Female poses reference drawing
/r/drawing: reddit's refrigerator door
2009.03.30 05:20 kaehyu /r/drawing: reddit's refrigerator door
Drawing is the act of making marks on a substrate by moving something across it.
2015.03.02 18:23 ArtQuest: Level Up with Us.
ArtQuest is a helpful positive community that can collaborate together or aid each other achieve their art specific goal.
2023.06.04 18:26 tester33333 Sovereign of the Seven Isles complete series
I recently finished listening to this the second time on Audible. The seven books are available as an omnibus, so in terms of content per dollar, this series is a steal!
My thoughts: overall, S7I is good fun!
The series is plot driven rather than character driven.
There is a large cast of characters, but it is quite easy to keep track of them due to their straightforward characterization.
Readers can get a quick feel of most characters because of their actions, and because they embody common archetypes: the passionate bard who follows the adventurer to compose his saga(Jack), the brave Thumbelina-like girl who is too pure for this world(Ren), the inventor with an ingenious gadget for everything (Gamaliel) etc..
The two lead characters stand out as being more complex and introspective (more on that later)
The pacing is the best part of this book. The author really doesn’t get bogged down anywhere. The characters move between several very different and interesting locations, and they enact sweeping changes wherever they go. A war is fought on three fronts: Isles vs Revived Evil Emperor, Isles vs. Invading Barbarians, and Isles vs. Agents of the Netherworld who would destroy e-v-e-r-y-t-h-I-n-g.
Despite all this going on, the story avoids the common pitfalls of epic fantasies that become too sprawling. The main cast remains very connected, even when working on different quests, and their different activities all interlock and relate to each other very well. Nothing feels like bloat or unnecessary detail.
An interesting aspect to this series is its very directly stated philosophy: “People who seek power are innately unworthy of wielding it.” Also “People have the right to their property, their freedom, and their lives, but these rights can be forfeited if they violate the rights of others. In such a case, violence is justifiable.” These opinions direct all the activities of the main cast and serve as a sort if thesis which organizes the plot. The quest is largely about keeping power out of unworthy hands.
I think that this philosophy would stick in the craw of many modern readers who live in republics/democracies. After all, everyone who runs for office is a power-seeker, and this novel’s solution (ye olde inflicting power onto the unsuspecting royal farm boy trope) is monarchist. I think the author is very disillusioned and frustrated with modern politicians (can’t think if one who isn’t a liar) and has lost all faith in elections as a means of allocating power. I found it an interesting opinion to hear about, even if I don’t necessarily agree.
The male lead and female lead are very introspective. What is a good leader? How should they exercise their authority, how completely must they set aside personal interest, and what are their responsibilities? One of their main preoccupations is guilt. The author is quite firm that one should not feel guilt for the actions of others. “If an enemy forces an impossible choice on you, the guilt belongs to the enemy, not you. “” This mindset can come off as very warlike and domineering, but it seems to serve leaders well in tight situations.
The female lead (Isabel) spends a lot of the story fighting an internal battle. Portals to both Heaven and Hell are open in her soul, and her choices will save or damn the world. It’s an Eve story, but without a sexual theme. The temptations that would draw her off the righteous path are exhaustion, moral fatigue, despair, and sadism. Isabel struggles to choose perseverance, hope, and love instead.
The obstacles that the main cast go up against are varied, and each manages to be frightening and exciting in a unique way. I think this is helped by avoiding the insane power creep many fantasy novels/mangas run into. If your character levels up to godhood, what can really threaten him? The main character in this series develops strong powers of communication and surveillance, but never becomes someone who can’t be taken out by a lucky arrow, stab in the back, or household accident.
I particularly enjoyed an incident when the main crew was running away from night stalkers and took shelter in a structure, only to realize they had entered the stalkers’ den!
The magic and battle mechanics in this works tend to be both cool and fun. Very subjective opinion but… imagine a sword that can cut through anything, a magic fortress with heaps of money inside, a relentless monster that is immune to physical damage but can’t go through walls or beat geography, and a power to phase out of physical space—but if you stay gone more than a moment you get terrible frostbite and die! These things and more are just fun to imagine and play around with.
Two things I didn’t like:
I thought a certain bad-guy-turned-good could have been handled better. He hurt a lot of people very deeply, but everyone seemed to get over it at breakneck speed, as though keep up with the plot.
Second, the male lead managed to collect three women who are obsessed with him 🙄 One wife, a fairy who shares his soul, and an imprinted dragon. It’s not a raunchy book by any means, and the guy is always faithful to his main relationship, but I think some inspiration from harem fantasies leaked in.
On the other hand, quite a lot of the plot passes the Bechdel test. Two of the settings are matriarchal in nature, and both the adversaries and the problem solvers in these parts of the plot are women. Witch politics are brutal!
Overall, S7I is a very entertaining and interesting read. I don’t often see it discussed here, so I hope it gets more attention!
submitted by tester33333 to Fantasy [link] [comments]
My thoughts: overall, S7I is good fun!
The series is plot driven rather than character driven.
There is a large cast of characters, but it is quite easy to keep track of them due to their straightforward characterization.
Readers can get a quick feel of most characters because of their actions, and because they embody common archetypes: the passionate bard who follows the adventurer to compose his saga(Jack), the brave Thumbelina-like girl who is too pure for this world(Ren), the inventor with an ingenious gadget for everything (Gamaliel) etc..
The two lead characters stand out as being more complex and introspective (more on that later)
The pacing is the best part of this book. The author really doesn’t get bogged down anywhere. The characters move between several very different and interesting locations, and they enact sweeping changes wherever they go. A war is fought on three fronts: Isles vs Revived Evil Emperor, Isles vs. Invading Barbarians, and Isles vs. Agents of the Netherworld who would destroy e-v-e-r-y-t-h-I-n-g.
Despite all this going on, the story avoids the common pitfalls of epic fantasies that become too sprawling. The main cast remains very connected, even when working on different quests, and their different activities all interlock and relate to each other very well. Nothing feels like bloat or unnecessary detail.
An interesting aspect to this series is its very directly stated philosophy: “People who seek power are innately unworthy of wielding it.” Also “People have the right to their property, their freedom, and their lives, but these rights can be forfeited if they violate the rights of others. In such a case, violence is justifiable.” These opinions direct all the activities of the main cast and serve as a sort if thesis which organizes the plot. The quest is largely about keeping power out of unworthy hands.
I think that this philosophy would stick in the craw of many modern readers who live in republics/democracies. After all, everyone who runs for office is a power-seeker, and this novel’s solution (ye olde inflicting power onto the unsuspecting royal farm boy trope) is monarchist. I think the author is very disillusioned and frustrated with modern politicians (can’t think if one who isn’t a liar) and has lost all faith in elections as a means of allocating power. I found it an interesting opinion to hear about, even if I don’t necessarily agree.
The male lead and female lead are very introspective. What is a good leader? How should they exercise their authority, how completely must they set aside personal interest, and what are their responsibilities? One of their main preoccupations is guilt. The author is quite firm that one should not feel guilt for the actions of others. “If an enemy forces an impossible choice on you, the guilt belongs to the enemy, not you. “” This mindset can come off as very warlike and domineering, but it seems to serve leaders well in tight situations.
The female lead (Isabel) spends a lot of the story fighting an internal battle. Portals to both Heaven and Hell are open in her soul, and her choices will save or damn the world. It’s an Eve story, but without a sexual theme. The temptations that would draw her off the righteous path are exhaustion, moral fatigue, despair, and sadism. Isabel struggles to choose perseverance, hope, and love instead.
The obstacles that the main cast go up against are varied, and each manages to be frightening and exciting in a unique way. I think this is helped by avoiding the insane power creep many fantasy novels/mangas run into. If your character levels up to godhood, what can really threaten him? The main character in this series develops strong powers of communication and surveillance, but never becomes someone who can’t be taken out by a lucky arrow, stab in the back, or household accident.
I particularly enjoyed an incident when the main crew was running away from night stalkers and took shelter in a structure, only to realize they had entered the stalkers’ den!
The magic and battle mechanics in this works tend to be both cool and fun. Very subjective opinion but… imagine a sword that can cut through anything, a magic fortress with heaps of money inside, a relentless monster that is immune to physical damage but can’t go through walls or beat geography, and a power to phase out of physical space—but if you stay gone more than a moment you get terrible frostbite and die! These things and more are just fun to imagine and play around with.
Two things I didn’t like:
I thought a certain bad-guy-turned-good could have been handled better. He hurt a lot of people very deeply, but everyone seemed to get over it at breakneck speed, as though keep up with the plot.
Second, the male lead managed to collect three women who are obsessed with him 🙄 One wife, a fairy who shares his soul, and an imprinted dragon. It’s not a raunchy book by any means, and the guy is always faithful to his main relationship, but I think some inspiration from harem fantasies leaked in.
On the other hand, quite a lot of the plot passes the Bechdel test. Two of the settings are matriarchal in nature, and both the adversaries and the problem solvers in these parts of the plot are women. Witch politics are brutal!
Overall, S7I is a very entertaining and interesting read. I don’t often see it discussed here, so I hope it gets more attention!
2023.06.04 18:21 Famous-Rock2905 chance a low-income asian female in the midwest (feedback would be great ^^)
Demographics: Korean female, 1st gen, suburban Indiana, <30K family of 3 (low income)
Intended major: Biochemistry or Biomedical Engineering
GPA: 3.89/4.24
SAT: 1230 (gonna try to raise it)
Coursework
APs: AP Calc AB, AP European History, AP Calc BC, APUSH, AP Lang + Comp, AP Chemistry, AP Psychology
Dual Credit: PLTW Principles of Biomedical Science, PLTW Human Body Systems, PLTW Medical Interventions
Honors: Biology 9, English 9-10, Chemistry 10, Geography and History of the World
Regular Classes: Psychology (1 sem) and Sociology (1 sem), Visual Communications, Drawing I and II, German I-III
Classes taken over the summer: Gym (freshman), Health (sophomore), Econ (summer before 12th), and Gov (summer before 12th)
What I plan to do senior year: AP Lit, AP Stats, AP Biology, AP Physics (calc based), German IV, PLTW Medical Interventions, Study Hall/Tutoring (for volunteering), Calculus 3/Multivariable Differential Calculus
Awards + Honors (what I have rn): Questbridge College Prep Scholar, National Honor Society, Academic Achievement Award (for my hs), 2020-2022 IASB Individual Competiton Award (Gold rank in 2022)
Extracurriculars (including what I will do senior year):
submitted by Famous-Rock2905 to chanceme [link] [comments]
Intended major: Biochemistry or Biomedical Engineering
GPA: 3.89/4.24
SAT: 1230 (gonna try to raise it)
Coursework
APs: AP Calc AB, AP European History, AP Calc BC, APUSH, AP Lang + Comp, AP Chemistry, AP Psychology
Dual Credit: PLTW Principles of Biomedical Science, PLTW Human Body Systems, PLTW Medical Interventions
Honors: Biology 9, English 9-10, Chemistry 10, Geography and History of the World
Regular Classes: Psychology (1 sem) and Sociology (1 sem), Visual Communications, Drawing I and II, German I-III
Classes taken over the summer: Gym (freshman), Health (sophomore), Econ (summer before 12th), and Gov (summer before 12th)
What I plan to do senior year: AP Lit, AP Stats, AP Biology, AP Physics (calc based), German IV, PLTW Medical Interventions, Study Hall/Tutoring (for volunteering), Calculus 3/Multivariable Differential Calculus
Awards + Honors (what I have rn): Questbridge College Prep Scholar, National Honor Society, Academic Achievement Award (for my hs), 2020-2022 IASB Individual Competiton Award (Gold rank in 2022)
Extracurriculars (including what I will do senior year):
- IASB (spell bowl): 9th-12th, captain for 12th, went to state every year, got 2nd 10th and 3rd for 11th
- IASSB (science super bowl): 10th-12th, captain for 12th
- Model UN: 10th-12th, executive board member since junior year
- Key club: 9th-12th, regular member
- National Honor Society: 11th-12th
- MathCounts coach 11th-12th
- Volunteering at the Hospital: starting soon
- School Tutoring for chemistry: 12th
- Work part-time as an instructor at a math tutoring center
- Freshman Helper: 12th
- YJA, editor + a state chair
- stem-based club, director of research
- Paid Internship for cancer research at Notre Dame from June 2022-July 2022 (centered in an biochemistry lab), which was 40 hours each week, also got the chance to present at ND's cancer research day.
- I have another paid internship this summer at Notre Dame but it will be based on an engineering lab
2023.06.04 18:17 Byazz_228 Do these poses look good enough? I rarely draw them without references
 | submitted by Byazz_228 to FurryArtSchool [link] [comments] |
2023.06.04 18:10 NegativeLightning Your favourite characters
I’m incredibly bored so I’ve started drawing a collage (I guess) of marvel characters, I’ve added room for my favourites but there’s still quite a lot of space left so feel free to drop your favourite characters! It’s well-needed inspiration lol, anything goes however I do prefer drawing males (still open to female suggestions). Thanks!
One’s I’ve already got: - Hawkeye - Quicksilver - Havok - Maximus - The Human Torch (Johnny) - Beast - Kraglin - Loki - Eddie & Venom
submitted by NegativeLightning to Marvel [link] [comments]
One’s I’ve already got: - Hawkeye - Quicksilver - Havok - Maximus - The Human Torch (Johnny) - Beast - Kraglin - Loki - Eddie & Venom
2023.06.04 18:00 SunsetBLVD23 Books for film (or any) music composers
Hey all! We've just put together a list of books that could be useful, especially for film music composers (but honestly, they're great for composers of any genre too.) These books are fairly well-known, so they might be more suitable for those who are just starting out as media music composers. Either way, we hope you find them helpful!
*Please note that the selection of books provided solely focuses on the theoretical aspects of music composition. Books specifically addressing the technical aspects of film scoring, such as spotting, synchronization, and other related topics, have not been included in this list.
- On the Track
Author: Fred Karlin, Rayburn Wright
Publisher: Routledge; 2nd edition (January 8, 2004)
Paperback: 560 Pages
Language: English
Publication Year: 1995
If you’re interested in a career in film scoring, then we have no doubt that you’ve probably heard of this book (or maybe it’s already on your bookshelf). This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about the craft of film scoring, from the basics of music theory and composition to the more technical aspects of working with film crews and recording studios.The book is divided into two parts. The first part covers the basics of film scoring, including the history of film music, the different types of film music, and the role of the film composer. The second part of the book is more technical and covers topics such as spotting, synchronization, and orchestration.The only downside to On the Track is that it was published in 1990. As a result, some of the information in the book is now outdated. However, the vast majority of the information in the book is still relevant, and it is still a valuable resource for anyone interested in film scoring. Also, the book does not come with any audio tracks, but you can find many of the examples discussed in the book on other sources such as YouTube.
(Sidenote: Inside the Score by Rayburn Wright (Kendor Music Publishing) is an extraordinary resource and a great guide for those interested in study of big band jazz.)
- The Art of Film Music
Author: George D. Burt
Publisher: Northeastern University Press
Paperback: 288 Pages
Language: English
Publication Year: 1995
“The pages are enriched with detailed discussions of iconic scores from memorable scenes in films like The Best Years of Our Lives, Laura, and East of Eden.”
This book delves into the significant role and profound impact of music in film by analyzing various scenes from classic movies spanning the 1930s to the 1980s. The author thoroughly examines both the practical and aesthetic aspects of film scoring, drawing on the insights of esteemed composers such as Hugo Friedhofer, Alex North, David Raksin, and Leonard Rosenman. The pages are enriched with detailed discussions of iconic scores from memorable scenes in films like The Best Years of Our Lives, Laura, and East of Eden. Additionally, the book serves as a technical guide for composing film music, covering topics such as the spotting process, timing, synchronization, and general compositional approaches. It’s worth noting that the book does not include any audio tracks, most likely due to copyright considerations.
- Principles of Orchestration
Author: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Published: June 1, 1964 by Dover Publications.
Language : English
Paperback : 512 pages
*First Published July 15, 1822
“This book provides valuable insights into topics such as tonal resonance, voice combination, effective utilization of tutti effects, and more.”
“The Principles of Orchestration,” authored by Rimsky-Korsakov, a renowned master of Late Romantic orchestration, serves as a comprehensive guide to arranging parts for either a string or full orchestra. This book provides valuable insights into topics such as tonal resonance, voice combination, effective utilization of tutti effects, and more. Many of the musical examples featured in the book are drawn from the author’s own compositions, including notable works like Scheherazade and Capriccio espagnol.
However, it is important to consider that while we highly recommend this book and acknowledge its immense value, it may not be the most suitable initial resource for novice orchestrators. “The Principles of Orchestration” assumes that readers possess a solid understanding of music notation, orchestral instruments, and notation conventions. It is also worth noting that the book does not include any audio materials.
- Modulation
Author: Max Reger
Publisher : Dover Publications; Illustrated edition (June 5, 2007)
Language : English
Paperback : 80 pages
“Consider it an essential companion for your writing desk, providing quick and accessible references whenever needed.”
Let’s diverge for a moment. While this book may not be exclusively focused on film scoring, it proves to be an exceptional resource for music theory in general. Have you ever encountered challenges when transitioning between different keys? Aptly named, this book is dedicated to the art of modulation and transposing from one key to another. With a focus on 100+ modulations using a 4-part voicing, this concise guide offers valuable insights into navigating key changes effortlessly.
- Music Notation
Author: Mark McGrain
Publisher : Berklee Press (July 1, 1990)
Language : English
Paperback : 216 pages
“This comprehensive book is a treasure trove of answers to the majority, if not all, of the notation questions you may encounter as a composer. “
Pausing your creative flow while composing due to confusion over technical aspects of notation methods can be quite frustrating. Fortunately, this book is specifically designed to alleviate such situations.
