#technically could be put on free choice but its an art piece focused on the outfit and well this is the day talking ab alicent looks

[moonclans]

ATONEMENT: THE INSIDE STORY ON THAT ICONIC GREEN DRESS: Joe often has a vision of a scene in his head, and he might not tell you the whole thing about it, but he will say, "Oh yes, it has got to be green."

Alicent Hightower in Jacqueline Durran's iconic green dress for #alicentweek2023. Commissioned by the incredible @its_vonross on Instagram. The frame is symbolic but for now I'll leave it up to debate. Reposts are fine but please don’t take off the artist’s watermark!

[shikantazaart]

Shikantaza Creativity Interview III - SPARTALIEN

At Shikantaza we are not content to just create art. We want to understand art. We want to understand the people who make art. Into the act of creation. Who are the people behind the art work? What motivates them? Where do they find their inspiration?

No two people think and act alike, so it is even less likely to find two artists who think and act alike. Yet, there will be crossovers, shared thoughts and shared experiences. Where do we adjoin and where do we diverge?

Our series of interviews with artists and creators aims to answer these questions.

In interview number three we speak to multimedia experimenter SPARTALIEN. You can find his creations here https://spartalien.com/visual as well as a collection of his work in the Shikantaza gallery.

1 - Starting with the most important question - Who is Memoria?

Memoria is Latin and means, when translated, memory / remembrance.

I named the merchandise for the album "2358" Memoria instead of Memory, because the main track titles are also translated into Latin.

I see my merchandise as small memories/artefacts. Not only because they are very rare, but because I can never go back to that time.

“Memory is the treasury and guardian of all things” - Cicero

2 - You work across different mediums. Do you have any preference for a specific form? When did you first find the format that was “you”?

I became really infected with the digital virus around in the late 90s when I built my first computer. A year or two later I started taking photos and manipulating them digitally. I also had a few printed, which allowed me to bring the digital into the real world. Then I discovered IRC and started learning a little bit of TCL. Since I had fun coding, I decided to learn the basics of web development because I needed a website to show my pictures to other people. In general, I was fascinated by the flow of information on the Internet. That distance is no longer a real hurdle when it comes to data transmission.

I've always loved music as a listener and small collector. I was then and still am one of those people who never go out of the house for long periods of time without a Walkman. Music production came into play when a couple of friends set up a small studio where they produced Techno/Psy. When I was there for the first time, I knew immediately that I wanted to try it too. A few old tracks from back then are still available on my website.

From then on, many of my projects have developed in the direction of music.  The input for a program was often music metadata or it was a website that was about music in some way or another. But since I was still at the very beginning of my learning process, I kept discarding practically everything in order to improve it or to learn new things. Around 2001, I started a web radio with friends, which was online for several years. The music was mainly Downtempo, Trip-Hop, IDM and Ambient. Promos from unknown artists from around the world were also broadcasted.

The atmosphere, the feeling I got from this time - how the music finds me and not the other way around, how it can change people's thoughts - has never left me since then.

3 - Do you feel that each medium allows you to express yourself differently from the others? How do you choose which medium you work in any given moment?

Yes. But I think you can convey the same feelings with any medium. The question is how direct it is. For example, pain can be expressed with fire but also with a chair in an empty room. At the end of the day, in my opinion, it's not about the artist's intention but about the perception of the viewer and his or her subsequent thoughts and actions. For example, imagine you make a dark ambient track that you experience as sad and heavy, but someone else tells you that it helped to relax and develop thoughts.

In addition to all of this, each medium also has advantages and disadvantages when it comes to technical implementation. So, sometimes the choice can also purely depend on skill or resources.

We all have ideas and often out ambitions outweigh our resources. Sometimes we need more resources, but more often than not we need to chip away at our ideas until our ambitions and resources align.

4 - Do you seek different sources of inspiration for your music than you would for your visual creations?

It's everything in the world around me that inspires me. Everything I perceive and feel, so to speak. Most of the time I don't have a melody or a picture in my head. It is more of a feeling and then I look for the right tone or shape for it, so to speak.

5 - How closely are your creations connected to each other?

Very close one could say - through my thoughts that I have wrapped in it. I always had a bit of a problem putting my thoughts into words. I tend to stray through various topics when I talk about something. With music and visuals, it feels lighter and more natural to get to the point. The "message" doesn't always get through, but being able to do so is liberating and invaluable to me.

6 - If you were to direct people to a specific piece of work that you feel really nails what you are aiming for with your creations, which would it be?

This is a hard question. Maybe I would ask you to sit down and listen to the album "FLOATING HIGH" in one sitting. Since it felt like coming home to me while making it. The music is less intrusive and not as precise in its message as the previous releases. Like its cover art, where the clouds could be seen as opening or closing. I wanted to create tracks that leave more room for thought while still telling a story.

7 - You have “X minutes of peace” on your site. Why is this needed? Was this made for you or for others?

For others but also for myself. For me it is self-reflection that allows me to understand myself better. But since I have problems with "just switching off my head", the moments in which I just sit quietly and let the recording device do its work are very valuable. In moments like these I can really switch off and think about something very carefully. Asking questions even though I feel like I don't have an answer. Or simply enjoying the precious fresh air and sounds of nature.

Unfortunately, too many people don't have time for that kind of peace. Too much pressure is on them. They either get this or that, or they can't survive. It's so sad how the system works. I simply think that if everyone would have more inner-peace, the world would be a better place. But then again, what do I know living under a rock between mountains?

The videos should allow us to find peace for a few minutes, no matter where we are. So that new and hopefully useful thoughts can develop.

The series  Let It All Go is actually the same thing, just with music.

For the really dark hours there is BRAIN I/O. From time to time I prefer to embrace the pressure. Difficult to describe. The concept is basically: don't think, just feel and record it. It's about things that I personally want to leave behind or at least want to learn to accept (not necessarily being okay with) them if I can't change them.

Peace is an issue for me. When I briefly find it only points the way to the next act. This is fantastic but self defeating. Why can’t we just stay in peace?

8 - When inspiration has left the building where do you look to find it?

I'm not really actively looking for inspiration. Somehow it doesn't work that way for me. So variety is important to me. That is why I usually have several side projects going on in the areas that I do not much publicize. Much of it never leaves my hard drive and is mainly intended to free my mind and get on to new ideas in the process. Coding, graphics, drawing, etc. But the music production is and remains the main focus.

9 - These are the questions I am asking all the interviewees. Why do you create? What is it that pushes you to keep creating?

The inner child is just too strong. I've been living for a while and I know exactly nothing. It kind of feels like that. So many things that you can create with the computer alone. I'm stuck in that loop where you just love to create things and learn - and use the new knowledge to create new things. Things!

10 - What would most assist you to create more works? Is there an ultimate goal for your creations?

More time and resources for sure. but most important to me is the feeling that my loved ones are safe. When I have to worry about their future because the system is going the way it is, it feels like a pile of stones in my head.

The creative / social goal of my art is relatively simple and based on my own experience. Art has helped me tremendously when I felt lost - or when I was just "bored". Taking time to really listen to or look at something can be very liberating.

My short-term financial goal is to generate a more or less regular income through art. But since I never released anything commercially before 2016, this world is still new to me.

My dream goal is to hear my music in film and games and to generate an income that supports my family.

Nonetheless, I think goals are here to create an initial path, not necessarily motivation.

I do not know of a single soul who has not been lost. Some never find their way back. Some don’t need to find their way back, they are happier in the place they found.

11 - If you were to offer a creator any advice what would it be?

Based on my own experience in no particular order:

Stay curious and open minded for different viewpoints.

Tutorials can limit your creativity. Sure, learn the basics, but explore as much as you can on your own and never be afraid to fail. It's a process, not a game.

On projects that take longer than a day to complete, set yourself a deadline when you want to have it completed. Not important if it takes longer, but in general that helps to stay more focused.

Very few things are easy when you start.

Limitations are not necessarily bad.

Don't wait for motivation to create. It will kick in usually a few minutes after you've started. Therefore keep your tools ready and organized so you can start creating at any time.

You can always turn off the internet.

Be open for constructive criticism.

Especially for the digital crowd, backup your stuff!

(All images and works by SPARTALIEN)

[myhahnestopinion]

THE AARONS 2019 - Best TV Episode

A lot of streaming services are switching over to a more traditional weekly release of episodes instead of dumping a whole season all at once. It may be because they, like me, want to highlight the unique achievements of singular episodes. It could also be that they don’t want people, like me, signing up for free trials to binge watch one show and then cancelling before they are billed anything... Here are the Aarons for Best TV Episode:

#10. “Chapter Fifty-One: Big Fun” (Riverdale, Season 3, Episode 16)

Chapter Fifty-One of Riverdale is quite aptly named. With a talented young cast on hand, Riverdale often indulges in music numbers, but their full-blown musical episodes still manage to stand out. Incorporating songs from the Broadway adaptation of Heathers, Riverdale uses the famous high-school satire as a meta-criticism of its own ever-growing ridiculousness. The characters give a fervent lament of their inability to be just regular high school students, but, in the end, are forced to confront their status as mere players on a stage and puppets of a ravenous following. Riverdale is often quite fun; how much more can it do for our amusement?

#9. “Striking Vipers” (Black Mirror, Season 5, Episode 1)

Though it made its name in pessimistic twist of fortune, Black Mirror has been best when indulging in affectionate tales. In its fifth season premiere, what begins as two friends testing out a near-future fighting video game swiftly and surprisingly switches gears into a sweet story of longing and vulnerability. The episode chooses not to map its relationship onto any existing conceptions of sexuality and gender, suggesting ways in which they may continue to evolve alongside new technology. Though there are hints on darkness on its edges, the episode is one of the heart-warming tales that have always been the series’ most striking.

#8. “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” (Game of Thrones, Season 8, Episode 2)

The second episode of Game of Thrones’ final season was the calm before the storm in more ways than realized at the time. As its characters brace for their imminent battle against an undead horde with a night of quiet companionship, the show produced its last great moments before being swallowed by backlash to its rushed and illogical ending. Unlike the show after that point, the episode does right by its characters, building off their storied histories and delivering earned and endearing pay-offs to several relationships. “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” forges the last vestige of good in its world; it would have been wise to say ‘good night’ afterward.

#7. “The Trial” (What We Do in The Shadows, Season 1, Episode 7)

The What We Do in The Shadows franchise has conjured a lot of comedy from the long legacy of vampire tropes; in the seventh episode of the new TV iteration, it put the spotlight on the various actors who made up that legacy. As our regular characters arrive for their criminal trial, the show lines up an impressive amount of guest stars, including, but not limited to, Tilda Swinton, Evan Rachel Wood, Wesley Snipes, and the trio from the original What We Do in The Shadows movie. The show doesn’t just use these stars to hang upside down on its laurels though; it’s plump with jokes certain to stir the blood. It’s a very large gathering of vampires, and it doesn’t suck one bit.

#6. “Replay” (The Twilight Zone, Season 1, Episode 3)

Jordan Peele was a promising voice to head up the new incarnation of The Twilight Zone, but the insightful, livid spark of his film projects seemed to get lost along the way for most of the season. “Replay”, though, was one that managed to replicate it. Like the best of the franchise, the situations are supernormal, but the anxieties are very real: a mother discovers a video camera that can rewind time, but still finds herself unable to protect her son from a prejudiced cop hunting them down. The fear of powerlessness is all too palpable; though a fantastic episode that’s worth a watch, it would be hard to sit through again.

#5. “Danny Patrol” (Doom Patrol, Season 1, Episode 8)

The company’s new streaming service has likely doomed Legends of Tomorrow from ever being able to reclaim its title as weirdest DC television series ever. Taking inspiration from writer Grant Morrison’s run in the comics, Doom Patrol is pure absurdity. In episode 8, the team’s quest to find their kidnapped leader brings them into the path of Danny, a sentient genderqueer teleporting street (Yes, like the streets you drive on. This one has thoughts and feelings and can teleport). This odd premise paves the way for the show to reemphasize its core message of learning to love one’s self. The episode most affecting moment is its big karaoke celebration of this idea from Matt Bomer’s Negative Man; the streets are alive with the sound of music. 

#4. “A Quick One, While He’s Away” (BoJack Horseman, Season 6, Episode 8)

The first half of BoJack Horseman’s final season spent a lot of time saddling up its characters to ride off into the sunset… and one episode indicating they won’t get off that easy. The show has frequently experimented with new storytelling tactics, but it has never felt as purposeful as this one, which focuses exclusively on three ancillary characters from the show’s run. The show effortless transplants its engrossing conflicts and noted animal puns to the new trio, but the tragedy at play is knowing, without it being explicitly stated, that we are witnessing BoJack’s worst actions still reverberating in the lives of others. As the show prepares its definitive statement on the series-long question of whether BoJack can find happiness, the toughest answer to acknowledge is that we’ve been backing the wrong horse.

#3. “407 Proxy Authentication Required” (Mr. Robot, Season 4, Episode 7)

While its long-gestating final confrontation against the manipulators of the world economy wouldn’t be for another handful of episodes, “407 Proxy Authentication Required” was the one that finally brought balance to the world of Mr. Robot. Pairing down its characters and sets and stabilizing the series’ deliberately off-kilter cinematography, the episode unfolds as an intimate five act play, slowly preparing Elliot and the audience for a heart-wrenching revelation. It’s a brutal, but ultimately cathartic bit of television, and the finest hour the show has produced. The series rips all its long-standing proxies away, leaving the viewer no choice but to engage with its raw pain and hope for healing.

#2. “I’m In Love” (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Season 4, Episode 17)    

After an improbable four season run, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend gave its final bow in 2019, but the show had one last dramatic turn before exiting stage left for good. Having held herself responsible for her actions and addressed her underlying issues, the series finale, in which she is torn between three equally meaningful romantic interests, sees Rebecca Bunch thoroughly and healthily in love. In its final twist, the episode’s title proves as much of a misnomer as the series’ has been all along. Subversive, stirring, and sidesplitting to its very last breath, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s impeccable eleven o’clock number sent the series off on a high note.

AND THE BEST TV EPISODE OF 2019 IS...

