Srprs.Me Trip, Travelling into the Unknown

Disclaimer: This was not a sponsored trip.
 
A few weeks ago I took a trip into the unknown. Reason being, this is the charm of Srprs.me, you go where you are meant to go, as the tagline points out. If you have followed them on social media, you'll see that travellers are advised to not mention their locations on the official Srprs.me platforms, so for this post I won't actually say where we went, instead I'll just talk through the experience. However as a tl;dr, if you are thinking of taking one of these trips, DO IT! It is such an experience that is more than just browsing Air b&b and travel blogs for inspiration on where to go.

We had previously booked with Srprs.me in 2017 for a two week trip, however due to my Mum passing away we weren't able to go. The team at Srprs.me were so good and helped wherever they could. Unlike other agencies we have previously used, all emails and communications felt very personal. They even sent flowers and a lovely message when we told we had to cancel and the reason why, such a lovely gesture and one that I would not have expected any travel company to do. This personal communication continued when we were on our final countdown to our trip in the middle of February. They remembered us and seemed genuinely pleased that we were travelling again with them.

The actual process is also perfect for those of us with busy lives. Srprs.me specialises in European breaks so if you know what time you are able to book off. Instead of trying to decide where to go, and if you are anything like me starts getting overwhelmed, everything can be booked in ten minutes. Choose your dates, and there you go. Job done! There is another option now where you can choose North, East, West or South Europe - if you fancy something warmer you can then pick south or if eastern Europe has been sorely missed on your travels, then there is that option for you. You can pick three places you don't want to go too; so we picked Amsterdam, Paris and Lisbon as Amsterdam was our previous city break and the latter two we are not too fond of. The best thing is, if we go back to Srprs.me, they will never send you to the same place twice! So the sense of adventure continues!

I feel Srprs.me is a natural reaction to the review heavy, trip advisor style travel planning that is abundant these days. Often I have been put off places because I had read far too many reviews, or ended up over planning and not enjoying the experience. Again, I end up overwhelmed because I end up reviewing, then comparing, then thinking 'what if?'. Not having any of these worries was remarkably freeing. We only needed to turn up to the airport at 11am. Finally, the sense of adventure had returned and it was exciting to not know. We were sent an envelope with the tickets in and a code for the webpage. Sat in the airport waiting for the countdown to tick down added another exciting element to the experience. Everything was timed down to the tee and once we found out where we were going, we passed through security as normal and began our holiday sat in departures finding out all about the location. It was somewhere I would have never have thought of going, and I am now very happy to have been!
not_all_fun_and_gainz (Insta)
Doing a Sprs.me trip has reminded me, that sometimes the journey is as important as the destination. I know, it is a clichè, but the process of going into the unknown was refreshing in a life of always having to at least look in control and keep up with responsibilities. A sense of travel from another era. I can understand why some people may not like it, most of our friends were agasp with horror, except for fellow geographers who thought it was amazing. How could we go on holiday without knowing where we were going? What if we ended up in Skegness they questioned! Aside from the over dramatics, some people can't give up so much control, that is okay. However I would encourage anyone to at least give this style of holiday a go, especially if you live a busy, work filled life.

So would I do this again? Absolutely, I can't wait until the next little black envelope drops through the door.

Book your Srprs.me holiday here

2018 Cosplay Plans!

It is that time again when cosplay plans are set into motion for 2018! If you have read my 2017 plans you would have seen that I wasn't necessarily over ambitious, however like any cosplayer, my list of cosplays 'to-dos' grows after watching movies or playing another game. Will we every finish those lists? Probably not! So for 2018, I'm really stripping it back focusing on two new cosplays, so I can enjoy making them and save time for my research, travel and hopefully some gaming!

Cosplays 2018


In 2018, I really want to finish Aloy. So far I have her wig completed and some materials to make the necklaces and skirt embroidery. The aim is to have a post fight Aloy (of course, the 'post battle' style I think is my personal touch to most costumes!) so will have a little bit of dirt and a little bit of blood; but not to the extent of my Laras. I also want to have a complete set of weapons and hopefully a few trinkets from the world. Lots of work, but combines everything I have learnt with cosplay so far so is a real challenge to put everything together. To be honest, if I just get Aloy done in 2018 , I would be very happy.   


In addition to Aloy, a kind of bonus cosplay is Rachel from Bladerunner. If I don't get time to make her, that is totally fine. However I feel I want a good sewing challenge, and not one I can cover with blood! Rachel is my sewing project. Bladerunner is one of my favourite films, one I had to write about in my media studies A-level! So to do a cosplay from the film is a bit of a personal achievement. 

As for Lara, as yet, I am not planning on making any Laras in 2018 unless some details come out for Shadow. Depending on which cons I go to,  I may bring Rise Lara (Syria and Siberia) back out again and improve it. Hopefully maybe do a shoot with it.

Conventions 2018 
  
Here is the awkward thing, as of yet no conventions are planned for 2018. Liverpool MCM has been cancelled and I am watching the Harry Potter stage show over the weekend that Manchester MCM is on. Only Play Expo is a certain, and that is one day. Because of this, I am hoping I'll get to go London MCM in October. It has been a long time since I have done a London con! Anyway, we'll see and I'll update plans on my social media as and when.