This comprehensive book is a treasure trove of answers to the majority, if not all, of the notation questions you may encounter as a composer. It covers a wide range of subjects, including Chord Notation, Dynamics (Location of Dynamic Information), Articulations (Placement of Accent, Staccato), and various other crucial aspects essential for maintaining a professional and polished appearance in your musical scores. Whether you’re seeking guidance on proper notation techniques or aiming to enhance the overall professionalism of your compositions, this book is an indispensable resource that every composer should have in their collection. With its extensive coverage and expert insights, it serves as a reliable and invaluable companion throughout your creative journey.
- The Study of Orchestration
Author: Samuel Adler
Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company; Fourth edition (June 1, 2016)
Language : English
Paperback : 1024 pages
“This book goes beyond being a mere reference and is often regarded as a bible for composers across various genres, not limited to film music. “
Samuel Adler’s “The Study of Orchestration” holds a prominent place on our list. Deliberately positioned as the final item, we assume that many readers of this article are already familiar with this renowned book. However, for those who are just starting their orchestration journey, it is an absolute must-have resource. Consider it a comprehensive guide that imparts essential knowledge, whether you are exploring the ranges and characteristics of different instruments, delving into specific notation methods, understanding timbre, or learning effective techniques for orchestrating your compositions, including considerations for doublings. This book goes beyond being a mere reference and is often regarded as a bible for composers across various genres, not limited to film music. Its invaluable insights make it an indispensable companion for anyone seeking to enhance their orchestration skills and craft remarkable musical works. And yes, this book comes with audio examples.
You can find additional learning resources on film composition right here.
… and the list goes on and on. While we couldn’t include all our recommendations here, we’ve compiled a concise list of additional books that we highly recommend. In our future posts, we will gladly share even more book suggestions. Thank you for your reading!
“Film Music: A Very Short Introduction” by Kathryn Kalinak: This book provides an overview of the history and evolution of film music, exploring different styles and approaches used in film scoring.
“Audio-Vision: Sound on Screen” by Michel Chion: While not specifically focused on composition, this book explores the intricate relationship between sound and image in film, which can help composers better understand the role of music in enhancing the cinematic experience.
“Music Composition for Film and Television” by Lalo Schifrin: This book, written by the acclaimed composer Lalo Schifrin, provides insights into the creative process of composing music for visual media. Schifrin shares his experiences and techniques, covering topics like melody, harmony, rhythm, and orchestration. (Major drawback: No audio examples)
“Complete Guide to Film Scoring” by Richard Davis: This comprehensive guide offers practical advice and techniques for composing music for film. It covers various aspects, including working with directors, understanding the business side of film scoring, and creating effective scores that enhance storytelling.
“Scoring the Screen: The Secret Language of Film Music” by Andy Hill: In this book, Andy Hill explores the art and language of film music, providing a deeper understanding of how music can shape the emotional impact of a film. It covers topics such as orchestration, thematic development, and the collaboration process between composers and filmmakers.
Source: https://filmmusictheory.com/article/recommended-books-on-film-scoring/
submitted by SunsetBLVD23 to musictheory [link] [comments]
*Please note that the selection of books provided solely focuses on the theoretical aspects of music composition. Books specifically addressing the technical aspects of film scoring, such as spotting, synchronization, and other related topics, have not been included in this list.
- On the Track
Author: Fred Karlin, Rayburn Wright
Publisher: Routledge; 2nd edition (January 8, 2004)
Paperback: 560 Pages
Language: English
Publication Year: 1995
If you’re interested in a career in film scoring, then we have no doubt that you’ve probably heard of this book (or maybe it’s already on your bookshelf). This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about the craft of film scoring, from the basics of music theory and composition to the more technical aspects of working with film crews and recording studios.The book is divided into two parts. The first part covers the basics of film scoring, including the history of film music, the different types of film music, and the role of the film composer. The second part of the book is more technical and covers topics such as spotting, synchronization, and orchestration.The only downside to On the Track is that it was published in 1990. As a result, some of the information in the book is now outdated. However, the vast majority of the information in the book is still relevant, and it is still a valuable resource for anyone interested in film scoring. Also, the book does not come with any audio tracks, but you can find many of the examples discussed in the book on other sources such as YouTube.
(Sidenote: Inside the Score by Rayburn Wright (Kendor Music Publishing) is an extraordinary resource and a great guide for those interested in study of big band jazz.)
- The Art of Film Music
Author: George D. Burt
Publisher: Northeastern University Press
Paperback: 288 Pages
Language: English
Publication Year: 1995
“The pages are enriched with detailed discussions of iconic scores from memorable scenes in films like The Best Years of Our Lives, Laura, and East of Eden.”
This book delves into the significant role and profound impact of music in film by analyzing various scenes from classic movies spanning the 1930s to the 1980s. The author thoroughly examines both the practical and aesthetic aspects of film scoring, drawing on the insights of esteemed composers such as Hugo Friedhofer, Alex North, David Raksin, and Leonard Rosenman. The pages are enriched with detailed discussions of iconic scores from memorable scenes in films like The Best Years of Our Lives, Laura, and East of Eden. Additionally, the book serves as a technical guide for composing film music, covering topics such as the spotting process, timing, synchronization, and general compositional approaches. It’s worth noting that the book does not include any audio tracks, most likely due to copyright considerations.
- Principles of Orchestration
Author: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Published: June 1, 1964 by Dover Publications.
Language : English
Paperback : 512 pages
*First Published July 15, 1822
“This book provides valuable insights into topics such as tonal resonance, voice combination, effective utilization of tutti effects, and more.”
“The Principles of Orchestration,” authored by Rimsky-Korsakov, a renowned master of Late Romantic orchestration, serves as a comprehensive guide to arranging parts for either a string or full orchestra. This book provides valuable insights into topics such as tonal resonance, voice combination, effective utilization of tutti effects, and more. Many of the musical examples featured in the book are drawn from the author’s own compositions, including notable works like Scheherazade and Capriccio espagnol.
However, it is important to consider that while we highly recommend this book and acknowledge its immense value, it may not be the most suitable initial resource for novice orchestrators. “The Principles of Orchestration” assumes that readers possess a solid understanding of music notation, orchestral instruments, and notation conventions. It is also worth noting that the book does not include any audio materials.
- Modulation
Author: Max Reger
Publisher : Dover Publications; Illustrated edition (June 5, 2007)
Language : English
Paperback : 80 pages
“Consider it an essential companion for your writing desk, providing quick and accessible references whenever needed.”
Let’s diverge for a moment. While this book may not be exclusively focused on film scoring, it proves to be an exceptional resource for music theory in general. Have you ever encountered challenges when transitioning between different keys? Aptly named, this book is dedicated to the art of modulation and transposing from one key to another. With a focus on 100+ modulations using a 4-part voicing, this concise guide offers valuable insights into navigating key changes effortlessly.
- Music Notation
Author: Mark McGrain
Publisher : Berklee Press (July 1, 1990)
Language : English
Paperback : 216 pages
“This comprehensive book is a treasure trove of answers to the majority, if not all, of the notation questions you may encounter as a composer. “
Pausing your creative flow while composing due to confusion over technical aspects of notation methods can be quite frustrating. Fortunately, this book is specifically designed to alleviate such situations.
This comprehensive book is a treasure trove of answers to the majority, if not all, of the notation questions you may encounter as a composer. It covers a wide range of subjects, including Chord Notation, Dynamics (Location of Dynamic Information), Articulations (Placement of Accent, Staccato), and various other crucial aspects essential for maintaining a professional and polished appearance in your musical scores. Whether you’re seeking guidance on proper notation techniques or aiming to enhance the overall professionalism of your compositions, this book is an indispensable resource that every composer should have in their collection. With its extensive coverage and expert insights, it serves as a reliable and invaluable companion throughout your creative journey.
- The Study of Orchestration
Author: Samuel Adler
Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company; Fourth edition (June 1, 2016)
Language : English
Paperback : 1024 pages
“This book goes beyond being a mere reference and is often regarded as a bible for composers across various genres, not limited to film music. “
Samuel Adler’s “The Study of Orchestration” holds a prominent place on our list. Deliberately positioned as the final item, we assume that many readers of this article are already familiar with this renowned book. However, for those who are just starting their orchestration journey, it is an absolute must-have resource. Consider it a comprehensive guide that imparts essential knowledge, whether you are exploring the ranges and characteristics of different instruments, delving into specific notation methods, understanding timbre, or learning effective techniques for orchestrating your compositions, including considerations for doublings. This book goes beyond being a mere reference and is often regarded as a bible for composers across various genres, not limited to film music. Its invaluable insights make it an indispensable companion for anyone seeking to enhance their orchestration skills and craft remarkable musical works. And yes, this book comes with audio examples.
You can find additional learning resources on film composition right here.
… and the list goes on and on. While we couldn’t include all our recommendations here, we’ve compiled a concise list of additional books that we highly recommend. In our future posts, we will gladly share even more book suggestions. Thank you for your reading!
“Film Music: A Very Short Introduction” by Kathryn Kalinak: This book provides an overview of the history and evolution of film music, exploring different styles and approaches used in film scoring.
“Audio-Vision: Sound on Screen” by Michel Chion: While not specifically focused on composition, this book explores the intricate relationship between sound and image in film, which can help composers better understand the role of music in enhancing the cinematic experience.
“Music Composition for Film and Television” by Lalo Schifrin: This book, written by the acclaimed composer Lalo Schifrin, provides insights into the creative process of composing music for visual media. Schifrin shares his experiences and techniques, covering topics like melody, harmony, rhythm, and orchestration. (Major drawback: No audio examples)
“Complete Guide to Film Scoring” by Richard Davis: This comprehensive guide offers practical advice and techniques for composing music for film. It covers various aspects, including working with directors, understanding the business side of film scoring, and creating effective scores that enhance storytelling.
“Scoring the Screen: The Secret Language of Film Music” by Andy Hill: In this book, Andy Hill explores the art and language of film music, providing a deeper understanding of how music can shape the emotional impact of a film. It covers topics such as orchestration, thematic development, and the collaboration process between composers and filmmakers.
Source: https://filmmusictheory.com/article/recommended-books-on-film-scoring/
2023.06.04 17:46 BeetleWarlock Opposite day?
So, all the other cards I grasp and I think Opposite Day could be fun. But how is it suposed to work?
It isn't a reaction, so what action exactly is it refering to? Is it only for if someone draws an additional card?
submitted by BeetleWarlock to ParanoiaRPG [link] [comments]
It isn't a reaction, so what action exactly is it refering to? Is it only for if someone draws an additional card?
2023.06.04 17:46 windydistance I just finished a first play through of P5R and I have a lot of thoughts
Hey folks, I just finished playing through P5R for the first time (I only played a few hours of P5 vanilla) and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it for the last few days, so I wanted to write down a few disconnected thoughts I've had about the whole experience. Of course this is all my opinion, so please take it with a grain of salt. Since it's a reflection on the full game, there will be big spoilers here. Okay here's a big wall of text:
-First thing's first, this game rocks. It's just genuinely extremely fun moment to moment in a way that not a lot of JRPGs are, in my experience. It gets interesting very quickly and is varied enough to keep your attention pretty much throughout the whole thing.
-Man, this game really gets its hooks in you emotionally. It's a silly, goofy, dumb story at times, but something about the way it's constructed is really successful at drawing you in and making you care about your little band of weirdos. I find myself with a kind of empty feeling afterwards that makes me want to just jump straight into NG+.
-The extra semester added in Royal really adds to the experience IMO. I like that, after Yaldabaoth, the party is forced to think about what world they want to live in--like why are they rebelling in the first place? Maruki's an interesting antagonist here for a lot of reasons, but the main reason I like him is that he gives the party a difficult philosophical problem. He's not trying to enslave anyone or exploit them. He really is trying to look out for their best interests. At the same time, though, the world he promises is ultimately impoverished. He wants a world in which there is no such thing as genuine achievement, no real chance of failure, and one in which our relationships with others don't ultimately mean anything beyond making us happy. It's clearly hard for the party to intentionally choose a world in which they might struggle more and feel more pain. But you just can't have all the things that are valuable in our lives without some pain and failure. It's a cool dilemma, and much more interesting than the one Yaldabaoth sets up.
-With that said, I think they probably could have come up with a better way to integrate the semester into the game. It's very weird to me that your high-school guidance counsellor is ultimately like an eldritch being warping the fabric of reality, and the explanation of how he ends up that way seems super sketchy
-I do think there are some changes that could have made the plot a bit stronger. Just in the Royal content, the characters come to give up on Maruki's reality really easily. But I think anyone who's lost a parent would tell you that it wouldn't be so easy to do that--many people would give an arm and a leg just to talk to their mom or dad again. It would have been neat to have maybe a week where all the characters ignore you and start to drift away--maybe the game could even make their confidant levels start to decay or something to add some drama to the situation. Like there could be a full week of in game time where none of them are available to hang out with, and if you find them in the overworld, they tell you they're too busy or something, before eventually coming around to agree to fight Maruki at the end of the week. This might feel bad temporarily but I think it would really help raise the stakes for the final confrontation with Maruki. Some time for the story to breathe here would help.
-It would have been nice if fewer of the confidant lines were resolved with a trip to Mementos--it became a little repetitive around the middle of the game
-In general, I think the plot would have benefited from a bit more friction between the party members. I get that Joker's the leader, but they all just fawn over him and agree with everything he says, or take every one-word response to be sage wisdom. I get that part of what makes the game fun is forging relationships with your confidants, and that the game can't make it too difficult to do that (especially given how many confidants there are). I just would have liked it if they toned it down a little bit--like if people treated you a bit more like a normal person than a special wonder boy who knows everything (like Sumire starts referring to you as her coach at the end of her confidant line--what do I know about gymnastics???)
-On that note, it's hilarious to me that, when Akechi rejoins the party in the third semester, the party adds him back to the group chat. Like damn, I get you have to work with him, but that doesn't mean you have to hang out with him. Nothing brings down the billiards vibe like your father's killer lurking in the background. I think it would have been okay for them to just not invite him to things.
-Same with Yoshizawa. Nobody else in the party has spoken to her but I guess they all just love her anyway? I don't think everyone has to be best friends.
-Everyone in this game reacts very well to Joker saying "Calm down." Try saying this to real people when they're mad and see if you get any music notes lol.
-The game is overall a bit too easy for my liking. I played on Hard but there were only a few moments that I had to repeat (weirdly, the toughest boss for me was the boss of Sae's palace). This seems intentional--when you replay fights, you realize how annoying it can be to have to go through multiple scripted sequences in a 40-minute fight over and over again. But with how easy it is to farm in Mementos and get totally busted personas, the game just didn't feel that challenging. I intentionally tried not to optimize much at all and still completed the final boss in one go.
-Throughout the game, I was constantly thinking about Psychonauts, which is a very different game with a similar premise (jump into people's brains and do some questionably-ethical DIY therapy). There are interesting contrasts--Psychonauts is only ~8 hours and P5R is 100+ hours, Psychonauts is an indie platformer and P5R is a AAA JRPG. Still, I think there are some interesting points of comparison. In particular, the worlds in Psychonauts are very visually and mechanically distinct from one another, whereas in Persona 5 the palaces are all more or less standard RPG dungeons with a few twists as window-dressing. Again, I don't think the same level of variety would have been feasible (or even good--it would have been exhausting). Still, though, I think the palaces people really like are ones that stand out the most mechanically, like Sae's or Futaba's. Others, like Kamoshida's, just basically tell us that the palace ruler sees others in a messed up way and that's it. We don't get a lot of exploration of how the specific ways in which Kamoshida is messed up make him different from other messed up people.
-It's a bit of a shame that a lot of the game's distinctive personality fades in Royal. The music towards the end of the game becomes a lot less funky and unique and a lot more standard JRPG wailing guitars. This is a problem with Royal in particular, I think, but also in the base game. I really missed Tokyo Daylight about 2/3s of the way in, and Take Over is simply no replacement for Last Surprise (there's just no contest IMO). Of course, there are some absolute bangers in the last few boss fights, but it seems like the team at Atlus either intentionally chose a different direction for Maruki's world or just ran out of juice on their initial creative direction by the end.
-I found the ending cutscene of P5R a little weird and disjointed. After watching the vanilla cutscene on youtube, I can see why. The vanilla cutscene acknowledges the suit guys in the car a bit more, and the whole setup of the scene is confusing (we're driving to the train station, but oops we're not, but oops we're all here, but okay bye take the train). It seems like the P5R scene was designed to subvert the ending of P5 vanilla more than it was to give a standalone ending for the game.
-Okay lastly, I know people hate to talk about politics in games, but let me do it briefly. Representation issues aside, the politics in P5R aren't terrible, but I think they're inconsistent. On the one hand, it's very cool to have a game be about people trying to make society better by dealing with abusive powerful people who can't be challenged. On the other hand, it's weird to think about societal reform as just being about 'changing people's hearts'--we need to do a lot more than that. The ending seems to suggest that, ultimately, the best thing the characters can do is try to find roles in existing institutions that will allow them to pursue their own ethical code. That's not a terrible message, but it's not very inspiring either. The game doesn't have a lot of interest in the question of whether these institutions are good in the first place. Like it's very cool that they beat Shido and it turns out nothing has changed. You might think that's because Shido wasn't the problem--the system that produced him is the problem. But then the game says, nope, not that, actually there's an evil god manifested by the 'sloth' of the people, and that's the reason everything's messed up. So at the end of the day it's not that there are systemic problems that create injustices, it's that all the individuals in society just happen to be too lazy to fight for what's right, so what we need to do is inspire them to do...something? It's weird. Some games have diagnoses but no solutions. This game has a solution but no diagnosis.
