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jahsontodd · 11 months

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✨rating pedro pascal characters based on nothing but costuming (non-exhaustive)✨

considerations:

*real housewives voice* thats my OPINION!!! also subject to change upon reflection, just going off my current feelings.

not really discussing whether the costuming is good or bad for character, context, or source material but just how much I like them if that makes sense.

some of these costume designers knocked it out of the park but would I be a little grumpy if I went on a date and they showed up in a walmart denim button up and ripped their $300+ jacket to shreds? Yes. Was that costume absolutely perfect for Joel? Yes again.

Mostly discussing costuming in context modern/21st century settings. The Mandalorian+GOT+ etc. in part two?

Minimal discussion on hair+cosmetics, only really when it applies to the whole look

Javier Gutierrez: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

Rating: 10/10

Crew:

Paco Delgado: Costume Designer see also: John Wick: Chapter 4, Death on the Nile, Jungle Cruise, Cats (2019), Split, Les Misérables 2012 (and many more he’s booked and busy)

full cast and crew

Comments:

They did not have to go so crazy on these outfits!!!

Why does one of my favorite looks apparently not even appear in the movie!?

every look is so *chefs kiss*

I feel like mustard yellow is such a good color on him.

Like call up those people on tik tok who make nonsensical categories like “strong winter” “ambivalent fall” and find out why mustard yellow always works.

The palette is a cute mix of like warm bricky colors like red, brown, mustard yellow mixed with baby blue and eggshell white. its actually perfect.

What really makes him stand out is the fact he accessorizes.

Lots of men don't accessorize because they don’t think its important - they couldn’t be more wrong.

It’s one of the many injustices of the world that a man’s outfit looks 10x better by adding one necklace or in this case- pinky ring.

Do I like the sunglasses? No. But I like that they are there.

Obligatory hair mention: The hair looks great. With longer hair becomes more responsibility, ie sometimes the part is a little too deep making the front pieces have a combover look. This is only when its messy though so that may have been the point?

If I included every outfit I liked it would just be a slideshow of the whole movie so I picked my favorites

Javier Peña: Narcos

Rating: 10/10

Crew:

Bina Daigler: Costume Designer (season 1) see also: Dumplin’, Tár, Mulan (2020), 1899

María Estela Fernánde: Costume Designer (season 2-3) see also: Narcos: Mexico, Queen of the South, Hell (El Infierno)

Mayra de Abreu: Wardrobe Supervisor (season 1) key costumer for (season 2-3) see also: Narcos: Mexico, The Head of Joaquín Murrieta (La Cabeza de Joaquín Murrieta)

full cast and crew

Comments:

Can you tell I like 70s inspos?

Its unique but true to someone who grew up in RGV and now on his own

ie good luck getting him out of boots. you can’t do it

When he dresses up in s1+2, damn i love a tan suit!

Its very formulaic, but not to the extent that it looks like he bought 7 colors of the exact same shirt. He’s pretty much always wearing a short sleeve button up and fitted jeans. which makes the times he isn’t stand out

ie the tan suit. what can i say i am an american who is up to date on politics i always defend a tan suit when i see one

also occasionally breaks out this like tan vest situation?

I think it’s a good balance between like clearly not being inspired by like their “current day” but not so 70s that it would be odd. It’s kinda timeless.

He tends to follow one of my outfits rules: max 3 colors

Rules are meant to be broken obvi

But I do feel like as a general rule of thumb and since he doesn’t wear a ton of patterns, wearing more than three colors starts to make an outfit look random and not put together

For Javi, this usually means

color 1: *shirt color*

color 2: pants (pretty much just blue or black, he does throw in some brown pants)

color 3: brown (pretty exclusively wears brown belts/shoes)

Short note on hair/grooming: I love how season 1 has some more length in the back and generally has a shaggy sort of look? By season 3 his hair is more cropped probably bc of his new role.

Something about the extra length in the back makes him look young- not in the sense of like actual age but maybe looking more hopeful or green, even when dressed up

Also every so often you can see when they mess up the stick on sideburns. It tickles me.

He’s a menace to society. And he knows it

Pietro Alvarez: If Beale Street Could Talk

Rating: 8/10

Crew:

Caroline Eselin (Caroline Eselin-Schaefer): Costume Designer see also: Moonlight (2016), Father of the Bride, Troop Zero, The Underground Railroad

full cast and crew

Comments:

We don’t see much and what we see! Is so good

This deep deep red is very nice and I like that is a monochromatic look (I don’t think we see his pants in the movie but collecting pics for this I saw the pants are the same color)

It also has my favorite type of collar- that extra pointy extra long collar.

And he *drum rolls* accessorized! Its only a necklace but the choice to have it OVER the shirt, over an already perfectly monochrome outfit makes it pop

The things that bring it a little down for me is, well, there is only one scene to work with so it feels wrong to rank higher than projects with multiple outfits, and the grooming

The mustache didn’t have to be so thin.

Hair wise I don’t understand why we always have to exaggerate the side burns to achieve the “deep sideburn” look.

I feel like we could still make the hair look “of the time” by taking some of the weight from the sides and leaving it up top and working with his natural side burns (even if that means making them darker, just not necessarily longer)

Even though I get the hair of the time was very um... spherical

side note: everyone in this movie is dressed spectacularly. I am appreciating through the tears in my eyes

Jack Daniels: Kingsman: Golden Circle

Rating: 7/10

Crew:

Arianne Phillips: Costume Designer See Also: Don’t Worry Darling, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Nocturnal Animals, Kingsman: The Secret Service

Full cast and crew

Comments:

Have I watched in full? Maybe a few years ago? I remember the first one quite clearly bc the water filling up the bedroom scene YIKES!

The snowsuit is so good. It’s functional, it’s sassy. It has one of my favorite western top details I don’t know the name of but the little patch details on the front of the shoulders.

Who’s idea was it for the belt buckle to be a FLASK!!! thats gold

I love a color SCHEME!!!

brown leather deserves love

The rain boots- a practical choice in the middle of like the least practical movie ever? Leave him in cowboy boots you cowards

Like oh the grounds might get muddy he needs rain boots. His belt buckle was a flask guys be real

Marcus Pike: The Mentalist

Rating: 5/10

Crew:

Amanda Friedland: Costumer Designer See also: 13 Reasons Why, House of 1000 Corpses, Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles, Fight Club, Clueless,

Scott O’Leary: Costume Designer See Also: The Rookie, Lucifer, Supergirl, 21 Jumpstreet

full cast and crew

Comments:

Have I watched in full? No. I caught a few episodes it was when it was airing but I don’t think i could tell you a single plot line

(there is a LOT of FBI Department of Pseudo Psychology shows ok)

I do remember in one of his early eps they use the murder house from Nightcrawlers.

*Abby Lee voice* you didn’t stick out to me

Very government employee of you to wear ill fitting suits

Not to be irrational but v-neck t shirts don’t rub me the right way.

This is a completely personal ick that I don’t expect anyone else to agree with.

I just ~~ just do a crew neck you know?

Maybe WHY I don’t like it is because its very 2010-2014.

Which, in Marcus’ defense, just makes v-neck t-shirts something of the time

Does nothing crazy with his suits, but nothing that makes me cover my eyes either

Joel Miller: The Last of Us

Rating: 6/10

Crew:

Cynthia Anne Summers: Costume Designer See also: Swan Song, The Babysitters Club, Snowpiercer, A Series of Unfortunate Events (2018), Apollo 18

Full cast and crew

Comments:

Joel we get it you are nOT like other girls

It makes sense for who he is.

And who he is is someone who is not thinking about how much cunt he is going to serve with his outfit that day.

unFORTUNATELY.

His pants ARE suspiciously fitted. Not so utilitarian when it comes to pants are you Joel?

But! I love the big coat. Could live in the big coat. The big coat deserves an award

The best part of the big coat is the main defense against the simplicity of Joel’s outfits are “oh it’s the apocalypse” or “oh he’s not thinking about that”

Really? bc this is a SHEARLING lined coat. Do you know how quickly those fluffy shearling/sherpa etc. liners start to look like shit? if its a real shearling lining (the one he uses is real) you need to avoid getting it wet and store in dry areas.

I am not even talking about price here! Because I have already explained why I think its not that weird to have people wearing expensive clothes 20 years into the apocalypse.

Its the utility of having a shearling lined coat when you don’t have a closet full of DampRids

No way he had it in Boston since they only travel with regular sized backpacks. He saw it, liked it, wanted it, got it.

He got that coat for the cunt of it all, you can’t convince me otherwise.

Thank you so much for coming on this ride with me it was a fun exercise to look at just the clothes and not my feelings toward the character/movie/show.

Who should I do next time? I have plenty of more thoughts hehe

~Tags for amiges who wanted to see this post!~

@fuckyeahpedropascal @simpingcowboy

#tlou #pedro pascal #Joel miller #javier gutierrez #javier peña #Marcus pike #the last of us #the mentalist #narcos #the unbearable weight of massive talent #pietro alvarez #kingsman golden circle

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sereniv · 2 years

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industrial commercial made leather is not the same as indigenous made leather (traditional or even modern technique)

no actual vegan, when talking about the destructive nature of leather, is talking about indigenous people

we are always talking about commercial industries. And you should too! Remember this:

Scale and profit, supply and demand, necessity and moving towards more efficiency/sustainability.

Scale and profit: Who is directly making the profit, and in every step from 'seed to fruit to mouth' what is the scale of the operations (or it's impact) compared to the entire living planet. To the animals, humans, and enviroment. Think about it for a second and you will realize indigenous populations do not the same effect as industries. The scale of operations, and the impact of operations.

Supply and Demand: You pay for it which creates demand, and thus you are supplied it. There is no ethical consumption under capitalism, but, the biggest thing to remember is to do your best. Everyone can do that, and it looks different for every single person. Always check in with yourself and see if an alternative is better, for you and/or for others.

Necessity: Sometimes we can indulge in unnecessary things, but not at the expense of other living beings or the enviroment. Always check in and ask yourself if you NEED a product compared to WANT, and if there is a more ethical/sustainable alternative. Need is defined by you, and can change. Which is why i say to check in with yourself instead of assuming you'll never be ready for an alternative.

Moving towards more efficiency/sustainability: I dont like to say moving forward, because sometimes the best thing is to go back. The biggest thing we can strive to do and to always fight for is efficiency/sustainability. Always searching for better ways to do something, so as to cause the least harm possible to humans, animals, and the enviroment.

The argument cant be about animal based leather and vegan leather. Its not that simple, its too broad.

Are we talking brain tanned leather? which animal? which chemicals? where was this done? who made it?

Is the vegan leather plastic? is it a sustainable material? where does the money go? is it efficent/sustainable and long lasting?

Because not all vegan leather is plastic- but not all animal leather is produced by more small scale sustainable sources like by native vendors. When people talk about Leather vs Vegan leather, they are talking about commercial grade leather and pleather which is plastic.

