Бонусы Форекс Бездепозит

It’s a Sin is powerful and unflinching; a drama in the true sense of the word, with that delicious sweetness and vulnerability at its heart that’s a Russell T Davies hallmark. There’s glittering ambition, buzzy energy, naïve innocence, and fates entwined. A group of friends, really a little self-made family, are pulled together by fate, proximity, poverty and circumstance. Big characters sweep up the quieter ones in their wake; waifs and strays form an unbreakable life-long bond, and we take that plunge with them, ready for the ride of their lives.

It’s and we meet adorable little Ritchie (played by Olly Alexander) from the Isle of Wight, off to seek his fortune at university amongst the bright lights of London. His new friends are the gorgeous cross-dressing Roscoe (Omari Douglas), son of a strict Nigerian Christian family who want to pray the gay away, lovely innocent buttoned-up Colin (Callum Scott Howells) from South Wales and mother-hen Jill (Lydia West). I adore her snuggly jumpers and her warm heart. They’re all ready and set to take on whatever London throws at them, and they’ve got big plans for the future. They’re full of life and dynamic energy that looks exhausting to my middle-aged eyes, excited to take all the opportunities for fun they can find, in their studies, their work and their sex lives.

But already there’s a gate crasher at this party. Interspersed in the fantastic campy pop soundtrack there’s whispers of gay men mysteriously dying in New York. And the only outcasts in the local gay bar, so welcoming to everyone else, are the doom-mongers leafleting about a “gay cancer”. As Ritchie says incredulously “How can a disease know you’re gay?”. In the early 80s there’s nothing about AIDS in the news, there are no public health campaigns, GPs are dismissive (the elderly white male doctor as the face of authority is baffled that Jill wants information to help her friends), and conspiracy theories run rife. At this point in time it doesn’t even have a name. Sounds familiar? Having been filmed well before the Covid pandemic, RTD never intended the AIDS storyline to be quite so timely, but the parallels are incredible and the tragedy is acutely painful.

The moments of joy are so authentic and exciting too; the parties in their nasty flat, the stupid greeting they adopt, the intimate closeness when some random guys you’ve met on a night out, and maybe even shagged, become life-long friends as close as brothers. We cheer them on in their victories as they lose their virginity, as awkward moments of intimacy become self-assured swagger, and as they learn to embrace their true selves without shame. Ritchie’s first time with Ash is cringingly awkward, both physically and culturally. He has a lot to learn about relationships, but at least his friends are true and Jill provides a shoulder to cry on. The period details and fashions are perfect &#; you’ll be on eBay by the end of the first episode trying to buy a rotary phone &#;  but Colin navigating a new New York with gigantic paper map is the clearest indication that this is the ancient before-tech era of 40 years ago!

There’s so much good writing here that no character is wasted. Everyone gets a spot in the limelight and everyone will be your favourite. Charming and sophisticated Henry (Neil Patrick Harris) with his loving partner Juan Pablo has the lifestyle and courage that shy Colin aspires to and shows him a little of how to love and be your genuine self; not living in secret or in shame, just living. It sounds almost impossible but they would have been together since the s. Juan Pablo gets ill and ends up in hospital &#; we the viewers are waiting for the other shoe to drop. Can you imagine how terrifying it is to be so sick but have no diagnosis? Henry is admitted to hospital too with similar symptoms and Colin watches on the sidelines as Henry is gradually and permanently replaced at work, as if he never existed. Henry’s story is monstrous, even before we see how he’s treated in hospital, as a leper, ostracised and alone. His food is left on the other side of the door, as if he’s a prisoner, despite him being too weak to fetch it. He is deprived of his dignity and basic humanity and it’s unbearable. It’s been weeks since I watched the preview and I still can’t think about those scenes without crying.

Neil Patrick Harris steals every scene he’s in, as you’d expect, but all the actors with weighty stories to tell don’t flinch. David Carlyle plays Gregory, or as his friends call him, Gloria, and his story in episode two is just as powerful. As a carer myself everything Jill did for him, every desperate kindness hit the emotional bull&#;s-eye. The fear of contamination was so real, as she tried to do her best regardless. The meddling family, one of so many at the time, taking their sons in embarrassed secrecy was heart-breaking, and the scene in the garden almost too cruel to comprehend. You don’t want to believe horrors like this have ever happened, that it can’t possibly have been that bad, but you know it’s true, especially given what we’ve all collectively suffered through in The shameful and repugnant treatment of gay men suffering and dying in the s is a warning from history that couldn’t be more timely and clearly something that society has yet to reconcile itself with or even educate people about.

This is a lean drama with impeccable pacing, fast but not rushed. Even though it deals with traumatic events that will haunt you, you’ll be fully on board for each new episode, I promise. It’s a painful history, a timely warning, and an important message about society and how we shape it, but at no point does it feel preachy. We’re emotionally invested in these characters’ lives from the off and we want to know what happens. There’s no backing out from this, no turning away. Other people who have been lucky enough to see a preview have said this feels like the drama RTD was born to write and they’re exactly right. Not only this but it feels like It’s a Sin is the apex of his career as a writer so far.  It&#;s the best thing I&#;ve seen on terrestrial TV or on any streaming service in years.

It&#;s A Sin is on Channel 4 on Friday 22 January at 9pm, and the whole series will be available to stream immediately afterwards on All4.

Anticipation

Usually by late December I have filled at least a doe tag. However, for , that has not been the case. Every encounter this year I have somehow managed to play my cards wrong. But tonight, I feel that it&#;s finally my time! The weather is ideal and my blind location is perfect! With steady light rains all day long and another snow storm rolling in, this little break in the weather for this evening&#;s hunt is sure to get the deer moving. My blind is settled right on the edge of an alfalfa field and to say the least, I am pumped!

Where Are The Deer!?

As I sit in my blind, scouring the field, I anxiously wait for something to pop out. As the grey sky begins to fade darker and darker, I find myself slipping into despair, not just for tonight&#;s hunt, but for the remainder of the season. The conditions are so heavily tilted in my favor tonight that if I don&#;t see a deer today, how can I expect to see one any other day?

This late in the game most deer have pretty much herded up for the winter, so i&#;m guessing they have moved off to a different property. The one sure thing I keep holding onto is that this alfalfa field is only one of two food sources nearby. The spring floods didn&#;t allow for farmers to get their normal crops in. With only fifteen minutes left in the hunt, i hold onto this sliver of hope that something will show.

This Is It

With the light quickly escaping the sky, I close my eyes just for a quick minute to put focus on my freezing toes. I visualize them warming up, and I feel like it&#;s working. Anyways, when I open my eyes again, a large doe is standing right in front of me! I get down slowly and hit her with the range finder: 45 yards.