#1. “This Extraordinary Being” (Watchmen, Season 1, Episode 6)

Masks as a method to hide trauma was a prominent theme of the Watchmen comic; the TV show sequel added a few interesting wrinkles to the idea. In its boldest reinvention of the source material, the episode presents an interpretive origin story of the mysterious comic character Hooded Justice through the eyes of his descendant, laying bare the show’s anxieties of inter-generational trauma. Just as the comic toyed with the composition of its medium, the episode also engages with its own make-up. It illustrates the visual arts’ power to either further the erasure or promote the healing of such lingering pain. As a singular piece of television, comprised as it is with standout guest actors and impressive technical qualities, it’s a great use of the artform; placed within the context of its historic inspirations on- and off- the page, it’s something truly extraordinary. 

NEXT UP: THE 2019 AARON FOR BEST TV PERFORMANCE!

[skylights422]

Karneval Manga Review

I started watching Karneval somewhat on a whim recently, I had heard the name a few times in relation to it being a series associated with/commonly recommended to readers of other series I liked but knew next to nothing about it, but wanted to start something new and it was speaking to me, so I gave it a watch. As a result, I ended up binging it all in more or less a day, and then speed-reading the manga as far as I could in the span of only a few more days, so I figured I may as well try to organize my thoughts on the series I've put so much energy into. Some spoilers in the parentheses, but nothing too major. First Impressions: For reasons I can't quite explain, I really thought the series was going to be a horror/dark fantasy series (probably because circus associations?), so when I first started watching it I was massively distrusting of pretty much everything and everyone. I liked the animation and voice acting, and the set up had intrigued me, and I eventually started to accept that this was, broadly speaking, a more lighthearted series. Then getting into the manga, I still had some distrust, but was having more fun with/starting to embrace the fact that it really was just a weird series, and that was fine. I liked the characters pretty quickly which was good, and I was glad things got explained well in episodes 2 and 3, since episode 1 kind of just threw a lot of moving pieces at you right away (not so much I couldn't keep basic track of them, but there wasn't context yet). Thoughts on the Art: Both the anime and the manga had very good art in my opinion, but this review is somewhat focusing on the manga, so I'll talk more about that. Like many long-running series, it gets smoother over time, so while it was by no means bad in the earliest volumes, the later ones are particularly beautiful and appealing. The colors are always really bright, which is fun and fitting since they're typically dressed in a more circus-like style than any kind of practical government-combat-agency clothes. Some of the more fanservice outfits didn't really speak to me, but for the most the fashion was On Point for everyone, and I thought the panel composition was generally pretty good and easy to follow, even in fight scenes, which isn't always easy to accomplish. Thoughts on the Plot and Characters: The characters were probably the most consistent highlight of the series for me and what kept me the most invested (Yogi is my fave okay, and after him possibly Karoku, I want to see more of their stuff), especially since the plot itself...rapidly switched between being super interesting to totally meandering and going a bit all over the place.  (I stand by the fact that 'lets have like four chapters of the protagonists looking for lost underwear and then transition directly to a dramatic, dark character arc' was one of the WEIRDER narrative choices a series could make)The character arcs, while you have to be a bit patient to really get to them, are quite satisfying (though since the series is ongoing none of them are technically finished, but so far there has still been very satisfying moments), and I wound up caring about what happened to everyone (I WAS GENUINELY UPSET WHEN SILVER YOGI ELBOWED YUKKIN). There's still definitely stuff I hope they address in the future, because if they don't I'll be wildly disappointed, but so far the series has managed to work its way around to the important stuff eventually, so I'm holding out faith for the time being.   Of course the most frustrating thing about the series is simply that pretty much no one is translating it anymore... all the fan translators abandoned it, and yen press is translating super slowly (they aren't translating each chapter, they just periodically release an omnibus volume, so they're still pretty behind), so unless I either get really good at Japanese quickly or just wait for the volumes slowly, I'm stuck right in the middle of an arc and unable to find out what happens next. But that doesn't have much to do with the story itself, it's just logistical frustration. Overall though, I have enjoyed the series even if I have critiques of it, it was fun to binge despite some of the more boring/meandering sections, and when they get into the gritty plot and character details it's actually really good. I have more thoughts on the matter, but since I'm trying to keep this review (mostly...) spoiler free, I shall leave it at that for now. But I look forward to when I am able to read more of the chapters!

[sheikah]

I’m sick of the Papadakis & Cizeron camp shitting on their fellow athletes so I’m going to rant about it 

So a friend showed me today that Papadakis retweeted this article. 

Seems innocuous enough, right? Who wouldn’t want to retweet something so flattering, something complimenting your skill and your art. It’s an honor. 

Except that the article is a grossly biased opinion piece, and its author’s comments about P and C’s competitors are frankly disgusting. I think it says a lot about Papadakis as a person that she would retweet this article, spreading its claims to her followers and showing implicit support of its ugly criticism of both the Shib sibs and Tessa and Scott. In case you think I’m exaggerating, let’s look at some of the more glaringly offensive passages, shall we?

“[T]he art of self-expression can be questionable, too. I still can’t wrap my head around the decision by Maia and Alex Shibutani, who won the bronze medal, to skate to Coldplay’s sensual ‘Paradise.’ 

This American brother and sister, revered for their precision and joie de vivre, are elite athletes. But when they pressed together in head-to-toe camel spins — each holding onto the other’s extended free leg and waist to the lyric “Para-para-paradise” — it gave me pause. I couldn’t have skated to that with one of my brothers. (And I know that reading this, they are relieved.)”

Um, what? What? I don’t even know where to start with this. This is billed as an article about how great P and C are, but right out of the gate it starts tearing down the teams they shared the Olympic podium with. And why attack the Shibs like this? 

Full disclosure: The first time I heard about a brother/sister ice dance team, I was well and truly squicked out. I had only ever really watched Davis/White and Tessa and Scott and with the memory of their routines fresh in my mind, it made my skin crawl to think of doing some of them with my brother. But then I actually watched the Shibs, and I saw that there is a very evident difference in tone when one watches their skating alongside someone like Tessa and Scott. Passion and sexual tension are replaced with beaming, innocent smiles. They’re just a brother and sister having fun. Dancing doesn’t have to be sexual. I’m from South Louisiana, and in the past have done my fair share of Cajun and Zydeco dancing with every member of my family. Watching the Shib sibs reminded me of those times. It’s wholesome. And their song choices are usually careful to be sensitive about this. Their Olympic free dance was no exception. “Paradise” is not a “sensual” song. It’s about a determined girl chasing her dreams. The commentators on my stream during the Shibs’ dance talked about how special the song is to Maia. You can read the full lyrics here. There is no mention of a man. There is a no mention of a relationship at all. It’s about a little girl growing up and finding out how hard it is to succeed, to find the “paradise” you dream of when you’re young. I found it incredibly moving to watch Maia and Alex skate to a song about the difficulty and eventual payoff of chasing your childhood dreams as they made their own dreams come true by medaling in the Olympics. 

So what I can’t understand is why the author of this article had to denigrate and sexualize their performance. The only creepy, sensual, incest-y things happening are the ones in the author’s mind. So I imagine that actually, her siblings would be perturbed, not relieved, reading this article. 

But the hate doesn’t stop there. She goes on to attack Tessa and Scott next, reducing their Olympic skates to being “sentimental,” implying that they are only the favorites for sentimentality and for their long tenure rather than their passion or skill. 

Most egregious of all was her description of their iconic Moulin Rouge free dance. She said they skated across the ice with “gaping mouths” and that their performance was a “red light.” In skating terminology that is, as far as I know, synonymous with a failure. To skate “lights out” is to get “green lights”--full technical approval from the judging panel--on all required elements. A red light means something was executed incorrectly or was in some other way not adequate in its required category.

In what world was their beautiful performance a failure? 

Maybe their mouths were open because, oh, I don’t know, they were breathing hard as they worked their way through their extraordinarily athletic and technically complex routine--one that garnered worldwide recognition and acclaim because it fucking rocked.

Or maybe the author is referring to Scott’s mouth being open as he literally sung the words of “Come What May” to Tessa while they skated. That’s the kind of on-ice chemistry and passion Tessa and Scott have. They get totally and overwhelmingly caught up in the music, the moment, each other. It’s why the world loves them. It’s part of why they won gold. But instead of recognizing that and focusing on strong points of P and C’s own free dance, the author has to try and tear Tessa and Scott down. 

So if the author is this hard on Tessa and Scott, surely she can recognize the faults in even P and C’s performances, right? Wrong. 

She had this to say about their short dance: 

“This wardrobe glitch cost the pair points and put them behind the Canadians going into the free dance. Skating, especially on the Olympic level, is a sport with a mystifying judging system. But as a dance critic, I judge skating by different rules, and to me, no team, gold medal or not, matches the artistry of Ms. Papadakis and Mr. Cizeron.”

I had a lot of pity for Papadakis and what she suffered with her “wardrobe malfunction” in the individual short program, but it was not easy to retain that feeling watching her attitude for the rest of the games. It was she and Cizeron’s first Olympics and they got a silver medal, but instead of gratitude I constantly saw what looked like anger and resentment on her face. Still, I told myself that she was just upset because of the embarrassment of having her dress come open in the short dance. Totally understandable.  As time goes on, though, I’m finding it harder to sympathize with her. I think that the dress fiasco actually worked to her advantage. Why do I say that? Well, let’s look at two moments that I noticed in their short program. Disclaimer: I’m a new fan and no expert in ice dance but I know enough to know that the following are mistakes. 

Here’s their lift:

She nearly topples over backwards. To prevent this, she flaps her arms in a desperate attempt to retain her balance, fumbling before her arms finally settle in the position she was meant to take when she gets into the lift. 

Again, I am sad that this happened and believe her dress could have factored into this. She clearly was preoccupied worrying it would slip off in front of the whole crowd when Cizeron lifted her. But that doesn’t change the fact that she made this obvious, wobbly mistake in the lift. 

Then there are their twizzles.

I’m not sure how well you guys can tell, but these are not in sync. I broke it into two gifs so that you can see that in the first one, Cizeron drops his skate first. They didn’t start or end these at the same time, and they were much too close, moving even closer as they got into the last set in the second gif. This should not have been given a level 4 and a green light. But it was, along with the lift above.

Why I am bothering with this? Because it’s insane that they still received the score they did. I am not a professional or a judge and I noticed these two mistakes. There are probably more. Despite that, they received an overall score of 81.93 for this performance. To compare, at the world championships with the same routine they scored 76.89 with no wardrobe malfunction. The judges essentially took the wardrobe malfunction into account and were overly merciful with the scoring, instead of docking them for what happened. In spite of that, P and C seem to believe--and their supporters certainly won’t stop saying--that they were somehow unfairly robbed of gold because of what happened in the short dance.  It just isn’t true. Their mistake-ridden routine still earned them a score 3 points ahead of the third and fourth place teams--Hubbell/Donohue and the Shibs, respectively. And they trailed behind Tessa and Scott’s innovative, nearly-perfect, world-record-breaking short dance by less than 2 points. 

So I don’t want to hear any more about how their supposedly earth-shattering free dance should have won the gold if only Papadakis’s dress hadn’t broken. Because that’s a lie. 

Their free dance is lovely. It shows skill and precision and is beautiful to watch. But it’s not groundbreaking. It’s not memorable. And for fuck’s sake, it isn’t “ethereal.” Ethereal is defined as “of or relating to the regions beyond the earth; celestial, heavenly; unworldly, spiritual.”

The Northern lights are ethereal.

The whole Pemberley sequence in Pride & Prejudice 2005 is ethereal.

Jon Snow’s booty? Ethereal.

This? This isn’t ethereal. 

It’s just pretty good ice dancing, with gaping mouths.

[doodlewash]

Hi guys, my name is Angela Emsen-West. I am a watercolour and mixed medium artist. I was born and bred in the fantastic city of Liverpool, UK. I moved over to County Mayo Republic of Ireland 13 years ago. It was the best decision I have made to develop my art! Here in Ireland life is so much slower, people chat to you and life is good. My studio, which is my pride and joy, is 4 steps outside my back door (which is used as the front door by most people in Ireland).

Primmy

Aines Jam

Somebody must have put a paint brush in my hand and glued it on at around the age of 3 years. I never let go, even through the general trials and tribulations of life it stuck, and I am so blessed it did. I left school at the age of 15 years, and after working in a sewing factory, I met my then husband and had three beautiful daughters very young in life. Not once in these times did I let that paint brush go, although it was an oil painting brush in those years.

As my youngest daughter went to school I decided to chase my own dreams of being a professional artist. I took my “O” and “A” levels then my first-year art foundation in Liverpool polytechnic. It really did not suit me. I was looking for art techniques to learn. I was like a sponge and I wanted to learn techniques of all kinds and the foundation was a “feel your way” course.

4 Bandits

I ended up taking fashion and design which, to be fair, did help me pay my way in life more so than I could have imagined my art to have done at the time. Through all those years that paint brush, now a watercolour brush, stuck  fast to me. At one point, I became ill and now I do say to myself there is always a blessing in even the bad, it gave me the time to develop my watercolours and it also became a therapy for me.

My inspiration comes from the every day, I suppose it began when I was ill and unable to go out much. I found real enjoyment in seeing the regular every day things in life with colours that are so complimentary to each other without even trying and without all of the effort of setting up a composition. It seemed so simple to use what was around me, so I used it.

Willow Jugs

My appreciation is of the ordinary everyday objects that we miss in this very busy life that people lead now.

My work generally focuses on still life arrangements and animals however, more recently, I have been working on portraiture. My thrust for learning always pushes me further and keeps me moving forward in my own way and at my own speed. I like to push my boundaries, even if it’s only “how many more glazes can I achieve to how loose can I be”.

Merlin

I love wandering around art shops to see what new inventions they have in the watercolour department and if I see something I fancy it is always kept in the back of my mind for the future. The good thing is, when I have new equipment it usually lasts some time.

