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fandomn00blr · 1 year

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Happy Birthentines!! How about a big dumb sweater for either Fenders or I could see Loghain/Stroud being fun for that one? Whichever you prefer! 💖

Oh goodness...why not both?!

(Fenders is in the Dark Sprawl AU...this might actually make it into Linked somehow/someday, so spoilers, I guess?)

The Link’s clothes never seem to fit particularly well, but the sweater he’s taken to wearing under his threadbare parka since it got colder is especially offensive in its ill-fittedness.

“Where did you get that sweater?” Fenris asks him.

“Found it in the trash pile at Lirene’s!” he grins triumphantly. “Isn’t it great? Can’t believe she was gonna toss it!”

“It’s…actually terrible,” Fenris says. But the dejected look on Anders’ face makes him feel bad enough to say, “I’m sorry…?” at least.

“Well, that’s just your opinion,” Anders huffs. “We can’t all pull off head-to-toe black spandex!”

“Oh, well there goes my suggestion for a new team uniform…” Hawke snorts. “I think the sweater looks nice on you, Anders. Really adds another layer to your whole…look.”

Fenris rolls his eyes as Anders beams at her. Her backhanded flattery always seems to work on him.

…

Fenris finds himself in Anders’ apartment. Alone. The Link is still in quarantine at the hospital, and he’s forbidden Fenris from even trying to sneak in and visit him out of ‘concern for his safety’ until Justice can be rebooted somehow. It’s all bullshit. Fenris has fought Sprawlers and signal poachers all by himself, broken through Danarius’ encryptions, and he would much rather take his chances staying at the Link’s side, protecting him from whatever Meredith’s Counselors intend to do to him now that he seems to have lost the protection Justice provided.

But he’s here instead. The closest he can be to Anders because the idiot refuses to let him anywhere near him. The mansion is too empty. Too haunted. Too far away from everyone and everything Fenris has come to care about. Plus, he can still feel the remnants of Danarius’ broken code coursing through him, and the house, with all of its various security protocols, only seems to remind him of the fact that he will never be completely rid of his technology. But here…even without Anders or Justice…he has always felt…free.

He goes to Anders’ bedroom, searching for more of him to hold onto. In a rumpled pile of laundry next to his mattress, he sees that horrible sweater he had insisted on wearing all winter, initially, Fenris suspects, just to spite him. How many nights had he impatiently yanked it off of him or begrudgingly tossed it to him in the morning instead of hiding it or secretly burning it, which is what he would have liked to have done back then?

He’s so glad he didn’t now. He gathers it up and holds it to his face, breathing in whatever trace of Anders he can find here. Thankfully, he hasn’t washed it since the last time he wore it, and it still smells just like him. Like the generic shampoo he uses and soap from the clinic…like his connection…and Justice…and imitation maple syrup and…fuck. He misses him. Misses them both. And he’s scared. What if they transfer him to the Facility ‘for his protection’? What if he ends up like Karl? What if Justice is really gone forever?

Fenris pulls the big dumb itchy sweater on over his head and curls up on Anders’ bed for the night, hoping that in the morning, Merrill will come find him and tell him how they’re going to fix this.

(Spoiler: she will!)

And here's some straight-up Stroghainoff fluff <3

“It gets colder here than in the West,” Stroud says one night, draping an arm over him and snuggling in close behind him as he gently presses his lips to the back of his shoulder.

“I’ve spent the majority of my life in Ferelden,” Loghain grumbles.

“Well, I haven’t.”

Loghain rolls over to face him. “So what? You want me to knit you a sweater or something?”

“No…” Stroud laughs. “Though now that you mention it…”

“I haven’t tried to knit anything since I was a boy.”

“I’d settle for a scarf.” He grins. “Or how about just a cuddle?”

“You’d look absurd in a scarf…”

Stroud shrugs. “So a cuddle, then?”

“Guess so…” Loghain pulls him in against his chest and wraps his arms around him. How Stroud could ever claim to be cold is beyond him. The man is an absolute furnace.

…

Stroud doesn’t say anything when he’s asked to sign the requisition forms the next day and notices a few skeins of yarn have been added in Loghain’s hand at the bottom of the supply list. He resists the urge to follow him when the old man begins to excuse himself early each night from the dining hall. And he tries to announce his arrival through exaggerated grunts and heavy footsteps and give him enough time to scramble and put away whatever he’s been working on before entering their room.

But after a week of this, he finds it difficult not to pry.

“Mac Tir…” he says, setting aside the stack of reports he’s meant to be reading and responding to before bed.

“Hrm?” Loghain looks up from the book he’s been reading.

“I can’t help but notice you’ve been up to something…”

“Up to something?” Loghain looks decidedly guilty, but at least he’s smiling. “You think I’m planning another coup? Or fooling around with your Mistress Woolsey when she’s not in your office barking orders at you from Weisshaupt?”

“No.” Stroud chuckles. “I think you’re up to something far more devious…”

“Yes. Yes…that is me. The Traitor, as they say.”

“I think you’ve been trying to teach yourself to knit.”

“Trying?” Well, now he looks offended. “I told you I already know how to knit. Sister Ailis saw to it that we could knit and mend our own clothes just as well as we could fight.”

“Why are you being so secretive about it, then?”

“Because, you idiot, I’ve been trying to knit something for you…”

“Can I…see it?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because…it’s all wrong.” Loghain sighs. “I’ve had to start over twice already. And will probably have to scrap this one, too!”

“What’s the problem? Maybe I could take a look…”

“The problem is you…you’re all…” He waves his hand up and down and across, motioning toward Stroud’s torso. “I think I have the measurements right, but then it just ends up looking like a big dumb sweater.”

