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zonnemaagd · 3 years

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Diary of Kuinslosn Deisn, with translator’s notes

Throwing this up here again. It's the first part of Phei's favourite book growing up, the chronicles of Kuinlosn Deisn, a Eastfaric scholar who took it upon themselves to travel to Morkuria a few years after the end of the civil war. It's mostly something I write on the side so it's rough and unpolished but hopefully still enjoyable! Translator's notes are in italics.

Ð18 127, early spring

Today is the day I, Archseer of the College of Blightstone, will travel to the sapphire seas and set foot on Morkurian coast. The treaty has been in place for years but finding a sailor adept at crossing those treacherous seas has proven difficult. Nonetheless, dear Kousei has been a lifesaver once more. Apparently, my sailor is a Morkurian Soncheon. I’ve read about the crocodilelike beings, but never did I dare to dream that I would meet one in person. I’ve been studying the language books for months, hoping that we may have a conversation or two, but will have to wait and see how deep my grasp of the language is.

-x-

The ship was easy to spot. It's much smaller and narrower than the ships of our continent. It only had two masts and a small raise at the end for the helm. The crew itself is small as well, made up of only three humans and our captain. Speaking of the captain, she is even taller than the books describe Soncheon typically to be. Although her legs are shorter than human legs, her chest and alligator-esque head makes her at least two pikes (that's roughly 25 centimeters) taller me. Her head is at least 2 pikes long as well with maybe four vases (88) of teeth. Even more, I expected her reptile skin to be dark green, but our captain’s skin is as green as a lime! A dozen tattoos are drawn upon her skin (is this the famous Soncheon gem-based ink I’ve read so much about? I’d have to inquire further).

The captain complimented me on my command of the Quadric tongue, though I've also made my first mistake as well... confusing the word for captain with wasp, introducing myself as “My name is Kuinslosn Deisn, honoured to be at your ship, Wasp.” I don’t think that my cheeks have ever been redder.

Perhaps I’ll jump overboard.

Moving on; My sleeping quarters are minimalistic but comfortable enough. I enter through a trapdoor in the deck and have a hammock to sleep in and a table to write on. The journey should only take two moons, so my comfort isn’t the priority.

-x-

We’ve spent quite long on sea now. I tried to keep track of the number of passed suns but failed miserably. The captain has given me the nickname bee. It seems that I will not be thrown overboard just yet. I tried to get to know her but she is more reserved than I initially thought. She’s told me that she travelled to Eastfarin for business, but then quickly changed the subject when I asked for more details. I won’t push further for now, since I’d like to keep myself aboard the ship, instead of next to it.

Sidenote: I keep hearing strange noises in the night. Things moving at the lower desk. I don’t dare to ask but I don’t think that I can keep my curiosity under control for much longer. I think I’ll sneak there in the night.

-x-

Tonight, I went into the storage room looking for the source of the noise. When I opened the trapdoor, I noticed that that a lamp was turned on. Who needs a lit lamp in a storeroom in the middle of the night? (middle of the night is underlined three times). Then the most curious thing happened. The shadows against she crates looked like a human sized creature ! It even seemed like it had some kind of antenna or animalistic ears of a pikeslength on is head! But when I approached the beast all I found was a small mouse enjoying breadcrumbs.

The sea is getting to me. Send help.

-x-

After what seemed like an eternity at sea (the ships logbooks suggest 31 passed suns), we have finally spotted land. On starboard I can see a large landmass. We’re too far away to spot the details, but I think I made out a deck of snow-clad trees. After a few days we could see a coastline on portside that has been similar to the coast back home so far. Soft hills with the occasional forest or shrubs. I wonder why there aren’t any fishing villages on the coast. I’ve seen plenty of fish during in the water during our journey; fish I haven’t seen likes off ever before ! When we reach land, I must find a fisherman to help me differentiate between them ! Red fish, blue fish, long fish short fish… I feel like I am not the woman for this job at all. (A few sketches have been drawn at the sides of the parchment, I assume they are drawings of fish, though without the context they look more like drawings of squashed potatoes.)

-x-

At last, we have reached our destination. The capital of the Omsenian Empire is an even greater sight than I could have possibly imagined. The harbour lies in a mountainous circular bay. The docks are placed wherever people could find a platform to build, ending up in a complete mess of a harbour. The rest of the island appears to be more organised on first glance, with neat streets cutting through the grey buildings. Overlooking the harbour is an exceptionally large but narrow mountain. It has a small platform with red stalls on top of it at the middle, which could be some kind of market that I’d like to explore tomorrow. On top of the mountain stands Anyn Keep. The castle itself isn’t the most impressive of structure, but any building placed on a narrow mountain piercing the clouds is an intimidating sight. There’s only a small circular staircase that leads up to the castle. I feel for the servants who have to carry resources upwards. Unless they have managed to build a lift system on the inside of the mountain, that must be an exhausting way to spend your days. I will look into the castle later. For now, I have to help unload some crates. We’ve already managed to unload the largest one which was substantially lighter than I thought it would be.

-x-

During the unloading I noticed the strangest thing. The light crate I mentioned was completely empty except for that single mouse. I do wonder why Dhaang went through such trouble carrying a massive crate. Alas, I thanked her for the journey, without making any mistakes this time, and travelled into the town. The first thing I did was climb up the nearest hill to take in the harbour in its full glory. Eastfarin’s harbours are clean and organised and while so far, Omsenia has a similar feeling, the harbour feels like a completely different world, ruled by different people. In my walk to the hill, I’ve already seen people’s pockets get emptied and I thought I saw a person getting dragged into a cellar in one of the alleyways. I will be admiring the harbour from a distance, I think.

-x-

I inspected the staircase to the castle and found two extremely grumpy guards ‘guarding it’. They turned me around the moment I approached but I was able to take a good look at the staircase leading up to the castle. It’s a square structure that pushes into the sky. At the top it turns into a bridge that connects to the castle that has been built on top of the mountain. I don’t know Omsenian culture very well, but I can safely assume that they like expressing their power because no sensible engineer would construct such a giant building on a dofe shaped mountain.

(A dofeis a type of fruit found in the western parts of Eastfarin. It’s shaped vaguely like an hourglass.)

Regardless, I must get up there.

-x-

When strolling through town I found a structure shaped like a snake’s head. It was made of stone with a white colour. A white so alive. The whole structure seemed to resonate with a strange sense of energy, almost as if it were alive. (Could this be the white stone that is used in Lamor? ). When I approached it, I noticed that the mouth of the structure actually had a door. A locked one, to be precise. I asked a passer-by about the structure and they said occasionally see people enter in the night. Apparently, it’s part of an ancient ritual where ather come to prove their strength in Omsenia. The kind man told me that every realm has one of those structures and that inside you are supposed to find your greatest fear. I’m not sure if we are old-fashioned back home but having giant lizard statues as a requirement to be called a realm seems… odd? (“Cult??” is scribbled next to the text.) I have come upon the word ather in my research, but I always imagined them to be almost angelic star-blessed warriors. Yet, they seem to be very much real. I wonder if the Scalians of the east hold similar trials? Ather is heavily connotated with Morkurian, thus Empire-based, religion yet the kind man suggested that there were at least 6 while there are only 4 realms in the Empire as of writing this.

-x-

I decided to end my day visiting the Moonfall market, named after the place where the moon was created to battle the void that is the night. Though I do wonder why they’d put a market on a place that bears such significance in Morkurian mythos.

#writeblr

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lokiofassgards · 4 years

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Beyla (Loki) 10

As Loki traveled through the wormhole, he arrived in a part of the universe called Sanctuary and met the Mad Titan Thanos and The Other, the former who offered a pact that would allow him to become ruler of the Earth while he would take the Tesseract which was being studied by S.H.I.E.L.D. Thanos provided Loki with a Scepter with a blue gem which acted as a powerful weapon, and also as a mind-control device.

Loki would do this. He is the rightful king. You are his queen. Nothing would stop him from sitting with you on a throne over subjects.

"Darling."

A soft echo erupts throughout my dazed and sleep locked brain. I turn softly in the sheets of my bed pushing the disturbance away.

"Please, Beyla."

I open my eyes and see the only thing in my room is me. I step onto the cold wood of the floor padding my way towards the hall. I venture to the kitchen, fetching myself some water.

"I think you need to move some of these guys into the sun." I quickly turn to face the dark. I wrap the limbs of the plants around the mystery individual and summon my bees to point large stinging knives at the intruder.

I turn on the light to see Iron Man wrapped up in vines and leaves. He looks down nodding at his current situation. "I see. It's the security system. Very natural. Environmental friendly."

I huff releasing him from his binds. "Tony, what the hell? It's 4:19 in the morning!" He takes off the faceplate. "This would've worked out but you ruined it. Come on. I'll show you." I follow him outside of the small house I was provided with and to the back.

"Figured you could store some of the plants and stuff in here. It's also a place where you can work on growing those... glowing things. Fury said he wanted to look at them soon." "They're called vitality buds." "Yeah okay. Just make sure to grow me some of the good stuff. Anyway! Here is your new office, Beyla."

Tony flips on a switch in a gaping doorway. The beams light up and shine through the beautiful glass casing. Two floors of plants and more than enough room to produce whatever we needed.

I squeal walking forward on the tile. "This is amazing!" I laugh spinning around in the greenery. Tony nods in appreciation at his work. He hands me a remote control showing me the many features of the greenhouse. "This is where your work begins."

As the months grow from Loki's passing, the nightly whispers grow as well. The faint call of his silver lie. I stay awake for hours trying to decipher his calls. The more I sleep the more his haunts my heart causing me to question if I had a chance to change it all. Did I ever hold that power to convince him to run off to earth with me long ago? We could've avoided everything in the end.

I sit up in the sheets and reach for my nightstand. I open the drawer and retrieve my large journal from Asgard. I flip page by page seeing how every moment affected who I am today. I giggle laughing at the passages of young Loki and I. Mer teenagers and running among the gardens in hiding places only we knew of.

Loki picks a flower, bowing, and gives it to me. "My love." I look around for security before taking it and meeting his lips.

"Beyla. My girl, it is time for your lessons!" I pull back smirking and drag Loki through the large bushes to the middle of the gardens where it is less tended to.

I press my hand on Loki's mouth as he looks down at me shocked. He laughs as my mother calls for me once more.

Frigga's voice rings out in amusement. "Funny to notice my youngest's absence." The smile on her lips was thick with knowing.

"That girl." My mother sighs running along with her Queen. Loki looks at me smiling. "I have to say I might be rubbing off on you, love. Very sneaky." I peck his cheek. "I had a good teacher."

Had I been blind to our childhood? The signs of the jealousy of Thor. I was too naive to think all he wanted was me. He craved the throne as well. Maybe even more so than love. I trace over the glittering words of my past. My wedding ring still prompts on my finger.

I drop the seeds in the soil covering them up and setting all the watering features on for the time. "I see you're enjoying yourself." I turn to see none other than Nick Fury standing in the bright doorway. I nod grasping the box of his materials. I push them on the table and open the lid revealing the quarter-sized buds glowing with pale orange. I close the lid and slide it to him.

"You aren't very talkative today, Ms. Beyla. Not resting well?" I grin slightly. I rest on the small chair next to the stairs. "Did the dark circles under my eyes give you a clue?" He nods picking up his case. "We will be in touch." I shake my leg with questions running through my mind.

