#DREAM CATCHER - CONCEPT BOOK

[cyberdragoninfinity]

I would love to hear your thoughts about the fucked-up turtle (Terapagos)

"Now let's talk about the turtle. Can we talk about the turtle please, Mac? I've been dying to talk about the turtle with you all day."

Ok so. Short Answer Re: Thoughts About Terapagos:

WHAT THE FUCK. WHAT THE FUCK. WHAT THE FUCK. WHY DID IT DO THAT. WHY DID THEY [GAMEFREAK] DO THAT.

Long Answer Re: Thoughts About Terapagos [SPOILERS FOR THE SCARVIO DLC naturally. i havent seen Horizons so i dont rly know whats goin on with this little guy in the anime, just what we've got in the games]:

When the last little batch of new Pokemon in Indigo Disk leaked, about 12 hours or so-ish before the DLC dropped, I was at dinner with my bestie and we were looking at our phones like we were reading breaking world news. And I was looking at this tiny ass png of Terapagos's full Tera (Stellar) form.

And I immediately blurted out "holy SHIT it's turtles all the way down."

If you're not familiar with the phrase, check out its wikipedia page; here it's most relevant as a saying thrown around with regards to the philosophical concept of infinite regress, i.e. a series of elements (or questions begging an explanation) that that goes on infinitely with each member producing the next. So let's say the world rests on the back of a giant turtle--well, then, what does that turtle stand on to keep it from falling into the void? Why, another, bigger turtle, of course! But what about that turtle? Well, you're not gonna believe this, but it's turtles all the way down.

And here's the other thing about infinite regress: it's a logical fallacy, it's circular reasoning--honestly it's a little bit of a cousin to the "which came first?" chicken and egg argument. The question in these cases never truly gets answered, it just goes on and on forever. Bigger turtles on top of even bigger turtles.

It's a paradox. :)

So Stellar Terapagos, just look at that thing. Even its dex entries talk about how it looks like a planet, how it resembles "the world as the ancients saw it"--it's very much not only trying to evoke the World Turtle concept, but the symbolism of a classic paradoxical saying. So we've already got that going on with it, that already makes me bonkers. AND THAT'S JUST THE SURFACE LEVEL.

Cuz when we look at how Terapagos behaves, things start to go from "well isnt this guy a little weird" to "oh. oh this thing is kind of fucked up and terrifying, hello, what the hell is wrong with it" REAL FAST. Its two most stressed features we see in Indigo Disk are A.) its crystalline nature and how its the progenitor of Terastalization, but also B.) it is ferociously powerful and borderline uncontrollable. It's violent. It bursts out of a Master Ball and almost kills Kieran for daring to try and control it. Heath's illustration of its Stellar form in the Scarlet/Violet Book looks so otherworldly and almost cosmically horrifying. It has Weird Fucking Powers the game does NOT elaborate on (but I will; see more below.)

And also, hey, yeah, its Stellar Form looks like a stack of world turtles, but why the FUCK does its Terastal form also look like a goddamn dream catcher.

Personally I've been a big fan of the 'imagination theory' re: the Professors and the Paradox Pokemon and Area Zero, and folks have been arguing that Indigo Disk debunks that, but honestly I feel like we're loitering around some untold explanation that's even more bizarre. Terapagos is at least on some level tied to dreams and existentialism, and I really feel like there's more to Tera Crystals and Terapagos's relationship with them than what we've been told. Hell, its cry is even the noise we hear all game when we Terastalize our Pokemon, which produces its own myriad of questions (Are the Crystals some degree of alive? The Tera Crowns all do have Terapago's little turtle head at their base, too--does Terapagos physically or spiritually connect with a Terastalizing Pokemon? And what about that weird crystalizing the AI Professor does during its big boss fight? MUCH TO THINK ABOUT.)

Oh, speaking of Crystals--yeah. I can't NOT talk about the Indigo Disk Crystal Pool Postgame Secret when talking about Terapagos. ONE MORE SPOILER WARNING FOR THAT--SERIOUSLY GO TO THE CRYSTAL POOL AFTER GETTING THE DLC CREDITS. IT WILL BLAST YOU TO BITS. anyway.

Yeah so that's what I mean with Why Did It [Terapagos] Do That. The fact that you dont even need to have it in your party for the postgame Crystal Pool cutscene to trigger and for Terapagos to just pop out of the PC boxes on its own accord and warp space and time (and maybe even reality itself) to irreversible consequence, implying once again some great and uncontrollable power within this beast. Crazy Ass Moments in Pokemon History for CERTAIN.

And the thing that makes me most insane, thinking about Terapagos twisting time to allow you to meet the Professor, the Real Live Professor, to swap notes with them so to speak, the way it facilitates all of that, is the position it now puts the player and Scarvio itself in. If the Professor's research rests on the back of a white book given to them by a child, then what does the research of that white book rest upon? Ah, well, the expedition of Area Zero spurred forth by the fallout of the Professor's research. And what did THAT research rest upon, again...?

Turtles. The whole way down. Chickens and eggs and a paradox you're now responsible for. At the hands of a Normal Type Pokemon that tried to kill a 14 year old.

