#the speech bubble definitely need some refinement

[transformers-bold-bright-brisk]

Prince is slowly learning about the inhabitants of Earth. He is starting off very uninformed of their surroundings.

[ibuki-says]

Misaki Ito || The SHSL Blogger

(art by: @metamatronic)

Misaki Ito  Ultimate Blogger General ═════ Name: Misaki Ito

Nicknames:  Ultimate Journalist - Misaki really wishes this was her ultimate title rather than blogger. She feels as though journalist is more of a refined title, while blogger just sounds juvenile, like she’s writing boppy fluff articles in a teen magazine. Luckily, most of her friends comply, but her case fell on deaf ears when it came to the board of Hope’s Peak. So she’s still officially known as the Ultimate Blogger. 

Age: Officially 22 but appears as her 17 year old self during the events of the game

Gender: Misaki is female 

Sexual Orientation: Misaki is bisexual, with really no preference for any gender

Birthday: September 15th

Zodiac: Virgo

Nationality: Japanese 

Appearance ═════

Hair Color: Misaki’s hair is dark blue

Hair Length & Style: The front bangs of Misaki’s hair fall right above her eyes, while the sides right beside her bangs fall down to slightly below her shoulders. However, the back of her hair is cut short and reaches down just below her jawline. 

Height: 5’6”

Weight: Misaki’s weight fluctuates, but tends to stay around 130-140 pounds

Eye Color: tumeric

Clothing ═════ Casual One/In Game Outfit:  Misaki’s casual outfit would be a denim overall skirt that reaches to just above her knees. The buttons on the overalls are shaped like stars. Underneath her overalls, she has a white, short sleeve button up shirt. However, this is mostly concealed by a light blue cardigan she also wears. The long sections of her hair are held back by little hair clips shaped like speech bubbles. She also has thigh high white socks and short, brown high heeled booties. 

Pajamas:  Misaki’s pajamas consist of an oversized light blue t-shirt and white shorts. 

Personality ═════ Personality: Most of the time, Misaki is regarded as a relatively no-nonsense character. When she’s somewhere, she’s there to find the story and the facts, she doesn’t have time for anything else. She strives to be taken seriously among her peers and higher ups, her desperation for validation is a huge part of her existence. However, most people that know her would never guess how deeply this is rooted inside of her. She makes a point to keep a cool head and never let on how much pressure that’s on her, most of it that was placed there herself. She’s determined to get what she wants, and will stop at nothing until she reaches her goals, at the expense of herself and her relationships in the process. One can imagine how her heart dropped when her official title from Hope’s Peak Academy had deemed her ‘The Ultimate Blogger.’ It seemed as though everything she’s worked so hard for had come crashing down in an instant. Suddenly, she felt the need to work even harder and more seriously to even achieve a crumb of respect in the field of journalism. With all of this pressure, there’s a part of her that would love nothing more than to relax and focus on the fluff pieces expected of her and only do some hard-hitting pieces every once and a while. That and being able to focus on her relationships, she has a hidden hopeless romantic heart that wishes to just snuggle up with someone and spoil them rotten. Being spoiled rotten definitely wouldn’t hurt much either. However as long as she keeps up her workaholic ways, neither of these appear completely feasible.

Phobias/Fears: Atychiphobia - Fear of failure Gelotophobia- Fear of being laughed at Soteriophobia - Fear of dependence on others Lilapsophobia- Fear of tornadoes and hurricanes

Love Language: ACTS OF SERVICE AND WORDS OF AFFIRMATION

Either Or ═════ Hope or Despair: hope ═════ Introvert or Extrovert: introvert ═════ Leader or Follower: leader ═════ Earlybird or Nightowl: nightowl ═════ Careful or Careless: careful ═════ Street Smart or Book Smart: book smart ═════ Honest or Deceitful: deceitful

═════ Stats  ═════ Fighting: 3/10 Intelligence: 8/10 Running: 2/10 Swimming: 3/10 Jumping: 2/10 Stealth: 9/10 Lying: 9/10 Friendliness: 6/10 Sociableness: 7/10 Leadership: 7/10

Relationships ═════ Possible Love Interests -  Byakuya Togami - One person Misaki never expected to ever meet in person was Byakuya Togami. Getting an interview with any of the prestigious Togami family would be any journalist’s dream, especially since they’re notoriously tight lipped about anything besides the typical corporate jargon. To be attending school with the heir of said prestigious family?  This was the opportunity of a lifetime! Unfortunately, she also never expected was quite how...abrasive he could be. However, Misaki’s persistence and determination for a story outweighs her reservations about the stone-cold progeny. She makes her intentions incredibly clear, for a purely informative piece about his family, not looking to harm his family’s name in any way. Evidently, he really doesn’t believe her and snubs her every attempt at an interview. The two are at a stalemate, neither side willing to back down. And as time goes on and they spend more time together, it is possible their interests and reservations may begin to change. 

Kyoko Kirigiri - Kyoko Kirigiri is an absolute enigma to the inquisitive mind that is Misaki Ito. Seemingly naturally equipped with all of the skills needed for murder investigating, coupled with a mysterious aura and a side of memory loss? This was the kind of thing Misaki only read about in novels! She offers Kyoko her help in remembering her identity, what with investigation being a large part of being a journalist and everything. Naturally, Kyoko is skeptical and keeps her at an arms length, though as Misaki’s no-nonsense workaholic nature reminds her of her own, she eventually does agree to allow her to help. Ironically, as they become closer, her growing affection for Kyoko is what helps her begin to learn to relax a little when it comes to her work. Though this was mostly due to her reprimanding Kyoko for working too hard and not getting rest before the reclusive detective would turn it right back on Misaki for doing the same thing. They have a mutual respect for another and therefore will relent to the other if they notice they’re running on fumes.

Killing Game Information ═════ Status:  Dead 

Murdered or Executed?:  Murdered 

How They Were Murdered?: TBD

Gifts: Civet Coffee, Bunny Earmuffs, Adorable Reactions Collection, Crystal Skull, Novelist’s Fountain Pen

[miss-tc-nova]

Fools on the Dancefloor - Xehanort x Eraqus

So this was my first fic for the Checkmate zine before I settled on the piece that I did actually end up making. I hope you enjoy because I definitely enjoyed writing it. 

Music Inspiration: Slow Dance cover by Ashestoashes

~~~~~

               “Yo, Fleetfoot!”

               When the pillow—his textbook—flies from beneath him, there’s a heavy THUNK and the boy in white jolts upright in shock. He finally comprehends the pair off to the side and gives his friends a cheesy smile.

               “Hey guys. What’s up?” he greets, rubbing at the spot his head met the table.

               Bragi snickers, but Vor is a little more serious. “You know Master Odin still expects you to know the stuff you sleep through.”

               That goofy grin replies, “I haven’t flunked out yet.”

               “You’ll be close if you keep drooling on your book.” Bragi’s upper lip curls back and he’s no longer keen on holding the text. “Gross! How can you catch up when you can’t even read the material anymore?”

               “It’s a talent.”

               “Whatever,” Bragi scoffs. Little Vor giggles behind her fist while the unimpressed boy throws his arms behind his head and leans his chair back on two legs.

               “Are you guys ready for the banquet this weekend?” the girl asks.

               “Not really,” Eraqus grumbles.

               Bragi groans along with him. “Man, don’t we already do enough to celebrate the Scala founders? We already got the festival, the show, and the lantern thing. We really gotta add a bunch of dumb speeches and some hokey pokey? Why are we even going again?”

               “Because Master Odin wants us there representing the future of keyblade wielders,” Vor sighs. “But I have to agree, it’s a little overkill on the celebrating.”

               “Some representation we’ll be when only Fleetfoot has fancy feet,” the red-head huffs. “The rest of us’ll be out there steppin’ on toes and Xehanort will probably be flat on his face.”

               Eraqus tilts his head. “You don’t think he can dance?”

               “Era, not everyone has your prestigious upbringing,” Vor reminds firmly. “It’s a miracle the rest of us have some basic understanding of formal dancing, but Xehanort came from a world completely different than ours. And from the sounds of it, he wasn’t exactly popular there.”

               The thought interests Eraqus; finding something Xehanort can’t do is pretty rare. “Yeah, but Xehanort learns pretty quick. We’ve spent most of our lives learning to use a keyblade but he caught up in less than a year.”

               “That’s true,” Bragi agrees. “It’d probably take him less than an hour to master the waltz or somethin’.”

               A hand slams down on the table, startling the boys enough that Bragi topples backwards. “That’s it! Eraqus, you should do a dance class,” Vor says excitedly.

               “D-Dance class?” Eraqus stammers. Even Bragi, once he’s shoved himself off the floor, gives her a skeptical look.

               “Yeah. Even if you try to help Xe, he’s not gonna accept it if he’s the only one. So what if we all went? Besides, I know I’m a little rusty.”

               Granite eyes look to Bragi who shrugs. “I got the gist of it, but my folks never made me learn so I guess I’m in.”

               Teaching Xehanort to dance—now that’s something Eraqus might enjoy. At first, his relation with the new-comer was adversarial, but as their competitions became more and more ridiculous, something stronger grew between them. There’s still a rivalry, but Eraqus began to notice a magnetism drawing him to his friend—a desire to be in his presence as often as possible. Outside that presence, he felt like he was lost in a fog. He spent his life navigating only what was right in front of him, but when Xehanort came into the picture, that smog rolled out and everything seemed clear. The pressure that comes with prestige fades, that outcast feeling he couldn’t shake slips away, and the jubilant act he used to put on becomes real—he’s truly happy when Xehanort is around.

               Dragging him from his contemplations is the creaking door; in steps the very person that has no issue overriding Era’s thoughts.

               “You guys do know class ended like thirty minutes ago, right?” he states, shifting the box under his arm.

               Bragi rights his toppled chair. “Yeah, but we decided to hassle Sleepfoot here.”

               “Guess what!” Vor shouts, hopping closer to Xe. “Eraqus is gonna teach us all to dance!”

               Well, he hadn’t actually accepted yet, but he can only meet that inquisitive glance with a fool’s smile.

               “You guys have fun with that.” The dismissal is so easy it pricks at Era’s ego.

               “So then you don’t mind looking like a clown at the banquet?” Bragi says with his signature smarmy grin. Silver eyes narrow at the offender. “Unless you can actually dance—in which case, show me wha’chu got.”

               Before Xehanort can retort, Vor tugs at his haori. “Come on! We’re all doing it. We’re supposed to be representing our school—we can’t be stumbling around.”

               Once again, he looks to Eraqus as if he’ll get an answer but Era’s being dragged into this just as much as he is.

               “Ugh. Fine.”

               “Great! We’ll do it tomorrow night after dinner!” the girl announces. “Bragi, come with me! We gotta find the others!”

               “Alright, alright.” There’s a clear difference in the enthusiasm and energy, but the two scurry off.

               “Those two are up to something,” Xehanort murmurs, watching the door close.

               “You think so?”

               “Yeah…” The suspicion fades when the youth in black turns back to Eraqus. There’s something soft there that churns at Eraqus’s stomach. “Anyway, chess?” he offers, holding up the box.

               “Oh, right!”

               The boys settle into their window seat, basking in the sunlight and pushing pieces across the board. Eraqus’s game isn’t up to par—his mind distracted with tomorrow’s endeavor. It’s fleeting, but there’s also the thought of Xehanort looking down at him, smiling, slow dancing. There goes any productivity he had any hope of having today.

