#my goals for this year and the next are rather humble

[yurimother]

An Update on YuriMother

As I'm sure many of you have noticed, there has been a distinct lack of my regular news coverage and articles as of late. I recently moved and started working at a new school (for those who do not know, teaching is my day job). While I love this job, it has considerably taxed my time and energy, which compounded with my strained focus and dedication that was already affecting the volume of my content, resulting in the near month-long silence.

However, I hope to recommit myself to YuriMother, as nothing in my life brings me more joy than my work with Yuri, and I want to continue celebrating the genre as I have for the past 11 years. This means resuming coverage of Yuri news stories, conducting more research, writing more reviews and articles, filming videos for TikTok, and working towards some of my personal larger goals for YuriMother.

Rather than going back and trying to cover everything I have missed over the past month, I am posting an article with a quick roundup of many major Yuri manga and light novel releases. The rest of the news slate is planned out for the week with, of course, room for any new stories that break. Additionally, I have several articles of varying scope, both for the main YuriMother website and for the Patreon exclusive "Secret Garden" line, at different stages of conceptualization and research. I look forward to drafting and editing these soon. Some are pieces that have floated around my head for over a year, and the prospect of finally putting them to page for you all to enjoy and learn from delights me.

I also created a poll on Patreon for members and the public, whether they subscribe to me or not, to decide the subject of my next review. Perhaps more than anything, I am thrilled by the prospect of actually reading Yuri again, as I practically have not consumed anything since I spent the majority of July burning through over a hundred webcomics and several times that amount in dollars because forget those free period wait times, I've got lesbians to fangirl over, for the 2023 Yuri Guide. There are so many incredible new titles and returning series sitting on my bookshelf, or more accurately, sitting in or on top of moving boxes next to my as-of-yet unassembled bookshelf, that I am thrilled to share with you.

Lastly, I want to thank you all for your continued support and patience with me during this time. I know many of you back me, and my work with your hard-earned money,  a fact which persistently baffles and humbles me, and I acknowledge that I have not always lived up to my end of that relationship.

I cannot promise that I will be perfect or that there will not be times when I struggle to deliver YuriMother content, but I can at least assure you that I will try my best every day and once again express my enormous gratitude to all of you. Thank you, everyone, especially my wonderful Patrons, for your engagement, kindness, support, and love of Yuri.

Sincerely,

Nicki Bauman The Holy Mother of Yuri

As always, if you can, consider joining the YuriMother on Patreon. Patrons can check out news, reviews, and articles early, get access to exclusive content like "The Secret Garden" an series of essays all about Yuri , and help support me and my work celebrating Yuri anime and magna.

[lolotheparagon]

What are the various Rogues' opinions on Scarecrow's new daughters minions?

Riddler:

I know I’m the best supervillain Gotham has ever seen, but I always had a humble respect for Crane. The man has elicited terror and fear thoroughout Gotham for many years and is a profilic terrorist and scientist. So it baffles the mind that he has taken upon himself to be a parent, oh wait I mean (snickers) boss to a bunch of tiny pastel ponies so he can scare the whole populace. It’s almost comical how stupid that plan is. Oh sure, the average Neanderthal slumping around the streets would be scared of these sickeningly cute critters. But that’ll wear off soon enough and you don’t see Two-Face or Harley Quinn afraid of them! What will be your plan next? Face it, Crane. You just want to play house with these ponies because you’re so desperate to have a goal in your life, you’ve resorted to parenthood like a lonely housewife in a loveless marriage. Pathetic!…What? What do I think of the ponies themselves? What’s there to talk about? They’re annoying, disgustingly cute and clearly lack any intelligence whatsoever! They’re also relentless, whenever Crane’s not around, they always force me to partake in their juvenile games. Do I look like a babysitter to you?!

Penguin:

Don’t remind me of those little bastards. When I found out that the Scarecrow himself had employed these tiny ponies to be his minions, I was laughing for days. Look at ‘em, you’d think you can easily just kick those little tykes to the curb, swot ‘em like a fly. But no, not only are they immune to bullets, they took down half my men, tied me up in ribbons, put bloody makeup on me and turned my club into a BLOODY ICE RINK!! Ohhh, you think you’ve won this battle, Crane. Think you’ve humiliated me. But mark my words, once your back is turned and your mind focused on the Bat again, I’ll take your little ponies and put ‘em in a glue factory!

Two-Face:

Oh yeah, those little…things. (Shudders) Their cuteness is so overwhelming they creep me out NEXT WE SEE ‘EM, WE SHOOT THOSE CRITTERS AND SMEAR THEM ALL OVER THE WALLS. You’re just pissed off cos they did our makeup. THOSE LITTLE BITCHES DREW ALL OVER OUR FACE I know we look stupid but you don’t see me raging about it SHUT UP, HARV! NO ONE WILL TAKE US SERIOUSLY WHEN WE GO ON CRIME SPREES WITH THIS SHIT PLASTERED ON! No one took us seriously anyway. WE’RE MEN! MEN DONT WEAR MAKEUP!! WHAT ARE YOU, GAY?! …I really need therapy.

Poison Ivy:

Those ponies are herbivores, nature is part of their diet. Normally, I would be against them but I just can’t say no to kids. These little ones have an unspoiled innocence that I hope their time in Gotham would never taint it. I feel almost sorry for them. Crane is a smart man, but he is cold and ruthless, not exactly father of the year material. But it is rather amusing to see himself run ragged trying to keep a bunch of ponies in order. Especially that unicorn following him around like a puppy. He’s stuck with all of them for eternity so I can’t wait to see how this will unfold. My bet is that he’ll have a mental breakdown within a few months. And I’ll have front row seats.

Harley Quinn:

What?! Dr Crane has magical ponies as his kids?!. Oh my god, that’s hysterical!! Wow, I mean, I know the Bat beat you pretty bad and you’re out of ideas, but that is a whole new level of desperate! Whats next year’s Halloween’s plan, he’s gonna sic Starbright Sprinkle and Princesscake on us? Ohhh, I’m so scared! But ya know what, good for him for finding a new career that suits him: a fucking loser! By the way, which ranch did he get those ponies from? Cos I want one! In fact, Crane, can I have the pink one? No, wait, I’ll trade ya for the flying fairy one!

Catwoman:

I always see the little guys running around at the mall, playing dress up and terrifying thugs with their mere existence. Its funny to see a bunch of grown men terrified at something so cute. Honestly, I have no idea why Crane of all people is in custody of these ponies. To see the master of fear being a dad and a decent one to boot is…weird. I don’t know if he’s just putting it on to regain some scare factor or if he’s genuinely enjoying it, but at least the ponies seem happy. However, if he does put any of those kids in danger, I’ll tear his stitched ass apart.

Killer Croc:

Doesn’t matter, they’re all just food to me. Those little things don’t scare me. Nothing scares me. Not even, you, Crane.

Mr Freeze:

He has what? That is…concerning. I do hope those little ponies are treated properly. Are they well-fed? Do they have proper education? He doesn’t experiment on them, does he? No? Oh thank goodness. Well, are their mental and emotional needs met? Does he spend quality time with them? …Sorry, I have a few arctic hares that I keep as pets that I’ve grown very attached to over the last month. They’re like children to me. So I just hope Crane is taking the responsibilities of parenting seriously.

[hearthandheathenry]

Hi I just saw your post and was wondering if I can get a 1-card reading from you. My question is what kind of energy should I incorporate in the content with my sister on social media? We’re leaning more into being an influencer but it’s hard to create content that gets people engaged and interested in us.

Hey there! I totally get the frustration on content creation, I think all content creators feel it! Truth be told, I've heard that the algorithms are designed to make your first few posts successful, then it's a little harder to get views, so they keep you hooked and trying to make the next viral content, so that you keep pumping out content for their website! I don't know if it's true, but I've noticed that taking the stress off your shoulders and posting what feels authentic to you, and actually enjoying your content creation, tends to give the most insight and helps the process feel more successful! There's nothing better in content creation than seeing something you're proud of and love get the attention you want! Rather than things you hate making. Other tips I can think of is definitely utilize hashtags and SEO as those things help your content get seen in the first place. And definitely find your niche! There's no rush, so play around with what you like and see what takes off. For example, the witchy stuff on this blog gets the most engagement, but I still enjoy posting about cooking and such!

As for your card pull, the King of Pentacles popped out for you!

Literal meaning: "The King of Pentacles is an honest, generous leader who has worked hard and achieved great success. He upholds his duties and traditions, and respects his ancestral heritage. He is kind, but has high expectations of others and believes they should have the same work ethic as he does. He is humble and self-reliant."

Pentacles also represents earth, winter, and years. It represents money, work, talent, reputation, achievement, stability, and the material realm. The court cards tend to represent people, so the King is most likely a representation of you.

