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Technical Details:
Non HDR, simple blending techniques process by CS5 software.
Basic Standard Gears I rely for Landscape
Canon EOS 5D Mark2 (a full frame ideal for interpolating landscape image).
Tokina 16-28 F2.8 ultra wide lens.
Tripod (keep possible sharpness n ability to focus for most idealistic desire composition)
Release cable (reduce hand contact n fully manage desire exposure timing)
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Phra Malai visits the hells for Buddhists that break the precepts. Wat Tung Yu, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Many wat throughout Thailand have elaborate portrayal of Siamese cosmology on the back wall of the bot. It is usually an epic scheme of hells, earth and heavens, based upon the Traiphum text, alleged to have been written during the fourteenth century A.D.
King Rama I commissioned Phraya Thammapricha to rewrite this cosmological treatise in 1803. The monarch’s personal interest in the theme may have influenced his decision to have hell scenes included among the murals in the bot of Wat Phra Keo in Bangkok…as well at other monasteries…
(Source: Hell Scenes in Thai Murals, K.I. Matics*)
The legend of Phra Malai, a Buddhist monk of the Theravada tradition said to have attained supernatural powers through his accumulated merit and meditation, is the main text in a nineteenth-century Thai folding book (samut khoi) held in the Thai, Lao and Cambodian Collections (Or. 16101). Phra Malai figures prominently in Thai art, religious treatises, and rituals associated with the afterlife, and the story is one of the most popular subjects of nineteenth-century illustrated Thai manuscripts.
During his visits to hell (naraka), Phra Malai is said to bestow mercy on the creatures suffering there. They implore him to warn their relatives on earth of the horrors of hell and how they can escape it through making merit on behalf of the deceased, meditation and by following Buddhist precepts.
Although the subject of hell is mentioned in the Pali canon (for example, in the Nimi Jataka, the Lohakumbhi Jataka, the Samkicca Jataka, the Devaduta Sutta, the Balapanditta Sutta, the Peta-vatthu etc.) the legend of Phra Malai is thought to have contributed significantly to the idea of hell in Thai society.
- See more at: britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/asian-and-african/2013/09/a-...
Further reading
There is an excellent translation from Thai into English of the entire legend of Phra Malai by Bonnie Pacala Brereton, which is included in her book Thai Tellings of Phra Malai – texts and rituals concerning a Buddhist Saint. Tempe, Arizona: Arizona State University, 1995
Court of Customs and Patent Appeals Reports (Patent Cases) in a large DC law library.
Blogged:
dcist.com/2009/07/sunday_photo_july_26_2009.php
www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-great-sites-to-do-a-book-search-b...
ahtim.com/the-most-expensive-iphone-app-that-worth/
www.samanage.com/blog/2010/03/what-is-itil/
www.princeofpetworth.com/2010/03/message-from-chief-judge...
dcist.com/2010/04/seven_dc_students_win_scholastic_eq.php
www.jasnwilsn.com/2010/06/04/the-fate-of-nontextual-eleme...
criminaljustice.change.org/blog/view/in_virginia_a_jailho...
blog.radvision.com/voipsurvivor/2010/09/23/how-do-you-lik...
bizzthemes.com/demo/law-firm/ (slide 2)
studentblog.worldcampus.psu.edu/index.php/2011/05/five-re...
dcist.com/2011/05/law-making_takes_a_summer_break.php
blogs.lawlib.widener.edu/delaware/2011/06/28/summer-readi...
blogs.abc.net.au/nsw/2011/07/self-improvement-wednesday-a...
www.princeofpetworth.com/2011/08/mpd-chief-cathy-lanier-c...
chircu.blogspot.com/2011/09/economic-future-patent-law.html
rflx-s.blogspot.com/2011/10/consejos-para-blogueros-cuand...
www.badmummy.com.au/family-life/there-goes-my-brilliant-c...
dcist.com/2011/10/attention_dc_politics_geeks_lots_mo.php
dcist.com/2011/11/ahead_of_ethics_debate_disagreement.php
dcist.com/2011/12/ethics_meet_elections_1.php
dcist.com/2011/12/ethics_bill_moves_forward_though_pr.php
dcist.com/2012/01/toughest_provisions_of_ethics_bill.php
aprettybook.com/2011/11/30/the-law-in-books/
penneyfox.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/mommy-whats-a-lawyer-y...
socyberty.com/law/frequently-asked-questions-about-no-win...
www.princeofpetworth.com/2012/04/the-5pm-post-twitter-q-a...
whatisacriminallawyer.com/14-articles/8-criminal-self-rep...
www.princeofpetworth.com/2012/06/dc-superior-court-resond...
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/07/judge-blasts-colleagu...
www.projectcasting.com/2012/07/25/usa-suits-casting-infor...
www.marilynstowe.co.uk/2012/09/24/for-the-public-good/
www.princeofpetworth.com/2012/11/dear-popville-has-anyone...
www.popville.com/2013/09/dear-popville-charged-1500-to-ch...
dcist.com/2015/02/overheard_in_dc_law_school.php
www.popville.com/2015/02/dear-popville-looking-for-a-lawy...
dcist.com/2015/02/overheard_in_dc_law_school.php
greatergreaterwashington.org/post/27295/breakfast-links-n...
www.popville.com/2015/08/from-the-forum-looking-to-set-up...
www.popville.com/2015/10/but-you-know-what-we-dont-see-pr...
www.popville.com/2015/11/lawyer-for-friend-who-was-hit-by...
www.facebook.com/viralvo/videos/1708518502753087/
www.popville.com/2018/07/id-be-so-grateful-for-any-help-t...
www.popville.com/2018/08/friday-question-of-the-day-do-yo...
www.popville.com/2018/10/pot-smoke-baby-tenant-laws/
www.popville.com/2019/05/does-anyone-know-of-a-good-emplo...
www.popville.com/2019/08/it-may-be-time-to-form-a-tenants...
www.popville.com/2020/01/lease-language-question/
dcist.com/story/20/06/16/d-c-residents-with-felony-convic...
dcist.com/story/21/11/04/dc-council-rewrite-criminal-code/
dcist.com/story/21/11/04/dc-council-rewrite-criminal-code/
dcist.com/story/21/11/04/dc-council-rewrite-criminal-code/
dcist.com/story/22/11/15/dc-council-will-vote-overhaul-cr...
dcist.com/story/23/01/03/mayor-bowser-dc-criminal-code-veto/
dcist.com/story/23/01/17/dc-council-override-bowser-veto-...
(Continuation. You could see the previous images and the story of Suzdal fairytale series if you feel like that).
The Word file, where I write these letters to you (and rewrite the new ones over in the same file to keep all the links and sometimes the 1st paragraph), called “give peace a chance”. It’s from the times of the beginning of this war, from the first photo-op, which I create about this shit. Right this minute I invented the new title, “give peace a dance”. Don’t know yet, where it belongs. Maybe to some future art, would it be a photo, a poem, a novel, whatever.
Some more on topics of peace and war. I have a strong suspicion, that very few are notice even very huge things. Including myself, of course. Here are some examples. You know, how all (well, almost) humanity is afraid of the WWIII. Hey, good news for you: it’s over almost 80 years ago. Because the WWI was at 1812, don’t you agree? One more example (and one more greatest fear): in this war robots (drones) are already kill people. And even Elon Musk didn’t notice and no one give a damn. Now check this one: the full tilt war is in Russia. And history tells us, that the Kursk battle was the great turning point in the WWII (which was, as we know now, WWIII). So, enough about war in this letter.
Meantime I want you to meet this piece, “The Last Supper (with all brothers and sisters came together for the last time)”. This series is advancing really hard and slow. 1st, it’s still summer (moving very fast). 2nd, I couldn’t believe, that I took so little photos. 3nd, a lot of things happening all the time, not mention said war. Even this bit: my fair girlfriend, sister in arts and wife Masha becoming my half-ex. That’s fascinating. I'd say almost-ex, but we’re still like each other pretty much and chat on the phone a lot (with exception of the days or weeks, when we aren’t). Sometimes she invites me to her apartment (technically, mine, but I live in technically parents’ house for many years) to drink some beer. Or I drop by with beer after my bicycle boy work, when my last customer lives somewhere near, or just to move some staff to said home in my big delivery boy bag, for not to make it in one go later. My half-ex already found another apartment, with great difficulty (most owners are unbelievable strictly against cats) and preparing to move away in several weeks after several years living at technically mine apartment alone with her daughter. I’m little slow on the uptake and have a lot of other things on my mind, except my family wellbeing. After that moving out, I have to sell this apartment to give my parents money to buy something better, then they have now. They’re waiting this event (new housing) about 5 long years. They don’t like those current living conditions at all, especially ma.
Which returns us to this here photo. My beloved Suzdal friends are too moved out of those (ours) ex-home. The reason being – their student life is over and another kind of life is about to begin. That was the last supper, when all of us, friends, brothers and sisters, was invited to celebrate and farewell (I’m – from some 70 km, which I hitchhiked really fast). That was some fabulous night. What can I say? I miss this place already.
Kagari - Rewrite
worldcosplay.net/photo/5537602
Cosplay: Kuku Mimiko cosplayer
Rewrite 6-21-21 - I was never able to get the name of this vessel in passing. Finally on 6-19-21, I found her as she was one of the vessels in attendance for the Antique and Classic Boat Festival at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum.
Met Captain Skip Reynolds, owner and got a tour. An interesting vessel. She was designed by Sparkman & Stephens and built by Bradley's Shipyard in Belize, 1970. She is 60' in length and built out of solid mahogany.
In this picture she is Southbound on the AICW in Chesapeake, VA.
Since I've been spending some time writing about my Kelly dolls here on Flickr (or should I say rewriting), I felt inspired to film a video featuring all of my Kelly playsets. Many Kelly dolls were also packaged with various furniture pieces, however this video showcases only the separately sold ones. Both Colleen and I fell in love with Kelly dolls, and therefore we each purchased some of these items over the years. While many of the playsets are discolored, broken, or missing lots of accessories due to age and play, we still love them all the same!
Video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTSDIyACmVM&feature=youtu.be
Playsets in photo, top row (from left to right):
-1996 Kelly Nursery School
-2002 Classroom Playset
-1999 Kelly Pop-Up Playhouse
-1997 Kelly My Very Own Nursery
Bottom row:
-2000 Kelly Playland
-2002 Kelly Playroom
-2000 Kelly Petting Zoo
-1998 Kelly Playground
APPROXIMATE RELEASE DATE: 2001-2002
HEAD MOLD: "Classic"
PERSONAL FUN FACT: If you had asked me a thousand times before April 2016 if I would ever want a Lindsey Bergman doll, the answer always would have been "no." It's amazing how one moment in time can completely rewrite my opinion about a doll, even if it is one that I've had for years. I remember when Lindsey first debuted in catalogues. I was fascinated by the "Girl of the Year" concept, as it was entirely new, uncharted territory. But as much as I wanted to like her, I just couldn't find it in me to think of her as an attractive doll. It wasn't that I found her appalling by any means, I mean after all, American Girls all look fairly similar. It was more like I just couldn't find any appeal in her appearance. So my longing to own a Lindsey doll was only momentary. Nearly fifteen years after she first came out, I still never had any expectation of owning Lindsey.