Both are bad, but considering the enviromental impact of chemical in the water, the human rights violations and health issues, the enviromental imapact of feeding and water cows, and then ethical stance of the slaughtering of cows whether byproduct or not- Real leather would be worse than Pleather, which impact would be chemicals, plastic and microplastics, and depending on whos making it, possibly human rights violations BUT also: pleather isnt vegan leather. Not only vegans buy it, and seeing as there are not many vegans..

Its easy to get defensive over this, and on the surface it can seem like people are judging you and want to take away fashion that of which can make people happy.

But when you get that knee jerk reaction, just take a moment instead of riding off your emotions- which is something i also need to work on. Because whats better than going back and forth fighting through text on the internet knowing all we are doing is satisfying our negative emotions, is having a genuine conversation and voicing your worries and concerns and questions when it comes to veganism

You will have to read and you will have to click links. It sucks and no one, not even vegans like to have to fact check and read whole articles just to have a conversation, but imagine this: What if you have the wrong information, or even not all the details or the whole picture? What if there are options? or what if you could even find out some or even all your concerns are based off of misinformation of veganism.

I always ask myself that. Because where did my information come from? wheres the money trail? did i learn it from a parent who learned it from their parents in which now could be considered outdated information? or bias?

It doesnt stop at leather. Food and where it comes from and who profits and most importantly what is necessary- and can we make that necessity more efficient? sustainable? ethical?

The priorities are vast and complicated and that is why we need to have conversations. Ask questions! No one asks genuine questions anymore. If anything, whatever you think you know about veganism just pretend you dont. Ask every little thing so you can hear the community say it back in our own words. But please at least read and consider what we say- we dont want to keep talking AT you or you at us. we want conversation and questions PLEASE

#vegan ref #vegan #veganism #vegans #leather #i saw a post about leather #u know the one #or theres like 3 main ones that say pretty much the exact same thing #but its like its always at us never with us. always you vegans are the problem #you 1-3% of the population are the cause of microplastics in my placenta #like stop! vegans know sheep have to be sheared vegans know pleather is plastic we know u dont kill cows to get milk #where are you hearing these things!#this is why there needs to be an offical definition #a legal term or wtvr. to get rid of fuvking idiots who say they are vegan but arent #its not about gatekeeping its just about going by a definition like #AUUGJJ #vegans dont like peta vegans dont like that vegan teacher #yes theres vegans who grew up on a farm slaughtered animals were farmers in food deserts have EDs are autistic are homeless #are black are indigenous are poor have every allergy ever #because its not a diet. its #like philosphy or mindset or way of..view? ideology?#someone help me here #anywayyyy ill shut up now #also hope this doesnt come off as one of those posts that sound babying and condescending #i tried to avoid that. my voice just doesnt translate to text well #imagine me. who loves humans and humanity. and is also extremely left and anti capitalist anti colonialism etc.#when i say I care i mean it. thats why i focus a lot on those that cant eat plant based or whose culture or religion needs animal use #in order for individual to feel connected #bc i want to learn outside my experiences and that has already helped form the veganism i talk about #i mean possible and practical. but talking to ppl non vegans especially has helped me elaborate on that and to hold complex views

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only-here-for-jatp · 4 years

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Build-a-Band pt 1&2

Inspired from a tumblr post that I have lost track of. (If you see it lmk)

The boys go to Build-a-Bear.

Each chapter is told from the POV of a different person. Reggie is first up!

I tried to reference actual build a bears, but the accessories are whatever I wish into existence so there.

Can read on Ao3 here

And also below! ~1900 words

Everything had been normal since the Orpheum. Well as normal as life can be when you live with three teenage boy ghosts from the 90s and you’re in a rock band that played one of the most well-known clubs in LA. The boys still got into their crazy antics that Julie inevitably had to fix and there was still something going on between her and Luke, whatever that was. She didn’t have time to worry about it so much these days.

Ever since the Orpheum they could touch and every now and again they could become visible to Flynn or Carlos. It still hadn’t happened in front of Ray yet, much to Reggie’s disappointment but he kept trying. Ray had taken news that the boys were ghosts surprisingly well with the addition of a few extra rules. He eyed the empty space where one ghost in particular was supposed to be when he told them although if the object of Ray’s focus noticed he sure didn’t show it.

Time was passing by rather quickly these days, and soon it was the start of summer. Julie’s dad had been nudging her to get a summer job and she couldn’t help but think it might be a good idea. The band was playing regular gigs now, but they weren’t making much money. If they were going to keep going, they needed another source of income. The boys of course couldn’t be of much help with this since you know, dead, so it was mostly up to Julie.

The boys, especially Luke, were a little grumbly about her taking time away from their music. Once she explained that this was to make money for the band, they’d felt a little better about it. They still weren’t over the moon, but the pouting had definitely decreased.

This is how Julie found herself with a job that she knew really wasn’t that awful but was exhausting none-the-less.

Build-a-Bear.

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

The boys were really enjoying the fact that summer meant more time with Julie, even if she did have her new job at the mall. Reggie in particular loved having the extra people around. There was always something going on with Carlos and he’d made numerous trips to baseball practice, or to the park, or whatever was going on.

Today though, after much begging and pleading with Julie, she’d finally relented to let him tag along to her job. For the most part she’d forbidden them from visiting, saying that her job was chaotic enough without throwing three teenage ghost boys into the mix, but Reggie had just been so intrigued.

Build a Bear was apparently a place for kids where they came and made stuffed animals and you could add hearts and costumes and name them. To him that sounded like possibly the best place in the world.

When he was younger, he’d had a small chocolate brown teddy bear that he carried around with him anywhere. It came with him for the first day of kindergarten, and most days after until he found Luke. Then Sir Reginald, as the teddy bear was known as, would stay in his backpack, just in case. It’d been his support during all of the fighting, and he’d hold tight every time he hid in his closet trying to drown out the noise.

In truth, he’d never really grown out of his teddy bear but it was early middle school when Luke discovered there was a way to climb in through Reggie’s window and soon it was Luke sitting with him in the closet or pulling him out of the house to the studio to play music and wander the beach.

How exactly did one make a stuffed animal he thought? It seemed like it would take a long time sewing all of the pieces together and stuffing it? That’s a lot of work, do kids really enjoy it?? So he was very curious about this Build a Bear, especially when Julie exclaimed that they sold more than just bears! He could Build a Dog or a Turtle or maybe A DRAGON. He had no idea what he was going to find, but he was so excited to find out.

Reggie poofed into the store sometime that afternoon and immediately felt his eyes widen. This. Was. The. Best. Stuffed animals lined the walls of all shapes and kinds and colors. He stood in a sea of kids all running and screaming in sheer joy and he got it. If Julie hadn’t already spotted him, he would absolutely be doing laps right now. But he promised and he really wanted to try and keep the promise that he would be on his best behavior.

He took in the plastered on smile that edged just a little bit toward frantic, her tense posture, and the kids that were lightly tugging on her arms and knew he really couldn’t- “OH MY GOD JULIE IS THAT A STAR WARS BEAR.” He shrieked upon seeing what was clearly a teddy bear but it LOOOKED LIKE DARTH VADER and before he knew it he was poofing over to Julie, tugging on her arm much like the children while speaking so fast it sounded like a blur even to him “JulieJulieJulieJulieJulieJuliePrettyPleaseJulieCanIHaveTheBearJulieIt’sStarWarsITSSTARWARSJULIE.”

All of a sudden Julie was laughing and he stepped back to give her a curious look. Had he broken her? He hadn’t meant to break her. OH NO what was Luke going to say if he broke Julie? And Alex? Oh god please let her not be broken.

But soon he saw the soft smile playing on her lips, a genuine one this time. He smiled back at her and he watched her give him a small nod in a different direction. His eyes followed where she was indicating, and he felt his mouth drop open. There was a soft tan bear with kind of curly fur and its feet had this soft pink material on it. And he couldn’t say what about the bear it was, but it felt like he was looking at Alex.

Reggie quickly glanced at the name, “Timeless Bear” and he smiled. That was all of them exactly. Julie had come to stand next to him, and whispered softly “we can make that one, deal?” Reggie nodded, joy spreading through him quickly and he couldn’t stop his excitement from making him bounce.

Julie had a horde of kids following behind her and Reggie joined them, fitting right in if he wasn’t taller than them. And a ghost. Julie had picked up what looked like a deflated version of the bear and understanding was slowly started to dawn on how this whole process worked. But he still couldn’t figure out how they were going to all stuff and sew it.

Julie led them to this small open space and he watched all the children sit down, so Reggie followed along. In front of them was this huge machine and Reggie stared at it in awe. Was that? Was it filled with stuffing??? This was so cool! He was almost too distracted to miss Julie’s speech. Something about waiting your turn and choosing the softness levels and adding the heart.

Wait. The heart? Reggie tuned back in.

“Alright everyone, you will all need to pick a heart for your new friend.” Reggie’s eye grew wide. The shuffling of kids drew him to the little boxes filled with soft satin hearts. They were all in shades of red and pink and checkered. Julie was there talking with the kids to help him decide when he spotted a heart that was the exact same shade as Alex’s favorite sweatshirt. He pointed with a small voice and said that one. Julie picked it up as they all headed back to the big machine.

“Of course we can’t just put a heart inside our new friend. We’ve got to get it going with some magic first.” Reggie’s eyes widened, watching as Julie charmed the kids into believing with her. “First, we’ve got to rub the heart between our hands to make it warm.” All of the kids followed suit, and even though he knew Julie had the heart for his new friend between her hands he still followed suit. “Next, let’s add a little excitement! We can jump up and down for this one. Gotta have a spring in our step after all.”

“Now, give it a big hug so your new friend knows you’ll always be there for him.” Julie was making eye contact with him now and he could feel himself tearing up a little.

“Finally, make a wish and whisper it into your heart.” Reggie whispered into his hands “I wish I could stay with my brothers forever.” He didn’t know what Julie whispered to his heart, but he trusted her.

The kids bounced around in excitement, not feeling the gravity that was shifting around them. Julie stared for one long moment at Reggie before turning back to them with a smile and beginning the process of stuffing the bears. Reggie gasped so loud he made Julie whip her head around at him. THAT was how they did it. The machine did the stuffing and then it was just a quick close up! He watched the kids get their new stuffie one by one and then take them over to the “grooming” stations where you could brush them and “bathe” them before finding outfits. Reggie wandered over to the clothing section and admired all the selections. There were fancy dresses and Halloween costumes and pajamas and sports outfits and fanny packs.

WAIT. He shrieked with joy and immediately started clapping and jumping around. There in the accessories was a little black fanny pack. He started searching more thoroughly now. There wasn’t a pink sweatshirt but oooh! Was that a pink shirt! And and a baseball cap. YES.

He turned around to find Julie only to discover she was on the last kid. He walked over to her and stood patiently by as she heaved a sigh of relief. Waving them off. “Ready Reggie?” He nodded and shook in excitement. “Here!” She handed him the little pink heart and for a second he could only stare at it. But then he held it tightly in his hands and whispered in his mind.

You will be Alexander. You are the greatest drummer and one of the greatest friends a guy could have. You will be there for every heartache, panic attack, and moment of joy. You are sarcastic, but there for us anyway. Just wait until you meet the real Alex.