"What do you need those buds for? I told you how dangerous they can be. That's a lot of energy and if used any other way then a simple medicine it will-" "Possibly cause death. Yes, Ms. Beyla we understand. Let us do the work here. We're the good guys." He strolls away with my plants leaving me in suspicion.

"Not long now, love."

"We shall rule once more."

The whispers caused me to shred the sheets once more in frustration. "Shut up!" I groan rolling over. I stand on the floor in madness. "I hear you! Come on out!" I run through the house yelling at the unseen force.

I wander into the bathroom staring at myself in the dark. "You've completely lost it. Look at you. You're a goddess who gardens for the government you don't serve." I shake my head opening the medication cabinet and grasping one of my calming beads. I place them back and close the cabinet and when I do I'm met with eyes thought to be dead. He stares at me with grace and love. "You're also my Queen." I back away in shock hitting my head on the rack behind me. I fall to the ground finally going into a deep dark sleep.

Sat upon the rock, I reach out to her again as she rests. The only time where the link is weak between our two realms. "Beyla." She tosses her body in discomfort. I can only hope she is being kept satisfied in Asgard.

The Other walks upon me, staring at me under its hood. I am handed the Chitauri scepter, a long golden handle, fitted with a blue gem encircled with silver blades. "Our ally knows its workings as they never will. He is ready to lead. And our force, our Chitauri, will follow. The world will be his. The universe yours. And the humans, what can they do but burn?"

"How bad is it?" "That's the problem, sir. We don't know." Agent Coulson leads Hill and Fury through the radiation section of the facility. "Dr. Selvig read an energy surge from the Tesseract four hours ago."

"NASA didn't authorize Selvig to test phase."

"He wasn't testing it, he wasn't even in the room. Spontaneous advancement."

Hill narrows her eyes in confusion. "It just turned itself on?"

"What are the energy levels now?" "Climbing. When Selvig couldn't shut it down, we ordered the evac."

"How long to get everyone out?"

"Campus should be clear in the next half hour."

"Do better." Fury says as he continues to go down to the radiation floor. Fury enters the lab facility where the Tesseract is being held.

"Talk to me, doctor."

Dr. Erik Selvig emerges from behind the CMS machine, concerned. The Tesseract is glowing unusually brighter and flare rings shoot out at random.

"Director."

"Is there anything we know for certain?"

"Tesseract is misbehaving."

"Is that supposed to be funny?"

"No, it's not funny at all. The Tesseract is not only active, she's...misbehaving." The Dr looks onward at the cube.

"How soon until you pull the plug?"

"She's an energy source. If we turn off

the power, she turns it back on. If she reaches peak level..." he draws off indicating the worst.

"Where's Barton?"

"The Hawk? Up in his nest, as usual."

Clint Barton is up on the railings watching them below, Fury calls Barton on his earpiece demanding his presence.

"I gave you this detail so you could keep a close eye on things."

"Well, I see better from a distance."

"Are you seeing anything that might set this thing off?"

"No one's come or gone. It's oven is clean. No contacts, no I.M.'s. If there was any tampering, sir, it wasn't at this end."

Nick Fury asks, "At this end?" "Doors open from both sides."

Suddenly the Tesseract shakes the entire facility. The flaring rings and glow of the cube spout out brighter and louder, like a boiling pot of water. The Tesseract's energy builds up into a beam much like the Bifrost Bridge, which strikes at the end of a platform. A Vortex forms, opening a portal.

The swirling winds of the black hole opening from space gust a blue energy cloud. It fills the room, blinding everyone.

As their eyes clear they see a man perched upon the opposite side of the platform. Guards slowly approach him, weapons in hands.

Loki kneels, smiling in his mischievous manner, he raises his head. He looks deep into the eyes of Fury, Barton and Selvig. He stands up, holding the scepter.

Nick stands at attention. "Sir, please put down the spear!" Loki looks at his spear then suddenly points it at where Fury and Barton are standing and shoots a blue exploding light towards the agents.

Machine gun fire is shot at Loki, but the bullets bounce off him like a boss. Loki jumps high from the platform and attacks those firing at him. In the blink of an eye, Loki takes down several guards with his knives and scepter blast. Barton tries to stand up. Loki quickly walks towards him causing Barton to raise his gun, but Loki grabs his hand.

"You have heart." Loki points the head of his spear at Barton's head. Barton's eyes suddenly glow black. The ability to control Barton's mind now in Loki's hand. Barton puts his piece away and stands straight.

As Loki is busy using his abilities to control the minds of several S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel, Fury takes the Tesseract, placing it back into its case and tries to leave the lab.

Loki turns to Fury as he tries to slip away. "Please don't. I still need that." "This doesn't have to get any messier."

Loki scoffs, "Of course it does. I've come too far for anything else. I am Loki of Asgard, and I am burdened with glorious purpose." Selvig pipes up in knowing. "Loki? Brother of Thor?" Loki looks over to the human with a glare. The mention of his brother burning in his cold blood.

"We have no quarrel with your people."

"An ant has no quarrel with a boot."

Fury tilts his head. "Are you planning to step on us?"

"I come with glad tidings, of a world made free." "Free from what?" "Freedom. Freedom is life's great lie. Once you accept that, in your heart..."

In a swift motion, Loki turns to face Selvig and places his spear against his heart. Selvig's eyes glow black as his mind is taken over. "You will know peace."

"Yeah, you say peace, I kind of think you mean the other thing." From the vacuum chamber ceiling, Tesseract's energy cloud rapidly builds into what may be a death wish.

"Sir, Director Fury is stalling. This place is about to blow. Drop a hundred feet of rock on us. He means to bury us."

Nick smirks, "Like The Pharaohs of Odin."

"He's right. The portal is collapsing in on itself. You got maybe two minutes before this goes critical." Loki hums noting the danger. "Well then." Instantly Barton, who doesn't even hesitate, shoots Fury who falls to the ground. Loki, Barton, Selvig, and the other S.H.I.E.L.D personnel are in the parking lot of the facility Agent Hill watches in confusion at Loki.

Clint strolls over calmly. "Need these vehicles." "Who's that?" Hill addresses God.

"He didn't tell me."

As she walks away Nick cries out into the com. "Hill, do you copy?!" Loki and Barton sharply look at Agent Hill. "Barton has turned..." The radio cuts out. Suddenly, Hill turns to shoot but Barton is already aimed and shoots at her. He moves the driver's seat of the truck and speeds off.

Several SHIELD trucks pull up to them. A drive-by shooting ensues. Loki, who stands on top of the bed of the truck, uses his scepter and emits energy blasts, flipping over SHIELD trucks. They get in, the cars roar out after them.

Fury races out of the hallway, avoiding falling pipes. The entire facility is now in a full earthquake. He bolts out of the facility and jumps into a helicopter. The surface of the pad gives way, plunging the helicopter through the surface. But Fury's chopper barely makes it out.

The blastwave of the Tesseract causes the tunnel to cave in. Fury's helicopter roars over Barton's truck. Loki looks up. From the chopper's door, it slides open and Fury stands there, holding a gun, shooting at them. Loki looks at Fury and in a fit of rage, points his scepter, and shoots out a blue blast.

The chopper catches fire, going down in a fiery ball. Fury jumps out and touches down onto the desert floor. The chopper barrels along the ground. Agent Coulson pipes through the com, "Director? Director Fury, do you copy?"

"The Tesseract is with the hostile force. I have men down. Hill?"

"A lot of men are still under, don't know how many survivors."

"Sound the general call. I want every living soul not working rescue looking for that briefcase. Coulson, get back to base. This is a LEVEL SEVEN. As of right now, we are at war.

"What do we do?"

Fury stands there. Thinking. He looks up. On his face lives a sign of hope.

THE AVENGERS

I sit on the white iron chair sipping tea and reading a book. As I turn the page Tony strolls in. "How are my buds doing?" He baby talks to his growing mary jane causing me to roll my eyes. He moves to sit across from me and smiles. I put my book down and cross my arms. Tony's eyes avert to my ring finger and lay at the emerald stone. He meets my eyes again and leans back. "You never talk about him." I look at my finger in sorrow. "No need to. He's gone." Tony's eyes narrow in confusion. "Is he?" I nod looking over the fingers of my dress. "Uh, yeah, there was an accident. He... fell." I see the entire thing over again. His eyes looked so dead as he fell into emptiness. Tony sighs, bringing me out of my thoughts. I wipe my eyes shaking my head. "Is there a reason you came to visit? Not that I don't enjoy it." Tony shakes his head then standing up. "We've got a mission. How soon can you suit up?"

I stand taking my bracelet off, tossing it into the air, forming it to the staff. I then bring my hand across both shoulders and straight down causing my Asgardian wear to appear on my body. Tony watches in amazement. "Quick change. Noted. Let's go then."

I follow behind him as we exit the doors. "Where to?"

"Germany."

#loki imagine #loki laufeyjarson #loki layfeyson x reader #loki odinson #loki odison x reader #loki of asgard #loki of jotunheim #loki x oc #loki x reader #loki x y/n

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kineticjunkies2118 · 5 years

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Because I know you can't wait to tell me how it's only the subhuman ogres at the NRA who, you have it on good authority, possess either dog excrement or cash registers for souls, who are the REAL problem. Instead of representing the interests of gun owners, the new line goes, they are in bed with gun manufacturers...whose goal is to proliferate as many deadly firearms amongst the populace as possible...nothing else. Hence, their seemingly unconscionable opposition to "sensible" measures that any sane person would get behind. The NRA, so spouts the laughable new accusation from a left-wing chorus comprised of putrid, dishonest, leftist fuckheads who never met a government power increase they didn't like, their mindless mouthpieces (read: imbecile parrots) in the media and elsewhere, and, unfortunately, well-meaning, love-driven gems such as you, dear...precious angels who cannot suffer in the knowledge that so many are hurting without attempting to stop the perceived source of their pain, even though they do not personally know a single person killed or directly impacted by last weekend's tragedies. I love some individual humans after becoming extremely familiar with and connected to them. You love humanity. Does this make you a better person than I? Yeah....probably. You're still wrong, though.

I'll explain it like this, then probably go get a hotel room for the night:. The NRA fights stupid bullshit like "magazine capacity restriction" or "titanium ammo bans" not because they, or anybody else cares if they can buy a clip for their rifle with more than a 10 round capacity, but because their opponents did not organize their political action committees to accomplish these, or any other "sane, prudent" gun control measures, and will not stop once they...or many others WELL beyond what's currently supported by enough voters to muster a chance in hell of becoming reality, are enacted. They exist to eliminate guns altogether. Therefore, any concession on ANY issue simply leads to the next fight. I suspect that groups like Planned Parenthood aren't chock-full of bloodthirsty psychopaths who really wanna see those partial birth abortion stats beefed up as much as possible...they just know that defeat on that issue would mean that their well-funded, fanatically motivated, opponents would, after criminalizing late term abortions, begin work on the next phase of their plan...which wouldn't bEe complete until a 15 year-old carrying her uncle's rape child is forced to carry it to to term...then raise it....without food stamp benefits, that's what church is for. They already did her one favor by eliminating her opportunity to terminate a pregnancy on course to grace the world with an unwanted product of incest, sealing her eternal fate in the pits of hell, alongside John Lennon and Charles Darwin, NOW they're starving her into the arms of her local Baptist Congregation and eventual salvation...jeez, they are practically living her life for her. It's truly the same principle.

