[#652] Can’t Knock The Hustle

 

My manager’s slacking so I gotta’ move quick
I’m lacking in natural gifts
I’m an ugly motherfucker but I work hella’ harder
And you can write a blog about it

Weezer, ♫Can’t Knock The Hustle♫

 

It’s been a few since my last post and I promise I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth. I’ve just been preoccupied with other things and it’s cut down on the amount of time I spend on photo taking and blogging. I still have the passion to do this but after having this time away and reflecting I’ve grown even more of an appreciation as well as knowing that before I was stretching myself way to thin. With the amount of sponsors (there’s no true way to avoid using the word that just makes my skin crawl but for what reason I don’t know (perhaps in my earliest days of blogging I used it ad nauseum).

While there are a few days left of the eBento event, Session Skins has another great new male offering named “Simon”. It was harder than I imagined to not continue wearing “Tom” but being a blogger that does skins it would be way too difficult to be a one trick pony. Simon has a bit softer features and has lighter stubble then the previously mentioned skin. It also boasts the same crazy amount of detail and features that Tom has (brow/no brow and mole options). He is a youthful and handsome guy that will turn some heads on the grid and that is all thanks to Session Skins. The eBento event ends on July 31st so hail the taxi down in the credits to get a better look.

One of the brands I once blogged for and still enjoy has just moved to a new location and with that they are offering a new item free without the need for a group. That’s correct, Modulus has moved and to treat all of us right they have put out the “Cole Hair” as a prize for just stopping in. The item just needs to be purchased for a dollar but it is quickly refunded back as it meant to be able to keep a record in case it ends up being swallowed in your inventory (you can get it redelivered woot!)

This is a FatPack so you get all 5 color packs with HUD (with built in color picker to enhance your look). One of the things that impresses me is that a CATWA version as well as a LeLutka version are included (hair sizing can be a pain and most people often give up so easily on it; that’s the truth of the matter). For anyone who may not know of this store (by now you should and if not then why) it’s a good way to get a sample of what they do and then take a look at other styles to browse.

My memory is stretching to try and remember the last time that Cold-Ash last released new clothing that was not exclusive to an event. The “HURST Cargo Shorts” could very easily have been a big hit at TMD but I think that it’s good to reserve some things for your shop as it gives more incentive for people to come in and shop not just for these shorts which I haven’t been able to take off since I unpacked them but also for other releases they might have missed.

Compatible for Belleza (Jake) and Signature (Gianni) the full pack boasts a HUD complete with 12 fabric colors and 12 belt choices to allow for lots of combination to wear with your favorite kind of shirt. For this look I choose to also wear another Cold-Ash stable the “JASON Polo Shirt” that for looking like a pizza delivery guy was easy as pie.

That was a terrible rhyme but I couldn’t help it! My humor comes out now and again (regardless of how good it is)

 

Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.
Abraham Lincoln

 

POSE: Kirek Poses – Pizza Guy

HAIR: Modulus – Cole Hair ✦ Grand Opening Gift / NEW
HEAD: LeLutka – Guy v3.3
SKIN: Session Skins (Store / MP) – Simon (Tone 02) @ eBento ✦ NEW

SHIRT: Cold-Ash (Store / MP) – JASON Polo Shirt
SHORTS: Cold-Ash (Store / MP) – HURST Cargo Shorts ✦ Main Store Release / NEW

 

[#482] I Wish…

‘Cause when it comes to playing basketball
I’m always last to be picked
And in some cases never picked at all
So I just lean upon the wall
Or sit up in the bleachers with the rest of the girls
Who came to watch their men ball

Skee-Lo, ♫I Wish♫

With as many times as you’ve seen me do a photo with a basketball theme to it that I’m some kind of superfan but in reality it’s probably the one sport I watch the least. Not that I have any extreme dislike for it but it just doesn’t appeal to me like Baseball does (as it seems to be more of a chess match to me). I can also say though that it is easier to capture in a photo and more designers are making poses and props that represent it.

For example, take the pose and prop that I’m using in today’s entry. It’s the “Backyard Basketball” set from Image Essentials (a TCK blog partner) that is currently available at the eBento event. This is probably one of their more intensive products as not only do you have the front of the garage with asphalt driveway but you also have poses that are for single use and also poses for two people (to create one on one action scenes). Unfortunately at the time I was doing this photo there was no one available to work with so I went solo (like Han…yep corny I know).