Over the years, I have encountered several Lindsey Bergman dolls in person. I had gotten to hold and touch them, and while I thought they were mildly cute, my heart never felt warm and fuzzy. These few experiences only solidified my belief that I just wasn't into Lindsey, and that I would never own her. The first time I "met" a Lindsey doll was not long after she came out. One of my friends in middle school would invite me over to her house for sleepovers every so often. Although it was not my chosen weekend activity, there were perks to these slumber parties. My friend had quite the doll collection--she was actually the girl that owned the Xpress It! Yasmin doll I fell in love with, which led to my Bratz obsession. Besides her Barbies, this little girl also had an American Girl Lindsey. Meeting Lindsey was like keeping company with a celebrity to my eleven year old self. The second I spotted her sitting on my friend's bureau, I was most intrigued. I couldn't understand why my friend found her to be so "creepy" to the point where Lindsey was kicked out of the bedroom at night (at least that's what she told me she did). In person, Lindsey wasn't all that spectacular--her hair was matted and frizzy, and her skin was dirty and yellowing. My second experience with a Lindsey doll was not much better. Sometime in 2012 or early 2013, I fixed up a Lindsey doll for a friend. She too was a homely, battered mess. In fact, this second Lindsey doll was in even worse condition than the first. Of course, that makes sense being that this was nearly a decade later. Lindsey's limbs were entirely loose, her hair was an utter train wreck, and her skin was so grubby and oily, I had to scrub her clean multiple times. Even after a series of shampooing, boil washes, and curly perms, Lindsey still looked forlorn and just a little ugly. These two undesirable Lindsey dolls that I met in my past assured me that I was "immune" to her wiles, and that I would never fork over my money to have one.
Fate would have it differently though, because only a few years after fixing up my friend's Lindsey doll, I would find my very own Lindsey. American Girls had made a huge comeback into my life in 2014, after my sister and I rescued a beaten up Nellie doll from our local flea market. All the passion we had suppressed for years for American Girl dolls simply erupted after Nellie O'Malley joined the family. Our collection grew extremely quickly, and it seemed that every few months we were scrounging money together to buy new clothes from eBay or American Girl. In February of 2016, an adorable blue eyed, freckled face dolly named Grace Thomas, became a member of the family. Although initially uninterested in Miss Thomas, several months later, I found myself drooling over every picture or video I found on the internet of her (not to mention the copious amount of time I spent staring at her catalogue spreads). It might seem odd that I am mentioning Grace when I am supposed to be explaining my Lindsey doll's story. But Grace in fact has everything to do with why Lindsey is here. It's not that Grace instilled a desire in me to collect all the Girl of the Year dolls. It's not that she made me more open minded (the door to my heart was already entirely open). Although, Grace did make me realize that sometimes liking an American doll is enough of a reason to buy her, even if it is on a whim. It's actually that Grace and Lindsey have some aesthetic similarities. I didn't realize it until after purchasing my Lindsey doll, but what I suddenly found so attractive about Lindsey was her light blue eyes, quirky freckles, and brown hair...sound familiar?
It was opening day at our flea market in 2016, when we found Lindsey. The day before, I had sent my Kirsten doll off to the hospital to get new eyes. Colleen and I jokingly said that when Kirsten got back, she probably expected to find another doll in her spot...I guess that joke jinxed us! The winter weather that had trickled into the spring months had prevented Colleen and I from going to the flea market earlier that year. We didn't anticipate finding much at all, let alone coming home with a huge score. As we walked along the first aisle of the flea market, down the winding hill, I spotted a familiar table with some very suspicious looking figures standing on it. I could have sworn from this distant perspective that there were at least two American Girl dolls on this table, but I couldn't make out their identities. I repressed the urge to run to the table and inspect the potential American Girls. Instead, my sister and I continued following our regular path around the flea market. Within five minutes I had entirely forgotten about the American Girls I may have spotted. My attention had been grabbed by a massive green suitcase stuffed with hoards of mutilated Barbies (a bin we later named the "Ken Suitcase lot"). My sister and I spent about fifteen minutes sifting through the suitcase before purchasing it. As we headed up the hill towards the table with Lindsey, I was hauling the huge, ridiculously heavy luggage behind me (luckily it had wheels). Lindsey was easy to spot by then, so I quickened my pace until we reached the destination. Once again, I felt like I was in the presence of royalty. My sister and I swooped over Lindsey, studying her clothes, touching her hair, and feeling her limbs. I thought for sure that this seller (who was usually over priced) would want some absurd amount of money for her. But instead, she surprised me by saying that the doll was seventy five dollars. Lindsey was complete, except for her hair clip. Her hair was in beautiful condition--at least to me, a seasoned doll stylist, who could see the potential. It was still very shiny and soft, although it was slightly tangled. Lindsey's face paint was fresh looking, which countered her super loose limbs and grubby looking clothes. But I reasoned with myself that I never wanted a Lindsey doll before, and that I should save my money. So we thanked the seller and off we went to look around while I "mulled over" whether or not I should buy Lindsey. The woman warned us that several other people had also walked away to "think" about Lindsey and that at some point she would sell. I knew that this wasn't a sales gimmick, as I've seen elevated interest in any American Girl item at my local flea market (after all, Colleen and I narrowly managed to get my Bitty Baby named Jelly).
As we finished the last few rows of the flea market, I walked as fast as my legs could carry me, and haul the suitcase. I was breezing so quickly through the flea market, that I barely spent anytime hunting for treasure. I kept saying to myself, "I need to finish this quickly so I can get to the ATM and withdraw money for Lindsey." I chanted this line over and over again, until it occurred to me how ridiculous the situation was. Obviously, my heart had made up my mind, and had decided that I was getting Lindsey. When this dawned on me, I knew I had to get my butt over to the ATM as quickly as possible, and then book it back to the table before anyone else bought her. My sister went ahead of me to "reserve" Lindsey while I went to the ATM and withdrew the funds for her. I actually beat Colleen back to the table and had already paid for Lindsey by the time she found us (she had gotten confused). Later that afternoon, as Lindsey and I sat together in the Dunkin Donuts parking lot in my new Jeep, waiting for Colleen to buy drinks with a gift card we had, it suddenly hit me that I owned a Lindsey doll. Looking into her beautiful blue eyes, I knew I had made the right decision. That moment felt so right, and it truly felt like a new chapter in my life had just started.
Lindsey has come to mean so many things to me, many of which I never expected. She symbolizes my childhood, and a shift in the American Girl line. There really is quite the novelty in owning THE first Girl of the Year doll, the one who started it all (although she didn't sell well back then ironically). It is also refreshing to see a familiar face in my doll cabinets, one that I not only knew from catalogues, but also in person from the various friends I made over the years. Her similarities to my beloved Grace doll make me that much more fond of her. And of course there is the fact that I spent so much time reviving her. I slaved over removing the mold stains which covered parts of her arms, legs, and her neck, I scrubbed her body clean, I washed her already beautiful hair, and I restrung her cloth body, once again restoring her cuddliness. But most of all, Lindsey marks the beginning of a new journey--"The Great Unknown" as Rob Thomas would put it. Since losing my father in 2012, my sister and I have struggled to keep our heads above water and we have fought for our happiness. It always felt like a constant battle because with each step we took forward, some hurdle would send us back a few paces. But 2016 finally pushed us into the next chapter. For the first time in four years, it no longer felt like we were just fighting against the current, but that the river of life was actually taking us somewhere new. Lindsey was the first American Girl to ride in my new Jeep Angel, she was purchased on the first flea market day of 2016, she was the first secondhand AG that year, and for the first time looking into her blue glassy eyes the day we bought her, I knew that Colleen and I were really going to be okay, and that this newfound happiness was not temporary.
File: 2018001-0006
NOTE: The geotag is removed to protect the model’s safety and privacy if the photo-shoot was done at or extremely near model’s home.
In the woods, somewhere around Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, on Wednesday 31st January 2018.
About the photograph.
This is Janey. She is a well-known British model whom had been seen in various British top-shelf softcore magazines, and also around on the Internet often under the username of Juicy Janey.
I found her on the online model booking website called ModelFolio, and after a length of time exchanging messages about a possible photo-shoot, I booked her for a two-hours slot at her home. My plan was split the two hours timeslot into two parts.
The first hour of the photo-shoot was done outdoors, and it was more of a fashion themed photo-shoot, mainly focused on women’s winter style casual outfits. The woods seen in the photos were behind her home, and is what I needed for the photo-shoot.
In the photographs, she is posing in a black size 10 faux fur coat with hood, by the fashion label ETAM. Point of note: the label have the name spelt in all caps, but the name could be Etam and simply stylised as ETAM.
She is also wearing her own spotted top under the fur coat, along with her own blue jeans tucked into her below knee length black books. She also displays a floral print white scarf.
Along with the outfit, she is also carrying a golden tan coloured suede handbag, seen in few of the shots, but is mostly hidden by the way she wears the fur coat.
The photos doubles as both stand-alone photographs, as well as graphic design assets.
The stand-alone photographs are as you see here, full portraiture photographs which I would showcase online like Flickr or Instagram, or simply print them out as prints and display on the walls. Sometimes I may use them as wallpaper on my desktop computer or mobile devices.
As graphic design assets, I usually import them into my own graphic design projects, like for example when designing a fashion magazine catalogue, or a magazine article layout. I prefer to take my own photographs so I would have the full copyright and rights, rather than rely on stock photographs, for which you would have to pay fees or royalties if using someone else’s photo in your graphic design work.
Despite myself being a deaf person with speech impaired, and that Janey is a hearing person, we did work together very well, and got on well, in spite of the communications difficulties. She had remarked that it was a pleasure to work with me, and left positive review on my account on ModelFolio.
Janey was my 5th booked model, and at time of writing this article (Sept ‘25), I had worked with 9 models so far.
After the first hour with her, the second hour was more of a softcore themed indoor photo-shoot.
About the Etam fuax fur coat.
Etam was founded in 1916 by Max Lindermann, in Berlin, Germany as a stocking store.
During the 1920s and 1930s, the company opened a shop and later a factory in France. They produced and distributed various women’s wear including lingerie, using quality materials and craftmanship, and from the 1930s onwards, they expanded throughout Europe.
Over time, the brand evolved, and included swimwear in the late 1960s. Starting from the 1980s, it started collaborations with other fashion designers.
As of now, the company is still a family owned and independent company, under the parent name of The Etam Group which includes other fashion brands, with more than 1300 stores in more than 50 countries.
==
The Comment Box is NOT an adverting billboard for the groups. You are welcome to comment on my photos about the subject itself, the photograph itself, or about your related experience. Do NOT use canned comments, which is a form of prepared comments with links to the groups. Those talk about the groups, say nothing about my photos, therefore is consider adverting for the groups, and will be deleted.
Hello Everybody! I'm still alive, but am currently not taking photos, which is why I'm posting the only photo I've ever posted taken with my crappy phone camera.
I'm currently writing some novels, you see. On May 26th I began the first book, and completed the first draft around six weeks ago, with about 500 pages of manuscript. I'm currently half way through a rewrite of that book, as well as 200 pages into the 2nd book of the series.
So, because I also have to work a full time job, I simply don't have time for photography. Fortunately the writing is going better than I ever could have expected, and I'm enjoying that so much that I'm not missing the camera. I have no doubt I'll get back to it, because it's something I love. I just don't have time for two mistresses. I wish.
My love to you all, see you when I come back. I hope you are well.
