#bless you non this one was fabulous

[catholic-saint-tournament]

I was raised Protestant so I don’t have any background knowledge here but I’ve always been SUPER curious about the saints and how it all works, no obligation to explain don’t worry about it, but I’m finding this tournament very interesting and a bit educating. Like I didn’t know about the whole “pre-saint” thing (can’t remember the word well enough to spell it) like the church or whoever designating that someone will become a saint once they die if I’m understanding that right from the context clues I haven’t googled things yet for further research.

OK! Happy to help! The professor in me won't let this ask go unanswered.

There are two kinds of saints. Capital S saints are people who the Church has declared are in heaven/with God because of a) exemplary, holy lives they've led, and b) signs of miracles (often medical ones) where people pray for their intercession. Little 's' saints is anyone and everyone in heaven. So, in theory, your grandparents, great grandparents, etc.

Big S, canonized saints, is what this tourney's all about. What Catholics believe: when people go to heaven and they are with God, they are literally closer to God than we are. When Catholics pray (talk) to saints, NOT WORSHIPPING, that is reserved for God and God alone, they're asking for help. Worship = praise, love, adoration, service, acknowledging power/glory/majesty. Praying to/talking to - let's have a chat.

Think of it this way: have you ever asked a friend to help you move? You've got a super heavy package and need help taking it from point A to B. Technically, you can do it all by yourself, but you can get a friend to help you, or several! Catholics ask these saints, or friends, to help with prayer requests.

We believe that the saints can hear us when we pray to them, and will help us. They want to help us! You'd help a friend in need, yes? This is what the saints are for all of us. Friends! Free friendship for free help with God! What a fabulous deal!

The pre-saint business comes with beatification. When a holy person dies, there's a five year waiting period before their cause can be opened for canonization. In the past, 3 miracles were needed, but now only two are needed for canonization.

The process goes like this - person dies, wait 5 years, go through investigation to make sure the person was actually a good person. Martyrs go straight to Blessed stage (2nd to last before Saint). Venerables are non-martyrs but still super cool holy people. They need at least two miracles. Martyrs need one.

In the past, incorruptibles were considered miraculous, e.g. people whose bodies mysteriously/miraculously don't decay after death. Nowadays it's not considered good enough for a miracle because burial conditions can impact this and it's hard to verify. I mean, people still go apeshit over incorruptibles (I do) but it's not enough to be a miracle.

What IS a miracle: very commonly it's medical miracles. Tumors that disappear overnight. Diseases that disappear. Things doctors said couldn't happen and then they do happen.

The Vatican hears thousands of cases a year, they have a team of medical professionals, and most of the miracles don't qualify as miraculous. They're REALLY rare. For a lot of saints, it can take hundreds of years to go from one step to the next because the professionals try to prove that there was no medical reason why something would disappear or be healed.

The miracles, combined with holiness, 'prove' that these people are truly with God because God has worked through them to produce a miracle. The miracle is not the saint's doing, per se, but rather God working through the saint. We thank the saint for 'bothering' God enough to hear our prayers.

Again, you can go to God directly, but imagine if you had a ton of friends bugging God about the same thing. The persistent widow of Scripture comes to mind, or all the prophets' bothering God in the Hebrew Scriptures. The more friends you have bothering God, the better off you are.

This is why Catholics, in particular, are SO fond of Mary. She is the mother of Jesus, the mother of God, and what's Jesus going to do? Ignore his mother? Hell no. He's going to pay attention, and maybe it doesn't always work (Mary's a busy lady with all our prayers) but she listens and intercedes for us.

This is why saints are so rad. They're normal folks like you and me who led exemplary lives across so many circumstances and are now enjoying the splendor of heaven.

I'm personally gunning for little 's' saint. I doubt I'll be cool enough to be a canonized saint, and that's ok by me!

#saints #catholic saints #sainthood #catholic #catholic saint tournament #catholicism #christianity #theology #saintmod answers #saintmod is a theologian

[waitmyturtles]

Your weekly weekend Old GMMTVC Challenge update -- let's battle, honeys!

1) I've been fighting with Tumblr's new web editor all weekend, so hopefully there will be no glitches, but my review of Gay OK Bangkok, Seasons 1 and 2, drops tomorrow (Monday) morning. I jacked up my list and order of reviews to put this one out (...pun intended, you'll see why) before the premiere of Only Friends this weekend (see what I did there!). Gay OK Bangkok was written by P'Aof Noppharnach and directed by Jojo Tichakorn all the way back in 2016/17, and Jojo himself has referred to GOKB when talking about Only Friends on Twitter. So, to YouTube I went to do my research, and I HIGHLY recommend in my review tomorrow that you do, too!

2) Speaking of jacking my list up, I've added a few pre-television-BL movies to the list after hours of fabulous conversation with the inimitable @bengiyo and others. Next week, I'll review 2007's The Love of Siam, one of the very first films from Thailand that explored queer love in the slightest positive way. Sometime between now and the next 14 days, I'll also drop a review of 2014's My Bromance, starring Fluke Teerapat and Fluke Natouch. For approximately a nanosecond, I considered putting both movies into one review, but I watched My Bromance on Friday night, and just -- I ain't gonna do that to LoS.

I fell in love with LoS, even while the ending is controversial, and I'm planning to approach my review with an intersectional lens towards the history of how mass media has habitually treated queer characters before the rise of BLs across Asia; as compared to broader Asian media, and our general tolerance for suffering and non-happy endings. The Love of Siam captured a LOT for me about understanding who I am as an Asian, and what I expect out of media from Asia, while also digging into my understanding about continental perspectives on queerness. LoS, filmmaking-wise, was extraordinarily well-done, and I cannot wait to sharpen my pencils and get into it.

