Social media fighting

What I do for the several organizations that I minion for is online social media.  One of the unfortunate side effects of this fact is that no matter how much I wish I could walk away from social media...I can't.

I stay out of most of the hot button issues like politics and whatever is making people upset like starbucks cups because I know people on both sides of the issue.  Anything I said would most likely offend someone and I believe the Bible is very clear on avoiding offense if it can be helped.  Plus, for the most part, it doesn't matter.  Who cares what Starbucks puts on their cups or doesn't.  For everything else I follow Rom 12:18 and Matt 7:1.

This week has been harder for me to stay silent.  The mass shooting in Orlando has once again drawn out the voices of people who what to talk about guns, terrorism and anti-LGBT sentiment.  While I have opinions on those things, that is not what strains my desire to keep silent.

Since I have friends in the LGBT community and the Christian community I am seeing posts ... well to be honest I'm a little appauled and great saddened.

• My liberal (general category for brevety's sake not for labeling) friends are talking about the fake Christian sentiment of sympathy in contrast with the hatemongering they interpret the Christian lives showing in reality.  
• My Christian friends are talking about politics and terrorism.  Some of them expressed sympathy for Orlando.

Again, this is a generalization but still a large representative of what I'm seeing from my limited perspective online.  I find it disturbing in the extreme.  

I could go into a lengthy discourse on how I feel about a great many of the issues represented in that dichotomy but there are only two that I feel compelled to address.  

People are people.  Don't murder people.  

I am grieved to the core that so many people were murdered and injured.  It's not okay and it's not right.  I could care less who did it or why, apart from making sure they can't do it again.  Why in the world has the conversation become the two above points and not the heart wrenching, soul response to such a large loss of life?  Why have we, the Christian community, let our testimony become so tainted that people can't even believe we would be sympathetic?  

I am so sorry.  I'm sorry so many people are suffering.  I'm sorry.  I know people are angry and upset.  It's upsetting that so many people were killed and injured.  I know every individual is expressing that feeling in the way that is important to them.  I just pray that everyone else remembers that before they react.

2016 Costume plan

This years costume is another group plan with my brother.

If you've followed my costume blogs then you know we three attempt at least one group cosplay for ComicCon.  This year my brother will be a Ranger and my hubby and I will attempt Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd.

It is always my custom to start out with a plan and since our schedule this year is making us start later than I like, the plan is going to be more outline and starting attempts right away.  People put hard work into these costumes but I haven't found a lot of good resources for step by step details on various parts of the costume. Maybe it's giving away information but since I am not a professional I don't mind sharing the steps I take.  Hopefully my trial and error will be helpful to people.

So...

My hubby is our 3D guy so he's taking on the modeling of the staffs and Lord Zedds ectoskeleton.  He will most likely Pepikura them again since it seems to be his go to.

My plan is to use the football pads I used for Apocalypse as the chest base for Rita.  This should have the added benefit of being a good base for the large collar.  The dress base is being made but the headpiece is going to be the challange.  I have three theories for how best to construct the piece.

1. start with a grey wig base that I can pin on my head for stability and then attach the hair points like anime ponytales.  This will allow me to keep it light and breathable while only needing structure for the points.  
2. make a wire frame covered with mached cheese cloth.  Make it more like a hat.
3. paper mache or Pepikura the base shape and just glue on the hair.  Again, more like a hat.

The bustle will be easy but take time.  My goal is always to make the best costume I can without spending $100's of dollars.  We'll see how we do this year!

For the first time I feel we have some great costumes to put back into rotation so this will probably be the only new costumes we make this year which leaves me less panicked about not starting earlier.