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psychewritesbs · 1 year

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Chapter 214: Cursed Womb Under Heaven, part 6—Sukuna Sukuna Sukuna Sukuna Sukuna Sukuna Sukuna Sukuna Sukuna Sukuna Daddy Sukuna Sukuna Sukuna

Blessed / Cursed JJK-Sunday! Pick your poison...

I hate (affectionate) Sukuna because... well... this whole Megumi thing is so weird. Like... what is going on with the hair?

And yet I am a massive Sukuna simp (questionable) because... well.. this whole conversation with Yuji...

Like Sir. Yes, I will dedicate my life’s work to spreading the gospel of Sukuna to all who will listen. Ura Ume can cook, I can be your Marketing person and do your social media if that’s what you’re into.

I LOVE a character twisted by his own humanity. Yeeeessss...

More, please!

There’s more of me “yeeeeeeeeeesssss”+ing and promoting Sukunaism under the cut.

yeeeeeeeeeeeesssssss.....

The King of Curses

I am perhaps projecting, but there’s something definitively very regal about Sukuna and the way he carries himself in an embodied state.

I also loved that there is also something very benevolent about the look in Sukuna’s face as he speaks with Yuji about the nature of suffering for weaker beings.

Almost like “oh you poor thing, you really thought you were just going to be handed your cake and get to eat it too, didn’t you?”

And I am VERY consciously choosing to use the word benevolent to describe Sukuna because... there is something inherently twisted and yet, extremely real, in the message that Sukuna embodies.

Almost like he’s doing Yuji a favor by enlightening him on the root cause of his suffering.

YES! yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes YES!

Am I like a crazy person for loving Sukuna so much?

And there’s something so fascinating here about how, despite dropping deep truths about the human condition, Sukuna is literally the epitome of all that is cursed, a sort of container for all that is inherently wrong about humanity--to the point that you can’t even think of him as human, but rather, as inhuman.

But... really... what does it mean to be a human, what does it mean to be a curse, and where do we draw the line?

Are curses truly the sole source of suffering as Spooks asks?

After all... are curses not the result of negative human emotion?

Are we, as humans, not responsible for their existence?

You see, I became a cursed spirit apologist the moment Yuta kissed a cockroach. This forced me to start questioning what is good and what is evil.

The marriage of Heaven and Hell

Now... I am not asking for Sukuna to not be thought of as evil.

I am asking for a wider, more profound interpretation of evil. One that is not colored by the Western, white-washed, Judeo-Christian idea of the figure of Satan as a red horned creature that is evil for the sake of evil and makes people do evil #things.

I am asking for you to leave your pre-conceptions of evil at the door...

What if perhaps we saw Satan as Lucifer, the harbinger of light who was thrown out of Heaven for challenging the status quo and daring to seek enlightenment through embodiment?

What if we saw evil as as a corruption and degeneration of all that is good and humane--a sort of rejection of one expression of the self in favor of the trappings of self-gratification and self-identification?

What if we asked how Sukuna’s degenerated and corrupted humanity is an embracing and transcendence of suffering as not just inherent to the human condition, but a precursor of psychological and psychospiritual growth and development?

What if evil was a choice made in favor of the self and that is why Satan was cast out of Heaven?

What if evil was just trying to re-affirm the sense of self, and that is why Sukuna has chosen ego as his path of enlightenment?

After all...

“The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.”

When Gege introduced Jacob’s Ladder in chapter 213...

... he introduced one hell pun intended of a rabbit hole. One that I am not quite ready to talk about in great detail because I am unsure on how the symbols will be explored, or let’s be real here, whether they will get explored at all.

But with this tiny panel, Gege basically introduced the “upper” extreme of a metaphorical experience of psychospiritual growth depicted in the shape of a ladder. At the lower end of said ladder is the experience of descent into hell that is depicted in stories like Dante’s Divine Comedy.

Now. The interesting bit about Jacob’s Ladder getting mentioned, is that Gege added a neat little detail that is easy to miss unless you know what you’re looking for:

That is: Urizen’s Architect’s compass.

Now, for context, the painting above is a painting by William Blake, who perhaps not so coincidentally, also has a painting titled Jacob’s Ladder.

The painting is, indeed, inspired by the Biblical depiction of Jacob’s dream found in Genesis 28:10-17.

Again, the rabbit hole runs deep.

What I’ll say about this for now is that Gege might be using these symbols to present Sukuna as a character that personifies a sense of self that is beyond logic and reason where...

Good = logic bound by reason, and

Evil = imagination free from reason.

I still haven’t made up my mind about it because Gege is being a bit inconsistent with symbols, so we’ll have to wait to confirm.

But in a nutshell, this feels like a murky exploration of the sense of self and where it stands in relation to the question of “good and evil” or as Blake calls it “the marriage of Heaven and Hell”.

So if Gege is using William Blake’s philosophy then... I can’t help but see Sukuna as a character who has become enlightened through becoming entangled in the trappings of ego. Which is a nice dichotomy to how enlightenment is thought to be about transcending and leaving behind ego attachments.

But not Sukuna.

Sukuna is about experiencing the highest of highs and the lowest of lows of the human experience.

Logic be damned.

“The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom”.

In other words, Sukuna strikes me as being about willingly and consciously embracing the suffering that is inherent to the human condition, and growing in strength because of it.

After all, you cannot know pleasure without first having known pain, and you cannot know pain if you have not known pleasure. In Blake’s words, "without contraries is no progression.”

Quick detour here to expand on these panels above... Explaining the sense of self is not easy.

What I can say right now is that the sense of self is the result of the ego-self negotiating with reality as it presents to you compared to your expectations and hopes for your reality.

In the words of Westworld’s Robert Ford:

"...the thing that led... to... awakening [is] suffering. The pain that the world is not as you want it to be.”

Similarly, Westworld’s Man in Black tells us that

“When you are suffering, that’s when you are most real.”

Which is another way of saying that there is strength and transformation to be found in suffering and that turning away from suffering is what weak minded people would do according to the gospel of Sukuna.

Or basically, when life hands you the lemons, you make margaritas with them although I highly recommend you use limes instead of lemons and might I also recommend Mezcal instead of Tequila for a nice smokey twist on everybody’s favorite Mexican cocktail.

Suffering is an inherent aspect of the human condition after all. You either develop the mental fortitude to keep moving forward, or, in Sukuna’s view, you remain weak, defeated by your fate.

And what’s interesting here is that Yuji has a very infantile unwillingness to see suffering as an inherent aspect of human existence.

Or as Spooks reminds us all, it’s not just curses that cause suffering.

So to me, Sukuna’s philosophy is about overwhelming strength as a result of self-gratification. He is the kind of character who will put himself through hell for the sake of acquiring strength.

This is where Jacob’s Ladder becomes relevant, because in Blake’s philosophy, the Angels who are “good”, could only see ego attachment (which is a metaphor for hell) as suffering. As such, they could not comprehend why anyone would put themselves through hell for the sake of self development.

In other words, Sukuna is an exploration on hedonism and all that can be considered sinful if only because the ego’s attachment to pleasure is at the root of suffering.

“The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom”.

A different execution of this trope is another one of my blorbos, Twelve, from Watanabe’s Terror in Resonance (Zankyou no Terror).

Twelve is the kind of character who wants to have certain experiences and will, at the expense of his better judgment and other people, force certain experiences to happen just because he wants to have them. In fact, he doesn’t stop to think about consequences, he just acts for the sake of experiencing.

