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upagainstthesunset · 1 year

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Cursed Images: A Metron Series in Two Parts

Part 1 - The Early Years (1970-2005)

I’ve now gone through all of Metron’s appearances across several different titles, and it’s always fun seeing various artists’ interpretations of the character. And of course by “fun” I mean “maddening and rage inducing”. I know, I know, even published artists are at various skill levels and have their own unique styles. Sure, fine, I get that. But what I’m talking about here are choices. Choices made by people who saw the original design and went NAHHH. They truly looked at New Gods 1971 and said “I wonder who that’s for?” So this series is a compilation of the worst offenders because I have to share these with someone or I will surely implode. The list ranges from personal pet peeves to mind-boggling portrayals. Feel free to chime in, share opinions, even argue for or against the list. As long as seeing this makes you go, “wtf” at least once, then I’ve done my job. Without further ado I give you...

1. Mister Miracle (1971) #18

[Image: Cropped comic panel of Metron from the waist up. He is looking upwards with an open mouthed frown. His eyes lack pupils and the width of his face makes him look non-human. /End]

Can you believe it? the first entry is drawn by none other than Jack Kirby himself. If anyone has the right to alter Metron’s design, it’d be him, and by god did he do it. Even if we don’t mention the strange eyes and fish-like facial features, the ears aren’t covered (a cardinal sin in my book), and the shirt design is all kinds of a-typical.

2. New Gods (1977) #8

[Image: Cropped comic panel of Metron’s face in three quarters view. He is looking ahead sternly with red flames in the background. /End]

First off, whomst? This looks like someone cosplaying as Metron. Who is this man? Anyway, here we see what I consider to be another cardinal sin. No cut-out on the forehead. The penciler for most of this run of New Gods clearly took inspiration from 1st Issue Special #13 (not pictured here) where Mike Vosburg pioneered this look (unfortunately). The M shape is there, its just all cowl. I wish I could put into words what it is about this that annoys me. I guess it’s maybe stripping uniqueness away from the design. Anyway, I also chose this one bc what is with the absolute lack of eyebrows on the cowl? Blasphemy. And the face is just way too open.

3. Justice League of America (1960) #183

[Image: Cropped comic panel of Metron sitting in the Mobius chair, facing the viewer and tilted to the side. The art has a boxy style to it, and the chair is orange. /End]

Okay, most of my problem with this one is the Mobius chair. WHY is it yellow/orange? WHY is it so boxy?? And most of all, WHY did they color it so that it blends in with Metron’s suit to make HIM look boxy as well??? I don’t mind the changes to the design on his chest, and the cowl is fine. It’s really just how the artists did the chair dirty, and it ended up making the overall composition quite bizarre.

4. Justice League International (1987) #12

[Image: Cropped comic panel of Metron from the chest up. He is looking down at an angle with a flat expression, and had a hand on his chest. Pink smoke rises from the left side of his chest. /End]

The lack of detail and lines on the face is purely this artist’s style, so no issues there. But am I NOT supposed to notice the freaking TINY forehead cut-out??? SO SMALL. And it’s not an M shape, which does kind of bother me. Like, at least they’ve got the eyebrows in there, but still. Why did they draw it this way? :(

5. New Gods (1986) #6

[Image: Cropped comic panel close up on Metron’s face. He is staring forward towards the viewer with his mouth slightly open and his brow crinkled. /End]

Alright. That’s on me for complaining about lack of eyebrows and facial detail before. Now we have DOUBLE thick eyebrows and a weirdly wrinkled forehead. Every time I see this I feel like the eyebrows are toothpaste. And what’s with the beady white eyes? Sigh. At least the forehead is cut out and has somewhat of an M shape. Guess I gotta take my wins where I can get them.

6. JLA (1997) #11

[Image: Two cropped comic panels of Metron. The first is a full body shot of him on the Mobius chair, which looks to be coming out of a fiery portal. The second is a close up of his face as he turns to look toward the viewer with squinted eyes with red dots of energy in the background. /End]

Howard Porter and Grant Morrison, I just want to talk. Besides making the Mobius chair silver and weirdly cushy, I HATE the square eye thing. It’s a staple of Morrison’s portrayals of Metron for some reason, and It’s so stupid and has no reason behind it that I can tell besides making him look sinister. All the other New Gods look human-ish, but no. Had to go and make Metron look edgy. I know he’s supposed to be cold and more like his machines, but he’s still a god. That’s the duality! Read beyond the surface level I am begging! So yeah, the square eyes is to me the ultimate manifestation of someone not actually getting Metron’s character.

7. Jack Kirby’s Fourth World (1997) #13

[Image: Cropped comic panel of Metron’s face in dark lighting. He has a serious expression and speaks to someone out of view to the side. /End]

By all rights this shouldn’t be on the list. I’m actually totally fine with John Byrne’s art. Sure the eyes are the wrong color, and the mask on the cheeks can be a bit too sharp at times, but fine. Fine. My problem here is SO petty and I know it. It’s that the forehead has three dots. There’s supposed to be one. ONE. And the reason it irks me is that three forehead dots is a Braniac thing. BRANIAC. The utter gall to even COMPARE the two!! I’m sorry but Coluans WISH they were on Metron’s level. I will die on this hill if I have to.

8. Jack Kirby’s Fourth World (1997) #16

[Image: Cropped comic panel of Metron’s face, slightly smiling while speaking and looking forwards and upwards. /End]

SIGH.

When I said I didn’t like the three forehead dots, THIS isn’t what I had in mind. I’m truly suffering.

9. Superman: The Dark Side #2

[Image: Two comic panels of the character Metron. The first is at an upwards angle from the chest with his hand resting on the arm of his chair. The second is a close up of his face as he says “No.” In both he wears a black suit with many blue lines. His face is also full of lines and wrinkles. /End]

Where do I even start with this? The forehead M not being cut out is like the least of my worries at this point. The most obvious issue is the very wrinkly face. What is even going on here? Is he super old? Is he diseased? Is he dying? I literally do not know why he’s drawn like that. The design choice to make his suit black isn’t really new, since I think originally it was supposed to be that way with a blueish tint. So okay, sure. But the lines. My god, the many lines. Even all over his hands! And ughh alright, so no forehead cutout, but the CHIN is cut out. THE CHIN. WHY. And whatdya know, square eyes again. Someone release me from this hell.

10. JLA (1997) #114

[Image: Cropped comic panel of Metron from the hips up sitting in the Mobius chair. One hand rests on the chair arm’s console, and the other is at his chin. He is squinting and saying, “Entry forty-seven.” /End]

Sooo no forehead cutout this time, not even an M on the forehead. And the big wrist cuffs are a first. But WOW the most egregious thing here is the face itself. WHY??? I AM BEGGING FOR ANSWERS. I should never have complained about the square eyes, huh? This is what I get in return. Okay, I took a minute to review the rest of the issue, and maybe Ron Garney just really hates drawing eyes because everyone is squinty. But NOBODY ELSE looks like THIS. For real tho, someone drew this and thought, “this is fine.” Welp, can’t believe we’re only half way through with this list. I’m already in so much pain.