Ok I'm done. Thanks for reading (if you did)!
submitted by windydistance to Persona5 [link] [comments]
-First thing's first, this game rocks. It's just genuinely extremely fun moment to moment in a way that not a lot of JRPGs are, in my experience. It gets interesting very quickly and is varied enough to keep your attention pretty much throughout the whole thing.
-Man, this game really gets its hooks in you emotionally. It's a silly, goofy, dumb story at times, but something about the way it's constructed is really successful at drawing you in and making you care about your little band of weirdos. I find myself with a kind of empty feeling afterwards that makes me want to just jump straight into NG+.
-The extra semester added in Royal really adds to the experience IMO. I like that, after Yaldabaoth, the party is forced to think about what world they want to live in--like why are they rebelling in the first place? Maruki's an interesting antagonist here for a lot of reasons, but the main reason I like him is that he gives the party a difficult philosophical problem. He's not trying to enslave anyone or exploit them. He really is trying to look out for their best interests. At the same time, though, the world he promises is ultimately impoverished. He wants a world in which there is no such thing as genuine achievement, no real chance of failure, and one in which our relationships with others don't ultimately mean anything beyond making us happy. It's clearly hard for the party to intentionally choose a world in which they might struggle more and feel more pain. But you just can't have all the things that are valuable in our lives without some pain and failure. It's a cool dilemma, and much more interesting than the one Yaldabaoth sets up.
-With that said, I think they probably could have come up with a better way to integrate the semester into the game. It's very weird to me that your high-school guidance counsellor is ultimately like an eldritch being warping the fabric of reality, and the explanation of how he ends up that way seems super sketchy
-I do think there are some changes that could have made the plot a bit stronger. Just in the Royal content, the characters come to give up on Maruki's reality really easily. But I think anyone who's lost a parent would tell you that it wouldn't be so easy to do that--many people would give an arm and a leg just to talk to their mom or dad again. It would have been neat to have maybe a week where all the characters ignore you and start to drift away--maybe the game could even make their confidant levels start to decay or something to add some drama to the situation. Like there could be a full week of in game time where none of them are available to hang out with, and if you find them in the overworld, they tell you they're too busy or something, before eventually coming around to agree to fight Maruki at the end of the week. This might feel bad temporarily but I think it would really help raise the stakes for the final confrontation with Maruki. Some time for the story to breathe here would help.
-It would have been nice if fewer of the confidant lines were resolved with a trip to Mementos--it became a little repetitive around the middle of the game
-In general, I think the plot would have benefited from a bit more friction between the party members. I get that Joker's the leader, but they all just fawn over him and agree with everything he says, or take every one-word response to be sage wisdom. I get that part of what makes the game fun is forging relationships with your confidants, and that the game can't make it too difficult to do that (especially given how many confidants there are). I just would have liked it if they toned it down a little bit--like if people treated you a bit more like a normal person than a special wonder boy who knows everything (like Sumire starts referring to you as her coach at the end of her confidant line--what do I know about gymnastics???)
-On that note, it's hilarious to me that, when Akechi rejoins the party in the third semester, the party adds him back to the group chat. Like damn, I get you have to work with him, but that doesn't mean you have to hang out with him. Nothing brings down the billiards vibe like your father's killer lurking in the background. I think it would have been okay for them to just not invite him to things.
-Same with Yoshizawa. Nobody else in the party has spoken to her but I guess they all just love her anyway? I don't think everyone has to be best friends.
-Everyone in this game reacts very well to Joker saying "Calm down." Try saying this to real people when they're mad and see if you get any music notes lol.
-The game is overall a bit too easy for my liking. I played on Hard but there were only a few moments that I had to repeat (weirdly, the toughest boss for me was the boss of Sae's palace). This seems intentional--when you replay fights, you realize how annoying it can be to have to go through multiple scripted sequences in a 40-minute fight over and over again. But with how easy it is to farm in Mementos and get totally busted personas, the game just didn't feel that challenging. I intentionally tried not to optimize much at all and still completed the final boss in one go.
-Throughout the game, I was constantly thinking about Psychonauts, which is a very different game with a similar premise (jump into people's brains and do some questionably-ethical DIY therapy). There are interesting contrasts--Psychonauts is only ~8 hours and P5R is 100+ hours, Psychonauts is an indie platformer and P5R is a AAA JRPG. Still, I think there are some interesting points of comparison. In particular, the worlds in Psychonauts are very visually and mechanically distinct from one another, whereas in Persona 5 the palaces are all more or less standard RPG dungeons with a few twists as window-dressing. Again, I don't think the same level of variety would have been feasible (or even good--it would have been exhausting). Still, though, I think the palaces people really like are ones that stand out the most mechanically, like Sae's or Futaba's. Others, like Kamoshida's, just basically tell us that the palace ruler sees others in a messed up way and that's it. We don't get a lot of exploration of how the specific ways in which Kamoshida is messed up make him different from other messed up people.
-It's a bit of a shame that a lot of the game's distinctive personality fades in Royal. The music towards the end of the game becomes a lot less funky and unique and a lot more standard JRPG wailing guitars. This is a problem with Royal in particular, I think, but also in the base game. I really missed Tokyo Daylight about 2/3s of the way in, and Take Over is simply no replacement for Last Surprise (there's just no contest IMO). Of course, there are some absolute bangers in the last few boss fights, but it seems like the team at Atlus either intentionally chose a different direction for Maruki's world or just ran out of juice on their initial creative direction by the end.
-I found the ending cutscene of P5R a little weird and disjointed. After watching the vanilla cutscene on youtube, I can see why. The vanilla cutscene acknowledges the suit guys in the car a bit more, and the whole setup of the scene is confusing (we're driving to the train station, but oops we're not, but oops we're all here, but okay bye take the train). It seems like the P5R scene was designed to subvert the ending of P5 vanilla more than it was to give a standalone ending for the game.
-Okay lastly, I know people hate to talk about politics in games, but let me do it briefly. Representation issues aside, the politics in P5R aren't terrible, but I think they're inconsistent. On the one hand, it's very cool to have a game be about people trying to make society better by dealing with abusive powerful people who can't be challenged. On the other hand, it's weird to think about societal reform as just being about 'changing people's hearts'--we need to do a lot more than that. The ending seems to suggest that, ultimately, the best thing the characters can do is try to find roles in existing institutions that will allow them to pursue their own ethical code. That's not a terrible message, but it's not very inspiring either. The game doesn't have a lot of interest in the question of whether these institutions are good in the first place. Like it's very cool that they beat Shido and it turns out nothing has changed. You might think that's because Shido wasn't the problem--the system that produced him is the problem. But then the game says, nope, not that, actually there's an evil god manifested by the 'sloth' of the people, and that's the reason everything's messed up. So at the end of the day it's not that there are systemic problems that create injustices, it's that all the individuals in society just happen to be too lazy to fight for what's right, so what we need to do is inspire them to do...something? It's weird. Some games have diagnoses but no solutions. This game has a solution but no diagnosis.
Ok I'm done. Thanks for reading (if you did)!
2023.06.04 17:43 Slow_man_shuffle In defense of pull rate data
A lot of hate recently for pull rate data. Happens with every set that comes out.
One post even went far enough to say there were statistical sampling issues with pull rate data that make them invalid. Specifically calling into question the randomization of the packs selected. This makes absolutely no sense.
It is true that randomization is needed for a statistically valid sample. This is necessary to account for the differences in the individuals being measured. A person in Texas is different than a person in California is different than a person in any other place. Randomization in selection limits the influence of each of these biases.
In the case of Pokémon packs, they are already randomized. The cards in the pack are randomized and the packs are randomized across products. This means that no matter where you draw your 5000 packs from (ETBs in Oklahoma or booster boxes in New York) you will have 5000 randomized packs.
TL:DR - Randomization is needed for a valid sample. Pokémon packs are already randomized, so selection method doesn’t matter.
Edit: removed ChatGPT reference as it was unnecessary.
submitted by Slow_man_shuffle to PokemonTCG [link] [comments]
One post even went far enough to say there were statistical sampling issues with pull rate data that make them invalid. Specifically calling into question the randomization of the packs selected. This makes absolutely no sense.
It is true that randomization is needed for a statistically valid sample. This is necessary to account for the differences in the individuals being measured. A person in Texas is different than a person in California is different than a person in any other place. Randomization in selection limits the influence of each of these biases.
In the case of Pokémon packs, they are already randomized. The cards in the pack are randomized and the packs are randomized across products. This means that no matter where you draw your 5000 packs from (ETBs in Oklahoma or booster boxes in New York) you will have 5000 randomized packs.
TL:DR - Randomization is needed for a valid sample. Pokémon packs are already randomized, so selection method doesn’t matter.
Edit: removed ChatGPT reference as it was unnecessary.
2023.06.04 17:43 HappyyItalian I can't read my cat's behaviour anymore since we got a kitten?
I have a 7 yr old male cat (will refer to him as K) that I adopted when he was 3. For context, K's original owner had no experience with pets before and K was also mistreated. I worked hard to get past K's trust issues and he became the sweetest baby. One of K's issues I noticed is that he bites and uses his claws a lot when playing or when annoyed, which I worked hard on changing to him now licking us or pretending to bite instead and rarely using his claws anymore.
We recently adopted a 3 month old female kitten (will refer to her as S) about almost 2 months ago. K hasn't been acting the same since. S was confident and would just walk around everywhere curious and not caring about K. K would act curious but also scared and would mostly just hang out far away.
Now he seems back to normal, but not entirely. He plays with her, but a lot of the time he ends up latching onto her and biting her so hard that she screams and he ends up covered in her fur. She wants to cuddle so badly with him, which he lets her rarely, but most of the time he'll either kick her away, leave, smack her (without claws), or latch onto her and start grooming her for so long in the most intense way. S has a tendency to try to eat from K's bowl almost all the damn time (she acts like it's her mission), and K just sadly accepts it and walks away. On the rare occasion, K will softly groom her. K also lets her jump on him and play with his tail.
With me, he almost doesn't purr anymore. He doesn't come up to me anymore wanting love like he used to. If I try to play with him and S tries to join, he gets upset and just stops playing, but I can see that he wants to play so badly. He doesn't sleep on our bed anymore. He doesn't come cuddle with me anymore and leaves if I try to call him over and S comes running instead.
Is he okay? Does he not trust me anymore? Is he upset with her? Does he just not know how to interact/play with her properly? Please help!
submitted by HappyyItalian to CatAdvice [link] [comments]
We recently adopted a 3 month old female kitten (will refer to her as S) about almost 2 months ago. K hasn't been acting the same since. S was confident and would just walk around everywhere curious and not caring about K. K would act curious but also scared and would mostly just hang out far away.
Now he seems back to normal, but not entirely. He plays with her, but a lot of the time he ends up latching onto her and biting her so hard that she screams and he ends up covered in her fur. She wants to cuddle so badly with him, which he lets her rarely, but most of the time he'll either kick her away, leave, smack her (without claws), or latch onto her and start grooming her for so long in the most intense way. S has a tendency to try to eat from K's bowl almost all the damn time (she acts like it's her mission), and K just sadly accepts it and walks away. On the rare occasion, K will softly groom her. K also lets her jump on him and play with his tail.
With me, he almost doesn't purr anymore. He doesn't come up to me anymore wanting love like he used to. If I try to play with him and S tries to join, he gets upset and just stops playing, but I can see that he wants to play so badly. He doesn't sleep on our bed anymore. He doesn't come cuddle with me anymore and leaves if I try to call him over and S comes running instead.
Is he okay? Does he not trust me anymore? Is he upset with her? Does he just not know how to interact/play with her properly? Please help!
2023.06.04 17:38 Boober_Bill New to King: where to begin?
For context, I’ve seen film adaptations of Hearts in Atlantis, Needful Things, Misery, The Shining, IT, Pet Sematary, The Dark Tower, and no doubt some others which I’m forgetting (maybe Carrie, The Mist?).
For the most part, I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve seen, and I’d like to finally take the plunge and get into reading King’s books. I have heard great things about The Dark Tower series, and that it apparently ties into a bunch of his other works, but I can’t make up my mind about where to start.
Should I just read a bunch of “standalone” books (including the ones which The Dark Tower will reference), and then eventually read The Dark Tower series as a whole? In which case, what should be my first Stephen King book? I’ve seen people mention Salem’s Lot, or Carrie, or The Shining?
Or, should I just go read everything in publication order starting with Carrie, and keep the Dark Tower books where they are, interspersed amidst his other works? The only potential problem I see with that is that I might burn out, or that having so much time between the various Dark Tower books might end up confusing me or causing me to forget various plot connections(?). Or should I just read the related books interspersed with the Dark Tower books?
Here are a couple possible reading orders I’ve seen for the “extended” Dark Tower series, that I’m debating between:
Option #1:
Off the top of my head, I like how option #1 both begins and ends with The Dark Tower, bookending it as a series. On the other hand, I like how option #2 starts with a short story collection, and how it keeps the Dark Tower series together as a unit, after the other reference materials have already all been read. I have seen a few shorter lists that leave out some of the aforementioned books; I guess the question is how completionist one should be when it comes to this.
Another option would be for me to start out with a totally unrelated book, before jumping into one of these reading lists? I’ve heard Carrie or The Shining would make a good first read? Or maybe Different Seasons? I also think The Institute looks interesting, as does 11/22/63. Heck, a lot of them look interesting!
Anyways, just trying to figure out where to begin. I welcome any other order ideas or first-book suggestions you may have. Thanks!
submitted by Boober_Bill to stephenking [link] [comments]
For the most part, I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve seen, and I’d like to finally take the plunge and get into reading King’s books. I have heard great things about The Dark Tower series, and that it apparently ties into a bunch of his other works, but I can’t make up my mind about where to start.
Should I just read a bunch of “standalone” books (including the ones which The Dark Tower will reference), and then eventually read The Dark Tower series as a whole? In which case, what should be my first Stephen King book? I’ve seen people mention Salem’s Lot, or Carrie, or The Shining?
Or, should I just go read everything in publication order starting with Carrie, and keep the Dark Tower books where they are, interspersed amidst his other works? The only potential problem I see with that is that I might burn out, or that having so much time between the various Dark Tower books might end up confusing me or causing me to forget various plot connections(?). Or should I just read the related books interspersed with the Dark Tower books?
Here are a couple possible reading orders I’ve seen for the “extended” Dark Tower series, that I’m debating between:
Option #1:
- The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger
- The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three
- The Stand
- The Eyes of the Dragon
- Charlie the Choo-Choo
- The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands
- IT
- The Talisman
- Black House
- The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass
- Salem’s Lot
- Insomnia
- Everything’s Eventual
- Hearts in Atlantis
- Desperation
- The Regulators
- The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla
- The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
- The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower
- The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole
- Hearts in Atlantis
- Salem’s Lot
- Everything’s Eventual
- Insomnia
- Desperation
- The Regulators
- The Talisman
- The Black House
- The Eyes of the Dragon
- The Stand
- Doctor Sleep
- IT
- The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger
- The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three
- The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands
- The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass
- The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole
- The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla
- The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
- The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower
Off the top of my head, I like how option #1 both begins and ends with The Dark Tower, bookending it as a series. On the other hand, I like how option #2 starts with a short story collection, and how it keeps the Dark Tower series together as a unit, after the other reference materials have already all been read. I have seen a few shorter lists that leave out some of the aforementioned books; I guess the question is how completionist one should be when it comes to this.
Another option would be for me to start out with a totally unrelated book, before jumping into one of these reading lists? I’ve heard Carrie or The Shining would make a good first read? Or maybe Different Seasons? I also think The Institute looks interesting, as does 11/22/63. Heck, a lot of them look interesting!
Anyways, just trying to figure out where to begin. I welcome any other order ideas or first-book suggestions you may have. Thanks!
2023.06.04 17:30 bagelgoose14 Moderate Total T, Low Free T, Very high SHBG
Hey guys,
New to the sub, currently not on TRT but wanted to run my labs for the last few draws past you to see if i should consider TRT.
In my 20's I was very into bodybuilding and around that time, pro hormones, precursors and all of the over the counter shit that is now banned were pretty readily available. I'm 99% certain I fucked my endocrine system up from years of treating the body like a science experiment but never graduated to full test usage. Eventually my body crashed, hormones went crazy and i kind of took a pause for awhile. Just wanted to provide the back story.
Currently, im 35, in great shape and exercise regularly. Diet and exercise are on point but am still experiencing symptoms of low T. Loss of libido, low mood at times, no morning erections and this has been fairly consistent for the last 5-8 years or so. SHBG always tests high and has since forever.
I get labs every quarter as i'm currently working with a clinic. Labs are drawn via Labcorp:
These are my results on DHEA and Pregnanalone, but Boron not introduced.
Total T: 747 ng/dL
Free T: 13.82 ng/dL
Estradiol: 29.1 pg/mL
SHBG: 58.8 nmol/L
These are my labs on DHEA, Pregnanalone with Boron. Although Free T improved, symptoms remained with no real improvement in the libido or energy department.
Total T: 789.9 ng/dL
Free T: 33.81 ng/dL (flagged as High) Range is between 5-21 for "normal"
Estradiol: 12.4
SHBG: 52.3, range is 16.5 - 55.9 so the boron got it at the high end of the normal reference range.
Boron obviously lowered SHBG and let the free T climb up which is great but hadnt really noticed the effects of it in my day to day.
Thoughts on the labs? Should i continue with running Boron to see if it improves things eventually or should I consider potentially moving to TRT?
Had kids, vasectomy and all that so im not concerned about fertility anymore.
Thank you everyone i appreciate you taking a look!
submitted by bagelgoose14 to trt [link] [comments]
New to the sub, currently not on TRT but wanted to run my labs for the last few draws past you to see if i should consider TRT.
