#august righteousness | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sgiandubh · 10 months

Text

Pretzel logic

I never liked funerals - who does? - and I have always tried to avoid them, under different pretexts. This is one of the moments we meet the Great Beyond and we are at our most vulnerable. It's only fair and it is not something to be taken lightly, ever.

August 10, 2022 happened a few days before I decided to give OL a try and by the time I landed in here, that YouTube live had already been taken offline, perhaps with good reason.

That people watched it should come as no surprise to anybody: it happens in all cultures and societies - Death fascinates us and makes us curious, even if it's a questionable, voyeuristic kind of curiosity. It was posted for everyone to see, on the biggest content streaming platform on planet Earth. It was posted in consideration of the ending peak moment of the COVID pandemic, to allow for more people to attend, with the family's prior consent. It was most probably shot from the organ balcony, at a respectful distance and I am being told the streaming was blurry: a good thing, if you ask me. People screeching for "more clarity" of those screenshots should, in my humble opinion, think twice: context and taboo and all that.

That people saw something bizarre in the front pew was unavoidable. That the said detail (Occam's Razor would help us conclude that ambiguous things are usually anything but...) was screenshot, edited and made its way in here and elsewhere - impossible to control. However, I have not read any disrespectful comments about the event. Nobody snarked. Nobody grinned. A hole in the plot was pointed out, adding to the whole array of inconsistencies and if I remember well, it was almost missed out entirely (a taboo is a taboo, after all) and started its career online only days after.

Was it shared ad nauseam? Maybe - but who the hell am I to judge? Again, not something you can control, unless you set yourself up as the Torquemadas of this fandom and slap everybody on the wrist with your twisted righteousness. When your people discuss the Data Lounge findings in great, lewd detail, that is called having fun and (I love that one, don't you?) gossiping, as if you were just talking about Miss Scarlett's new petticoat, not a man's reputation. When our people dare to post pictures from a public event, or published for public consumption, that is immediately taxed as being insane or snooping.

A neutral person venturing in here would call out the bias immediately. I call out your hypocrisy and have no problem doing it in writing. And I never peddled neutrality, in here: I simply peddled decency and I remind everyone I have probably never posted any pictures from August 10, 2022 (I will triple check later, but I am pretty sure I didn't). It is a personal choice and, as you know very well, I am not alone in the Shipper community. Far from it.

That you chose August 10 to post the largest, most consistent amount of content I have read on your blogs during the last six months, shows me once more what I already knew: you simply can't help yourself, can you? It's all about slap-a-shipper day, even if this community remained remarkably silent and collected, yesterday. Extremes exist, they are a fact of life: silencing them is useless and unproductive, at least as far as I am concerned.

You have once again showed me your true colors, Mordor. At the end of the day, you do not really have a problem with the pictures floating out there. What you do have a BIG problem with, is the person sitting in the front pew and you would go to great lengths - to any lengths, for that matter - to disguise it under a thick sanctimonious cloak of civic disgust. Your shrieks backfire: if anything, they confirm, not deny. And for the sake of politics, anything goes. It is, therefore, ironic, that in order to post your reasoning, you did look, in great detail and for a consistent amount of time, at the same exact screenshots and pictures you send to hell so gleefully.

Spare me the dramatics.

#fandom

155 notes · View notes

pavlovleowrites · 9 months

Text

For @jegulus-microfic , August 25th, prompt Gold (549 words, nsfw, explicit sexual content)

I’ll give you a crown of the rarest metal and a kingdom to rule over. I’ll make you a throne in the strongest wood. I’ll lift you up myself and bend my head at your knees. Leave your god and come find me. Oh, you know I’ll take care of you little priest.

Again and again Regulus woke up to the demon’s golden eyes shining in the dark, crooked smile waiting for his resolve to dissolve. His faith tested, and his knees bleeding, hands aching from being held too tight against each other. If praying could have saved him, he would have been standing by God’s right hand already.

You hurt yourself on his account, love, but you’d never suffer in my hands. I could prove it to you if you’d let me in.

Eyes like Charon’s coin ready to bring him over the edge. Regulus barred his door, but there was always a window open for the holy spirit.

The call of temptation when he touched himself under the cover of the night, guilt and desire spreading through him like molten gold, leaving him hard and bruised.

I’ll make you the king you deserve to be. Tell me priest, does your skin taste like the stars blazing through the sky ? Would you ignite me with the righteousness of your light ? I haven't been scared of fire in a long time, let me burn in your body.

And what was Regulus supposed to do when the whispers turned to caresses, to moans and to prayers. Promises of heaven from the devil’s tongue, a glimpse of eternal bliss with the stroke of a wrist.

Regulus has been well taught, he was supposed to fight evil not relinquish his weapons at the feet of a golden demon, a pagan god, a grotesque image of his Holiness.

But here he is, on his knees, mouth opened eagerly waiting for absolution. His defeat tastes heavenly around the demon’s cock, heavy on his tongue. Each thrust burns his throat and brings tears to his eyes. He holds his breath, head dizzy, it’s overwhelming how right it all feels.

His lips are wet, his shin is covered in spit, he looks filthy, the picture of a willing virgin sacrifice. The reverence in the golden eyes looking down on him makes him feel like he has finally been understood by religion. He chokes on the demon, so full of him he could cry. His own neglected cock hardens under the pressure in his mouth, the proof of his true vile desires about to stain his robes without so much as a touch.

“Regulus” and his name resonates against the walls of the church, a god in his house. The demon doesn’t deceive him, when he grabs his curls to take his head off his cock, pumping himself a few more times before covering Regulus face with cum, anointing him lord of his own dominion. Regulus greedily licks away what he can before the demon grabs his jaw tightly, golden eyes meeting gray ones with a devotion never reached in the mortal plane.

Let me worship at your feet little priest, let me write the holy scriptures of your principles. Will you redeem me ?

And what can Regulus do but say yes, and follow the demon down in damnation ?