“I wouldn’t mind a big dumb sweater.”

“Well, then…” Loghain huffs. He walks over to his chest of belongings and flings it open, then produces a wonderfully fuzzy-looking sweater in Warden blue, which he tosses across the room to Stroud. “Here.”

Stroud immediately pulls it on over his tunic, beaming at him. “It’s actually perfect.”

“It’s lop-sided…”

“Is not…”

“Yes it is. Right…” Loghain crosses the room and tugs on the right arm of the sweater. “...here. This arm looks longer. But I counted the rows. It shouldn’t be.”

“Well, I think it’s lovely. And I’m going to wear it everyday now that Fereldan winter has arrived.”

“Maker spare me…” Loghain groans. “Just don’t…tell anyone I made it.”

“They all know that we’re together, Mac Tir.”

“I know that! But they don’t know that I’m a terrible knitter. It’s embarrassing!”

Thank you thank you thank you for these prompts! Can't think of a better way to spend my birthday morning than frantically writing angst and fluff and angsty fluff for some of my favorites.

#birthentine's prompts #dragon age #fenris #anders #fenders #stroud #loghain #stroghainoff #big dumb sweaters for everyone!

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profoundsaladshoeshark · 3 years

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DAY 1 APRIL 29, 2021

Good Morning everyone! So many requirements this week and I can't handle it anymore. I can't manage my time and don't know what to do. I didn't have enough sleep. It's so gloomy outside and rainy. I want to sleep but I have some lessons to study.

It's so cold outside, end of school year is quite near and I'm super excited. I should do first this requirements before enjoying myself watching Netflix movies.

So many tasks to do this week and I'm preparing myself to be productive to do this tasks without being lazy. Before I do some tasks, my grandmother asked me for help to clean her room. We replace the curtains, we mop the floor, we decided to take a break and have some snacks. She made my favorite pineapple juice and I toasted the slice bread and we enjoy eating together.

This Thursday, our internet connection gone unstable. I don't know why but it will come back to normal as soon as possible. I went to my room and take a rest. I used my cellphone, surfed the net, and listen to my favorite classic songs. I turned off the lights and went asleep.

DAY 2 APRIL 30, 2021

This Friday, it was so hot in the morning. I went to the bathroom and take a bath. I saw my grandmother making our breakfast for us. It was eggs and hotdogs. We ate it and I will be the one who will wash the dishes. I went to our living room and I watched my favorite show. My favorite channel is the Cartoon Network and my favorite cartoon is We Bare Bears. They're so cute! I want to hug tight and be my companion to bed when I sleep every night.

I called mom and we talked for awhile when she's not busy. She's working abroad. I dropped the call because I have something to do. Today was my cousin's birthday. Me and my grandmother were invited to attend to his party. When we arrived in their house, we saw them preparing for the birthday party. We arrived earlier than I thought. When I enter on his room, I saw him using his new phone, it was a gift from his dad. Aww, how sweet! I wish when my birthday comes, mom will give me a new phone.

DAY 3 MAY 1, 2021

Thank God it's Saturday! I want to rest this weekends. I want to watch movies at night with my grandmother and also my siblings. I want to use my phone all night and play Mobile Legends because for me it was the most addictive game in the world. I look up in the sky and watch the sunset. Sunset is my favorite scenery because it makes me calm and I was so admired by the sun.

I directly went to my room and changed clothes. I go to the kitchen to make Chicken Adobo, that would be our dinner for tonight. After we ate, I surfed the net, watched horror movie, and felt asleep.

DAY 4 MAY 2, 2021

Sunday morning, I woke up early and I made a milk for myself. Milk is not enough so I cooked my own breakfast today. It was bacon, egg, and hotdog with rice of course. I'm so happy it wasn't overcooked. I charged my phone because I forgot to charge it last night.

It's lunch time, I ate Adobo that I made last night. I go back to my table where I usually study and focus on myself. It's so hot in the afternoon and my eyes are itchy. I don't have any glasses to protect my eyes from the radiation coming from my device. Layer that time, I felt dizzy and weak so I talked to my grandmother and she gave me some medicines, I should take this because I want to feel better as soon as possible. Then I rest and felt asleep.

DAY 5 MAY 3, 2021

I hate Mondays but I woke up early because of the noise coming from outside. I can still feel the dizziness so I take medicines to cure this. Then I lay down in my bed and take a rest. I felt asleep again and woke up in the afternoon, I skipped lunch because I don't want to eat. Feeling well, I go outside and ventilated myself with the fresh wind. I saw my friend walking by and I smile with a wink to her. She smiled back but doesn't wink back.

I checked my temperature and it goes back to normal. I pray to God and thanked Him because He did not forsake me even I'm a sinner. We should pray and have faith on Him, He is great, He loved us all.

Our subject teachers gave us activities and I answered it already because I have time for it and I don't want to fail, my mom would beat me if I fail. I am ready to pass it, but maybe tomorrow I should go to school or I will send it to my aunt and she will be the one who will pass it in the Drop-Pick Area in our school.

DAY 6 MAY 4, 2021

I woke up early to do my laundry because I don't have any clothes to wear. After doing the laundry, I rest for some 30 minutes, then I did my homeworks and some activities. I also workout for like 30 minutes. My grandmother cooked my favorite dish called chop suey for our lunch. I love it since I was a kid, this is my favorite dish.

I go outside and trim some of the bushes. Suddenly, a beggar came to our house, wearing a surgical mask and she asked me if she can obtain some of our papaya fruit. She also said that she was so hungry and she badly want to eat that papaya fruit. She also told me that she's 4 months pregnant. I think she is craving to the fruit. I gave her the perfectly ripe papaya fruit so that she can enjoy it. She was so thankful to me. And i said "Anytime, you're welcome!"