~~~~~

               Class seems like an eternity and Eraqus can’t even nap through it this time. There’s a strange excitement concerning his dance class bubbling in his brain. He has a habit of half-assing things that involve effort—usually just getting by—but he’d actually spent time last night rehearsing what’s been drilled into his head since he was little. Even his daily chess game with Xehanort can barely distract him from his impatience, earning him a lecture from the boy who won’t accept an easy win—let alone two days in a row.

               Eraqus has never been early in his life for anything, he was even born a week late, but today is different; today, Eraqus scarfs down dinner like a starving man and rushes back to the classroom lugging a record player he’d borrowed from the Master. His heart is only just starting to slow when the door opens.

               “I told you guys he’d be here,” Vor says loudly.

               Urd smirks. “Now if he could just be on time to class.”

               Eraqus laughs. “I had to get the record player running.”

               “Oh my gods, he’s even prepared,” she gasps. “Did Hermod hit you too hard in class today?”

               Not thrilled with the subject, Hermod urges, “Alright, stop teasing him. The banquet is tomorrow so let’s get started.”

               The shortest classmate hurries forward. “Psst, Xe’s been grumbling about this all day, so you gotta give him lots of encouragement,” she whispers louder than necessary.

               “Okay?” Era agrees questionably. Standing straight, he notices how awkward Xehanort looks just being here, not even meeting anyone’s gaze. “Um, okay. Everyone partner up.”

               Vor hops beside Bragi while Urd nudges Hermod with an elbow; that leaves Xehanort—the person who needs the most help—without a partner.

               Eraqus glances around. “Wait, where’s Baldr?”

               “Said he already had plans to hang out with his sister,” Bragi answers.

               “Oh…” Well this un-evened the odds, granted they were already playing with some strange odds with four boys to two girls without the dance teacher, but at least even numbers made it possible to practice in pairs.

               “Guess I’ll just sit this one out,” Xehanort says, not at all irritated with the situation.

               Eraqus glances to Bragi and Vor who wave him on enthusiastically. While he may have been a bit enamored at the thought of dancing with Xehanort, he figured it would be in fleeting moments of demonstration, not being partnered for the whole thing.

               “Uh, no. It’s okay…I’ll be your partner.”

               The pair gives him thumbs up but Xehanort looks less amused. “Seriously?”

               The teacher shakes the doubt from his head. “Yeah.” He motions for Xehanort to approach. “Come on. I’ll do the girl’s part.”

               Cautiously, the boy in black comes closer. Trying to conceal his nerves, the expert props up his partner’s arms in the correct position and slides in to take the girl’s stance. As soon as Eraqus’s hand meets Xehanort’s bare arm, the latter recoils.

               “Nope! No! Uh uh! I’m out!” Xehanort blurts out, attempting to flee the situation.

               “Ah! Wait!” Eraqus snags a fistful of black fabric. “Come on. You didn’t even get to the first step. It’s really not that hard.”

               “I think I’d rather just make a fool of myself.”

               “You’d…rather be made fun of than dance with me?”

               The response comes harshly. “That’s not what I said!”

               The fabric creaks in Eraqus’s grasp while he lets his eyes plead for him. Somehow, in spite of Xehanort’s stubbornness, it works and the reluctant boy turns back with a sigh.

               Surprisingly, the class moves forward quite smoothly. Having done this before, the others require only some refinement on their moves while Xehanort is quick to catch on as always. The muscles in Eraqus’s face begin to ache from his uncontainable grin. Even as he’s correcting minor mistakes, his thoughts are teeming with the moments he’s got Xehanort’s hands on him and the static that buzzes across his skin where contact is made

               Currently, Eraqus is in the middle of teaching the pairs how to dip.

               “The girls should have most of their weight on the outside foot but the guys should still be holding them up somewhat.” Just as Eraqus begins to lean back, he remembers something. “And the guys should never—”

               The end of that sentence was ‘lean over their partner’ which is exactly what Xehanort does. This shift in weight unbalances the boys and down they go. Air promptly evacuates Era’s lungs as he’s squished between the floor and his partner.

               “Are you okay?” Hot breath ghosts across Eraqus’s nose.

               “Yeah,” he chuckles softly, the embers of a fire starting between his shoulder blades. Those silver eyes are so pretty up close, easily mesmerizing Eraqus.

               Xehanort helps the boy back to his feet, but as he does, there’s a disturbance that tugs the teacher’s attention to the far side of the room.

               “Shhh!” Vor hisses. She and Bragi are in the middle of harassing the other two, ushering the unwitting pair towards the door.

               “Hey!” Eraqus exclaims, starting for their friends. “What are you guys—”

               His steps halt when the grasp on his hand doesn’t release. With caution, he looks back at his fingers, still linked with Xehanort’s. His eyes trail up the opposite arm to the boy’s face, who refuses to make eye contact. Still, there’s the faintest dust of pink across his nose.

               “Show me that one again,” he murmurs.

               It doesn’t matter that Hermod and Urd are protesting or that Bragi and Vor are shushing them; absolutely nothing in this moment could tear Eraqus’s attention away from Xehanort. Without a word, he resets his stance, nudging Xehanort to take the lead.

               It’s a little strange to be playing the girl’s part in such a formal dance—having been unwillingly taught to be a leader his whole life—but Eraqus ignores discipline. The lesson forsaken, he lets his body react to the signals Xehanort gives while his mind soaks in this little bit of bliss.

               Having long forgotten their lesson, the pair slow dances for some time before Xehanort speaks with a crooked grin, “I told you they were up to something?”

               Eraqus laughs in response. “Do you think we should tell them we’re already dating?”

               “Nah, this is more entertaining. Besides, they deserve a little suffering for trying to meddle. Bunch of conniving foxes, all of them.”

               “Us too?”

               “Especially you.”

               “Me?”

               A spark shining in silver eyes expresses that adoration Eraqus used to confuse for less amorous feelings. Knowing what he does now, that look makes him feel so light.

               “Hiding all your talent behind that clown mask.” Xehanort’s words hold insult on the surface, but beneath them, in that husky tone, is that admiration. “The skill, smarts, wit…all on top of just how damn gorgeous you are.”

               Heat surges into Era’s ears. Afraid of turning into a real clown, he let’s his gaze fall to their feet. However, at the insistence of the hand at his back, the gap between them closes. His brain stutters briefly before the calm washes over him. The warmth against his cheek, the steady heartbeat against his ear—Eraqus soaks in this incredible comfort.