My interpretation of the card: The king is a representation of you or who you need to be to achieve your success that you're after. Keep in mind the qualities that it is describing, as these are most likely the type of energy you need to put forth to gain what you want. Hard work, honesty, generousness, self-reliance, humbleness, and respectfulness of traditions. Success takes work and the good type of success will take honest and kind work. No one gets famous overnight, and many influencers have done some shady things to get to the top. If you want genuine engagement and success, this is telling you to keep at your goals, to not rely on others but your own efforts and merits (as in not expecting others to do everything for you, but theres nothing wrong with help and collaborations), to be kind and generous to others as you climb to your goals, and it has an additional message of tradition, so maybe there is something in your ancestral lineage or heritage that can inspire you in your work. Perhaps its educating others on something from your history, or maybe its a lesson learned from the past. It says that he also expects others to have the same work ethic, so in regards to working with your sister, make sure she is on the same page of hard work and other qualities in order to reach your success together. Since the pentacles represents years, achieving your goals may take years instead of a shorter amount of time, so again, don't expect instant success. With it representing winter, perhaps something will happen in winter that will bring you good news on your success, or that may be the season you reach your goals. Stay diligent, learn the tricks of the trade, and find your niche and what you enjoy creating. You'll get there! The king is the highest card of the suit, so you will definitely reach your success in the end!

#answered asks #tarot #tarotblr #tarotcommunity #tarot reading #tarot cards #king of pentacles #success #influencer #content creation #content creator #advice #tips #lessons #lesson #successful #good vibes #divination #spiritualism #witch #witchy #witchcraft #witchblr #witch community #pagan #paganblr #pagan witch #witchcore #free tarot #free tarot readings

[dinosaurchurch]

This was my twenties, an entire decade gone just like that.

For some funny reason when I started, I didn't think I'd get this far. Thirty definitely seemed like a lifetime away but here I am. After going through some of the toughest and sweetest times in my life I'm closing this chapter for good.

Sometimes I'd wonder what past me would think about the person I am today, would she be okay with the outcome or would she wish for something different? Would I have changed anything if I knew what was going to happen? The past decade has definitely been a learning curve, I think it was mainly discovering myself and knowing that other people too are on this journey is very humbling. Albeit not everyone goes at the same pace and some never do find themselves.

If I can say anything is my fiery side doesn't crop up nearly as often as it used to but that doesn't mean the flame has died. I've come to be a little more wise when choosing my battles because time isn't infinite or at least it isn't in this life. I'm only here for a small while so I might as well get the best out of it. Learning to channel my energy where it really counts is something I've gotten comfortable with.

Over the course of my twenties I've battled obesity, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, self doubt, and moments of weakness. I've also achieved some great things for myself. I've gotten DIVE just about finished (it's currently sitting at almost 650 pages), I've improved greatly as an artist, got better at cooking/baking, picked up powerlifting and have gotten decently strong, and I'm happier than I've ever been. Progress is not always linear but the main thing is to keep pushing, even in my lows there was still something to cherish and appreciate.

My twenties have been about pushing my comfort zone and learning to swim with the tide rather than feeling like I'm drowning. It's been tough but without hardship I wouldn't be me. Spite the hell I went through I don't think I'd change how everything happened. Every one and everything had something to provide with the time and the place that they were for me regardless of if the experience was positive or negative.

There's been a lot that's come and gone in my journey - people, places. Having found a life long romance deepen to saying my final goodbye to a handful of people that have passed away, it's been very bittersweet. My twenties certainly has been riding the hurricane through to the other side, even passing through the eye not knowing what else is to come other than I have to weather the storm. I've burned more bridges than I can count but the one thing that hasn't wavered is my moral integrity.

That's probably the biggest thing I've achieved over the past decade. I know who I am and where I'm going with myself. I may not know entirely what the future holds but I've got a guideline written up for myself on the goals I want to accomplish over the next decade. I may never be perfect but it doesn't mean that I can't try to be the best version of me that I can.

It's a good feeling knowing that I've crossed off some major things on my goal list. I've completely mellowed over the course of the past few years especially, my twenties definitely have held some of the hardest mental battles I'm sure I'll ever face. The inner turmoil of leaving things unsaid, having to walk away when necessary is something that's an underrated skill but it's something I've had to learn.

All in all I’m happy to move forward with the next chapter of my life, although I’ll never forget the memories I made over the past ten years. There were absolutely some great highlights that I’m sure I’ll probably mention at some point.

Onward and upward.

Cheers to thirty.

#personal #birthday #summer 2023 #twenties #thirties #hello thirties #30th birthday #inner thoughts #looking back #closure #looking ahead #reminiscing #introspection #self reflection #happy birthday #another trip around the sun #selfie

[dollarbin]

Dollar Bin #20:

Dump's International Airport

My famous brother's always been a big deal.

I remember his first peewee soccer game. Both teams just ran after him in a pack while he scored goal after goal. "Dear Lord Baby Jesus," I asked, "why is my little brother already a bigger deal than me?"

Nothing's happened ever since to disabuse me of my inherent secondary status. Just check him out today. He's in a killer band and I can't sing Happy Birthday on key; he blogs about Pharaoh Sanders and Sonic Youth for the mad rushing crowd while I blog about him for you twelve people; he's interviewed 2/3 of Crazy Horse, Richard Thompson and Robyn Hitchcock (twice!) and my cat won't even listen to me; he has a glorious head of hipster hair on top of his six foot frame; my bald spot swells and shines far beneath his stately chin.

Even so, there are a few things we have in common, and at the top of that list is the firm conviction that James McNew is a very big deal. A good drinking game would be chugging every time my brother and I mention his name while together. You'd get plastered.

Odds are we'll ruminate on McNew's status as the best musician in Yo La Tengo (even though we revere Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley), next we'll wish he'd make a new solo record, then I'd insist we talk about our close encounters with James (my brother occasionally shares a byline with McNew on Aquarium Drunkard or elsewhere, usually when they're both talking about the Dead, and when he interviews McNew they sound like old friends; I like to wave and shout James's name from the pit, hoping he'll remember the time I helped him move his amps after sneaking into YLT's soundcheck in '95 at the Alligator Lounge; James always politely nods then resumes his job of shredding everyone's soul to pieces with his furious musical chops; humble guy, James).

For the uninitiated: McNew emerged from a parking lot ticket hut in the early 90's and began recording solo music sporadically under the name Dump; he put out three classic full records in the 90's, and since then has issued a collection of Prince covers and a few other sporadic releases, the most recent of which was only released on tape in Spain. That's right, I'm writing about a guy who issues his music only to Spaniards who still have tape decks; I guess we'd better add "obtusely" in front of "humble" when describing McNew.

Meanwhile, he's spent the past 30+ years as the cornerstone of the world's greatest, still-operational, rock band, Yo La Tengo.

If you need any proof that they are the gnarliest group of rock nerds this side of Sterling, Mo, Lou and what's his name, or doubt that James is their pillar of obtusely humble virtuosity, check this out (and please note I was standing next to the dude with the camcorder when this insanity went down; I'm still reeling from the experience, and I still have the setlist):

Please note, I think my expert moving of McNew's amps earlier that same day was a prime contributor to this all out sonic assault on everything Stephen Stills stands for on the band's part. Ira Kaplan appears to be wrestling a giant man-eating octopus while Georgia and James slay the beat.

On his own McNew can be fragile and tender, sounding like a shivering adolescent rather then a human behemoth (when seen from pit and James looks like he's 6'6 / 325; some of this is because Ira, and especially Geogia, are fairly miniature humans, but most of his heft comes from his God-like approach to every instrument you can imagine; he also happens to be a big dude).

Listen to him warble on Into Fall from '94; yes his guitar has a touch of wobbling hippo, but everything here is precious, and McNew shows us he's a later-day Brian Wilson. All that's missing is Wilson's budget, torment and sister-in-law lust:

But McNew can also produce music that's straight up violent, write rock anthems and lay down shambolic funk. In other words, he's a one man Yo La Tengo, masterful in every possible mood.

International Airport, a vinyl-only EP from 95, puts every one of these qualities concisely forward. We open with Words, a droning prayer that sounds like Lou Reed slipped out of a dull stint in rehab so as to sit in on the demo sessions for The Cure's Faith. A song like this should not be interesting. But it's awesome, and when the guitar shoulders in late we tremble and get excited about what lies ahead.

Side two features everything from an a cappella Kinks song sung out the window that comes complete with polite city applause, to a brutal, call the cops on your psychotic neighbor, track Laurdine.

But it's the 12 minute title track, which fills most of the A Side, that raises International Airport, which I bought upon it's release for probably $6, up to Dollar Bin hall of fame status. All hail this sprawling ode.

McNew opens the track with a Casio riff, taking his time. Bass and drums rise only gradually until, around the two minute mark, we suddenly realize we are taking off, the international terminal long gone as a second riff expands and swerves about the first, like joint eagles protecting their nest. It's lovely flying, and we have to remind ourselves that McNew is responsible for everything here. Had McNew taken this song to YLT, I don't know what more his band mate Hubley could have done on the drum track, and I have a hard time remembering that it's McNew, not Kaplan, who's wrestling the octopus this time around. Seven minutes into it we expect things to fade out majestically but McNew instead steers his increasingly interstellar song through a cosmic, psychedelic carwash, the keyboards, then guitars, sounding like angry droids with laser cannons.

