#like both of you are the perfect representations of each other’s failures to protect the single most important things you exist to protect

[kagoutiss]

rly rough sketchies…..ft impa

#oot #ocarina of time #impa #ganondorf #sheik #undercover sheik au #tagging au bc why not. #i need. impa ganondorf enemies content injected into my veins. Now #theyre both waiting to meet with the king or something. unfortunately at the same time #i literally dont even think theyd look at each other like it’s just static where the other should be when they’re in the same room #like impa to ganondorf is the personification of every greatest horror he’s ever known #and ganondorf to impa is the personification of everything she is divinely dispatched to prevent #like both of you are the perfect representations of each other’s failures to protect the single most important things you exist to protect #etc. #and in the second pic impa and sheik are relaxing with tea

[amwritingmeta]

15x20: Oh fuck it’s actually really good. Dammit Dabb.

So I slept. And waking up the first thought in my head was... but there is this open ending with them all in Heaven and Cas not a stated angel even, just a helper to Jack...

And then I felt the need to watch the episode again. Because of how I’ve said, perhaps not for always, but often enough, that this show of ours was never about Destiel, was never about Dean and Cas’ love story, and beginning to hope that the ending would be focused on them... it wasn’t fair. Not really. And I remembered reading somewhere that a big chunk of the internet accepted Cas’ death as final, and seeing posts to that effect and thinking LUDICROUS and NO WAY and knowing all along that it could all be denial on my part.

And oh boy was it. 

I know there were plenty of us who kept that hope alive, and I’m thankful for you, but I made myself believe that he’d be back because I couldn’t imagine he’d die like that, or that the love story would end unreciprocated like that. And I guess, in a way, it still did, BUT... in another way, it really didn’t. 

It’s not enough. Subtext is not the representation I’ve always hoped for, but it wasn’t just erased either. And we got as much as we could get, because obviously Dean being textually bi and us getting an I Love You out of him was just never going to get green lit by the studio.

I’ve always believed the writers would’ve gone there if allowed. I think Cas’ love declaration underlines that they would’ve. But they weren’t given the opportunity, and I’ll lament it until the end of time, but it is what is.

What we did get, though, is quite beautiful. No, listen, IT IS.

There’s the emotional substitute Miracle Dog, getting so much LOVE from Dean, which I know most of us all went the big awwww at, no matter what we thought of the rest of the ep. 

There’s the healthy way Dean is dealing with the loss of Cas, and of Jack, knowing that pain will never go away, and accepting it. Accepting it because he’s feeling worthy of moving on without them. He’s no longer attaching his self-image to the perceived failure of protecting others. He’s letting them go, believing that they may meet somewhere further down the road.

But looking at the finale for what it is, rather than for what I wanted it to be (cardinal sin omfg my emotions really ran away with me and I wish I could’ve been more level headed and come on here with this positivity and calm) (but) (no dice) (anyway) it’s just beautiful how Cas is in the background, not waiting, not really, because he’s busy preparing Heaven and fixing his home in ways that will actually mean peace AND freedom when the brothers are done.

Something Cas would not have been able to do if he’d not fallen in love with Dean. If he’d not gone through his journey. I mean. Those implications are highly satisfying. 

Last night all I could think, ALL I could think, was that it’s not ENOUGH.

But it has to be. Because it’s not dismissive. It’s not erasing anything. It’s the same subtextual thread we’ve always been pulling on, and it’s there for us to continue to pull on, and that’s a goddamn gift.

I wish that 15x18 hadn’t been quite so in our face “kill your gays” buuuuuuuut that’s if you’re surface watching, yeah? Cas isn’t dead, for starters, and everyone was, obviously, brought back when Jack took Chuck’s power, so even if it wasn’t visually established that Stevie and Charlie are back and thriving, it’s narrative fact that they must be. What it is, more than anything else, is what I read it as to begin with: a love letter to the love story, where we get the subtext of couples loosing each other so strongly stated that there’s no way we’re not meant to understand that Dean losing Cas is within that exact same context.

We didn’t get textual Destiel, but we did get the love story textually confirmed through Cas’ declaration, and we did get it subtextually confirmed, not hinted, subtextually confirmed through all those other couples losing each other, that the love story EXISTS there, on that level, for us. 

Oh guys I feel so sad that I was so SAD yesterday. Why didn’t I just take a breath?? Guys, guys, guys, there’s such BEAUTY.

And Jensen.

Jensen in how he played that death scene. Jensen who kept it so even, so gentle, so... brotherly. These brothers have been through hell. Dean ending this way... it’s a travesty, but it also means he meant to go to the place where he doesn’t have to hope to see Cas again--because he will see Cas again.

And why didn’t Cas come right back to Dean once he was out of the Empty, why did he go off with Jack to fix Heaven?

I would say that it’s another underlining of Cas’ independence, and this his entire focus isn’t Dean, but, of course, I would assume the thought of Dean is ever present, and the rearranging of Heaven is as much about making sure Dean gets that freedom, as well as that peace, once he’s done as it is about Cas simply not being able to stand for souls being trapped in their memories anymore. Cas knows how to fix Heaven. I mean... that’s a fucking gorgeous and highly satisfying ending to his individual arc. And he’s with Jack!

Like. I mean. That implication that Cas is fixing Heaven with Dean at the back of his mind is quite head-exploding to me. And yeah, sure, that’s how I’m interpreting it, but all the ingredients for that delicious pie is left right there for us in this ending.

What about the legacy issue? What about found family? What about Dean finding happiness in death? What about Dean opening himself up to love?

Yeah, it’s not without issues, depending on how we interpret these things. Do I believe Dabb set out to write an offensive, horrifying, deeply problematic ending to this show and pretty much hand it over to the side of this fandom that has always been the... well, shall we say, less stabile? 

No. I kept saying yesterday that I just didn’t understand what happened, I didn’t understand why our writers room would choose THIS ending, I couldn’t fit the pieces together. That was on me, not on them. Get me?

Interpretation is deeply subjective. It’s personal. And it’s tainted. Always tainted, guys, and there’s no way around that. It’s not perfect and it’s not absolute and all the writers can hope for is that their core message will get across strongly enough to avoid misunderstanding.

I misunderstood the intention yesterday because my interpretation was tainted by what I wanted and felt I needed from this narrative.

For years I’ve refused to put expectation on the story because I know what that does to one’s perspective. It’s futile to engage with hopes and wishes on a deeper level because the show will never deliver exactly what you want. It’s delivered stuff in the ballpark enough times for me to dance alongside it, but to place so much expectation on this finale was just... oh man. Bad. 

I take full responsibility. :)

What about the legacy issue?

The legacy is that you live the best life you can and you end up in happiness, with the people you care about. You LIVE. Nothing about Dean’s death is prescribing dying to get what you want. We have it established that Dean is not suicidal in any way, that he’s mentally stabile and that he’s carrying on without Cas, even though he thinks about him. Not living would make the sacrifice pointless.

What about found family?

Found family was meant to be a part of this ending, but due to COVID (I’m assuming along with everyone) we didn’t get a collection of oldies and goodies at the Roadhouse. We got a father figure to signal the father/son thread that this finale was pulling on, a thread always tied so tightly around Dean and Sam and underlined for us in this episode. The codependency finally broken because they were ready to let each other go. Not forever, because that would’ve been tragic, but for now.

What about Dean finding happiness in death?

The implications of Dean having to die to be happy are quite dark, I know that, but he was never going to hang it up. Not entirely, right? He would never be able to rest on Earth. And he’s always afraid. So instead of spending a lifetime alone, growing into a crusty Bobby (who lost the love of his life too early too), Dean got to go to the place where his happiness actually is. He got to go where Cas is.

I mean, that’s my interpretation here, but rather than set both brothers up with a love life and families and all that, we got a Dean who’s lost the love of his life and is dealing with that loss as best as he can, but who is also ready to go when it’s his time. He wasn’t expecting it to be right then, that day, and he says as much, but he’s ready. As long as Sam is ready to let him go. And Sam isn’t, but he does, and Sam deals with that loss, and finds his way into life and living and loving and happiness in a way that Dean simply wouldn’t have been able to. Because he lost the love of his life.

And Dean waited for Sam to show because of course he would. Sam was the only thing missing: Cas, and Jack, and everyone else Dean has ever loved and cared about, were already in Heaven. For the show to go on, Sam had to return too.

Hope.

That hopeful ending that I, and so many, many of us, have always wanted. Sure, everyone’s DEAD, which, you know, bummer, but they are at peace, they are together, and they are done sacrificing, bleeding and dying. Isn’t that remarkable? Isn’t that the greatest reward? Love and happiness and togetherness. Forever!

And for this fandom, we got what we hoped we’d get, right? An ending open enough for us to keep returning to this narrative over and over and over.

Let me formally apologise for the despair of yesterday. For all of you still feeling it, I send you so much love. Know I understand, I honestly do, but I hope, perhaps, some of these words will offer a sliver of comfort.

So, this is first impression based on second watch of 15x20 positivity. Let me know if anything hits right or hits wrong and let’s talk. <3

#spn meta #spn 15x20 #dammit dabb #positivity #spn finale positivity #spn finale #destiel #dean #sam #cas #jack

[leonawriter]

Second half of what was going to be just one post but I wanted to make each point stand out on its own-

I think that the Port Mafia is going through a character development arc throughout the manga, just the same as the ADA is, and by the time the series ends will be almost unrecognisable from the mafia we started out with.

Funnily enough, the first person who springs to my mind when I think of this is actually Kouyou. Though I will touch on others later on.

Kouyou is certainly not the first PM member we meet. Strictly speaking, that’d be Dazai, or Higuchi, or Akutagawa. But I feel like her change is the most indicative of the route the mafia is taking, and the difference between the pre-manga PM, and the PM after the manga started, and after several arcs. In fact, this is also something I tend to try and think about when writing her in fics, because it is highly relevant.

Chronologically, we know that her timeline is thus; she was part of the mafia in the time before Mori took over, and under the old boss she wanted to run away, likely encouraged by an older man who she may have had feelings for, romantic or not. That man died, and left her feeling that no matter what, she would be unable to escape the darkness. At some time after that, Mori took over the mafia. A year later, she was one of his trusted subordinates, and she is tasked with taking a young Chuuya - previously an enemy of the mafia, and someone who had no idea how to talk to the mafia’s business partners - under her wing. She would go on to become an executive, and at some time before the manga began, found and took in Kyouka. She would then go on to be murderously protective of her young ward, much like a mother or older sister, and encourage her to believe as she had - that she would never be able to live in the light.

So what we see from this is that Kouyou up until this point is a woman with a dark past and a dark heart who is full of grief, and I think that a lot of people overlook this because she’s beautiful and because the way she is later is more popular, but... she is just as guilty of perpetuating the cycle of abuse as Mori, Dazai, and Akutagawa. She was imparting to Kyouka the same “life lessons” that she had learned herself, in much the same way that Atsushi’s headmaster had. Both of those people had suffered, and so both of them taught their charge in a way that they saw as somewhat more forgiving than what they had gone through, in a way that to them would ready the child for the outside world and their future, but was ultimately doing more harm than good.

So, what changes?

I’d say that to answer “Dazai” is to over-simplify things.

The situation had become such that it was no longer viable. Kyouka refused to go back to the mafia. Kouyou was afraid for her, that she would lose herself in some way, and despite her previous words to Atsushi, she did want Kyouka to succeed; or at the very least, saw how a failure would break her, as we see it does while she’s in the jail plane, chained up in midair. Their organisations are not just at odds, but as an executive she’d have to be seeing that neither of them are in a safe position.

Kouyou was already in the perfect place to accept Dazai’s suggestions before he came to her with them (and, admittedly, he may have predicted that things would get to this point, may have used the situation to his advantage).

So, what changes the way that she sees things?

Dazai is one aspect. A rather large one, considering how he himself puts that he managed to get out of the mafia, and is someone with his sort of past (and personality) who not only made it out, but has been staying out, and succeeding. He also points out that with him present in the ADA, he’s able to ensure that Kyouka can flourish in the way that she deserves to.

Atsushi is another aspect, I’d say, because he was the one who was willing to suggest that their organisations work together.

Even just staying with the ADA and not being treated with anything other than respect (and yes, that includes “respect for how dangerous she can be”) would work towards this.

In summary, Kouyou before the Three Company Conflict arc is a grief-ridden woman filled with despair, who sees herself as someone only capable of showing her true potential in the darkness. She comes out of said arc as someone who appears happy with where she is, and who chooses to be where she is, yet who is also happy to help Kyouka from the shadows.

This is just focusing on the one I feel is the best representation of this phenomenon of PM members coming out better. 

Another would have to be Chuuya, which is something that many people have written about, myself included, on how before the manga starts he’s bitter over Dazai’s defection, seeing that trust in his partner as having been shattered. Yet over the course of their first reunion, he is forced to see that his partnership with Dazai need not be over simply because Dazai is now a traitor to the mafia, and that Dazai, well, missed him. As a person. That the connection is still there. And later, during the Lovecraft battle, they work together fluidly again, just like old times and reminding them that just because they’re older, doesn’t mean they’re too much different to still be partners. You can really see it in Dead Apple, where his acceptance of Dazai is less in how willingly he trusts in him and activates Corruption, and more in how comfortable he is after he’s woken up again both in the movie when he sees Akutagawa, and in the promo images where he’s still next to Dazai, and they’re smiling.

Akutagawa needs almost no explanation, given how his arc is still ongoing, and he’s already gone from being the rabid dog of the mafia who kills before he thinks to someone who goes out of his way to leave people alive, and who because of that, is learning to see things from another point of view, just as Dazai wanted of him.

Yet, it’s not just these obvious ones; Higuchi has to work with the ADA on several occasions, tempering down on her novice’s pride in her organisation that she had on her introduction, and is also coming into her own as well. Kajii may well have taken something from his encounter with Yosano, and we see how he’s more than just a mad lemon scientist when he says how much he respects Mori (and I wonder if anything else is going to happen with that). Hirotsu is now able to talk with Dazai again and it isn’t something that he would have to worry about being seen as treasonous. 

And last but not least, Mori himself - when it’s said during his match against Fukuzawa that they’ve both got more to protect now, that’s not just cheap words; Mori protects his people. He shows grief when his people die and it was out of his control. He accepts that an alliance with the ADA is the best and most optimal course when it’s put on the table, even with the understanding that it’ll put them at a disadvantage in the short term. He is forced to begin to come to terms with things about his past that he had been trying to rationalise, and ignore, such as how his actions led to Dazai’s defection, and I sincerely believe that although he does not regret what he did, he does regret how it ended, and what it cost him. 

Mori, the leader of the mafia, is being forced in the current arc  to come face to face with the realisation that the mafia can’t live as an island, merely taking from the ADA what they need and giving nothing in return. It is Mori’s lack of action that led to things becoming as bad as they are now, and because of that, his own people are suffering. I’ve said this before to personal friends, but I do think that this is indicative of the mafia’s growth as a group - Mori needs to learn that the alliance with the ADA has to be an equal one.

What’s more, the ADA is learning through their own growth in general that they have to be able to trust the PM in return.

What does this say to me? 

Other than that the characters of the mafia have been influenced positively by the plot, into becoming better versions of themselves, and the development is still in progress because the series isn’t over? That you can’t write them the way they are now, into a fic set years before the series starts?

That the themes of BSD are such that the PM represent the underside of society, a cruel and callous way of thinking that we often don’t wish people to see, or that we cover up. That even the ADA, on the twilight of the law, is still more often than not too proud to accept the help of criminals who are less ashamed and more forward about the way that they do things being criminal. That both sides are slowly moving down the path of being able to accept one another better, and in doing so, they’ll better be able to accept themselves.

We already see this with Kouyou and Akutagawa and Chuuya especially. We see this with Dazai, and to a degree with Kyouka. I believe that the longer the series goes in this direction, the more other ADA characters will accept themselves; such as Tanizaki, with his ability to use his ability in ways that Hirotsu notes are “perfect for assassination,” and with Ranpo, who hides the fact that he has insecurities and is also fully willing to make a demon of himself in order to protect his own - which is far more of a mafia attitude than an ADA one, even if, just like with Chuuya, I’m not sure I can imagine him in the other organisation.

The ADA will always be the ADA, and the PM will always be the PM, but together they can be better than they were before on their own. Currently they seem to be on a tentative truce of sorts, uncertain about doing things together and constantly in a state of tension. If they can get to a point where they trust each other more implicitly, that’s where the real strength is going to come from - something that Mori saw himself, when sending Chuuya out to help Dazai - and yet it won’t just be in the sense of power and how well they perform in their casework and missions, but strength of character, in who they are as people.