Whether these experiences cause pain and suffering or joy and happiness, does not matter. The point is to have the experience because the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.

For those of us who are crazy enough to be romantically inclined, it’s like the experience of falling in love while fearing rejection, but still choosing love.

Logic be damned.

But that’s just the thing, isn’t it? If you held back from the moments when you are invited to come alive every single time that you saw suffering in the horizon, would you cower from those experiences?

Or would you embrace them for the sake of self development?

Similarly, Sukuna who exists only for his own pleasure, is an example of how the ego is shaped and transformed through experience.

In Sukuna’s case, experience can come in the shape of fights and women and whatever will satiate the appetite of an ego hungry for embodied experience...

Hedonism, the pursuit of pleasure and sensual self-indulgence.

But I want to think that Sukuna also understands that you cannot forsake suffering, especially if you are in the pursuit of the better things that life has to offer.

There isn’t one without the other after all.

If you want to be happy, you have to be willing to suffer for that happiness.

You can’t know what wealth is unless you have known poverty.

You can’t know great love unless you have known heartbreak.

"Without Contraries is no progression.”

To reject this principle of human existence is, in Sukuna’s gospel, to be weak, to be prey to those who will consume anything and everything that is standing in the way of their hungry, insatiable ego.

God I love Jujutsu Kaisen...

Splat

Well, that was two *splat* moments in one month and I have to admit they are both just as brutal.

Anyways. This was an interesting chapter from a translator’s pov because there were subtle messages that may or may not have gotten lost in translation.

So just a heads up I kind of stuck to the fan translation for the most part for that very same reason.

Yuji and Megumi vs. Sukuna

Ok but to wrap things up...

I love that Sukuna is always impressed by Megumi...

THAT’S MY BOY!!!!!!!! YEEEEEEEEEEEES!!!!

And I also love that Sukuna underestimates Yuji...

Yuji is by far one of my absolute favorite mcs in Shonen. He embodies the characteristics of your typical Shonen mc and then re-defines them in a way that is very uniquely Yuji.

Anyways, sigh of relief about Megumi. I can stop holding my breath FOR THE TIME BEING!!!!

It’s not that I don’t trust that Megumi has what it takes, the one I don’t trust is the cursed cat.

Can’t wait to see these two beautiful boys fight together.

Happy Jujutsu Kaisen Sunday and thank you for joining me again this week in this hell pun intended of a roller coaster.

#god I love jujutsu kaisen #jjk ch 214

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threadsun · 11 months

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Ooorrr maybe I just suck at lying so AHA! GOT YOU THERE! Gotta use those breathing exercises to make sure I can focus typing so I don’t think I COULD lie if I wanted to. I’m just THAT confident that’d I’d win~ Or maybe I am lying and don’t want to admit that your words are affecting a lot more than I say. That I’d rather just submit because it would feel so nice to be used and manhandled like you said, to let my mind break~ But then again, you’d never know it because I’m just that good at hiding it~ ;P Oh well, such a shame! I feel like pain and pleasure go hand-in-hand the same way that praise and degradation do, so of course it’d make sense that if I actually WANTED to submit, then I’d try to withstand as much pain as possible. I easily bruise and my pain tolerance is super low so it’s not hard to make me yelp, but that’s only if you can get me down. I guess I’ll just have to get closer, won’t I~? 😜

In any case, I’m going to just add that punishment to the VERY small list of punishments that actually work so thank you for enlightening not only that, but for me being a brat too. Taking notes here lol.

!!! I’M LOVING YOUR THEORY!!! See, I just FINALLY started looking at the other characters more deeply (ghost tiddies were distracting me for a long while) so I haven’t been able to put anything cohesive together yet. Your theory on Ian’s mother planting seeds of doubt in his head seems like the most realistic reason as to why he may have cheated. Like you said, she’s not above sending people to stalk him just to gain leverage over his emotional and mental state so if she disapproves of M/C, then I can see her trying to split them apart. Definitely a lot more in character for Ian than what I said! I swear this is why I love discussing theories with others instead of trying to figure it out all on my own. I definitely don’t see him cheating just cause, so having a more solid foundation to build off of is nice.

Hey! I like Joesph in uniform too, no shame here! But like, fireman Joesph getting you a collar that you must wear at ALL times, no exceptions. Having to walk around on all fours while Joesph parades you through the firehouse leash in hand. “Good puppies don’t speak for their treats, they bark for them. Don’t you want a treat, doll?” Joesph slowly starts to unbuckle his belt, his form intimidating from this angle. He bites his lip as he peers down at you.

“Then beg for it~”

AHHHH! Listen, I’m not super into petplay but I’d bark repeatedly at this man, I swear! 🥴 But holy shoot, going for a fireman AU overall for all of them? Can I buy one of those pin-up charity calendars from their firehouse?

YUS! Imma be like a hawk and lazer focus on that bad boi when it drops. 😂 Oh! I think I remember reading about the herbal cigarettes on your page! But ooooo, what do they usually smell like? 😗 I’m all about those scents and perfumes which speaking of, I imagine that Joesph would smell like the cologne Obsession and Jack would be more of fresh, gourmand smell, maybe even citrus, but I can’t pinpoint an exact fragrance.

Also, waxplay? Holy hell that sounds extremely hot from how you described it (no pun intended)!

-🎃

Awwww so cute~ It's okay, I'd let you have your fun before I broke you. I'd let you believe you're a true brat, only to show you that deep down you're really just a needy little masochist. And then we'd have plenty of fun seeing just how nicely you bruise! But as you said, you'll have to get closer first. I'll tease anyone, but I'll only put real effort in for money or friends~ Can't just go around giving away the goods for free, you know. No matter how tempting it is to take my sadistic urges out on a silly little vocal brat...

I've been thinking about it for a long time now because the cheating just seemed so... out of left field? I guess? But then I realised it's only surprising if you assume he did it for fun. A lot of people seem to think he takes mc for granted, but throughout the Afterlife we see him over and over again being thankful for their presence and not considering himself worthy of them. But what we also see is some of the lengths to which his mother will go to make him be who she wants him to be. And given that we know mc is the one who's helping Ian cut her out of his life, it's no surprise she'd want to break them up. idk I just think it makes more sense with Ian's character than just like... he felt like cheating and assumed they'd forgive him?

😳 Joseph introducing you to all of the guys as the stations new pet, making you greet them on all fours and letting them know you're free for any of them to use when they need to blow off a little steam~

Ooooh yesssss they absolutely make those firefighter pin up calendars and I would order a hundred of them!! The real question is would they do "sexy firefighters with kittens/puppies" calendars as well? Cause those would be hot and cute!!

>:3c Joseph is gonna get his whole life ruined and it'll be beautiful~ Yeah, herbal cigarettes are cool cause they just smell kinda like burning herbs/flowers. So like floral or herby and smoky too! Like when people burn lavender and stuff! But yeah, I can imagine Ian smelling like them because I feel like there's a lot of pressure for actors to smoke but he wouldn't want nicotine or weed. Joseph definitely smells like Obsession!! And yeah, I could see Jack smelling of grapefruit tbh.

Waxplay is very fun!! And hot, it's fun to watch someone squirm while hot wax drips on them >:3c

#sunshine #asks #🎃 anon

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myevilmouse · 1 year

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For the writers ask game, I am curious about 14, 23, and 24 if you feel up for it!