Julie nudged him, ready for the heart and watched as the limp piece of fabric became almost real. He didn’t give Julie much time after she finished before dragging her to his clothing selections. She giggled the whole time though, he knew that although she might act exasperated she was having as much as him. She approved of all the clothing choices, and offered one additional thing.

A small rainbow flag that had a band so it looked like the bear was holding it.

Reggie watched it all come together. He took one look at the dressed up bear and exclaimed- “It’s ALEX!!! I have to go show him!!! Thanks Julie” He gave her a quick hug and poofed away before anybody could wonder why that bear was floating.

#jatp #julie and the phantoms #jatp fanfic #Reggie #Julie #build a bear #Build a band

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ourimpavidheroine · 3 years

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Happy Belated New Year! I was just wondering if, during the pandemic, you found any new (or old, but new to you) tv shows that you've fallen in love with? Or otherwise liked enough to binge and/or watch on a regularly basis? I remember noticing you mention something about the books you've read, and I wondered if the same could be applied to another creative media.

So I suppose I should preference this by saying that sometimes I watch things because they are excellent television and sometimes I watch things because they amuse me regardless of quality. I am not above being merely entertained by media; sometimes that’s all I want and frankly, I think that’s fine.

1. The Mandalorian. Which, if I am going to be honest, has saved the bloated, rotting carcass of my once-beloved Star Wars franchise for me. And not just because of Grogu, either; Pedro Pascal is great as a character who never shows his face (but still manages to express so much emotion and intent through voice and movement) and frankly, anybody who would bring Amy Sedaris in as a reoccurring character has my vote, so thank you for everything, Jon Favreau.

2. RWBY. I am not a big fan of Rooster Teeth - that sort of frat boy geek club thing they do there holds no interest for me. But I do love RWBY and, no offense to the late Monty Oum at all, but the past few seasons have really tightened the storylines and improved the writing. Also, they’ve been making an effort to bring in some diversity there which I have appreciated. (For a very much adult show, I really enjoyed gen:LOCK and am looking forward to its second season. I’ve actually been wanting to write some gen:LOCK fanfiction, so that should tell you something!)

3. Snowpiercer (Netflix). Yeah, I enjoyed this! Great cast and plot twists and turns that were earned, not just thrown in there for shock factor. Daveed Diggs and Jennifer Connolly have great chemistry and it works, especially in the sort of claustrophobic atmosphere the show has. I love it when characters are morally gray and both of them play morally gray characters and it works.

4. The Untamed (Netflix). I loved this so much I watched the entirety of it twice. Obviously China took out the love story between the two main characters in the book when they filmed it (hello, state-sanctioned homophobia!) but it’s still there if you are looking for it. Gorgeous, lush costuming and scenery (although terrible wigs on the guys, wtf, ever heard of a lace front?) and some inspired casting in some of the roles. It’s that sort of swooping, epic story that I love and you don’t realize until the very end who has been pulling a lot of the strings (and when you do find out, it’s glorious).

5. Doom Patrol. This is a weird fucking show and I love it. I mean, it’s weird. But in all the ways that tick my boxes. And bless, but Brendan Fraser as a foul-mouthed Dale Earnhardt robot man is something I never knew I needed or wanted but I did, I really, really did. Also, Diane Guerrero is astonishingly good. She won’t get any awards for it - Doom Patrol is not the kind of show that gets awards - but she should.

6. Queer Eye. I watched the original when it aired nearly 20 years ago but the reboot is so much better. SO MUCH. The original was so elitist...I remember in one episode that Thom, the interior decorator, gave this couple with three small kids a glass coffee table and I was like, the fuck is wrong with you? Not only is it dangerous for them in terms of injuries but do you have a clue how often they will be cleaning dirty handprints off that thing? Same with Ted, the cooking guru, who gave complicated recipes with difficult to source ingredients which was just ridiculous. The reboot, on the other hand, is wonderful. Antoni not only teaches cooking techniques but gives recipes that people can realistically make (and pays attention to if the person has kids, is of a certain heritage, etc.). Bobby designs real homes that can be used by the people who live in them (including being kid-friendly, and disability-friendly, for example). Tan is an endless resource of real fashion advice that can benefit ANYBODY, not just sample sized people, and he doesn’t try to make people into someone they aren’t - he just enhances and polishes who they are and who they want/need to be. Jonathan is not only a joy to behold but again, is someone who gives people real grooming advice and haircuts that they can actually keep up with (as opposed to a fancy cut that will take a lot of upkeep that you know the person won’t do) and he gladly delegates to other professionals when he knows he can’t do what is needed (fixing some matted dreads, for example). Karamo is a former social worker who LISTENS to people and really connects with them one on one to help build their confidence and tackle issues. (His predecessor, Jai, was completely useless and to this day I have no idea what he was supposed to be accomplishing.) I love Queer Eye. I love how these five men show by example how men can be nurturing, caring, affectionate and supportive. I love how open they are about their own issues, how open they are with their clients about it as well. (Although I will never EVER stop being pissed off that the producers allowed that fucking white cop to pull over Karamo like that for a “joke”.)

7. The Expanse. Yes, there are a lot of differences between the show and the books. But I don’t mind them; if anything I just look at the TV show as a different entity altogether and judge it accordingly. This is the first “hard” sci-fi I’ve really enjoyed since the Battlestar Galactica reboot ended. (The reboot of Galactica remains one of my favorite TV shows of ever, btw. I’ve tried to re-watch it but it reminds me too much of my late wife and I just can’t. But that’s on me and not the show.)

8. Good Omens. This was a delight, from start to finish. I read the book when it originally came out (my paperback copy is battered and well-loved) and it makes me laugh just as much today as it did 30 years ago. What more can be said about how absolutely fantastic David Tennant and Michael Sheen are? Or the careful and loving way Douglas Mackinnon handled the source material? Neil Gaiman meant this as a love letter to his much-missed friend Terry Pratchett and it succeeded in every single way.

9. RuPaul’s Drag Race. What can I say? I watch all of its variations. It’s overblown and relies on cheap, drummed up drama and I don’t give a shit. I’ve been watching since it first premiered and continue watching. Although I’m not yet sold on the new Porkchop plot twist thing this season.

10. Killing Eve. Oh man. A love story between two women, one of whom is a sociopathic serial killer? It’s so wrong and yet so, so right. Great performances by Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer. I especially love that they don’t try to somehow rehabilitate Villanelle; that would just ruin the entire thing. Oh and Fiona Shaw is one of my favorite character actresses and she does not disappoint. If you like your TV dark then this is the show for you.

2020′s been a weird year for TV, for sure. Kind of scarce, thanks to the pandemic, but what can you do? Anyhow, here’s my top 10, Anon!

#tv recommendations #personal #long post #Anonymous

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disaster-fruit · 4 years

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@portu-cale I had to delete the post with your ask bc it was huge and for some reason the “read more” wasnt working!

portu-cale-main asked:

“could you expand on pindorama? and maybe her relationship with brazil? i’m really intrigued by the character :o (but only if you want to ofc!!)”

alrightt, I’m gonna admit I’ve been VERY reluctant about taking about pindorama, for a few reasons, but mostly because it’s really hard to find trustworthy information that isn’t playing into the colonialist narrative that is still very present in our national identity as a whole (if you read a little abt indianismo…. That shit is still very present). And when it’s not that, is all very vague and talking about ~the natives~ as if they were just one big homogeneous group with not much of their own history.

I also don’t want to go too deep into to anything too dark or “angsty”, not to ignore those ugly parts of our history, but because I feel it would be very disrespectful to make those tragedies (which are still being carried out by our government) the center of any hetalia discussion. And well, I might fuck up and end up playing into everything I’m trying to avoid, and if this is in anyway offensive, just let me know and I’ll delete this post and go further educate myself.

This is also gonna be an even longer post than usual (its 3 pages long...), since it’s gonna need a lot of historical explanation even for my fellow Brazilians.

My main source here is chapter 6 of the book “1499: O Brasil Antes de Cabral”, by Reinaldo José Lopes.

Ok, let’s talk about the lady.

First things first, she old. She’s at least 3000 years old, probably older! She grew up in southwest Amazon (around modern Rondônia) with her nine siblings, and while some of them remained there, others started to expand their territories through the forest. All of them also had plenty of children. The way I see it, since there was no sort of political unity between the different tupi tribes, each had their own tan and were the children of ones like Pindorama and her siblings, that represented many different groups that, though politically separated, had strong cultural and linguistic similarities. It’s kinda like I see Mama Greece existing while Sparta, Athens and all those Ancient Greek cities existed too, but in a much larger scale. So Pindorama represents what would eventually be all the tupi and tupi-guarani groups in the coast, and of Pindorama’s children, most of them were also Guarani’s kids.

Pindorama and Guarani expanded to the southeast and the east coast together, always hating each other and fighting but also constantly having children together lol. Sisters? Enemy-lovers? Bitter exes? Frenemies with benefits? All of the above? I don’t know, but these two ladies had children pretty much all around the territory (what I’m referring to here is all the different Tupi-Guarani groups), and if you ask me, they otp.

Pindorama is, first and foremost, a warrior. The tupi were, in general, very belligerent groups, that had war as a major part of their culture, and that was in part what made them expand through such a wide territory even without any kind of centralized state or hierarchy. And they had a very different view of war compared the Europeans – war was not meant to completely eliminate their enemies or as means to access land and resources, but as part of a perpetual cycle of revenge that ennobled ones that participated in it - it was cultural more than material. So Pindorama was just constantly watching her children fight each other and she was like…. Good for Them. She was also constantly fighting someone (usually Guarani lol) and was really, really good at it.

Despite that, she was also inclined to trading and had a lot of good commercial relationships with many others, going as far west as the Andes! She was both a warrior and a businesswoman, so yeah, terrifying. She was a skilled river navigator – not as much as the Aruak, but still pretty good – which also helped both with the expansion and with trade. She’s an extrovert, who can talk in front of a lot of people easily and captivate whoever she met, while also scaring the shit out of them.

So yeah, that’s Pindorama. A warrior, a businesswoman, a mother, a rival-lover, she really did have it all. And when Portugal arrived, she at first assumed he was just another one to trade with – and that was it, for the first few decades. And when Brazil ~appeared~ there (in whatever way nations are born idk), she took him as another one of her many children, no really a surprise here either.

For some time, she raised Brazil, but she soon understood that kid was not like the others. First, he was not just her child or her child with Guarani, but apparently also the child of that dude that would come every once in a while from the sea (again I don’t know how nations know who are their parents or other’s parents since there’s really no biological birth going on…). And as time went by, she also started noticed more and more of her other children dying more and more every time, while Brazil kept growing stronger and healthier every day. She put two and two together – that child and his father were trouble, and not the good kind.