#metron #fourth world #new gods #katetakes #metron if i fits i sits #metronmeta

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fairfieldthinkspace · 20 days

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Stephen Wilkes, "Easter Mass, Vatican City, Rome, Italy, Day to Night"

Stephen Wilkes (American, b.1957), "Easter Mass, Vatican City, Rome, Italy, Day to Night," 2016 Digital C-print, Edition: 2, 48 x 111.5.

Through a collaboration between Fairfield University Art Museum and the Office of the President, photographer Stephen Wilkes' large-scale work "Easter Mass, Vatican City, Rome, Italy, Day to Night" is on view at the Barone Campus Center.

Since opening his studio in New York City in 1983 Stephen Wilkes (American, b. 1957) has built an unprecedented body of work and a reputation as one of America’s most iconic photographers, and a National Geographic Explorer, widely recognized for his fine art, editorial and commercial work.

Day to Night™, Wilkes’ most defining project, began in 2009. These epic cityscapes and landscapes, portrayed from a fixed camera angle for up to 36 hours, capture fleeting moments of humanity as light passes in front of his lens over the course of a full day. Blending these images into a single photograph takes months to complete.

Wilkes writes in his artist statement:

Day to Night is a personal journey to capture fundamental elements of our world, through the hourglass of a single day. It’s a synthesis of art & science, exploring time, memory & history through the internal & external circadian rhythms of our daily lives.

I photograph from locations and views that are part of our collective memory. Working from a fixed camera angle, I capture what I see, the fleeting moments of humanity and light as time passes. After photographing as many as 1500 single images, I select the best moments of the day and night.Using time as my guide, all of these moments are then seamlessly blended into a single photograph, visualizing our conscious journey with time.

In a world where humanity has become obsessively connected to personal devices, the ability to look is becoming an endangered human experience. Photographing a single place for up to 36 hours becomes a meditation, it has informed me in a unique way, inspiring deep insights into the narrative story of life, and the fragile interaction of humanity within our natural world.

Gaining permission to create the Day to Night™ photograph of the Vatican at Easter Mass was particularly challenging. Wilkes tried for over 2 years without success. Fortunately, one of the priests at the Vatican contacted Wilkes and ultimately connected him with the Instituto Maria S.S. Bambina whose terrace overlooks St. Peter's Square and Basilica. The location was perfect. Wilkes photographed a total of 1575 individual images and then edited to approx. 50 photographs for the final photograph. Pope Francis appears several times within the photograph.

Commenting on the installation, Professor of Art History and Visual Culture and Special Assistant to the President for Arts and Culture Philip I. Eliasoph, PhD, explains, "Arcing across the magnificently syncopated forms and movements of St. Peter’s space, we are pulled into myriad details peeking into the embracing ‘braccia’ [arms] of the Vatican’s mission ‘urbi et orbi’— to the city and the world. And in the same spirit of Gianlorenzo Bernini’s desire to ‘embrace the pilgrim’ attending ‘Easter Mass’ at San Pietro’s basilica, Wilkes elevates our optical experience with an inspirational revelation. We are delighted that the Fairfield University Art Museum can exhibit this significant artwork in our Barone Campus Center so that students and the entire community will appreciate and enjoy its presence here on campus.”

Day to Night™ has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning as well as dozens of other prominent media outlets and, with a grant from the National Geographic Society, was extended to include America’s National Parks in celebration of their centennial anniversary and Bird Migration for the 2018 Year of the Bird. Most recently a new grant was extended for Canadian Iconic Species and Habitats at Risk in collaboration with The Royal Canadian Geographic Society. Day to Night : In the Field with Stephen Wilkes, a solo exhibitionwas exhibited at The National Geographic Museum in 2018 and in May of 2023 a solo exhibition Day to Night: Photographs by Stephen Wilkes was exhibited at the Fenimore Art Museum in May, 2023. Day to Night™ is published by TASCHEN as a monograph in 2019 and 2023.

#Easter Mass #Vatican City #Rome #Italy #Day to Night #Stephen Wilkes #Philip I. Eliasoph #Fairfield University Art Museum

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pixielatedpixels · 9 months

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Last Jackdaw Pic! 😊 While in Eastbourne last spring, visiting some family members, I noticed quite a lot of Jackdaws on the seafront. I didn't have any pics of these birds which don't seen to exist in America so went back to the place where I saw the most of them a couple of days later with a long lens. The next few posts will be some of the results. #jackdaws #birds #birds_of_instagram #allmightybirds #best_birds_of_ig #nuts_about_birds #bestbirdshots #birds_adored #eastbourne #eastsussex #sussex #eastbournebeach #eastbourne_insta #eastbourneseafront #eastbournelocal #eastbournelifestyle #loveeastbbourne #igereastbourne #chrislord #pixielatedpixels #chrislordnyc #creativeimagery #travelphotography #everythingedited #exploretocreate #justgoshoot #exploresussex ©2023 Chris Lord's Pixielated Pixels Over 12000 more images to enjoy and\or purchase on my website, link in my Bio, Go check it out, thanks so much My Main Website https://ift.tt/6kyqNTI Fine Art Prints are also available at https://ift.tt/B7ri2Zk Plus Exclusive Limited Editions at https://ift.tt/a8FKpJS Are you in England? Check out https://ift.tt/LQGaX7S — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/JDfLcXT

#Instagram #IFTTT

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inlowj · 1 year

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INSPIRATION OF THE DAY FOR 2/8/2023

New at “FINE ART AMERICA” Click on image to visit my store and look at other words of inspiration by visiting “Faith of a mustard seed”, “inspiration”, or “Look up to Heaven” collections. Considered one of the most inspiring speeches ever. When I was growing up I would spend weekends at my grandparents’ house. It was there that I was introduced you the reverend Billy Graham. My grandmother had…

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#inspiration

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jefferyforbes · 2 years

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Dallas skyline

This gallery features photographs, images, prints and panoramas of the Dallas skyline and landmarks including aerial, sunset, sunrise, twilight and night pictures. Each image is available either as a fine art print or for licensing.

Dallas, Texas, is the 3rd largest city in Texas and several skyscrapers in the Dallas skyline are among the highest in the Lone Star State. The tallest is the 921 feet high Bank of America Plaza, and it is also the 3rd tallest in the state. The Renaissance Tower at 886 feet is the second highest. Also well known is Reunion Tower, the second highest observation tower in Texas.

The Dallas Ft Worth metroplex a major metropolis with a population of over 7 million. Most of the images were taken in the downtown area like the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, including the iconic cities skyscrapers like the Bank of America and Reuion Tower along with Omin Hotel. We also have other images from the city including the Kyle Warren Park, Trinty River, art district, city hall and the Traveling Man Statue plus many more images.

This collection of photos also includes aerial views of the Dallas skyline. I am an FAA Licensed part 107 drone operator and follow all FAA rules when photographing locations with my drone.