I took on My Bromance to understand where the Flukes stood between that movie and where they're at in their careers now -- Fluke Teerapat as a successful screenwriter (My Ride, La Pluie), and Fluke Natouch as a seriously well-regarded actor (Until We Meet Again, Make A Wish). I also wanted to get a better grip on common yaoi stereotypes before the rise of television BLs in Thailand. Welp -- My Bromance did just that, HA. Yiiiiiiii. I'll have to have a little tipple by my side while I write that review! But it's important to have on the list, nonetheless.

3) All of these movies mean that I've bumped some television content from the queue. After My Bromance, my awaited Manner of Death review will come out, with my loving homage to my rewatch of A Tale of Thousand Stars after that. Sometime this week, I'm gonna get started on Lovely Writer -- back to Tee Bundit, oh gawd -- and from then on, it's go go go to Nadao Bangkok, Last Twilight in Phuket, and I Promised You The Moon. AND Be My Favorite ends this week, AND Only Friends premieres this weekend, AND Dangerous Romance premieres next week. The riches! The blessings! THE LACK OF TIME, HA, but who cares, we're going down, down, baby!

#the old gmmtv challenge #ogmmtvc #turtles catches up with old gmmtv #the love of siam #my bromance #fluke teerapat #fluke natouch #manner of death #a tale of thousand stars #atots

[ourpickwickclub]

LOL The trolls are mad about the hundreds of amazing comments from country/Judds fans on the Judds YT channel, and on FB/IG posts about LIA, that keep praising Gwen and Blake for doing LIA justice and being pleasantly surprised and really pleased with G's voice on it:

"Beautiful song big Judd fan this just makes me smile well done"

"Beautiful rendition and Gwens' voice is gorgeous! Her humility is precious and she really brings heart to this cover! Gwen has a great storyteller voice. Brava!"

"Love Is Alive is my favorite song by The Judds, and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but this song has made me a fan of Gwen!!! Her and Blake sound amazing together in their version!!! Y'all did this song justice, and you can tell that there was a lot of care and love taken while recording it!!"

"Wow Gwen you sound country and with Blake’s harmony it’s fantastic hope to be hearing this song in your concerts Beautiful Wow Loving IT"

"The original is a classic. Also love this version with Gwen on vocals. Her vocals shine through and Blake added another layer with the harmonies. Great artists to honor the Judds"

"Gwen had a beautiful voice . More Country from Gwen please"

"I think Gwen has found her place in country music. It suits her."

"Gwen, Miss Naomi would be tickled pink! I'm sure she's smiling on you right now! You did such A GREAT job! God Bless you & your family!"

"Perfect, she really did the song justice...Love is the reason, she is singing a country song and living in Oklahoma"

"That Ms. STEFANI-SHELTON best watch out or she's gonna find herself with a #1 country album soon! Sounds GREAT and definitely did justice to the original."

"Very nice. I believe somewhere Naomi is looking down and smiling at these 2 for their version of hers and Wynonna's song. Way to go Gwen and Blake!"

"They sound amazing!! Gwen's vocals are stunning & the harmony is beautiful!! Blake & Gwen's voices compliment each other so well. Fabulous job!!"

"Awards show here we come! Love it. A sure hit."

These are just a few from the Judds' YT. I could literally copy and paste 100 more comments, but you get the idea. So many Country fans, and the Judds fans are so pleased with this cover and heaping praise on G's vocals/delivery and B's harmonies, and I think that is what B is referring to in his tweet about it being a while since he felt this kind of reaction. I am sure he is reading the comments and sees how excited people are about it...and it's true people probably weren't THIS excited about MW, CBAACB, or NB (imo good but relatively non-personal songs that didn't generate as much buzz as GC/NBY/HA). It has been a few years since the GC/NBY/HA trifecta of media and fan excitement/awards/#1's in 2019/2020. LIA has been climbing the charts all day, and just jumped from 21 to 17 on the all-genre chart in the last hour, and is now #12 on the country charts, so it looks like it's still climbing. Although I will say, it would have been nice if G's team had put a link to it in the tweet, instead of just saying it's out. They did the same thing with True Babe... Like at least B's team put a link to LIA. B's team even put a link to True Babe on his tweet about it in June, but then look at G's pinned tweet. Maybe her team will read this and fix it. LOL

Thank you for taking the time to compile this. Very cool and yes, I am and have always been a Judds and Wynonna fan, and I have always been a Gwen fan. And I think Blake is one of the most talented artists around. LIA is just incredible to me.

- B

[firelightfoxes]

Hi! I've followed you for a little while and I've really enjoyed seeing Lichen and Ava's exploits!

I met a Mudi at a dog show this weekend who had a really really fabulous temperament - he was nice and calm in the busy show environment but super friendly and lovey dovey when I (a complete stranger!) went to say hi. Now I'm kind of obsessed and I'm trying to learn more about the breed, if you're open to sharing some of your experience!

I was wondering, in your experience, what is it like to live with a Mudi? What is a typical Mudi temperament like? I know the breed has some issues with temperament - do you know of breeders who are consistently producing really great temperaments, or is it pretty hit or miss even with the best breeders?

hi there!