Terapagos scares the shit out of me. I love it so much. Why Did They Make It Like That <3

[ladyiristheenchantress]

Iris's guide to researching magic

Hello friends! I have been inspired by a witchy discussion and wanted to showcase something significant so This week let’s explore: how to research and study magic! First of all, congrats on continuing on your spiritual and witchy journey! You may have a lot of questions so let me show you how to get started

This first part is on how to formulate your question. If your using traditional means like google, bing, or a library database the first thing you need to do is understand how to formulate your question to get tailored results! Some things may require a language diffrence so using words like “metaphysical” “intentions” or “magical” in your search is going to be awesome! Another factor is keeping it short and sweet So, let’s say you want to know what Quartz does, if you put that phrase into Google your going to get information on LCD screens. Instead, try “Metaphysical properties of Quartz” When you're searching for concepts try looking up historical first! This can help you get used to the language they use to get tailored results An example is: you wouldn’t search “pagan religion” because you’ll get too many resources being thrown at you at once, instead try “how many pagan religions are there?” And you’ll get specialized terms and religions to look at.

The next part is general safety and making sure you are getting accurate Information from a trusted source! Using the CRAAP test can help you evaluate information based on currency, reliability, Authority, Audience, and Purpose! This can help you decipher the intentions of an article or book, like are they trying to sell a product? Push an agenda? This also can help you verify an author! Before reading do a quick search on the author to verify they are not an extremist.

Now, here is the final and one of the most difficult parts. You are going to find good and relevant information however they may conflict. There will never be a universal truth but there may be a culturally accepted truth, as you read don’t disregard conflicting opinions weigh what they are saying against each other and double-check that information! You can find where something is rooted in by checking if it’s historical, influential, or personal! Another rule of thumb to keep in mind is stay away from appropriation. Check out this great culture and religion guide for more information and especially be aware of harmful and cult-like rhetoric that is non-inclusive. Finally, something I need to mention is even if a source appropriate you have the potential to still learn from it, it just depends on how. There are degrees as to what you can and cannot use! An example is: Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck. She appropriated the system of chakras when she is actually using the system of energy centers! (For more information on the appropriation of chakras click here) You can still use all the info about the herbs but you may have the change some language or add some context in your mind. It’s a shame but almost 99% of books and resources written before 2017 appropriate to some level, being aware of how to catch it and what info you can use vs info you have to totally disregard is important. Example of changing language: The word —> what the author usually means Smudging —> cleansing Chakras —> energy centers Chi —> life force Karma —> cosmic Justice Somethings you just can’t mentally replace because the author is fully appropriating, like listing dream catchers, using awful terms like slurs or outdated language, or actively discouraging people to decolonize their practice these resources are the ones you should put down and let others know to be aware of Some lovely research ideas: Witchy and spiritual research Ideas Resources: Tips and tricks for new witches - The Mori Witch Beginners Guide to Spirituality - Kate Truong What should beginners be researching? - @serpentandthreads Being careful on witchblr and what constitutes being a beginner - cinnsmoondtone How can I practice without appropriation?

I hope you all enjoyed!! if you have any questions feel free to ask!

Tip Jar

[4rainynite]

EAH Dorm Rooms Headcanon 7

Cedar & Cerise

Two righteous and creative Rebels coming up!

Cedar and Cerise are Rebels due to despite both having a "happily ever after", Cedar believes in and choice and knows most don't want to follow the road laid out for them, and Cerise is living proof that Headmaster Grimm's rules are nothing but a pile of lies. Both girls want to be true to themselves, making them perfect roommates.

Both girls found creative ways to express themselves, Cedar through her artwork and Cerise through sports. But, Cedar has participated in swimming activities in the books and Cerise loves to bake on her free times. So both teach each other a new thing about their hobby (they should've had Cedar painting with Cerise in the above image).

When Cerise and Cedar were getting fairest those were the only times we saw their rooms, layout of their dorm seems similiar to Lizzie and Duchess's. After rereading the books, I did get an idea of what their dorms may look like.

Cedar's side: Despite being the next Pinocchio Cedar can't lie. As an artist she uses her crafts to express herself.

This is the only image of Cedar's side we ever got in the show. Cedar appears to have a canopy bed and a double vanity that she lets Cerise use.

In the books Cedar is usual covered in paints fromher projects so it wouldn't surprise me if her walls, floor, and furniture had little paint fingerprints on them.

I can see Cedar bringing her own furniture from home or painting over the ones she's got from throne furnishing or thrift stores. Everything has a woody texture or has wood designs on it.

Cedar loves to paint, sketch, puppetry, etc. So, she most likely keeps her art supplies in her room. In the books it said she had a paint box where she keeps her paints and an easel.

Also, seeing how Cedar is a puppet her paints, sandpaper, and etc count as her beauty supplies.

Apperently, Cedar (and Blondie) were supposed to have jewelry boxes like Apple and Raven but were never made. It’s very artsy and it's a shame it was never made.

I can see Cedar framing her artwork on her side of the dorm. Having polaroid pictures of her family, friends, and etc hanging on acorn-shaped fairy lights. And a trash can full of sawdust from her projects and herself.

Cerise's side: As the future Red Riding Hood (and Big Bad Wolf), Cerise has two sides to her that are rarely shown, except to the people she trusts.

