#is a reflection of the values behind the people in charge

[beardedmrbean]

Stood shoulder-to-shoulder in a crowd of 100,000 people in central London, a helicopter hovering above St James’s Park could be heard over the hushed crowd.

The hum was only a little louder than the rustling of winter coats and rhythm of feet along the pavement past old Fleet Street watering holes, less a march than a shuffle.

No flares were launched, no masks were worn. No vehicles were damaged and police acted as helpful hi-vis markers of the route, unburdened by the threat of violence. 

The dozens of riot vans brought in from across the South East sat unused.

The 1,000 police on duty had an easy day’s overtime compared to the demonstrations of recent weeks. 

“No, nothing at all. It’s been very calm,” one female officer told a protester who asked how her day was going.

One helped a bedraggled wayward jogger find his way out of the crowd and towards a less congested route. 

More marshal than law enforcement

Another gave a child on his father’s shoulders a high-five, before getting a pat on the back and a thanks from a Jewish man wearing a Kippah.

Their role felt more marshal than law enforcement, with only two arrests made. 

The biggest furore of the day was when Tommy Robinson appeared.

He was forced to leave by police, unwanted by the Jewish organisers of the event.

Boris Johnson, pictured above, received a much better reception, prompting cheers that broke the quiet when he arrived with wife Carrie and five-month-old Frank, chatting to demonstrators surrounding him.

David Baddiel, Judge Rob Rinder, Rev Richard Coles and Rachel Riley were all spotted in the hordes who had turned up to march against anti-Semitism along with the Chief Rabbi.

”Since Oct 7, on the streets of London, we have heard chants for jihad, for intifada and from River to the Sea,” said Sir Ephraim Mirvis. 

“But today we stand on the same streets of London and say with regard to our precious hostages: Bring Them Home.”

He headed up the mass of people moving through the Strand and towards Parliament Square.

 There was an awkwardness to the crowd’s chants. Many, on their first march, preferred to keep quiet than to join in the singing, with tunes dying out in moments.

‘It’s a bit tame! What do we chant?’

Some picked up last-minute Israeli flags on wooden sticks for £5 from outside Tube stations while others braved the drizzle wearing theirs like capes.

“It’s a bit tame, isn’t it? What do we chant?” wondered Olivia, a Jewish woman in her late 20s, there with her boyfriend and their friend.

Elsewhere, a mother pushing her baby in the pram walked her golden cocker spaniel puppy alongside.

Only when calls of “bring them home” began echoing around the streets did the heft of tens of thousands of people in mourning become apparent.

Three twenty-something men using a small megaphone led a rendition of Am Yisrael Chai. As hundreds join in, one jokes that he “does weddings too”.

They carried a banner stating “Failure to condemn Hamas is anti-Semitic”.  

Another sign saying “Give me antipasti, not anti-Semitism” became a prop for protesters to pose with, while a child was heard reading another out loud “Spread hummus, not hate”.

Jews were supported by non-Jews. Six-year-old Claudia held her mother Antonia’s hand as the family joined the rally because they were “appalled that anti-Semitism has returned to Britain’s streets”.

Mark Elliott-Smith, a  priest at Our Lady of the Assumption Warwick Street, said: “I thought I had to be here and show solidarity. I’ve been on a few of the demonstrations. When I wrote something about it [anti-Semitism], I was called ‘a Nazi priest’.”

‘I’d feel safer in Israel than in Britain’

Rev Coles, bringing up the rear of the protest, said he had joined because many of his Jewish friends now feel frightened to walk down the street. “I find that intolerable,” he said.

Rueben and Natalie, a young, Jewish, married couple with family in Israel came out to march. 

Natalie said that she would “feel safer in Israel, even as the bombs are falling, than in Britain”, her husband nodding wearily. His three brothers live there already.

“At least in Israel you feel like the state is looking after us, that the police are there to protect you, that the whole nation is with you,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like that here.”

The protest culminated with speeches from political and religious leaders. 

Anti-Semitism ‘a stain on our country’

The crowd’s reception to the speakers was muted at first, but immigration minister Robert Jenrick won over the crowd in Parliament Square, telling the thousands packed around Parliament that anti-Semitism “is a stain on our country”.

“Your government will not rest until each and every one of [the hostages] is back in the loving embrace of their families. We stand with Israel,” he went on.

Peter Kyle, there as member of the shadow cabinet and vice chairman of Labour Friends of Israel, spoke after Mr Jenrick warmed the crowds up.

“After the most shameful period in my party’s history, I am enormously proud of the leadership Keir Starmer has shown in combating anti-Semitism and standing up for the British Jewish community,” he said.

It was this that drew the biggest cheer of the afternoon, before the crowd went quiet again as they began their journey home. 

Gideon Falter, the chief executive of Campaign against Antisemitism which organised the march, said: “The voice of decency has been heard today.”

#nunyas news #the stark contrast between the different events #is a reflection of the values behind the people in charge #of the different events

[oraclemoontarot]

what should you love about yourself - pac tarot reading ★

from top -> 1 - 2

from bottom -> 3 - 4

for those struggling with self-love, confidence, doubt and their overall well-being, I thought I'd do a positive reading that appreciates the qualities that make you the amazing person that you are.

please note that this is a general reading and various different energies may pick your pile, so only take what resonates 💗

pile 1 - two sunflowers

cards pulled: high priestess, queen of wands, page of cups + three of cups

what should you love about yourself ౨ৎ

you should love your strong intuition and connection to your subconscious. you are someone who is strong and self-reliant. like the queen of wands, you are creative and inspiring, passionate and with strong leadership qualities - you are able to bring with you confidence and enthusiasm no matter the situation.

despite this inner strength and outward confidence, you are also able to connect with others on a more emotional and understanding level. you have a great amount of empathy for others, even more so towards those in your inner circle. you are also able to express yourself openly and honestly.

overall: with the three of cups, you place a lot of value on your friendships/relationships. you are a social butterfly who is able to bring harmony and joy to the people around you. you are supportive, kind and fun.

pile 2 - the sun

cards pulled: ten of wands, nine of swords, judgment + eight of cups

what should you love about yourself ౨ৎ

despite these sets of cards often representing struggles, in this case it emphasises not only your resilience and perseverance through challenges, but your empathy and concern for those that mean a lot to you. you may often find yourself worrying a lot for the well-being of your friends and family; it may weigh heavy on your mind at times, but that reflects your level of care and love for people. you have a deep and pure heart that is hard to find.

with judgment, you are self-aware and have grown a lot. it is as though you are constantly changing for the better - you constantly reflect on your mistakes to become the best version of you.

overall: the eight of cups shows your ability to leave behind the things that don't serve you for the betterment of your well-being. you don't let others bring you down, or life to keep you in a standstill. this takes a lot of courage, but also confidence in yourself and your abilities.

pile 3 - sun in the clouds

cards pulled: emperor, ace of wands, ace of pentacles + queen of cups

what should you love about yourself ౨ৎ

you have strong leadership qualities and are able to bring people together/take charge of any situation, yet you are also creative and full of bright and unique ideas. you are incredibly passionate too, but also practical. it is as though you have a balanced mix of creativity and logic. with the ace of pentacles, you may be someone who could easily gain a lot of wealth as you likely are good with money - both in terms of saving it and earning it.

overall: with the queen of cups, there is this feminine energy within you that brings balance. the queen of cups is someone who is warm and nurturing, a great listener and advisor, someone who is like a mother figure in terms of your emotional awareness, empathy and intuition. you should love the strength that stems from your sensitivity, as well as your practical and authoritative side. you are a balanced person in all aspects of your character.

pile 4 - the eclipse

cards pulled: four of swords, knight of wands, ten of pentacles + chariot

what should you love about yourself ౨ৎ

you should love the calmness that you bring to people as well as yourself. you are able to find inner peace and you often prioritise self-care. despite this calm, there is also a sense of enthusiasm, energy, thrill and joy to you. you aren't afraid to grab the bull by the horns and charge straight into your goals and, with the ten of pentacles, you are also stable and there is this sense of wisdom to you. you may be someone who wants to share a life with a special person, to experience having a family, or you may love working with children.

overall: with the chariot, you should love that strength and fire within you. your take charge ability and perseverance in pursuit of your goals - which often end up victorious simply due to your sheer determination.

#tarot #tarot reading #free tarot #tarot community #pick a card #pick a pile #daily tarot #pac reading #general reading #general tarot reading #what should you love about yourself

[dreamingon-forever]

AoT Character Tarot Cards + Merch Sets Implications and Meaning Explained

Every pairing explained here is from the official sets sold together here: 💜💚

Levi and Hange:

[Levi as Judgement]:

According to Tarot, The Judgement card represents some kind of prosecutor that decides whether someone else had sinned, and delivers punishment as seen fit. It can also mean that one's life comes to an important decision period, where they're asked to take action accordingly.

[Hange as The Lovers]:

Hange's Lover card represents partnership and cooperation between two individuals, as well as the general meaning and embodiment of love in itself. The lover card also represents shared values between lovers, temptation of the heart, as well as give and take between two lovers.

[Judgement + The Lovers]:

When combined, the two cards read as if there's an important decision to be taken in accordance to a matter of the heart. It usually represents two lovers coming to decide whether to take a step forward together or choose a separate path. It represents two lovers who are met with a difficult decision, usually one where they would let their hearts come together and choose a life alongside each other. While the other path is the one where they must separate, usually due to differences in careers or duties. Despite it all it represents two people who love each other making a judgement on where they take their relationship. Which makes a lot of sense when looking at Levi and Hange's relationship. Given how long they've known each other, always being seen as a half of the other, it was only time for them to gain feelings towards the other. Not to mention the forest scene when they both decided to put their feelings behind for the sake of humanity, although both wished nothing more than to be together.

Also, note how both cards have the same angel calling judgement upon the humans depicted. Almost as if being burdened by the same judgement and fate.

Ymir and Annie:

[Ymir and the Magician:]

Ymir is represented as the Magician. The magician represents manifesting one's own ending with their will, making what they desire something to strive for no matter what.

[Annie and Strength]:

Annie represents Strength, attributing to both mental and emotional strength. Where in order to be achieve what one wants, they have to face their fears to overcome any obstacles in their way.

[Magician + Strenght]:

When combined, they represent how one is in charge of their own stories in the end. If put in enough energy and you face your fears, nothing can stand in your way of what you wish to accomplish. Similar how we saw these two characters have the strongest personalities in the show, but both had demons to fight to get to their desired paths. But neither gave up and instead pushed on, pushing for the ideal end they wanted.

Berthold and Reiner:

[Berthold as the Hermit]:

The Hermit represents a time or period of self reflection. When one looks introspectively at themselves and tries to answer their inner turmoil and take the time to answer their inner selves.