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duchessofostergotlands · 3 years

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So far, I’m super disappointed with the looks at The Met Gala. You mentioned that there was a lot that could be done. Could you share some of your ideas with us? Obviously you don’t have to do it now, you can wait until it’s all over (but only if you want to). I would love to see what your ideas are

So I haven't actually given a ton of thought to it this year but given the theme, I'd want to be in Pyer Moss most likely. I don't even know if he's there but this is my head, I can do what I want. I love Kirby's designs but more than that I love how he is quite transgressive, he makes a statement. His "Black Drag Queens Invented Camp" look for Lena Waithe was one of my all time favourites.

It would be super easy to turn this theme into something that glorifies America or focuses on the American Dream and that wouldn't be right to me. It is an inherently political theme and I know that some of my choices might be a bit off the wall to people or maybe too much but to me the Met is about fashion as art and a way of communicating, not just about a nice dress. It's the one time it's ok to wear a fucking ridiculous outfit or make a huge statement and it would be foolish to ignore that. My very first thought was something inspired by Basquiat. His roots in street art really interest me, his blending of high art and pop culture, he had a very diverse cultural background which I think is very relevant to the topic. This was one of his clothing designs below but his style was very graphic, very bold.

I saw an idea on another blog which I liked of linking Native American textile creators with high fashion designers to co-create something which I liked. That way you're paying respect to and highlighting their culture without appropriating which can be a fine line. There is a huge amount of skill involved in these traditional crafts and yet they aren't viewed at the same level as the skill involved in haute couture. Giving them a platform at the biggest fashion event of the year would be incredible.

I'm trying to think about what I think of when I read about the theme and I guess I think about the contrast between the image the US tries to portray as the Land of the Free and a place where anyone can succeed if they try vs the reality of the historic and current violence in the US against people of colour, women, LGBTQ people and so many other groups. So I guess there's a kind of inspiration from McQueen's collections about the treatment of Scotland where the clothes were ripped up and frayed, Jackie Kennedy's pink suit, and weirdly Tayce's "blood" spattered face during her Memory lipsync on DRUK. I'm thinking something sleek and white at the front as like the image that the US tries to portray and then having the back kind of torn and messy and with paint splatters. I'm by no means a designer but I've shared a close up from McQueen's Highland Rape collection and Tayce's face during her lipsync (I won't share the Jackie picture but everyone knows what I mean):

#ask #anon #non royal #met gala

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uk3d · 2 years

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Red fox

Red fox sketch from artist Sean Briggs no 2926 #fox #art #drawing #sketch #illustration #print

Red fox sketch | Limited edition fine art print from an original drawing. The red fox is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America, Europe and Asia, plus parts of North Africa. My sketches start life as hand-drawn graphite images made on cartridge paper. I…

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eugenelacroix · 3 years

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#Repost @russelljames • • • • • • Manhattan, New York Fine Art Weekly - The pandemic shut down near all gallery exhibitions around the world. However, it was fascinating to see the migration of fine-art collectors and Galleries to the online universe. Turns out our passion for creative stimulation in our lives is very resilient, even to a pandemic. Each week I’ll be sharing select collectors works and the story behind them. I’m also happy to answer any questions you might have on any technical or creative aspects, comment away and I’ll reply. THIS WEEK Title1: Lily Fabric in Window NYC, 2016 Title 2: Lily Close Up NYC, 2016 These images are from a series featuring the stunning @lilyaldridge. As a photographer I try to leave at home my personal and political views. My job as I see it is to study the subject and to present back a unique interpretation. However I’m human and when the person is as likable as Lily it’s impossible not to be biased. Lily is also one of most classic beauties I have ever photographed. When I work with Lily I don’t think much about the daily need of selling dress A or watch B, I think of the timeless potential if we get the images right. The concept in this series is quite simply ‘Lily’ Shot in NYC Styling @elizabethsulcer Set design @studiotristam Make up @fulviafarolfi Hair @diegodasilva_ Works represented by @cameraworkgallery in Europe and @faheykleingallery in North America @eugenelacroix1 #eugenelacroix1 #photography https://www.instagram.com/p/CUUqhQPooLa/?utm_medium=tumblr

#repost #eugenelacroix1 #photography

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yesadanlerma · 1 year

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December 18, 2022 - 1st Return Appearance Since Spring : My Most Viewed Image this Past Week @FineArtAmerica, Blue with Gold Twilight - #Panorama

Ocean waves of blue fill our skies and seas, cascading sighs and whispers of inspiration with each breath.

Blue with Gold Twilight ©Felipe Adan Lerma 10×20 acrylic on canvas https://felipeadan-lerma.pixels.com/featured/blue-with-gold-twilight-felipe-adan-lerma.html*My related blog posts –https://felipeadanlerma.com/?s=Blue+with+gold+twilight Blue with Gold Twilight — my small 10×20 lyrically abstract, has has returned for a 6th week featured as my most viewed image on my Fine Art America site, it’s…

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#Adan’s Acrylic Paintings #Blue with Gold Twilight #Lyrical Abstraction #My Most Viewed Images at Fine Art America #panoramic painting #Turquoise Impressionist Abstract 1

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wadwafesaf · 3 years

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he and his sister entered a reality TV show called The Great Race

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terradisirene · 3 years

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Recently I saw an essay about how Hima’s portrayal of the Italy brothers was racist and xenophobic, in addition to being poor and one dimensional, and I couldn’t agree less.

Link to google docs version

Also although I prefer Romano I honestly think North Italy is a interesting and well developed character although that is easy to miss for some. Both of them are developed and shown wonderfully in canon and I continue to be eager to see more. In this essay I will show why I believe their portrayals are well done and how they are accurate to the situation in Italy as well as to it’s history and culture (That being said if you prefer a different interpretation that’s fine, there can be many different narratives)

North Italy does seem at first glance to be more talented, kind, and politically inclined. However this is not the entire story. Likewise Romano seems more rude and undesirable, but this is not everything in canon regarding him. In one strip Romano is noted to have a good deal of potential by Prussia and Germany, showing that he can be hard working and talented if he makes the effort. In the strip where Romano goes to America he also is quite confident in his cooking talents which America is actually impressed by. In another strip America even calls his cooking the best, and Romano himself is in later decades proud of his cooking, showing that yes he is good at things, and yes he is talented.

The problem is is that Romano does not have to motivation often to use his talents and work ethic. There are many reasons for this that Himaruya both states and alludes to. Firstly Himaruya states that being owned by various powers had a negative effect on Romano and that mismanagement by his rulers lead him to seem lazy since their mismanaged ruling rubbed off on him. Basically political control, corruption , and mismanagement stymied south Italy’s growth, which is true depending on the era and time period and true regarding modern day. Also in one strip after Romano makes an effort to work hard, but all his efforts come to nothing and he eventually grows resigned. I believe this is a reflection of the fact that there is an attitude among some south Italians of resignation towards politicians and things improving for themselves, such as shown in the song La Citta di Pulcinella (translation). Himaruya also touches on this when he notes the harmful affect the Mafia has on south Italy in his notes and even laments that fact.