Wow.

When McNew's vocals enter at the 11th hour/minute to serenade us and wave good-bye we wish he'd take us with him wherever he's going. But sadly, we're not invited. Rather, James is probably hanging out with my famous brother as we speak: two humble and deeply masterful dudes.

#Youtube #james mcnew #stephen stills still sucks #gloom and doom from the tomb #yo la tengo #aquarium drunkard #prairiewolf

[triscribeaucollection]

It’s About the Magic

The thing is- it’s about magic.

One doesn’t get assigned their living arrangements for the following seven years based on how cunning or humble or bold they are - maybe that affects what friends they make, what teachers they endear themselves to, but the power woven into that Sorting Hat doesn’t look only at mere surface personality traits. It looks at the magic. More specifically, it looks at what each child thinks about their magic.

Rowena Ravenclaw wanted students who asked questions in her House. Children who looked at the awe of magic, the wonder in it, the mysteries and discoveries and far horizons. Whether they sought answers in books or out in the fields and hills, she wanted to teach and guide those who considered magic a source of inspiration, a quest to be embarked upon. To simplify her fledgling eagles as the ‘smart’ students, dismissed as merely being good at memorizing information with no more nuance to their minds, is an insult to the pursuit of magical knowledge.

Godric Gryffindor wielded his power as one would a mighty tool, and preferred pupils who desired the same, those who sought to better equip themselves. Sword and shield, needle and thread, hammer and tongs: it mattered not what end goal each student pursued, what skills they sought to perfect or deeds they dreamed to achieve. Only that they should strive to master their magic, to best apply it to the challenges ahead. Perhaps ‘bravery’ is an apt thing for young cubs to strive towards, but lions are made of more than courage alone.

Helga Hufflepuff considered the bounties of her efforts to be a great gift, and that gifts became all the more valuable when shared with others. That it did not matter what else a child could or could not claim to be, so long as they remained generous in both mind and spirit, turning the strength of one into the strength of many. With magic, food, money, and all such things that could ease a difficult task. To lend a hand in times of hardship is to see prosperity for all when the good times return, and to call her little badgers mere ‘duffers’ would be the height of folly.

Salazar Slytherin saw his magic to be a privilege, a responsibility, something he and his fellow practitioners were meant to shelter and protect. Children of magic, especially, were meant to be safeguarded, from threats both within and without. Authority, ranks, prestige - all of it came from being able to grow up in the first place, to be able to practice in safety, and learn from wiser and older minds who’d surpassed their own trials and tribulations. This is the first lesson taught to his ‘cowardly’ snakes: that in order to become magically strong, one with magic must first survive.

(If a threat had ever truly come to Hogwarts Castle, Godric would have rallied the defenses, Rowena’s protective enchantments at his back. It was Helga’s task to evacuate or else hide away the students, to keep them from harm, while Salazar’s duty was to awaken the method of last resort, the final protector capable of defeating any enemy who looked upon it. The four of them knew this. Their immediate successors knew it as well, and those who came next, but over time- well. Over time, the exact details of their duties became muddled, or lost outright. Legend eventually overtook fact, as disgruntlement and disagreements outstripped logic, and everyone forgot about the basilisk safely tucked away in case the worst ever occurred.)

---

Somewhere, there is a fantastic tumblr post that breaks down how students are *actually* sorted at Hogwarts, and it forever changed how I read HP stories as well as I how I write them. But HECK if I can actually find the dang thing, because of course the relevant analysis was in a reblog rather than the main post.

Anywho. This is the first page of my newest WIP, a continuation of Good Day Coming, aka the ‘Harry gets stolen by a couple of burglars, learns to pick pockets professionally, and proceeds to make life Very Interesting for a lot of people at Hogwarts’ AU. So far we’re up to nine pages and I’m only halfway through his first year...

#hogwarts #the sorting hat #harry potter AU #wip

[lostbetweenthepagesofthesebooks]

"It is a word. Words are pale shadows of forgotten names. As names have power, words have power. Words can light fires in the minds of men. Words can wring tears from the hardest hearts. There are seven words that will make a person love you. There are ten words that will break a strong man's will. But a word is nothing but a painting of a fire. A name is the fire itself.” (Rothfuss, 672).

As promised, we're kicking off with the The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss. And I want to start off by saying that the series is not currently finish. Fortunately, there's only meant to be one more book to the main story (or maybe unfortunately, but we'll get there). Secondly, I want to mention that this is a fantasy book. I realize there are plenty of people who aren't big fans of fantasy or maybe trying to veer off the fantasy train right now.

Brief, spoiler free review: The series is focused on Kote/Kvothe, who decides to have his story written down of his trials as a kid, to his tribulations as a teenager and getting into what is apparently the most prestigious university in this realm. A university that teaches (to those that can afford it) how to use and hone magic. The story follows Kvothe struggling and fighting for his life as a kid to an adept magician, all the awhile searching for clues to what was thought of as just an ancient story to tell.

Warning: mild spoilers ahead

The Name of the Wind

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Emotions: anxious; sorrow; pain; determination; joy; annoyance; relief.

Basically... I really enjoyed this book. It's a great start to someone's story. Nothing in this book feels too drawn out. We spend a few chapters in the beginning of where Kote/Kvothe is now, clearly living a very humble life, in a very simple town. Essentially, he his hiding in plain sight. We learn there are safety and political issues across the land. We get a few creature/fight scenes before even jumping into Kote/Kvothe's story. Kote eventually gets convinced by a man called the Chronicler (who Kote saves from a creature) that recognizes Kote for who he really is: Kvothe.

Side note - yes we learn that there is apparently some drama across the lands in the present tense, but I honestly have no idea if Rothfuss even plans on really touching on this. Kvothe becoming THE Kvothe aka Kvothe The Bloodless, Kvothe The Arcane, Kvothe Kingkiller, Maedre, The Flame, The Thunder, Lightfinger, Broken Tree, Dulator, Shadicar, Six-String. All of this. Into three books. Which might very well be easily doable, but basically, I would not get too invested on those little tidbits that are given about the present tense.

Getting into Kvothe's story... his childhood is sweet. It makes you want to be an Edema Ruh, which is what his people are called. A traveling performer troupe, which are led by his mother and father, and make up his family. A man, Abenthy/Ben eventually rides along with his troupe for a span, teaching Kvothe a little about magic, or rather, sympathy. This is where Kvothe learns about The University, and starts making it his goal to attend the school. Without getting too carried away, and also as to not give too much away, eventually Ben has to depart from the group and not long after this, a great tragedy strikes.

The tragedy and how Kvothe responds to it... The way Patrick wrote this scene was heartbreakingly beautiful and oddly made me really love this book. I felt it in my heart. It was really well done. Also, here, we learn that the supposed ancient, but just a story... is definitely not, just a story. We get just a little taste here, and then it's quite some time before we find it again.

The next few chapter is where we watch Kvothe struggle and literally fight for his life, which I do think is necessary there is good information to be gathered about Kvothe's background and understanding what makes him, him. These years certainly have profound influences on him at the university, and no doubt on him as an adult.

Eventually Kvothe lands his way at The University... where he once again has to prove himself to even get into The University. But... yes... Kvothe proves very clever, and manages to get himself into the school. While here, Patrick really unfolds more of the magical realm which I really enjoy. The University teaches different types of magics and clearly houses plenty of secrets. Kvothe gains friends, an superbly ass-hat enemy, and obviously we have to have a love interest.

Now for more side notes/just general thoughts:

I want to say that although this is a fantasy novel, it's much less fantasy than others. The University definitely hosts more of the magical aspects of this realm, but even then, it's not like Harry Potter type of magic. It's almost more realistic in a way? Even though Kvothe is a quick learner, he does struggle while he's learning it. Magic is this book is difficult and dangerous. Almost every time you see it used, there's a consequence to it. Consequences can range from exhaustion to death. While I certainly love just blatant fantasy and straight up magic-this-magic-that, I did enjoy the aspect that this magic wasn't easy to hone or wield.

Like I said, I really enjoyed this book. I think it put me back into a headspace of being back in high school, and just dealing with life and drama at that age. Not that this book feels teeny-bop at. all. I feel like Patrick did a great job of setting up a foundation for this story. I definitely felt like there's great world building here, there's so much that I'm still wanting to know and/or learn about, which I know there's not enough time nor is it his focus; but these things were necessary to create this world. And that's what I love. I fell into this world that Patrick created during this book, and every time I had to put it down, I was still in that world. I didn't have the second book yet, and decided to read a book that I already had because I wanted to keep reading, but I was still stuck in Patrick's world as I started Fire & Blood.

For the world building that was done in this book, and the magic along the way, I definitely recommend this book. I would say you have to be committed to the series. At least the main series, as there are some novella's the Patrick did about two of the other characters that are in the story. The book itself doesn't end on a cliffhanger, but when Kvothe is telling his story, this ends on a cliffhanger. And I think it's just enough where people will be like "well...shit... let me grab the second one". The reason why I frame this all like such is because the final 'chapter' of Kvothe's story almost feels like a wrap up, the way he's talking; even though, as a whole, it's very much not done. We do not learn why we call him Kvothe Kingkiller in this book, folks.... but.... We do learn why we call him Kvothe The Bloodless.