#bsd #bungo stray dogs #bsd kouyou #bsd port mafia #again I'm tired and rambling but I hope this made sense

[cheshiregrimmjow]

Why everyone needs to stop what they’re doing right now and watch Gargoyles...

1994 blessed us with a rare gem of television: Gargoyles. It had the perfect blend of good story telling, character development, cultural representation, mythology, fantasy, action, romance, and timeless themes. It has stood the test of time. At the very heart of the story is a message that I feel everyone in today’s cultural climate needs to hear and remember...

Forgiveness and compassion are the only way forward to peace and change. 

For those of you who aren’t at all familiar with the story, I shall attempt to summarize the intricate plot. In 994 AD, a clan of gargoyles, stone by day and living beings by night, protect a castle in Scotland. When the castle and the gargoyles are betrayed and many of them killed, a spell is put on the survivors that puts them in an eternal sleep (broken only if their castle rises above the clouds).

Fast forward 1000 years. A wealthy owner of a multi-national organization hears of the legend and moves the castle and gargoyles stone by stone to the top of his Manhattan skyscraper. Come night, they revive for the first time in a millennia, finding themselves in a world much changed. Humans no longer believe that gargoyles ever lived, and they find themselves alone and disoriented.

The leader of the gargoyles, Goliath, soon meets an NYPD detective, by the name of Elisa Maza. Like all modern humans, her initial instinct upon seeing the monstrous creature is one of fear. She recoils from him, accidentally falling off the battlements of the castle. Naturally, he swoops down and saves her, then climbs back to the top with her clinging to his back (because gargoyles can’t fly, only glide). He tells her to trust him. She listens to his story and decides to befriend him, immediately resolving to teach him and his kind how to live in this modern world. Thus begins a wonderful relationship.

Gargoyles have one primary purpose in life - to protect their demesne from enemies by night. Goliath and the Manhattan protectorate soon learn that those who threaten the peace are not in the form of foreign invaders, but the very citizens of the city who refuse to abide by human law. They partner with Elisa to help control the crime in the city (ranging from scaring off would-be purse snatchers, to busting up protection rackets, and of course, battling the super villains who want nothing more than for all of humanity to be destroyed). 

But everywhere they go, the people of the city treat them with fear and hatred - even the ones they help. With few exceptions, the gargoyles are viewed as monsters. Granted, the gargoyles have to keep a low profile due to their vulnerability during the day - so the humans don’t really know much about them. Even so, the ones who do get a chance to meet them tend to view them as nothing more than tools to be used or beasts that deserve eradication. 

Goliath knows that humans fear what they do not understand. He acknowledges it and accepts it, but he never stops hoping and striving for a world where his race can live in harmony with humanity - as equals. No matter how many times he and his kind are betrayed, shunned, and mistreated, he forgives them and moves forward. Though occasionally tempted to vengeance when his family and loved ones are killed or attacked, reason always prevails over hatred. He never stops protecting them. He never stops valuing them. And because of his respect and eventual love for Elisa, he knows that humans are capable of understanding and accepting one such as he.

Elisa, for her part, is the ideal person to befriend a justice oriented race of beings. She is a cop, after all. She takes her oath “to serve and protect” very seriously. When she sees injustice, she won’t stop until it’s dealt with. She works within the confines of the law (but also tolerates the gargoyles bringing a heavy hand on criminals caught in the act). 

Elisa is also uniquely able to see through to the heart of her strange friends because of her own background. Elisa’s mother is Nigerian and her father is a Native American. Her father was also a police sergeant. They forged a strong marriage, despite many ethnic and cultural differences, and raised their three children to see past appearances and stereotypes. When their son ends up having a drastic appearance change (thanks to the reckless experiments of a mad scientist), they quickly overcome their shock and accept him as he is.

Similarly, Elisa begins to fall in love with Goliath, despite the difference in their race. Just like many people on the show, some viewers see this relationship as problematic because it condones “bestiality” or “monster-f***ing”. If you can watch Gargoyles to the end and believe this - congratulations, you missed the point of the whole show (and you might struggle with racism). One, Goliath is not an animal, so bestiality is not an accurate descriptor. If Elisa had fallen in love with lovable gargoyle/dog Bronx - that would have been bestiality. Furthermore, Goliath is not a monster. He is an intelligence, deep-thinking, compassionate, forgiving, and honorable person. His outside appearance and unique culture is the only thing that separates him from other humans. Elisa sees that and accepts it, though she struggles with her feelings for him for a long time. She eventually decides that the obstacles to their relationship cannot stand up to the depth of their love, respect, devotion, and trust in each other. 

Goliath has fewer reservations than she does, but I appreciate that the show made a point to reveal to us that Goliath did not find her attractive from the beginning. Her human form was not appealing to him and it wasn’t until she was temporarily transformed into a gargoyle that he noticed her beauty. In the same way that she saw past his looks to the heart of him, he also saw past her appearance to the heart of her. It was their love of people, their insatiable desire to protect, and their strong sense of justice that made them so compatible. Though both have their flaws, like all of us - they face their demons, take ownership of their failures, and extend grace to each other and their enemies.

I look around me today and listen to the words that people are saying to each other (particularly on this very website), and I wish that more people could be like these two. Instead of looking at the color of a person’s skin or the uniform they wear and making assumptions about their thoughts, beliefs, or character, we should all attempt to get to know people as individuals. I wish we would stop clinging to our self-assigned clan labels, whatever those may be (white, black, cop, civilian, privileged, minority, etc.). I wish we would realize that we are the same in all the ways that truly matter. 

I wish we would look at the injustice around us and unite to stand against it - instead of creating more injustice by responding to crime with more crime, hate with more hate, racism with more racism, bigotry with more bigotry. I wish we would look at humanity and recognize that while racism and bigotry will always exist in the hearts of some, most people are eager to look past our differences and bond over what we have in common, if given half a chance. I wish we would learn to forgive the faults of others and acknowledge our own. I wish we would take more chances on people. 

Violence, protests, vengeance, and anger will not move us to a place of unity. They have their place. Injustice should incite righteous anger. But we can’t dwell in a place of hatred and hurt. At some point, we must forgive and extend a hand to the people across from us. Relationships are the only way forward to peace and unity. 

Many “white” people don’t understand the “black” community and vice versa. Many civilians don’t understand the police community. It’s so easy to look at evil people from both groups and extrapolate stereotypes to everyone in those groups. And that WILL NOT END until we stop generalizing and trying to dehumanize each other. Get to know some people who look different from you or live in another neighborhood as you. Get to know some of the men and women who took an oath to serve and protect everyone in their communities (like Elisa Maza) and decide if denying them their calling is the answer to our problems. 

In Gargoyles, there are three races: Fey, humans, and gargoyles. Humanity is treated as one race. I think it’s high time we started thinking that way ourselves. Though humanity has great ethnic and cultural diversity, we are the same in all the ways that truly matter. 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Goliath: I still don't understand how Dracon could ever believe that you would turn to a life of crime.

Elisa Maza: I guess the corrupted are the first to believe that somebody else can be corrupted. And it's not impossible. None of us are perfect, that's why we need protection, even from ourselves sometimes.

Goliath: Then I will protect you, you will protect me, and together we will protect this city.

#gargoyles #racism #peace through unity #black lives matter #blue lives matter #gargoyle lives matter #sometimes a kids tv show from the 90's has more wisdom than half the people posting on tumblr #stop the violence #forgiveness #compassion #one race #the human race #stand up to injustice #if you are spreading hate you are part of the problem #if you dehumanize people who don't believe the same as you - you are part of the problem #love your enemies #do good to those who persecute you #treat others the way you want to be treated #be the change you want to see in the world

[chess-blackmyre]

Dragon Age Inquisition - Cabinet Battle #1

The Inquisition leadership discusses approaching the Templars or Mages for an alliance. Elsa Trevelyan, a formerly Tranquil mage, makes sure to tell Commander Cullen what she thinks.  If you're curious to learn more about Elsa and her story, you can read more about her here on ao3:  https://archiveofourown.org/series/1795546

Thanks to @radioactivepeasant​ for being willing to listen to me rant about Elsa!

Further context (and a bit of ranting) under the cut.

So, the first thing that you should know is that my Elsa Trevelyan isn’t an entirely original character. I based her off of Elsa, Knight-Commander Meredith’s Tranquil assistant from Dragon Age 2.

[image description a young woman dressed in Chantry style robes. She has dark blonde hair, blue eyes and a vacant expression as explained by the sunburst brand of Tranquility on her forehead]

Remember Elsa? I wouldn’t blame you if you don’t, as she shows up in precisely one quest in the game, if I remember right. (My personal headcanon is that she was actually there for a lot more time as the Knight-Commander’s assistant, but Varric either didn’t notice or just forgot about her). But she seemed like the perfect person to use as a jumping off point for a formerly Tranquil Inquisitor. After all, she comes with an interesting backstory and you can fill in the blanks in an interesting way with her.

For one thing, as the King-Commander’s assistant, she goes into this already knowing Cullen. Specifically, knowing Cullen during his lowest “mages can’t be treated like people” point. Even if she was Tranquil the entire time she’s known him (which I don’t think she was, but that’s not important right now) it definitely colors her opinion of him when they meet again in Haven.

Now this whole animatic is a representation fight/debate between Elsa and Cullen about recruiting the mages or the templars to help close the Breach. But, as the song progresses, she uses this fight to basically redefine her relationship with him, and how she keeps hitting him where it hurts argument-wise

[image description: Elsa addressing Cullen with a frown on her face, before her is the sigil of the Templar Order, a giant red X over it to symbolize her disapproval and denial of ever approaching them for an alliance]

While the song is just a stylized version of the debate that actually happened between them, in both ways Elsa found it extremely cathartic to argue against the Templars, even if it was just initially just about the Breach.

It’s also right after this in the song that Hamilton--and therefore Elsa--shift from policy to personal attacks. (I skipped over the slavery portion of Hamilton’s verse because I couldn’t find a way to interpret it into the Dragon Age story. Plus, just less things for me to draw)

[Image description: Elsa walks forward closer to Cullen, a look of annoyance on her face. Cullen, Cassandra, Josephine, and Leliana have looks of surprise that she’s doing this.]

The first big change that happens is that Elsa gets right up into Cullen’s face. Up until now she’s been at the other side of the table, but now she’s crossing the divide to let him know exactly how much dislikes him and his arguments. To me, this is the moment where Elsa voluntarily gets this close to Cullen since she awoke in Haven, as every interaction they’ve had before she’s made sure to give herself some space between the sorta-Templar and her no-longer-Tranquil behind.

[Image description: Elsa is holding Cullen by the collar of his furry pauldron, and getting right up into his face. Both have twin expressions of displeasure]

“Don’t lecture me about the war--you didn’t fight in it!”

From what I understand, during the majority of the Mage-Templar War, Cullen was in Kirkwall trying to restore order. Elsa, meanwhile, was on the front lines of this, as a result of being rescued by other mages who took her along with them when they fled Kirkwall. She had to endure the same hardships as them, the freezing elements, the murder-happy Templars, not knowing where their next meal was going to be coming from, if at all. This is important to her.

Now, getting up in his face is a pretty bold move, even if you strip away the layers of the Mage/Templar power dynamics. Here Elsa is telling Cullen loud and clear: “You are not in charge here. I will not be cowed by you, or by any other Templar anymore.” And this is before she becomes Inquisitor.

[Image description: Elsa pushes Cullen away from her. A good few feet of space between the two as they glare daggers at each other]

She solidifies this by pushing him away from her. The other important thing is that he lets her push him. Because Cullen is a significantly larger and bulkier person than her, and is wearing plate armor besides. But for the purposes of the argument--plus he’s actively trying to Not Be an Asshole Anymore--he lets her push him around a little bit. She then continues on her point by telling him outright: “I’m not scared of you.”

“You think I'm frightened of you, man? We almost died in a trench, While you were off getting high with the French”

[Image description: Elsa huddled down in a trench with an elven woman and a small child, all of them trying to stay quiet and avoid notice. Above, an unseen Templar orders “Spread out and find those damn mages!”. Knight-Captain Cullen, face shrouded in shadow, holds a bottle of lyrium]

Now, here is where I really start kicking Cullen below the belt. Because the reason that Cullen became a Templar in the first place was to protect innocent people. It was no accident that one of the mages I had Elsa huddling with was a child, a little kid who had no say in being born with magic or going to war but is caught up in the mess anyway.

In his big monologue he says “Kirkwall’s Circle fell, innocent people died in the streets.” Also I can’t remember where he says this offhand, but Cullen also believed that being a Templar meant not just protecting ‘normal’ people from mages, but protecting mages as well, be it from themselves or other abuses of magic. While Kirkwall was mainly a watershed moment for tensions that have been going on for ages, it’s still pretty clear to me that Cullen feels a measure of responsibility for what happened. Now here Elsa is, rubbing his nose in his failures, both in the problems that started the war, and what he was doing while all this was happening. 

Which brings us to our next point: Lyrium.

To be entirely honest, I wasn’t even planning on bringing up Cullen’s lyrium withdrawal, but then when I was doing storyboards for the next part, the lyrics just fit too perfectly to pass up.

“Madison you mad as a hatter so take your medicine.”

[Image description: an illustration of a lyrium kit used by Templars, the same one that Cullen throws at the wall during his “Perseverance” quest]

[Image Description: An uncertain, shadowy look crosses over Cullen’s face and he crosses his arms. Elsa’s back is to him, an glib, uncaring look as she steps away]

“Damn, you're in worse shape than the national debt is in“

[Image description: a close up on Cullen, his hands shaking as he grips the hilt of his sword. Not in a threatening way, but as it he’s holding on to ground himself]

Now, to be clear, Elsa has no idea that Cullen has stopped taking lyrium at this point. She vaguely assumes that he’s still taking it. 

In the “real” version of this argument, the mage would say something like “You’re not looking so hot, are you up to date on your lyrium?” but in a snide, sardonic way; the implication being that ‘you’ll always be a Templar no matter what you do’. 

His hands start to shake and he grips the pommel of his sword. To be clear, he doesn’t want to hurt Elsa. It’s just a habit of his that we see in the game, and many people besides me think it’s a way to sort of self-soothe, if I’m using that term correctly. At the very least to keep people from noticing how bad his hands are shaking.

Elsa has turned away, not seeing how badly her words are affecting him. When she does look back Cullen has now quickly put a lid back on his reactions.

[Image description: Elsa, scowling, dramatically points at Cullen from across the room. Cullen has a much more measured expression]

But Cassandra did notice, and intervenes to separate the two before the situation can escalate.

[Image description: Cassandra and Cullen have their backs to the camera, Cassandra has her hand on the man’s back as she leads him away, an expression of concern on her face.]

Anyway! Sorry for the rant! I hope you enjoy the animatic!

#dragon age #dragon age inquisition #elsa trevelyan #inquisitor trevelyan #cullen rutherford #cassandra pentaghast #anti-templar #templar critical #lyrium #lyrium withdrawl #mage templar dynamics #meta analysis #my stuff #knight captain cullen #hamilton #cabinet battle 1

[theselfshippingwitch]

so richard and i got married today so here’s a fic:

The day couldn’t be more perfect. A warm spring day in a lovely garden surrounded by beautiful purple roses. And in the distance, beyond the altar, a tree full of white blossoms. It was here, at the end of an aisle of white rose petals, that Richard Collins waited for his bride. He wore a perfectly fitted morning suit, complete with top hat which he took off and handed to his closest friend and best man as he saw his lovely Violet begin to walk down the aisle. 

Violet Bellamy, with her beautiful satin ballgown and her long brown hair in an intricate, flower-shaped bun on the back of her head, walked to a soft, melodious song played by a live piano player. Upon seeing her groom, she smiled widely. How she missed him so all day! She could hardly wait to be his wife. Likewise, Richard's smile had never been brighter. He reached up to wipe away tears in his eyes as she approached. He was so in love.

Violet reached the end of the aisle and handed her bouquet of light purple roses to her maid of honor. Then, she took Richard's hands in hers. All this time she spent planning this wedding, she thought that she would be nervous to stand in front of so many people. But in this moment, staring into his gorgeous green eyes, all she can think about is him. And in the same way, all Richard can see is his beautiful bride. They were the only two people in the world to each other.

The officiator began. "Thank you all for joining us today. We are gathered here to join these two souls forever in love, and to join these two people in matrimony. Today you enter a promise of life, love and unity, that will last for all of your days."