Basically Romano has the potential to be just as good as north Italy but is unable to be because of historical circumstances and due to the harmful effect of corruption. Romano’s rudeness and lack of evident kindness and cynical worldview is also a result of this as he has been at the mercy of the mafia both in real life and in canon. Hima notes his cynicism is due to the harmful effects of the mafia and how they have hurt him . Romano in my opinion has reason to be rude, he has reason to be unkind, he has reason to be cynical, the mafia continues to be a serious issue and was even worse in the past, and thus his world view has been affected by how he has suffered at their hands. He also has to deal with the fact that he feels he is compared to north Italy, and openly feels and says he is not good enough or talented enough compared to him. This is based in reality. The north is often seen as better than the south and indeed it is more wealthy, does have better infrastructure, x does have more industry and renown and Romano is clearly sour because of this. Himaruya showing someone reacting negatively towards adverse circumstances i think is not a negative stereotype but just showing the harmful effects of the situation of the south. Romano is not totally unkind either. Despite their conflicts he does care about his brother, he often shows a lot concern for Spain and worries about him, he is kind to women generally , and has some nations he is friendly with like Japan Netherlands and Belgium . So in sum hima does not show Romano as unkind, but as a complex being who can be both kind and unkind like many people.

The south is seen as a land of little opportunity, dirty, unclean and full of crime by the north that is true, however sadly that perception has some perception in reality. For example many southerners leave the south to find work up north and stay there. This even happens to one of the protagonists of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels and it is seen as escaping Naples to make a better life for herself while the other protagonist stays stuck in Naples, stunted by the lack of opportunity and male oppression that she struggles against all her life. Naples also sadly has a serious trash problem as does Rome, there is even a facebook page titled “Rome is disgusting” in Italian showing the trash problems of Rome. The mafia also dumps toxic waste around Naples, leading to high rates of sickness and cancer in the population compared to other parts of Italy due to the fact that the toxic waste seeps into the ground water and the plants grown around the area.

Romano feels interior to North Italy and seems so at first glance because that is a reflection of the sad situation of the divide between north and south. However again note I said ‘at first glance’, because while many write off the south at first glance there is a richness and beautify behind that with its rich culture and the beauty of it’s people, as there is with Romano, which I note with his hidden and subtle kindness in canon .

Romano’s Arabic blood and darker appearance is due the fact that Arabs from north Africa invaded Sicily, ruled there for about two hundred years, and left a lasting cultural legacy behind there. It makes sense he has Arabic blood, as well as the fact that some, though not all, southern Italians do have a darker complexation (some also have red hair, blonde hair, hazel eyes, or blue eyes, due to Norman influence too). However that doesn’t mean they are poc (in Italy persone di colore is used instead) and even though Romano does have some Arabic blood frankly he would not be seen as non white in Italy. I don’t really think it’s right to bring up a poc argument in regards to him given that. In addition to that Italy also has a problem regarding xenophobia and racism in regards to African immigrants and Romani and many suffer and are marginalized there, something Romano would not experience in that regard. Romano is also noted to have a “Darker” nature, but this is again because of the mafia. He is affected and blighted by them, it’s not a reference to his coloring but to his cynicism and how they have drained him and his people of the prosperity they could have had otherwise. He is also noted to be “dirtier” not in the sense of being messy or unclean but in how his image looks, and the expressions he makes, this is a reference to the south’s rougher and more intense nature. It’s often said that the more south you go, the more intense and more of the nature of Italy you get and indeed the south of Italy is often said to be a love it or hate it place.

There is also additional canon reasons for Romano’s bitterness and darker personality like how he feels Rome favored north Italy (There may be historical reasons for this but I am limiting this essay to what is stated openly or alluded to more obviously in canon) and how he seems to feel haunted by his legacy. And as for other nations favoring North Italy over him, some do not like Spain and Belgium, and the the fact that some seem to is also sadly reflective of reality as many people only pay attention to or visit the north of Italy, neglecting or avoiding the south and only looking at the cities of Venice, Florence and Milan and not Palermo, Naples, or Caligari.

While the two brothers did not meet in Rome’s lifetime there is no indication this lasted until the Italian wars during the 1500′s portrayed in the canon strips . In fact during Spain’s rule of south Italy shortly after Romano is shown mentioning he is going to travel to visit his brother so they clearly had met by this point. Due to the nature of canon himaruya jumps across time periods often and so we do not always see everything that occurs within or before a certain time period. Sometimes he returns later, and sometimes he does not, though he could in the future. As for North Italy’s reactions to his struggles people have different reactions to hard situations, and that is not wrong, not everyone will struggle in the same way. It’s not something that indicates a lack of character but just a personality facet. Not everything has to contribute to development and that doesn’t mean a uninteresting or uncomplex character. Some people are simply affected differently by traumatic events. That being said I find it interesting he seems to hold a deep fear of angering others as well as some fear of abandonment .

We will turn to North Italy again. Yes he is cute, but that is not all his character is. He is far more than that. He is kind , he is intelligent , he is noted to be good at business, he is also fashionable and knows how to get what he wants out of people, he also can be a bit vulgar sometimes. He also was good at warfare when he was a child, and if one looks into the time period of the strips it seems he lessens in his ability the longer he is under Austria’s domain. He is also good at art, he is good at cooking, and he is even also not exactly the nicest person .

I have noticed that many people miss this but sometimes he is actually a little sneaky and mean . This is most evident with Romano actually. In one of their first appearances together when Romano asks Italy to complement him Italy outright refuses, backs away, and as a result makes Romano cry more than he had before and he flies off. In another comic Italy goes up to Romano, seems surprised he is working, and Romano is visibly hurt by this, he also seems to even doubt Romano’s ability to even do so, offering to do work for him which Romano is bothered by . Finally Italy has been shown to get outright angry at Romano at times, in one drawing he is yelling at Romano over the Venice independence referendum, saying Romano doesn’t want him around anyways . While North Italy does love his brother he clearly is not the nicest person to him at times which does little to motivate Romano to do much of anything, and sadly North Italy does not treat him as a equal really given how condescending he can sometimes be. He also is a little rude to Japan at times, like when they are in the bath, sort of hinting he thinks Japan has a small dick. In addition to this he is pretty sneaky and sometimes even flirty in regards to Germany and is able to really get Germany to do whatever he wants, though this is more evident in World Stars .

As for everyone liking him in the past he and Turkey were antagonistic, with Turkey stating he hated kids as a result of him (And Greece), and Austria was often angry and frustrated with him. In modern times Belarus has shown aggression to him when he tried to feel her chest and was visibly angry with good reason to be. The other girls didn’t allow him to do so either, but all had various reactions. From Monaco and Belgium not taking him seriously and gloating over their superior gambling and waffles respectively to Wy giving him rather done look and telling him to buzz off, to Taiwan being upset and telling him off, Vietnam having none of it and glaring at him, to the most surprising of them all, Ukraine openly flirting with him and giving him a seductive gaze he is a little intimidated by . His relationships are clearly not predictable but are interesting and fun to see and clearly not everyone thinks he is cute or is willing to put up with him especially the girls ironically. Switzerland too shows little tolerance for Italy’s antics, but is willing to spend time him civilly as long as he behaves himself , Russia too has gotten impatient with him at times, and so has Japan. And as for France he’s a interesting case, since at times he can be brotherly towards Italy but at the same time is also willing to tell him off, like when he actually hit him for asking for the Mona Lisa back. People like Italy, but not everyone does and even those who like him don’t like him all the time.