I quickly reorganize in the blind to prepare for a shot and when I look back out, there&#;s more deer entering from the tall grass. Within seconds, five does are directly in front of me, closing the distance, and I pull my bow back. I am below the window at full draw waiting for my perfect shot opportunity. I have my eyes on this doe that is only 10 yards out, but still facing and walking directly towards me. After a good minute or so, I slowly let my bow back down.

Every deer is completely oblivious to my existence in this blind right now, so I stay relaxed and wait for the right moment. Then I see it. My golden opportunity I have been wanting all season long. A huge doe starts cutting across at only 20 yards, perfectly broadside. I stay low and pull my bow back once more&#;

The Arrow Flies

Except, I don&#;t really get my bow to full draw. Halfway back, my arrow shoots out with a loud twang, cuts right through the blind wall, and all the deer bound away startled. Dumbfounded, I look down and see that my string d-loop broke, or rather the knot came undone. I can&#;t believe it! The d-loop was professionally installed prior to the season at my local archery shop. Normally, I tie my own, but I put a higher confidence in having them properly place it.

The deer are startled, but at 50 yards, they have held up, wondering what to make of the noise. They filter into the grass, but i still have hope they might return and provide another opportunity. I&#;ll just have to clip my release right to my string and hope that it still shoots true. Part of the d-loop is still attached so I still have my nocking point for my arrow.

Second And Third Chance

After just a few short minutes, the does start filtering back towards me. They&#;re off to my left now, instead of my right, but I think I can still make it happen. Still nervous, a big doe starts to cautiously walk in. She&#;s at about 35 yards, and slowly coming closer. Problem is, she gets too far left of me and picks up my scent. She bounds away taking two others with her. My heart sinks as I feel the last bit of hope escape me.

Then, with only a few moments left in the hunt, another big doe steps out and starts coming right to me. She&#;s nervous but her curiosity is overcoming her. She comes stomping right towards me and is only 22 yards out. As she decides to let her instincts take control, she turns back away. My perfect moment. I pull back as quick as I can but she trots off just as I get my sites up. Still at full draw, I see another smaller doe pop out of the grass, but she quickly leaps off to the larger one. I let me bow down. I was happy to still have a second and third chance, but now I&#;m certain that I will not be filling a tag tonight.

Reflection On The Hunt

As I reflect on the evening&#;s hunt and share the story with my wife, I choose to view the night in a bit of a comical way. I have put countless hours in this season and call it what you may, but luck has not been a strong companion of mine! Often times, I will target shoot my bow in between hunts. I even drew my bow when I first settled into the blind to ensure that I was prepared for the moment of truth. My d-loop could have broke at any one draw, which would have been unfortunate, but not a big deal. But instead, it broke exactly when I needed it the most.

Without a doubt, I believe that tonight it simply wasn&#;t meant to be. If I would have killed that deer, I know I wouldn&#;t hunt the rest of the season. Perhaps now when I get back out there, maybe, just maybe, that monster buck will come walking by. And if not this year, maybe even next year that doe I was going to kill will be what brings in a buck for me or my friend. I&#;ll choose to think that tonight had to happen for some sort of a reason, I just don&#;t know what yet. It&#;s hard to say and we may never know, but for now it&#;s what I will choose to believe. Tonight it simply wasn&#;t meant to be.

Category: Thoughts Of The Experience - Comments:

Airports are full of excitement, anticipation, anxiety, and if you aren&#;t careful, mammoth meltdowns from the little ones.  While long lines and empty tummies are often to blame, good old fashion boredom has a lot to do with it as well.  If you are on a layover or your flight gets delayed, chances are you have some time to kill.  Sitting in uncomfortable seats or people watching is not exactly most children&#;s idea of a good time &#; enter the Airport Scavenger Hunt!

Print it out and hide it in your purse so you can whip this fun little Airport Scavenger Hunt out right when you need it and send your antsy kiddo on a mission! Perhaps you can entice them with a hot cocoa or sweet treat once they complete the hunt for a little added engagement!

CLICK TO PRINT*Since every resource I provide on the blog is FREE, the only thing I ask of you is to please share it with your friends on FB, Twitter or Pinterest (the buttons to do so are below my signature) – Thanks in advance!

I hope this little treasure hunt proves a useful, fun resource for you next time you are stuck at the airport with some time to kill.

If you like this treasure hunt, and you&#;re doing any driving or sight seeing, you may also want to grab the Road Trip Scavenger Hunt.  Also, make sure to check out the entire Scavenger Hunt Ideas Series here on the blog.

If you&#;re a little nervous about traveling by plane with your little ones, I wrote a post with all kinds of tips to make your flight as smooth as possible!

As always, please let me know if there is any resource you need that you are unable to find on the site.  My goal is to make creating lifelong memories and adventuring together as a family as easy as possible so don&#;t hesitate to let me know if there is anything I can do to help you in that way!

firmamiz elektrik servis, tesisat ve tadilatlariniz icin profesyonel destek Istanbul Elektrik ustasi, acil elektrikci, nobetci elektrikci, elektrikci ustasi, Internet Arizalari, Guvenlik Kamera Sistemleri, Uydu Anten Montajlari uskudar acil elektrikci Ihtiyaclariniza ve isteklerinize gore guvenlik kamera sistemlerini bulacaksiniz. Akilli eksIksiz setler ve arayuzler, kapi cagrisini televizyon, bilgisayar veya cep telefonu araciligiyla rahatca kabul etmenizi saglar. Boylece her zaman ve her yerde on kapinizda veya apartman kapinizda kimin oldugunu canli olarak gorme firsatiniz olur.
Cesitli erisim kontrol secenekleri size daha fazla guvenlik ve rahatlik sunar. Parmak iziyle basit erisim kontrolu sayesinde artik ev anahtari gerekli degildir. Sahte anahtarlar ve unutulmus ev anahtarlari artik sizin icin sorun degil.
Bir alarm sistemi, guvenlik konseptinizi tamamlar. Size tavsiyelerde bulunuyor ve guvenlikle ilgili tum bilesenleri birbirine baglayan cozumler sunuyoruz. Boylece tamamen guvende hissediyorsunuz.
Duman ve yangin alarmlari dahil guvenlik konseptinizi olusturuyoruz. Kendi guvenliginiz icin.
Bizi arayin!

I’m a chaplain. Every so often I change a picture outside my office to a different inspirational quote for people passing by to read. As I was looking for a quote to post this morning I came across this one.

I’m not jumping on the bandwagon of folks lately who, for whatever reasons (right or wrong) have turned on Lecrae. I have seen some things on this young man that make me worry for him, but I don’t know him personally, and I don’t listen to his music enough to make any certain conclusions. I don’t know for certain if he even made the statement someone put on this meme. Update (four years after this devotional was first posted)- it seems Lecrae has sadly now gone off the deep end.