So what are your cosplay and convention plans for 2018? Let me know below or tweet me @lady_scion! 

2017 in Review: Cosplay, Gaming, Life and more!

Well 2017, you passed quickly! And while overall, it was a pretty shitty year, there were times that were good and most importantly times where I overcame difficulties.  I am going to break this down into four sections: Cosplay, Gaming, Life and 2018 plans for this blog so you can read all of these of just skip to what you are interested in!

 Cosplay:


2017 wasn't the best year of cosplay for me, due to multiple life and career issues. However, what I did make and the cons that I went to were very enjoyable. The only cosplay I made was Ellie from The Last of Us: Part Two trailer. Overall, it is a pretty simple costume and is constructed from bought elements that I weathered; however it was such a comfy costume! 2017 was also the year of the tattoo! I finally worked out how to create realistic looking tattoos and let me tell you, I felt very badass with my Ellie half tattoo sleeve and the with my Chloe full sleeve! Chloe was my second cosplay of the year, and while the costume was on its second outing I improved it by sewing the patches onto the jeans, re-cutting the wig and creating the tattoo. I was also making Aloy from April, however the desire and time to make her fell away over the summer and into autumn. If everything goes okay, Aloy shall be debuted in 2018 :). There will be singular blogpost about 2018 cosplay plans coming soon and can be found HERE when it is posted. 

Gaming: 


While in one sense I feel as though I didn't get to do much gaming in 2017, and I know it is nowhere near as much as other people, I did complete some games and for most of the time I enjoyed what I played. Horizon: Zero Dawn was the stand out game for me in 2017, I have yet to finish it, but damn it is pretty with Aloy as a fantastic protagonist. I find it very easy to get lost into the world and have spent many hours just wandering, and then running away as I accidentally wandered into a thunderjaw location! I was so excited about this game and had it pre-ordered from 2015, so was very happy that it wasn't a let down. 

E3 2017 brought about Life is Strange: Before the Storm, returning to Arcadia Bay was a much needed sense of faux nostalgia and Daughter became one of my most played artists in 2017! While the first two episodes I thoroughly enjoyed; I felt the story unravelled in episode 3 and became less about building on normal, yet interesting events, and tried to go for shock factor that just didn't go dark enough if that was the angle Deck Nine were going for. I won't say anything else to avoid spoilers, but it is well worth the play for any LiS fans. 

Finally I played a little bit of Witcher 3, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and Rise of the Tomb Raider (pretty sure I maybe dipped my toe in others, but can't remember for now!). Gaming in 2017 was very much as and when I could and became a means of escapism in the summer. However, very often I couldn't play for long and episodic or games I could dip in and out of became the ones I gravitated towards. In 2018, I can see this trend continuing, I'm looking forward to Vampyre, Detroit and Shadow of the Tomb Raider (if that comes out in 2018); however I am not actively buying new games in 2018; instead just looking back at what I already have or ones I have missed over the past few years. In particular, I want to dig my 3DS out again because I bloody love that system and yet I have barely touched it since Pokèmon: Sun annoyed me far too much with all the hand holding! To be honest, I could probably do with going back to that!

Life: 


Yeah, 2017 was a bit shitty. From global events that made you concerned to Twitter on a morning to atrocities that became local news. The bombing at the Ariana Grande concert became far too close to home, especially as I had planned to go the concert. I fell behind on my PhD with March/April/May becoming a time where I did the bare minimum just to move on to the next stage. I felt awful with my only solace being going to bed and dreaming up an alternative life. I nearly quit my PhD because I thought I couldn't do it, it was only the encouraging words from my family and friends and a fantastic meeting with my supervisor that convinced me that I could do it. I planned out the remainder of May/June and did what I needed to do. The end of year meal I had with my co-hort friends was such a memorable night because I had done it, we had done it. It is kind of bittersweet that in July my mum passed away after she had tried to push me on the months previous; despite being disabled and needing full time care. Summer and autumn became strange months, again I fell a bit behind where I wanted to be with my PhD and days just merged into one another and I returned to gaming as a way to cope with how I was feeling. With everything that happened in 2017, I wanted to give something to my dad, he always wanted to go to NASA, and my mum became too ill to go. He thought he'd never go and I was waiting until I graduated, but I checked my savings and thought. Fuck it. I booked a small break to Cape Canaveral with the intention to go to NASA for both of us. I gave it to him on his birthday and I feel as though it was the best thing we could have done during this time. I wanted to show that despite the dark times, there is always something to look forward to even if you don't know it yet. This is what I am taking forward into 2018.

Biggest shout out goes to Joe, my partner of now over nine years. I'm not even sure if he reads my blog (hi if you are here!) but he has truly been such an unconditional source of support, laughter and joy in 2017 that I could never pay him back. Thank you :)

Also to my best friend of 17 years, she definitely doesn't read this blog! However she has too been the friend I needed in 2017. Along with the con crew, I am honestly lucky to have these people and during bad times, I need to remember that I am not alone.

Films: 
 
Fact

Films have been pretty great in 2017, highlights include Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, Bladerunner: 2049, Wonder Woman, Thor: Ragnarok and Atomic Blond. Thoroughly enjoyed the quality of female protagonists alongside pretty good stories all bathed in ultra violet. Love it. I didn't like Star Wars: The Last Jedi though, sorry!