File: 2018001-0066
NOTE: The geotag is removed to protect the model’s safety and privacy if the photo-shoot was done at or extremely near model’s home.
In the woods, somewhere around Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, on Wednesday 31st January 2018.
About the photograph.
This is Janey. She is a well-known British model whom had been seen in various British top-shelf softcore magazines, and also around on the Internet often under the username of Juicy Janey.
I found her on the online model booking website called ModelFolio, and after a length of time exchanging messages about a possible photo-shoot, I booked her for a two-hours slot at her home. My plan was split the two hours timeslot into two parts.
The first hour of the photo-shoot was done outdoors, and it was more of a fashion themed photo-shoot, mainly focused on women’s winter style casual outfits. The woods seen in the photos were behind her home, and is what I needed for the photo-shoot.
In the photographs, she is posing in a black size 10 faux fur coat with hood, by the fashion label ETAM. Point of note: the label have the name spelt in all caps, but the name could be Etam and simply stylised as ETAM.
She is also wearing her own spotted top under the fur coat, along with her own blue jeans tucked into her below knee length black books. She also displays a floral print white scarf.
Along with the outfit, she is also carrying a golden tan coloured suede handbag, seen in few of the shots, but is mostly hidden by the way she wears the fur coat.
The photos doubles as both stand-alone photographs, as well as graphic design assets.
The stand-alone photographs are as you see here, full portraiture photographs which I would showcase online like Flickr or Instagram, or simply print them out as prints and display on the walls. Sometimes I may use them as wallpaper on my desktop computer or mobile devices.
As graphic design assets, I usually import them into my own graphic design projects, like for example when designing a fashion magazine catalogue, or a magazine article layout. I prefer to take my own photographs so I would have the full copyright and rights, rather than rely on stock photographs, for which you would have to pay fees or royalties if using someone else’s photo in your graphic design work.
Despite myself being a deaf person with speech impaired, and that Janey is a hearing person, we did work together very well, and got on well, in spite of the communications difficulties. She had remarked that it was a pleasure to work with me, and left positive review on my account on ModelFolio.
Janey was my 5th booked model, and at time of writing this article (Sept ‘25), I had worked with 9 models so far.
After the first hour with her, the second hour was more of a softcore themed indoor photo-shoot.
About the Etam fuax fur coat.
Etam was founded in 1916 by Max Lindermann, in Berlin, Germany as a stocking store.
During the 1920s and 1930s, the company opened a shop and later a factory in France. They produced and distributed various women’s wear including lingerie, using quality materials and craftmanship, and from the 1930s onwards, they expanded throughout Europe.
Over time, the brand evolved, and included swimwear in the late 1960s. Starting from the 1980s, it started collaborations with other fashion designers.
As of now, the company is still a family owned and independent company, under the parent name of The Etam Group which includes other fashion brands, with more than 1300 stores in more than 50 countries.
==
The Comment Box is NOT an adverting billboard for the groups. You are welcome to comment on my photos about the subject itself, the photograph itself, or about your related experience. Do NOT use canned comments, which is a form of prepared comments with links to the groups. Those talk about the groups, say nothing about my photos, therefore is consider adverting for the groups, and will be deleted.
File: 2018001-0003
NOTE: The geotag is removed to protect the model’s safety and privacy if the photo-shoot was done at or extremely near model’s home.
In the woods, somewhere around Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, on Wednesday 31st January 2018.
About the photograph.
This is Janey. She is a well-known British model whom had been seen in various British top-shelf softcore magazines, and also around on the Internet often under the username of Juicy Janey.
I found her on the online model booking website called ModelFolio, and after a length of time exchanging messages about a possible photo-shoot, I booked her for a two-hours slot at her home. My plan was split the two hours timeslot into two parts.
The first hour of the photo-shoot was done outdoors, and it was more of a fashion themed photo-shoot, mainly focused on women’s winter style casual outfits. The woods seen in the photos were behind her home, and is what I needed for the photo-shoot.
In the photographs, she is posing in a black size 10 faux fur coat with hood, by the fashion label ETAM. Point of note: the label have the name spelt in all caps, but the name could be Etam and simply stylised as ETAM.
She is also wearing her own spotted top under the fur coat, along with her own blue jeans tucked into her below knee length black books. She also displays a floral print white scarf.
Along with the outfit, she is also carrying a golden tan coloured suede handbag, seen in few of the shots, but is mostly hidden by the way she wears the fur coat.
The photos doubles as both stand-alone photographs, as well as graphic design assets.
The stand-alone photographs are as you see here, full portraiture photographs which I would showcase online like Flickr or Instagram, or simply print them out as prints and display on the walls. Sometimes I may use them as wallpaper on my desktop computer or mobile devices.
As graphic design assets, I usually import them into my own graphic design projects, like for example when designing a fashion magazine catalogue, or a magazine article layout. I prefer to take my own photographs so I would have the full copyright and rights, rather than rely on stock photographs, for which you would have to pay fees or royalties if using someone else’s photo in your graphic design work.
Despite myself being a deaf person with speech impaired, and that Janey is a hearing person, we did work together very well, and got on well, in spite of the communications difficulties. She had remarked that it was a pleasure to work with me, and left positive review on my account on ModelFolio.
Janey was my 5th booked model, and at time of writing this article (Sept ‘25), I had worked with 9 models so far.
After the first hour with her, the second hour was more of a softcore themed indoor photo-shoot.
About the Etam fuax fur coat.
Etam was founded in 1916 by Max Lindermann, in Berlin, Germany as a stocking store.
During the 1920s and 1930s, the company opened a shop and later a factory in France. They produced and distributed various women’s wear including lingerie, using quality materials and craftmanship, and from the 1930s onwards, they expanded throughout Europe.
Over time, the brand evolved, and included swimwear in the late 1960s. Starting from the 1980s, it started collaborations with other fashion designers.
As of now, the company is still a family owned and independent company, under the parent name of The Etam Group which includes other fashion brands, with more than 1300 stores in more than 50 countries.
==
The Comment Box is NOT an adverting billboard for the groups. You are welcome to comment on my photos about the subject itself, the photograph itself, or about your related experience. Do NOT use canned comments, which is a form of prepared comments with links to the groups. Those talk about the groups, say nothing about my photos, therefore is consider adverting for the groups, and will be deleted.
On the Road
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Marylou" redirects here. For the album by Anna Rossinelli, see Marylou (album).
For other uses, see On the Road (disambiguation).
On the Road
1st edition
On the Road is a novel by American writer Jack Kerouac. On the Road is based on the travels of Kerouac and his friends across America. It is considered a defining work of the postwar Beat and Counterculture generations, with its protagonists living life against a backdrop of jazz, poetry and drug use.
The idea for On the Road formed during the late 1940s. It was to be Kerouac's second novel, and it underwent several drafts before he completed it in April 1951. It was first published by Viking Press in 1957.
When the book was originally released, The New York Times hailed it as "the most beautifully executed, the clearest and the most important utterance yet made by the generation Kerouac himself named years ago as 'beat,' and whose principal avatar he is."[1] In 1998, the Modern Library ranked On the Road 55th on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. The novel was chosen by Time magazine as one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005.[2]
This section is written like a personal reflection or opinion essay rather than an encyclopedic description of the subject. Please help improve it by rewriting it in an encyclopedic style. (December 2012)
Many aspects go into understanding the context of On the Road, and they must be viewed cohesively in order to appreciate why the book was as relevant and pertinent as it was. The following issues are important to consider as the foundation for the book and its reception by the public.
Kerouac biography[edit]
Kerouac was born in a French-Canadian neighborhood of Lowell, Massachusetts, and learned English at age six. (He had difficulty with the language into his teens.) He grew up in a devout Catholic home, and this influence manifested itself throughout the work. During high school, Kerouac was a star football player and earned a scholarship to Columbia University. After dropping out following a conflict with the football coach, he then served on several different sailing vessels before returning to New York in search of inspiration to write. Here he met the likes of Allen Ginsberg and William Burroughs who would not only become characters in the book but also form the core of the Beat Generation.[3]
Many of the events depicted in the book are the experiences that shaped both its content and production. Kerouac met Neal Cassady, who would become Dean Moriarty, in December 1946 and began his road adventures in 1947 while writing what would become The Town and the City. The adventures themselves, which took place between 1947 and 1950, were meant to help him overcome writers block during early attempts to write the book. It was through letters and other interactions with his friends that Kerouac decided to write the first person narrative that became On the Road as we know it today.[3]
The publication process was another adventure unto itself, which took a major psychological toll on Kerouac. He was discouraged by the struggle (even though he continued to write during the period) and finally agreed to substantially revise the original version after years of failed negotiations with different publishers. He removed several parts in order to focus the story and also to protect himself from potential issues of libel. He also continued to write feverishly after its publication in spite of attacks from critics.[3]
Historical context[edit]
On the Road portrays the story of a fierce personal quest for meaning and belonging. This comes at an interesting point in American history when conformity was praised and outsiders were suspect. The Beat Generation arose out of a time of intense conflict, both internally and externally.
The issues of the Cold War, the Second Red Scare and McCarthyism took center stage of the cultural arena in the 1950s. As the U.S government cracked down on left-wing influences at home and abroad, the sentiment of unifying and banding together led to extreme measures of censorship and control.
The Cold War was the backdrop for this fight. In a short time after defeating Germany, the Soviet Union fell from ally to threat in the eyes of the United States. In the postwar reconstruction process, the two powers found themselves continually at odds. The sentiment arose clearly as a struggle between two opposing ways of life. Contention over Soviet support for alleged communist revolution in Iran, then Turkey and Greece, led to the American policy of containment and the Truman Doctrine. Before a joint session of Congress on March 12, 1947, President Harry S. Truman stated, "I believe it must be the policy of the United States to support the people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures."[4] That summer, Secretary of State George C. Marshall proposed a plan for the economic reconstruction of Europe. While Western European countries planned how to go about rebuilding with American help, the Soviets walked away and forced the Eastern European countries to do the same. A Soviet aid and recovery plan followed for these countries and would mark the beginning of a punch and counterpunch pattern that would typify the early years of the Cold War. This laid a foundation for the tension that would define the period.[4]
Beat Generation summary[edit]
It was in this climate that some individuals of the young generation were seeking meaning outside the mainstream worldview. Amidst all the conflict and contradiction, the Beats were seeking out a way to navigate through the world. As John Clellon Holmes put it, "Everywhere the Beat Generation seems occupied with the feverish production of answers—some of them frightening, some of them foolish—to a single question: how are we to live?"[5]
The idea of what it means to be "beat" is still difficult to accurately describe. While many critics still consider the word "beat" in its literal sense of "tired and beaten down," others, including Kerouac himself promoted the generation more in sense of "beatific" or blissful.[6] "Beat" can also be read as a 'rhythm' such as in music, as in Jazz - a rhythmic beat or 'the rhythm of life' itself.