My favourite water colour paints are Winsor & Newton artists paint tubes, I find that the colours are so vibrant and great to work with. I could start going in to lightfastness and a few technical things but, to be honest, I like these paints and if the cap fits! I must say though, I have bought myself some Daniel Smith paint tubes. I haven’t had a chance to try them yet but hopefully soon. Polychromos pencils are one of my favourite pencils to use. Their very bright colours add greatly to my work when a bit of depth or drama is required.

Cheese And Olives

I just love my pencil holder. Mike, my husband, made it for me from a Lazy Susan that I had never used. Also, in my arsenal of equipment that I regularly use are watercolour pencils, Water-based inks for their bright pronounced colours and Pitt pens for my looser work. I use them to “map” out areas of colour, not necessarily around the subjects I am painting but more so around the differing colours that I drop into the painting just to highlight areas.

I buy tubes of paint because I love the feelings when I push the paint into the palette. Well, yes, I do realise this sounds strange. I also think that they last longer because I use the dried paint in the wells after wetting them slightly.

Oringo

I do feel that too much store is put on to what paints we use and what paper we use. My own thoughts are, if you feel comfortable with what you are using then stick with it until you feel like a change. Most paints and watercolour paper are of such a good standard now that there is little to choose between them. I am sure I will cause a fury over these comments, but life is too short and wasting it thinking of what paint and paper to use when you are happy with what you have seems like wasted painting time to me, just saying.

Paper comes in so many ways, but my own choice is Sanders Waterford 300lb weight sheets. They are expensive but my reasoning behind this is with multiple glazes on my still life works and lots and lots of water and flowing paints on my experimental work Saunders Waterford paper takes all the punishment I can give it. Although when I teach a class I would suggest that students (if they don’t already have paper) to buy Langton cold press by Daler Rowney 140lb weight as it is quite forgiving for beginners and professionals alike. Another paper I like is Cornwall 210lb weight rough by Hahnemuhle, it can give such lovely effect to the paint because of the roughness of the paper.

11 In Bed

Brushes can be a minefield, but most of the new synthetic brushes are practically as good as sable. You can see sizes from 0 to 12 round brushes in my collection of sables plus a 2“ flat for washes.  I have been painting for such a long time now and I suppose it’s a natural progression to move on to sable when one can afford them. I do look after them well so I hope they will last me a long time.

Generally, for beginners to my classes I suggest buying only two main brushes size 6 and 10 round synthetic as most, if not all, paint jobs could be achieved with theses, it just takes a little care. As my students progress they tend to find out the brushes that suit their needs and slowly add to their equipment.

Onions

My techniques can vary, however one thing I do with every painting I work on, no matter what style I’m painting, I will always draw out my piece on to plain drawing paper. I am finicky I would not transfer the drawing on to my watercolour paper until I am totally comfortable with it.  My reason being, you may ask, is because I am heavy handed, unfortunately. I am not a delicate soul, and the process of drawing and re-drawing on to watercolour paper can ruin the paper.

The paper can get undulations and ridges in it from a heavy hand and then if I rub out, which I do a lot, whilst trying to get the image right, the effects of the rubber can sometimes be picked up by the paint which can leave the colour looking grubby. There is one advantage to working like this, for me anyway, I get to know the image, its curves, straight lines, circles and all the features of the subject. It helps me when I get to the painting stage.

My main work of still life develops through constant glazes of many, many colours even in my onions” peeling back” which took some time to paint, has so many colours in it that you most probably cannot see them but trust me they are in there. The depth has been achieved by allowing one glaze to completely dry before adding another, which as you can imagine, makes painting one picture a long journey. Although it’s what I love to do.

Vain Glory

When I need a change of rhythm I play with my paints, pencils and inks to see what I can achieve and how one paint mixing with other mediums reacts. Vain Glory came from one of my play times. Looking closer you may see my mapping with Pitt pens and the wiggly lines used to break up the edges of the subject to defuse things a bit. You would most probably notice just how loose and free the paint has been applied on as well.

My paintings are selling all over the world for which I am truly grateful. But, with the thought of a less expensive adornment for our walls, I do hold a selection of my work in limited edition prints of 25 never any more than this. You can find more information on my paintings, prints and workshops at the links below.

Afternoon Tea

I have personally gained so many benefits from painting, both mentally and physically. I love to share my love for watercolours with others that’s why my teaching is a big part of my art. Truthfully teaching for me is not a one-way process. I learn so much from my students as I hope they do from me. I teach one evening a week from my studio at home. Then, I also have one day, two day and a four-day workshops throughout the year.

I do hope I have not bored you silly with my tales of becoming an artist? I suppose we are all struggling to find our gift in this world and I wish for you, the joy of finding a gift that makes you happy.

Angela Emsen-West Website Facebook Instagram

GUEST ARTIST: "Controlled And Expressive Painting With Watercolour" by Angela Emsen-West - #doodlewash #WorldWatercolorGroup #watercolour #watercolor Hi guys, my name is Angela Emsen-West. I am a watercolour and mixed medium artist. I was born and bred in the fantastic city of Liverpool, UK.

[hayleyftvs7]

it’s that time again--here’s my semi-annual Steam Sale post copy-pasted with updated prices for my <$5 game recommendations, which are almost all the same or lower than this year’s summer sale:

the Portal series: Portal for $0.99, Portal 2 for $1.99, or both for $2.23 – if you have Steam, you almost definitely know about Portal. for those who don’t, they’re first-person physics-based puzzle-platformer games with a dystopian sci-fi narrative. they’re funny and aesthetically-gorgeous and the puzzles are genuinely good. i can’t do these games justice–they’re classics. and if you already own and have played both games, cool! in that case, i recommend Portal Stories: Mel–a really excellent free mod for Portal 2 with a full story campaign.

The Stanley Parable: $3.74 – this game is a sort of “walking simulator” that takes a form similar to a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ book–there are many paths that lead to various “endings”, and upon completing one, you’re ushered back to the start to retrace your steps and find another, but none of them are really the end. it’s a commentary on videogame structures and the nature of narrative in general. clever and funny at times, ominous and surrealistic at others. the voice-acting is perfect.

Gone Home: $4.99 – this is a first-person narrative game focused on exploration. it’s both atmospherically-creepy (although you’re never in any danger) and heartwarming, and even though the gameplay consists solely of walking through a house and picking things up to uncover the storyline, the experience feels meaningful and personal. due to the nature of the gameplay, though, you’ll get the most out of it if you’re a very detail-oriented and patient person.

The Beginner’s Guide: $3.99 – this game was made by (and narrated by) Davey Wreden, creator of The Stanley Parable. it’s a much more linear and narrative experience than The Stanley Parable was, but it’s equally as meta, and made me think about games and game design in equally interesting ways. my impression was that it’s more of a playable art piece (akin to walking through a videogame museum while directed by a voiceover) than a game. it felt like a gift for fans of The Stanley Parable… even though it might not want to be. (there’s also a bundle available with The Stanley Parable that gives you an extra 10% off both.)

Dr. Langeskov, the Tiger, and the Terribly Cursed Emerald: A Whirlwind Heist: FREE – this is one of the funniest games i’ve ever played, and definitely the best thing i’ve played for free. it was also created by a developer who worked on The Stanley Parable (William Pugh) and has a very similar spirit. Simon Amstell does the narration brilliantly. it’s marketed as a 15-20 minute game, but it took me about an hour the first time through, and is worth replaying a couple more times for extras. you’ve got nothing to lose, and if you enjoy it, i’d recommend keeping an eye on the dev company—Crows Crows Crows—for future projects. they’ve since put out a Twine game (text-based browser game) that’s pretty cute and collaborated with Justin Roiland (of Rick and Morty) on a hilarious VR game called Accounting.

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter: $3.99 – i think this game might be the prettiest one i’ve ever played. it has a captivating dreamlike quality to it–at times it felt as if i’d stepped into the abandoned world of a less-than-rosy fairytale. it’s an atmospheric first-person exploration game with a sort of linear-yet-open progression, puzzle-solving mechanics, and a mystery storyline. you can technically walk from the start of the game straight to the end location without accomplishing much, but the story is only uncovered when you stop to explore and complete the puzzles. there were many parts of this game that were challenging for me, and there definitely isn’t much hand-holding (you might want to glance at a walkthrough at least once to make a checklist), but i think it plays out beautifully and was worth every bit of effort and patience i put into it. (*note: the version i played and recommend is the Redux version–it will automatically show up in your library as a separate listing after buying the regular game.)

Life Is Strange (Episodes 1-5 Bundle): $4.99 – this is a choice-based episodic game similar in format to what Telltale does, but with subtle differences in mechanics that make it more enjoyable to me–namely the option (and occasional necessity) to rewind and re-do choices in a limited timeframe, which adds a puzzle element that feels very natural. to be honest, though, all of that is minor compared to how beautiful every aspect of this game is–the visuals, the writing, the voice-acting, the music–and how great it is at making you care. (i cried at everything.) i highly recommend a blind run; i was too anxious to not read walkthroughs but i feel like i would’ve had a better experience without them. if you need convincing, Episode 1 is free on its own. go play it. (and if you’ve already played all five episodes, then check out the incredibly faithful prequel Life Is Strange: Before the Storm--two episodes are out already, with the third coming probably late December.)

[*new to the list*] Virginia: $0.99 -- this game is fairly limited in its gameplay and is carried solely by its plot and visuals, since it has no dialogue or narration of any kind, but it’s an intriguing story and an enjoyable experience, which is especially worth trying at 90% off. if you’re not detail-obsessed like i am, you could probably play through it in one sitting, and i was able to get all the achievements in 5-6 hours. if you like cinematic mystery thrillers with orchestral music, give it a shot. (a note about graphics settings: on my first attempt to play this game, i experienced a bit of dizziness/nausea after about 20 minutes. if this happens to you, i recommend running the game at 60fps with motion blur off and camera smoothing off--some of these might affect you differently, but those settings allowed me to play the entire game with no issue whatsoever, so try them before you give up on it!)

those are my main recommendations, but as a side note, a bunch of the older Nancy Drew point-and-click mystery games are on sale for $4.19 each. i’ve played every game in the series since i was a kid, and while that makes me incredibly biased, i’d also like to think it makes me extremely qualified to recommend them. they’re a little silly and generally geared toward young teens, but i still genuinely enjoy the stories and puzzles, and Her Interactive are a class act. plus Nancy’s kind of a badass. my favorites out of the Steam library are Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon and Curse of Blackmoor Manor. (disclaimer: i’ve only ever played these games via physical disc copies, so i have no idea how well they play on Steam, although i assume they’re totally fine, albeit dated.)

and if you’re not concerned about the $5 budget, two other games from last year that i adore are Firewatch ($7.99) and INSIDE ($9.99)--both of which are worth the extra money if you have it.

if you’re a person who plays Steam games, i’d love recommendations for narrative, puzzle, exploration, or adventure games (on sale for around $5 or less is a bonus, but i can always add games that aren’t on sale to my wishlist for the future)–what are some of your favorites?

[phynxrizng]

DAILY ASTROLOGY REPORTS AND HOROSCOPES FOR 5-9-17

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MONTHLY Astrology of Today – Tuesday, May 9, 2017

May 8, 2017 by ANNIE LEAVE A COMMENT



The Moon is in Libra until 1:00 AM, after which the Moon is in Scorpio. The Moon is void until 1:00 AM (since 6:58 PM yesterday). The Moon is waxing and in its Waxing Gibbous phase. The First Quarter Moon occurred on the 2nd and the Full Moon will occur tomorrow. Mercury is direct and in its post-retrograde shadow until May 20th. Venus is in its post-retrograde shadow until May 18th. Times are EDT.

Horoscopes Aries



This is an excellent time to apply yourself to business or special projects, dear Aries, as you have a keen eye for what works and what is merely in your way. You are resourceful, and there can be the chance to showcase your talents or put them to good use. This is a potentially excellent time for recognition for what you do well. You have a stronger sense of your most important goals today, and this helps you to concentrate on the best steps to take to get you closer to achieving them. Later today, there can be a eureka of sorts – you’re in a fabulous stage of discovery when it comes to new ideas and plans. There can be a learning breakthrough or a resolution to a problem. Information that you were waiting for can come in this week after recent delays. Information can come your way that is surprising but also nudges you in a new direction, and a surprise or significant communication from a friend may be part of the picture.

Taurus

Today’s energies speak of personal growth, dear Taurus. With the Sun in your sign in harmony with Pluto, you’re in an excellent position for self-renewal through activities that feed your spirit, travel, and learning. It’s a beautiful time for sharing your ideas with others, self-promotion, and marketing activities. Your beliefs are evolving, and you’re expressing yourself well. In fact, you can be highly persuasive right now. This can be a time for meeting people who have interesting things to show you and who change your perspective. As well today, an idea forms, or a missing puzzle piece is found that completes a picture of a matter related to the past or a secret. It’s an important day for understanding elements of the past that have prevented you from reaching your highest potential. Self-improvement activities are particularly attractive now. New information can surface about your past, or you can have sudden insight into how to put something, or even someone, behind you.

Gemini



A Sun-Pluto connection today is very useful for gaining a better understanding of your inner workings, needs, and desires, dear Gemini. This is a time for symbolically throwing out the garbage — you’re seeing areas of focus and lines of thinking that are good for you and which ones are slowing or weighing you down. It’s a strong time for gaining support or for showing your support for others. Intimate bonding can occur now, or you may come to a useful understanding of an emotional matter. Additionally, a Mercury-Uranus alignment aims to move you forward as an idea forms or information comes in that completes a plan or gets you to a conclusion or decision. There can be news or surprises from a friend or in your networks now. An idea for a long-term project can be golden. Collaborating or brainstorming with a friend, group, or classmate can be particularly fruitful.

Cancer



A Sun-Pluto connection today supports you both socially and materially speaking, dear Cancer. It’s an excellent time for bonding with a friend or partner for mutual enjoyment or benefits. Personal appeal is strong on romantic and business levels. You can benefit from employing strategy with your money and resources. Your talents may be put to good use now, and others are likely to see your value. A Mercury-Uranus alignment can give you confidence in a recent idea or news comes in that seals the deal and facilitates drawing conclusions about a business or career prospect. You’re not content with the ordinary or familiar today, and this shows most in your work. Avoid overdoing this mental discontent, and you’ll use it to brighten your future and advance your goals. Ideas are fresh and exciting.

