him ??

Is he getting into fights ??

Is the extracurricular sports he plays religiously ??

And why does he get extra desk space-

Just give him his own desk, dammit !!

And of course Z is so quiet that he barely has any friends in his classes and none of his actual friends seem to share any with him either

Which is so strange ??

Not one person really ??

So now you'd been lumped with the poor guy to help him out whenever he has an injury since you shared most (all ??) of his classes

Z just looks so uncomfortable whenever you're alone together

You'd be offended if you didn't know his personality

Unfortunately, his general discomfort makes you feel just as awkward as he does

And it's kind of a problem

Because your teachers keep looking at you like they're expecting something

Like you'll suddenly become besties

Which is...hopeful

And naive

Not that you wouldn't love to be friends with Z

The guy seems really cool

But...y'know

This bizarre buddy system had only recently taken place so you'd only been helping him since the start of the week

And it's already this bad

Not that Z's bad !!

He's fine

Great, even

Just...quiet ??

Again, not a bad thing !!

Just had to make a friend for life in these conditions, y'know ??

Doesn't help that your almost as awkward on a good day so...

You walk side by side, carrying both your and Z's bags to your next class which, surprise surprise, you share

Stuck in the monotony of school life your mind begins to wander

As you amble along Z begins sneaking glances at you

You sat next to him

You accepted to escorting him around school like a bodyguard

or worse...a babysitter

You offered him a smile every time he sat down next to you

You even offered to carry his bag when all you had to do was walk him to the next class

Why... ??

Why're you being so nice to a...not stranger...acquaintance ??

Sucked into his own thoughts Z didn't notice the small step in front of him

The sudden drop (though pretty small) was enough to send him flying into the wall shocking you both out of your stupors

You sprinted over, checking over him like a worried mother as Z stood there stewing in his embarrassment

"Oh my god! Please tell me you didn't break the other arm!"

"...it's fine..." he replies in the quietest voice ever

"Are you sure? Do you want to go to the nurse's office anyway, just to be safe? I have plasters but I'm not sure they'll help all that much"

You break into nervous laughter before it quickly turns into real giggles and snorts (yes you will snort every time you laugh, if I have to suffer this irl you can suffer through it in headcanons !!)

Though he doesn't laugh with you Z does crack a smile which is a win in your book

"I think I'll live"

"You sure? Because your track record suggests otherwise"

You receive a playful glare for that one

"Come on, clumsy. I'll make sure you make it the rest of the way to class in one piece."

Maybe the next time you had to help out with Z's injury the silence would be so awkward

or silent at all

Robaire - Your Academic Rival

Similar to Jesse's headcanons, Robaire is one smart cookie...it infuriates you

But in a fun way

Because you can fight back

The competitiveness on you two is scary ngl

Everyone else in your class has given up trying to beat either of you

They just silently hope that whoever is highest in the most recent test doesn't gloat about it

This time it's Robaire

And you're not...happy about it, shall we say

So of course Robaire has taken it upon himself to rub it in your face as much as he can

And though you hate losing you can't deny the anticipation and excitement you feel whenever test scores are released

Because win or lose it's a lot of fun competing with Robaire

And he has fun too, don't you worry

On occasion Robaire has been known to study for a few more hours than usual leading up to a test just so he can beat you

And his friends find it hilarious

Because on you could get under the cool, calm and collected Robaire's skin like this

So they simply watch in amusement as he turns to you, a victorious smirk on his face

"Look like your crown is slipping, your highness. And with that, I think your throne is mine."

"Just you wait, Robaire, I will crush you in the next test. Prepare to taste my dust."

You shared grins

"I don't think I will. If you can't even keep up a streak of more than one victory compared to my four in a row, how could you hope to seize the next one?"

"Pure determination, loser. Watch me."

You grab your bag and stand up

"Here, I'll even give you some dust-eating practice. See ya next class."

You wave and move on out of there

But not before you hear a hushed whisper from nearby

"They're such a try hard it's not even funny..."

"Pick-me behaviour-"

You're no stranger to mean comments and prefer to let them roll off of you like water off of a duck's back but these particular voices with comments like these had started to follow you everywhere

What really got to you, though, was the fact you never saw who was saying them

You could only hear them

There's no way to turn them off

And you hate that you're letting them start to affect you but you just can't help it.

They're everywhere

Your only haven is your home and even there the comments had started to pick up, your mind echoing them back to you whenever you had a single moment alone

It's starting to make studying even harder than it already is

Which is why you completely bombed the next test

You failed badly

You can only hope you don't start to cry as you flip through pages upon pages of red crosses next to your hastily scribbled answers

You hadn't gotten a bad score on a test in so long

You'd made sure of it

What would everyone think if they found out-

The pick-me doesn't even have a leg to stand on

Look who's all bark and no bite

This is Robaire's rival ?? yikes...

Fuck...what will Robaire say ??

And after you'd gone and blabbered your mouth at him too

God...

So when Robaire turns to you, holding his paper close to his chest and grinning as if he knew he'd won, you lost it

You sprinted out of the room and to the toilets as fast as you legs could carry you

A sight that left Robaire more than a little speechless

One of his friend laughed, "Is that their way of telling you that you've eaten their dust or?"

But Robaire had seen your face and it hadn't been mischievous or even slightly smiling

You looked distraught

Robaire walked up to your desk and flipped your paper over, eyes widening when he saw your score

Well, now he knows why you ran...

Dropping his paper on top of yours to hide the score, Robaire runs out of class too

Meanwhile you're staring at yourself in the mirror willing the redness in your eyes to disappear

Fuck it...whatever

You left your paper there anyway, there's no way that the whole class doesn't know about it by now

You give your swollen eyes one last look before leaving the toilets

And fucking great, Robaire himself is right there as you leave

"You okay?"

You stare at him for a second and then nod

You'll get over it

Eventually

Jury's out on everyone else though

"I'm gonna need you to convince me, chéri. Because seem as okay as you want me to believe."

"It's whatever, man, forget it."

"It's fine if you don't want to talk about it right now. How about a hug? Feel free to say no." Robaire smiled gently at you and you felt your heart squeeze in your chest

You hesitate before nodding and stepping forward into his waiting arms

You breathe in and smell what can only be described as Robaire

You have no idea what to place the scent as, it's just warm and it's him

Maybe you'll tell him in a minute, or an hour, or a day or maybe a week but here, in his arms, you feel safe and better already

Tae Young - The One That You Tutor

Given the fact the Tae Young's moved around a lot, he's also the new kid a lot

And that always affects his classwork

Different curriculums, different teaching styles, even different languages and he's expected to roll with it and keep up

Tae's expected to ride the wave of change but he keeps getting sucked under, flailing around as he tries desperately to stay afloat

Even his best classes are ones he's somehow behind in and it's pretty upsetting

Tae Young is smart but all of this confusion and catching up to topics he hasn't even heard of yet is lowering every semblance of his confidence and self-esteem

Which is where you come in

Being a part of the tutoring program it's literally your job to make sure the students under your care are getting the grades they deserve and are understanding the topics they're learning

You share their losses, their wins, everything - you watch the people you're assigned to grow and learn and nothing makes you happier

And you like to think they enjoy being tutored by you just as much

So when you're told you've been given a new tutee you're happy to help out

It's what you do after all

So you make your way to the library, note books in hand

You'd done enough tutoring by now that you had a set plan of how to go about things

In this first session not much tutoring would be done, honestly, but in order for your tutee's to learn anything you'd need to figure out how they learn, what they need to learn and what's causing them to struggle

When Tae Young was told he'd been given a tutor he felt ashamed

If he'd just been able to keep up with the work then he wouldn't be in this situation

Tae's barely been in this school a month and he's already enough of a failure that he needs another student to tutor him.