💕💕💕

Thank you for these asks! Some interesting questions for sure.

14. how do you write emotional scenes? Do you ever feel what the characters feel? Do you draw from personal experiences?

I don’t draw from personal experiences often except for like, the life experiences aspect of it, I guess? What I mean is, I can imagine how people would behave because I am Ancient and have Seen A Lot. But most of the time, because the characters are so dissimilar to me, I don’t think my personal history is very helpful. I will tell you something though...

That gif is freaking horrifying isn't it?

I DO kind of rehearse dialogue for scenes that feel fraught. In my head or (rarely) out loud, sometimes in the shower, my favorite sensory deprivation tank. I like writing dialogue but I try to keep it crisp, and sometimes saying something or imagining that scene like I’m hearing it or saying it can help me come up with what works and what doesn’t.

As for feeling what the characters feel, I guess the answer is “it depends.” I don’t write a lot of angst or whump, so I’m more interested in conveying something that is believable or authentic, even if it doesn’t produce the same emotional response in me. Does that make sense? I think the most often I feel like the characters are when they surprise me. So if Luke or Thrawn doesn't follow the author’s intention and go off and do something unplanned, or if they finally stop resisting and succumb to my nefarious plotting, I tend to feel the same relief or gratification the other characters do.

Me @my characters ^^

This is rather nebulous, I understand, so here’s an example:

In Corrupted Cake, I wrote a scene where Luke wants to lower his shields so Mara can see how he feels about her, and he wouldn’t do it. He just wouldn’t. I really really really thought he would (it was my intention for him to do it) and because Mara didn’t want him to, he refused. Which was annoying and prolonged the fic, requiring another chapter to be written, and that surprised me. Surprised Mara too. Shouldn’t have surprised me, in hindsight, because of course Luke isn’t going to force his emotions (hahah pun intended) on someone else, but it was super annoying at the time. So both Mara and the writer were surprised at that one.

My characters are always doing things of their own volition and it’s always an adventure hahaha one of my favorite things about writing as a hobby.

23. Best writing advice for other writers?

I think the best writing advice is write for yourself, not anyone else. Write for an audience of one, especially when it comes to fanfic. If you feel writer’s block or anxiety about writing, just write something deliberately not to publish, just for yourself. Life’s too short to give a shit about what other people think.

If you want to be a commercial success, my advice would be different. But for fanfic, definitely please yourself.

24. Worst writing advice anyone ever gave you?

There is so much bad advice out there from my perspective, but I try to be understanding and realize that what I may find super ridiculous, some writers may find enlightening. I personally sort of think 90% of writing advice is useless, and that’s because everyone is different, and writes differently. So I can’t really pinpoint a “worst” but in general, anyone who speaks in absolutes and say “this is what you HAVE to do” is wrong. There are no absolutes. Do whatever works for you, and throw out the rulebook.

I hope this was helpful @cyber-witch85! Thank you for giving me an excuse to stay up late tonight 💙😁 Have some Thrawn in thanks.

#asks #i like asks #my thoughts #fanfic #favorite characters #fanfic is for fun

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thatgirl4815 · 2 years

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Red

Totally random thought, but I’ve been thinking and..maybe red isn’t Kinn’s true color? ‘True’ as in, it represents something that has been applied to Kinn but doesn’t fully represent who he is.

The Hidden Messages preview highlights Kinn’s color as red and Porsche’s color as blue, so there’s really no doubting that they’re intending us to view them as (at least partial) representations of these characters. For the purposes of this post, I’m going to focus exclusively on the color red.

Symbolically, red often represents themes like dominance, anger, wrath, and strength. I’d argue that, in many cases outside of the romantic sphere, red has negative connotations. Aside from white and black, blue and red often represent forces of good and evil, respectively. Looking at it from this perspective, it makes sense that Kinn would be marketed as the “evil” of sorts given his ties to the mafia. Porsche would then be defined as a symbol of purity. We, of course, know that these are mere generalizations, but they seem to hold up for many fictional works.

I mentioned how red has mostly negative connotations, but it can also represent warmth and security, both of which I think we see Kinn trying to encompass over the course of these past 7 episodes in his relationship with Porsche. On the surface, red might appear negative, but there is more to unpack if you look deeper. If Kinn’s color really is red, I think it’s meant to deceive us. I’m thinking back to Ep1, when Kinn’s persona seemed so stone-faced and mafia-like (for lack of a better term). He was embodying these negative associations with the color red: namely, dominance.

Now, this is where I’ll bring in Vegas. The whole reason I was tempted to write about red at all is because of the use of color in Ep7, both in his clothes, and in the light that shines on his face in certain scenes:

And he’s been cast in a red light in other places as well:

I believe Vegas represents the kind of cruelty we typically associate with red. Not to imply that Vegas is a one-dimensional character, but from what we know of him, he is just plain evil: twisted, sadistic, and cruel. He is also power-hungry. He mentions how Kinn wants control, but he wants control also--he feeds off of it, in fact. I don’t want to attempt to completely psychoanalyze Vegas’s character here, but I do think that red suits him.

Vegas and Kinn

What, then, do we make of the fact that both Kinn and Vegas are associated with the color red? As I’ve said, I think that Vegas embodies the true meaning of red’s relatively negative associations--dominance, control, and wrath--while Kinn is merely posing as the color red. I’d argue that for Kinn, red represents his mafia persona that he tries so hard to embody. I don’t think this means that Kinn doesn’t represent any of these other attributes of the color red, such as dominance and control, because he certainly does, but I’d argue that it’s a result of this role in the mafia (and Korn’s pressure) more than who he really is at his core.

And really, when I go back and watch that Hidden Messages video again, I can’t help but think how different Kinn seems there--it doesn’t even feel like the same character. Maybe it’s because we’ve been enlightened so much to his struggles (Ep6 ftw!!), but it’s interesting to look back on early promotional materials and consider how much they differ from the final product now. It’s not necessarily a bad thing (in fact, I think it’s quite the opposite).

I’m probably reading into this too far, but I wonder about the colors that each character has been assigned. I don’t think their associations are nearly as black and white (pun intended) as we’ve been led to believe, and if we view them this way, then we miss out on some of the richer nuances of the characters.

#kinnporsche #kinnporsche the series #kinnporsche meta #kinnporsche episode 7 #I really love colors #They're so fun to talk about

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jerzwriter · 10 months

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March 2023

✍🏼 Fanfic 🎨 Artwork 📷 Edit 📱 Text Fic Ⓜ️ 18+ Content 🔥NSFW 🛸AU

A monthly summary of my fanfics, art commissions, and some of my favorite content from other fandom creators.

Categories are in alpha order of character names. Fics underneath are in order of date posted.

Eli Sipes x Zoe - Wake the Dead

A Cappy Ending ✍🏼 (feat. Troy Hassan) Eli, Zoe & Troy set off for an afternoon of hunting and make a most unusual discovery. As the day continues, Troy reveals he’s made some discoveries of his own.

Ethan Ramsey x Kaycee - Open Heart

Mamma Mia ✍🏼 Kaycee’s parents are moving out of their home, and while she’s there helping pack up, she makes an unsettling discovery.

Insecure (AU) ✍🏼🔥In this AU, Ethan recently published a successful book that has launched him to celebrity status. Kaycee couldn’t be prouder of him, but it's left her a bit insecure in their secret relationship. Fortunately, Ethan knows how to reassure her.