While the charmingly biased journalistlls turned outright political activists with no regard for truth or balance want to paint the falsehood of an "epidemic" of mass shootings and an increasingly unsafe population, here is the truth:. You are not, by any stretch of your msnb addled imagination, as a civilian uninvolved in chasing huge profits via the narcotics trade, AT ALL LIKELY to be killed by a gun in the U.S. In fact, more people will win nationwide Congressional elections as Democrats in the next 2 years than will die in mass shootings (I don't know why I felt compelled to illustrate my point via that strange analogy...wait, yeah I do)

Know what would save far more lives than total elimination of all firearms? Reducing the interstate speed limit to 15 mph. FAR more. What prevents this "sensible" legislation from becoming reality? I'll tell you what. Putrid sociopathic monsters (Did I mention that they are also racist?) "Human beings" (and here stands a jarring example of just how incredibly flexible that term can be) for whom arriving 4 hours sooner to visit their favorite prostitute in a neighboring state is literally more important than OUR CHILDREN'S LIVES. Think this is a ridiculous comparison? I don't. Increased freedom almost always is accompanied by increased risk of some type. At some point, the question becomes,"is it worth foregoing some or all of your gun rights in order to reduce an already infinitesimally infrequent tragic occurrence?" Answer "yes" or "no", but stop scolding hesitance to do so as somehow immoral.

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starlingsrps · 5 years

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max moretti char. dev.

BASIC INFORMATION

FULL NAME: max sebastian moretti

REASONING: sounded good in both languages

NICKNAME(S): max

PREFERRED NAME(S): max

BIRTH DATE: december 12

AGE: twenty seven

ZODIAC: capricorn

GENDER: cis male

PRONOUNS: he/him

ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: heteromantic

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: heterosexual

NATIONALITY: italian-german

ETHNICITY: caucasian (italian, german)

CURRENT LOCATION: new york city

LIVING CONDITIONS: neat, tidy, modern - sparse. he doesn't like a lot of stuff.

BACKGROUND

BIRTH PLACE: milan

HOMETOWN: milan

SOCIAL CLASS: lower-upper more or less

EDUCATION LEVEL: cambridge - geography ; harvard law

FATHER: alessandro moretti, 63

MOTHER: claudia moretti, 62

SIBLING(S): francesca morello, 34; sabrina tomlinson, 31; sofia moretti, 29

BIRTH ORDER: pampered baby boy

CHILDREN: jesus christ no

PET(S): nay

OTHER IMPORTANT RELATIVES: andrea morello, brother in law; luca and elio morello, nephews; eric tomlinson, brother in law; julia tomlinson, niece.

PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIPS: if it looks like a fuckboy and talks like a fuckboy and walks like a fuckboy, then it's a fuckboy.

CURRENT RELATIONSHIP: nope.

ARRESTS?: nah

PRISON TIME?: nah

OCCUPATION & INCOME

PRIMARY SOURCE OF INCOME: legal intern

CONTENT WITH THEIR JOB (OR LACK THERE OF)?: on the surface, hell yeah. he's a wolf in sheep's clothing when it comes to the law and he's a hell of a prosecutor. but he's in line for a defense position and no? also law? no? papa always wanted a lawyer in the family and the girls all went into the family business so that left max to jump in and take up the slack.

PAST JOB(S): law clerk

SPENDING HABITS: stupid when it comes to clothes and travel, otherwise nothing too bad.

MOST VALUABLE POSSESSION: passport

SKILLS & ABILITIES

PHYSICAL STRENGTH: totes. he's a gym rat because ayyyy: max is a vain little bastard and he likes his abs.

SPEED: yep.

INTELLIGENCE: p good - he's a good bullshitter.

ACCURACY: good.

AGILITY: good.

STAMINA: good.

TEAMWORK: not terrible, shockingly. he just likes to be in charge.

TALENTS: drawing, talking his way into/out of things

SHORTCOMINGS: selfish, flinty, stubborn

LANGUAGE(S) SPOKEN: italian, german, english for fluent; enough french to be charming.

DRIVE?: not well at all.

JUMP-STAR A CAR?: nope

CHANGE A FLAT TIRE?: not a clue

RIDE A BICYCLE?: yes

SWIM?: yes

PLAY AN INSTRUMENT?: nah

PLAY CHESS?: no

BRAID HAIR?: nope

TIE A TIE?: yes

PICK A LOCK?: nope

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE & CHARACTERISTICS

FACE CLAIM: timothee bertoni

EYE COLOR: brown

HAIR COLOR: brown

HAIR TYPE/STYLE: sick flow

GLASSES/CONTACTS?: contacts but also glasses when the contacts gotta come out. he's nearsighted af.

DOMINANT HAND: right

HEIGHT: 6'1

BUILD: athletic

EXERCISE HABITS: gym every day but sunday and he's willing to try just about any workout - he's very into spin class at the moment.

SKIN TONE: olive

TATTOOS: nah

PIERCINGS: nah

MARKS/SCARS: a few small nicks here and there from being alive

USUAL EXPRESSION: cocky af

CLOTHING STYLE: nice suits for work, stylish af off the clock.

JEWELRY: st. christopher medal because he's a nice catholic boy somewhere in there.

ALLERGIES: bees

DIET: look a single potato will cause his entire system to go reeling.

PHYSICAL AILMENTS: nope

PSYCHOLOGY

ENNEAGRAM TYPE: 3 - the achiever

MORAL ALIGNMENT: true neutral

TEMPERAMENT: choleric

ELEMENT: fire

MBTI TYPE: ENTJ - the commander

MENTAL CONDITIONS/DISORDERS: nah

SOCIABILITY: fantastic.

EMOTIONAL STABILITY: fairly good, moody little brat when things don't go his way.

OBSESSION(S): nah

COMPULSION(S): nah

PHOBIA(S): bees

ADDICTION(S): nah

DRUG USE: nothing too awful

ALCOHOL USE: social

PRONE TO VIOLENCE?: not at all

MANNERISMS

SPEECH STYLE: clear with some purposeful flubs of words

ACCENT: impossible to define - sometimes it’s english, sometimes it’s italian, mostly it’s both.

QUIRKS: like look out when he starts gesturing it could get violent

HOBBIES: working out, socializing, drawing

NERVOUS TICKS: nah

DRIVES/MOTIVATIONS: success

POSITIVE TRAITS: confident, charismatic, rational, strong-willed, artistic

NEGATIVE TRAITS: fuckboy, stubborn, arrogant, ruthless, unforgiving

SENSE OF HUMOR: dry

DO THEY CURSE OFTEN?: not in the presence of superiors but hell fuckin yeah otherwise

CATCHPHRASE(S): nah

FAVORITES

ACTIVITY: working out, going to art museums

ANIMAL: dogs

BEVERAGE: water

BOOK: a movable feast

COLOR: green

DESIGNER: armani

FOOD: whatever his mother is making

FLOWER: poinsettias because that means christmas

GEM: emerald

HOLIDAY: christmas

MODE OF TRANSPORTATION: uber

MOVIE: star wars

SONG: "there's nothing holding me back"

SCENERY: any city - he can't stand the country or wilderness.

SCENT: cedar

SPORT: football - ACTUAL FOOTBALL. he will bitch about this.

TELEVISION SHOW: law and order

WEATHER: winter

VACATION DESTINATION: anywhere and everywhere - he's spent both gap years traveling.

ATTITUDES

GREATEST DREAM: retirement to be able to draw and nap whenever he wants.

GREATEST FEAR: anything happening to his family before he can get there.

MOST AT EASE WHEN: with people he can relax around.

LEAST AT EASE WHEN: out of control

WORST POSSIBLE THING THAT COULD HAPPEN: getting stung by a bee could actually kill him.

BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT: his abs.

BIGGEST REGRET: not going to art school but what was he going to do?

BIGGEST SECRET: probably that he's good at drawing. he keeps that to himself.

TOP PRIORITIES: success

#c: max moretti #i can't wait to break him.

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tipsycad147 · 5 years

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Artemis Of The Moon

https://abstract.desktopnexus.com

Project Created by Kerritwyn )0( © All original material in this site is under copyright protection and is the intellectual property of the author.

Artemis Here is the virgin Goddess, Artemis, Running across the mountains of Taygetos, Or up the steep hills of Erymanthos, Running with her maidens, Running with the deer, Accompanied by birds, Ranging widely in the wilderness, Playful and strong and free and beautiful: The heart of her Mother is glad. Homer, The Odyssey (1) Artemis is the preeminent goddess of classical Greece, though her origins are lost in time and matriarchal goddess worship, and may include a descent from a pre-Indo-European sun goddess.(2) Artemis is known from Greek, Lydian and Etruscan inscriptions and texts, and on very ancient tablets from Pylos.(3) Artemis and Hecate are linked through time, through the moon cycle: Hecate, awesome and linked with death, and Artemis, youthful, beautiful, reflecting the purity of nature, and linked with unmarried motherhood.(4) Hecate and Artemis can be seen through the prism of time as two sides of a mirror, and many qualities attributed to one, in one culture, were passed along to the other, at a different time. Artemis was said by the classical Greeks to be the daughter of Zeus and his mistress, Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo, who was born a day later.(5) Athenian girls of marriageable age dressed as bears and danced to her, and offerings on her altars included phalli, sacrificed animals, fruit, spindles, loom- weights, shuttles, and woollen and linen cloth.(6) Artemis was the protector of all life, but she was also the essence of apparent contradiction: the virgin who promoted promiscuity, the huntress who protected animals, a tree, a bear, the moon.(7) She was the epitome of feminine possibility, changing as a woman does as she moves through her life, and an expression of infinite, explosive and sometimes terrifying power. Virgin. Artemis was viewed as perpetually unmarried, virgin in the sense of being her own woman, subject to no male, though she was often invoked in dying-god fertility and harvest rituals.(8) In this context, virginity symbolised autonomy and independence, and the freedom of the goddess to be her own person, to be true to her own beliefs and instincts, and to pick and choose her lovers freely.(9) Other authors see this aspect of Artemis as an Amazon and a passionate and aggressively sensual lover of women.

Huntress. On the full moon in August, in Ancient Greece, one of the great festivals of Artemis was held, dedicated to Artemis in her aspect as Huntress. She is often depicted with a bow and arrows, and with one or more hounds. A goat was sacrificed to her during this festival, to honour the magickal control she exercised over all animal life. Honouring the savage huntress recognises that life feeds on life. Whether the life we consume is animal or vegetable, we cannot survive unless we devour the bodies of once-living entities.(11) In this form, Artemis was an elemental force, a creature of instinct, who killed certain individual animals, but assured that the species survived, and who killed anyone who hunted pregnant animals or their young.(12) There are few Whom laughing Aphrodite cannot conquer; Artemis is one, For she is already in love with the hunt, With the bow and the quiver full of arrows, With the sound and the scent of the chase, The songs and calls of the hunters, And the fierce blood shed by Wild boar and deer as they die In the shadowy forest glades; And the dancing, later, To the music of lyres Among right-living people. Homer Artemis also used her bow and arrows for specific acts of justice and vengeance. When her mother, Leto, was angered by the bragging of Queen Niobe that her own children were superior to Leto's, and called upon her archer daughter for vengeance, Artemis killed all of Niobe's offspring, and turned Niobe into a block of black stone, from which a weeping fountain endlessly poured. Artemis also killed the serpent, Python, and the giant, Tityus, for tormenting her mother, and the spying hunter, Achteon, who secretly watched Artemis at her bath. Artemis executed him by turning him into a stag, and setting her own hounds upon him. Dozens of others were allegedly killed by Artemis, according to Greek myths. Artemis also inflicted Teuthras with leprosy, so that he would die slowly and miserably, when he killed one of her sacred pigs.(14) In addition to being an aloof and balanced game warden, this aspect of Artemis was also a ruthless and swift force for vengeance against sacrilege or insult to the goddess, or on behalf of any woman or female creature who was cruelly treated.