He felt like all eyes were on him as he shuffled to the library, nervously picking at the skin around his nails

Even the wall had eyes to judge Tae with

You made sure to get to the library before your new tutee (such a weird word lol-)

You set up at your normal table and waited, wondering who they might be

Tae Young stands outside of the library, fingers tapping out random pattern on his thigh as he hypes himself up

Now or never

He takes a shaky step inside and looks around, hoping to find his tutor

You watch Tae Young vibrate on the spot as he frantically looks in all directions

Well, your new tutee hadn't come yet so you could probably help him out

"Tae? You okay?"

Turning to the side, Tae Young catches your eye and almost deflates in relief

Someone he knows !!

"Mmm, yeah. Sorry!"

You give him what you hope is a reassuring smile

"Not to worry. But, uh, I don't normally see you in here, what's the occasion?"

Tae Young chews on his lip for a moment before looking up at your through his lashes

His voice drops down to a hushed whisper

"I'm supposed to be getting a tutor but I don't know where they are..."

Your smile widens into a grin

"Well, I think I've hit the jackpot then because I'm waiting for my new tutee. Bets on who that might be?"

Tae's eyes widen comically as he lets a smile take root on his face and you stifle an aw

"Really? Thank goodness, I was super worried that they'd be mean but I guess I don't have to worry about that anymore!"

You laugh and guide him to your table

"I'd hope not. Well, since I already know you we can skip introductions. I have a rough idea of what you might need help with but it's much easier for the both of us if we hash it out together; does that sound good?"

Tae Young nods and flops into a chair, his earlier nerves dissolving as he listens to you talk

With a tutor like you he won't have to worry so much anymore

And if he slips you a thank you note and a daisy the next time he sits next to you in class that'll be our little secret ;)

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I always end up writing too much for Jesse's sections T^T stupid character limit !!

I hope you enjoyed !! <3

177 notes · View notes

artingabout · 2 years

Video

The Queen’s Thief themed nook-book made as a gift for @meganwhalenturner

Behind the scenes:

My materials:

ae woodene booke

much paper in many layers and shades

craft knife

scissors

foamy-tape-stuff (technical term)

acrylic paints

brushes and roller

pens & coloured pencils

PVA glue

faux gold leafing

resin

metal ruler and cutting mat

milliput

fimo

wire

craft foam boards

card

black tissue

wooden dowels

chalk

This one, I’ve been planning for a while. Originally I was going to do a standard book nook, but then remembered these gorgeous wooden books I’ve had just lying around waiting for a purpose and BEHOLD!

Because I can never keep things simple for myself, I wanted to try different craft styles for each section so I’ll go through them one by one.

Phase 1 was challenging because it’s the shallow left side. I decided to do one of the iconic scenes that stayed with me long after I read the books for the first time in cut paper, because it would let me play with layers and the illusion of depth while also... y’know. Paper. It’s thin.

First off I made a background to add some perspective and depth to the box, so it looked much deeper than it is.I painted on a sky effect and then dug out this gorgeous paper that has a kind of marble texture to it and made the buildings.

Next I did a base sketch of the faces to get the sizes right and snipped out Gen since he has more layers because his arm is foreground.

I didn’t remember to take a picture of the paper I textured for his skin tone, but basically various shades of pinks/reds/browns/whites applied to watercolour paper in erratic layers to get some texture and depth. It’s sort of visible on the hand (which was the first piece I cut out and it strikes me as ironic that it’s the piece I kept losing because I was working on my living room floor 😅)

For Attolia, I picked different papers/cards to use, specifically a rather nice handmade off-white paper with dark red rose petals imbedded in it to serve as her alabaster skin with the smudge of blood.

Nothing says love like floating heads, amirite? I added some layers to Attolia’s hair and coiled the strands of the ringlets around a cocktail stick to get the curls. The crown and earring are both faux-gold-leaf card with slivers of resin as rubies. So much gold-leaf everywhere. SO MUCH. Details were added with a fine-tipped pen and some shading with coloured pencils.

The layers. So many layers. I think Gen has about 15 separate pieces to him. For his sleeves, I added some texture by using a rubber patterned stamp and copper ink, then splatted paint all over it :D

And to add even more depth to a 1cm deep space, I used thick double-sided foam tape (I have no idea of technical terms. Foamy squishy stick string) to elevate them off the background. A wee glimpse of it is visible just under Gen’s collarbone

Phase 1 complete!

Phase 2 was another beast entirely. Originally, I was planning on doing the scene from The Thief when Gen steals Hamiathes’s gift, but realised that would mean an image of Hephestia that looked very much like the image of Attolia I had already done. Plus I was planning to use The Return of the Thief’s cover which is also red, so I wanted to do something less red.

Pheris was kind enough to give me some beautiful descriptions of the half-built temple of Hephestia in TRotT and I love me some forced perspective :D And naturally, I had a slightly deeper box to work with this time (omg a whole 2-3cm! Luxury!) so of course, it had to be 3D.

"I studied the Great Goddess, shining in the darkness. The treasury was new, but her statue was much older; the wood from which she was carved showed through the gold leaf. The pillars supporting the dome were tree trunks, smoothed of their bark and inverted, so they were wider at the top than at the ground"

First up, the Goddess herself. Fimo on a wire armature with a throne made of balsa wood . Since the statue is described as old with wood showing through the gold, I figured she could look a little crudely-carved and rough. Also, she is smol and I have sossige fingers.

I cut dowels to size to serve as the inverted-tree-trunk pillars and add an illusion of depth. My art teacher would be so proud.

The altar was the easiest piece of the whole thing: chopped up foam board, some card for stability, cut and shaped and decorated with milliput to add the Hephestial Mountains, coated in black tissue to give a nice strong black base to paint. I used drybrush to get a nice stone effect (see a bit further down)

And conveniently, the entire background of the scene is black, so I added the dome for More Optical Illusions! Because hey, if it worked once, do it again :D And also started layering up milliput for the tree-pillar bits.

And the last and messiest step before fixing the pillars and everything in place. Gold. Leaf.

The last bits to get done were the pillars, which I fixed in with milliput and glue.

Once they were set and painted, I glued everything in place and gave Hephestia her orb and behold, phase 2 complete!

And both sides together.

Finally, phase 3 - the cover. To keep things (relatively) simple, I went with the blood-red cover for Return of the Thief. Gave it a nice red basecoat, sketched on the design in chalk because lol, who uses tools to draw lines? Not me!

No in-progress pictures because I did it all in one run while listening to a webinar.

And as a special treat, more gold leafing!! I love the shininess of the figures on the cover of the book and thought “hey, that’s a sensible option that won’t leave you finding gold bits in your kitchen for days!” :D

Note to self: do not do this on wood again, it is very very likely the leaf will cling to the wood and require some repainting. This is a lesson. Do not forget (this memory will self destruct within 10 seconds of leaving this post)

For comparison before I did some touch-ups because of the stupid leaf going rogue

And behold, it is done :D

#arting about #craft #art #the queen's thief #megan whalen turner

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identifying-computers-in-posts · 4 months

Note

Got my things stolen and can’t remember what model to replace my ipad from, it was Apple Pencil 1st gen compatible. Thank you wizard

(2016) iPad Pro 9.7” OR (2017) iPad Pro 10.5”

Below the cut are my opinions on a replacement iPad, the information i used to figure out what model you had, and also Apple’s weird rose gold phase. rip the rose gold colorway, 2015-2020

iPad shopping advice—

I do not recommend buying a refurbished 2016 iPad Pro, while not technically obsolete, iPadOS 16 is no longer receiving active support— security updates are still being pushed out but Apple tends to only provide those for another one or two years unless a zero-day vulnerability is found. (iPadOS 16’s active support expired a year ago, for further context)

I can’t in good faith recommend buying a refurbished 2017 iPad Pro, it currently operates on the latest OS (iPadOS 17), however that’s likely to be its last core update in its lifetime— it turns 7 years old this year (a typical lifespan for an iPad is 5-6 years), iPadOS 17 has less than a year of active support left with iOS & iPadOS 18 slated for September 2024… however, the prices look good if you can find one from a reliable seller.