#regulus black #james potter #priest regulus #demon james #jegulus microfic #my fic tag #i have no idea #jegulus #the marauders

86 notes · View notes

demani-dusk · 2 months

Text

ok I just got around to this week's palisade ep and JESUS....

I cannot believe Dre made Even and Cascabel's great great (etc) grandkids.

Jack's scene sets up Art's scene so well in that General Mourning and August Righteousness look cool and discerning and like they're not going to suffer a war criminal to get a second chance. And then.

Art is so right that he was honorbound to play Clem.

Art need not have avoided voicing Clem all season this is perfect 10/10.

Gucci. Gucci no.

#palisade #palisade spoilers

10 notes · View notes

blowflyfag · 3 months

Text

WWE SMACKDOWN MAGAZINE: SEPTEMBER 2005

MNM

“WE’RE GOING TO BE BIGGER THAN ELVIS”

By Keith Elliot Greenberg

You might say that MNM is rewriting history one snapshots at a time. Each time one of the paparazzi snaps their picture, it helps their star shine just a little bit brighter. In fact, they enjoy having their picture taken so much that they named their fishing move the Snapshot. And similarly, every time they nail the move, it brings them one step closer to becoming one of the greatest tag teams of all time.

With each victory, the trio becomes more and more resentful of those who apparently dismissed MNM as a fad that would soon fade. In the August issue of Smackdown! Magazine, Nitro said, “We're going to be bigger than Elvis, bigger than the Beatles.”

When you make statements as pompous as that, it’s understood that many will root against you. But MNM expected contempt from opponents, as well as the fans they’d derided as “too weird, too fat, too stupid, too scared, or too damn normal.” Now the trio believes their harshest detractors are the same journalists and paparazzi profiting from covering the electrifying new tag team.

“I have plenty of admirers in high places who’ve told me what these weasel journalists utter behind our backs,” Melina says. “I heard that some even started a pool over whether we’d be on a losing streak by the time the August issue of SmackDown! On sale–and guess who’s on the cover?”

To a degree, Melina’s self-righteousness is reasonable. After all, many observers initially tagged MNM as the team more famous for its look than anything else. Even before their first match on SmackDown!, MNM was trailed by photographers more intrigued by the threesomes' unique appearance than its achievements.

When Nitro & Mercury captured the WWE Tag Team Championship in their very first match, the popular consensus was that the gold would slip through their fingers right away. They were too arrogant, too shallow and too inexperienced to remain at the top of the tag team ranks. Somehow, MNM proved all their critics wrong. And, now, when the paparazzi appear, there’s a legitimate reason why the pictures are in such great demand.

In April, the team came out of nowhere and captured the titles from Eddie Guerrero & Rey Mysterio–two proud Latino stars not accustomed to getting bested by untested talent. Although tensions had been simmering between Guerrero & Mysterio already, the loss sent their relationship into a tailspin. The two were soon bitter enemies, and when they reconciled for one night to challenge for MNM’s championship, the result was disastrous.

In the aftermath, Mysterio was plagued by troubling doubts, while Guerrero appeared to be possessed by demons. Meanwhile, MNM’s light only burned brighter.

“That’s what we do,” Melina says, “We take the icons you people have chosen to worship, and we reduce them to nothing. We’re competitors, baby. And when you compete, some people lose and some people win.” “We happen to choose the latter.”

That was made abundantly clear when MNM tangled with Heidenreich and his new “friend,” Road Warrior Animal. The cocky young tag team held their ground against Animal–at one time one-half of perhaps the greatest tag team ever-refusing to be intimidated by his legendary status.

“The Road Warriors, The Midnight Express, The British Bulldogs, The Dudley Boyz, all those tag teams everyone talks about as being so great,” Melina says. “Yeah, they were probably all right in their day, but that’s the past. This is now. MNM is the tag team of the present, and of the future. Deal with it.” For Melina, that aggressive spirit extends outside the realm of tag team combat. Repelled by the notion that her fellow WWE Divas are paragons of beauty, Melina has used both violent language and sadistic behavior to diminish their status.

In one memorable confrontation with Michelle McCool, Melina actually asked her boys to remain backstage. Melina then tore into the athletic blonde with an aptitude that matched the newcomer’s managerial abilities. In the end, Melina survived a dropkick and a spear. But as her opponents straddled the ropes, punching downward, Melina shook off the bows, snatched Michelle, and defeated her with a powerbomb.

Even among MNM’s enemies, there were immediate comparison to other females who established themselves in WWE as managers, but ultimately transcended the role.

Today, for instance, few recall that Trish Stratus actually entered WWE as the manager of T&A–the hulking duo of Albert (later A-Train) and Test. Like Melina, Trish drew fans with her good looks, but she had greater ambitions. After she struck out on her own, she dominated the Women’s Division.

Parallels have also been made to Sunny, the stunning cover girl who shepherded several teams to tag team gold in the mid-1990s. In the process, she gained a reputation as a woman who pretty much attained anything she desired.

Others theorize that Melina’s career may most closely resemble that of Sensational Sherri. At different stages, Sherri managed Shawn Michaels, Randy Savage and Ric Flair, and also held the Women’s Championship.

Yet, those who focus on Melina fall into the trap MNM hopes to set–diverting opponents away from the strengths and weaknesses of Nitro & Mercury.

Mercury all but admitted this recently when he told a reporter, “While our opponents are busy thinking about Melina, talking about Melina, and, yes, fantasizing about Melina, Johnny and I can pretty much step into that ring and do whatever we want to them.”

Because of their early success, Nitro &N Mercury’s potential is sometimes compared with the records of other WWE newcomers who swiftly rocket to the top of their profession. But such comparisons mean little to them.

“We hear people comparing us to guys from back in the day like Kerry Von Erich, because he burst on the scene and won the Intercontinental title right away,” Mercury says. “But those people just don’t get it. Bon Erich already established himself years before when he beat Ric Flair for the NWA title. Unlike the ‘Texas Tornado,’ we walked into WWE cold. We came out of nowhere and shocked all the so-called experts.”