This is the only image of Cerise's side we ever got in the show. From what is shown Cerise has a deep woods nature theme to her room.

I do believe Cerise has a canopy bed, but it does not resemble the one in the second image.

With Cerise on many sports teams, she most likely has workout equipment like running shoes, weights, a yoga mat, etc.

Cerise would definitely have a dream catcher like her cousin Ramona (I know they're sisters in the show, and I'll explain why I made them cousins in another headcanon), also I think Cerise has Native American roots in her and is used to reflect her culture.

The middle flooring, wallpaper, and the second curtains are Cerise's.

In one of the quizzies on the website it said that Cerise's side of the room is most likely messy.

Once Cerise's wolf side is revealed she'll add more wolf motifs to her room (we saw that wolf painting). It won't be a wolf cave like Ramona's, but it would be a mixture of both worlds.

I don't know why, but I can picture her with a mini fridge with filled with energy drinks, jerky (can you put jerky in a fridge?), and her mother's pastries.

Also, Cerise travels via shadows so she might rarely use the door to her dorm. At first this freaked Cedar out, one moment she was somewhere else in school the next she's back in there dorm.

EVERAFTERROYAL @darth-alinart, @teatime-with-maddie @everafterhighcaps EAHWIKI ROYALREBELWIKI

[melliotwrites]

If you had an unlimited budget for your shows, what would be something you would want to do? Like, was there anything in either taopp or adamandi that you would add or anything you would do differently if you didn’t have any restraints?

Great question! So far, we've been super lucky to have the resources we have had (Adamandi, especially, was pretty close to an ideal production for how we'd like it staged!) We did have to leave a few ideas on the cutting room floor, though, because of time/resource constraints. Here's a few fun ones from each show!

Adamandi

Marbing: We experimented with one or two different ways to achieve the 'Marble transformation' effect on the Marmorei and Ambrose during Me, Myself, and I, but if I had infinite money I would've loved to have them with whiteout contacts and a fleet of makeup artists waiting in the wings to make their skin more marble-colored (and cracked!) I'd also love if we could've done the same to Ambrose as he transformed (maybe with projections?)- we'll see for future productions! ~Mel

Saints: If I had dream-levels of SFX makeup, I've always sort of wanted the saints to start posed in front of stained glass windows, with their halos almost two dimensional and their faces already in profile- and then when they 'come to life' in Litany of the Martyrs, they turn their faces towards the audience and we see the other half of their faces is a heavily injured corpse- according to their martyrdom stories, of course. It would emphasize the message of the allure and revulsion of these stories, I think! ~Mel

The Skask (skin mask): We had an artful solution to the skin mask from our costume designer that looked amazing onstage (nylon stretched over a catcher's mask- which is also super fun because of Ambrose's jockliness)- but I've always dreamed of a hyperrealistic latex one, held together with stitches... just to make the audience really gasp when Vincent turns around in the final scene. ~Mel

MORE GHOSTS! In our original vision, we wanted more and more ghosts to join Vincent in Oh! Ms. Reporter, and wanted these ghosts to accumulate like the Marmorei as he kills more and more students. However, because many of the ghosts in Oh! Ms. Reporter had other roles, we couldn't have folks accumulate and join Vincent's ensemble. - Elliot

The Pyre: in our original conception of Vincent's pyre, it was built by the ghosts out of the set pieces onstage- literally taking apart the symbols of academia and burning oneself on them etc etc. We decided on this version of the pyre for cost and also legibility onstage, but wouldn't it be cool if it was a huge pile of desks, books, and chairs? -Mel

The Art of Pleasing Princes

This wasn't budget so much as the limitations of a college production, but more people in the cast/ensemble like Adamandi is something we're looking into for revisions! Having courtiers who are separate from the main 5 (and attendees at Rowan's party) would help clarify it and make those songs sound so much richer (while our cast is amazing, learning five-part harmony for all the group songs isn't really ideal) ~Mel

Similarly, we would love to have a bigger band (and more rehearsal time, obviously, to allow all the actors to memorize it and make it a fuller production!) - Elliot

With a fuller production it would also be fun to have more of a palace set that the characters could explore! I loved the different fabrics for the settings of the rooms, but having a luxurious Palace-style set with different backgrounds for everyone's rooms would be nice. I'd envision a set with either a sectioned-off part or a different level for character bedrooms. - Mel and Elliot

[pagebypagereviews]