What concerns me is the proposition itself. I know it didn’t come from Lecrae, but I’ve heard it many times from a lot of different people and places. As far as I know, the statement is as old as the seventeenth century French philosopher/physicist/mathematician/theologian Blaise Pascal. It’s often referred to as the “Pascalian Wager”. The basic idea behind the wager carried on through many today is that if you just give assent to the idea that there is a God, and maybe apply that idea a little to your life that you’ll be glad you did when you die because you’ll be in heaven instead of hell. In other words, assume there’s a Jesus and live like you think God would want you to even if you don’t know for sure he exists and you’ll be glad you did. At the risk of oversimplification I want to address what appear to me to be massive errors in the wager.

While the idea is not without merit in a world of “scientifically-minded” spiritual nitwits, it is in my opinion a foolish proposition overall. It’s certainly not one that could be carried out fully in anyone’s life. A few of my arguments against it are as follows:

1. Jesus likened belief in him as life in him. Christianity is not a check the block on doctrine (or potential truth) and God loves you kind of a thing. He literally calls salvation being “born again”. See John 3. This is a huge event in someone’s life as it marks new life itself. This isn’t something you can live as if it’s happened and garner the rewards thereof because you thought it was at least possible.
2. Jesus talked about striving to enter heaven in many ways. Literally that those who love him will be “agonizing” to do so. Luke Every believer knows the power of the sin in their lives that this verse makes real. They know how difficult life is at times in their struggle to enter heaven. This struggle characterizes the Christian walk. No one does this *as if there was a God even though you’re not totally sure*.
3. Missing out on a few material comforts in life in the name of religion wins you no points against your sin debt. Sinners need the Cross of Christ, not self-denials. The flesh profits absolutely nothing, John They need a Savior.
4. We are enemies of God by nature. We do not have the power to live rightly before him without the Holy Spirit’s enablement. Assent is never enough.

If you live your life only “as if there was a God” you’ll be in hell. You must have the Son to have God. Christianity isn’t some coin toss wager. It isn’t merely intellectual. I don’t think Pascal wanted this proposition to be an end in itself. I know that the proposition carries with it an invitation to working to convince oneself of the truth of it, etc. When people quote it today I doubt they imagine it to be a truly thorough apologetic. I don’t mean to oversimplify it entirely. But I do think we should stop using it. It reduces the Christian life down to something absurd. You may live a fake Christian life if your opinion of the Faith at all resembles a mere intellectual response to Pascal’s wager, but you will not live the Christian life that Jesus came to bring. That life comes through a transformation of all that we are.

I am Mohammad Asu Mia. I entered Kurmitola Golf Club club when I was 21 years of age, and now I am Early days: I started off as a caddie, carrying golf kits of foreigners from Canada, America, etc, who used to play here. It was an hole course back then too, but the green and the fairway weren’t in great condition. So we had to work on the green and the fairway eunic-brussels.eu were fewer members and caddies in those days and we used to enjoy the time. I am talking about my early days here. I have learnt golf while working as caddie. There were Brits and Pakistanis before liberation, but no Bangladeshi golfers in those days. And the foreigners used to control the club.

Troubled times: During the liberation war, the club was closed for more than a year. There were a lot of injustices that took place inside the golf club. But once the country got recognition, people started coming to the golf club and it started to function as a proper club. I work every day: some days nine-hole while other days hole.Reputation: Golf is our profession, so we have to come here. Now there are thousands of members and they take good care of us. We, the caddies and the ball boys, have a good reputation. We work with honesty. We here from the members who say the caddies at other clubs are arrogant and rude, but they speak good of us. When a member plays well, we feel good. They also treat us well after hitting a birdie or after a good round of golf. When members play poorly, we also feel sad.

Etiquette: I think golf is a gentlemen’s game. You have to be very calm and composed when playing golf. One needs to maintain their composure while playing golf and I suggest this to the players too. One cannot lose their temper at any point. The golfer should take responsibility if he plays an errant shot. He can’t blame the caddies because we only work as per their wish, we give them the clubs that they demand.

Expectation: As long as I have the strength, I will work as a caddie. When I am not able to continue, I will have to give up. Not everyone at my age can continue this work. A lot of my colleagues have left this profession, but I’m still continuing. I am grateful to every member and every caddie and ball boys. I have good relation with everyone.

I hope the club authorities and the members will look after us when we can’t work anymore. We have lived our entire life here. So I hope they make an arrangement so that our future is secured.

Chance Priest is an American artist, sculptor and man of many talents &#; weapons making, hunting, snake wrangling, antique dealing, law enforcement and a whole lot more.

We fell in love with Chance&#;s art immediately upon discovering it early last year. We had never seen anything like it: &#;s bold comic colours, cubist lines, storyboard-style movement, photo-realistic details and a unique singular vision.

As a result, we fell hard into the glorious rabbit hole of Chance&#;s creations. It&#;s a whole world &#; comics, paintings, sculptures and toys. All interconnected yet able to stand on their own.

Simply put? It&#;s pure art and we have never seen anything else like it before.

As Chance himself states, art for him is an unrelenting force. Something that he can&#;t ignore and must pursue above all else:

&#;I’m a % dedicated to my vision. And to be honest if nobody buys it I really don’t care; I’m at total peace with what I consider success. I will build on “my world” till the day I die, if my art sells then wonderful because I really want to share it. If it doesn’t sell then if will not hinder me in any way except for the time it takes to make end meet.&#;

(Photo below of Chance and some of his art)

With Mr. Priest our new favourite living artist, and the fact that the man himself is always working on something new to blow the mind of his fans &#; you must, we repeat MUST get hip to the man right now, by reading his Art Talk Interview below&#;

Basics/Getting to Know

Name + D.O.B?

Chance Priest

12/19/

City, State n Country you currently call home?

Bells, Texas USA.

City, State n Country you’re from?

Born in Dallas Texas raised and lived all over Texas but Canton, Bryan, Dallas, Lytle, have always been most like home to me.

(Photos below of some &#;Victory Comics&#; art)

Describe a memory from some stages of your life ….basically trying to piece together some pivotal moments. Concerts, art, action-figures, romance, school, crime… ANYTHING really!

* age 5 or so – beginnings:

I have a freaky great memory of my childhood. I shock my family by dredging up things from when I was very little&#;

Mid ’s:

When I was just years old I remember my Dad had a Western Wear store in downtown Canton.

My brother, Richey who is 4 years older than me used to walk over to the old drug store where the old man would still make hand mixed sodas and malts. I would live at the comic book rack. Then we would walk over the Western Auto store and go down their toy isle. I remember getting a Weebles Mickey Mouse set from there and playing with it while watching Voyage to The Bottom of the Sea.

I also had Mego’s and 12” GI Joe figures that I played with a lot.

Great memories!

Late ’s: At my Mom moved with my brother and I to Bryan Texas so she could go to Texas A&M and become a vet.

We lived in a small trailer and I remember watching TV on a very small black and white TV.

I was always a rabbid watcher of TV and I loved it all new, reruns of old ’s’s TV shows, anything. My favorite at this time was Six Million Dollar Man and Hulk.