“I mean, sure there were Superstars like Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar who came here and won titles right off the bat, but even those guys didn’t do what we did,” Nitro says. “Angle was an Olympic gold medalist; Lesnar was an NCAA Champion. WWE fans had no idea who we were that first night, when we debuted in Madison Square Garden. But we changed all that by winning the WWE Tag team titles that same night. Now, everyone knows who we are.” Perhaps it’s more appropriate to measure MNM next to Carlito, who won the U.S. Championship in his first SmackDown! match, or Christian, who earned the Light Heavyweight title in his WWE debut. Both came out of nowhere and very quickly grabbed the spotlight. And in both their cases, they have remained among WWE’s elite ever since.

“To all those people who say we got lucky, I have news for you,” Nitro says. “We were lucky the day we were born. Not everyone is blessed with the attributes we were given. And that’s too bad. But nobody says that life is fair. It’s not really our fault if we’re perfect in an imperfect world.”

It’s an attitude MNM carries on the red carpet and , as the results have shown, into the ring as well.

#gonna be real. this was like the only good article in this one. like. the rest are just pictures and dates and stuff like summer slam recap #magazine scan #magazine transcript #smackdown magazine #wwe magazine #Johnny nitro #John hennigan #Melina #joey mercury #MNM #Melina I love you btw Ditch these chumps and start dating girls #also this is for u mint.... i miss u... i hope ur ok #john morrison

10 notes · View notes

swallowtailed · 10 days

Text

palisade 48! finalisade pt 3!

eclectic's scene: yall. YALL. THE GARDEN OF FIDELITY. this is exactly what i have been hoping for all season. fidelity and her garden, her locus of control, are an invasive species introduced by colonizers on the planet palisade (which is a body). introduced species can be both a symptom and a direct method of colonization. the garden of fidelity is deliberately spread, and grows opportunistically (ex. in the dark, on goop) out from colonial settlements--as much a part of the infrastructure of colonialism as city city etc. which resonates perfectly with the whole tm-era garden thing, because like... a garden is created intentionally, altering the land for a purpose. agriculture is contextual. and for it to be fidelity, one of the mirage divines, doing this!! so anyway. very excited about this addition.

uhhh what was this scene about again, aside from introduced and invasive species as a vector of colonization. oh yeah right. love that eclectic is like, i will get in touch with the actual divine i was created from and use the divinity left in me to break a prison open, and i will not acknowledge it at all. i hope he and august get to argue at some point. they're such interestingly opposed characters.

also, setting: really reminded me of the fifth season. (the bit in the geode at the end. u know.) and i gotta say, a blank corporate building sitting in a deep dark cave is actually the scariest thing they proposed

thisbe's scene: ok, doing this out of order for the plotline. very pleased that we immediately got to visit the afflicted lands. i do really love when the divine cycle is in the space of divines being literally the thing they are. which is not nearly always the case but i did feel like this scene was framed in that way. so, yknow, "what's a divine" is the eternal question, but also sometimes someone uses integrity to break the hold of guilt and opposition on leadership. as a writer with a serious interest in thematic structure i simply enjoy it. also it's paired with questlandia's emphasis on clear priorities and goals, so we have both thisbe's pragmatic approach almost independent of the divines involved and august righteousness witnessing something extremely on the nose for his current position

thisbe's relationship with cori being exhausted is so good. i mean, sad. but putting the mechanic of exhausted relationships into the blue channel's whole situation is, i think, very clarifying

the divine kingdom... miserable, obviously. very curious if that is something that's going to last into p3

clem's scene: the problem, as i see it, is that the most compelling question raised by having clem onscreen is the potential to ask, like, can mbreak finally separate themselves from the principality. and this was raised in the episode! but the problem is that they can't actually confront that, because having clem as a pc requires her to stay present and tied to the rest of the cast, and so no progress can be made because clem has to be There, Forever. which was already fully litigated in partizan! ok. i'm done.

things i enjoyed about that scene: august hating everyone in the room and also himself. jesset shooting clem in the face. (eta oh my god i forgot to mention jesset's gun hand. jesset what is going ON.) mustard red fucking Appearing.

#hello world #fatt #palisade #fatt lb #palisade spoilers #ahhh finalisade. so long. so good

9 notes · View notes

silent-words · 15 days

Text

My Tavs | Part I

Today I finally want to tell you about my Tavs. Not all of them, only from full playthroughs and my current one. There are two things that unite them: they’re all female and they all fell for Gale Dekarios of Waterdeep. Everything else is different. I really had fun not only inventing them, but also developing their backgrounds and stories. I hope you enjoy!

Imogen Blackmoor

My very first Tav, created in August 2023. She is a half-elf druid with Circle of the Land subclass. She spent most of her life in the Low City of Baldur’s Gate. Imogen (or Idgy) grew up among humans, because she had never known her elf father. Her mother, Melody, only spoke of a handsome blonde high elf, who stole her heart all those years ago. Idgy has always wanted to study magic, but her mother had always struggled with money, so wizard education was out of the question.

Luckily, a druid grove inside the city took her in and taught her the ways of nature. The grove was lead by a married couple, who associated their druid community with a wolf pack. The couple was the leading pair in the pack, and all the others were considered as their offspring (although not every other druid was their child). When Imogen had to take a role of a leader of the tadpoled crew, she made the same structure, with herself and Gale as the leading pair of the “pack”.

The more Imogen studied druidic magic, the more powerful she became. With a heart full of righteousness she started to defend the weak on the streets of Baldur’s Gate. When she was a teenager, she was already known as a folk hero, the defender of the Lower City. The Guild did not like it, but they had a truce with the small grove.

Imogen lost her mother at the age of 26. She became all alone and threw herself into saving people in the streets to cope with grief and loneliness. Three years later she was snatched by a Nautiloid to become the leader of “tadpals”.

While adventuring she developed an owlbear wildshape, and it became her favourite. At some point she even let Gale rub her fluffy belly while she was in a form of a huge beast.