When it comes to her relationship with Brazil, it is complicated, to say the least. She was more present in his childhood that Portugal, she taught him her languages and stories and how to survive in that land, but she also never trusted him, and was hesitant to be around him. As the years passed, she learned it was safer for her and her other children (who are not really Brazil’s siblings btw) to just keep going deep into the forest and avoiding Brazil and Portugal whenever they could, but always fighting back when needed. When it came to the battles, she actually had advantages compared to Portugal at times – gunpowder in the 16th century was pretty shitty, while for example the tupinamba had arrows as long as 1.60m that could pierce through their armor. But fighting meant exposing the people to getting sick, and the moment they realized that, they started avoiding it more. Still, I think its plausible to say she probably tried to kill brazil and Portugal a few times.

As much as I like to joke about brazil having mommy issues, I really don’t want to blame her for being “a bad mom” when she really was just doing what she had to do to survive and resist and to protect her real family against an enemy she couldn’t defeat. Also, Brazil has a great deal of blame here. When he was a kid, it really was just Portugal who pushed Pindorama away and against him, but after independence he really failed to fix things when he had the power to. As I talked about in the last post a little bit, he tried to get close to her again, but not because he wanted to make things right, not because he was ready to listen to her and respect her, but because he wanted an identity for himself that was separated from port, and though he could find it in his mother. But he wasn’t listening to her for a moment or seeing her for who she was, he wasn’t trying to get to know her, it was all about himself (as it always was in the empire).

I think Pindorama, better than anyone, can see how Brazil and Portugal are similar in their worst traits, and she can also see through every single one of brazil’s warm smile in a way no one else really can. Not for a moment his talk of reconnecting with her fooled her. Needless to say his attempt to get close to her, completely misguided and selfish, didn’t made things any better between them.

To this day, there’s a lot of bitterness between the two. Pindorama (fairly) resents brazil for all that he and his father caused and his failing to recognize his own flaws and mistakes and works on them. Today, they still mostly avoid each other. They do have their tender moments, sometimes, but Brazil has a lot of growing up as a person to do if he ever wants to fix their relationship.

Well… this is very long. I apologize if I said anything offensive or played into any harmful stereotypes, and if I did, please let me know.

#hcs #ask #as much as i like my brazil angst and all that.... when it comes to pindorama i kinda just want to talk about the 2500 #years before that were she was just being a awesome warrior lady with her enemy girlfriend taking over the continent with their 40 children #is that too much to ask???

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vcsecretgifts · 4 years

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Wipe his blood from your mouth with mine

(Otp shenanigans based on what could have happened between Armand and Daniel post hunting together in the warm rain - in last chapter of Prince Lestat - {Hope that’s okay not a blood communion fan and Daniels not in it…} Lestat and Louis are nosey, helpful spectators/advisors In that order. A little nsfw, soppy and an essay of angst. Hope you like It! Merry Christmas 🤗)

Gift for: @headfrst4halos

From: @auburnandamberangel

…

A few nights had passed since their reunion, they’d hunted together in the warm rain - eyes had acknowledged them slipping out together but no interference, this felt more solid then previous meetings. A certain Roman not such a prominent Father hen presence. Familiarity was steadfast, much left unsaid between but in the spirit of having survived this latest blip in immortality pushed down to be revived at a later time. Negotiating simply being in each others company was rollercoaster enough. Small glances, heated snatched stares. Measuring the changes in eachother, coveting the lack of them.

The huge cinema room, a ridiculous term as he’d paid good dollars to watch a flick in smaller venues, the latest safe space to catch up. A do not disturb sign hooked on the double doors, a lock across them. Not that this meant much to telekinetic mentalists amongst them. But a polite notice to leave them in privacy. Daniel was eyeing Armands form, at least what he could see beneath the knitted Sweaters neckline. No tanning or change in tone to porcelain perfect flesh. The theory of their healing abilities known, but never tried into practice by himself just yet. Not that he hadn’t had the impulse - Marius ha immolation was beneath him, always made sure his charge was safe and sound come sunrise.

Armand noted changes too, still flushed as marked his age in the blood. But more strength coiled than should have accumulated in the decades since their parting. His blood then, nursing his fledgling. Practicality was one thing, necessity another, but his passionate possessive side said hang being reasonable - the implications of the to and fro between his beloved and his maker. Aside from Louis’ attack post interview only his fangs had tasted Daniels blood, only his fangs had parted flesh in his necks favourite crook. Louis had understood his hesitancy to bring the subject up, close companions coming together in a time of mutual vulnerability. Many happy years spent in New York. Trinity Gate their slice of peace. "It's not as if I’ve ever asked Lestat to compare me to David. Though it doesn’t mean I’ve never thought it. Never ask a question you mightnt like the answer to.“ His response had been succinct. "But Cher they were definitely lovers. This situation is less clear cut.“ Louis had smiled then, shrugged meaning everything and nothing. "Things concerning Marius rarely are, are they."Preaching to this choir had been his reply.

Daniel was recalling his own pep talk with Lestat, not so much a pep talk as the brat Prince not so subtly inquiring as to his intentions towards his blood brother. More being spoken at. "I feel responsible for his last brush with oblivion. I’d rather not stand idle at this potential catalyst to my blood brothers well being.”

Feeling peeved and rather touched all at once, he’d nodded. “Lestat you’re many things but thinking of you as my uncle and I your nephew is too, too much to want to comprehend!" Thankfully the mercurial anointed leader took his words in good humour. Always had quite liked him fortunately, could once upon a time have run away on adventures together. Though whose heart that particular fancy was meant to wound more Louis or Armand - Daniel had never quite fathomed. Hands up in a sign of peace he’d added. "Rest assured I’ve always broken my own heart over him, I’d rather that than breaking his ever again. I was off my noodle for way too long. I have alot to catch up on.”

A strange look had passed over Lioncourts face. “I said something similar to him you know. …‘You break my heart you little fool, you always have…’ I think i prefer your sentiment.” Shudder as if someone had walked over his grave. Memnoch related Daniel had assumed.

“Can I ask a favour. Could you make sure Marius doesn’t try to help us in what no doubt will be a charged, embarrassing and classically devil and minion problematic fest." Brow quirked at this request Lestat had smirked, a twinkle in those famed blue eyes. "Run interference as they say. It’ll be a pleasure." Making to turn heel and leave. Pausing. "You know I can’t decide if you smell different or not… Never mind." With that winking and walking away before Daniel could comment what he’d meant.

Back in the room, Daniel edged nearer, leaning across the plush seat between them to better see Armands face. Rewarded with a wistful tug of lips.

"Of all the vampires in Trinity I have your full attention still. Im flattered.” Eyes warmed in a way they hadn’t been in quite sometime. Flitting to Daniel equally captivated violet ones.

“Always will have it too.” Moving almost to sit on the arm of aforementioned middle seat.

“Its…complicated. Or whatever the get out clause for a relationship not happening is these days…online.” He’d tried to keep up to date with modern jargon. Not as much fun as learning with his minion in the eighties, but he couldn’t wouldn’t allow himself to atrophy again.

“There it is breathtaking in every way yet simultaneously so stupid!” Daniel hitting the seats cushion in a burst of frustration. The seat rocked. Oops.

Armand laughed despite himself. “There’s that sassy mouth I’m fond of coming out to play.” Glancing down at the seat, it had been bent. Ah.

“Give my mouth something else to do. Kiss me. I promise I’m same as I ever was.” Just a plain simple kiss, though usually desire took over and wham they were engaging in full on blood sharing in a blink.

“Let’s not rush into things…” Playing with a stray curl, rapidly teasing it out. At this rate he’d have straightened his locks from the sheer tension of it all.

“I’m not waiting six years again for a snog. The chase ended. We’re way passed third base now don’t you think?!” Edge of something darker in his tone. Lestats words echoing in his mind now.

“We hunted together.. Be- Daniel.” Slip of the tongue he’d nearly uttered beloved. “That was alot.” No lies there. He hunted alone as a rule, Daniel was the only immortal he’d shared with.

“I know we shared the kill. Shared the blood. It was great, lovely. But Im not going to lie I wanted to be responsible for your heart racing…” Wow his throat was dry. Blurting all this oit, no holding back or hiding behind word play. “Is it because I smell different.”

“Smell? What do you mean?” Nose prickling as he’d wondered hadn’t he, a moment before about infusions from a twice millennial source. Did he hesitate because on a base level Daniels blood smelt different because it was…

“Lestat said something about me smelling different. Is it because I smell more like him. Like Marius?”

Deep breath. Right to the jugular of the situation. Flush of pride who the hell else spoke to him like this, no one.

“We were parted whatever happened between you is none of my business. It would only be natural for you to seek comfort in his arms… He’s very persuasive.” The words were coming out, but he knew his heart wasn’t so forgiving or clear cut.

“Well fuck! Your going to quote we were on a break. Really! This isn’t Friends. I doubt either of us matches Ross or Rachel.” Daniel realising bow improbable it was for Armand to be up to date with 90s pop culture. “It wasn’t like that. It was feeding not flirting. I wasn’t exactly following a balanced diet. I don’t want him, it’s you it always has been!” Last hit to the seat and it screeched it’s last. “Shit! I’m sorry.” Staring at his hands like he’d just seen them.

Armands eyes widened. There was that strength again. Not more thsn his own but a progression. Lestats mind voice in his head. *Do I need to come in and break you guys up? Or is this good rough?* That famous timing…*No. He’s broken my furniture, no harm to me. And it’s always good rough between us for the record.* Satisfaction at the too much information wince on Lestats part. *Don’t make me tell on you to Louis, you know he hates you being a voyeur.* Quirk of a brow inside and out. *Its been a while we’re out of practice.* Pleasing ringing of laughter as the brat Prince took the hint. Opening his eyes from a protracted blink to Daniels face and form kneeling right infront of him. Unforgivable this oversight, to allow himself to be this surprised. Hadn’t even seen him move. No threat from this vampire though, no need for high alert physically, only emotionally. Always his heart that needed protection. Minute frown appearing. The urge to reach out and run fingers through Daniels hair almost over powering. Hands death gripping the plush arm rests, clawing into the material and stuffing as well as the metal frame below.

“Don’t you want me anymore. Is that it - Really?” Once he’d thought he’d never get to touch those rosy lips again. Stroke hands through deep russet flaming curls. Hear his voice and those special noises he only made for him. Cold shower for Mr Molloy. “The bloodworks just a primal excuse. The usual vampiric urges BS.” All this aside he wouldn’t force himself on Armand. Never. A time machine to kill any who had. He’d thought him dust to the wind. Well he could feel himself ready to blub. Filled to the brim with so many feelings.

Armand could smell the start of those tears. He could lick them away, like they used to. Drink the pain away. Curled up together after a fight. Entwined. Love through the blood. Strength and stay through that intimacy. “I could never not, beloved.” Time for his own tears, that affectionate term opening his own flood gates. “I don’t think I can love you how you need to be loved, is more the point. What if I make you relapse. I’d never forgive myself…” Nails now through his own palms. Chair two in ruins. His own blood scent filling the air. “My beautiful boy…”

There it was, the spicy scent he could only taste as a mortal, fully appreciating the body of it after crossing over. The aroma. Fearful words sinking in. Shaking his head. “None of that was your fault. It was just our luck to be the tortured star crossed lovers. I’m better, was well on the way to better when I knew you weren’t gone. Not dead. I left, that was on me.. I left you alone, I swore I wouldn’t in our garden but I did. I neber meant to not come back. The rot had set in, nothing made sense. But here you are whole and perfect and as maddening self introspective as ever. Don’t you get it. That was my job as your minion, to save you from yourself. To save my devil from whatever tested you. And I wasn’t there. I’ll be Damned if I ever make that mistake aga-” Words cut off as bloody yet healed hands reached for him, pulling Daniel bodily into his lap. Not an easy task sized as they were.