[Reiner as the Chariot]:

The Chariot represents sheer will to push forward. To push yourself through willpower and strength. One cannot stay still if one wants to achieve something.

[Hermit + Chariot]:

When put together, it means that after reflecting and figuring out what they want, they gain a new insight about themselves and embark on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. In the show and manga, we saw how these two were given a task as soldiers, but lost themselves when getting close to their enemies, making them take a step back and question their true purpose. But after finally reflecting and figuring out where they stood, they grew to think on their own, forging their own paths.

Sasha and Connie:

[Sasha as the Sun]:

The sun represents happiness and fortune to come. It also symbolizes a time where everything comes to fruition and comes together to aid in your destined path. "It represents the universe coming together and agreeing with your path and aiding forward movement into something greater (Wiki)."

[Connie as the Star]:

The Star symbolizes newfound hope. New realization and hope which leads one away from the darkness and into a bright future ahead.

[The Sun + The Star]:

When combined, it dictates the moment of darkness and unknown being gone. A bright and illuminated future opening up before one as it gives newfound hope, where success is on the horizon. If we place Sasha and Connie together, it might present how Sasha was always the bright one in the friend group, bringing hope and happiness. After she died, it seemed that it was the moment everyone's goals finally aligned, and the beginning of the ending came to be. It also affected Connie as although he lost his best friend, he realized her death opened up a future that was as bright as her, where their goals would finally bear fruit, and that her death wasn't for vein.

Jean and Historia:

[Jean as the Fool]:

The Fool is a card that talks about taking a leap of faith. Not knowing the outcomes nor the chances of something happening, yet still having faith that something would work out. It can be a foolish antic, but sometimes the leap of faith is what you need to get to the end of the road as you put your faith into the universe and the future.

[Historia as the Empress]:

The Empress represents maternity, familial bonds and creation of life. Further analysis show that the Empress also is the card that is open to changes, and welcomes them.

[The Fool = The Empress]:

Together they formulate this notion that letting go of things and ideas that are old might be the right path to take. It might be foolish as to put full trust into something one can't fully predict, but being innovative and taking the chances can sometimes be the solution. Jean is known to be a fool of himself from time to time, and while full of himself, he is always willing to jump into the unknown if there's a chance to help his friends. And for Historia, although she's also given birth to a real baby, she's usually the one in the friend group who comes up with innovative and out of the box solutions.

Erwin and Armin:

[Erwin as the Hierophant]:

The Hierophant is a card representing an older souled figure, a teacher or mentor of some sort. Someone who has extremely well formulated knowledge and is there to guide and teach others.

[Armin as the Wheel of Fortune]:

The Wheel of fortune when looked upright and in reverse can depict different meanings. When upright it can mean good luck and fortune to come, where the universe is on your side. Downright can mean misfortune and lack of support. It shows how turbulent and unreliable life can be, and that you can't rely on luck to follow through.

[The Hierophant + Wheel of Fortune]:

In combination, it tells the individual to go after their desires instead of sitting and waiting for luck to come. Together it shows that one needs to know and stand firmly with what they believe in, and despite times of turmoil as life is never set in stone, one can push to the finish line if they strongly hold to their believes. Similar to how Erwin held onto his belief that his father had been right about humanity being outside the walls, despite what he'd been told he pushed forward to uncover the truth. And in turn, influencing Armin who also had the same vision of a life outside the confinements of the walls. Because they both pushed through, keeping true to their core believes, they managed to be the voice that carried them to the end.

Eren and Mikasa:

[Eren as the World]:

The World is the last card in the deck. It represents endings to a cycle in life where one comes to terms and becomes one with the universe. It's the last event before everything filters back into the universe, and starts once more with the Fool- the first of the deck. "It is also said to represent cosmic consciousness; the potential of perfect union with the One Power of the universe (Wiki)."

[Mikasa as Justice]:

Justice as its name says, it's the fairest decision one can make at a certain time for a situation. The decision cannot and will not be changed as fairness is the right answer. It's also depicted as a figure holding up two swords, ready to strike in the name of fairness.

[The World + Justice]:

When put together it represents completion, as well as full awareness and fully coming to control one's thoughts and emotions. Romantically it can be seen as coming to terms that the relationship had run its course, as well as seeing it as it is and understanding that it's at its last stage. It's the end, but because it IS the end, it means there's a beginning somewhere else- with someone else. When looking at it from the Eremika perspective, we all saw how despite being in love with each other, their relationship was always doomed to be a failure. Mikasa was also the one who cut the final string holding them together, understanding that whatever they had wasn't meant to be. It's also interesting to see how Jean is depicted as the Fool, the first of the deck when The World, which is Eren is the last. Meaning that after Eren, Mikasa's true happiness was the next stage, which is Jean.

Final thoughts:

So this took me about 4 hours to write and put together. But I really hope you guys enjoy reading through it and are as surprised as I am about the accuracy of the tarot cards and the characters they represent. An immense amount of thought had gone into the creation of this set, and I cannot for the life of me get rid of the chills that cover me as to how perfect the tarots fit each character and their personality/situation. I also want to point out that based on this, it does seem very obvious that Eren and Mikasa, and Levi and Hange were meant to be couples. Their tragic love stories match up exactly to what the tarot combination imply, and I think that's beautiful as it is tragic.

Please do share the love and leave comments and likes to let me know if I should continue doing content like this or if you guys want me to do something similar in the future. I'm interested to see how you guys feel about this.

Also, I would like to thank @beatotsundere for helping me put some things together. Share the love by visiting their website if you want to purchase AoT merch!

#hange zoe #levi ackerman #aot #levihan #levi x hange #levi x hanji #attack on titan #eren jeager #mikasa ackerman #shingeki no kyojin #eremika #jean kirstein #armin arlert #sasha braus #connie springer #reiner braun #bertholdt hoover #annie leonhart #erwin smith #ymir

[sillydestiny]

Quiet Hearts Entwined

fluff♡

Headcanon: Cale Henituse and the Smart but Quiet Reader

In this headcanon, Cale Henituse finds himself drawn to a smart but quiet reader, and together, they forge a unique and meaningful relationship:

- Cale, with his laid-back and stoic-like demeanor, is initially intrigued by the quiet and reserved nature of the reader. He finds their intelligence and depth alluring, sparking his curiosity to unravel the layers behind their quiet facade.

- The reader, in turn, appreciates Cale's easygoing and non-judgmental attitude. They feel comfortable in his presence, as he gives them the space and respect to be themselves without feeling the need to be overly talkative or expressive.

- As the two spend more time together, Cale becomes fascinated by the reader's intellect and insightful observations. He seeks out their company, finding solace in the comfortable silence they share, a rare connection that transcends words.

- The reader, while quiet, communicates effectively with Cale through their actions and subtle expressions. They share meaningful glances and gestures that speak volumes, creating a language unique to their relationship.

- Cale's protective instincts emerge naturally. He becomes attuned to the reader's needs, intuitively understanding when they require space and when they may need a comforting presence.

- Despite his trash-like reputation, Cale proves to be an attentive and thoughtful partner. He surprises the reader with books or items related to their interests, showing that he pays attention to their preferences and passions.

- Together, they embark on intellectual pursuits, engaging in deep conversations and debates. Cale cherishes the rare moments when the reader opens up and shares their thoughts, making each interaction with them a treasured experience.

- The reader's quiet and reflective nature complements Cale's more extroverted side, creating a harmonious balance within their relationship. They appreciate each other's strengths and find support in their differences.

- As the reader's trust in Cale grows, they become more comfortable expressing themselves around him. They share their ideas and insights, knowing that Cale will listen with genuine interest and respect.

- Cale's easygoing attitude becomes a calming presence for the reader, helping them feel at ease and encouraging them to be more open and expressive at their own pace.

- Together, they find joy in the simple pleasures of life: enjoying each other's company, reading together, and spending quiet moments in each other's arms.

- Cale's protective nature extends to safeguarding the reader's mental and emotional well-being. He shields them from unnecessary stress and ensures they have a nurturing environment to thrive.

- Over time, Cale and the reader develop a beautiful rhythm in their relationship. They share a special bond that goes beyond words, as they can understand each other's feelings and emotions without the need for constant verbal communication.

- Cale finds himself drawn to the reader's ability to see through facades and grasp the essence of people and situations. He values their insights and often seeks their advice when facing difficult decisions, trusting their judgment implicitly.

- The reader's quiet nature allows them to be great listeners, and Cale finds comfort in confiding in them. They create a safe space for him to share his thoughts and feelings, knowing that he won't be judged or criticized.

- Despite being quiet, the reader possesses a strong and assertive side. When necessary, they step up and take charge, becoming a reliable partner to Cale in times of crisis or when decisions need to be made.

- Cale, with his resourcefulness, supports the reader's pursuits and helps them overcome any challenges they may face. He encourages and motivates them to explore their interests and achieve their goals.

- Their mutual respect and admiration for each other's strengths strengthen their bond. They celebrate each other's successes and stand by each other during setbacks, knowing that they are a team that can weather any storm.

- As they journey through life together, Cale becomes the reader's rock and source of stability, while the reader offers him intellectual stimulation and emotional grounding.

- Their relationship is an unspoken agreement to cherish the moments of silence and appreciate the power of understanding without needing constant reassurance through words.

- Cale and the reader find joy in simple activities that allow them to connect on a deeper level. From stargazing to long walks in nature, they enjoy the peaceful moments they spend together.

- Their friends and acquaintances often marvel at the quiet intimacy shared between Cale and the reader. They recognize that their love is pure and genuine, even without grand displays of affection.

- The reader's intelligence and wit become invaluable assets during adventures, as they provide strategic insights that complement Cale's pragmatism and problem-solving skills.

- In times of conflict or danger, Cale's protective instincts go into overdrive, and he becomes a formidable force defending the reader and their well-being.

- Cale's laziness remains unchanged, but he becomes more motivated to create a comfortable and fulfilling life for both himself and the reader. He aims to provide them with the best possible future, cherishing every moment they share.

- Their love may be unconventional to others, but it's genuine and deeply rooted in mutual understanding and acceptance. They cherish the quiet moments they share, finding comfort and joy in being each other's confidants and partners in silence.

#tcf x reader #trash of the count’s family #cale henituse x reader #cale x reader #gn reader #manhua #manhwa #manhwa x reader #trash of the count’s family x reader #totcf x reader

[serene-sun]

Okay last thing bc I don’t wanna spam and I’ve sent 2 ideas already but any chance you could do some headcannons or a blurb (whichever you prefer) about a threeway with Ifrit and Omega?

𝖕𝖚𝖑𝖈𝖍𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖚𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖚𝖘

warnings: sexual themes but no sex

“Another hundred out of papa's pay check?” You tease softly as the ghoul slides a large bill into the hem of your bra, “If I had known you two were so spoiled I would have charged more.” 