Must-Read Books for Every Age Group Reading is a timeless activity that offers countless benefits across all age groups. It can enhance vocabulary, improve memory and concentration, and even reduce stress. Moreover, books can serve as windows into other cultures, times, and perspectives, fostering empathy and understanding. With the vast ocean of literature available, selecting the right book can be daunting. This article aims to simplify that choice by highlighting must-read books for every age group, ensuring that readers of all ages find something that not only captivates but also enriches them. Children (Ages 0-12) For children, books are gateways to imagination and learning. They introduce basic concepts, moral lessons, and the joy of storytelling. Here are some timeless classics and modern masterpieces that cater to this age group: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle - A beautifully illustrated book that teaches days of the week, counting, and metamorphosis. Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling - These magical novels not only entertain but also teach valuable lessons about friendship, courage, and the importance of choices. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak - A story about anger management and the power of imagination. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White - A tale of friendship, love, and loss, teaching children about the cycle of life and the value of unlikely friendships. Teenagers (Ages 13-19) Teenage years are formative, often marked by a search for identity and a deep desire for independence. Literature can play a crucial role in helping teens navigate these turbulent times. Here are books that resonate with teenage struggles and aspirations: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger - A classic novel about teenage rebellion and alienation. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - A profound novel that deals with serious issues like racial injustice and moral growth. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - A touching story about love, loss, and resilience. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - A dystopian novel that explores themes of survival, tyranny, and resistance. Young Adults (Ages 20-35) Young adulthood is a time of self-discovery, career building, and, often, significant personal growth. Books for this age group can offer both escape and guidance, reflecting the challenges and opportunities of this life stage. Here are some compelling reads: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho - A philosophical book that encourages following one's dreams and listening to one's heart. 1984 by George Orwell - A dystopian novel that explores the dangers of totalitarianism and the importance of personal freedom. Educated by Tara Westover - A memoir about the power of education and the struggle to forge one's path. Normal People by Sally Rooney - A novel that explores complex relationships, love, and the social pressures of young adulthood. Adults (Ages 36-60) For adults navigating the complexities of midlife, literature can offer both reflection and inspiration. Books that delve into themes of life evaluation, career, family, and personal development are particularly resonant. Here are some must-reads: The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck - A blend of psychology and spirituality, this book offers insights into the nature of personal growth and relationships. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - A novel about love, loss, and the power of art through the life of a young man dealing with the aftermath of a tragedy. Becoming by Michelle Obama - A memoir that provides a deep reflection on personal identity, resilience, and what it means to truly lead. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman - A heartwarming tale about the unexpected friendships that change us forever. Seniors (Ages 61 and above) For seniors, books can be a source of comfort, nostalgia, and continued learning. Literature that touches on themes of reflection, legacy, and the joys and challenges of aging can be particularly meaningful. Here are some thoughtful selections:

The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway - A powerful novel about resilience, pride, and personal triumph. The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 ¼ Years Old by Hendrik Groen - A diary that offers humor and insights into the daily life of a senior in an Amsterdam nursing home. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah - A historical novel that explores themes of resilience, survival, and the powerful bonds of family. Being Mortal by Atul Gawande - A non-fiction book that discusses how medicine can improve not only life but also the process of its ending. Conclusion Books have the unique ability to accompany us through every stage of life, offering comfort, inspiration, and invaluable lessons along the way. The titles listed above represent just a fraction of the vast literary world, each selected for its potential to resonate deeply with its intended age group. From the imaginative tales that spark young minds to the reflective narratives that resonate with the wisdom of age, literature enriches our lives in countless ways. Whether you're a parent looking to nurture a love of reading in your child, a young adult seeking direction, or a senior enjoying the pleasure of a good book, there's something in the world of literature for everyone. Happy reading!

[ishamaroo]

10 Must-Have Art and Craft Toys for Every Kid

When it comes to fostering creativity and cognitive development in children, art and craft toys play a crucial role. These toys not only encourage imagination but also enhance hand and eye coordination, fine motor skills, and problem-solving abilities. As a parent or caregiver, selecting the right art and craft toys can be overwhelming due to the plethora of options available. In this article, we have curated a list of 10 must-have art and craft toys for every kid, all available at Shop Befikar, to help you make the best choices that nurture your child's artistic journey.

Colorful Crayon Set - The Classic Essential: A colorful crayon set is an absolute must-have for any budding artist. With a vast array of vibrant colors, children can create beautiful drawings, express their emotions, and engage in storytelling through pictures. Crayons are easy to use and perfect for developing hand and eye coordination in young children. Shop Befikar offers premium quality crayon sets that are non-toxic and safe for children of all ages.

Magic Watercolor Books - Mess-Free Creativity: Watercolor painting is a fun and mess-free activity that kids enjoy. Magic watercolor books come with special pages that reveal colors when water is applied to them, eliminating the need for paintbrushes and separate water containers. Children can simply use a brush with water to bring their illustrations to life, making it an ideal travel-friendly art toy. Shop Befikar's magic watercolor books offer a selection of fascinating themes and designs to fuel children's imagination.

Dough Modeling Kit - Sculpting Fun: Dough modeling kits provide an excellent opportunity for kids to explore their sculpting skills. Whether it's making little animals, shapes, or creative characters, molding dough aids in developing hand strength and precision. Shop Befikar's non-toxic dough modeling kits come with various colors and accessories, providing endless possibilities for artistic expression.

DIY Craft Sets - Encouraging Creativity: DIY craft sets are a fantastic way to boost a child's creativity and problem-solving abilities. These kits often include materials and instructions to create unique crafts, such as friendship bracelets, dream catchers, and more. By following step-by-step instructions, children learn to concentrate, follow directions, and complete a project successfully. Shop Befikar offers a wide range of DIY craft sets suitable for different age groups.

Magnetic Drawing Board - Reusable Doodling: Magnetic drawing boards are perfect for mess-free doodling and scribbling. Children can draw and erase multiple times, encouraging them to experiment and refine their artistic skills. Moreover, the magnetic pen promotes hand and eye coordination while fostering the concept of cause and effect. Shop Befikar's magnetic drawing boards are durable and come in various sizes, catering to children of different age groups.