Lichen is really easy as far as mudis go, at least compared to how i see people talking in the facebook groups and such. she's quiet and is really good, non-destructive even with little exercise (being tested right now because i'm recovering from surgery). she'll entertain herself with her toys or nap if left to her own devices but she loves to play with me and will bring toys to me/my partner to solicit play. she gets along fabulously with Ava, they play sometimes but mostly just chill and sniff each other.

so that's my experience living with one, but again, she's not as "needs to work" as i've heard other mudis be described. it definitely depends on lines.

as far as temperament goes... it's completely acceptable for mudis to be suspicious and/or wary of strangers. obviously, a stable dog shouldn't become genuinely fearful, but it's not uncommon for it to turn into that, especially depending on socialization. i've been very intentional with Lichen since she came home to expose her to strangers and such, and she still doesn't like to be touched by strangers. she will tolerate it now after handling classes and shows where we practiced, but it's likely something she'll never enjoy. which is fine! it's how the breed is. personally, i like my dogs to keep to themselves because i don't like interacting with strangers either, so i find it annoying to have a dog that basically invites social interaction, lol. (Ava does this - bless her heart.)

so i would just kinda keep this in mind - there is always a chance that your mudi will never like strangers. but, if you find a good breeder and are communicative about what you want from your dog, they may be able to find you a suitable pairing that could set you up for success. to be honest, i haven't been active in any breeder circles lately, but Graves Farm, Wodan Kennels and Thanagar are good breeders who can help you network around if they don't have exactly what you're looking for. also depends on where you're located, of course - these are in the US.

thanks for the ask! i hope this helps, and good luck in your search!

#asks #answered #mudi info #a-bugs-wife

[zadrkinkmeme23]

Weekly Update Jan 29

This is the final update for the 2023 ZADR Kinkmeme, and despite being the last, it's a very good one 💚

The AO3 Collection page is now CLOSED. However, we will still be taking late fills for prompts from the 2023 collection! Just drop us a message here, and we'll temporarily re-open the collection for you to post. You can also take any of our prompts for your own use without your work being attached to the kinkmeme, though we would appreciate it if you credit the original prompt when posting.

We'll be posting three masterlists soon - one of all of the weekly updates, one for every single prompt received for the 2023 ZADR kinkmeme, and finally one of all of our fic fills. So please keep an eye out for those!

Finally, we will be back in June 2024. You can still submit prompts here on tumblr, and we'll post them for the next event. Now that the event is closed, we will no longer be regularly checking our DMs, so if you need to contact us please drop us an ask instead! With all that being said, let's get into our final weekly update!

We have three fabulous new fic fills this week!

1 - 'The Exchange' - Zim finds a rare supernatural item that Dib is willing to do *anything* to get his hands on.

Tags - Explicit, No Warnings Apply, Dom/Sub, Dom Drop, Top Drop, Unintentional Dom/Sub Dynamic, Top Zim, Bottom Dib, Boot Worship, Spanking, Bondage, Vivisection, Exhibitionism, Masturbation, Anal Sex, Throat Fucking, Zim Is Bad At Feelings, Bless These Idiots, Denial of Feelings, Pre-Relationship, Adult Dib, Adult Zim

2 - 'Makes me wanna take Charles Atlas by the hand' by SlimySlugJuice

'A rather large Zim winds up in Dib's timeline. Naturally, Dib has some questions regarding the anatomy of his musclebound nemesis.'

Tags - Explicit, No Warnings Apply, Aged Up Characters, Alternate Timelines, Non-Canon Compliant, Post-Zimvoid Arc, Size Difference, Muscles, Large Cock, Hand Jobs, Come Shot, Come Eating, Grinding, Praise Kink, Coming In Pants, Post-Coital Cuddling, Some canon-typical grossness

3 - 'Proper Discipline' - All his life, Dib had dreamt of being the one down on his knees. Thanks to The Club, he can finally act out his wildest, naughtiest fantasy.

Tags - Explicit, No Warnings Apply, Irken Dib, Irken Empire, Irkens Are Terrible, Sex Work, Sex Club, Dom/sub, Fantastical Kink, Role Reversal, Power Imbalance, Power Play, Implied Non-con Sex Work, Zim Used To Be A Breeding Drone, Oral Sex, Vaginal Sex, Top Zim, Bottom Dib

And that's all folks! If you haven't already, please check out these wonderful fics and leave a kudos or even a comment! Reader feedback really helps our event to thrive 💚

We hope you're having a wonderful day, and we look forward to seeing you all again in June!

#zadr #zadrkmeme #18+ only #kink meme #prompt meme

[kanadabiscuits]

Five platonic pairings you enjoy?

I got this last night, but I was a bit of a zombie, so I put off answering for this evening. I love this question and I think my favourite platonic pairings are the ones where a less creative or lazier writer might have made them a couple but instead they are so much more interesting than a romantic pairing. So, in no particular order:

Hawkeye and BJ (MASH). These two met just as the show was finding its balance between humour and heart and their friendship was something that even 9-10 year-old me treasured. Two men who were emotionally vulnerable with each other, at once sibling-like and platonic lifemate in a terrible place, they were and are one of my favourite pairings of all time.

Ted Lasso and Rebecca Welton. Bless the show for not going where 99% of other shows would have gone. Even if I occasionally rooted for them as a couple, I love more that they perhaps could have... but their love for each other was of a different kind. Two souls who needed one another desperately so that they could rise above their mistakes and trauma to be happy, healthy, and loved.

Keeley Jones and Rebecca Welton (Ted Lasso). I have to go with another pairing from this show because they got the non-romantic pairings so right. This friendship was a joy from beginning to end. We all need someone in our lives who will cheer us on, call us out, support us when we strive, and hold us when we collapse.

MCU: Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff/Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff/Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. All of these friendships felt so deep and substantial in a world where you would expect romantic pairings not genuine "I see you, I get you, I've got your back" connections. Most of the MCU romantic pairings were paint by numbers, but these friendships are what had me so emotionally invested in the stories.