Armand couldn’t bear him saying one more heart wrenching thing. Broke that physical truce and kissed him as requested. Lips breaking away from his only to lap away falling tears. Poised staring into violet orbs he’d been lost in the moment they’d met, truth be told. Breathy. Quite the achievement for beings who didn’t need respiration. “Mine, you taste like my better heart. With added vintage. Wipe his blood off your lips with mine.” A single bead of blood for Daniels tasting. Hand teasing his lovers skirt buttons, to touch skin on skin.

Years were stripped away and here they were like nothing had happened battle scarred yet together. That’s all the mattered. Familiar elixir warming him in ways he never expected. Picking him up to better remove clothing, they had to map each others bodies like old times.

Sometime later.

Laying on the plush carpeted floor, clothes strewn around them. Not a stitch left on them. A third seat broken on its hinges. Armand was happily listening to Daniels heartbeat. “I think I may need to redecorate.” Glancing around the mess they’d made. Stretching like a cat.

“Agreed perhaps we should make a passion room. But hey we’re super rich so why spoil the fun. At least in this cinema there’s no popcorn stuck in odd places like that time we got romantic in Palm Springs.” Kissing his makers forehead. Basking in after glow. “I’m pretty sure we’ve thoroughly infused each others blood counts.”

“One can never be too careful. We need to hunt. I don’t want you getting peeky as I was so enthusiastic.”

“Agreed, and I don’t mind at all. Drain me I’m your love muffin.”

Armand wrinkled his nose. “Love muffin. Wash your mouth out! We do need to lock this room up tight upon leaving. In case Cupid Lioncourt takes photos.”

Daniel laughed. “He does have a nose in most situations I admit. In this case it’s just as well. How long do you think it would have taken to jump each others bones, without his ear worm about smell?”

Armand laughed at the phrasing, a throaty chuckle sending vibrations down Daniels chest. “Not too long, possibly quicker if I’d gotten that particular ear worm and we’d gone the route of territorial angry me, with your oh so smart mouth baiting. Then we’d have made up, like old times.”

Daniel snorted. “Are we that predictable?”

“Perhaps…Now how he kept a certain others nose out of this… robust reunion is the story I want to hear…” Smiling into Daniels matching grin.

“Now that story can wait.” Winking and gathering Armand closer again. “Round three?”

#2019 VC Secret Santa #VC #Vampire Chronicles #submission #auburnandamberangel #headfrst4halos

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living-and-learning-lovingly · 4 years

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Treasures, Tchotchke, or Trash?

Scrutinizing Solutions to Pollution in Singapore

As pollution clutters up our land, gluts the seas and pervades the air, discussions about how to properly clean up and dispose of the waste produced by humanity's lifestyle have multiplied. Yet the best solution might simply be to make less.

In terms of big government efforts, Singapore has embraced some innovative and practical solutions to waste. An example is our man-made island landfill, Pulau Semakau. Waste is incinerated, reducing items to 10% of its original volume (with the smoke filtered and trapped to keep our air clean). The ash is poured into landfill cells in Pulau Semakau, and when they are filled, earth is laid and grass grows over the landfill as if it was never there1.

When visiting the island, this reporter learned that the presence of mangrove forests there further protects the ocean. Mangroves are highly reactive to toxic material, and will warn should pollutants escape.2 Furthermore, mangroves are said to neutralise heavy metal pollutants which might leak out, providing a natural solution.3 The efficacy of both these natural and man-made systems is reflected in the teeming wildlife and healthy ecosystem that supports said mangroves as well as fish farms, coral reefs and lush seagrass habitats around the island.

Lush mangroves of Pulau Semakau overlook Bazillion Snails, clustered on the shore. Photo by Ria Tan.

With water consumption, NEWater, an initiative which takes water “from toilet to tap”, treats and cleans waste water until it is so clean it can be drunk. It provides for 40% of Singapore’s total water use currently.4These strategies reuse water which might otherwise be disposed of, acting as solutions both to Singapore’s water scarcity but also as paths towards greater sustainability in this essential resource.

Yet these solutions are not sufficient. Carbon emissions will be produced during the incineration and treatment process. Additionally, at the rate we produce waste, Pulau Semakau will be filled by 2035 and space scarce Singapore will be in a bind.5

To reduce what is sent to landfills, we often focus on recycling. With only 6% of the 815,200 tonnes of plastic waste was recycled, there is clearly room for improvement.6

However, recycling, while important, should not be our primary focus because it is not as sustainable as it seems. China’s National Sword policy banned the import of most recyclables and left countries, including Singapore, scrambling to find alternative markets. With falling demand, public waste collectors admitted in an interview with Channel News Asia that unable to sell recyclables, they prefer incinerate them.7 Even if this is a minority view, and the majority of recyclables are sent to alternative overseas markets (like Indonesia and Malaysia) as NEA has claimed5, recycling is not an environmental panacea. In Indonesia, a report by the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) showed that indiscriminate plastic waste incineration had poisoned the food supply8, while in Malaysia, residents complained of toxic, choking fumes from nearby factory plants.9 With Singapore’s low recycling rate and the oft-overlooked costs of recycling, we should be focusing earlier in the waste cycle.

Crushed PET bottles. Our plastic waste piles up, but how much of it is recycled responsibly?

It would be better to reduce the production of these items we consume.

Plastic bags, which make up one fifth of our total plastic waste, exemplify that much is only consumed for convenience’s sake. Anything offered free that we are accustomed to taking can lead to frankly absurd levels of consumption; Straits Times estimated in March 2019 estimated that 13 plastic bags are used by Singaporeans everyday.10 Thoughtless consumption for temporary convenience is creating a legacy of trash.

Today, grassroots movements prove it is both possible and easy to live more sustainably and “plastic-lite”. The proliferation of the straw-free movement, driven by Instagram pages has motivated institutions and corporations to reduce their use of this (usually) unnecessary disposable. Singapore’s flagship university NUS has banned plastic straws, and corporations like KFC and Starbucks are working on removing straws.

Food and fashion consumption should also be scrutinized. Singaporeans throw away S$342 million in unconsumed food annually11, and the fact that Singaporeans may hit an obesity rate of 15% by 202412 implies that not only are Singaporeans squandering food, but we are also consuming more of it than is healthy for us. And while 6 in 10 Singaporeans know about fashion’s harmful impact on the environment, 7 out of 10 Singaporeans buy clothing at least once every six months, and care not if it is sustainably sourced.13 This waste of resources is undeniable but overlooked. Our culture tells us to want more, regardless of if it is good for us.

Everything we buy is thrown away eventually, though we do not often think about it. Photo by Lily Banse on Unsplash

When we lust after new clothes, gadgets, kitchen accoutrements, tchotchke or any other knick-knacks, we should think about whether it really makes us happy. Consumer clutter is a bane to the environment, especially when unwanted or unneeded goods are produced and then disposed. The philosophy of minimalism, which has skyrocketed in popularity after Marie Kondo’s book, reminds us that it more important to focus on what “sparks joy”. We do not need to live like ascetics, but we should give more careful consideration to our choices.

Sometimes a want is just an impulsive and unnecessary whim. What we consume –or do not consume -- shapes our lives and our legacy. The Gods of indiscriminate and relentless consumption will never be satiated, and our sacrifice of nature will only win us a mountain of garbage. Treasures, Tchotchke, or Trash; we need to be more frugal and clear-sighted, and learn to differentiate treasure from tinsel before all we have is trash.

#environment #sustainability #waste managment #singapore #mine

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steve-rogers-new-york · 5 years

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Men’s Hats — 1920s to 1940s

In the first half of the 20th century, it was the social norm for men to be seen out an about with a hat on their head. Through the decades, the arrival of European immigrant communities to New York brought new styles and culture in headware.

The purchase of a hat was an investment, and item of clothing to be worn with pride and respected more than any other item of a man’s wardrobe. Most hats were bought from local haberdashers or department stores like Brooklyn’s Frederick Loesers & Co and Abraham & Straus; while it is likely that some could be acquired secondhand.

Below is a brief guide to the various styles of hat that were popular with different sections of society in the 1920s-1940s.

Fedora A highly versatile hat for all occasions and dress styles.

Shape: Tall, pinched crown; wide brim, curved up at the back and down at the front.

Material: Fur felt, cotton, linen, leather, and woven straw.

Colors: Blue, green, tan, grey, and brown.

Adornment: Wide ribbon, flattened bows, and feathers

*Isn’t to be mixed up with the similarly shaped Trilby.

Trilby Similar in style to the fedora, but with a notably narrower brim and shorter crown.

Homburg A more formal to semi-formal style of hat popular in Europe. Identified by its rolled brim.

Shape: Tall crown with a moderate centre crease (”gutter crown”). A curled brim, more prominently on the sides (”kettle curl”).

Material: Fur felt.

Colors: Dark shades of blue, brown, grey and black.

Adornment: Wide ribbon, flattened bows, and feathers

Porkpie A less-common, hybrid style of semi-formal or casual hat.

Shape: Short, oval-shaped, flat crown, with a deep groove around the top. Brim is wide and curved all around.

Material: Fur felt, with cotton cloth in the summer.

Colors: Black and brown, with khaki in the summer.

Adornment: Thin leather band of a matching color, or a wide petersham ribbon and flat bow. Summer styles could also feature colorful plaid-patterned bands.

Boater Popular informal straw hat from the turn of the century. Short-wearing and inexpensive.

Shape: Short, flat crown, with a stiff flat brim

Material: Stiff, woven straw.

Colors: Straw.

Adornment: Plain or colored/patterned bands, sometimes with a flat bow on the side.

Flat Caps A modest, practical, workingman’s cloth cap.

Shape: Rounded, soft flat cap, with a short front visor. Can be made from one piece of material or several triangle sections sewn together. A less-formal, fuller version better known as a “newsboy” or “kangol” hat was also common.

Material: Wool, tweed, cotton gaberdine, and less commonly leather or corduroy.

Colors: Solid colors of blue, grey, and tan for summer; tweed blends of grey, dark blue, and brown for winter.

Image Sources

This post has been sponsored by Patreon supporter Joanna Daniels —longtime, and beloved follower. She and I would like to dedicate the post to the loving memory of her mother Joan Daniels, who sadly passed away this past year and who is sorely missed. My deepest, warmest thoughts for Joanna and her family.

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feywildatheart · 5 years

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Oh Darna. I wish you were here, too. I wish I could have that hug. I don't know about legend, but-- Well. I won't argue with you about that. I may have your stubbornness, but you've had more years to hone it, and I can recognize arguments I won't win.