Finger Painting Kit - Sensory Exploration: Finger painting is a sensory-rich activity that enables kids to explore different textures and colors. It helps in developing fine motor skills and allows children to create artwork using their hands as brushes. Shop Befikar's finger painting kits are child-safe and come with washable paints, making cleanup a breeze for parents.

Craft Sticker Sets - Sticking and Imagining: Craft sticker sets provide endless possibilities for imaginative play. Children can use these stickers to create scenes, decorate their belongings, or design their own stories. This activity enhances hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and artistic expression. Shop Befikar offers a wide variety of craft sticker sets to suit various interests and preferences.

3D Pen - Bringing Art to Life: A 3D pen takes art and creativity to the next level. It allows children to draw in three dimensions, transforming their ideas into tangible objects. By holding and maneuvering the pen, children enhance their hand and eye coordination while understanding spatial relationships. Shop Befikar's 3D pens are user-friendly and come with safety features suitable for young artists.

Bead Jewelry Making Kit - Crafting Accessories: Bead jewelry making kits are ideal for nurturing fine motor skills, creativity, and patience. Children can create their jewelry, such as bracelets, necklaces, and keychains, using a wide range of colorful beads and strings. Shop Befikar's bead jewelry making kits provide hours of crafting fun while promoting dexterity and focus.

Scratch Art Set - Unleashing Hidden Colors: Scratch art sets offer a unique way for kids to create colorful designs by scratching the surface to reveal vibrant colors underneath. This activity promotes hand-eye coordination, precision, and attention to detail. Shop Befikar's scratch art sets come in various themes and sizes, making it an exciting gift option for any occasion.

Conclusion: Art and craft toys are not only enjoyable but also integral to a child's development. Through these toys, kids can explore their creativity, develop essential skills, and express themselves artistically. With Shop Befikar's diverse range of art and craft toys, you can provide your child with the best tools to enhance their hand and eye coordination while fostering a lifelong love for art. So, let their imagination soar and watch them create wonders with these must-have toys!

[kpopmartcom]

DREAM CATCHER - CONCEPT BOOK  💘

https://kpopmart.com/1309-dream-catcher

[sparklingfireflyy]

Success Stories 2 :

🌸🌸 Appearance : 🌸🌸

Bigger boobs

Changed hair type from 4C to 3C/4A

Desired face and body

Multiple appearance change

Dream body

Multiple appearance change

Getting rid of hairfall

Multiple appearance change

Cleared acne

Swelling and bruises gone

Weight loss

Glow up

Multiple appearance change

Long hair

Multiple appearance change

Multiple appearance change

Weight loss

Desired height and looking more like df

Small nose

🌸🌸 Multiples : 🌸🌸

2 sports car + a mansion with pool + a business + wardrobe full of designer cloths + dream gf + trauma away

Curlier hair + shorter height + hazel eyes + 10 new friends

Being a nepo baby + waking up in a mansion + popularity

Cloths + trip to maldives + desired face + smaller stuff

Weather change + not getting scolded + perfect health

Losing 10 pounds + Angel skull + 5k in bank account

Postponed exam results + constipation gone + controlled weather + clear skin

Desired face + body + personality + penthouse in LA + moving away + photographic memory + skills + millions in account + street wardrobe

Desired face + body + height + money + cars and apartment + a tiny fairy + reaching void everytime

$2000 + revising last name + face and body + raspy voice

Revising grades + dream school + desired car

Desired home + desired job + desired friends + desired appearance + desired personality + supportive family etc.

Looking like Chinese ( her race) + losing 45kg + job + 115k usd + new wardrobe + singing ability + meeting biological parents

Losing 10kgs in 3 days + getting into void evey time + getting all desires overnight

Clear skin + no wrinkles + look younger + job + friends + overall happy life

Dream catcher + holiday homework done by itself + shorter height + chocolates + rain + cup + butterflies etc.

Multiple appearance change + entering void + master manifestor

A new phone + air conditioner + text from sp + crush's break up + cancelling class + puppy + piercings

$700,000 + cloths out of thin air + lost ear buds

Seeing hawks + clear skin + cancelled exams + seeing pink cat + full marks + perfect vision + smooth and thick hair + new laptop etc.

Acceptance in university + self concept + grade increase + appearance change + revision + aura etc.

Straight hair + everything in my favour + good grades + specific food + ideal eyes + part time job

Desired appearance + Wardrobe + dream family + self concept + 5 million dollars + Straight A's + popularities etc.