Matron of Birthing Mothers. Artemis was invoked by women in childbirth, as Artemis Eileithyia, and was also considered the protector of young girls. In contrast, in another form, as Artemis Brauronia, she was said to have aroused madness in birthing mothers, and her anger could cause the death of a woman in childbirth.(16) Moon Goddess. As she is most typically pictured in Western Art, Artemis is the virginal moon goddess roaming the forest with her female band, bearing a bow and a quiver of arrows, avoiding men, and killing any many who looked upon her. In an even more ancient association, her name has been said to mean 'High Source of Water', and the Moon is considered to be the source and ruler of all water, and of the tides of the ocean, and of the menstrual cycle.Some depictions of Artemis combine the lunar crescent with the archer's bow, and show her bending the moon into the sickle shape, and aiming an arrow through it. Dark Goddess. In Sparta, her dark aspect was worshipped as Taurian Artemis, allegedly with an annual human sacrifice, which was later modified to ritual flagellation. Ephesus. The many-breasted Artemis of Ephesus was worshipped as a fertility goddess, in a temple which was said to be one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.(21) This temple at Ephesus is believed to have been originally built by the Amazons (1000-600 B.C.E. (22)), and was destroyed by barbarian hordes in the middle of the 3rd century.(23) King Croesus rebuilt the temple 100 years later, and it's chief object of love and adoration, mentioned in the Acts of Apostles, was a palm-wood statue of Artemis. She received many rich gifts, including gold and silver awnings and garments for the statue, which were regularly changed, and which included golden sculptured grapes, giving the appearance of many breasts.(24) Artemis was served by chaste priestesses called Mellisai, or "bees", and by eunuch priests.(25) The temple continued to be a place of reverence until approximately 400 A.D., when Christians allegedly destroyed it.(26)

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

Magickal Associations. Bears, the fiercest animal mothers, are sacred to Artemis, and she is associated with the constellation of Ursa Major. Guinea fowl are her birds. Her magickal number is 777. Her Tarot cards are Nines, the High Priestess and the Temperance card. The gems associated with her are quartz, moonstone, pearl and crystal. The plants associated with her are artemisia (one form of which is dusty miller, often known as wormwood because it is said Artemis wormed her hounds with it, banyon, mandrake, damiana, almond, mugwort, hazel and moonwort. The animals associated with her are the elephant, dog, centaur and horse. The mineral associated with her is lead. Her perfumes are jasmine, ginseng, menstrual blood, and all sweet, virginal odours. Her magickal weapons are perfumes, fleet sandals, and the bow and arrow. Other concurrent names for her were Callisto, Cynthia, Delia, Phoebe, Pythia and Parthenos. She was subsequently adopted into the Roman pantheon as the goddess Diana.

Spells.

http://majorolympians.com

Much magick invokes Artemis, because of her extraordinary depth and complexity. Out of the wealth of possibilities, here is one lovely example: Woodland Love Spell This spell is designed for those seeking a female lover, using earth-focused forest energy and woodland spirits. On a bright and sunny day, go to a favorite spot in the woods, with fruit, cheese, bread, a knife, a felt tip pen, a small piece of rose quartz, and some green cord. Get comfortable, let go of the mundane world, and tune into the life of the woods around you. Cut a slice of bread, a cube of cheese and a piece of fruit, and bury them in a hold you have dug at the base of a nearby tree. Then, on a large broad leaf, write with your pen: Lady of the Forest, Lady of the vine, Bring to me The love that is mine. Blessed Be. Wrap the leaf carefully around the rose quartz, tie it with the green cord, and raise earth energy to charge your charm. Place the charged charm on top of the buried food, and chant: Oh Ancient Huntress, I come seeking you. Come to me, Artemis, Mistress of the Hunt, Earth Daughter, Green Mother, Lover, Creatrix. Bring me a woman suited to be my partner. I will accept and love the one you choose to Embody yourself within. Let us bind together, Play together, Love together, Entwining our souls and minds, Entwining our hearts and bodies, Entwining our paths and lives. So mote it be.

Poem & Invocation to Artemis

Fierce Goddess By Kerritwyn )0( Mighty Goddess, Proud and free, Tall and strong, Swift as the wind, Fill me with the fierce joy Of your riotous passion. Noble Goddess, Stern in punishment, Brooking no cruelty, Suffering no mockery, Fill me with the fierce joy Of your righteous vengeance. Mesmerising Goddess, Changing with the moon, White as ice, Red as blood, Fill me with the fierce joy Of your female mysteries. Artemis and Achteon by Boris Vallejo

http://www.orderwhitemoon.org/goddess/artemis-moon/Artemis2.html

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riverheadbooks · 7 years

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READER HOROSCOPES FOR APRIL 2017

Your monthly constellation of literary consultation

ARIES

Get those bottles popping and candles lit - it’s your birthday and the whole world needs to know! Aries season, your season, is upon, and heavens help whoever isn’t ready. That’s no joke - there are five retrogrades in store this month, so proceed with caution. Turning a year older and wiser is having an incredible effect on your ambition - your focus has narrowed down to number one! You have goals to pursue, opportunities to grab, and you simply don’t have the time to be anything but 100% committed to making those dreams happen. We won’t discourage you, but be aware of naysayers who may pop up trying to cramp your style. There will always be people who take personal offense to your capacity to shine, and regardless of their reasons, it’s in your best interest to do all you can to separate yourself from that negativity. That’s right - separate. There is a time to try to talk through someone’s issues with you, slow down your progress, and work through the reasons behind someone’s ire - a retrograde is not that time! Breathe deeply - inhale peace, exhale stress - and focus on how you can channel the wisdom you’ve accrued in all the years you’ve lived to help you make your mark on the world. And while you’re taking all of these deep, fortifying breaths, why not take in some amazing scents? Your lucky book this month is probably unlike anything you’ve read recently, or maybe ever - all the more reason to dive in! Let Mandy Aftel, master perfumologist, walk you through the history and philosophy behind the scents we love and love to hate, the scents that stir up emotions we weren’t even totally aware of. Best of all, she’ll equip you with the knowledge to create some delicious perfumes of your own - how’s that for some birthday self-love?

LUCKY BOOK: Fragrant by Mandy Aftel

TAURUS

Go on, take a load off, Taurus. You’re feeling particularly zapped of energy this month, but don’t worry, it will pass - eventually. This month’s retrogrades are about to do a number on you, so be prepared! Retrogrades tend to force us to reflect on the past: what went wrong and how to set things in place in order to move forward smoothly. Where have you been avoiding closure? What divergent areas of your life could use better transitions? Take advantage of your need to slow your pace a bit this month by thinking about how to retrace your steps to clear your head and clear the air as your birthday rapidly approaches. You don’t want is to be caught in the same situations you know you should have outgrown a long time ago. Visualize your areas of growth like a long, winding body of water - where are the blockages? What do you need to filter out and clear away? No more cutting corners - if one area is clogged with toxicity, it will likewise ruin the entire stream. While you take the time to think about how best to tackle the lurking issues in your past, take some inspiration and knowledge from your lucky book this month, an eye-opening examination of the source of all life: water. Where does it come from, where is it going, and what happens when it’s threatened? You’ll enter your birthday season feeling infinitely more prepared for whatever is ahead - and with an even greater appreciation for .

LUCKY BOOK: Where the Water Goes by David Owen

GEMINI

Well helloooo, hotshot! You’re in high demand these days, aren’t you? Your popularity is off the charts this month, Gem, so enjoy this time in spotlight. It seems that no one can get enough of you, and keeping up with your own dance card is quickly becoming another full-time job. Good for you: you’ve been working hard to improve your public profile and networking skills, so it’s great to see them paying off! Beware the retrogrades on the horizon, however. The temptation is strong to make new friends and ditch the old, but you know the old song: one is silver, the other gold - both precious. Keep your foundation steady and strong before you attempt to stack more on top. If there’s a friendship in your life that you’ve been ignoring in favor of your new acquaintances, it may be time to reevaluate your priorities and make sure your original friendships are on solid ground. This is a bad time for drama - not only are you more in the public eye than you’ve ever been, but you’re a Gemini: you know how quickly circumstances can flip and up can suddenly become down. Hold on to the people in your life who have been there from the beginning - if things go awry, they are the people you can count on. And if you find yourself craving some drama, your lucky book has your back. Badass female assassins, superhuman abilities, hilarious workplace shenanigans, all with a Buffy-esque flair - you’re in for a literary treat this month. Dive in!

LUCKY BOOK: The Regional Office is Under Attack! by Manuel Gonzales

CANCER

All systems go, Cancer! You’re a busy bee this month, flitting from this activity to that with barely enough time to take a breath in between. There are places you want to go, new heights you want to reach, and the only way to get there is to work, seemingly non-stop. Your drive is admirable, Cancer, truly. But I must warn you, the retrogrades in store for this month will absolutely throw a wrench in your plans - but by being prepared, you can possibly mitigate their effects by knowing what to expect from yourself. Thus far, you’ve felt totally in control, on top of your game, and honestly, pretty fantastic. Making moves suits you, and you know it does, so you’ve got some swagger in your step. Great for your self-esteem, but it may bite you in the behind when the planets’ movements start to send your emotions haywire. You’re going to start noticing the flaws in your family and friends that you feel need fixing. It’s a lovely impulse, if a bit insulting; no one likes to be berated or make to feel inadequate for simply being human. You’re not Iyanla, they don’t need you to fix their life. Rather, avoid some unnecessary friction with the people you love most and suffer your opinions in silence. This is not the time to try to bring other people’s mistakes or shortcomings to light, no matter how fantastic you’re feeling in comparison - there is usually a log in your eye to deal with before you attempt to point out the speck in someone else’s. Instead, keep pursuing the things that are meaningful to you. Work hard to become a better you. But keep your eyes open for areas of potential growth. Your lucky book this month is a gentle, illuminating story of a woman who found love and new convictions in an unlikely place - let this be your respite from the frenetic pace of your day-to-day. You may discover something you didn’t know you were missing.

LUCKY BOOK: The Movement of Stars by Amy Brill

LEO

Adventure beckons, Leo! Springtime tends to bring with it a quickening, the feeling of restlessness and impatience, and all you want to do right now is set off on a brand new path towards the unknown. Can’t say we blame you! However, if you’re currently find yourself lacking the means to jet off and escape your usual orbit at the moment, there’s nothing wrong with venturing out within your neighborhood, or maybe a town or two over, and exploring places you’ve never visited. There is always something new to discover, new people to meet, new experiences make memories of - so don’t feel beholden to taking trips you simply cannot afford in the name of wanderlust. Either way, whether you’re still home or abroad, you can’t escape the retrogrades on the horizon. One of your main concerns, Leo, is your desire to partner with other people for either personal or professional reasons. A wonderful thing, to be sure, but your judgment may be just a bit skewed this month - hey, don’t shoot the messenger, blame the planets. Be careful before entering into any binding agreements this month - examine your relationships and the terms of your contract deeply to be sure that they aren’t taking advantage of you, or potentially putting you in a situation you don’t need to be in. Trust is a precious thing - treat it that way. The characters in your lucky book learn this lesson well: chock-full of scandal and gossip in a 16th century French royal court, this is the perfect primer on guarding your secrets until you can be sure of who to entrust them with - you never know who may not have your best interests at heart.