Leo



A Sun-Pluto influence today virtually ensures success with whatever project you take on, dear Leo, so make it an important one! Your decisions are strategic and choices resourceful. You have a good sense of what works for you — and what doesn’t — and this helps you get closer to your goals more quickly. Even so, it’s your patience that is particularly remarkable now, as you’re not looking for overnight success or quick fixes at the moment. Obstacles may fall out of your way as you find creative ways to make things happen, likely of the practical variety. You’re able to see which traits, talents, and projects work best for you now, and your reputation improves as you maneuver these things skillfully. A Mercury-Uranus alignment also helps to move you forward, although it’s more about quick assessments and sudden ideas and insights than calculated moves. Something you learn or a conversation about a philosophical or technical matter can be motivating.

Virgo

The Sun and Pluto are in harmony today, dear Virgo, connecting houses of spirit and creativity in your solar chart. It’s a powerful time for self-promotion or marketing, particularly of creative works or talents. You may be in the position to show off your leadership capabilities. People you meet or date can shift your perspective in revealing ways. Art can be particularly moving, and a movie, book, or cultural experience may even lead to a revelation or new interest. Expressing your feelings through your work or craft can be rewarding and fruitful. A Mercury-Uranus alignment is the third this year, which is uncommon, and can be another indication of breakthrough thinking. You’re ready to put a negative attitude or element of the past behind you. Something revealing or the missing puzzle piece of a mystery emerges now.

Libra



A Sun-Pluto influence today supports your efforts to make deep connections with others or your own needs and desires, dear Libra. There can be a bonding moment with a loved one or increased intimate understanding now. This can be a time for feeling more confident about getting over difficulties or problems. If you need support or assistance with domestic pursuits, this can be a good time for seeking it out. It’s also a strong day for organizing or spending for the home. A Mercury-Uranus alignment in influence later today points to a breakthrough conversation or thinking with/about a partner. There can be a chance meeting with someone or a missing piece of information surfaces that is a game changer. You’re attracting people who have unusual ideas or insights into your life right now. Interactions are stimulating and can lead to new ideas, methods, and directions.

Scorpio



A Sun-Pluto influence today is excellent for reinforcement, support, and recognition for you, dear Scorpio. It’s a strong omen for learning and communications projects as well as for partnerships and teams. There can be mind-bending conversations or ideas now with a Mercury-Uranus alignment also in play. It’s a great day for personal influence, persuasion, word of mouth, and one-to-one insights and negotiations. There can be useful discoveries related to your health, wellness, therapy, services, or work, and thinking can be breakthrough. You might receive word or notice that moves you forward in a new direction or a clarified position. It’s important not to speak too quickly today, however – sit with your discoveries for a spell before sharing. You may feel inspired to start up a new project.

Sagittarius



This is an excellent day for advancing or improving your work, business, or a project, dear Sagittarius, as you know exactly what needs your attention and which things to cut out. You could find yourself very absorbed in details, quite passionately so, and likely to good end. Focusing your energies comes fairly easily in the first half of the day, and while this changes dramatically later today, you remain in a good position to make positive changes and advances. It’s all about growing, improving, and moving on. Later today, your thinking improves and becomes more inventive the more you are having fun, relaxing, and enjoying yourself. Creative hunches come together, and wonderful ideas form. News coming in today can set you on a new path or unblock a stalled initiative.

Capricorn



Today is powerful for creative self-expression, dear Capricorn. You’re in a positive position to share your ideas, happiness, sense of humor, or creative vision with others. It’s a beautiful day for romantic or platonic friendships and improving a connection or bond. Having the courage to express yourself honestly with someone can help take a relationship to the next level. For others, there can be a creative boost or recreational activity that’s therapeutic. A Mercury-Uranus connection in effect later today is spunkier but is just as useful for letting go and releasing yourself from constraints. There can be unexpected discoveries about your true feelings about a situation or a desire to make changes on the home front or with family now. Approaching communication in new ways makes sense now.

Aquarius



A Sun-Pluto connection today motivates you to make long-lasting changes rather than quick fixes, dear Aquarius, and this influence affects partnerships, home life, family, and your inner world. You’re receiving the support you need and time spent alone or with family can be therapeutic. A Mercury-Uranus alignment is the third and last of the year — an uncommon occurrence and one that can produce a lightbulb over the head moment. It’s a great day for new ideas or for new information that helps complete the picture of a recent idea or plan. Avoid too-quick decisions since Mercury is still advancing at a slower than usual pace and go for the gentle reveal or discovery. Perhaps it’s best to keep your findings to yourself just for the time being so that you’re confident they hold weight before sharing. Conversations can be fun and revealing. Open your eyes to a potential new interest or channel for learning and communicating now.

Pisces



A Sun-Pluto connection today is a motivating one for self-improvement and development, dear Pisces. It’s also a good sign for your social life and communications. You’re reaching out to others and communicating in ways that inspire trust and confidence. You have the ability to appeal to many people and team up effectively to accomplish a goal. A friendship or incoming news can alter your perspective on a matter significantly. You are able to bring out the best in others and to support them or offer useful advice. You write or speak with keen interest and appeal. A Mercury-Uranus alignment influencing later today is less reliable and focused but also good for moving you forward. Its energies detach you just enough that you put something you no longer need behind you.

*Remember to read horoscopes for your Ascendant sign and Sun sign. If you don’t know your Ascendant sign and know your birth time, you can look it up here.

If Your Birthday is May 9th, If Today is Your Birthday full horoscope here.

Astrology of Today – The Details: If you’re astrologically inclined and interested in the details of the Astrology of today, here are some of the factors considered in the forecasts (for the astrology of the week, see This Week in Astrology):







Date & Time: 9 May 2017 1:00 am Event: Moon enters Scorpio Description: The Moon in Scorpio Contemplate the deeper things in life. Avoid unnecessary conflict, but if it’s going to improve your life, go ahead and make waves. Tune in to your intuition. This is a good time for investigations, looking into a matter further, doing research, connecting to others with a shared passion, solving a mystery, and devising a strategy. When the Moon in Scorpio is strained, we may take our passions too far.

Date & Time: 9 May 2017 1:00 am Event: Tr-Tr Mon Cnj Sco Description: Transiting Moon Entering Scorpio Contemplate the deeper things in life. Avoid unnecessary conflict, but if it’s going to improve your life, go ahead and make waves. Tune in to your intuition. This is a good time for investigations, looking into a matter further, doing research, connecting to others with a shared passion, solving a mystery, and devising a strategy. When the Moon in Scorpio is strained, we may take our passions too far.

Date & Time: 9 May 2017 1:13 am Event: Tr-Tr Mon Sxt Nod Description: Transiting Moon Sextile Transiting North Node A good time for dealing with the public, for making connections, and for taking positive steps towards a personal or professional goal. You are able to make changes. This is a feel-good time for embracing new opportunities.

Date & Time: 9 May 2017 5:01 am Event: Tr-Tr Mon Sqr Ves Description: Transiting Moon Square Transiting Vesta We can be a little stiff with our emotions, and we can be distracted from our work or focus. There can be difficulty expressing tenderness, concern, or care.

Date & Time: 9 May 2017 9:02 am Event: Tr-Tr Mon Qnx Cer Description: Transiting Moon Quincunx Transiting Ceres

Date & Time: 9 May 2017 1:41 pm Event: Tr-Tr Mon Qnx Ven Description: Transiting Moon Quincunx Transiting Venus Love relationships or feelings can be unsettled. There can be a conflict experienced between family and friends/lovers, or between comfort and the pursuit of pleasure. Try to relax and not obsess, and show restraint.

Date & Time: 9 May 2017 2:50 pm Event: Tr-Tr Mon Cpl Ura Description: Transiting Moon ContraParallel Transiting Uranus

Date & Time: 9 May 2017 2:23 pm Event: Tr-Tr Sun Tri Plu Description: Transiting Sun Trine Transiting Pluto Your biological urges are powerful right now. Enjoy the feelings, learn from them and trust that all is in order.

Date & Time: 9 May 2017 11:41 pm Event: Tr-Tr Plu Sqq Cer Description: Transiting Pluto SesquiSquare Transiting Ceres Tendencies to possessiveness or excessive attachment can be aggravated right now, which can drive the people or things involved away. There may be difficult endings or we could struggle with rejection. Resist urges to stifle, control, and manipulate loved ones.

Date & Time: 9 May 2017 7:05 pm Event: Tr Jun R Description: Transiting Juno Stationary

Date & Time: 9 May 2017 2:27 pm Event: Tr-Tr Nod Cnj Leo Description: Transiting North Node Entering Leo

Strong Signs, Elements, Modes ARIES STRONG Initiating, pioneering energy. Independent, bold, courageous, assertive, fiery, inspirational, direct, decisive. Can be egotistical, impulsive, impatient, aggressive, lacking subtlety. TAURUS STRONG Stable and enduring, strong values, unyielding, earthy, acquisitive, strong desires. Can be stuck, stubborn, overly possessive, self-indulgent. SCORPIO STRONG Intense, magnetic, penetrating perception, power to confront. Can be destructive, vengeful, jealous, overly dramatic.

BALANCE OF ELEMENTS

The elements are balanced.

BALANCE OF MODES

The modes are balanced.

LUNAR PHASE: GIBBOUS Moon 135 to 180 degrees ahead of the Sun. We are looking to attach value and meaning to our goals. This is a time for analyzing, questioning, perfecting, and improving.

The following aspects (major only) and positions are at noon (EDT) on May 9th: Note that when an aspect is applying, it has not yet happened but is within orb – it’s pending. When an aspect is separating, it has already happened/perfected and is moving away from the aspect. Depending on the speed of the planet/body involved, the aspect will have perfected, or will perfect, in a matter of hours (often the case with the Moon), days, months, and possibly years in the case of the very slow-moving outer planets and bodies.

Note that the Moon moves at a rate of approximately one degree every 2 hours, so that if an aspect involving the Moon is applying and has an orb of 5 degrees, the aspect will perfect (be exact) in about 10 hours. If the Moon is separating from an aspect with an orb of 2 degrees, it has already formed said aspect approximately 4 hours ago (since the following are positions at noon today, then it would have occurred at about 8 AM today).

**I suggest paying close attention to applying  aspects. The energy of the aspect builds as it gets closer to exact. Once an aspect involving inner planets has happened, it’s over.  Separating aspects are good to know for context, but in terms of energy that is with us today, applying aspects are most important. (This is the case for daily astrology influences involving inner planets, which pass quickly, and not natal astrology aspects, which are with us for a lifetime).

THE MOON

THE MOON IN SCORPIO You have an emotional intensity, and a strong need for drama. Under stress you will create drama and intensity in your life. You may have been born at a time when your mother experienced a crisis, or your birth may have been traumatic. Your mother may have been possessive and intense.

6TH DEGREE OF SCORPIO Part of Body: Right epididymus, uterine cavity Sabian Symbol: A gold rush.

ASPECTS OF THE MOON QUINCUNX VENUS Orb 0°48′ Applying You attempt to cater for everyone around you. You need to be true to yourself and gently leave others to look after themselves.

THE SUN

THE SUN IN TAURUS You are a reliable and solid individual. You have a strong need for stable routine and security. You can be stubborn. Others can rely on your down-to-earth nature.

20TH DEGREE OF TAURUS Part of Body: Occiput Sabian Symbol: Wisps of clouds, like wings, are streaming across the sky.

ASPECTS OF THE SUN TRINE PLUTO Orb 0°05′ Applying You are a powerful person with strong leadership abilities. You know when to be assertive and when to compromise. You are able to apply yourself to the job at hand.

MERCURY

MERCURY IN ARIES You are an independent thinker. You talk quickly, and like to think up new ideas. You may experience flashes of intuition.

26TH DEGREE OF ARIES Part of Body: Skull Sabian Symbol: A man possessed of more gifts than he can hold.

ASPECTS OF MERCURY TRINE SATURN Orb 1°15′ Applying We are cautious, careful, tuned in to details, and rely on common sense at this time.

CONJUNCTION URANUS Orb 0°14′ Applying You have an incisive and ingenious mind. Your thoughts and speech are erratic and inventive. You enjoy progressive topics. Your opinions may be ahead of your time.

VENUS

VENUS IN ARIES You will pursue a partner ardently and hastily, and yet strive for freedom and independence, once you are in an intimate relationship. You like to be the initiator in relationships, and can be aggressive. You may be a spendthrift.

7TH DEGREE OF ARIES Part of Body: The ears Sabian Symbol: A man successfully expressing himself in two realms at once.

MARS

MARS IN GEMINI You like to initiate ideas and spread information. You are assertive, although you can resort to evasive behaviour.

13TH DEGREE OF GEMINI Part of Body: Pulmonary veins Sabian Symbol: World famous pianist giving a concert performance.

ASPECTS OF MARS TRINE JUPITER Orb 2°06′ Applying You are enthusiastic with an endless source of energy. You could direct your energy to achievement in sports, politics or travel.

SQUARE NEPTUNE Orb 1°22′ Applying This is a time for resting, escaping, or taking a break as we reconsider our needs. We might temporarily lose focus or direction.

JUPITER

JUPITER IN LIBRA You have a strong concern for justice. You are a diplomatic teacher, and express your spiritual values in your relationships.

15TH DEGREE OF LIBRA Part of Body: Right inguinal lymph nodes Sabian Symbol: Circular paths.

ASPECTS OF JUPITER QUINCUNX NEPTUNE Orb 0°44′ Applying You feel a call to serve others perhaps through a profession or through religion. You will need to learn what is reasonable to do for others, and what is over stepping the boundary of your responsibility.

SQUARE PLUTO Orb 4°41′ Separating You will need to learn to have confidence in yourself even when life deals you a few blows. You range from over confident to completely lacking in confidence. The truth lies somewhere in between.