I have two recommendations for replacement*

Refurbished** iPad Air (2020) 256gb

Runs iPadOS 17 and will be receiving core updates for another 2-3 years minimum

Support for up to 5 Gbps over USB-C support (which means support for external storage devices)

Support for the Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) and Apple Pencil (USB-C)***

Smaller bezels; the home button is removed and TouchID is on the power button

Support for a external mirrored display

Support for Wi-Fi 6 & Bluetooth 5.0

5G LTE support if you’re into that sort of thing (cellular models do cost extra)

iPad 10th Gen (2022) 256gb

Runs iPadOS 17 and will be receiving core updates for the next 4-5 years minimum

Support for USB-C with speeds of USB 2.0

Front-facing camera is horizontal (which is the reason for the next point)

Support for Apple Pencil (1st Gen w/ Adapter) or Apple Pencil (USB-C)***

Smaller bezels; bigger screen, TouchID on power button

Support for an external mirrored display

Wi-Fi 6 & Bluetooth 5.2 support

Cellular models equipped with 5G support

*Only if you need an iPad before March or April of this year. For the first time since 2010, Apple skipped a year in iPad refreshes. Mark Gurman predicts that new iPads will be released by the end of March. The 6th Gen iPad Air is rumored to be receiving a pretty large facelift— likely slashing the price of the 5th Gen Air. The iPad Air is widely considered to be the best price-to-performance option from the iPad family.

**I recommend checking out open box pricing for the latest generation iPads before making a decision. If possible, hit up a BestBuy or Microcenter so you can look at open box devices in person. Only buy refurbished devices from trusted sources; I recommend Amazon Refurbished or Geeksquad Refurbished.

***the Apple Pencil (USB-C) does not support pen pressure on any iPad model. The Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) is the most feature-rich model to date, read more here.

as both these iPads run the same processor, here are the benchmarks from CPU Monkey for the A10X Fusion (IPP2017) vs. A14 Bionic (IPA2020)

And the insane amount of information I know about Apple’s rose gold phase that led me to what iPad you have:

Apple introduced the rose gold colorway in 2015 with the launch of the iPhone 6s, and the phasing out started with the release of the iPhone 8 in 2017, replacing rose gold with just plain gold. That’s the timeframe for our rose gold iPad— and there were only six iPads launched between 2015-2017. This assumption is further supported by the launch of the Apple Pencil in late 2015 and the eventual launch of the the smaller 9.7” iPad Pro in 2016, which came in the standard space gray, silver, and gold, but was also released in one extra color: rose gold. The rose gold colorway in the iPad lineup was exclusive to the smaller IPP 1 & 2 until 2020 (see “Other Apple products…”). Additionally, the visible sides of the iPad suggest it’s from the “tapered unibody” MacBook era— specifically the “rounded edges” or “squircle” era, when all iPads fit awkwardly into folio cases if they weren’t made by Apple. The iPad that received a rose gold colorway in 2020 is of the “squared edges” era, thus ruling it out entirely.

Other Apple products that saw a brief rose gold colorway:

Retired from the Apple Watch lineup in 2017

Retired from the MacBook lineup in 2018

Retired from the iPhone lineup in 2017

Retired from the iPad Pro lineup in 2018

Added to the iPad Air lineup in 2020 and then immediately replaced by pink following the next release

Apple recently has introduced the pink colorway into its products as it delves more into the colorful side of tech again. Things you can buy in pink from Apple if you want to stay on theme:

iPhone 13, 15

iPhone 15 Plus

iPad 10th Gen (2022)

iPad Air (2022)

Apple Watch Series 9

#fungusdotc0m #identifying computers in asks #read the annotations + my last few tags if ur considering a new iPad btw I had some other thoughts right before posting #iPad #iPad Pro #iPad Air #Apple History #rose gold #if you’re actually like. in need of a laptop too for whatever reason i would save for an iPad Pro 2022 (either size) bc those are laptops #like basically #the iPad Pro is a MacBook Air but with a touch screen and also weighs less and costs less depending on the model. it’s just better #i have a ton of other information I can say on this matter but this post is SO long. iPad comprehensive guide coming in 2024 probably

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introvartx · 2 years

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i so wanna try the apple pencil 2nd gen since it's got better grip, but unfortunately it won't work with ipad pro 10.5 (the one i own) daaamnnnn. stupid way of making business.

#how could you make something that doesn't work with everything?#to think they're both pencils 🙃#kshdjjsjshhs #so not to phase the pencil gen one out?#or so consumers will tempt to buy your new ipad models?#smh #terrible #personal #andy rambles

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twilightvolt · 4 years

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And so, another year has come to pass.....almost. ^ ^

Remember when i said i was branching away from Digimon back when i drew up Venom fanart? y’know, “I wanted to be more than what i used to be.” that being “a Digimon artist.”

2019 was basically just that. lots and lots and LOTS of fandom hopping.

If last year was me recovering from the pain and crippling anxiety of 2017, then this year was me finally getting up again, learning to stand up and live for myself rather than in fear of those i shouldn’t care about anymore. life still hasn’t been too kind to me even though, compared to last year, we’re in a better space. but i’ll get into more detail about that while i go through everything month by month on the clock.

Before we begin, if you’d like to see the previous years, here’s the links!

2018:https://twilightvolt.tumblr.com/post/181732950569/i-kinda-was-saving-this-for-when-i-had-the-time-to

2017:https://twilightvolt.tumblr.com/post/171806337539/a-3-month-late-art-summary-featuring-art-that-i

Might wanna grab your popcorn, my dudes. this is a long one.

January: On the Web

Coming out of 2018, things were pretty ok if i remember. i don’t remember much from this month aside from a few doodles i did like this one from when Spiderverse was the hottest thing. this was one of the last things i drew in my old style. before i decided to officially change things up in the next month.

February: Gotta Kick it Up

Pokemon Sword & Shield were announced and things were hype! oh, how things soured as the months went by. lol

But yeah, this was me taking that experimental sketchy pencil style from that Smash Bros. drawing and rolling with it all the way! it’s become my new go-to style and even though it’s still hella sketchy at times, i feel like it looks better in comparison to my old ink outlined drawings.

March: The Overdrive Dweebanoids

Oh right. my old Ben 10 phase that lasted for a millisecond in 2016 returned with a vengeance. and it was glorious. lmao

It spawned an AU that i didn’t delve into much, but if i ever get that spark for my favorite alien watch bearer, i’ll get back to it.

April: True Blue Lizard Bois

My Ben 10 streak continues and i was crankin’ out art left and right for it. i luved all the “doodle dumps” i made, but this drawing was wholesome and i picked it because of that.

To some extent, this could be a comparison between my past and my present. that being Overdrive!Ben being what, at the time, was my current obsession while Digimon!Vivi was a representation of where i used to be, back when i was starting out and entering Digimon OCTs on Deviantart.