LUCKY BOOK: The Devils of Cardona by Matthew Carr

VIRGO

This is a month of intense focus for you, Virgo, and considering your usual proclivities, that’s saying something! Maybe it’s a subconscious pre-empting of the chaos that accompanies a retrograde - much less five - but this month, you know exactly what you want, how you want to get it, and what the reward may be. At this point, there is precious little that can slow you down. You may not want to hear this, but this could be the perfect time for you to find that kindred spirit to partner with on this project. Two heads can truly be better than one, provided you choose your co-collaborator wisely. One word of caution - you’re placing so much stock into this passion project, so much time and energy, that it can become difficult to extricate yourself from your work. Try to be aware of when this is happening, because the inevitable setbacks and misunderstandings then have the potential to grow into major, insurmountable issues. Beware how quickly you can bypass ‘annoyed’ or ‘frustrated’ and dive straight into anger, despite your best intentions. Focus on summoning compassion - it’s free, it feels better in the long run, and it causes less wrinkles (seriously!). You’re in very capable hands with your lucky book this month - written by none other than the master of the arts of compassion and mercy, Anne Lamott. Retreat into a chapter or two whenever you begin to feel yourself spiral, and remember to take a few breaths. You’re going to get where you want to go, Virgo, one way or another. Believe that.

LUCKY BOOK: Hallelujah Anyway by Anne Lamott

LIBRA

Hey there, lovely Libra. This month is all about relationships for you, and how to deepen your bond with your chosen #1 - whether that’s your partner, your BFF, or your sibling. With all of the retrogrades that are on their way, you may begin to feel a significant need to take a load off. Lean into this impulse; the planets have their ways of urging us to reset when there is unfinished business in our lives. What have you been holding in lately? What have you been trying to gather the courage to say, and what is keeping your mouth closed? You can only go so long feeling happy and fulfilled in a relationship that has become shrouded by lies of omission, no matter how you may try to convince yourself otherwise. Two is the most important number for you this month, so do yourself a favor and put some serious thought into how to unburden yourself - you may be surprised with their reaction! Your lucky book this month is the perfect accompaniment to your current struggle - it focuses on two young women in 1950s Houston, Texas - one of them the quintessential “it” girl who everyone either wants to date or wants to emulate; the other, her best friend, somewhere between babysitter and co-conspirator. When the it girl goes off the rails, it’s her best friend’s job to pluck up the courage to bring her back to her senses - and accept the attendant consequences. See what happens when a friend is confronted with a tough decision - and acts. Your time for inaction has passed, but that’s not necessarily reason to fear - you may find that saying what you’re really thinking is the best decision you ever made.

LUCKY BOOK: The After Party by Anton DiSclafani

SCORPIO

Hello, spring, and hello, Scorpio! No matter where you live, the arrival of the spring months can have a serious rejuvenating effect on your psyche. It's a time for new beginnings, fresh outlooks, and clean slates. Clean, indeed - another impulse of spring is the tidying one, and it's hitting you hard this month. Excellent! Whether it be your home, your body, your mind, or all three (seriously, bravo), your number one focus this month is getting into shape, clearing away old clutter, and using the arrival of a new season as a reset button. Be aware: there are several retrogrades this month; be on the alert for their influence over your emotions. In the midst of the thorough emotional scrubbing you're doing, don't be surprised if you receive a surprise DM or late-night text from a certain someone you'd sworn off long ago. The funny thing about retrogrades is right in the name - things from our past tend to pop up and test our commitment to the here and now. Feel whatever emotion that naturally arises - there is precious little you can do about that - but then, move right past it. You don't owe anybody your time or energy, especially if you've already made the decision to stop giving it to them. Resist the urge to rehash old wrongdoings, put down your phone, and pick up your lucky book: a heartfelt and hilarious collection of short stories by a woman who has attended one too many weddings. Every union is a new beginning of sorts, and despite the flak perpetual wedding guests sometimes receive, witnessing the foundational moments of someone else’s love can be surprisingly instructive. If you need to scribble some notes in the margins, we won't tell.

LUCKY BOOK: Save the Date by Jen Doll

SAGITTARIUS

Joy to the world, April has come! Okay, wrong season, same sentiment. You are one happy Sag this month - people have been noticing your glowing skin, sparkling eyes, and infectious laugh. Where did this energy come from? Who knows? (Who cares?) After being a hermit for the past few weeks, maybe it's simply the restorative power of being back outside and interacting with more people. Either way, take advantage of this positive energy and make the most of it - pursue that opportunity you've been watching and waiting to act on, make that scary phone call to the person who's been expecting to hear from you. But keep in mind that there are a fair few retrogrades in store for this month, which can throw your priorities for a loop. It can be easy to allow yourself to get carried away with this new abundance of energy; try to be mindful of this! Despite what you're feeling, you actually can't do it all, neither should you aspire to. What are the projects that have been sitting on the back burner? The ideas you've already devoted love and care to, and now just need to act on? That's where you should focus your attention, rather than spreading yourself thin by taking on even more. Your lucky book this month is a poignant counterbalance to your mood this month - a collection of essays about the seven years separating the author’s son’s birth from his father’s death, and the heartwarming, heartbreaking, hilarious moments that occurred between. Let it be a reminder of the unpredictability of life - and inspiration to live it as fully and as well as you can.

LUCKY BOOK: The Seven Good Years by Etgar Keret

CAPRICORN

Hey, sweet Capricorn. That squashy chair sure is comfortable, isn't it? This month, you're all about that home life: maybe you're taking on a renovation project, trying out some new baking recipes, or maybe it means spending time with your tribe, the people you love and who love you the most. Either way, your ideal April looks somewhat like a huge Snuggie, maybe a cup of tea, and some quality catch-up sessions with friends and family. We support this wholeheartedly, especially in light of the retrogrades coming your way - you’re to want to be surrounded by people who understand and care about you. Because despite your comfy socks and sweatshirt, you are not totally at ease - your career is an area of particular concern to you right now. Take this time to reflect on your current trajectory. What are you headed towards? What are you moving away from? Is this the direction you wanted to go with your life, or have you abandoned a dream to pursue something you aren’t sure you actually need? It’s okay to second guess your decisions sometimes, and always better to think through those gut feelings than to ignore them. This is when being in the midst of friends and family can help - soliciting a second or third opinion can be invaluable when you’ve been stuck at a crossroads for quite some time. Be open about your fears, and receptive to the advice coming your way. And to give yourself a break from this intense internal restructuring, your lucky book is waiting: a highly addictive, spellbinding collection of short stories about the ties that bind, the flawed world we live in, and what happens when things go topsy-turvy. A perfect escape within your escape.

LUCKY BOOK: What It Means When a Man Falls From the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah

AQUARIUS

Look at you go, Aquarius! Your April is already off to a rousing start, with all of the exploring you’re doing. Good for you! March was an insular kind of month for you - whether because of a heavy work load, emotional load, or you were just plain exhausted - but now you’re ready to grab life by the horns once more. Keep this up! Be proactive in doing the things you enjoy, the things that make YOU happy, regardless of what you fear other people may think. Retrogrades are brewing this month, Aquarius, and for you, they can come with a boatload of self-doubt. You know your own propensity for negative self-talk and not trusting your own desires, so rather than wait for those feelings to take over, do the important work of reaffirming your own self-worth and confidence. Use your outings to find like-minded people; kindred spirits who you feel comfortable turning to for some subtle validation on your more melancholy days. Treat yourself to a massage or a matinee - life is short, so why not be kind to yourself? There is no one right way to do things, no matter what you may be accustomed to telling yourself, so let your explorations be open-ended. Your lucky book this month deals with one of the most polarizing and contentious topics with a similar approach: she presents the case for agnosticism, and the freedom in acknowledging everything we don’t know. There’s no shame in admitting the limits of our knowledge, and wanting to be our authentic selves, whatever that means for you. Own it!

LUCKY BOOK: Agnostic by Lesley Hazleton

PISCES

Time to get up and get going, Pisces! You have a lot of ideas, but thus far, not nearly as much follow-through - but this month is when you change that! Think about it: how can you kick your productivity into gear? Set more alarms? Write more to-do lists? Find an accountability partner? Whatever works best for you, start now and stick with it - it will be tough, but you can do it. Best to get this month off to a busy productive start than wait for the impending retrogrades to sap you of your creative energy. But when that time does come, and you’re feeling sick and tired of the same old, same old, here’s an idea: do a bit a tidying up. Not your room or kitchen, necessarily (although that’s never a bad idea), but specifically, examine your wardrobe, your haircut, your shoe situation. Maybe the slump you’ve been in can be attributed to a subconscious desire for a physical change. Hey, they say not to judge a book by its cover, but everyone does it anyway, right? And there is much to be said for the ways that outward appearance can transform inward confidence. There’s something undeniably powerful about looking into a mirror and being happy with what you see - it can add a spring to your step, it can make you more likely to speak and be heard, and just appreciate the world a bit more. Donate the things you’ve outgrown to a local charity and experience the immediate psychological benefits of physically removing objects that carry outdated negative energy from your space. Your lucky book this month is all about the enduring impact of past mistakes on a small town, and the ways that those mistakes can have a ripple effect on multiple families within that community. When tragedy strikes, who is to blame? How do you reconcile the reality of the present with the ignorance of the past? Sometimes a facelift can be the first step to a deeper reconfiguring within.

LUCKY BOOK: Friendswood by René Steinke

#riverhead #riverhead books #horoscope #reader horoscope #readerscope #aries #aries season #april horoscope #book recs #spring reads #astrology #retrograde

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ganymedesclock · 7 years

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sorry if this is something you've gone over before, I went through your BD fusion tag but didn't see it - what do you think it "means", for Homeworld, that one of their leaders is a fusion? HW doesn't seem to have a place for heterogeneous fusion, so I'm wondering about the finer details of it. who knows, how the real BD felt, how her stand-stand-in must feel, etc. I'm curious about how this would all work, socially/psychologically/societally, I guess!

Hello! Just for context, I’d like to first link my theory of how the Diamonds got started.

Moving on from there:

I think that a big part of it is that Blue was kind of grandfathered in. It’s a scenario where the Diamonds are in general kind of oddballs- not as uniform and perfect as they’ve come to present themselves. Because my model of the Diamonds puts them very close to where the Crystal Gems were at the beginning of the series.

They weren’t picked, necessarily- they were the survivors. In a context where all they had was each other, they came together and were eventually able to rebuild from what happened. So the only “place” they ever thought to eke out for themselves, even when they created and rigidly defined structure for other Gems, was with each other.

So Blue ends up in a funny place. Much like Garnet, Blue has every intention of living together forever. She doesn’t create a permanent place for her components; maybe places for them to hide, failsafes to protect them, but the only permanent place they need is as Blue. She doesn��t set out initially with the idea that it’s essential to hide her nature, but an element of distance encroaches between her and her subjects.

Part of it is simply Blue’s sensibilities as kind of a private person. Much like Garnet, I think Blue is drawn inwards. Her veiled eyes very much imply the same thing Garnet’s mirrored glasses do- a sense of inscrutability that is something that comes and goes. Sometimes she opens up, and sometimes she closes off.