And I am going to cheat slightly because I am all in right now with Our Flag Means Death and frankly, every pairing, friendship, strange collaboration that isn't a romantic couple is fabulous.

#ckerouac

[julietapark]

JIMIN

(This is a romantic tale, I warn you, from this point just try to relax )

I didn’t new before I heard the voice of Jimin the first time, that I would fell in love with love.

Does of us who have hearts beating with tenderness an empathy, have all fall for him for the magical mix he is and want him to be happy as much as he make us too.

Of course he has seen all the drama by surrounding him, all the hashtags and so, and maybe he is like me, just willing that the dust sits down quickly and continue with his life…

Every time I hear “like crazy” it makes me feel something… it has a sensual/dangerous power over me and every time I start thinking of the way he moves in the dance practice… on what he delivers with words while singing, and I don’t personally know him on flesh, but I imagine does who can look at his eyes, see his greatness… directly… oh how lucky they are…

You know we are truly blessed, he is an unique human been, count on the fingers of one hand the people who can be like this…even with their defects…or even if you talk only about artistry…

Then I became a jikooker because of a non pretended felling that I received from them dancing together…and looking to each other…

I remember the first jikook series I saw on youtube. It was a chronology series of them two since 2013, and then other with Rm in the middle.. and I got hooked.

Now 3 years latter, after all I end up knowing about their music and their love (not bond, because bond is alredy a type of love), I just want him to be happy as the rest of us, with our ups and downs. But living, thriving, some times with melancholy, some times with pleasure, other in the sadnesses, but ending up succeeding on get out of the well again.

After all this shitty things happening to him and even when some bad stuff happens to me, I fabulate, and when is about Jimin… sometimes I close my eyes and imagine him waking up late and seen his beloved one close to him, breathing calmly on the bed, then he starts caressing his skin and kissing, after, starts wondering through the kitchen eating something half dressed, then, he switch on the tv and put any video of their concerts, looking to all the armybomb lights like a sky on earth, almost crying in the video and in reality, siting on his couch.

Then, that beloved one wakes up and kiss him on the forehead, smelling his hair, to then kiss him deeply on the lips, after, serves a plate of breakfast too, snuggles up to his side, and starts watching the tv as well.

That for me is happiness, I do something similar some times on my real life, adding my son to the soft equation, and thats everything, there is nothing else more safe for me to be at home like this surrounded with does who love you.

That’s happiness.

#jimin #jungkook #jikook #kookmin #stream face #and overcome #be happy #don’t be so secretive #🌕

[ginshachocosplay]

Cosplay 2010 - Sakura Con

Oh man! I was going through my computer and found a bunch of old cosplay photos that I thought was lost! Back in my wee cosplay days of 2010 me and my friends did a .Hack//G.U. cosplay group at Sakura Con here in Seattle, WA. So many people brought fabulous costumes and it was a ton of fun! For that shoot I made four costumes: Silabus, Ovan, Haseo (2nd form), and Endrance (I was Endrance). I was so proud of those costumes, though I would not use the same materials or techniques today at all! This was in the early days where I used materials that looked right even if it wouldn't function right, be too hot, too fragile, not structurally sound, etc. As such, ended up making Haseo out of upholstery vinyl. Don't envy them at all 'cus I imagine it was pretty hot and constrictive!

Not posting their faces because I lost contact with these guys years ago and don't believe in posting faces online other than mine without permission, even if it's a cosplay in a public sphere.

Sylabus is first! I made the majority of the costume mainly because my friend didn't have the time to do so between school and other projects (they are/were an amazing artist!!). I was particularly proud of how this one came out looking considering I had only been doing cosplay for around 3-ish years at the time. The lines look great! They did the wig and the sword. We lost contact years ago after graduating high school so I hope they're doing well for themselves (I miss you if you're out there!).

Next is Ovan! I am so proud of not only how the costume looked but that damn arm of his! I spent so long cutting cardboard and foam core and painting.... ug! But it looked incredible! He paid me $300 for the entire costume including materials at the time. Def would not do that again, ever. But again it was in my younger days where I didn't value my time or effort as much... also it's pretty but, you know, don't look at the seams or the construction lol. Not pictured: the glasses. His face was perfect for the costume but since I lost contact with them years ago I don't want to post their face without permission.

Then Haseo, 2nd form. We saw a hack online about using reflective tape to make costume parts glow when flash is used. It worked so well! As said above, this is all vinyl with puff paint and foam, so it was HOT to wear. Bless this guy for being a good sport, especially since it took me something like 2-ish years to actually put it together...

Finally, myself as Endrance. Once again, a whole lot of work for a costume that I would not at all make in the same way. I bought a cording foot for my machine and carefully pieced together a Jet Set material and sewed the cording on.... the cording did not stretch. So I used a stretch material with a non-stretch cord for what is essentially a body suit.... yiiikkkess! Looks great, don't look inside cus it is not remotely clean. But that's what the early days are about! I had fun, they had fun, tried and learned a lot, so it was all worth it! All the all-nighters and, at times, multiple days of not sleeping. Literally can't do that anymore cus I'm not built like I was at 20. :)

#cosplay #.hack//g.u. #crafting #costume #diy #convention #sewing #hobby #nostalgia

[fangirleaconmigo]

If you’re still up for answering asks, who is your favorite non-Yennefer sorceress and your favorite non-Geralt/non-Ciri Witcher?

I definitely am thank you ♥️

Ok first of all bless you for calling Ciri a witcher. I get soooooo heated when people (usually dudebro types) try to say she isn’t a “real” witcher. My blood pressure just shoots right up Lmao. Ignorant!Incorrect! Demonstrably false!

Anyway. Lol moving on.

Ok I’m going to cheat here and break them up into subcategories.