Also... who wouldn't want to read a book with THIS cover:

Don't do it to 'em, Kvothe!

Read on beautiful peeps. 🤘📖

#the name of the wind #patrick rothfuss #the kingkiller chronicle #kvothe #magic #fantasy #book #bookblr #book blog #reading journal #book recommendations #book reccs #book review #reading #spoilers #mild spoilers

[enbyleighlines]

Leigh plays Tellius prt 12

I forgot how dramatic Geoffrey can be. But I guess with a best friend like Bastian, he would have to be a little dramatic.

I love how Ike continues to value his work as a mercenary above everything else. Of course, I don't think this high level of integrity is common amongst mercenary groups, but the Greil Mercs have always been different. Like how Greil himself would take work without pay, if it meant helping out someone in need. They fight for people, not for ideals such as honor or glory.

Now, I remember this map giving me so much trouble when I was a kid. This was the map that had me give up on not losing any units. I remember sacrificing Calill here, back in 2007, just so I could finally advance to the next chapter.

So when it came time to face this map again, 16 years later, I was feeling rather nervous.

Turns out I had no reason to be nervous, because I wiped the floor with all the enemies without issue. The boss gave me a scare at first, when I realized he was activating a skill in battle. I was afraid it was Resolve, but it turned out to be Parity, which was far less intimidating.

What a gorgeous scene! I love this moment between Elincia and her retainers. Their friendship is so great, and I'm glad that they got to be reunited.

This may be my shipper goggles blinding me again, but... was there something in that letter you don't want others seeing, Tibarn?

I understand where he's coming from, but it is jarring to be see a young boy say "Kill 'em all!"

Love this base conversation. Ike cannot be bothered to figure out what the hell Bastian is talking about half the time. And we learn that, though Ike's not a fan of desserts, he does drink tea! Unsweetened, I imagine, but still. Idk why, but I really love the idea of manly man Ike sitting down and having a cup of tea. Maybe he even used to have tea parties with Mist as a child. Too cute!

Here comes Largo. I do think this entire conversation is hilarious enough to justify Largo's existence as a playable unit, but otherwise I have never used him and probably never will. That being said, I love his character development in Radiant Dawn, where he goes from a fame-seeking beserker for hire to a humble restaurant owner and doting father.

I made Jill another custom javelin, and I named it Diablo because of how much it cost. Plus it's red, to match her armor!

Funniest NPC? Funniest NPC.

They don't go into it, but I can imagine that Soren must be really nervous at this moment. He's about to lead a discussion in front of an army that includes judgemental Begnion knights, beast laguz, and hawk laguz, including the king of the hawk laguz. That's a lot of pressure, especially for a character who doesn't feel comfortable talking to anyone that isn't Ike. He did a brilliant job, though! It probably helps that he has an A rank with Ike now, so his biggest insecurity has been put to rest.

Kudos, Soren! You're going to need that growing confidence when you're promoted to chief strategist of the Laguz Alliance.

I love how Ike is just so taken off guard here. This conversation also raises some questions for me. Namely, how long do pegasi live? Didn't Elincia say that this one belonged to her great-grandmother? Are they just like... immortal?

Time to seize Fort Pinell! This map is a little intimidating due to its sheer size, especially it doesn't have many choke points. However, I managed to beat this map on my first try. Luckily, they let you take a ridiculous amount of units, so I managed to just cross the field by lining up my defensive fighters in a long vertical wall to keep my squishies protected. Meanwhile, Ike, Soren, and Ranulf destroyed the entire upper right section of the map all by themselves.

The Black Knight fight is coming!! I'm so nervous ahhhhhh

It was also around this point that I realized that it would be nearly impossible to achieve one of my goals. I intended to get Ranulf to level 20 with as many capped stats as possible. Unfortunately, after doing the math, it looks like the only stats it's possible to cap are strength and defense, because you get him so late in the game, and his stat caps are so ridiculously high.

For example, you get him at level 9, which means he will only level up 11 times. In order to cap his strength, he has to level up strength 10 times, which is possible, but not without a lot of resetting. Meanwhile, in order to cap his defense, he has to level up his defense 13 times, which is only possible if you get him to level up defense Every Single Level, plus give him a Draco Shield for that +2 defense.

As much as I love Ranulf, I want to use that Draco Shield for someone else if I can. So in the end, I only capped his strength. And I was only able to do so by burning through the rest of my bexp. Ugh!

Was this worth it, or a massive waste of resources?

Probably the latter, but what's done is done.

Either way, Ike's 1v1 match with the Black Knight is imminent. I would like to save Nasir if I can, so I'm hoping that I get lucky with triggering Aether.

#leigh plays tellius #path of radiance #fire emblem path of radiance #fe9 #tellius

[badedramay]

i also feel like the yumna situation isn't really comparable bc the anger stems from the fact that yumna built her image on being the indie darling who did the thought provoking projects that were markedly different from what was mainstream, only to end up trying to justify working in a project as egregious as tere bin. like when you have something like dil nah umeed toh nahi in your repertoire, in which a focus on violence against women and the horrors of it are so pronounced to the point you risk being banned by pemra, it's hard to justify your own integrity as an actor when you switch to something like tere bin once mainstream success is more immediately accessible to you (and the same goes for wahaj). obv plenty of pakistani actors have starred in projects ranging anywhere from mid to trash. it's an unfortunate reality if staying consistently employed is the goal esp when you're starting to build your career. but when you're a veteran with a reputable resume to boot you have a choice and people are going to notice what you choose and how you wield the influence you've developed. you don't see sajal or kubra or ramsha or mawra interested in starring in the same trash simply bc they're more famous now than they were before. some of their projects may have shortcomings (eg hum kahaan kay sachay thay or for a more recent example neem) but the social statements of their works are clearly important to them and that's what people are criticizing yumna for lacking at present. even moreso when she's taking active steps to defend herself from criticism rather than hearing out and acknowledging what worthwhile criticism there is. i hate it when actresses are lectured on humbling themselves but listening to her comments at the round table recently was alarming for me. there's all too many actors including her who feel entitled to shrug off criticism bc if they know they acted well then that's seemingly all that matters. i can't imagine living in a state of unreality like that

but Tere Bin isn't the only mainstream drama that she has done though? Raaz e Ulfat is right there. Guzaarish was also a soapy melodrama. so it's not like her repertoire is only made up of the artsy dramas. Pukaar too, if I'm not wrong, had her as a damsel in distress for the most run-time of the show. frankly, I don't mind Yumna doing more proper mainstream dramas because let's face it..the on-ground popularity come from such dramas only. TB's success led her to gain more commercials and more campaigns which mean more money for her. actors already have a limited shelf life..why wouldn't she want to make the most of it now that the opportunity has struck?

TB was a mess. no arguments there. it was problematic and probably the worst character Yumna had to give life to. I agree. but how does that mean Yumna has fully switched to these roles? afaik her next confirmed project is a movie Nayab that's taking her back to her character-driven narrative roots. who knows what her next project is going to be? I'll reserve my criticism for her if she chooses to do another TB because yeah, then this becomes a choice. but until then..this girl has done more than enough projects in her career as an actor to warrant at least one project where she gets to relieve herself from social responsibility and just have fun. acting in Pakistani drama industry is already hard enough, it doesn't need to become a platform for activism all the time especially when all the responsibility is thrust on the shoulders of the actors when they are the most dispensable pawns of the game and the real power lies in the hands of the executives and makers. I find it unfair if all the work Yumna has done over the years gets dismissed because of one bad project (that I personally believe she didn't expect to blow up in the way it did) or that her previous conscious choices of project be seen in a suspicious or dubious light.

not every actor has the same circumstances so expecting them all to make similar choices or have the same career arc is not wise. we can't disregard the fact that acting is also a job for these people and sometimes as an employed adult you gotta suck it up. Yumna has power, Yumha has a voice; and she has used it plenty in some very powerful projects. but like every adult she has the right to not be defined by being just one kind of actor. as I type this I am reminded of how Maya had said that Yumna mostly gets cast in these heavy character roles when she can do something completely different if given a chance and she should be given a chance.

if Yumna is facing criticism for defending TB then she's also receiving immense love for this project in real time. expecting her to denounce the project that continues to give her love and acceptance sounds rather...foolish, no? i doubt Yumna is dumb enough to not know where TB went wrong with her character likewise she's not dumb enough to not acknowledge that TB is her biggest success. she's stuck in a catch 22.

honestly I don't see how being part of projects that almost get banned by PEMRA or barely get any ratings or views are some matter of pride and only they should be an actor's standard. even the biggest actors in the most stable industries want to have a balance of artsy and mainstream projects to satisfy both the artist and the actor in them. if Yumna is doing that as well..so what? being an "indie darling" has barely promised her guaranteed acknowledgement. her performance in Parizaad was phenomenal and what did she get in return for it? just a measly "best couple" nomination alongside Ahmed Ali Akbar. and this wasn't her first snub btw, she's been snubbed many times. with the body of work she has..she should have more awards to her name because that's what the indie darlings are supposed to have at least, right? but will anyone in their right mind deny Meerab a nomination if not a win? that's the whole game here.