Holmes and Kerouac published several articles in popular magazines in an attempt to explain the movement. In the November 16, 1952 New York Times Sunday Magazine, he wrote a piece exposing the faces of the Beat Generation. "[O]ne day [Kerouac] said, 'You know, this is a really beat generation' ... More than mere weariness, it implies the feeling of having been used, of being raw. It involves a sort of nakedness of mind, and ultimately, of soul: a feeling of being reduced to the bedrock of consciousness. In short, it means being undramatically pushed up against the wall of oneself."[7] He distinguishes Beats from the Lost Generation of the 1920s pointing out how the Beats are not lost but how they are searching for answers to all of life's questions. Kerouac's preoccupation with writers like Ernest Hemingway shaped his view of the beat generation. He uses a prose style which he adapted from Hemingway and throughout On the Road he alludes to novels like The Sun Also Rises. "How to live seems much more crucial than why."[7] In many ways, it is a spiritual journey, a quest to find belief, belonging, and meaning in life. Not content with the uniformity promoted by government and consumer culture, the Beats yearned for a deeper, more sensational experience.
Holmes expands his attempt to define the generation in a 1958 article in Esquire magazine. This article was able to take more of a look back at the formation of the movement as it was published after On the Road. "It describes the state of mind from which all unessentials have been stripped, leaving it receptive to everything around it, but impatient with trivial obstructions. To be beat is to be at the bottom of your personality, looking up."[5]
Literary context[edit]
At the time of publication, On the Road was not the first book to criticize contemporary American culture. A nonconformist sentiment characterized the arts and popular culture of the 1950s as a way of rejecting societal norms. Many of the best selling books of the time achieved this same mission.[4]
J. D. Salinger produced the first shock to the tranquil suburban landscape with the publication of The Catcher in the Rye in 1951. His protagonist Holden Caulfield struck a chord with young readers also at odds with the adult world. Caulfield's rejection of the regimentation and "phoniness" of the world around him resonated with the struggle for meaning that drove the Beat Generation. Salinger's rejection of traditional middle-class values signaled the first widely recognized public stand against the cultural conformist pressure.[4]
Among the best-selling novels of 1950s was Peyton Place by Grace Metalious. Published in September 1956, it managed to be the second most sold book in the country that year and then to top the chart in 1957. In fact, it went on to be the best-selling book in American history up to that point.[8] Often cited as the prime example of the decline in American culture of the decade, the novel examines the traditional values of a New England mill town by introducing the complications of extramarital sexual affairs. A book that received a broad range of reviews after publication, Peyton Place's popularity shows that popular culture was ready for a break from their traditional expectations.[8]
Another popular contemporary was Sloan Wilson's The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1955) that dealt with the increasing suburbanization of American society. Tom Rath struggles with the dilemma of following his conscience or pursuing the big salary and lush lifestyle typically portrayed of the 1950s family. In the end, though, he discovers that he can have both. While Wilson can be seen as chastising the societal norms at times, he concludes with his character achieving them. This shows the dichotomy of attitudes toward the middle-class values of the day.[9]
Production and publication[edit]
The scroll, exhibited at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts, summer 2007
Kerouac often promoted the story about how in April 1951 he wrote the novel in three weeks, typing continuously onto a 120-foot roll of teletype paper.[10] Although the story is true per se, the book was in fact the result of a long and arduous creative process. Kerouac carried small notebooks, in which much of the text was written as the eventful span of road trips unfurled. He started working on the first of several versions of the novel as early as 1948, based on experiences during his first long road trip in 1947. However, he remained dissatisfied with the novel.[11] Inspired by a thousand-word rambling letter from his friend Neal Cassady, Kerouac in 1950 outlined the "Essentials of Spontaneous Prose" and decided to tell the story of his years on the road with Cassady as if writing a letter to a friend in a form that reflected the improvisational fluidity of jazz.[12]
The first draft of what was to become the published novel was written in three weeks in April 1951 while Kerouac lived with Joan Haverty, his second wife, at 454 West 20th Street in Manhattan, New York. The manuscript was typed on what he called "the scroll"—a continuous, one hundred and twenty-foot scroll of tracing paper sheets that he cut to size and taped together.[13] The roll was typed single-spaced, without margins or paragraph breaks. In the following years, Kerouac continued to revise this manuscript, deleting some sections (including some sexual depictions deemed pornographic in the 1950s) and adding smaller literary passages.[14] Kerouac authored a number of inserts intended for On the Road between 1951 and 1952, before eventually omitting them from the manuscript and using them to form the basis of another work, Visions of Cody.[15] On the Road was championed within Viking Press by Malcolm Cowley and was published by Viking in 1957, based on revisions of the 1951 manuscript.[16] Besides differences in formatting, the published novel was shorter than the original scroll manuscript and used pseudonyms for all of the major characters.
Viking Press released a slightly edited version of the original manuscript on 16 August 2007 titled On the Road: The Original Scroll corresponding with the 50th anniversary of original publication. This version has been transcribed and edited by English academic and novelist Dr. Howard Cunnell. As well as containing material that was excised from the original draft due to its explicit nature, the scroll version also uses the real names of the protagonists, so Dean Moriarty becomes Neal Cassady and Carlo Marx becomes Allen Ginsberg, etc.[17]
In 2007, Gabriel Anctil, a journalist of the Montreal's daily Le Devoir discovered, in Kerouac's personal archives in New York, almost 200 pages of his writings entirely in Quebec French, with colloquialisms. The collection included ten manuscript pages of an unfinished version of On the Road, written on January 19, 1951. The date of the writings makes Kerouac one of the earliest known authors to use colloquial Quebec French in literature.[18]
Plot summary[edit]
The two main characters of the book are the narrator, Salvatore "Sal" Paradise, and his new friend Dean Moriarty, much admired for his carefree attitude and sense for adventure, a free-spirited maverick eager to explore all kicks and an inspiration and catalyst for Sal's travels. The novel contains five parts, three of them describing road trips with Moriarty. The narrative takes place in the years 1947 to 1950, is full of Americana, and marks a specific era in jazz history, "somewhere between its Charlie Parker Ornithology period and another period that began with Miles Davis." The novel is largely autobiographical, Sal being the alter ego of the author and Dean standing for Neal Cassady. The epic nature of the adventures and the text itself creates a tremendous sense of meaning and purpose for the themes and lessons.
Part One[edit]
The first section describes Sal's first trip to San Francisco. Disheartened after a divorce, his life changes when he meets Dean Moriarty, who is "tremendously excited with life," and begins to long for the freedom of the road: "Somewhere along the line I knew there would be girls, visions, everything; somewhere along the line the pearl would be handed to me." He sets off in July 1947 with fifty dollars in his pocket. After taking several buses and hitchhiking, he arrives in Denver, where he hooks up with Carlo Marx, Dean, and their friends. There are parties — among them an excursion to the ghost town of Central City. Eventually Sal leaves by bus and gets to San Francisco, where he meets Remi Boncoeur and his girlfriend Lee Ann. Remi arranges for Sal to take a job as a night watchman at a boarding camp for merchant sailors waiting for their ship. Not holding this job for long, Sal hits the road again. "Oh, where is the girl I love?" he wonders. Soon he meets Terry, the "cutest little Mexican girl," on the bus to Los Angeles. They stay together, traveling back to Bakersfield, then to Sabinal, "her hometown," where her family works in the fields. He meets Terry's brother Ricky, who teaches him the true meaning of "mañana" ("tomorrow"). Working in the cotton fields, Sal realizes that he is not made for this type of work. Leaving Terry behind, he takes the bus back to New York and walks the final stretch from Times Square to Paterson, just missing Dean, who had come to see him, by two days.
In this section, Kerouac not only introduces many of the book's characters but also its central conflicts and dilemmas. He initially shows Sal as the deep thinking writer who yearns for greater freedom. As the plot unfolds he shows the depth and degree of Sal's internal conflict in the pursuit of "kicks," torn between the romanticized freedom of the open road and practicality of a more settled, domestic life. Dean appears as the "yellow roman candle" that catalyzes the action of the novel. His uncontainable spirit invites Sal to follow but also foreshadows problems of commitment and devotion that will reappear later on.
Part Two[edit]
In December 1948 Sal is celebrating Christmas with his relatives in Testament, Virginia when Dean shows up with Marylou (having left his second wife, Camille, and their newborn baby, Amy, in San Francisco) and Ed Dunkel. Sal's Christmas plans are shattered as "now the bug was on me again, and the bug's name was Dean Moriarty." First they drive to New York, where they meet Carlo and party. Dean wants Sal to make love to Marylou, but Sal declines. In Dean's Hudson they take off from New York in January 1949 and make it to New Orleans. In Algiers they stay with the morphine-addicted Old Bull Lee and his wife Jane. Galatea Dunkel joins her husband in New Orleans while Sal, Dean, and Marylou continue their trip. Once in San Francisco, Dean again leaves Marylou to be with Camille. "Dean will leave you out in the cold anytime it is in the interest of him," Marylou tells Sal. Both of them stay briefly in a hotel, but soon she moves out, following a nightclub owner. Sal is alone and on Market Street has visions of past lives, birth, and rebirth. Dean finds him and invites him to stay with his family. Together, they visit nightclubs and listen to Slim Gaillard and other jazz musicians. The stay ends on a sour note: "what I accomplished by coming to Frisco I don't know," and Sal departs, taking the bus back to New York.
In this section, Marylou sums up the dilemma of Dean's lack of commitment and selfishness when she says that he will always leave you if it isn't in his interest. This central conflict appears again after Dean returns to Camille in San Francisco, abandoning his two travel companions. Sal again finds himself at a loss for purpose and direction. He has spent his time following the other characters but is unfulfilled by the frantic nature of this life. Much of the euphoria has worn off as he becomes more contemplative and philosophical.
Part Three[edit]
In the spring of 1949, Sal takes a bus from New York to Denver. He is depressed and "lonesome"; none of his friends are around. After receiving some money, he leaves Denver for San Francisco to see Dean. Camille is pregnant and unhappy, and Dean has injured his thumb trying to hit Marylou for sleeping with other men. Camille throws them out, and Sal invites Dean to come to New York, planning to travel further to Italy. They meet Galatea, who tells Dean off: "You have absolutely no regard for anybody but yourself and your kicks." Sal realizes she is right — Dean is the "HOLY GOOF" — but also defends him, as "he's got the secret that we're all busting to find out." After a night of jazz and drinking in Little Harlem on Folsom Street, they depart. On the way to Sacramento they meet a "fag," who propositions them. Dean tries to hustle some money out of this but is turned down. During this part of the trip Sal and Dean have ecstatic discussions having found "IT" and "TIME." In Denver a brief argument shows the growing rift between the two, when Dean reminds Sal of his age, Sal being the older of the two. They get a '47 Cadillac from the travel bureau that needs to be brought to Chicago. Dean drives most of the way, crazy, careless, often speeding over 100 miles per hour, bringing it in a disheveled state. By bus they move on to Detroit and spend a night on Skid Row, Dean hoping to find his homeless father. From Detroit they share a ride to New York and arrive at Sal's aunt's new flat in Long Island. They go on partying in New York, where Dean meets Inez and gets her pregnant while his wife is expecting their second child.
After seeing how he treats Camille and Marylou, Sal finally begins to realize the nature of his relationship with Dean. While he cares greatly about him, several times discussing future plans to live on the same street, he recognizes that the feeling may not be mutual. The situations are beginning to change, though, as Sal has received some money from his recently published book and can begin to support himself and also Dean when he comes to New York. Sal is taking a more active role in his freedom as opposed to just following Dean.