In my 20's I was very into bodybuilding and around that time, pro hormones, precursors and all of the over the counter shit that is now banned were pretty readily available. I'm 99% certain I fucked my endocrine system up from years of treating the body like a science experiment but never graduated to full test usage. Eventually my body crashed, hormones went crazy and i kind of took a pause for awhile. Just wanted to provide the back story.
Currently, im 35, in great shape and exercise regularly. Diet and exercise are on point but am still experiencing symptoms of low T. Loss of libido, low mood at times, no morning erections and this has been fairly consistent for the last 5-8 years or so. SHBG always tests high and has since forever.
I get labs every quarter as i'm currently working with a clinic. Labs are drawn via Labcorp:
These are my results on DHEA and Pregnanalone, but Boron not introduced.
Total T: 747 ng/dL
Free T: 13.82 ng/dL
Estradiol: 29.1 pg/mL
SHBG: 58.8 nmol/L
These are my labs on DHEA, Pregnanalone with Boron. Although Free T improved, symptoms remained with no real improvement in the libido or energy department.
Total T: 789.9 ng/dL
Free T: 33.81 ng/dL (flagged as High) Range is between 5-21 for "normal"
Estradiol: 12.4
SHBG: 52.3, range is 16.5 - 55.9 so the boron got it at the high end of the normal reference range.
Boron obviously lowered SHBG and let the free T climb up which is great but hadnt really noticed the effects of it in my day to day.
Thoughts on the labs? Should i continue with running Boron to see if it improves things eventually or should I consider potentially moving to TRT?
Had kids, vasectomy and all that so im not concerned about fertility anymore.
Thank you everyone i appreciate you taking a look!
2023.06.04 17:29 docdoc5 RPDR Randomized Era 4: Season 10, Episode 3 (Tap that App)
 | The queens walk back into the werkroom after Honey's elimination. submitted by docdoc5 to RPDRfantasyseason [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/16jxmy6oyl3b1.png?width=372&format=png&auto=webp&s=85e679d78d37f1cc8311a819a9086d7256e6f620 Kandy talks about how clear it is that it can really be anyone who ends up in the bottom and that makes it even more important to always bring your A game. The queens then all gather around and Honey's mirror message as Orion reads it to the group. Rock talks about how she will really miss her hometown sister and that she knows that Honey really wanted to be here. Robbie mentions that all of them want to be here and that in order to stay they have to put up a fight. Kerri then asks Orion how she is feeling after falling into the bottom right after winning a challenge. Orion talks about how it was a shock to her system to think that she could go home so quickly after coming out as the strongest in a challenge. She goes on to say that it really made her realize that no one is safe here. https://preview.redd.it/jbkk86grkt3b1.png?width=366&format=png&auto=webp&s=2a87206ce8711f8f8c6152b236b178657ad1cabe In her confessional, Orion talks about how she doesn't plan on going through that again and that she is going to really have to focus in these challenges. The queens start to separate and go through their de-dragging processes. Rock tears up as she talks with Jaymes about how sad she is that Honey was eliminated and that she knows that she is such a good drag queen and that she definitely had more to show and sadly had to get sent home. Jaymes tries to convince her to just focus on her own place in the competition and to not get distracted because her opportunity could slip through her fingers. THE NEXT DAY The queens reenter the werkroom and talk about what they think will be coming their way. https://preview.redd.it/g29xu2dclt3b1.png?width=364&format=png&auto=webp&s=ced335a27cc432f1a47b1ce8a3825590da8938e6 In her confessional, Jade talks about how the competition is progressing well for her and that all she can hope for in this next challenge is that there isn't another group or team aspect so that she can stand out on her own. The queens all gather around the table and discuss the upcoming challenge. Monica asks the queens what they think is coming their way this week. Kandy jokingly responds by saying that whatever it is she will fight to win the challenge. Robbie laughs and says that she will have to get past her. To which Kandy plays along saying that it won't be too tough for her to do that. They then here the siren announcing their RuMail. Following Ru's message, RuPaul enters the werkroom. Ru tells the girls about the mini challenge. She explain that she will be holding a screen test for her new provocative RuPaul's Chocolate Bar ad campaign. She tells the queens that they are young ingenues new to Hollywood that would do whatever it takes to land the gig. She then sends the queens to get into quick drag. One by one the queens all arrive for there provocative chocolate ads. As they perform Ru makes them act crazier and crazier. After all the queens have performed Ru announces that the winners of the mini challenge are... - - - - - - - - Jaymes Mansfield, Rock M Sakra and Kerri Colby! Following this, RuPaul tells the queens about their next maxi challenge. She tells the queens that they will work in teams to help her to create an ad campaign to launch her new dating apps! Ru tells them that they would be creating ads for the following dating aps: - End of Days an app for doomsday preppers - fibstr an app for pathological liars looking for a real connection - Madam Buttrface an app for women who have a banging body...but her face. She goes on to say that Jaymes, Rock and Kerri will be the team captains and will get to choose their teams. They choose their teams as follows: Team Jaymes Jaymes Mansfield - Marcia Marcia Marcia - Jan - Jade Sotomayor Team Rock Rock M Sakura - Robbie Turner - Orion Story - Elliott with 2 Ts Team Kerri Kerri Colby - Kandy Muse - Monica Beverly Hillz - Akashia Akashia looks annoyed by being left until the last choice as she walks over to join Kerri's team. Ru tells the groups which app they are designing for and goes on to say that they will have creative control over the script and their goal should be to make her tap that app! Ru then leaves the teams to start preparing for their performances. PREPARATIONS FOR MAIN CHALLENGE When Ru leaves the werkroom, the queens separate into their groups to begin working on their ad campaigns. We see Jaymes's group sitting down to talk about their ad for End of Days. Jaymes asks the group if they have any ideas for their ad. Jan, Marcia, and Jaymes volley ideas off of one another whilst Jade doesn't contribute as much to the conversation. Jaymes attempts to throw to Jade to see what she is thinking and what role she wants to play in the ad. Jade mentions that she is fine with whatever they decide for her. Jan gets a little frustrated and adds that she thinks that it's important that everyone feels good about the direction they are going with the ad because they will all be on the line if it fails. https://preview.redd.it/74k3kw32lu3b1.png?width=366&format=png&auto=webp&s=16f040313098233a7d3b1e1559ed77ab1d68cafc In her confessional, Marcia talks about how she can see the frustration Jan is feeling since Jade really isn't contributing to the group in any kind of meaningful way. She goes on to say that she isn't going to go down for Jade. On the other side of the werkroom, we see Kerri's group working together on their ad. https://preview.redd.it/g2apznv8lu3b1.png?width=366&format=png&auto=webp&s=fd378263e9f8fb7f86b2a9ab6953a279147ac6d1 Kerri mentions how badly she wants to win this challenge but that it's clear that she and her team are really hitting a brick wall. Kerri, Kandy, Monica, and Akashia are shown discussing ideas for their ad. There are moments where they all just blankly look at each other. Monica jokes that she doesn't know how to be ugly so she doesn't know how to approach this challenge. Kerri laughs at this and says that they need to all lean into what Akashia thinks. Akashia laughs this off and says that she thinks that they should make sure that they make it funny and that she isn't sure that any of their ideas have been funny. Kandy then asks her to come up with something funny that they can use to which Akashia draws a blank. The final group of Rock, Elliott, Robbie, and Orion all try to come up with a premise for their ad. Robbie mentions that they could have a lot of fun with this because they can make sure that the ad plays into everything not being what it seems. https://preview.redd.it/7p8ft84h2v3b1.png?width=360&format=png&auto=webp&s=03a3ff98ff4f22b6d2cc6a19715257424ad399f2 Robbie mentions that so far in the competition she hasn't been getting the kind of attention that she wanted so she sees this challenge as an opportunity to change that. As the group continues working, Robbie takes more of a leadership role in the group coming up with most of their ideas. There are occasions when Rock offers ideas but Robbie cuts her off to insert her own ideas and it seems that both Orion and Elliott are following more of what Robbie is saying even though she isn't the leader. This plays onto Rock's face but she doesn't make it an issue with her entire group as they come up with their ideas. The queens then arrive to set where they are met by their directors, Michelle Visage and Carson Kressley! https://preview.redd.it/9xxazfgb4u3b1.jpg?width=2284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3e11990771a284075f00f6d582e2ad6f42c3a42a They work with Rock's group first. As they work through their material, Robbie continues to take control of things and talk over Rock which makes Carson ask the group who the team leader is. When they all say Rock, Michelle then asks why it seems like Robbie is the one in charge. Robbie pipes up to mention that she came up with most of the ideas and that Rock hadn't contributed as much to the direction of the ad as the other girls so that's why she is more vocal about how things are supposed to be staged. Rock looks gagged about this and when Carson and Michelle then start taking notes Rock tears up and mentions to Orion how she feels like she was just thrown under the bus. https://preview.redd.it/pnhevjl6av3b1.png?width=366&format=png&auto=webp&s=166a1d62f3b19bebec00b2f69f7c5c82d97f167c In her confessional, Rock elaborates on how she feels that Robbie really sold her up the river and made her look bad in front of the judges and how she can't believe that is the game the other girls are playing. Kerri's group is the next to go film their ad. Michelle and Carson become a little frustrated with the group as it seems like there is no flow to their ideas. Michelle even asks Kerri if they had prepared anything. Kerri tells her that they did have a concept, even though they didn't, and Carson lets her know that they need to see it. As they continue to go through their material Kerri starts getting a lot of great feedback from Carson and Michelle who love what she is doing. They also laugh a bit at Kandy and Monica. Akashia, however, keeps getting told that she isn't connecting and that her deliveries are flat. She then decides to change up her accent to be funnier but that doesn't translate either. https://preview.redd.it/95ya0z9xbv3b1.png?width=364&format=png&auto=webp&s=2abc2b0293423a703b66bca4e1bdfd8c8404f943 Monica mentions that she has been working hard to prove that she should have been brought back to the competition a second time around and here Akashia is likely dragging her team down to the bottom. Jaymes's group is the final group to work with Carson and Michelle. This team seems to work together much better than the other groups in that they have a clear concept and that each of them have moments in the spotlight. They respond really well to Jaymes and even reference her to the other queens when they give them feedback. Marcia and Jan also get positive feedback and only slight adjustments. Jade is told that she could play bigger to especially match what the other queens are doing because they don't want her to fade into the background with the challenge. https://preview.redd.it/uo12t4wxbv3b1.png?width=372&format=png&auto=webp&s=d74b45d32fd0a88fe1342781005d26bfc0e1d323 In her confessional, Jan mentions that she thinks her team really nailed it and that she can see the win going their way. ON THE MAIN STAGE RuPaul takes to the runway and welcomes everyone to the main stage and introduces the guest judges Nico Tortorella and Courtney Love. She explains that the queens were challenged to create ads for wacky new dating apps and on the runway the theme is... Feathers! https://preview.redd.it/jxre864tdv3b1.jpg?width=2606&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f1dbd51dffe536337ac3a33ab22914e2edc5fa59 FEATHERS RUNWAY The queens all begin their runway presentation of their feather looks. Kerri, Jade, Monica, and Jaymes have really strong looks for this category. Rock really gags the judges with her black swan look as it is so different from her typical runway presentations. Elliott and Akashia both flop the runway category this week however. JUDGING RuPaul announces that it's time to screen their commercials. https://preview.redd.it/xlk299umiv3b1.png?width=962&format=png&auto=webp&s=b2835b3925869398f7bb3a9e7f2adc90ce0a0f1c Team Jaymes is first. They do a great job of telling the story of finding love right before an asteroid hits. Jaymes plays an astronomist that is the focal point of the app and is one of the comedic centers of their ad. Marcia plays up a girl looking to lose her virginity before the catastrophe and also brings about some laughter. Jan seems to go a little too over the top while Jade doesn't seem to push far enough with her performance. Overall, they have a solid commercial. https://preview.redd.it/sn0f03f1jv3b1.png?width=922&format=png&auto=webp&s=401d87b0d9c4d755100c8b6b242f0abfa1022a23 They then watch Team Rock's ad. Their ad see a group of women who have a history with catfishing and how they want to be able to live their multiple lives through the dating app. It culminates on them all ending up on a date with one another after they tell the tale of a different person, they still all end up making out. Robbie really carries the ad while Rock is barely memorable and Elliott and Orion both come off a little strained. https://preview.redd.it/xdcpi5g4jv3b1.png?width=896&format=png&auto=webp&s=2d38610473296ae45c2eceb6b7843058ac62e38e Team Kerri's ad is the final ad watched. In their ad, Akashia plays the spokesperson for the ad while Kerri, Kandy, and Monica are all "success stories". Akashia plays too seriously and it is strained and forced. There aren't many moments of humor from her characterization whereas Kerri really leans into being ugly both in the look and even in physical comedy. Kandy and Monica both are ok, though they are eclipsed by how funny Kerri is throughout the ad. Ru tells the girls that they worked in teams but they will be judged individually. She goes on to say that Jaymes Mansfield, Kerri Colby, and Robbie Turner are the tops of the week. The three queens look excitedly at one another. She then goes on to say that Rock M Sakura, Elliott with 2 Ts, and Akashia are the bottom queens of the week. Following this she releases Kandy Muse, Monica Beverly Hillz, Orion Story, Jan, Jade Sotomayor and Marcia Marcia Marcia backstage to untuck. The critiques then begin. https://preview.redd.it/ohdgl1jvkv3b1.jpg?width=2290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f38a72d1a4e0069bacc96c4ac9f3c926f4a22952 Michelle starts with Jaymes and tells her that she absolutely loved her in her ad. She goes on to say that of all the groups she felt that she came out ahead as the strongest leader as her team worked well together and actually delivered a solid commercial. Courtney Love tells her that she loves the character that she puts on and that she can tell that she is a funny queen and will be one to watch. Carson moves on to Rock and tells her that she looks great on the runway and that she has such an imagination. He goes on to say that is what made it so strange to see her as a deer in headlights when they came to taping and that he found her to be the most ineffective leader of the three. He goes on to say that she should be happy that she had a teammate who even remotely came up with something for them to use because it could've crashed and burned. Courtney Love tells her that she is surprised to learn that she was the leader of the team because she didn't really have a leading performance in the ad they just watched. Carson then talks to Robbie and tells her she was the saving grace of her team. He goes on to say that it was quite awkward during taping when Robbie announced that their team leader didn't pull their weight but that he still feels like Robbie came up with material that should've worked and that she was the person in her team that really sold it. Nico Tortorella agrees and adds that he thought her performance this week was one of the strongest and that she really stands out from the crowd. Michelle then talks with Elliott and tells her that she wasn't memorable at all. She goes on to say that they had the easiest way to make something really funny and that all the ideas were there but the execution on her part just wasn't as effective. Nico Tortorella tells her that he didn't connect with her in the challenge and that would make it hard for a consumer to want to buy anything that you are marketing. Michelle tells Kerri that she thinks she wasn't the strongest team leader because it was evident during rehearsals that there wasn't a solid concept coming into the challenge and that really falls on her. She goes on to say that she still found her performance to be incredibly funny in a way that is unexpected for Kerri and for that she applauds her. Courtney Love tells her that she is so beautiful to look at and that she thinks that juxtaposition really helped her to be really funny in the challenge. Carson ends the critiques with Akashia and tells her he wanted to enjoy her performance but that she was tough to get through rehearsals and that the final product really showed that she just didn't connect with the challenge. Nico Tortorella tells her she came across really flat and that there was so much opportunity to make it funny but that he feels she dropped the ball in that regard. Ru then sends the queens to the back while the judges deliberate. - - - - - - - - - The queens return from untucking backstage. RuPaul then goes on to announce her decisions. She announces that.... - - - - - - - - - https://preview.redd.it/69li3wqy4u3b1.png?width=340&format=png&auto=webp&s=0909828fdfb8e069ec5397e17caf63395262d7dc Jaymes Mansfield is the winner of the challenge! https://preview.redd.it/sww5o5fx4u3b1.png?width=364&format=png&auto=webp&s=921bf1442b641d3005abd23556f8f996234be81e Jaymes celebrates winning her first challenge and talks about how she feels the judges have finally taken notice to her and she isn't going to let down Ru. RuPaul tells Kerri and Robbie that they both did a great job as well and that all three queens can step to the back. She then speaks to Jade, Akashia and Elliott. She announces that Jade is safe. She thanks the judges and walks to the back to join the other queens. Elliott with 2 Ts and Akashia are in the bottom two and up for elimination. Both queens look determinedly towards the judges. https://preview.redd.it/ltrdh8bwzt3b1.png?width=664&format=png&auto=webp&s=07da31912e89bb5901e7f6fd91e7a2aec00b8e3b https://preview.redd.it/d2vep92tzt3b1.png?width=372&format=png&auto=webp&s=b1cd81b7f5171ca1bd94865f6d5280152f7bf292 Elliott mentions that she knows Akashia turns the party when she lip syncs but that she isn't one to be underestimated because she knows she can perform. https://preview.redd.it/do54gnmrzt3b1.png?width=366&format=png&auto=webp&s=c149e16c18d3bc557f40f860c86189eddc5d3994 Akashia says that she can't believe she is up for elimination once again and that she will send Elliott home just like she had to send the last girl home. RuPaul announces that the time has come for them to lip sync for their lives. They had to prepare a lip-sync performance to the song Celebrity Skin by Hole. Good luck and don't FUCK it up! The lip-sync is...a strong one! Elliott surprises the queens in the back with how she goes full tilt into her performance. Akashia, as well, is really putting her all into the performance. Each queen really feeds off each other and performs with grit. As the song progresses, Akashia loses her wig but continues to lip sync with it laying on the floor of the runway. The lip sync ends and RuPaul announces... Elliott with 2 Ts... shantay you stay Akashia... sashay away The queens clap for Akashia as she departs the main stage and delivers her exit line. 11 Queens Remain... SPREADSHEET ALL STARS 4 VOTING TO BEGIN LATER THIS SEASON |
2023.06.04 17:25 venomstin9 Pose practice/reference pt3
 | This is the first time I'm ACTUALLY studying poses and looking for references, how bad is it? submitted by venomstin9 to sketches [link] [comments] |
2023.06.04 17:24 No-Battle1316 Sprint 2: 5 June - 18 June 2023: Jewellery Business
Hello again, you may or may not remember me from my previous post which I'll link to at the bottom of this one. I've started on my jewellery business odyssey and working in two-week sprints. In each post, update you on where I got to with the last sprint's goals and set out my goals for the next two weeks. If I didn't achieve what I meant to, I'll explain the risks or issues I encountered.