Not a film, but honorable mention to Star Trek Discovery!

Books and comics: 
 
GOHD Books

I didn't get to read much in 2017, my heart just wasn't in it and it was hard enough to read academic stuff that I needed to read. So unless you wanted my favourite journal article of 2017 (fyi, it was Drake, 2002  "This place gives me space: place and creativity in the creative industries" - I'm sure you are thrilled to know that!). In total I read 7 books, most were just fluffy ones. However, the book I enjoyed the most in 2017 was actually a classic one, Venus in furs. I have meant to read this for a while and thoroughly enjoyed it one rainy November afternoon. If you are open to books involving sexuality, it is well worth a read and is fairly accessible for a classic novella. 

YouTube: 
 
Inthefrow

In 2017, YouTube continued to be my little space of niche programming and enjoyment. At times though, I did binge too much and I'm trying to not let that happen in 2018. What I watched in 2017 includes Inthefrow's vlog series, Fleur de Force's vlogs, Zonzonzombi's channel, Geography Now, Travellight, Where's Poppy, the ever brilliant Caddicarous, Cinza dubois, Pop Culture Detective and Kiera Rose. Shout out to Mango Sirene (now Fawnina) who moved on from being a content creator. I sure do miss her content but glad she is in a better place now :). 

Pateron:
 
Emily McGovern

The way I work Pateron is I funnel some of my Etsy earnings into supporting other creators. This means that I don't always have continued support for some people, I like to swap and change. However there are a few that I have stuck with all year, these are Kiera Rose, Emily's Cartoons and Sneaky Zebra. I did have Mango Sirene every month until she cancelled her Pateron early last year. Currently I also have Axcelleration cosplay for January onward.  

Blogging for 2018:
 
Pexels

As you can see, 2017 had fewer posts than 2016. This year I'm not going to set goals of one per week like I wanted. I'm not a full time blogger and I have plenty of other hobbies! So for 2018 I am aiming for 1-2 posts a month, I know, not a lot. But hopefully this should be achievable, hey here is the first one already!  

So that is 2017, pretty shit, but also lots of good moments too. Here is to 2018. I wish you the best of new years and hope that you too have something to look forward to, even if you don't know what that is yet. 

 
 
 

Keeping Up with the Geeks

Beamly
This weekend I have been to the cinema with the con crew to watch Thor: Ragnarok; a usual trip that happens a few times a year to watch the latest Marvel or DC offering. I have joked to my Dad (who has bought pretty much all the MCU films, but has yet to watch one) that keeping up with these films is a full time job in itself. I want to put this on my CV, I have kept up to date with the MCU.

But then there are all the TV series.

And the comics.

And then there is the new Netflix series that has just come out, the entire series released at once of course.

Oh and that new game is coming out next week.

You have two cosplays over there that need finishing.

And your favourite streamer is just about to start a stream.

I surely can't be the only person who feels overwhelmed by the sheer amount of geeky opportunities available to us in the modern day. Not a week goes by without something new coming out, or there is a recommendation for something. The problem with liking 'geeky' things, and I am using this term very loosely to describe items of interest, is that they often cross mediums and they often lead on to similar items of interest. Like many people, the Marvel films made me want to check out the comics and while I am certainly not what many would consider an avid reader, I do pick and choose volumes that I either buy or rent from my local library. I would have never have found out about Saga or Fables if I hadn't already been drawn to comics via the Thor films and Tomb Raider games.

However, as you can see here, one thing leads on to the next. As I am also interested in cosplay, sometimes I play a game and decide I want to make a costume from it. Therefore, I then need to balance the time between making a costume, playing the game and then keeping up with everything else. Lately, I have noticed that it is just so overwhelming keeping up with everything geeky that I end up not enjoying what is out there. It is hard to draw a line on interests and hobbies when they bleed and overlap into so many things. Geeky conversations have become those 'water cooler' moments and you don't want to see spoilers. So it becomes a rat race of consumption at an alarming rate.

This weekend I also realised that I have neglected other interests because I have been trying to keep up. I love reading, but I barely read these days unless it is for my PhD; so on Saturday I sat and read a full novella and it was wonderful. It wasn't a tie in book to a series and it is classified as classic literature exploring sexuality. Yet, even here I feel pressure when I go on YouTube and see all the booktubers and their rate of reading completing their Goodreads lists.

22 words
Everything just seems so competitive now. How many costumes you have made, how many series you have watched, how many episodes you can binge watch etc. I am slowly stepping away from it all. Of course, I will still do all that I enjoy, but I am trying not to put pressure on myself because it looks as though I am not keeping up with the rest of the geeky community. Those booktubers get through so many books because that is their main hobby; I can't even say what my main hobby is because I tend to dip my toe into multiple pools! So that Aloy cosplay that isn't finished yet? That's okay! I haven't even finished the game yet. And you know what, that is also okay.

So if you have reached this point of the mind vomit, well done! Perhaps you feel the same way I do! If you do, the best advice I can say is step back and take a break. It did me wonders. Right now I am trying to ration 'geeky' things and intermingle them with other things that I enjoy. I am trying to be more picky with things such as TV series so I get to spend the time with activities that I enjoy more such as watching films, YouTube and making costumes. I also have all these grandiose ideas that I want to start making YouTube videos, take up photography and try out burlesque from a performing side. I hardly have enough time as it is, so something has to give.