Part Four[edit]
In the spring of 1950, Sal gets the itch to travel again while Dean is working as a parking lot attendant in Manhattan, living with his girlfriend Inez. Sal notices that he has been reduced to simple pleasures — listening to basketball games and looking at erotic playing cards. By bus Sal takes to the road again, passing Washington, Ashland, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and eventually reaching Denver. There he meets Stan Shephard, and the two plan to go to Mexico City when they learn that Dean had bought a car and is on the way to join them. In a rickety '37 Ford sedan the three set off across Texas to Laredo, where they cross the border. They are ecstatic, having left "everything behind us and entering a new and unknown phase of things." Their money buys more (10 cents for a beer), police are laid back, cannabis is readily available, and people are curious and friendly. The landscape is magnificent. In Gregoria, they meet Victor, a local kid, who leads them to a bordello where they have their last grand party, dancing to mambo, drinking, and having fun with prostitutes. In Mexico City Sal becomes ill from dysentery and is "delirious and unconscious." Dean leaves him, and Sal later reflects that "when I got better I realized what a rat he was, but then I had to understand the impossible complexity of his life, how he had to leave me there, sick, to get on with his wives and woes."
In this section we see Dean's selfishness finally extend to Sal, as he leaves Sal abandoned in Mexico City. Sal has sunk to the bottom of his reality having seen Victor put his family obligations over the freedom of the road and Dean was not ready to do the same thing. This is the moment where the paths diverge and Sal realizes that he has more to live for than just constantly moving.
Part Five[edit]
Dean, having obtained divorce papers in Mexico, had first returned to New York to marry Inez, only to leave her and go back to Camille. After his recovery from dysentery in Mexico, Sal returns to New York in the fall. He finds a girl, Laura, and plans to move with her to San Francisco. Sal writes to Dean about his plan to move to San Francisco. Dean writes back saying that he's willing to come and accompany Laura and Sal. Dean arrives over five weeks early but Sal is out taking a late-night walk alone. Sal returns home to Laura and sees a copy of Proust and knows that it is Dean's. Sal realizes that his friend has arrived, but at a time when Sal doesn't have the money to relocate to San Francisco. On hearing this Dean makes the decision to head back to Camille and Sal's friend Remi Boncoeur denies Sal's request to give Dean a short lift to 40th Street on their way to a Duke Ellington concert at the Metropolitan Opera House. Sal's girlfriend Laura realises that this is a painful moment for Sal and prompts him for a response as the party drives off without Dean; to which he replies "He'll be alright". Sal later reflects as he sits on a river pier under a New Jersey night sky about the roads and lands of America that he has travelled and states ". . . I think of Dean Moriarty, I even think of Old Dean Moriarty the father we never found, I think of Dean Moriarty."
Character key[edit]
Kerouac often based his fictional characters on friends and family.[19][20]
"Because of the objections of my early publishers I was not allowed to use the same person's name in each work."[21]
Real-life personCharacter name
Jack KerouacSal Paradise
Gabrielle KerouacSal's Aunt
Alan AnsenRollo Greb
William S. BurroughsOld Bull Lee
Joan VollmerJane
Lucien CarrDamion
Neal CassadyDean Moriarty
Carolyn CassadyCamille
Hal ChaseChad King
Henri CruRemi Boncoeur
Bea Franco (Beatrice Kozera)Terry
Allen GinsbergCarlo Marx
Diana HansenInez
Alan HarringtonHal Hingham
Joan HavertyLaura
Luanne HendersonMarylou
Al HinkleEd Dunkel
Helen HinkleGalatea Dunkel
Jim HolmesTom Snark
John Clellon HolmesIan MacArthur
Ed StringhamTom Saybrook
Herbert HunckeElmer Hassel
Frank JeffriesStan Shephard
Gene PippinGene Dexter
Allan TemkoRoland Major
Bill TomsonRoy Johnson
Helen TomsonDorothy Johnson
Ed UhlEd Wall
Helen GullionRita Betancourt
Major themes[edit]
The main ideas of the Beat Generation, the longing for belief and meaning in life, are reflected in On the Road. While interest in the book initially revolved more around Kerouac's personal life rather than the literary nature of the text, critical attention has burgeoned in recent years. Although the book can be viewed through many lenses, several major themes rise up from a deeper study.
Kerouac has admitted that the biggest of these themes is religion. In a letter to a student in 1961, he wrote:
"Dean and I were embarked on a journey through post-Whitman America to FIND that America and to FIND the inherent goodness in American man. It was really a story about 2 Catholic buddies roaming the country in search of God. And we found him."
[22]
This idea of an inward adventure is illustrated in all of the experimentation. The Beats had a more liberal definition of God and spirituality closely related to personal experience.
All of the travel and personal interaction in the book permit an examination of the ideas of masculinity and mobility in the 1950s. While these concepts may seem unrelated, Kerouac weaves them together to provide another form of rebellion against the social norm of conformity. Mary Pannicia Carden examines this and proposes that traveling was a way for the characters to assert their independence. "[Sal and Dean] attempt to replace the model of manhood dominant in capitalist America with a model rooted in foundational American ideals of conquest and self-discovery."[23] Travel is a very symbolic act both in history and in literature of coming of age and self-realization, especially for males. But not only do they see conformity as restricting, but in many senses, they view women this way as well. "Reassigning disempowering elements of patriarchy to female keeping, they attempt to substitute male brotherhood for the nuclear family and to replace the ladder of success with the freedom of the road as primary measures of male identity."[23] The interactions of the book come down to balances of power and gains and losses of masculinity. Even though they seek to defy its traditional markers, Dean and Sal also rely on this masculinity in their self-definition. In the end, their divergence to different paths reflects Sal's understanding of the limitations of complete freedom that is sought on the road in so far as it pertains to relations to culture and identity.
In a broader sense, On the Road's major lesson is about the proper way of growing up. Unlike Holden Caulfield, Sal Paradise is struggling with getting through adolescence and maturity rather than delaying it. We see this contrasted with Dean Moriarty who is portrayed as the depiction of a child, always on the move. Sal's struggle is how to balance these opposing forces. We saw these exact issues in Holmes's definition of the Beat Generation as a whole, of which Sal Paradise becomes the metaphorical face.
Language[edit]
In addition to the themes and controversial topics addressed in On the Road, Kerouac's apparently erratic writing style garnered much attention for the novel. Some have said that On the Road was merely a transitional phase in between the traditional narrative structure of The Town and the City (1951) and the so-called "wild form" of Kerouac's later books like Visions of Cody (1972).[24]
Kerouac's own explanation of his style begins with the publication of "Essentials of Spontaneous Prose" (1953) in which he outlines the core features of his techniques. He likens his writing to Impressionist painters who sought to create art through direct observation. He endeavored to present a raw version of truth which did not lend itself to the traditional process of revision and rewriting but rather the emotionally charged practice of spontaneity he pursued.[25]
This spontaneity produced a book that was not only readable in 1957 but still captures the attention of audiences today. The personal nature of the text helps foster a direct link between Kerouac and the reader. Because he is writing about actual experiences, conveying appropriately the environment provided this connection. Kerouac chose to do this through his detailed descriptions, rarely pausing for a breath between sentences. His more casual diction and very relaxed syntax, although viewed as less than serious by some, was an intentional attempt to depict events as they happened and to convey all of the energy and emotion of the experiences.[25]
Reception[edit]
The book received a mixed reaction from the media in 1957. Some of the earlier reviews spoke highly of the book, but the backlash to these was swift and strong. Although this was discouraging to Kerouac, he still received great recognition and notoriety from the work. Since its publication, critical attention has focused on issues of both the context and the style, addressing the actions of the characters as well as the nature of Kerouac's prose.
Initial reaction[edit]
In his review for The New York Times, Gilbert Millstein wrote, "its publication is a historic occasion in so far as the exposure of an authentic work of art is of any great moment in an age in which the attention is fragmented and the sensibilities are blunted by the superlatives of fashion" and praised it as "a major novel."[1] Millstein was already sympathetic toward the Beat Generation and his promotion of the book in the Times did wonders for its recognition and acclaim. Not only did he like the themes, but also the style, which would come to be just as hotly contested in the reviews that followed. "There are sections of On the Road in which the writing is of a beauty almost breathtaking...there is some writing on jazz that has never been equaled in American fiction, either for insight, style, or technical virtuosity."[1] Kerouac and Joyce Johnson, a younger writer he was living with, read the review shortly after midnight at a newsstand at 69th Street and Broadway, near Joyce's apartment in the Upper West Side. They took their copy of the newspaper to a neighborhood bar and read the review over and over. "Jack kept shaking his head," Joyce remembered later in her memoir Minor Characters, "as if he couldn’t figure out why he wasn’t happier than he was." Finally, they returned to her apartment to go to sleep. As Joyce recalled: "Jack lay down obscure for the last time in his life. The ringing phone woke him the next morning, and he was famous.”[26]
The backlash began just a few days later in the same publication. David Dempsey published a review that contradicted most of what Millstein had promoted in the book. "As a portrait of a disjointed segment of society acting out of its own neurotic necessity, "On the Road", is a stunning achievement. But it is a road, as far as the characters are concerned, that leads to nowhere." While he did not discount the stylistic nature of the text (saying that it was written "with great relish"), he dismissed the content as a "passionate lark" rather than a novel."[27]
Other reviewers were also less than impressed. Phoebe Lou Adams in Atlantic Monthly wrote that it "disappoints because it constantly promises a revelation or a conclusion of real importance and general applicability, and cannot deliver any such conclusion because Dean is more convincing as an eccentric than as a representative of any segment of humanity."[28] While she liked the writing and found a good theme, her concern was repetition. "Everything Mr. Kerouac has to say about Dean has been told in the first third of the book, and what comes later is a series of variations on the same theme."[28]
The review from Time exhibited a similar sentiment. "The post-World War II generation—beat or beatific—has not found symbolic spokesmen with anywhere near the talents of Fitzgerald, Hemingway, or Nathaniel West. In this novel, talented Author Kerouac, 35, does not join that literary league, either, but at least suggests that his generation is not silent. With his barbaric yawp of a book, Kerouac commands attention as a kind of literary James Dean."[29] It considers the book partly a travel book and partly a collection of journal jottings. While Kerouac sees his characters as "mad to live...desirous of everything at the same time," the reviewer likens them to cases of "psychosis that is a variety of Ganser Syndrome" who "aren't really mad—they only seem to be."[29]
Current reactions[edit]
On the Road has been the object of much study since its publication. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of publication, several critics took a fresh look at the text in 2007. It is interesting to consider how the perception has evolved in the last half century.
David Brooks of the New York Times compiled several of these opinions and summarized them in an Op-Ed from October 2, 2007. Where as Millstein saw it as a story in which the heroes took pleasure in everything, George Mouratidis, an editor of a new edition, claimed "above all else, the story is about loss." "It's a book about death and the search for something meaningful to hold on to — the famous search for 'IT,' a truth larger than the self, which, of course, is never found," wrote Meghan O'Rourke in Slate. "Kerouac was this deep, lonely, melancholy man," Hilary Holladay of the University of Massachusetts Lowell told The Philadelphia Inquirer. "And if you read the book closely, you see that sense of loss and sorrow swelling on every page." "In truth, 'On the Road' is a book of broken dreams and failed plans," wrote Ted Gioia in The Weekly Standard.[30]
John Leland, author of Why Kerouac Matters: The Lessons of On the Road (They're Not What You Think), says "We're no longer shocked by the sex and drugs. The slang is passé and at times corny. Some of the racial sentimentality is appalling" but adds "the tale of passionate friendship and the search for revelation are timeless. These are as elusive and precious in our time as in Sal's, and will be when our grandchildren celebrate the book's hundredth anniversary."[31]
To Brooks, this characterization seems limited. "Reading through the anniversary commemorations, you feel the gravitational pull of the great Boomer Narcissus. All cultural artifacts have to be interpreted through whatever experiences the Baby Boomer generation is going through at that moment. So a book formerly known for its youthful exuberance now becomes a gloomy middle-aged disillusion."[30] He laments how the book's spirit seems to have been tamed by the professionalism of America today and how it has only survived in parts. The more reckless and youthful parts of the text that gave it its energy are the parts that have "run afoul of the new gentility, the rules laid down by the health experts, childcare experts, guidance counselors, safety advisers, admissions officers, virtuecrats and employers to regulate the lives of the young."[30] He claims that the "ethos" of the book has been lost.