SATURN

SATURN IN SAGITTARIUS Saturn in Sagittarius asks us to take on the responsibility of living according to our personal truths and principles, and to be loyal to these. This is a time for turning a critical eye to those beliefs and principles that don’t accurately reflect our authentic selves. (December 23, 2014 to June 14, 2015, then September 17, 2015 to December 20, 2017)

27TH DEGREE OF SAGITTARIUS Part of Body: Gluteal muscles Sabian Symbol: The sculptor’s vision is taking form.

ASPECTS OF SATURN TRINE URANUS Orb 1°01′ Applying You have a talent for investigation. You look at new ideas and are able then to put them into action. In business you achieve much in your own independent way.

SQUARE CHIRON Orb 0°46′ Separating There can be fears now of not being competent or effective enough to meet our responsibilities, or we could find it hard to strike out on a unique path, again due to fears or insecurities. The desire to break from the status quo is strong, but we may not have the necessary confidence to do so. We may have difficulties empathizing with others and understanding ourselves.

URANUS

URANUS IN ARIES The urge to start fresh, to break free from restrictive attitudes or circumstances, to totally redesign an area of our lives (or even our personalities), and to gain freedom through independence is strong during this cycle. (May 27, 2010, to August 13, 2010, then March 11th, 2011, to May 15, 2018, then November 6, 2018, to March 6, 2019).

26TH DEGREE OF ARIES Part of Body: Skull Sabian Symbol: A man possessed of more gifts than he can hold.

NEPTUNE

NEPTUNE IN PISCES A long-term influence in which fantasy, imagination, compassion, and spirituality are in stronger focus. (April 4, 2011, to August 4, 2011, then February 3, 2012, to March 30, 2025, then October 22, 2025, to January 26, 2026)

NEPTUNE IN THE 8TH HOUSE You feel at one with others and have the ability to transcend daily life through metaphysical pursuits. You may easily sense emotional undercurrents.

14TH DEGREE OF PISCES Part of Body: Right cutaneous veins Sabian Symbol: A lady in fox fur.

PLUTO

PLUTO IN CAPRICORN Tests of our boundaries; breaking down and rebuilding structures and rules. (From January 25, 2008, to June 14, 2008, then November 26, 2008, to March 23, 2023, then June 11, 2023, to January 20, 2024, then September 1, 2024, to November 19, 2024).

20TH DEGREE OF CAPRICORN Part of Body: Tendons of right knee Sabian Symbol: A hidden choir singing.

Chiron, Major Asteroids, and Moon’s Nodes: in Sign and in Aspect CHIRON

CHIRON IN PISCES

Strong awareness of our own vulnerabilities and humanity stimulates compassion for others. (April 20 to July 20, 2010, then February 8, 2011, to April 17, 2018, then September 25, 2018, to February 18, 2019).

28TH DEGREE OF PISCES Part of Body: Phalanges of left foot Sabian Symbol: A fertile garden under the full moon.

VESTA

VESTA IN LEO You work most creatively when left to your own devices. You feel pride in your work and can be inspired by romance and fun. Play and work are closely linked for you.

3RD DEGREE OF LEO Part of Body: Right coronary artery Sabian Symbol: A woman having her hair bobbed.

PALLAS

PALLAS IN ARIES You have a keen intellect with the ability to come up with exciting, new ideas. You are also happy to risk putting your new ideas into action.

15TH DEGREE OF ARIES Part of Body: Lateral lobes of brain Sabian Symbol: An indian weaving a blanket.

JUNO

JUNO IN CAPRICORN You want a partner who you can respect, and who respects you. You seek long-term commitment and may marry later in life.

19TH DEGREE OF CAPRICORN Part of Body: Ligaments of left knee Sabian Symbol: A child of about five with a huge shopping bag.

CERES

CERES IN GEMINI You like those close to you to share their feelings and thoughts and to listen to you. You share information with your loved ones to show them you care. You will suffer when others refuse to talk.

5TH DEGREE OF GEMINI Part of Body: Upper left pulmonary lobe Sabian Symbol: A radical magazine displays a sensational front page.

THE NORTH NODE

THE NORTH NODE IN VIRGO

This is a quest to become dedicated to the service of others. You will need to overcome the tendency to daydream and feel overwhelmed and to put your compassion and wisdom to practical use for humanity.

1ST DEGREE OF VIRGO Part of Body: Duodenum Sabian Symbol: In a portrait the best of a man’s traits are idealized.

Sabian Symbol:

THE SOUTH NODE

THE SOUTH NODE IN PISCES

This is a quest to become dedicated to the service of others. You will need to overcome the tendency to daydream and feel overwhelmed and to put your compassion and wisdom to practical use for humanity.

1ST DEGREE OF PISCES Part of Body: Right calcaneum Sabian Symbol: A public market.

*** CONJUNCTIONS TO SELECT FIXED STARS ***

Transits 9 May 2017 – Event Chart

Aspects to Saturn 26°Sg55 -22°01′ Cnj 25°Sg58 ACULEUS Enduring attacks but success

Aspects to Pallas 14°Ar11 +00°48′ Cnj 14°Ar32 ALPHERATZ Wanting freedom and movement.

Aspects to Node 00°Vi01 +11°27′ Cnj 00°Vi04 REGULUS*** Majestic, success, (revenge)

Aspects to BMo 09°Sg29 -16°51′ Cnj 10°Sg00 ANTARES *** Success which can be obsessive



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[barbosaasouza]

Best Games of the Midyear 2018

We are already half of the way through 2018, and there have been some amazing games already released. The Shacknews staff has joined forces to put together a list of the best games to be released so far in 2018. This list is not presented in any particular order, but these are games that Shackers should pay attention to going into our Shacknews Game of the Year deliberations at the end of 2018. Please take a look at the best games of the midyear 2018.

God of War

There was something cynical about the idea of "Let's take Kratos and give him a kid." It's something that easily could have been a shallow gimmick.

Instead, God of War ushering Kratos into single fatherhood allowed Sony Santa Monica to completely reinvent the character without forsaking his past. If anything, Kratos owned up to his past and confronted some of his most problematic elements. He never ran away from what he did, but he imparted the lesson to his son that everyone should strive to be better people. "Don't be sorry, be better."

This is all in addition to one of the most satisfying open worlds of 2018 and amazingly crisp 3D combat. And while the violence wasn't quite as visceral and gory as past God of War games, it's still as impactful as its ever been. God of War is a triumph in every way. -Ozzie Mejia

Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire

Obsidian upped the ante with the sequel to their epic fantasy RPG Pillars of Eternity with its sequel, Deadfire, and I can’t get enough of it. The base experience has been improved on various levels, one example being the more streamlined party. The expansion into a new space also opened the game up to sea combat that reflects the games pen-and-paper RPG roots. Just like the first game, you’ll often find yourself knee deep in interesting side quests and task, some arguably more interesting than the main quest. Nevertheless, you’ll constantly be inspired to see what's around the next corner. -Charles Singletary

Dragon Ball FighterZ

I feel like everyone knew Dragon Ball FighterZ was going to be good, but it must’ve been hiding its true power level for when it launched. DBFZ is one of the most approachable fighting games to be made in years. Yet, underneath that inviting surface is an intricate and nuanced combat system that has enchanted the hardcore fighting scene as well. It doesn’t hurt that Dragon Ball is such a recognizable franchise with a cast of characters perfect for a brawler like this. Arc System Works did a fantastic job of making all of the game’s art and animated sequences look as good as the current Dragon Ball Super anime. Dragon Ball FighterZ is definitely the birth of a brand-new fighting game dynasty and I doubt we’ll see its final form any time soon. -Blake Morse

Runner3

The latest rhythmic platformer from Choice Provisions hits a lot of high points: it's lightweight and lighthearted enough to provide a potent distraction from more heavy-handed titles, and yet it presents delightfully addictive action that's perfectly suited to both short and marathon gaming sessions. Runner3 is the ultimate evolution of one of the most absurd rhythm games on the market, topping off its tight gameplay and outrageous humor with loads of unlockables, special features, hidden characters, and more. -Kevin Tucker

Conan Exiles

Thank you so very much @shacknews for 9/10 "A battle to the death with 6 naked cannibals and a giant tiger is hands down the best gaming experience I’ve had in 2018. This game is the current high water mark in open-world survival and the biggest surprise of 2018 for me so far. "

— CONAN EXILES (@ConanExiles) June 7, 2018

While it is rough around the edges and prone to the bugs and frustrations common to the survival genre, Conan Exiles manages to stand above the pack with its satisfying combat, an expansive crafting recipe progression, and lively open-world. For people who liked Minecraft, but found the adventuring aspect to be woefully under cooked, Conan Exiles provides a land full of cannibals, crocodiles, spider caves, ice temples, and creepy dungeons that offer excitement beyond building out your base. Group play and a willingness to go along with silly business is strongly encouraged. Additionally, if game quality was judged by the amount of reproductive organs on display, Conan Exiles would have a Metacritic score of two billion. -Chris Jarrard

Hunt: Showdown

Hunt: Showdown is still in early access, but the development team will likely have a full release done by the end of the year. If things continue to improve on the current pace, gamers could end up with one of the best blends of various genres to date. Hunt mixes PvE and PvP into one experience, taking elements from horror, battle royale, and survival and layering wonderful art design on top. It’s a very challenging game and the developers need to find a way to strike the perfect balance for player progression. If they do, watch this one climb the popularity charts swiftly. -Charles Singletary

Monster Hunter: World

It is a rare creature indeed that gets me to come back to it again and again in the wild world of gaming. But, I just can’t quit Monster Hunter World. I’ve put close to 200 hours into the game and I’m showing no signs of stopping. It takes everything that has always been intriguing about the Monster Hunter series and gives it all a tune-up for current-gen gamers. There’s so many nuances to the world that’s been built and I find myself discovering new details about its biology and the way the creatures interact with it. The fact that Monster Hunter World is consistently putting out new and completely free content for its millions of players doesn’t hurt either.  -Blake Morse

Pit People

The Behemoth continues to show just how versatile it can be by leaping into the real-time strategy genre. Pit People is an exquisite strategy game that pushes the genre, while also retaining The Behemoth's unique humor. Outside of the core cast, it's a test of putting together the best roster of wacky characters with their own unique functions on the battlefield. While the gameplay is solid on its own, it's the writing that makes Pit People a real treat, making it one of the funniest games of the year, as well as one of the best strategy games of 2018 so far. -Ozzie Mejia

Mario Tennis Aces

I've been waiting quite a while for a new entry in the Mario Tennis series, so a new adventure on Nintendo Switch with a story mode tickled me pink. I was thrilled to find that it took everything I love about playing tennis with Mario and his friends and expanded on it even further with new special moves, strategic plays, and an exciting roster of characters to choose from. It's some of the most fun I've had on my Switch, and even when it frustrates me, I still find myself going back to it every time I pick the system up off of its dock. This is tennis done right, and a sincere love letter from Nintendo to fans of its arcade sports titles. I'm actually thinking about playing a few matches now, after having written this. -Brittany Vincent

Subnautica

Subnautica is game about exploring uncharted waters, both literally and metaphorically. Coming to understand the events of the game, from the player's catastrophic arrival at Planet 4546B to the mysteries behind the the Alterra Corporation's exploration efforts, primarily involves surviving in increasingly dangerous scenarios. It's a fantastic experience that manages to be both entrancing and terrifying: the notion of being underwater and having a limited supply of oxygen stays at the front of the player's mind, and diving deeper involves making special considerations with regard to food, water, power, and even personal defense. In return for their efforts, the player will be able to slowly piece together the events of the Aurora's crash and learn the surprising history behind the planet's previous outposts. -Kevin Tucker

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Warhorse Studios focused on historical accuracy and minute detail in its pursuit of creating a medieval sim with Kingdom Come: Deliverance. A second hand tug-of-war between a historian and one of the game’s developers poked holes in that accuracy, but the gameplay experience is undeniable. Kingdom Come, like a few others that will be a part of the GOTY discussion, had some significant technical issues at launch. When it worked, though, it delivered big. I’ve rarely been as immersed in an RPG’s world as I was with KCD and I’m excited to explore it more.

P.S. I do not count the save system as technical issue. It was a design choice that just didn’t go over well. -Charles Singletary

Sushi Stirker: The Way of Sushido

Finally, a game that combines my passion for combat puzzlers with my obsession with raw fish. If I had one major gripe with Nintendo’s Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido it would be that it makes me hunger for the delectable, yet costly, dish. Beyond that though, Sushi Striker really impressed me with its clever twist on Pokemon collecting and puzzle fighting. Throw in some quality anime sequences and you’ve got a tasty combination. It may have ended up being more of a sleeper hit, but it’s still a hit nonetheless and definitely worth checking out if you missed out on it during its initial launch, which was somewhat lost in the E3 mire. -Blake Morse

Detroit: Become Human

Quantic Dream's best and most riveting adventure hooked me with its brief demo ahead of its official release, and I haven't been able to get enough of it since. Connor, Kara, and Markus switch off throughout a sprawling narrative that explores various themes, and by the end I couldn't choose a favorite, as each character had grown so significantly throughout the course of the story. I laughed, I cried, and I longed for more time with the entire case (especially Connor) when the end credits rolled. Despite watching alternate paths play out on YouTube, I've gone back to see what my decisions could have wrought if I had chosen differently from time to time. It's an excellent and unique tale, with nothing else out there like it on PlayStation 4, and well worth playing, even if you're one of those sad individuals who still thinks it's "cool" to talk about David Cage's "bad writing." -Britany Vincent

Laser League

Some of the best games are the ones that don't opt for any crazy gimmickry and focus more on basic ideas. Laser League is such a simple idea on paper. It's two teams in an arena battling it out by avoiding killer lasers. It's a simplistic premise, but one that's wildly fun and builds on top of its foundation with individual classes and power-ups. Its futuristic aesthetic is the icing on the cake. -Ozzie Mejia

Sea of Thieves

Rare’s brand new IP, Sea of Thieves, has deeply divided the gaming world with one side being unenthused by the content on offer and the other falling deeply in love with the experience – and we here at Shacknews are of the latter group. There’s something so pure about the world of Sea of Thieves, from the aesthetic and color palette to the way it feels sailing across the waters, all of it evokes a sense of journey and adventure.