When I have tried a few things out, I'll probably write a more coherent article; until then I just wanted to project my feeling of trying to keep up with this community, hell multiple communities and fandoms, when really what we all should probably do is take a step back and take a long hard look at what we are spending our precious time on.

So if you have any tips, please post them below or tweet me @Lady_Scion

Until next time, look after yourselves and enjoy your hobbies. If something becomes an effort, just change it up. It is okay, in the grand scheme of things you are probably not missing much. 






Introduction to comics (when you are intimidated by them!) Part 1

feedingbyreading.org
Are you are intimidated by comics? Don't worry, so am I! Although I am much better now than I used to be, skirting around Forbidden Planet with eyes to the floor, I still get moments of 'imposter syndrome' where it just makes the experience more uncomfortable than it needs to be. So what should you do? This is part one of a two part blog post helping you to get started with comics. This week will be general tips on finding what you might like and how to combat that feeling of 'I shouldn't be doing this/I shouldn't be here'. Next week is a selection of comics that are perfect introductions. Justing putting it out there, I am by no means an expert and I have found my usual taste in comics; but hopefully the little things I have found helpful may be helpful to you too :).

Firstly, let's begin by becoming more familiar with some common terminology; knowing what you are asking or looking for can make all the difference!

Comics or comic books generally cover all genres and styles. The thinner styles are individual issues and are released most commonly as weekly, fortnightly or monthly publications. When the story is wrapped up in a standalone issue, this is a one shot. Multiple issues are called a series and often collected together in trade paperbacks as a cost and space effective option. These trade paperbacks are often in volumes and series may have multiple volumes. Think of these like your bonus DVD, they will often come with extras such as concept art, stories of development and a collection of cover art. It'll be easy to spot as they are all numbered with each volume following a story arc. The story arc is simple, it is the whole narrative tale that spans multiple individual issues. When multiple volumes are collected together, these are called a compendium. These weighty tomes are often quite expensive and sometimes includes pages printed in black and white when they were originally in colour. When a story is published in a book style first, this is a graphic novel (e.g. Scott Pilgrim) and can be stand alone or be part of a series. Many people now are turning to comics in a digital manner using sites such as comixology and humble bundle that can be read on e-reader devices. This is a great idea as a cost effective option, to collect a long running series or for when you are travelling. 
Comiconverse
Manga reflects the Asian style in art, publication and narrative style; often from Japan, Korea and China. The Golden Age of comics is the time between 1930/1940s. The Silver Age of comics are those published between 1950s/1960s. The Bronze Age are those from 1970-1985. Those from 1985 onward are called the Modern Age. These ages are good to know as they impact what kind of comics you are looking for and which bags and boards you need. Comic bags and boards are used to keep individual comics clean and protected. To further protect comics they can be placed in comic boxes.

Publishers:

The Big 6: Marvel, DC, Top Cow, Image, Dark Horse and MAD.

Those outside the big 6 are deemed independent titles.

If you need a further breakdown (especially with roles within comic production, see this post by Free Comic Book Day Website)

Finding Comics:

Geek and Sundry
So now you know a little bit of the lingo and how publishers are split, let's take a look how to find something you may enjoy.

1. Go to your local library

Yes, if you are not aware, in the UK libraries often now have a good selection of comics, especially main community libraries, and have a digital database for a larger selection of digital titles. I read the whole series of Fables like this and it is good to have a browse in an environment that may not feel as intimidating as a comic book shop or stall. It is perfect to find out what you might like without having to invest money.

2. Start with films, TV shows and games that you enjoy

Series that link with films, TV and games are a good way to feel like you are not a complete newbie. You will already be familiar with the world and characters so reading the story should be easier than trying to get to grips with a whole new world. Examples include Star Wars, Tomb Raider, Mass Effect and James Bond 007. Often, these are published by Dark Horse but can be with others. From here, you can find artists and writers that you like and find out what other publications they have contributed towards.

For the biggies of Marvel and DC, if you enjoy Thor or Wonder Woman, have a Google to see which series are recommended (and check that you are able to read them as a stand alone without feeling like you have missed out on too much) or take the latest complete series of that title. Especially for long running titles, there are often multi-verses and spinoffs and can be overwhelming. Sometimes the historical content can be a little hard to get into, so at the start stick to the latest ones unless a particular series is highly rated.
Polygon
3. Ask friends, YouTube and/or Twitter

If you have friends who are even mildly into comics, ask them what did they start with and any that they recommend. Also follow comic readers on twitter, they'll frequently tweet out what they are reading or recently bought and you can add them to your list. Very often for me, I'll get attracted by the cover art and want to know more about it. I found out about Monstress this way, a title I would have never seen unless I was just flicking though my wonderful twitter timeline of geekness! Another good source is YouTube with channel highlights such as comicstorian, comics explained and comicgirl19 who will do reviews and in regard to comicstorian, summarise whole series. So if you are struggling a story or not sure you'd like it, you can check it out first! If you are getting lost in a timeline, comics explained is your man.

4. Use your hobbies and interests as a starting point

Here comes almighty Google, just type in something you are interested in and 'comic' and see what comes up. Some might be hit or miss, but you'll get a feel for what is out there based upon themes and issues you are interested in.