I remember playing with all the great toys from the 70’s SMDM, Star Wars, Stretch Armstrong. My brother and I would also play lots of toys soldiers together.

A very poor but happy time.

Early ’s: My Dad sold the business and moved to Bryan with us after a year or so and he started building for Oil Companies so we could afford a house.

My brother and I attended Allen Military Academy in Bryan.

Lots of friends, riding bikes all the time, I got more and more into comics and toys because most of the kids there were really rich and they had great toys too. My Granny bought most of our toys on credit but she wanted us to have a great childhood.

I really began to draw and make up characters and stories at this time.

My Mom got into drugs at this time which made my parents fight horribly and my Dad was rarely home. Although he was mean or just hard anyway so it was better without him. He thought kids should act fully grown and be ready for work at age 5. I watched my Mom fall apart and it got very rough. She had horrible druggy friends that were always around.

Once when I was about 9 she left us with one her good friends and this tweaker was paranoid as hell. She thought we stole her cigarettes so she grabbed a butcher knife and tried to kill my brother and I. She chased us through the house for minutes and luckily my Mom and her other friends came back. They beat the tweaker up, tied her to a chair and put her in the closet all night.

&#;So crazy shit like that was happening&#;not a good time but I could always take comfort with my dog, my toys, my comics, my TV and my drawings and stories. This went on for years and we would spend sometimes half the year with my Granny and Paw Paw who were the greatest people in the world.

My Granny was a doll collector so she always thought it was important that we had a collection of some sort. My brother collected military items and I was toys and comics&#;and anything cool.

My Paw Paw was a WWII US Marine veteran so he would teach me how be fight and be mean when I had to but also to be good to everybody and always keep a great sense of humor and kindness.

My Granny had two sisters who both married returning WWII veterans and they all lived on the same block in Dallas.

It was great growing up around such patriotic and truly good people. &#;During this period we saw the evil of drugs; my brother nor I ever have done any kind of drug our whole lives. I drank very little in high school but to this day I don’t drink, smoke , nothing….I do have a bad sweet tooth though!

Side Note: My other Grandparents lived on a ranch and we would spend time with them too.

I had been shooting since I was 8 or 9 so naturally did a lot of hunting. It was really something growing up with country people on one side and city people on the other but in Texas city people are pretty country too!

I was always % comfortable listening to country, rock n roll, ’s swing, oldies, new music even classical. I was the perfect candidate for a cowboy astronaut that you could get. I was never brought up in church and other than a thank God here and there was never taught religion at all. What’s funny I could always feel God there and I’ve prayed every day since I was very little.

My faith has been a huge part of my life. After all, how can I believe in my imagination if I can’t believe in God.

(Photo below of Chance and his brother Ricky in )

* age 10 or so – continuations:

 We moved from Bryan trying to become a family again and get my Mom off drugs. We moved from Wills Point Texas to Lytle and back again with lots of trouble in between.

I found myself in Will Point in 8th grade and being relentlessly picked on by gangs on black kids. They would try to take your shoes, coat, anything. Nobody, not even the school would help.

I found myself skipping school every day. I would keep my window unlocked and sneak back in after a 2 mile commando run back home. I would be home alone mostly and I play with my toys, watch tv, read comics and draw. VHS was pretty new but I had Enter The Dragon which I would watch and try to teach myself Kung Fu.

I promised myself that I would grow up and be a hero that smashed bullies.

Well after 3 months the cops came and that was that; I went to live with my Granny and Paw Paw again.

The next year we moved back to Lytle and things were going good. My Dad opened a restaurant where the whole family worked very hard and it was great. I was a year younger than everybody else in my grade so bullies were always a problem. It was this year where I met my best friend Tim who was also a teenage toy and comic collector. He was also enrolled in a very tough martial arts school in San Antonio. I started going too and excelled at it.

Tim and I wrote and drew and comic book together and we also started drawing prototypes to toys, even writing movie scripts.

(Photos below of some art toys by Chance)

* age 15 or so – getting serious:

Late ’s : I was popular, had girlfriends, my parents restaurant was going eunic-brussels.eually with my brother and I pulling 50+ hours a week!

I had became a martial arts nightmare and after thrashing a few bullies at school I was actually looked at as a tough guy not to be messed with&#;it was great.

We had a game room at the restaurant to I also became a master at pool and any popular video games.

During this time I fell in love with my girlfriend&#;s best friend Kerri. I had to chase her for a year but I finally earned the title of boyfriend. We’ve now been together 29 years and it’s her support and faith in my that allowed me to be who I am.

As for high school, I was a horrible student and refused to do most work. They tested my IQ in 9th grade and it was so they knew that I wasn’t retarded. The school basically let me glide through.

I read a lot and I’ve always been a sponge for knowledge but lets face it; after basic math, reading and writing everything else in school is a total waste of time.

(Photo below of Chance aged 17)

* age 20 or so – young adult:

Early ’s: After high school I worked hard at the restaurant, did comic book conventions, taught martial arts, shot pool for money, took any job and went on any adventure that came along.

I had to wait two years for Kerri to graduate so I’ve always considered this a time wasting part of my life.

I wanted to join the Marines but I was only 17 and my Dad wouldn’t sign for me so I tried college. The second week the English teacher told us that you were an idiot if you believed in God and that the United States was the greatest evil power of all time. I got up and left and never returned to college after that day.

I went to a 2 week low budget horror movie making school in Pittsburgh PA and was taught by George Romero and Tom Savini. It really got me into the thought of making a movie. By chance I met a guy close to home who was a screenwriter in Hollywood for a while and worked with me on a story which were going to turn into a low budget movie. It was all my story and idea and he was making it flow better for the screen. I managed to piece together a pretty neat studio with cameras, lights, actors, helpers, artists….then he split one day and never returned.

I found out from his uncle that he had sold my script to a studio for $8, so that was that. It snuffed my movie ambitions completely out.

(Photos below showing the process of Chance&#;s colour drawings)

* age 25 or so – adult mode:

Mid ’s: I had always been a huge fan of Western movies so I was determined to move away and be a cowboy. My grandfather had passed away and my Dad went to take over his ranch. I followed a year later. I worked cattle, bailed hay, built fence, you name it.

I was also competing in the very early mix martial arts tournaments; called cage fighting back then.

I was hunting in a lot of my spare time.

The ranch was in the bottom lands of East Texas so a lot of it was swampy with big timber. I would spend days out living in the wilds. I really became a great tracker for wild pigs, deer, panther, you name it. After living on the ranch a year I went back down South and married Kerri and brought her back to the ranch.

During the next four years we would own a convenience store, get big in dealing in toys and comics, open our own hunting ranch and other things as well. It was a crazy time but happy.

I had become good at moving exotic animals and while moving some for the local constable he asked me if I wanted to be his deputy. I thought about it for a few days but accepted thinking this was time to be a real superhero; to be able to really do great things for people. I passed the academy with honors and in no time I was already looking for bigger and better jobs because police officers make horrible money.