Outside of the launch window, Rare has continued to support the game through regular, weekly patches, bi-weekly events, and free major content drops for all players. After speaking with the developers at E3 and after seeing how they continue to interact with the playerbase, there’s a real sense of dedication to the community. If you’re yet to dive into this world, now might be the best time, especially as we approach the release of Cursed Sails and Forsaken Shores, the next two major content updates for Sea of Thieves coming in July and September. -Sam Chandler

Vampyr

“Vampyr only got a 7 out of 10. How is it in the conversation for GOTY?” I see the gears turning, reader. I wrote the review myself and even suggested in the conclusion that it would be in the conversation despite the score, so let’s get right to it. Despite its technical shortcomings, Vampyr is a very entertaining game. The combat, ambiance, music, community management, and more all lend to a vampiric power-fantasy that has been sorely missing in gaming for a while. The duality of the main character is a well crafted platform for the experience too, giving players power as healer and killer while tying that into the development of the game’s playable areas. It likely won’t win the big award, but Vampyr is a very solid game that you don’t want to miss. -Charles Singletary

Fortnite

Epic Games has struck video game gold with this game. Fortnite may be the greatest pivot in the history of video games as the Early Access Save the World mode didn' take the world by storm. After clearly taking inspiration from the wildly successful PUBG, Epic brought the Battle Royale mode to their game and gave it the old Unreal polish. The game is available on pretty much every platform and is making truck tons of money for Epic Games in the process. Fortnite's developers have done a great job of keeping the game fresh with new emotes, limited-time-modes, and special events like meteors and rocket launches. Fortnite is here to stay and it certainly deserves recognition as one of the best games of the midyear. -Asif Khan

Celeste

Celeste feels like a journey of growth in more ways than one. It's about persistance, progression, and the pursuit of one's goals, even in the face of their own demons. It's a punishing platformer and one that revels in players' death counts, which skyrocket into the hundreds and thousands, but it's one that encourages players to keep trying, both with its narrative and its forgiving checkpoint system. Speaking of its narrative, it's one that's impactful to anyone who's ever doubted themselves or found themselves dealing with bouts of depression or panic attacks. It's a very human story, set atop a mountain that dabbles in the supernatural.

And beyond Madeline's quest to personal fulfillment, players can also see the progression of creator Matt Thorson's own journey, as he starts to hit his own peak of level designing potential. He's come a long way from TowerFall and it's a satisfying journey to witness. -Ozzie Mejia

Overload

From the creators of the classic PC game Descent, comes a worthy spiritual successor to the space shooter. Overload gives players six degrees of freedom along with great level design and a fine polish that this genre has been missing for decades. I loved Descent back in the day, and Overload has recaptured the excitement from the new series. Improvements to level and weapon design is immediately noticeable and the game is so dang pretty, there are times when I get killed just looking around. Overload is one of the biggest surprise games of 2018 so far and anyone on the fence about this game should give it a try. -Asif Khan

The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit 

The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit, though only a short prequel and introduction to what we'll eventually see in Life is Strange 2, is an exemplary piece of storytelling. The tale of young Chris, who's fully into pretending he's a superhero, is as heartwarming as it is deeply emotional. The seemingly lighthearted story peppers in a cautionary tale of child abuse as well as the struggles people face after losing their partners and jobs one right after another. It's a fantastic foundation to build Life is Strange 2 on, and it kept me glued to my seat the entire time I explored Chris's home and got to know him as well as my own little brother. I wanted to protect him from all harm and give him something to look forward to, so I hope he plays a massive role in the next game from Dontnod Entertainment, as he's too precious of a character to give up on. -Brittany Vincent

There you have it, folks. Our list of the best games to be released in the first half of 2018. What games did you think should be on our list? Let us know in the comments section.

Best Games of the Midyear 2018 published first on https://superworldrom.tumblr.com/

[etechwire-blog]

The most important PC games of all time

New Post has been published on https://www.etechwire.com/the-most-important-pc-games-of-all-time/

The most important PC games of all time

As part of TechRadar’s PC Gaming Week 2018, we’ve thought long and hard about what the most important PC games of all time are.

So, what makes a game ‘important’? For many, it’s a totally subjective argument based on which games have made the biggest impact on your gaming life. 

However, there are some games that have done more than gained legions of fans – this is the software that’s shaped the ebb and flow of the industry. From graphical milestones to the creation of a entirely new genres, these are the games that elevated PC gaming with every release.

That’s why we’ve gathered together ten of the best, highlighting just why they have been so influential in shaping the course of PC gaming.

Sid Meier’s Civilization (1991)

It’s impossible to overstate just how influential Civilization has been on strategy games, world-building sims and PC gaming in general. 

Alongside SimCity and Populus, MicroPose’ seminal piece of software took something as vast as building and nurturing numerous empires through time and somehow made an interactive experience with untold control at your fingertips. 

The original MS-DOS versions looks positively antiquated today, but it’s been remade and remastered multiple times over the years so it’s far from lost. While its sequels would go onto refine its sim systems and mechanics, the original remains the blueprint that made the biggest impact of all.

Doom (1993)

There have been so many seminal shooters over the years, but very have had the impact that id Software’s 1993 release enjoys. 

Shooters existed prior to its arrival, but Doom pioneered so many the principles we still see today. Playing in first-person perspective; open-ended levels full of secrets; spatially open environments; copious amounts of gore and ultraviolence.

It didn’t rewrite the FPS handbook, it authored the first edition. There’s a reason it’s been ported to every platform imaginable – even today, its huge arsenal of weapons and bestiary of hellish enemies remain steadfast in their relevance. 

You can see Doom’s DNA in every shooter that followed, and you will for decades to come.

Diablo (1996)

The role-playing game has taken many forms over the years, but only one decided to shed the layers of multi-genre influence in the way Diablo did in 1996. 

Blizzard’s top-down creation stripped away all the detritus and firmly put the ‘action’ back in action-RPG. 

Diablo is all about the combat, and what glorious combat it is. It banished the steep difficulty spikes that had made the genre so impenetrable and instead focused on upping the creativity of its dungeons. 

Quests and level layouts were procedurally-generated (a gameplay mechanic that still feels fresh today, never mind over 20 years ago), while the introduction of multiplayer enabled players to team up or go head to head for fantastical glory.

Tomb Raider (1996)

In the same year that Diablo was rewriting the rules for RPGs, a small British studio by the name of Core Design introduced the world to a game (and a lead character) that brought 3D platforming kicking and screaming into a new era.

With her dual pistols and pointy polygonal assets, Lara Croft’s first adventure as the titular Tomb Raider has had just as much impact as Mario’s first foray into 3D space. 

Platforming no longer consisted of floaty leaps, but required a careful combination of timing and precision. Environmental puzzles were deep, elaborate and multi-faceted. And the gunplay? Well, few games escalate with quite the imagination of Tomb Raider. Wolves? Nah. Raptors? Nah? A T-rex? Oh, go on then.

Half-Life (1998)

Doom was the game that defined what a first-person shooter was to an unsuspecting PC gaming community in the early ’90s, but Half-Life would revolutionise that concept by the time the decade had drawn to a close. 

Even if you disregard how its popularity eventually led to the creation of the revolutionary delivery platform Steam, Half-Life showed shooters could be something more than just bullets, blood and baddies. 

It was the thinking man’s FPS, a game that was unafraid to place a dystopian sci-fi story first and foremost. It popularised the concept of using environmental puzzles, and wantonly spliced genres in a way we’d never seen before.   

Baldur’s Gate (1998)

The humble RPG has gone through many regeneration over the years, and the one it took in the form of Baldur’s Gate remains its most quintessential. 

With Canadian studio Bioware at the helm, it was the first RPG to use the now legendary Infinity Engine, which gave the game an instantly recognisable 2D art style. (A style so popular Obsidian designed 2015’s Pillars of Eternity around that much-loved look.) 

With its Forgotten Realms setting and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons ruleset, it would take until Bioware rewrote the rules yet again with Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic for Baldur’s Gate to feel anything less than compulsory playing.

Deus Ex (2000)

The consequence and choice of the Human Revolution and Mankind Divided might not seem that remarkable today, but at the turn of the millennium the sheer influence you as a player had over the world you inhabited in Deus Ex was invigorating and startling in equal measure. 

Sure, you could pull out a gun and shoot NPCs or sneak around dangers if you so wished, but it was depth to which those actions played out that struck home the most. 

From the freedom of exploration you were afforded to the breadth of dialogue choices only found in traditional RPGs, this mechanical cross-pollination made Deus Ex a unique prospect that few titles have matched since.

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002)

While the likes of Baldur’s Gate were delving deep into classic D&D rulesets, Bethesda was working on a very different but equally immersive action-RPG of its own. 

When it arrived in 2002, Morrowind brought the series into the third dimension and with a more powerful engine at its disposal, and it doing so it created something intrinsically unique. 

With its Dwemer factories buried deep into the ground, and its fungal fauna rising high into the sky, not even Oblivion or Skyrim could match TESIII for sheer creativity. Free of the technical constraints that dogged Daggerfall, Morrowind was a virtual world that influenced every action-RPG that would follow in its footsteps.

World of Warcraft (2004)

While its been through myriad overhauls since its 2004 inception, World of Warcraft set in stone what a robust and commercially successful MMO (massively multiplayer online) could and should be. 

Pulling from the deep and rich lore of the Warcraft series, WoW broke from the traditional real-time strategy of its forebears and focused on an action-RPG template. 

Set in a cartoonish depiction of Azeroth, World of Warcraft managed to bridge the gap between a shared online space and a narrative experience that engrossed each player individually. And, while it may not be the subscriber powerhouse it once was, its place among the MMO greats will never fade.

Minecraft (2009)

Much like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Doom, Minecraft has been ported to just about every modern platform there is, but that hasn’t detracted from the sheer impact it’s had on PC gaming as a whole. 

From its earliest origins in the late ’00s, to the latest innovations from the Bedrock Edition update, Mojang’s creation suite has inspired a generation of gamers to start thinking with blocks. From the test of Survival mode to the unbridled depth of Creative mode – and let’s not forget the incredible mods and texture packs it’s spawned from the community – Minecraft has become less of a game and more of an ongoing phenomenon – and one that’s likely going to shape the developers of tomorrow.

Its also become the best selling PC game of all time, and we take an in-depth look into the history of Minecraft for PC Gaming Week.

TechRadar’s fourth annual PC Gaming Week is officially here, celebrating our passion with in-depth and exclusive coverage of PC gaming from every angle. Visit our PC Gaming Week 2018 page to see all of the coverage in one place. 

[neptunecreek]

The Bots are Here: Leading With Our Humanity in the Age of Automation

The Bots are Here: Leading With Our Humanity in the Age of Automation by Allison Fine and Beth Kanter

What nonprofits need to do to make sure that they are in charge of the bots, not the other way around.

Taking a virtual walk with Yeshi may not help you get your steps in for the day, but it will be fascinating and educational. Yeshi, is a Facebook Messenger bot created by charity:water to simulate the experience of many young girls in Ethiopia who walk six hours a day to get clean water. The conversation with Yeshi is “smart,” meaning that she asks and answers questions with a variety of images, maps, text, and videos.

As of April, 2017, Yeshi and over 100,000 other Facebook messenger bots had reached over 2 billion Facebook messenger users. Yeshi is part of the family of technologies we call “bots” that includes robots, artificial intelligence, cyborgs and virtual reality. These bots are the drivers of the “Age of Automation.”

Leading edge organizations are putting the bots to work for social change. For instance, the San Francisco Museum of Art has 34,678 items in its collection. A patron would have to walk 121 miles to see them all! To share its entire collection with art lovers, the museum created the  “Send Me” bot allows anyone to send a simple text message and receive a picture of a piece of art matching the idea, words, or phrase texted. The bot unlocks all of the artwork of the museum for virtual viewing by anyone, anywhere and at any time.

Innovations like these don’t have to break the bank. In fact, by becoming experts at frugal innovation, meaning stripped down technologies that are very customer focused, nonprofits can make “bots” affordable and accessible. Climate Reality did this by building a Facebook chatbot designed to educate supporters and build the organization’s email list to sign up for action alerts. It’s a much simpler bot than Yeshi, with only close-ended options rather than sophisticated artificial intelligence. The bot funnels supporters to different options on the lower rungs of the ladder of engagement.  

Humanitarian organizations are actively researching and testing how the use of messaging and bots can help refugees or those directly impacted by a natural disaster, according a recent report by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The World Food Program developed and tested the “FoodBot,” a Facebook Messenger bot, to interact with the people they serve to provide information on WFP services, food prices, weather updates, nutrition, and disease prevention. Unicef created its own bot, U-Report,to engage young people on a variety of issues, ranging from climate change. The bot, available via Twitter and Facebook Messenger, polls its followers (called ‘U-Reporters’) on a range of topics and uses the data to help influence public policy. Unicef’s bot has had some early successes. For example, in Liberia, the bot asked 13,000 young people if teachers at their schools were exchanging grades for sex. 86% said yes, uncovering a widespread problem and prompting Liberia’s Minister of Education to work with UNICEF on addressing it.

The bots aren’t just a technical challenge for nonprofits, they also present ethical problems, particularly for fundraisers. Amazon and Netflix use algorithms to manipulate our choices of books and movies. Facebook manipulates what we see on the site to keep us there longer. But bots may be able to manipulate our emotions in unprecedentedly unhealthy ways. Emotions have always had an appropriate place in storytelling for fundraising, we give because we are empathetic beings. But bots can offer companionship and empathy and support to donors and ask for donations. Where is the line between cultivation and manipulation? And who determines the line?