May: Return to the Realm of Sleep ~HD ReMIX

Now THIS i feel was one of the grandest drawings i’ve done this year. hell, i even made a wallpaper out of it.

like, it was just a redraw of an old drawing from 2017. but to me, it was a way to tell me just how far i’ve come since then. and i couldn’t be happier.

This was also the month i rebooted my DA after a long time of inactivity!

....Iiiit didn’t really work much, but i’m still working on it. though i highly doubt it’s worth it considering most of the ones i used to hang with there are either people i don’t wanna associate with or people who left while i was gone. seriously, it’s a ghost town there.

June: Art Fight 2019 ~Dreams Vs. Nightmares~

Ahh, my second year of Art Fight. for this year’s event, i wanted to be a tad more grandiose. like drawing up this banner. i like being extra and stuff even if it kills my drawing hand, so yeah. lmao

...

Florida thunderstorms are friggin’ terrifying. idk HOW anyone can get used to that.

July: - BREAK DOWN -

Oookay, it was hard picking my favorite attack this year cuz i pretty much was satisfied with all of them. but i had to go with this attack because the artist i drew it for was someone i really admired for years and i’m just happy i could finally have an opportunity to draw them something. like, i luv how it came out, so yeah.

This was also the month i forced myself to finally do the thing and let go of the constant fear i felt towards certain people i used to hang with. while remembering 2017 will never NOT hurt, i can’t let that fear rule over me forever. i have to take control and not let it stop me from doing what i want. and that’s exactly what i did.

August: Ricky ~Sapphire, Emerald and AlphaSapphire

Oh yeah! after Art Fight ended, i returned to Pokemon randomly cuz i wanted to go back to my roots for a moment. revamping Ricky, formerly Ragna, and Yagami was something i’ve been meaning to do for awhile and it reignited a waning love for a series i started growing distant towards since Gen VII.

I used to really like Ricky’s old design even though i barely ever used him. but i guess this just shows how much more original i’ve gotten in terms of character design. ^ ^

September: Heartbeat Inferno

Now, i haven’t really talked much about what’s been going on life wise for most of this post, but trust me when i say irl, things weren’t really.....happening. like, it’s hard when you live (or rather, lived now) in a place with little job opportunity and you have NO experience whatsoever. the lack of progression must’ve hit something in me, so the week i drew this was me just....shifting moods, feeling everything at once. one day i’d be agitated as hell, the next i’d be so depressed i took a some odd hour nap and didn’t wanna get out of bed. like, for most of this year, i haven’t felt this stressed out and frustrated with myself. so this sudden crash was kind of....unwelcome.

But this drawing was a fresh change though, if i’m being honest. i’m not usually this uncaring about how clean the coloring job is, but i like it! i’d choose that other drawing i did for my friends’ birthdays, Skirmish at the Cable Club, but this one had a more personal drive behind it.

October: - PAPERMOON -

beastarsbeastarsbeASTARSBEASTARS--*COUGH COUGH AHEM* I MEAN....hai. :D

Continuing with my Pokemon shenanigans, i drew this big piece which was something i had in my head for years now, but never actually acted upon it cuz i always felt it was too big of an idea to work on. i’m happy i’ve managed to capture what i envisioned originally.

As for interests, i’m sure most of my current followers can deduce that i quickly shifted gears to Beastars as soon as the anime was released and so far, i regret nothing. it’s spawned a metric butt ton of new art from me and the way i see it, this phase ain’t stopping as long as this series continues. brace yourselves fam, i believe i’ve finally found the successor to my Digimon phase. lmao

Like, damn, i had a tough time choosing art for this month. i was stuck between this, - SMILE/WILD SIDE - and Slip Into Madness. so many good drawings i was satisfied with, y’know?

November: The Future is Now

I was SO planning on putting something else here, but then suddenly i just kinda had this urge to redraw that uggo gouache painting of Miyagi from highschool. and it turned out so good that i had to. like, really. lmao

As with the redraw of Dream Drop Digital’s key art, it was a reminder of how far i’ve come since then art wise. and i feel like i’ve accomplished so much this year because of it. ;w;

December: Winter Lights

And now we’re back to the present time. after over a year or so of living in Florida, we’ve moved once again back up north a bit. yet another clean slate, but things seem to be looking up despite the rather large bumps in the road the past week or so. lately i’ve been feeling that seasonal depression starting to set in, but i think i’ll be fine as long as i stay positive. cuz y’know, it’s not being happy all the time. it’s just knowing that things will get better someday.

One of the other reasons i drew this drawing was cuz i REALLY wanted to have something Beastars related on this clock. this series (and Legoshi in particular) really inspired me, so i had to leave a wedge open for my boi.

Looking back at the beginning of this decade (as 2020 would mark the next one), i realized that the 2010′s were basically me becoming more artsy. finding enjoyment for a new hobby that quickly became something i’m now more passionate about than video games which i didn’t think would EVER be the case.

Funny enough, it all started in the RP section of a little forum for an MMO called Wizard101. i was only in middle school at the time and, to tell you the truth, i had no idea i’d be going at it for this long. thought i’d just do it on the side but not really delve into the art world more.

But despite all the trips and falls, fandom drama or otherwise, i wouldn’t change anything if it meant i wouldn’t have the friends who’ve stuck by me in the aftermath of those times.

I may not be really succeeding in much, but it’s the small steps in life that matter most in the end. these past few months in particular was me getting fed up with feeling sorry for myself for not doing the things i was interested in in the past, getting over my regret and making plans for starting something new even though i know i’ll suck at first and not worrying so much about how others might perceive me.

And just like how life was changing for our resident grey wolf this first season, mine seems to be doing the same. and i believe this decade ended on a better note than i thought it would during the past couple years leading up to this.

Here’s to a new decade! ^ ^

~ For a future I want to believe in. ~

#art meme #summary of art #2019 summary of art #year end reflections #2010's reflections #rambles

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builder051 · 2 years

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Happy Starbucks Sunday!

The day itself is happy (sooo sunny and pretty out, compared to yesterday's reenactment of the 'inevitable gale that seems to pop out of nowhere when they're, like, halfway to Hogwarts.') We are very thoroughly meh.

I haven't been feeling well; I think I might have an ear infection (or some kind of allergy sore throat feeling, but deep inside my ear canal? if that makes sense?) I'm currently eating the pectin gel that forms around the fruit in canned pie filling, 'cause tubie is hungry.

The roomies are off in another town doing some (actually really important) errands. The two little children are behaving just fine and enjoying naptime. Big kid, though... without being complainy or disrespecting his right to privacy, I'll tell you this much: He's going through a phase, possibly the prepubescent one, where any and all rules (parent-made "how we do it in our house" guidelines he's known since babyhood; general human kindness, like refraining from throwing toys at people, or flushing the toilet after using; traffic law, like putting on shoes and watching for neighbors' cars before bolting out the door with, like, 16 of our--actually only 7--pets in tow, to go color with sidewalk chalk in the middle of the cul-de-sac...etc.) just kind of go out of the window, and any adult attempting to correct him, even to keep him safe, is annoying him/lying to him/unduly punishing him.

You know my Mental illness Dx's and mental health history, so, in effect, you (accidentally) know his as well, as we're a near perfect match. All of those symptoms are hugely magnified, and, even with all four adults at home, it's a struggle to keep everything... calmer than an 11 on the scale of 1 to 10? So again, if I have to vanish suddenly in event of evacuation, use of a fire extinguisher, extension of the swiffer pole to extricate...something...from the ceiling (I'm the tallest in the house), you'll sort of understand what's going on. I'll try my best to keep you posted.