Being generous also makes us feel better about ourselves. We have to focus on what we are giving not on what we are receiving. We have to be selfless.

DAY 7 MAY 5, 2021

Today is Wednesday. Finally, we have our internet connection and was faster than the recent wifi we used. We can watch youtube without lagging, play online games, and lastly surf the net faster than ever before. This day I read books to enhance my reading skills. I also practiced to sing. My voice actually improved when I was a part of Musical Play in Grade 10.

When I was bored in our house, I usually go to Pili to buy groceries and my needs when I have money. I always buy my favorite Choco-Strawberry Milktea. I usually spend my money to buy foods because it helps me to cope and reduce stress. When I have free time, I play online games like COD, ML, Valorant and many more. It helps me to think critically on how to kill enemies, know the strategies, and many more.

DAY 8 MAY 6, 2021

Today is my favorite cousin's birthday. I'm so excited! Her name is Zchan and she is my beloved cousin and also my bestfriend. Since nursery, she's within me. We play our favorite outdoor games, we watch our favorite cartoons together, we do our schoolworks together, even if it there's an Honor List, we ranked 1st together. We are blessed with intelligence but I am more talented thank her. We always brainstorm together when we have a problem to be solved and the funny thing is that we usually had the same idea. I really love her so much. I prepared her a gift, it was a Gucci sweatshirt. My mom bought it for me so I can give her the gift that I know she wants.

I prepared myself, I went to their house, it's already 3:00 and thankfully I am not late. i helped her sister for preparing the party. It's only a small party because of the pandemic and also she didn't wish to have a big party celebration. Later that afternoon, we ate the foods in the table, and after that I also helped wash the dishes.

When I arrived home, I saw my grandma watching news. I proceed to my room, changed my clothes and fell asleep.

DAY 9 MAY 7, 2021

The Finals Examination for Second Semester is near and honestly I am not ready. I should review my lessons this week but I have so many responsibilities to do. We will have the general cleaning in our entire house tomorrow. My grandmother told me that I should prepare and be ready for tomorrow and finish my school activities. I also have to be the cashier in our store and take care of it.

Before our general cleaning, I already clean and organized my room so that tomorrow I will focus only on the other part of the house. Honestly my room is always clean hehe. I don't want other people sneak into my room without any permission from me. I don't want any dust in my room especially in my bed. My grandmother always tell me that she even asked me "Why am I so clean?" I answered her that since I was a kid, I usually get the "Most Neat and Clean Award". And also I told her that Good hygiene lowers your risk for diseases and illnesses commonly spread through viruses and bacteria. Washing yourself and staying clean can kill and remove illness-causing bacteria from your body, lowering the risk for disease. Good hygiene is key to preventing infection when wounds and skin irritation are present.

DAY 10 MAY 8, 2021

It was Saturday, I woke up late and I drink milk and ate some bread to have energy when cleaning the house. I go to the bathroom and take a shower, my grandmother said that I should take shower before doing a household chores.

I started at the front of our house, I sweep those fallen leaves and piled up in a designated area where we burn those leaves. Next that I did was Grass cutting. I used the pruning shears to cut those unwanted grass in our yard. The next that I did is to water my plants. Grandma loves her plants as much as me. I sprinkled some water to the plants to make them alive and healthy. The next thing that I do is to clean the window, I wiped them using squeegee and a cloth to make them dry fast. The last thing that I did is mop inside the house. Then after that I take some rest and eat those snacks that my grandmother prepared for me. Then it was dark and I fell asleep.

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topfygad · 5 years

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10 Tips for Planning a US Road Trip

Growing up with a steady diet of US television and cinema, it makes sense that I would be drawn to all things US.

My earliest travel daydreams were of someday making it to Disneyland (which I did in 2012). It has been an enduring love affair ever since

My first US road trip with a relatively modest affair: taking me from Couer d’Alene, Idaho to Portland, Oregon to American Falls, Idaho. Not the most glamorous of starts, I’ll admit.

2012 saw me making the drive along the US West Coast from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Along the way, we visited Yosemite and Monterey.

2015 saw me kick things up a notch with our five-week Great US Road Trip. Hitting Austin, New Orleans, Nashville, DC, Philadelphia, and more along the way, it was one for the books.

Most recently, my brothers, our partners, and I embarked on a two week Southwest US road trip. Over the course of a fortnight, we visited San Diego, Las Vegas, Flagstaff, and Joshua Tree.

As you can see, I’ve managed to build a fair resume when it comes to planning US road trips. With my imminent marriage to a US citizen, it seems fated that I’ll be making many more US road trips in the future.

I’ve picked up some handy tips and tricks along the way, so allow me to share with you my ten tips for planning a US road trip.

#10 – Get travel insurance

Healthcare in the US is expensive. Their broken healthcare system can mean you’re getting hit with a $1,000 USD fee just for walking in the door, so you don’t want to be caught with your proverbial pants down.

Ever since I broke my arm in Indonesia, I’ve been fastidious when it comes to arranging my travel insurance. The last thing you want is to fall ill or get injured and be on the hook for a hefty medical bill, trust me.

Thankfully, World Nomads travel insurance has fantastic rates for trips that include the US. They’re who I use for all of my trips, and who I recommend my friends choose when hitting the road.

Don’t let your trip be absolutely derailed by an accident. Get travel insurance, you idiot.

#9 – The cost of dining out

One of the things my brothers were super excited about when visiting the United States was the opportunity to eat all of the things.