“Are you suggesting our talent doesn't get us any reward?” Ifirt says softly into your ear as his claw trails up your neck.

“Oh no I know the way you parade on stage gets you several…rewards…” You reply with red lips pressing against the soft skin of Omega’s cheek.

The quint ghoul lets out a little grunt as your hand cups his groin, his eyes never leaving your pale thighs as they slightly part.

The ministry was known for its sexual energy, but what some didn't know was that there was a secret brothel that took place on weekend nights. It was an abandoned chapel on the western side of the grounds that was repurposed with tapestries and rugs, pillows and soft furniture and warm lights to the brothel it was now. The sisters and brothers of sin who worked it paid by the hour, some by the minute depending on how sensual they got with clients.

You, a sister of sin, was one of the many who had regulars. It wasn't rare for ghouls to show up, but it was rare for them to truly hold a bond with the whores. 

These nights after black mass, Ifrit and Omega held a common lust for you. They would come after or before mass to see you. 

Omega was a massive ghoul, it was no secret he was the leader of his pack. He was phlegmatic and sensual, his strict demeanor coating his lustful words of praise and pride. Omega had a calming effect from his quintessence, it made women and men swoon over him. 

The ghoul had two large horns with a few cracks and chips made of lapis lazuli and two fiery white eyes that glowed. His tail swayed softly against the carpet, it was black and furry with small strands of white hair across his body. 

Ifrit was also a large ghoul, more on the smaller side but he was also seen as one of the leaders of his group. His horns shiny and polished, the red carnelian crystal of them reflected lights beautifully as he talked with intent. 

The ghouls were truly ineffable in power, their strength scared people and their will haunted others. But some, women like you, sought enjoyment out of the fear. The way their claws could cut through skin so easily, and their ability to know your thoughts and actions spiked an interest in you that made your whole body tingle. But you knew the terrific beasts were sagacious with their lives.

You were fervent for this with the ghouls, this connection they had with you would grow every visit. It would be a lie to say you hadn't had dreams of them at night, or watched them about their day.

An average man would say you were meretricious, having no value other than your outer beauty. But ifrit and Omega made you feel special, like no other sibling there. Sometimes they would bring you gifts like expensive lingerie or wine.

“Tell me my love, how can I please you tonight?” Omega grumbled into your ear as his claw trailed up your leg, snapping against the fishnets threatening to break them. 

His gentle touch sent a shiver down your spine, “Take off your clothes,” You ask as Ifirt licks behind your ear.

You had always ameliorated uncomfortable guests, you never got as far as letting them have actual sex. You would only go as far as being nude and pleasuring each other, ignoring the real sex. But you felt now in the air that these ghouls were growing impatient with this “rule” of yours.

The quint and fire ghoul undressed, leaving just you clothed in lingerie and your hair thrown messily into a clip. 

The room had cleared out, leaving the prostitutes resting other than yourself. The quiet atmosphere raised with heat, not from the crackling fireplace but from the sexual tension as you took the two ghouls erections in your hands.

You felt heat drip into your gut, like molten lava that tempted you to draw you into a dark abyss. The candles flickered, and you closed your eyes focusing on the intense fire that grew between your legs as you felt the net against your legs tear against a sharp claw. You whined unintentionally as the hands roamed up your chest and tugged at the lace of your bra. 

“Have me, please..” You whine, cracking your eyes open to be pushed back against the bed of pillows

The night would continue not like any other, and you would be filled with absolute bliss.

#serene sun nocontext #the band ghost #serene sun spice time #serene sun mutuals #ghost band #the band ghost x reader #nameless ghouls x reader #serene sun writes #nameless ghouls #ghost band fic #ifrit ghoul x reader #ifrit ghoul #ifrit ghost #ifrit x reader #ifrit x omega #omega x reader #ghost omega ghoul x reader #omega ghoul x reader #omega ghoul supremacy #omega ghoul

[aceinejghafa]

on the magic inherent in snowflakes and in laughter

Kanej | Rated general | tw for canon-typical discussion of the slave trade

Summary: Ketterdam is grey, when the Wraith docks in berth twenty-two of Fifth Harbour.

Or, Kaz and Inej take a walk in the snow, ft. reflections on magic and absolutely zero plot. 

Materialki: @cassecorrea (art here)

Etherealki: @swift-creates (fic here)

A/N: My fic for the Grishaverse Reverse Mini Bang @grishaversebigbang!

Read it on AO3 or below the cut.

Ketterdam is grey, when the Wraith docks in berth twenty-two of Fifth Harbour. Captain Inej Ghafa stands on deck, her hands on her hips, and looks out at the city that has broken her, rebuilt her, shaped her.

On second thought, maybe it’s not quite grey. It’s more black and white, city and snow mixed together and piled on top of each other until the first impression is that it’s all one grey mass. A closer look shows dark rooftops peeking out from underneath the snow, dark streets paled by drifts piling up to either side. The still-falling snow creates a mist that makes the city seem gentler, softer. 

Inej’s feelings for Ketterdam are complicated. Despicable things are done here, just as they are done everywhere else she has been — Ravka’s oppression of the Suli and general imperialist bent; Fjerda’s demonization and genocide of Grisha; Ketterdam’s refusal to value anything more than money. 

And yet, as everywhere, it’s a mix. Ravka has a half-Suli queen. Whatever Nina’s doing in Fjerda, it’s slowly chipping away at the Fjerdan hatred of Grisha. And Ketterdam — well, Inej is doing her fair share to clear Ketterdam of the least savoury aspects of its business, and between Wylan’s influence with the Merchant Council and Kaz’s willingness to help her take down any other barrel boss engaging in the slave trade, the city’s got a chance at not being quite so atrocious as it has been. 

But atrocious or not, grey or black-and-white — Inej has missed this place, missed the rooftops she’s ran across countless times, missed this dirty, complicated, greedy city where she has learned who she is, who she wants to be. 

She has missed the people, too: Jesper, his grin and his guns and his ridiculous waistcoats; Wylan, clever and red-haired and far less innocent than he looks. 

And she has missed a boy with dark hair and sharp edges, with a painful past that’s left him with gloved hands and armour, with a clever mind and a rare smile. 

Inej could spend the next few hours arranging for a food and water resupply for the Wraith. If not, she could head out into Ketterdam and catch up on anything she’s missed — there’ve been some rumours of a buyer in the warehouse district that she could investigate. She could even stay on her ship and spend time with her crew. 

But she doesn’t need to do any of that, and Specht is a perfectly competent first mate who can safely be left in charge of a ship — arguably more competent than her, although she’s learnt a fair bit about handling a ship since first stepping foot on the Wraith. 

She climbs easily down the Wraith’s side — her skills as a spider might not apply to sailing a ship, but they at least work in her favour to allow her to get off and on — and disappears into the maze of the city. 

~

The first time that Kaz saw a snowfall in Ketterdam, it seemed like a magic trick — like the street performers who hid coins in their palms and up their sleeves, reality concealed behind obfuscation. Some of the city’s dirt vanished beneath the white, nature flicking a wrist to hide what she did not want people to see. Drawing attention to the glittering piles of white so that nobody saw the beggar in the corner, the starving child, the scars on the girls in the pleasure houses. A veil thrown over the world to soften its edges. Sleight of hand to replace poverty with beauty. 

But Kaz knew that all the dirt was still there underfoot. The magician’s trick was not quite good enough, or perhaps Kaz was too good for it, too good at seeing through the magic to the mechanism behind it. That first year, the snow brought cold, and cold meant death. The veneer of white concealed a fate to which Kaz refused to succumb. 

He begged and lied and cheated and stole, that first year. He survived that first year. He survived every year, clinging to life, to revenge, to reality, refusing to drift down into the cold white comfort promised by the cold white snow. 

Today’s snow is deeper than expected, and Kaz wonders how many children are wandering the streets as he once did. How many are dying. Dirtyhands wouldn’t care; Inej would. Kaz does not know what he thinks. 

A girl, perhaps twelve at most, decides that the doorway of the Slat would be a good place to beg from. Kaz tells himself that she is good at faking an injured leg to get more sympathy. He tells himself that she seems clever and resourceful. He tells himself that she could be a useful member of the Dregs, one day. When she subtly inserts herself into the Slat itself and settles herself in a corner, he pretends not to notice, and his Dregs follow his lead. He doesn’t know if Inej is rubbing off on him, or if instinct tells him she’ll be useful, or if there is another reason altogether for his actions — but he lets her stay.

She’s still there in the corner when he heads upstairs to his office. The snow has, of course, another effect — his leg aches more than usual, and it’s a relief when he reaches the top of the flight of stairs. Once seated at his desk, he stretches it out under the table, allowing him a moment to massage away the ache; he knows from experience that a long walk without too many stairs would probably be good for it, but he needs to deal with the paperwork that’s accumulated for him to sign. The Dregs have prospered since the Dime Lions’ fall, but the downside is that he has several more properties to worry about. 

He glances out at the cityscape once or twice — his office shows him a panorama of snow-capped rooftops, the familiar view transformed but still fundamentally the same. 

But he’s focusing intently on the accounts for the new gambling den he’s recently opened up when he becomes aware of her presence. 

Kaz looks up, and there she is, perched on the window ledge only feet away from him. Her old spot, and for a moment he wonders if he’s dreamed her up, but there is a sparkle in her eyes that Kaz does not think his subconscious brain could invent. 

Her hair is windblown, a few white flakes scattered amidst the black. She wears a grey tunic with a dark red scarf and gloves; she wears confidence about her shoulders like a cloak. Her cheeks are glowing, and she grins at him when he meets her eyes. 

Kaz smiles. “Welcome to Ketterdam, Captain Ghafa.”

~

Captain Ghafa. Inej has gone by many names, some she hated and some she liked, all of them placing expectations on her shoulders — the lynx, the spider, the Wraith. Captain Ghafa is one she has chosen for herself of her own free will, and she likes it best of all. 

Kaz smiles like he’s a boy again, like he’s only seventeen years old, like he’s not a barrel boss with a reputation to strike fear into the heart of anyone foolish enough to cross him. Inej hasn’t seen that smile often, but she’s as helpless as she’s ever been to prevent her own lips from ticking up in response. 

“Kaz,” she returns. She’s missed him with an unexpected ferocity, in all her months at sea — missed his cleverness, his talent for getting out of any tough situation; missed his scheming face and the quips he trades with her; missed his company most of all, with a deeper ache than she’s cared to admit to herself. 

There’s a moment of silence between them, comfortable silence that doesn’t need to be filled with words. Kaz breaks it first, setting down his pen and leaning back in his chair to look at her, still perched on the windowsill. “What have you been up to?”