I think another part of it is, there would likely have been some kind of inciting incident that led her to draw inwards and specifically obfuscate this part of herself. That was the case for Garnet as we see in Three Gems And A Baby. It’s hard to say what exactly Blue’s incident was, since we know very little of pre-war Gem history, but this could well have factored into her rejecting Garnet rather than embracing her for their similarities. A part of Blue, who might not be willing to open up about her own honesty, might be threatened, rather than sympathetic, to another fusion that does things the way she does.

Because I do think Blue was surprised by Garnet, in a different way than her court. Her components would probably consider themselves special- issuing before the caste system, they’re more alike for their age and power than they are different for their gem types. It’s very well that she assumes only Gems that have a deep sense of similarity can combine- and overgeneralizes that to, outside of herself, only homogeneous fusion can occur.

But then Garnet comes in. Garnet- who isn’t Ruby or Sapphire, who has three eyes. And Blue sees an element of herself.

We don’t know all of how Blue reacted. We know initially, anger- and this is something I think is incredibly Lapis-like about how Blue responds. Both of them are entirely too comfortable playing judge, jury, and executioner. They are not bullies who relentlessly hunt for a victim, but, when they feel justified, they respond with the speed and force of a guillotine. Lapis in Alone At Sea comes to realize that entirely outside of what Jasper did to her, that she felt like she could take out everything on Jasper- the mirror, being struck down by Bismuth, her loss of status- things Jasper wasn’t even aware of, much less deliberately the source of.

Blue pins losing the rebels, hurting Sapphire, and Garnet’s formation all on Ruby. It’s very likely she also took out other stresses- the loss of Pink Diamond, the encroaching unrest, the failing of her attempt to draw this all to a single neat resolution, the injured people in her court who now came to harm for what amounted to nothing, feeling guilty for fleeing the scene when her intervention might’ve been more needed than she led to believe- and threw that all at Ruby.

It’s not fair. This isn’t a way you preside over people. And it’s not an inherent flaw of the Diamonds’ leadership as much as the obvious consequence when you take flawed, complex beings, and set them up as Perfect and Never To Be Questioned.

Other things I think at work here.

If I’m right that things like the Sea Spire that would be occupied by Blue’s court contain a lot of symbolism to her fused nature: Blue was really not being subtle about it. Basically her refuge is just that nobody thinks it’s possible and that one of her gems is very easily hidden (Lapis’s back gem, with Blue’s hair and cloak; if we’re going off the moon mural, than original Blue had even longer hair than Light Blue)

But heterogeneous fusion at this point in Homeworld’s society has become normalized. The reason why Blue’s still escaped detection is Light Blue is a singular gem and she’s just plain a different person than Blue- she wouldn’t value and maintain the same things that Blue did. Fusion wouldn’t be important to Light Blue in that same way.

And I think this is part of Yellow’s… frustration? With Light Blue. In a way that’s not completely fair, in a way that Yellow knows is not her fault- Yellow is trying to replace someone she lost, but the replacement is not the same person. Doesn’t respond the same way. And Yellow is trying to encourage her in that direction, but on some level, she realizes it doesn’t work. But she doesn’t have any way, as far as she knows, to get Blue back; fighting the sense of futility, she just keeps trying.

What’s The Use Of Feeling, Blue? rapidly turns from an attempted pep talk to revealing how upset and cut up YD is- but what’s the point? What can she do? She feels helpless in the situation and in that sense of helplessness, she feels guilty for still being torn about things that she can’t change. She wants to only focus on action- on fixing the situation but I think at this point, Yellow is focusing much more on busywork than she is on actually making progress.

This is I think, an interesting context to how exhausted Yellow is. Because she’s trying to run herself like clockwork to escape the “noise” in her own head. But she can never actually stay busy enough to forget about all of her own pain. And it reaches a point where she’s actually creating new problems by overexerting herself to a really unhealthy degree- and refusing to stop and rest because stopping for any amount of time means being alone with all of her thoughts.

People have talked about how YD isn’t acknowledging her own grief, but I haven’t heard people point out that YD is basically advocating “just say no to feeling bad. If you say no loud enough, you will stop feeling bad” while also making it painfully obvious she has zero capacity to actually do that. YD is trying very hard to convince herself and others that she’s got her feelings perfectly under control while her emotions are basically running around her life smashing everything like a rottweiler being chased by bees.

Getting back towards Blue’s side of things, and Light Blue/”fake” Blue- I think that the fact that Blue withheld an integral part of herself from people damaged her relationship with Light Blue.

The expectation of living for someone- literally only living as their double, being there when they need it, to the extreme of not really having your own life outside of being their double- would be stressful. It’d be frustrating. Especially when you don’t even feel like the other person really trusts you and wants to let you in. Hovering more or less just on the edges of this incredibly long-established deeply-entrenched family group of the Diamonds. I think part of her relationship with Pink is- and this is basing on the Rose Diamond theory- that Pink took an interest in her and was charmed by her, so Light Blue had a much stronger relationship with Pink than she did with the “real” Blue Diamond.

So on the one hand… with Blue gone, it’s technically her city now. She can actually do things how she likes rather than just matching Blue. She has actual authority of her own rather than just power-by-proxy. On the other hand, it’s because Blue is gone and I don’t think she’d be exactly cheerful about that, especially because it comes at a very steep cost. And her newfound freedom is hampered to a degree by… she’s technically a Diamond now and could technically challenge YD but that’s not an appealing idea, and she knows that YD would probably rather she acted more like original Blue, even though YD is in an awkward place to actually come out and say that because YD is trying very hard to pretend nothing has gone wrong and she hasn’t lost anyone- which feeds right back into her issues with Light Blue’s very obvious grief.

#Steven Universe #Blue Fusion theory #Blue Diamond #Yellow Diamond #theory #readmore /

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brittnylunn475-blog · 5 years

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Detox Diet Showdown - Master Cleanse Versus Zi Xiu Tang Bee Pollen

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marilynngmesalo · 5 years

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‘Anne with an E,’ ‘Cardinal’ lead Canadian Screen Awards with 7 wins each

‘Anne with an E,’ ‘Cardinal’ lead Canadian Screen Awards with 7 wins each ‘Anne with an E,’ ‘Cardinal’ lead Canadian Screen Awards with 7 wins each https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

TORONTO — TV dramas and debut features by women scored big at Sunday’s Canadian Screen Awards as the hostless show moved along at a brisk pace with comedy bits from some of the country’s biggest stars.

The CBC series Anne with an E and CTV detective drama Cardinal: Blackfly Season won two awards each during the CBC broadcast from Toronto’s Sony Centre of Performing Arts, putting them atop the TV pack with a total of seven trophies apiece after a week of galas.

Anne with an E, which is inspired by Lucy Maud Montgomery’s classic novel “Anne of Green Gables,” won best drama series and an acting nod for lead actress Amybeth McNulty. That added to five trophies acquired on Wednesday for a season that expanded upon the source material to include more diverse characters.

McNulty, 17, used her acceptance speech to encourage “every young person out there who doubts their voice, their mind, their power.”

“We are strong, capable and willing to fight for our world,” she said.

Meanwhile, Cardinal took top acting nods for stars Billy Campbell and Karine Vanasse during the show, adding to its five trophies from Wednesday.

In a tearful speech, Virginia-born Campbell thanked Vanasse and the local cast and crew of northern Ontario, where the show is filmed.

“I’m a Yank and I’m particularly grateful for Canada being Canada these days,” he said.

Best comedy series went to Schitt’s Creek, resulting in a total of four awards for the week, including an acting nod for Catherine O’Hara’s portrayal of eccentric matriarch Moira.

“In Schitt’s Creek we are writing a world that examines the transformational effects of love when the threat of hate and intolerance has been removed from the equation,” said co-creator and showrunner Daniel Levy.

“And while that’s not a reality for many, our goal is to shine a light out there that asks the question, ‘What if it was? Wouldn’t we all be happier if we were able to love out loud?”‘

The CBC riches-to-rags show, which recently announced its next season will be its last, had tied with Anne with an E with a leading 15 Canadian Screen Award nominations going into this year’s ceremonies.

On the film side, best picture went to Genevieve Dulude-De Celles’ debut feature, the Quebec coming-of-age drama A Colony. It got three awards in total, including best first feature and best actress for Emilie Bierre’s portrayal of an insecure high school student who bonds with an Indigenous boy.

“This is a dream, guys,” said Bierre, 14, noting she’s been acting since she was five.

Barrie, Ont.-raised Jasmin Mozaffari won best director for her critically acclaimed debut feature, Firecrackers, about two young women longing to escape their small town. The Ontario-shot drama also won an editing award earlier in the day.

“Really did not expect to win this, honest to God,” Mozaffari said onstage, noting it was “a micro-budget” feature that she made “especially for women about living in a patriarchal world.

“I think I’m one of the few women to win this award. I don’t think I’ll be the last.”

Overall, the leading film winner was Maxime Giroux’s allegorical drama The Great Darkened Days with five awards, including best cinematography for Sara Mishara and best supporting actress for Sarah Gadon. Martin Dubreuil stars in the surreal wartime story as a Quebecois draft dodger and Charlie Chaplin impersonator in the American West.

It was also a big night for Crave’s small-town sitcom Letterkenny, which walked away with a nod for writing and one for acting for creator Jared Keeso, bringing its grand award total to five for the week.

Other top acting nods went to Kim Coates for the City mafia series Bad Blood and Theodore Pellerin for the crime drama film Family First.

The Cogeco Fund Audience Choice Award went to actress Dominique Provost-Chalkley of the supernatural Western horror series Wynonna Earp.

The show on CBC and its Gem streaming service capped off a week of ceremonies in which the bulk of the trophies were handed out.

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television administers the awards, which honour Canadian talent in film, television and digital media in 135 categories.

Organizers chose not to have a host this year in a bid to experiment with the awards-show format.

The broadcast kicked off in quippy Canuck style, with a skit on homegrown celebrities involving the cast of “Baroness von Sketch Show,” singer Jann Arden and actor Jerry O’Connell.

Comedy star Mary Walsh received the Earle Grey Award for her body of work, while Deepa Mehta got the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Will & Grace star Eric McCormack presented the Kids in the Hall comedy troupe with the Academy Icon Award, and actor Stephan James received the inaugural Radius Award, which goes to a Canadian making waves globally.

“When I was coming up in Scarborough with my brother, we hadn’t seen too many black actors who were doing incredible things abroad … people who had come from Toronto and Canada,” James said backstage.

“We’ve always wanted that, we’ve always yearned for that, and to look around and realize that you may be that person for some young girl or some young boy, it’s an incredible feeling.”

AWARDS LIST

The following awards were handed out Sunday night on the Canadian Screen Awards broadcast:

Best Lead Actor, Drama Program or Limited Series: Billy Campbell, Cardinal: Blackfly Season

Best Lead Actress, Drama Program or Limited Series: Karine Vanasse, Cardinal: Blackfly Season

Best Writing, Comedy: Jared Keeso, Jacob Tierney, Letterkenny – Letterkenny Spelling Bee

Ted Rogers Best Feature Length Documentary: Anthropocene: The Human Epoch – Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, Edward Burtynsky

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Theodore Pellerin, Family First

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Emilie Bierre, A Colony

Best Lead Actor, Comedy: Jared Keeso, Letterkenny

Best Lead Actress, Comedy: Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek

Achievement in Direction: Jasmin Mozaffari, Firecrackers

Best Motion Picture: A Colony – Fanny Drew, Sarah Mannering

Best Lead Actor, Drama Series: Kim Coates, Bad Blood

Best Lead Actress, Drama Series: Amybeth McNulty, Anne with an E

Best Drama Series: Anne with an E – Miranda de Pencier, Moira Walley-Beckett

Cogeco Fund Audience Choice Award: Dominique Provost-Chalkley, Wynonna Earp

Best Reality/Competition Program or Series: The Amazing Race Canada

Best Comedy Series: Schitt’s Creek

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fashiontrendin-blog · 6 years

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May I Just Say…Your Horoscope is Here!!!

http://fashion-trendin.com/may-i-just-sayyour-horoscope-is-here/

May I Just Say…Your Horoscope is Here!!!