               While the music floats through the air, the boys continue to softly sway. This would never fly at the banquet; they’re expected to be polite gentlemen and dance with all the girls—that and Eraqus’s parents would never condone this. He’s supposed to be a proper heir who will continue the family line. Xehanort though, he makes it so easy to forget those responsibilities. Besides, they’re perfectly alone right now, no prying eyes, no forbidding parents; the only thing Eraqus has to do right now is enjoy the moment.  

               “It’s getting late,” Eraqus murmurs, noting the moon lighting their tranquility. “I didn’t even get to teach you Scala’s traditional dance.”

               “Now you decide to be responsible?” the other teases. “Why dance at the banquet tomorrow when we can dance here all night long?”

               That brings a flutter to Era’s heart and, from the sounds of it, Xe’s too. “You know the Master is still gonna expect us to be there.”

               “So what?”

               This boy could make every one of Eraqus’s fake smiles real, all with very little effort. “For once I won’t be the biggest fool in the room, not when you don’t even know the basic step of the Choros Lucis.”

               “Oh you’re still a fool; you just happen to be a fool with fancy feet.”

               “I guess that’ll make us just a couple of fools on the dancefloor, huh?”

               “Sure, but probably not because of the dancing.”

               Confused, Eraqus lifts his head. His question dies on his lips, sentenced by a simple kiss that awakens an avarice in the boy. His hands leave their positions, snagging silver hair and preventing any escape Xehanort may have considered. This is everything he’s ever wanted; his whole life, he’s been starved for this unconditional affection. It swells so strongly in his chest he might burst—with a scream, with tears, he doesn’t know. All he knows is that he’s in love.

               For a while, the taller boy indulges him, but does eventually manage to break away, smirking at the resulting pout.

               “That’s why we’re fools.”

[smilingformoney]

America’s Most Eligible 3 Diamond Scene: Create Your Signature Cocktail

You turn to the rest of your wedding party. You: Hey, everyone. Who says the night has to end now? Bianca: I’m listening. You: What say we head into the kitchen, mix up a bath of cocktails that actually work, and have ourselves a private party? Slater: Sounds like a blast. Let’s party, people! You: Come on, then! I’ll lead the way…

You and your wedding party flood into the kitchen, laughing and smiling. Your fiancée greets you at the counter. You: Okay, Wedding Party. As my first decree as your fearless leader, I say… let’s get this party started! Fiancée: You heard them! Bianca: Hell yeah! I’ll get the music going. You: And while we’re at it, we could use your help with something. My fiancée and I need a signature cocktail for our wedding. Kiana: Ohmygod, yes! Let’s make something super fruity! Slater: Or something with hot sauce in it! Eden: Slow your roll, everyone. This is Stacey and their fiancée’s wedding, remember? You: Our signature cocktail should represent us as a couple… and I know exactly what that means.

You: Our cocktail should be… -Strong and bold!

You: No matter how tough things get, my fiancée and I are always there for each other. Fiancée: We’re an unshakable pair. Our signature cocktail should represent that. Han: Yeah, baby! I’m thinking a double shot of whiskey… Eden: With some tangy fruit juice as a mixer! The sweetness of the juice can offset the kick of the whiskey. Han: Now we’re talking!

-Sweet and bubbly!

You: AME has a way of bringing out the worst in people, but my fiancée and I are always kind and decent to each other. Fiancée: Our signature cocktail should show the world we’re not afraid to be sweet… even when everyone else is sour. Kiana: I totally love that! We could start with some juice, or maybe even sweet tea. Bianca: And of course we have to add champagne. Kiana: I think we might be onto something here!

-Spicy and brazen!

You: Say what you want about me and my fiancée, but we always know how to bring the heat. Fiancée: We knew it was a risk to get together, but we couldn’t resist each other. Bianca: So you want a cocktail that’s passionate and daring? This calls for some poblano peppers! Slater: And tequila, of course. Bianca: Obviously. Is it even a real party if there’s no tequila?

Maid of Honour: I never thought about how important a wedding cocktail can be. It’s a great way to make a statement to your guests! Officiant: Plus a great way to get everyone out on the dance floor. Best Man: A little liquid courage can definitely get the party started, that’s for sure. Eden: That’s why I prefer weddings with an open bar. You never know what’s bound to happen! Kiana: Personally, I never have a problem shaking my booty on the dance floor, with or without alcohol. You: Good. When the dance floor opens at my wedding, I’ll need you guys at my side!

You: Because… -We’re totally having a dance-off!

Officiant: Are you sure you wanna challenge this group, Jamie? You’d be up against a few contenders. You: Bring ‘em on! My dance skills are unbeatable. Slater: Oh yeah? We’ll see about that. Kiana: You’re confident now, but just wait until Slater and I unleash our triple hurricane combo on you! Slater: Is that a dance? I’ve never heard of it. Kiana: Don’t worry. You’ve got all season to learn the steps!

-I hate being the centre of attention!

Best Man: But it’s your wedding. Being the centre of attention is kind of the whole point! You: Maybe at the altar, but I do not ned all eyes on me when I’m doing the chicken dance. Eden: Don’t worry, darling. Bianca and I will take the heat for you! Bianca: Totally. From the Paris runway to the Miami coast, I know everything there is to know about turning heads. Eden: And I was the captain of my cheerleading team for three years in high school. We can distract a crowd, no sweat!

As you settle down at the table with your wedding party. Han pumps his fist excitedly. Han: Even talking about this has got me stoked. Dancing is like, the main reasons I love weddings! Eden: Is that so? I personally enjoy the vows. It’s so sweet hearing two people say what they love most about each other. Kiana: Aw, babe! You’re such a romantic. Eden: What can I say? Weddings bring out the romance in everyone. Bianca: Or the drama. I once went to a wedding where the bride left her fiancée at the altar… for his sister. Slater: At the last wedding I went to, one of the groomsmen punched the cake because he ‘thought it was a ghost’. Slater: He may or may not have been extremely drunk. Han: Wait, can I change my answer? My favourite part about weddings is meeting all the babes in the bride and bride’s party! Maid of Honour: Han, you already know all of us. Han: Oh. Right. Bummer. You: Sorry we can’t provide you with fresh faces, Han… but I can promise you one thing.

You: Our wedding will be… -Full of drama!

Eden: You’re saying you want drama at your wedding? You: Of course I do! If we’re married on TV, we might as well cause a scene for the viewers to remember. You: If someone doesn’t stand up in the middle of the wedding and object to our marriage, I want a do-over. Slater: I’d be happy to volunteer my services if no one else does. Bianca: Me too! Fiancée: Careful, you two, or I’ll think you’re serious.

-A total tear-jerker!

You: I want our wedding to be moving. Emotional. Impactful. I don’t wanna see a single dry eye in the house. You: Between the vows, the speeches, and the sight of us walking down the aisle, you won’t stand a chance. Han: Wait, seriously? But my face gets all puffy when I cry! Han: Once I invited a date home to watch Field of Dreams with me. Big mistake. I looked like a tomato by the end. Kiana: Don’t worry, Han! I’ll supply you with all the tissues you need. Fiancée: Besides, you have to cry a little at every wedding. It’s an unspoken rule.

-An all-night rager!

You: Some weddings are a mellow, tasteful affair, but not ours. I want people dancing on tables by the end of the night! Kiana: I can so get behind this. Can I make a playlist to get everyone on their feet? You: Absolutely. Bianca, I’ll leave it to you to pass out the shots. Bianca: Extremely down! My jello shots are legendary. Eden: As much as I love a party, I do hope there will be some refinement at the wedding. Fiancée: Don’t worry. Jamie always manages to be classy.

Your fiancée plants a kiss to your cheek, then holds a glass to your lips. Fiancée: I hope you don’t mind, but I started a first draft of our cocktail…

-Signature cocktail

-If you chose the strong and bold cocktail

You take a sip and feel warmed from the inside out by the bold flavours of whiskey and fruit!

-If you chose the sweet and bubbly cocktail

You take a sip, savouring the smooth, sweet flavours!

-If you chose the spicy and brazen cocktail

You take a sip, and a symphony of sweet, smoky, and spicy flavours ignites on your tongue!

You: Fiancée, this is amazing! It’s exactly how I imagined it. Han: I wanna try some! Best Man: Me too! Fiancée: I was really hoping you’d say that, because I made a whole pitcher. Enjoy! The rest of your wedding party clambers to get their own glass of your cocktail. You watch their faces light up as they take sips. Maid of Honour: Okay, I could drink a hundred of these. Slater: Now that I’d like to see. Eden: These flavours are so bright and unexpected! Kiana: Just like the happy couple! Bianca: You really nailed this one, Fiancée. Officiant: That’s because they really know Jamie. Right, Fiancée? Your fiancée gives you a warm smile. Fiancée: I’d like to think so. You: It’s perfect, Fiancée… but it’s missing one little thing. We can’t have a cocktail without a name!

Name your cocktail!