"Each of you now takes responsibility for the quality of your lives together. You must decide to support one another, to protect one another, to love each other unconditionally. Love is the most important of all things in this life, and so today we wish you a love that lasts your whole life long."

"The couple has written their own personal vows to one another, and so, Violet, I now invite you to read your vows to Richard out loud."

Violet smiled as her maid of honor handed her a small book, which Violet opened up and read from. 

"My Richard,

Today is the day I have been waiting for for what feels like an eternity. The day that you and I stand in front of our loved ones and swear our hearts' eternal fealty to one another. But, the truth is, my heart has always belonged to you. You are my one true love, my fairytale come true, my prince. I vow to you, from this day on, to accept you and support you, to love you the way you deserve to be loved, to go on adventures and experience life, always right by your side. I love you just the way you are, and I want you to never change. I will adore and cherish you forever, Richard Collins. I love you, so much."

Richard inhaled sharply, blinking away tears as he squeezed the hand that he was still holding onto that belonged to his bride. Then, he took out a book of his own, and began to read from it.

"My Dearest Violet,

My life has been spent searching for a happiness I never knew I would find. I thought I could find it in my career, in the approval of members of high society, or in financial success. And it never worked. Until I met you. Violet Bellamy, I did not know what it meant to be happy, or to be loved, until the day I found you. You have made me the happiest man in all of America, nay, in all of the world, I promise, from this day forth, now and forever, your dreams are my dreams, your hopes are my hopes, your successes are my successes, and your failures are my failures. My purpose in life, what I have been searching for all this time, is you."

"Richard..." Violet said under her breath, tears of joy streaming down her face. 

The officiator said, "Do you, Violet, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Violet nodded. "I do."

The officiator turned to Richard. "And do you, Richard, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?" 

Richard looked deeply into Violet’s eyes. “I do.”

The officiator smiled, and then turned to the rest of the wedding party. "Do you have the rings?"

The maid of honor perked up. "Yeah! Right here!" She handed them to the couple.

The officiator continued. "The two rings you are about to exchange symbolize your eternal, unending love for one another. They are visual representations of the commitment you have just made to each other. Wear them with pride, and let them remind you of how fortunate you are to have found a love as powerful and deep as the love you two have for one another."

"Violet, place the ring on Richard's left hand finger and repeat after me. Richard, take this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment. With this ring, I thee wed."

Violet slid the ring over the tip of Richard's ring finger, and repeated the words.

"Richard, take this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment. With this ring, I thee wed," And slid the ring the rest of the way onto his finger.

The officiator said, "Now Richard, place your ring on Violet's left hand finger and repeat these words. Violet, take this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment. With this ring, I thee wed."

Richard slid his ring over the top of Violet's ring finger, and repeated the words. "Violet, take this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment. With this ring, I thee wed," and slid the ring the rest of the way onto Violet's finger. 

Violet sighed happily, admiring the ring she finally got to wear. The officiator said, "Richard and Violet, you have spoken the words and performed the rites and therefore it is my legal right to officially pronounce you husband and wife! You may begin your happily ever after with a kiss!"

Violet's smile grew somehow even wider as the final words of the ceremony were spoken, and she leaned in to give Richard a soft, sweet kiss, moving her hands from his to wrap her arms around his neck, embracing him. When they broke away, they joined hands again, and walked swiftly down the aisle as the people sitting on the ends of the aisles threw purple flower petals at them. Richard and Violet laughed, unbelievably happy to finally be married.

-

The reception was in a beautiful meadow surrounded by lush, green trees. Tables were arranged around a dance floor, and it all was surrounded by fairy lights. The DJ at the table in front of the dance floor turned on a mic and cleared his throat. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the time has come to welcome to the dance floor, Mr. and Mrs. Collins!"

Richard and Violet ran out to the dance floor, holding hands and smiling. Violet waved at her family and friends before turning her attention back to Richard. She placed her hand on his shoulder as the DJ announced, "And now, the newlyweds will have their first dance!" He turned his attention to the laptop in front of him, and a dreamy, slow remix of “Lover” by Taylor Swift began to play, Richard and Violet held each other close, swaying softly to the music. Violet rested her forehead on his, losing herself in the familiarity of his body against hers, the smell of his skin, the color of his eyes as they stared deeply into hers. The whole room was silent at the sight of the two of them, so far in love with one another that they forgot everyone else. The song came to an end, and Violet pressed her lips to his. 

After that, a faster paced song came on, and Violet loosened her tight grip on her new husband. She laughed as he began to dance. He was a terrible dancer; one of those people that thinks they dance well but they definitely can’t. Like everything else he did, Violet thought it was adorable. For everyone else, however, it was a different story. Richard’s best man, Bobby, sought Violet’s maid of honor, Maria, with dire resolve. “We have to dance badly in solidarity with their bad dancing!”

Maria was immediately on board. “Let’s do it.”

They danced terribly together for one song. And then another. And then another. They spent at least an hour on the dance floor, and when they got tired, they sat at a table together and talked together for the rest of the night. Violet smiled in their direction as they both laughed at something Bobby had said. “Our wedding party seems to be getting along.”

Richard followed Violet’s line of sight. “Ah! Indeed! They seem to be becoming great friends!”

“Uh huh. ‘Friends’.”

-

When it came time to toss the bouquet, Violet took the microphone. “Instead of the usual tradition of tossing the bouquet, I instead have elected to give out one flower in my bouquet to each single woman here, to let them all know that they all deserve love!” She untied the band that held the bouquet together and took it apart, piece by piece, handing one to each young lady in the crowd. When she got to Maria, she gave her a knowing smile. Maria blushed. 

-

At the end of the night, Richard and Violet returned to the hotel room Violet had stayed in with Maria the night before. Violet changed from her ballgown to a nightshirt, and lay side by side with Richard, who had gotten into his matching black pajama set. Violet kissed him again, and cuddled him close. “We’re married…” she giggled. “You’re my husband…” she kissed him.

“Are you finding enjoyment from those facts, Mrs. Collins?” He said in between her kisses. 

She practically squealed. “Yes! Yes! Please call me that. Call me that all the time. I always want to be Mrs. Collins.”

Richard closed his eyes and smiled as he kissed her. “I love you, Mrs. Collins.”

Violet laughed, partly from the pure joy of being with him as his wife and partly from the way his beard tickled her neck. “Mr. Collins… Richard…” She brought his lips to hers again, kissing him passionately. “I love you, too.”

#otp: better living #self ship #self insert #selfshipping #self insert fic #selfship fic #self shipping #self ship writing #self insert community

[sebthesnipe]

The Dreamer by Whatwashernameagain an Analysis? Chapter 2! Part 1

All portions:

Chapter 1: Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 // Part 4

Chapter 2: Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 // Part 4

The Dreamer

@whatwashernameagain

Guys! We finally made it to Chapter 2!!!! Prepare for the feelz!

As always, Spoilers under cut.

So… Lets recap what we know about Roman before we dig too deep into Chapter 2… We know that Roman is overzealous, hopeful to the point of naivety, innocent, sassy, playful/teasing, endearing, misguided and moral. He sees the good in everyone (especially Logan). Roman cares for each person individually, while Logan cares more for humanity as a whole. Lastly, Roman is pretty much the embodiment of hope for Logan and maybe the world. No pressure.

Okay… That’s pretty much what we know about Roman’s personality thus far… and he’s only been mentioned a few times… Not bad, not bad. Let’s get to it!

Eva wastes no time jumping right into Roman’s back story, though I’ll admit the first time I read this it gave me a bit of whiplash. We did just come out of a very dramatic scene, after all. Still as usual there is a lot to be said in the first para. First off, drawing the reader in within the first few lines is always a great idea and she manages it with; “Young Roman was shaking with righteous anger. How dare this – this fiend targeted the company of his father?” (Whatwashernameagain). This should send us into a whirlwind of emotions. We learn a lot about Roman and Roman’s father with these two sentences. First off, we see that Roman is very quick with his emotions which is not surprising at all, judging from what we have learned about him. However, when he uses the word ‘fiend’ in italics the inflection nods towards his overzealous nature which honestly warms my heart a bit. Once again, Eva is very strategic with her italics and beautifully so. We can assume that this ‘fiend’ is none other than one ‘Utilitarianist’ judging from the context of the previous chapter and the rivalry that we are already familiar with. But this begs the question: Why would Logan target Roman’s father unless he is a bad man? Well, I’d say the answer is in the question… But Roman obviously doesn’t believe that.

“He was the hardest working man in the world! His idol, his hero! He was donating to charity, pursuing a career in politics to support the attempts of the republican party to protect this great country’s safety and now he had to deal with an investigation into the state of his breeding facilities” (Whatwashernameagain).

This makes me… so sad. Roman obviously idolizes his father. He is a young man here, years before The Dreamer and it certainly shows in his naivety and innocence. As children many of us are fed information that our parents wish for us to believe or are simply told in order to stop us from questioning this or that. Some parents do this consciously while most don’t even think about it. It’s like when your parent tells you that its illegal to drive at night with the cab light on… I don’t know if this is going to shock you but its not illegal. At least not here. But their parents no doubt told them that when they were younger to keep them from messing with the light and distracting them; then they grew up believing it and now they tell their children the same thing. Or my mother use to tell me that her first husband died in a car accident because she didn’t want me to know she was divorced… Turns out he lives in Cali with a wife and three kids… but questioning her about him hurt her so she made up a lie to protect herself and me. Its not surprising that poor innocent Roman would be fed similar lies to help idolize his father.

The thing is… there comes a point in time in every adult’s life that they look at their parent and reality hits them so hard in the face they stumble. The person you thought your mom or dad was isn’t exactly who they are. For example, I idolized my own father and I of course still love him very very much; but growing up I thought he had the answer to everything and was an outstanding person. He had very few flaws (mostly just promiscuity)… Then about the time I turned twenty-four I watched as he went into a rage about abortions and how pro-choicers are idiots when most of them are pro-life but ‘just want attention’. It took me by surprise and when I showed him the statistics that the majority of ‘pro-life’ and ‘pro-choice’ both agreed that there should be exceptions to most abortion issues (“Abortion”). He chose to deny the fact and continued to hate the opposite party simply because they labeled themselves something other than what he labeled himself, despite believing in the same concepts…. I’m getting way off topic… Sorry… I realized in that moment that the man I idolized was an ignorant man who was content with his choice in being ignorant. It was a shock… The image of him I had painted my whole life came crashing down. It was alright of course, we just don’t talk about politics anymore… well… not often anyways. My point is… I’m curious to see when Roman has the same realization that his father is not the man Roman expects him to be… Truth be told; our parents can never live up to their children’s expectations. We set the bar too high and they are only human, doing the best they can… The good ones anyways XP

Again! Getting off topic! Sorry! Back to the analysis….

Roman sees his father as everything he strives to be. His father is a hard worker, who gives to the needy, is charismatic (a politician), a protector. No doubt, Roman was conditioned to see these things; conditioned to believe that this is what a ‘real’ man looks like. A conditioning that most of us have experienced. Girls that don’t dress pretty enough, or don’t like the color pink, or rather play with a football than a barbie; or boys who love pink, enjoy makeup, don’t enjoy sports… I can’t tell you enough how much crap my husband gets because he rather read a book than play football, especially when he was in school (he’s 6’4” and almost 400lbs). Its wrong!!! Here Roman’s father stands, the picture-perfect image of everything Roman is expected to be… of course he’s going to fixate on the good, rather than accepting the bad. Looks like Logan isn’t the only one in denial.

This denial is cemented when Roman begins to talk about the ‘caramel colored Highland cow’ that his father had given him when he was twelve. Roman uses this as an example of how his father cares so deeply for animals…. -sigh- My poor baby… All of this is an indication of unconscious rationalization. Yup, you guessed it I’m jumping back into psychoanalysis and Freud. YAY! Rationalization is when an individual avoids feelings of displeasure by explaining their own loses and failures as someone else’s fault (Rivkin, Julie). In this case, Roman isn’t even aware that he is doing it; hence the denial. Instead of subconsciously accepting the fact that these investigations could be in the right he chooses to blame the investigation of victim blaming…. Well, the investigations and The Utilitarianist.

Though Roman’s us of terms such as ‘hard-working Americans,’ ‘terrorist’ and ‘gross injustice’ in the next few paragraphs really boldens the image that Roman eventually grows into; the one we saw in Chapter 1. As if Roman should be wearing the stars and stripes on his cape, flapping in the wind behind him. A whole-hearted apple pie American! These terms are a direct parallel to a lot of the Republican campaigns throughout the last few years. Terms like this tend to be used to sew discontent and fear into people, making them easily controllable. Honestly, it’s a great symbolism on how America’s masses are being persuaded to follow the path of anger and certain politicians that I will not name. Roman, here is the picture-perfect representation of America, his father a Republican extremist (like many politicians lately) who has fed him so many lies and promises… provided pretty things to satisfy him temporary and allow him to do as he pleases without any consequence to himself. Sound familiar?

**Personal note: I have nothing against the Republican party. I agree with the platform on a few issues as well as with the Democratic platform. However, anything to its extreme is a bad thing. Thank you for coming to my Tedtalk.

“Roman could not stand for this! It was gross injustice! He wanted to help, to support his father and show him that he could trust him! He was almost twenty now – a man – and it was time he finally managed to prove himself!” (Whatwashernameagain).

Within the same paragraph we see Roman’s need to win his father’s approval. We also see the societal gender norm of being ‘a man’ once more. There is a lot to unpack here. Roman wants to show his father that he can ‘trust him.’ Which wouldn’t be something a normal person would be concerned about unless there was a sense of past abuse; which judging by the rationalization is no doubt the case. This implies that Roman has always been informed that he’s not good enough, or that he is incompetent. This small sentence shows us a side of Roman that we have yet to see… his insecurity. Sure, as The Dreamer he hides it well… He must, he’s the hope and dreams of the world, he can’t afford insecurities. But deep down he is just a child wanting his father’s approval. He wants to be needed, needs to be accepted. He wants to prove to this man that he’s not worthless… Hmm… Kinda sounds like a certain villain we know doesn’t it? Actually, Logan and Roman have a lot more in common here than meets the eye. Imagine what Roman feels here… The desperation, the loneliness. Perhaps he feels as if there is no one else in the world that could possibly understand how he feels. He is no doubt surrounded by staff but when it comes down to it, he is just as alone as Logan is. Both using their pain to change the world; both defining themselves by the work that they do… by their usefulness. Once again, Roman focusing on the individual (his father) while Logan focuses on the masses. He and Logan share the same goal, the same hurtles, and the same pain… and yet somehow ended up on opposite sides of the coin…

We see more of Roman’s insecurities in the next paragraph, underlining the emotion; proving to the reader that it runs far deeper than we would first assume. He states that he tends to ‘ask the wrong question’ and makes ‘stupid suggestions’. However, the questions he asks are regarding the wages of the workers, and the suggestions involve the wellbeing of animals. The dimension this contrast provides really rounds out Roman’s character. As a reader we see that these questions are anything but wrong and the suggestions are far from stupid, but we are a mute onlooker that can do nothing to change the scene unfolding before us. These words paint Roman’s heart as much as his pain. We see his concern for his father’s employees and the animals as well. We see that he cares for every living being, bringing up back to the fact that he focuses on the individual, reinforcing this concept. At the same time, he doesn’t see it himself. I’ve learned early on in life that if you are told the same thing over and over in your life time by someone you look up to… you are bound to believe it and the best and worst thing about belief is that once you have it… its hard to let go.

“Shame rose into Roman’s cheeks as he remembered his silly question about fencing in a meadow for their calves in their Laredo facility to play in with their mothers. He’d just remembered how much Nugget had always enjoyed jumping around with them. Of course, he should have known they needed to be separated from their mothers after the first day to avoid losing the milk they sold. It was necessary, he guessed. So, they’d said” (Whatwashernameagain).

So, they’d said… -sigh- Three little words and yet… so much pain. I don’t really need to explain the whole being told something repeatedly etc etc etc. Because I just did; but the fact that Eva ends the paragraph so simply is so elegantly impactful… I just… wanted to bring attention to it.

It also serves to point out that despite the fact that Roman rationalizes his father’s mistreatments and dirty deeds, he has his doubts. “It was necessary, he guessed.” Implies that Roman doesn’t truly believe this despite what he’d been told (along with the ‘so they’d said’). It adds even more depth to the man because while we are looking at a young Roman with no self-confidence he knows right from wrong. At least, deep down he does. It is the environment around him that is forcing this sense of morality to be buried deep deep down to the point to he can hardly recognize it… but its there. This also makes for some great foreshadowing. The small rebellion of nothing but a seed of a thought will no doubt grow into more.