Illustration by Cynthia Merhej.

The letter “O” on my home laptop’s keyboard broke, so yesterday morning, I had to write this story without the “o’s,” then go back and copy and paste an “o” from an old story in all the proper holes. And when I needed a capital “o,” I had to google “prah Winfrey” so that Oprah’s name would auto-complete and I could snag her “O.”

It was annoying, to say the least, so I thought to myself, There needs to be a place where all of the letters of the alphabet, capital and lowercase, and numbers, and symbols, can exist in one space in case someone breaks a keyboard letter. So in true entrepreneurial spirit, I’ve done just that — plus I removed the middleman (Google):

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 1234567890!@#$%^&*() -_=+[]|:;”‘<,>.?/

That’s not all I’ve done for you today though! I also finally did your May Horoscope. Per usual, all credit to Susan Miller of Astrology Zone, who guides my words like a North Star.

Ready, set, SING!

Taurus

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US CELESTIAL SKY COWS, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!

I know it’s cool to hate “the birthday song” at restaurants but I kind of love it. When else — besides at the Hard Rock Cafe, where I spent my 16th birthday and stood on top of a table to dance after too much sugar — is it acceptable to burst spontaneously into song and essentially light things on fire and cause a scene (all without getting thrown out)?

Speaking of causing a scene! This just in from Susan: “This will be a major month for you, dear Taurus, for Uranus, the planet of change, individuality, creativity, rebellion, disruption, and innovation, will move into Taurus for the first time since 1934 for a very long visit. This means this influence will be new for you.”

How ironic, or how perfect: All I do in these horoscope recaps is shit-talk the planet of butts, and yet here it is, coming into our sign — a less than once in a lifetime opportunity because it doesn’t necessarily happen to everyone — to make our lives better/more interesting/more creative. Uranus is going to open up a lot of doors that we didn’t even know existed.

Shorter term, the new moon of the 15th will affect us positively too (we’ll exit toxic situations) and then Mars in Aquarius will breathe new life into our careers (but we can’t just sit there! Get after it, as that annoying guy you know says). It’s a great month for love, and to be betrothed. Don’t forget you can marry yourself! That way you can merge your bday cake and your wedding cake into one!

Gemini

SNAP INTO A SLIM-GEM! I just thought of that, you can thank me or reprimand me later. That wasn’t meant to sound so kinky but choose your own adventure, I suppose.

Speaking of kink! Uranus is going to enter everyone’s life in a major way this month, and Uranus, as you know, is full of “sudden surprises and impulsive actions and unexpected news,” so if you’ve been feeling like everything has been the same for so long, GET READY TO FEEL OTHERWISE, CHRISTIAN GREY.

If you’re writing a book or a play (or you want to) the new moon on the 15th will fuel your creativity. Everything is going to look like copy to you, or like a song, or like a movie. Please don’t miss your stop on the subway because of this, but if you do, anyone who’s accidentally gone to Queens instead of Wall Street knows that this adventure can be a total delight AND further fuel your writing. Unless you’re late for a meeting in which case, I feel you and that’s stressful. I’m projecting though because Susan said nothing about being late! But she did say May will be a romantic month, especially if you want to go to Wyoming and meet a hot cowperson and be around horses. Swear to god she said that, in more words or less.

Cancer

If April felt like it sucked (it kinda…did…didn’t it??) MAY WILL BE THE OPPOSITE! Take THAT, calendar makers who always make April something adorable, like baby ducks in yellow rain boots, versus May, which always features like, a tree. Not that trees aren’t cool but it’s hard to compare, calendar-wise, a tree to a chick in wellies.

May’s going to be super romantic for you, especially this coming weekend. Unrelated to romance — or very related, depending on what you’re into — Uranus is “showering” you with “sparkling aspects” that Susan calls “deliciously social.”

Life will really feel like it’s taking on a new tune for you (in a great way) around May 15th. There’s a new moon when Uranus kicks into high gear. Two bad it’s not a full moon, otherwise I could have a made a two-butts-for-the-price-of-one joke.

I think you’re going to get rich on the 29th!

Leo

Kittens! Inspired by kittens!

You know what’s messed up? The way my “CYCLE” runs, I get fork-stabby-in-my-ovary-cramps every single time I write horoscopes, depending on how late in the month we’re running, and I have them terribly while writing yours. That should make this an adventure! It’s like EXTREME WRITING. It’s like Gordon Ramsey for periods and horoscopes! What would that show even be called? Taking suggestions in the comments below.

SUSAN THINKS you might be moving!!! Good thing Haley — fellow Leo — found all those decorating tips for you.

You’ll feel extra creative this month, and you’ll get famous as a result on the 15th (even if it’s just office famous, or your-boss-loves-you famous — either way you’ll feel like a real Molly Shannon superstar). On the 25th you might even sell some of your work.

The 29th is your day for love, although considering that we’re heading into summer, I’d say you’ve got a whole season of makeouts and whatnots ahead of you. You know my favorite life motto: Have fun, be safe! And don’t forget that whoever you bump lion butts with should treat you like the king/queen/and all sorts of royalty in-between of the jungle that you are!

Virgo

Full disclosure, I date a Virgo, so your ‘scopes are definitely now swayed in a way that some might consider unethical in the world of journalism, but with Susan and the stars as my main source, how can I go wrong, really?

May will be an exceptionally romantic month (!) where you and you and your main squeeze are likely to get away from the 25th to the 27th. DO NOT FORGET that “main squeeze” can also mean your bff or your favorite book.

Bffs rule, especially when you forget a song and hate using Google so you call them instead, but if you’re looking for love — or perhaps a simple summer fling? I can’t believe I forgot to announce the official commencement of uncuffing-season: a super fun time of year, except for the Virgo I date, I suppose — then take joy in knowing you’ll find it and you won’t even have to look under any wormy rocks! (No offense, February, but don’t think I don’t remember that shit.) And I’m just going to add this casual line in here there from Susan: “devote yourself to love sweet love.” Take it or leave it. I’m going to Target!

You’ll feel particularly intellectual on the 15th, and everyone important to your career will love you. Your career is on a skyrocket whiz-bam-boom UP into the ether! Avoid signing agreements on the 13th, but otherwise, sounds like a party month to me!

Libra

Libra Libra bo bibra banana nana no nibra me mi mo meebra, libra! I forget how to do that song but hi how are you how’s your day going let’s talk horoscope and for heaven’s sake maybe I won’t make the next seven so damn long!

I know you want to travel and you’re feeling itchy to get away. You will in June, for now, enjoy the time at home to regroup for summer and watch as the CA$H FLOW STARTS POURING IN. Per Susan, the money influx is looking as though you might suddenly find out you’re the Princess of Genovia, minus the antiquated-beauty-standards makeover montage (although I do love a makeover montage so have one at your leisure that feels good for you).

Mars in Aquarius on the 16th means an influx of fun and friends and dancing and laughing. If you’re finding yourself arguing a bit with your S.O., Susan Miller suggests couples therapy, and so does MR contributor Meghan Nesmith. In fact, she loves it.

Venus will enter your “professional reputation sector” on May 19th, so that sounds to me like an office party (to celebrate all your achievements, obviously!) if I’ve ever seen one. Can’t wait to see all that you achieve, honey bee. Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz!

Scorpio

Sting Butt! Let me start off this spring ‘scope with the kind of Susan Miller quote that people probably expect to read when they take the time to check out what the stars have in store for them, rather than my old blatherings:

“As a Scorpio, you tend to like to do things by yourself and not involve others. You like having full control, but sometimes, like this month, you might want to consider teaming up with a person that can add a needed element of expertise to your life. This may be for business, but you also will have the urge to merge in love – by getting engaged or married.”

Okay! Back to the blatherings! Except this is all kind of related: On the 15th, you’ll grow closer to a partner (professional or bed-wise). It also seems you’re about to partake in moving season: Mars will help you, but because it goes retrograde in June (the 26th through August 27th) try if you can to wrap your shit up now.

Finally, May 25th is an ideal day for love. To find it, nourish it, cherish it, roll around in it. Eyes open and arms out wide. I’m hungry! Are you??

Sagittarius

Hello divine equines! Don’t forget to polish your hooves so that they’re shiny for summer’s arrival. In other non-horse related news (why, though) embrace the fact that the start of the month, you’re going to feel nest-y and like you’d rather keep to yourself than be social. This is totally okay, and also a great time because I feel like there’s good stuff out on Netflix right now to catch up on. (This will also be a good time to save up some money if you feel like you’ve been especially spend-y.)

I have to pee.

You, meanwhile, will feel ESPECIALLY creative this year, and you can thank Jupiter and Neptune getting along nicely for that!

On the 15th (a new moon, tell your friends), will bring “news of a new assignment,” which sounds annoying because everyone’s to-do list might as well be called a Too-Long-To-Do-List, Thanks, but it’s not because this new assignment will mean a lot of money. Hurray! Oh but please do read the fine print slowly and carefully.

Travel, travel, travel (Susan is always trying to get people out of town, no matter the sign. I swear she’s a rogue house party thrower or something), and on May 19th — ooo! Love’s on the horizon: Venus will “glide through your seventh house of commitment from the start of the month until May 19th.” How’s that for a fantastic lube PSA?

Capricorn

Hey Caprese-salad-corns! Susan Thriller says you’ve got the spotlight on you this month. She also says that the world may feel like it’s turning too quickly right now. She promises you can handle this, even if that Simon & Garfunkel song “Feeling Groovy” just told you to slow down because you move too fast.

I had to sing that song in some chorus I was in forever ago and it gets stuck in my brain all the time.

Susan also says that life has felt a little rocky and serious lately. Well MAY (my birthday month, FYI) will bring you — or hopefully already is bringing you — “lots of reasons to enjoy life.”

May 15th will be a hyper-romantic day, whether you’re single as an errant chin hair or as wrapped up in another human as an ingrown.

The rest of May stays romantic, especially the 25th when Jupiter and Neptune hook up. It might be a nice time to travel but also, to paint those nudes you’ve been meaning to do.

^As for those nudes, you can thank Uranus moving into Taurus (we in the Taurian committee are very thrilled and honored to host) for upping your creativity. Can’t wait to see what you paint, literally AND metaphorically!

Aquarius

Hello you beautiful celestial swimming pools of brilliance! (Feel free to use that description in your Instagram or Tinder bio.) Your focus this month will center around the home, so maybe you’re moving. Do tell all the details.

Uranus’s move to Taurus will influence all the signs in a major way. For you, this may involve some kind of move. Try to be flexible because this Uranus situation is a good thing. Remember, the Planet of Butts is also the planet of surprises!