I don't feel like a legend. Shouldn't legends feel like they have the faintest idea of what they're doing? When does that start?

I am sorry to make you worry. I hated writing you about the balhannoth, because I knew how it would make you both fear for me. I'm trying to be better, and smarter, I am, I just don't know... how.

You will, I think, be glad to know that we've begun the process of increasing our supplies. We've left Haewood and come to the port city of Arstead, which is quite sizeable. We stopped in at a shop for spell components for Elyn, so she'll be able to cast Teleportation Circle, which she's recently learned, and while we were there I bought a potion of climbing, to have should the occasion arise that I find myself in need of climbing swiftly and well, since Elyn and Cloudleaper are both far better at it than I am, and we went to the Pack and Tack where Elyn perused their armor, but ultimately didn't find anything she liked enough to buy, and I bought a set of lockpicks. We spent a few days making our way into and then up through the sorceress's tower when we were down in the ruins, just before returning to Haewood, and within the tower we found a few doors barred to us by locks and with no means at all of circumventing them, so I-- Well, I'm sure you both recall those adventuring novels I took a fancy to after the first time you took me to Cadiz Beta, and wheedled with you until you bought me my LICD and the rest of the series so I wouldn't be left in suspense when we returned home. They were always picking locks in those books, and goodness knows I read and reread them enough to have them practically memorized. And I'm decently good with my hands, a bit steadier in a pinch than either Elyn or Cloudleaper at any rate, and so I thought, well, what was there to lose? And I borrowed a screwdriver from Elyn and, with her tools and her encouragement and those novels buoying me up, I made a go at seeing if I could work the lock open.

And, nenîth, you won't believe it but it worked! There were a few locked doors in the tower, all told, and I was able to get each of them open in turn. It must be because the locks were so very old, I'm sure, they must be simpler technology, less secure. In any case, though, I didn't suppose that using the wrong tool for the job was going to make me any better at it, so I bought the lockpicks while we were at the Pack and Tack, and got a recommendation from them about where I might find a bookstore likely to carry an instruction manual that I can learn from, and with a bit of luck and a great deal of practice, perhaps the next time we encounter a locked door -- ancient or otherwise -- I'll be able to make sure it doesn't stand in our way.

I'm going to try, anyway.

There was a compendium of monsters and beasts at the bookstore, too, that I set my eye on, and when I opened it up to see if it had anything about a balhannoth written there (no one we've spoken to, really, seems to have much more than a vague notion of what it actually is, and I envy them that, but it seemed like a decent litmus test to identify just how thorough and useful the compendium might be), Cloudleaper leaned over quicker than I could snatch the book away and wrote in it, just wrote right in it, something about balhannoths being a nightmare to fight, as though that's news to any of us at this point. I protested, and the store clerks were highly disapproving, and Cloudleaper declared she was going to buy it for me, to make it up to us both I think, so I let her.

After the bookstore, we headed across town to find a tanner whose name Elyn had been given, to see if they could make something of the dragon hide that we found in the balhannoth's lair, and Cloudleaper started wailing in the middle of the street, because -- honestly, I'm still not exactly sure what happened. Elyn and I managed to convince her to collapse onto Squirt's back, rather than there in the middle of the street, so we could get her to a park and try to figure out what was wrong, which seems to be that her friend Stormflight, from the monastery, wrote her and something about the letter made her realize that she's in love with him, which she seems to think is something utterly terrible.

I really don't understand her at all.

There didn't seem to be anything that we could do to try to console her, so Elyn distracted her by taking her off to find trousers and boots to replace the ones that have been a mess ever since we fought the balhannoth, and while they did that I excused myself to go find a decent tech shop.

It occurred to me at some point during the few days we spent in Haewood, after leaving the ruins, when we were all rejoicing in having LICD connection again, that we could almost certainly afford an upgrade there, too, and I thought-- well, Cloudleaper's always so upset when she doesn't have access to the internet and the stories she likes to read, and I thought I could buy her one, as a sort of a gesture, and an attempt to repair some of what's broken between us. And then she was so upset by Stormflight's letter, it seemed the right time to go and get it, and try to make her happy.

It wasn't terribly hard to find a decent tech shop, and the clerk there was very helpful, and in short order I left with three IICDs, one for each of us, and with special access on Cloudleaper's to science databases, and on Elyn's to ones for music and history, and on mine to a beastiary, to hopefully keep us better informed about the things we might be finding ourselves facing.

Elyn and Cloudleaper weren't at the shop where I'd left them when I came back, but I managed to find them, wandering about in search of a tech shop themselves, it turned out. I gave Cloudleaper her IICD, and-- oh, Darna, she's so effusive! I don't think I'm particularly reserved when it comes to affection, but Cloudleaper's is always so overwhelming! Maybe it's only because she's twice my size that I'm so easily overwhelmed.

In any case, she sobbed, which was very concerning and the opposite of what I'd hoped to accomplish, and then she snatched me up in her arms and squeezed all the breath out of me, and when she finally set me down I gave Elyn hers, who looked very startled by it -- as though I'd have bought such a thing for Cloudleaper but left her empty-handed!

Once Cloudleaper had recovered, they mentioned their search for a tech shop, and I was going to show them to mine until Cloudleaper got that look in her eye that she sometimes gets and started being all insistent about how I hadn't paid more than fifty gold for it, had I? And, well, I was perfectly capable of affording what they cost, and I don't in any way feel that the price was unfair, but it was definitely more than fifty gold, and I just had a vision of Cloudleaper storming into the shop and terrorizing that poor clerk who had been so helpful to me, so I changed my mind about that right quick, and then Elyn reminded us about our plans to find the tanner Balla, so we headed off in that direction.

Balla was very kind and helpful, though his eyes about popped out of his head when I pulled the dragon hide out of our bag. He seems to know what he's about, though, and said that he could make a set of armor from it, and that the properties of the hide would likely give its wearer some extra protections against dragons. Elyn and I have both been feeling a need for a little bit more protection than we have, especially after that balhannoth, so it was a little disappointing to learn that there was only enough material for him to fashion one set of armor, but Elyn and I are close enough in size, at least, so we commissioned him to tan the hide and make a set of studded armor from it, in dimension that would fit either of us, and I suppose once it's finished Elyn and I can argue over who it belongs to. I'm inclined to insist that she takes it, since I have my cloak to help protect me and also it's really imperative to all of us that she stays on her feet, since she's the one with the healing magic. I think she's as inclined to shove it at me, though, she's always saying that it's important that I stay on my feet, because I have the wand of healing and can get her back on hers if need be. So, we'll have to see how that goes once it's finished, and perhaps in the meantime as we continue our shopping, she or I will find some other set of armor that we fall in love with, and the debate will be moot.

We decided to find a bank after that, so we could unload some of the considerable amount of loose coins in the bag of holding and put them into our account, but as we were walking Elyn heard music playing somewhere nearby, and so of course we had to make a detour to find its source. We met a pair of dwarven cousins who were busking, one playing the harp while the other sang, and after we'd watched for a while and Elyn struck up a conversation, they invited her to join them, and seemed to appreciate both her own harp and her gloves very much. They played a song from their home planet about the creation of the Ollamh Harp, and it was incredibly lovely.

Eventually Elyn said that we should leave before the bank closed for the day, though it was obvious she'd have stayed longer if she could, and neither Cloudleaper or I were rushing her away. But off we went, and took up some poor teller's time as we dug all nine thousand coins out, one handful at a time.

Cloudleaper and I got into a little bit of an argument then -- well, it wasn't heated, so I suppose it was more of a debate. But she started talking about how we should be investing our money, so that it earns interest and we can have more money, and ... I just can't fathom the purpose of that. We have so much already! What's the point of acquiring it for its own sake? She was talking about investing it in the sorts of places that wouldn't let us have access to it for years, and what if we need it? And when I protested she started demanding, what if I get hurt and I need it for my medical bills, what if I die and it's needed for funeral costs. I pointed out that there are temples dedicated to healing those in need of it, and that our funds would be better used in service to keeping us alive than squirreled away in event of our death, but Cloudleaper didn't much seem to hear me about any of that, and she was just getting more agitated and the conversation was just going in circles, so I said that she could do whatever she liked with her portion of the money, and left it at that.

I don't know, I don't think your or Cylla will agree with me, considering what you said in your letter about managing our money. It's not that I'm opposed to the idea entirely, but I need a better reason for it. Elyn mentioned saving up for a college fund for the kids, and that's a reason I can get behind, but I don't care about acquiring money just for the sake of having it. And we're already doing that, aren't we? If the balance in our party funds is anything to judge by, we're already acquiring money faster than we can spend it.

Anyway. Elyn cut through the argument by suggesting that we all go get dinner and talk about Stormflight's letter, if Cloudleaper felt like talking about it, and to my considerable surprise she did. So off we went, and what followed was a very bewildering conversation, in which Cloudleaper said with one breath that she loves him, and with the next that she'll never say so because she doesn't deserve to be happy, which is such bullshit. Even I, who has spent much of our time together unhappy with her and thinking she disliked me, wouldn't have ever said that she didn't deserve to be happy. We tried to gently encourage her to see that, Elyn and I, and I asked if that was why she'd cried when I'd given her the IICD, because I'd gotten it for her specifically to try to make her happy, and I told her she could give it back if she didn't want it (I didn't really think she'd take me up on that, not considering how delighted she'd been by it when I gave it to her), and she snatched me up again and squeezed me again and started going on about how I was hers now and she would fight to the death for me (I pointed out, with what breath I could manage, that she's already done that, she's killed lots of things for me and Elyn both).

I still don't know what to make of her. I think I've given up on ever knowing what to make of her. She talked in such a matter-of-fact manner about not deserving to be happy, like it was a simple and undisputed fact, like the speed of light or the force of gravity. And then she started talking about leaving like the one thing followed from the other, and only Elyn pointing out that the two of us will definitely die without her stopped that particular line of conversation.

In any case, at least now we all have our IICDs, and magical necromancer towers notwithstanding, should find ourselves much less likely to be out of signal range and out of contact than we so far have, which I hope will be a relief to you both. And we've made a start to better equipping ourselves, at least, and once we decide on where to go next we will hopefully be able to make some further progress on that. I wrote to Marsa, asking if she knew of where might be a good place to go to find magical supplies, and she suggested a few options that we've yet to decide between. She mentioned Sumula Station as one, and I think Elyn and I would both be glad for an excuse to go catch up with Biza, but there are a few others she listed as well, and we're thinking we might reach out to the adventuring guild for guidance on where to start. We've certainly the funds to take teleportation circles from one to the next if we felt the need to shop widely, though.

I'll write you both once I know where we're heading, or if anything exciting happens in the meantime -- though I certainly hope it doesn't, I think we've all three had our fill of excitement for at least a little while. I'd like to at least get our shopping done and the lot of us a little better equipped, before the next excitement finds us.

I love you both, more than my letters can ever convey.

Maliah

#in character #in character: letters #episode 72

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avaalons · 6 years

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Chris Evans Fic: Hiking and Hypocrisy (Chapter 10)

Some NSFW content in this.