Fiancée: Forever Yours… I like it! Bianca: I might like Forever Yours a little too much. My glass is already empty! You: Well, you’d better pour yourself another one, because it’s time for a toast! You: I wanna thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining us. It means the world that you believe in my fiancée and me. Maid of Honour: Please. We’ve been believing in both of you for a long time now! Officiant: What you and your fiancée have is so real… and it’s an honour to be even a small part of that. Best Man: Ditto. Being in your wedding party is our honour! You: Thank you, Best Man, but the honour is ours too. You’re going to be a huge part of our big day, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Fiancée: Well said. You raise your glass of Forever Yours in a toast!

You: To… -Me and my fiancée! +50

You: May our love be everlasting! Fiancée: And may it stay as beautiful as it is now. Best Man: To the happy couple! Maid of Honour: To our favourite couple! Officiant: And to the many years ahead!

-Our amazing wedding party! +50

You: With friends like you, I know we can accomplish anything! You: Between our tenacity… Jen: And your boundless energy… Officiant: I just know we’ll be the team to beat. Fiancée: Thank you for going on this journey with us!

-An incredible season of AME! +50

You: This show is what brought my fiancée and me together, and we’re going to see it through. Fiancée: I can’t think of anything better than marrying the love of my life in front of the entire nation! Maid of Honour: To the greatest season yet! Officiant: We’ll make this the television event of the year! Best Man: Game of Love won’t know what hit ‘em!

Everyone lifts their glasses to the ceiling with a cheer! You party through the night, excited for what the rest of the competition brings…

[ericvick]

Washington might have to go to war to fight a housing bubble. Does it have the tools to win?

A housing bubble burst in 2008 pushing the U.S. into deepest recession since the Great Depression. In the aftermath, many nations developed new tools designed to take the air out of real-estate bubbles before they burst. The U.S. has lagged in some respects, in part because of the deregulatory zeal of the Trump administration.

Some reformers, sensing danger, want the Biden administration and the Federal Reserve to develop new tools and take action to catch up. Others worry that efforts to deflate bubbles will, in the end, only hurt the poor and the middle class.

Developments this year have focused attention on the issue. Home prices are rising at their fastest pace in history, fueling concern that a new real estate bubble has formed.

These double-digit home price increases have led some to call on the Fed to raise interest rates. So far, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has resisted those calls, arguing that higher rates damage the entire economy and lead to job losses at a time when the effects of COVID have already left millions of Americans unemployed.

Raising rates “in order to address asset bubbles…[is] not something we would plan to do.” Powell told reporters earlier this year. “We would rely on macroprudential and other tools to deal with financial stability issues.

So far, nothing has been done, despite protest from some Fed officials like Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren, who recently argued that a “boom and bust cycle” in real estate is incompatible with financial stability.

Read more: Fed official says another boom-and-bust housing market is not sustainable

Jeremy Kress, a former attorney in the banking regulation and policy group at the Federal Reserve and professor at Michigan’s Ross School of Business criticized the Fed for not using a tool already in its arsenal — the countercyclical capital buffer.

This rule allows the Fed to require banks to fund themselves with greater amounts of equity in the form of retained earnings or money raised from stockholders and less from debt, he said.

“By raising capital requirements during boom times, that could put a break on runaway asset prices,” Kress said. “The Federal Reserve, in contrast to other countries, has never turned on this discretionary buffer. Perhaps now might be a good time to activate it.”

There are other, more specific, ways the government could target bubbles in the housing market.

Gregg Gelzinis, associate director for economic policy at the Center for American Progress told MarketWatch in an interview that the Financial Stability Oversight Committee, the group of the heads of regulatory agencies created in response to the financial crisis, would be more effective if Congress gave it the power to set nationwide limits on how much money banks can lend to purchasers of real estate.

“The suite of tools regulators have are imperfect, and there are other tools that that Congress could grant them to could bolster the arsenal,” Gelzinis said. Regulators in the UK and some countries in Europe can put limits on loan-to-value ratios that change based on the state of the economy. “You have one cap in normal times and another when the market is overheating,” he said.

See also: An inflation storm is coming for the U.S. housing market

Former Federal Reserve Vice-Chairman Donald Kohn made a similar point in a 2017 speech that Washington regulators “need the power to put limits on loan-to-value and debt-to-income measures, when loosening standards, perhaps occurring outside the banking system, threaten financial and economic stability.”

A loan-to-value ratio measures the size of a mortgage loan relative to the value of the property used to purchase it. High LTV ratios may suggest speculative behavior because the buyer could take out such a risky loan on the expectation that the property would rise in value.

According to the International Monetary Fund, 19 different European countries have instituted loan-to-value caps that range from 30% to 100%, with higher limits on loans for first-time homebuyers and lower caps on those buying second homes and investment properties. The IMF study said the results of these policies often slowed the pace of price growth in a given real estate market, though in some countries with severe constraints on the supply of new homes, those effects were muted.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which was created by the Dodd-Frank financial reform law in part to protect Americans from predatory mortgages, has the power to set these types of standards. In 2013, the regulator implemented a debt-to-income limit of 43% for mortgages, if issuers wanted to qualify for a safe harbor that would protect them from customer lawsuits. A debt-to-income ratio compares how much the borrower’s monthly repayments are compared to monthly income.  

Under the Trump administration, however, the debt-to-income limit was scrapped for a market-based approach that relies on private underwriters to determine whether a borrower is likely to default on a mortgage loan.

“The way they’ve done it, very few mortgages are actually going to be affected,” Laurie Goodman, a former mortgage banker and a housing-finance expert at the Urban Institute told MarketWatch. “What they’ve done is avoided a major credit tightening by adopting the rule they did.”

The Task Force on Financial Stability, a group of private scholars, former regulators and industry practitioners issued a report in June that discussed the costs and benefits of LTV caps. They wrote:

These precautions should be limited to cash-out refinances and investor loans; they should not include purchase loans because of the importance of home ownership as a way for Americans to build wealth. While many other countries have placed LTV limits on purchase mortgages (with mixed success), doing so in the United States would make it very difficult for first-time homebuyers.

The Urban Institute’s Goodman, who is a member of the task force said that mortgage lending is already very conservative even without federally mandated loan-to-value caps. She said in recent years mortgage lenders have been demanding higher down payments and credit scores in recent years, a trend that accelerated during the pandemic as lenders worried about the state of the economy.

Read more: The Fed is standing aside as house prices rip higher — but here’s what could get in the way

“There is no question that credit was too loose in 2005 to 2007 period,” she said. “As far as I’m concerned that pendulum has swung way too far in the other direction.” Goodman argued that current banking standards, driven by government regulation as well as industry fear of repeating last decade’s crisis, has left too many Americans from “accessing the single greatest wealth building tool of homeownership,” she said.

Indeed, consumer rights and civil rights groups have applauded the CFPB’s decision to scrap a hard DTI cap and consistently advocate for policies that create better access to reasonably priced home loans. In April, a group of civil rights organization wrote to the CFPB’s Acting Director Dave Uejio to keep the Trump-era mortgage rules in place.

“An unnecessarily restrictive definition of a qualified mortgage would push a considerable share of creditworthy borrowers — including a large share of borrowers of color — out of the mainstream mortgage market and possibly out of the mortgage altogether,” they wrote.

Meanwhile CAP’s Geliznis argued that there are other steps the Financial Stability Oversight Council could take that would increase financial stability without necessarily making it harder for average Americans to secure a mortgage. He argued that nonbank mortgage servicing companies, that originate and service loans, but do not hold them on their books, pose a greater threat to financial stability than lax lending standards and that FSOC should consider designating the largest of these firms as systemically important, and therefore subject to greater regulation.

Goodman disputes the idea that another potentially ruinous real estate bubble is forming, driven by low interest rates and lax regulation. Instead she argued the evidence is clear that today’s rising home prices are largely the result of a surge in demand for new homes, led by a demographic wave of millennial buyers looking for their first homes and other buyers fleeing cities for suburban single family homes in the wake of the pandemic.

“The problem is about too much demand and not enough supply,” she said. “The cost of production has gone up, land values are sky-high, you’ve got all sorts of zoning restrictions that increase land values,” and builders wonder “how many borrowers can afford what it actually costs you to produce.”

[mastersvisualjournalmclain]

Reflections on Masters Year 1

I want to take some time here to look back on my first year in this program and make some observations about the things that have I have learned. More importantly, I want to identify things that I have really internalised in addition to learning them. I have always believed that the lessons I’ve learned most deeply are ones I didn’t take notes on. So, In no particular order, here are my learning points from a particularly challenging.

1) Constraints are detours, not roadblocks. This has been a recurring theme, in large part, either directly or indirectly, as a result of the conditions generated by the COVID-19 pandemic response. Whether it has been a focus shift from skateboarders to the landscape they move through or doing still lifes on the kitchen table because it’s not possible to shoot portraits, things have happened this year that have been very different from the expectations or intent was going in. However, in light of the article by Patricia Stokes, I’ve come to see these challenges as opportunities to explore territory other than what I expected to explore. That’s why I use the detour analogy. Detours get you places, in a way other than what you expected or planned, but in doing so, you see and discover new things. Roadblocks, on the other hand, end the journey entirely. The detour  may not be direct or tidy, but it may be a more rewarding route that teaches you more than the one you had planned.