After defeating the Absolute Imogen married Gale, and they went to live in Waterdeep. She had too many nightmares about her city of origin, still expecting to find a corpse behind an innocent door in the street. But for Imogen it is hard to make a “normal” family, because she never had one. But Gale is always there to help her with everything.

Do you need more details? Feel free to ask!

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #baldurs gate 3 #gale of waterdeep #gale x tav #my tav #my ocs #oc #bg3 tav

9 notes · View notes

madetolooklikeus · 8 months

Text

Palisade 28 re:delegates

Iirc Austin says the delegate is removed from a living divine, and that Opposition is alive on Palisade. Does that mean if a divine has living delegates, it is necessarily still alive as an independent entity as well? Asking for a friend (you wouldn't know it, its name is Righteousness and it goes to a different school)

I am always extremely sickos yes yess about fucked up stuff in FatT, but I will be honest my reaction to Austin introducing August Righteousness in R2P2 was "he massacred my boy!!!" It was fully one of the things that made me hesitant to get my hopes up for Palisade lmao (ye of little faith!). (Which, if I'm such a Righteousness fan, how come I didn't know of or remember its TM briefcase cameo.) Anyway, wonder what's up with Righteousness, my favorite divine. Righteousness minus its augustness even, reduced in dignity but still focused, vicious and unrelenting

#friends at the table #palisade spoilers #palisade

22 notes · View notes

loveemagicpeace · 2 years

Text

🥀Decans of zodiac signs part2🥀

Leo Decans

🌞First Decan Leo/Sun(July 22-August 1)-many characteristics of a leo.They are proud, they love attention and being the center of attention. Many belonging to this decan are benevolent leaders, but they often lack humility. You like to shine and show others how to shine.

✨Second Decan Leo/Jupiter(August 2-August 11)-These are the gamblers and risk takers. You like to take risks and you like challenges. This tendency toward risk-taking can also lead them to overextend at times, but they usually fall on their feet. You are more of an optimist and look at the fun side of life.

☁️Third Decan Leo/Mars(August 12-August 21)-This is the warrior lion who will go out into the world with a sense of righteousness and possibility, who truly believes they can achieve anything they desire. You are a driven person who always wants to achieve your goal.

Virgo Decans

🧼First Decan Virgo/Merucry(August 22-September 1)-They enjoy intellectual relationships in which they can discuss plans and ideas with those around them. They are also great worriers and their inner self-critic is probably the strongest of all people zodiac.

🔑Second Decan Virgo/Saturn (September 2-September 11)-energy of Saturn and Capricorn relieves some of the potential analysis paralysis of Virgo and encourages them to take action to create structures that give them material security. They are very responsible and great managers but their drive to achieve can mean they miss out on the lighter and more fun side of life.

🎈Third Decan Virgo/Venus(September 12-September 21)-These are slower moving people and generally quite reserved and self-contained. They are more oriented towards beauty, cosmetics, appearance and tidiness. They also like to dress well and look good. Maybe they notice the details earlier.

Libra Decans

🧸First Decan Libra/Venus( September 22 -October 1)-These people are lovers of beauty, pleasure, and others. They love harmony, peace, and for lite to be smooth and lovely. They are happiest when in relationships. They like balance. They do not like conflict and like to remain neutral.

🏖Second Decan Libra/Uranus(October 2-October 11)-These people are more individualistic. They are also drawn to needing more personal space to find the balance that Libra needs. They have interesting ideas and can be a bit rebellious. They fight much more for rights.

💘Third Decan Libra/Mercury(October 12-October 21)-These are charming people who can woo others with their words, but they are also more changeable and restless, which can upset the needed balance and harmony integral to Libra. They are highly sociable and need to converse with others on a regular basis. These people are more talkative and need more communication in relationships, but at the same time they can also be good writers or have a very good vocabulary.

Scorpio Decans

🌊First Decan Scorpio/Pluto(October 22-November 1)- people are deep and extremely intense.They may, almost unconsciously, play power games with others as they try to fulfill their deep longings and desires. They are not the easiest people to be around, but they love very deeply if you can stand the heat.

🫀Second Decan Scorpio/Neptune(November 2 -November 11)-an artistic person who has a lot of spirituality and is deep. I also notice in these people that you have the qualities of a pisces. Their imaginations are quite magical& also are good at imagination. Their ideals are high but at times totally unrealistic.

🌙Third Decan Scorpio/Moon(November 12-November 21)-these people are guided by emotions. Many times family means a lot to them or they have an intense relationship with it. They are more introverted and like comfort. These people have great loyalty but with a higher level of trust.

Sagittarius Decans

💜First Decan Sagittarius/Jupiter(November 22-December 1)-These people are adventurous and optimistic & always ready to party. They love to travel and are inspired by places and psychological life. They often study higher philosophies.

🎡Second Decan Sagittarius/Mars(December 2 -December 11)-they may not always look where they are going. They are constantly challenging themselves and are usually completely open and honest. They can often get into danger and like things that are fiery, daring and challenging.

🎢Third Decan Sagittarius/Sun(December 12-December 21)-This is another risk-taking placement,and the combination can lead them to gamble in life. They are always looking for fun things, adventure. They have a proud approach and are confident in their own skin.

Capricorn Decans

🪐First Decan Capricorn/Saturn (December 22 -January 1)-Working people who have high goals and want to build a career. They are very serious and responsible. These people have great determination. They take things seriously and usually want to build a reputation.

🖤Second Decan Capricorn/Venus(January 2-January 11)-these people are still responsible and determined but will also make sure they relax and enjoy the comforts their achievements bring. They will appreciate the material side more.

🤎Third Decan Capricron/Mercury(January 12-January 21)-These people are more impatient than others two decans. Maybe they want things to happen faster. Also they always seeking to make everything they do more functional, so that they can get to the next thing faster.

Aquarius Decans

💚First Decan Aquarius/Uranus(January 22-February 1)-These people are real individualists and nonconformists. They are progressive-minded, sociable humanitarians. They usually have a small circle of friends and only those who really suit them. They are rebellious and like to look at life in a different way. They often have their own beliefs. Also their overthinking can lead to anxiety sometimes.