5. Buck up the courage and ask.

If you are particularly nervous, go by the few tips mentioned previously. Once you have a feel of what comics are and what is available, you should find it easier to ask the person behind the counter what they'd recommend based on x,y,z that you have enjoyed or to have a browse in boxes at comic con. Sometimes, a personal recommendation is one of the best and at the end of the day, a good fan wants others to enjoy the same thing. Not to circle it off in an elitist manner.

So I hope this has been a good read for you, if you have any more tips or suggestions, please leave them below in the comments or tweet me @Lady_Scion. Coming up next is a selection of my favorite comics and suggestions on titles to start with.



   

CosDown 4: Falling Out of Love with Cosplay

Nina, aka Mango Sirene, released a video this week titled "Let's Talk about Cosplay (and the reason why I left). If you haven't watched it yet you can find it HERE, it is a much watch for any cosplayer; in particular those who are making money from the hobby. It is done in a podcast style format and it almost three hours long with a few technical issues; however it is well worth a listen (set speed to 1.25 to help with lag).

Nina is one of my favourite cosplayers, one that helped me through periods of unemployment, sadness and low motivation. I won't lie, just by watching the videos I wished I could be as organised as she was and attend all the wonderful looking US conventions. I looked forward to the con vlogs and still believe it is the best all round entertainment cosplay channel. Yet as the recent video discussed, beneath everything Nina had some serious mental health issues complete with feelings of failure and guilt. She had fallen out of love with not just with cosplay, but also with life.

Tharja/Mango Sirene/J Wai Design
I think this feeling, to varying degrees, is something every cosplayer will face during their time creating. I know I certainly have many times. Life often becomes a priority, rightfully so, and knowing when to cut back is as important as know when to push yourself. Of course I'd love to have a new costume for every con, do loads of photoshoots and run a YouTube channel; but I just don't have the time. As I cosplay mainly video game characters, I often feel the need to complete the game I'm cosplaying because shock, horror, what if someone quizzes me on the convention floor? What if they find out I'm a 'fake'? However, a lot of the time it is either a. play the game or b. make some of the costume during my free time. Running an Etsy store also means sometimes I don't feel like working on my own costumes because my free time is helping other people create theirs! Which is lovely, but not good for your own development when you get burned out before you get to personal projects.

So what do you do when you fall out of love with cosplay? I don't need to describe what it feels like, as well as being personal, you'll know when you hit that plateau. Also do not feel guilty or shameful if you need to take a break or quit altogether. For most of us, it is a hobby, and you need to put yourself as a person first. Hobbies are supposed to be enjoyable, sometimes challenging of course, but activities where you can foster personal interests no matter how niche or strange. Here are a few tips that may help:

1. Change how you work.

Nina mention how she has given up con crunch, if a costume isn't finished for a convention then so be it. I too have adopted this thought for a few years now because I'd rather just enjoy making the costume rather than doing a half-arsed job just so it is finished for a con. Changing how you work may mean re-wearing more costumes or scheduling in a few chunks of the week where you can work on your costumes guilt free. Remember you control your hobby, not the hobby controlling you.

2. Take a break but stay creative

If everything feels overwhelming. Do not feel guilty for taking a break for a week, a month or even years. Focus on something else; play some games that are in your backlog, write that book you always wanted to or maybe paint. Sometimes being creative in a different way helps you to get over an overall flop.

3. Switch off social media

The internet is great for cosplay, seeing what other people have made is such great inspiration in addition to tutorials and CMVs. However, there also comes the drama and pressure to live up to everyone else on the social media feeds. So switch off and ignore what others are doing for a while. Not only will you be avoiding some toxic vibes but also might be able to focus and enjoy your own creations because you are not comparing your progress to everyone else.

Do you have any more tips when someone falls out of love with cosplay? Leave them in the comments below or tweet me!

My Mum Passed Away

I'm sat here, thinking, why the hell am I writing this on my blog? This blog is filled with cosplay, gaming and generally fun stuff. As the title gives the topic away, yes, I have lost my Mum, on Saturday 22nd 2017 aged 60. A Mum who meant the world to me, who has been my carer when I was little and as the years went by I became her carer. I'm writing this here, because as a previous avid diarist (my whole teenage and early twenties are documented, not sure if that is a positive thing!) writing things out is damn cathartic and I have mentioned in passing my Mum, and my role as a carer via social media. It was how I got into cosplay in the first place because it was a creative outlay and a break away from caring. My Mum was also so proud of my costumes and loved seeing them, as best she could. She was registered blind, I'm not sure how much she actually saw, but I gave her props to feel and she used to always say it looked nice before realising yet another costume was covered in blood! Along with my Nana, she taught me the joys of creating, from fabric to wood; my Mum was the person in the household with a toolbox! So, why not write a little bit here? Maybe a fellow cosplayer, gamer or carer who lost their Mum might find some comfort in this post; if that happens then that is more than I can ask for. For now, I just want to write.