Woke up with Money + df + db + room decor + apartment in NYC

Grew 4 inches of hair + sp + self concept + being photogenic

Penthouse + increased height from 5'2 to 5'7 + nice figure + tiny falt 11 line abs + nice ass and titts + a dream life

Dream home + ideal appearance + health + high grades + ideal job + good mental health

Df and db + sp and bff + money from mom + athletic skills + extreme luck

Temporary wings + clear skin + going to void + awards + friends + being invisible + gifts + flat belly + revision

Df and db + desired family + desired house + luxurious lifestyle + desired friends group + getting into void + 170 iq

Desired appearance + iq of 200 + photographic memory + perfect self concept + weight loss + hourglass body + entering void + perfect life + endless money + best student

Entire family + good vision + revised age + good grades + wealth + friends

$5 million dollar + $5 million dollar bank account + modelling agency + younger brother + 20/20 vision + long platinum blonde hair + labrador Retriever + gf + friends

Being leo + hourglass body + desired face + getting into void + being everyone's crush

Niece to live with her + forest green eyes + revising grades + piano

Clear skin + singing voice + shifting to DR

Porsche 911 + penthouse + millions in bank + 20/20 vision + several guys to crush over her

Purple eyes + being 4'10 + changing appearance + getting booked for shows + iphone 13

🌸🌸 Illogical : 🌸🌸

Fairies in 3 days

Dog alive again

Fairy wings

Changing age

Shifted to dr

Shifted to Harry Potter world

Shifted to many realities

Shifting to jujutsu

🌸🌸 Void : 🌸🌸

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🌸🌸 Others : 🌸🌸

Topped in class

Met biological parents

Perfect Hearing

High grades

Dream life

Knowledge without studying

Lost rings back

Money

Ideal everything

Everything in 1 day

$5 million

Ear infection away

Desired car

Perfect hearing and speech

Getting together with sp

Desired everything

[cupcraft]

i want to elaborate to things up his sleeves but to his own detriment because i could talk ages about manberg/pogtopia but i want to talk about operation dream catcher.

because ctubbo defeated in the final disc, canonically a bit blacked out/sort of numbed and stunned by the whole thing, resigned to die, watches his friend take two of cdream's lives and him whisked off to a prison. I think everyone on that server feared cdream getting out but ctubbo's first move was to accelerate nuclear armament which you can contrast with ctommy's first move to become more empowered and build the hotel. And yes by the dates it makes sense becase 3 days before the final disc cTubbo announces the project and you'd think after getting cdream arrested all testing would stop, and yet Project Dream Catcher continues. This paranoia defines Snowchester as a whole for the rest of its conception. Because yes its peaceful, its not a government structure, its a commune in the snow for those who lost their way, but ctubbo uses that peaceful front to have those nukes up his sleeve just incase, because who knows what could happen with cdream? He always feared that. he made it so no one could go there via the nether, he was strict about who could see michael, he built the mansion self sufficient. He has a vault of supplies and cdream's armor/tools, just incase he gets out, just incase he finds it, just in case things go bad again. He tests the nuke and is proud of its success, he lost the nuke, he builds an interrogation station thats hidden, and only trusts cfoolish after interrogation. He builds the cookie outpost. that fronts as a cookie place/farm but really is yet another way to be safe and on alert. He investigates ctommy's death, he hides his book of independence from ctechno (and he feels the need to declare independence at all). He builds more outposts/walls as time goes on.

And the most gutting part of all of this being to his own detriment/isolation, is that the other nuke made in the project was meant to kill him. It was meant to kill the user.

yeah ctubbo and projects make me ill

[thinger-strang]

tag 10 people you want to get to know better!

tagged by @biillyhargroves love you!!!!!

relationship status: its kinda complicated to explain outloud but to me and my person it makes sense and im happy and thats all the really matters :)

favorite color: i really like deep rich greens and reds (like emeralds and burgundys)

favorite food: pasta, my mom actually makes this amazing mac and cheese that i would die for

song stuck in your head: suspicious minds (flim edit) from elvis or the run (urban legends) from the nope soundtrack :)))

time: 7:31pm (im on my lunch break rn)

dream trip: idk if u actually have like a specific destination? ive always wanted to go on a roadtrip with my friends and visit as many tourist traps in the us as possible

last book you read: im currently in the middle of jurassic park by michael crichton but last book i read in full was probably the prince and the dressmaker by jen wang

last book you enjoyed reading: i think aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe, i need to read it again

last book you hated reading: the catcher in the rye, i hate that book with a burning passion i hated that thing

favorite thing to cook/bake: fudge! im a simple being, i see a fudge recipe i try it out! i just made a bunch with my mom and its got a toffee/caramel texture so we split it up and wrapped it wax paper and keep it in a jar in our fridge, and we were joking while making it about selling it when she opens her dream store (hopefully she does!)

favourite craft to do in your free time: i really love origami and sewing, i dont do them often bc i just dont have a lot of free time but sometimes when i watch a movie ill work on one of my sewing projects (i hand sew things together, i just made a fridge jacket and i think next on my list is to embroider a cowboy shirt 😄)

most niche dislike: summer outfits, i love layers and sweaters and turtlenecks and having to sacrifice that for 🤢 a shirt and shorts with NOTHING ELSE???? no thank you, i have to wear layers

opinion on circus(es): i think the concept is super cool, i dig the idea but ive never been to one and i know that they have a reputation of mistreating the people and animals involved so id have to do some research before ever attending one

do you have a sense of direction: if im in the car or present when traveling, kinda, i can take a good enough guess, but if you ask me how to get from point a to point b before you leave, i can give you a hodge podge of left and right turns?

tagging @yikesharringrove @lazybakerart @c0bblenygma @peanut-booi @kingsandsaints @cupidsintern and anyone else who wants to do it :)

[not-majestic-bluenicorn]

TXT Universe Theory: The Dream Chapter

Hello and welcome back to another one of my theories! This theory will be quite long and will take into account everything in the first chapter of TXT’s story. I won’t be doing Minisode 1 or either of the Chaos Chapters yet cause it will give us all a headache if I do, so yes, there will be things missing. Believe me, I know, I’m just pretending like I don’t know anything for the sake of my mind XD Let’s dive into the theory!