From IHOP to colossal hamburgers to fried chicken to Mexican, they wanted to eat as much as humanly possible, much to the dismay of my waistline and my wallet.

You see, food only looks cheap in the United States. The large portion sizes and conservative prices can be very tempting, but there are two things that mean you’re not getting the deal you thought you were:

In Australia, tax is included in the menu pricing and tipping is replaced by a living wage, so it is easy to think you have found a bargain. However, once you factor in the 10-15% tax and the 18-20% for tip, you’re looking at Aussie pricing.

Saving Money on Food

Look, I get the temptation to eat out for every meal. Even at that price point, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck when eating out in the US.

Unless you’re made of money, however, you’re going to find your wallet shrinking faster than your appetite.

Far be it from me to recommend fast food, but you can avoid the tipping culture if you grab lunch at Taco Bell or Chipotle. I wouldn’t recommend it for every meal, but a $6 meal every now and then takes the sting off those $20 – $40 bills at sit down restaurants.

However, my #1 tip for eating on the cheap is a simple one: cook!

If you’re able to work a few Airbnb properties into your itinerary, you’ll likely have access to a full kitchen. Hit up a Trader Joe’s, stock up on delicious ingredients, and do a little home cooking. We did this in Flagstaff and Joshua Tree on our recent trip, mixing things up with homemade burgers, fajitas, and Thai green curry in between our meals out.

#8 – Get your visa early

If you’re from one of the 38 countries eligible for the fantastic ESTA visa waiver program, this couldn’t be easier! Simply log onto ESTA USA, fill out your application, and you’re all set!

The ESTA process often returns an answer inside an hour, but I always recommend my friends arrange this a week or two in advance to ensure there aren’t any hiccups. You don’t want to get turned away at the border!

Not Eligible for ESTA?

While not as smooth and painless as the ESTA visa waiver program, applying for a US visitor visa is still a relatively quick process.

As the visitor visa program can require interviews ahead of visa issuance, you’ll want to get a jump on these early!

#7 – National Park passes

The United States has a truly mind-blowing number of National Parks and State Parks. Just check out this list of US National Parks and you get the idea.

To my mind, the stunning National Parks that dot the US are every bit as appealing as the world-famous cities that more immediately spring to mind. Sure, I love Vegas, Austin, and New York, but I feel a similar level of excitement when you mention Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, or Yellowstone.

If your US Road Trip is going to include more than 2-3 national parks, you’ll want to get an America the Beautiful National Parks Pass. At just $80 USD for a year, this pass not only gives you access to every single national park but over 2,000 parks and recreation areas across the country!

Seriously, when parks are usually $25 USD to enter, this is a steal!

#6 – Renting a car

Unless you’re lucky enough to be traveling with a US citizen who happens to have a car handy, you’re going to want to rent a car for your US road trip.

There are so many factors to take into account when finding a car rental:

Mileage

Comfort

Size

Cost

Features

Start and end point

Wear and tear

Insurance

My 2015 US Road Trip saw the two of us sharing a black Mustang convertible and sticking to tarmac roads, but the recent trip saw seven of us piling into a spacious Chevy Pacifica and doing a little off-roading in the Arizona desert.

As you can imagine, we had very different requirements when shopping around for the two cars.

On the 2015 trip, we were starting in San Francisco and ending in New York, which added quite a bit to our costing. If you can return to the same point as your pick-up, you’re going to get a much better deal.

The make and model of your car, number of seats, length of your rental, and pick-up/drop-off locations are all going to be a factor in pricing.

And that’s before you realize that insurance is an optional extra. Seriously, when getting pricing on your rental car, be aware you’re likely looking at it doubling once you add insurance.

Finding a Rental Car

There is no shortage of sites where you can search for rental cars and shop around.

On our recent trip, we made use of Kayak.com to compare prices before visiting individual sites to hunt for better prices. Our 2015 trip saw us finding a much better price using a Chinese search engine than a US or Australian based one, so don’t hesitate to use a VPN to hunt for the best rate.

Wingman Level: 10.

#5 – Conflict resolution

No matter how close you are with your companions, there’s bound to be the occasional conflict.

Whether it’s arguing with my brothers about what to have for dinner or getting heated at Hogg for being an awful wingman, no road trip is without incident.

It was the 2015 trip that prompted me to write a guide on how to be a good road trip companion. I still stand by my points in this article today.

Seriously, go read that. Your travel buddies will thank you for it.

#4 – Tours vs. Self-Guided

Accommodation, car hire, food… these things all add up!

Once you also add in the cost of a few guided tours, you’re looking at a hefty bill for your US road trip.

While it might seem that skipping tours is a great way to save money, there are going to be some occasions where a guided tour will save you a lot of time and hassle.

Case in point: visiting LA in a day is a miserable experience. Californian drivers are the worst, and LA seems to be where the worst of them gather. Why deal with that if you don’t have to?

Similarly, tours such as my Carpe DC food tour and my haunted Vegas tour offered insight that I wouldn’t have found in a guidebook or blog.

On the flip side, there are certainly places where you can do it on your own and avoid the cost. You don’t need a guide to enjoy Yosemite or Walnut Creek Canyon, for example.

My advice? Find the places where you’re willing to splurge on a guided tour, factor those in ahead of time, and do the rest on your own.

#3 – Packing for your US Road Trip

Depending on the number of people tagging along for your US road trip, there’s going to be finite space for luggage. Don’t be that jerk whose oversized suitcase forces somebody else to ride with a laptop bag twixt their thighs!

The delightful Where is Nina has a great road trip packing list, but my own personal list is below.