Tangent: People always talk about how changing your thoughts are a sure-fire way to change your life and it is true. In fact, there is scientific research to prove it. No, I’m not talking about some kind of poll or mental screening. It’s much bigger than that. Dr. Masaru Emoto, a Japanese scientist and doctor of alternative medicine, conducted an experiment to try and discover how our thoughts can physically affect the world around us (“Water”). He took samples of water and exposed them to written and spoken words and music to see how thoughts and feelings affect physical reality (“Water”). Dr. Masaru Emoto discovered that crystals formed in frozen water reveal changes when specific, concentrated thoughts are directed towards them such as ‘love’, ‘thank you’, ‘I hate you’ (“Water”). The findings were unbelievable especially when you consider the fact that 90% of our bodies are made of water. Water that changes in reaction to thoughts. The implications of this research create a new awareness of how we can positively impact the earth and our personal health (“Water”). Dr. Emoto has been called to lecture around the world as a result and has conducted live experiments both in Japan and Europe as well as in the US to show how indeed our thoughts, attitudes, and emotions as humans deeply impact the environment (“Water”). I learned this many years ago watching the documentary ‘What the Bleep Do We Know?’ which I highly recommend… But if you would like to watch the short clip on water molecules and thoughts you can find it here.

I bring it up because Roman’s rebellious thoughts have a far more drastic impact than he probably assumes. We shape ourselves to our thoughts… Which only intensifies the foreshadowing here.

Once again, in the next para we see Roman’s rationalization in full swing as he talks about his father having a difficult time with him. We also see the reinforcement of social norms when it comes to gender: ‘he lacked a sense of ruthlessness a strong man needed to improve the world’, ‘he was a bad hunter, had the wrong interests’, ‘spoke too softly or loudly’ (Whatwashernameagain). I’m not going to go into it too much because I’ve already touched on the ridiculousness of this… and because forcing social gender norms onto someone like this piss me off like no other and I’m not turning this into a big rant and pulling it away from Eva’s amazing work! I’ll just say that its wrong to assume what it means to be a man or a woman… why isn’t just being a person enough?! and leave it at that. We also see more of Roman’s idolization of his father; his need for approval and his distaste for Logan and his so-called victim-blaming (which is rationalization once more).

The sudden shift from such a somber tone to the next paragraph proves to be refreshing and provides Roman with a small burst of passion we know and love! Eva writes: “Roman had one thing going he was good at, though. He was strong, brave and determined. Someone needed to put a stop to this renegade liberal, and it might as well be him. It wasn’t like all the other things he’d tried and failed at. This time, he felt a calling to fight the war of the righteous” (Whatwashernameagain)!

This provides us with a small glimpse of The Dreamer we’ve come to know in Chapter 1. Roman may not have confidence in himself but the image of who he wants to be is another story. For those of you who don’t know I worked in Law Enforcement for six years and its things like this that remind me of some of the good parts of the job. Roman is relatable here to be. I’ve known a lot of officers who are very different outside of the uniform, myself included. We have insecurities, weaknesses, ticks, that all seem to fade away when we put on that uniform. You become a different person, a stronger person; someone you look up to… and looking up to yourself is an amazing feeling… its like your indestructible… you can do anything! Officer Liz and the Liz writing this analysis are two different people. Yes, we share the same experiences and likes and dislikes but… I’m just a regular person, staying up too late, worried about laundry and dishes… while she… she’s a hero who protects everyone, always has a solution, and never lets her emotions get the better of her. Roman is getting his first taste of the high that comes with the alter ego. He sees the Dreamer in that instance, though he refers to himself because in a way they are the same person… The difference is, is that The Dreamer has already won his father’s approval and pride… Roman has not.

*******

I will have to end it there, friends. It is way past my bed time, and I have to be up in a few hours for work. Thank you for joining me though and I hope to see you in Part 2!

   “Abortion.” Gallup.com, Gallup, 10 Nov. 2019, https://news.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx.

Rivkin, Julie. Literary Theory: a Practical Introduction. Wiley-Blackwell, 2017.

“Water.” What the Bleep Do We Know!?, https://whatthebleep.com/water-crystals/.

Whatwashernameagain. “The Dreamer - Chapter 2.” Hello Guys Gals And Non Binary Friends, 8 Sept. 2019, https://whatwashernameagain.tumblr.com/post/189407228487/the-dreamer-chapter-2?is_related_post=1.

#The dreamer #villain!logan #hero!roman #sanders sides #logince #logan sanders #roman sanders #logan/roman #roman/logan #analysis #reaction #fanfiction #Whatwashernameagain

[phemonoi]

tarot cards as foster the people lyrics 🌿✨

*based on the waite tarot deck

I've wanted to do this to better understand the relation of the cards with one another and I thought it'd be a good idea to post it here!

i. aces, the magician & justice

—houdini

“rise above, gonna start the war!” / “well, and eye for an eye, and an ‘f’ for a fight” / “well, you got what you want and what you never knew, perfect gift from me to you” / “focus on your ability, then they can’t get what they want to steal”

the aces have an aura of beginning, the spark of an idea, oportunity, birth. however, the magician is the “trigger” of that change, he controls it, activates it. he’s the architect and alchemist that has the ability to make use of each suit as he pleases. with justice, as we see, this power comes with a responsability. you get back what you give. and because the magician is also an illusionist, a liar and a thief, justice needs to be there as a reminder of what happens when you abuse magic. 

ii. twos, high priestess & the hanged man

—shc

“you’re a secret, that’s worth keeping, and now i’m keeping my mouth shut” / “well, i’ve been sleeping waiting for something, but to feel nothing at all, avoid the call” / “when i’m alone, there’s a ghost the keeps talking, and i know there’s gotta be more, for sure”

the twos are a symbol of alchemy, and this can be clearly seen in the cups with the caduceus of hermes on the background. the high priestess is the master of occult knowledge, she channels cosmic knowledge through intuition, thus creating a bond, an exchange of energy within her and the universe. the hanged man needs meditation and contemplation in order to decide what’s next, what’s real from what’s an illusion. he urges stillness in order to recover, much like the two of swords.

iii. threes, the empress & death

—fire escape

“my spine is made of iron, my heart pumps out old red paint” / “I see the seasons change, all the young faces come and replace the dying ones” / “i’ve watched the dreamers find their legs, and i’ve seen the ones that come get reduced to bones and rags”

this procesion of cards illustrates the importance of cycles. the threes combine pain, sorrow (swords) with recovery, harmony (cups), planning (pentacles) with action (wands), conveying the message that one simply can’t exist without the other, for the presence of the other is what gives one its importance, its core definition. they’re light and shadow, much like birth (empress) and death. 

iv. fours, the emperor & temperance

—coming of age

“you know i try to live without regrets, i’m always moving forward and not looking back, but i tend to leave a trail of dead while moving ahead” / “just like an animal, i protect my pride, when i’m too bruised to fight, and even when i’m wrong i tend to think i’m right. well, i’m bored of the game, and too tired to rage”

the emperor is the giver of stability, as we can see in four of pentacles and four of wands. he provides a stable foundation to build a home, he’s a father. meanwhile, the four of cups and four of swords portray temperance; they’re about patience, balance, and meditation. the emperor, as a leader, needs to balance the responsability of his power out with temperance, or else he will become a tyrant, ruled by fire.

v. fives, the hierophant & the devil 

—pay the man

“say what you love, it’s alright don’t be afraid to find your light, embrace the day, at night we’re here to fight, we all go wild again” / “climbing up my own tree, hoping it can hold all the things i’ve seen but i’ve chosen to ignore. well, i said, well i believe i’ve been well fed but the wolf’s not dead” / “lift up your name, seasons change, you know that it'll never be the same, we'll see the sun again, and before it fades, i just wanna say that i love you”

this procesion is very deep. it speaks of the spirit on a level that no other procesion of cards does in the entire deck. because the hierophant is combined with the devil, i feel like it unites opposite religious concepts: heaven with hell, purity with dirt, wisdom with madness. this alchemy of the soul is pretty much a product of dionysos, and that’s why he’s often identified with both major arcanas. the fives, now, are the middle point of each suit; they mark a transcendental point in the path of the fool. they speak of poverty, sadness, confusion and conflict. this is the event that leads to the tower; the failure, the longing for illumination, the unmasking of the lies and illusions that have ruled one’s life until now. the unity of darkness and light, the highest power, thrice-born and divine, with the lowest impulses of nature, the satyrs and maenads that lure you into their orgy. the devil here demands to be payed back, he wants retribuition, while the hierophant presents himself as the saviour, the guide, that happens to also be incredibly biased. i think it’s very useful to view this procesion as a representation of dionysos, he who initiates us into the journey of self-discovery through mysteries and shadows. 

vi. sixes, the lovers & the tower 

—the truth

“well i’ve been trying to relearn my name, it feels like a thousand years that i’ve been out of frame and i surrender, the truth is what it’s what i’ve needed from you, cause i’ve been floating within your walls of opinion, and i’m tired. i only want the truth” / “a blinding call to prayer has touched my feet, like the call of the prophets, a purpose is needed before you know that you know, to never wonder what you are, and not forget where you’ve come from” / “is it really love you’ve been speaking of?”

the lovers and the tower have a closer relation than what i thought at first, and the verses of this song really show it. the lovers is, finally, the resolution of the devil and the hierophant: it is the unification of duality, the yin and yang, and its lust is still present in the devil; the impetus and dichotomy of human emotion. but the tower and the hierophant are both events of immense spiritual enlightment. they represent freedom. the sixes are about charity, change, escape, and victory. 

vii. sevens, the chariot & the star 

—doing it for the money

“just close your eyes, we’re gonna run this blind, we live our lives, we’re not wasting time, maybe we lost our minds, we’re gonna get what we can” / “i said it doesn’t matter where i go, i am calling all the poets into battle, i am shouting to the world let them know that we won’t be afraid to step into the fight when we can’t see the light” / “there’s no retreat and no escape if we keep dreaming while we’re wide awake”

dreams, hope, courage and art. this is a creative procesion of cards. after the breakdown of the sixth procesion, the seventh brings bravery forthward. there’s no time to waste and we’re now purified, convinced of our worth and what we need to do in order to achieve what is needed. we’ve accepted the situation, the nature of our uncontrolling emotions and the will of fate. the sevens take action, a bit impulsively, but still they trigger a necessary change after the depression seen with the lovers and the tower. 

viii. eights, strength & the moon

—a beginner’s guide to destroying the moon

“and now i’m staring at the moon wondering why the bottom fell out, been searching for answers and there’s questions i’ve found” / “we’ve been crying for a leader to speak like the old prophets, the blood of the forgotten wasn’t spilled without a purpose, or was it?” / “you’ll never be whole until you lose control, and think freely to smash the wall of apathy, stop your self-importance and lift the weight off somebody else”

there’s a very pretty picture on the eight of cups in the ethereal visions illuminated tarot deck, because the moon is full, shining enormously over a deep blue landscape, and that perfectly illustrates the relation of this card to the major arcana of the moon. this procesion for me is about confidence. change is never easy, even when we’ve finally surrendered to the fate of circumstances, even when we were the ones to trigger it. eight of swords and eight of cups are not easy cards to gaze at, but we must remember that the moon is a mother, it is nurturing, it reminds us of the quality of nature to be cyclical, that things are always moving and flowing, and emotions don’t last forever. it’s also a card of illusions; it yells at us to remove the blindfold from our eyes and rediscover our worth. strength is about taming the beast, keeping on working, effort and struggle. so this tells me; no matter how much it hurts, keep going, be a leader, be the lion, make the blood you shed worth it. 

xix. nines, the hermit & the sun

—pseudologia fantastica

“don’t be afraid of the knife, sometimes you gotta cut the limb to survive” / “you got to love the madness of the feeling, don’t have to rush the freshness of beginning, you got to get back up and face your demons, don’t ever be afraid of starting over”

the nines follow the archetype of the hermit and continue their path through the sun. when we’ve worked hard enough, when we’ve compromised to facing our shadow self, when we’ve retired to truly know ourselves, admiting what we’ve done, what we’re worth, and retreated into silence, then there’s a comeback filled with joy, music, light. the nine of swords is a necessary dark night of the soul leading to a definitive awakening. 

xx. the tens, wheel of fortune & judgement 

—iii

“and i wont be afraid, it’s true we’ll never know, when the night will come and take us home, and people change, we fade from youth, and evolve into eternal life” / “wake the sleeping from their dreaming, we all want more, we all want more saints will sing and hearts are beating, saying we all want more, we all want more”

there’s still much to learn in the ten of swords already, but because life is an ouroboros and our purpose is to return to having full control of all the suits and making use of that power faithfully and wisely, it doesn’t matter. in the tens, we admit that we can affect certain situations but there’s always something that escapes our sight; fortune acts alone. wheels turn again, endlessly, for eternity. we want more; the ten of cups portrays a couple with kids new life, new paths, a new story that is, again, yet to be unfold. ten of pentacles passes down its knowledge and experience to the youth; ten of wands continues with its struggle, in the conviction that the nine will come back. ten of swords, however, looks defeated. it ain’t. it’s finally the death of the past self. ten of swords is, actually, the scene of the moment the knight defeated his adversaries. it is a card of victory; but the knight is yet to become a king. 

#tarot #witchcraft #witch #tarot deck #tarot spread #spirituality #divination #neophyte #baby witch #magick

[clinicalsurgery]

The Partnership between Surgeons and Anesthesiologists in Open Access Journal of Medical and Clinical Surgery

Abstract

Teamwork is now recognized as essential to healthy, high-quality perioperative treatment. The partnership in-surgeon – anesthesiologist dyad is perhaps the most important aspect of the overall team success. Well-functioning collaborations are conducive to secure, successful treatment. An unhealthy relationship can foster unhealthy conditions and lead to a negative outcome. And there is no study on this interaction, about what fits well or not well, and what can be done to improve it. This essay discusses the practical and unhealthy facets of the relationship, describes certain common perceptions of each occupation and calls for study to further identify and appreciate how to strengthen working relationships.

Teamwork is one of the most important factors of perioperative patient care for the members of the operating room team. However, the largest uncertainty of the impact of team success on results and protection can be correlated with one dyad in the unit: the relationship between the surgeon and the anesthesiologist. If it is accurate that leadership dyads are a crucial factor in the protection, consistency and/or efficacy of the operating room staff, then the dyad of the surgeon and anesthesiologist is the dyad we should strive to learn and maximize. The triad partnership between the surgeon and the anesthesiologist and others is also crucial to maintaining safety, efficiency and consistency. The relationship between the two physicians who often share, give or fight for leadership has the ability to allow or hinder performance that may exceed that of the other dyads or multiple, parallel interactions.

What do we know about the Relationship between a Surgeon and Anesthesiologist?

In this sense, "relationship" is about how well two people get along, how well they support and trust each other and their views, how much they depend on each other for input, how willing they are to keep each other aware of the acts that involve their dyadic partner. There is evidence that refers to certain scientific facets of the interaction between a physician and anesthesiologist. Coordination and dispute have been studied and recommendations have been made to resolve them. Conflict in the operating room between individuals — mostly between anesthesiologists and surgeons — is a big problem and has been encountered or observed by virtually everyone involved in the operating room. Although conflict linked to clinical choices is normal and safe if properly handled, personal disagreement is not safe and is seldom in the best interests of the patient [1-3].

Conflicts can occur due to the vagaries of work and human beings, particularly though there is a relatively healthy relationship between the parties. It may also be a noticeable and potentially harmful representation of a suboptimal or toxic relationship. Whether the disagreement is troublesome depends on how it occurs and how the individual handles it. Too much, this isn't done properly. The length of a surgeon – anesthesiologist partnership is variable - sometimes people have only just met; others have worked together for a long time.

Familiarity often offers mutual trust that tends to defuse conflict; at other times, it creates an ingrained unhealthy partnership and mistrust. A variety of facets of conversation, function expectations, various mental styles, and the tone required activating speech, and related issues have been discussed in multiple research. There is no focus on any of these papers on understanding the origins or how to enhance the reliability and instability of the surgeon – anesthesiologist dyad. Unfortunately, little is written about successful relationships in health care, particularly examples of good working relationships that are more likely to be more prevalent in some environments than in others. There is justification to conclude that they make a substantial contribution to productivity, protection and performance.