The Protagonists

Name: Choi Yeonjun

Keywords: Promise, guilty, sleepless, apricity 

Association: Paranoid Park

Metamorphosis: Horns

Songs: Crown, Magic Island

Yeonjun is, perhaps, more relevant than his character wishes he was. Paranoid Park, the book (and perhaps also movie) he’s associated with, talks about a 16-year-old boy who accidentally kills a policeman and tries to cope with it while simultaneously hiding what he did. Yeonjun’s guilt can be seen almost everywhere. His Dream-Self grows horns during Nap of a Star, which are generally associated with evil and destruction, and in Crown he expresses his fear of being evil.

In the teasers for Magic Island he says “I think there’s someone else aside from us #itsmyfault”. And in the teasers for The Dream Chapter: Eternity he adds the hashtags #imscared #itwasjustajoke when revealing his association. He did something that makes him feel guilty. He possibly didn’t kill anyone (I mean, if anyone did, it’s most likely Beomgyu, but that’s not here nor there), but it hasn’t been revealed yet what he did do.

I associate Magic Island with him because it talks about promises and about the Odd Eye Cat, which I will talk about more in detail later, but suffice to say the Odd Eye Cat might have something against Yeonjun. There is a small chance that Yeonjun feels guilty about having forgotten their promise with the Star, since his word is promise. Everyone forgot, but maybe he’s more emotionally aware of it.

Name: Choi Soobin

Keywords: Tomorrow, invisible, understanding, apricity

Association: Le Doulos

Metamorphosis: Elongated ears

Songs: Eternally

Soobin is on the opposite side of the coin with Yeonjun. He too is aware about the promise with the Star, but in a very different way. He is perhaps what we would define as a traditional protagonist, as he can hear the voice of the Star well before anyone else can, even if he can’t remember the promise. The first time we see him perceiving the voice is in Magic Island, that is when he starts to feel separated from the group. He’s still unaware of it, but he knows something that the others don’t and that puts a wall between them. In the Magic Island teaser he uses the hashtag “#IThinkImTheOnlyOneWhosDifferent”, and in the Eternity concept photos he says “Why am I the only one having a hard time?” and “Everything is your fault”. He is also tagged as invisible, which alludes to the fact that he feels distanced from the others, and is also the only one to get no interactions on his posts. The fact that he’s blaming someone might be that he’s aware of the voice or that he knows someone in the group messed up.

Name: Choi Beomgyu

Keywords: Hope, unfair, relief, serenity

Association: The Catcher in the Rye

Metamorphosis: Spines on the back

Songs: ???

Beomgyu is an interesting if confusing character. Based on how he acts in the MVs, he seems to be rather headstrong and confident, much like the main character, Holden, of Catcher in the Rye, a story strongly related to growing up and leaving the innocence of childhood behind. Holden considers adults (and his life) to be quite unfair, doesn’t trust them, and wants to become a protector of the innocence of other children. However, much like Beomgyu, he’s rather headstrong and careless, moving forward without much consideration, which often gets him in trouble. These aspects can be seen reflected on the Magic Island Teaser, where he writes “What’s the problem? Let’s just do it. #rewind #hope #CantTrustAnyone, as well as the Port teasers from Eternity where he says things like “Who saw me that day?”, “We were all together then, right?” and “I don’t think this is the world I used to know” (which is tagged with “unfair”), and uses the hashtags #NothingToHide, #IsItMyFault?”. We do see him start the fire in both the Magic Island Teaser and MV, which might hint to the fact that he feels it’s unfair to blame him when they were all there, and he doesn’t actually believe himself to be at fault. He was just taking care of them.

Name: Kang Taehyun

Keywords: Clue, suspicious, breathe, serenity

Association: Philip Marlowe

Metamorphosis: Star eye

Songs: ???

Taehyun’s character is observant and prefers to stay on the sidelines to catch every detail before casting his judgement. In the Magic Island Teaser he says “There’s got to be a way out” with the hashtag #LetsThinkAboutIt, plus, in the Port Teasers from Eternity, he keeps a reasonable suspicion on his team members about who’s truly at fault and uses the hashtags #EverybodyLies and #IWantToKnowTheTruth. This ties in well with his associated character, Philip Marlowe, the private detective. Both characters keep a distance and analyze everything carefully, never resorting to violence. It is worth noting that he keeps Yeonjun’s teddy bear at the end of Run Away, which in the teasers is labelled as “clue”. Taehyun is always observing.

