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porcellune · 4 years ago

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kamukomahina gender/body headcanons

a bit of a ramble about my body, gender, and general appearance headcanons for them bcuz someone sent me a curiouscat prompting this 3k words of hyperfixation nonsense

Komaeda:

- He has a naturally lithe body, with a thin waist, broad shoulders and hips, which give him an hourglass. and a rather andrognyous body, which is "lucky" for him, because I hc him as nonbinary and gender non-conforming

- Gender-wise, as I said, I think he's nonbinary. Usually I do view Nagito as AMAB but I indulge in transmasc Nagito from time to time depending on my preference and how much I wish to uh, well, project, lol. But either way I think he would use he/they pronouns in a western sense. In japanese, however, they don't use third person pronouns that other people refer to them with, and in canon he uses the first person pronoun "boku", which is a "soft" masculine pronoun, in comparison to the "hard" masculine pronoun, “ore” (which Hajime uses btw!) which fits quite nicely, in my opinion! Also, in Japanese, you can be 'fluid' with your first person pronouns depending on the situation, so I think he could use more neutral or feminine pronouns should he desire it, too, to play on his gender non-conformity.

- Komaeda is very secure in his gender, regardless of being AMAB or AFAB. He does not care about stigma, or discrimination, he does not care about being "accepted" by broader society. Broader society is sort of meaningless to him, the average person and their ideas about gender and presentation and effeminity mean NOTHING to him. Whether or not a random person the street genders him correctly or treats him with respect is sort of, pointless? Because to him, most ordinary people are pointless nobodies. Their thoughts do not matter to him. I think he is still prone to insecurity, however, when around his "betters" but I just struggle to think he would degrade himself in regards to gender. to him, it's the least of his problems. what he cares about is hope and talent. He could dress femininely or wear makeup or straight up crossdress and not mind it, really. He thinks people would find a problem with it are the problem, because why does it even matter? It speaks to the way Komaeda is detached from societal norms & "normal" people, he did not grow up in normal circumstances, so he doesn't interact with the world normally by any means. he can mask and act normally to the best of his ability, often unintentionally?, but he simply does not fit into broader society and doesn't seek to.

- Komaeda loses weight really easily, and doesn't gain weight that well. This is mainly due to his many illnesses but also the medications he's been put on. He has a low appetite and burns weight rather easily, even though I headcanon that he eats like garbage (mainly junk food & takeout, since he obviously cannot cook). This makes him overall, health wise, not very healthy, and stick thin because of it. A stiff breeze could knock him over, tbh.

- He has a lot of faded scars, self-inflicted or not.

- Pre-despair (in HPA) he is fairly healthy but still lithe, and progressively his body deteriorates through his 2 years of hopes peak before the Tragedy begins.

- During the Tragedy itself, his body is at it's worst. he is almost nothing but bone at times, barely kept together by a need to live so he can see hope triumph. His weight fluctuates but he's very unhealthy. He's not anorexic or on death's door, but he's not well off, either.

- After being put into the neo world program, right after waking up, he's very, very thin and gaunt. he was in a pod on feeding tubs for an indiscernible but at least probably a month's worth of time? So he's just very weak, like he could collapse if he moves too quickly.

- But a while after waking, he goes into remission, and starts to gain more healthy habits due to being rehabilitated and cared for by Hinata, and gains some weight, finally at a healthy, normal weight. I still think he would struggle with putting on too much weight, but I am slightly fond of the idea that he gets a bit of healthy pudge after a while. To him, it's so foreign being healthy, that he honestly think something's wrong with him at first.

Hinata:

- Hinata has a very... average body, true to form. His hips and waist aren't too pronounced but he has a loosely "hourglass" shape, too, just not as exaggerated as Komaeda's in comparison.

- Gender-wise, I am EXTREMELY fond of transmasc Hinata. While I think I portray AMAB Hinata more than transmasc Hinata (in art and writing), I still firmly prefer transmasc Hinata. The reason I think portray otherwise more is just out of comfortability, but I've been getting better at comfortably portraying FTM Hinata. I have some reasons I prefer it and think you can extrapolate it from canon, but let's get into that

- Hinata, in my eyes, has an arc and story that fits perfectly into him just. Being trans. His desire to be someone else, someone better, someone he can proud of, and the way he overcompensates for himself and has an extreme inferiority complex would easily lend to him having similar feelings about his gender. To me, Hinata is a trans man who overperforms his masculinity out of insecurity and a need to pass. I see him as someone who would strictly use "he/him" in a western sense, which is lended to by his use of the "ore" pronoun in canon, which is almost hypermasculine.

- Even if he were AMAB, I think it still works, I think he's still someone who's insecure and tries to assert himself more strongly and therefore performs masculinity in a way to appear more confident than he is.