My Mum wasn't always so ill, although she had medical issues from as far back as I can remember. Undergoing a triple heart bypass in 2002, I became used to my Mum attending and staying in hospital. She also never hid death from me and much to some people's dismay, we would have some pretty morbid conversations! However I did always tell her off for keeping a spare sympathy card alongside the birthday cards! This attitude has helped immensely, even though it is still so hard right now. For me, it is the half eaten things, the half used shower gels, the bag just dropped on the floor, the single mini tin of beans that I had to buy because she refused to eat Heinz beans like every one else. The house feels paused, it is hard to know what to do with 'things'.

As a carer, my life became woven with my Mum's and suddenly being broken out of that routine is quite strange. Only now do I realise how many times I wrote essays and fan fiction, read journal articles and drank coffees during hospital appointments and stays. Gaming and the internet became not only an escape, but also became a way where I could build skills while still staying within a space where if I were needed, I could be there. I wrote a blog post over " Liverpool Girl Geeks" that showed how I did that. My Mum never really got gaming, but she would always try to understand what was going on, as long as there wasn't too much shooting! Very often, once I finished a game, I would tell her what the story was, she was particularly interested in Life is Strange and they were nice moments we shared. She also introduced me to Pokémon because she saw all the other kids playing with Gameboys and talking about the anime. Though she probably didn't expect to still be buying me Pokémon games for Christmas almost 20 years later! 

What I have noticed quite prominently is how people grieve differently; and how different styles of grieving can clash. All I can say on that is try to be away of other people and try to not enforce your style upon others. I felt terrible that although my Mum only passed away a week ago, that I still wanted to go to Manchester MCM Comic Con. I just wanted to work on costumes and do my PhD annual progress meeting. For me, I felt I should stay at home, but I knew that wasn't what I wanted to do and I know my Mum would have been mad if I didn't go! So yes, I did go to comic con on Saturday and had a lovely day alongside fellow cosplayers and meeting up with people I only see a few times a year. On the Sunday, I stayed with my Dad; we both appreciated how each other grieved and worked it out so we could both get what we wanted. This made is much easier to deal with.

So what now? Of course, a 'new normal' is now starting to emerge. But I am also appreciating the amount of experiences and things to look forward to, even if I don't know what they are yet. My Mum taught me to find pleasure in the small things, so I am going to sign off this post with the wise words of Albus Dumbledore:


Thank you :) and I'll be writing again soon x

CosDown 3: Creating Your Cosplay Handle



I'm sure you have seen around the internet the handles of fellow cosplayers; whether that be '[blank] cosplay', [blank's] closet or any other amalgamation of cosplays and fandoms! But why do cosplayers have them? And how do you create one of your own?

First of all, you do not need a cosplay handle if you do not want one. Especially if your cosplay exploits are kept strictly to conventions with no interest in sharing. Also if you want to use your real name, then that too is completely fine; many people do.

So why have a cosplay handle?

1. They have become part of the community and one of the first questions someone may have while at a convention is 'how can I find you online? or 'how can I tag you in pictures'? So you are not sharing out personal accounts, a cosplay handle with a related social media account helps to get your pictures back to you and helps for arranging photoshoots and meet ups.

2. Privacy. Using a cosplay handle means you never need to provide your full name. Even in competitions, you can ask for your cosplay handle to be announced rather than your name. If you are sharing photos, in particular if you have a professional job, it keeps everything separated. Sure people can piece together accounts, but it makes it just that little bit harder.

3. It helps you to stand out and create a brand if you are pursuing cosplay as a way to bring in an income. I'm not even talking about full-time cosplay here; even if you plan on creating cosplay YouTube videos, having a cosplay handle aids your visibility on the web for your costumes.

4. They are quite fun! They can also hint at the kind of cosplays you do or what fandoms you associate with.

So how do you make one?

There are no hard and fast rules to creating a cosplay handle. I came up with 'Lady Scion' from using Tomb Raider as my inspiration (as that is my main cosplay fandom) so Scion comes from Tomb Raider 1. The Lady part comes from being inspired by 'Lady Noctis' who was one of the first cosplayers I followed on social media and from Lara being a Lady herself. So double the Tomb Raider! My aim was to hint, but not be obviously linked to Tomb Raider because I knew I'd be doing other cosplays and didn't want to pigeonhole myself. So no 'Crofts'! This is a good thing to keep in mind when creating your handle, you may be obssessed with 'Undertale' for example, but will you still be doing this as your main cosplay in two, three years? Here are a couple of points to keep in mind if you are stuck while creating your cosplay handle:

1. Keep it fairly neutral, it is better to hint at an association rather than directly link.  

2. Take inspiration from what you like in everyday life, mash words together, see what works! 

3. Write many names down, you'll know when one just stands out from the rest.

4. Spend some time looking at other cosplayer names, how they are formed and how it works on social media platforms. 

 5. Make sure it is pronounceable and easy to spell. I've only just found out the multiple ways of saying 'Scion'. Don't make my mistake! But at least reading you can say it however you like!

6. Don't panic if you feel like nothing fits. It will come in time!

7. Once you have found a name you like, Google to make sure that it hasn't already been taken or links to something unsavory that you wouldn't like to appear when people may be searching for your cosplay. 

8. Likewise, avoid trademarks and copyrighted names. Just in case!  

 9. Finally, make sure you like it. Seems simple to say but this is something that attaches to you and your work. So make it something that is special to you.