🧝🏽‍♀️Second Decan Aquarius/Gemini(February 2- February 11)-They are still individuals but are more social and curious about the world rather than only abstract ideas. They like new things and they like meeting new people. Also are good communicators.

🧞‍♂️Third Decan Aquarius/Venus(February 12 -February 21)-These people are usually great politicians by nature because they are very good with people and really care about bettering the lives of others. They do not like to fall into conflicts and look at the other side. They are often very graceful and willowy.

Pisces Decans

🧜🏼‍♀️First Decan Pisces/Neptune(February 22-March 1)-These people are good at psychic research and have good intuition. They are usually attracted to mystical experiences, since they already inhabit those realms. They are creative and have an artistic streak. But they are often in the clouds and true dreamers.

🧚🏽‍♂️Second Decan Pisces/Moon(March 2-March 11)-These people are creative romantics but also crave security and safety the most of all the decans. They can be very needy if they don't feel secure. They fall in love quickly or get attached to someone quickly. They often like to isolate themselves and are more or less introverted. They also need a lot of alone time within that structure.

☁️Third Decan Pisces/Pluto(March 12-March 21)-Those people are often drawn to the realms of the hidden and the taboo, such as the realms of magic, mediumship, and death. They are more attached to unknown things and topics that are darker. But they are very emotional and deep and tend to look at life from a deep perspective.

-Rebekah🦋🫀☁️

#astrology #energy #zodiac signs #planets #my notes #birth chart #astrology decans #leo #libra #virgo #capricron #scorpio #pisces #aquarius #sagittarius

301 notes · View notes

orthodoxydaily · 4 months

Text

Saints&Reading: Tuesday , January 23, 2024

january 9_january 23

ST. THEOPHAN THE RECLUSE, BISHOP OF TAMBOV (1894)

George Govorov, the future Saint Theophan, was born on January 10, 1815 in the village of Chernavsk in the Orlov province where his father was a priest.

At first, George attended a primary school at Liven, then a military school. From 1837-1841 he studied at the Kiev Theological Academy, and probably visited the Monastery of the Caves several times. In these surroundings, it was not surprising that he received the monastic tonsure while he was still a student. After graduation Hieromonk Theophan was appointed rector of Kiev’s church schools, and later became rector of the seminary in Novgorod. Before he retired from teaching, Father Theophan served as a professor and Assistant Inspector at the Petersburg Academy.

Saint Theophan was not completely happy with academic work, so he asked to be relieved of his duties. He was assigned to be a member of the Russian Mission in Jerusalem. After being raised to the rank of Archimandrite, he became Rector of Olnets Seminary. Soon he was assigned as the chief priest of the embassy church in Constantinople. Saint Theophan was eventually recalled to Russia to become rector of the Petersburg Academy, and supervisor of religious education in the capital’s secular schools.

On May 9, 1859 Saint Theophan was consecrated as Bishop of Tambov, where he established a diocesan school for girls. During his time in Tambov he came to love the secluded Vysha Monastery in his diocese. In 1863 he was transferred to Vladimir and remained there for three years. He also established a diocesan school for girls at Vladimir.

The holy bishop visited parishes throughout his diocese serving, preaching, restoring churches, and sharing the joys and sorrows of his flock. It was very difficult for Bishop Theophan to live in the world and become involved with vain worldly disputes. Many abused his trust, but he could not bring himself to chastise anyone. Instead, he left such unpleasant tasks to the Archpriest of his cathedral.

He was present at the uncovering of the relics of Saint Tikhon of in 1861, and this made a tremendous impression on him, for he had much in common with that saint. He had loved Saint Tikhon from early childhood, and always spoke about him with great enthusiasm. When Saint Tikhon was glorified as a saint on August 13, Bishop Theophan’s joy knew no bounds.

In 1866 his request to be relieved of his duties as Bishop of Vladimir was granted. He was appointed as Superior of the Vysha Monastery, but soon resigned from that position. He was permitted to live there and to celebrate services whenever he wished. He also received a pension of 1000 rubles.

As he prepared to leave his diocese, he wished to focus on his own salvation, and to concentrate on undisturbed communion with God. On July 24, 1866 he bade his diocese farewell, leaving the world for a life of reclusion, and to devote himself to writing spiritual books. Through these books, Saint Theophan has become the spiritual benefector of all Orthodox Christians. Although he sought the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Mt. 6:33), a reputation as a writer of great significance for the whole world was also added to him.

Bishop Theophan wrote many books, but received no profits from their sale. He tried to keep them as inexpensive as possible, and they quickly sold out. He wrote about topics which others before him had not fully treated, such as how to live a Christian life, how to overcome sinful habits, and how to avoid despair. He tried to explain the steps of spiritual perfection systematically, as one who had himself gone through these various steps. Some of his books include The Spiritual Life and How to be Attuned to It, The Path to Salvation, and Letters on the Spiritual Life. He also translated the Philokalia in five volumes, and The Sermons of Saint Simeon the New Theologian.

For the first six years in the monastery, Bishop Theophan attended all the services, including the early Liturgy. He stood still in church with his eyes closed so that he would not be distracted. He often celebrated Liturgy on Sundays and Feast Days.

Beginning in 1872, he cut off all relationships with people (except for his confessor) and no longer left his cell to attend church. He built a small chapel in his quarters and dedicated it to the Lord’s Baptism. For ten years he served there on Sundays and Feast Days. For the last eleven years of his life he served every day by himself. Sometimes he would sing, and sometimes he kept completely silent.

Whenever anyone visited him on business, Bishop Theophan would reply with as few words as possible, then immerse himself in prayer. If anyone sent him money, he would distribute it to the poor, keeping only a small portion to purchase books.

Whenever he was not occupied with writing or praying, the reclusive bishop worked at carpentry or painting icons. He received from twenty to forty letters each day, and he answered all of them. He was able to discern each writer’s spiritual condition, then give detailed answers to the questions of those who were struggling for the salvation of their souls.