(side note: I actually read a bit about queerness in Japan and how it relates to gender performance and the use of pronouns, and read a bit about how queer women in japan tend to use "boku" and "ore" to perform masculinity, which I find neat. “Ore” was also sometimes used exclusively to show anger and dominance, which is why it's categorized as a "rough" pronoun. I think Japanese language, gender, and expression, and how those all relate to one another, are extremely interesting and if you get the time you should read about it lol)

- Body-wise, pre-despair, I think Hinata would. not have top surgery, obviously. I think he has a fairly average but leaning a little on the hefty side chest (pre-op) and binds it, hence the '91 cm' (but also he still has 91 cm post-op because bazongas). I also just think he leans on the "twunk" side of things at this point, not buff but not stick thin or without muscle, just kind of average with average strength and all, though I think Hinata would've tried to do sports and stuff to find his talent so he's in shape :)

- My personal, kind of amusing, but also kind of... thematical? Headcanon, is that during the Kamukura project, he also underwent gender transition. to be honest, while it may not make sense in modern Japan, I think we can suspend our disbelief for fiction, and also make the argument that Hinata's "transition" into Kamukura CAN be read, in some part, as relatable or at least familiar to the trans experience. Iit is not out of the realm of possibility, either, to assume that because many bits of society in Danganronpa are advanced (specifically science, is extremely ahead of our understanding, almost sci-fi like at times) certain attitudes about gender and sexuality can be smoothed over more in a Japanese context.

(side note: I also think that science-wise, we can suspend our disbelief, and assume that top surgery and bottom surgery are much more advanced in this universe, given the almost unbelievable levels of science in Danganronpa, such as memory wipe, mind control, completely realistic virtual simulation, um literally everything about Kamukura which is body modification and brain modification to an extreme, etc. I think it's kind of fitting within these to assume that... Hinata/Kamukura could just, gain a functioning penis, lol)

Kamukura:

- Kamukura would have a. "Perfect" body. it's stated, I'm pretty sure, that they modified not only his brain but his body, because he needs to be able to perform every talent under their belt with ease, and his strength, instincts, technique, are all superhuman. So it's clear to me he'd have a buff body. toned muscles and all. He wouldn't really feel a need to keep it up, though, but I think since they're very... artificial (basically fucking steroids?) they wouldn't fade from a lack of keep-up.

- Kamukura also rarely ever is injured, but when he does, his body heals rather fast and can care for himself adequately, because again, his body is modified to a point of almost inhumanity.

- Gender wise, Kamukura genuinely does not care. however, I am not one to think that Kamukura is "a different person" from Hinata, rather, he is separate from Hinata, but an extension of Hinata as well, proven that he experiences some of his emotions even if subconsciously and without understanding them. he isn't a different personality or person developed in Hinata's body, but a very traumatizing, repressed, and manipulated version of Hinata given a new name, with memories repressed. He's like Theseus's ship in human form---if you get rid of everything that makes someone themselves and replace it, bit by bit, is it the same person? Technically, yes, but... truly? Who knows.

Because of this, I think Kamukura would have a leaning toward masculine gender performance (in canon, in fact, he uses the soft masculine pronoun "boku" in stead of "ore" like Hinata) BUT I think he is still very nonbinary. In a western sense, i think he would use he/they pronouns, but not really care if someone mistook him for a woman, I suppose.

- His appearance, unironically, is very nonbinary or "he/they" to me because he's wearing a suit, the archetypal form of masculinity, but has extremely long hair, which is considered feminine, and speaks softly (dully). Of course, the bishounen "pretty boy" appearance isn't uncommon or considered less masculine in japan, I think, but there is still a different between soft masculinity and rough masculinity in japan, which lends itself to being interpreted sort of gender non-conforming by western audiences :)

- Kamukura, due to his apathy, struggles with self-maintaining, but as we all probably know i am extremely attached to KamuKoma and thus headcanon that Servant helps him, sort of like a royal servant would royalty in the old days, take care of himself by bathing him, brushing his hair out, grooming him, etc. partially out of duty, partially out of appreciation for Kamukura's body, and partially out of maintaining his sort of "perfect" look since Kamukura, especially post-Junko death, is perceived widely by the public as the new leader of the ultimate despair, even if he is ambivalent to such a title.

Post-DR3 Hinata/Kamukura combined:

As I rambled on about previously, I don't think that Kamukura and Hinata are separate people or personality, I really dislike the interpretation that they are like a "split personality" or operate like DID, because they do not "form" like DID, but also in canon, are not portrayed as separate people.

In post-dr3, Hinata instead says that he is both of them, because he is. Kamukura is Hinata, always was, but had been given a new, false identity, had been stripped of his previous self, his memories, his personality, and crafted into something new. but that did not "split" his brain into two people. It simply repressed who he once was, and made him someone he now was. But when Kamukura regains his memories, his past self, through the means of the new world program by restoring his own memories after SDR2 concludes and he wakes up, as well as doing the same for everyone else, he decides to be "Hajime Hinata" who he always was, but carrying and shouldering the weight of what "Izuru Kamukura" had been, become, and done. Hinata *is* Kamukura, he answers for Kamukura's wrongdoings, his crimes, as something he had done as a different person who's mind operated differently, due to being artificially suppressed, modified, into an apathetic tool for the scientists who made him, and later and aimless, bored individual who simply sought meaning he did not have in the unknown of what despair would be at it's climax. And if hope could overcome it.