2) See differently. When I sat down with my supervisor at the start of the year to discuss what I wanted to focus on, composition was at the top of my list. Looking back, I think it might have been more accurate to say my perceptions of composition. Because of the constraints mentioned above, I had to begin to look at things differently. I was forced by circumstance to see things differently. This meant seeing and framing and including and reducing images in ways entirely different to what I was used to. It was the difference between looking at what was present and being present to what was actually there. I had to learn to use my ‘eye-muscles’ differently. Initially, this involved putting on a differently lens and looking through a viewfinder to see the landscape in an unconventional way. But this was also important in seeing how things, both in a single frame, and between works, relate to one another. So, yes, I feel my sense of composition improved, but at a level much more fundamental and foundational than merely cropping a photograph. This may have been the biggest breakthrough for me this year.

3) Presentation matters. I enjoy cooking a great deal. Primarily because I enjoy eating, but that is an entry for another journal. In cooking, especially at a professional level, chefs will say that presentation, the arrangement of food on a plate as it goes to a diner, is 85% of cooking. As my scope of vision was expanded this year by working on a body of work, rather than a single image, my understanding of how images respond to one another within a body of work grew as well. Having ‘A’ next to ‘B’ matters. Even the shape of the space matters and where and how works are presented within those spaces in relation to one is important. Like words in a sentence, the ordering of these elements can change the message that is communicated. I’m uncertain whether presentation can rescue a poor image, the details of how an image is presented can certainly reduce the impact of a quality image. 

4) Photography is a malleable word. We’ve tried, collectively, this year to grapple with defining the term photography, what it is, what it is not. With only modest success. It means, precisely, what the person using the the word takes it to mean. This subjectivity generates tension between people using the word. It’s art and science, truth and fiction, timely and timeless and everything in between. A universal, succinct, monolithic definition of photography isn’t possible, and may not even be desirable. But it is important for the practitioner to formulate, practice, reflect upon and refine their understanding of this word/craft if they want to create meaningful photographic work. The quid (what) of the work isn’t nearly as important as the qua (why) of what the photographer is trying to do.

5) Feedback is important... This point is quite personal and may not apply to all, but for me, as an extrovert, verbalising is vital to processing my thoughts. Saying things out loud helps me refine my thinking, and listening and reflecting on the responses of other people helps me assess whether I’m being clear in my thinking and effectively communicating those thoughts. The same is true for my ‘visual speech’. Because I want my photography to communicate certain ideas and themes, and move viewers to action, it is important to know whether what I think I’m communicating is what the viewer is experiencing. Listening to my supervisors and reviewers I get great feedback, of course, but the comments of peers and others outside of my own ‘thought bubble’ have been just as important in helping me gain insight into what works and what doesn’t. The isolation steps we have had to live with and through during this pandemic seem to reverberate and amplify the physical isolation. This makes it difficult, for me, to know whether the work is achieving the ends I’ve set out for it. The feedback from all of the people mentioned above has been invaluable in helping me learn, confirm, and deny what is working in images and what isn’t. Additionally, it has reinforced the importance of other points of view in experiencing my work.

6) ...but work to satisfy yourself. In my previous experience in graduate studies, it was clear to me that while undergraduate is about gaining foundations and answering the questions of tutors and professors, graduate studies is about knowing what your questions are and learning how to search for the answers to your questions. In something as undefinable as photography, taught through a college of art, defining a ‘successful’ image becomes challenging. It is easy, and much of our educational system reinforces, attempting to create work which only pleases the instructor. Classical conditioning- do the action correctly, get the reward. Rinse and repeat. At the level of this program, we need to know what our own questions in approaching making work, then come to some understandings of how to attempt to answer these questions through photography. This point and the previous one must exist in a tension; too far towards pleasing an audience or a person outside of yourself and the work can easily become bland and generic, catering to popularity. (Think of the McDonald’s hamburger, billions sold, none of them memorable.) Too far into your own head and it may become incomprehensible to anyone except yourself. (Cooking for yourself is pretty boring.) Becoming aware of this tension during the first semester was important for me as is knowing which visual hills I’m willing to die on in my work. 

These are some of the key learning points for me during this year. I may add more as time and reflection allow.

[citinganessayinabook788]

best essay writing service

About me

Ico White Paper Writing Service

Ico White Paper Writing Service Let’s see the way to make a successful ICO white paper step-by-step. It looks as if ICOs have seized the digital world, there are so many of them that virtually no one can tell the distinction between them all. To stand out, ICOs try to develop strategies, appeal to the relevant audience and market their ideas. For instance, in the white paper above, the Overview and the start of Chapter 1 are organized neatly into their very own columns. Check out how this instance makes use of plenty of white house on almost every page. The result's an organized and fashionable white paper design. Unlike one-page reports where you have to match plenty of info into a small house, white paper allow for more freedom to unfold information out. This will help talk that your white paper is definitely relevant to the group you’re trying to achieve. The high quality of your whitepaper can have an effect on your gross sales impressively so don’t hesitate to spend some extra budget on it. Remember to all the time make your own analysis and select properly and naturally, relying on the price range you wish to spend in your upcoming ICO white paper. Whitepapers do not only show the enterprise plans and methods of the business, it additionally conveys the vision and conviction of the team. Effective white paper design should improve the idea of the ICO as a substitute of drawing consideration to itself. Or you may also use a easy form motif all through your white paper design. This strategy is more refined however can nonetheless lend to a cohesive and well-thought-out white paper design. Is your white paper subject centered on establishing a sprint process? To pick a motif for your white paper design, think of some themes mirrored in your white paper. Then a motif of birds (“tweeting”) or speech bubbles could work. studied over 4,500 workplace workers and located that folks take up information 7% sooner after they’re given text with accompanying images, versus just plain text. When designing your white paper, look for alternatives to make text easier to scan with visuals. This is a design trick you’ve in all probability seen used in magazines and information publications. Well guess what—it works great for white paper design as properly! Pull significantly impactful and persuasive quotes and make them stand out from the rest of the text utilizing big, daring fonts. Try highlighting a couple of key takeaways that may get them enthusiastic about reading your white paper. Or outline precisely what they will trade their time to study. Healthcare white paper templates, for example, may be useful in proposing well being-care insurance policies to most people. The above authorities white paper templates can be utilized by a government to communicate complex social, political, and financial points to an audience. Not solely will this draw readers’ eyes to the quotes, it additionally gives your page design more visual variation. For instance, this firm white paper makes use of shiny orange font to assist their featured quotes stand out. Making your page numbers simple to learn shall be appreciated by your readers who are making an attempt to find a specific subject in your white paper. When designing your white paper, it’s important to keep your readers in mind. Don’t simply take into consideration what they need to learn, however how they need to learn it. CTAs are a great way to move individuals via thesales pipeline, from your white paper to alanding pageor blog publish. simple background sample design to add some visual impact to your white paper structure, or even strive a trendy color gradient. That will allow you to create web page designs with loads of white space. The main objective of your white paper should be to educate readers. But you also wish to strike a steadiness between being informative and entertaining.

[naz00]

Week 20- Specialist Pathway

Here in this project I have decided to continue with the Production Assistant Project with the third years. In this you will be shown what kind of concepts I was given.

Most of the research and development will be seen on the Miroboard Link-----> https://miro.com/app/board/o9J_kvSXM0o=/

Explorer Concept Final Outcome

The image below is the final concept of the Explorer NPC task I was given. In this concept there was a lot of experimenting and changes in terms of looks and colour. Through the discussion and feedback from my group I was able to make this my final outcome. The idea most definitely needed to match the overall artstyle seen in the game otherwise things within it will look out of place.

Explorer Concept-Development Process

1. The image below was the initial idea of the concept. But before drawing this I needed to do some research to help me make up these elements of the design. In the overall group discussion we decided to have a simpler design.

Research-  I did research on hats, explorer sticks and clothing that would suit the explorer. I did different types of research which helped me combine shapes.

2.  Colour scheme- Here we decided to make a colour scheme to see what will work. As seen in the image below

3. Further discussion with the group- We began further discussing about how the design should be begin experimenting more in design. But however the only issue there was clothing covering the characters head.

I decided to add a Cowboy Hat and tried to finalise it but later afterwards the group decided they wanted more variations. 

The use of value was assessed in terms of how the design looked in Greyscale

4. Design variation- As to design I was told to add more variation until they to a decision which ones they preferred

Chakra Balls Concept Final outcome 

In the image above we have our final outcomes of the Chakra Balls these are energy balls that the player can benefit from. Each one had to give off a  different aura effect to make them look individually unique from one another.

ChakraBall-Development Process

1.Research-Before engaging into design I needed to do some research of what kind of outcome the team was looking for so that it can fit the game quite well. 

