#Caldwell

[unteriors]

Fulda Road, Caldwell, Ohio.

#Caldwell #Ohio

[a-dragons-journal]

Humanity and the Lack Thereof

This essay was co-written between Rani and Viridian; Viridian's text is in green and bracketed.

Humanity is an interesting thing.

I am otherkin. I am nonhuman, a dragon-in-human-skin, draconic to my core. I feel phantom wings and tail, the instinctive knowledge of how to breathe fire even though I don’t understand how it works, a bones-deep longing and homesickness for the sky, numerous instincts and urges tied to being something other than human. Many who are like me reject humanity entirely, don’t feel human at all. And yet, I am also human, deeply and truly. I am just as human as I am dragon - I like my human body, I love the things I can do with it (hands, dexterous hands, are a wonderful thing), I overall enjoy my human life. I am nonhuman, but I am not not human.

Viridian, who is watching “over my shoulder” as I write this, is a vampire. She is a fictive, from one of the Vampire: the Masquerade games that I play in, wherein vampires are typically considered to be… on the boundary line between “human” and “nonhuman.” Many vampires cling to their humanity and adamantly consider themselves human; I would go so far as to say this is the norm. Those who do not often become monstrous indeed, though often they do not.

[ I do not consider myself human. I am Kindred, vampire, Cainite. I am part of humanity, as a general populace - but I do not like being called human.

[ I think part of it is that being human is often put in direct opposition to being vampire as a personal identifier. Those who adamantly insist they are “still human” often mean as opposed to being a vampire instead. Being no longer human is, as Rani wrote, often considered a sign of becoming a monster instead.

[ But I worked hard for my Embrace, my being turned into a vampire. I worked to earn the right to call myself Kindred for nearly a decade. And yes, perhaps some of it is that I was taught by my original sire that the Embrace was an ascension above humanity, and that still colors my feelings on my own vampirism even if I acknowledge that he was wrong to consider us inherently above humans. But much of it is that being called human feels like a denial of my vampirism, a rejection of it, and for me that is not empowering - it is denying and rejecting something deeply important to me. Kindred is who I am. Human was only ever circumstantially true, a circumstance of birth - Kindred was something I actively sought out, pursued, chose. ]

Which is interesting, because to a certain extent, “human” is only circumstantially true for me, too. If I hadn’t been born human, I sincerely doubt I would identify as one in the same way that I identify as a dragon despite not being born into a dragon body. I could be wrong, of course - I have no way to prove it either way - but I suspect that if I am correct about reincarnation and I end up in another body after this one, I will not have the same “spillover” of humanity that I do of draconity from my dragon life.

And yet, I am human, and I actively dislike it when people try to strip that from me. Part of that, admittedly, is that the handful that try to see me as only dragon, and reject that I am human, are usually doing it because they’re violently misanthropic individuals, so it’s soured the whole thing for me because the reason they’re rejecting my humanity is so they can try to get me to shit-talk the rest of humanity with them. (If I have to hear one more dragon legitimately, whole-heartedly say that they think humanity should be extincted, I’m going to lose it.) But part of it is that my humanity is important to me, just as important as my draconity. I am both. I’ve written whole essays on this topic.

[ In that way, perhaps we’re not so different after all. I dislike being called human because it feels like a rejection of who I am, who I chose to be; you dislike being called not-human because it is a rejection of who you are. ]

Maybe so. Funny how different societal circumstances can yield opposite results from the same kind of pressures.

I think that part of the discrepancy between us is also that I’m a very physical person. Frankly, I am a chemical creature; I enjoy physicality, I enjoy affectionate touch, I enjoy the physical pleasures life has to offer. I enjoy food. I enjoy sexual pleasure. I enjoy the exhilaration of getting my heart going and my instincts fired up in a self-defense class. I live, I live, I live! is ever a cry of joy in my heart. And a lot of that ties into my animality! I am a dragon animal, yes, but I am also a human animal, and both of these things must be satisfied! The dragon yearns for the wind and the view when I climb up to a height, for the fire of battle I can get out of a sparring match; the human yearns for the taste of sun-warm berries right off the bush, for the warm press of bodies when I hug and cuddle with loved ones. Both of them love a good nap in the sun. I am a physical creature, I am an animal, and my animal-ness connects me to my body and thus to my humanity, rather than separating me from it.