As such, I think, when Hinata's self is brought back into the mix, and he now deals with Kamukura's apathy and boredom in part, but much less consuming and much less often, I think hinata is less staunchly "masculine", does not overperform it anymore, and is trying to understand what his past means to him, what his present is, and what his future will be. I think that Hinata would still primarily use he/him (or still use "ore" in Japanese, as it's also a means of his personality, which is a bit rough around the edges and blunt), but be more ambivalent to rigid gender expression, still finding comfort and idealness in masculinity, but not be made dysphoric or feel frightened, uncomfortable, with non-comformity or anything like that. being boyish, masculine, is what he enjoys, but he's comfortable in it now, doesn't need to prove himself or overperform it. He can explore nonconformity without feeling like his gender or masculinity is at threat, even if it's not his preference outright.

Body-wise, I think it's safe to say he retains Kamukura's muscle and all, but Kamukura didn't put much effort into the everyday machinations of being a human being in general, and Hinata is much more fond of food than him now, eats more often, and I enjoy the idea that he gains a little pudge and has a kind of "dad bod" almost, post-DR3? lol.

Both for Hinata and Kamukura I don't see their bodies as “bara” or overly buff, masculine, but a kind of comfortable middle ground between twunk and hunk, lmao. I think they're also averagely hairy, not overly so, very lightly. kind of well groomed, and all. Hinata, pre-despair, put not so much effort into his appearance but still some, especially in trying to pass. (In fact I think his hair cut looks like a home job, all choppy and stuff, which fits him in my opinion, something done by his own hands even if messy and imperfect, he still prefers to be in control of it. also fits the trans headcanon tehe).

Izuru put very little if any effort into himself, only the bare minimum necessary to function, but servant helped him upkeep it to a perfect standard. Hinata, post-dr3 now, finds himself putting you know, an average amount of care into himself and his body, enough to be healthy, but not overly critical and conscious of himself.

Komaeda i have always seen as someone who takes a good deal of care about himself, merely if to alleviate the "disgust" of his appearance and body, by practically preening himself. He is someone who is good at cleaning and seems to appreciate clean and well kept spaces, so I think he would have a similar attitude toward himself. even if he is insecure, and of course, struggles with mental health and may slip at times in his routine in keeping himself well-kept, I think he still maintains an appearance for the most part, at least in his later years (teen to young adult). An argument can be made that he cared less in his adolescence because he had much more apathy about the world, but when he gave himself a purpose with hope and talent, I think he would care for himself a little better, even if his was spiralling mentally.

His hair is always washed, it is just very curly and prone to mess, so it often looks like perpetual bedhead, even when he combs and brushes it. His skin is soft even if a little worn by his tendency for accidents & injury, it's still soft and almost luckily so, and he takes pride in moisturizing and cleaning himself. His skin is a little sickly, still, and I think that despite having blemishes, scars, etc. Komaeda manages to look pretty in a strange way, not conventionally beautiful, but almost ethereal? He's just *pretty*, there's no way to explain it, he is nice to look at even with all his "flaws" and imperfections. Even when he's sickly and bony, even when his cheeks are gaunt or his hands shaky and weak, when his hair is a tangled mess or his clothes are dirty, he's nice to look at in a way that's nonconventional, and it's sort of mesmerizing.

Hinata I think is very average but also in a way that's nice to look at it. He's not ground-breaking hot or conventionally attractive, he has a good body, a nice face, and hair you could play with a little if you wanted. I think what's appealing about him is his normalcy, he's not trying too hard or "gifted" gene wise, but he's just kinda nice to look at, he's enjoyable to be around, an understanding person, or at least tries to be even when he fails, and despite having flaws, insecurities, blunt, he is someone you're drawn to because he's one of those people that's just, easy to talk to? An emotional anchor, almost. The kind of guy everyone kind of knows and has talked to at least once, even if you're not friends with him personally, not because he's cool or popular or anything, but because he's a normal dude who's easy to trust and talk to.

Kamukura, on the other hand, is intimidating, appearance wise and personality wise. he looks, strange, anything but normal, his eyes are red and his hair is this dark cloud that envelops him. His face may still be that plain one Hinata has but faces can be changed by the surrounding attributes as well as expression and such is true for him, with his apathetic and cold expression as well as otherwordly characteristics, he comes off as much more beautiful in a dark way, kind of? In a way that's intimidating or a little daunting, but he's still very beautiful. mesmerizing.

okay, thats my ramble. ty.

#nagito komaeda #hajime hinata #izuru kamukura #komahina #kamukoma #headcanons #my headcanons #kota.txt

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kitkatopinions · 4 years ago

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Mercury for the ask game!

Alrighty, I love Merc so much, so let's go!

What are my top four favorite non-romantic relationship dynamics for them?