Sprint 1 Goals
The thing with a jewellery store is that you need to have sufficient product to look legit so that's why I decided to get some samples made of simple pieces that most stores sell. E.g. thin herringbone necklaces that can be stacked with other, more detailed, designs.
The original custom design pendants that I had made are probably too large so I ended up resizing, and I've also had some smaller pendants being made by the manufacturer at the moment. The actual designs of the smaller pendants will be too gimmicky-looking I think but I wanted to get a feel for their diameter.
So far, I've learned that simple designs really do look better on jewellery.
I wanted to start playing around with some product photography but I'm living in an apartment that's been going through a lot of renovation work so it's not been feasible with the mess and dust. I came across a company that supplies blocks and plinths for photography staging - my dad is a builder and I've asked if he can source some of the stone blocks for cheaper so we'll see.
Ultimately, I'll pay someone or a company to do proper photography but just wanted to see if there was a way I could take some nice shots in the short-term. I probably won't make it a Sprint 2 goal but will move it into Sprint 3.
As with all projects, things come up that you didn't expect and I've asked one of the designers from Upwork to do some more drawings. I found two websites in particular that are just exactly what I had in mind for my products (which is a good thing). One has 161k followers on Insta and the other has about 50k I think - they sell their 24k gold-plated pendants for $242 and $295, respectively.
My jewellery is currently being manufactured with 18k gold vermeil plating so in theory the price would be slightly less but I plan on adding additional elements to each sale with the hope of raising it.
I was watching a video from an entrepreneur the other day that said you shouldn't be selling anything below 80% gross margin (gross margin = revenue - cost of goods sold (which includes shipping, etc)). This was an eye opener.
Positioning the brand
Positioning the brand is quite scary, especially when you haven't built a customer base yet. It's something that's been sitting in the back of my mind for a while but over the last couple of days I've been confronting.
Positioning is essentially what they mean when they say 'niching down'. It's very simple but also very challenging and it being scary is why most companies don't do it. It's especially daunting in a market like jewellery but pretty much no one niches down past 'male, female or unisex', 'price' or 'the design style'. This leads you to automatically assume you're doing something wrong if you go deeper but in reality it's probably even more important. If no one else is doing it then you're going into an untapped market.
I'm treating the exercise as a hypothesis and if the hypothesis doesn't work out then I'll reposition again - if it doesn't work out then I won't be a company that anyone will give a second thought to so repositioning will be straightforward.
Anyway, I found an article that goes through the process of positioning that helped me. It's a bit more B2B but the principles are the same, the steps are:
The market segment I honed in on has an actual pain point, which is what I was missing and gnawing at the back of my mind. Bit of an ah-ha moment. However, this pain point is sensitive and I will have to be careful in my messaging.
Joint Ventures
Something I'll quickly mention is that, before I advertise and spend more money than I have, I am going to partner with independent companies that sell to this same market. First starting small and then work my way up once I know what I'm doing.
If they have a large list or, indeed, advertise themselves which I'm sure they do both of, I want to be a beneficiary of this and agree a profit-sharing scheme in which they get 75%-100% of the gross profits.
They can control the sales and money so they're confident I'm not stealing from them but I'll fulfil the orders and get the customer's contact details for continued marketing.
I've never done this but I'm feeling good about the concept and I reckon it's sorely underutilised but small companies.
Sprint 2 Goals
My goals for the next two weeks are the following:
So far (and rising): £1744.66
Final thoughts
Hope that was an interesting read, these actually help clarify my thinking as well. I can't really get going with with anything meaningful until I have the product photography done. I.e. no joint venture company is going to take me seriously without it. I think creating new designs is going to be an ongoing battle for the foreseeable too.
I've been listening to the podcast Founders which summaries and comments on autobiographies of company founders or special people throughout history. Of the business owners, one recurrent theme that keeps surfacing is how they're all so focused on making the best product on the market. Been something I've kept at the front of my mind.
Anyway - see you in the comments or in two weeks.
Link to old posts
Sprint 1: 22 May - 4 June
submitted by No-Battle1316 to EntrepreneurRideAlong [link] [comments]
Sprint 1 Goals
| Goal | Achieved |
|---|---|
| Get all generic designs (simple necklaces) sent to designer and costed | Yes |
| Have [customed-desgined] pendants resized and paid | Yes |
| At least one generic design sent to manufacturer | Yes |
| Take product photography shots of [completed designs I have been sent samples of from manufacturer] | No |
| Decide on which manufacturer to work with | Yes |
The original custom design pendants that I had made are probably too large so I ended up resizing, and I've also had some smaller pendants being made by the manufacturer at the moment. The actual designs of the smaller pendants will be too gimmicky-looking I think but I wanted to get a feel for their diameter.
So far, I've learned that simple designs really do look better on jewellery.
I wanted to start playing around with some product photography but I'm living in an apartment that's been going through a lot of renovation work so it's not been feasible with the mess and dust. I came across a company that supplies blocks and plinths for photography staging - my dad is a builder and I've asked if he can source some of the stone blocks for cheaper so we'll see.
Ultimately, I'll pay someone or a company to do proper photography but just wanted to see if there was a way I could take some nice shots in the short-term. I probably won't make it a Sprint 2 goal but will move it into Sprint 3.
As with all projects, things come up that you didn't expect and I've asked one of the designers from Upwork to do some more drawings. I found two websites in particular that are just exactly what I had in mind for my products (which is a good thing). One has 161k followers on Insta and the other has about 50k I think - they sell their 24k gold-plated pendants for $242 and $295, respectively.
My jewellery is currently being manufactured with 18k gold vermeil plating so in theory the price would be slightly less but I plan on adding additional elements to each sale with the hope of raising it.
I was watching a video from an entrepreneur the other day that said you shouldn't be selling anything below 80% gross margin (gross margin = revenue - cost of goods sold (which includes shipping, etc)). This was an eye opener.
Positioning the brand
Positioning the brand is quite scary, especially when you haven't built a customer base yet. It's something that's been sitting in the back of my mind for a while but over the last couple of days I've been confronting.
Positioning is essentially what they mean when they say 'niching down'. It's very simple but also very challenging and it being scary is why most companies don't do it. It's especially daunting in a market like jewellery but pretty much no one niches down past 'male, female or unisex', 'price' or 'the design style'. This leads you to automatically assume you're doing something wrong if you go deeper but in reality it's probably even more important. If no one else is doing it then you're going into an untapped market.
I'm treating the exercise as a hypothesis and if the hypothesis doesn't work out then I'll reposition again - if it doesn't work out then I won't be a company that anyone will give a second thought to so repositioning will be straightforward.
Anyway, I found an article that goes through the process of positioning that helped me. It's a bit more B2B but the principles are the same, the steps are:
- Let go of where you came from
- Isolate your Uniqueness
- Value: what can your uniqueness do for customers?
- Who Cares?
- Choose your best market frame of reference
- Amount of educational resources pre- and post-purchase
- Using professional stylists in content
- Partnering with unique set of companies that serve the same market
- Designs no one else is selling (yet)
- Create a subscriber-only store with designs that aren't available on the open market
- Unique offer and bonus package
- Specific selling order that compliments the next sale
The market segment I honed in on has an actual pain point, which is what I was missing and gnawing at the back of my mind. Bit of an ah-ha moment. However, this pain point is sensitive and I will have to be careful in my messaging.
Joint Ventures
Something I'll quickly mention is that, before I advertise and spend more money than I have, I am going to partner with independent companies that sell to this same market. First starting small and then work my way up once I know what I'm doing.
If they have a large list or, indeed, advertise themselves which I'm sure they do both of, I want to be a beneficiary of this and agree a profit-sharing scheme in which they get 75%-100% of the gross profits.
They can control the sales and money so they're confident I'm not stealing from them but I'll fulfil the orders and get the customer's contact details for continued marketing.
I've never done this but I'm feeling good about the concept and I reckon it's sorely underutilised but small companies.
Sprint 2 Goals
My goals for the next two weeks are the following:
- Confirm final jewellery pieces to stock and the hero piece
- Research market segment and clarify messaging
- Get samples of newly created designs
- Order a batch of generic designs from manufacturer
- Establish costs of expert-written content
- Research and understand my own shipping and returns policies
So far (and rising): £1744.66
Final thoughts
Hope that was an interesting read, these actually help clarify my thinking as well. I can't really get going with with anything meaningful until I have the product photography done. I.e. no joint venture company is going to take me seriously without it. I think creating new designs is going to be an ongoing battle for the foreseeable too.
I've been listening to the podcast Founders which summaries and comments on autobiographies of company founders or special people throughout history. Of the business owners, one recurrent theme that keeps surfacing is how they're all so focused on making the best product on the market. Been something I've kept at the front of my mind.
Anyway - see you in the comments or in two weeks.
Link to old posts
Sprint 1: 22 May - 4 June
2023.06.04 17:19 6rwoods (Spoilers Extended) Sansa as Lady Arryn?
I've been thinking about an option for Sansa's arc that I think has some merit.
We all know about the Arryn inheritance issue. No one really believes Robert Arryn will live to adulthood and his only heir is Harry Hardyng. George kind of makes a big deal of this, implying that if Harry is dead there is no clear next person in line. Obviously, there must be even more distant Arryn relatives who could potentially inherit, but they may be so distantly related that they're barely any closer than anyone else, or they may be inconsequential people from minor houses or belong to other houses/realms of Westeros and have other loyalties or priorities. It reminds me of when Robb was discussing his choice of heir and Catelyn brings up a couple of distant cousins from the Vale who Robb turns down because they have no real connection to the Starks, Winterfell or the North.
So if Harry does die in Winds, like many of us predict, who will be Robert's heir? Certainly the question will be of utmost importance at that point, even for those who hope Robert will live long enough to have a child of his own as they need at least an 'interim' heir just in case.
I put forward that this heir will be Sansa/Alayne. And before anyone comes screaming, "but she's not related to the Arryns!", let me explain why that might not matter in this scenario.
Part 1: Alayne as Heir
First of all, let me just go over the laws of Westerosi succession as I best understand them. The traditional rules for succession state that a Ruler's eldest sons inherit, then his daughters, then his younger brothers and nephews/nieces, then younger sisters, and so on. However, these rules are hardly carved in stone. Firstly because a Lord/King also has the authority to overrule tradition to name their own heir of choice. Secondly because, despite the rules and the Ruler's authority to ignore them, the opinion of other important people, e.g. liege lords, Kings, religious leaders, can also influence a decision one way or another. If the King's choice of heir is unpopular enough, the Lords might back another preferred candidate, and so on. This means that the solution to an inheritance crisis could vary wildly depending on motivations of the Ruler and of other important people.
So what does this mean for the inheritance crisis at the Vale?
Firstly, Lord Robert adores "Alayne". He clearly seems to have transferred his love for his mother onto her, and even though he doesn't yet know she's really his cousin Sansa, he seems to at least see the similarities between her and Lysa. Robyn is also incredibly paranoid about people thinking he'll die soon and wanting to replace him, hence why he hates Harry. So if there is a need to name a new heir, I think Robyn's first choice will be Alayne. As a small child, Robyn won't care as much about the technicalities and legitimacy of it and just want what his little heart wants -- and he's very stubborn! As Lord, he knows that at least in theory his word is law, so he'll decide on Alayne and expect everyone to accept it. But will they?
Secondly, Robert's regent and person who can actually make these sorts of decisions is Littlefinger. And I can't imagine anyone who'd be more interested in making his "daughter" heir to the Vale than him. I don't think I even need to go into much more detail here, it's pretty obvious that LF would see enormous benefits in making Alayne OR Sansa Robyn's heir, and I'll go over some of them soon.
Thirdly, Aegon is already in Westeros and this news will be spreading quickly. He'll probably take King's Landing sooner rather than later, so he'll seem like the clear best bet for King to most mainstream Lords who don't have a particular horse in this race. I believe Littlefinger will immediately want to marry Sansa to him, especially since Harry is dead, though he won't necessarily make this plan known to anyone but Sansa herself. And if Sansa is heir to the Vale as well as to the North, that sweetens the deal tremendously for Aegon's camp. Likewise, if Aegon and co. have plans to marry Sansa, then they have every reason to back her legitimacy as heir to the Vale, even if it's under the name Alayne Stone as that is easy enough for a King to fix later.
Fourthly, and perhaps most importantly, the Lords Declarant. This is a group of Great Lords of the Vale who don't trust Littlefinger and want to keep Robyn and the Vale safe from him -- however, so far they don't seem to have very much power to oppose Littlefinger as they have allowed him to rule for a year to see how it goes. They will definitely care about who's the heir, and some of them might even have their own ideas as to who it should be, either a very distant Arryn relation that is also part of their House, or if there is no such relation then they might push for their own House to replace the Arryns altogether. The problem with this is twofold: 1- if, say, the Royces put themselves forward as new Lords Paramount of the Vale, then the Waynwoods might have their own issues with that and put themselves forward instead, leading to rival factions within the Vale competing with one another and weakening each potential claim; 2- if these lords indeed care about Robert and don't want to become traitors by forcibly pushing another claim (like the Boltons did to the Starks and the Freys partly did to the Tullys), then they'd be more willing to at least consider Robert's choice of heir. This is even more true if they know that the new King Aegon approves and/or if they fear retaliation from Littlefinger.
Fifthly, there are the terms of the inheritance, which I think will make the Lords Declarant more cooperative. Basically, Robert loves Alayne enough that he wants to marry her himself, and when Harry dies this will be even more true. So the terms of the arrangement could be: Alayne is made interim heir to Robert but is also betrothed to him, with the idea that once he's old enough they'll marry and have a proper heir. So Alayne would only become Lady Arryn in her own right IF Robert dies before producing an heir, and if he lives then both claims are consolidated and their child will be Lord Arryn just as intended. Given the lack of valid alternatives to this, both in terms of the lack of other blood relations and in terms of the potential political blowback for going against it, the Lords Declarant may be more easily persuaded to agree.
Sixthly, Alayne's own inheritance. Obviously we know Alayne is really Sansa Stark, who still has a claim to the North and is closely related to the Tullys in the Riverlands. But Alayne herself has an inheritance. As Littlefinger's only known child, even if she's a female bastard, she still has the best claim to LF's own titles and lands if/when he dies - a claim that Littlefinger can easily make official to sweeten the deal. And Littlefinger is officially Lord of Harrenhal and Lord Paramount of the Riverlands, in addition to being exceptionally wealthy. So a marriage between Alayne and Robert might not be as poor a choice as one would initially think, especially when you add the fact that Littlefinger is de-facto Lord of the Vale now too and the Lords Declarant may prefer to keep him happy and/or have his much friendlier and more naive daughter influencing Robert instead of LF himself. I'm not sure at which point Alayne's real identity will be revealed or even how many of the Lords Declarant at least suspect who she is, but if they do then they certainly know that marrying Robert to "Alayne" could result in amazing political returns with the North and the Riverlands.
So these are the main considerations for whether Alayne could conceivably become Robert's heir, even if just until they have a child. Overall, I believe it's very much possible.
Part 2: Robert's Death
Lots of people, myself included until recently, believe that Robert Arryn will surprise everyone and end up surviving. However, everything we've seen so far seems to point to the opposite.
Firstly, there's the fact that everyone talks about how Robert is frail and won't last long. Certainly this could be a red herring with a twist when Robert actually survives. But the twist could work just as well if it Robert does die and it is the person who succeeds him that is the surprise.
Secondly, there's the milk of the poppy. It is said multiple times throughout the series, at least a couple of which happen in regards to Robert himself, that one can only take very small and infrequent doses of milk of the poppy before it kills them. And that is NOT what's happening with Robert. In fact, it's a shock that he's survived this long as it is, because Robyn keeps asking for more milk of the poppy, and Alayne keeps going against the Maester's recommendations and giving him more of it. It's unclear so far whether Alayne realises that she might be slowly killing Robert. On one hand it seems obvious that she should know, since the Maester keeps warning her and she's already seen a poisoning first-hand (Joffrey's) and should know better than to dismiss the risks. On the other, she never thinks anything to give that away, although logic dictates that, as she knows Littlefinger's plans to replace Robyn with Harry and she's meant to marry Harry, she could be poisoning Robyn on purpose to help the plan along. Either way, the chances that Robert could die from milk of the poppy poisoning are not small, and it could happen even if they stop giving him so much of it after Harry's death since it builds up in the body and Robyn could be past the safety threshold already.
Thirdly, there's the Alayne vs Sansa, Robert vs Aegon issue. You may have noticed that I discussed a marriage match between Alayne and Robert AND one between Sansa and Aegon happening nearly simultaneously, but I don't think they contradict each other, especially where Littlefinger is involved. King Aegon is obviously a better match than Lord Robert, so of course LF and Sansa herself would prefer it and Sansa/Alayne cannot actually marry them both. But if Alayne is made Robert's heir with the condition that she'll marry him eventually but then Robert dies before the marriage can happen, "Alayne" will already be heir to the Vale and be free to marry Aegon as Sansa. And Aegon himself as King can ratify the validity of the Alayne claim as belonging to Sansa since they're the same person. And that's a further reason why Robert still dying will be a matter of interest to Littlefinger and Sansa.