#yumna zaidi #type: opinion #i just feel all entertainment industries regardless of the geography are a state of unreality #like unless you are actually a part of it you cannot understand how it functions #not truly #god only knows what echo chambers surround these celebs #or on which wavelengths do their thoughts function #we only see the result of their actions #when it's equally important to know the reasoning that led them to take that action #i mean isn't that why when defending any thesis or research the panel insists on knowing every thought and question in detail #that led to the researcher taking any step? #we really only see a minimal surface reflection #andar ki khabar andar walon ko hi pata hai..

[fallensnowfan]

Pulling back the curtains on the legend of Kozuki Oden

I go for the jugular for parts of this. Oden enjoyers, have that in mind if you proceed.

Starting by reading chapter 1025, then 1057 and the flashback to Wano in 1059.

Yamato realizing that Oden wasn't everything he thought he was feels like a potential next step for his character arc. Yamato loves the myth of Oden, written of in his journal, though doesn't know the person who wrote it and how could he? Apart from Yamato being there during the Hour of Legends, the two were always apart and had no interaction with the other.

During the clash against Kaido, Yamato says he can't call himself Oden if he abandoned Wano, though is that not exactly what Oden did? Leave for six years on a carefree adventure while everyone back home he had a responsibility to protect suffered in his absence. Would Yamato be disappointed to learn that?

Yamato's choice to stay in Wano for now is the moment he surpassed Oden and started becoming his own person in my eyes. Meanwhile, the Akazaya have long since learned from Oden's mistakes and they no longer need to uphold the aliases they took preparing for the day of the battle against Kaido.

Roger and Whitebeard aren't free of blame either, both played a role in keeping Oden at sea, when he was needed back home. Being free to go on adventures is important, though so is protecting those who depend on and put their trust in you. After Oden’s death, Yamato was always doing everything in his power to be ready to help in defeating Kaido and freeing Wano. From the start, Oden leaving was always going to come back to bite him in the ass, though he wouldn't truly rely on anyone or learn the lessons he needed to until it was too late. Toki begged him not to attack Orochi though he didn't listen.

It's Toki's kindness, bravery and humble willingness to work with the people of Wano that makes her a favorite of mine. It's clear that she saw the potential Oden had and wished for him to learn to understand the value of maintaining a cool head and of relying on others. While he eventually did, it took Oden until just moments before his own death, and nearly the deaths of the Akazaya, to do it.

For the Akazaya, it was always learn from Oden's mistakes or die along with their country. Where Oden rushed to fight without a second thought, the Akazaya held their composure, made plans, and respected the value of waiting for the right time.

Where Oden kept his motivations a secret, trusted the lies of Kaido and Orochi, boldly shouted his name to anyone who would listen, and turned down help from the Roger's Pirates. The Akazaya were open with their goals, saw through the lies of the two holding their country hostage, went undercover and took on aliases and multiple roles when needed, and actively recruited allies to their cause.

Oden told his kids they would be great though it's the support from Toki and the Akazaya that allowed them to start working toward those aspirations. Feels similar to Oden being there when the Akazaya were alone and needed someone though beyond that, he treated them as not much more than "his followers," rather than treating them as their own people, with their own strengths and weaknesses. It was Yasu who got them to start taking things seriously and it's thanks to the money he gave them that they were able to become proper samurai, though something is still off.

Yasu did a lot of good for them, though similarly to Oden, didn't see them as individuals. Clearest example is that Izo never took well to the sword, and would later learn that he was better suited to pistols, only after stepping away from his life as a retainer and learning lessons beyond those Yasu instilled in him. Feels like where Kiku's story is at now, the life of a retainer has always been somewhat unwelcoming to her though she had no other option before Kaido's defeat. She was barely one year old when she and Izo joined the growing samurai family, then a promise demanded that she help Wano be freed.

Toki would grow close to them during Oden's last year away though things had already gotten worse by the time Oden returned. She made the best of a bad situation, though could only change so much with her words and actions. Would have been great to see Toki suddenly awaken monster strength and ko Oden, keeping him from storming the castle.

If they had had their way, the Akazaya would have held Oden up above the oil, though it was never their mistake to make up for, it was Oden's. Him ordering them to stay on that huge plank of wood is a refusal to allow them to pay for the consequences of his actions. It's the first time he understood what it meant to be a leader and it’s the Akazaya he entrusted with the dream of opening Wano's borders.

Just as Yasu, Toki, and Oden invested in the Akazaya in their own ways, the samurai in the cave believed in Yamato, reading to the lad and offering food and friendship for the short time they were together.

Yamato making the decision to stay in Wano is him starting to learn the things the Akazaya already know well. Getting to be friends with and learn from them is an opportunity that Yams would be wise to follow through with. The two things he has wanted since his childhood are for the samurai of Wano to accept him as a friend and to sail. Now they have accepted him and he can sail when the time is right, perhaps once the country has recovered a bit more and he realizes that he can just be Yamato and still be loved.

For the time being, he and everyone are still healing from the aftermath of the twenty-year struggle they have just overcome, being friends with such an incredible family is enough for now.

Continuing with ideas from Film Red

Shanks, dude, you picked up that penchant for keeping secrets from one Kozuki Oden, didn't you?

Parts of Uta's struggle are resoundingly similar to those of the Akazaya's, before Oden died. What were the reasons Shanks and Oden kept the secrets they did? What was the result of the secrets being kept and who suffered because of it?

It has me wondering if Luffy will eventually be involved in some big event where he'll have to decide to tell the Straw Hats the truth or not. Something that could lead to a similar conflict as the one that cropped over the Merry in Water 7, though on a larger scale. How and when to tell them matters.

Fujitora mentioning Uta's goal of "turning the world on its head" interests me for how similar it sounds to Toki's of seeking "the day the world is overturned." From what I remember, Toki and Fujitora are the only two to use similar words to describe the idea.

In the realm of souls and the afterlife recently in the story, there has been Big Mom's devil fruit, Moria returning to the story, and Uta's power being able to affect souls. The song world, in spite of being a separate world from reality, is able to interact with the real world.

Then there is Ado singing a cover of Binks' Sake of all songs, a song full of interesting ideas about the journey the crew is taking on their way to Laughtale, and that the Roger Pirates sang while with Toki and Oden. We have Oden telling Kaido that his soul will live on and the Fire Festival being about sending words to departed loved ones. With how often ideas around souls and the afterlife have been coming up lately, I wouldn't be surprised if they continue to, going forward.

Think Oden told the Roger Pirates about the traditions of the Fire Festival?

I may be over thinking this part though I found it worth thinking on a bit. The film ends with the Straw Hat Pirates and Red Hair Pirates seen sailing away as the sun sets over the sky, both crews heading into the night.

The new era, the day the world is overturned, the dawn, all ideas that the major players of the Great Pirate Era, Shanks, the Akazaya and the Kozuki family, Uta possibly, and the Straw Hats, and more seem to be motioning towards, whatever it may be. I'm excited and curious to see where their stories are headed!

#one piece #wano arc #film red

[tinyshe]

An Essay on Man: Epistle I

By Alexander Pope

To Henry St. John, Lord Bolingbroke

Awake, my St. John! leave all meaner things

To low ambition, and the pride of kings.

Let us (since life can little more supply

Than just to look about us and to die)

Expatiate free o'er all this scene of man;

A mighty maze! but not without a plan;

A wild, where weeds and flow'rs promiscuous shoot;

Or garden, tempting with forbidden fruit.

Together let us beat this ample field,

Try what the open, what the covert yield;

The latent tracts, the giddy heights explore

Of all who blindly creep, or sightless soar;

Eye Nature's walks, shoot folly as it flies,

And catch the manners living as they rise;

Laugh where we must, be candid where we can;

But vindicate the ways of God to man.

I.

Say first, of God above, or man below,

What can we reason, but from what we know?

Of man what see we, but his station here,

From which to reason, or to which refer?

Through worlds unnumber'd though the God be known,

'Tis ours to trace him only in our own.

He, who through vast immensity can pierce,

See worlds on worlds compose one universe,

Observe how system into system runs,

What other planets circle other suns,

What varied being peoples ev'ry star,

May tell why Heav'n has made us as we are.

But of this frame the bearings, and the ties,

The strong connections, nice dependencies,

Gradations just, has thy pervading soul

Look'd through? or can a part contain the whole?

Is the great chain, that draws all to agree,

And drawn supports, upheld by God, or thee?

II.

Presumptuous man! the reason wouldst thou find,

Why form'd so weak, so little, and so blind?

First, if thou canst, the harder reason guess,

Why form'd no weaker, blinder, and no less!

Ask of thy mother earth, why oaks are made

Taller or stronger than the weeds they shade?

Or ask of yonder argent fields above,

Why Jove's satellites are less than Jove?