His eyesight deteriorated in his latter years, but he did not curtail his work because of it. In the evening, his cell attendant would prepare everything for the bishop to serve Liturgy the next morning. After finishing the Liturgy, Bishop Theophan would knock on the wall to signal the cell attendant to serve him tea. On days when there was no fasting, he would eat lunch at 1:00 P.M. This consisted of one egg and a glass of milk. At four o’clock he would have some tea, and then no more food that day.

Bishop Theophan began to get weaker at the beginning of 1894. He was still writing on the afternoon of January 6, but when the cell attendant came to check on him at 4:30 he found that the bishop had departed to the Lord.

Saint Theophan’s body lay in the small church in his cell for three days, then three more days in the cathedral. There was no trace of corruption, however. He was laid to rest in the Kazan church of the Vysha Monastery.

Several of Saint Theophan’s books have been translated into English, and are reliable spiritual guides for Orthodox Christians of today. Saint Theophan’s gift was the ability to present the wisdom of the Fathers in terms which modern people can understand. Since he lived close to our own time, many readers find his books “more approachable” than the earlier patristic literature. He treats the life of the soul and the life of the body as a unified whole, not as two separate elements, and reveals to people the path of salvation.

SAINT THEOSEBIA, THE DEACONESS SISTER OF ST BASIL AND GREGORY OF NYSSA (385)

Saint Theosebia the Deaconess was the sister of Saints Basil the Great, Gregory, afterward Bishop of Nyssa, and Peter, Bishop of Sebaste. She was a virgin and served the Holy Church as a deaconess, caring for the sick, distributing food to vagrants, raising orphans and preparing women for holy Baptism.

When her brother, Saint Gregory of Nyssa, was in exile for three years, Saint Theosebia was with him and she shared in all the tribulations of a life of wandering. Saint Theosebia died in 385, and Saint Gregory the Theologian praised her in a eulogy.

HEBREWS 9:8-10, 15-23

8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience- 10 concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation. 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. 18 Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you." 21 Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. 23 Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

JOHN 10:9-16

9I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

#orthodoxy #orthodoxchristianity #easternorthodoxchurch #originofchristianity #spirituality #holyscriptures #gospel #bible #saints #wisdom

10 notes · View notes

fourseasonsfigs · 10 months

Text

Character and Sincerity

There was a set of figs sold earlier this year where the fig maker required a handwritten statement in order to purchase them. The statement required was:

本人是龚俊和张哲瀚的粉丝，相信他们的人品和真诚。本人为自留目的购买手办，承诺不拆、不溢价或捆鄉转让。

[my MTL translation]: I am a fan of Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan, and I believe in their character and sincerity. I purchase the figurines for my own use, and I promise not to dismantle it, pay a premium or bundle it for transfer.

I've not going to tell you how long it took me to write this out, nor my utter lack of anything even remotely resembling proper stroke order, as I was literally just trying to replicate the look of the characters. And well, no words are necessary, you can see it in the picture above. All I can say is that my Duolingo / Hello Chinese combo of basic Mandarin did not prepare me for this!

I also smiled as I wrote out Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan's names, because I recalled a challenge question by a different fig maker, asking for the number of strokes in Zhang Zhehan's name, in order to qualify to purchase a Gong Jun figure. The same fig maker asked for the number of strokes in Gong Jun's name, in order to qualify for the purchase of a subsequent Zhehan figure. It's 36 for Zhehan and 20 for Gong Jun, by the way. Let me tell you, I did NOT appreciate all those thirty-six strokes in Zhang Zhehan's name. Nor was the 龚 Gong an easy character for me to write, let me tell you.

But while I was slowly and painfully transcribing these characters, the seller's required statement up on my phone and zoomed in front of me, I was also thinking about what I was actually writing.

I do believe in their character and sincerity. I believe in it so much that here I am, on August 13, 2023, reaffirming my continued love and support of them both. I will continue to support and cheer on Gong Jun, and I will wait patiently for justice to come for Zhang Zhehan.

I will never forget what a terrible, tragic day August 13, 2021 was, and what the unfolding days after that were like. But I've said it before, and I'll say it again, the evil, greedy people behind 8/13 can take Zhehan from us, but they can't make us let him go.

And oh, they have tried. I would not have believed the storms that have come and keep coming for the JZP fandom. So many people want the JZP fans to give up. They want our love and they want our money. Or rather, they want to destroy our love so they can have our money.

Well, they can't have it. What, did they think our love came so easy? The JZP that are left, the Haizhe that are still there and still waiting for Zhehan - we're as tough as they come. The fans that are still here have souls of steel, and no matter how battered or bruised we are, we're staying the course. We believe in Zhang Zhehan's character and sincerity, and we believe in Gong Jun's character and sincerity, and we believe in both their character and sincerity together.

I was there, I lived through it. I saw the devastation on Gong Jun's face after 8/13. I saw how he never unfollowed Zhehan's accounts anywhere, at great personal risk to himself and absolutely no benefit. If he had broken the CP or even just quietly deleted him after 8/13, not a soul would have blamed him. In fact, people would have celebrated and cheered him on, and pointed to his righteousness and the correctness of his priorities. He had absolutely nothing to gain on say, 8/29 by continuing to follow all of Zhehan's accounts, and everything, everything of all his newfound and hard-fought fame to lose. He was one of the few, if not the only celebrity in China on the days after 8/13 who had Zhehan's face and name prominently on his social media. I can't believe there are people that think that kind of loyalty comes cheap.

Sincerity and character is at the bedrock of my belief in why none of the slander and cruel commercialism of Zhehan's hijacked Instagram account can possibly be true. It's not just me that noticed the resurrection of the stolen account has been fundamentally about money. Money money money, wrapped up in "freedom" and "moving on". Look, I'm an American, and while freedom and moving on is literally embedded in our national DNA, guess what else is? Yeah. I can recognize cold hard capitalism when I see it, dressed up in marketing spin. When was Zhehan's character ever about money? When did Zhehan ever sell anyone out (even when they so richly deserved it and had it coming, Director Yu Zheng I'm looking at you)?