TLDR / Part 3: The Full Theory
So my theory is that Harry will die, Alayne will be made heir interim and be betrothed or even married to Robert, but then Robert will also die from milk of the poppy and Alayne will become Lady Arryn in her own right.
This will happen while Littlefinger is also arranging a marriage between Sansa and Aegon, with the expectation that Alayne/Sansa will be recognised as the same person and will become Lady Arryn, Lady Stark and Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
However, Aegon will likely end up marrying someone else who's actually present near King's Landing, either because it'll provide a more immediate political benefit or because Aegon will be taken with another girl and decide to marry her regardless of his advisors' political considerations or promises to Littlefinger. So Sansa will not become Queen, but by the time this happens she will already be Lady Arryn of the Vale.
The Vale might stay loyal to Aegon anyway, but it's far more likely in my opinion that they'll end up siding with Daenerys when she arrives. The main reason for this is that it draws a nice parallel between the first Dance of the Dragons and the second. In the first Dance, Rhaenyra's camp included the Velaryons, the Vale and the North. And the ruler of the Vale was a Lady Arryn, who sided with Rhaenyra due to a familial connection but also because, as a female ruler, Lady Arryn had a personal motivation in supporting Rhaenyra's claim. For context, Aegon II's camp included the Stormlands and the Westerlands, while the Reach and Riverlands were split. And now Aegon VI already has the Stormlands and will likely have the Westerlands too once they take the throne from the Lannisters and push them into submission. Dany may have the Velaryons through a deal with Aurane Waters, and will certainly have the North whenever she and Jon ally with each other. She's only missing the Vale to complete the parallel.
I don't know what this will mean for the very end of the series. Will Sansa stay on as Lady of the Vale AND also be Lady of the North, or just one or the other? And if she does indeed become Lady of the North, then who will replace her in the Vale? Perhaps they will appoint a new ruling family in the Vale, except that at this point it will have the full agreement of the current Lady (and of the King/Queen of the 7K) and happen more peacefully.
What do you think? Could Sansa become Lady Arryn? Will she join with Aegon or Dany?
submitted by 6rwoods to asoiaf [link] [comments]
We all know about the Arryn inheritance issue. No one really believes Robert Arryn will live to adulthood and his only heir is Harry Hardyng. George kind of makes a big deal of this, implying that if Harry is dead there is no clear next person in line. Obviously, there must be even more distant Arryn relatives who could potentially inherit, but they may be so distantly related that they're barely any closer than anyone else, or they may be inconsequential people from minor houses or belong to other houses/realms of Westeros and have other loyalties or priorities. It reminds me of when Robb was discussing his choice of heir and Catelyn brings up a couple of distant cousins from the Vale who Robb turns down because they have no real connection to the Starks, Winterfell or the North.
So if Harry does die in Winds, like many of us predict, who will be Robert's heir? Certainly the question will be of utmost importance at that point, even for those who hope Robert will live long enough to have a child of his own as they need at least an 'interim' heir just in case.
I put forward that this heir will be Sansa/Alayne. And before anyone comes screaming, "but she's not related to the Arryns!", let me explain why that might not matter in this scenario.
Part 1: Alayne as Heir
First of all, let me just go over the laws of Westerosi succession as I best understand them. The traditional rules for succession state that a Ruler's eldest sons inherit, then his daughters, then his younger brothers and nephews/nieces, then younger sisters, and so on. However, these rules are hardly carved in stone. Firstly because a Lord/King also has the authority to overrule tradition to name their own heir of choice. Secondly because, despite the rules and the Ruler's authority to ignore them, the opinion of other important people, e.g. liege lords, Kings, religious leaders, can also influence a decision one way or another. If the King's choice of heir is unpopular enough, the Lords might back another preferred candidate, and so on. This means that the solution to an inheritance crisis could vary wildly depending on motivations of the Ruler and of other important people.
So what does this mean for the inheritance crisis at the Vale?
Firstly, Lord Robert adores "Alayne". He clearly seems to have transferred his love for his mother onto her, and even though he doesn't yet know she's really his cousin Sansa, he seems to at least see the similarities between her and Lysa. Robyn is also incredibly paranoid about people thinking he'll die soon and wanting to replace him, hence why he hates Harry. So if there is a need to name a new heir, I think Robyn's first choice will be Alayne. As a small child, Robyn won't care as much about the technicalities and legitimacy of it and just want what his little heart wants -- and he's very stubborn! As Lord, he knows that at least in theory his word is law, so he'll decide on Alayne and expect everyone to accept it. But will they?
Secondly, Robert's regent and person who can actually make these sorts of decisions is Littlefinger. And I can't imagine anyone who'd be more interested in making his "daughter" heir to the Vale than him. I don't think I even need to go into much more detail here, it's pretty obvious that LF would see enormous benefits in making Alayne OR Sansa Robyn's heir, and I'll go over some of them soon.
Thirdly, Aegon is already in Westeros and this news will be spreading quickly. He'll probably take King's Landing sooner rather than later, so he'll seem like the clear best bet for King to most mainstream Lords who don't have a particular horse in this race. I believe Littlefinger will immediately want to marry Sansa to him, especially since Harry is dead, though he won't necessarily make this plan known to anyone but Sansa herself. And if Sansa is heir to the Vale as well as to the North, that sweetens the deal tremendously for Aegon's camp. Likewise, if Aegon and co. have plans to marry Sansa, then they have every reason to back her legitimacy as heir to the Vale, even if it's under the name Alayne Stone as that is easy enough for a King to fix later.
Fourthly, and perhaps most importantly, the Lords Declarant. This is a group of Great Lords of the Vale who don't trust Littlefinger and want to keep Robyn and the Vale safe from him -- however, so far they don't seem to have very much power to oppose Littlefinger as they have allowed him to rule for a year to see how it goes. They will definitely care about who's the heir, and some of them might even have their own ideas as to who it should be, either a very distant Arryn relation that is also part of their House, or if there is no such relation then they might push for their own House to replace the Arryns altogether. The problem with this is twofold: 1- if, say, the Royces put themselves forward as new Lords Paramount of the Vale, then the Waynwoods might have their own issues with that and put themselves forward instead, leading to rival factions within the Vale competing with one another and weakening each potential claim; 2- if these lords indeed care about Robert and don't want to become traitors by forcibly pushing another claim (like the Boltons did to the Starks and the Freys partly did to the Tullys), then they'd be more willing to at least consider Robert's choice of heir. This is even more true if they know that the new King Aegon approves and/or if they fear retaliation from Littlefinger.
Fifthly, there are the terms of the inheritance, which I think will make the Lords Declarant more cooperative. Basically, Robert loves Alayne enough that he wants to marry her himself, and when Harry dies this will be even more true. So the terms of the arrangement could be: Alayne is made interim heir to Robert but is also betrothed to him, with the idea that once he's old enough they'll marry and have a proper heir. So Alayne would only become Lady Arryn in her own right IF Robert dies before producing an heir, and if he lives then both claims are consolidated and their child will be Lord Arryn just as intended. Given the lack of valid alternatives to this, both in terms of the lack of other blood relations and in terms of the potential political blowback for going against it, the Lords Declarant may be more easily persuaded to agree.
Sixthly, Alayne's own inheritance. Obviously we know Alayne is really Sansa Stark, who still has a claim to the North and is closely related to the Tullys in the Riverlands. But Alayne herself has an inheritance. As Littlefinger's only known child, even if she's a female bastard, she still has the best claim to LF's own titles and lands if/when he dies - a claim that Littlefinger can easily make official to sweeten the deal. And Littlefinger is officially Lord of Harrenhal and Lord Paramount of the Riverlands, in addition to being exceptionally wealthy. So a marriage between Alayne and Robert might not be as poor a choice as one would initially think, especially when you add the fact that Littlefinger is de-facto Lord of the Vale now too and the Lords Declarant may prefer to keep him happy and/or have his much friendlier and more naive daughter influencing Robert instead of LF himself. I'm not sure at which point Alayne's real identity will be revealed or even how many of the Lords Declarant at least suspect who she is, but if they do then they certainly know that marrying Robert to "Alayne" could result in amazing political returns with the North and the Riverlands.
So these are the main considerations for whether Alayne could conceivably become Robert's heir, even if just until they have a child. Overall, I believe it's very much possible.
Part 2: Robert's Death
Lots of people, myself included until recently, believe that Robert Arryn will surprise everyone and end up surviving. However, everything we've seen so far seems to point to the opposite.
Firstly, there's the fact that everyone talks about how Robert is frail and won't last long. Certainly this could be a red herring with a twist when Robert actually survives. But the twist could work just as well if it Robert does die and it is the person who succeeds him that is the surprise.
Secondly, there's the milk of the poppy. It is said multiple times throughout the series, at least a couple of which happen in regards to Robert himself, that one can only take very small and infrequent doses of milk of the poppy before it kills them. And that is NOT what's happening with Robert. In fact, it's a shock that he's survived this long as it is, because Robyn keeps asking for more milk of the poppy, and Alayne keeps going against the Maester's recommendations and giving him more of it. It's unclear so far whether Alayne realises that she might be slowly killing Robert. On one hand it seems obvious that she should know, since the Maester keeps warning her and she's already seen a poisoning first-hand (Joffrey's) and should know better than to dismiss the risks. On the other, she never thinks anything to give that away, although logic dictates that, as she knows Littlefinger's plans to replace Robyn with Harry and she's meant to marry Harry, she could be poisoning Robyn on purpose to help the plan along. Either way, the chances that Robert could die from milk of the poppy poisoning are not small, and it could happen even if they stop giving him so much of it after Harry's death since it builds up in the body and Robyn could be past the safety threshold already.
Thirdly, there's the Alayne vs Sansa, Robert vs Aegon issue. You may have noticed that I discussed a marriage match between Alayne and Robert AND one between Sansa and Aegon happening nearly simultaneously, but I don't think they contradict each other, especially where Littlefinger is involved. King Aegon is obviously a better match than Lord Robert, so of course LF and Sansa herself would prefer it and Sansa/Alayne cannot actually marry them both. But if Alayne is made Robert's heir with the condition that she'll marry him eventually but then Robert dies before the marriage can happen, "Alayne" will already be heir to the Vale and be free to marry Aegon as Sansa. And Aegon himself as King can ratify the validity of the Alayne claim as belonging to Sansa since they're the same person. And that's a further reason why Robert still dying will be a matter of interest to Littlefinger and Sansa.
TLDR / Part 3: The Full Theory
So my theory is that Harry will die, Alayne will be made heir interim and be betrothed or even married to Robert, but then Robert will also die from milk of the poppy and Alayne will become Lady Arryn in her own right.
This will happen while Littlefinger is also arranging a marriage between Sansa and Aegon, with the expectation that Alayne/Sansa will be recognised as the same person and will become Lady Arryn, Lady Stark and Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
However, Aegon will likely end up marrying someone else who's actually present near King's Landing, either because it'll provide a more immediate political benefit or because Aegon will be taken with another girl and decide to marry her regardless of his advisors' political considerations or promises to Littlefinger. So Sansa will not become Queen, but by the time this happens she will already be Lady Arryn of the Vale.
The Vale might stay loyal to Aegon anyway, but it's far more likely in my opinion that they'll end up siding with Daenerys when she arrives. The main reason for this is that it draws a nice parallel between the first Dance of the Dragons and the second. In the first Dance, Rhaenyra's camp included the Velaryons, the Vale and the North. And the ruler of the Vale was a Lady Arryn, who sided with Rhaenyra due to a familial connection but also because, as a female ruler, Lady Arryn had a personal motivation in supporting Rhaenyra's claim. For context, Aegon II's camp included the Stormlands and the Westerlands, while the Reach and Riverlands were split. And now Aegon VI already has the Stormlands and will likely have the Westerlands too once they take the throne from the Lannisters and push them into submission. Dany may have the Velaryons through a deal with Aurane Waters, and will certainly have the North whenever she and Jon ally with each other. She's only missing the Vale to complete the parallel.
I don't know what this will mean for the very end of the series. Will Sansa stay on as Lady of the Vale AND also be Lady of the North, or just one or the other? And if she does indeed become Lady of the North, then who will replace her in the Vale? Perhaps they will appoint a new ruling family in the Vale, except that at this point it will have the full agreement of the current Lady (and of the King/Queen of the 7K) and happen more peacefully.
What do you think? Could Sansa become Lady Arryn? Will she join with Aegon or Dany?