Of systems possible, if 'tis confest

That Wisdom infinite must form the best,

Where all must full or not coherent be,

And all that rises, rise in due degree;

Then, in the scale of reas'ning life, 'tis plain

There must be somewhere, such a rank as man:

And all the question (wrangle e'er so long)

Is only this, if God has plac'd him wrong?

Respecting man, whatever wrong we call,

May, must be right, as relative to all.

In human works, though labour'd on with pain,

A thousand movements scarce one purpose gain;

In God's, one single can its end produce;

Yet serves to second too some other use.

So man, who here seems principal alone,

Perhaps acts second to some sphere unknown,

Touches some wheel, or verges to some goal;

'Tis but a part we see, and not a whole.

When the proud steed shall know why man restrains

His fiery course, or drives him o'er the plains:

When the dull ox, why now he breaks the clod,

Is now a victim, and now Egypt's God:

Then shall man's pride and dulness comprehend

His actions', passions', being's, use and end;

Why doing, suff'ring, check'd, impell'd; and why

This hour a slave, the next a deity.

Then say not man's imperfect, Heav'n in fault;

Say rather, man's as perfect as he ought:

His knowledge measur'd to his state and place,

His time a moment, and a point his space.

If to be perfect in a certain sphere,

What matter, soon or late, or here or there?

The blest today is as completely so,

As who began a thousand years ago.

III.

Heav'n from all creatures hides the book of fate,

All but the page prescrib'd, their present state:

From brutes what men, from men what spirits know:

Or who could suffer being here below?

The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed today,

Had he thy reason, would he skip and play?

Pleas'd to the last, he crops the flow'ry food,

And licks the hand just rais'd to shed his blood.

Oh blindness to the future! kindly giv'n,

That each may fill the circle mark'd by Heav'n:

Who sees with equal eye, as God of all,

A hero perish, or a sparrow fall,

Atoms or systems into ruin hurl'd,

And now a bubble burst, and now a world.

Hope humbly then; with trembling pinions soar;

Wait the great teacher Death; and God adore!

What future bliss, he gives not thee to know,

But gives that hope to be thy blessing now.

Hope springs eternal in the human breast:

Man never is, but always to be blest:

The soul, uneasy and confin'd from home,

Rests and expatiates in a life to come.

Lo! the poor Indian, whose untutor'd mind

Sees God in clouds, or hears him in the wind;

His soul, proud science never taught to stray

Far as the solar walk, or milky way;

Yet simple nature to his hope has giv'n,

Behind the cloud-topt hill, an humbler heav'n;

Some safer world in depth of woods embrac'd,

Some happier island in the wat'ry waste,

Where slaves once more their native land behold,

No fiends torment, no Christians thirst for gold.

To be, contents his natural desire,

He asks no angel's wing, no seraph's fire;

But thinks, admitted to that equal sky,

His faithful dog shall bear him company.

IV.

Go, wiser thou! and, in thy scale of sense

Weigh thy opinion against Providence;

Call imperfection what thou fanciest such,

Say, here he gives too little, there too much:

Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust,

Yet cry, if man's unhappy, God's unjust;

If man alone engross not Heav'n's high care,

Alone made perfect here, immortal there:

Snatch from his hand the balance and the rod,

Rejudge his justice, be the God of God.

In pride, in reas'ning pride, our error lies;

All quit their sphere, and rush into the skies.

Pride still is aiming at the blest abodes,

Men would be angels, angels would be gods.

Aspiring to be gods, if angels fell,

Aspiring to be angels, men rebel:

And who but wishes to invert the laws

Of order, sins against th' Eternal Cause.

V.

Ask for what end the heav'nly bodies shine,

Earth for whose use? Pride answers, " 'Tis for mine:

For me kind Nature wakes her genial pow'r,

Suckles each herb, and spreads out ev'ry flow'r;

Annual for me, the grape, the rose renew,

The juice nectareous, and the balmy dew;

For me, the mine a thousand treasures brings;

For me, health gushes from a thousand springs;

Seas roll to waft me, suns to light me rise;

My foot-stool earth, my canopy the skies."

But errs not Nature from this gracious end,

From burning suns when livid deaths descend,

When earthquakes swallow, or when tempests sweep

Towns to one grave, whole nations to the deep?

"No, ('tis replied) the first Almighty Cause

Acts not by partial, but by gen'ral laws;

Th' exceptions few; some change since all began:

And what created perfect?"—Why then man?

If the great end be human happiness,

Then Nature deviates; and can man do less?

As much that end a constant course requires

Of show'rs and sunshine, as of man's desires;

As much eternal springs and cloudless skies,

As men for ever temp'rate, calm, and wise.

If plagues or earthquakes break not Heav'n's design,

Why then a Borgia, or a Catiline?

Who knows but he, whose hand the lightning forms,

Who heaves old ocean, and who wings the storms,

Pours fierce ambition in a Cæsar's mind,

Or turns young Ammon loose to scourge mankind?

From pride, from pride, our very reas'ning springs;

Account for moral, as for nat'ral things:

Why charge we Heav'n in those, in these acquit?

In both, to reason right is to submit.

Better for us, perhaps, it might appear,

Were there all harmony, all virtue here;

That never air or ocean felt the wind;

That never passion discompos'd the mind.

But ALL subsists by elemental strife;

And passions are the elements of life.

The gen'ral order, since the whole began,

Is kept in nature, and is kept in man.

VI.

What would this man? Now upward will he soar,

And little less than angel, would be more;

Now looking downwards, just as griev'd appears

To want the strength of bulls, the fur of bears.

Made for his use all creatures if he call,

Say what their use, had he the pow'rs of all?

Nature to these, without profusion, kind,

The proper organs, proper pow'rs assign'd;

Each seeming want compensated of course,

Here with degrees of swiftness, there of force;

All in exact proportion to the state;

Nothing to add, and nothing to abate.

Each beast, each insect, happy in its own:

Is Heav'n unkind to man, and man alone?

Shall he alone, whom rational we call,

Be pleas'd with nothing, if not bless'd with all?

The bliss of man (could pride that blessing find)

Is not to act or think beyond mankind;

No pow'rs of body or of soul to share,

But what his nature and his state can bear.

Why has not man a microscopic eye?

For this plain reason, man is not a fly.

Say what the use, were finer optics giv'n,

T' inspect a mite, not comprehend the heav'n?

Or touch, if tremblingly alive all o'er,

To smart and agonize at ev'ry pore?

Or quick effluvia darting through the brain,

Die of a rose in aromatic pain?

If nature thunder'd in his op'ning ears,

And stunn'd him with the music of the spheres,

How would he wish that Heav'n had left him still

The whisp'ring zephyr, and the purling rill?

Who finds not Providence all good and wise,

Alike in what it gives, and what denies?

VII.

Far as creation's ample range extends,

The scale of sensual, mental pow'rs ascends:

Mark how it mounts, to man's imperial race,

From the green myriads in the peopled grass:

What modes of sight betwixt each wide extreme,

The mole's dim curtain, and the lynx's beam:

Of smell, the headlong lioness between,

And hound sagacious on the tainted green:

Of hearing, from the life that fills the flood,

To that which warbles through the vernal wood:

The spider's touch, how exquisitely fine!

Feels at each thread, and lives along the line:

In the nice bee, what sense so subtly true

From pois'nous herbs extracts the healing dew:

How instinct varies in the grov'lling swine,

Compar'd, half-reas'ning elephant, with thine:

'Twixt that, and reason, what a nice barrier;

For ever sep'rate, yet for ever near!

Remembrance and reflection how allied;

What thin partitions sense from thought divide:

And middle natures, how they long to join,

Yet never pass th' insuperable line!

Without this just gradation, could they be

Subjected, these to those, or all to thee?

The pow'rs of all subdu'd by thee alone,

Is not thy reason all these pow'rs in one?

VIII.

See, through this air, this ocean, and this earth,

All matter quick, and bursting into birth.

Above, how high, progressive life may go!

Around, how wide! how deep extend below!

Vast chain of being, which from God began,

Natures ethereal, human, angel, man,

Beast, bird, fish, insect! what no eye can see,

No glass can reach! from infinite to thee,

From thee to nothing!—On superior pow'rs

Were we to press, inferior might on ours:

Or in the full creation leave a void,

Where, one step broken, the great scale's destroy'd:

From nature's chain whatever link you strike,

Tenth or ten thousandth, breaks the chain alike.

And, if each system in gradation roll

Alike essential to th' amazing whole,

The least confusion but in one, not all

That system only, but the whole must fall.

Let earth unbalanc'd from her orbit fly,

Planets and suns run lawless through the sky;

Let ruling angels from their spheres be hurl'd,

Being on being wreck'd, and world on world;

Heav'n's whole foundations to their centre nod,

And nature tremble to the throne of God.

All this dread order break—for whom? for thee?

Vile worm!—Oh madness, pride, impiety!

IX.

What if the foot ordain'd the dust to tread,

Or hand to toil, aspir'd to be the head?

What if the head, the eye, or ear repin'd

To serve mere engines to the ruling mind?

Just as absurd for any part to claim

To be another, in this gen'ral frame:

Just as absurd, to mourn the tasks or pains,

The great directing Mind of All ordains.