Personal Remarks & Observations

Over my experience of patient safety and efficiency, I have been drawn to this subject by personal insights and interactions with anesthesiologists and surgeons. The word "tribe" should be used to identify the various occupations in the operating room, e.g. physician, nurse, anesthesiologist, surgical assistant, for insight into how tribal instincts and actions can be detrimental between tribes and culture [4-7].

a. Observation 1: While the dyad is fully efficient, it is of immense benefit to the patient; one will support and "rescue" the other. And a healthy working relationship (for all) provides a far more friendly working atmosphere.

b. Observation 2: While the dyad is broken, it can — and does — often contribute to damage and sometimes produces an uncomfortable and often dangerous working atmosphere.

c. Observation 3: Each side of the dyad has some impressions of the other side which are damaging. If I had to ask each other what they think of the other profession in general, the first reaction would contain certain comments that are complementary. (Corollary: both will share similar perceptions with other medical tribes when working together)

d. Observation 4: At times, each side of the dyad applies motives to the other that are not purely in the best interests of patients.

Poor Impressions of Surgeons for Anesthesiologists

Such negative views of anesthesiologists include: lack of understanding of "anesthesia-related" (as opposed to surgical) issues; lack of comprehension or appreciation of the degree of blood loss; persistent underestimation of surgical time; Failing to warn patients and caregivers about the chances of success and the extent of the difficulties of rehabilitation following surgery; failing to give proper attention to patient health needs and patient desires; and avoiding people to chat about safety issues.

Poor Views of Anesthesiologists by Surgeons

Several of the negative views of anesthesiologists by surgeons include: more concern with completing their day on time than meeting the needs of their patients; unreasonably eagerness to postpone a operation based on unjustified concerns; lack of respect for the need to follow a schedule; undue turnover times; Distraction and inattention during surgery; inability to explain major improvements in vital signs to the whole team; failure to keep the team aware of the need for vasopressor support; lack of awareness of the interaction between the patient and the surgeon; and reluctance to adjust the anesthetic strategy of the need for the surgeon of maximize surgical technological requirements.

Related Principles

Surgeons and anesthesiologists have different roles that can lead to varying beliefs and reasons for what they think best for the patient. The group in which everyone was educated has established a collection of principles and ideals that are consistent with what has traditionally sustained its performance over the years. Haidt examines extensively how beliefs are formed in our cultures and how they influence our view of the "other." As all tribes, the collective performance of the group can contribute to negative views of other groups. As a consequence, some discord between two people from separate tribes is expected. Hope for enhancing the dyad efficiency for the good of the patient derives from the awareness and appreciation of discrepancies and attempts to overcome or satisfy them.

What does a Perfect Relationship Look Like?

As patient, someone, expects his surgeon and anesthesiologist to operate in full peace, setting aside their personal concerns for my wellbeing and well-being. Surgeons and anesthesiologists should develop a better understanding of the expectations and limitations of each other's professional interests of patients in general as well as for any particular patient. This will have risen long enough in advance to value the time taken to resolve these questions. (Ideally a day or so in advance, or even a significant "huddle" before getting the patient to the operating room. Immediate pre-surgery time might be necessary for certain prosaic needs.) Should be open to and willing to hear the views and viewpoints of the other, even though they appear to conflict with their own field of expertise. It will only work by inspiring to ask questions. Each of them will often begin with an extension of the "simple presumption" (from simulation-based debriefing) to the other: "I assume you are educated, knowledgeable, working your utmost to do your best and striving to change, and behaving in the best interests of this patient and the institution." Where there is a genuine dispute as to what choice to take, the discussion will rely on what is best for the case, not who is best. Examples of missed factors that may lead to an optimum partnership include interdisciplinary morbidity and mortality or case analysis and an efficient huddle.

Over the years, we have studied and survey unidisciplinary and interdisciplinary quality improvement boards in hospitals. They do have benefits and drawbacks. Overall, it appears to be extremely beneficial to discuss / debrief difficult cases or adverse effects as a team. There are obstacles to doing this, such as various job schedules, or the need to be secure outside one's own community to say something that may be important. Thankfully, those interprofessional debriefings appear to be growing such that we can assume that this will have a positive effect on the overall work.

What kind of Analysis will lead to Deeper Understanding?

Investigations into ties between members of the perioperative team did not answer any of the concerns I asked at the outset. Surveys, focus group discussions, observational experiments, crucial event or comprehensive ethnography may all be used to shed light on the problems that render the surgeon-anesthesiologist dyad highly efficient or totally dysfunctional. Case studies of examples of both stable and unhealthy relationships, and in particular more complex facets of partnerships that can relate to under-optimal treatment, will help increase awareness about how habits and actions can lead to the best about treatment or the worst of care and everything in between. Replicating that with a focus on the relationship between a surgeon and anesthesiologist, both parties might shed light on the issues.

Another field of research and understanding that can be beneficial is that of emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is increasingly seen as essential for good relationship management.

Discussion

What can be done in the meantime, until we have further proof?

If you are an anesthesiologist or surgeon and think that what I am recommending is worth pursuing in order to enhance the perception of your patients and your pleasure and sense in your clinical practice, what can you do in the absence of scientific evidence?

Some ways to resolve the issue

Asking a colleague of the other tribe regarding his or her impressions of the members of your tribe.

Have a conversation about the origins of these experiences.

It's usually better to do this on a relaxed meal or cocktail rather than on an "other phone" scenario.

Organize a concentration or dialogue group, with a few members of each tribe.

The effectiveness of such activities will be improved by a competent facilitator.

One subject for a focus group may be the specific recognition how leadership can be communicated or identified in various contexts.

Any time a circumstance happens that makes you realize like a relative from the other team is doing something that appears to be more in their own best interest than in the patient's interest, interested and metacognitive. Think what other theories there may have been. If you can do it in a non-threatening, non-accusatory manner, you can ask the person; however, it is not easy to be able to pull it off with genuine sensitivity and complexity. This is an ability that needs preparation and practice. If you are good enough to work in a hospital that has a simulation curriculum and a full operations team experience, make advantage of it or build a chance to join.

If the concerns mentioned here appeal with sufficient intensity to a large number of surgeons and anesthesiologists, there is definitely a role that the national association of Surgeons and the National Society of Anesthesiologists will play in addressing the issues and moving towards a more desirable state of affairs. In view of the geographical constraints, I have not addressed all facets of this subject that are important to the comprehension and enhancement of the surgeon – anesthesiologist dyad results, e.g. operating in set versus shifting teams; relationships with other team members; output pressure; job conditions (independent or staff); Academic versus private practice. This may be part of a wider discussion and discovery phase.

You may be a surgeon or anesthesiologist for whom none of this is important and who is lucky to have a close friendship with a surgeon-anesthesiologist. However, we have ample reasons to conclude that the shoe works for everyone, and that even the best people and best partners have a tough time. Certainly, most of us know of many cases where issues in a surgeon-anesthesiologist relationship have become dangerous to patients. At the end of the day, no matter our own relationship concerns, we will all accept that keeping patients safe should be a matter of utmost concern.

Regarding our Journal: https://oajclinicalsurgery.com/ Know more about this article https://oajclinicalsurgery.com/oajcs.ms.id.10002/ https://oajclinicalsurgery.com/pdf/OAJCS.MS.ID.10002.pdf

#Surgeons #Anesthesiologists #OAJCS #Open Access Journal of Medical and Clinical Surgery #Evangelia Michail Michailidou #Surgery

[littlemisssquiggles]

RWBY Musings #6: Probably just me but is anyone else concerned about the whole Oscar and Ozpin switching back and forth between control of Oscar’s body dynamic? Don’t know bout ya’ll but I’m definitely seeing some dark foreshadowing being hinted here...

At first I figured the whole Oscar switching between Ozpin and his own consciousness was something that he could control since it is mainly his body. Ozpin did mention last episode that the only reason that he was able to communicate with everyone through Oscar was cause he had handed control over to him. That being said, I figured that was the deal. That Ozpin would only be allowed to take control so long as Oscar permits him to. However, that theory was chucked out the window following the most recent episode. In Chapter 4, I saw something that bugged me a little whenever Oscar switched places with Ozpin.

It was the moment at the end of the Mistral scene where everyone is having that big ‘Cheers’ moment and Jaune was all sombre about not having fully unlocked his semblance as yet which was then followed by Ozpin suddenly reappearing again. Mind you, the first time Ozpin appeared in that episode, it was after asking Oscar permission to take control to fight Ruby which one can only assume that he did cause...well it was Ozpin who fought Ruby afterward.

However, in that last moment, Ozpin didn’t ask Oscar for permission that time. He just...simply appeared; taking full control again. Now one could argue that maybe Ozpin asked Oscar for permission again mentally in order to talk to Jaune and the team to which Oscar allowed. If that was the case then, cool. But I dunno. Why do I get this feeling that since both Oscar and Ozpin’s souls are combined, as Oscar becomes stronger, so will Ozpin. And because of this it will soon be to the point where he will just be able to take full control of Oscar’s body without the need of him handing him the reigns since by then, Oscar’s body would have become his as well so possession would be easier.

This whole scenario reminds me of an old episode of the original Yugioh. One that I, as an ole school fan would never forget. For all my Yugioh fans in the hizz house, do you guys remember the episode where Yugi duelled Kaiba? No I’m not talking about the first episode. I’m talking about the one on Pegasus Island. Y’know where Kaiba put Yugi in a corner and threatened to kill himself if Yugi did not forfeit the match and surrender all of his battle chips to him so that he could sucker his way into facing Pegasus for Mokuba’s soul? The one where he backed himself up onto the ledge of the castle and told Yugi that if he dealt the final blow that would’ve rewarded him victory in the duel, the force of the impact would’ve sent Kaiba sailing to his death.

The one where we got to see just how far the Pharaoh was willing to go to win and how truly scared Yugi was at his relentlessness. The one where Yugi afterwards broke down in tears and tearfully expressed his newfound fear of the Pharaoh inside him.  

Remember that episode guys? Boy, that was fun episode, am I right?

It was the most dramatic moment in Yugioh history for me; cause for the first ever in the show, you really got a glimpse of the internal struggle between Yugi and his other half. Yugi was so traumatized by the whole thing; so frightened by the Pharaoh’s nature that he refused to call upon his help for a while. I don’t remember how they reconciled other than it happening before Yugi faced Joey. I think it was in the episode where Yugi battled and defeated Mai and it was actually her that talked him back into fighting her at his full strength; meaning with the Pharaoh’s help.

Why I remember this episode specifically is because not only was it a well done character episode but a very believable one in terms of raw emotions and creating drama and suspense. As the viewer watching, I literally felt Yugi’s pain and fear over losing himself to the influence of the Egyptian Pharaoh.

And strangely enough, I can’t help but feel like something like that might happen between Oscar and Ozpin at some point in the series. I’m not saying that Ozpin is a bad person. On the contrary, Ozpin has always been a rather compassionate and understanding character, even in his original form.

Nonetheless, despite those traits, there have been several characters addressed in the series who have been proven to not fully trust Ozpin and his intentions. The first example was General Ironwood back in Volume 2 and now we have Raven.

What if... there comes a time when Ozpin might want to do something that Oscar isn’t 100% ok with committing and the two become out of sync mentally as either souls struggle with the other for control. Imagine if Ozpin lost himself in a moment of regret, vengeance and pure rage. Like he becomes so desperate to undo his thousand year old curse and stop Salem once and for all that he would even go so far as to ignore Oscar’s consent in the whole process and there becomes a real power struggle. The series has hinted the whole ‘story of a man with two souls, both FIGHTING for control’ before. Up until this point, despite some earlier tension, Ozpin and Oscar have been getting along quite well (definitely better than when they first started off) and working together mighty fairly. We have yet to get a scenario where they literally have to fight each other for dominance.

Insert Kingdom Hearts reference here where the heart becomes a battleground (or in their case, the mind becomes a battleground) and the two opposing souls and personalities will face off once and for all to see who will be the more dominant presence.

Imagine Oscar becoming so distressed by Ozpin fighting to take over his body that he loses all trust in him and for some time, he struggles to suppress his other half as he refuses to even give Ozpin an inch of control; even in moments where everyone does need Ozpin.

So it’s a thing where Oscar is forced to become more like Ozpin; learning to fight like him, talk like him, absorb all the knowledge gathered from his decades of experience and memories...doing everything he can to become him so that others can depend on him as him with the use of Ozpin’s memories but not actually having to ever call upon Ozpin again...if that makes sense.

Cause I’d imagine Oscar having to suppress Ozpin would be a struggle on him both physically and mentally. It might even begin to wear him down at some point. Gonna switch series and use a Steven Universe reference now but picture a Malachite moment with Ozpin and Oscar where Oscar is struggling to keep Ozpin at bay. It’s probably not as bad as how it was for Lapis with Jasper but it’s still taxing all the same. He wouldn’t relax. He wouldn’t sleep. All his energy would go into keeping Ozpin restrained at all times. He becomes so fearful of Ozpin taking over that he’ll even withhold rest cause he’s paranoid that Ozpin might try to fight him when he’s unconscious.

I’m not saying that this will happen in the series. It’s only a fan theory but now that I’ve written it out, I kind of would like to see something like this happen in the show.

Again, not implying that Ozpin is a bad guy or anything. However; how much do we truly know of his character? He did mention at least twice now that he has made more mistakes than any living being in the World of Remnant. His biggest failure being Salem. While I have my own theories regarding the deeper meaning behind Ozpin’s connection to Salem, that’s a musing for another time. Point I’m making here is, we don’t fully know what Ozpin is like. Not really.

While he does have a caring and very likeable side as we’ve seen so far in the series, I think he has a much darker past and much more negative background that the show has revealed. I like you Ozpin but RWBY Volume 5 Chapter 4 really making me give you a side eye with the Oscar mind switch.

Definitely wouldn’t mind seeing an episodic arc of some sort where Oscar struggles with Ozpin following a very tragic incident. Maybe...Maybe Salem shows up and Ozpin has a shot to stop her once and for all but not without having to make a sacrifice. Maybe Salem takes control of someone really close to Oscar. Not saying that it’d necessarily be Ruby. As much as I ship RosePine, not always can Ruby be Oscar’s motive to fighting to protect someone. What if it’s someone else close to Oscar? Like maybe his aunt? Maybe Oscar/Ozpin gets a chance to kill Salem but she takes possession of Oscar’s aunt and uses her like a shield.

Oscar immediately hesitates cause it’s his aunt...the closest thing he had to a mother figure his entire life...the only family he has left. He couldn’t risk killing her in the process even if it did mean stopping the ultimate incarnation of evil. However Ozpin wants to go forward with stopping Salem anyways cause it might be their only chance. Ozpin did warn Oscar in Volume 4 that his transition into becoming a huntsman would not come without sacrifice and hardship. I’m not saying that Ozpin is the type to sacrifice an innocent life but...we don’t know how he is when face to face with Salem so.... So I think this could be the perfect catalyst to jumpstart Oscar distrusting Ozpin. Picture Ozpin forcibly taking over Oscar after sensing his unwillingness in cooperating to stop Salem. Viewers will then get a visual representation of Oscar’s mind with both him and Ozpin sharing its corridors. As a fan, I really hope that the CRWBY will give us viewers a look inside what Oscar’s mind looks like. Not only will it give us more of a sense of who he is as a character but it will help further highlight what it’s like for him to have to share it with Ozpin, who I guess would bring his own design element to the boy’s mind.

Imagine how cool it would be to see Oscar and Ozpin tussle but it’s all inside his head. In Oscar’s mind, it’s a warzone but to the viewer outside, it just looks like Oscar is battling a really terrible headache, holding his head and writhing in pain as his eyes flashed back and forth between their default hazel hue to glowing gold and every once in a while both Oscar and Ozpin’s voice escaped his lips. An odd image to visualize but go with me on this one.

The two battle each other for control with Ozpin, being the more experienced veteran gaining the upper hand. However in the end, Oscar in a surprising feat of strength, overpowers Ozpin and suddenly summons these mental chains that he then uses to bind Ozpin. Ozpin counterattacks but even he is powerless against Oscar’s control. Ozpin is subdued and Oscar finally regains use of his own body. He chooses to surrender and spare Salem so long as she releases his aunt.

But then it’s all in vain anyways cause right after Oscar says he’s not gonna kill her, Salem kills his aunt anyways right before his very eyes (cause she’s a big bad bitch like that) but not before nonchalantly thanking the young man for doing the right thing and sparing her life. She then attempts to kill Oscar too (who was too weak from fending off Ozpin to really fight back) but decides to let him live since he was so sweet to spare her life so it was only fair that she spared his (cause y’know, she’s a big bad bitch but a big bad bitch with morals? I dunno).