Inej takes the invitation for what it is and shuts the window, blocking the cold air out. “Figuring out how to sail a ship. Figuring out how to fight a ship. Figuring out how to track down other ships.” She shrugs. “Killing slavers, which requires a bit less figuring out.” 

“Living the dream, then,” Kaz observes drily. He shifts his leg slightly, and she catches the movement, remembering two winters of watching him limp slightly more than in the summer. He hides it well, of course, but Inej has learnt to be observant from Kaz himself. 

A walk would help him stretch it out, and walking allows for conversation as much as sitting. “Acquired a fair bit of info on the buyers,” she tells him. “Your competitors. I’ll tell you about them, but I’d like to walk around Ketterdam a bit while we’re at it.” 

Kaz raises an eyebrow, and she knows he’s seen her glance down at his leg — he is perfectly aware of what she’s doing. But he doesn’t object. “Gladly,” he says instead, and pushes his chair back to stand up. He doesn’t hide the faint wince on his face, and Inej knows that is an honour she will cherish: to see past the walls he puts up around every weakness, the masks that hide his pain. Kaz lets her through, and it is a gift. 

They walk down the stairs together. Inej does not offer Kaz a hand; she has pushed him enough for today. Instead, she follows Kaz into the Slat proper. 

“Inej!” Anika calls, as soon as Inej comes in sight, and then she’s surrounded by a crowd of Dregs — laughing, asking her how she’s been, congratulating her on the growing reputation she’s gaining. She was worried that they might resent her for leaving, or might see her as a competitor, but they greet her with all the comradeship she built with them over those years in Ketterdam. She hadn’t quite realised how much she missed them until now. 

Kaz stands by, leaning on his cane and watching from the shadows. It’s achingly familiar: Kaz never joined in with the conversations or games or jokes tossed around the Slat, but he always watched, and Inej knew he was secretly pleased when they all got along — and only partially because a more tight-knit gang is a more efficient one. 

Eventually, Inej manages to extricate herself, and walks out the door with Kaz. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Rotty open his mouth to wolf-whistle only to be elbowed in the side by Anika; he doubles over in soundless pain. 

Inej smiles, and steps out onto the street. 

~

The streets of Ketterdam are quiet, footsteps muffled by the fallen snow. The cold keeps most of the city in their houses. There are still a few hurrying about on errands, but nobody pays close attention to the two figures walking side-by-side down the street. Kaz is grateful; he isn’t in the mood to get into a fight if a rival gang recognises him. 

His knee still aches, but walking is helping, as he (and Inej) knew it would. His coat is warm enough to keep out the cold, especially with Inej walking at his side. He’s missed her in her absence, more so than his dignity would allow him to admit to anyone but her. Seeing her again is like a breath of fresh air after too long underwater. 

Inej tells him about which slavers she’s gotten rid of and which Barrel bosses she thinks have been buying from them, about the rumours of a buyer with a hideout in the warehouse district, about — in a quieter voice — catching the man who kidnapped her, two and a half years ago. 

Her feet come to a stop; she is not looking at anything around them. “The ship,” she says, quietly. “It was. The same one. That I was—” 

Kaz isn’t good at offering comfort, but Inej’s eyes look far away like she’s been pulled out of her skin, like she’s far away in a ship that brought her torment. “Inej,” he says, but she doesn’t seem to hear him; a shiver races across her skin. 

Touch, Kaz thinks, would help. To ground her. To draw her back to the snowy streets of Ketterdam, and away from where she is now. He doesn’t think he could touch bare skin right now — the cold has brought back memories of cold water and cold skin — but he’s wearing gloves, and so is she. 

“Inej,” Kaz says again, and brushes the back of his hand against hers. 

She shudders faintly, exhaling mist into the cold air, and grabs his hand properly. Her eyes flick over to him, present again in a way they weren’t before. “Kaz.” 

Kaz feels something in him relax at the sound of her voice. A small smile appears on her face; he feels his own lips tick faintly up in response. 

Talking about it, right now, in the open street, is not what she needs. So he returns to their earlier topic of conversation, offering his side of the puzzle that will show her where Captain Ghafa is needed most. 

Thanks to Inej, most of Ketterdam’s pleasure houses have closed down, and Kaz has been ensuring that no new ones open (quietly, because it feels like a crack in the armour that is Dirtyhands, but efficiently all the same). He’s also made a custom of keeping an ear to the ground, listening for rumours of anyone trading in people — whether that be regular indentured slaves, Grisha, or women — and finding out their veracity. 

Now, he tells her what he knows about the trader in the warehouse district, and they fall into planning out their next steps as they have a hundred times before. Except now, Inej isn’t the Wraith, indentured to Per Haskell, Kaz’s subordinate in the Dregs; she is free, and still choosing to walk beside Kaz with their hands still entwined. 

While plotting murder, naturally. But for them, that’s par for the course. 

~

Inej discovers that she’s missed plotting with Kaz. 

He has a tendency to make at least four layers of plans beyond what he actually tells her about, which can be a bit annoying, but she’s missed it nonetheless. Before the Ice Court, she’d bring him secrets and whispers from all over Ketterdam and he’d listen, and ask questions, and take her input on whatever plans he concocted. 

Now it’s — it’s not Kaz concocting plans and Inej bringing him the information he needs; it’s both of them sharing information, then building plans together. Plans that are actually the entire plan, not just the basics that Kaz sees fit to tell her; they are partners in this, equals, in a way that they weren’t before. 

Kaz trusts a very small number of people. Trust itself has been dimmed out of him by cruelty and plague and loss, and the Barrel is not exactly the best place to learn to trust again. Even with the Dregs, she knows that Kaz must always be on the lookout, always aware of the motivations of everyone around him in case those motivations should lead them to betray him. 

He trusts Jesper. Wylan, now, too, Inej thinks. Nina, perhaps; her allegiance to the Ravkan throne is an obstacle, but not an unsurmountable one. Rotty. 

And Inej. Even before the Ice Court, he trusted the information she brought, even relied on it — and today, he shares information with her in equal measure. He tells her what he’s planning, lets her see not only what but how he thinks. Kaz turns life into a series of magic tricks, performances, where he pulls the strings from behind the curtains. Now he’s letting her come backstage with him, and that is a gift. 

(It is also a gift that they’re still holding hands. Kaz hasn’t let go since he drew her from memories of a slave ship she’d rather forget, despite his aversion to touch. Their hands are gloved, yes, but he holds her hand like it’s nothing, like the demons of his past don’t haunt his skin like ghosts. She doesn’t know if they’re absent for once or simply being ignored, but either way, Kaz is choosing to keep holding hands of his own free will.) 

In this part of town — the wealthier, bourgeois district they’ve wandered into — they’re not going to be recognised as Dirtyhands and Captain Ghafa. They could be mistaken for any two sweethearts, wandering the streets despite the cold, speaking sweet nothings in low tones — and although they are not that couple and never could be, on this street, in the snow, they are — similar. 

They are two people broken by the cruelty of the world, two people who have pieced themselves back together into someone different, stronger, than they once were. Two people who have too many jagged edges to fit with anyone unbroken, unscarred; two people who, nevertheless, are walking down Ketterdam’s streets in the snow. 

Snowflakes are still falling, dusting Kaz’s hair with white, the outline of the city paled to something gentler than usual. Their breath ghosts in the air, and Inej is comfortable regardless of the cold, warmed from the inside out by her hand in Kaz’s and his smile when he looks at her. 

Gradually, the conversation shifts from planning to reminiscing, to storytelling. Inej talks about her crew — among them not a few former Dregs — and Kaz reciprocates with updates on how all the current Dregs are doing. 

Their words drift, like snowflakes, and Inej smiles and laughs and is at peace. 

~

Inej is telling a story, and Kaz watches her, drinking up the joy that emanates from her with such ease. She’s dusted with snow, and little curls of hair flutter around her face in the wind. She’s beautiful. 

She is, unquestionably, far too good for anyone so broken and crooked as Kaz. She deserves better than him, but she also deserves whatever she wants. And she has also been quite clear that she wants to spend this time with Kaz, so who is he to deny her?

If she deserves better than what he is now, then he’ll simply have to make himself into someone more worthy of her. 

So Kaz walks by her side and holds her hand and absorbs into himself all the goodness that she gives him freely. She’s brighter now than she ever was as part of the Dregs; this — fighting for what she believes in, fighting for everyone as powerless as she once was — is good for her. (Good for the world, too, most likely, but Kaz is more preoccupied with Inej.) Kaz doesn’t really believe that people have preordained destinies, paths they’re set to follow — but if he did, he’d say Inej is achieving her purpose. 

He doesn’t know what his own destiny might be, but he knows he wants his path to lie close to hers. 

Kaz is a cynical bastard, has been since he swam to shore using his brother’s corpse as a raft. He isn’t good at having faith, at hoping for the best outcome, at believing in a magic trick. 

But Inej laughs, and this is no sleight of hand — it’s more magic than trick, inexplicable and real all at once. There is no curtain to look behind, only truth. Only magic. 

It is fitting that Inej be crowned by snowflakes.

#gvbbrmb22 #gvbbrmbfic22 #gang 4 #six of crows #soc #inej ghafa #kaz brekker #kanej #kaz x inej #fic #my fic #tw slavery

[sweetfirebird]

I have a messy rant about some historical docs that I needed to get out. It's incomplete and not well-written, but, yeah, I had to get it out of my head. So it's going behind a cut. Free free to ignore it.

It's amazing how many documentaries about notorious historical figures will do their best to avoid any thought or commentary about the systems these people lived in (and sometimes ruled over). They might do a passing mention of something terrible in the person's childhood or something. But it's only ever in passing and it's not even a guarantee that it will get mentioned at all. (Maybe it's the shitty documentaries and I need some better books on the subjects.)

And I am not excusing any of the things these people did if they did do them. It's just incredible to me, though I shouldn't be surprised because we don't even really do this now for our current notorious figures.

As one example, though, I've watched/listened to a lot of things about Richard III and not one has really gone into any depth about the warring all throughout his formative years or how that was pretty normal? for the ruling class of that time and place? His brother had his other brother executed (for reasons but nonetheless he did it). His brother also (more than likely) had the previous king murdered. This was the procedure. This is a system that encouraged this and allowed this--as long as you held the throne once you had it and gave your supporters their cash money and honors.

Is (allegedly) killing your tween nephews bad? Yeah obviously but it also... is the logical outcome of that system. It was as close to perfectly normal as a system that allows taking leadership of a country by force and bloodline can be. He just failed at holding the throne but he wasn't like... unusual.