All are but parts of one stupendous whole,

Whose body Nature is, and God the soul;

That, chang'd through all, and yet in all the same,

Great in the earth, as in th' ethereal frame,

Warms in the sun, refreshes in the breeze,

Glows in the stars, and blossoms in the trees,

Lives through all life, extends through all extent,

Spreads undivided, operates unspent,

Breathes in our soul, informs our mortal part,

As full, as perfect, in a hair as heart;

As full, as perfect, in vile man that mourns,

As the rapt seraph that adores and burns;

To him no high, no low, no great, no small;

He fills, he bounds, connects, and equals all.

X.

Cease then, nor order imperfection name:

Our proper bliss depends on what we blame.

Know thy own point: This kind, this due degree

Of blindness, weakness, Heav'n bestows on thee.

Submit.—In this, or any other sphere,

Secure to be as blest as thou canst bear:

Safe in the hand of one disposing pow'r,

Or in the natal, or the mortal hour.

All nature is but art, unknown to thee;

All chance, direction, which thou canst not see;

All discord, harmony, not understood;

All partial evil, universal good:

And, spite of pride, in erring reason's spite,

One truth is clear, Whatever is, is right.

#poetry #alexander pope #pope #an essay on man #hope springs eternal

[talenlee]

Story Pile: Bee & Puppycat Comics

Up front, I guess I should say that after finishing the article, I found Bee And Puppycat an incredibly disappointing set of comics because I made the fool mistake of beliving they were ever going to be something they never told me they would be. I saw the cover art showing happy people in an energetic state and the idea of a temp magical girl resulting in perhaps something like an adventure or a quest or a hijink and never considered how many pages would instead be about comparing poo and chocolate. Still, there’s an interesting history to what these comics are and I’m sure you might like them if you try them and you know you’re only getting the packing peanuts between a story rather than any kind of story in and of itself.

This was a little bit of a journey.

Bee & Puppycat is a thing that has been in my nebulous area of space, one of those aspirational pieces of media I may have mentioned because I thought it looked good but never said anything about what was in it because y’know, there… wasn’t… anything in it… as far as I remembered. There was a trailer, and then a promise that it would show up later, and then eventually, I saw Bee and Puppycat comics in a Humble Bundle.

The ‘dead series with hanging plot threads got comic book followup’ is a media trajectory that I’m familiar with. I mean it happened to Charmed so when I saw the comics in a bundle, I bought it, and figured at some point I would get around to reading it.

I bought these comics in 2015.

I read them today.

If you’re not familiar with Bee And Puppycat the premise is that there’s this girl named Bee, and one day, she gets a new pet, called Puppycat. Puppycat is something that may be a puppy, or may be a cat, but is also definitely linked to a temp magical girl agency. And uh, that’s that. That’s all there is, really, in the pitch. A girl gets a job as a temporary magical girl travelling across space doing random things.

It isn’t like it’s a bad series but it’s also, looking at it, kind of a hard series to describe from its pitch. That’s basically it, it’s a sort of low-stakes cute thing about being a loser with a temp job but the temp job is with your cat and you got to other planets. There’s a giant robot.

If it was British, I’d say it was twee. As it is, it’s American, so it’s a twee substitute.

This year I have set myself a goal of trying to read at least one piece of fiction, or try to read one piece of fiction, each month. With things like a job and a youtube channel and a phd, reading fiction has fallen by the wayside for me in a big way. I was able to watch more anime by making a space in my life for that, and reading feels like the next thing to recover my time on. Last year I read a bunch of books – but ‘a bunch’ means like, ‘six to ten.’ And of course, when I have to read books for my PhD – because, yeah, that’s a thing you do, you read a lot and it’s not fun reading and when you’re doing it you employ different kinds of ways of thinking than you do when you’re reading fun fiction – it makes reading other ways harder and less interesting. A book has to really catch my attention to get there.

(I did read all of Gideon the Ninth in a week, for example.)

This also means I’ve been trying to look at the books I accrued thinking ‘I’ll read it later’ and checking them out, hence finding this dusty ebook in a 2015 Humble Bundle purchase. 2015, that’s almost nine years ago that I bought the comics of a series that – as it turns out, ran from 2013 to 2016. I bought comics for a show where I’d only seen the trailer because I assumed the show had failed and the comics were the way the fans got something and reading the comics, I’d get at least something of the Bee and Puppycat experience. It was a purchase for novelty’s sake, an aspirational want.

There are a bunch of TV shows from around that period that you may kinda remember but not remember their resolutions. The big one is Adventure Time, but that was a TV show, and it has a lot of the sinew that makes up Bee And Puppycat‘s similar-feeling production. Not ‘calarts style’ like shitheads will invoke, but similar joke timing and structure, similar relationship to short-form media, and a similar lack of need to provide conventional setups and payoffs. Not the same genre, but similar movement. The things I mean though are shows like Bravest Warriors, which is a show that was being made On Youtube For Youtube, a phenomenon I guess you’d now consider for shows like Hazbin Hotel and its related spinoffs of designs that make me imagine ‘what if Tim Burton was into anime and I didn’t suck?’

Those shows, as I understand the narrative, existed because of the same reason a lot of cool things that require a huge budget existed on the internet: Someone thought they could monetise something on the internet much more cheaply than they ever could and as a result, over-invested in a space that then couldn’t sustain them. There’s a reason why you may remember ‘Pewdiepie was being paid by Disney.’ Cartoon Hangover was a result of someone paying enough money for it to exist and then it stumbling from place to place with the infrastructure for its own existence but not ways to make enough money to continue to exist.

This is the story of the internet, by the way. You are surrounded by weird detritus that grew very big in the name of making a profit in some nebulous way and failed to make a profit. Very few things that succeed on the internet make the money they assume they’re going to make, and that’s why they all crumple and fail when the thing that keeps them going is money. Weird web novels and long form roleplay spaces are going to survive because nobody ever imagined they could make money, but tumblr itself has been passed from place to place as a desperate hot potato losing money every time because it’s just something enormously successful at engaging its users and not good at doing things that result in making meaningful money.

Anyway, Bee and Puppycat.

What was I expecting?

What was I hoping for?

I don’t know what Bee and Puppycat is. I just have the books. I bought the books because I thought the premise was cool and figured I’d get around to reading them. Today, I did.

And y’know what?

They’re cute. They’re fine. They are essentially a webcomic of characters durdling around in a world where they have money anxiety. Webcomics, if you’re not aware, are a sort of online comic book where you could have mediocre art or bad jokes but if your vibes were good and the right kinds of conveniences lined up you’d have a fanbase that you could use to support the very modest project and over long enough timelines you’d become Ctrl-Alt-Delete or its sinoff The Penny Arcade.

Bee and Puppycat is a fine little comic but it’s not about anything. I read a volume and five more issues of it and the result is a few laughs about a story standing in one spot about how it sucks to be 22, in a temp job, having to clean your house, and also a magical girl with a teleporting puppycat. It’s really ambitious stuff really, the idea that hey, what if your life featured objectively cool things but we really wanted to dwell on how everything in your life was still quite bad and you couldn’t enjoy anything. It has space travel and magical powers and in the end it all comes down to someone dissatisfied with her job staring at a snack at the grocery store and going ‘ACK’. It’s relatable, but only because it suggests that even in a world that can imagine time travelling magical cat aliens, the idea of being freed from capitalism is beyond us all.

It is Cathcaesque.

Check it out on PRESS.exe to see it with images and links!

#Media #Story Pile

[wannaberp]

— WHO IS SONG JAEYOUNG?

he’s a TWENTY-ONE year old wannabe, born DECEMBER 7, 2002. he’s currently eyeing STUDIO DELTA and lives by the words “he words that curse you are stuck in the back of my throat.”

maybe you should learn more or ask him a question.

▶ PLAY THE CLIP [ dream_reality.mp4 ]

it’s a rather funny question—what’s your dream?

jaeyoung could answer it in many ways. he could lie, and say he dreams of becoming some sort of political figure; there are too many names for it. such a statement would make his parents proud, if they’re even capable of it in the first place, no doubt. he could take the easy way out, say he aspires to reach the largest stage in the world, really get the audience going, get him a bigger following. but that’s not quite right, either.

“i’m not sure yet, just going with the flow,” he says simply, shrugging so nonchalantly. maybe he comes off as arrogant now, pissing off many people at home, but he’s being honest. anyone would kill to have this interviewing opportunity, and here jaeyoung is wasting his chances instead of promoting himself. the irony is kind of hilarious, though. so he laughs, merely confusing everyone else in the room.

“i like making music and all that, so the natural step is to hone that passion right? by sharing it with the world or something.” he snorts, knowing what kind of reputation he’ll get with the words he’s choosing. “i’m pretty good at it too, by my standards at least.” that’s his attempt to look more humble, whether it works or not is up to the heavens.

the next question comes shortly after: how will becoming an idol help you accomplish it?

jaeyoung hums, like he’s pondering over the inquiry. “i mean, being an idol would get more eyes on me, no?” he flashes the camera a smile—annoying, he thinks, but doesn’t say aloud.