So this tragedy happens and Oscar is changed; refusing to accept Ozpin’s help and guidance anymore. Toss in him abandoning his huntsman training and running away with no one knowing really where to find him. Except maybe, Ruby, who figures out that Oscar would return to the only place he knew. His home back on his now deceased aunt’s farm.

Toss in Ruby, Jaune, Nora and Ren going there to convince Oscar to come back with them and fight to stop Salem.

Toss in Ruby being the one having to coax Oscar back into trusting Ozpin again, after seeing how stressed, worn out and really unlike himself he has become as a result of of it (similar to how Mai was with Yugi and Yami Yugi/Pharaoh/Atem) and I can see a very interesting moment happening for Oscar and Ozpin’s relationship and dual character development here.

Yoooo! We can even get a Fullmetal Alchemist reference where Oscar burns down his aunt’s entire farm, cutting ties to his old life. It’ll make zero f***ing sense because it’s a big ass farm but, at least we’ll get another FMA reference besides the corresponding VAs.

Not saying that the CRWBY are gonna pull an original Yugioh. Not even saying that they would even pull a dark thing like what I just wrote. Still...those buggers killed Pyrrha man! THEY KILLED PYRRHA! I am STILL SALTY about that! So yeah, I’m not gonna count them not doing something like this to Oscar. I can’t predict the level of character growth they have in store for Oscar and Ozpin. All I can do is wait and muse.

However, it is quite the thought to ponder about. I guess we shall see for future episodes then. Until then, that’s it for this musing. See you all in the next one!

 ~LittleMissSquiggles (2017)

#rwby #rwby volume 5 #oscar pine #oscar and ozpin #rwby volume 5 predicitions #rwby musings #ozpin and salem #professor ozpin

[relationshipsshrink]

With the recent publication of Mike Mastracci’s excellent book Stop Fighting Over the Kids; Resolving Day-to-Day Custody Conflict in Divorce Situations , I found myself focused on the overwhelming struggles that divorcing children must face. Children do not understand the changes that are occurring around them. They are afraid of what is going to happen to them and, almost invariably, they are consumed with worry about their parents’ well-being. Can they reasonably expect their parents, who are faced with their own personal distress, to be able to reassure them? Or is this the time for the attorneys to step in and to advocate objectively on their behalf?

Divorce attorneys have a lot on their plates. In addition to the many legal challenges they must successfully resolve, they are faced with the daunting task of skilfully working through their clients’ emotional roller coasters without becoming passengers on that ride themselves. They must find the balance needed to maintain their professional boundaries while simultaneously empathizing with their clients’ needs. In making decisions about what is in the best interests of their clients’ children, this may mean guiding the client in a direction that conflicts with his/her personal custody and parenting preferences.

I am writing this newsletter on behalf of the children of divorce. My intention is to offer some insights and guidance about the losses and anxieties that divorcing children face so that attorneys who are making determinations about their futures are better equipped to do so.

When Children Grieve

Children are affected by divorce as strongly as the divorcing parents are. Age can make a difference, helping or harming depending upon the family structure and the child’s emotional maturity level. For any child, however, a divorce between his or her parents is a deeply stressful event. Pain comes from several sources; a sense of vulnerability as the family fragments, grief over the loss of the intact family, grief over the loss of the non-custodial parent, intense anger in response to the family disruption , and strong feelings of powerlessness. Imagine all the emotions adult go through in divorce. Children go through every single one of them as well.

Children caught in a divorce are experiencing multiple losses. Any one of these losses is enough to break a child’s heart. Taken together, they are overwhelming. Among the losses for the child are:

…Loss of the expectation that the family would remain as a unit.

…Loss of familiarity and routines.

…Loss if safety.

…Loss of home or change to dual addresses.

…Loss of childhood and innocence.

…Loss of trust.

Children are taught to love, trust, and honor their parents. They learn conflict resolution from their parents. Imagine how disturbing and confusing it must be to children when their parents abandon their pledge to love, trust and honor each other and fail at the very conflict resolution techniques they have taught their children. How do parents teach their children about love and divorce simultaneously?

Fear of abandonment exists in all children. These normal fears of abandonment and loss are markedly intensified by parental divorce. The primary conflict children see in divorce boils down to the fear of losing both of their parents. They fear that parental love won’t be there when they need it and that their parents may even leave or abandon them.

Effects Of Divorce On Clients’ Ability To Parent

The role of parent should not stop after divorce. Yes, the newly divorced parents may still be grieving, but they must not ignore the children’s grief. Not only have their entire lives been turned upside down, but so too have their children’s.

The ability of some divorcing parents to separate their needs from their children’s and effectively parent may be so diminished that they are capable of completely overlooking their children’s grief. While compromised parenting is an expected short-term consequence, there is serious potential for these changes in parenting style to become chronic if the parents do not focus on the relationship with their child.

There are other factors that make it easy for parents to disregard their children’s grief. Children often mask their grief with other emotions — most notably anger. Depending on their ages, and personalities, some children may not even be aware of the loss while others may be devastated by it. Some children deny their grief due to embarrassment, their own anger or a desire to hurt (or protect) their parents.

In her article, “Children After Divorce: Wounds That Don’t Heal” (The Psychiatric Times: Medicine and Behaviour. 8: 8–11, 1989), Judith Wallerstein notes that in the wake of divorce, most custodial parents exhibit varying degrees of disorganization, anger, decreased expectations for appropriate social behaviour of their children, and a reduction of the ability of parents to separate the child’s needs and actions from those of the adult. This kind of parental behaviour can so overburden children that they may find themselves feeling responsible for their parents’ psychological well-being.

Tips For Attorneys To Assist Their Clients Separating Their Grief From Their Childrens

A good proportion of divorcing parents will be in a highly emotional state as they attempt to work with their attorneys in creating parenting arrangements and strategies. The parents’ focus is likely on themselves and not on the children. They will need to be reminded that the process is about the children’s welfare and not about theirs. In considering the needs of children, attorneys must separate their clients’ complicated emotional factors from the legal ones. Failure to do so can bias their ability to make objective determinations about the children’s welfare.

The following are pragmatic suggestions for helping clients better understand and meet the needs of their children during and after the divorce:

The “best interests of the children” does not mean the immediate gratification of the client and his/her need for me-me-me. Over and over again, the focus should be pro-child and centered on building a safety net for the children.

Children must be kept out of the middle — not just during the divorce proceedings but every day. No matter how old the child, how challenging the circumstance, or how much the soon-to-be former spouse is despised.

Parents must learn to put aside their stresses, to compartmentalize their adult conflicts and to remain present and available to the children.

Raising a healthy child is a team sport that requires active contribution and collaboration from both parents. Success or failure depends largely on the cooperation, communication and coordination of mother and father.

Some of the emotional hurdles that clients have to overcome include; unresolved grief over the failed marriage, resentment and competitiveness, and territoriality over the children.

Children are not unaware of their surroundings. They easily pick up on their parents’ expressions and actions, often more so than their words. It is natural for parents to not want their children to feel bad. However, children feeling badly is not a bad thing. Dismissing children’s feelings is dangerous.

Parents need to reassure their children early on and often that the divorce is not their fault.

Arguing with one’s former spouse or criticizing them in front of the children is never acceptable.

Children should never be forced to take sides in any dispute between their parents.

Let children be children. It is easy, but wrong, to make adolescent or adult children confidants in dealing with parents’ recovery and fears. Even if children seem capable of handling these concerns, they rarely are.

Conclusion

In a perfect world, there would be no divorce. However, in the real world there is divorce. The collateral damage to children of divorce can be monumental. The consequences of divorce impact almost all aspects of a child’s life, including the parent-child relationship, emotions and behavior, psychological development, and coping skills. Therefore, there is a significant need for divorce attorneys to be cognizant of the broad spectrum of possible fall-out from a divorce so that they can provide sufficient representation for the children.

It is my sincere hope that all information on my website provides you with content that inspires you to enhance your relationships. These materials are not intended to be a substitute for my counseling services. If you are ready to make that leap, please click here to set up a complimentary consultation.

Learn more — https://www.drdeborahhecker.com.

#marriage therapy #marriage counseling #family counseling #divorce counseling #Online Divorce Counseling

[the-marvel-imagines-blog]

The One Good Reason | Pt. 1

Requests are OPEN

[x] - requested by anonymous

Pairing: You’ll See ;) x Original Female Character

Word Count: 3,514

Warnings: yelling, swearing, protective!Tony, kidnapping, angst

Tagged: @j-j-ehlby-writes

A/N: I deviated a bit from the request when it came to age, and I also created a character instead of keeping it a reader-insert. Please, don’t hate me.

Tony Stark, the man who could always pull it together in times of uncertainty, was coming undone at the seams. He had once walked his daughter, Emma, down that familiar sidewalk to school every single day of her freshman and sophomore years of high school as well as every day of elementary and middle school. Being a fresh 18 year old and only a month away from finishing your senior year, he understood that it wasn’t very cool to have your dad walking you to school even if he was Tony Stark. On that day, though, he wished he did just that. He would’ve traded the taunts from the other kids and the judgemental or dismissive glances for her safety.

When she hadn’t returned home by 5 o’clock like she normally did, he merely assumed she was out with her friends. Though she had always been considerate enough to call him beforehand to let him know where she was going and who she would be with, he chalked it up to a spur of the moment trip. When dinner rolled around, he started to get nervous because every Friday since she was a little girl had been sacred. It was Father-Daughter Friday. He would make her breakfast in the mornings, they would eat dinner together at the table, and then she got to pick out the movie they would watch afterward. She would undoubtedly fall asleep with her head on his shoulder, and no matter how many years passed, he picked her up in his arms and carried her up to her bedroom. That was his favorite time. Their little moments of silence when the world around them continued the incessant thrumming. He would pull the blanket up over her body and brush her long brown hair from her face. Then, he would sit there beside her bed, just watching her as she slept, a real life sleeping beauty.

Thoughts of those perfect moments didn’t calm him, though. Her failure to make it home for the spaghetti dinner-her favorite-had him pacing around the house, calling her phone and leaving countless voicemails. Every time she missed a call, he would run his fingers through his hair, messing it up more and more every time. Thankfully, he was alone. No one else should’ve seen him like that. He believed in keeping it together for the rest of the team no matter what. He couldn’t be the weakest link, but he was slowly slipping into sanity as the calls kept transferring over to voicemail. Ever since New York, his anxiety levels were through the roof, and they were even more so when it came to Emma. She was his pride and joy, the one thing that reminded him that the world was worth saving even when he had seen so much that told him it wasn’t. She was the representation of purity and light in his world of chaos and darkness.

He knew people who would want to extinguish that light. He knew people who wanted to plunge the world into nothing but chaos and darkness, and in order to do that, they would eliminate the ones who brought goodness into the world. He knew people who would stoop so low as to use her to hurt him, knowing that it would be the easiest way to get under his skin. He was a father before anything else. When it came to Emma, he wasn’t the billionaire or the engineer or the hero. He was just Tony. The moment she was born, the moment he held her in his arms, he set aside the playboy lifestyle, and he didn’t miss it one bit. She was his everything, and his enemies knew that.

Upon seeing that calling her was no use, Tony made his way along her usual path to and from school. It was the same every day of the week including each weekend as she would walk to the high school to help tutor students. She was also a part of a mentor program, guiding younger kids toward a brighter future. She always put others before herself, believing that the needs of the many would always outweigh the needs of the few or that the needs of others would always outweigh her own needs. Tony found this both ironic and comforting as he was the exact opposite growing up. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t one of the more selfish individuals to grace the planet as he was growing up. He thought of himself most of the time, and his daughter was the polar opposite. She was kind and compassionate where he had been cold and calculating. If she didn’t look so much like him, people would’ve been sure they weren’t related.

He pulled out his phone and dialed Steve’s landline. The supersoldier had a cell phone but never answered it when he was at his apartment. Since it was Friday, Tony knew that the rest of the Avengers would be gathered at Steve’s apartment for their traditional Friday night potluck dinner. Then, they all gathered for Saturday game night at Tony’s house. Emma showed off her skills when it came to video games and strategy with the board and card games they played. She was better than her father at poker even though Tony wouldn’t admit such a thing. She was competitive like him, but she was never a sore winner. After a few rings, Steve answered the phone that still had a cord on it. God, he was a dinosaur.

Before Steve could even greet him, Tony began, “Steve, it’s Tony. Is Emma at your apartment with you?” he asked, the fear and hope both rising in his throat. He would’ve been hurt but so much less stressed if she had simply blown him off for Steve. However, Tony could hear the confusion in his voice before he even answered the question.

“No,” he answered almost hesitantly, “Thor and Bruce are over here right now, though, and Clint went out with Nat to get pizza. No one wanted to cook tonight, so-”

Tony cut him off, too anxious to care about being polite, “have you seen her at all today?” he asked, unconsciously picking up the pace he took while walking along the sidewalk.

“I haven’t. Why? What’s wrong?” Steve asked, concern in his voice over the overt difference in both Tony’s behavior and voice. While they had their differences, they always had at least one thing in common: Emma. Even though she didn’t know it, she had been one of the sole reasons why the team was so close. It wasn’t because of everyone’s love for her and desire to keep her safe, but it was because of her love of everyone else. They all wanted to see her happy, and the only way to make that happen was for disagreements to remain disagreements and not escalate into full-blown arguments that would tear the team apart. Everyone thought before they spoke and anticipated the consequences of their actions far more than they would have without her. She was the glue. She was the reason they became a family and not just a team, and each one of them loved her in their own way-with the intensity of a dying star.

“She’s not home. She usually calls on her way home to tell me how her day was, but I haven’t heard from her at all.” he answered, running a hand through his hair one more time. He tried to pull in a long breath of air to calm himself, but all he got was a short puff of air, his lungs beginning to tighten as the sweat beaded up on his forehead and moistened his palms, “I’m just worried. What if something happened?”

“Listen, Tony, I’m sure everything is fine,” Steve tried to calm one of the people he considered a close friend, almost like an annoying brother who always had to be right about everything. It was in Steve’s nature to be peaceful, so whenever someone was falling into a pit, they had him to grab onto. While Captain America was a hero to the world, Steve was a hero to Tony. Tony could hear the calming smile forming on Steve’s face, “she’s probably just out with her friends. Not many young people today have a family night on Friday’s...or any day. It’s one of the more...discouraging things I’ve learned about this century.”

Tony chewed on his bottom lip, wanting to be strong enough to pull it together. He had this gut feeling that wouldn’t go away. He couldn’t shake the thought that she was in serious trouble, that her life was in danger, “I know, but...what if something serious happened to her? I don’t want to think that she’s fine if something’s wrong.”

“I just don’t want you working yourself up for no reason,” Steve replied, truly worried that Tony would drive himself insane. He knew that the self-made hero had a tendency to choose something and obsess over it for days, weeks, months, or even years. He watched Tony deprive himself of sleep countless times because he was obsessed with improving his suits or experimenting with different technology to find a way to protect the world. He didn’t want to watch his friend do the same thing with the situation involving Emma. Tony knew that his obsessions often worried Steve, so he let the supersoldier continue, “if it would make you feel any better, come on over to the apartment for pizza. You can hang out with us until she gets home. I would’ve invited you if I knew she wouldn’t be home for dinner, but I know Friday’s are off limits when it comes to you two”

“I think I’ll keep walking around for a bit,” Tony acknowledged the worry in Steve’s voice and met it with a level of forced tranquility, “the fresh air is helping me feel better”

“Well, where are you? I’ll walk around with you for a while” Steve replied, making it obvious to Tony that he really wanted to be there if anything did come of the simple walk. Steve wanted to be the one to keep Tony grounded, and he couldn’t do it over the phone. He tried once before, and Tony hung up the phone, not wanting to feel so needy when the anxiety hit. Tony still remembered how long it took to pick up the pieces of shattered glass from where Steve busted into the lab. Tony thought that locking him out would be enough to keep him away, but nothing could keep Steve from the people he cared for.

“I’m just walking along the path she takes to and from school. I’m covering all my bases, here. If I find anything suspicious, I’ll prepare myself for whatever comes next,” he reassured Steve, not knowing that what came next would tear his whole world apart. As soon as his eyes caught sight of the shoe, the purse he had bought her after noticing her staring at it in the window of a shop, and the deep red scarf that complimented her dark brown hair so perfectly that she based entire outfits on it. Now, it was strewn across the sidewalk along with the contents of her bag. Tony’s phone fell from his hand and hit the cement as he glanced over at the road to see that there were tire marks, leading him to believe that she was pulled into a vehicle, and the person or people who took her were in a hurry. Between the sidewalk and the road was a patch of grass with obvious marks from where she must’ve struggled and tried to claw at the Earth to pull herself away from them. The ringing in his ears died out, and he could practically hear the echo of her screams, ones that had landed on deaf ears when she was taken.