You glanced nervously at the clock, wiping your hands on a cloth as you ran through your mental checklist once more. Dinner was in the oven, dessert was chilling in the fridge, the table was set… all you needed to do was get yourself ready. You had about forty five minutes until Chris was due to arrive and you planned on using them to make yourself as primped and preened as possible.

After the success of your reunion at Mackie and Sheletta’s, you had invited Chris over to your apartment for dinner. You planned on telling him everything, the whole sorry tale. Yes, there was a high probability that it would totally kill the mood, and you worried that it was too soon to be bearing your soul so completely, but after all that had happened, it seemed like the only option. Chris had to know, end of.

You practised what you were going to say as you showered and shaved your legs, and then again as your dried your hair and applied a touch of make up. You practised, but you knew full well it would all go out of the window once you actually began talking. Still, it didn’t hurt to run through it all, as much as it pained you to recall the events that put the final nail in the coffin on yours and Isaac’s relationship.

By the time the doorbell rang, you felt somewhat ready. You did a final smooth over of your dress and opened the door to Chris, smiling on the other side and holding a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine.

You matched his smile, feeling nerves turn to excitement now that he was there, and stepped aside to let him.

He gifted the flowers to you and you thanked him, pressing a gentle and tentative kiss to his mouth before heading to the kitchen to find a vase and water.

‘Smells good in here,’ Chris complimented you.

‘It’s honey mustard chicken. I hope you’re hungry, I got a little over excited and made enough to feed the whole apartment block.’

He just grinned boyishly, ‘Oh, I’m absolutely famished.’

***

You chatted all through dinner, music playing softly in the background, venturing into flirtation on more than one occasion. You had seated yourselves around a corner of the table so that your knees brushed together often and you were close enough to lay a hand on an arm here or have your hair brushed back over your shoulder there. Each touch ignited a new spark within you, your body finally able to give in to its attraction to him.

Chris helped you clear away the dishes after dessert, moving close by you as you stacked them in the sink and you felt hands snake around your hips, a bristly cheek rest against yours from behind.

‘Thank you for that spectacular dinner,’ he said sincerely, and you spun around in his arms, wedged between him and the counter, laying your hands against his chest.

‘You are more than welcome,’ You beamed up at him. ‘I hope it goes some small way to apologising for the absolute shitshow you’ve encountered since you met me.’

You laughed as you said but there was a serious undertone to your words.

He dipped his head in acknowledgement, ‘There’s nothing to apologise for, honestly. The one thing I would like to know, if you ever felt up to telling me, is what that asshole did to you in the past to make you so wary. Just so I know what I’d be fighting him for if I ever meet him again.’

You knew he was joking about the fighting thing and you laughed with him, trying to keep the mood light but feeling the significance of what you needed to do.

Reaching up on tip toes, you pressed your mouth gently to his, placing your hands against his neck. He pushed back against you almost instantly, deepening the kiss, sweeping his tongue across your bottom lip. It was full of longing and, on your part, of apology, both for what had happened and what you were about to unload on him.

You pulled back just enough to be able to speak against his lips, ‘Let’s take the wine into the living room and I’ll tell you whole thing.’

He looked at you steadily for a moment, ‘You sure? I don’t want to push you into something you’re not ready for.’

‘No, you need to hear it so you can understand. I’ve been holding on to it for too long.’

He nodded, ‘Lead the way.’

***

So you sat, with your glasses of wine and you told him the whole of your history with Isaac. Some of it you had assumed Chris had been able to piece together from what he had seen at the cabin, but some of it was going to be fresh information.

So you told him how you had met Isaac when you were too young to know any better, had been taken in by his good looks, charming personality and, honestly, his ambitions of being an actor impressed you. He was just starting out but had a couple of decent TV credits under his belt, he knew people and was a little showbiz.

You spent a lot of your relationship wondering what he saw in you, how you had managed to catch such a prize, and it was only years later that you realised that whole train of thought was one carefully cultivated by Isaac himself. He wanted you to feel inferior, like he was doing you a favour, and he manipulated you so well that you hadn’t even realised that he was doing it. Every time he made you change your clothes before going to an event, or compared you to another girl, or changed plans at the last minute and went to events alone because ‘you know how it is babe, sometimes I can get more out of networking if I appear single, it’s just for work, you know that right?’

And every time, you told him yes, you knew he was trying to carve a career for himself to secure your future. He wasn’t cheating on you, he loved you!

Then things had happened in rapid succession. You moved in with him, into an apartment being sublet by none other than Anthony Mackie, also an up-and-comer at the time, and three months, he’d asked you to marry him. You had worn that obscene ring with pride at the time, believing beyond everything that this proves exactly how much Isaac truly loved you, how everything he did was for your future together as a couple. Underneath it all, however, deep down you were scared of how much you needed him. All of your friends had been cut off, left to the wayside as Isaac consumed you. You dyed your hair, lost weight, starting tanning - all things you thought would make him love you more - because, now you knew, that ring that never made you feel more secure. If anything, now you had it, you felt you had to work to keep it.

Isaac was the only person you had in your life, and that made it very difficult to leave him, even years down the line when you knew things weren’t right, that there was something wrong in his treatment of you. He stayed out late, a lot. You were invited to less and less of his events and spent more and more time alone in the apartment with only that ridiculous ring for company. His career didn’t seem to be going anywhere fast and you began to live for monthly trips to the cabin.

The cabin belonged to his parents really, but Isaac used it the most. Sometimes for out-of-town parties but your favourite times were when it was just the two of you. It was only there you felt like you had him, truly. You tried to keep him in bed all weekend, waiting on him hand and foot, trying desperately to show him how good a fiancée you were and how you could meet all his needs. You didn’t care what he asked of you, you did it. He was himself at the cabin, he was nice to you and paid attention to you, and you told yourself this is how he really was and that ‘LA Isaac’ was just a front, a mask.

The truth really hit you all at once, however. You’d been feeling pretty sick at work for a couple of days and, having mentioned it in passing to Nina, decided you should take a pregnancy test. You bought one at the store on your way home, leaving work earlier than you normally would, feeling excited to tell Isaac. This would surely set everything in stone. Engaged, with a baby on the way, you could be a family. You could give him what no one else could. Maybe he’d give up on the actor thing and settle into something more stable once he was a Dad.

You let yourself into your apartment, ready to burst, ready for Isaac to wait with you in anticipation as the test did it’s thing, but you froze immediately.

There, bent over the couch was a naked woman, head thrown back in pleasure as Isaac pounded into her from behind. Time seemed to slow. You saw every little detail, saw him admiring her ass, giving her a little slap, telling her she was a good girl. You heard the noises she was making, thrusting her backside in the air like she was in a porn movie. It wasn’t long before the shock evolved and all you wanted to do was throw up.

‘Isaac?!’ Your voice was strained, wild.

They both turned to the source of the noise but Isaac barely batted an eyelid. He even grinned a little as he pulled out, telling the girl he’d be back in a minute.

‘I didn’t know you’d be back so soon baby,’ he said as he nonchalantly strolled past you to the kitchen, pulling a bottle of water from the fridge.

‘Isaac! What - we’re together. We’re engaged! I can’t… why would you do this? Does this mean nothing to you?’ You held up your hand for him to see the ring he’d placed there himself.

He took a swig from his bottle and gazed at you, no emotion whatsoever on his face.

‘Don’t be so naive sweetheart. This is LA, you think anyone is monogamous?’

That churned up the ever increasing fury inside you and you wanted to scream.

‘I am! I’ve been here, been faithful, been everything you could possibly want me to be, and this is what I come home to.’

‘That’s the way it works baby, very rarely does wife material coincide with, well, bedroom material. That’s all I’m saying. Needs have to be fulfilled somehow. Now why don’t you run along for a couple of hours, take my card, go treat yourself to some shopping, and we’ll go out for a nice dinner later.’

He laid his bottle on the counter and began to walk back towards the girl, still ready and waiting over the couch. You couldn’t believe the lack of concern. He literally did not care that you had caught him fucking another woman’s brains out while you were at work, while you might have his child-

‘Isaac, I might be pregnant. I came home early today to do a test.’

That made him stop at least and he turned around slowly, but his face was hard and unforgiving.

‘Then what are you doing here? Get to the doctor and get that sorted out now,’ he hauled you by the shoulder and all but pushed you out the door, ‘And don’t come back until it’s taken care of.’

You stood in shock, staring at the front door, watching your life fall apart in front of you. You had no one. There was no one to go to, no one to help you. Isaac was all you had in the world.

Eventually, you had called Mackie. He was your landlord for all intents and purposes, and you didn’t really know him too well at that point, but at least he could help you with the apartment stuff. Maybe he had another sublet you could use temporarily? And help you collect your belongings from the apartment? Because you wouldn’t be going back. Not ever.

He’d come over after hearing your shaky voice on the phone and had led you away carefully. He and Sheletta had taken you in, Sheletta holding your hand while you waited for the results of the test (Negative. Just stomach flu then) while Mackie collected your belongings for you. You figured he’d kicked Isaac out because Mackie had asked you if you wanted the apartment back. You’d shook your head vehemently. There was no way you would ever go back there.

With the help of Mackie and Sheletta you had slowly gotten back on your feet, found a new apartment, threw yourself back into work, and, after a broker had told you your ring was virtually worthless, had thrown it into the river.

You started again, were reborn as a new Isaac-less woman: hardened, cynical, and alone but just about getting by.

Until Chris.

#chris evans #chris evans imagine #chris evans fanfiction #chris evans x reader #chris evans x you

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putthison · 6 years

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Shell Cordovan for Winter

It’s been a while since menswear was obsessed with all things shell cordovan, but if you’re looking for a great a pair of shoes to get you through winter, you could hardly do better than a pair of chunky boots or derbies in this leather. Shell cordovan, as many readers know, refers to leather drawn from a horse’s rear. The word cordovan comes from the Spanish city of Cordoba, which was once renowned for its tanneries. In the 16th and 17th centuries, skilled workers would tan horsehides here, which would then be turned into wall hangings, armor, and trunks.

It wasn’t until the mid-19th century, however, that the term “cordovan” referred to the shell of horse butts (hence the name “shell cordovan”). Much of shell cordovan production at this time was done in Germany, where the leather was sold under the name “Spiegelware” (German for “mirror goods”). The name likely refers to shell cordovan’s shiny finish. Since shell doesn’t have the pores you’ll find in other full-grain leathers, it naturally gleams.

Shell cordovan today is sometimes thought of as dressy, maybe because it’s expensive, but it was once considered very a casual material. Since it’s tough, thick, and hardwearing, companies such as Wolverine originally used it for work shoes. I find it’s also perfect for winter footwear -- not just because it’s incredibly protective and durable, but because the leather’s thickness gives it a chunky silhouette that sits well underneath heavy wool trousers and denim.