But they don't want to talk about that because, I assume, it sort of reflects badly on the entire still going monarchy business. (And yeah yeah Tudor propaganda but I'm not talking about that right now. I'm talking about the lens with which we are examining these people now.) Probably no one wants to talk about that but my annoying nerdy ass, i know.

Or, okay. Let's say you have people accused of Bad Things ranging from general debauchery and reckless behavior to... possible devil worship... to serial killing with a frankly ridiculous number of victims. Or let's say you are discussing a few cases of "mad" kings. Or de Sade or someone like him. If you set aside the validity of many of the charges against these people (it's easy to accuse someone who is already behaving badly of behaving VERY badly in order to get what you want) and acknowledge the difficulty of diagnosing anyone hundreds or thousands of years later, you have... people being punished for being, like, too obviously the logical outcome of their time and place and then failing instead of succeeding. That's it. These monsters (to us) could only exist in those places. They are products of those places. But these specials never go into that. They just popped up out of nowhere! Amazing! A mystery!

Like, these people were just embarrassingly too much of the thing they were supposed to be and it was making the rest of those in their stations look bad, which set their peers against them and made them easy targets (for land grabs or whatever).

Or when they did succeed (while being horrible), the docs try to excuse it, and maybe this is why you get modern historians trying desperately to say that Henry VIII must have had a head injury or madness from syphilis to explain his behavior and not just....

he was never told no, guys. No one ever told him no. There was no way TO tell him no (if you wanted to keep your head). Henry is what happens when you do that. Henry is what happens when the world says women do not really have value outside of childbirth and fucking anyway. Henry is what happens when you say kings are divine--and he's also what happens when you come from a violent class and culture and you've recently had a long civil war that killed off most of the other possible claimants to the throne so there is no one to really oppose or stand up to you.

Or the slutty slutty drunken Earl of Rochester having no known childhood behavioral problems being carted off to school at thirteen and then suddenly becoming reckless and violent and lecherous? I wonder if the set up for abuse of all kinds at those schools had anything to do with that, and then also the general world for noble men of that time which allowed them to do whatever they wanted, particularly with (lower class) women with little to no repercussions. hmm a mystery where he came from.

He's not actually that unusual, he just wrote slutty slutty poems about it so he gets remembered. There were tons of dudes like him who probably did worse. They just also did enough of the things they were supposed to do that no one cared about the rest. He's not really an outlier. He is representative of the time and place.

These are ruling class people, and it's Europe, so there is also the Church to consider in all of these things, like, intricately tied up with the misogyny and classism and everything else is the Church. It is also a thing with beliefs that these docs do not want to get into. And I'm not going to go into it either right now. It's just a pattern I've noticed and it's irking me.

Heroes and horrors are created by their times. I mean... no. NO. I'm going to stop there before this gets any longer or more rambly. They still do this now, I know. But I guess I expect historians to have the distance to really look.

But as I said, maybe I just need to watch better docs.

... You can see now where Larin came from though, I bet.

#taji from beyond the rings #history nerd ranting

[siderealmaven]

Happy Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Virgo!

Cards: 2 of Cups and Justice from the Tarot Manara

This is our first eclipse of 2024 and will be followed by a Solar Eclipse in Pisces on April 8th. This two week period, as well as the two weeks before and after, are what I will be referring to as “Eclipse Szn.”

During Eclipse Szn, I often emphasize the importance of rest. Ancient Astrologers believed eclipses to be malefic events, heralding the birth and death of kings, nations, and peoples. For the average person, this can be a tremulous time to be out and about as emotions are highly charged and people are more reactive than usual. Even if there is not an external commotion of energy taking up your atmosphere right now, there is surely something internal within all of us that is shifting like tectonic plates, revealing to us parts of ourselves once hidden.

If you have the ability and privilege, I would always recommend getting as much rest as you can during Eclipse Szn, because I view it as my responsibility as an astrologer to advise others in the same way that I would advise my loved ones. Which is to not pile more on your plate, to not push things that will get done in their own time, and to prioritize taking care of yourself both emotionally and physically, as Eclipse Szn is when we need this care the most.

While some may try to harness this energy into something productive, the truth is that pushing, forcing, and using speed at this time can be detrimental to your goals, especially as Mercury enters Aries today, where it will soon Retrograde. Whatever it is you think you are forcing to happen now, just might slide back and require a rework because you rushed into something that requires meticulous patience.

The 2 of Cups calls upon us to consider our relationships at this time, from your relationship to yourself to your relationship with your family, friends, coworkers, and community, etc. This is a card that speaks to a pure and innocent connection where both partners feel safe embodying their full emotions and sense of self. A connection without judgement, manipulation, or expectation; just a dedication to seeing and accepting the other person as they are, whatever that may look like at any given time.

The Justice card asks us to consider the cause and effect of these relationships, both externally and internally. What are the tangible physical and emotional consequences of engaging in these relationships? Under this Virgo Moon and Pisces Sun, the answer can be difficult to decipher as our data may be incomplete or incongruences between the physical and emotional do not seem to entirely add up. It may feel like people say one thing and then do another. Perhaps their actions or words communicate an intention but the result is something different.

And the “why” behind it all may seem just out of reach right now. Like an elephant in the room nobody comments on, like the answer to a test question that you know you know, but just cannot recall and put words to. You want to trust and believe your person, to take them at face value, but for some reason you don’t.

Together these cards ask to reflect on not just what our relationships can provide us; the give and take; but how our relationships actually make us feel. When looking at these cards, a fitting quote came to mind:

“One of the greatest mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions and not their results.” —Milton Friedman

This quote makes me think about the incongruence between the intentions of our laws in the USA versus the actual effect of them. We are a country that wears our convictions proudly on our sleeve, declaring to the world that we are a symbol of freedom of speech and religion. And yet our laws punish and imprison people who practice these values when they do not align with the dominant culture, resulting in the opposite of it claims to stand for.

On the Justice card we see a Palestinian woman, gazing sorrowfully at the camera, half of her face hidden. I can’t help but to think of the way our President sends food to Palestine on parachutes as an show of good will, but the result is a massacre of everyone who dares to reach for it. Perhaps the “intention” is what they say, to provide relief for a starving population. But the Justice card would argue that the real intention is murder, for that is the ultimate result of such actions (which continue to be taken.)

This Full Moon is a time to reflect on the incongruence between the intentions of a relationship and the actual results of being in them. Are the people you are in relationship with telling you one thing and then doing another? Do they express intentions of love and care, only to make you feel judged and unworthy? Do they make promises on good intentions only to never follow through? If so, it might be time to consider that there was never truly an intention to follow through, but simply to placate, to lull you into complicity, to accept less than a connection that prioritizes love, respect, and honest communication.

It is easy to get stuck in feelings of being complacent. And it easy for an Eclipse to come along and shake you out of it in ways that you don’t expect. It is likely that during this Eclipse Szn, you will find that you have outgrown certain relationships, and even certain aspects of yourself. You no longer want to accept good intentions when there is no good result. You become tired of making promises to yourself that you can no longer keep (or perhaps, never have.) You grow tired of trying to meet the expectations of other people when you know deep down, you can’t or don’t really want to.

If this is the case, then now is the time to be honest with yourself. To be patient with yourself as these feelings come to light and change your perspective. To ask questions of both yourself and others, to really listen to the response, to think deeply about how the response makes you feel and why. If you know that a separation is on the horizon, then try your best to approach it with love, respect and honesty.

On the other hand… I want you to think about the relationships where you do feel seen, heard, respected and cared for. Who are the people that show up for you time and time again? Who are the people that never make you doubt them because they communicate clearly exactly where you stand? Who are the people who withhold their judgement and approach you with curiosity? Who are the people who hold you, who listen to you, who do their best to provide you with resources, tools, affection, and trust? Who is uplifting you?

These are the relationships that you want to focus on right now. These are the relationships that you want to invest in.

And I know that after talking about intentions and results being different that it can inspire feelings of suspicion and defensiveness. We have all been lied to and we have all been hurt. But what is not meant to be will fade on it’s own, what is meant to pass with this Eclipse will pass, and there is no sense of control to be gained here.

What you can control is showing up in your relationships with integrity, compassion, and sincerity. You can make sure your words and actions align with your intentions and convictions. You can move in ways that inspire others to do the same. That is your power.

Thank you so much for reading!

If you willing and able, please consider donating to Doctors Without Borders, an organization working to provide aid to the people in Palestine. Link Here.

originally published to @siderealmaven's Patreon.

#sidereal astrology #astroblr #lunar eclipse #tarot manara #sidereal virgo #full moon #full moon in virgo #virgo eclipse

[marshmallowprotection]

Listen... this is completely random but I ABSOLUTELY ADORE the bedroom that Ray prepared for us from the first moment I saw it. It's the reason I bought pink wallpaper and bedding set for my new room AND I LOVE IT *kiss Ray's cheek as a thank you for the room inspiration*

And you know there's two vases of flowers in the room (the one on the bedside and the one on the table) so I was wondering if the flowers have any meaning behind it? Considering that Ray's in charge of the whole bedroom so it makes sense that he would decorate them with something meaningful -book anon-

Would you believe that you’re the first person to ever ask me this question? It’s been years and nobody’s ever thought to ask me about this. Purple is a naturally occurring color and you can find it, so it’s not as rare as a blue rose, but there’s a limit to what kind of flower you might find since it’s such a majestic color to have in your room. I’m not being bias or anything since it’s my favorite color, but yeah, I always loved that he put out some purple flowers to make the room sparkle for the player. 

Now, at base value, it looks like a purple rose. Those can happen but you have to breed them specifically and with care to get it naturally. It’s just tricky since it’s rarer to find in the wild, even though you can find them! Another thought was the flower was Zinnia or Lisianthus. However, you can’t see the center of those very clearly and it makes it harder to gauge what I’m looking at since some of those common identifiers aren’t clear to me. So, with that, those purple flowers have to be roses since I can’t guess anything else from this angle. 

Purple roses can be love and elegance. I do believe there’s a difference with a light purple and a dark purple! The lighter shades of purple would suggest love at first sight, but a darker purple would reflect deep love that never has an end date in sight. It’s interesting that these flowers are somewhere in the middle of light and dark, because Ray’s love is intense and flickers between fairytale and genuine. 

Now, the pink and red flowers in this flower are even blurrier and the guesses that I could make are in the dozens. I don’t even think I could make a proper or real guess because of how limited I am in the view of the flower that he offered to the player in their room. I think if we look at the bouquet he brings you during V Route and at the start of Ray Route, I might be able to pick apart a hint on the post. So, let’s take a look at that real fast and see what we’ve got going on. 