I did very little artwork during this period.

(Photos below of some art toys by Chance)

* age 30 or so – fully formed:

Late ’s: I settled on a police job in South Texas. We were able to live in Lytle again and things were great.

We had just had our first son, Maverick.

Kerri had her hands full while I was working long hours.

I had almost forgotten that a year earlier that I had put an application in with the US Border Patrol. We had only been settled a year when they called me in. At the time you had to have a college degree and I had none. They only grant 2 or 3 waivers a year so why not me! I had to meet before a panel which grilled me about everything in the world. I also had to go through a crazy amount of physicals and metal tests.

They ended up telling me that I had a high IQ () and that my real world common sense approach was what they were looking for. They shipped me off to Charleston South Carolina for 5 months of training. I came out and was stationed on the border in Laredo Texas. It was a Hell Hole! I loved the work and soon was put on tracking detail where I would track drug smugglers alone in the scrub desert; sometimes being on a trail 15 hrs+.

My heart broke for the regular people coming in and after less that 2 years of work I just couldn’t do it anymore. I liked the action but not the sorrow and definitely not the government bureaucracy.

I felt like I helped so much more as a policeman. I moved back to Lytle and went to work for a city on the edge of San Antonio.

Side Note: I feel that I was always a good cop because I’ve never been afraid to die. I’ve always felt that death is the BIG adventure at the end of life and there sure ain’t nothin to be afraid of. I risked my life for strangers and I was glad to do it.

Early to mid ’s: While there I worked the overnight shift exclusively and that’s the way I liked it. I also revamped and led the SWAT team. Lots of action and lots of fun.

After my second year I had a typical late night disturbance call. I responded with another veteran officer and a rookie that I was training. A big man came to the door and behind him I could see his beaten 80 year old mother on the ground. He immediately slammed the door on the veteran officers head and he went down.

I fought hard with the guy for minutes in a brutal fight which was so violent that the rookie just froze. I tried to shoot him but he had a hold of my gun, I tried to stab him but he knocked my knife out of my hand so when the opportunity presented itself I struck him in the throat which knocked him out. He was holding me in the air at the time so when I came down on top of him I drove my knee into his stomach and when we hit the floor my knee went deep and snapped his spine.

He lived but was paralyzed.

Not long after the incident the Unida La Raza accused me of being a racist because he was Hispanic and I was white. I was also accused of police brutality. They had a lot of support and soon my own police department turned against me just to cover their ass in the lawsuit.

An independent investigator from the state of Texas came in to investigate (he was black by the way).

This was a low time for me.

For one I’d never been a racist, heck my two best friends were both Hispanic. The whole town was against me. The newspaper was saying horrible lies about me. I told my chief that once this was over that I quit because they didn’t have my back.

After it all shook out it was found that I had the largest non Hispanic arrest rate in the entire county. The poor little fella that I paralyzed was 6’5” lbs of muscle who just got out of prison for….shooting another cop. I am 5’9” and around lbs.

In the end I got a medal for bravery and was named officer of the year (actually they made that award just for me). So of course&#;I QUIT!

Here I was with 2 kids, a wife and no money. I prayed like you would not believe; not for me but for my family. I realized that my family owned an old building that was unused. My wife and I cleaned it up one weekend and put an ad in the paper for an antique mall with spaces for rent.

I rented completely out in two days! 52 dealers!. I had an instant $7, a month income. We bought land, built a house, I got into dealing in slave pottery from early Texas as well as making custom knives; both took off.

I was making so much on pottery and the antique shop that I could spend lots of time working on my knives (they were high dollar art knives).

I also ran for county Constable and won. So I was pretty much doing everything that I enjoyed, we had 4 kids by now, traveling a lot, living the good life although a very hectic life.

Side note: my whole life I had a sketch book at my side, always drawing monsters, aliens and characters for a future comic book but nothing really clicked.

In I had a dream of a WWII hero fighting Nazis, then fighting Frankenstein the going to another world. I woke up in the middle of the night and wrote and drew and wrote drew. From that day one I worked on this every day along with my kids who produced hundreds of drawing, characters and stories.

Kids make up the impossible which was just what I wanted.

(Photos below of some Victory Comics art)

* age 3o or so – adult continuations:

Late ’s Obama had gotten elected to president of the US and out of nowhere my knife and pottery customers would call and tell me that he was going to be bad for the economy and that they would be putting their money into gold and silver.

In a 6 month period I lost both of my major incomes. Then one afternoon while on patrol a car passes me and the guy looks at me with “that look” so I just followed him.

Out of nowhere this guy just takes off so I chased him into a very bad area where several year earlier 3 police officers and friends were ambushed and killed. When he stopped we both jumped out of our cars, he pointed his gun at me and mine at him. I just walked right up and grabbed it right out of his hand as it was pointed at my head. This is a very stupid thing to do but I had just been in too many dangerous situations and I just wasn’t scared of anything.

On my way to taking him to jail I called my wife and told her that I was totally done with law enforcement and I was. I didn’t seek re-election the following year.

I sold everything we had (except my comic book and toy collection) and moved to Paris Texas to get into the mini storage business with my Dad. I also opened another antique mall there. I wasn’t making knives anymore so my artistic drive to work with my hands was calling. I had honed my stories and characters so one day I just said &#;I’m gonna make some toys!

I had never sculpted before, hell I’ve never had an art class before but I was gonna try. From the first time it just came to me naturally and I was obsessed.

(Photos below of some art toys by Chance)

* age 40 or so – meanderings:

to present: I was drunk on art!

Other than making a living I was working every bit of extra time on “my world”.

I had a vision of buying a piece of property in country and making it into an attraction of “my world”.

By a really odd series of events we found 50 acres in Bells Texas which was about 50 miles from Paris. It was night, I turned off on an old highway that we had never traveled and in the dark we caught a glimpse of broken down for sale sign. I turned around and we got the number.

It took days but we finally got a hold of the owner who was an elderly lady. She told us that she really was too old to have that property and that we could have it for $ per acre! Land like that brings $$10, per acre in this area so we just said yes&#;the one catch&#;no money! I sold the equity in my antique mall and we managed to close on the last possible eunic-brussels.eu was nuts, NO&#;it was meant to be!

There was no house there so we moved a huge RV in and the kids started school there the following year.

We rented a large warehouse 10 miles up the road in the town of Sherman. It was here that I immersed myself in art every day. I had been sculpting heads for all my characters and had probably 30 or so made but hadn’t decided on a body type. Then one day I got frustrated thinking what other people would like and I just carved a simple wood body to serve as a maquette. My kids saw it the next day and though it was awesome and the more I looked at it I agreed.

Since I had been honing my skills as a mold maker and caster. After I cast my first body I knew that this was it! I played with a little; the only moving parts are the arms and I said man, this thing has zero action but a lot of imagination. The ZAPI was born, Zero Action, Pure Imagination.