 Another area of ethical greyness is maintaining people-centered practices and policies. For instance, which jobs will be acceptable to outsource to bots and which ones, like, say, social worker, should never be substituted by even millions of lines of code? This is a real and current concern. Woebot, a therapy chatbot engages in 2 million conversations a week and has been shown to reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, some experts have raised privacy concerns as robot to human conversations are not covered by doctor-patient confidentiality laws

We know from our experience (lots of experience!) that most nonprofit organizations are very slow to adopt new technologies, but we can’t afford to dismiss or ignore both the upsides and downsides of the Age of Automation even though it does feels frightening and overwhelming. Helen Milner, CEO of the Good Things Foundation, shared her constructive approach for moving addressing the bots with Beth. She said, “We don’t want to put our heads in the sand about bots and just think they are evil, but to embrace the idea of bots and see if it can help us to help even more people have better lives. It’s early days, it might not work, but I’d rather we try and fail than not try at all. . . We should begin by focusing the bots on tasks that can unleash trapped resources or free staff to pursue higher-level human contact.”

Putting Helen’s positive attitude into practice allows to see that the benefits of bots to social change efforts include:

Using sophisticated chat bots like Yeshi that can educate supporters in very visual, interesting and emotional ways that text can’t.

Automating the FAQ function 24/7 for stakeholders  with questions comments, or requests without increasing staff workloads.

Building your contact lists and signing up volunteers for your cause.

Given the enormous challenges ahead, we want to provide specific steps for people and organizations to thrive in the Age of Automation. They include:    

Understand the Adoption Trends:  You don’t have to be an expert in artificial intelligence or know chatbot programming code, but you do need to understand what a chatbot is and at a high level how works.  More importantly, you need to understand the current usage trends.  Luckily, the The ICRC, together with The Engine Room and Block Party, has produced a useful report on the current and potential uses of messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger in humanitarian situations. 

Get Some Hands-On Experience With Chatbots Developed for Social Good Purposes:  Visit the different chatbots referenced in this article or use this curated list that Beth put together of examples from nonprofits and beyond.Try to determine the purpose and intended audience. Does the chatbot use open-ended conversation or is it close-ended?  Is it complex or simple? Is it a pleasant or frustrating user experience? 

     Design a Simple Pilot:  We have written before that using new technologies is a contact sport not a spectator sport. It’s time to get in the sandbox and try it out for your own organization. Start by determining a  a measurable objective.  Do you want it to assist in marketing to build your email list or delivery of services?  Next, figure out who the intended audience might be. It will be very helpful to come up with one or two user personas and sketch out some potential conversation threads.  Also determine the cost. Do you have a budget to hire Chatbot programmer (you’d need this for a more elaborate chatbot) or will you use one of the free and low cost chatbot authoring tools, like Octiveai, Manychat, or Chatfuel. (You read more about designing a pilot here)

 Evaluate and Iterate: Run your pilot for a few months.  Gather  data against your goals.  You could also survey or interview some of the people that interacted with your bot and get their feedback.  Based on this initial feedback, how might you improve your bot’s results?  Is it ready to scale?

As with all new technologies, bots represent significant challenges to how we relate to one another and to society. In fact, it is not an understatement to say that our very humanness is at stake because of the power of bots to reshape our emotions. The Automation Age is already presenting new and complex problems at breathtaking speed. Embracing automation and our empathetic, artistic, caring and curious selves simultaneously are not incompatible ideas. However, in order to do so successfully to ensure that we maintain, and even strengthen, the fabric of our society, will require that we stay vigilant in being people-centered and make sure that we’re in charge of the bots, not the other way around.

Note:  Versions of this blog post were published on Guidestar and NTEN blogs.

from Beth’s Blog http://ift.tt/2DoBlxv

[thenthdimension]

My Top Ten Comics of the Year List because the one from Vice Sucked

So vice has released a list of its top ten comics of the year that was only eight entries long because apparently comics were so bad this year that eight was as many as they could manage. This really frustrated me, mainly because their problem was with the quality of comics (which I thought was great) and not the behaviour of individuals and organisations within the industry (a lot of which was very bad). I am not going to link to the article because if you want to find it you can but I am not going to help you. I am however going to give my top ten list which I realise a lot of other people have done in reaction to the article but I’m just too annoyed to do nothing.

Some caveats before I start, firstly I am just someone who likes comics and I have not read 90% of the stuff that has come out because I am not a) rich or b) someone who receives comics to review. Secondly I am a white/cis/het man and my comics reading is not as diverse as I would like but I do want to work on that this year. Thirdly some of these will be graphic novels, some individual issues and some on-goings. Finally this is in no particular order, feel free to skip past entries you have not interest in and please check to the end of the list to see if something catches your interest. If one person reads one comic because I did this that is a huge win.

Aliens Dead Orbit by James Stokoe

James Stokoe is one of the best cartoonists working in comics today. Most of the books he works on are top to bottom his work, writing, pencils, inks, colouring, lettering the whole bag and that is the case here. The details in his panels is incredible as you can see here but only when it needs to be. When he needs the readers eye to move quickly across a page to show speed or to make show a lot happening in a short space of time the detail drops without losing any of the skill. Also I just love his colouring the warm lighting contrasting with the cold metal of the ship and dark blacks of space and the aliens themselves. This is not a complicated or deep story that going to tell anything new about this universe its just excellently told and looks fab.

Kaijumax: Season 3 by Zander Cannon with colour assists by Jason Fischer

This is a prison comic where the prisoners are giant monsters, I really don’t know what else you want me to say about this. At its best it can be disturbing, funny, exciting and you will never know how much you could care about a giant satanic Goat. That goat is the Creature from Devils Creek and his is the best story line this season, I was honestly upset and some of the things he had to go through. I obviously recommend going back and reading the previous two seasons but this is the best Kaijumax has been and I cannot wait for season 4.

Doom Patrol Written by Gerard Way, Pencils by Nick Derington, Inks by Tom Fowler, Colours by Tamara Bonvillian and Letters by Todd Klien

The lead singer of My Chemical Romance writes one of my favourite comics. That’s a weird thing to say but then comics are weird and this comic if full bore weird. Coming from DC’s Young Animal line which is basically Way’s baby this is technically a book about a team of superheros but really its well developed characters dealing with whatever mad thing happens that month. But as much as I enjoy the madness and Ways writing Nick Derington is the best thing about this book. There was an issue that had guest art by Mike Allred, who I love, and all I wanted was for Derington to come back. Plus that madcap writing means he gets to draw some incredible looking stuff. Also one of the main characters has sex with their anthropomorphised cat.

The Wicked + The Divine Written by Kieron Gillen, Art by Jamie McKelvie, Colours by Matthew Wilson and Letters by Clayton Cowles

It was never going to be ok. That’s basically the motto of this book and this year has shown you how true that is. Every 90 years the cycle repeats normal people become gods and will not live past 2 years, this time they also became pop stars. Wic Div has been going for a couple of years now and it just keeps getting better, the characters are so real and who they are is brilliantly reflected in the art. It will break your heart but it will also have dying to read the next issue. Plus they have started doing specials which show glimpses of the past pantheons. Its currently on issue 34 so its something of a commitment but it rewards that commitments and the collections come out with a decent regularity. Oh if you are a tumblr person do not look at the Wic Div tag unless you want SPOILERS.

Copra #31 by Michel Fiffe

Fiffe is another top to bottom cartoonist and he also self publishes Copra, so this is proper indie comics. Copra is a Suicide Squad fan comic that’s almost consistently better than the actual Suicide Squad comic. A team of mercenaries and criminals do the jobs no one can admit to and treated as expendable by those who put them in harms way. Its art and action comics all at once. This issue focuses on Castillo who as you may be able to tell is somewhat like the Punisher and its just a great example of what makes Copra great. I could see Fiffes art not being for everybody but its 100% for me.

Southern Cross written by Becky Cloonan, Art by Andy Belanger, Colours by Lee Loughride and Letters by Serge LaPointe

Southern Cross is like an Aliens movie directed by John Carpenter filtered through H.P. Lovecreaft. Put on some synth-wave, prog rock or cosmic metal and enjoy a horror comic that’s also a huge amount of fun. The first arc was Alex Braith booking passage aboard the Southern Cross to find out what happened to her sister. This years second arc takes us to the rigs on Titan where the mystery of whats going on deepens and we find out more about the life in this universe. Can’t recommend it highly enough, plus some of the space suits have Jason masks, which makes me very happy.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl # 26 The Zine Issue by Ryan North, Erica Henderson, Rico Renzi and many, many more

I cannot list all the creators please go look them up. Squirrel Girl (she has the powers of both Squirrel and Girl) is a comic that is always a huge amount of fun and this issue is the zine that Squirrel Girl has put together with her friends to raise money for all the public buildings superheroes destroy. It features a feel good inspiration comic written by a nihilistic brain in a jar, Cat Loki, a quite touching story about Wolverine and a sentinel and a Galactus comic written and drawn by Jim Davis the creator of Garfield. You can read this all by itself and still enjoy it so its a great place to find out if Squirrel Girl is for you which it probably is because Squirrel Girl rules. Eat nuts, kick butts. 

Mister Miracle #4 Written by Tom King, Art by Mitch Gerads and letters by Clayton Cowles

Mister Miracle is one of the New Gods. Mister Miracle can escape any trap. Mister Miracle is depressed and recently tried to kill himself. This twelve issue mini series is going to show up on a lot of best of lists this year and that’s totally justified. But of the five issues released so far I believe this, The Trial of Mister Miracle, is the best. Every great about this series is crystallised here, the 9 panel grids, the quite unflinching look at depression, the art that expertly mixes the fantastic and the mundane and the incredibly sharp writing. I haven’t seen a better example of a character who is entirely correct but also completely wrong.

Savage Town written by Declan Shalvey, Art by Philip Barrett, Colours by Jordie Bellaire and Letters by Clayton Cowles

Cartoonists get a lot of props for being able to handle every aspect of creating a comic book and there are some great examples on this list. This comic I believe is the best example of how a great team on a book can be just as effective as a great cartoonist. Its Limerick near the turn of 2000, Jimmy Savage is the leader of a small gang and trouble is heading his way. I love that one of the best crime comics this year is about an Irish city and comes from a majority Irish team. Its also great to see a comics writer writing Irish accented dialogue that doesn’t read like its out of Darby O’Gil and the Little people. And its a great story too, I really hope there is some kind of follow up as I’d really love to come back to this town and these characters again.

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Nagata Kabi

This year I decided to start reading more manga (Japanese comics) and I decided to start with this which was a bit of an odd choice but one I do not regret. This true story can be difficult to read because it is true. Nagata was this lonely, this isolated, this depressed and the really had this struggle with their sexuality. The depression they felt was crippling and while a lot of things I could relate to, especially berating yourself which I used to do a lot, I really had no idea. I have always considered myself as decent person who understood that depression was something that could paralyse a person but until I read this I don’t think I truly considered what that meant. The sense of isolation and loneliness is so strong I honestly don’t know how they got through it. And then they recounted it with such a great sense of humour and didn’t shy away at all. I feel like I am not explaining this well, I don’t read lot of things like this and maybe I don’t have quite the right vocabulary. Just know that this is the most affecting piece of media I came across this year. If I know you IRL please ask to borrow it because I would love to hear what other people think of it.

And that’s it, those are the ten best comics I read this year. You can find all of these on comixology, amazon and good comic book stores. If there is something you’d be interesting in reading and you don’t know how to get a hold of it ask me and I’ll see if I can help you find it. Comics a great and anyone who kind find ten great ones in a year is not looking hard enough or is a pretentious prick. I know for a fact there is stacks of great stuff I didn’t get to read this year. Its all out there, you just have to look.

[prussiantique]