My favorite non-Yen sorceress

Books: Philippa. She is just so goddamn entertaining. Anytime she’s on the page you gotta grab your popcorn. I mean come on! This woman knows how to give good drama. She schemes, she runs coups and sieges, she starts The Lodge (an International Women’s Republic). She mouths off, she sasses, she makes at minimum one lesbian joke per chapter. She bangs Triss Merigold. She wears mens doublets occasionally and looks hot doing it. She’s got Djikstra with hearts in his fuckin eyes. SHE CAN TURN INTO AN OWL. She doesn’t pretend to be anything other than she is. She’s just so much fun to read about and I enjoy her. And her casting in TWN is fabulous I hope we get to actually see more of her S3.

TWN: Tissaia. I just think Myanna Buring is goddamn outstanding. Her journey is fascinating. She believes in the system. In the brotherhood. But she rebels a bit by the end of S1. I am always fascinated by arcs where someone has their faith in their institutions challenged. Where they are disillusioned and have to break away. So, I want to see more. And seeing her raging and grieving S2 was just electric. And of course her relationship with Yen is the most complex and fascinating relationship in the whole series Imo.

Honorable mention: I love Anna Shaffer as Triss. She’s so beautiful and S2 especially I think she really embodies Triss’s manner and personality.

My favorite non Geralt witcher. (I’m really really gonna cheat here)

Books: Eskel. I can’t even start talking about him or I won’t stop. He’s my baby. Kind, gentle, strong, he is my everything.

TWN: Coën. Yasen Atour is perfection. He captures his sweet spirit. His uncleness. He’s the most handsome witcher, Geralt included.

Games: Lambert. He’s “supposed” to be an asshole? But there he is, being vulnerable. Being funny. Being loyal. Having a tragic backstory and a heart of gold. Game Lambert is the good stuff.

Since I’ve written so much about those three elsewhere I won’t go on and on. But those are my answers ☺️

#asks #the witcher #philippa eilhart #tissaia de vries #talking twn #thinking about the witcher books yet again

[stingslikeabee]

❛ how 'bout I dress up in a bee outfit and show ya my stinger. ❜

unscripted asks . always accepting

There were almost no clients left at the lounge of the Honey Bee Inn at that hour - they were about to close and the patrons who were not willing to rent a room for the rest of the night upstairs with their girl of choice were about to be escorted outside. That, of course, did not apply to Reno.

The Turk was by the bar, facing a selection of empty glasses of different shapes and varying types of garnishes. The textbook evidence of the latest competition between the two mixologists that Melissa had hired a couple of years prior, and who fostered a friendly rivalry of sorts. On the chance they were both working, they tended to compete over their creations - the redhead had been happy to serve as judge.

But maybe he hadn't had enough food to go with the non-stop alcohol or perhaps their last batch from Costan tequila was really above the rest you could find in Wall Market - but Reno grew tipsy, although Melissa could only tell because she knew him well. Easy smiles, flirting lines and a feline grace to body movement were normal fare for Reno; it was the increasing quantity of word puns (and low giggles that accompanied these) that denounced his state to the madame.

Melissa parked herself at his side to hand over some gil to Dario - a customer had tipped the mixologist handsomely during the night and while the cash exchanged hands, Reno rested his chin over an open palm and looked at the inn proprietress - the only woman around sans the infamous bee costume and decked out in fine fabrics instead.

"Hey, Mel," he drawled, obtaining her attention and then grinning widely, "How 'bout I dress up in a bee outfit and show ya my stinger?" the Turk offered, eyebrows wiggling for added emphasis. Melissa's first reaction to that line was laughter - short and melodic but of the genuine kind; the idea of Reno dressing in the same uniform of her staff was entertaining for sure.

"Reno, darling, I'm sure you'd look fabulous," the woman replied with a smile of her own, a wink following for good measure - and while Melissa did believe he would likely look good in anything (the perks of having a figure blessed by genetics and never-ending charisma), she allowed her back to lean against the bar counter to look at the Turk, measuring him clinically for a second, "But I'm not sure any of my customers come here for the stinger, you know. I believe they are more into the deflowering experience."

The woman couldn't keep a serious face after that - her own response was just so bad that the madame chuckled almost immediately, shaking her head and then propelling herself forward, a hand landing on his closest shoulder. Melissa leaned in close next, as if she was about to share some juicy piece of intel, "But if I ever get requests for variety, you'll be the first one I'll call. In case you're looking for a career change, of course."

#bitterarcs #v: FFVII #replied #the fact that I actually have fanart of this #pretty sure I've seen it done for Rude too #(and they were wearing the girl costumes!) #the fact remains that Reno slays no matter what he wears

[threeunrelateddescriptors]

Joints and their funny decisions

Warning, I will be talking injury. Specifically dislocation and subluxation

Nothing bad, but if such things aren’t your cuppa, don’t read on. I’m just rambling aimlessly.

My joints have always been loose.

I refer to things as swimming around. My shoulder swims around, my knees swim around. They all just kind of choose their own path.

For the most part, it doesn’t bother me. Well, ok, it bothers me, but in a non-consequential way.

I have had some major dislocations, but mostly my joints stay in their lane and don’t bother to truly fuck themselves up.

This means I don’t totally understand how joints are supposed to work. I understand logically, but viscerally I don’t. I’ll give examples in a minute.

Luckily, I’m also incredibly strong (thanks genetics!) which is a blessing because it means my muscles can hold my joints together since my ligaments are too bloody lazy.

So, back to not truly understanding joints in most people. I have been repeatedly told that when other people carry a marginally heavy grocery bag, they don’t have to actively engage their shoulder muscles to keep their arm from slowly sliding down. Or that they’re arm doesn’t sag after too long of sitting at a desk.