Influence[edit]
On the Road has been a major influence on many poets, writers, actors and musicians, including Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Jim Morrison, Hunter S. Thompson, and many more.
"It changed my life like it changed everyone else's," Dylan would say many years later. Tom Waits, too, acknowledged its influence, hymning Jack and Neal in a song and calling the Beats "father figures." At least two great American photographers were influenced by Kerouac: Robert Frank, who became his close friend — Kerouac wrote the introduction to Franks' book, The Americans — and Stephen Shore, who set out on an American road trip in the 1970s with Kerouac's book as a guide. It would be hard to imagine Hunter S. Thompson's road novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas had On the Road not laid down the template; likewise, films such as Easy Rider, Paris, Texas, and even Thelma and Louise.[32]
In his book Light My Fire: My Life with The Doors, Ray Manzarek (keyboard player of The Doors) wrote "I suppose if Jack Kerouac had never written On the Road, The Doors would never have existed."
Since the mobile lifestyle popularized by "On The Road" had a strong influence on the large market segment of baby boomers who joined the hippie movement the death of Jack Kerouac was of interest to the readers of the pioneering new journalism publication Rolling Stone. As a result, editor and publisher of the tabloid, Jann Wenner, printed a detailed account of the funeral of the "On The Road" author by writers Stephen Davis and Eric Ehrmann. According to the Rolling Stone article, Jack Kerouac's open casket viewing at the Archambault Funeral Home and subsequent burial funeral at the Edson Cemetery in Lowell, Massachusetts were attended by few of his "On The Road" era friends. Neal Cassady (Dean Moriarty in the book) had died the year before in 1968. San Francisco poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti chose not to come east to attend. Allen Ginsberg (Carlo Marx in the book) showed up with Peter Orlovsky and Gregory Corso was there filming the event. Author Terry Southern sent a floral arrangement that was on display near the bier. One writer in attendance not associated with the "On The Road" group or Beatnik crowd was New York Daily News columnist Jimmy Breslin, who, like Kerouac, came from a working-class background. Breslin, who had been inspired by "On The Road" in his youth, journeyed up to Lowell to pay his respects, his feelings about Kerouac's appearing as part of the Rolling Stone coverage. Many writers, actors and artists including Ann Charters and Hettie Jones, inter alia, would later share their feelings about how they were influenced by "On The Road" and the Beat culture in the Rolling Stone Book of The Beats edited by Holly George Warren published by Hyperion in 1999.
I first attempted to write about the story behind my Monster High collection in 2014. I had only been collecting my ghoul friends for a little over a year at that point. Time has given me a deeper appreciation and understanding of my Monster High collection, which is why I have chosen to rewrite this. A year didn't give me much time to truly reflect on what my Monster High dolls meant to me. In the almost four years that I've been Monster High obsessed, I've come to realize that these dolls have a much deeper sentiment than I ever could have anticipated. My entire purpose here on the internet has been to share my stories, memories, and life changes through my dolls, in hopes that others can relate or be inspired by what I have to say. That's why it was so very crucial to me to take the time to redo this story, and give my Monster High collection the spotlight it so rightfully deserves.
I never once anticipated just how much my little weird looking friends would come to mean to me, and how they would shape not only my collection, but also me as a collector. Monster High dolls have taught me so much, and without them, I don't think I'd be the same. I first encountered Monster High dolls during the fall of 2011. That was the year of my doll resurgence--I had taken a five year hiatus as a teenager. Dad, Colleen, and I were constantly on the hunt for Bratz dolls. Although I had initially denied my passion for them, within a few months of collecting, Disney dolls quickly took the backseat to my Bratz collection. In that sense, my Monster High dolls have a lot in common with the backstory of my Bratz collection. Similarly, I tried to use self restraint when it came to admitting my feelings for Monster High. But when I finally did, I ended up a raging addict, who was on the constant prowl for more dolls. Anyways, that October, Dad and I had found the most amazing listing for Bratz dolls on Craigslist. We drove out that evening to look at the 70 plus dolls, to see if they were worth buying. When we arrived, the seller explained that her daughter wanted to get rid of her Bratz dolls so she could have more money for her new Monster High collection. I spotted a few of the girl's dolls displayed on the mantle of the fireplace. The original Go Team!!! gals were proudly standing on the mantle, with their empty box beside them. At the time, Ghoulia, Draculaura, and Cleo were all unfamiliar faces. But something about those bizarre looking dolls captivated me. Of course my allegiance was pledged to Bratz--I felt sorry that they were being evicted to make more room/funding for these monsters. I never forgot those three dolls--the image is still burned in my memory. After that initial meeting, I became more aware of the Monster High dolls in stores. Back then, I didn't buy many dolls at stores, since I was so new to the 2011 doll world (bear in mind, I hadn't bought a doll in stores since 2005). It was a culture shock--I tried to ignore most of the dolls in the toy aisles, except Barbie and Bratz. But after seeing Monster High dolls up close and personal, I began to take note of them wherever we went. I even made a mental wish list of the dolls that really caught my attention. Deep down inside, I knew that these daringly different dolls would become part of my collection. Despite Dad, Colleen, and my vocal opinions that Monster High dolls were just plain ugly, I had this gut feeling they were to become something more to me.
For the next two years, my radar picked up on Monster High dolls. I grew to become familiar with certain names and faces. I recall admiring the Dead Tired ladies, Physical Deaducation Ghoulia, Toralei, Abbey, and several others. Most of all, I was compelled by Deuce Gorgon--the strikingly handsome boy doll with the most awesome mohawk. Just like with my reintroduction to Bratz in 2011, it was the boy dolls that made me crack. Unknowingly to Colleen, I was keeping track of Deuce dolls. I realized after doing some secretive research, that Mr. Gorgon had only been released three times--first edition, Dawn of the Dance, and Scaris. Scaris Deuce was the newest, and the only Deuce I knew I could get my hands on. One day in March of 2013, while hunting for good dolly deals at various stores, I finally confessed to Colleen my need for a Deuce doll. In typical, predictable Colleen form, she initially detested the idea. She thought Monster High dolls were appalling, and did not wish to join the bandwagon with all the other Monster High crazed fans. But at Big Lots, Colleen noticed that many of the Monster High dolls were on sale. They were rather affordable dolls, and there were even a lot of fashion packs for them available at the time. As we went to more and more stores, and saw the hoards of Monster High dolls in stock, she began to warm up to the idea. I remember her saying something along the lines of, "These are nice dolls. They are very affordable." That was the day my Monster High addiction came to fruition. We spent the next two days searching for Scaris Deuce. I believe Colleen even made some phone calls to various stores. I decided that I would not let Deuce's scarcity ruin the fun--I had eyed a few other Monster High dolls on our quest. The next day, we made a special trip out to Benny's, on our way to an antique store, with the exclusive intent of buying "Swim Class" Lagoona. Somehow, Lagoona's counterparts (Draculaura and Venus) made their way to the register. I justified purchasing all three because they were "on sale" (not a very great one I might add). We also found a few Disney dolls at the antique store that afternoon--including Princess Stories Belle, Winter Frost Sleeping Beauty, and Sparkle Eyes Aurora. But to be completely honest, I was most excited about my new ghoul friends. I'll never forget that moment when I first freed Draculaura from her packaging at the dining room table. I was mesmerized by her weight, her smell, and the quality of her clothes. It was very reminiscent of the first time I played with a Bratz doll at the age of eleven. Draculaura may have been purchased on a whim, but she holds the most special place in my heart of the three "Swim Class" dolls I got that day. She was the first Monster High doll I ever held, I ever smelled, and that I ever fell madly in love with.
The next few months went by in a blur. I was so excited about my new found love for Monster High dolls. I remember sharing tons of pictures of them on my old Flickr account. Colleen and I had so much fun making little storyboards with our gals. We also went out several times a week to buy Monster High dolls. My little collection of three became huge within the span of a few months. I was constantly yearning for more fashion packs and more dolls to add to my collection. The dolls that once fit on top of the white drawers in my art room, spilled over onto my sewing table within a week or so. Within the next few weeks, they could no longer fit there, which meant I had to buy little cubes to display them in. My earliest Monster High dolls included Scaris Rochelle, Skull Shores Ghoulia, Scaris Abbey, Scaris Lagoona, Scaris Cleo, the Go Team!!! 3 pack (with the werecats), and many others. And of course let's not forget about Deuce...I ended up with two Scaris Deuce dolls. I was so frenzied about Monster High, that I resorted to stalking Mr. Gorgon on eBay, only to find one at Kmart the day he was supposed to arrive in the mail (of course I got the Kmart guy who later became one of my favorites). It was the best and worst of times to get into collecting Monster High. The benefits of this time frame were the abundance of dolls. Kmart literally was so over stocked with Monster High dolls, that they spilled into other aisles, even the book aisle. Barnes and Noble also carried tons of Monster High dollies. They were at every store, even little ones like the Family Dollar. But sadly, there was a dark side to this time. Scalpers took advantage of the line's popularity, and bought entire stocks of "rare" and "desirable" dolls before any collector or child had the chance to get them. Online prices were out of this world, and to have certain dolls meant paying huge money. Even at the flea market, Monster High dolls were overpriced and scarce (due to the fact that the line was still so new). But most of all, the online community of collectors was fiercely competitive. I recall the rude and passive aggressive comments my Monster High photos received. Instead of banding together and enjoying the fad in all it's glory, collectors were divided. So many people wanted to believe that their dolls were superior. What was supposed to be a fun hobby became a nasty competition. Collectors also were constantly pitting Bratz and Monster High dolls against one another--it was almost as if you had to choose whether you were "Team Bratz" or "Team Monster High." It all left a bitter taste in my mouth. I was repulsed and shocked by this sort of behavior. Things were only made worse by the constant delusion that Monster High dolls were "rare" and "worth loads of money." I couldn't even go into stores without other people telling me which dolls to buy, or witnessing the blatant scalping. I'll admit, this ugly side of the Monster High community dimmed the love I felt for my dolls at the time. It was also a huge part of the reason I deleted my old Flickr, disappeared from the internet, and swore off being part of the doll community for the next year.