[ Meanwhile, none of this has ever been true for me. Yes, of course I enjoy certain delicacies; I miss my brother’s cookies periodically, it’s true. But I’ve never loved these things the way Rani does. It’s not that I dislike the pleasures of life, but I’ve just… never really cared. It wasn’t much of a loss when I was Embraced, to trade food and sunlight and heartbeat for immortality and knowledge and power. It was almost convenient to not have to deal with the maintenance a living body requires - no excretion of waste, no inconvenient aches or pains or stomach cramps, a frankly much more manageable frequency of requiring sustenance. My body is just a tool, and the Embrace made it more efficient in most ways. And now, after twenty-three years of being dead, being in a living body again is overwhelming in some ways and just downright unpleasant in others. Even most of the physical matters Rani actively enjoys are either overwhelming or uninteresting for me. I am happy to leave the care and maintenance of the body to them. It’s not necessarily that I actively had a disconnect from my human body, originally, so much as that I didn’t have an active connection to it to make me identify with it, and thus my being “human” was, as I said, only ever circumstantial. My becoming Kindred overrode it, and I prefer to leave it that way.

[ Ironic, that the one whose nonhumanity is so human-shaped should be the one to reject humanity, but here we are. ]

Here we are.

#otherkin #dragonkin #plurality #fictive #rani talks #caldwell #journaling #community writings #essay as promised

[roughridingrednecks]

Caldwell

#caldwell #young guy #redneck #tats #smoker #cap #goatee #cigarette

[vainaspaver]

Sh2-115 by castro.pic

#sh2115 #caldwell #sharpless #pixinsight #astronomie #deepsky #astrophoto #astrofoto #astrofotografie #cfaobam #astronomy #obernburg #deepspace #universe #universetoday #astrography #deepskyphotography #astrophotography #spaceexploration #langzeitbelichtung #stargazing #photographerfocus #backyardastrophotography #aschaffenburg #backyard #ts2600mp #qhy268m #epsilon #epsilon130d #takahashi

[dukeofdogs]

Gwent: The Witcher Card Game | Thronebreaker vanities 2023

Some more assets, this time renders from the shop.

And hey, Caldwell is available from the shop, he was just under a name "Steward of Angren"

"Wear your finest. Mingle with high society. Make a lasting impression."

#gwent #gwent: assets #thronebreaker #meve #gascon #knickers #caldwell

[thingsdavidlikes]

The Secret Valley by ajecaldwell11

#ankh #ankhphotography #caldwell #clouds #godrays #hills #light #mterin #orange #rays #shadows #sunset #temata #valley #flickr #thingsdavidlikes

[federer7]

School Children. The farm worker's camp in Caldwell, Idaho. 1941

Photo: Russell Lee for The Farm Security Administration

#russell lee #Caldwell #idaho #school #children #1941

[drawfee-ooc]

Now Nathan, please make sure this dog has too many teeth.

Caldwell Tanner (WikiHow Drawing Challenge)

#caldwell #drawfee youtube

[detournementsmineurs]

"Portrait of Elizabeth Caldwell" by Gilbert Stuart, circa 1790.

#peinture #style #dentelle #chapeau #XVIIIe siècle #caldwell #stuart

[fundiepredictions]

Happy anniversary

Paul&Christina Caldwell celebrate their 26th anniversary today.

Their family:

Kendra (25), married with Joseph Duggar (28), with Garrett (5), Addison (4), Brooklyn (2) and Justus (1)

Lauren (23)

Micah (19)

Nathan (16)

Timothy (14)

Olivia (13)

Jesiah (8)

Isaiah (5)

Moriah (2)

#fundie #anniversary #caldwell #paul&christina #paulcaldwell #christinacaldwell

[speakspeak]

1941

Grain Elevators, Caldwell, Idaho

#coop #co op #grain elevators #caldwell #idaho #1941 #art #designer #design #typeface #type #typography

[pancakelewoof]

Quiche’s boy Caldwell!