Other people can’t simply tense some muscles in their shoulder and make the humeral head shift position (either to protrude slightly forward/backward or lower).

Other people’s kneecaps don’t shift around under gentle pressure quite as easily or as far. Or that their lower leg doesn’t start to dangle lower if they don’t have feet touching the floor.

The ways this means I interact with others, I assume that if I grab you by the arm and tug you along without you being prepared, your shoulder will subluxate or dislocate. I’m constantly amazed to be reminded that this is not the case.

When I see people sitting on seats or counters where their legs are dangling, I assume they’ll need to move soon or be in pain from the joint opening up. It actually bothers me to see people sitting on high stools without a foot rest because I imagine the amount of pain they’ll be in (they aren’t and won’t be).

Although I’ve been told a million times that the above things are not how most bodies work, because I live in a body that behaves this way, it’s always something I need to be reminded of.

Logically, I get it; but in the same way that someone who’s color blind understands other people literally see the world differently but can’t quite fathom that difference because they don’t have that experience.

This also means that I run into people viewing the world from their body (which does not have loose joints). And so, when I say my shoulder is out of place, they are working on the premise that it is (1) an extremely painful and (2) traumatic thing and since I’m not making pain noises, I must be exaggerating or not know what I’m talking about.

But when I speak to others with loose joints, I seem to not fit in there either. My muscles do a fabulous job of holding things in place, and when the joint does dislocate or subluxate, my muscles pull it back. Or it doesn’t bother me and I don’t notice it until it pops back into proper place. Normally, there’s zero to minimal pain either way. Which seems to make many loose jointed people suspicious and question if I’m exaggerating or don’t know what I’m talking about since for many it is painful or their muscles don’t just pop the joint back into place.

Which is to say, my world view, as informed by my particular body, means I assume everyone’s joints swim around but that it’s not a particularly bad or painful phenomenon. And it is new information every single time someone tells me that’s not the majority of human bodies.

Except my elbows. When those fuckers shift around, it hurts. Thankfully the one full dislocation of my left elbow happened when I was 3-4yrs old and I don’t remember it. Oh, and I’m not so cool with my finger joints going wonky.

But wrists, shoulders, knees, hips, ankles, bones in my feet, ribs, these are all pretty cool about when they shift.

Hell, the couple of times my shoulders dislocated (one memorable time I got to watch my humeral head leave the socket and protrude forward in real time, then I tensed my muscles to pull it back in and it was fine), they’ve had the manners to not be painful about it. I don’t try to dislocate them on purpose, but I subluxate them constantly (both passively and on purpose).

I feel like I should write down the many varied dislocations and subluxations I’ve had. I think it would entertain me.

#subluxation #dislocation #joint problems #loose joints #warning for injury talk #body horror? #body amusement?

[moonstrider9904]

Moon, so much love for you and your writing….AND for the beautiful positive light of support and love that you are in our little corner of fandom. So many fabulous love letters to writers and artists, mad love and respect to every one!!

Some more OC fic love in this love letter….(I think y’all can tell I’m not a writer..my love letters are rather basic…🤣🤣)

@shadestepping

I really enjoy Shades The Bad Batch:Trespass series! She has backgrounds and did drawings of her OCs that are fabulous. I especially liked Crossroads, which is a wonderful fic from Crosshairs POV…

@teletraan-meets-jarvis

Pieces. Great fic about the very beginning of Plo Koon and the Wolfpack. Especially loved the training simulation where her OC and Plo Koon fight….and loved the group chat (I shall not say more…)

@thefact0rygirl

Vee was the reason I joined tumblr. Her fic Filled (Wrecker) was the first fanfic ever I read. She has SO MANY great fics and I love what she has shared about her new OC and Wolffe.

Also she has put together an amazing reference about sex workers for writers and non writers to get more educated about this.

Thank you, Leyla, for sending in another letter and for your beautiful words <3 and please don't think your letters are basic, they are always appreciated by me as I'm sure by the creators you're giving a shout out too.

And I know I already said this but I'll say it again, thank you for always being so supportive and kind. Your comments have filled me with motivation whenever I lack it, and I'm so honored to be friends and mutuals with you :3 Thank you for always being there for me!

Now, shout outs!

I haven't read any of Shade's works yet, but I believe I'd like to get more acquainted if I ever get the chance. I feel it would be nice <3

@teletraan-meets-jarvis is always so sweet and supportive, and I agree, Pieces is beautiful!! I can't wait to see where the story goes. Thanks so much for sharing your work with us, TJ!

And well, I've been blessed to read many of Vee's works too, and I'm so grateful that her writing brought you to us, Leyla! @thefact0rygirl writes beautifully, her rendition of Boba Fett is unparalleled, and I've also read Filled which is absolutely amazing. Vee, thank you also for always being so supportive and for speaking up for what matters in this fandom and for overall letting people feel safe in your blog <3

Lots of love to all of you!