I can't say that the dark side of Monster High collecting was all due to other collectors, the internet, or the fad itself. My collection started off with the most innocent of intentions, but I soon found myself battling one of my greatest inner demons. I have always been terrible with money. I remember being six years old and compulsively needing to spend my allowance money on the first doll I saw. Dad always told me that, "money burns a hole in our pockets." My inability to save money definitely came from Dad. But that impulsive need to shop became something much darker after my mom passed away in 2002. My life was turned upside down. Not only did I no longer have a mother, but the rest of my family was left in the aftermath. My grandmother was always at odds with Colleen and me--Dad often came home to our raging arguments (which only dissipated once Memeré moved out in 2003). Once Memeré moved out, our house became a sty--it really looked like hoarder's house. Dad was never the most responsible parent--he often forgot to pay bills, and unlike Mom, he didn't keep up with our school stuff. Dad avoided being at home at all costs--there were many nights he'd be out until 2 or 3 in the morning. When he was home, his sadness and loneliness made him have a worse temper than usual. The smallest thing like a dirty dish could send him into a yelling fit. Part of me always felt that not only had Mom passed away, but also Dad, and my childhood. Even though Dad did his best despite the unfair circumstances, I still felt like he could be emotionally unavailable, and that oftentimes, I had to be the responsible "adult." That's when my interest in dolls really shifted. They became my comfort, and they were the last part of my childhood I was desperately clinging onto. Dad knew he had his faults, and his way of making it up to Colleen and me was to buy us whatever we wanted. In an attempt to avoid being at home, he'd take us out every weekend to the toy store and to flea markets. For that fleeting moment Dad was buying me a new doll, I felt whole again. I felt like a little girl, and I felt like I had my dad back. Seeing Dad's warm smile as he gazed down at me and handed me a new doll made all the darkness and pain go away. But I became addicted to that feeling. I constantly needed a new doll to fill that void. In time, I was letting Dad buy me any random doll, even if I didn't really "want" her. I desperately craved to feel that happiness and wholeness. But it always ended the same way--within a few short hours, the depression and resentment would come creeping back. On top of that, I was surrounded by a bunch of dolls I didn't play with or appreciate. While I did love them all, I had gotten them for the wrong reasons. It's easy to think that being spoiled rotten with tons of toys is the perfect childhood, but in reality it doesn't make one the least bit happier. Instead I was left feeling even more empty, guilty, and even resentful towards some of my dolls. When I first got back into dolls in 2011, I think I tried to be more reserved about buying dolls in an attempt to deal with this inner demon. But when Monster High dolls entered my life, I found that the ugly skeleton I had buried came lurking out of the closet.
Dad had passed away the year before in 2012. But it was that second year which proved to be the hardest and took it's greatest toll on me. Monster High dolls entered my life right around the time when things were at their worst. In the same way that Barbies and Bratz had been my comfort as an eleven year old, Monster High dolls became my "therapy" at the age of 21. I felt that same sort of glow each time Colleen offered to make a phone call about a Monster High doll, and each time we went to the store and I couldn't pick which doll I wanted, and Colleen said I could get both. It was ten years later, but I was right back where I had been. I didn't see or understand my frenzy for what it was at the time. I didn't know why I felt this constant urge/pressure to buy more dolls, even when I had just gotten brand new ones the week before. I also didn't know why I felt this emptiness and guilt whenever I had just bought dolls. But at some point I made the vague connection that my shopping habits were unhealthy, so I vowed to slow down. By that fall of 2013, I forbade myself from buying dolls in the stores, unless they were on a great sale, or unless I had been really "well behaved." It didn't work out exactly as planned--I definitely had my moments of compulsive shopping. But in time, that urge and constant desire to have more went away. Within a few years, I was able to resist buying dolls 90 percent of the time I was in stores. I was even able to hold out for better deals on dolls I REALLY wanted. I no longer panicked about dolls selling out, or missing my opportunity to get them. For the first time in over a decade, I was able to enjoy the ride, and I spent more time enjoying the dolls I already had. When the fires from my shopping demon had been put out, and all the smoke cleared, I was able to see my Monster High collection with clarity for the first time. I realized that they had been a cry for help--my form of self medication. I learned to accept my dark past, and to let go of the resentment I felt towards my collection. I realized that it wasn't my dolls' fault for what I had done, and that I really did love them all (even if I had bought many of them as a coping mechanism). I was able to loosen the reigns a bit, and I allowed myself to buy more Monster High dolls. I found that they were still very addictive, but not for the same reasons. I also was able to feel the love from my dolls as I recalled all the fun times Colleen and I had searching for them. In the way that Bratz will always be my special thing with Dad, Monster High shares that same deep bond with my sister. I'll never forget the phone calls she made, or the smile on her face when I got a new doll.
Despite the dark beginnings of my Monster High collection, my dolls mean the world to me. In fact, those dark hours made my collection even more meaningful. How could that be you might ask? When it finally occurred to me that I had been rampant for Monster High dolls as a way to cope with losing Dad, I was able to confront my inner demon. By finally acknowledging that I had a problem, and what the source of the issue was, I was able to deal with it. Deep down inside, I think my ugly shopping demon always held me back from fully enjoying my doll collection, because I felt this unexplained guilt and shame. But by addressing my problem and working towards a solution, all those negative feelings went away. Not only that, but I realized when all the dust had settled, that I didn't love and buy Monster High dolls solely to cope. In fact, I saw that the dolls truly resounded with me in a way that only a few doll types ever had. I know had Monster High dolls been available when I was growing up, I would have been just as fanatical about them as I am nowadays. My Monster High dolls really helped me see that what's done is done. I could never go back and undo my mistakes or handle my feelings in a more healthy, less self destructive way. But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Coming from such a dark place, I am more in tune with why I buy dolls, and why I collect them in the first place. I've realized that there is no reason to hold grudges against my dolls or to be forever angry with myself for making mistakes. Instead, I learned to let all those negative feelings go and to move on--or as Linkin Park puts it, "Remember all the sadness and frustration, and let it go." Not only that, but Monster High dolls made me see what I really wanted to put out there into the world. My first online experience had been messy and oftentimes left me with little faith or positivity in the doll community. My Monster High dolls had been a major source of the tension and negative attention I received in the past. When I really took the time to think about how other people treated me, and when I reflected on my own behavior and presentation back then, I came to see that somehow I had missed the very point of why I was sharing my doll collection with the world. It wasn't about flaunting what new dolls I had. It wasn't about being a "know it all" and constantly needing to be right about everything. It wasn't about comparing myself to other collectors or judging other people for the way they chose to collect. It wasn't about numbers, views, or attention. And it wasn't about which dolls were superior and which ones were inferior. My negative online experience with Monster High dolls made me see that I collected dolls to make me happy, to connect me with memories, and because they inspired me to be a more creative, better person. For the first time, I saw with clarity what it was I hoped to achieve by sharing my dolls with others. I wanted to share my memories, stories, and life lessons that my dolls brought to my life. It's because of my Monster High dolls that I wanted to wear my heart out on my sleeve and reach deep down and share the most intimate of memories and experiences, whether they were beautiful or ugly. Most of all, I learned what I wanted people to take away from my posts: that there is no right or wrong way of collecting--there are no rules. You don't have to be a certain age, gender, or ethnicity to love dolls. You don't have to have oodles of money or dolls to be a collector. You don't have to be over opinionated and find negative attributes in all dolls, and you certainly don't have to pit dolls against one another to be a true collector. My Monster High dolls made me see that collecting dolls should be a positive, stress free experience, and that is defined by our own attitudes towards the hobby. There will always be negative people who try to tear you down and tell who you should and shouldn't be, and what they think of your collection, but at the end of the day what's really important is how YOU feel about your dolls and what they bring to YOUR life. Without Monster High dolls, I don't know who I would be--they made me a stronger, more positive, more open minded person, and they set my collection free...and nothing in the world can compare to that.
“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”
~Maria Robinson~
I have been rewriting a big part of the Mecabricks app in the past couple of weeks to make the platform ready for the future.
Building on these modifications, I am happy to introduce volumetric lighting in the render mode. The new box object is available under the lamp menu in the tool bar.
Here is the first image ever made using this new tool.
Gaze into forbidden depths with 'Rewrite' eyes...now at the Orsy event.
13 traditional hues for mesmerizing beauty: soulful browns, captivating blues, and the smolder of a vampire's gaze.
🔮 13 fantasy shades whisper of ancient magics: emerald flames, shimmering silvers fit for a moon witch, and deep violets that promise potent spells.
🔮 But the true coven calls with the Fatpack... 4 shades so darkly enticing, they hold the secrets of shadows and moonlight.
Rewrite your Second Life. Rewrite your allure. The night is yours to claim.
Visit today: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Source/227/191/2552
So where do I start with: Last June. I was planning on a third science fiction project which turned out to be the first. Intended to be a spiritual successor yet actually in the shared universe of my previous work, Paradox Force (it’s probably goshdarn cancelled at this point smh). I did my calculations, intending it to have the same shared themes along with the cyberpunk spy action superhero thing. Eventually, some plans got retconned and changed along the way as evidenced by what you’re seeing.
But I almost never got down to making more than one. Until something came up in my mind that, focusing on a long term plan that could make a series go on like a television show and have it run through the course of a couple seasons. So I did it, getting the first three volumes complete (unsurprising yay here). Fact is, it’s been 2 years that I’ve went through a lot on the internet, had my ups and downs, lots of stuff. Everyone knows that part already with your own tales to tell as well.
Tackling volume/season 3 was a different strategy for me to make, it saved me and conserved a lot of time as well. What I did was shooting 8 pictures on the same night (also on that friggin table, I know, I’m broke and always low budget). And the week before I decided to release everything on a daily basis, coincidentally matching the same date it was uploaded, I managed to churn up at least 70% of the scripts before going through minor rewrites. Then easy edits, like my memes! (heh.)
What the future holds: Mid way through 2019, I’ve come to a realization that being able to write for more than one volume is an accomplishment. And that only happened on Flickr (as of now.) I’ve also got comments lately about how I’m such a good writer—along with some of you who have commentated on me being an author (also thank you for that). But yes, it isn’t easy. Practice makes perfect from bad to good writing, it’s an everyday thing.
It’s also this year that I’ve learnt that focusing on writing might be my thing, coming along with figbarfs and art, but it’s always been first place. It’s also such a great hobby that, despite English isn’t my first language and my fluency (even having people mistaking me for being a local in their own country), I still have a high amount of passion and love to keep it going. I’ve acknowledged I have more stories to keep doing, which is still going on since day 1.
And there I made it, a trilogy that’s about some cool superhuman agents going around the world busting some evil people, very much fun right? I’m sure it is. Speaking of the recent one I’ve made, I’ve always intended to have one of the hidden main characters being related to another protagonist. I’ve been thinking of that since I released the first batch of characters in September, and I hoped the plot twists pulled of well. Essentially, also revisiting the elements of the first season and connecting with the aftermath of the second, despite each season being somehow standalone.
“But wait, did you say trilogy?”
Fact is, I did. I never said when would I actually end it. It’s about to approach its not-so-one-year anniversary (more of a September thing in 2018). For now, I’ve given some of these certain characters a definitive arc, but evidently, not everyone gets fleshed out with development with so much dialogue and stuff, which leaves room potentially in the future to grow. And to also give more themes as well.
Which leads to the fact that the Paladin franchise needs is a hiatus, though not entirely. I’m quite dubious on whether a continuation would be nice, likely because of the media/entertainment we consume and watch, season qualities are likely to drop and get worse, (take GoT for example) and etc. So by delaying it might actually prove a solid chance to make writing better.