More Below...

No Cure ✍🏼 Ethan leaves work early one day and runs into Kaycee at an unexpected place. He's impressed with a project she's undertaken, but when he walks away, he realizes there is no cure.

Almost Home ✍🏼 Kaycee is away at a conference, while back in Boston, Ethan realizes just how much life has changed.

Highways & Byways Part 1 ✍🏼Ⓜ️ Kaycee sees a Do not touch your partner’s private part while he/she is driving! sign and found them inspiring. 😉

Tobias Carrick (in E/K World) - Open Heart

Sorry, Tobias ✍🏼Tobias wants Kaycee to introduce him to her gorgeous friend, but when he won’t take no for an answer, Kaycee has to set him straight. (No pun intended 😂)

Tobias Carrick x Casey - Open Heart

What's Forever For (AU) Part 2: Things Unsaid ✍🏼 Having a hard time handling her upcoming divorce, Casey spends the day with Sienna, and the women share an enlightening heart-to-heart. Part 3: Things Unsaid ✍🏼Tobias is heading to Casey’s parent’s house to pick up their son. Both of them have so much they want to say, but insecurity, fear, and other factors stand in their way. Can they overcome the obstacles? Or will this be the end?

A Little Surprise (feat. Bryce Lahela x @storyofmychoices Olivia Hadley) ✍🏼 Tobias & Casey’s wedding is this Saturday! And their officiant, Bryce, has been so excited about wooing the single guests all along, until now.

Special Delivery 📱A silly, saucy text exchange between Tobias and Casey. Set early on in their relationship.

Just Fine ✍🏼 Tobias stumbles upon a shaken Bryce… who tries to warn him about what he’s in for. But Tobias has things under control… or does he?

The Missing Piece ✍🏼Casey’s heading out for a night with friends, and Tobias is on Dad duty. The night goes well overall, but it’s not complete until Casey returns home.

Highways & Byways Part 2 ✍🏼 Casey sees a Do not touch your partner’s private part while he/she is driving! sign and takes it as a challenge… 😉

The Last of Us

Commentary Episode 8

Some of my favorite things from other creators during the month of March!

Dinner for Mommy 🎨OH - Ethan Ramsey x Lilac - @jamespotterthefirst's commission from @/artbyainna

Drake Walker Fanart 🎨TRR - Drake Walker x Riley @angelasscribbles's commission from @rosefuckinggenius

Guinevere Fanart 🎨 King Arthur x Guinevere @ao719 's commission created by @pilitella

Happy Birthday, Olivia ✍🏼🎨TRR - Bryce x Olivia - @storyofmychoices (art: @/artbyainna)

I Mustache You to Be Mine 🎨 WTD - Troy Hassan x F!MC (Astraea) Commission by @/artbyainna

Mrs. & Mrs. Hunt 🎨RCD - Thomas Hunt & Alex @theartoflovingthomashunt's commission by @/irdeinfierno

The In-Betweeners ✍🏼 OH - F!MC, Landry -@inlocusmads

War & Peace ✍🏼 OH - Ethan Ramsey x Sawyer

What I'm Becoming ✍🏼 OH - Bryce Lahela x M!MC - @mydemonsdrivealimo

#jerzwriter masterlist #march 2023 #open heart #open heart choices #choices open heart #wake the dead #wake the dead choices #ethan ramsey #tobias carrick #eli sipes #troy hassan #fanart #fanfic #playchoices

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movedtodykedvonte · 1 year

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Spamvil Thoughts

Sometimes I think of pre canon Spamvil, like big shot era Spamvil but I like to add right person wrong time/scenerio.

Like I constantly see the interpretation that Jevil and Spamton knew each other because of the person who “enlightened” them and having this bond over being affected by the same entity even if they perceive themself to be on completely different axis of it’s instruction. But what if only like one of them knew and what if it was Jevil?

Jevil hides behind the mentality that life, reality, everything is a game without any real consequence. It wouldn’t really matter to Jevil what the entity can do to him nor do I every think he’d like work for it. I do think he’d take interesting in messing with other of the entities victims. I like to imagine the scenario of Jevil going to meet Spamton as a big shot planning to rib on him and his frivolous motives/ideals only to see that Spamton craves the same freedom Jevil already believes he has achieved and decides that is a much better game to play into. He presents himself as someone that had the ability to see the things the same way Spamton currently is and understands his struggle all without revealing his connection to the same person Spamton is getting calls from. Jevil finds people’s philosophies and idiosyncrasies fascinating and Spamton’s are so contradictory he can’t help but rope himself into this guys downward spiral. He insists he understand where Spam is coming from, that there is more to life and that freedom is something all can achieve if people such as Spamton stopped believing it is something that you earn/win rather than make for yourself. And he knows Spam’s way to scared of the phone to tell him anything if he knew.

In this iteration Spamton genuinely believes he has a confidant despite being initially off put by Jevil’s entire... everything.... at first. He doesn’t know how but Jevil seems to get exactly what he means and why he’s so strung up pun intended about everything. It’s nice and Jevil is someone he wants around, someone that he lets his walls down around and opens up to cause this clown around town does not think he’s insane or completely pathetic when he does. He’s still haughty and tries to be something he’s not but he tries to take breaks around Jevil. Of course this does not bode well for Jevil who was able to see this as nothing more than a game because he believed Spamton too shallow to ever be more than surface level or vain in his understanding/revealing of things and actually building a repour with the addison. He genuinely wants Spamton to be free the real way and with him at that, because as much as he can fake it, it is lonely being the only one to see the truth of your reality. I imagine Jevil would start dropping hints about the phone or that he knows exactly what is going on with BS.Spam but is a playful way.

Of course all this does is unsettle the very fragile Spamton cause despite all he’s shared with Jevil the phone is usually off limits as it is a giant source of paranoia and fear. Of course when Spamton starts to crack towards the end, when the calls get more cryptic and less frequent, Jevil thinks it’s a wonderous idea to reveal everything which of course just makes Spamton crack more, now believing his closest companion at the time is just another component for the control his benefactor has over him. He pushes Jevil away and this is where Spamton’s sentiments that he needs to surpass Jevil, another pawn in his torment and a hatred for the clown cause it’s way easier to loath than be sad the one friend and maybe more he thought he had built their relationship off pretty white lies and what he thought was genuine understanding.

The rest is the same with Jevil getting locked up and the whole puppetification, but the idea that Jevil was the misguided lovestruck dummy is never played with the same way it is with Spamton.

#like i can imagine him getting why Spamton was hurt by it #but ultimately just brushing it off as spamton not getting the game #but having this feeling of serious regret he cant shake off by not dropping his mindset even once #especially when spamton was being rpeal and he was just treating it as another aspect to play with #of course spamton has some fault here too #way too in his own world or still concerned with what other think to actually live for himself #or heed jevils advice feeling like he had to do these things #all im saying they pined for each other at different time cause one had to learn to respect the other #and the other gained the false idea they never did and felt even more used #misguded help #undertale #deltarune #utdr #jevil #jevil deltarune #spamton #spamton g spamton #spamton g addison #big shot era #big shot spamton #addispam #spamvil #dr funny business #deltarune analysis

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201xs · 2 years

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Z: "one more thing, before you go."

J: "hm?"

Z: "how do you work?"