Practice Rocks Concepts-

Final outcome

Here are the final outcomes for these Practice Rocks Concepts They needed to be simple with strong defined lines like the ones you see in comic books 

Practice Rocks Process

1.-Research 

To simply come up with the idea of rocks I needed to do some research on both real and rocks drawn from other artists

2.Rock Silhouettes-Here I did quick silhouettes for the Rocks and from here me and the group discussed about which ones we all preferred

Rock 1

Rock 2

Selected Silhouettes

Cave Spike Concepts

Final Outcomes- Here are some simple concepts of the Cave-Spikes the main purpose for these two was to simply fall from the cave ceiling.

Cave Spike Process

1.Research simply finding some images of cave spikes both cartoon and real life sources

2.Silhouettes-Here I did quick silhouettes, I didn’t too many for each one because it wouldn’t make much difference

CaveSpike1

CaveSpike 2

3.Colour Palette Selection- Here I added a set of values to help define the Cave spikes this is influenced by my research.

Speech Bubbles--Final Outcome

Speech Bubbles Process Development

1. Research-  Looking at comic speech bubbles that vary from colourful to simple

2. Design variation- Based off the research I decided to make some designs from there we decided to take one and develop it. The red circle around one of the designs means we chose this design.

3.- Discussion- This part we decide whether to keep or add the design or really simplify the design. So we decided to simplify it because we thought that adding too much is distracting and causes less focus the dialogue that will be in it. 

Here in the image below we simplified it and decided to add sketchy comic book lines like the ones seen in the research for the speech bubble

Quick Cutscene Peasant Character  Final Outcome

Peasant Cutscene Character Development

1.Research- Here I began doing some research

Mage Cutscene Concept Final Outcome

Here is the Final Outcome of the Mage concept Task I was given

Mage Concept Development Process

1. Research- Mages in terms of looks are somewhat similar in appearance in comparisons to witches and wizards My Design in based off this research

2. Silhouette to Drawings

In this silhouettes I based off the research I began drawing over them loosley to help portray the idea of what they may potentially look like/

3. Refining the drawing and adding colour values

[emmacorbe]

My Website Redesign Content

Writing your user content out before you start designing makes the overall design process a-lot easier.

Home Page

I am an aspiring UI and UX designer from Belfast, striving to build and create for the future.

Let’s chat.

About

Hello, my name is Emma Corbett. I am a User Interface and Experience Designer from Northern Ireland.  I would describe my work as minimal, modern and innovative. I am learning new skills everyday whilst studying @ixdbelfast full time, I now see design in everything, everywhere.

Let’s work together.

Portfolio

Recent work

This is what i’ve been creating, I had lots of fun doing it and I hope you enjoy checking it out!

Travel app

Infographic

Laptop backgrounds

Branding

Contact

Send me an email, I would love to work with you! hello@emmacorbett.design

Follow me - Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Github

Case Studies

Travel app

Skills gained

UI design

UX design

Illustration

Prototyping

Research

Brain Storming

I wanted to come up with a different idea for a travel app.  So I thought, what about a travel app for kids?  Of course kids can’t book a holiday, however I thought what if kids could learn about places they could go to on holiday.  When I was thinking about how I can make this fun, the idea of introducing animals seemed appealing. That’s when I came up with the idea of travelling through the Jungle.

The problem

Kids are growing up surrounded by technology.  They have endless games at the touch of a button through their IPads/IPhones but how many of these are educational?  I wanted to create a simple learning app by myself for children about animals so they can learn interesting facts whilst looking at fun illustrations.

What tools you used

I used sketch for this entire project.  The tools within the software allowed me to undertake all aspects of design needed.  From illustrating to prototyping.

Discovery phase (How you go about solving the prob)

I carried out a lot of research on children's apps to find out what the vast majority are like and to try and empathise with the children.  I wanted to know how they are designed and why should I design my game landscape. Children are more attracted to illustrations than text, so I wanted to make sure my illustrations were attractive for them to look at.

The process you used to overcome the problem

I firstly sketched out many ideas as to what the app could look like.  With each sketch I was changing aspects until I came to a final idea of what I would want to turn into a wireframe. Wireframes allowed me to envision what my app would look like on screen and pin point any flaws I noticed.  I then began creating the user interface, changing it along the way to make the aesthetic better.    Prototyping on sketch made my app come to life and I created a video demo of my app using it.

The challenges you faced and overcome

A lot of the challenges I faced were minor, for example button sizes being too big/small.  However, one major challenge was adjusting my illustrations so they looked modern and not old fashioned.   I looked to dribbble for inspiration and quickly realised the reason my illustrations looked old fashioned was due to how thick the stroke width was on them.   By reducing this and also taking away the gradient they looked more modern and the challenge was overcome. 

The final outcome

I wanted to focus on the main aim of the app and that was to educate children.  The key features are illustrations and facts.  The app name explains itself, it’s called ‘Jungle Venture’.

Infographic

Skills gained

Illustrating

Research

Brain Storming

I was given the task of creating an infographic on any topic.  I began to think about what I could create and I wanted it to be on a topic personal to me.  Diabetes is a misunderstood auto-immune disease and I wanted to educate others on it considering I have it.  

The problem

Many people are uneducated on the differences between type one and type two diabetes.  I want my infographic to show the difference in causes, symptoms and cures to make the audience aware.

What tools you used

I sketched out my initial ideas onto paper, these ideas included the overall layout of my infographic and my icons.  Firstly I used adobe colour to help me select a colour palette, I knew I wanted to create a colour palette of blues as blue is the colour that represents diabetes.  Then I carried out research on the internet and read books to see if there was anything I didn’t know about the disease. 

Discovery phase 

I wanted to know more about the history of diabetes as I decided to design my infographic to look like a timeline.  This would allow people who don’t know anything about the disease to be fully educated.   Facts and statistics are a key part of my infographic so I had to carry out alot of research on this.

The process 

Wireframes helped me know where to place the information on my infographic and they enabled me to switch certain aspects around easily.  Creating my actual infographic was easier because of spending time on my wireframes.  The order of my infographic was as so, the two different types, health problems and today. This listing made reading my infographic like a story, making it easier for people to read.

The challenges you faced and overcome

I faced several design challenges which included changing around the position of my illustrations and text so they didn't looked crammed together inside boxes/speech bubbles.

The final outcome

This is my final infographic. I think the design and text within it have achieved my aim of wanting to educate the viewer of diabetes. 

Laptop backgrounds

Brain storming

I wanted to come up with multiple laptop backgrounds using only line. This was a helpful exercise to help me get to grips with using the software tool ‘sketch’ which was what I used to create them.

Skills gained

Illustration

Sketching

The process

I carried out a lot of research on artists that have used like to draw inspiration. Once my mind was filled with ideas I began sketching them on paper to try and visualise them digitally.

A challenge I faced and overcame

I thought some of my designs were too busy looking so I made them more simplistic by having fewer lines and colours. This made them appear modern and minimal.

The final outcome

These are my final laptop backgrounds. Hover over the images to download them for free for your own use.

First branding project

Brain Storming

This was one of the biggest projects I have undertaken as it entailed the most amount of work ethic. I wanted to make myself known and build my own brand, so I created everything this includes from wordmarks to building my own website. Below I will discuss the process for creating my monogram, word mark and visual marque.

Skills gained

Illustrating

Sketching

Html

CSS

Researching

What tools you used

To create my monogram, wordmark and visual marque I used the software sketch. However when creating my website I used ‘atom’ to write my html and css code.

The process

For all aspects of my branding I carried out a vast amount of research before sketching. This was so I could gain inspiration.

Colour scheme

Fining a colour scheme for my brand was difficult as I love many colours. I knew I wanted my site to be minimalistic looking so I thought greys and whites would be best for this. To add some colour and definition to my brand I added the colours silver and gold, hoping these would catch people’s attention. I thought the gold could represent light in the darkness.

Monogram

For my monogram I had two final ideas I had to choose between. I finally choose the monogram on the left as I felt the elegant curves represented me better than the curved and straight lined monogram on the right. I had to refine my chosen monogram carefully so there was no rigid edges on the curves. I made the monogram available in silver and gold with a gradient as shading, so it has more definition, making it look 3D.

Wordmark

I found creating my word mark enjoyable because I had endless font styles to choose from, therefore creating so many possibilities. Illustrating is something I enjoy so I wanted to include this in the design. Also due to me being a Christian and it being a part of who I am I wanted to include this in my word mark also, so I turned the two t’s in my last name into crosses. It was a subtle change but I think it looks well with the rest of the font. I gave my word mark a gradient also to make it appear as if it was shining/light was hitting it.

Visual marque

I think this was the most difficult part of my branding to come up with an idea for. However, finally I came to the conclusion that illustrating is something I would enjoy most so I wanted to create a pencil to represent this. Initially I had the pencil drawing a scribble but I then changed this to have it drawing the same shape of my monogram. I thought this could be a nice visual representation of my brand to have at the bottom of pages/website pages. However, with my word mark having a pencil included in it I thought it would be best to leave out my visual marque when it comes to the key features of my branding.

The final outcome

Below is my final brand products. I think they all look similar which was my aim as I think all aspects of your brand have to tie in together.