Roman Torchwick - Guys, I absolutely freaking love this dynamic. I know I already said in my Emerald ask that Torchwick could be the father figure she never had, but that applies to Mercury too! Like guys, it is problematic and semi toxic, and they would argue all the time and yet get kind of dependent on each other. But boy howdy guys, I just love these two and any interactions I've written for them (which is a lot of interactions. XD) Emerald - I also talked about this in my Emerald post, but I really think that they were like, the only friends each other had for the better part of their lives. Their back and forth is really good and they just care about each other so clearly, and they compliment each other's personality. They're close enough that I completely understand and can even enjoy ship content for them, but for me they're sibling/best friend energy. Neo - You know, Roman, Emerald, Neo, and Mercury wound up being a team in like, ninety percent of my (never published) fanfictions that I've written with why-i-hate-rwby-now and in them, Neo took a really long time to come around to Emerald and Mercury being part of her and Roman's team when she'd long been used to being a duo, but once she came around and started trusting Emerald and Mercury... Their dynamic within that turned out just so good! Neo could understand Mercury (because they fill a similar protector/follower capacity, and in my headcanoned version, Neo's past was similar to Mercury's.) Basically, this could be a super good dynamic. Is this list completely the same as my list of favorite non-romance driven relationships for Emerald so far? Yes. But, I'm about to throw y'all a curveball... With Sun! Who I've talked about in my Sun ask replies! (God, I hope this isn't too boring for you guys. XD) - Sonic and Shadow-ish rivalry and tension based friendship, please and thank you! Like, they could just be so good. To talk a bit about Mercury's side, he seems like a character who really wants to be entertained, but he also needs someone who can and will call him out, but who sticks it out for the long haul. They would fight all the time, Sun could match his confidence (and also weather through his insecurities, because people can be both,) and Sun also would be like "Dude, you're totally hiding your sweet and dorky side, Neptune does this all the time, okay listen-" And Mercury would get all sulky and defensive, but... Yeah.

What season were they at their best and why?

I want to say season six, and that's primarily because we get some of his backstory, and I feel like he got so much depth in this season specifically. Like, he wasn't just an admittedly cool character with clearly hidden depths laughing about doing bad (don't get me wrong, I already loved him pre volume six.) We got to see some of how he reasons through things, some of the way he works, and how he deals with conflict. Mercury is such a layered character, but also such a versatile one, and a lot of it comes from that scene where he's talking to Emerald after they lose Cinder.

What season were they at their worst and why?

Technically season one, when he made a very minor appearance as a floating cardboard cutout with an off color scheme. But, real answer, season five, because he didn't get very much content during that season, but unlike season six, we didn't get any new development during for him, and unlike the early seasons, we didn't get very good back and forth dialogue. Also they forgot how to make everyone fight, and it was... so painful.

How would I rank their outfits from worst to best?

1. The worst is his Beacon Dance look. They only made like, one outfit for every man who wasn't Sun, and it makes me want to vomit. Why couldn't we get Ren in coat-tails and Mercury in a tux and Jaune in a tweed jacket and Neptune in a button-down with rolled up sleeves and leather pants? It's just sad. 2. His season 2-6 look. I have nothing against this look, though maybe the collar could look better. Still, it's fine, but it really does need more color. 3. His season 8 look. I admit, this one had to grow on me and I still hate his dumb foot emblem being on his jacket, but the slight hints of grayish blue and orange just make the outfit look so good.

Which Hogwarts House would I sort them into (optional; what would their wand be?)

Merc is a Hufflepuff. I think he's loyal (to people that earn it like Emerald,) he really values hard work, and I think a lot of the other Hufflepuff tendencies have been pushed down like kindness and generosity, but that they're still there under the surface. Also, I'm sick of people acting like villains can only be Slytherins or occasionally a Ravenclaw who got carried away, because - not to get too Harry Potter on main, but - nobody can tell me Barty Crouch Jr wasn't a Hufflepuff and we have freaking Gryffindor Peter Pettigrew right flipping there. Anyway, back to RWBY. I'd give Mercury a Blackthorn wood wand with a thunderbird tail feather core, 12 inches exactly, flexible.

What do I think this character would be like if they were on the opposite side (good characters are bad, bad characters are good)

Ooh, good guy Mercury! Instead of Cinder finding him after he kills his father, Qrow's the one who finds him. Qrow pays for his medical expenses and brings him to Ironwood, who floats the bill for free prosthetics and offers Mercury a place in Atlas Academy. He tries to push aside some of his not great, taught instincts and 'be the kind of person who would deserve that,' despite assurances from Ironwood and Qrow that it's like, basic human decency. Ironwood asks Mercury to try to help and protect Penny when they go to Beacon. He's annoyed by her and thinks she's naïve and childish, and fears that if he messes up and she gets hurt, he'll lose his life in Atlas. But he also gets attached quick, and starts seeing things through her world view and trying to trust her, helping her do things like escape from the guards escorting her so long as she lets him go with her, which leads him to be involved with Team RWBY. And then oof, the Fall of Beacon hits him hard. He's torn up by guilt after losing Penny, and gets really reckless fighting during the Battle of Beacon, winding up hurt himself. When he wakes up again on a plane back to Atlas, he thinks he's going to get in trouble and maybe get thrown out into the streets for failing to do what he's been told, but he's welcomed back and James is just relieved that he's alive. Mercury stays working in Atlas, and when Penny is repaired, he's really happy, but he's still wrestling with a lot of guilt and gets way overprotective of her. (Also this would be an AU where Ironwood stays good because I can do whatever I want with this and also this would definitely include a Mercury x Whitley ship because I can do whatever I want with this.)

