u wake up on christmas morning and go downstairs, full of excitement. somebody is stealing all of your christmas presents. it is jesus. “its my birthday, not yours” he hisses menacingly, then runs away with all your gifts in his arms
Roman jewelry borrowed heavily from Hellenistic goldwork. This particular type was common in Hellenistic times, especially in Egypt where these particular armlets might have been made.
I illustrated for Disney’s MULAN book “Mulan’s Lunar New Year”, (you can see the book here!) a children’s book about little Mulan spending Lunar New Year with her family.
It’s my first book and I want to share some illustrations :D [*will also have this book at my table at CTNx 2018 this year on display at T55!]
Looking back, there are lots that I want to improve on the crafting of my drawings for this book, but overall… I’m really glad I get to illustrate and to remember the joy and excitement I had celebrating Lunar New Years and lighting fireworks with my parents as a kid.
so a friend of mine saw this post and wanted to share his thoughts on it but was uncomfortable doing so publicly, so he asked me to just paste a message he sent me. he wanted me to note that English is not his first language.
“I understand that the intention of this joke is harmless. It is making fun of men who put little effort into their lives even though they can do better. That is worthy of mockery.
But when I saw this post that was not what I could focus on. See my apartment is almost identical to the one in the picture above.
I am 29 years old and a college grad. All that means is I have a ton of debt and a degree that is useless because my field only wants people with MAs now. I am also disabled.
I work two jobs that pay minimum wage. What I I make is about enough to cover rent, utilities, gas, groceries, loan repayments, and medical expenses. At the end of some months I have about $5 left in my account. Sometimes I have to get by with the help of my friends.
In my apartment I have a bedframe and mattress, two chairs, a chest of drawers, a TV stand and a TV with an Xbox. There is one poster on my wall of Captain America. Almost all of these things are from college almost a decade ago.
My parents do not help me. They stopped speaking to me six years ago after I was outed to them. I lived in my car and on friends’ couches for a while.
I’m much better off now and very thankful to have shelter, medical care and food but I still have a lot of shame. I hate how naked my apartment is. I hate that I can’t buy both food and decorations. I don’t have people over much.
In the comments on this post are some things like people saying even poor people do not have an excuse, that everyone can get furniture if they just go on craig’s list. I have one day off a week and am usually so tired all I do is sleep.
Even if someone was giving away a free sofa and I had time to meet them, I do not have a car big enough to fit it in, would not be able to move it into my apartment because of my disabilty and do not have friends who can lift heavy things. I would get there and not be able to do much but stare at it.
This is getting long and I’m sorry. I know this was not meant to hurt people like me but this post, along with many of the comments, reminded me of the fact that sometimes I look around my apartment and feel very afraid that this is the best things will ever get even though I work hard and pray for change.
It hurts because I don’t think it’s fair to say there is a problem with a home like this but at the same time I feel like there IS a problem because posts like this tell me there is. My shame is like a circle in this way.
I am glad that there are people who even though they are poor can get furniture and decorations for their home but I am not one of them and it is not my fault.
We should laugh at men who can do better but don’t. But we should also remember that doing better looks very different for everyone. I think that jokes like these must be told carefully or else they cast a large net that can catch a lot of marginalized people on the way.”
“The French called this time of day “l’heure bleue.” To the English it was “the gloaming.” The very word “gloaming” reverberates, echoes— the gloaming, the glimmer, the glitter, the glisten, the glamour—carrying in its consonants the images of houses shuttering, gardens darkening, grass-lined rivers slipping through the shadows.” (Joan Didion)
Street Scenes (comparatives) Vincent Van Gogh, Café Terrace at Night | Louis Anquetin, Avenue de Clichy
If, according to Kanye West, one good girl is worth a thousand bitches, and if, according to Lil’ Wayne, bitches come a dime a dozen, that means one good girl is worth $8.33 (USD).