In all the personal challenges and tragedies Zhehan had already been through in his life - losing his father, injuring his leg, his girlfriend leaving him, losing his great love of basketball, his career stalling out prior to SHL - did any of that change him in the slightest bit for the worse? Or did it only make him more wiser, and sadder, and more introspective? Didn't it only make him more philosophical, more open, so much so he was able to dive deep into the personal pain of Zhou Zishu and unlock the strength and gentleness of A-Xu?

Was Zhehan so unable to hold on to his own original intention? Was his own character and sincerity some easily mutable thing that he's willing to torpedo for cash? I don't believe so. He sure didn't sound like it in the one audio recording we absolutely know is him, Li Xuezheng's audio recording from Jan 1, 2022. He sounded exactly like the Zhehan we've seen before.

So yeah.

One of the tricks about running a marathon that I learned long ago, if you're just a jogger at heart and not particularly strong or intensely fit, is to walk every water station. Give yourself a break, get some water. Take a bunch of deep breaths, look back and see how far you've come, and gather strength for the road. And water station by water station, you'll finish the race.

So that's what I'm doing on this long arc towards justice. I'm going to water my heart along the way, and refill my strength for the road ahead. I'm going keep collecting my little figs, I'm going to dress up my little baos Junbaobao and Hanbaobao, and I'm going to buy Gong Jun's endorsements and admire his magazines and watch his shows and every single success he achieves is going to feel good. Every little remembrance, every little win, any time we can all link hands and stay strong together gets us one step closer towards justice and vindication.

I'm proud to be a JZP. I couldn't be any prouder of my sisters and brothers in China and across the globe. We're still here.

I am a fan of Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan, and I believe in their character and sincerity.

#zhang zhehan #gong jun #junzhe #lld #jzp #figthusiast #august 13

25 notes · View notes

mushroom-jack · 3 months

Text

Tompercy Character Reference

Having finished another tompercy WIP with no plans for another one in the works, here is another reference post for the tumblr girlies. These are the characterization bios that I made a while ago in order to get a grasp of their personalities, motives, and have something to reference for their physical appearance rather than always CTRL F-ing A Study of Resonance. This post will be linked in my pinned; I hope it gives interesting insight as to how I see these characters :)

Percival “Percy” Ignatius Weasley-Prewett

Born: August 22, 1976

Appearance: wavy red hair, brown eyes (to match Molly), tortoiseshell glasses. Has freckles, eyebags, and acne, but is practiced at glamoring his face. Otherwise, his features are fairly unremarkable. Blushes easily. Lanky, average height, not particularly athletic. Dresses to come across as respectable, high-class, and sophisticated – wears a variety of colors in order to conform to seasonal fashions. When not a wizard, he is partial to knit sweaters/sweater vests, slacks, dress shirts, and peacoats. Casually, you may find him in his usual slacks and a crew-neck university sweatshirt of some sort.

Personality: earnest, determined, and prideful. Interested in proving himself and earning the respect of his family and peers, but not through hiding who he is (slight superiority complex + rampant self-esteem issues). Wishes he was brought up in a respectable pureblood family. Intensely autistic; doesn’t understand most casual social cues and prefers strict formal etiquette rules, wishes to stick to his routine and dislikes sudden change, fascinated and enamored by his academic fields of choice, prefers interacting with competent adults rather than peers, and is shockingly lonely despite generally preferring solitude.

Has a continued guilty-complex about most things, including pursuing his personal ambitions rather than giving into his parents’ wishes, not being a perfect brother to his siblings, and his continued association with Tom (whatever form that might take). Feels everything very strongly, but especially shame. Ultimately a product of his childhood: his perception of his parents’ pride forcing their entire family to live in poverty and discouraging him and his siblings from seeking out opportunities, being the only person with his flavor of autism in his household and therefore never being understood or really respected by the people around him, and having insane middle child syndrome… affected him!

Generally takes after his mother in pride, stubbornness, self-righteousness, and the way he likes to run his household. Jealous and admiring of Tom in equal measure.

Tom Marvolo Riddle

Born: December 31, 1926

Appearance: coiffed dark brown hair, dark gray eyes with silver flecks (though they are dark blue in ASOR), aristocratic features; high cheekbones, long eyelashes, straight nose, sharp jaw. His skin is smooth and fair. He’s tall and well-proportioned; overall he is exceedingly conventionally handsome and aesthetically pleasing. He carries himself very fluidly, like water, and has generally practiced all his movements to perfection, as if brought up in a very aristocratic pureblood house. He dresses well and classically, mostly in grays, greens, white/cream, and black. When not a wizard, he is partial to leather oxfords, blazers/waistcoats/suits, cashmere sweaters, and also slacks. Casually, you may find him in jeans and a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

Personality: exceedingly prideful, intelligent, cunning, and ambitious; a textbook Slytherin in every universe. Believes in the value of a meritocracy – disparages nepotism and similar methods of gaining power, but values intelligence and competence in others… so long as they agree that he is still better than them and admire him accordingly. Such is his pride. Bookish and hungry for knowledge, and dislikes (but sucks up to) authority unless he determines that the figure is Worthy of His Respect. Perfectly willing to play a role in order to get what he wants – power – even if that means playing nice with purebloods he doesn’t give a shit about. Generally reaches a point, eventually, where he decides that he is now the most powerful wizard in the world and is therefore the ultimate authority, and may as well be God (usually around age 17). After this he will never respect anyone else as an authority ever again, unless they repeatedly beat him in duels (both physical and intellectual).