Fact is, I don’t know about season 4’s release date yet, likely cuz I’m not trying to cram another entry for this big project. Being said, it gives me more time to focus on other franchises—-mainly DC Comics based, which serves as the catalyst for our group and a couple of Elseworlds style projects.
“How can it go on?”
A way to make it continue is to start with smaller projects. The Dusksmoke Chronicles was a great example/experiment that going for a different flavour of story works. Essentially it’s the cookie ice cream, and if Paladin is vanilla, then I can always go forth with more spin offs. Raspberry, orange etc. Exploring amounts of different times would be nice, expanding the worldbuilding/mythology/lore.
And also, I recently had my best friend to make a music commission (just a simple birthday gift he owed me). Trying to branch out and making some themes was also exciting, so we’re working slowly on that development. I have the first demo version of theme, so if anybody wants to listen, just send me a message.
Last but not least, time to actually announce....a competition. I’ve been holding way too back and long to say this, it has to happen. The second one that i’ve mentioned and teased all along ties into the universe.
I’m looking for figs along with builds (extra points) that fits into the category of my universe. You are allowed to make up to 5 figs at the very least—-either team or solo fig should fall into a certain faction; Paladin (good), Spectres (evil), Gardner Co. (neutral, sorta chaotic good), Guild (netural), or simply independent (can be M16, Interpol, regular assassin etc).
I recommend that read some of the materials before starting so you get a knowledge in depth of what can happen. Then if you’re done, try to give a story for your characters as well, keep on brainstorming.
I’ll keep further details out as I’m going to put more descriptions in the group. The set due date for this contest will last until the end of July.
So, comment below as well if you wanna sign up!
fireworkds
The Power in ur hand . Canon 500D.. .......
The Helix Bridge, previously was known to be call-", the Double Helix Bridge" is a state of art passage for pedestrian bridge linking Marina Centre with Marina South into the Marina Bay Sands area in Singapore. It was officially opened on yesterday, April 24- 2010.
It's 280 meters long, made of a special stainless steel, was lovingly assembled over two years with great precision and is already being touted as an architectural marvel and engineering feat. Officially named "The Helix," the sweeping, curving structure is the world's first double helix bridge and joins CNNGo's list of 24 of the world's most amazing bridges.
The bridge is located just beside the floating platform at Marina Bay, and when Phase 2 of Marina Bay Sands is open in June, it will allow pedestrians a direct link to the integrated resort. At its entrance is Singapore's first art park -- the Youth Olympic Park -- which opened at the same time as the bridge, and alongside it is the vehicular bridge to the casino resort, called Bayfront Bridge
Why is this bridge such a big deal? To put it in perspective, if all the steel tubes forming the major and minor helix are laid end to end, it will measure 2,250 meters long, and the entire structure weighs about 1,700 tons, which is equivalent to about 1,130 saloon cars. There is also a night lighting feature built into the pedestrian bridge, which can be programmed to create various moods for different events.
"When the (Marina Bay) Promenade is completed by the middle of this year, together with this bridge, it will form a 3.5-kilometer pedestrian loop around the whole bay," said Fun Siew Leng, Group Director of Urban Planning and Design, Urban Redevelopment Authority, to Channel NewsAsia.
.14 Aug 2010.,First ever Singapore youth olympic games-"YOG"
26/09/2010, The grand finale Yog closing ceremony event had created Singapore ever success of hosting a spectacular international level ÿouth olympic events within the shortest preparation of 2 years .another dedication firework that worth the effort putting in for the entire Singapore nation n global participants involve.the next "YOG" will be another tourch relay passing accross to Nanjing china athelets
Launched in 2019 and rewriting the rules of Grand Turismo motoring with its elegance and performance. This is the first McLaren that applies focus on refinement, practically and luggage capacity : 150 l of storage up front and 420 at the rear.
3.994 cc
V8
620 hp
630 Nm
Vmax : 326 km/h
0-100 km/h : 3,2 sec
1.530 kg
Expo : Supercar Story
17/12/2021 - 27/02/2022
Autoworld
Brussels - Belgium
January 2022
I don't remember you looking any better. but then again I don't remember you.
again. I love John Mayer.
just got home from camping. had a blast [: I'm as red as a lobster though huff.
They really need to rewrite the braking distance charts on the back of the Highway Code.
I was amazed at the quality of rain falling - softly, warmly, glowing in the light. A quick check in the rear-view mirrors and nothing decelerates from 58-0mph in the wet faster than an excited photographer with a lay-by in sight. Somehow the sparse traffic gave rise to three cars all in the same lay-by making photos of the scene. Under a minute later and I was on my way again.
A fantastic double rainbow over Loch Laggan.
Ready to rewrite your fairy tale, sweetheart? Because I’m already your new obsession ❤.
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Prince: The Seduction of Truth
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Instagram: @JamesTang267
Twitter: @JamesTang215
Photographer: Angel Miranda
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#JAMESTANG #TangMusicUnlimited #AmericanbornChinese #美國仔 #phillyyoutuber #youtuber #phillyasianartist #philadelphiaasianartist #巨蟹王子♋ #處男王子 #cherryboy #34yearoldvirgin #phillyasianmodel #philadelphiaasianmodel #phillymalemodel #phillymodel #phillymodels #philadelphiamodels #phillymodelsearch #phillychinesemodel #americansamurai #asianlyricist #phillymusician #theseductionoftruth #asianmanbun #phillymanbun #archangelsfavorite #ratedrrockstar #ratedrlegend #philly #cityboy #cityprince #straightedgeartist #phillysingle #philadelphiasingle #phillyphotomeet #phillyasianstylist #phillyasiansingle #phillysamurai #philadelphiamodel #phillyphotography #phillyfranklinsquare #franklinsquarepark #franklinsquare #phillycreate #phillycreates #asianfashion #asianmalefashion #malefashion #summeroutfit #cityboyoutfit #princeofseduction #streetwearstyle #philosopher #asiancreative #creativity #phillyasianarts #alterego #alteregopersona #fashionista #fashionicon #fashionmodeling #citystylemodeling #streetwearmodeling #phillychineselanternfestival #philadelphiachineselanternfestival
Sentosa
.THE GANTRY OF Mix ENTERTAIMENT--"THE INTEGRATED RESORT" Which COMPRISE of SHOPPING, GAMBLING, RELAXING AT PREMIUN SPA, THE SEA SUN N THE Sand, THE DARE DEVIL RIDES AT -"Universal Studios" A VIEW TO A KILL- THE TALLEST TOWER VIEW OF ISLAND PLUS A PRESTIGEOUS MILLION DOLLARS LIFE STYLE LIVING AT THE "SENTOSA COVE" FOR THE REAL RICH N FAMOUSE.
IT HAD BEEN A LONG LONG TIME THIS PRIDGE WASNT AS SO BURSTLING LINING UP WITH FASTEST N FURIOUS SPORTS CAR N OTHER HIGH PRICE TAG LUXURY LIMOSINE HEADING TOWARD THE ISLAND,-Sentosa.
Working on a rewrite of my Nene book for the Hawaii National Parks. Changing the cover photo. Keeping to the storyline but making some interior text changes too. They weren't thrilled with the title but I liked the rhyming nature of the original. I dawned on me (in my sleep several nights ago) that "beautiful" in Hawaiian is "nani." That works even better, for what better word can be used to describe these rarest of geese on earth, that live in only one place on earth- Hawaii. #iLoveaNature #iLoveWildlife #WildlifePhotography in #Hawaii #Nature in the #USA #Nene #HawaiianGoose #DrDADBooks #Canon #WildlifeConservation
Shot at 8k with GeDoSaTo.
Config rewrites as described by one3rd in the below thread for Hudless, FOV changes.
www.deadendthrills.com/forum/discussion/352/guide-spec-op...
CE Table by jim2point0 for free camera positioning.
This game is proving to be an interesting one to try and shoot. It doesn't always look well, or like a game. Sometimes it looks like a picture or a painting in some strange way. Textures and character model geometry can be hit or miss and it is, I believe, exposing my noob status.
Extra special thanks to both one3rd and jim2point0 for helping me trouble shoot the issues I was having with the Hudless Toggle. It's truly appreciated.
Gunnery Sgt. David Toothman, lower platoon section leader, plays with the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps during a Battle Color Ceremony at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., March 14. This was the final performance of Battle Color Detachment's National Installations Tour, which included most of the Corps' stateside installations.
(U.S. Photo by Sgt. Austin Hazard)
This is a short rewrite for this awesome tutorial paroledepate.canalblog.com/archives/2010/06/29/18446538.html
1. Make a pretty skinner blend
2. fold it like a harmonica and cut in half. Place the same colors together as shown.
3. Round it up and slice it into sections to make dots.
4. roll a very thin snake of clay in a contrasting color
5. Place the snakes randomly between the slices of your petal.
6. Place all the slices together and wrap another contrasting color around the petal.
7. Reduce to 12 cm, cut 2 3cm sections and 3 2cm sections.
8. reduce the 2cm sections to a length of 3 cm so you'll have 3 smaller and 2 somewhat bigger petals.
9. Time to make the center, I used a piece of skinner blend with only two colors, instead of the three, but you can also use a solid color. Wrap the harmonica skinner into the same contrasting color as the petals. reduce and cut in half. Reduce one half further to twice the length of the petals.
10. Cut the two length piece of your harmonica into two pieces and flatten them. Roll a tiny piece of the contrasting color and wrap it with the dot color. Wrap your two flattened pieces around.
11. Shape the remainder of the harmonicaplug into a triangle and place it underneath the rest of the centre.
12. Assemble the orchid. Fill all the small spaces with translucent en reduce, and your orchid cane is done!
What : Nunnally in Wonderland Rewrite Shoot
Where : Pansol, Calamba, Laguna
When : August 26, 2013
Cosplayer : Faye Liper
Character : Nunnally vi Britania
Game/Series/Anime/Band : Code Geass : Nunnally in Wonderland
Photo by : Le Neko Lightplay
About the Photo:
With me hibernating for 7 months+ in Cosplay Photography this year, preppin' for this year's Snapshot Project 4 is really tough. I usually spend more than a month organising a shoot and there I was, loaded with company projects and other stuff -- bonus disaster was the heavy rain and flood.
With less than 2 weeks to spare, I tried to plan something that will ignore the weather condition and there, I end up with an Underwater shoot (easy for me to say but hey its my first time doing it so I don't know yet what to expect). Luckily I was able to find a reliable friend to look for a decent pool to shoot on -- the black and white tile was just a bonus, its really unexpected to get a pool that fits on the theme "Alice in Wonderland".
During the shoot, most of my plans failed so I have to recompose my settings, composition, etc --- lots of things were unexpected. Still thanks to Faye's patience, we were able to get few decent output after 80+ tries YEP! YOU READ IT CORRECTLY! EIGHTY PLUS TRIES. We are in the pool from 1pm to 8pm non-stop >_<
So yeah, here's one of the output~
Code Geass is one of my favorite anime of all time so yeah, I tried to rewrite the scene here with the question WHAT IF..? From the OVA, the one that is imagining the whole wonderland thing was Lelouch.
WHAT IF we rewrite the story with Nunnally's view point? With her little memory of the WORLD..?
That's the thing I kept in my mind while doing the shoot... I wasn't able to push that STORY REWRITE thing that much because of the technical difficulty we encountered... but we tried.. :3