J: "ah! the inquisitive type, hm? The Scales of Truth are omnipotent and neutral, gifted to me and crafted by the supernatural power of Gregory House. They read the truth of Your soul using the power of My soul."

Z: "oh... wow, interesting- but i didnt mean the scales. i meant You. like, how do you move? what's inside there?" he gestures to J's chest.

J: his face goes blank for a moment. "I. Don't actually know. It never occurred to me."

Z: "oh. well, can i see? maybe i can help figure it out."

J: "I suppose it couldn't hurt." J lowers himself closer to the ground, the thread holding him to the ceiling still taut but his weights resting on the floor.

Z: "let's see." Z reaches over and touches one of J's 'arms', testing it's range of motion. the metal, with no joints to speak of, bends effortlessly as if it was an elbow. there is no socket that connects to his body- his arms appear to be welded on.

J: "This body... I wonder? what forces crafted it? i remember being a human... but when my soul started to wander, I changed. Where did this form come from?"

Z: "oh, i.... I just got here. i dont know. maybe your subconscious mind had something to do with it..? your soul?"

J: "That makes sense." plainly.

Z: "can i take off your shirt?"

J: his eyes blow wide open for a few seconds. "Oh. Sure."

Z: "how do i...." he rides his hands up J's stomach and the fabric catches on his underarms. "it's really tight, and i dont want to rip it. But... there's a panel here. with a latch."

J: His face is frozen in an odd gawking expression and he seems flustered. "Um. Um. You can open it. I think. Gh. That feels right."

Z: "You dont think... anything bad will happen to you? I dont want to hurt you." softly.

J: his pupils are like pinpricks, darting from one side to another. hisses of pressurized air escape the joint where his neck would be. "Yes. Yes. I mean. You care about me?"

Z: "of course i do! youre the only one in Gregory House who i'm sure isnt lying to me." He rests his hand on J's chestplate. "Are you ok? does this hurt or anything?"

J: "Sorry. I don't know what's making me lose my cool like this. Open it. Please. Hurry."

Z: "Ookay..." unsure. Z clicks open the latch and there is a release of pressure. the hatch opens like a coke can.

J: breathing a heavy sigh of relief... "What's... inside?"

Z: "It's. It's empty." Breathless. "Just... nothing..." enraptured.

J: "Oh. anticlimactic, perhaps? all i know is that was a weight off my chest. pun intended."

Z: "Empty... I wonder...?" Z places his hand on the bottom inside panel.

J: his eyes squeeze shut for just a moment as his body rocks forward, seemingly involuntarily. The front panel shuts like a slammed door and Z withdraws his hand quickly. "I. That was. Enlightening. I have to go now. thank you. bye."

J: the thread pulls him to his previous position and he bolts away into the hallway.

Z: ???????????????????? .............i am in love with him

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arshdeep00 · 2 months

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Detailing Start-Up Venture: Progress Update

Hey there, fellow Tumblr enthusiasts! It’s time for a candid update on my car detailing start-up venture. Buckle up, because we’re diving into the nitty-gritty of what’s working, what’s not, and all the feels in between.

What’s Working?

Customer Satisfaction: Our meticulous attention to detail (pun intended) has left our customers beaming. Their cars emerge from our garage looking like they just rolled off the assembly line.

Word of Mouth: Happy clients are our best marketers. They’ve been spreading the word faster than a turbocharged engine. Referrals are pouring in!

Social Media Presence: Our Instagram game is strong. Those glossy before-and-after shots? Pure eye candy. We’ve got followers lining up like it’s a limited-edition drop.

What’s Not Working?

Pricing Strategy: Finding that sweet spot between affordability and profitability is like navigating a winding mountain road. We’re still tweaking our rates.

Supply Chain Woes: Sometimes, getting the right products feels like chasing a unicorn. Suppliers are playing hide-and-seek with us.

Time Management: Balancing detailing sessions, paperwork, and marketing efforts is like spinning plates. We need Hermione’s time-turner.

Project Feels

Honestly, it’s a rollercoaster. Some days, I’m riding high, envisioning fleets of gleaming cars. Other days, I’m clutching my steering wheel, wondering if I’ve bitten off more than I can wax. But overall, the adrenaline rush keeps me fueled.

Business Lessons

Flexibility: Plans are like roadmaps—essential but subject to detours. Adaptability is key.

Networking: Connecting with other entrepreneurs at local meetups has been enlightening. Turns out, we’re all in the same leaky boat.

Resilience: When the buffer zone is as thin as a coat of polish, resilience becomes our airbag.

Self-Discovery

Running a business is like holding a mirror up to your soul. Here’s what I’ve learned about myself:

Perfectionist Tendencies: I agonize over every swirl mark. But hey, it’s what sets us apart.

Grit: I’ve got more grit than a sandpaper sponge. Failure? It’s just a pit stop.

Passion: The smell of car wax at dawn—it’s my elixir. This venture isn’t just business; it’s my heart’s engine revving.

So, fellow road warriors, buckle up. The journey continues, and I’m shifting gears toward success. 🚗💨

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tokenofmydevotion · 5 months

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I'm 40 years old and dying my hair funky colors for the first time has been an enlightened (pun intended) experience. I have gotten very mixed reactions. Work, family, random people at Walmart. I'm pretty sure I will never stop.

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blogbibliophilia · 1 year

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Book Review: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

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Book Length: 319 pages

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My Review: The author of this book did his homework! He gave us insight into the science of habits. He really broke it down to a molecular level (no pun intended) to give us real tangible definitions and examples. There were parts of the book that I thought that he repeated but I guess that was to drive the point home. There are habits that I know I subconsciously do that I work towards changing and there are good habits that I would like to keep fostering. This book was enlightening.

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ear-worthy · 1 year

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Pod-Alization: Freakonomics Saves Your Pets; The Economics Of Everyday Things; Libsyn’s New Podcaster Solutions

Freakonomics Radio podcast rescues your Lab Mix and your Tabby

People today can get riled up over the dumbest things. The shape of the M&M cartoon character. The new name of a sports team, or the political color of the state in which you reside.

But when they come for your pets, we are all united in the battle the against private equity, or Big Finance, trying to turn our pets' health into an Excel spreadsheet full of dollar signs. Or are they?

Freakonomics Radio, has just released a two-part series on changes happening behind the scenes at local vets across the country.

Part one asks: "Should You Trust Private Equity to Take Care of Your Dog?" If that question sounds far-fetched (no pun intended), you might not realize how much big investors have been quietly buying up local veterinary practices. What does this mean for scruffy little Max, fyi – that's the most popular dog name in the U.S. in 2022 — and for the economy?

Part two, "Do You Know Who Owns Your Vet?," continues the investigation, looking at the pros and cons of small businesses getting bought by big investors. Host Stephen Dubner speaks to businesspeople, economists, and, of course, the veterinarians themselves. He also shares his own recent vet experience with his dog that inspired the series.

After you listen to these two episodes, call your vet to see if they have sold out to private equity. You may want to drive to Central Michigan farm country and starting seeing The Incredible Dr. Pol of NatGeo Wild fame.

Freakonomics introduces a new podcast: The Economics Of Everyday Things.

Some podcast networks are the junkyard dogs of podcasting. Any podcast, no matter the subject -- from true-crime to self-obsessed celebrities -- is a prime candidate for their network if it attracts listeners and advertisers.