Intensely autistic also; hates when things don’t make logical sense, dislikes the unexpected, fairly asocial, and has great difficulty relating to and empathizing with (and therefore having sympathy or compassion for) other people – most of whom he sees as unintelligent, weak, too ruled by emotions, and easy to manipulate. Ultimately a product of his childhood, where he was demonized by every adult figure in his life, shunned by all his peers, surrounded by death and suffering in his various forms (hunger, disease, cold, and war), and yet was smarter and more talented than everyone around him and also had literal magic. Even upon going to Hogwarts, he was called slurs and shunned purely for his background, and never seen for his true talent and skill until he started hurting people… which positively enforced for him that hurting people was effective for getting what he wants (power and respect).

Thinks he likes Percy best when he is being subservient; actually prefers when Percy is being intelligent, ambitious, competent, and witty – which are the things that he likes Percy for and was fascinated by in the first place. Will never really view Percy as an equal, but likes him well enough, and finds him intelligent and interesting.

#tompercy #a study of resonance

9 notes · View notes

doomandgloomfromthetomb · 11 months

Text

Sonic Youth - Toad's Place, New Haven, Connecticut, August 7, 1990

Look out, lamestains! The #SonicSummer has hit the 1990s. Grunge, Geffen, GOO! Yes, it would be a wild decade for Sonic Youth — and where else to kick it off than in New Haven, Connecticut. This fabulous tape comes to us from the voluminous Alex Butterfield Archives (you can check out many more of his recordings right here).

"We signed to a major label and got all professional — what can we say?" Lee Ranaldo announces at some point during the band's Toad's Place performance, which took place just a month or two after Goo dropped. Lee is kidding. Sonic Youth sound fairly ramshackle / shambolic for a lot of the set — but righteously so. Long tuning breaks, spontaneous hardcore breakdowns, bouncer baiting ("It's kind of a game, you against them!" Lee encourages the mosh pitters). Thurston keeps asking if his brother has arrived from Danbury yet. "Fuck my brother?!" he asks when someone in the crowd voices their displeasure. "Of course I've fucked my brother, I'm from Connecticut!"

In between all the tomfoolery, SY manage to rock the fuck out, don't worry. The new Goo stuff, which dominates the set, sounds incredible, whether it's a truly vicious "Kool Thing" or an explosive "Cinderella's Big Score" or a snotty "Mary Christ." Best of all is Ranaldo's teetering-on-the-brink "Mote." A new decade had dawned and Sonic Youth was ready to stare straight into the rising sun.

Bandcamp | Merch | Concert Chronology

#sonic youth #sonicsummer #alex butterfield archives

26 notes · View notes

ga-yuu · 1 year

Text

Ikemen Villian Character Profile

William Rex

Absolute Monarch of Self-righteousness and Immorality

The No. 1 member of 'the Crown', the Queen's command unit, is a libertine who is feared as a symbol of diabolical evil and acts uninhibitedly, taking "being one's own master" as his aesthetic. He tempts you into a world full of luscious sins, but...

Birthday: April 24th

Affiliation: The Crown

Height: 180cm

Fairytale curse: Alice in Wonderland, Queen of Hearts

Harrison Gray

Aloof, lying, popular fox

He is an aloof and popular man who belongs to 'the Crown', an Imperial command unit under the direct control of the Queen. He often tells frivolous lies, making it difficult to know where his true intentions lie. He seems to have a 'certain purpose' for joining the Crown....

Birthday: May 30th

Affiliation: The Crown

Height: 181cm

Fairytale curse: ??? Fox

Liam Evans

A sexy Cheshire cat that charms everyone

He is a sexy young man who belongs to the Crown, an Imperial command unit under the direct control of the Queen. In between his duties, he is a stage actor. He charms everyone, but sometimes he seems to have a lonely profile.

Birthday: September 6th

Affiliation: The Crown

Height: 179cm

Fairytale curse: Alice in Wonderland, Cheshire cat

Elbert Greetia

The nobleman of paranoid melancholy

He is a nobleman of melancholy with the beauty of a bisque doll. He belongs to the Crown. He collects 'beautiful things' to the point of paranoia and leaves them in his room in a messy state. There seems to be a tragic reason for this intense desire.

Birthday: January 27th

Affiliation: The Crown

Height: 178cm

Fairytale curse: Snow White, Queen

Alfonse Sylvatica

A hedonistic, demonic fun-loving

A hedonist who lives a decadent life. Belongs to the Crown. Stinging pleasures are his first priority, and he is as elusive as a phantom. He is consistently dishonest, though he will play you for a loop.

Birthday: August 8th

Affiliation: The Crown

Height: 179cm

Fairytale curse: Snow White, Mirror

Roger Barel

Egotistical Ex-doctor

A member of the Crown, a royally commissioned unit under the direct control of the Queen, and a former doctor. He appears to be a rational man, but he is an egoist who will stop at nothing for the sake of his own research. He seems to have an ambition that he has not revealed to anyone.

Birthday: November 23rd

Affiliation: The Crown

Height: 183cm

Fairytale curse: Snow White, Hunter

Jude Jazza

Ruthless and arrogant intellectual yakuza

A cold-blooded man, who loves the despair and misery of others. He has been running a trading company since before he joined the Crown and has many enemies. He is a twisted man with promises he wants to fulfill and a festering heart.

Birthday: December 13th

Affiliation: The Crown

Height: 177cm

Fairytale curse: Sleeping Beauty (Ibarahime), 13th Wizard

Ellis Twilight

Happiness Junkie with mad love

He is a somewhat disturbed young man who belongs to the Crown and is also Jude's assistant. He is kind and gentle to everyone, but he is also unusually obsessed with the 'happiest moment in life' of others. He has a 'love' that he really wants to prove.

Birthday: July 4th

Affiliation: The Crown

Height: 182cm

Fairytale curse: Sleeping Beauty (Ibarahime), Thorn

Victor

The eccentric gentleman assistant to the queen

A free-spirited and unpredictable assistant to the queen. His motto is to fulfill her Majesty's wishes and will be watching over you and the Crown while occasionally interfering a lot.

Birthday: February 20th

Affiliation: The Crown

Height: 183.5cm

Fairytale curse: Seducing me and making me fall hard

#ikemen series #ikemen villian #otome #cybird #cybird ikemen #cybird otome

137 notes · View notes