Now, we know 100% those are roses. He’s fond of roses and he tends to use them a lot in his design work. That’s an entire bushel of red roses and nothing more than that. He wants to convey the most obvious kind of love that nobody can dispute since it’s the one flower that is universal and everyone understands at base value unlike some of the more specialty flower that most people tend to overlook and forget about or don’t even realize that they exist. I think it’s sort of possible he slipped in pink and red roses in the display even if that would make a clunky bouquet. 

It’s just that the perspective of the red and pink... hm, it might not even be pink now that I’m looking closer, it might be the light shining on it that’s making it look lighter than the natural red on the other side. I know it’s not orange since we’ve seen how they draw those flowers before and the colors aren’t even close to the right shade for that. 

So, I’m going to have to assume it’s a smaller reddish flower here that stands for something that matches the purple rose. It’s hard to guess but I’m doing my best over here. So, like, my money says it could be Amaranth, which can stand for an eternal love as well as immortality.

So, a love that doesn’t die would match with a purple rose quite well since we’re going to Ray’s level of intense devotion to the player.  There’s other flowers it could be but that’s about as good as I can get at the moment as far as my guess goes for these flowers since they look the most similar to my guess.

Don’t even ask what the ones on the bottom are since everything in that area is even more blurry and hard to discern. It has a sort of bell shape to it which could help you discern what family it belongs in but every other part of it isn’t going to help us out here. I’m crying over here because I’ve got no clue and I think that’s the one that’s going to stump me forever unless I think long and hard about what bell-shaped flower can have that coloring. Not many! That’s what I’ll tell you, my dear anon! 

It’s harder to gauge what this pink flower is but he clearly picked it for a reason since it’s sitting at your bedside and it’s one specific type of flower. Now, I can try to narrow it down by wracking my brain. Snapdragon was the first that came to my mind since it can be pink and it’s very much clumped together in a bushel if you pick it for a bouquet. I not only assume it to be snapdragon because of the color and look, but because of the meaning that this flower holds. 

Legend has it that concealing a snapdragon makes a person appear fascinating and cordial. Snapdragons can represent deception through lies, and passionate appreciation and graciousness. I think this is meant to be a hint about what the Mint Eye truly is. This is an extension of Ray, himself. He has chosen to say to you that he adores you, he admires you, but if you learn too much or get close to something before he’s ready to share it with you?

Well, the Savior did say that he was allowed to handle you at his discretion, after all. A beautiful flower, much like the rose he is, can be hiding thorns if you don’t dare to look deeper underneath the surface. I think that’s more interesting for an MC to think about if they found this at their bedside. it has dual meanings, like Ray and Saeran do. Although, unless you’re invested in floriography like me, you may not even realize what he’s trying to say. 

#character analysis #ask #mod kait #mystic messenger #mysticmessenger #mm #mysme #saeran choi #choi saeran #ray choi #choi ray #mystic messenger ray #mysme ray #mm ray #ray mystic messenger #ray mm #ray mysme #ray #ray saeran #choisaeran #raychoi #choiray #book anon #saeranchoi

[sepublic]

            Let’s talk Soundwave in the Nizziverse. Soundwave and Blaster were both part of the same body frame devised under Fuctionist rule; Members of this niche were designed to act as comms experts, helping to facilitate radio waves, receive and send signals, all that jazz. Some were stationed on colonies to help establish contact with Cybertron, others stayed on Cybertron itself to keep the airwaves running.

         It was your typical job of helping with the news, being in charge of transmission towers, often being said transmission towers. These Cybertronians also played a role in decoding and analyzing alien frequencies, as part of the empire’s larger effort to engage with and ultimately conquer other civilizations. Scouts would use sonar imaging to create maps of new worlds and their local terrain.

         To aid these Transformers, smaller Cybertronians known as Cassettes were devised, acting as scouts who could record visual and auditory data, before reporting back to a handler to physically connect with them. Data would be transferred, and the handler could act as both storage and transporation, as well as as an amplifier for whatever their Cassettes had observed.

         Wireless communications were one way to receive their data, but sometimes the Functionists were paranoid of enemies tuning in to said transmissions and figuring out what the Empire knew; Physical transfer avoided this. Likewise, interference from the local environment was another motivator. Most importantly, the Functionists, for all their faults, recognized the value of physical copies, and the Cassettes were designed among many reasons to serve this purpose, contributing to an effort to create backups and other records to fall back on.

         Vocoded voices were the default, as these Transformers could narrow down their tune to impersonate any sound and especially voices for replay function, as well as entertainment purposes too. Many members of this body frame were sociable and often played music to the delight of those around them.

         Soundwave and Blaster served this niche in the waning days of the Functionist regime. Blaster did media and propaganda propagation, serving in public radio networks and broadcasts, hence his more extroverted and playful personality. By contrast, Soundwave was a recluse even amongst his fellow brethren, designed to handle long stretches of loneliness in assisting communications between distant colonies and Cybertron. This often meant being stationed by himself on asteroids to boost signals, made not to have a voice or thoughts of his own, but merely to relay those of others.

         Soundwave was eventually moved back to Cybertron, to facilitate airwaves in the backwater, quieter regions of Cybertron. Due to his own natural disposition and the conditioning of his environment, Soundwave didn’t really hang out with his coworkers, instead studiously attending to his job before leaving, exactly by clockwork. Contrary to popular belief, Soundwave DID have his own ideas and reflections, but his silent and introverted personality made it easy for people to assume he was just a mindless grunt, a perfect gear for the Cybertronian machine who was bored and aloof.

         Some found him a creep or cold, like talking to a wall, others would joke or gossip behind his back with the occasional rumor of what he did back in his apartment. He often became ignored as just a setpiece, a part of the background; But little did people know, they underestimated Soundwave’s ability to observe. He was always listening, and remembering, and in his spare time liked to make physical records to keep tabs on those around him.

         Soundwave meant no malice, it was just his only way of socially engaging with others, since doing so in real time was difficult and complicated and constantly changing. But when in retrospect, everything was set and easy for Soundwave to analyze and reflect on afterwards. He had other hobbies and deep interests, enjoying research, and was also dedicated to media preservation, collaborating with others online as a faceless account.

         Being online gave Soundwave a lot more freedom to express himself and talk to others in (relatively) real time. He participated in servers where Cybertronians took it upon themselves to gather and record lost pieces of media and history, and this eventually led Soundwave down a rabbit hole into forums filled with rather dissident ideas and data. Due to his expertise, Soundwave was able to keep his location encrypted, safe from government surveillance.

         This activity planted certain ideas in Soundwave’s head. So when he did his usual hobby of listening in on local airwaves as a voyeur, he caught wind of a gladiator’s scathing deconstructions of the Functionist regime. Known as Megatron, this local of Kaon waxed poetic in his theses about the government’s corruption and outdated policies, and Soundwave felt himself enamored with the charisma of this mysterious voice.

         Megatron had no idea Soundwave was listening, as he was skilled in encryption in ways even official surveyors weren’t. By all means, he should’ve reported this scandal to those in charge of censorship and keeping the peace… But that wasn’t HIS job, technically. So Soundwave didn’t, and fell in love with Megatron’s daring ideas. Soundwave had felt like he led an admittedly empty, meaningless existence, just going on through the motions as an ideal cog in the great Cybertronian machine.

         But Megatron’s ideas gave Soundwave purpose, and an actual future to look forward to, rather than an ever-present now. So Soundwave participated in isolated forums dedicated to this growing rebellion, made contact with Megatron behind an anonymous account, and eventually tracked him down. Megatron was deeply surprised and disturbed to be so easily found out, but Soundwave instead knelt and pledged loyalty to his cause, proclaiming Megatron to be a visionary that Cybertron needed.

         It quickly became apparent that Soundwave’s unwavering dedication was genuine, and Megatron recruited him as a second-in-command, ecstatic for Soundwave’s talents. Soundwave used his abilities to broadcast and relay Megatron’s speeches across Cybertron, keeping their location hidden while exposing countless Transformers to ideas of rebellion; In the early stages of the rebellion, he was a key founder and player. 

        His valuable work helped facilitate communications between rebel cells, enabling greater collaboration and effort, and it was in this effort that Soundwave first came across as Blaster, who operated as part of Optimus Prime’s cell. On the surface, Soundwave remained as seemingly aloof and stoic as ever, and many rebels didn’t understand why Megatron held him in such good faith. They figured Soundwave could easily rat them out, especially with his great trove of data and nearly singular access, but Megatron reciprocated Soundwave’s unwavering trust.

         Megatron encouraged Soundwave to speak up more, take more of a leadership role, as he became privy to just how much of a thinker he was after Soundwave felt comfortable in opening up and talking about his thoughts to the gladiator. Megatron recognized Soundwave’s potential, although many derided him as an ‘uncharismatic bore’ who was always wandering in his own head. Again, Soundwave played the role of support, but it was a role he actually chose this time; He genuinely believed afterwards that his life had no purpose until he met Megatron.

         As Megatron encouraged Cybertronians to think outside of the box and apply their talents in ways the Functionists didn’t intend, but that they were just as good for, Soundwave took his hobby of voyeurism and observation to the next step. When the rebellion became more intense, Soundwave acted as a hacker, working with his Cassettes to spy on Functionists and even those within the rebellion, as a means of keeping tabs on everyone. Soundwave dug up dirt and had it physically uploaded to a hard copy, in case the rebellion ever needed to strong arm someone into cooperating for the greater good.

         Soundwave exposed corruption through his work, and used sonar imaging to study what happened inside during stake-outs. His Cassettes infiltrated and downloaded important data, while also uploading sabotaging viruses. Soundwave became a master of surveillance, blackmail, and encryption, and garnered an even worse reputation amongst the rebels for it. He was often considered Megatron’s stooge, his eyes and ears, his little spy; Not that Soundwave minded what others thought of him.

         He also stretched the boundaries of his intended role in other ways, eventually learning combat and especially assassination, which Soundwave facilitated through his cassettes. Modifications weaponized his sonar imaging to become devastating sonic blasts, which under the right frequencies could shatter and expose key weak points. Soundwave also used this ability for interrogation and torture, as data continued to become an even bigger part of his existence. His vocoded voice could now be used to impersonate others, essentially catfishing for the rebellion.

         Appropriately, Soundwave eventually led a division of others of his body frame who also supported the rebellion. They acted as Megatron’s personal agents, carrying out the aforementioned tasks on an even wider scale. As the rebellion evolved into full-out war, members on both sides spread rumors that Soundwave could even hear the thoughts of those around them, and to be wary as a result.

         When the rebellion achieved victory, Soundwave helped personally announce the defeat of the Functionist regime, and the triumph of liberty. He attended celebrations afterwards with Megatron, showing a bit more personality than usual and even letting go a bit, playing music and his favorite tunes. It was during this time of peace that Soundwave got to know Optimus Prime, another one of Megatron’s close friends. 