Frankly I think their characters make perfect sense. Romano’s anger and resentment is rooted in many things. In how people compare him and his brother, on his brother’s lackluster treatment of him, in the oppressions of the mafia, the years of being ruled over by other nations, and by poverty, neglect, and corrupt politics. North Italy for his part is frustrated by Romano and often doesn’t understand him and thinks his brother his weighing him down, though he fails to see how he is also contributing to his brother’s resignation and lack of self worth. He instead tries to work hard and do his best, while sucking up to others and making himself seem charming and pleasing to get what he wants and not make others angry at him. In fact he seems to have a deep and pressing fear of others being angry at him.

In sum I think canon does a good job with both of their characters. It shows them in a humorous nature in accordance with the genre of the strips while still leaving room for character complexity along with historical and cultural references and allusions, as well as reflecting both aspects of the historical and modern situation of north and south Italy depending on what time period the strip is set. Romano is shown to be rude, difficult, sometimes violent, and darker, however these are only traits that come as a result of the abandonment of Rome, the poverty and corruption of his land, and the malign influence and harm of the mafia affecting him. In addition to this he is also sometimes kind, fun loving, emotional, sensitive, a hard worker when he tries to be, is shown to be a talented cook, someone with a good deal of potential, and someone who has people who like him like Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, and Japan. On the other hand Italy is shown to yes, be kind and cute, but canon also shows him to be flirty, sneaky, angry, resentful, intelligent, and even a little rude at times. Many people like him, but not all do, for example Belarus, or many do not like him all the time and show impatience with him like Wy, France, Romano, and Switzerland. The difficulties he has experienced have not affected him in the same way they have Romano but that’s to be expected, for the two did not go though the same things and it’s only normal for people to have different reactions to trauma, some handling it better than others. This does not denote a lack of character complexity or development but just a different kind of person and temperament. I think that this shows that both Italy and Romano are interesting and complex characters and that himaruya in my opinion has done his work and research in trying to develop them and do strips for them. He does not indulge in colorism or xenophobia but merely seeks to show the good and bad of both sides of Italy and the complex reality of the south today and in history which has it’s bad and good points.

As a side note in Valentino strip is unfinished and Germany and Italy never discuss their respective feelings or misunderstandings and Italy is less uncomfortable and more confused and worried that Germany is angry at him.

#hetalia #aph romano #aph south italy #hws romano #hws south italy #(i'll be back soon btw just revamping some blogs)

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pixielatedpixels · 9 months

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While in Eastbourne last spring, visiting some family members, I noticed quite a lot of Jackdaws on the seafront. I didn't have any pics of these birds which don't seen to exist in America so went back to the place where I saw the most of them a couple of days later with a long lens. The next few posts will be some of the results. #jackdaws #birds #birds_of_instagram #allmightybirds #best_birds_of_ig #nuts_about_birds #bestbirdshots #birds_adored #eastbourne #eastsussex #sussex #eastbournebeach #eastbourne_insta #eastbourneseafront #eastbournelocal #eastbournelifestyle #loveeastbbourne #igereastbourne #chrislord #pixielatedpixels #chrislordnyc #creativeimagery #travelphotography #everythingedited #exploretocreate #justgoshoot #exploresussex ©2023 Chris Lord's Pixielated Pixels Over 12000 more images to enjoy and\or purchase on my website, link in my Bio, Go check it out, thanks so much My Main Website https://ift.tt/6kyqNTI Fine Art Prints are also available at https://ift.tt/B7ri2Zk Plus Exclusive Limited Editions at https://ift.tt/a8FKpJS Are you in England? Check out https://ift.tt/LQGaX7S — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/f8EMYJr

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zeroadult479 · 3 years

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City Online Dating Las Vegas Nv

Online Dating In Clark County, Nevada. Let’s be honest, Las Vegas isn’t the first place that comes to mind when one thinks about trying to find true love or even necessarily a great first date and/or a fun, meaningful six month relationship. Browse Online Personals in Las Vegas! Personals Las Vegas is your #1 online resource for finding a date in Las Vegas! With our free online personal ads, you can find loads of available singles in Nevada. Sign up now at no cost and browse thousands of free Las Vegas personals. Las Vegas is a great city. 4 Local Dating Online- Nevada Las Vegas Area is listed under the Las vegas Bars & Pubs category and is located in 4700 maryland pkwy, Las vegas, NV. It can be reached at phone number (800)637-0948. For other Bars & Pubs listings in Las vegas, please check Rum Runner Lounge, Sac's Bar & Grille, Ellis Island Brewery Casino & Restaurant, Pt's.

Online Dating In Clark County, Nevada

Let’s be honest, Las Vegas isn’t the first place that comes to mind when one thinks about trying to find true love or even necessarily a great first date and/or a fun, meaningful six month relationship. Instead, it’s the destination where you met that random guy you would never have looked at twice outside of Vegas, but – hey – you were wearing a sequin tube top and what happens in Vegas… You see where I’m going with this? But, here’s the thing, some of us actually live here. I know, I know. It’s a novel idea. And while most locals would rather endure an unmedicated root canal than drive to The Strip, park at a casino and navigate through drunk tourists double fisting foot-long margaritas, there are plenty of hidden gems throughout our neon oasis in the desert. Image via LinksmanJD on Flickr.

Fremont East

Until very recently, I lived most of my four years in Sin City a few blocks from Las Vegas Boulevard and while there really is a lot The Strip has to offer, more on that later, I would always prefer to get away from the tourists and the traffic and the blinding Ed Hardy get-ups and head downtown to Fremont East. Let’s keep it real, this is where the cool kids congregate and where some of the most fun, unique places this city has to offer are located. I suggest starting your evening at Bar + Bistro, home of monthly vintage bike night, for some tapas and sangria before making your way down Fremont Street to pop in and out of fun bars while making witty, flirtatious and, most importantly, funny banter. From the bar where you sometimes wish everyone didn’t know your name and your ex wasn’t permanently parked at the bar, The Griffin, to one of the best places to drink a beer and listen to live music, The Beauty Bar, to a place you can play your favorite arcade game while sipping on a vodka tonic, Insert Coins, to the only place in town I know of where you can get on a teeter-totter with your date, Park, the bars on Fremont East have it all. And if I could find a guy who would take me to my favourite piano bar, Don’t Tell Mama, he would pretty much have my heart forever. Image via LinksmanJD on Flickr.