Now, THE PLAN!!

-I'm playing classic and taking your prompts. I'm trying to do shorter drabbles of higher quality (even though I'm not especially well physically, I'm quite mentally acute at the moment). I'll get to what I can, though no promises, but I am actively trying to be more "with it.

-Ask game! We're doing handwritten asks this week. I thought that would be fun. Especially since I deep-cleaned all the pens/pencils on my office (the little drawer set/shelf of self-help books, personal files, a huge 2x2 writing instrument organizer, and, of all things, professional watercolor supplies) that lives in the kitchen/dining area). So, I have a pencil and notebook all prepared; send me the emoji and/or # and/or phrase, and I'll write an answer, then post a pic.

That has to be about it... Oh, I'm going to try to get my random East R. Bunny story onto Kindle Vella, since it's gen-friendly nonsense. So, if you ever dig around over there, it will eventually post to my collection. All my Vella works are free. My novel is available on Amazon for Kindle and paperback for (I don't remember, but I think it's under $15).

#starbucks sunday

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vocalpmh · 6 years

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eleven questions!!! 🌻✨

tagged by my loves @dong-minie @minnyhyuk (thank you!!!)

here are my questions! i answered twenty-two questions so i didn’t want to make anyone scroll down :’))

i tag: @moonbeams-and-sanshine @astro-lovelies @shinigamibutterfly @dalkkong @jinjins-freckles @jinjinwooz (only if you want to :))

1. if you could travel back in time, which decade would you go back to?

2. do you sleep on your side, belly, back?

3. favourite era of your favourite group(s)?

4. guilty pleasure?

5. do you know how to play an instrument? if not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?

6. pens or pencils?

7. most frequented social media?

8. favourite platonic and romantic ships?

9. siblings?

10. favourite mode of transport? (LMAO I RAN OUT OF IDEAS BUT THIS ONE’S INTERESTING I SWEAR!!!)

11. when did you create your tumblr acc?

gen’s questions :))

1. what’s your favorite movie?

i don’t have a favourite movie perse, but i rewatched the incredibles and mAN was it good

2. do you like the bachelor?

nah not really :’))

3. do you have any pets? if not, what do you want to have?

i have a rabbit! she’s a year and three months ish and she’s so fat honestly but the cutest thing ever <33 - if i had another pet though, i’d really want a dog!

4. what song are you listening to now/did you last listen to?

i think the last song i listened to was see me by brian :)

5. are you a skirt/dress person or a leggings/jeans person?

i used to be a leggings/jeans type of girl but now that summer’s hit australia, skirts are so much more comfy :))

6. if you could dye your hair any color, what would it be?

i really want to go pink at the ends!!

7. if your bias in astro wasn’t your bias, who would it be?

jinwoo or sanha :’))

8. what’s your favorite book?

favourite book that i read recently would be so much i want to tell you by anna akana

9. what’s the weirdest food you tried?

uh i think i said bird saliva the last time i answered this tag or a question similar (whoops) but yes bird saliva, asian delicacy but not really up my street :’))

10. what phase did you go through that you most regret?

man my viners stage (cameron dallas, nash grier JJKAHLhfjfksFBSAKFBSKFBASKHJFB) - i’m so ashamed

11. binu, myungjin or socky?

this is so difficult to choose!!!!!!!!!! binu???? but i’m a sucker for ALLL

emma’s questions :D

1. What language do you know or want to know?

currently i know a bit of my own chinese dialect (albeit poorly) but i’m learning french at school! i would also like to learn another european language like german!!

2.If you get to spend the day with your bias from any group, what would you do with them?

honestly i think i’d want to go on a road trip/long car drive with bin and sing our hearts out (o^▽^o)

3. If you can become any member of ASTRO which member would want to be and why?

i would want to be jinwoo :))))) imagine being able to dance, rap like a god and possess the greatest vocals in astro??

4. Which friendship in ASTRO do you like?

i really like moonbin and jinwoo, or moonbin and sanha. even though they’re quite uncommon, i find that they’re both really cute! jinwoo is that older brother bin loves to bug and annoy, and sanha is bin’s younger brother that annoys the crap out of him but together, they enjoy bugging their hyungs (aka jinwoo) :))

5.What is your favourite food?

fried rice ALL THE WAY.

6. If you get scouted by any of the three big entertainment companies which one would you choose?

i love both sm and yg groups (not so much the actual companies lmao), but i would choose jyp! not that i love jyp eiTHER but i think and i’ve heard they’re a nice company with great groups as well (yO day6, got7, twice!!!!)

7. If you could eat one food for your whole life, what would it be?

fried rice heheh.

8. What is your least favourite food and why?

man i do not like ginger, the taste, texture oh dAMN nasty

9. If you could have any superpower in the world, what would it be? and what would you do with said superpower?

the power to make babies not cry - i got this idea from a youtuber named domics (yo you should check him out) and doesn’t that sound so AMAZING???

10.if you can say anything to your favourite group what would you say?

to astro: you never fail to make me smile and laugh every day and my heart pours with only love for you. i want you to know that i love and appreciate you guys so much, more than you’ll ever know and i’m so proud of what you have achieved and what you’ll continue to achieve! i love you all so much and i hope you’re happy, healthy and safe ♡

11. What do you want to achieve by the end of 2018?

i maintain healthy habits like exercising more than twice a week, organising my school assignments and studies, drinking lots of water because lord knows i’m going to need those skills for rest of my life + i also need to learn to be proud of myself that doesn’t include putting down others in my head!!!!!

#first tag of the year???#these questions were really fun to answer!#tagged

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asfeedin · 4 years

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Is it Real? How the $500 Apple iPad Air Could Be a Photographer’s Dream

According to reports, the Apple iPad Air might be a powerful, yet cheaper option for creators over the iPad Pro.

For as long as I can remember, Apple has been touting the power and capabilities of their iPad and have often said that their tablets are bonafide PC replacements. Still, to date, that hasn’t materialized. Apple has come close with their line of iPad Pro’s, but they are just too costly to only be ‘almost’ good enough. There are now new reports that suggest a new Apple iPad Air might be in the works, and that it could be a very powerful, yet still affordable option for photographers, and creators who work while on the go. If there is indeed a new Apple iPad Air, it’s going to need a serious bump in specs to be taken seriously by creators. Let’s talk about this after the break.

A recent article over at Creative Bloq talks about the possibility of a new Apple iPad Air that could start going into production between July and September of this year. This, of course, will be dependent on if countries have recovered from the impacts of COVID-19, and if the speculation about a new Apple iPad Air is even true.

The Specs

“At this point, the technology is usually good enough, but it’s the software that drives these devices, and there isn’t enough.”

Some possible specs of the new Apple iPad Air, which were first reported on by China Times, include a larger screen (a bump from 10.5-inches to 11-inches), and that the new tablet could feature a secondary LED screen which sits under the main display. (I think this may be like the Mac Touchbar) and, there are murmurings about an under the screen fingerprint reader.

Looking at these reported specs, I just cannot see how the new Apple iPad Air would appeal to creators just based on these new features alone. There is going to have to be significantly more about the tablet to make photographers and videographers swoon to it. The inclusion of a touch bar that will let you see a video timeline might be nice, or that could let you adjust sliders in a photo editing suite could be cool, but come on, the whole device is a touch screen. Would there really be any need for a feature like this on a tablet?