[raystart]

Technology, Innovation and Modern War – Class 9 – Autonomy – Maynard Holliday

We just held our ninth session of our new national security class Technology, Innovation and Modern War. Joe Felter, Raj Shah and I designed a class to examine the new military systems, operational concepts and doctrines that will emerge from 21st century technologies – Space, Cyber, AI & Machine Learning and Autonomy.

Today’s topic was Autonomy and Modern War.

Catch up with the class by reading our summaries of the previous eight classes here.

Some of the readings for this class session included Directive 3000.09: Autonomy in Weapons Systems, U.S. Policy on Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems, International Discussions Concerning Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems, Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2), A New Joint Doctrine for an Era of Multi-Domain Operations,  Six Ways the U.S. Isn’t Ready for Wars of the Future.

Autonomy and The Department of Defense Our last two class sessions focused on AI and the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (the JAIC,) the DoD’s organization chartered to insert AI across the entire Department of Defense. In this class session Maynard Holliday of RAND describes the potential of autonomy in the DoD.

Maynard was the Senior Technical Advisor to the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistic during the previous Administration. There he provided the Secretary technical and programmatic analysis and advice on R&D, acquisition, and sustainment. He led analyses of commercial Independent Research and Development (IRAD) programs and helped establish the Department’s Defense Innovation Unit. And relevant to today’s class, he was the senior government advisor to the Defense Science Board’s 2015 Summer Study on Autonomy.

Today’s class session was helpful in differentiating between AI, robotics, autonomy and remotely operated systems. (Today, while drones are unmanned systems, they are not autonomous. They are remotely piloted/operated.)

I’ve extracted and paraphrased a few of Maynard’s key insights from his work on the Defense Science Board Autonomy study, and I urge you to read the entire transcript here and watch the video.

Autonomy Defined There are a lot of definitions of autonomy. However, the best definition came from the Defense Science Board. They said, to be autonomous a system must have the capability to independently compose and select among different courses of action to accomplish goals based on its knowledge and understanding of the world, itself, and the situation. They offered that there were two types of Autonomy:

Autonomy at Rest – systems that operate virtually, in software, and include planning and expert advisory systems. For example, in Cyber, where you have to react at machine speed

Autonomy in Motion – systems that have a presence in the physical world. These include robotics and autonomous vehicles, missiles and other kinetic effects

A few definitions:

AI are computer systems that can perform tasks that normally require human intelligence – sense, plan, adapt, and act, including the ability to automate vision, speech, decision-making, swarming, etc. – Provides the intelligence for Autonomy.

Robotics provides kinetic movement with sensors, actuators, etc., for Autonomy in Motion.

Intelligent systems combine both Autonomy at Rest and Motion with the application of AI to a particular problem or domain.

Why Does DoD Need Autonomy? Autonomy on the Battlefield Over the last decade, the DoD has adopted robotics and unmanned vehicle systems, but almost all are “dumb” – pre-programmed or remotely operated – rather than autonomous. Autonomous weapons and weapons platforms—aircraft, missiles, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), unmanned ground systems (UGS) and unmanned underwater systems (UUS) are the obvious applications.

Below is an illustration of a concept of operations of a battle space. You can think of this as the Taiwan Straits, or near the Korean Peninsula.

On the left you have a joint force; a carrier battle group, AWACS aircraft, satellite communications. On the right, aggressor forces in the orange bubbles are employing cyber threats, dynamic threats, denied GPS and comms (things we already see in the battlespace today.)

Another example: Adversaries have developed sophisticated anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities. In some of these environments human reaction time may be insufficient for survival.

Autonomy can increase the speed and accuracy of decision-making. Using Autonomy at Rest (cyber, electronic warfare,) as well as Autonomy in Motion, (drones, kinetic effects,) you can move faster than your adversaries can respond.

Autonomy Creates New Tactics in the Physical and Cyber Domains The combatant commanders asked the Science Board to assess how autonomy could improve their operations. The diagram below illustrates where autonomy is most valuable. For example, in row one, on the left, you don’t need autonomy when required decision speed is low. But as the required decision speed, complexity, volume of data and danger increases, the value of autonomy goes up. In the right column you see examples of where autonomy provides value.

The Defense Science Board studied several example scenarios.

Some of these recommendations were invested in immediately. One was the DARPA OFFSET (Offensive Swarm Enabled Tactics) program run by Tim Chung. He holds the record for holding a hundred swarms. And he took his expertise to DARPA to run a swarm challenge. Another DARPA investment was the Cyber Grand Challenge, to seed-fund systems able to search big data for indicators of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) proliferation.

Can You Trust an Autonomous System? A question that gets asked by commanders and non-combatants alike is, “Can you trust an autonomous system? The autonomy study specifically identified the issue of trust as core to the department’s success in broader adoption of autonomy. Trust is established through the design and testing of an autonomous system and is essential to its effective operation. If troops in the field can’t trust that a system will operate as intended, they will not employ it. Operators must know that if a variation in operations occurs or the system fails in any way, it will respond appropriately or can be placed under human control.

DOD order 3000.09 says that a human has to be at the end of the kill chain for any autonomous system now.

Postscript – Autonomy on the Move A lot has happened since the 2015 Defense Science Board autonomy study. In 2018 the DoD stood up a dedicated group – the JAIC – the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, (which we talked about in the last two classes here and here) to insert AI across the DoD.

After the wave of inflated expectations, deploying completely autonomous systems to handle complex unbounded problems are much harder to build than originally thought. (A proxy for this enthusiasm versus reality can be seen in the hype versus delivery of fully autonomous cars.)

That said, all U.S. military services are working to incorporate AI into semiautonomous and autonomous vehicles into what the Defense Science Board called Autonomy in Motion. This means adding autonomy to fighters, drones, ground vehicles, and ships. The goal is to use AI to sense the environment, recognize obstacles, fuse sensor data, plan navigation, and communicate with other vehicles. All the services have built prototype systems in their R&D organizations though none have been deployed operationally.

A few examples; The Air Force Research Lab has its Loyal Wingman and Skyborg programs. DARPA built swarm drones and ground systems in its OFFensive Swarm-Enabled Tactics (OFFSET) program.

The Navy is building Large and Medium Unmanned Surface Vessels based on development work done by the Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO). It’s called Ghost Fleet, and its Large Unmanned Surface Vessels development effort is called Overlord.

DARPA completed testing of the Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel prototype, or “Sea Hunter,” in early 2018. The Navy is testing Unmanned Ships in the NOMARS (No Manning Required Ship) Program.

Future conflicts will require decisions to be made within minutes, or seconds compared with the current multiday process to analyze the operating environment and issue commands – in some cases autonomously. An example of Autonomy at Rest is tying all the sensors from all the military services together into a single network, which will be the JACD2 (Joint All-Domain Command and Control). (The Air Force version is called ABMS (Advanced Battle Management System).

The history of warfare has shown that as new technologies become available as weapons, they are first used like their predecessors. But ultimately the winners on the battlefield are the ones who develop new doctrine and new concepts of operations. The question is, which nation will be first to develop the Autonomous winning concepts of operation? Our challenge will be to rapidly test these in war games, simulations, and in experiments. Then take that feedback and learnings to iterate and refine the systems and concepts.

Finally, in the back of everyone’s mind is that while DOD order 3000.09 prescribes what machines will be allowed to do on their own, what happens when we encounter adversaries who employ autonomous weapons that don’t have our rules of engagement?

Read the entire transcript of Maynard Holliday’s talk here and watch the video below.

If you can’t see the video click here

Lessons Learned

Autonomy at Rest – systems that operate virtually, in software, and include planning and expert advisory systems

For example, Cyber, battle networks, anywhere you must react at machine speed

Autonomy in Motion – systems that have a presence in the physical world

Includes robotics and autonomous vehicles, missiles, drones

AI provides the intelligence for autonomy

Sense, plan, adapt, and act

Robotics provides the kinetic movement for autonomy

Sensors, actuators, UAV, USVs, etc.

Deploying completely autonomous systems to handle complex unbounded problems are much harder than originally thought

All U.S. military services are working to incorporate AI into semiautonomous and autonomous vehicles and networks

Ultimately the winner on the battlefield will be those who develop new doctrines and new concepts of operations

We’re seeing this emerge on battlefields today

[yasminmoreles15-blog]

*What Rhetoric Means To Me*

At the beginning pf the course I stated, “Rhetoric is the explanation behind how or why something is written. The words can be explained as propaganda, poetry, or anything depending on the context and rhetoric. Rhetoric has been attempted to be explained for years.” Attempting to remember rhetoric’s definition from previous classes was difficult, and only the remnants of the dictionary definition offered bubbled through the cloudy memory Fall Break left me with. After discovering the origin and practices in more depth, I was able to refine the definition of “rhetoric”. Although past professors and teachers attempted to grasp at the complexity that is rhetoric, it just was not a possibility for the restriction of time and subject.

Rhetoric is an all-encompassing concept. Rhetoric is any form of communication whether non-verbal or verbal. It is purposeful and effective communication for not only its intended audience, but those who come in contact with it.  Even in the early stages of the course, we were not being taught what rhetoric is, but given constant examples of rhetoric. These different theories of rhetoric all intertwined on the some level of effectiveness. Whether the definition was how persuasion was tied to rhetoric or how the unsaid created intended bias in the audience like Hilary Clinton’s pink outfit.