2023.06.04 17:14 facetime010101 Aveeno Baby Calming Comfort Moisturizing Lotion with Relaxing Lavender & Vanilla Scents
 | submitted by facetime010101 to ChoosyParents [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/lh0ypgaam04b1.png?width=450&format=png&auto=webp&s=8913ab8d6916147869dce8d912038c654c92d33d Caution: It's important to remember that these evaluations are guides to potential health concerns and not definitive measures of a product's safety or efficacy. They are based on individual ingredients rather than any negative effects the final product may have. The way ingredients interact in a formulation can influence their potential impact, and the presence of a specific ingredient does not automatically equate to harm when used in a product. It's always crucial to do your own research, consider the product as a whole, and keep in mind that personal reactions can vary greatly. When making decisions about personal care products, it is recommended to consult with healthcare professionals. Brief: This baby lotion contains Dimethicone, a type of silicone that creates a protective barrier on the skin, helping to keep it hydrated. However, it's also formulated with Benzyl Alcohol and Fragrance, which may cause irritation or allergic reactions in sensitive babies. The inclusion of Petrolatum, a petroleum derivative, might be of concern to some parents due to potential impurities. Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour is generally soothing, but could pose an issue for babies with gluten intolerance or sensitivity. Sodium Chloride (salt) in the formula could lead to dryness with overuse. As always, it's advisable to perform a patch test to rule out any potential adverse reactions. Ingredients: Dimethicone, Water, glycerin, distearyldimonium chloride, petrolatum, isopropyl palmitate, cetyl alcohol, avena sativa (oat) kernel flour, benzyl alcohol, fragrance, sodium chloride. Typical ingredients description and side effects
The grading system used by EWG in the Skin Deep database is as follows: 1 to 2: Low hazard 3 to 6: Moderate hazard 7 to 10: High hazard |
2023.06.04 17:13 AlexRD19 NLMB Fallen Members Part 6/The War With PocketTown
 | 2019 was a hard year for NLMB, losing members back to back to different opps and starting a new bloody war with DeathRow, in 2020 the war will slow down due to a lot of factors. Most members who put in work in that war will get locked up and NLMB will focus on other opps just like DeathRow, we will come back in the summer of 2022 to that beef. submitted by AlexRD19 to Chiraqhits [link] [comments] Willie "Ghost 🕊️" Coker08/31/2019I didn't had space to include Ghost in the last part so i decided to do it here, it's not that important to the NLMB/DeathRow beef so it's ok if i include it at the beginning. Ghost also known as Rat was a respected OG from GME, i am not sure if he was the target or not but DeathRow and Lakeside dissed him a lot, Fa Fa Fa said they killed Ghost and ever since then GME didn't do anything for him, ignore the video from the store, that's not Ghost, it's a mistake by the one who made the post, the one who died in the store was an innocent as far as i know and it happen way after Ghost died. This happen in the same month DeathRow killed Willie, DeathRow was sliding a lot in 2019. Ghost was outside with multiple people in his own hood when shots rang out from an unknown direction, he was shot multiple times in the chest and he died at the hospital. "Ghost got hit up" 0:58 Michael "Aero 🕊️" Portis01/05/2020One of the reasons i believed Savo 🕊️ was killed by kings was Aero death, months after Savo died, Aero was sliding with FatLord 🔒 on some kings, which made sense at least during that time, Savo died in a hood cool with the kings, Aero is sliding on the kings, it was making sense into my head that Aero died trying to get revenge for Savo + that's what i was told, again i was wrong. As i said in my previous post, Savo was killed by NLMB, Aero was just a hothead who was sliding on his opps, nothing weird. Aero was on the frontline and did a lot of dirt for DeathRow, he earned the nickname "23" for a reason, in my previous post i put a screenshot with Fa Fa Fa straight up saying Aero killed G Dottie 🕊️. I know a lot of people believed Aero killed an innocent, but people told me that Garcia 🕊️ was a known king, why would Aero and FatLord slide on some innocents and specifically target them? Aero and FatLord were driving a turquoise SUV when they made a U-turn at the end of the street and parked in the block close to a king hood, both got out of the SUV with armed 9-mm handguns and approached Garcia and his neighbor as they were outside talking, they opened fire hitting the neighbor in the arm and hitting Garcia multiple times, Garcia returned fire with his own weapon striking Aero multiple times who died at the scene, FatLord was also shot multiple times, FatLord left Aero there and went to a hospital with the SUV in the same clothes that CPD saw on the footage. Garcia was pronounced dead at the hospital, police recovered 19 9-mm shell casings and 10 .40-caliber shell casings from the crime scene. This is a very controversial situation because at first, people said after FatLord recovered from his wounds, he told the police what happen and also snitched on BD 🕊️ but now they saying free him, they saying that someone else ratted and not him, but according to this article, CPD is using FatLord as a source, FatLord was the one who allegedly was the driver on the Willie hit, FatLord is still locked up so who knows. The scanner also confirms that they was sliding on some kings because they was having problems lately, it could be possible that some kings gave the location of Savo to NLMB, Savo was killed right at his home so NLMB probably got the drop from someone. NLMB and ABK will diss Aero hard because he killed G Dottie, someone also recorded Aero on the ground, which was heavily mocked by his opps. "Lil Aero a dumbass got hit on a hit" 0:23 Tristan "Tedo G 🕊️" Rogers04/05/2020NLMB first loss in 2020 but not because of gun violence, Tedo was from the MuskegonBoyz clique, he was killed by a car in DucciWay 🔱 hood, there is not a lot to say about him, he was a respected OG who was either related to Kobe 🕊️ or close to him. Shianne "Anna 🕊️" Reynolds04/19/2020Anna was a very loved member from MTG 079 now more known as BiyoBlock, she was Biyo 🕊️ sister, at first people believed that she was not gangbanging but that's false, there is a lot of captions with her saying she was using guns to slide, i don't think she was active when she died in that life and she probably was not the target either. However, she probably was active in the past and as we all know, the past is catching up to you, her vigil was also shot, allegedly by NLMB again. What i know is this, allegedly NLMB saw some MTG 079 members in traffic in SirconnCity 🔱 hood, they sped up behind them and shot the whole car, Anna was just unlucky since she was in the car with them, she was hit in the head and CPD pronounced her dead at the scene. This was one of the first getback NLMB got for Capo, but it will not stop here, NLMB will get more getback for Capo months later. 2020 was a hard year for MTG 079, they lost 4 members, Anna 🕊️, Pook 🕊️ who was not killed by any opps, LB 🕊️ an original who was also close to Biyo, LB was killed in DrillCity 📶🔱🅱️ hood, last one is Jeezy Snow 🕊️, we will get later to him. Anthony "C-Note 🕊️" Smith04/27/2020C-Note was an OG from NLMB, to be more specific he was from the MuskegonBoyz clique, from what i know he passed away from natural causes, nothing to do with gun violence. He was born in 1985 so he was old compared to a lot of main members from MuskegonBoyz clique like G Farro for example, you could say he was from that White Folks generation. Junius "BoBo 🕊️" Thurston05/07/2020BoBo was a very loved member from ABK, he was one of the main faces from there. BoBo was also a rapper, one of his best songs Pigs Hot where you can see a lot of ABK members including Yogi 🕊️, BoBo was close to NLMB as well, he did a song with Juvie and before his death you could see him around G Herbo. BlackMobb was having a field day when BoBo was killed, even though BoBo left that life behind while starting a truck company, it's not like your opps will forgive you or forget that you did dirt in the streets or hurt their people, that shit is stucked until you die, even if you are 30, 40, as long as you put yourself in danger(go back to the city) you can get killed anywhere. BoBo exit his car and went to a gas station in a relatively safe area far away from any hood, a black Audi pull up and a rear passenger open fire, he ran north from the station but then a gunman got out of the car and chased after him, firing more shots. BoBo collapsed and the gunman caught up to him standing over him and fired more shots, BoBo was pronounced dead at the hospital, police said he was shot multiple times. BlackMobb were not the only ones having a field day with his death, PocketTown also dissed him: "BoBo got his ass smoked, 20 bullets took his soul" 2:45 It is sad because BlackMobb and ABK were like this, but friends are turning to enemies and both sides lost main members in this war. Lee "KTS Rio 🕊️" Cameron07/12/2020If you follow the drill scene, then you know who was KTS Rio, one of the main faces from PocketTown and Lil Los 🔒 little brother, he was a huge loss for PocketTown, after his death a lot of stuff went down. Rio was driving a vehicle with two other teenagers near a gas station in KakiWorld 🔱🅱️⭐️✊🏿 hood when a silver SUV pulled up and someone inside started shooting, Rio was shot multiple times and he was pronounced dead at the hospital. The 14-year-old boy was shot in the back and a 17-year-old boy was hit in the right arm, both were taken to the hospital in good condition. After his death PocketTown goes by "RioGang" in his honour, Rio was also one of their main rappers, one of his most known song is NLMBK, Faro dissed him in a song after he died: "Rio got hit and they left his ass twitching" 0:38 "Rio got hit, y'all ain't get your getback" 1:05 A lot of people are saying NLMB killed KTS Rio but if you watch Freeband BoBo 🕊️ video that CH88 made, it is very clear that NLMB didn't do anything to Rio, because the war started when Lil Greg 🕊️ was killed, that's also what BoBo said. The beef was not serious until Lil Greg died, BoBo also said the whole war started because of a bitch, Lil Greg wanted to call his guys to kill BoBo because of a girl. Feel free to watch the video, it's explaining a lot of stuff. Remember there is a difference between "twitter beef" like disses and blood beef, KTS Dre did dirt on NLMB but he did that for Lakeside while PocketTown was his second hood(he started to claim PocketTown after KTS Von died), so Lil Greg was the first guy to die in that beef, we will get later to him. Now honestly it is not known who killed KTS Rio, but one of the most plausible theory is that SirconnCity killed him, months after KTS Rio died, PocketTown lost KDawg 🕊️, another top member while sliding on SirconnCity hood, his article doesn't mention anything about sliding but both sides said that. "We doing hits without hoodies and masks, Rio got hit, he got stretched like an elastic" 1:08 "KDawg got hit on a hit, he dead" 0:24 They are main opps but since PocketTown top members were sliding, i think that means something, especially after Rio died. This won't stop at KTS Rio, this year would be the most hardest year for PocketTown, they will lose 6 members in one year and they was all top members, but not all of them were killed by opps. Big Glizzy/Lil James 🕊️ (June 07 2020), killed at a party in Robbins, a suburb of Chicago. KTS Rio 🕊️ (July 12 2020), KDawg 🕊️ (September 27 2020), Nuke 30 🕊️ (November 25 2020), killed OT, LA Glizzy/Lil Ant 🕊️ (January 12 2021), killed OT, Killa Spook 🕊️ (March 26 2021), we will get later to Killa Spook. "They lost 6 niggas in one year, tryna make the rest of them disappear" 1:53 Antoine "BT 🕊️" Rose08/22/2020BT was a very loved member from NLMM and 358Gang, he claimed both sets, he was also close to NLMB, one of the reasons he died. Even though NLMB and 358Gang are opps, as i said in my previous parts, NLMM was always a set focusing on money, they was never known to slide like that, so that's probably why he was close to NLMB and cool with NLMB opps, 358Gang. BT also appeared on the Maurice show. I think everyone knows that Fa Fa Fa straight up said they killed BT, so why they killed him? Well even though BT was not involved in their beef, it doesn't matter, he was close to NLMB and 358Gang killed Mook 🕊️ in 2019, so DeathRow got their getback for him. I don't think BT was the specific target because the shooting occured in TheBush 👑🦁 territory, which are opps to DeathRow. BT was shot in the head and in the abdomen, CPD pronounced him dead at the scene, a 32 year old man was also shot in the abdomen and in the leg, he was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Sean "Cello Da Shoota 🕊️" Wilson09/07/2020There was a lot of back and forth between NoGood and NLMB, mainly because NLMB killed Montae 🕊️ and it was forever stuck there, even though NoGood and NLMB are old opps, that beef was really inactive compared to Lakeside for example, but this all changed when Montae was killed, Montae was very loved by NoGood and like Jeff Fort said "there is not going to be any killing without killing" Cello was not really a main face from NLMB, he was from the NoLimit clique but his original hood was JBG 🔱 also known as MoneGang. Cello was driving with someone else in the car in NoGood ⭐️✊🏿 hood, Jay Savage and Deonte 🔒 fired shots and the person in the backseat fired back, hitting one of them in the forearm, Cello was hit in the neck and died at the hospital, the other person was listed in good condition after being shot in his thigh, he has a license to carry his gun. Jay Savage and Deonte were both charged with his murder, both were from NoGood and close to Montae. Deshawn "Jeezy Snow 🕊️" Fletcher10/15/2020Jeezy was in ABK 4️⃣🍸⭐️✊🏿🔱 hood driving his car when Mally 🔒 opened fire from the sunroof of a silver Chrysler 300, he was shot multiple times in the head, neck and upper torso, he died at the hospital two days later. There is a lot of contradiction of the car used in the murder, what we know for sure is that Mally shot from the sunroof. Mally also searched the murder on google to see if Jeezy died. This was a a crazy hit for many reasons, one of them is that Lil Wet was driving the car, Lil Wet did this two months after he beat his quadruple murder case, the case is complicated but to this day Mally is still locked up for it. The full foia if you want to read more, from what i know the case is very strong against Mally but let's be real, Lil Wet beat a quadruple murder, everything is possible in Chicago, so i won't be surprised if he is beating it. Lil Wet also hinted in his song "Nun Stop" about the hit, the music video was deleted or made private, but the audio version is still up. "Gotta ride for my gang, Steph got the wheel, Lil Mally might come out the roof " 0:44 Jeezy was actually very close to DoggPound 🅱️, you can see him around them in old videos and i think he was related to some members from there too, i am not sure if he was claiming DoggPound at one point but members from there still say rip to him, again it doesn't mean every DoggPound member was close to him. It is a complicated situation but this was another getback NLMB got for Capo, a top member from MTG 079 and very loved. Gregory "Lil Greg 🕊️" Jackson III01/28/2021The death that started all and guess what caused this? Well if you didn't guess it, it was a bitch, Lil Greg 🕊️ got into his feelings because BoBo 🕊️ was messing with a girl that he liked so when Lil Greg saw him, he tried to get the green light from other members to come and kill him right there, allegedly NLMB told him BoBo is not an opp and that he is staying out of the way, Lil Greg tried to call other members but it was too late. PocketTown members got the drop from BoBo and went to kill Lil Greg who was in a barbershop far away from EastSide, Lil Don 🔒 walked up to him and shot Lil Greg in the face inside the barbershop, he was pronounced dead shortly after at the hospital, CK was actually charged because they found him in the same car that was used in the murder, he stayed solid and beat the case, CK was the one driving. Lil Greg was a very loved member from NLMB and a main face from there, he was from the MuskegonBoyz clique but very close to G Herbo and even celebrities like 21 Savage paid respects to him, he was respected because he was a trapper making money from drugs to raise his kids, his death hurt a lot of people and you could say that his death made "DrenchGang" more famous because the getback was huge in terms of impact on the media, i am of course speaking about KTS Dre, his death was international news because of the way he died + Killa Spook, we will get later to them. "Me and Gregg was sharin' clothes, but we weren't really bros" 0:18 "Lil Greg died, that started some shit, but how many checked after broski got hit?" 0:36 he is also upping 4 fingers, which is probably a reference to Killa Spook, KTS Dre, BoBo and probably Lil Don from PaxTown. Moowop 🔒 also confirmed 3 opps died for Lil Greg, again most likely a reference to Killa Spook, KTS Dre and BoBo. Lil Don was also shot multiple times but he survived NLMB was hurt but the opps were dissing Lil Greg hard, especially Lil Don: Lil Don called Lil Greg biggest score of 2021 This started a new bloody war in the EastSide which caused a lot of damage, members getting locked up, members getting killed, members getting shot and so on, PocketTown was also unlucky to get hit with a "RICO" and most of their top members got locked up, there is barely any main faces out there besides Denny G and Lil Ant, they also have internal beef now. The indictment also mentions they found the gun which was used in Lil Greg murder, the whole situation was fucked up for PocketTown, they lost like 10 members to this indictment + Lil Don got locked up + internal beef, the whole hood was hit hard by this indictment and a lot of "snitching" rumours are in the air. The members who got locked up are Lil Rah 🔒, EJ(he was released), Rello 🔒, Dreski 🔒 MT Larry🔒 who actually shot back when Spook died, Corey Got Clout 🔒, PacMigo 🔒, Dwight 🔒 and DreadHead Larry 🔒 Dante "Killa Spook 🕊️" Thomas03/26/2021Killa Spook was like a leader in PocketTown, he had a lot of respect and his name says it all "Killa Spook" it's not a name you earn for doing nothing, he was a known killer who did a lot for PocketTown, him and KTS Von 🕊️ went to slide on Lamron in the past, he was very active, him and Denny G were sliding on SirconnCity as well. Spook 🕊️ was partying with a lot of members inside StainCity🔱⭐️✊🏿 hood, it was a party for their fallen member KDawg 🕊️ who was killed sliding on SirconnCity in 2020, two shooters(this might be PocketTown shooting back but i personally think those are the offenders), NLMB and GME got the drop from a bitch and shot the whole party up, Killa Spook was shot by a stray bullet through a window, he was pronounced dead at the scene, Lord was shot in the head and he was taken to the hospital in critical condition, Denny G was taken to the hospital in critical condition and he recovered after some time, other members got shot as well but it was nothing serious like the ones i mentioned above. Right after the party got shot up, PocketTown went to slide on NLMB and hit someone in the leg, there are a lot of things that points NLMB for doing this hit but it is confirmed that GME was also involved, Lil B from GME was arrested by CPD with the car used in the murder, he was released because CPD didn't had proof that he did the murder. There are many names around Spook death, Faro, Lil Ro, Twino 🕊️, EMoe from GME, 7Moe 🕊️ from GME, it is not known exactly who killed Spook but it is hard to tell, what should be confirmed for sure is that it was a NLMB/GME hit, even CPD and FBI believes that. In case you guys don't know, FBI was trying to build a RICO but their main suspect Max 🕊️ was killed, so i think the case is really not that strong anymore. I do think FBI is monitoring what is going on between NLMB and PocketTown now. PocketTown was hurt to the core by his death, NLMB and GME were dissing like crazy and celebrating Lil Greg a lot, it's a lot of disses that i am sure most of you saw, if you want way more details, watch CH88 video. Londre "KTS Dre 🕊️" Sylvester07/10/2021Dre was getting out of prison after his fiancee paid his $5,000 bond on Friday, for some reason Dre decided to leave only on Saturday, what Dre didn't knew is that his decision will cost him his life and potentially the life of two other innocent females. Dre was shot around 64 times by multiple shooters from two different vehicles far away from EastSide in every side of his body, a 60 year old female was shot in the knee and a 35 year old female suffered a graze to her mouth while walking by, both were taken to the hospital in good condition. Dre was DOA and his death will have a huge impact in the streets, after his death the president of America, Joe Biden, was forced to do a meeting to slow the violence in Chicago, this was because his death had an immense impact in the international news because of the way that he died. I would leave in the comments a list of some the countries news speaking about KTS Dre, because it would take too much space in the post. Dre was an upcoming rapper in the drill scene, his most famous song being a feature with Rio called "NLMBK Pt. 2" but in the drill scene he mostly became known for punching Kyro, one of the many reasons Kyro diss him a lot. Dre was very active in the streets before his death, he did a lot of dirt and a lot of his opps wanted him gone. Dre was also suspected by CPD for killing Magic 🕊️ in 2019. He was originally from LakeSide but he started to claim PocketTown after the death of his brother in 2015, he is what people believe Von was, don't get me wrong, Von was active in the streets but Dre was something else. I heard many names around Dre death, Faro, the DrenchGang Twins, Moowop, Kyro, Lil Hot, honestly i am not sure who killed Dre but NLMB and even PocketTown/LakeSide made it known who did it on social media. Faro being pretty clear that this was a getback for Lil Greg. Losing so many people in such a short time affected PocketTown in many ways, a lot of them decided to step down because when shit gets real, you need to think about your life too, most of them have families, it might be a coward way but can you blame them? 10 members locked up for indictment, 9 top members killed between 2020-2022, Denny G was almost killed, Meechie was almost killed, Lil Don got locked up, Lil Art barely survived after being shot 20 times, Lord was left in critical condition, this is the worst period for PocketTown and Lil Don also confirmed that his people are scared and he only got four guys who are willing to slide. Sadly the ones who will suffer the most is the family, his mom was devastated that she can't even give him a proper funeral because of the way that he died. Christopher "Gucci 🕊️" Daniels08/05/2021Gucci was near the sidewalk in GhettoWorld 4️⃣🍸 hood when a vehicle passed by and someone fired shots at him, he was shot in the chest and he was pronounced dead at the hospital. This is one month after Dre was killed, Gucci was a member from the MuskegonBoyz clique, i didn't saw PocketTown or LakeSide celebrating anything, in fact they still say "getback got no date" for Spook and Dre, it might be other opps that NLMB have, remember NLMB beefs with 30+ sets, it could also be personal beef, mistaken identity and so on. Felder "Stro Dolla 🕊️" Tatum Jr.08/15/2021Stro Dolla was with a group of people inside GottiWorld 🔱 hood when someone opened and hit him in the chest, he was pronounced dead at the hospital, a 34 year old woman was also shot in the leg, she was taken to the hospital in good condition. Again i don't think he was the target but who knows, i didn't saw any opps celebrating, Stro Dolla was claiming NLMM but he was close to NLMB.He was also close to BT 🕊️ who was killed in 2020 by DeathRow, he was also a rapper, most likely Stro Dolla was just at the wrong time, wrong place, to my knowledge GottiWorld and NLMM or NLMB don't have beef. GottiWorld are actually opps to PocketTown. |
2023.06.04 17:11 venomstin9 Pose study/reference pt3
 | I need advice and you can be as mean as you want idk but don't comment on the hands I know already 😐 submitted by venomstin9 to learntodraw [link] [comments] |
2023.06.04 17:11 h0nk_h0nK_beep Romance of a Twin Flower (spoilers kinda)
I really wanted to like this, and yet it feels like it's dragging. Enemies to eventual lovers, mistaken identity, and an amnesia plot, I usually go mad for these plots. The vibes were all there, but the male lead being constantly mean to the chick for no reason (I'm on ep 7) is really getting to me. Especially because the show already showed that he believes her amnesia early on. So it just makes it seem like he's a complete ass.
It'd be one thing if she was avoiding responsibility, but FL learns about "her" past misdeeds and tries to fix them and make reparations. So any plot relevance of her dealing with the repercussions of her actions just falls short because it feels like she's one sidedly being oppressed.