4-6 t-shirts

1-2 long sleeved button ups

1 pair of jeans/trousers

3-4 pairs of shorts

1 pair of board shorts/swimmers

Toiletries (deodorant, body wash, razor, etc)

7 pairs of underpants and socks

Thongs/sandals

Comfortable walking shoes

A comfortable travel coat

The clothing will obviously depend on the climates you’re visiting, but the above list did me fine for the warmth of California & Vegas all the way to the sub-zero temperatures of Flagstaff.

If you’re only staying in hotels, you’ll need to either pack extra or shell out for laundry, but I always mix in a few AirBnBs to give me access to a washer/dryer.

For a few less essential inclusions:

Lastly, here are a few must-have apps that I swear by for any road trip, US or otherwise.

And, of course, you’ll want to listen to all of the Comes with Baggage.

#2 – Finding affordable accommodation

Accommodation in the US isn’t cheap, but there are certainly ways to save money on your US road trip.

First and foremost, I will always recommend Booking.com ahead of other price comparison sites like Expedia and Agoda.

Why? Booking.com offers free cancellation on many of their properties and they include taxes and resort fees in their total. Agoda leaves these as a nasty surprise you’ll need to pay when you check-in. Not cool.

It is also worth checking out Airbnb whenever you are having trouble finding something affordable in a given city. Not only can these be cheaper, but the access to a kitchen and laundry can be invaluable on a long trip.

The itinerary in all of its squiggly glory!

#1 – Choosing the right route

The most important about planning a US road trip? The actual route!

Sites like Furkot are invaluable when it comes to mapping out a road trip. It’s more than just a map – it also suggests accommodation, rest stops, and attractions in the areas you’re driving through!

But where in the US will you go? How long do you have?

These are questions you’ll need to ask yourself ahead of your trip.

Got two weeks? I’d suggest focussing on a specific region or state. The Southwest is always a good option, covering California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. You could also focus on the Northeast (New York, DC, Philadelphia, and Boston), the South (New Orleans and its friends), or the Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Washington, and Canada).

If you have more time, that is when you can get ambitious. We traveled from San Francisco to New York across five weeks, heading through the southern states, but we could just have easily cut through the middle (hitting Denver and Colorado) or the north (hitting Seattle and Montana).

Your US road trip route is a very personal decision, but it is also going to be one of compromise. Was I overjoyed to be visiting the Grand Canyon a third time on my recent trip? Not particularly, but I knew it meant a lot to the other six in my group.

I’m sure they weren’t as excited for five days in Vegas as I was…

Looking for some inspiration? Wanderlust Crew has compiled a pretty good list of US road trip routes.

——-

A Massive Undertaking

Planning your dream US road trip can be a big task, but armed with the above tips, you’re off to a good start.

In a later post, I’ll be highlighting some of my favorite US road trip routes for you to use as a jumping off point.

In the meantime, I would love your road trip planning tips or route ideas!

Featured image courtesy of Alexandre Lazaro

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source http://cheaprtravels.com/10-tips-for-planning-a-us-road-trip/

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artbylmj · 6 years

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Illustrating the Invisible - Project Review

At the beginning of this project I was feeling a bit lost. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I knew I didn’t want to continue exploring my identity through my father's abandonment, the subject had become too taxing on my already fragile mental health. I decided to try and link my new project onto the subject of my mental health. I made the connection between my fathers failure, my developing mental illness and how its impacted my life, which links to my essay as I covered the positive and negatives of failure and how failure can be a good thing if we learn from it, our failure make us more human. I am not a failure because my father failed me, so I wanted to focus no aspects of my mental health. I had previously explored this in my high and low project but after researching Dada for my essay I was interested in trying to make my own abstract art.

However this proved unsuccessful, I wasn’t passionate about what I was making, I was only doing it to push myself out of my comfort zone but I’d pushed myself to the point of alienating myself from my practice. I didn’t think the work I was doing was good, it lacked originality, it didn’t have that essence of me that I put into my work. My interests in drawing what my anxiety felt like was only skin deep. I decided to lean on the familiar crutch of illustration, telling myself if I didn’t include text I was doing something different. I wasn’t. I was making more work that aesthetically looked okay but lacked anything more than that. I wasn’t enjoying my work, it didn’t make me feel inspired or motivated just the opposite. I decided to allow myself to rest over the Easter break and get my health back in check. Planning to resolve my projects theme when I was back in the studio.

However I was back in the studio and still unsure what I should do, I looked through all of my old work and chose to catch up on some of the work I had gotten behind on. Convincing myself that I still had weeks left to finish this project, inspiration would hit me when I was ready for it. One day when I was checking my emails I came across an open call for an etching induction, the group was small so it would be in high demand. Luckily I replied to the email in time and got a spot. I had never tried photographic etching and was excited to learn a new process. I was worried though because the induction was two days long and I still didn’t know what I was doing for this project.

I decided to throw myself into working on the induction, I had my images ready to go and paid attention to every instruction given and learned a lot about etching and it’s process. I made my own prints that I felt proud of, for the first time in a while I made something I was proud of, it felt like I needed that win. I was feeling inspired to make again and experimented with making multiple etchings. After the induction I didn’t want to waste the silkscreen with my image on so I decided to make multiple prints from that as well. I felt good to have a large body of work that I could put towards this project. I just needed to think of a theme that would help me develop my prints.

After a meeting with my mentor Helen we discussed self actualization which gave me the idea of relating this project to my last through identity. Focusing on the idea that all of my memories made me who I am, the people in my life affected me in many ways, one being the learned behavior I had that lead to me developing BPD. Which is something my Dad leaving caused as well. I had finally cracked it, I could link my old project to this one and this project to my essay. I felt like I had found the missing pieces of the puzzle. It was time for me to start making work that I could put into the exhibit.