Not long after I came up with more styles of toys but always with characters from “my world”.

For over 2 years now I have completely dedicated my life to my art whether it be ZAPI’s, PLUGS, LSD’s, WOTU’s, Head Grenades, LT’s, masks, paper mache, paintings, drawings  but all of it is in “my world”.

My lifelong toy collection or hoard keeps the rent paid and food on the table but my mind is made up. I’m a % dedicated to my vision. And to be honest if nobody buys it I really don’t care; I’m at total peace with what I consider success. I will build on “my world” till the day I die, if my art sells then wonderful because I really want to share it. If it doesn’t sell then if will not hinder me in any way except for the time it takes to make end meet.

My new endeavor is to get a book out so people can read the story&#;which is damn good if you ask me.

(Photos below of some sketches by Chance)

In Summery

I’m sorry that I rambled this out but It’s hard for me to me to explain myself.

I left out sooooo much but I could write forever!

My art revolves around my life, my experiences from a little kid to now. I wouldn’t change one thing good or bad about my life because it all made me. I’ve met so many incredible people and done some really incredible things and it all goes into my artwork.

When I was neglected as a kid I had TV and movies and comics and toys and they were my warm blanket on a cold night. When things seemed their worst I could watch Forbidden Planet or something like that and then everything was Ok again.

Without my wife behind me % could I have done everything that I’ve done?&#;I don’t think that I could breathe without her and my kids. They will always come first.

Could I live my life anywhere but the USA?&#;hell no! Freedom is paramount! Just knowing that I’m free to win or lose makes me strong.

And could I have done anything at all without God?&#;NO, I feel God’s force in me every second of every day. I sure don’t know much about religion and don’t care to but I know God is there, everywhere for sure.

I’ll try to answer some of your other questions now&#;

(Photos below of Officer Chance with a Snake and Mr and Mrs Priest on their wedding day)

Art Questions

When and why did you first start making art of any type!?

I was drawing since I could hold a pencil but my heavy art period!

High School: drawing and writing

My 20’s : making ice age weapons, drawing and painting

My 30’s : making art knives and weapons, lots of drawing and painting and some sculpting

My 40’s : sculpting, drawing, writing, painting, you name it !

Any pivotal artistic moment(s) / influence(s)?

I was never taught art by anyone but I’ve wrestled through the years with styles.

In I decided never to looks at anything for any kind of reference and just let the art flow out of me and that’s the way I’ve kept it. I like it and that’s all that matters to me.

Favorite other artist(s)?

Jack Kirby and Eiji Tsuburaya would be the 2 humans that energize me the most to make art. I look up to what worlds they created but they did it much more as a business than I ever could.

I’ve read a lot on the old masters and by far I feel a kinship with Vincent Van Gogh the most. He had extraordinary impulses to make art and so do I. I also love the fact that he did what he thought looked good and didn’t care about everybody else’s opinion or the fact that nobody bought his art.

Do you consider what you are making to be art, ‘design, re-hashed crap?

I consider my stuff great&#;high art.

I never put down other artists either because it really is in the eye of the beholder.

(Some Victory Comics art below)

Worst aspect of the contemporary art hustle?

I literally don’t know anything about contemporary art or art hustle. I actually have never heard of that.

I haven’t even read comics since Eastman and Laird quit doing TMNT back in the day.

I tried to read Walking Dead but as a life lived in my situations I just saw the zombies as junkies and all the people at their worst and dysfunctional. In really bad situations it’s not like that. I used to tell jokes before I knocked down a door serving a warrant. We would cut jokes at the most horrific things. There’s a lot more levity in real life and everybody is praying.

I know about some of the new sofubi toy makers and my favorites are Butanohana and Bear Model, I also like Mark Nagata, I’m not into his cats but I love his monsters.

I don’t like a lot of the modern art toys because the artists put a dick on them or something like that and it just looks like somebody trying too hard to be edgy. Like when you just meet somebody and they cuss and talk trash non stop. I call that a poser, all bluster and no substance. If a dick belongs then Ok but I’m just not into that.

Describe the process of producing your art? – Dot point all o.k!

&#; your sculpting?

Most of the times I get an idea for a character, I go and draw it then sculpt it&#;all chain reaction.

Sometimes I do the whole process including molding all in an hour or two.

Some nights I stay up and sculpt 4 or 5 new heads.

&#; your paintings?

With painting I usually get an idea and sketch it on the canvas then just start painting.

I paint sitting on the floor on a pillow with the canvas up against the wall.

I don’t overthink anything; I just let it naturally flow out.

I never did work in high school and never studied but I could go take a test and make a good great. I just used common sense on it….just let it flow. I’ve done the same with my whole life! I NEVER LOOK AT ANYTHING AND I NEVER USE COMPUTERS, STENCILS OR ANY DUPLICATING DEVICES. ALL HANDMADE.

I honestly feel like my art is an art movement.

I’m making comics, artworks, toys from start to finish completely by hand and just me. No computers, no team, no shipping things off to be made, all my thoughts.

(Photo below of Chance getting his art on)

&#; your toys?

When I first started I decided on urethane because it allows me to do it all myself and make each one individual&#;add to and take away.

After I’ve painted an initial ZAPI I do high artists to do paint jobs but they sign those so they are painting on my canvas. I just like everybody to get their fair credit.

I also have one artist that does the ZAPI art package art for me. She’s talented and fast. It frees me up to create more new stuff.

All parts of my toys are high impact urethane so they are tough. I drill the body for an aluminum rod which runs completely through then the arms are friction peened. Nice and tight and forever.

The head is put on with an aluminum post but also fused back on the body with more urethane.

A very tough figure meant for a lifetime of being played with although I doubt these will ever be played with.

We use paint, markers, anything to color/paint them then they are triple sealed so the paint job is incredibly durable.

All pieces are signed and numbered.

Each head sculpt only gets or less castings then it’s tossed and I sculpt a completely new sculpt for that character. This makes every piece pretty darn rare.

I have over 15 body styles and sizes from 3” to 33” but 8” is pretty standard. Over 30 different arms as well.

I have over different characters for the ZAPI line and I make over different toys. All boxes are adorned with our artwork (I slap a high grade sticker on the box) and the boxes are numbered to match the figure.

Every one of my creations is like a child to me.

It’s hard to even think about selling them.

Designer Toy Questions

Why the name ‘Victory Comics LLC’?

Well I’m a huge student of history and especially WWII since it was the biggest thing to ever happen on planet Earth&#;that we know of. You had all of these poor countries being oppressed and Victory was the motto and the V symbol (reversed peace sign with your fingers) was the most common hand sign on Earth.

I think of how important Victory was and it hits me that’s my life.

I stand for victory. Victory over everything bad and if everybody had that simple motto there wouldn’t be all this hatefulness and depression that I see everywhere.