Thankfully, Freakonomics is more selective in the podcasts it adds to its network. If I can define the Freakonomics universe -- podcasts, books, speeches, articles -- it is a thoughtful, discerning, often data-driven inspection of our world with a basic understanding that humans are crippled by their perceptual blind spots.

This week, Freakonomics added a new podcast and, if its first episode is any indication of its value, it is a winner and definitely ear worthy.

The podcast is called The Economics Of Everyday Things. In the first episode: Gas stations. When gas prices skyrocket, do station owners get a windfall? And where do their profits really come from? This episode is enlightening and counterintuitive in some of its conclusions.

As you may know, people are weird about the price of gas on a visceral level. I have a neighbor who drives an extra five miles to a gas station where the price is two cents cheaper. He drives a huge gas guzzling pickup truck. Do the math. He's not saving money. Maybe even losing a few cents.

The podcast hosted is Zachary Crockett, who was a staff writer at Vox.com and Priceonomics. His written work has appeared in The Atlantic, Time, Longreads, and elsewhere; I’ve also dabbled in radio (Marketplace, NPR, Slate) and video (The Discovery Channel, Vox).

Even with the small sample size of one episode, it's safe to say that Crockett does a nice job with the episode, and I like his playfulness and incisiveness. Plus, for a smart guy, he does not talk down to his listeners.

Check out The Economics Of Everyday Things here.

Libsyn adds new tools for podcasters Liberated Syndication Inc. (“Libsyn”) has announced the latest in a series of product innovations to its platform for podcast creation, hosting, and advertising services at Podfest Expo 2023 including the debut of Libsyn Connect (Beta), a browser-based podcast collaboration tool that delivers incredibly high-quality remote recording. Libsyn will be showcasing its offerings at booth #1 for those of you making the trek to Orlando. Among the latest platform innovations and partnerships: -Integrated into Libsyn’s industry-leading platform, Libsyn Connect (Beta) delivers a comprehensive, feature-rich recording solution that provides creators with everything they need to record the highest quality interviews. Among the key Libsyn Connect (Beta) recording features:Integrated multitrack recording saves time and provides greater flexibility and control during editing and post-production for creators. -Continuous sync recording to ensure that all guest recordings are of the highest quality and synchronized, especially for remote guest participants. -A built-in chat feature that enables creators to have a sidebar conversation with podcast guests to minimize editing. -The option to easily record on mobile devices for podcasters on the go. -Libsyn is among the first podcast platforms to integrate with Apple Podcasts Subscriptions — empowering Libsyn creators to launch and grow podcast subscriptions by streamlining the publishing process to Apple Podcasts. -With the integration of Studio into Libsyn, creators can now easily produce their podcast with automated post-production processing inside the Libsyn toolset — including the addition of a Reusable Chapter tool to speed podcast creation. If you don't know, Libsyn is one of the largest companies in the podcasting space. Founded in 2004, Liberated Syndication Inc. (“Libsyn”) hosted over 75,000 shows with 5.8 million podcast episodes and delivered over six billion downloads to listeners globally in 2021. Libsyn’s AdvertiseCast marketplace combines an ad buying and management platform with full-service capabilities that make it easy for podcast advertisers to initiate and manage highly targeted and measurable campaigns on over 3,000 shows.

#podcasting #podcast #economics #pets

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photographyatmit · 2 years

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BlogPost 6

There is a stark contrast to the two interviews, with Bruce Davidson and W. Eugene Smith. The interview with Bruce Davidson focuses more on the context of the photograph, whereas the interview with Eugene Smith focuses much more on the technical aspects of lighting in the photograph. If I was naïve, I would assert that Eugene Smith’s main focus was a nicely lit frame, and Bruce Davidson focused on philanthropic photo journalism. But then why does Bruce Davidson recall ‘Gene Smith’ as a hero? Because Smith is known as the most important of the photographer in editorial photo essays. The midwife project, Country Doctor, mercury poisoning in Minamata (and a severe beating) are just some of his accomplishments in that regard. The interview with Eugene Smith just happens to be about lighting, but it is absolutely enlightening (no pun intended).

The complementary subjects of these interviews provide two different angles of the photographic process. One is about looking for a picture in the mind, and the other is about putting it two film. Oddly enough, both taught me the same exact thing: As a photographer, I’m used to not affecting the scene, and that is a very limiting way to hunt.

Bruce Davidson says too much of photography is shoot and leave. In other words, find a subject around you, look for a frame, take the picture, and repeat. More often than not, the subject is not involved in how the frame comes up. There is merit to this; it gives a pristine visage of the subject, akin to a measurement that doesn’t change the measured quantity. But this visage is important only from the view of the photographer, who finds a specific moment/stance/element interesting and captures it. Davidson's methods are very different. The subject knows about the photographer, the photo and the process, and are in a sense, closer to both. This almost collaborative process allows them to direct a different visage, more real, more alive and more important to them. By allowing them to be aware and in control of the photo, you give them the right to choose the moment/stance/element that is interesting to them, and have you shoot it. When the entire point of the photo is showing the hard life of another, this approach makes much more sense.

Smith brings up a technical but key point; the importance of light. Smith suggests changing the light in the scene if it does not work for you, but I am used to adapting to environmental lighting. I do not like using flash because I feel it disturbs the scene too much and it doesn’t match what I see. But what Smith sees, with his years of experience, is beyond the current light. True, he does state that sometimes you have to be faithful with lighting in the frame to capture the ambience and atmosphere. But a considerable number of photos do not turn out as good as they should be, because the photographer chooses the easy way out; not being imaginative with lighting. He makes a fine example about why adding a light source in a frame is not cheating or fabrication, and might even make the photo more faithful to the subject. Looking through his photos, you can see the expert lighting used in the frames. For instance, the way he uses a light inside the room, and no light outside in “Wake of Juan Carra Trujillo”, intensifies the subject through the doorframe. The doorframe adds a certain element of village in ‘Spanish village’ but to avoid too much attention to it, lighting is chosen perfectly. Another good example is how tension is amplified with the forehead wrinkle shadows in the Country Doctor. I wonder how Eugene Smith would feel about Digital Cameras and Lightroom in our times. I would have loved to talk to him about it.

Wake of Juan Carra Trujillo By W. Eugene Smith From: "Spanish Village" photo-essay Location: Deleitosa, Province of Caceres, Extremadura, Spain Year: 1951

A Victim of the Disease By W. Eugene Smith From: "Minamata" Location: Minamata Bay, Japan Year: 1971

Dr Ceriani operating on Lee Marie Wheatly, a two and a half year old child who needed emergency surgery after having been kicked in the head by a horse By W. Eugene Smith From: "Country Doctor" Location: Kremmling, Colorado, USA Year: 1948

#DavidsonSmith #PouyaHamadanian

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adashofniallandasprinkleoflunacy · 2 years

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does alien harry like titties? or does he just stick to apples and pussy?

Yeah I don’t see why not, not even aliens are immune

And what’s funny is he’d be so perplexed about his affinity for them. Like he’d lay on her with his head buried in her chest while she plays with his hair, practically drooling and falling asleep, and all she’d hear is a drunken mumble of, “Mammary glands are literally just sacks of adipose tissue meant for thermoregulation, nutrient storage, and feeding offspring. I don’t understand why I’m attracted to them, they don’t have any reproductive value!”

“Please don’t refer to my tits as ‘mammary glands’ ever again.”