You can check this item out at eBento until the 30th of April and if by some odd reason you procrastinate (which is a BAD idea) then you’ll be able to find it at the store shortly thereafter…but seriously go take a look.

April has been quite the busy month for the Modulus brand, which has just released (and thankfully right when I needed it) “Anthony” a backwards snapback cap with a tuft of hair sticking out of the hole above the snap strip. While in real life I personally prefer fitted hats (there seem to be very few of any good quality on the grid of the mesh variety) this hat is the best thing for headwear junkies like myself.

25 colors in 5 different HUDs (complete with integrated tinting as well as an the ability to change the design of the cap to which there are 6 options). For those of you who like to change your hair color on a whim a FATPACK is available at a discounted price which gives you all the colors and you’ll save a little pocket change. I’ve always often said that if you can’t choose on just one thing and there’s several to do the math and you’ll find that it’s better to buy everything at once and save yourself the hassle of spending extra money down the road.

“Anthony” is a part of the Shiny Shabby event that runs from the 20th of April until the 15th of May, lots of great items and designers from clothing, poses and home decoration; is very much worth grabbing a taxi ride from the credits below.

Although I’ve previously blogged the “FLAME” tattoo by { Speakeasy } this is probably one of the best and closest views that I’ve ever posted in a photo as I’m wearing clothes most of the time and rarely show much skin. I really am fond of this tattoo and in the past I usually would never wear one for more than a short time but this one has really won me over. I think that it has elements of some of my favorite things (roses, ravens, as well as clocks) and has a very true saying just under the right pec that says “Hearts are wild creatures that is why our ribs are cages”. I find that to be very true and if they were just free to roam you never know what kind of trouble they could get into or damage they could endure.

Kalback (formerly Kal Rau) has been around for ages and I haven’t really kept up with the brand all that much since they returned several years ago; it’s not because I’m no longer a fan it just seems that other things just took precedence or was more in my style wheelhouse. Their “Sweat Shorts M3” happened to be just the thing I needed for my outfit as I felt that if I was going to shoot hoops shirtless that wearing long pants would defeat the purpose of my styling. It’s probably a weird thought but just go with me on it would you?

These shorts are available at the current round of the Man Cave event which is ongoing until May 1st so you’ve still go time to check out all the guy goodness!

It could also be said that my look might be more 90’s inspired considering that I used Skee-Lo’s “I Wish” as the soundtrack for the blog post. This song has been entertained by me to be used in previous blogs but I just decided on something else because it might not have fit the way I wanted it to. This time I do think it does hit the right point that I wanted to achieve.

One final thing before I wrap this up, is I wanted to make mention that the shoes I am wearing are a Limited Edition of the FLI. Low Sk8 shoes that I’ve worn several times through the course of entries on the site. They are all black with flames on the side part of the sole of the shoe. I realized after I had finished with everything that I did not get a close-up of them but considering I blogged a version of them before (as well as the fact they are in limited quantity) running out and grabbing them before they are gone completely. There is also a Hi version of the shoe as well and they are both together to the right side of the store as you walk in. I couldn’t pass these up the moment I saw the ad for them and hopefully if there’s anyone reading this and likes them as much as I do that you are able to get them too.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend and taking it as easy as possible. There’s more to come of course as I’ve got some goods from the newly open Men Only Monthly and of course more from Shiny Shabby which also reopened for it’s April/March round; I also hope to have at least one more look at this current round of Pose Fair before it closes as well so stay tuned!

Until our paths cross again, onto the next conversation…

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HAIR: Modulus – Anthony Hair – Blonds ✦ NEW @ Shiny Shabby
HEAD: CATWA – Daniel ✦ Previously Blogged
EYEBROWS: [theSkinnery] Hallford Brows Style 4 ✦ Previously Blogged
EYES: Amara Beauty – Gem Eyes ✦ Previously Blogged
FACE: LV Designs – Angel Tone 02 ✦ NEW @ The Darkness ✦ Previously Blogged
BEARD: Nivaro – Rugged ✦ Previously Blogged
BODY: Belleza – Jake ✦ Previously Blogged
TATTOO: { Speakeasy } Flame Tattoo ✦ Previously Blogged

SHORTS: <Kalback> Sweat Shorts M3 Grey ✦ NEW @ Man Cave
SHOES: FLI. – Black Flame Sk8 Low (Limited) ✦ NEW @ Mainstore

POSE/PROP: Image Essentials – Backyard Basketball (b) ✦ NEW @ eBento