Aristotle theorizes that rhetoric is, “…the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion". He identifies three elements to rhetoric: pathos, ethos, and logos (Herrick). Aristotle brought up the importance of effective communication which he defined as persuasion, but I would prefer to define as leaving the audience with new thoughts to process. Although Aristotle’s measure is more tangible, my new definition of rhetoric is not limited to the confines of debate.

Aristotle also defines three elements of rhetoric as ethos, pathos, logos. I believe he was on to something there. According to Burke, symbols were everywhere and crucial. As humans, we are privileged to be a symbol-using animal to create another layer to rhetoric (Burke). I think to make rhetoric effective, all three of Aristotle’s elements need to touched on and Burke’s emphasis on symbols is the best way to do so. A speech or picture or whatever rhetorical tool they choose may not have everything wrapped up perfectly. For example, if a doctor was speaking to a crowd that did not necessarily have his background in mind, his formal attire can be used to ensue this intended bias of importance, wealth, or knowledge as we associate those attributes to doctors in general. This builds ethos for the speaker and audience. Pathos and logos may be more easily inputted in the doctor’s speech, but it may be difficult to build credibility with an audience by simply stating his title without that symbolic reinforcement

Throughout the class, we listened to and interacted with a slew of rhetorical artifacts. I believe, Mufasa’s “Circle of Life” speech from Disney’s The Lion King is the truest form of an example of a rhetorical artifact. During his speech, Mufasa takes his son, Simba, to the edge of their home which overlooks the entire plains area they live in and “rule”. Mufasa uses the personal connection of using their home as well as saying, “When we die, our bodies become the grass. And the antelope eat the grass. So, we are all connected in the great circle of life,” to teach his son the importance of what he will one day inherit as well as the value of his world. Musfasa is the standing king, and has gained the utmost respect from his people. Simba is aware of this after having been at his side during Musfasa’s leadership moments. Bringing Simba to the cliff where Mufasa has most of those leadership moments reiterates that memory and those “ethos” using that symbol. Mufasa’s speech is effective while incorporating all three elements of Aristotle’s definition as well as reinforcing that with Burke’s emphasis on symbols. (Although, it is a tab bit ironic as this goes against Burke notions that humans are the only symbol-using animal.) In addition to the effectiveness of the its intended audience, Simba goes on to push that idea of the Circle of Life to all the characters in the movie as well as using the lesson as a way to grieve his father’s death and not feel alone.

Mufasa’s speech reached more than its intended audience, and gave a much needed channel for his son to grieve the unforeseen death. This is rhetoric in its truest and most ethical form. Although other scholars studied in the class have more concepts and aspects of rhetoric, I believe it all boils down to this notion of effectiveness which can be measured only by the footprint left on the audience and not necessarily a clear-cut victor of debate.

References:

Burke, Kenneth.  “The Rhetoric of Hitler’s ‘Battle’”. Readings in Rhetorical Criticism. Colorado

State University. 2005.

 Herrick, James A. “The History and Theory if Rhetoric: An Introduction”. Hope College. 2013.

[kjg222453kjg222454]

Week 11 - independent study

Writing up parent handbook

I had a framework for how the parent handbook might flow like and was only planning to do a spread and the cover, ended up doing the whole thing as I wanted to get it printed properly. 

Working through the framework I had already planned out > started writing up the content for it, this will probably be helpful for my design report which I need to start writing soon! 

Cover and Purpose planning

What to expect from Kea Kit Part 1

What to expect from Kea Kit part 2

What to expect when you first visit prison

What to do in between times and direction to more info.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Advent calendar

I had all the narrative and window text written up for this so decided to start with a basic layout of how this might come to look and flow through. I’m going to design two a3s a top sheet and a bottom sheet and stick them together – would be nice to have some thicker stock for this but going to go with the same feathered stock i’ve been using for the letters as it needs to either fold or roll nicely to sit in the box for storage. 

I wanted this to feel like a treasure map so it made the kid’s curiosity and anticipation for their ‘adventure’ more exciting. It was quite a challenge to lay this out due to the varying lengths of text underneath. This definitely needs some more refinement. Currently feels very all over the show and the bottom is quite crowded. 

The white background felt very bright and stark. All my other collateral has a solid background colour. Having a test of a low opacity background to see if this will help break up the elements a bit more,  give some contrast to things etc. Still not feeling right about this. I think I’m gonna need to move somethings around. 

Shifting some things up the top down to add in a title and also make the squishy-ness/busyness feel purposeful. Also tried adding in some of my other little illustrations which go along with the narratives of some of the text – this looks way too overstimulating and I don’t really know where to look first. Still unsure about the background colour. I do like the addition of the grass bits though. 

I felt like the opaque background didn’t quite fit in with the rest of my collateral so changed it to a solid bold colour and swapped the tracks from yellow to white so they don’t blend in. I took the little extra creatures out and have hidden them under the numbers/flaps that they are relevant to. 

Was thinking about having this folded in half to fit in the box and wanted to have an outside cover. Nothing was really working for me though and I tried to roll it instead of fold it which actually looked a lot better in my opinion, so blank back side of this calendar it is! 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spatial Planning

I went to check out the block 10 dungeon to see if it was ideal or not for my spatial mock ups. There was a bit too much shit lying around and had the idea of checking out blocks 5 & 6 as i know that those hallways are a bit more hospital like which is very similar to inside a prison according to conversations and research. 

I took my camera around with me and got some snaps + videos or the space and what it’s like to walk through it with nothing implemented in there. 

photos from blocks 5 & 6. Very stark and boring, the doors look heavy as if to keep you in or out. 

Video walking through the space. Pausing at where things might be on walls.

Notes from spatial planning, measurements etc. I want to get some large formats and stick them up in the space then film again walking through. Also going to do a photo mock up of what you might see at a first glimpse of this hallway.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Large format print chat with Luiz > decisions on what to do

I had a big chat with Luiz about the filming I wanted to do to show how my spatial was implemented and he said that photo mock ups should be fine + more professional and that I was rushing to get large format and filming done that day - there were too many variables to consider so I decided just to get some large formats done to install in my preso room instead. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Full spatial mock up

I started off with an overview of what you’d first see when you arrived in the hallway space I was focusing on. this took quite some time to get all the perspectives and angles right but I’m pretty happy with how this looks. It gives a real feeling of an adventure up ahead, a lot of my friends said it looked like fun and they were curious to see what each speech bubble said. It’s also nice to note how much this looks like a hospital space too so this project definitely has the potential to work across similar environments. 

This is a before image, I hadn’t quite got the lighting right on my post processing – i wanted it to feel cold and threatening but i think that i really just needed the space to look bland and nothing. Showing how there is nothing to distract the children from their thoughts and emotions.

before pic - bland and sterile space.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Narrative mock ups

beginning with the outside of the prison – using the photos I took up at Mt Crawford Prison. It’s quite rundown due to abandonment but the Kea start to build curiosity and take away some of that anxiety around these buildings. 

The first part of the Journey starts with the notion of tāwharau (protection)

The narratives that follow (in order) to lead to the visit hall. I envision that this could be adapted every 9-12months so that each visit could be different and exciting each time. This could be co-designed with the prisoners as to what their children like or what stories they’d like to tell/teach.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Large formats

Luiz had my large formats done so fast! literally by 8am the next morning. They’re HUGE this big kea is about 1m long! Super happy with how these look. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Parent handbook

I don’t have all the image content for this book yet (planning to have a full bleed image on the left side). So started off by figuring out my type systems. Definitely prefer the two column system to the top version! 

What a spread might look like with a full bleed image. I’ve also colour coded each of the sections/phases of the project.

Cover – simple and more formal for parents/adults. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Photos

turned my desk space into a photo studio for the afternoon:

some pics that came out of this session:

took quite a few, detailing all the little bits and pieces but haven’t had a chance to go through these yet as this was all i needed for the parent hand book. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Printing from Wakefields

I got my storybook cover and parent hand book printed professionally at Wakefield’s Digital. The Cover is a PLC gloss hard cover and the booklet is just a 2up saddle stitch 12pp booklet on gloss 120gsm stock – feels a lot more formal for the adults. 

The cover is a little bigger than expected and doesn’t quite fit as well in the box as well as I want it to. As you can see it all over flows just a little too but remembering that not all of the kit comes in the box at once so there is definitely room for the first kit to be sent in this. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Writing preso - first draft

first script:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1R7DT8JvgjCrCrKfFzALbS2_3qABJSykBVI5P3jWTB1s/edit?usp=sharing

This originally started off quite formal, as if i was pitching to government. It didnt really sound like me and felt a bit dislocated from the project so i re-wrote it a bit more emotively. It’s very heavily centred on developing empathy for the user journey, I’m a bit worried that I have got enough about my process and solutions in it. Will read it out to Jason in class tomorrow and see what he has to say.