“Sorry. I just…I can’t find the evolutionary link to why they produce a sexual reaction and it’s driving fucking mental. It makes no sense.”

“Maybe the reasoning behind it isn’t so scientifically cut and dry.”

Harry lifts his head for a moment, blinking his eyes at her drowsily, yet full of interest. “Elaborate.”

“Maybe it’s psychological.”

“How so?”

“God, this is going to sound ridiculously clinical and borderline Freud-like, but maybe you’re attracted to them because of an underlying reproductive value.”

“Explain.”

“Well, maybe your brain sees breasts as a symbol of passing on your genetic material, considering their main purpose is to sustain offspring. The natural instinct of any living organism is to pass on their DNA, and since mammary glands are technically meant to help that DNA survive and develop into a bloodline, that could possibly be your missing link. Maybe that’s where the sexual appeal stems from: the fact that they indirectly support an evolutionary primal urge.”

“But I don’t want a child.”

“Your hormones can’t differentiate between whether you do or don’t. They’re automatic, so your reaction is automatic.”

Harry stares at her in thoughtful silence for a moment, processing her theory and cross-referencing it with everything he’s researched about humans and their scientific background. He dismantles her hypothesis, studies it in pieces with immense scrutinizing precision, and then shuffles its contents back together, absorbing it as his own. She makes a great point; her opinions have a solid foundation, and though they’re based mostly off brain games instead of concrete data, he’s come to learn that humans rely heavily on the psychological aspects of things to find solutions to their problems. And more often than not, they manage to find a successful explanation.

Harry has never been one for implications and loose-ended deductions— he’s always preferred palpable proof as the source material for his beliefs, courtesy of his scholarly tendencies— but he can’t deny that he finds Y/N’s speculations fascinating. They’re refreshing, logical, complex, and completely different then what he’s used to. He never even thought to take the cognitive factors into consideration; he just assumed it was all purely physiological, and in doing so, limited the scope of his results. Despite being part of a civilization that is centuries more advanced than anything he’s found on earth, he’s shocked to find that a simple college student has managed to best his years of experience. The human mind is fucking insane, pun intended.

Harry glances up at Y/N once more with an awed tinge to the emerald green of his eyes, and then proceeds to plop his head back down against her chest, wordlessly surrendering to her working theory. His voice weighs in delicate and sleepy, full of admiration and fondness. “You’re so hot when you’re clincal.”

The girl smiles to herself softly, continuing to gently scratch at his scalp like before, swimming in his praise. It feels good to have her wits complimented by someone she holds to such a high standard. “I’m glad I could enlighten someone of your academic standing.”

“‘Enlighten.’” Harry murmurs through a chuckle, huffing in amusement and allowing it to mold into a long yawn. “Nice one.”

#alienrry

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sugarcubetikki · 3 years

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The Cat Palisman *SPOILER WARNING FOR ECLIPSE LAKE*

Was researching cat symbolism and cat’s significance in witchcraft. Because I’m curious about the palisman over here.

My top two theories right now about the palisman are that:

It’s Amity’s.

It’s Luz’s.

Firstly, what cats symbolise.

“The cat is a symbol of various connotations. It varies from darker aspects such as being linked to demons, witchcraft, darkness to very positive characteristics such as independence, liberty, spiritual enlightenment, intuition, balance, and hope.”

“Cat symbolism includes elegance, curiosity, independence, protection, magic, and other notable qualities. “

I think the symbolism for cats is very fitting for both Luz and Amity. Since cats strongly connote for witchcraft - as they’re very popular familiars of witches - and also represent independence. They relate to the journey both Luz and Amity face in becoming their own, independent witches.

Luz is trying to seek freedom from how she constantly feels like a burden to everyone. A burden to Eda. A burden to her mom. A burden to her friends. She keeps subconsciously running away to feel less of a burden. Distancing herself from her mom by staying in the Isles, since she probably felt like her mom thought she was a burden with how much she got in trouble, since she was sending her off to camp and distancing herself from Eda in the first episode of S2 under the notion that she feels like a burden by staying there, when she’s supposed to be home.

And she feels like a burden to her friends too at times. How it feels like Willow, Gus and Amity keep on getting in trouble because of her.

She hopes to feel free of that feeling, become more independent and become less of a burden. And she doesn’t have healthy outlets to do that. Her self-hatred keeps on pushing her to go above and beyond by engaging in acts of self-harm and sacrifice to protect and help the people she cares about and feel less of a burden.

She wants to be her own witch to be as independent and strong as her mom and Eda. Anything to feel less of a burden.

Amity is seeking freedom from family and parental influence. And the image she’s been taught to live under for years now. The image and future she’s been taught to live under for years were never her own. They were dependent on what her family wanted rather than her own choices. But ever since she’s been brought to the light, ever since Luz entered (pun intended), she’s faced with the question of who she really wants to be. Whether it’s being dependent on her parents assigned path of perfection for her, or carving her own path forward.

And she’s slowly doing that, slowly carving her own path forward, making her own, independent decisions for once. Becoming her own witch rather than the image her parents want her to portray. She’s still very conflicted and afraid.

Even with the fine taste of happiness dancing right in front of her, she’s afraid. Afraid of being rejected for who she is. By not only her parents but other people around her, after living for so long under a so-called acceptable image, who she is, can seem daunting to her, and she’s afraid that not everyone may like that part of her.

But she’s inspired by Willow, Gus and Luz. And she too, is taking the plunge to become her own person. Even with fear.

Both of them are battling fear and pressure to become independent witches. Something that’s highlighted behind the symbolic meaning of a cat palisman.

Another proof to it being Amity would be...

The Egyptian moon goddess, Bastet, was cat-headed. And hell, I’ve spoken about Amity’s connection with moons before.

For Luz, it’s mainly how her design is so cat-based...

There’s just too much proof that it’s either one of them. Can’t say which. Both make so much sense. Like a cat could literally be both their palismen but I don’t know if it works that way lol.

#sugar talks too much #toh #toh spoilers #toh leaks #toh season 2 #the owl house #hunting palismen #eclipse lake #toh speculation #toh analysis #sugar speculates #sugar analyses #amity and moons #amity blight #luz noceda #lumity

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ratingtheframe · 3 years

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10 Films to watch this Valentine’s Day if you’re single as hell.

If anyone or anything is making you feel worthless on the Capitalist Holiday that is Valentine’s Day because you’re single AF, then don’t fret because it means one of two things;

You’re happy enough with yourself to not need anyone else.

You’re allergic to people.

Though mine is both the former and the latter, I can still get down to a good romance movie now and again. Now I’m not talking about those horrendous rom coms that Netflix seems to be churning out every damn minute, but those emotionally invested, earthy and well written dramas that has you ugly crying into your bathrobe for 17 minutes straight (me at the end of Her.). Here is a compiled list of some of the best romance films I’ve seen over the years and how each one doesn’t showcase an abundance of clichés and brands them as “acts of love”.

A Star is Born (2018 or 1953, take your pick)

I’ve found that both the 1953 version of A Star is Born with Judy Garland and the 2018 newer version to be a perfect and well rounded love story. What makes this love story so fierce is the vulnerabilities and downfall of its characters, which even though there are many sad moments, it perpetuates and strengthens the acts of love shown in the film. Both versions are similar in that they follow a woman who’s rise to fame as a performer becomes overshadowed by her jealous partner, who is also a notable celebrity. In the 2018 version starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, Gaga’s character Ally is helped by a country singer, Jackson Maine to become a successful singer and icon amongst the music industry. As she rises, Jackson falls and the character dynamics and intensity between them is a fitting love story. I was thoroughly bawling at the end and I guarantee you will too as Lady Gaga’s rendition of Love Again was the true scene stealer of the film.