The Beat

While I went here, Republic Bar + Kitchen, on my first online date in Las Vegas, I think the majority of people meeting someone from the internet for the first time worry about a few things: a) Can I make a quick getaway if I’m not feeling it?, b) How big of a time investment do I need to make for someone I may or may not have anything to talk about with? and c) Where is a safe place I will likely survive the first meeting if my date ends up being a serial killer? This is where coffee shops come to the rescue. Sunrise Coffee is definitely my favorite coffee spot in town and makes me feel like I’m back in Seattle (which, in my world, is a very good thing). They are local, independent, serve vegetarian and vegan-friendly fare and draw a crowd that my friends from back home would look at and say, “This is Vegas?” Last, but not least, check out The Beat for your first online date. If you end up with too many awkward silences while sipping your latte, you can thumb through their collection of records or stroll through Emergency Arts. Image via lmundy202 on Flickr.

Nove at the Palms

For a romantic date in Vegas, I suggest taking your special someone to The Strip for a delicious dinner and then out to a show. One thing we have an abundance of here in Las Vegas is a plethora of fine dining options. But, beware, plenty of these options also come with a hefty price tag. Luckily, many restaurants here offer a pre-fixe menu with smaller, more affordable alternatives to their regular priced entrees. Some of my favorite meals I’ve ever had have been here on The Strip. For Japanese cuisine, and a meal that will still make your mouth water two years later just thinking about it, try Shibuya. I still dream about the rock shrimp tempura and the Kobe beef. Another favorite is Nove at the Palms. The dinner I had there is still imprinted on my heart and the view alone is worth the visit. Wherever you choose to dine for your special night, if you give it a quick ten minutes search of the best new restaurants on The Strip, you’ll find just the right one and definitely won’t be disappointed. Trust me. After dinner, I suggest taking in one of the Cirque du Soleil shows. You know I’m still waiting for someone to take me to see Michael Jackson ONE, but you really can’t go wrong with the Beatles LOVE. You’ll leave holding hands, singing songs and believing that all you need is, in fact, love. Image via lmundy202 on Flickr.

Valley of Fire

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For a casual date in (or around) Vegas, I have a few suggestions. If you hop on your card and head north with a packed picnic basket, Valley of Fire would be the perfect spot for a sweet lunch with a gorgeous view. Another option is taking a stroll through the botanical gardens at The Springs Preserve. A place that will be sure to impress, and if you bring your camera will provide plenty of vintage Vegas inspired photos, is the Neon Boneyard. This is the spot where the signs of Vegas yesteryear, or what I like to call the Elvis and Priscilla Vegas, have gone to their loving resting place. Trust me, your date will love it, but be sure to book a tour. If a fantastic, casual meal is what you’re in the mood for, please head to my happy place, Yama Sushi. Try the Sun on the Beach roll (I’m not kidding when I say it will change your life) and tell them Kathleen sent you. Image via lmundy202 on Flickr.

The Golden Nugget Pool

For a fun and adventurous date, it would be fun to head back down to Fremont during the day for a swim at my favorite hotel, The Golden Nugget. There, you will find the most magical pool you’ve ever seen. Don’t believe me? TripAdvisor once listed The Tank as the only US pool in their Top Ten Most Amazing Hotel Pools in the World list. This is where you can slide through a glass-enclosed aquarium with sharks. Yes, you read that right. Look into it here. While you’re down on Fremont, take your date on a zipline through the Fremont Street Experience. These rides will be offered again in the fall. Another adventurous activity is a trek to Red Rock Canyon to check out the petroglyphs. Last, but not least, if you’re looking for an adventurous and very memorable date in Vegas, I suggest a helicopter ride over The Strip at night. An added bonus would be to softly play Kanye West’s “All of the Lights” in the background because, in this town, it is Vegas everywhere we are. Image via LinksmannJD on Flickr

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uwmspeccoll · 4 years

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Feathursday: The Avian Avatars of Special Collections

Sarah the Brant

In the past two weeks we bid farewell to our two graduating graduate interns Katie Stollenwerk and Morgan Ellsworth with posts about them and their Avian Avatars, This week we highlight our continuing graduate intern Sarah Finn and her assigned bird, the exquisite Brant or Brent Goose (Branta bernicla).

Much like her namesake, Sarah is relatively quiet, maintains an elegant bearing, and often appears in shades of black, white, and shimmering golden browns. Sarah began her career here in Special Collections in the summer of 2017 after taking Max’s course in the History of Books and Printing. She started as an undergraduate assistant for a year, and after graduating with a degree in History, she enrolled as a graduate student in UWM’s coordinated Master’s programs in History and Information Studies. With her enrollment, her status in Special Collections transitioned into a graduate internship, and she is currently our Senior Graduate Intern and serves on our leadership team.

Besides her academic interests, Sarah maintains very strong interests in art (as both a researcher and a maker), science and scientific illustration, and the decorative arts. Her role here includes patron services, classroom instruction, catalog verification, LibGuides, and collection maintenance, but her most lasting contribution to the department has been in social media. Sarah founded and single-handedly maintains our Instagram account (which is currently the most popular of our social media platforms, with nearly 15,000 followers), and runs many of our most popular Tumblr series. She ably took over our Flora and Sylva and Fine Press Friday series, and founded Science Saturday and perhaps our most popular series, Decorative Sunday.

As a testament to her dedication, despite all student employment being temporarily suspended during the coronavirus pandemic, Sarah continues to volunteer her time to maintain our Instagram account and produce weekly Tumblr posts. Thank you, Sarah!! Of her experience in Special Collections,Sarah writes:

This past May marks my third year working in UWM Special Collections and I cannot emphasize enough what a profound impact it has had on me as a person and the type of librarian I want to be in my career. I was introduced to Special Collections as an undergraduate student in a history research methods course, and was intrigued by the chalk board in the reading room with the words “INFOST 603 History of Books and Printing.” Even though it was a graduate level course I ended up signing up for it the next semester in Spring 2017 (and later took it again as a graduate student in Fall 2019). That class, taught by head of Special Collections Max Yela, taught me to think in “book history” and my life has not been the same since.

Books and printed materials are an amazing source of historical evidence and their meaning goes far beyond their written contents. They are a physical representation of humanity’s relationship to itself. This thinking is fundamental to the way Special Collections approaches outreach and patron services, which is about making meaningful connections with people. Max has always stressed the importance of having fun with your work. This creates an incredibly dynamic work environment, where experimentation and trying new things is encouraged. I have been inspired by Max, department manager Alice, and all my fellow student staff. On a personal level, working in Special Collections has influenced my love for natural history and scientific illustration, as well as fine press printing. It opened me up to opportunities to go to the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum’s annual Wayzgoose celebration, to take a class at the California Rare Book School, and inspired me to pursue many classes in letterpress, bookbinding, and printmaking. My favorite part of working in Special Collections are the class visits and doing everything I can to share these amazing resources with the broader community.

And we are privileged to have you aboard, Sarah! The goose images are hand-painted prints of two subspecies of Brant, the Pale-bellied Brant (B. b. hrota) and the Black Brant (B. b. nigricans), from Rex Brasher’s massive, limited-edition, 12-volume set Birds and Trees of North America, self-published in Kent, Connecticut, between 1929 and 1932, containing thousands of hand-colored reproductions of Brasher’s paintings.