“i kinda wanna do it just to prove i can, too.” yup, he’ll surely gain more fans with how he’s carrying himself right now. not that it matters.

if this flimsy goal is something he must accomplish, then he will.

#be:accepted #choi beomgyu #txt

[wild-at-mind]

If you want to know how seriously I am affected by the idea of 'contamination' of good leftists by the prospect of listening to people who disagree with you on some things, or even just having in your life people who kind of suck in some ways, here is an anecdote. So I've been trying to get involved with the local socialist group again after I dropped out after a similar attempt last year, the reason I dropped out being that I could feel the purity element creeping in. A lot of discussion turned into 'Tories are like this and have these characteristcs and also are all evil'....this coming a couple of years after a general election where a number of stalwart Labour voting constituencies went Tory for the first time, for a variety of complex reasons. And yet this seemed to have not permeated the discourse at all. Should it not have??? Personally I think it absolutely should have and I want to be around people who can talk about things in more detail than 'Tories bad, the end!' I'm glad some people find this cathartic but I don't. So I left.

I started attending meetings again this September and things seemed to be going well. We are in a different place in this country and now everyone is predicting strongly that the government will change at the next general election. No one thought much of Keir Starmer but in a constructive way, there wasn't any 'electoral politics is the greatest evil and we must all completely disengage, shun any who still believe in it and possibly become conspiracy theories' type stuff. That's not really the socialists whose meetings I was attending's vibe anyway- their ultimate aim is to put Socialist Party members into government positions but they recognise this is a long way off goal. They focus on talking to people and seeing where they are coming from, rather than talking at them and condemning them, which I agree is kind of the only way to bring enough people around to a cause like this. Once of my favourite leftist bloggers on here who sadly left ages ago once said 'leftism is supposed to be about meeting people where they are'. In one of the discussions at the socialist meetings one member who does a lot of engagement with the public said (paraphrasing): 'you have to approach people humbly, accepting that you don't know everything and open to their point of view even if you disagree'. The message I got was that not everyone can or will value your cause, especially in a very Conservative-voting town like mine, but trying to emphasise your solidarity with people however you can is better than writing everyone off as shitty Tories who could never change (and then having a conspiracy spiral). I was finding the meetings a positive experience but the last meeting wasn't so good and I haven't been back since. There was a speaker who kind of did the thing my dad does where you just monologue about how terrible the world is from a leftist perspective. Just when I thought we were focusing more on solidarity despite difference and looking for the positives socialism can bring in a practical manner. I felt really bad for this one meeting attendee who was attending for the first time. This guy asked the speaker a question and the speaker just took off going on about the same stuff for another 10 minutes. He didn't answer the question at all. It was annoying and also I couldn't help but think the guy who asked the question wouldn't feel encouraged to come again, you know?

Then also one attendee who I vaguely knew from last year revealed that she had been trying to find support gigs for her band but had cancelled one because the person they had been going to support was 'a bad person'. At first I thought maybe this meant they had fascist views or something (gig from a different band got cancelled in one of the live music venues here for that reason and the venue had to apologise profusely for not doing due diligence, as they should). But the attendee didnt elaborate in any way and I realised oh maybe this person is just kind of shitty....like really you would cancel a gig for that? I'm not being like 'haha good luck trying to be in the music industry and living by that principle', I'm objecting to the idea that you yourself are implicated if you play support for a shitty person. That's not an idea I want any part in and while it sounds like a small thing, I deliberately avoid being around people who think like this because it rubs off on me very easily and I spent years unlearning that shit.

I haven't been back for a month, there's a meeting tonight but I'm not going because I don't want to hear rants about the war from these people. At their best they can be great but at their worst they just rant and browbeat at people who they know already agree with what they are saying like my fucking dad. What is to be gained from this??? And I'm thinking I might give some feedback to the organiser on the problems I'm having with this but how on earth could I possibly explain?? :(

#unproofread #my scrupulosity issues

[welcometomy20s]

May 5, 2023

The class that I realized I couldn’t be a physicist was the Great Experiments in Physics course. By the terrible twist of fate, I was left alone in my experimental duties and I was so terrified about messing up that I proceeded to run away as quickly as possible, even when I was graciously offered to be part of a group in what probably was a once-in-a-lifetime exception.

I just revered the art of physics too much to take part in its proceedings. I was too humble to say that my observation, my way of seeing the world was the correct one. I couldn’t trust myself to carry out the requisite task correctly. After a bit of wandering, I was given the opportunity to pursue education. Indeed, all my jobs have been related to education, so it would make sense with my past work that I should pursue education.

But I always frowned at the idea of institutional education, as it was still stuck in the act of obedience rather than learning, and I did not want to impose order on people. So, I dropped out of education altogether. Next logical step was to pursue some kind of art or industry. But art and industry was for people who were unsatisfied in the opposite way. They didn’t like the inherent uncertainty of science and the intense accommodation of humanities.

I, however, was very much uncertain at all times and exceedingly accommodating. Society had no place for people like me, other than as slaves. But I wasn’t a very good slave either. I always interpreted words in the oddest way and my brain was too thick to obey orders well, or sometimes I obeyed orders too well to the point I uncovered some corruption that was at the true heart of the operation. This is why I feared going into the military.

So, being flunked out of all corners of society, there was nothing to do but wait for my execution. Taking this duty to my own hands would have been noble, but I somehow had people who believed that I had some kind of worth, or at least felt there was a duty in keeping me alive. Throughout my later years, my goal has been to dissuade all the parties privy to my existence so that I could return to whence I came, as I rightly believed.

It was when I tried to condense these train of events that I realized my calling. I was a fool. Someone whose purpose was its uselessness, someone to look down upon safely. And I did a good job being a fool. I admired fools from all across history, and all my favorite moments in life were when I was best being a fool. So, henceforth I called out to the world that I was a fool.

#personal #the fool #knowledge

[saturnianbooks]

My January reads

SO, my goal this year is to read 30 books. I have no idea if i'll be able to accomplish that much, i've only ever been able to read 24 books a year so far, because I'm a slow reader.

I thought i'd start loosely reviewing my reads here, for a bunch of reasons: I need to practice writing in English, I want to learn how to blog so why not start with something simple, and i don't actually know many people outside the internet who likes to talk about books, so here I am.

I'm currently on vacation, so I've managed to read six books (!), which was my expactation for the month. Six is quite a a high number for me, I usually read two per month. They were not bad ones, not big ones either. I threw in some classic English Literature that i've been meaning to read for a while. One of them is a graphic novel. Four of them were in Portuguese and only two in English, which is uncommon for me since i've learned to read full texts in English. Unfortunately, I'm still unable to read that much in French, i gotta work on that. Have in mind that i read mainly for entertainment and escapism. So here's some thoughts about these books:

Miss Davis

I love the illustration style of the book. It was based on Angela Davis' Biography, which i'm now meaning to read. I started it not knowing anything about Angela Davis, but it gave me the impression that the biography itself was more thorough than the graphic novel was. Still, it managed to portrait the inspiring woman she was, it's a good start to tell her story.

The Time Machine

I thought this book was going to be dark and scary, but it was actually very fun and reflective. I've never read H.G. Wells before, but i like his writing, it reminds me of Jules Verne's. It was immersive and the world-building was very well thought of, maybe a bit underexplored by the main character (to modern day standards at least). The 1800's ideals weren't AS present as it is in most works, so it was kind of easy to ignore them. I sure want to watch the movie and look for fix-it fanfictions about this one.

The Taming of the Shrew

Really, what was I expecting? Up to a point, the book was funny, i'll give it that. But then the machism was too hard to overlook. It wasn't the first Shakespeare book I read, but it wasn't the best either. I thought I would like this one, but ended up hating it.

Not Here to be Liked

I desperately needed to read something light and good after the last one's desaster. Not Here to be Liked was IT to me. It was exactaly what I was expecting: funny, immersive, I identified with the main character AND learned more about asian-immigrants-in-the-USA culture, it was cozy and the characters were so well made, i just wanted the book to never end so I could hang out with them. I almost didn't see the ending of the book coming my direction. Plus, it was a very cute story.

Malibu Rising

I don't know if the author meant it this way, but it felt like reading a coming of age story. In a good way. I don't think it was her best work, but I enjoyed it. It matched the current summer vibes i'm currently experiencing. The sibling dynamics really stood out to me in this story, rather than the romances, it was so good! I think the eighties vibes weren't as present as she managed to do the 70s and 60s in her other works, and the party experience could have been crazier, in my humble opinion. It was a fun one.

Macbeth

I struggled a bit with this one. Took me more time to read than it should have. I couldn't stop singing Hamilton in my head every time i opened the book. I love the witches in it, they were my favourite characters. The lack of closure for Fleance at the end of the play was curious to me. I think it was fun to read and very well set up.

And that was all! I'm hoping to read another set of 6 books in February. Will I manage to read them all? Will I remember to post about them at the end of the month? We'll find out in the next chapters, i guess.

~Mands

#SaturnianBooks #bookblr #book review #january reads #bilan culturel