Also, it's just really painful watching cause her being forced to stay married to him, and coerced to keep the marriage going for his benefit with no good benefit for herself. Like I'm sure the story will write itself into fixing these issues. But when I have a female lead that I'm already in love with from the get go, its so painful watching her struggle and be disrespected. And she doesn't seem to ever treat him like someone who's hurt her. He talks down to her constantly and she'll just banter with him like it was some verbal spar and not him embarrassing her in front of her whole family.
And then the lady she's replacing seems to be this mean bully, but at the same time she was basically forced to her death due to the shenanigans of the 2nd wife and the ML. And just, in general the more this goes on the more it's rubbing me the wrong way. As a first wife she should have access to more money, and hes withholding that, while also holding her own earnings hostage to keep her from leaving him.
And I just feel gross watching any romantic scene. Like, period drama can already be hard to watch because, ya know, period typical sexism. But the draw is usually the romanticized, the two main leads managing the once in a lifetime chances of getting thru those struggles. This drama feels gross. Like watching Stockholm syndrome about to unfold.
I think the power imbalance in the drama is just a little too much, and I just haven't seen enough good setup of the male lead to even care about him. It feels like I should be rooting for her escape. Constantly, I just want her to leave the mansion and find happiness.
Ugh. Im sad that I'm dropping this, but I really can't watch any more
submitted by h0nk_h0nK_beep to CDrama [link] [comments]
It'd be one thing if she was avoiding responsibility, but FL learns about "her" past misdeeds and tries to fix them and make reparations. So any plot relevance of her dealing with the repercussions of her actions just falls short because it feels like she's one sidedly being oppressed.
Also, it's just really painful watching cause her being forced to stay married to him, and coerced to keep the marriage going for his benefit with no good benefit for herself. Like I'm sure the story will write itself into fixing these issues. But when I have a female lead that I'm already in love with from the get go, its so painful watching her struggle and be disrespected. And she doesn't seem to ever treat him like someone who's hurt her. He talks down to her constantly and she'll just banter with him like it was some verbal spar and not him embarrassing her in front of her whole family.
And then the lady she's replacing seems to be this mean bully, but at the same time she was basically forced to her death due to the shenanigans of the 2nd wife and the ML. And just, in general the more this goes on the more it's rubbing me the wrong way. As a first wife she should have access to more money, and hes withholding that, while also holding her own earnings hostage to keep her from leaving him.
And I just feel gross watching any romantic scene. Like, period drama can already be hard to watch because, ya know, period typical sexism. But the draw is usually the romanticized, the two main leads managing the once in a lifetime chances of getting thru those struggles. This drama feels gross. Like watching Stockholm syndrome about to unfold.
I think the power imbalance in the drama is just a little too much, and I just haven't seen enough good setup of the male lead to even care about him. It feels like I should be rooting for her escape. Constantly, I just want her to leave the mansion and find happiness.
Ugh. Im sad that I'm dropping this, but I really can't watch any more
2023.06.04 17:09 MilkbottleF New Exercises in Style
For reference,
submitted by MilkbottleF to Extraordinary_Tales [link] [comments]
Notations
In the S bus, in the rush hour. A bloke about 26, felt hat with a cord instead of a ribbon, neck too long as if someone had been tugging at it. People getting off. The bloke in question gets annoyed with one of the passengers standing next to him. He accuses him of bumping into him every time someone goes past. A whining tone which is meant to sound menacing. When he sees a vacant seat, he grabs it.
Two hours later, I come across him in Cour de Rome, in front of the gare Saint-Lazare. He’s with a friend who’s saying: ‘You should get another button put on your overcoat.’ He shows him where (at the lapels) and why.
Olfactory
In that meridian S, besides the usual smells - those of priests, the deceased, eggs, jaywalkers, drunks, snorers, nutters, wings, hate-filled flatulents, unpopular songs, empty verses, French letters, and impetuous kebab eaters - there was a distinct odour of long juvenile neck, of the sweatiness of plaited cord, a pungency of anger, a certain loose and constipated stench, smells that were so unmistakable in combination that when two hours later I passed in front of the gare Saint-Lazare I recognized them at once and traced them to the cosmetic, modish and tailored perfume which was given off by a single badly placed button.
Tactile
Buses are soft to the touch, especially if you take them between the thighs and caress them with both hands, from head to tail, from the engine to the platform. But when you find yourself standing on the platform then you notice something a little rougher, a bit more abrasive, which is the bodywork or the handrail, sometimes something a bit more curvaceous and more elastic which is a buttock. Sometimes there are two of these, in which case you put the sentence in the plural. You might also lay your hands on a tubular and quivering object which disgorges idiotic sounds, or a tool with plaited spirals softer than a rosary, more silky than barbed wire, more velvety than a cord and thinner than a cable. Or then again you might touch human stupidity with the end of your finger, slightly viscous, and sticky, due to the heat.
Then if you wait an hour or two, in front of a clattering station, you might just get the chance to dip your sweaty palms in the exquisite freshness of a corozo button which is out of place.
Visual
Taken in at a glance it’s green with a white roof, elongated, with windows. They’re not easy to pull off if you’re a beginner, windows. The platform isn’t any colour, a featureless potpourri of grey and brown, like the background to a cubist painting. More than anything it’s composed of curves, a conglomeration of esses you could say. But at midday, in the rush hour, how it is is a bloody mess. To get any picture of it you’d have to first conjure out from the magma a cube of pale ochre, place an oval of pale ochre on top of it, then on top of that paint a darkish ochre hat surrounded by a plait of burnt Sienna, all topsy-turvy to cap it all. Then you’d throw in a blob of duckshit to represent rage, a red triangle to express anger, and a pissworth of green to portray repressed bile and yellow-bellied jitters.
Following that, a street artist might draw you one of those pretty little cutesy blue overcoats decorated at the top, just beneath the neckline, with a pretty little cutesy button done with a very fine brush.
Translation
In the Y bus, in the Russian salad. A blood count around thirty-two years of grace, hatchet with a cordon replacing the riboflavin, necrology too long as if someone had been tugging at it. Peppercorns get off. The blood count of Quetzalcoatl gets annoyed with a nematode. He accuses it of jostling him every time someone goes past, in a snorting tone-row which is meant to sound menacing. When he sees an empty seaway he grabs it.
Eight houseboats later, I see him again in the Roncq Courthouse, in front of the Saint-Dizier station wagon. He’s with a frigate bird who’s saying: ‘You should get an extra butt weld put on your overdrive.’ He shows him where (at the lapsus linguae) and why.
Antonymic
Midnight. It is raining. Buses pass by, almost empty. On the bonnet of an SUV by the Bastille, a hatless old man with his head buried in his shoulders thanks a woman standing some distance away for caressing his hands. Then he props himself upright on the knees of a man who doesn’t move from his place.
Two hours earlier, behind the gare de Lyon, this old man stopped up his ears so as not to listen to a tramp who denied himself the opportunity to say that he should have the bottom button on his shorts lowered by a hole.
Homophonic
In these buskins. Russia. A black abbot, wine-dark socks, felt hot weather called him - steed of Arab, bone neck too long, as if Samson had been tugging at it. People ghettoing Orff. The black (inquest!) soon gets a nude with one of the pass engineers stranded, next to hymn. She accuses him of bursting into hymns every time some Hun goes ‘Psssst!’. A waning tune - ‘Witches’ Lament’ - to send men a song. When she sees a vacant seat, she grabs it.
Tauruses will hate her. I clone a cross hymning cowards of Rome, in for the hunt of the garrison’s lazy ease, with a friend who’s a Ying. ‘You hood! Get a heather buttonhole put on your lover’s coat!’ he says. ‘Hmm, where? At the lapel? Zounds, why?’
Anagrams
In the S in the hurs uroh, a belok tabou 62, how had a gib nith cenk dan a tha rounsurded by a droc tineads of a nibbro, tegs yannoed whit noe of the gernpasses who he cuesacs of pingbum toni ihm no pospure. Hewn he sese a canvat teas, he brags it.-- Raymond Queneau [recreated by Philip Terry.) These translations published in The Penguin Book of Oulipo (Penguin Modern Classics, 2019), perhaps the most comprehensive English anthology of the movement (includes one hundred selections, this is #6). I cannot post them here because they never quite cross that "super-normal" boundary, but I also recommend Terry's "Exercises in Translation" (collected in the same book, part #72.) Previously: Twelve exercises from Barbara Wright's classic translation.
Owt horus alter, I come sacros ihm in Cuor Ed More, in tronf of the rage Tsian-Zalare. She whit a refind show aysing: ‘You holdus teg heranot nuttob tup no your coveroat.’ He whoss ihm hweer (at the pellas).
2023.06.04 17:00 yoosoocool Diagnosis appointment soon. What should I prepare?
I watched and read a lot about this specific topic, but I still feel unprepared. My appointment is in about week with a psychiatrist who's also speacilized in neurology. Its my first meeting with them after beeing referred and making an appointment and I didn't recieve any further instructions. I thought if making a document based on the criteria and listing how I think it manifests and shows in myself along with the "aspie quizz" and the masking quizz from the same website... If not for them then for myself bc it will help me remember everything. But can I do anything else?
FYI the commute is not long as it's close to campus and I won't bring any friends of family members for support or try to call them during the appointment. My family us very... overwhelmed and not helpful and with my closest friends I have talked with lots and I should be able to remember everything they noticed.
What did you guys prepare for your first appointment? I need to plan this meeting to feel secure so any information is appreciated TT-TT
Edit (just for further context): I'm 21 years old, female and currently a university student. I'm also freshly diagnosed with ADHD
submitted by yoosoocool to autism [link] [comments]
FYI the commute is not long as it's close to campus and I won't bring any friends of family members for support or try to call them during the appointment. My family us very... overwhelmed and not helpful and with my closest friends I have talked with lots and I should be able to remember everything they noticed.
What did you guys prepare for your first appointment? I need to plan this meeting to feel secure so any information is appreciated TT-TT
Edit (just for further context): I'm 21 years old, female and currently a university student. I'm also freshly diagnosed with ADHD
2023.06.04 16:59 K-othic Affordable planar magnetic era: LETSHUOER S12 PRO Review
 | Introductionhttps://preview.redd.it/bntusc7rsz3b1.jpg?width=8160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ae46d32545687541fd9f2c5e8ae15155f689a8a9The current market for "budget" IEMs (under $200 USD) is saturated with single dynamic driver earphones, where some models don't present significant differences from others. However, the implementation of affordable IEMs with planar magnetic drivers has been on the rise lately. Today, I will analyze the LETSHUOER S12 PRO, a pair of planar magnetic earphones with a modular cable and exceptional construction, available for $135 USD. Video Review here More Reviews here Reviews in spanish here Ranking (* = star): * * * * & 1/2
Disclaimers
Unboxing, Build & ComfortThe box is of considerable size and weight, but once opened, it is understood why its dimensions are that large. Inside, the first thing we find is a catalog of their products. Just below that, we can see the bright blue IEMs, along with 3 pairs of foam tips. Finally, at the bottom, there is a faux leather case that contains a modular* cable of very high quality for the price, 3 pairs of wide-bore silicone tips, 3 pairs of narrow-bore tips, and some paperwork such as the manual and product certification.\modular: allows for interchangeable terminations between 2.5/3.5/4.4mm.* https://preview.redd.it/qzfqm8stsz3b1.jpg?width=7183&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7d244183e633d485bf21de606a6688f93707a609 https://preview.redd.it/gde5mcnxsz3b1.jpg?width=6120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b9f26ea53f71802340646dc24367089abb2f51be If I were to see these earphones for the first time without knowing the price, I would easily say they could be worth more than $200 USD. The housing is designed with an aluminum alloy which feels very solid to the touch and has well-hidden vents that relieve pressure build up in the ear canal. The driver used in the S12 PRO is a 14.8mm single sided planar magnetic driver. https://preview.redd.it/n99w2wlysz3b1.jpg?width=8160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=740ad5cea213acdd7aa8c787740e1bfeb774d7e3 https://preview.redd.it/wjmcrt5zsz3b1.jpg?width=8160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f8a1159d556ed046b55d8ee0f3b8cadd6a115444 Summary of how the driver works: This type of driver works through a thin metal diaphragm with an array of embedded "wires." On each side of the diaphragm are magnets with opposite polarities. When connected, the current passing through the wires generates a magnetic field that interacts with the permanent magnetic fields of both magnets, creating undulating movement in the diaphragm thus producing sound. The included modular cable is of very good quality. It is built with silver-plated monocrystalline copper and has 4 cores, each consisting of 98 strands. Its connector type is 0.78mm 2-pin with interchangeable terminations for 2.5, 3.5, and 4.4mm. One criticism I have in this regard is that the cable is heavier than average (by quite a bit, in my opinion), and it can be uncomfortable during long sessions. Also, the plastic cable earguides that go over the ears are uncomfortable, and I would have preferred if they were not included. https://preview.redd.it/qfdscug7tz3b1.jpg?width=6120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4ff4db9244f1a1f45aea8672e816321689e2c1b3 The number of silicone and foam tips is a very positive aspect (9 pairs in total!). I mostly used my favorite ones, which are the wide-bore tips, but the foam tips feel of good quality for those who need isolation. https://preview.redd.it/eaqxkkb8tz3b1.jpg?width=6302&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb13c4ce9f2cf0227aad153d78f164f3dfd92321 The comfort of the S12 PRO was just okay for me: as I mentioned before, the plastic guides are not of my preference and the heavy cable doesn't help that much either. However, when they are properly positioned in the outer ear, they seal decently (it's not the best seal, but it provides enough isolation), and I had to readjust them only a few times. It's worth noting that they protrude a bit, so I wouldn't recommend using them while lying down. One small aspect I'm going to add in this case is the driving power needed for the S12 PRO. It's known that planar magnetic drivers can be difficult to amplify, but that's not the case with this LETSHUOER set. When I used them with my smartphone (directly into 3.5mm input), I only needed to increase the volume up to 50% to reach a comfortable level when listening to music. Frequency response descriptionCredits: https://aftersound.squig.link/
Subjective sound descriptionhttps://preview.redd.it/psupa3ehtz3b1.jpg?width=8160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c1a0fc947d37f3f5de7be8865c2fcd8a8bf337b4Bass Despite what the measurements indicate, I found the a sub-bass and bass near neutral. The bass have good definition but lack impact for basshead users. In songs like "Paris" by MOON (Hotline Miami soundtrack), the sub-bass has a strong presence, and you can feel it “deep within you” throughout the entire song as it takes the spotlight. The same happens in "Xanny" by Billie Eilish, where during the chorus, those sub-bass frequencies can be felt “down to the bones”. On the other hand, in "Back Around" by Tiesto, I experienced what I mentioned earlier: the impact of the bass during the drop leaves me wanting 1-2dB more for EDM songs. However, this reference tuning is particularly good for other genres as we'll see next. Mids As someone who listens to various Heavy Metal/Rock artists and different orchestras, I consider myself familiar with the sound of string instruments. In the case of "Meet Your Maker" by In Flames, the electric guitars have a good sense of texture in each note and avoid being piercing to the ear. Switching genres, in "Yellow" from Coldplay's concert in Buenos Aires 2017, from minute 2 to 2:56, the electric guitar accompanies the song very gently, only to reappear seconds later. In this chaotic harmony, where instruments and the lead singer's voice come together, you can clearly distinguish each individual sound. Chris Martin's voice has a natural timbre to my ears, and both female and male voices have good weight in the region. Lastly, in "Nessun dorma!" performed by Pavarotti, the Italian's voice is out of this world. There is particularly good articulation between him and the orchestra (choristers, violins, horns, trumpets, piano, etc.). Treble Again, the graph shows quite pronounced peaks in the 2.5 kHz and 8 kHz regions, yet the previous song by In Flames with continuous cymbal splashes did not come across as piercing at all. Furthermore, in classical music such as Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Mozart's "Divertimento in F Major, K. 138" performed by the Quatuor Van Kuijk, I noticed that these IEMs are not super analytical or bright. In fact, for those seeking to gather every tiny detail in their music, they may find themselves wanting a bit more from the S12 PRO. Soundstage & Imaging In the previously described Coldplay song "Yellow," I could perceive a sense of distance between the audience and the band. However, to my ears, the soundstage is wider than it is tall and deep. There is good distinction of distance between the sides, but not as much towards the front and back. But here's where it gets exciting: the imaging capability is spectacular. In Avicii's "Waiting for Love," the single-sided planar magnetic driver manages to separate the different layers of the song's introduction. If I were to describe them from "top to bottom" what I hear is: first, Avicii's vocals above everything else, in the middle the rhythmic sound of the piano keys, and then below or in the background, the drums with their kicks and cymbals accompanying the song. Both instruments and vocals disappear during the build-up to the drop and are replaced by synthetic sounds. When the drop hits, these instruments reappear in the same "layers". The drums only play their cymbals while the song’s bass is carried by a synthesizer that is introduced at this moment. This description showcases the capabilities of this type of driver, providing a precise image that allows the listener to clearly differentiate which instruments are being reproduced and effortlessly separate them from one another. Conclusionhttps://preview.redd.it/mhylyocitz3b1.jpg?width=8160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a0ef9b14755e3a1b2078208a047b16ba747954c5Unfortunately, I cannot speak about the improvements LETSHUOER made to this IEM compared to the first S12 as I did not have the opportunity to try that model. However, based on my experience and comparing the presentations of the S12 and S12 PRO, it is evident that it was not a simple change of tuning. Adding a modular cable of even better quality than its predecessor (128 strands vs. 392 strands) and maintaining the same solid construction makes those extra $15 USD worth it. In terms of sound and some cable aspects, I had my few criticisms but there are more positive characteristics that I can highlight about these IEMs, and I must say they are a great way to enter the world of planar magnetic IEMs. |