I gathered lots of old family photos of important times and people in my life, I then decided to screen print them. I made many prints of each photo and was very pleased with the results. I now had even more prints to add to my workload. I felt that they could be developed and decided to ask for ideas in a tutorial. Whilst I was collecting my dry screen prints I remembered to collect my etching plates. I had left ink of them from when I last printed. I really loved the metals texture with the simple black ink photo print. I decided I wanted to exhibit the plates as some of my 3 finished pieces for the project.

After speaking to my tutor Kate and telling her about my ideas and inspiration she suggested artists for me to look at, in the hopes they would inspire a more creative display method. Which it did I decided to print my photos onto items of clothing and hang them on a washing line within the studio, to act as a visual metaphor for airing your dirty laundry. I loved the idea of mixing my personal photos and memories with a public display but leaving it to the viewer to interpret.

The time for a crit show was soon upon me and in small groups we went round and viewed everyone's displayed pieces. I enjoyed seeing everyones work because as it got closer and closer to hand in people came in less and less, leaving the studios bare. It was good to be able to see what my peers had been working on and seeing how their work had developed from what they exhibited in the London show. Hearing others talk about their work always gives me a deeper appreciation for their work as well as a better understanding of their practice. I also get to learn of new artists during discussions about their work and giving ideas on a project is something I always enjoy.

Soon it was time to view my work. I had displayed a large body of work, more than I had in any other project. I had filled an entire studio with my washing line piece. I had also monopolized the walls of the corridor across from the studio. I hung my etching plates on the right hand side and my cushion cover on the other side. Both were visible from the center of the washing line room, if you looked directly through the doorway. My tutors Kate and Amanda felt that this was the best placement for each piece and I agreed as I needed a lot of wall space, meaning my work had to be split up but was still all visible from the same place.

I received compliments on the amount of work I had displayed and how I presented it, from my peers. Grieg questioned my choice of location, he also said the washing line felt artificial because it was staged in a studio and the clothes were clean and dry. He suggested I wear the clothes or have them dripping wet whilst on display. Other peer suggestions were I display the clothes in a large pile that the viewer has to rummage through to view, or I project photos on the pile. Or that I present the clothes in drawers and wardrobes that the viewer has to search through to find the work. Grieg also suggested that I try printing the photos with different materials, like food. Such as chocolate spread, Bananas among other things.

I tried to explain my reasons for my work but was left frustrated as I didn’t get a chance to explain it properly. I was told to try and print my images onto fruit like oranges or bananas. I was told the message I was trying to portray wasn't obvious and that you wouldn’t know it from looking at it. I tried to explain that I had been critiqued in the past for being to obvious so I tried a more subliminal approach but wasn’t successful. I left the crit feeling deflated. I had made work that I was proud of, work I had never made before and learned so many new things in the process to just end up with no acknowledgement. I know crits are supposed to be constructive but it didn’t feel constructive, it felt like the meaning of my work was being ignored and irrelevant material experiments suggested.

However I tried not to let it get me down. I still participated in the discussion of other people’s work and reassured myself that I was right to feel proud of the work I had made despite all the things I had been through this year. Crits were supposed to be tough and it wasn’t a personal attack but standard procedure. Had I been continuing the project I may have tried the ideas pitched to me. Although it was the end of the year. I needed to focus on catching up with the work I had gotten behind on throughout the course.

This project started off very shaky but I managed to find myself and fall back in love with the process. I love learning new skills and techniques and implementing them into my work, this project helped me focus on the making of each piece. To stop worrying about the concept, the aesthetic or how others would view it, which are all important aspects but ones I often obsess over. To the point where it stops me from making work at all. I can see for myself just how much I have grown over the year, when I compare my work from the beginning of the year until now I can see the growth. Every time I learn something new I add it to my practice, meaning my practice is ever changing, ever growing. I am really looking forward to my next project. Learning from all the mistakes I made. The setbacks had and focusing on developing my practice further whilst finding what inspires me and running with it.

#contemporary art practice #illustrating the invisible

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topfygad · 5 years

Text

10 Tips for Planning a US Road Trip

Growing up with a steady diet of US television and cinema, it makes sense that I would be drawn to all things US.

My earliest travel daydreams were of someday making it to Disneyland (which I did in 2012). It has been an enduring love affair ever since

My first US road trip with a relatively modest affair: taking me from Couer d’Alene, Idaho to Portland, Oregon to American Falls, Idaho. Not the most glamorous of starts, I’ll admit.

2012 saw me making the drive along the US West Coast from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Along the way, we visited Yosemite and Monterey.

2015 saw me kick things up a notch with our five-week Great US Road Trip. Hitting Austin, New Orleans, Nashville, DC, Philadelphia, and more along the way, it was one for the books.

Most recently, my brothers, our partners, and I embarked on a two week Southwest US road trip. Over the course of a fortnight, we visited San Diego, Las Vegas, Flagstaff, and Joshua Tree.

I’ve picked up some handy tips and tricks along the way, so allow me to share with you my ten tips for planning a US road trip.

#10 – Get travel insurance

Thankfully, World Nomads travel insurance has fantastic rates for trips that include the US. They’re who I use for all of my trips, and who I recommend my friends choose when hitting the road.

Don’t let your trip be absolutely derailed by an accident. Get travel insurance, you idiot.

#9 – The cost of dining out

One of the things my brothers were super excited about when visiting the United States was the opportunity to eat all of the things.

From IHOP to colossal hamburgers to fried chicken to Mexican, they wanted to eat as much as humanly possible, much to the dismay of my waistline and my wallet.

Saving Money on Food

Look, I get the temptation to eat out for every meal. Even at that price point, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck when eating out in the US.