Love letter to creators

#moon's 300 followers

[alicianyblade]

This year's Beltane dinner: Salad (one of the pre-mixed kits) and homemade tuna noodle casserole. This recipe is courtesy of BrunchWithBabs and it's FABULOUS. Seriously, forget the instructions printed on the egg noodle package and make this instead. Even if you don't like tuna, make this and swap out the tuna for cooked shredded chicken. It's insanely good, due to a lot of things, but mostly because it features CRUSHED POTATO CHIPS on top instead of breadcrumbs. Genius. A bright and blessed Beltane to all my fellow celebrators and to everyone, happy May Day! Babs’ Tuna Noodle Casserole 2 cups (6 oz.) dry wide egg noodles 1 T. butter 1/4 cup diced onion 1 can (6 oz.) tuna, drained 1/4 t. salt 1/4 t. pepper Half a small jar of pimentos, drained 1/3 cup milk 1/3 cup sour cream 1 can Cream of Celery soup 1 cup shredded cheddar 1/2 cup frozen peas 1/2 cup crushed potato chips Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8X8 dish with non-stick spray. Cook the egg noodles in boiling salted water for 7 minutes. Drain. Melt the butter in a skillet and sauté the onion until translucent. Remove from the heat. In a bowl, break up the tuna into fine pieces, as small as you can get. Add in the salt and pepper, onions, pimentos, milk, sour cream, Cream of Celery soup, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, and the frozen peas, stirring to combine. Lastly, gently fold in the egg noodles and pour the mixture into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and top with crushed potato chips. Bake for 30 minutes. #FeedingCreatively #BrunchWithBabs #TunaNoodleCasserole #KitchenWitch #Wicca #WheelOfTheYear #WiccanHolidays #Beltane #MayDay #EasyDinner https://www.instagram.com/p/CdCrnJDL7Q1/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#feedingcreatively #brunchwithbabs #tunanoodlecasserole #kitchenwitch #wicca #wheeloftheyear #wiccanholidays #beltane #mayday #easydinner

[mahayanapilgrim]

Unveiling the Essence of Buddhahood: Insights from the Tantra of the Secret Wisdom of the Great Perfection

The Tantra of the Secret Wisdom Of the Great Perfection

In the Indian language this book is:

Santi-maha-jñana-guhya-tantra

In the Tibetan language it is:

rDzogs pa chen po ye shes gsang ba’i rgyud

In the English language it is:

The Tantra of the Secret Wisdom of the Great Perfection

Chapter 1: Buddhahood From the Primordial

Homage to the Blessed One, the All-Aware Vairocana!

These things were once said:

In the totally unhindered abode, the uncontrived dimension of reality, the abode of Nothing Less, there dwelt the Blessed One, the Vital Essence of all Dharmas, the King of Secret Wisdom, [dwelling] in an essentially unmoving state.

At that time the glorious Vajrasattva sat before the Teacher. There were also large communities in the audience, brought together in a unified demeanor.

Then Vajrasattva rose from his seat. He spoke out these words for the benefit of the audience present, and to remove doubts from the intellect:

O Lord of Secrets, Abider in the Essence of All Dharmas, I beg you to explain to the audience present the meaning of the Great Perfection, bringing it together in four instructions. He spoke out these words, and the Blessed One, the King of Secret Wisdom, rose up out of the Dharmadhatu, and gave instructions using these words:

O Mahasattva, listen!

E Ma Ho!

E Ma Ho!

E Ma Ho!

I teach the Dharma of primordial, expansive perspective, amazing, and fabulous Buddhahood!

Listen, Vajrasattva!

This is how it is: The reality of Samsara and Nirvana is, in essence, the Bodhicitta. Their non-duality is present in the mind in a single moment. All things are self-arising wisdom. Wisdom does not move anywhere outside the essence of the mind. The conceptualizations of ignorance are nameless, so one does not contemplate or accept them. The supreme, self-arising perspective is that of wisdom. It is, for example, like the sun rising in the sky. The purity of true reality cannot be examined in any natural way. Self-awareness has no object. It is obvious without concentration. There is, therefore, nothing but the Dharmadhatu.

Wisdom of this sort has never had an obstruction, or the possibility of mistake. If you ask: “How could it be that it does not?” [the reply is ] that when the lamp of wisdom appears to you, obstructions due to the darkness of ignorance are cleared away, going back to before time itself. Through great wisdom one emerges from the dimension of Samsara. This is ascertained from the primordial in the perspective of one who understands. In this way the dwellings of self-grasping, longing, and attachment are demolished into a pure condition. The profound inspiration of the One Who Moves In Bliss penetrates this.

In sky-space, the great abode of bliss, all things are one in the Bodhicitta. This is everything. As a simile, it is like the sky. All the world and the living beings within it are created by the Bodhicitta. Primordial Buddhahood is therefore in the Dharmadhatu. There is no preventing or encouraging this. No matter what the mind itself appears as, there is never ever a mental image of anything. So wisdom is the inseparability of all things, primordial Buddhahood. If you ask how this is so, all the high and low vehicles are generators of wisdom, which is the matrix of each and every thing. Good and bad and great and small are therefore non-dual.

Samsara and Nirvana are taught to be inseparable with respect to the truth of self-arising wisdom. The [[[mind’s]]] object and the mind itself are non-dual. Everything has been Buddhahood since before time. In this way, [approaches based on] activities and examinations are destroyed.

Great wisdom is pure. It is this wisdom which is, itself, the matrix of all things. It is spontaneously realized, a supremacy that knows no bounds.

It is everything, and it is nothing at all. This is the vast space, the supreme bliss. It is the glorious purity of all the three realms.

The Buddha-field of the mind is gentle and expansive. The Single Circle is the supreme view. The All Good One is all good. There is nothing but pure space, the nature of which is the sky.

So he spoke, and the audiences were terrified. Vajrasattva himself fainted.

Do a complete article

From the Tantra of the Secret Wisdom of the Great Perfection this is the first chapter which teaches Buddhahood from the primordial.

**Introduction:**

The "Tantra of the Secret Wisdom of the Great Perfection," known in the Indian language as "Santi-maha-jñana-guhya-tantra" and in Tibetan as "rDzogs pa chen po ye shes gsang ba’i rgyud," offers profound teachings on primordial Buddhahood. This article delves into the first chapter, illuminating the essence of Buddhahood from the primordial perspective.