If I suddenly had control of RWBY, what would I want to do with this character after the events of V8?

Redemption Arc, son! Mercury would start his redemption arc in Vacuo, severely doubting Tyrian and Salem now and missing and worrying over Emerald. He'd leave after a bit, but not go full hero, and instead be an anti hero, not listening to RENO (Ren, Emerald, Neo, and Oscar, since they're the left behind group,) and being more ruthless than they think is appropriate, and still thinking that the Huntsman Academies and the Kingdom systems are flawed and that their should be big changes, but growing more apologetic for the harm he's done anyway.

#rwde #pro mercury black

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rpgsandbox · 5 years ago

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Wealth Level Based Economy. Rather than nickel & dime every transaction, players can acquire gear and supplies adjacent (or above — if they’re willing to risk greater consequences) to their Wealth Level in order to keep the focus on story momentum.

Technology & Equipment. Nemex, Shard Pistols, Portable AI Emitters, ONI Interfaces, Merge9; the Core Rulebook provides all the mechanics for purchasing, acquiring, and modifying a plethora of futuristic weapons, apparel, and gadgetry with an expansive list of customizations for nearly every item.

Expanding the Altered Carbon World. While the Core Rulebook focuses on Bay City and Season 1 of the series, we’ve got big plans with Skydance who is currently in production for Season 2, and we'll be working alongside them to discover more ways to explore the colonized worlds in future RPG supplements. In the meantime, fans can explore Osaka and other parts of Earth 2384 via our stretch goal modules listed below.

Altered Carbon: The Role Playing Game will employ the Hazard System – a brand new game system that finds inspiration in popular engines like the Cortex System, Savage Worlds, and Outbreak: Undead.. all while delivering unique gameplay specifically designed for this RPG.

SKILL DICE: Actions are done using an appropriate die type depending on your level of skill.

Which are rolled against a Target Result (TR) assigned by the GM or Scenario:

12+ - Trivial

10-11 - Easy

9-10 - Normal

7-8 - Tricky

5-6 - Challenging

3-4 - Complicated

0-2 - Nearly Impossible

With success determined by rolling EQUAL TO OR UNDER the Target Result. The difference between the result and the TR are the degrees of success/failure generated.

Natural (rolled) 1's are considered an “Ace” - and always succeed with a flourish.

Besides the basics of rolling equal to or under the Target Result, the Hazard System provides a list of easy-to-apply modifiers that will help to quickly and contextually flush out a scene.

Bonus Dice: Players can be awarded Bonus Dice, which can be of any Die Type. Bonus Die results can take the best results (serves as an advantage).

Luck Dice: When luck plays a factor on the outcome (for better or worse), Luck Dice of any Die Type may add to Skill Check Results. Even players with D4s as Skills may fail if luck turns against them. Luck can even displace Difficulty altogether in the right situation.

Example:

Christopher is trying going toe to toe with an off-world assassin in a synthetic Sleeve but decides the fight is a little outside of his league — so he wants to escape. He could simply dart away, in which the GM will ask him for an Athletics - 5 (challenging) roll. He has a D10 in athletics so its reasonable. Or he could use a chaff bomb, which will disrupt the synthetics sensors and maybe cover his tracks. That just requires a Throw - 10 (easy), and even with a D12 that shouldn't be a problem... shouldn't...

Since all dice can roll low, there is ALWAYS a chance of success.

=========================================================

Kickstarter campaign ends: Wed, March 4 2020 6:03 AM UTC +00:00

Website: [Hunters Books] [facebook] [twitter]

#RPG #kickstarter #Altered Carbon #Hunters Books

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jifsy · 8 years ago

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How to See Some of the Top Chicago Attractions on Your Own

Whether you have a few days or only a few hours in Chicago, you’re probably going to want to see see some of the top Chicago attractions. I’m all about trying to get out there and see things on my own when I get a chance, so follow my simple tips to see my adventure to discover some of the top Chicago attractions.

Create a Google Map to Organize Your Day to See the Top Chicago Attractions

Google Maps of my day of sightseeing

After my Big Bus Chicago tour on my first day in Chicago, I kind of had a feel for what I wanted to see and do more on my own while in the Windy City. Using Google Maps, I mapped out my walkable route of the sites I wanted to see. Everyone’s list will look different, of course, but these were the top Chicago attractions I wanted to see while in Chicago:

Cloud Gate

The Art Institute of Chicago

Buckingham Fountain

Agora

Skydeck Chicago

The Chicago Theatre

360 Chicago

My map above includes my starting point of the Loews Chicago Hotel where I was staying with stops along the way and ending back at the hotel. By creating this map, I didn’t have to keep stopping and entering in new destinations as it was already created and ready to go.