Work With Software Companies

As we have stated before about the iPad Pro, Apple needs to be working with software companies to get more professional-grade apps that are catered towards content creators. At this point, the technology is usually good enough, but it’s the software that drives these devices, and there isn’t enough.

“If Apple can work with companies like Adobe and Phase One, or even directly with major camera manufacturers to make wired or wireless tethering work seamlessly, the iPad would be a killer tool in a photographer’s camera bag. ”

There are a whole ton of photographers out there who do not use Lightroom, so if their editor of choice is not available, they won’t buy. Who wants to change their whole editing workflow? I know I don’t. We need to see a Capture One Pro app, and then there’s Luminar, ON1 (which, a mobile app is apparently is in the works), and many more that we need.

For Retouching

The new Apple iPad Air also needs to be able to get the most out of the Apple Pencil 2 so that fine detail editing is a piece of cake, and there will need to be a serious bump in processing power too. That bump in processing power needs to be able to support wired or wireless tethering that won’t make you pull your hair out. Hasselblads Phocus Mobile app supports this, but the iPads just aren’t powerful enough to make this feature shine. If Apple can work with companies like Adobe and Phase One, or even directly with major camera manufacturers to make wired or wireless tethering work seamlessly, the iPad would be a killer tool in a photographer’s camera bag.

The iPad Air is and will continue to be a great media consumption device that can be used by creators in a pinch if needed, but it simply hasn’t been designed to be a workhorse, and I doubt that Apple will cannibalize it’s iPad Pro line. Could Apple surprise us and make it an affordable content creators’ dream? Sure, they could, and it would be refreshing to see, but I think we want too much from a device like this.

It’s nice to fantasize about a new $500 tablet that can do it all, but I think we will need to keep on dreaming. The new Apple iPad Air (if even real) could launch early next year. If you want an Apple tablet that can do most of your heavy photo and video editing now, though, grab the latest iPad Pro, or get the last-gen version at a significant discount.

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Tags: 500, Air, apple, dream, iPad, Photographers, Real

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ecotone99 · 5 years

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VICE GRIP [HR]

The weathered brass door handle rattled as Roger entered the building of his studio. His fingertips stung as they brushed against the solid wood of the door. They were red, the skin around his nails torn and raw. The nails themselves stubby and jagged.

It was an impressive brick building with arched entryways and high ceilings located in the southwest of Montreal overlooking the Lachine Canal. An old building, repurposed over and over again. Built some point during the industrial revolution to service the railroad that ran along the canal all the way through centre-ville. Roger didn’t know. He didn’t care to know. Now (much like the many other buildings like it) it was an environment where lots of young ambitious professionals gathered to house their start-ups and niche enterprises. All Roger knew was that he liked the view, it inspired him, and he couldn’t work unless he was inspired.

He envied the work ethic of other commercial artists, the ones who could work whether they felt like it or not. Although he tried throughout his career, that wasn’t how he was wired. Roger would have been destined to fail if it hadn’t been for that sizeable mass of natural talent burrowed in some corner of his wiry frame. Talent, however, makes people lazy.

Insecurities like these weren’t the concerns occupying Roger’s thoughts. He was preoccupied with the large white capsule he was thumbing in the pocket of his tattered MEC jacket from the late nineties. His sister, Gen, had given it to him that morning. The capsule was given to her by a friend from her work-out classes. An addiction specialist, Cooper. When Gen had mentioned in passing her brother’s compulsion for biting his nails, the stocky, enthusiastic young woman immediately perked up like a dog reacting to the TV being turned on, before slipping back into her professional persona and prodding for details.

“When did this start?” “Does he bite them all the time?” “How has it affected his day-to day life?”

Gen was reluctant to talk in depth, she felt it wasn’t her place to discuss her brother’s personal struggles without his knowledge, especially something he was self-conscious about like this. However Cooper wouldn’t back down in her interrogation. She didn’t appear the type who couldn’t take a hint, and Gen’s ultimate submission was made more inevitable by the fact that she was the type who could be easily pushed around by people like Cooper. It didn’t take many more questions before Gen was willing to talk about her brother in detail, despite being confused at Cooper’s interest in an addiction as dull and commonplace as nail-biting.

Gen had explained the pill to Roger as nothing short of a miracle drug, which understandably made him more skeptical than he already was. He didn’t feel he was the kind of gullible Dr. Oz viewer that would normally fall for a scam like this, but he was frustrated. He’d tried meditation, therapy, and any and all home-remedy a nosy acquaintance or co-worker had annoyingly suggested to him in the past, but this was his first time trying something so “medical”, as he simply put it.

Roger’s studio was exactly like the one he had envisioned since his early interest in becoming a successful artist. High ceilings with the walls adjacent to the large windows decorated with dozens of prints, and a few original pieces, from the rock-star artists of his childhood. Burne Hogarth, Barry Windsor Smith, Drew Struzan. The exposed brickwork made it more hip. As did the ancient brown pipes that ran along the ceiling off into other rooms, like veins, somehow still pumping, barely keeping this old building going. Roger kept his studio relatively presentable at all times, though his organizational skills rarely exceeded making separate piles of related work for his different projects. With his large-windowed wall facing south, he was sure to get a fairly steady natural light throughout the day, a feature he looked for specifically due to his frustration with the way most artificial lights reflected on his paintings.

Roger felt his heart rate speed up as his subconscious noted that it was almost time to take the pill. He had decided on today to begin his treatment. He was starting a work marathon. Two days of straight painting, stopping briefly every eight hours or so to scarf down some instant-noodles and burn through an old Twilight Zone episode or two. He had been hired to design a mural for a new nearby business. An organic food store very aware of people’s hostility towards fancy new establishments raising the price of rent, and desperately trying to gain favour by having a local artist spice-up one of their bare walls with some scribble that represented the neighbourhood.

If you had asked Roger he would describe his feeling as anxious, but he was scared. It was 8:58 am on a Saturday morning. In two minutes he would take this drug and over the next 48 hours it would work in the back of his mind, chipping away at his negative impulses. Ideally it would be totally unnoticeable, but he was scared anyway.

As he expected, the pill went down hard with his lukewarm coffee. He had never managed to force down even an ibuprofen without a sip of water, and this was about four times the size. Roger sat down at his drafting table. For some reason he anticipated an instantaneous signal that the drug was doing its thing, lightheadedness, slightly blurred vision. But the only notable sensation was his heartbeat reverting back to its usual canter as relief set in. He let out an amused sigh, almost laughing at himself. However the disappointing realization now crept into his mind that it will most likely do nothing and he will come out of this weekend unchanged. Roger picked up his pencil and began sketching away, as the thought of the intimidatingly large pill drifted farther away until it was gone.

Roger had been working for two hours when he realized he had the remaining bite-able area of his unoccupied thumb-nail currently lodged under his left canine. His bottom teeth scraping, mining away at it, trying to get the last few thin strips of nail before it became too painful to continue. He pulled away quickly, taking one final piece with him, revealing a thin line of sensitive pink flesh as blood began to fill it in. He stuck the tip of his thumb in his mouth. A familiar brief feeling of regret swept over him. Always the same thought when he bites too much.

“Jesus Christ, this has been going on for too long now. I’m an adult, I can’t be having my fingers constantly in my mouth, I feel like a seven year old.”

But the sudden moment of self-discipline felt forced. He knew that in probably no more than an hour he would find himself back in his usual one-handed state. Anyway, Gen had told him that for the best effect he should bite as he does usually, and just let the drug work for itself. Roger didn’t really have a choice either way. The temptation was too good, and he enjoyed the pain.