My original concept was comics so Victory Comics  &#;the LLC is just limited liability company (legal crap).

I copyright all my creations under victorycomicsllc.

Are art-toys for the kids?

I personally would give my kids any of these figures to play with but I also live in the real world. I explain how eating a toy will kill you and eating paint will retard you or make you sick as hell.

I have raised great kids and I did it by not holding anything back. Just telling them the truth about everything.

Now of course I have to say that these are adult pieces of art not meant for kids so some grubby lawyer doesn’t sue me. It’s just the world we live in.

(Some Victory Comics art below)

Is the rise of art toys an indication of the changing nature of art? OR just a bunch of nerds with too much money and time?

I recently saw a fine art critic say that years from now the art that will stand out from our era will be Superman, Batman, Spiderman, TMNT, etc and I agree.

Granted there will always be what is referred to as fine art but I really believe the Toy, the lowbrow art, the comic art, etc will overtake it and be the predominate art. It’s already the top art for people who allow their emotions and feeling to just run free and not try to be ….mature.

Art is a feeling.

Yes I see Picasso’s and Van Gogh’s that bring out my emotions but not like a Basil Wolverton Sci-Fi splash or a Jack Kirby collage or a shelf packed with awesome kaiju&#;or how bout and killer display of just good ol action figures.

I think toy art is actually in its infancy to be honest.

What role did toys play in your childhood?

Toys in my childhood were my best friends. They were everything to me. They were always good to me and there for me.

I actually get teary eyed just thinking about it.

What are the top 3 toys you don&#;t own?

I would pick a vintage ray gun more than likely from Italy or Spain, Guerreros De La Manana which are MOTU Knock-offs from Argentina, and Butanohana kaiju monsters.

To be honest though; ever since I started making my own toys I would definitely pick 3 ZAPI’s

(Photos below of a Head Grenade art toy and packaging &#; by Chance)

What impact do you think 3D sculpting and printing is having, and will continue to  have, on the art toy scene?

THE DEVILS WORK!!! It is a profanity to me.

The toys made using it have no soul whatsoever.

I’m like the vampire ghouls in the movie The Omega Man. People that use that 3D crap are the children of the wheel.

I do believe in freedom and differing opinions and I know that there are a lot of people who like that shit but not me&#;not ever.

It’s already the mainstay in commercial toy making but when you take the human hand out of the sculpt then you do not have art and therefore you have no art toy.

If people wanted to collaborate, work with you or just buy some art – how should they get in touch?

I had a website for a while but I just let it peter out because it seems like I get so much more out of instagram and facebook.

Instagram: victorycomicsllc

Facebook: victorycomicsllc or facbook group Priest’s Monsters Aliens and Superheroes.

Odds n Ends

Please describe what you think the American Psyche/Zeitgeist is today?

More and more people are becoming a victim society&#;oh boo hoo, poor me. This is not the attitude that founded America.

We need positive, productive attitudes&#;QUIT FEELING SORRY FOR YOURSELF!!! You’ve got it better than any other human at any other time in history.

This is why I don’t want the government in my life&#;I don’t want a safety net.

What can I get done when it’s all on my shoulders?&#;I can do anything that I push myself to do.

I wake up every morning and I thank God that I’m alive and in the USA. That’s all I need, I’ll do the rest myself!

Who was your 1st crush and why?

Batgirl Yvonne Craig: I was just a little bitty boy but I would tell her that I loved her when she came on TV.

WHY&#;are you serious?!?!

(Photo below of Yvonne Craig as Batgirl &#; Chance&#;s first crush!)

Does sex change everything?

Sex does change most of your life.

I assume that you are talking puberty. It changes your outlook on most things but I think that when you get a bit older (in your 20’s) you settle back down.

It’s really different for everybody I guess.

Which cartoon character would you most like to see in a tribute sex toy, and why?

I know that people will think I’m a prude but I hate the thought of any of my beloved childhood cartoons being sex toys.

I have a sex toy&#;it’s between my legs&#;and that’s all I need.

Who would win in a fight and why: Godzilla Vs. John Wayne  ?

John Wayne would make quick work of Godzilla; he was fearless, tough as nails, very crafty and mean as hell.

I don’t know how but he would find a way!

Please describe your latest dream in detail…

I used to have crazy dreams every night and now I rarely dream.

I think it’s because my imagination and completely moved into my conscious day. I do have daydreams but it’s usually about “my world” although sometimes I’ll see something on the news like that couple who tortured their 13 kids and I’ll have daydreams of killing them. Sounds rough but I believe people like that just need to be snuffed out and dumped in the ocean. NO, I’m not a psycho, I just believe in payback!

Drugs – waste of time or gateway to the universe?

Drugs are the scourge of our society.

95% of every crime that I worked in 12 years of law enforcement stemmed from drugs. I’ve seen so many people ruined by them.

I have severe arthritis and fybromyalgia and I refuse to take pain killers for it. I take motrin and use mental strength and that’s it.

I know that there’s a lot of people that smoke marijuana and I personally think that most of them just use it as a crutch but to each their own.

I don’t believe in it but I’m a free country guy so if the people want it then let em vote it legal and they can have at it.

I realize that I’ve just rambled on and this probably isn’t what you wanted but I’ve never written about myself. I guess just chop it down till it sounds ok and is short enough. I’m already thinking of all this stuff I’ve done that I didn’t even write about but I guess this gives you an insight to who I am. I’ll send a bunch of pics that I found and you can use any of them on instagram or facebook. Just let me know what else you would like me to do. Sorry but I didn&#;t correct or re-read this. I hope it&#;s not just a big mess. It&#;s all the truth though, I don&#;t lie unless it&#;s to make somebody feel better.

(Some ZAPI promo art below)

Links

Hi friends! Hope your week is off to a great start! We have some lovely inspiration for you today from design team member, Jessy. She is using the new and exclusive project pads from Joann Stores for her bible journaling! Read on for all the details & find links to the products at the end of the post!

Whenever I get to journal in my bible, it is something that I love to invest my time on! And I&#;m so glad that I could use these new beautiful project pads from the Flourish & Sunny Days collection. With the verse Romans in mind, I took my journaling bible out and started to create a page out of the verse. Choosing a verse first certainly helps to speed things up and also keeps me focused on what I want to create.

How to Create This Simple Bible Journaling Idea:

1. This cute page is relatively simple to create. To begin, I picked a tag and added the stickers to form the words &#;love genuinely&#;.
2. Next, I positioned the tag somewhat in the middle and added more stickers all around to enhance the page. I added the beautiful lady sticker to remind myself to love people around me genuinely!
3. Lastly, to complete the page, I splattered on some gold mist.