Tony Stark, the man who could always pull it together in times of uncertainty, fell to his knees.

He was quick in pulling himself together just enough to get himself back to the house with all of her belongings that had been left on the sidewalk. He was sure that if he didn’t start looking for her immediately, he would never see his baby girl again. Of course, his eighteen year old daughter didn’t like to be called a “baby girl” anymore, but that would always be how he saw her no matter how old she got. Tony was on autopilot as he tried to pinpoint her location with the tacking device he had implanted for circumstances like this. He never even told her about it because he was afraid that she would rebel, feeling smothered by him, but it was his way of ensuring her safety. The phone was the only thing that was missing from the bag, so he was sure she still had it on her. He worked diligently and without being distracted by anything until his eyes caught sight of a picture of Emma and himself when she was just a baby.

He smiled through the tears in his eyes. That was one of his most vivid memories. It was taken in their first home, the one he wanted to raise her in. It was nothing special, and it certainly wasn’t as extravagant as the mansion they lived in now. She was just over 13 months old, and he held her in his arms. He had been swaying back and forth with her to the song she loved throughout the years, “What A Wonderful World”. He remembered dancing only with the women he loved the most in this world. He danced with his mother, his first girlfriend, Emma’s mother, Pepper, and Emma. He loved each of those women, and he lost each of those women. The picture of him dancing with Emma in the living room was taken by his best friend, Edwin Jarvis, who died when Emma was still young, leaving Tony to take care of his little princess all alone.

The peaceful picture came to life in front of him, his own memory playing before his eyes in the midst of all the chaos. He could still hear her laugh, the one that never died no matter what else died within her. She was tainted by the world at such a young age, the cruel hand of fate taking her mother and giving her a workaholic father who solved problems with alcohol. No matter how much anger and cruelty this world showed her, she still smiled, she still laughed, and she still loved so freely. She was everything Tony strived to be, and she was everything he ever needed in his life. Seeing the picture and hearing her laughter in the depths of his mind only pushed Tony to work harder to find her.

Of course, he wasn’t too focused to not hear the door open, but he ignored it like he did the first question out of Steve’s mouth. Let’s be honest, though, Tony ignored a lot that came out of Steve’s mouth. It wasn’t surprising to him that the members of his team were at his house, but it was certainly surprising how fast they made it there. If Emma’s safety was ever called into question, he had been certain that everyone would pull together, and here they were. Clint stood behind him, a strong hand gripping Tony’s tense shoulder as he worked. Clint had always been there in the worst moments, offering that quiet support that Tony always seemed to need. Emma and Clint were close, but nothing could compare to the bond Emma and Steve had. It made Stars n’ Stripes easier for Tony to tolerate, knowing that Emma loved him as much as she did. In moments where Steve’s life was put in jeopardy, Emma would pace and do everything in her power to make sure he was brought home safely. Now that the tables were turned, Tony could see the effect her absence had on the supersoldier. He got quiet-unnaturally quiet. Those fearful blue eyes were so clear that Tony could practically witness the flashback playing in them-the time when Steve lost everything on that train.

If Tony hadn’t been so immersed in his work-as he usually was-it would’ve been him, instead of Bruce, to offer Steve some comforting words. Of course, Tony’s deliverance of the speech would’ve been similar but less elegant. Somehow, though, the man who was known for his anger was the one with the best ability to calm others, and that smooth voice was one of the ways he did that. Bruce pulled Steve away from the situation, murmuring quiet words to him in the corner of the workshop, words Tony couldn’t make out, but he didn’t mind. As he got closer to unlocking the tracking device in her phone, it would be a lie to say he cared about anything else but that.

Suddenly, the ringtone coming from his phone pulled the attention of everyone in the room. Emma had chosen her favorite song as her ringtone on her father’s phone. It was the song they danced to, the song he sang to her whenever she was sad, the song he danced to with Emma’s mother the night they fell in love. All of those memories flooded back in that moment as he scrambled for his phone, answering the call. He didn’t even had the chance to greet the caller before a gruff male voice began speaking, “good evening, Mr. Stark”

The sorrow that Emma’s absence brought diminished as the new fear surfaced. Even though he knew she had been taken, hearing the stranger’s voice only cemented that theory in reality. He pulled the phone away from his ear and put it on speaker, wanting everyone else to hear exactly what he was about to hear, “who is this?” he asked, his voice trembling just as much as the rest of his body was.

The stranger laughed before he spoke, “who I am doesn’t matter, it’s who we are. We are aware of what you’re trying to do. Once this phone call is finished, we’ll be disposing of the phone, and we will move on. You’re going to want to use all the time you have wisely, so I’ll keep this phone call brief. Seeing as how you’re trying so diligently to track this phone, you must already know that we have your daughter. We are asking for a simple payment in return for your daughter. Your life in exchange for hers. If you turn yourself over to Hydra, we will let her go with...minimal harm done,” he said, and Tony could hear the twisted smile on his face, which disgusted him even more. If it was truly Hydra that had his daughter, there was a very real chance that he would never see her again even if he did turn himself over. The kidnapper, sensing Tony’s hesitance, continued, “think about this carefully, Mr. Stark. The longer you take to decide, the more pain she endures. Do not test us. We have no shortage of ideas. As well as your freedom, we ask that you forfeit to us all the money in your bank accounts. Failure to turn yourself over within 48 hours will result in packages in the mail containing pieces of your daughter. We look forward to hearing from you.”

Tony gripped the phone tightly as everyone else in the room stood absolutely still. The tension and anticipation for what was to come left everyone stunned in absolute silence. Tony didn’t mind being threatened, beaten, or tortured. However, a rage took over like never before when his daughter’s health and well-being was threatened. He brought the phone closer to his reddening face, “listen here, you piece of shit. If you even think about touching her, you’re dead. I swear to everything that has ever been and will ever be that I will end you. You have no idea what I’m capable of when it comes to protecting the people I care about. You’re threatening the one thing that means more to me than anything else, so prepare for what’s about to come. You won’t walk away from this. You can’t find a crack or crevice on this Earth that I won’t be able to find you. You fucked with the wrong father,” Tony growled

An audible but muffled scream was heard in the background of the call. It was Emma. Everyone knew, without the shadow of a doubt, that it was her. Tony never knew that he could experience so many feelings at once, but he knew that the sadness, fear, and rage all stemmed from his protective instinct. In that moment, he was so overstimulated that he was frozen at the sound of her agonizing scream. After it stopped, the voice of the man was heard again, this time more menacing than before, “the cold heart of Winter is coming back for your daughter, Mr. Stark. You have 48 hours”

#tony stark imagines #tony stark imagine #steve rogers #captain america #tony stark #iron man #clint barton #hawkeye #natasha romanoff #black widow #bruce banner #hulk #hydra #marvel #marvel imagines #ofc #original female character #original character #oc #togr #The One Good Reason #TOGR fic

[vorpalmusings]

Wonder Woman: The Movie

Rebirth has brought the Amazing Amazon back to her roots, but this would only be a partial victory had the Wonder Woman movie been a failure along the lines of Dawn of Justice.

The Movie

We had nothing to fear. Not only was Patty Jenkins’ vision perfectly true to Diana, but Gal Gadot surprised everybody by being the perfect casting for Wonder Woman. At its current standing, the movie is the leggiest superhero movie, holding up better than other superhero movies in the past fifteen years.

Wonder Woman is a tremendous success, easily Warner Brother’s third-highest earning superhero movie. We all remember, several years ago, how Diane Nelson told us over and over again that the public would find Diana difficult to understand, that the movie with all of her mythical elements would be problematic.

People love Wonder Woman all over again, and they love her movie. A lot.

I said I would write a review of the movie, but I don’t want to do a play by play. Rather, I think that a full review would go over territory that has been already tread by many, and it would be pointless. What I think is important is to pause and reflect on the reasons why Wonder Woman has inspired viewers, why it has made them cry at moments like the No Man’s Land (guilty as charged), and why they keep coming back for more.

Of course, the themes of empowerment and sisterhood, and the total lack of sexualization of the female hero in a mainstream Hollywood blockbuster movie are two huge points in the movie’s favor. While we have seen some tremendously heroic women in the realm of Science Fiction (Ellen Ripley, we love you), the genre of superhero movies is a whole different thing: it is pure, idealized heroic fantasy comparable to the sagas that Wagner drew upon (minus, you know, the incest and other things.) 

In this genre it is customary to see the powerful bodies of male superheroes highlighted dramatically as a source of inspiration and empowerment, whereas the female heroes who fight alongside them have their bodies leered at by the camera, with a special fixation on their backsides and cleavage. Whether it is Elektra walking away from the camera that is perfectly poised to catch her derriere and hips swaying, to Harley Quinn’s daisy dukes being almost pornographically ogled by the camera, to Black Widow being the only Avenger to have a movie poster designed to show off those assets, the female superhero body seems to exist purely to be sexy, not powerful or inspiring. 

And then came Wonder Woman- the first female protagonist in the superhero live-action movie genre to shatter this trope. There are plenty of examples throughout the movie, but I will stick with one of the prominent ones seen in the trailer. Diana shatters an enemy rifle using nothing but her biceps and her back. It is a moment of sheer, inspirational power that highlights the Amazon’s physique, but it isn’t done as an excuse to sexualize her- this moment (among many in the movie) sees her treated exactly as a male superhero would be treated.  It isn’t material for titillation, it’s as awe-inspiring as is the crossing of the No Man’s Land and all of Diana’s feats. 

But the glory isn’t solely showered on one Amazon, but all of them: the Amazons are treated with the same reverence, and seeing Hippolyta jumping into battle with her army is a joy.

However, feats of strength and martial prowess only go so far. Without the right heart, it all becomes so much empty bombast. What is special about Wonder Woman is the very same thing that made her special when she first touched down on the shores of Man’s World 75 years ago, guided by the typewriter of the brilliant and eccentric William Moulton Marston. 

[SPOILER WARNING: IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE, THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE YOU SHOULD STOP READING AND COME BACK AFTER YOU HAVE SEEN IT... REALLY, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? THIS MOVIE IS AMAZING, GO. NOW.]

Diana of Themyscira is an excellent example of the principle of ἀρετή (Arete, pronounced /a.re.tɛ̌ː/), a Greek term that Aristotle (among others) identified with  moral virtue:

"Virtue (arete) then is a settled disposition of the mind determining the choice of actions and emotions, consisting essentially in the observance of the mean relative to us, this being determined by principle, that is, as the prudent man would determine it." Aristotle,  Nicomachean Ethics, II vi 15

In Aristotle’s conception of virtue, the virtuous action is always found in the intermediate state between deficiency and excess: too much and too little are always wrong, with  the right kind of action in the right kind of measure being defined as the golden mean, contextually appropriate to both the situation and the individual in question.

So, what does this mean for Diana? When Diana learns of the terrible things that are happening on Man’s World, she feels incapable of obeying her mother’s orders to do nothing while innocents die. Her compassion is fueled by her sense of justice- can she truly stay behind in her idyllic world while innocents are slaughtered, when she knows she is an Amazon and, according to legend, especially trained for such an occasion along with the rest of her sisters? 

Diana comes to the world, even if it means turning her back on her mother. She could have sent Steve back by himself, but that would have been too little, and convincing the entire Amazon army to leave Themyscira and thus leave it undefended would have been too much. One single, albeit extraordinary, Amazon coming to Man’s World to fight Ares was clearly the right choice.

Throughout Diana’s journey, she finds herself faced with the quest for the right action- she cannot abide the paralysis in the trenches and thus crosses No Man’s Land, everywhere she goes she seeks to enact the right action because she ultimately loves humanity and wants to help. Unlike the cinematic incarnations of her fellow Trinity members, she does not agonize about whether she has the right to take action or whether she is capable of knowing what is the right course to take. Diana embarks on her quest with the certitude that she will find the right actions, even if she has to correct her course to account for new knowledge. Her sense of justice will simply not allow her to consider inaction.

It is rather fitting, then, that Arete was occasionally personified as a deity in Ancient Greece and portrayed as the daughter of Justice herself: Praxidike, whose other daughter and Arete's sister was the goddess Homonoia, the goddess of concord.

At the end of her journey, Diana is faced with the knowledge that man’s nature was not entirely what she thought it was, that man was not wholly good... that is, that humanity is not exactly the pure race that the myths painted, incapable of  atrocities unless influenced by outside forces. She has grown up believing in the sole goodness of humanity, and Ares then tries to expose her to his cynical view of humanity, which is that of utterly corrupt and irredeemable creatures. And for a moment, it almost seems possible that she will embrace this belief.

But, just as before, when caught in the pull between two extremes, Diana always returns to her center. With her new realization of humanity’s nature, she says to the sneering Ares:

“They are everything you say. But so much more.” 

Diana’s knowledge has expanded. Humanity is neither a demon awash in corruption nor a perfect being incapable of evil, but a people perpetually poised on the edge of possibility armed with nothing but choice. Each individual holds different measures of Elysium or Tartarus within them, unleashed by the choices they make- with those falling outside of the range of the golden mean bringing about terrible consequences. The golden mean-which might as well have as a physical representation Wonder Woman’s lasso of Hestia, which seeks to remove falsehood in the quest for the truth-  and  it is knowledge of true things that informs the correct action.

“It’s about what you believe. And I believe in love.”

Diana’s next line may puzzle some, and some have dismissed it as a platitude or a cliché, but this is one of the truest statements about the character of Wonder Woman, and she means it in a different way than the lazy interpretation some might ascribe to it.

From a philosophical point of view, especially from an Aristotelian perspective, the idea of ‘love’ is tied to virtue and the notion of ‘the good’. Virtue does not, as some would have you believe, exist for its own sake, but rather it is the right action aimed at attaining that which is valued and loved.  It is impossible to enact virtue without being capable of loving. Diana loves Truth and therefore seeks to act honestly in order to uncover it, she cannot abide tyranny and therefore seek to enact Justice to bring freedom. She loves humanity as a whole and wishes to see it prosper, and thus seeks to uphold Peace- even if she must fight to achieve it. 

(Aside: That last example is not a contradiction in her standards, because one must never allow one’s virtues to be turned towards one’s own destruction. If Diana embraced complete pacifism, then those who initiate violence against the innocent would easily be able to exterminate those who are not violent, if no-one were to defend themselves.) 

Therefore, everything that Diana does, and the force that carries her truly through the end of her journey is her intense ability to value and to love, intensely. 

Her final realization in the movie is also one that many superheroes do not seem to achieve- Diana is very aware that only humanity- individuals themselves- can truly make a better world for themselves through the choices that they make. She is also aware that, as long as there is such a thing as freedom of will the struggle between good and evil choices will go on. She now knows that her mission in Man’s World is to protect ( others against violence) and to teach (her values), but she is not here to ‘fix the world’ in the way that some authoritarian dictator might, by imposing a conduct through force. She lets the world make its own choices, and is the advocate of everything mankind can be- and which some individuals achieve in varying measures. 

 Even though she is a ‘child of fate’, she is completely unaware of it and chooses the path for herself long before knowing she was born as the only being capable of destroying Ares. She takes the trope of the ‘chosen one’ and turns it upside down. Wonder Woman, essentially, disregards deontological ethics and places virtue ethics at the fore.  And this is what makes Wonder Woman as a movie, and a character, stand apart from her male colleagues in the Trinity. Whereas Batman’s tragic orphan-hood shaped his thirst for justice and Superman is marked by the loss of a world and people he never knew, Wonder Woman’s origin story is unmarked by tragedy: she was born from a mother’s love, and she is moved by a love of people and of the world. 

And this, even if it is only dimly perceived as a vague undercurrent by some, is the core reason for why Wonder Woman has been such a smashing success. The Amazon’s incredible fortune is reminiscent of the impact she had when she first made her debut in All-Star Comics #8 in 1941. Back then, the world embraced the champion of Themyscira as a unique hero with a unique message. 

It has been a long time coming, but she has finally come home again, and many are embracing her as others did, way back when.

Here’s to  Warner Brothers for finally giving us what we’ve been asking for all these decades. And here’s to Wonder Woman 2.