It was 5pm. Roger hadn’t eaten anything since he’d stuffed a cold bagel down his throat that morning on his way out the door. His hunger was beginning to distract him. Giving in to the expanding hollowness in his stomach, he strode over to his backpack leaning against one of his filing cabinets. After digging around for a few seconds through long forgotten receipts and scrapped sketches he retrieved one of the instant noodle bowls he had packed.

The aroma of long-preserved powdered seasoning filled the room as Roger brought his paper bowl from the kettle plugged into the north facing wall to his side table. All in-progress works had been moved far away as to make sure no stray drops of the rust-coloured broth found its way to the middle of some shirtless, iron-helmeted hero’s pale chest.

Roger started up an episode of The Twilight Zone while he waited the standard five minutes for the noodles to be cool enough to not leave the feeling of lightly seared, wrinkly skin on the roof of his mouth. Impatient, he dove in prematurely. The taste was comforting and depressing. It reminded him of the days spent in the corner of his one-bedroom apartment, sat at his desk, trying to emulate the emotions he was struck with when he looked over the cover of Conan the Usurper or the Book of Paradox. It also reminded him that every obsession he ever had in his life always managed to outshine his interest in learning to cook. These thoughts weren’t quite what they usually were though, it was as if he was looking at them through a viewfinder in which he couldn’t quite get the right focus. Because today his lunch tasted different. It was the first sign that the drug was beginning to affect him. Some side effect he figured he hadn’t been told about (he cared little about the consequences of the drug other than its effect on his nail-biting, and didn’t think to question about possible additional results). The taste of the noodles made Roger feel sick, he managed to suck down a third of it before leaving the rest in the sink. At least now he knew this pill was doing something, if that meant not eating for the next two days, so be it.

The work was beginning to turn out. The sketch phase neared completion and Roger had surprised himself. For once he was completely happy with what he'd done so far. It’s a well known curse among all artists to not be able to enjoy one’s own work, a curse that every artist thinks they’ll overcome. Always striving to look down at a finished piece and feel the same satisfaction and wonder they have when admiring the works of their heroes. All the while knowing in the back of their mind that the closest they’ll ever come is an unsure: Well, it’s definitely my best work yet. Roger generally didn’t make it that far and usually settled for: Well, shit’s good enough. He hadn’t come to that feeling of frustrated indifference yet. He had managed to work out a composition he was fairly proud of on his first try. Huh. If I keep up this pace I may even finish by early afternoon tomorrow.

Roger hadn’t done any thumbnail sketches for his piece, yet it was far more impressive than his usual first attempts. It featured an idyllic version of the neighbourhood’s main street, winding diagonally through the page, branching off to present images of statues, fountains and other landmarks beautifully rendered and incredibly accurate in detail. He was recreating the real-life locations with photographic accuracy despite not using any reference images, he hadn’t even taken his eyes off of the page since his lunch break two hours before and they were beginning to become strained and irritated.

It was almost 10pm when Roger heard a clattering from behind him. He’d been going for almost ten hours straight, and he was working faster than ever before. His eyes looked and felt as if somebody had been rubbing salt in them and they had been completely drained of any fluid, and he was sweating all over his board. For the past couple hours he looked like a statue, completely still except for his right hand making the most subtle of strokes, working on details nobody would ever notice. But his hand had just then become still as well. He was staring into the eyes of an old man he had been working on, holding his breath and tensing every muscle he could. He was more afraid than he’d been in years. The kind of terror that consumes you when you wake up in the middle of the night from a dream so horrific you can’t bring yourself to even speak of it, and you convince yourself that any slight movement will surely bring you notice from the entity that dwelled in it, so you remain still, eyes wide, and sweat-soaked until dawn comes or pure exhaustion sends you back to sleep. This is how Roger felt as he listened to the clattering coming from the back of the room. It was the kind of noise your joints start to make as you get older, a chaotic orchestra of snaps and hollow pops. It continued for about fifteen seconds before the silences between each noise began getting longer until it faded completely. For another three minutes Roger stood hunched over his desk the same way he’d been all day, unmoving. He was still staring into the old man’s eyes, but instead of the dream-like joy that appeared in them before, all Roger saw was pure fear. He straightened himself and stepped a pace backwards from his drawing board to look at the full painting.

It was mesmerizing. There was a golden glow that shone through the composition, not overpowering, but a glow that enhanced every element of the painting and made it seem so real that Roger felt as if he could fall into his art board that very moment. The warmth, nostalgia, and overwhelming sense of welcoming was the exact feeling Roger strived for. It was a feeling he previously thought could not possibly be transmitted. It lived in the deepest crevices of a person’s mind, like your first memory, obscured by thousands of filters that made it seem more like an amazing dream than an event that really occurred (that is, if your first memory is at all positive). Roger completely forgot about the noise that so terrified him a few minutes before, he was too impressed with himself to worry about anything else. Except for that old man’s eyes, that still bore the same look of fear when he glanced over them again. Well, there’s no such thing as a perfect work of art Roger thought to himself as he went back to work, taking only subconscious notice of the figure now occupying the corner of his vision, still as a statue with eyes blacker than anything you could conceive.

It was 2am and the pain in Roger’s hands was unimaginable. They were so tense it felt as if somebody had crushed them in some industrial press. They appeared completely fine, however, and though Roger had been biting the nails on both of his hands continuously for the past three hours or so, they appeared to be in the same shape they were in that morning. Roger questioned whether he had even been biting them at all. Yes, his nails had been in his mouth, and yes, he felt his teeth scraping against them, he even thought he remembered tearing off a few solid pieces and crushing them to a fine dust under his molars. But the evidence staring him in the face proved otherwise. This moment of discovery would have been more sweet had it not been for the severe aching and stinging sensations he felt in his hands, and the realisation that he could no longer get a solid grip on his paintbrush. It had been approximately the seventh time Roger was reaching down to retrieve it off the floor in the past ten minutes. Each time it proved more difficult to pick up than the last. Not only had Roger’s manual motor ability significantly decreased, but it now felt to him like his paintbrush was coated in a thin lubricant. He turned it clumsily around until he’d oriented an entirely new grip that he figured solid enough to keep it in his hand for longer than a few minutes at a time. It made it much harder to pull off the finer details in the piece, but after a few frustrated sighs and grunts, Roger continued without paying it any mind. After all, he was almost done.

The following four hours had felt like a dream, not quite a nightmare, but something in between. The dream you wake up from the next morning feeling a strange sadness and confusion. Roger could no longer feel his hands gripping his brush, and each movement he made felt like the product of a jumble of mismatched gears, chugging along. His eyes felt like they were being held wide by some medical instruments, and his mind was racing. His thoughts flew by like cars heading the opposite way down the highway, a hundred at a time, only allowing him to register each one for a nanosecond before moving on to the next. The page had come alive. The main street was spilling out onto the floor and the statues and fountains were rising up from his board like scale models. The people inhabiting the painting were walking through and off the page, going about their business window shopping or walking their dogs before cycling back around in a loop. The hardest part of creating a work of art is knowing when to stop, but Roger had no problem deciding he was done. He knew each part was done when it came to life, it started with a couple birds fluttering from the gutter of a florist shop to perch in a tree, then a kid on a scooter making a left turn at the main intersection. Now the entire page was pulsing and breathing, more real than the neighbourhood itself.

Roger leaned back in his chair and let his arms drop to his side as if there were two fifty pound weights tied to his wrists, his brush rolled under his desk leaving a trail of muddy-green gouache behind it. His heartbeat began to slow down and he watched the red hot glow of the sunrise spread across the sky like a drop of blood settling in a glass of water. He felt warm sunlight on his chest and relief. The last twenty-one hours since taking his pill had been a nightmare, one he felt he could only escape by finishing his work; and now it was over.