Finally, MangoSirene also has a fantastic video about cosplay handles that is well worth a watch :)
 
And you are done! Hopefully this has helped and I look forward to seeing all you fabulous cosplayers with your fabulous handles on social media :)! You can find me on Twitter @Lady_Scion if you have any questions.

E3 Wish List 2017


*Cues music* 
It's the most wonderful time of the year!
There'll be confrences for hosting,
Fans ready for roasting,
And a game will certainly have snow.
There'll be scary ghost stories
And tales of the glories of
E3s long, long ago...

Ahem...sorry!

Yes, its is that time of the year again and hasn't it flown again! Keeping it short and sweet because of the musical interlude; here is my wish list (not predictions!) for E3 2017! As with previous years, these are picks on my own tastes so you may find some missing or some you think 'well, that's a bit crap' but me and my narrative loving tastes are hoping for these!

Assassins Creed TBA/Empire/Origin (Ubisoft)
Gamers Greed
 I'm in the mood for something Egyptian and for years I've been waiting for the AC franchise to visit Egypt. There's so much potential for various climbable landscapes, hidden spaces and pyramids to explore, the possibility of an alchemy or magic element, Nile traversing etc. As an added bonus, I'm already there with the cosplay with my Egyptian Assassin, 'Kesi', created in 2014 complete with a back story. So let's hope the rumours are true; it isn't too far fetched with Egyptian elements already built within the chronology with Cleopatra and Pieces of Eden being either found or returned to the Cairo brotherhood. Also, it will be interesting to see if the break has impacted fan anticipation and general development.

The Last of Us Part 2 (Naughty Dog/Sony)
I love the trailer that was released a few months ago showing an older, more worldly Ellie. I'm itching to know, what has happened in those five years and what new challenges Joel and Ellie will face after they potentially threatened human existence by taking Ellie back. So I'm hoping for a new trailer or snippet just to push the story along a little, maybe show some psychological debates, I doubt there being a release date just yet, but added bonus if we get that as well!
 
The Avengers Project (Crystal Dynamics/Square Enix)
Game Soul
 I'm still not really sold on this, but that may be because we don't have much to go on yet with the style of game this is or how it will fit within the overarching Marvel universe. However, I am still intrigued; so for that reason I am hoping for a new trailer and some new information!

Vampyr (DONTNOD/Focus Home Interactive) 
Polygon
It is so close to being released I can smell the blood already. Vampyr has been on my list since it was announced and I will honestly try whatever DONTNOD would like to produce because I respect them as a developer. Really hoping the morality element is executed well as that will make for a very interesting game play mechanic and will show me what kind of human I am! We are well overdue a new and good vampire game, so I am wishing for a release date!
 
Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream/Sony)
PlayStation
 If there is something I like more than vampires, it is cyberpunk, AI and dystopian worlds. Alongside Horizon: Zero Dawn, Detroit was one of my highlights from 2015 and 2016 E3. By now, I'm hoping we should have a release date. Not that I have the time to play all these games on my wishlist, but you know, it is always nice to plan out your year and gaze upon the pile of shame!

Cyberpunk: 2077 (CD Projekt RED/CD Projekt)
Cyberpunk.net
We have waited so long for something, anything about Cyberpunk 2077 since it was teased in 2013. This has to be the year now with enough time passed from The Witcher 3 and promo campaigns being highlighted on the internet. It has been suggested that 2017 is the year of Gwent, and that information on Cyberpunk will be available 'at a surprising time' so maybe E3 is too obvious; or that there will be some form of innovative announcement that is not necessarily your typical trailer/guy presenting. Let's hope so because I need this game in my life asap. Wishing for a trailer, or even just a teaser trailer.

A new and innovative episodic game (not from Telltale)
MUO
The past few years I have really enjoyed playing episodic games, as Lara Croft said 'I'm a busy girl', therefore episodic games make me feel like I've accomplished something in the few hours I can actually invest in gaming. I do like Telltale, especially The Wolf Among Us (I ended up reading the entire comic series of Fables after playing the game) and would not say no to another Wolf game. However, I think there needs to be more developers playing around with the concept as it feels that Telltale is becoming a little too same-same-but-new-IP at the moment. I don't even know what I want narrative wise, but open to whatever could be presented!

Death Stranding (Kojima Productions/Sony)
Kotaku
Shit's fucked up, and I love it. More info please!

Unravel 2 (Coldwood Interactive/ EA)
Xbox One UK
Right, I love my blood covered heroines, psychological mind fucks and dystopian worlds; but I also love cute little yarn dolls that travel through woodlands and streams collecting memories. Yarny stole my heart and it has already been announced that there will be a second game. So we'll probably get a yarny friend (local co-op please!) and I hope there is a Christmas DLC. There isn't enough Christmas content to add to my festive theming and Unravel would be prefect for that. Wishing for a trailer!

Portal 3 (Valve)

Everyone needs a 'never going to happen' Valve game wish for E3, this is mine. *weeps in a testing facility*

So that is it! E3 this year kicks off 13th June to 15th June. There are also many more highlights to come that aren't quite to my tastes such as Microsoft's Project Scorpio and Red Dead Redemption 2 that are bound to make huge waves nevertheless. I'm also looking forward to the memes, how can I not?

Until then, game and tweet on! (while I work on my PhD, :/ )
 

Where the f**k have I been?