        Likewise, as his brethren (such as Blaster) narrowed their vocoders down to individual voices, to assert their own individual identity, Soundwave kept himself vocoded. In his eyes, he was already given a voice of his own by Megatron, and anyhow he had his own duties to attend to.

         Under the new government, Soundwave enjoyed much more freedom like every other Cybertronian, and due to his prior combat experience, participated with Megatron in invading other worlds for their Energon; The planet needed repairs after a costly rebellion. The functions of Soundwave’s body type further expanded and were facilitated in such fields with the invention of Reedman’s unique frame (if it can be called that), as Cassettes were now employed and expected in warfare and assassination. Soundwave of course was a key player in displaying and establishing this modern precedent/feature of his type.

         Soundwave and his Cassettes’ newly-discovered talents applied on the battlefield as they did against the Functionists, with Soundwave often adopting a new satellite alt-mode to spy on civilizations from orbit. He played a key role in infiltrating and destabilizing societies from within, to set them up for Decepticon invasion; Often collaborating with natives and blackmailing them into service. During the period of open war that followed afterwards, Soundwave would sometimes use the recorded screams of victims as a means of psychological warfare.

         When public attention turned towards the dubious ethics of colonization (to put it lightly), Soundwave fanatically sided with Megatron, and thus supported imperialism. He fully trusted in Megatron and believed his leader could do no wrong, having seen how Megatron had brought everyone to glory and liberation under his rule. Accordingly, he dedicated himself to Megatron’s expanded ideas on Cybertronian superiority.

         Inevitably, Soundwave and his division evolved into a secret police of sorts, when Megatron expanded his power in a bid to unite Cybertron against these ‘weak-hearted dissidents’ that were showing more dedication to outsiders and enemies than their own kind. Once Soundwave and his brethren broadcasted and spread messages, now they inspected and censored them. They performed surveillance on behalf of the government, cracking down on a new generation of rebels and using their talents for suppression in ways the Functionists had failed to consider.

         If Soundwave ever stopped to consider the irony of his situation, he certainly didn’t show it, like a lot of things. Once more his talents applied, and he used his voice to commit what was basically government-backed catfishing, infiltratring forums and impersonating others to root them out. Soundwave worked closely with the Decepticon Justice Division in cracking down on dissidents, blocking their frequencies, interrogating and torturing, publicly defrauding through research and outright lies, the accumulation of blackmail, etc.

         Soundwave helped keep tabs on news stations, which put him into direct conflict with Blaster, who felt that the truth could not be suppressed, nor should reports on public opinion, questionable events, and so forth. Blaster thus became a rival and arch-nemesis for Soundwave as the Great War began, between Autobots and Decepticons; Soundwave seeing Blaster as a loud-mouthed blowhard who thrived on the attention of others but had little to say himself, and so compensated by yelling to make the silence of his head seem otherwise. Just a spout of mindless drivel, in his eyes.

         As the Great War raged, Cybertron’s Energon count drastically began to dwindle, and many casualties were suffered on both sides. Without the resources to adequately replenish such losses, many cassettes and others of Soundwave’s costly body frame were destroyed and never replaced. As a result, Soundwave and Blaster became rarities, holdovers from a previous age, as did their Cassettes. Soundwave had always been used to being lonely, but not like this, and this gradual extinction further radicalized and vindicated his support for Megatron not just by individual principle, but actual dedication to his ideals as well.

         Soundwave blindly supported Megatron in every action, keeping eyes on those within Decepticon ranks, and especially on the new and upcoming Starscream, repurposed from the body of a previous friend of Megatron’s. He acted as Megatron’s devil’s advocate and supporter in his absence, frequently butting heads with Starscream. When Megatron disappeared with the Allspark, Soundwave worked to maintain his authority even when he was gone, and guarded viciously against Starscream’s insinuations that Megatron had detrimentally doomed Cybertron with his Chimera Cube ploy.

         This truly proved Soundwave’s loyalty in the eyes of the Fallen, who was impressed by how the Decepticon fought back against Starscream’s suggestions that in his effort to save Cybertron, Megatron had merely screwed over their world and should thus be disregarded in favor of someone who not only meant what they said, but could actually carry it out (Starscream suggested such incompetence was a treachery in its own right, worth posthumously condemning). As a result, the Fallen revealed himself and his hidden mentorship to Megatron, acting on his apprentice’s behalf to maintain Decepticon leadership under the hopes he would one day return.

         Soundwave accepted Megatron’s decision to keep the Fallen secret from him without question, as in all his observations and listening, never once did he turn it to his own leader, not even out of idle curiosity or force of non-malicious habit. Through Soundwave, the Fallen kept the Decepticons from falling apart and especially from submitting to Starscream, as he searched for Megatron and the Allspark.

         Soundwave was suspicious of Starscream, but ultimately abided in letting him lead a scouting mission on a new potential colony, known as Earth by its inhabitants; Though just to be safe, he assigned his cassettes Rumble and Frenzy to keep an eye. When news of Megatron and the Allspark’s presence there was broadcast, Soundwave immediately relayed the message to Decepticons across the cosmos, trying to encrypt it from Autobot ears, as he headed straight for Earth; A new fire had been re-ignited by Megatron once more, as a day that had gone dark again, was once again lit up.

         Alas, Soundwave was nowhere close to Earth when he received an additional update; Not only were his two cassettes dead, Megatron had died by the Allspark itself, which was now lost and destroyed. Soundwave was devastated and refused to believe his leader would be so definitively taken away, after being brought back; But the Fallen’s arcane knowledge reassured him that there was a chance of resurrecting Megatron, thanks to the very means that ended his life.

         Soundwave thus worked with the Constructicons, guiding them to Earth as he collaborated with other Decepticon agents, behind Starscream’s back, to revive their fallen leader. Even as the Fallen revealed himself to Starscream and attended to the treacherous lieutenant, keeping him occupied, Soundwave’s efforts successfully retrieved a shard of the Chimera Cube, still lingering with the Allspark’s power, as well as the location of Megatron’s body.

         Megatron was revived by the Allspark, which gave back what it had taken, and Soundwave was reinvigorated once more. This time he had a proper reunion and deep thanks from Megatron, who was grateful for his lieutenant; And Soundwave merely dismissed the effort as only natural and expected. Soundwave assisted Megatron in his plot to harvest Earth’s sun, explaining everything he’d missed out on.

        After the Fallen was slain by Optimus Prime, Soundwave set to work on a new scheme, collaborating with various humans such as Dylan Gould to use the dark side of Earth’s moon to the Decepticons’ advantage. During this time, Soundwave abandoned his more modern satellite alt-mode and returned to his previous, default frame. The task of surveying Earth from orbit was symbolically assigned to Combaticon Blast Off instead, as Soundwave began to participate in groundwork once again; Something that always heralded the next, most destructive phase of Decepticon invasion… open combat itself.

#maccadam #transformers #soundwave #nizziverse

[septembersghost]

I was listening to the Nailed commentary and how Chuck has appointed himself his brother’s keeper, and that sent me spiralling about Walt’s “you’re a two bit lawyer and you work for me” and Bob’s bit in the behind the scenes video about Jimmy realising he managed to get in with two people in one lifetime who held his head down and gah

i was thinking recently about how walt has a sense of ownership over everyone he wrangles into his "empire" (hence him bristling so much against having to answer to gus) - he looks at jesse and jimmy as being beneath him, and though he cares for jesse in a twisted way, he subjugates him. he doesn't care about saul at all beyond what he can do for him, and even then doesn't much value his legal skills. the arrogance, especially when walt knows what it's like to be undervalued for your talents/intelligence/work ethic (both as a teacher and at the car wash), but walt doesn't see that from an empathetic view, but rather a selfish one - HE deserves more, but certainly others don't! and they don't live up to his standards.

then when you factor in chuck with regards to jimmy, there's also a sense of ownership, albeit familial - you're mine to control because i don't trust you and have been put in charge of you (or proclaimed that role myself), your worth is mine to measure and i find it lacking. jimmy looks for some appreciation in these men who will never treat him as deserving of it, and then it warps his own sense of self into thinking and acting in the worst senses. he projects this onto howard - i think i've said this, but i do think howard respects jimmy's hustle and likes him, and offers him that job earnestly, but jimmy can't conceive of it as being anything but someone else holding him down and judging him. howard becomes the emblem of all that hurt and resentment. so jimmy strikes out in his own way, as saul, and convinces himself he can control the situation with walt, and instead it's more a reflection of chuck than anything else could possibly be.

#crying over jimmy mcgill hours (as if this isn't 24/7) #anonymous #letterbox #better call saul

[nerdywizardflower]

Movie Review: GEETHASAKSHIGA (2023)

After RRR, Baahubali, Pushpa and Saaho, Tollywood has produced another gem in 2023. This time, it's an emotionally charged, feminist courtroom-drama called Geetha Sakshiga. Directed by Anthony Mattipalli, written and produced by Chetan Maisuria, the movie recently hit the theatres on 7th April 2023 and is available in Telugu and Hindi languages. The movie has Aadarsh, Chitra Shukla and Rupesh Shetty as its primary characters.

Here is the synopsis of the movie:

Arjun is a DJ in a popular pub in hyderabad. He falls for Amoolya. Things change when the police arrest him for allegedly raping and killing an innocent girl. After five years, ACP Roopesh reopens the case to find out the truth behind the heinous crime. Did Arjun really commit the crime, or was he framed by someone else?

I recently went to a theatre and watched this beautiful, feminist courtroom-drama. The movie is about Arjun, who is a DJ at a pub in Hyderabad, played by Aadarsh. Arjun is an emotional, sensitive and caring young man. His kind-heartedness is visible in his behaviour- he is a doting son to his mother, a fun teacher to his students- whom he teaches music for free and is responsible towards his family. His family decided to marry him and being a devoted son, he agrees. Soon however, he realises he isn’t in love with the person his family chose for him. His dilemma grows as he falls in love with a beautiful young woman- Amoolya (played by Chirtra Shukla). His life completely changes when he gets convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for brutally raping and murdering a girl. Despite being innocent, he gets wrongly convicted and has to accept his fate. However, 5 years down the line, the case is reopened by ACP Roopesh, Played by R. Shetty. He once again has to prove his innocence in court, in front of the same people and the media who wrongly accused him and condemned him five years ago. The only change this time around is that he has a saviour- a good lawyer. I wouldn’t spoil the movie for you guys but do know that it isn’t who you think it is.

The movie is an empowering tale of a man who is shunned by society and media for a crime he didn’t commit and how he is saved by the women in his life. The movie is a realistic reflection of society and the world in general. A lot of times innocent people are wrongly accused for heinous crimes, what ensues is a media frenzy and open trial, a narrative gets formulated and the real trial gets affected. Meanwhile, the culprit roams free to commit more crimes. The movie shows how even the law is subject to the influence of power and money. It beautifully handles and depicts power dynamics that run the society.