**Chapter 1: Buddhahood From the Primordial**

*Homage to the Blessed One:*

The chapter begins with homage to Vairocana, the All-Aware, setting the stage for teachings on the uncontrived dimension of reality.

*Setting the Scene:*

Within the unhindered abode, the Blessed One, the Vital Essence of all Dharmas, resides in an unmoving state. Vajrasattva, the glorious figure, requests the Blessed One to elucidate the meaning of the Great Perfection in four instructions.

*The Blessed One's Instructions:*

The Blessed One, rising from the Dharmadhatu, imparts wisdom in a series of powerful declarations.

1. **The Nature of Samsara and Nirvana:**

- Bodhicitta, the essence of both Samsara and Nirvana, exists in a single moment within the mind.

- All things are manifestations of self-arising wisdom, unaffected by the conceptualizations of ignorance.

2. **The Supreme Perspective of Wisdom:**

- Wisdom, like the rising sun, exists purely within the mind.

- True reality's purity cannot be examined conventionally; it is evident without concentration.

- Self-awareness transcends concentration and is inherent in the Dharmadhatu.

3. **Obstruction-free Wisdom:**

- Great wisdom clears obstructions arising from ignorance, reaching back to primordial times.

- Emerging from Samsara, one attains a pure condition by demolishing self-grasping, longing, and attachment.

4. **The Bodhicitta in Sky-space:**

- All things in the great abode of bliss are one in Bodhicitta.

- The Bodhicitta, like the sky, creates and encompasses everything.

- Primordial Buddhahood resides in the Dharmadhatu, uncontrollable by prevention or encouragement.

*Inseparability of Samsara and Nirvana:*

- Samsara and Nirvana are inseparable in the truth of self-arising wisdom.

- The object of the mind and the mind itself are non-dual.

*Primordial Buddhahood:*

- All phenomena have been Buddhahood since before time.

- Approaches based on activities and examinations are annihilated.

*Supreme View and Wisdom:*

- Great wisdom is the matrix of all things, spontaneously realized and boundless.

- It is both everything and nothing, representing vast space and supreme bliss.

*Impact on the Audience:*

As the Blessed One concludes his teachings, the audience, including Vajrasattva, is overwhelmed. Vajrasattva himself faints, emphasizing the profound impact of these revelations.

**Conclusion:**

The first chapter of the Tantra of the Secret Wisdom of the Great Perfection unfolds a majestic panorama of primordial Buddhahood. The teachings transcend conventional understanding, inviting readers to contemplate the inseparable nature of Samsara and Nirvana and the boundless wisdom that leads to the ultimate realization of the Dharmadhatu.

#buddha #buddhism #buddhist #dharma #sangha #mahayana #zen #milarepa #tibetan buddhism #thich nhat hanh

[springdiarieseventss]

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Moreover, expecting to bring the unique memory of the start of harmony, we as the best destination wedding planner in Udaipur offer offices and administrations alongside the most gifted and experienced wedding organizers. Our whole group dedicates ourselves likewise to ensure that your character comes shining through.

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[holisticsoulhealer]

Enthusiasm - A Spiritual Story

Life without some enthusiasm is a bit of a non-event. Let’s not even consider that as a possibility. I have been more than fortunate in leading a life that has included more reasons to generate my enthusiasm than not.

Growing up in London was an amazing experience. One of my fondest memories began an enthusiastic relationship on my 7th birthday. My Grandparents lived in London, right in the heart of a major outdoor market, in East London. They ran a chemist shop ( a pharmacy) that sold everything. Their small storefront led to a magical kingdom that included a three story home, stuffed full of oversized comfy, leather couches and the smells of gorgeous home cooking.

My sister and I would stay overnight there at least one weekend a month. On this 7th birthday, my mum came too. Three generations surprised us girls with theatre tickets to see “Anne of Green Gables.” There was even a cream fluffy golden retriever that was brought on stage during the show. I felt like I was in a whole new World. We sat in a velvet box, with velvet covered chairs. We placed a coin into a small container in front of us, and took out glasses to magnify the singers and dancers on the live stage.

There were ladies carrying boxes filled with sweets, ice creams and tempting treats in the intermission. My sister and I were allowed an ice cream that was creamy with strawberry swirls and nuts in a small tub with a wooden spoon. I laughed when the show was funny and got a bit teary eyed when there was a part that felt sad. I was completely smitten with live theater.

For many years after that day, I went to the theater whenever asked by family or friends, and as a teen, I hopped on trains almost weekly, from 14 years old onwards, going to just about every live show, and especially musicals. Sometimes I went on my own, often with my mum, and just as often with friends. I always sat in the theater, happily anticipating what was about to unfold before my eyes.

I especially felt enthusiastic about a whole group of people filling the stage with singing and dancing. It thrilled me. Still does. I get chills and sometimes even a little tearful at the level of joy I feel at being so richly entertained by such special and gifted people.

I enthusiastically thank any of you that dance, sing, paint and draw with talents that delight and excite those of us who understand how unique each of your gifts are.

Thank you for making this life worth living.

I would be enthusiastic about listening to and witnessing fabulous musicians, singers and dancers, even when usual daily life can be a bit of a challenge at times. Thank goodness for the arts. It’s a definite reason to live and a good excuse to be enthusiastic.

As always, please share this post with anyone that you feel can benefit from it! Please like us on your social media channels and subscribe to our mailing list if you haven't already done so! We are mailing out a monthly newsletter and a recap each week of our blog posts and interesting tidbits! This is how you can stay informed with what is new in the world of The Holistic Soul Healer!!

Love & Blessings,

Ruth

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