Unless you’re made of money, however, you’re going to find your wallet shrinking faster than your appetite.

However, my #1 tip for eating on the cheap is a simple one: cook!

#8 – Get your visa early

If you’re from one of the 38 countries eligible for the fantastic ESTA visa waiver program, this couldn’t be easier! Simply log onto ESTA USA, fill out your application, and you’re all set!

Not Eligible for ESTA?

While not as smooth and painless as the ESTA visa waiver program, applying for a US visitor visa is still a relatively quick process.

As the visitor visa program can require interviews ahead of visa issuance, you’ll want to get a jump on these early!

#7 – National Park passes

The United States has a truly mind-blowing number of National Parks and State Parks. Just check out this list of US National Parks and you get the idea.

Seriously, when parks are usually $25 USD to enter, this is a steal!

#6 – Renting a car

Unless you’re lucky enough to be traveling with a US citizen who happens to have a car handy, you’re going to want to rent a car for your US road trip.

There are so many factors to take into account when finding a car rental:

Mileage

Comfort

Size

Cost

Features

Start and end point

Wear and tear

Insurance

As you can imagine, we had very different requirements when shopping around for the two cars.

The make and model of your car, number of seats, length of your rental, and pick-up/drop-off locations are all going to be a factor in pricing.

And that’s before you realize that insurance is an optional extra. Seriously, when getting pricing on your rental car, be aware you’re likely looking at it doubling once you add insurance.

Finding a Rental Car

There is no shortage of sites where you can search for rental cars and shop around.

Wingman Level: 10.

#5 – Conflict resolution

No matter how close you are with your companions, there’s bound to be the occasional conflict.

Whether it’s arguing with my brothers about what to have for dinner or getting heated at Hogg for being an awful wingman, no road trip is without incident.

It was the 2015 trip that prompted me to write a guide on how to be a good road trip companion. I still stand by my points in this article today.

Seriously, go read that. Your travel buddies will thank you for it.

#4 – Tours vs. Self-Guided

Accommodation, car hire, food… these things all add up!

Once you also add in the cost of a few guided tours, you’re looking at a hefty bill for your US road trip.

While it might seem that skipping tours is a great way to save money, there are going to be some occasions where a guided tour will save you a lot of time and hassle.

Case in point: visiting LA in a day is a miserable experience. Californian drivers are the worst, and LA seems to be where the worst of them gather. Why deal with that if you don’t have to?

Similarly, tours such as my Carpe DC food tour and my haunted Vegas tour offered insight that I wouldn’t have found in a guidebook or blog.

On the flip side, there are certainly places where you can do it on your own and avoid the cost. You don’t need a guide to enjoy Yosemite or Walnut Creek Canyon, for example.

My advice? Find the places where you’re willing to splurge on a guided tour, factor those in ahead of time, and do the rest on your own.

#3 – Packing for your US Road Trip

The delightful Where is Nina has a great road trip packing list, but my own personal list is below.

4-6 t-shirts

1-2 long sleeved button ups

1 pair of jeans/trousers

3-4 pairs of shorts

1 pair of board shorts/swimmers

Toiletries (deodorant, body wash, razor, etc)

7 pairs of underpants and socks

Thongs/sandals

Comfortable walking shoes

A comfortable travel coat

The clothing will obviously depend on the climates you’re visiting, but the above list did me fine for the warmth of California & Vegas all the way to the sub-zero temperatures of Flagstaff.

If you’re only staying in hotels, you’ll need to either pack extra or shell out for laundry, but I always mix in a few AirBnBs to give me access to a washer/dryer.

For a few less essential inclusions:

Lastly, here are a few must-have apps that I swear by for any road trip, US or otherwise.

And, of course, you’ll want to listen to all of the Comes with Baggage.

#2 – Finding affordable accommodation

Accommodation in the US isn’t cheap, but there are certainly ways to save money on your US road trip.

First and foremost, I will always recommend Booking.com ahead of other price comparison sites like Expedia and Agoda.

The itinerary in all of its squiggly glory!

#1 – Choosing the right route

The most important about planning a US road trip? The actual route!

But where in the US will you go? How long do you have?

These are questions you’ll need to ask yourself ahead of your trip.

I’m sure they weren’t as excited for five days in Vegas as I was…

Looking for some inspiration? Wanderlust Crew has compiled a pretty good list of US road trip routes.

——-

A Massive Undertaking

Planning your dream US road trip can be a big task, but armed with the above tips, you’re off to a good start.

In a later post, I’ll be highlighting some of my favorite US road trip routes for you to use as a jumping off point.

In the meantime, I would love your road trip planning tips or route ideas!

Featured image courtesy of Alexandre Lazaro

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topfygad · 5 years

Text

10 Tips for Planning a US Road Trip

Growing up with a steady diet of US television and cinema, it makes sense that I would be drawn to all things US.

My earliest travel daydreams were of someday making it to Disneyland (which I did in 2012). It has been an enduring love affair ever since

My first US road trip with a relatively modest affair: taking me from Couer d’Alene, Idaho to Portland, Oregon to American Falls, Idaho. Not the most glamorous of starts, I’ll admit.

2012 saw me making the drive along the US West Coast from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Along the way, we visited Yosemite and Monterey.

2015 saw me kick things up a notch with our five-week Great US Road Trip. Hitting Austin, New Orleans, Nashville, DC, Philadelphia, and more along the way, it was one for the books.

Most recently, my brothers, our partners, and I embarked on a two week Southwest US road trip. Over the course of a fortnight, we visited San Diego, Las Vegas, Flagstaff, and Joshua Tree.