In addition, crimes such as rape are extremely common, women face violence everyday and the law fails to provide justice to the victim and their family. The movie depicts this sad reality with great sensitivity.

Arjun is a good character but the thing that makes this movie special for me is its female characters. Females in popular media are stereotypical, helpless, and fit certain moulds, present only to charm the audiences and be the male lead’s love interest. This trend has plagued the tollywood industry and other indian industries in general. This movie however, not only has plenty of different types of female characters, it shows how these females have agency over their own lives and possess the power to change the narrative. These women contribute to the narrative and add value to it. Amoolya is not merely the love-interest of Arjun, she is also a driver of the plot, she is the hero, the saviour of the story.

The real hero in this movie is a female, not a male and that is what makes it special.

Apart from having complex themes, the movie is a majestic cinematic experience and a great entertainer. I definitely recommend you all to watch this movie ASAP, it is available in your nearest theatres.

#desiblr #tollywood #rrr #naatu naatu #telugu #telugu movies #india

[rotationalsymmetry]

re: this comic

It is worth considering whether figuring out the nuances of what is morally right is more useful than figuring out how to live out the values you're already pretty sure about. It's easy to criticize Lord of the Rings, for instance, or any given kid's show that has a fairly straightforward/moralistic approach to good guys and bad guys, for being simplistic or obvious. In comparison to something like Game of Thrones, which explicitly rejects a "the good guys win because they're good" narrative, or even having a side composed of good guys fighting a side composed of bad guys. Like, sure, the Starks are "good" in the sense of actually possessing morals, but they're not obviously the best people to have in charge. But even when the values espoused by such stories are completely non-controversial -- courage is good and cowardice is bad, loyalty is good and treachery is bad, kindness is good and cruelty is bad, etc -- that's not all that those stories are about. They're about how to apply those values even when it's hard. Something most people are bad at.

Everyone, if asked whether honesty is better than deception, would say yes, and very nearly everyone lies. Most people sometimes say negative things behind other people's backs even though they think it's wrong, fail to return borrowed items, refuse to help people in need of help even if it would only be mildly inconvenient, etc.

Moreover, quite a lot of people spend essentially no time reflecting on how they are failing to live up to their values and how to live up to them better.

#the primary mechanisms people have for reflecting on how well they're living out their values #tend to be religious in nature #which is I mean it doesn't have to be that way and also many religious people are awful #but stilll

[kyemeruth]

Too little, too late?

It has been some months since I last posted here. A lot of things happened. Went back home to teach after studying for a year, organized a month-long training, volunteered for campaigns until the final days before our elections yesterday.

Last night I cannot sleep. I'm trying to sing Rosas in my mind, praying for a miracle. I've always prayed for a victory against the son of the dictator, even with the littlest of margins. However, we may be confirming what surveys have been telling us all along. My heart is pounding while I try to sleep. I've been fidgeting, feeling hungry and woozy at the same time. I tried reading but Marie Lu's Legend also deals with a plague and a torturous Republic. So I closed my eyes but here I am wide awake, typing words that seeks refuge and meaning.

I outlined the lessons I'd be recording and teaching for the next few weeks. Hoping I'd find yet another resolve to speak and resist; but also knowing that our state universities as bastions of academic freedom and expression are on the verge of losing it to a possible resurgence of the dictator's son. It is scary.

I wanted to cry, to let the tears flow; but even then, it won't. I'm holding onto the hope that our people's movement would translate into resistance, even at the slimmest numbers. I have not checked Twitter and closed messaging apps with my friends since 11pm last night. There remains a quiet hum in the streets, telling us that the days would continue.

Have our efforts been too little, too late? We did our best, to my mind. But maybe, the very disinformation I am studying has found fertile ground among many Pinoys. They remained disenfranchised and unheard, and so maybe, that message of unity have resonated, that promise of gold or even the aspiration of living a bit better took hold.

Time and again, we cannot blame such fervor. There's never that "bobo" vote. Our choices reflect our values and aspirations. The majority vote may be different from ours, but still this is the beauty and damnation of democracy: that we speak from the overflow of our hearts. Indeed, we cannot discount the fact that fraudulent activities and further disenfranchisement of voter rights have occurred. We must make every effort to demand accountability from these kinds of actions.

May be rambling here. Sleep evades me still. Later on, we must carry on; with greater resistance and charge even with fear beckoning us from behind. We must continue to teach in the face of historical revisionism; to deliberate and demand for critical debates instead of relying on propaganda speeches and evasive statements.

There are many stories that I've held onto amid these trying times. Frodo was ready to give up towards the end of The Two Towers, but Sam beckon us towards hope:

"I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness, and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end, because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines, it'll shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something... That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo...and it's worth fighting for."

More recently, in my daily devotions, the Word of God asks us to hold on. The people of Israel found an honest and virtuous judge with Deborah. And last night, I found some grounding from Jesus' unfailing promise: that He delivers. Fear can be overwhelming, even the mighty David trembled; but God tells us to trust his power and deliverance. In the same thread, we must always thank God for leaders who deliver. He has overcome the world for His, and I trust His sovereignty in all these trying times.

#elections 2022 #philippines

[kiadoyal]

From Side Hustle to CEO: Start a Profitable Business

So, you have this really cool hobby you love, right? Like making art or yummy foods? Wouldn't it be amazing to do that all day as your actual job?! Well, you totally can! Let me share the thrill of turning your passion project into your full-time gig.

First off, you started your little hobby just for fun. But then people saw your stuff and wanted to buy it! So cool that you made some spare cash from your pastime. Now it's time to make that side hustle bigger.

You'll need money to stock up on more supplies and gear. Ask your parents for a small loan or use some savings. Or look into fast financing online - those quick funds can really boost your growing business!

Next, get the word out about your awesome products. Share pics and videos on social media, and tell the story behind your brand. Make a basic website, too, where fans can easily browse and buy.

As sales grow steadily, consider getting a small storefront or market stall. Having an in-person presence creates more popularity and foot traffic. Congrats, you're an official small business owner now!

Money to Grow Your Company

Okay, so your side gig is growing and making decent cash. But you're still balancing another job and the hobby hustle. Time to see if income could cover living costs full-time. Make a bullet list of expenses - rent, bills, marketing, inventory, etc. Pay yourself a good salary, too!

If the money maths looks good, put together a real business plan. Get tips from mentors who grew their own passion projects into careers. Look into bigger business loans for more money to grow.

With careful prep and planning, you can securely jump in as your own boss! It doesn't get much cooler than making a living off your beloved hobby. 

Find Your Spark

You started this side hustle because you totally love it. But to make it a real business, you need that special something. The "wow factor" that makes folks go gaga over your products.

What parts of your crafts or services do people adore most? Is it your super unique designs? Or maybe your warm, friendly service? Ask buyers for honest feedback on what sparked their interest.

Do some digging to see if there's big enough demand too. Look at the competition - what are you doing differently? Highlight those special strengths that truly stand out.

Build an awesome brand identity showing off your signature style. Consistent, quality branding helps customers quickly recognise your flair. And lets you charge prices reflecting premium value!

Map Your Journey

Putting goals and an action plan in place is key. Having a roadmap with milestones motivates you to keep hustling. List out all steps needed to grow from here.

Craft a full business plan covering every part of operations - hiring staff, getting equipment, shipping products, and promoting your brand. Running the numbers exposes costs, cash needs, and profit potential, too. 

Tap advisors and mentors who've grown successful small businesses before. Their wisdom guides you around potential roadblocks. An experienced support team provides super valuable advice.

 Money Savvy

Managing cash carefully lets you reinvest wisely into growth. Cut needless costs, draining funds like subscriptions you don't use. Go lean, embracing efficient, money-saving processes. Automate tasks with cool apps and tech.

 Diligent bookkeeping is a must. Knowing cash flow highlights areas wasting money or making profits. That financial data informs all big decisions.

Brand Building

Having an awesome product isn't enough to be successful. You need a super strong brand that people instantly recognise and love. Branding is what makes customers pick your crafts over others.

First, define your brand's whole vibe and personality. What adjectives capture the spirit you want folks to feel? Fun and quirky? Classy and chic? Outdoorsy and rustic? This guides all visuals and messaging.

Next, design an eye-catching logo representing your brand's essence. Use fonts, icons, and colors to fit that personality. But keep it simple enough to be recognizable and tiny on products or profiles.

Visuals and words across all platforms should match seamlessly from your website to social media bios and product shots. Consistent branding builds trust that you're a legit, quality brand.

Speaking of online presence, leverage social media to full effect! Share behind-the-scenes peeks of your process. Spotlight unique materials or special techniques. Get customers invested in your brand story and values.

Sales Strategies

Okay, you've got a standout brand. Now it's time to push sales! There are many easy ways to boost interest and revenue both online and in person.

On your website, use high-quality photos showcasing products from all angles. Write a fun, descriptive captions enticing shoppers. Offer product bundles at discounted prices to increase order values.

For social commerce, utilise Instagram shopping and Facebook Marketplace features. Tag products directly in feed posts so folks can instantly checkout. Run flash sales generating urgency and excitement.

Cultivate an email list by collecting addresses across platforms. Send regular newsletters spotlighting new products and promotions. Include personalised discount codes compelling fans to buy.

Offer basic customization options like colour choices, monograms, or including gift notes. Tailor experiences deepening customer connections with your brand.

Funds

Flexible financing helps you stay nimble, adapting tactics as needed. If something's not performing, easily shift gears, re-allocating that cash. But when sales are soaring, you've got funds to double down!

The path grows more challenging as your hustle expands into a legitimate business. But staying inspired, passionate, and money-motivated navigates those inevitable roadblocks. Just keep that fire fueled!

Stay Inspired

As business starts booming, having fast cash on hand lets you swiftly implement new sales tactics, seizing hot opportunities. No lingering around waiting for funds to afford promotions or expanding inventory.

With fast financing from direct lender or lines of credit, you can instantly invest in ads, campaigns, and fresh product launches. Getting that swift capital injection means rapidly capitalising on demands.

Update your website with pro photography and videos showcasing the latest offerings. Bulk up inventory to satisfy order influxes without selling out.

 Conclusion

Look, I get it - taking that first leap is scary. But listen up: You are super talented, and people clearly want what you make. Plus, doing your passion as a job every day?! That's the actual dream!

You've got this! Make this year the time you finally turn your favourite hobby into your full-time career. As your little hobby turns into a real full-time gig, it's key to hold onto your original excitement and energy. Running a business has its fair share of obstacles and letdowns.

#fast finance #loan #finance uk #uk

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