Cloud Gate

Probably highest on my list of top Chicago attractions was Cloud Gate. This public sculpture by Sir Anish Kapoor is located in Millennium Park.

Cloud Gate

Nicknamed The Bean, the 33 by 66 by 42 foot stainless steel sculpture debuted in 2006 and has become the number one tourist destination in the entire city.

The omphalos of Cloud Gate

On the underside of Cloud Gate is the omphalos, an indentation where the mirrored surface provides multiple reflections. The 12 foot high arch on the underside was what I liked the most and I just really love saying, “omphalos.”

Cloud Gate 201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601

Crown Fountain

As I left Cloud Gate, I stumbled upon something completely by accident, but I’m so glad I did. Totally not off the route I had planned, I came upon Crown Fountain. This interactive public art piece is basically two 50′ tall glass brick towers and a black granite reflecting pool. Created by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, the work focuses on themes of dualism, light and water, and the faces represent the diversity of the city, both in ethnicity and age. The water comes out of the “mouth” in the fountain, which just underwent a nearly $4 million renovation this past year with new LED screens and pavers in the wading pool. Both tourists and residents enjoy a visit to Crown Fountain to sit, relax, and people watch. Children love getting in the water on hot days underneath a random face spewing water in the air.

Crown Fountain 201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602

The Art Institute of Chicago

Since I was in possession of the much coveted Chicago CityPASS, I couldn’t pass up stopping at the Art Institute of Chicago. Founded in 1879, it’s one of the oldest and largest art museums in the country. The lions that flank the outside of the museum were reportedly the inspiration for the Cowardly Lion in L. Frank Baum’s book, the Wizard of Oz.

Main entrance area at the Art Institute of Chicago

Did you know that there are over 300,000 works of art in 11 curatorial departments contained within the walls of the Art Institute of Chicago?

Whether you’re a fan of Asian art,

Any one of the European masters such as Monet, Manet, or Van Gogh (The Drinkers in the painting above), or

Mr. Pointy by Takashi Murakami

Contemporary and modern art like this piece titled Mr. Pointy by Takashi Murakami, there’s definitely something for everyone. You can easily spend an entire day here and still not see everything.

Audio guides

TSG Tip: Enter through the center doors marked “Fast Pass” if you’re in possession of a Chicago CityPASS and skip the long lines altogether. An unexpected bonus with my Chicago CityPASS Fast Pass admission was the ticket for a free audio guide, normally priced at $7.

Art Institute of Chicago 111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603

Buckingham Fountain

Another iconic Chicago image is, of course, Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park. Considered one of the largest fountains in the world, the fountain was dedicated in 1927 and still attracts scores of visitors today. Stick around for one of the many water shows or the evening color-light shows.

Buckingham Fountain

TSG Tip: Did you know that there are four sets of sea horses around the fountain? Each set of two symbolizes the four states (Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana) that border Lake Michigan, which the fountain itself represents.

Buckingham Fountain 301 S Columbus Dr., Chicago, IL 60605

Agora

Perhaps you’re unfamiliar with Agora, the 106 headless and armless statues located in Grant Park. I promise you, however, that once you see Agora, you’ll never forget it.

Agora from the ground

Designed by Polish artist Magdalena Abakanowicz, the Chicago Park District brought the work to Chicago as a permanent loan from the Polish Ministry of Culture.

What big feet you have!

Each figure is 9 feet tall and weighs in at 1,800 lbs. The figures appear to be walking around and visitors are encouraged to walk through and around them. Agora refers to the urban meeting places of the Ancient Greek city-states. I highly recommend getting in the middle of them and coming up with your own interpretation of what Agora means to you.

Agora 1135 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605

Skydeck Chicago

High above the city inside the Willis Tower, sometimes still referred to as the Sears Tower, guests enjoy breathtaking views of the city from Skydeck Chicago. The 108-story, 1,450 foot tower offers unprecedented and unparalleled 360-degree views of Chicago.

Skydeck Chicago

Look out and catch the incredible views as well as down from the Ledge glass floor balconies. I know, cute pink boots, right? You might not even notice you’re 103 stories up.

With my Chicago CityPASS ticket and Fast Pass entry, I was able to zip right past everyone waiting to get in and get right up to the top.

Did you know that…

The high speed elevators move at a rate of 1600 feet per minute?

You can see as far as 50 miles away to Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin from Skydeck Chicago?

There are limited pre-opening and post-closing private Ledge breakfasts and pizza available for guests at Skydeck Chicago with advanced reservations?

Skydeck Chicago 233 South Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606

The Chicago Theatre

Opened in 1921, The Chicago Theatre was listed as a Chicago landmark in 1983. Want to explore the neo-baroque interior design? You can investigate fully during one of the Chicago Theatre marquee one hour daily tours offered year round. Take a closer look at the Tiffany and Steuben glass fixtures, crystal chandeliers, and an original Grand Wurlitzer pipe organ. Best of all, you can even have a chance to stand on stage. The marquee is considered “an unofficial emblem of the city.” Once you see it, you’ll understand why it appears often in film, television, artwork, and Instagram.