I’ve picked up some handy tips and tricks along the way, so allow me to share with you my ten tips for planning a US road trip.

#10 – Get travel insurance

Thankfully, World Nomads travel insurance has fantastic rates for trips that include the US. They’re who I use for all of my trips, and who I recommend my friends choose when hitting the road.

Don’t let your trip be absolutely derailed by an accident. Get travel insurance, you idiot.

#9 – The cost of dining out

One of the things my brothers were super excited about when visiting the United States was the opportunity to eat all of the things.

From IHOP to colossal hamburgers to fried chicken to Mexican, they wanted to eat as much as humanly possible, much to the dismay of my waistline and my wallet.

Saving Money on Food

Look, I get the temptation to eat out for every meal. Even at that price point, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck when eating out in the US.

Unless you’re made of money, however, you’re going to find your wallet shrinking faster than your appetite.

However, my #1 tip for eating on the cheap is a simple one: cook!

#8 – Get your visa early

If you’re from one of the 38 countries eligible for the fantastic ESTA visa waiver program, this couldn’t be easier! Simply log onto ESTA USA, fill out your application, and you’re all set!

Not Eligible for ESTA?

While not as smooth and painless as the ESTA visa waiver program, applying for a US visitor visa is still a relatively quick process.

As the visitor visa program can require interviews ahead of visa issuance, you’ll want to get a jump on these early!

#7 – National Park passes

The United States has a truly mind-blowing number of National Parks and State Parks. Just check out this list of US National Parks and you get the idea.

Seriously, when parks are usually $25 USD to enter, this is a steal!

#6 – Renting a car

Unless you’re lucky enough to be traveling with a US citizen who happens to have a car handy, you’re going to want to rent a car for your US road trip.

There are so many factors to take into account when finding a car rental:

Mileage

Comfort

Size

Cost

Features

Start and end point

Wear and tear

Insurance

As you can imagine, we had very different requirements when shopping around for the two cars.

The make and model of your car, number of seats, length of your rental, and pick-up/drop-off locations are all going to be a factor in pricing.

And that’s before you realize that insurance is an optional extra. Seriously, when getting pricing on your rental car, be aware you’re likely looking at it doubling once you add insurance.

Finding a Rental Car

There is no shortage of sites where you can search for rental cars and shop around.

Wingman Level: 10.

#5 – Conflict resolution

No matter how close you are with your companions, there’s bound to be the occasional conflict.

Whether it’s arguing with my brothers about what to have for dinner or getting heated at Hogg for being an awful wingman, no road trip is without incident.

It was the 2015 trip that prompted me to write a guide on how to be a good road trip companion. I still stand by my points in this article today.

Seriously, go read that. Your travel buddies will thank you for it.

#4 – Tours vs. Self-Guided

Accommodation, car hire, food… these things all add up!

Once you also add in the cost of a few guided tours, you’re looking at a hefty bill for your US road trip.

While it might seem that skipping tours is a great way to save money, there are going to be some occasions where a guided tour will save you a lot of time and hassle.

Case in point: visiting LA in a day is a miserable experience. Californian drivers are the worst, and LA seems to be where the worst of them gather. Why deal with that if you don’t have to?

Similarly, tours such as my Carpe DC food tour and my haunted Vegas tour offered insight that I wouldn’t have found in a guidebook or blog.

On the flip side, there are certainly places where you can do it on your own and avoid the cost. You don’t need a guide to enjoy Yosemite or Walnut Creek Canyon, for example.

My advice? Find the places where you’re willing to splurge on a guided tour, factor those in ahead of time, and do the rest on your own.

#3 – Packing for your US Road Trip

The delightful Where is Nina has a great road trip packing list, but my own personal list is below.

4-6 t-shirts

1-2 long sleeved button ups

1 pair of jeans/trousers

3-4 pairs of shorts

1 pair of board shorts/swimmers

Toiletries (deodorant, body wash, razor, etc)

7 pairs of underpants and socks

Thongs/sandals

Comfortable walking shoes

A comfortable travel coat

The clothing will obviously depend on the climates you’re visiting, but the above list did me fine for the warmth of California & Vegas all the way to the sub-zero temperatures of Flagstaff.

If you’re only staying in hotels, you’ll need to either pack extra or shell out for laundry, but I always mix in a few AirBnBs to give me access to a washer/dryer.

For a few less essential inclusions:

Lastly, here are a few must-have apps that I swear by for any road trip, US or otherwise.

And, of course, you’ll want to listen to all of the Comes with Baggage.

#2 – Finding affordable accommodation

Accommodation in the US isn’t cheap, but there are certainly ways to save money on your US road trip.

First and foremost, I will always recommend Booking.com ahead of other price comparison sites like Expedia and Agoda.

The itinerary in all of its squiggly glory!

#1 – Choosing the right route

The most important about planning a US road trip? The actual route!

But where in the US will you go? How long do you have?

These are questions you’ll need to ask yourself ahead of your trip.

I’m sure they weren’t as excited for five days in Vegas as I was…

Looking for some inspiration? Wanderlust Crew has compiled a pretty good list of US road trip routes.

——-

A Massive Undertaking

Planning your dream US road trip can be a big task, but armed with the above tips, you’re off to a good start.

In a later post, I’ll be highlighting some of my favorite US road trip routes for you to use as a jumping off point.

In the meantime, I would love your road trip planning tips or route ideas!

Featured image courtesy of Alexandre Lazaro

Want an Aussie in your inbox?

Cheers! Now you’ve just got to confirm your subscription.

Like this:

Like Loading…

From Facebook

from Cheapr Travels http://cheaprtravels.com/10-tips-for-planning-a-us-road-trip/ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Cheapr Travels

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