View more UWM Special Collections Avian Avatars!

View more hand-painted prints by Rex Brasher.

View more Feathursday posts.

#Feathursday #Sarah Finn #Brants #graduate interns #library employees #Avian Avatars #Rex Brasher #Birds and Trees of North America #hand colored plates #birds #birbs!

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artificialqueens · 4 years

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Ungodly Hour, Chapter One (Jaida x Nicky) - Scarlet Bloo

a/n: Hi! I started this fic back when the fic challenge was announced and here it finally is, (2?) months later, 3 days from the deadline. It’s been a ride, but I’ve finally gotten it to a place where I’m happy with it, and while not every chapter will posted during the challenge I’ve at least managed to get one in!

summary: Nicky is crushing hard on a bubbly soccer playing sorority sister. It’s unusual for her to ever be into anyone like this, and all she wants is to be on her radar. Popular girl Jaida is captain of the basketball team, and while she’s usually smart, French just isn’t her forte. Lucky for her, Nicky is a native speaker, so she makes it her mission to get her as her tutor.

Challenge notes:

A large amount of the story is told from Jaida’s point of view.

Close friends of the main characters: Widow, Heidi and Akeria (who will become more prominent characters in future chapters.)

The title is a song by Chloe and Halle Bailey.

Nicky snuck a look in Jan Sport’s direction, her heart tingling as she absorbed her beauty. She sighed, knowing the preppy, popular sorority girl had absolutely no idea she even existed. It was laughable that she ever entertained the idea of a relationship with her, even if it was only in the late hours of the night, a fantasy to procrastinate her studies with. But with her long blonde hair, muscular arms and smiling eyes, how couldn’t Nicky be so intrigued by her? This was a new feeling. Nicky hardly ever found herself interested in anyone, let alone a woman. It was surreal to her, but it somehow felt right.

She cast her eyes away from Jan and tried to focus on the Professor at the front of the lecture hall. Unsurprisingly, it was nothing of value to Nicky. Miss Coulee was voicing her disappointment with the class after 70% of the class had gotten less than a C in the last exam. Nicky rolled her eyes, looking down at the big red “A!” circled on her own paper. Despite this achievement, she was regretting her decision to take French. Sure, it being her first language definitely made the classes easier, but left her so unsatisfied with how little she had to push herself to pass.

“Of course you got an A”, Gigi whispered to Nicky.

She had a defeated look on her face and Nicky felt a pang of sympathy for the girl. Gigi and Nicky weren’t close, but seeing as they’d been sitting next to each other every French lecture since September, they’d gotten to know a fair bit about each other. Like Nicky, Gigi was a fashion major but was taking French so she could “make it big in Paris one day” and Nicky knew academics wasn’t her strong suit.

“Yeah well,” Nicky smiled sweetly, “French is my language, fashion is yours.”

Gigi seemed content with that answer and nodded satisfactorily as Coulee dismissed the class and all that could be heard was the snapping shut of laptops and notebooks and friendly chatter.

Jan lingered by the door giggling with her friends and Nicky’s gaze locked in on her like a missile. She was beautiful, and she could help but trace each curve of her body with her eyes. She felt her hands go clammy as she found herself lost in her animated expressions. Jan was different to Nicky’s image of a popular girl, she didn’t strut around campus like she owned the place or go through millions of relationships. She radiated positive energy and it just made Nicky all the more eager to get to know her. She wasn’t usually this into people, but Jan Sport had turned her into a pile of mush.

“You’re staring again.” Gigi’s teasing voice brought a blush to Nicky’s cheeks. She had caught her staring at Jan in awe on multiple occasions and was one of the very few people she’d actually admitted the crush to. The only other person who she’d told was her roommate and best friend, Widow. But her other friends? Definitely not. They were all art majors, and while Jan was taking music, it wasn’t really the same thing. Nicky guessed it made them the artsy crowd, and therefore substantially less popular. With the exception of Gigi and Widow, who had been in an on and off relationship with a soccer player since freshman year, Nicky’s friends spent lunch breaks talking as much shit as they could about Charles College’s elite. And it was somewhat justified. Most of the popular kids were complete pieces of shit.

Case in point - Jaida Essence Hall, Charles College’s star athlete. The girl walked around like she owned the place, and Nicky guessed she kind of did. At the snap of a finger someone would appear at her side, eager to grant any and every wish. Or jump into her lap. Or stick their tongue down her throat. She didn’t look as confident as usual right then though, sitting fists curled around the edge of her paper in the lecture hall. Everyone else, including Coulee, had left, but Jaida remained in her seat. She must have failed the test too, but Nicky didn’t feel much sympathy for the girl. Charles college was best known for its Basketball, with its best players usually ending up in the pros, and during their years at Charles, they’d get handed everything on a silver platter. Maybe it was unfair, and a tiny bit vindictive, but Nicky got a sense of triumph from knowing that Coulee was failing the captain of the women’s basketball team along with everyone else.

“Wanna grab something to eat?” Gigi asked as she gathered her books.

“Can’t, I have to finish up all of last week’s design work.” Nicky got up, but didn’t follow her to the door, “Go on ahead. I need to check the schedule before I go, I can’t remember when my next tutorial is.”

“Okay,” Gigi said, “I’ll see you later!”

“Later!” Nicky called after her.

At the sound of her voice, Jan paused in the doorway and turned her head. It was impossible to stop the flush that rose in Nicky’s cheeks. This was the first time they’d ever made eye contact, and she didn’t know how to respond. In the end, she settled for a small nod of greeting. There. Cool, casual yet wouldn’t come off as rude. Her heart skipped a beat when the corner of Jan’s mouth lifted into a faint grin. She waved in response, and then she was gone. Nicky stared at the empty doorway. Her pulse exploded in a gallop. After six weeks of breathing in the same air in the stuffy lecture hall, Jan Sport had finally noticed her. She wished she was brave enough to go after her. Maybe ask her to grab a coffee. Or dinner. Or brunch - hell, is brunch even a big thing in America? But her feet stayed glued in place because she was a total coward. She was terrified she’d say no, but even more terrified she’d say yes.

Nicky was in a good place when she started college. Her issues solidly behind her, her guard lowered. She was ready to date again, and she did. She dated several guys, but other than her ex, Kayla, none of them had been female, and none of them had made her body tingle the way Jan Sport did, and that freaked her out.

Baby steps. That was her therapist’s favourite piece of advice, and she couldn’t deny that the strategy had helped her a lot. Focus on the small victories, Sasha had always advised. So, today’s victory, she nodded at Jan and she waved at her. Next class, maybe she’d wave back. And the one after that, maybe she’d bring up the coffee, dinner or brunch idea. She took a breath as she headed down the aisle, clinging to that feeling of victory, however miniscule it may be.