Gen made her way up the warped, creaky steps to Roger’s studio clutching a steaming Tim Hortons bag in one hand and a coffee in the other. She didn’t usually check up on her brother like this, but she felt semi-responsible for him (being his drug dealer of sorts) and sufficiently worried. She’d been reluctant to give the drug to him in the first place, and the brief run-down she gave him of how it was meant to work had perhaps been lacking. Cooper had not even explained it to Gen that clearly, but she remembered being told of the psychoactive ingredients in the drug, a microscopic amount, but supposedly enough to essentially scare the patient out of their addiction. Gen tucked the Tim Hortons bag under her arm and fished the spare key out of her coat pocket. Despite her worry she knew what she would find behind the door, a sleeping (or at the very least sleep deprived) Roger at his desk with his work barely past its sketch phase. Gen closed her eyes in mock-anticipation, opened the door, and felt hot coffee splash her shins as the Tim Hortons cup fell onto the hardwood.

She did find Roger behind the door, and he was sleep deprived, but the accuracy of her expectations ended there. Roger sat slumped behind his desk with his arms to his side, watching the sunrise, a dark red syrup was dripping from all edges of his desk and chair into a growing puddle on the floor. Gen stood still in the door frame as Roger turned his head towards her; a blissful smile on his face.

“Gen, this drug is crazy. I don’t know how it worked, I’ve been biting all night but look at my nails!” Roger displayed his hands like a new fiancee showing off her ring. Gen’s face remained emotionless as she stared. His hands were dyed a blotchy reddish-brown. The flesh on each of his fingers had been stripped away with all the precision of an angry grizzly. All that remained down to the second knuckle were dented bones and a few strips of pulsing red muscle tissue. Gen stared on, still emotionless except for her wide eyes that began glazing over with tears of horror and confusion. It didn’t take her long to figure out what had happened, what the drug had done to her brother’s state of mind, and despite the dire circumstances she couldn’t help but realize the morbid humour of the situation. That in the strangest way, her brother had been cured.

Gen inched towards Roger with her hands held out in front of her, shaking.

“We have to go, Roger” she managed to squeeze out of her tensed throat

“Why? What’s wrong? Look at what I’ve done!” Gen looked down onto the drawing board. Whatever work Roger had done before the drug took hold of him was now covered in layer upon layer of dried paint and blood. Now it appeared a hellscape; deeply saturated, swirling clouds of brown, and red, populated by hundreds of ghostly figures, staring back at Gen with eyes blacker than anything you could conceive.

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casualmp · 7 years

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WWDC 2017, finally Apple delivers

Today Apple held their kickoff event to their WWDC 2017 (Word Wide Developers Conference) in San Jose. During their event they went over a lot of new things that are coming sometime this year. I will be focusing on coolest hardware and software updates. (If you want a comprehensive recap of everything that was announced today check the video at the bottom from The Verge.) Just an FYI, I have lots of opinions about these things and I’ll try to keep this as unbiased as possible because I’m going to create a reaction post to the devices at a later date.

I’m going to skip over the updates to watchOS (new watch faces, better exercise stuff) and tvOS (Amazon Prime Video added) because they weren’t that big and weren’t that interesting.

The first thing I really want to talk about is actually the last thing that they announced and that is the HomePod.

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This is Apple’s new smart home device that is essentially the same thing as the Amazon Echo or the Google Home. Obviously the HomePod will be using Siri for all the assistant functions such as controlling HomeKit, setting reminders, timers, etc. However the big thing that Apple is really hyping up about the device is its speaker capability.

It has 7 tweeters, a 4 inch woofer, and an A8 chip for location detection so it can adjust it’s sound/bass output for the most optimal listening experience. It sounds really fancy and it better be because it’s going to cost $349 when it comes out in December.

Next we are going to talk about macOS High Sierra.

Aside from having a pretty ridiculous name, High Sierra has a lot of new features that, while are good for all macOS users, aren’t particularly flashy. The file system, the Photos app, Metal 2 (for graphics), Safari, Mail, Siri are all getting upgrades, but nothing that will really change the way we use our Macs right now. For all the updates click the following link.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about the new Mac hardware that will be running High Sierra, such as the updated MacBook, MacBook Pros, and iMacs.

Without getting into too much detail, all of the iMacs will be getting 7th gen Intel Kaby Lake processors, brighter displays (500 nits), better graphic cards, more memory capacity, faster storage, and updated I/O (Thunderbolt 3 ports). That makes the 21.5 inch 4k iMac a pretty compelling deal at $1299.

The MacBook and MacBook Pros got updates to their processors (Intel 7th gen Kaby Lake), their SSDs (50% faster), and faster standard graphics for the 15-inch MacBook Pro only. Looking at the updated pricing, it really doesn’t make sense to me to get the MacBook over the MacBook Pro 13-inch seeing as how they are the exact same price.

Now the real new star of the Mac lineup is the new iMac Pro.

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First, it comes in a “badass” space gray color, which will show all the people that see your iMac that you are a baller with some awesome hardware. Second, this device is unbelievably powerful.

Up to 18-core Xeon processor, Radeon Pro Vega graphics, 11 teraflops single precision, 22 teraflops half precision (I know how to measure teraflops, but I honestly have no idea what the difference between single and half precision is, but it sounds really powerful), 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports, up to 128GB of RAM, and up to 4TB of SSDs.

This machine is by far the most powerful computer that Apple has ever created. As such it has a price tag to match, starting at $4999 and it launches in December. Very expensive but when they stated that they are “doubling down on pro content creation” they meant it with this device. With this crazy new iMac I’m guessing that the Mac Pro (trash can) is going to be phased out soon.

Next came iOS 11.

Initially, they only talked about the updates on iOS that would affect iPhone and for good reason. There are updates to messages (Apple Pay peer to peer paying like Venmo), AirPlay 2 (allows you to play music from any combination of speakers in your house connected to an airplay device or HomePod), Siri Translate (you can now translate like Google Translate), Document Scanner (that works just like Scanner Pro), Apple Music is smarter, the App Store got a makeover, and Control Center is more fully featured.

This leads into the new iPad Pro and the iOS 11 for iPad updates.

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This is probably what I’m most excited about because it will directly effect the usefulness of my iPad Pro which I use everyday but have a hard time justifying because it is currently a glorified iPad. First, they introduced the brand new 10.5-inch iPad Pro model along with a refresh of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. This is smart because it really differentiates the iPad Pro line from the normal iPad line. Now there won’t be any confusion of which 9.7-inch model is which. They also completely got rid of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

The 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch models got updated with better screens (120hz refresh rate for buttery smooth navigation and 600nits for a ridiculously bright screen) and the all new A10x chip (30% faster cpu and 40% faster graphics than the A9x chip).

iOS 11 for iPad is getting the biggest updates with a new dock (kind of like on macOS), better multi-tasking (not just swiping for split screen, you can actually select apps from the dock and put them where you want), an App Switcher (instead of the stupid single line of apps that you have to scroll through that you currently have to deal with), and Drag and Drop (allowing you to move pictures, videos, hyper links, etc. from one app to the another).

Apple Pencil got some updates too that make it better for note taking. It also works better on the new iPad Pros with the faster refresh screens.

I am so excited to use these features. I think I’m going to try to actually use the iPad Pro as a laptop replacement. Obviously not for video editing, but for usual day to day stuff, I think it might work.

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