Ode to Hushabye Valley – Notes

Sweet and sincere; apropos for the good lady @hushabyevalley​ whose art inspired it, I should hope. Here’s the usual note that accompanies most of my poetry, and I must apologise: it’s long and while I would be overjoyed if one were to read it, I do realise it’s not particularly interesting. Nonetheless, I would like to explain the hows and whys of a dedicatory poem, so if you want to understand all the allusions of the poem, please read the bit up till the second line of ‘===’s. Under those will be a more technical look into the workings of the poem. If you happen to stick with me from start to finish, then you have my sincerest thanks :) === So, the poem begins with an invocation to Hushabye, the eponymous lady of both the fantastical valley and the castle that is situated therein. Please visit the good lady here or here. Now, world-building is a fundamental aspect of high fantasy and science-fiction, and the world of Hushabye Valley is, at least to me, one that is suffused with romance, timelessness, fantasy, and quiet pathos,– something which I find in all three of the good lady’s ‘tales’: Hushabye Valley (fantasy), Calabi Yau Forest (fantasy), and Ada (sci-fi, but otherwise suffused with the same charm as the others). While the combination is becoming far more popular these days, high fantasy and slice-of-life are not related genres traditionally, as high fantasy is predominantly preoccupied with grand narratives and quests (think C. S. Lewis or J. R. R. Tolkein) while slice-of-life is focused on the memorable moments of everyday life. I find the good lady makes them work wonderfully well, hence the rather odd turn of phrase in ‘complete with beauty, mild and grand’. ‘Mild and grand’ are not cognate ideas, but by placing them both as interlinked qualities of a singular ‘beauty’, it (hopefully) suggests the all-encompassing nature of the splendours that Hushabye portrays in the valley. Puns and allusions are important in an ode of this kind: in a celebratory poem, it should be evident to the addressee exactly what it is that they have done or created that has garnered said praise. In equal measure, if one is sincere about one’s praise or admiration, one’s writing should show a certain amount of knowledge and love of that which is spoken. Some of these are, admittedly rather straightforward, such as ‘misty’, which alludes to the good lady’s tumblr ask: ‘Throw a question into the mist’; ‘a face of marble’, to the rather adorable groundskeeper and main character of Hushabye Valley, Marble; and ‘the archways of a bygone year’, to the banner of Hushabye Valley’s Patreon page. The last one is a little tenuous, if I had to be honest, as the emphasis in the banner is on the four plinths that flank Marble, but I felt ‘archways’ scanned better poetically than ‘plinth’. If I had to use ‘plinth’ instead, I’d have rewritten the line as a hexameter one thus: “Between the plinths engraved with words long worn away;” ‘Queer’ is another word I chose due to its double meaning, due to both its more traditional sense of strange or unusual,– and thus apropos to describe the faerie aspect of Hushabye’s ‘tales,– as well as the presence of yuri/girls’ love therein. I do realise that queer is a complicated word today, but I hope the phrase ‘love sincere’ dispels any doubts regarding which side of the fence my sympathies sit regarding the matter. The word ‘art’ ties into the idea of magic and fantasy as magic, like alchemy, was considered a branch of learning historically, and thus described in the same way we would talk about liberal arts. Of course, Hushabye herself is an accomplished artist of the visual kind, making this another fairly straightforward piece of wordplay. ‘Enfold me in your art’ is just something that I ask of good narratives: I like being immersed in something if I sincerely enjoy it. This ties into the last line and my word choice therein. Castle Hushabye is ‘a fonder home’ to the speaker of the poem, and it’s important to note the use of ‘fonder’ quite specifically. ‘Fonder’ is a comparative adjective, and when considered alongside the context of the speaker, who is evidently a traveller, it suggests that home or haven offered by Hushabye is a place that the speaker finder more loving (not merely lovely) than wherever the speaker originated from. Considering the state of the world today, I would happily escape into the good lady’s worlds and narratives and stay there. While reading, I am reminded of one of Tennyson’s lyric interludes from The Princess: The splendour falls on castle walls                And snowy summits old in story:         The long light shakes across the lakes,                And the wild cataract leaps in glory. Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying, Blow, bugle; answer, echoes, dying, dying, dying.         O hark, O hear! how thin and clear,                And thinner, clearer, farther going!         O sweet and far from cliff and scar                The horns of Elfland faintly blowing! Blow, let us hear the purple glens replying: Blow, bugle; answer, echoes, dying, dying, dying.         O love, they die in yon rich sky,                They faint on hill or field or river:         Our echoes roll from soul to soul,                And grow for ever and for ever. Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying, And answer, echoes, answer, dying, dying, dying. Beauty and pathos mixed into one, much like the good lady’s tales. <3 === Now to the more dry and technical parts of the piece. If you’ve no interest in the mechanics of poetry, feel free to head off. I promise I won’t mind. I will admit, the poem was intended to be a far longer work when I first started work on it, but that was quickly whittled down when I decided it’d be an acrostic. Long poems are, in addition, generally not something that most people enjoy reading. As this was a poem intended to be read by the good lady herself, it had to be kept short. The main thing I am genuinely unsatisfied with is the unusual rhyme scheme. It’s not irregular, per se, but rather it lacks a certain symmetry that I would have liked to have seen in a poem for someone whose work I sincerely enjoy. The poem’s rhyme scheme follows thus (each letter representing a rhyme word): a b b a c d d c || d e e d f f The ‘d’ rhyme appears four times in the poem as opposed to the two times of every other rhyme, which is, from a poet’s perspective both incongruous and weird in a rather untidy way. Now, ideally, the rhyme scheme of the poem would have looked like this: a b b a c d d c || e f f e g g which would have been better as each quatrain is kept self-contained in terms of rhyme; or, alternatively: a b b a b c c b || c d d c d d would have been another acceptable alternative, slowly phasing through interlocking rhymes in a similar manner to Terza Rima or the Spenserian stanza. An acrostic does pose a challenge poetically as, if I may put it this way, not all letters were created equal from a poetic stand-point. Different opening letters can create difficulties, whether it’s finding words with the correct rhythm or finding words that have a relevant meaning to the poem. Very frequently, the primary problem posed by an acrostic falls into one of three categories: words that begin with the correct letter but have absolutely nothing to do with the contents of the poem; words that fit perfectly into the poem but begin with the wrong letter; or words that have both the correctly letter and meaning but do not fit the rhythm. This last point is actually the cause of a great deal of the metrical irregularity of the piece, with frequent trochees,– as seen in the first foot of lines 1, 7, 9, 11 and 12,– and more occasional spondees,– as found in the first foot of lines 3, 4, and 14,– beginning the lines of what should be  predominantly iambic poem. Just a reminder for anyone who is less familiar with the poetic terminology, iambs, trochees, and spondees are metrical feet or stress patterns in poetry: iamb: ˘ ¯ or unstressed-stressed  (e.g. To be or not to be) trochee: ¯ ˘ or stressed-unstressed  spondee: ¯ ¯ or stressed-stressed In a short poem like this, one good skill to have is the ability to juggle the competing demands of metre and expression without being gagged by them. While one needs to express an idea within a confined space and obey the rules at the same time, one has to do things tastefully after all. An example of this would be in line 3:   ¯          ¯     /  ˘    ¯   /  ˘         ¯      /   ˘   ¯ / ˘     ¯ such   things   I   ere   had   scarce   partaken   in. While it does scan properly, it also falls rather awkwardly from a modern tongue due to the fairly archaic, but more flexible, syntax. Now if we were to expand it and rearrange the line into something more commonplace today, we can not only see how poetry condenses and re-patterns thought, but also how we ourselves have to ‘translate’ archaic poetry mentally to properly understand it.  Thus: such things I ere had scarce partaken in can be expanded to: such things [that] I [before] had [rarely] [taken part] in and can be further rearranged to make: such things [that] I had [rarely] [taken part in] [before] Moving onto structure: although I’ve split it into two stanzas, I would like to argue that the poem could and should be read, structurally, in three different ways: as an acrostic of two words, Hushabye and Valley; as an ode, with an unequal tripartite structure of strophe, antistrophe and epode; as a sonnet, with a false volta in line 9, and a true volta in line 13. I need not go into the acrostic, I think, as it’s probably the most straightforward part of the poem. The ode is where the invocation to ‘Hushabye’ plays its part. Ode are explicitly poems that laud something or someone. In addition, the structure of the poem’s primary movements can be split into three, albeit unequal parts: the strophe, in which the speaker invokes ‘Hushabye’ and describes the initial wonder that he/she experiences; the antistrophe, directed instead to the ‘Valley’ itself, where the beauty that is lauded by the strophe is exchanged from more enduring qualities like ‘tenderness’ and comfort, ‘as suggested by the word ‘languid’. The epode is the sudden change from invocation to imperative as can be seen in the verbs ‘Enfold’ and ‘bid’. As a sonnet, we have to read the poem as a single stanza. The rhyme scheme, however, supports this as it can neatly separate the poem into three quatrains and a couplet, the very same as many types of sonnet. From this perspective, the four lines beginning with ‘Valley’ instead belongs to the same continuum as ‘Hushabye’ and ‘A face…’, rather than being a distinct stanza of its own. This final way of looking at the poem, as a sonnet, is perhaps the only one which also offers a reason for the metrical shift in the final couplet. Rather than being in iambic pentameter, the two lines are actually alexandrines, i.e. iambic hexameter, with a caesura or break in the very middle of those lines, as can be clearly seen in: ‘Enfold me in your art, || and bid me never roam:’ The alexandrine is fairly unusual in English poetry but, when used in a predominantly pentametrical context, serves to slow the pace of the iambs and to create a falling motion, a perfect technique if one wanted to finish a poem in a manner that suggests as much affection as ease. === Long way to go, but if you’ve managed to get here, then you have my sincerest thanks and affection~

[acewing13]

Fanning the Flames, Part 2, V1

Rubbing the kiss off my cheek, I walked into the house and took in a deep, cleansing breath of pepperoni pizza. Nothing better than that, I’ll tell you that much. But that joy was destroyed when I saw the brand-new copy of Galaxian. After I kicked off my shoes, I piled a plate with as much pizza as I could, grabbed the game, and walked upstairs.

At the top of the stairs, I stopped to look at the few framed pictures of my family that were on the wall, most of them being portraits of my younger self or the rare photo of both me and Mom. Hadn’t had too much money to have pictures taken after the divorce and all of the pictures that included my deadbeat dad were in a box that sat in the attic, collecting dust.

The only other items on display were Mom’s various degrees: her Bachelor of Science in Thaumaturgy from Georgetown University, 1938; her Mage Certification from the Magical Technical College, 1939; her Masters of Science Degree in Evocation Thaumaturgy from the University of Oxford, 1954; and her pride and joy, her Doctorate of Philosophy in Pyromantic Evocation Thaumaturgy from the Institut Curie, 1964. Next to her PhD, Mom had a picture of her posing next to Marie Curie, the Mother of Magic and head of the Institut’s Paris campus herself. Mom didn’t look a day over thirty in the picture, despite being almost fifty at the time.

Smiling at the twenty-year-old picture, I then turned walked towards my room. Turning the doorknob with my foot, I pushed the door in with my shoulder, just far enough for me to keep my pizza on my plate. My room was a mess, as usual. The floor was strewn with pens, loose paper, and books, lots and lots of books. Grimoires, magical textbooks, heck, even a knock off copy of the Ars Goetia. Not that any demons had shown up, even after I had sacrificed that chicken last week. I sniff and shake my head. The room still has the smell of burnt chicken feathers.

The rest of my room was relatively tidy, with the broken and dusty television and Atari 2600 that sat near my bed. They had been the first things to go three months ago, when the magical incidents took a more malicious turn. I had been racking up a high score on Missile Command, but just as I was getting close to beating my personal high score, the console made a sickening POP, the image on the television screen turned to static, and the room filled with the smell of burnt plastic. Thankfully, Mom hadn’t been home at the time, so I had been able to get rid of the smell and cover up the problem. I wonder if that was the best decision now, but it’s a little late for that.

After putting the pizza on my bed, I went to the window and closed the curtains, sending the room into darkness. Turning on a light, I sat down on my bed and after a few moments of twisting and pulling, the stupid adamantine ankle bracelet came off. Don’t look at me like that. Like I said, I never took it off…at work. Relishing in the adamantine’s absence, I pointed at one of the spell books on the floor and curled my index and middle fingers. The text fluttered off the ground and slowly flapped its way towards me, its pages rustling in the air.

Non-mages think this kind of thing is special, making objects float through the air, but no mage would ever be impressed by the simple cantrip. Especially if this small piece of magic encompassed everything that I knew how to do. You would think that as the only son of the famous Banshee that I could have gotten some sort of reprieve, a chance to try and learn the Magical Arts and see if I could awaken some dormant spark of magic that I might hold. But the Council that governed the Magical Training Center didn’t think so. And were so stuck in their ways that they just slapped on the bracelet when problems started happening.

Grumbling, I snatched the novice spell book out of the air and turned the dog-eared pages to where I had left off. If Mom or Officer Whoever saw me, I’d probably be stuck in an adamantine-lined cell for the rest of my life, but it seems like whatever is causing problems around me doesn’t care if I’m wearing the band or not. Besides, you try and wear a metal ankle bracelet for days on end. No thank you.

I stared at the book for a few minutes, taking a few bites of the pizza as I tried to read, but then put the book down and rubbed my eyes as I groaned. I had been looking at these books for weeks, trying to find a way to get more power, some way to get rid of this curse that was on me. Heck, I resorted to summoning demons! But apparently, Solomon hadn’t written down the right phone numbers when he wrote the Ars Goetia. I’d love to get my hands on real spell books, but those were tightly controlled by the MTC, which gives it a monopoly over the teaching of magic in the United States and the western hemisphere. Europe is a little better, with a choice between Oxford or the University of Paris, but they’re no freer with their books then their American counterpart. Course, both European universities allowed non-mages to enroll, but those were extremely difficult programs to get into and my grades suck.  You try doing integrals when your pencil tries to poke your eye out!

Wait…Paris. I jumped off the bed and raced out of the room, heading to Mom’s study. As far as I know, she hadn’t been in there for nearly four years now, too many bad memories, I guess. Fighting a Chaldean God, losing your magic, and having Dad leave kind of does that.

Opening the door, I coughed a few times as dust was kicked up. Yep, definitely not been opened in a while. While the various bookshelves were covered with dust, her desk was dust free, probably a spell to keep any magic circles from getting messed up. Thankfully, the object of my search sat in the place of honor in a glass case in the middle of the desk, Mom’s PhD thesis.

              The paper itself had the technical title of “the Summoning of Pyromatic Spirits through Evocation Thaumaturgy.” So, basically How to Call Fire Ghosts through a Summoning Circle 101, right? The real trouble would be figuring out how to get the case open. Carefully tiptoeing towards the desk, I examined the glass closely, looking for a way to open it.

I would have spent hours trying to look for something, but when I straightened to get a crick out of my neck, my head hit the edge of a low hanging metal cabinet. “Oww,” I said, bringing my hand up to my now bleeding head. As I brought my blood-stained hand near the glass, a line of red runes flared to life around the case for a few seconds, then disappeared just as suddenly as they appeared. “Son of a…huh,” I said, blinking at the case. Hesitantly, I grabbed the case and lifted the glass off of the table. Sweet, I thought, as I grabbed the paper and raced back to my room.

Bursting through my bedroom door, I tossed the novice spellbook off my bed and started leafing through Mom’s thesis. The piece was a technical doorstopper, like most PhD theses, but since evocation is so highly dependent on summoning circles, there were plenty of diagrams to help me to find the pertinent sections. “…to summon a particular pyromantic spirit, a precise layout of circles, focusing triangles, and thaumaturgic sigils are required, so as to not inadvertently summon an incorrect spirit. This is important, as opposing spirits often have summoning diagrams nearly identical to their counterparts, likely to snare unsuspecting mages.” In other words, make sure you call the right phone number, because extra-dimensional tele-marketers can literally steal your soul.

              And so I went to work, pushing all of the other books and papers to one side of my bedroom, creating a big enough space to draw the summoning circle. I flipped through the appendices of Mom’s thesis, to where it outlined a list of spirits and their characteristics. One jumped out at me, ‘Israfel, the Angel of Fire, the Burning One’. Seemed good enough, so I started drawing the chalk circle. Thankfully, drawing circles and coping arcane symbols was the other skill I had when it came to magic. Came with having a disciplinarian father who expected me to become a powerful mage like his parents before him. Just another reason why he left, I guess.

              An hour or so later, didn’t bother looking at a clock, the summoning circle was finished, the thaumaturgic sigils making a monochrome tapestry of swirls and squiggles in the space between the sides of the triangle and main circle. I double checked the design, tracing my fingers an inch above the chalk, looking for errors that would summon something unwanted. Looks good, I thought, brushing chalk dust on my pants, grabbing a zippo, a pocket knife, and a pack of band-aids off the floor and stepped into the circle. Let’s see what happens.