Jaida had failed. She’d fucking failed. For the last 15 years before she’d joined Charles College, they had handed out A’s like tic tacs. But the year she decided to take a French class? She had gotten stuck with Shea Coulee. It was official. This woman was her archenemy. Just the sight of her flowery handwriting—which filled up every inch of available space in the margins of Jaida’s midterm—made her want to scream, rip up the page, and leave education indefinitely. Jaida had been passing all her other classes, but this (almost ironic) F in French was completely bringing her average down. Normally, she had no problem keeping her G.P.A up. Despite what she knew a lot of Charle’s population believed, she wasn’t dumb. And the worst thing about Charles? Their dean demanded excellence—academically and athletically. While other schools were lenient toward athletes, Charles has a zero-tolerance policy. When she spoke to Coulee before class, she’d bluntly told her that unless she was going to find her own private tutor, she’d have no choice but to turn up to extra tutorials which overlapped with basketball practice. It really was a lose-lose situation.

Jaida’s frustration manifested itself in the form of an audible groan, and from the corner of her eye, she saw someone jerk in surprise. Jaida jumped too, because here she thought she was wallowing in her misery alone. However, the girl from the back row had stuck around and was headed towards Coulee’s desk. Staci? Selena? Jaida couldn’t remember her name, probably because she’d never thought to ask for it before. She was pretty, though. A lot prettier than Jaida had ever realised. Perfect features, dark hair, a petite hourglass figure. How had she never noticed her before now? Her skinny jeans clung to a round, perky ass and her round breasts peaked slightly out of her v neck.

“Everything okay?” the girl asked with a pointed look. Jaida murmured a reply under her breath. She really wasn’t in the mood to talk right then.

The girl raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow in Jaida’s direction, “Sorry, was that english?”

Jaida balled up her paper and scraped her chair back, “I said everythings fine.”

“Okay, then,” The girl shrugged and continued down the steps. As she picked up the clipboard that contained the tutorial schedule, Jaida flung on her jacked, then shoved her pathetic midterm into her backpack and zipped it up. The dark-haired girl headed back to the aisle. Sophie? Sabrina? The S sounded right, but the rest was a mystery. She had her midterm in hand, but Jaida didn’t sneak a peek because she assumed she failed just like everyone else.

Jaida let her pass before she stepped into the aisle. She followed her up to the exit, suddenly realizing how tiny she was compared to herself—she was one step below her yet could see the top of her head. Just as they reached the door, the girl stumbled on absolutely nothing and the books in her hand clattered to the floor.

“Shit. I’m such a klutz.”

She dropped to her knees and so did Jaida, because contrary popular belief, she wasn’t heartless, and the polite thing to do was help her gather her books.

“Oh, you don’t have to do that. I’m fine,” she insisted.

But Jaida’s hand had already connected with her midterm, and her jaw dropped when she saw her grade.

“Fucking hell. You aced it?” Jaida demanded.

The girl gave a sweet smile. “Well, I am French. I thought you’d have been able to tell from the accent.”

“Holy shit.” Jaida felt like she’d just bumped into Coco fuckin’ Chanel and she was dangling the secrets to her universe under her nose. “Can I read your answers?”

Her brows quirked up again. “That’s rather forward of you, don’t you think? We don’t even know each other.”

Jaida rolled her eyes. “I’m not asking you to take your clothes off, baby. I just want to peek at your midterm.”

“Baby? Goodbye forward, hello presumptuous.”

“Would you prefer miss? Ma’am maybe? I’d use your name but I don’t know it.”

“Of course you don’t.” She sighed. “It’s Nicolette. Nicky for short.” Then she paused meaningfully. “Jaida.”

Okay, she was way off on the S thing. And Jaida didn’t miss the way she emphasized her name as if to say, Ha! I know yours, bitch! Nicky collected the rest of her books and stood up, but Jaida didn’t hand over her midterm. Instead, she hopped to her feet and started flipping through it. As she skimmed her answers, her spirits plummeted even lower, because if this is what Coulee was looking for, she was screwed. There was a reason she was a geography major, for gods sake—she dealt in facts. Black and white. This happened at this time to this person and here was the result. Nicky’s answers focused on detailed analysis on texts Jaida couldn’t even translate in the first place.

“Thanks.” Jaida gave her the booklet, then cracked her knuckles. “Hey, listen. Do you…would you consider…” she shrugged. “You know…”

Nicky’s lips twitched as if she was trying not to laugh. “Actually, I don’t know.”

Jaida let out a breath. “Will you tutor me?”

Her grey eyes—slightly green and surrounded by thick black eyelashes—went from surprised to skeptical in a matter of seconds.

“I’ll pay you,” Jaida added hastily.

“Oh. Um. Well, yeah, of course I’d expect you to pay me. But…” She shaked her head. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”

Jaida bit back her disappointment. “C’mon, do me a solid. If I fail this makeup, my GPA will implode. Please?” She flashed a smile, the one that made her dimples pop out and never failed to make people melt.

“Does that usually work?” she asked curiously.

“What?“

“The winning innocent pageant girl smile… Does it help you get your way?”

“Always,” the taller girl answered without hesitation.

“Almost always,” Nicky corrected. “Look, I’m sorry, but I really don’t have time. I’m already juggling school and work, and with the winter showcase coming up, I’ll have even less time.”

“Winter showcase?” Jaida said blankly.

“Right, I forgot. If it’s not about basketball or your big pageants, then it’s not on your radar.”

“Now who’s being presumptuous? You don’t even know me.”

There’s a beat, and then she sighed. “I’m a fashion major, okay? And the arts faculty puts on two major displays every year, the winter showcase and the spring one. The winner gets a five thousand dollar scholarship. It’s kind of a huge deal, actually. Important industry people fly in from all over the country to see it. Fashion houses, investors, big magazines…. So, as much as I’d love to help you—”

“You would not,” Jaida grumbled. “You look like you don’t even want to talk to me right now.”

Her little you-got-me shrug was grating. “I have to go finish up some designs. I’m sorry you’re failing this course, but if it makes you feel better, so is everyone else.”

Jaida narrowed her eyes. “Not you.”

“I can’t help that I was born into a french speaking household.”

“Well, I want your help.”

Jaida was two seconds from dropping to her knees and begging her, but she edged towards the door. “You know there’s a study group, right? I can give you the number for—”

“I’m already in it,” Jaida muttered, embarrassed.

“Oh. Well, then there’s not much else I can do for you. Good luck on the makeup test. Baby.”

She darted out the door, leaving Jaida staring after her in frustration. Unbelievable. Everyone at this college would have cut their leg off to help her out. But this girl? Ran away like she’d just asked her to give up her first born so they could give it to Rumplestiltskin. And now Jaida was right back to where she was before Nicky-not-with-an-S gave her that faintest flicker of hope. Completely fucking screwed.

#rpdr fanfiction #jaida essence hall #nicky doll #widow von du #jan sport #gigi goode #jaida x nicky #fic challenge #black girl magic fic #diversity fic #lesbian au #college au #s12 #ungodly hour #scarlet bloo #concrit welcome #submission

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