The Chicago Theatre

The iconic Chicago Theatre is conveniently located near shopping and restaurants. If you want to stop and take a break from sightseeing for a little retail therapy, go ahead and indulge yourself a little.

The Chicago Theatre 175 N State Street, Chicago, IL 60601

360 CHICAGO

Views from 360 CHICAGO

If you loved the views from Skydeck Chicago, you’ll love one of the top Chicago attractions and the views from 360 CHICAGO. After locating the entrance for 360 CHICAGO in the basement near the Starbucks, I used my Chicago CityPass again and entered the Express Entry lane,which was completely empty but for us.

The view from 360 CHICAGO

Previously known as the John Hancock Observatory, 360 CHICAGO offers visitors views of Lake Michigan, downtown Chicago, and four neighboring states.

Views from 360 CHICAGO

A quick ride up in the elevator and we were soon 1000 feet up and 94 floors straight up in one of the fastest elevators in North America.

TSG Tip: When’s the best time to go to 360 CHICAGO? I’d definitely say visit first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds or arrive in time for sunset, which is what we did. The light was perfect and the views spectacular. For even more fun, consider upgrading your ticket to include TILT!, where you get to hold on while the glass tilts outward and away from the building. Crazy!

360 CHICAGO John Hancock Center 875 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611

The total mileage was about 6.2 miles and depending on how fast you walk, you can finish with plenty of time to spare to enjoy a fun evening in Chicago. If you’d rather not do it all in one day like I did, split it up and do a few of these top Chicago attractions per day.

Have you visited Chicago and checked out the top Chicago attractions on your own? Check out some of my other Chicago posts here.

The post How to See Some of the Top Chicago Attractions on Your Own appeared first on Travel Shop Girl.

How to See Some of the Top Chicago Attractions on Your Own published first on http://ift.tt/2vy5Wr0

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migrately · 8 years ago

Text

How to See Some of the Top Chicago Attractions on Your Own

Create a Google Map to Organize Your Day to See the Top Chicago Attractions

Google Maps of my day of sightseeing

Cloud Gate

The Art Institute of Chicago

Buckingham Fountain

Agora

Skydeck Chicago

The Chicago Theatre

360 Chicago

Cloud Gate

Probably highest on my list of top Chicago attractions was Cloud Gate. This public sculpture by Sir Anish Kapoor is located in Millennium Park.

Cloud Gate

Nicknamed The Bean, the 33 by 66 by 42 foot stainless steel sculpture debuted in 2006 and has become the number one tourist destination in the entire city.

The omphalos of Cloud Gate

Cloud Gate 201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601

Crown Fountain

Crown Fountain 201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602

The Art Institute of Chicago

Main entrance area at the Art Institute of Chicago

Did you know that there are over 300,000 works of art in 11 curatorial departments contained within the walls of the Art Institute of Chicago?

Whether you’re a fan of Asian art,

Any one of the European masters such as Monet, Manet, or Van Gogh (The Drinkers in the painting above), or

Mr. Pointy by Takashi Murakami

Contemporary and modern art like this piece titled Mr. Pointy by Takashi Murakami, there’s definitely something for everyone. You can easily spend an entire day here and still not see everything.

Audio guides

Art Institute of Chicago 111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603

Buckingham Fountain

Buckingham Fountain 301 S Columbus Dr., Chicago, IL 60605

Agora

Perhaps you’re unfamiliar with Agora, the 106 headless and armless statues located in Grant Park. I promise you, however, that once you see Agora, you’ll never forget it.

Agora from the ground

Designed by Polish artist Magdalena Abakanowicz, the Chicago Park District brought the work to Chicago as a permanent loan from the Polish Ministry of Culture.

What big feet you have!

Agora 1135 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605

Skydeck Chicago

Look out and catch the incredible views as well as down from the Ledge glass floor balconies. I know, cute pink boots, right? You might not even notice you’re 103 stories up.

With my Chicago CityPASS ticket and Fast Pass entry, I was able to zip right past everyone waiting to get in and get right up to the top.

Did you know that…

The high speed elevators move at a rate of 1600 feet per minute?

You can see as far as 50 miles away to Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin from Skydeck Chicago?

There are limited pre-opening and post-closing private Ledge breakfasts and pizza available for guests at Skydeck Chicago with advanced reservations?

Skydeck Chicago 233 South Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606

The Chicago Theatre

The Chicago Theatre 175 N State Street, Chicago, IL 60601

360 CHICAGO

Views from 360 CHICAGO

The view from 360 CHICAGO

Previously known as the John Hancock Observatory, 360 CHICAGO offers visitors views of Lake Michigan, downtown Chicago, and four neighboring states.

Views from 360 CHICAGO

A quick ride up in the elevator and we were soon 1000 feet up and 94 floors straight up in one of the fastest elevators in North America.

360 CHICAGO John Hancock Center 875 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611

Have you visited Chicago and checked out the top Chicago attractions on your own? Check out some of my other Chicago posts here.

The post How to See Some of the Top Chicago Attractions on Your Own appeared first on Travel Shop Girl.