Call me by your name (2017)

I have an incredible bias towards this film and it has nothing to do with the film’s context or characters or even Timothée Chalamet The reason why I feel so connected to this film and proclaim it as my favourite film of all time is because of when I watched the film. It’s almost like seeing a film about a political event right after it's happened; you have this rush and connection towards something that’s actually affected you in the real world. I had the same feeling with Call me by your name after going through a rough and confusing patch whilst trying to get over someone I thought I truly loved. Turns out I didn’t (thank god) and yet Call me your name was almost like a shoulder to cry on. It’s a film that’s taught me to love and love hard but most importantly, not beat yourself up or try to distinguish the pain felt by true love. If you haven’t been fortunate to catch this beauty of a film, it follows two men, Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer) and their brief relationship in the summer of 1983 in Northern Italy. 17 year old Elio lives with his parents and his father (Michael Stuhlbarg) is a scholar who invites students from outside the country for the summer in hope of passing on his wisdom to them. This is when Oliver arrives, a handsome twenty something American who becomes the infatuation of Elio.

I’ll never forget the first time I heard the monologue that Elio’s father gave his son at the end, explaining to Elio why he shouldn’t feel embarrassed by the pain he felt after loving Oliver:

“We rip out so much of ourselves to be cured of things faster, that we go bankrupt by the age of thirty and have less to offer each time we start with someone new. But to make yourself feel nothing so as not to feel anything - what a waste”

That, ladies and gentlemen and all in between, is what love is.

Her. (2013)

Once again, another film about love that had a profound effect on me because of when I watched it. Her. follows the story of Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) and his search for a story using an A.I to help him write. However, after getting to know this A.I named Samantha (Scarlett Johansson) and hearing the way she adapts and shows emotions, he soon falls in love with it. Some may deem this as rather sad (which it is) but I think it speaks to bigger constructs like internet dating and letting go of people you loved thus diminishing the fantasy and world you created for the two of you. This part of the film got to me a stark way as I felt the pain of letting go of not only a person, but a fantasy, just like Theodore had to do in letting his past partners go. Her. is truly beautiful, with some great production design, cinematography and acting.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

The absolute queen of love stories would be Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire, a film about the romance between two women in the late 18th Century. Definitely not a narrative you see every day or one that’s been painted in such a way (pun intended). Marianne (Noémie Merlant) is commissioned to paint the beautiful and stubborn Héloïse (Adèle Haenel) and the portrait is to be gifted to a suitor of Héloïse’s from Milan. But instead of getting the painting done and sending it off, Marianne and Héloïse unexpectedly fall for one another at a subtle and well timed pace that had me gawping at the screen the entire way through. Slow, sensual and moving is Portrait of a Lady on Fire and I would definitely say is one of the best LGBTQ plus films ever made to date.

Broke Back Mountain (2005)

Ang Lee scooped up a BAFTA, Golden Globe and Oscar for his direction on his adapted screenplay of Brokeback Mountain. Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) form a romantic bond after shepherding alone together on the side of a mountain. Once their time herding sheep comes to a close and they return back to their respective lives, it's clear that their bond is stronger than they had anticipated. They live in constant fear of their relationship becoming apparent to those around them, which leaves one of them taking matters into their own hands. A controversial yet extremely successful film of its time, Brokeback Mountain does a fabulous job of showcasing the consequences and despair of love using two of Hollywood’s finest actors.

Carol (2013)

It’s difficult to fully appreciate LGBTQ plus films set in the past as they mostly focus on the persecution of homosexuals as opposed to the love they wish to express. However, this was pretty accurate of the time and it's only very recently that we have begun to accept one another’s sexualities and genders fully so much that we play these stories out on screen without the persecution part. Carol is a film directed by Todd Haynes and stars Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett. I found them to be an extremely intense pairing whilst they unravelled as their characters on screen. Therese (Rooney Mara) works in the toy department of a department store when one day she lays eyes upon Carol Aird, a beautiful and elegant married woman who becomes the infatuation of Therese. Therese throws all caution to the wind in order to be closer to Carol and because of this and the 1950s society they live in, their relationship is doomed from the beginning. I was in complete awe of the way Carol had been shot and created into this sensual and rich drama set in the 1950s. From the costumes, to the lighting to the acting, everything about Carol held weight to it showcasing the devotion of a truly talented director.

Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind (2004)

Usually I’d pass on a Charlie Kaufman film, seeing as they make no sense, however I felt that it was time I delved into this cult classic starring Kate Winslet, Jim Carrey, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo and Elijah Wood. It’s a really well made film with a clear and distinct message to it that’s represented in some phenomenal filmmaking techniques. The plot line of this film follows a man trying to erase a past lover and his memories of her get wiped away physically before your eyes on screen. It made me wish that I could do the same with people I’ve liked in the past, but the contradictory of this would be the trauma of eventually ending up with someone you had already met in another life. I haven’t experienced a break up nor felt the pain of one, though I could judge that this film tells that experience really well.

Moonlight (2016)

Moonlight is one of few films that I would genuinely worship if it were a religion. It's also one of the films that I outwardly shame people for not having seen, as it is truly a masterpiece and film lover’s film. Deep, emotionally connected, colourful, harsh, moving and eye opening, this film takes you on an emotional rollercoaster through the eyes of Chiron and the three stages of his life that have carved out his essence as a human being. Not only that, but he falls in love with another boy at his school, and when he does, he’s hurt rather badly. Literally. Moonlight is the definition of profundity and was awarded the top prize of Best Picture at the 2017 Academy Awards.

Loving (2016)

When I think of a truthful and honest testament of love, the film Loving comes to mind which is a fitting title for such a delicate yet strong story. The film is based on a true story of an interracial couple, Richard and Mildred (Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga) being banned from Virginia in the 1950s for choosing to be together. If that ain’t a true sacrifice of love, then I don’t know what is. Choosing someone you love over your own home is an unfathomable thing and certainly shows the strength that this couple had in facing the judgements of others whilst remaining emotionally truthful to themselves.

The Shape of Water (2017)

The Shape of Water is a strange yet enlightening love story between Eliza, a deaf woman (Sally Hawkins) and a creature being tested on in a laboratory. Awards season went mental for this back in 2018, winning four of the THIRTEEN Oscars it was nominated for. I would categorize it as quite the niche film and wouldn’t usually think that such a film could be garnered with Oscar success. However everyone who worked on this film really pulled out the stops in creating an entire new world and perspective that has many layers to it, as well as an abundance of conflict and dynamics for audiences to lull over. The relationship between Eliza and the feared swamp monster that’s being cruelly tested in the laboratories where she works, is heartfelt and honest, which is strange seeing as Eliza’s virtually in love with a monster. The casting in this was outlandish yet it really worked as all actors in this melded well into the story as their prospective characters. It also has one of the most touching endings to a film I’ve ever seen.

And there you have it, ten Romance films for you to enjoy this Valentine’s Day. Watch them all at once, or maybe just watch one. Whether you watch it alone or with someone, it doesn’t really matter!

Lots of love

Ang x

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