This month is a good time to be productive (sorry if that’s boring) because the summer’s going to get a little sticky what with the planets going on various vacations and everyone being too hot (not that I’m complaining after our long and longer winter). Some things to keep you motivated: Your career is excelling and you as a professional human are sitting astride a shooting star.

And after that, honestly, Susan just repeated more of the same thing! Oh but try to throw a party or take a vacation at the end of May! Yay!

Pisces

Hi sweetie sweet sweet goldfish! Uranus, who “played havoc with your finances for seven years” (when butt stuff goes awry), is finally OUT of your sign. You will feel instant relief, per Susan Thriller. And I get it. You must have felt financially constipated given all of the clues I’m drawing from Suz!

Well. Get ready for your money to steady, if not rise, and get even MORE ready for your creativity and communication skills to shoot up so high that the moon’s like, “Hey watch it down there!” But then the moon will smile in a good-natured manner because honestly, she gets it. (That said, this is why we don’t play with rubber bands indoors or near eyes, okay?)

May 15th might be a good time to seek a scholarship for continued education or something in line with that theme. (You know all of these horoscopes are amenable to your reality.)

Now here’s something I am really excited to talk about even though I just weirdly put an apple I wasn’t done eating in my mug of coffee (to hold it) but turns out I still had coffee in there — way to kill two birds you very much wanted alive with one stone, Amelia: The weekend of the 25th to the 28th is an excellent time for LOVE!!!!!!!!! Love in the romantic sense, and love in the creative sense, plus, Susan Miller gives you free rein to go shopping thanks to Venus!

Bartender! Please! Three cheers, three beers, and a Fuzzy Nipple while you’re at it!

Aries

I’ll tell you what I just saw, Aries: two pigeons engaging in the act of foreplay. It was troublesome, even though I know all things deserve to have and make love, so please just know that I will be working through that while I type this out. I also really, really need to Google “how do birds have sex” and “bird penis,” which I have done before! I just can’t keep it in my mind apparently (there’s probably a protective psychological reason for that?) but, big caveat, I’m borrowing Elizabeth Tamkin’s computer because I needed to work remotely and my work computer is a desktop and if you read the intro then you know that the “O” key of my home computer doesn’t work!!! But anyway I can’t just go searching for bird peens on a colleague’s computer.

So here we are: THIS MAY, your finances are on the rise, but (!), the “heavy emphasis on your career will become less important to you once you reach May 15th. “You’ll turn your focus to friendship, largely.” Interesting. Sounds like a work-life balance situation to me. (But also if you’re like whoa whoa hey hey I need to focus on my career, Susan later brings up networking, so maybe you’re focused on your career still, but you’re re-centering your focus on networking so that you can make your next move — make sense? Does anything I ever write in these horoscopes make sense? I have to wash my hair or else!)

The rest of May, especially the 23rd, will be a great time to travel. Going anywhere special for Memorial Day? Do tell me about it. As for love, you know how people get when the temperature rises: all dough-y eyed and looking for someone to makeout with. They don’t call it Spring Fever for nothing!

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mialipsky-blog · 6 years

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{Interview} DIY Wedding Flowers with our 2017 Contest Winner

On September 23rd, 2017, Cara and Bret said “I do” in Lake Tahoe, CA surrounded by friends and family. Their outdoor wedding was, without a doubt, a dream! We interviewed Cara, our 2017 Win Your Wedding Flowers grand prize winner, to learn more about her planning process, her experience with FiftyFlowers and more. Whether you’re planning a wedding or other special events, you’re bound to find some inspiration in this interview.

The Planning:

Where did you get your inspiration from?

I am guilty of having Pinterest wedding envy and couldn’t take my eyes off of all of the gorgeous wedding boards! What a time to be alive and how did anyone plan weddings before Pinterest? I started by stepping back and thinking about how I wanted our wedding to feel and then I went from there after we found a gem of a venue. The biggest factors that I kept in mind were the outdoor mountain/river location and the laid-back vibe of Lake Tahoe. I created boards for different parts of our wedding and if I found a sign I liked, I’d add it to the board and brainstorm ideas how to create something similar that would work for our vision. I tried to loosely stick to a “mountain elegance” theme, but if I saw something that I wanted to incorporate, I did. I saved a LOT of money by doing things myself and really didn’t have to compromise on anything. I took projects on in small doses (one weekend of painting vases and one weekend of staining signs). Etsy and Pinterest were my go-to sites for all things wedding related.

What inspired your color palette?

Our venue was surrounded by mountains and a river and I really wanted to incorporate bright, bold colors to pop against the scenery. I wanted to keep things natural looking but thought that all white flowers might not stand up to the backdrop. I had to be careful not to choose colors or flowers that were too summery for a late September wedding and wanted to mix lots of shades of pinks and lavender with burgundy and creams that were appropriate for the season. Our invitation and menu cards were a gorgeous mountain and blue sky watercolor and that was the baseline for my color palette. I am so glad that I chose unconventional bold, bright colors- it was a risk that I think paid off!

What was your favorite part of wedding planning?

Besides having a year to really celebrate this time with our family and friends leading up to the wedding, I’d have to say the flowers and the décor (centerpieces, dessert table, etc.). I loved planning the flowers and making decisions about how I wanted the tables to look and about the overall experience for everyone. I wanted people to have a fun, carefree time and enjoy the beauty of Lake Tahoe. My husband’s stepdad handmade trivets for the centerpieces from a walnut tree on the property and jarred honey from his bees for our favors. He also made our wedding arbor! I handmade the welcome, seating assignment and bar signs. I love that everything about our wedding had a personal touch and a story. I had a part in designing every piece of the wedding and it didn’t go unnoticed with our guests; everyone had a blast and loved all of the details. My friends all joke that I should have a side business doing wedding flower design after this experience!

How did you find out about FiftyFlowers/the Win Your Wedding Flowers Contest?

When I decided that I was going to do my own flowers, I did some research on the best online flower company and came across a few options. FiftyFlowers had hands down the most variety to choose from and the reviews were honest and helpful. I didn’t feel like my only options were roses or carnations and was so happy to see flowers that I’d never even heard of! Where have peony roses been all of my life? The flower stories and “make this look” on the website were really helpful for inspiration as well and if you want to simplify things, you can copy another wedding with the exact flower recipe- it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. It showed me that DIYing your flowers has been done by many amazing brides and I could do it too and this company made it so easy. This is so far beyond homemade looking flowers- these weddings on the FiftyFlowers website are incredible and complex and nothing about the flowers look homemade. I found out about the contest from the website and couldn’t wait to enter once we received our photos back. I am an avid online reviewer and rely on other peoples’ reviews when making decisions about things, so I’m always excited and happy to give my opinion and experience (good or bad) if it can help someone else.

Advice:

What advice would you give to those who are too afraid of ordering flowers online?

Trust me, I know it can be scary, especially for the brides who need to have control over every piece of the wedding planning process, but that is the best thing about FiftyFlowers- I felt like I could choose every single flower and control exactly how I wanted it all to look. I had support and help along the way and never felt like I was going into it blind. I was so worried that a florist wouldn’t be able to completely capture my vision and even if they could, it would come at a steep price to get everything that I wanted. Have a plan, be as prepared as possible- think it through and double check your flower plan before you order. I had room for error, assumed that some flowers would break or not open up so I accounted for possible issues. Build in extra time into your flower arranging day- it will take longer than you think. Recruit a team of family and friends because people will be more than happy to help you- it was such a fun morning for my mom, mother in law, aunt and a few family friends to spend time together before the craziness of the wedding weekend began. Don’t let it overwhelm you and don’t doubt yourself, that is the biggest piece of advice. Flowers are beautiful no matter what and you can’t really mess them up! You’re the only one who knows how they are “supposed” to look.

You mentioned you used the resources we had to offer. Did you know about our free consultations with Violet?

I did! She helped me bring my vision to life. I had about 40 kinds of flowers on my ‘favorites’ and I had to narrow it down. Violet gave me some great ideas about what kinds of flowers to look into and the biggest bang for my buck to accomplish this bold, bright look. Of course, everyone wants peonies, but depending on the time of year, they can be out of season and unavailable and there are so many other options that achieve the same look (hello a million varieties of garden roses- I think I used five kinds!). She described the filler flowers I was going between and helped me choose the right one based on what I’d be using it for. It can sometimes be hard to know the quantities you will need, and she was very willing to help figure that out as well. It was so helpful to be able to talk to someone who knew so much about flowers prior to making any decisions. It really helped me feel secure about my choices and gave me the confidence to know that I could DIY the flowers.

What did you like about our chat feature?

The chat feature saved my life throughout this process! I planned out the variety and quantities of all of my flowers and added them to my favorites long before I ordered them just to make sure that I had everything accounted for and was comfortable with my decision. I would think of a random question, even before I ordered the flowers, and was able to hop on the chat feature and talk to someone on the team instantly. Every single person was so friendly and helpful and never made me feel silly for asking so many questions (I was practically on a first name basis from asking so many questions). I was going between 2 very similar types of burgundy flowers and they gave me some great advice about which flower to choose based on what I was using it for and how many came in a pack. They really put my mind at ease and were a great source of guidance from pre-planning through the flower delivery.

What would you have done differently?

The morning of the wedding was such a blur for me and so much was going on. I had so many emotions and my nerves were high and I wasn’t very relaxed. I wish I’d have timed my day out a little better so that I wasn’t rushing to get dressed and finish the final details and taken the time to really be in the moment. It is so, so important to step back and not worry about the last minute details that won’t matter, but really enjoy every moment of the day because it does go by too fast.

Memorable Moments:

What was the most memorable moment?

Walking down the aisle with my dad, and seeing Bret for the first time (we didn’t do a first look and I don’t regret it!). It was so special to see all of our family and friends smiling back at us and then see Bret for the first time and feel all of those intense emotions come over you all at once. I was so nervous but as soon as I saw Bret, everything slowed down and became real and I was able to be present and enjoy every minute of the ceremony.

Tell us about the proposal/engagement story!

We went to Maui last summer with my family, our usual family summer trip, and I had a suspicion that the proposal was coming, but tried not to think about it so that I didn’t drive myself crazy all week! We had a great first few days in Maui and it is a tradition that every night, we take a bottle of wine down to the beach to watch the sunset before getting ready for dinner. On our third day, I had finally gotten into vacation mode and everyone seemed to be acting pretty normal and enjoying themselves. We headed down to watch the amazing sunset, our nightly ritual. Bret suggested that we take a walk along the beach, but I was holding a wine glass and being the rule follower that I am, said we shouldn’t do that because you aren’t supposed to have glass on the beach and I certainly was not going to leave my wine behind. My dad (who was in on this) told me that its unlikely I’ll be arrested by the beach police for holding a glass, so off we went. Bret was walking SO slow and I kept pulling him along, wanting him to speed up to get to wherever we were walking to. We got a little ways down the beach and I turned around for a moment and saw my family walking closely behind us holding cameras and by the time it hit me and I turned back around, Bret was on one knee. It was such a sweet and special moment and I’m so grateful that my whole family was there to celebrate with us.

Want to recreate her wedding flowers?! Check out her Make This Look! Also, click here to see her Flower Story.

Vendor Team:

Photographer: Elisabeth Arin Dress Designer: Maggie Sottero (from Miosa Bridal in Sacramento, CA) Caterer: River Ranch Lodge Event Planner: Bride Groom Attire: The Black Tux Band: Lake Dj

{Interview} DIY Wedding Flowers with our 2017 Contest Winner published first on their blog to my feed

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