How to See Some of the Top Chicago Attractions on Your Own published first on http://ift.tt/2uCE2ez

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motifsinthecity · 8 years ago

Text

Dividing Tides

I’ve been thinking lately about transitions and change. Not that anyone needs reminding but I can confirm they are still a bear to think about.

We’re all building, acquiring, and changing in some way shape or form. We’re falling apart too—climate change, voter suppression, and government death panels notwithstanding (though they seem to be speeding things along). In spite of all that, everything is somehow already formed and at all at once formless. We’re living in between connections and lives that we used to recognize to get to our next destination, while the past surfaces as alien as soon as we try to attach meaning.

Knowledge is ephemeral, experience finite.

Maybe this new Twin Peaks is doing a number on me.

The past doesn’t always mean what you think it means. Time doesn’t necessarily heal all wounds but when you dig up the dirt and get your hands dirty you find that nothing is the same. I think about the fossils we lose throughout our lives. When you shed light on them, you find an incomplete record. Sand wears on everyone’s bones. You can’t take anything with you and impressions fade. Maybe it’s better that way. Feeling intensely about the present has its consequences.

Expecting you’ll always feel intensely about the past can be deadly.

I spoke with someone earlier in the week about habit and routine. She described the patience she wrestled with when confronting the task at hand. She trusts the process, or rather, her lack of process right now. She seemed optimistic that the path forward would reveal itself in time. In the meantime, why not stop and take in a free concert, meet new people.

I told her I think about all the things I conceivably get to before I die.

We both take in the muddled music blanketing Golden Gate Park. The air swirls with ditch weed and cheap red wine. We talk about the pull between logic and feeling, how to live in between the two and what it means when one dominates your life. The sounds of ’67 did not come across as advertised—again, you can’t take it with you��but we circle back to the idea that balance is tricky. It’s a play on expectations. The crowd looks like a caricature of Woodstock, complete with tie-dye, a sea of glowing smart phones, and a patchwork of blankets.

The fog roles in and suddenly we’re aware that the bargain store light show is a poor record.

No one can escape discussing what they want to do outside of work. Which means it’s hard to remain curious about people without bringing up survival. We’re very obsessed with the idea of a job, not work. Results are valuable. And even if the focus is on work or craft, the process can trap you. Does that mean the best lessons are accidental?

Back to change—does it happen when you’re looking for it? Or rather, do you only notice it once it’s happened? Perhaps the thing we’re really after is being in a position to self-assess. Maybe awareness is the real currency here and we’re trading social interactions on “platforms.” Glad modern life puts a premium on this. Wonder if Snapchat will acquire it (they are public now, you know).

I’ve been listening to the new Rozwell Kid (Precious Art), Vinces Staples (Big Fish Theory), and Fleets Foxes (Crack-Up) albums all weekend.

The best art, I think, is the kind that you can see parts of yourself reflected in. So the question is not, “Do I like big dumb guitars set to songs about movie night, boogers, and turning into a dog?” The answer is obvious (Yes). Everyone wants to feel profoundly connected in the ordinary. The harder question is, “How has my sense of humor changed when my idea of fun owes so much to slacktivism and Rivers Cuomo?” This is more nuanced (Don’t know, but I’m told ‘sall good, man).

We’re back to patience, I suppose.

Big Fish Theory was a surprise. There’s a futurist quality to it, similar to the urban decay that soaked U2’s Zooropa in the mid-90s. By contrast, however, there is an urgency that Staples is tapping into. Bono tried to sing about technology fatigue in the 90s, while his fans just wanted another set of pastoral/gospel verses centered on absolution, probably for neo-liberal abdication. Staples is presenting an anxiety that cross-references pre-Y2K, 2008, and post-Ferguson—all at once while the United States burns. Don’t worry, the album still bangs. But it’s a suffocating affair. Staples does a good job treading water through his buoyant flow but he knows there’s a breaking point—that becomes clear on “Rain Come Down” as his voice is smothered with falling synths and washed out gauze.

My generation is stuck in between the ethics of perceived self-sufficiency and rugged individualism, while wrestling with the moral bankruptcy of what has come before and the call to correct it.

Crack-Up spends its running time exploring the illusion of choice—so maybe there is something to be said about the failure of anticipation. The record is lush in a way past Fleet Foxes albums haven’t been. There are more keyboards, modal jazz touches, krautrock pretentions. But it’s the sound of real men, exploring quite (even ancient) places amidst a great noise. These two aesthetics are seamlessly married. There is no beginning or end to them, no separation. It’s all at once archaic and forward-looking.

And maybe that’s the point. The focus isn’t on change or division but the connections we’re making in between, and how those connections themselves shift over time. We’ve circled back now so maybe we’re not looking at a line, but a spiral (up or down, depending on the water in your glass). That’s why things repeat, any why we’re obsessed with the past and the future at the same time, in between what we know and where we are.

It’s important to remember that we’re all living on borrowed time, in between things. The anxiety comes from trying to understand when that change is going to happen. Maybe we just need to focus on the fact that we’re always going to find ourselves in unexpected destinations.

Don’t worry, we’ll make sense of it when we get there.

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