#Wonder Woman #Wonder Woman the Movie #Gal gadot #DC Comics #philosophy #Aristotle #Themyscira #articles

[thesimplyluxuriouslife]

252: The Characteristics of Being a Late Bloomer, and How Embracing This Gift Could Change the World for Everyone

"By necessity, we late bloomers are on a different, more challenging trajectory. As we travel through life, we encounter obstacles like the push for conformity, the oppression of groupthink, and the pains of self-doubt. But . . . in all these challenges, we find our hidden treasure. We unearth our individuality. We see that a path to excellence, to reaching our true potential, is available to all of us. Within these challenges lies our true power, our covert talents and secret advantages as late bloomers." —Rich Karlgaard, author of Late Bloomers: The Power of Patience in a World Obsesses with Early Achievement.

Unsurprisingly, the new book by Rich Karlgaard spoke to me and offered an abundance of reassurance and exhilaration. If the comments on IG a few weeks ago when I posted an excerpt from the book are any indication, you are or will be as well.

Especially as Americans we greatly celebrate, strive for, and thus put pressure upon ourselves, and either unconsciously or consciously, to figure out our path early, to achieve success quickly and when we don't we make faulty assumptions about what we can contribute which can erode our self-confidence and potentially prevent the gem that resides within us all to be discovered and then shared with the world enabling us to find deep, lasting inner contentment.

Karlgaard's new book is worth reading in-depth, from cover to cover as he delineates the obstacles that our culture currently needs to address with historical details, new studies, multiple anecdotal examples of how indeed the "late bloomer" simply needs time, patience and awareness to blossom at their own time, as well as the most difficult support to refute findings - neurology.

So while I will encourage you to read the entire book, in today's episode/post, I wanted to share with you the characteristics that you might find yourself identifying with when it comes to being a Late Bloomer and not realizing the gift of opportunity you have given yourself to enjoy the rest of your life.

15 Characteristics of a Late Bloomer

1.Curiosity is the late bloomer's fuel

"By its very nature, curiosity demonstrates an independence of mind."

To keep on blooming throughout the entirity of our lives, forever remain curious.

2. We are predisposed to be compassionate

"In facing the ups and downs of life, many late bloomers gain a greater sense of compassion. They show greater reflective thinking, diminished ego-centeredness, and a deeper appreciation of others' challenges."

Because late bloomers have faced struggles along the way, have refrained from conforming at the expense of our social connections and acceptance into "the group", we can more easily put ourselves into the shoes of others, we are more empathetic.

3.Better leadership skills are developed

Due to elevated compassion, workers view leaders more favorably, and combined with "authenticity and integrity", this trifecta of skills "improves retention and employee performance".

4. Resilience is developed and strengthened

"When it comes to developing resilience, the regulation of emotions gives mature people an advantange over the young: 'There is a naturally learnable set of behaviors that contribute to resilience. Those are the behaviors that we gravitate to more and more as we age'."

5. Emotion regulation is easier which cultivates a calmer demeanor which leads to more effectiveness and better relationships

"Our brains are driven to seek calmness as we age. Columnbia University social psychologist Heidi Grant Halvorson claims that calmness is central to happiness . . . research has long established that calm leaders are more effective".

Late bloomers naturally develop the skills necessary to find calmness if we choose to keep exploring, learning, listening and observing what works and what does not. This is where our curiosity helps tremendously leading us to the blooming stage of our lives that is authentic and unique to each of us.

6. Extensive insight

"Our insights are the result of us drawing on our full mental library of experience, patterns, and context, yielding an idea of extraordinary value."

Karlgaard explains that "the right hemisphere [of the brain] matures in childhood; the development of the left is consistent with the development of the prefrontal cortex, which is not fully mature until the mid-twenties". Due to the left-side's difference in development compared to the right, it takes time for us to see the connection of the awesome or unique events, sights and experiences of our lives and make sense of how we can utilize them in our unique way.

7. Navigation of life's ambiguity becomes easier

"Perhaps this is the perfection defintion of wisdom: reasoning and cognition based on knowledge and experience".

In other words, we are not born wise, but so long as we choose to be curious, continue to be life-long learners, we begin to build it. "Wisdom is the ability to see the layers of light that were harder to see when one was younger". And consequently, we have the opportunity to hone our intuition as to how to best navigate our journey even with the unknowns that are presented.

8. More easily determine what's important versus what's trivial

To piggy-back onto #7, because we have acquired knowledge about the world over time and have made the conscious choice to continue to learn, we are then better at discern patterns faster and jump to logical solutions more quickly.

9. A desire to cut the apron strings with your parents

"To fully bloom, we must declare our independence from our family. That doesn't mean we must reject their love . . . it means only that we must reach our own conclusions about what does and doesn't support our blooming."

Creating a healthy culture in which to bloom is analogous to the proper soil and conditions for a plant to flourish. Each plant will need different types of soil, different amounts of sunshine and shade, varying temperatures - some extreme, some moderate, and it all depends on the plant. Unlike the saying, "bloom where you are planted", we should instead get out of the soil we have been planted in and explore to discover where we truly thrive.

10. Adult peer pressure is real, and if you've felt it and tried successfully or not to not succumb, you may be a late bloomer

"Some of this [peer group] influence can be healthy and positive, as when we join a hiking club or sign up for a program to quit smoking. But not every peer push leads us to a better version of ourselves; not all communities support growth and positive change."

To break free from our peer group, even when we don't know why it feels uncomfortable or wrong (but we know it does), is not easy and it takes great inner strength to do so. However, it does become easier because we eventually begin to feel more in tune with our true selves, we feel a burden lift, we feel our energy surge because we are no longer trying to be or do something that isn't truly in line with what we can offer the world.

11. Societal pressure to conform is limiting to our true potential

"[Today's media] also promote cultural, racial or gender biases, either through stereotyping roles and behaviors, or under- or overrepresentation of minorities. And repeated exposure to media content can lead viewers to begin to accept media portrayals as representations of reality."

From the media's portrayal of how to socially engage, what dating should look like, what children should be doing at certain ages based on their gender, the values are repeatedly shared and included in endless amounts of media such as video games, movies, television, newspapers, magazines, books and radio, and since it is a passive medium, unless we are critical thinkers questioning everything we receive, it is easy to accept what is applauded as normal and what we should adhere to regarding our life's journey.

12. Letting go of comparisons

"Mass media ask us to compare our body shape, sex life, marriage, house, car, family and community to unattainable television versions of perfection. Social media ask us to compare our own commonplace or even boring reality against the curated accounts of how absoutely wonderful someone else's life is — people we know!"

When we stop comparing and start celebrating, we liberate ourselves and enable the opportunity to observe our own awesomeness without the outside world's close-minded criticism or limited acceptance.

The author shared something that I think is worth sharing here as a reminder that there are many paths to success, to reaching a goal, to attaining contentment. He writes, "There are always many ways to achieve a goal, gain expertise, or find success. In sports or music, they are easy to see . . . But it's not as easy to see multiple paths for success in most endeavors . . . [which leads to confusion. As a result,] we default to following norms and take the road everyone else is taking". And these paths to success have as much to do with professional "success" as well as personal "success". Your definition of a life of contentment, as I have said many times before on the blog and in my books, will most likely be very different than mine, but that doesn't mean we both cannot feel the contentment that is spoken about and written about that provides deep satisfaction and peace.

It is important that we all recognize that each of us will bloom at a different time.

"Each of us deserves the opportunity to bloom in our own way."

When we do this there are many invaluable benefits:

1.We protect ourselves, and others we encourage to bloom, in our own time from the consequences of disappoitnment or failure. (this doesn't mean there won't be bumps along the way, but it reminds us that it takes time to understand where we are headed and why)

2.We learn how to work with self-doubt and let it be our superpower.

"To bloom, we all must learn not to fear self-doubt but to embrace it as a normally occurring opportunity for growth and improved performance . . . The key to harnessesing self-doubt starts at the very core of our individual beliefs about ourselves . . . self-efficacy".

3. We strengthen our self-efficacy

Self-efficacy is an individual's confidence in their ability to accomplish what they set out to do.

4. Obstacles begin to be seen as opportunities to grow rather than road-blocks

"While you may feel a general sense of self-doubt . . . [you] proceed anyway".

5. Improved positive self-talk

"Positive self-talk can improve our performance by helping us regulate our emotions, thoughts and energy".

When we begin to see skill-sets that render positive results, we are more likely to invest in them. For example, positive self talk leads to more confidence, a strengthening our self-efficacy and thus improved performance with whatever task is in front of us. And so we continue to practice positive self-talk and it becomes stronger with this skill rendering more positive outcomes.

6. Stronger, healthier relationships

When you bloom, gravitate toward those who celebrate your blooming, and for those who initially are not, give them a moment to understand why your blooming makes them uncomfortable. Depending upon the person, they may not realize that their discomfort with your growth is a reflection of their disappointment in what they feel they could have achieved but didn't. This is all about them. Some will grow from this and remain in your life, others will not, and you will need to move on. But all of the skills you have acquired and applied will help lead you toward building not only healthier relationships with others, but a healthier, less critical relationship with yourself.

7. Excellence will arrive when you let your curiosity take over

"When [curiosity takes over], a sense of exploration also takes over. I get in the zone, and I go for it. I feel pulled, not pushed — pulled by a beautiful power I cannot explain."

8. The courage to repot when necessary

"When it comes to repotting, late bloomers have a distinct advatnage over early bloomers. We're naturally curious and resilient. We're not afraid to follow a different path or break free of convention. We genuinely want to see what's around the corner or over the hill. These late bloomer strengths enable —even propel— the change we need to find the right people and the right place to help us thrive."

Once you have a clearer understanding of who you are and what cultures and communities are best suited for you to bloom, you will have strengthened, as was mentioned above in the first list, an awesome skill set. This skill set will be your bedrock for being able to repot when and if it is necessary.

"We need to give ourselves a break. We need to recognize and celebrate the fact that we're all different, with different skill sets, developmental profiles and backgrounds and that each of us will forge a different path toward blooming."

Being a late bloomer is most certainly something to celebrate, and when we "change our story, we can change our behavior and even our life".

Let me leave you with this lasting thought from the book that resonately powerfully with me:

"If we're not forced to conform to standard timetables for success, we can —and will—bloom on our own schedules. And we can do it with a deeper sense of mission and a greater feeling of contentment. What we accomplish in the marathon of life depends on our persistence, our patience, and an ability to see ourselves as we really are. Our cultural obsession with youthful talent, with early achievement, distracts us from this simple truth. . . . our late bloomer power is different. It is the power to renounce what's supposed to happen in life and intead embrace what actually happens in life, with its ups and downs, twists and turns. It's the power to explore and experience, to be an individual. It's the power that comes with knowing and valuing ourselves."

Petit Plaisir

~The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding by Jennifer Robson

~read my review and reason for recommendation here.

TSLL BRITISH WEEK 2019 Posts:

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[katseye18-blog]

A Curse from Another Constellation

(most likely to be wished upon by a ex-spouse of one of your ancestors) from a story from your parents, about one of their first marriages, or a bad spilt from a baby father or mother, or an uncle in a horrible divorce battle. you may have this curse. - cheating, breaking agreement, the perpetrator will use this on the children, sexual activity, procreational means. bottom line, result in children committing suicide. they will feed off their death and grow onwards... disclaimer: figure out if your adopted or not.

the casting recipe - 18th-19th-century red brick dust, older the better. - Sand from the region the curse was brought upon you, geographical and a poem from your heritage.   poem - white tea candles   - a totem to reach a loved one from the other side for protection, bond - an animal representation to reach the native spirituality, strength based on the severity of curse i.e shark tooth, bear claw, wolf claw, birds peek, cat claw, hawk eye.. etc   - 2+ crystals meaning must coincide, it connects to the crystals and releases - your blood, so they know, you aren't scared of them, anymore. key component and you only do it, when in your next life, you can do this again. - Indirect communication 10 tarot cards for what they speak with and sense can influence hence the lightworkers and the one who arent. 2+ decks. cover all grounds - ancient Egyptian incantation of your choosing, each curse is different foundations are the same to harm ..   - choose heiroplgylpicsicshchs to draw... around tarot cards 1. Must use, incantation of the crook and flail, with flair 2. to cleanse your crystals after being a vessel of the entity, 80 - a tea to drink and bathe the crystals of what will hold the entity in while strengthening your loss of blood, stay at balance the whole time. Apple Blood goddess serum to lace the crystals around rosehip hibiscus blackberry leaves   w/ apple cider vinegar + left handed Blood of caster -celtic runes for representation of family members use your right hand blood use your discernment.

The Casting words  - Through the crystal 1 and crystal 2 i cleanse and release you from this hold on my family lineage... through my specific Dna blood structure. You, will now stop messing with my family members and most importantly stop messing with me, cause you will not be here upon my children my children's children, and their children. Through me i choose crystal 1, for you to attach to right now. place the crystal 1 in a bowl wit the sand of region ... the apple left-handed Blood tea now surrounds the crystal 1 - Read poem from heritage - Ancient egyptian incantation 1. re-cite:  ( feel free to play Ghost- Michael Jackson) who gave you the right to scare my family? And who gave you the right to scare my baby, she needs me And who gave you the right to shake my family tree? They put a knife in my back Shot an arrow in me Tell me are you the ghost of jealousy The ghost of jealousy   ... Now right hand blood coat the runes that represent your family members. and place the rose quartz in bowl. --- Through me, i now choose the crystal 2 ( preferred Rose quartz) to let it go w/ love, to find another bloodline in another celestial star system to fuck with/ if you need someone to haunt, Haunt me again, when civilization is underwater again, bitch. Find another version of me, in the reptilian bloodline, So I can fix that race later, cause im working on the human race, so captain marvel/ octopian pussycat, excuse yourself. Time unknown, Destination is known, Leave Begone. Your Journey starts elsewhere.   2. AE Blessing incantation for sacred objects of power.

Setup  - refer to picture Hold the animal part in your hand. wear the item from a loved one who past   tarot cards sprinkled with the red brick dust with AE picto-symbols placed on cards   salt around the bowl  

Opening Prayer A-kind if you can make one heap of all your winnings and risk it on one turn of pitch&toss, and lose.... and START again at your beginnings and never breathe a word about your loss, if you can force your heart and nerve to stew in private. to serve your turns long after they are gone and to hold on when there is nothing in you. except the will which says to your demons, to hold on, if you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk with kinds and be the perfect courtier nor lose your truth nor your kind touch. if not friends and foes, nor loving friends can no longer hurt.. you expelled those that are close can hurt you, you twist the quote, we all suffer but chose who is worth suffering for, then an A-kind is with you. but, dont do it too much  if you can fill the silence, or remain calm in an unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance.. the course is yours not theirs yours is earth and everything thats in it. you will scream humility, because you can humble yourself to nothing, to those that wish you would below the belt, you'll be an A-kind, my children.  if you can keep your head when all around you is losing theirs, and they blame it on you. trust yourself when all their doubt is projected to you, when its theirs. but allow their doubting to land you will grow patience in disputes. if you can wait and not be tired by waiting or be lied to and or about, don’t deal with lies or being hated, don’t give way to hating, someone where in their hatred is your honesty you need to embrace, they want to take away your power to change. don’t look too good, nor talk to be too wise, wisdom is displayed in silence just as much as it is heard, i have a dream that if you can dream and not make dreaming your master, but, a pot to fuel your subconscious thoughts you will wake up and achieve them. if you think and not make thoughts your aim but the bow, if you meet triumph and disater and treat them as two imposters the same way, you learn from both, if you attain too much success, you will find an answer to your core, if you attain failure you will find an answer to your core. if you can hear the truth you've spoken to yourself.. twisted in knives to make a trap for fools or watch the things you give your life too, but dont return any to the life inside you, broken... and stooped low, you build again with the same worn out tools. A-KIND.

#aliens #alien #magic #cure #spell #apple goddess #tarot #ancient egyptian #blood #crystals #family #relative #friends #foes #stars #celestial #spiritualintelligence #spiritual #ceremony #bowls #chant #michael jackson #lyrics #totem #native spiritual #animals #symbols #casting #wiccan #pagan

[lilygraceuniverse]

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Termination. We may possibly terminate this Agreement in case you are unsuccessful to comply with the phrases of the Settlement. You could terminate the License previous to the expiration of your term by completely erasing the Application and Products and services from your gadgets and canceling your account with us. You should check with our Refund Policy to determine Should you be suitable for simply a refund prior to erasing your Computer software and Expert solutions. If this Arrangement expires or can be terminated, (i) you'll not be approved to implement or access the Computer software and Companies, which include any on line storage or backup providers, (ii) you have to permanently erase the Software applications and Solutions out of your products, and (iii) we may perhaps terminate or near your accounts.

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