#Lorwolf #Lorwolf Art #Caldwell #Dat Pancake Ert

[a-dragons-journal]

We're finally deciding to make a post about this.

So, some of you may recall a while back that I wrote a whole post about me calling myself "singlet+," with experiences very close to plurality, but nonetheless not quite plural. I've gone back and forth on questioning it multiple times, but kept coming to the conclusion that no, when I really quiet my own brain and reach out, there truly is nothing else there. It's just me.

...So it turns out I had completely misunderstood how monoconscious systems work, and if you happen to be monoconscious, trying to kill your own brain "making up" responses tends to also kill any headmates' responses. Oops.

We've been quiet about this for a little while now, because Viridian's not wanted to get a ton of attention while she was still getting her feet under her, but she's finally decided she's comfortable being public about her existence, so here we are. The only reason I'm making an announcement post is because I'm about to post an essay we co-wrote that will be very confusing if I don't, LMAO.

She can be found over at @/emerald-technologist, though things we co-write or that are relevant to both of us - which will be most actual essays, because of the fact that I'm (so far, at least, and we have no intention of trying to change it) always fronting and thus things basically always get at least some input from me - will probably end up posted or reblogged to both blogs, so.

Let's also just say this right off the bat: if you're gonna be pissy about origins, endogenic systems, or syscourse in general, take it to me, not to her. Anyone who tries to start shit with her will just be blocked on sight; she doesn't want to deal with that. I am usually happy to debate such things, as long as I have the energy; just take it up with me.

(Also, note that while I call her Viridian, she does prefer her surname, Caldwell, from strangers; she'll accept either and won't be offended if someone firstnames her, but it's a cultural thing for her.)

#plurality #rani talks #haha oops. #fictives #caldwell

[roughridingrednecks]

Caldwell in Ccalifornia

#caldwell #CA #redneck #tats #smoker #cap #cigarette

[dukeofdogs]

Gwent: The Witcher Card Game | Thronebreaker vanities 2023

Rivia In the Moonlight Board "Welcome to Rivia: home to the loathed, and to heroes unlikely."

Traveler Meve Skin "A ragged, lichen green cloak over a padded gambeson can feel like a luxury compared to full golden plate."

Prepared for War Bundle "They say war is mostly endless boredom, culminating in indescribable terror. But say one thing for the Blackclads: they get to the point quickly."

Dragon's Lair Bundle "To threaten a dragon mother's eggs is to invite doom upon all you hold dear."

Titles: Traveler, Shadow Dragon, Prepared for War, Good Boy

Contracts:

Brossard's family heritage Play 30 matches with Duke of Dogs Cardback equipped.

Escape to Aedirn Win 1 match with Traveler Meve Skin equipped.

Allies up in the mountains Win 15 matches with Traveler Meve Skin equipped.

Campaign in Angren Win 50 matches with Traveler Meve Skin equipped.

Don't stop retrieving! Win 1 match with Rivia Board equipped.

Let's raise the woof! Win 15 matches with Rivia Board equipped.

Who's the good boy? Yes, you are! Win 50 matches with Rivia Board equipped.

#gwent #gwent: assets #thronebreaker #meve #queen meve #knickers #keltullis #caldwell #tc from the past (8.8.23): i have no idea where the caldwell skin comes from #is he shop exclusive? is he from contracts? idk we'll see #oh also: the lyrian soldier cardback uses an artwork that wasn't featured in thronebreaker

[budcrossfordtx]

Looking for a new place to order takeout from in the Caldwell, TX area? In our recent blog post, we take a look at some of the best restaurants around to grab a bite to eat on the go. Click here to check them out:

https://www.budcrossfordtx.com/blogs/4137/4-favorite-spots-for-delivery-and-take-out-near-caldwell-tx-2/

#Local Guides #Caldwell #TX #Texas #travel #sightseeing #touring #takeout #food #food guides