Ideas and Tips for How to Journal in your Bible:

• Choose flat embellishments like stickers. This enables my bible to close well and keeps the pages flat too.
• Add extra details. To make the stickers pop out a little, I lightly traced them with pencil. This gives them an outline and then they stand out more off the page.
• Use layers. Layering and overlapping the elements a little makes a pretty collage in your bible journal. Just remember to use flat things like stickers, tags and ephemera so it doesn&#;t get too bulky.

Thank you for letting me share this page from my bible journal! Hope you have a wonderful crafting time journaling in your bible too! xoxo Jessy

Check out More Creative Bible Journaling Ideas:

Bible Journaling Supplies:

Mama Cax - Model, blogger, world traveler, public speaker, advocate, and amputee

I discovered Mama Cax through a podcast. She talked about all the amazing things she was doing despite her disability. Of course I had to stalk her Insta right after and was blown away by both her stunning feed, amazing style, and those drop dead gorgeous looks! She had grown quite a large following of over k people who just adore all she's doing in the fashion and female empowerment world. This gal survived cancer at a young age and lost one of her legs but she did not let that stop her from fulfilling her dreams. Mama Cax is a shining example of strength, elegance, and bold self expression. Through all this she has become a well known spokesperson for the intersectional feminist movement.

It was a long shot, but I figured I should reach out to see if she was interested in being featured on our Boss Blog. As luck would have it she was in LA speaking at Create & Cultivate, the ultimate girl boss conference! I was honored she took the time out of her busy schedule to stop by Biz Babez and shoot with me. We made the arrangements to shoot about a month in advance and I was anxiously awaiting for the day to arrive. I wanted to do something more special than our usual shoots at the office so that morning I ran to the fashion district and got some amazing vintage fabric for a backdrop. She arrived with a bag of awesome clothing and accessories, including this epic wig. She said, "I want to make this a fun and playful shoot!" I couldn't have agreed more! Mama Cax was such a cool and down to earth girl and we had an awesome time shooting and chatting. It's always the best when you meet a role model who is so nice and relatable.

Scroll around below to see the full shoot and read our interview! Mama Cax has some powerful words to share. 

Mama Cax! First off why don’t you tell us a little about yourself. Where are you originally from and what's your full name? 

I was born in Brooklyn but originally from Haiti. I spent most of my childhood in Haiti before moving back to New York in Mama Cax is my blogging name but most people call me Cax. I hold a B.A and M.A in International Studies but currently I'm a full time blogger and model.

You’re a lady of many talents and pursuits! How would you describe all you do?

It doesn’t quite fit in one box I guess. Aside from blogging and modeling, I often get to speak at events and conferences and the topic of discussion varies from intersectional feminism, body image and sex positivity. Ultimately I like to bring the perspective of a disabled woman to these platforms as we are often not present in those discussions.

I love hearing how you went from working in a government office to being a fashion icon and jet setting around the world. What prompted this change?What does fashion and self expression mean to you?

Totally unplanned. I always thought I’d end up working at a non profit organization. While I worked at the mayor’s office, outside of my unbeknownst to me at the time, I was creating and nurturing a brand. From curating my Instagram feed to blogging about travels and body image, it all started paying off when I realized I could also get paid to create content for some of my favorite brands. I took a year off to get my masters, with the hope of getting a better paying position. Life doesn’t always workout the way we plan and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. After getting the opportunity to model on a Wet n Wild campaign it made sense to get represented by a modeling agency. Although me being where I am is completely by chance I also can’t deny the work I’ve put into it. People tend to organically label me and those labels often come with negative assumption. Fashion is one of many ways I let the world know who I am; risk taker, confident and creative.

Where are some of the places you have traveled? Which place is your absolute favorite and why?

I’ve studied in Europe and embarked on a solo backpacking trip in south east Asia. I’ve probably been to 35 countries across the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. I’ve created great memories in every single one. If I absolutely have to pick one I’d say Iceland in the spring; Dreamy landscape, the weather is perfect and I love the 22 hour daylight. If I could pick more than one, I would have to add Haiti (because it will always be home), Ivory Coast, South Africa and Thailand. These countries have great food and vibrant cultures from the clothing to the music.

How would you say having survived cancer and an amputation at age 16 has shaped you as a person?

I think surviving cancer has pushed me to aim to enjoy the little victories in life and try to live it to the fullest. I always say that if I had a do-over there’s very little that I would change. These experiences have made me the person I am today, they have definitely made me appreciate my ability to adapt.

You have become a huge advocate in the body positivity movement. Why is this movement vital not only to you but all women?

I was unaware of the movement until I joined Instagram. For the longest time it had been a movement to get plus size women (mostly white) to accept their bodies but I’ve slowly watched it include other women (thankfully). I often use the term self-love, but to me it is meant to celebrate and elevate bodies that have been marginalized for so long; plus size, hairy, queer, trans, diverse skin shade and disabled. I think self perception has a strong link with self esteem therefore it affects so many aspects of our lives. 

You have not let your disability get in the way of a very able, full, and colorful life. What does the word “disability” mean to you? After posting on our Insta-stories we had a few girls reach out who also wear prosthetics and are struggling to embrace and show them off the way you do. What’s one important message you have for these girls?

Disability is essentially an impairment, often times it affects us because our environment is not designed with us in mind. Having a disability has allowed me to find a new community and look at our world through a different lens, one that constantly pushes me to think of ways of making opportunities and spaces accessible. As an amputee, there isn’t one way of embracing yourself, for me it meant showing off my prosthetic leg but I understand that our society is not very accepting. To other girls who wear prosthetics I say do what makes you feel comfortable and work on loving yourself at your own pace. 

As a blogger you’ve had a large following on Instagram for some time now, and are now signed with an agency as a model. You travel the world speaking at conferences like Create & Cultivate. What has all this attention and fame been like for you?! The good and bad.

Yes I’m currently represented by JAG Models. I’m always amazed by the messages from all over the world, especially from people whose stories are similar to mine. And always honored to get invited to speak at conferences and events, rubbing elbows with women who have inspired and continue to inspire me. From the likes and comments it’s easy to see the positive but it can be frightening and lonely. Once you’re considered a public figure, your picture can be shared on any platform where the comment sections are not always positive. Often times people equate popularity with “doing well” or “she’s made it” but my life is still very much like a roller coaster; I have great days, depressing ones, worries about not budgeting well and an almost non existent dating life. 

What’s in store for the future of Mama Caxx?! Tell us all your wildest dreams :)

I’lll be on yet another exciting panel at South by South West (so follow me on Instagram for a chance to see me talk). I shot an amazing campaign for Tommy Hilfiger and that will be out in the Spring. Since I never imagined I’d be a full time blogger, model and speaker, It’s hard to allow myself to dream but some things on my list are:

- to help provide prosthetic limbs to children

- be featured in Vogue print magazine(I like the tangible stuff)

- and finally setting up a fund to provide scholarships for students with disabilities to study abroad

What does being a Dazey Lady mean to you?

Being confident, pursuing my dream, helping my community but most importantly encourage other young women to do the same.