Some sources if you’re looking to get a pair:

Alden: Everyone knows about Alden. They’re the most famous brand of shell cordovan shoes. What you may not know, however, is that you can sometimes get colors other than Horween’s #8 if you contact certain Alden stores (try the one in DC). They occasionally get shoes in rare shell colors, such as cigar, but you have get on a waitlist and bide your time (expect to wait up to a year). The Shoe Mart also occasionally has discounted Alden shell cordovan footwear. See this post on how to access their stock.

Allen Edmonds: The other big American name. Allen Edmonds is more affordable than Alden, although their shell cordovan often lacks the luster of other brands. Alden, for example, finishes their shell with a specific coating to enhance the colors. That said, Allen Edmonds has some really nice shell cordovan boots, which you can occasionally find on discount at their online store for factory seconds.

Meermin: Even on sale, shell cordovan shoes are dearly expensive. If you want a deal, try Meermin. They source their shell from tanneries other than Horween, which makes them a little cheaper, as well as allows them to use a wider range of colors (almost all Horween shell cordovan nowadays is in their deep burgundy #8 because the dark color helps hide any cosmetic flaws). Meermin’s shell shoes are often cheaper than what other high-end brands charge for calfskin.

Florsheim: Another great source for affordable shell cordovan shoes. You can find their wingtips on eBay pretty easily (we have a post on how to identify the good stuff). The shoes will often be pre-loved, but shell is such a hardwearing material it rarely affects durability. The only exception: occaisionally old cordovan can be a bit dry, so look closely at the photos to see if there’s cracking at the creases or stretching and cracking at the eyelets. If you’re up for second-hand shoes, try also searching for brands such as Nettleton, Barrie, Johnston & Murphy, Hanover, and Bostonian.

Crockett & Jones: One of my favorite makers for shell cordovan shoes, mostly because their lasts go so well with both tailored clothing and casualwear. They have a store in NYC, where you can shop, but their factory in England also does private label manufacturing for brands such as Brooks Brothers and Ralph Lauren. You can sometimes pick those up for a 15-25% discount during Brooks Brother’s and Ralph Lauren’s mid-season sales. I have a pair of C&J-made Brooks Brothers shell cordovan boots that I love.

Enzo Bonafe: A better value than most. Enzo Bonafe is an Italian company with a flexible made-to-order program. They carry a wide range of shell cordovan colors, can make any design, and all their shoes are handwelted (a bit better than machine-made Goodyear welted shoes). Skoaktiebolaget occasionally organizes group orders, which helps lower the price (the above is a pair of Enzo Bonafe shell cordovan boots they once offered). They also take individual custom orders and can walk you through the options.

Vass: This company is a lot like Enzo Bonafe in many ways -- they also have a flexible MTO program and handwelt all of their shoes. One of the main differences is that, being a Hungarian company, they draw more from Austro-Hungarian shoemaking traditions, which means they have more options if you prefer rounder lasts. In the US, you can custom order their shoes through No Man Walks Alone. I recommend going through a store, as shell is hard to work with and it’s good if you can get someone to guarantee a certain level of quality.

Carmina: Another great value. A little more European in styling than Alden, but not as expensive as some of their English counterparts. Carmina’s shell cordovan dress boots were once popular among guys who wear bespoke clothing, although I favor their more casual styles (e.g. the jumper boots). You can find them at The Armoury, Gentlemen’s Footwear and Skoaktiebolaget.

Edward Green: For whatever reason, Northampton companies such as Edward Green will often refer to shell cordovan as crup. Given the price of Edward Green’s regular calfskin shoes, their shell cordovan (or crup) shoes can be prohibitively expensive. That said, if you’re up for a splurge, Gentlemen’s Footwear and Leffot can get most models made on special order. I recommend going with their rounder lasts, such as their 202. The more casual style just suits the material better.

Rancourt: A small, well regarded footwear manufacturer that has produced for brands such as Ralph Lauren. They mostly specialize in American style moccasins, although they also carry a handsome line of shell cordovan boots and longwings.

Viberg: One of the most popular companies today for service boots, which is a style worn by American soldiers in the Second World War. Service boots are to workwear what boat shoes are to prep -- they go with almost anything, and their versatility makes them popular with style enthusiasts. Viberg occasionally offers their service boots in shell cordovan, but they sell out within hours of going online. If you’re up for the fight, keep up with sites such as Division Road and Viberg’s own site.

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sere22world · 3 years

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How to choose sunglasses in summer?

There are so many kinds of glasses on the market now, especially the sunglasses. As a result of the sun's irradiation in summer, a lot of people can choose sunglasses to keep out ultraviolet ray, but here need to pay attention to the choice of sunglasses..... . Here, Timeless Sunglasses Manufacturers has a quick guide to choosing Sunglasses this summer.

How to choose sunglasses in summer

1. Wear sunglasses in summer to try to have a feeling of dizziness and headache. There are also a few myopic sunglasses that indicate degree on market now to sell, do not pass because pupil distance and other indicators vary from person to person, if do not have the guidance of professional personage so, consumer had better not choose this kind of sunglasses that has degree.

2. To observe whether the lens has scratches, impurities, bubbles, stripes, check the outer packaging of sunglasses, regular sunglasses should be marked with product name, color, diameter, quality level, the name of the manufacturer and trademark, mirror or tag marked with anti-UVA, UVB and CE signs of the sunglasses to ensure that a certain amount of ultraviolet.

3. Hold the corners of the sunglasses against the fluorescent lamp and let the reflective strip of the mirror roll gently. If you find that the sunlight reflected by the mirror appears wavy and distorted, it shows that the lens is not smooth, and such a mirror will damage your vision.

4. The color of sunglass besides the color of skin according to oneself, face shape, dress will match outside, still should choose according to go in and out place. Generally speaking, black, tan and gray filter well; Grey lens can be balanced absorption of any color spectrum, after wearing the lens to see the scene will only darken without obvious color difference; The tawny lenses filter out large amounts of blue light and improve visual contrast and clarity, especially in polluted or foggy conditions.

5. Lenses should be flat, high transparency, lens material has glass and resin, and a good lens should be polarised lens. It is made of a synthetic resin as light and precise as a contact lens. It consists of seven thin sheets and two superhard wear-resistant layers. The second and sixth layers are shatter-proof strengthening layers; The third and fifth layers are ultraviolet filter layers, and the middle layer is a polarizing filter layer. Polarised lenses are popular sunglasses that effectively filter out reflected light and harmful ultraviolet rays, and are resistant to shattering and abrasion.

6. How to choose the right shade of sunglasses for us in summer? A simple way to test yourself is to wear sunglasses in front of a mirror so that you can barely see your pupils. If the color is too light, the filtering effect is too small. Too dark color will affect vision and weaken color sense. Sunglasses of colorful light color that is popular this year, do not use in activity on seaside water, in the snow field that glances strongly and sunshine falls very intense sun, and should wear sport sunglass, they use the saturated color with gorgeous color mostly, can absorb or reflect more visible light.

How to wear sunglasses?

Sunglasses are generally divided into light and dark categories and are made up of a variety of colors. Judge the quality of sunglass bad, the key should examine a few technical indicators such as top coke degree and prism degree, transmission ratio characteristic, surface quality and inner fault, assembly precision and plastic requirement.

A good pair of sunglasses can help shade the sun and decorate the appearance. But in the market, the actual situation is not optimistic. Some vendors are taking advantage of consumers' lack of knowledge about the quality of sunglasses by making them with shoddy, inexpensive window glass or other inferior materials. The uniformity of these materials is poor, containing streaks, bubbles and other impurities, can not block ultraviolet light, does not meet the physiological requirements of the human eye. What's more, the use of poor quality plastic sheets with very low visible light transmittance but very high UV transmittance to make sunglasses harms consumers.

How to choose and wear sunglasses? Expert reminds consumer, must not pay attention to the style of sunglass only, should pay attention to its internal quality more. For qualified sunglasses, the transmittance of UVA at wavelengths between 315nm and 380nm should not exceed 10%, and the transmittance of UVA at wavelengths between 280nm and 315nm should be zero. Wearing these sunglasses can protect the cornea, lens and retina of the eye from UV damage. A few cheap sunglass cannot filter ultraviolet ray not only, can because keep out after visible light instead, the irradiate that makes ultraviolet ray is more remarkable, this kind of inferior sunglass is inferior to do not wear.

Sunglasses belong to the series of flat mirrors. Set according to national standard, sunglass allows to contain the refraction of plus or minus 8 degrees only more, exceed this error range is unqualified product. According to scientific research personnel to inspect the sunglass on the market, the refraction that has nearly 3 into sunglass exceeds acceptable poor, some is as high as 20 many degrees even. The expert points out, the consumer of normal vision wears this kind of sunglass, as wearing a pair of myopic lens or farsightedness lens, after a summer passes, consumer can be by inferior sunglass "cultivate" become myopia or farsightedness patient. When you wear sunglasses after dizziness, nausea, dazzling and other symptoms, should immediately stop wearing.

What is the principle of sunglasses?

Sunglasses can block uncomfortable bright light and also protect the eyes from damaging ultraviolet rays. All this is thanks to metal powder filters that "select" light as it hits. The tinted glasses selectively absorb some of the wavelengths that make up the sun's rays because they use very fine metallic powders (iron, copper, nickel, etc.). In fact, when light hits the lens, it is subtracted by a process called destructive interference. That is, when certain wavelengths of light (in this case UVA, UVB and sometimes infrared) pass through the lens, they cancel each other out on the inside of the lens, toward the eye. The overlap of light waves is no accident: the crest of one wave and the trough of its nearest counterpart cancel each other out. Destructing interference depends on the refractive index of the lens, which is how much light diverges as it passes through different substances from the air, and also on the thickness of the lens. Generally speaking, the thickness of the lens does not vary much, while the refractive coefficient of the lens varies according to the chemical composition.

Polarizing sunglasses offer another mechanism for eye protection. The reflected light of asphalt is a special kind of polarized light. The difference between this reflected light and light directly from the sun or from any artificial source is a matter of order. Polarized light is made up of waves that vibrate in all one direction, whereas ordinary light is made up of waves that vibrate in no direction. It was like the contrast between a group of men moving at random in disorder and a group of soldiers marching in step. In general, reflected light is an ordered kind of light. Polarized lenses are particularly effective at blocking this light because of their filtering properties. The lenses allow only polarized waves that vibrate in a certain direction to pass through, as if combing light. For road reflections, using polarizing sunglasses can reduce the transmission of light because it does not let through light waves that vibrate parallel to the road. In effect, the long molecules in the filter layer are directed horizontally and can absorb horizontally polarized light. In this way, most of the reflected light is eliminated without reducing the overall illumination of the surrounding environment.

The lenses of color changing sunglasses darken when the sun's rays hit them. When the lighting waned, it became bright again. This is possible because the crystal of silver halide is at work. Under normal conditions, it keeps the lens perfectly transparent. In the light of the sun, the silver in the crystal is separated, and the free silver forms small aggregates inside the lens. These small silver aggregates, irregular patches with interlocking teeth, do not transmit light but absorb it, which darkens the lens as a result. In the case of dim light, the crystals form again and the lens returns to its bright state.

For more information about Sunglasses, please contact Timeless Sunglasses Manufacturers.

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