It is a Sunday afternoon, which means for this blog something should be posted. At least once a fortnight, but for a while I wanted once a week! Which, in the blogging world is pretty average; so where the fuck have I been? If you follow me on social media, you would have seen that I have also been a little quieter on there bar reposts and retweets. The truth is, the past few months have been quiet difficult. I am currently a PhD student coming towards the end of my first year, which means that a good chunk of work is due in. I also have some home issues that I'm not comfortable to discuss here, but they have certainly taken a toll this year, although they have been present in my life since around 2011. So for the start of the year, up until now, I have emotionally been going through a lot, to the stage where I thought I needed to drop out of my PhD despite working towards it since my undergraduate third year in 2010. I've had some help, and luckily I have a great support network which I am so privileged to have. At times, it is sometimes hard to find the wood among the trees, and it is only now I am starting to realise how much support people will provide if I just open up rather than bottle away; hoping that it will just disappear by itself. In truth, it has only made it worse.

So I am now just working though everything. I'm hoping once I hand in some PhD progress work, that my cosplay passion will come back and I can find some time to work on it. I enjoyed a good few hours playing Horizon: Zero Dawn in March and April and again. Hopefully find some more time to progress on. I have an Aloy wig that I styled, but I doubt that will be finished for Manchester MCM. So just to ease up pressure on myself I'll probably just be taking Manchester MCM pretty chilled this year with maybe one costume for the weekend or maybe a rewear of my Egyptian assassin.

I have plenty of blogposts here that I can write, so for now I'm not saying when you can expect a post, but please keep an eye out. Writing out this now is cathartic and it seems a shame to just let this blog go. It was something that kept me occupied when I was unemployed and the fact that I didn't write anything last month, yet still received 4k views is unbelievable. Thank you whoever is visiting!

I also can't sign off without mentioning the incident that happened in Manchester last Monday. As someone who considers Manchester to be their home city and was due to go the concert, it has be an upsetting week. My thoughts have been with those who were involved all week and to see how Manchester has united over the past seven days has filled me with pride for a city that I research and live among.

Until the next blogpost, you can always find me online via Lady Scion and remember to appreciate your friends even if they are virtual connections or within a physical sphere (sorry, my geography is coming out!) because they certainly help you to be the person that you are. To all my friends, thank you.

5 Reasons I like Classic Lara

In order to be fair, this is a response blogpost to my previous one detailing '5 Reasons why I like Reboot Lara'; if you haven't read it yet the link is the blogpost title you've just read. I made that one because the poor girl gets a bit hate and I personally quite like the overall design and embedded game play elements in her design. However, I grew up with classic Lara, starting with my Saturn and progressing onward with secondhand copies on PC (when it actually ran!). So naturally, I like elements of that version too! This isn't about one version verses the other in a battle to the death with the 'true' Lara reigning supreme; nah, I don't have much time or patience for that...


So here are five reasons why I like classic Lara:

1. Wit and humour
Wikiraider
Lara certainly had some corkers of lines during the classic period and all revolved around a good dose of British humour. Being witty in the face of danger altered the power dynamics between her and her enemy. It made sure the Lara could demonstrate her dignified control over a situation. It doesn't come across quite as wisecracking as Nathan Drake does in the Uncharted series, which overall just makes those moments feel all the sweeter.

2. Simplicity in design
Irishhips
In the previous blogpost, I suggested that I like the overall design of reboot Lara because as a cosplayer, it is more interesting to create and more comfortable to wear. However, the turquoise, brown and gold colour pallet is iconic to the character of Lara. Boobs aside, the simplicity is what makes it special and it came across well with the technology of the time. Even when new outfits were used in subsequent titles, the simplicity remained which helped to create the perception of Lara; rather than being distracted by clothing design. Something I found quite jarring in Legend from both the designs and the amount of clothing options that were presented.

3. Duel Pistols
Wikiraider
We cannot talk about classic Lara without mentioning the pièce de résistance that was her duel pistols. It felt great wielding unlimited ammo pistols before moving on to other more powerful firearms such as the desert eagles. Okay, so it was very unrealistic to be able to duel wield (watch this fantastic video from Ahoy who goes into the history and logistics of duel wielding in video games) and damn, do those holster not make sense in a real world setting. Yet, they were perfect to fit into Lara's design. 

 4. Being a lady, doing it for herself.

 I'll admit; I am not a fan of the 'daddy' stories or 'mummy' stories that have crept into Tomb Raider over the years. What I liked about classic Lara was she was doing it because she wanted to; even when approached by agencies *cough*Natla Industries*cough* she only took on the job if she felt it benefited her or it was a particularly important mission for the world as a whole. When Kurtis came along in Angel of Darkness, it was nice to see that dynamic of the woman who would often choose to work alone combined with the need to stick and work together. Was it romantic? Who knows, in my mind I say it might have gone that way, but the wonders of imagination means you can write your own narrative!

5.  Backpack

Has there ever been a backpack that earned the title of a 'Mary Poppins Bag' as much as Lara's classic backpack? Found in Cambodia, lost in Paris and even then the nifty grey number held just as much stuff. It held artifacts, weapons, flares and medipacks galore. All in that lovely brown colour and solid shape that is damn hard to find a replica of for something that looks so simple!
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