Name: Huening Kai

Keywords: Secret, lonely, longing, apricity

Association: Stand by me

Metamorphosis: Wings

Songs: Nap of a star

Huening Kai is perhaps one of the most complicated and mysterious characters in the story, since his role isn’t as established as the others. He’s constantly out of the loop about the situation that is happening, which is demonstrated by phrases like “What the hell is happening?” (Magic Island Teaser) and “What happened?” (‘Port’ Teasers) as well as the hashtags #OnTheSidelines and #IKnowNothing, as well as two of his keywords being secret and lonely. His associated media is also interesting, as Stand by me talks about a man remembering the trip he did with three of his friends when they were 12 to find the body of a missing boy. At the end of the movie, the main character Gordie, recalls his friends and comments on how much he’ll always miss them and how he’s never had friendships like that again. This raises the question if perhaps one of the boys would be the dead kid the others are trying to find. Kai being kept out of the loop could point to him being it, as he’s always trying to reach for them but can’t quite do it, however it could also be argued that either Yeonjun or Soobin could fill that space as well.

The Setting: The Real World vs The Dream World

Back on the very early BTS theories, a lot of us didn’t think time travel or time loops were the answer, but it turned out we were wrong. At first, when working on this theory, I wasn’t sure where I should draw the distinction between reality and fantasy. In the end, I’ve decided that everything is real but in different ways, and I’ve decided to make the distinction between the Real World and the Dream World; after all, this is called the Dream Chapter.

The Real World is, you guessed it, pretty much just our normal world. Nothing magical or physics-law-breaking to be seen here. The Dream World is, well, a world made of dreams. But remember I said everything is real (I know the names I gave the two realities contradict this, hit me up if you have better suggestions). Whatever happens in the Dream World is just as real as whatever happens in the Real World, it’s just in a different plane of existence. It might also be of interest to note that sometimes these worlds blend. 

So, if everything is real in the Dream World, what is real in the Real World? This is a complicated question because even our characters struggle telling reality apart from the dreams, especially because the dreams aren’t just dreams. The fires that occur in Run Away and Can’t You See Me are very much symbolic, but them jumping into the Dream World through the subway in Magic Island is real. The visions they have in Eternally aren’t happening in the Real World either. It’s just a matter of what is supported through other clues and pieces of evidence, which I’ll try to provide.

The Story

So, you know, what is like… happening? Everything is extremely confusing and it took me a while to understand that pretty much all videos are happening like, at the same time? As in, it’s the same event but from different perspectives and slightly different intervals of time. So let’s try to lay down a cohesive timeline.

It all starts with the events narrated in Nap of a Star. When they were children, the five of them (or well, maybe I should say six) met through the Dream world and became such good friends that they promised to meet there again. However, as it happens, they grew up and forgot about it, meeting once again many years later through the school and the company without remembering each other. 

While growing up, they have gone through many different things that have hurt and changed them, which manifested in their dream bodies as the “imperfections” that they all have. I believe these imperfections are tied to each of their characters: horns tend to represent evil, which ties in with Yeonjun feeling guilty and blaming himself for everything. Kai’s wings look angel-like, which fits his sweet personality who helps the “demon” (Yeonjun) and is always believing the best about his friends. Beomgyu is very defensive, which translates into his porcupine-like spines. Soobin is a good listener (plus he’s literally the first one to hear the Star’s voice) and Taehyun is good at observing the others. So these are all manifestations of how life has shaped them to be who they are now.

They become very good friends once again and get along well, nice! However, we know things are not perfect, and they have to confront a series of personal conflicts. Especially Yeonjun, who’s so overcome by the negativity in his life that he starts a fire that can’t be put out in Run Away. This fire is metaphorical, and represents all the pain and stress he’s been dealing with. So what do they do? They try to find an escape from all their troubles.

There’s two ways this could’ve happened: the first one is that they stumble with the Dream World by accident on the Run Away MV when they go in through the pool. This seems fitting because of their reactions. After that they research it and Soobin discovers that there’s a secret magical entrance at a train station, as we can see in the Sanctuary Photo Teasers from the Magic comeback in the official BigHit website. The other option is that this accidental discovery didn’t happen and they simply researched. This would turn their visit in Run Away into a “summary” of sorts of their first impression of the place.

[Translation:

Soobin: I saw how to find the hidden magic platform?

Soobin: When you close and open your eyes there, your dream becomes reality

Taehyun: Woah, cool

Taehyun: (not sure about this one) for real?

Soobin: Should we go together?]

Either way, they get there. Of course, as shown by the door being set on fire at the end of Run Away when Yeonjun looks at it, his worries aren’t entirely gone, but at least they’re under control now, or so it seems. This part of the video also ties in with the end of Nap of a Star. All of the children come together to help the “monster” and they reunite at the Dream World once again, awakening the Star.

After this, though, weird things begin to happen. Someone or something is trying to reach out to them, and causes them to have really strange dreams. This entity, presumably the Star as marked by the pieces of dialogue, even follows them to their practice room, and keeps begging them to remember them. Yes, I think the Practice Room Ghost and the Star are the same character (and I also think they represent MOA, in a way). 

[Translation: Remember my name.]

Here’s where the visions in Eternally come into play. The individual vision each of them has is, physically speaking, nothing more than that: a vision or dream. So they start having these visions, and some of them, especially Soobin who keeps hearing the Star’s voice, start doubting their reality. Plus, weird things start happening in their practice room, so no doubt they end up hearing about the Practice Room Ghost.

They have a conversation about it on the subway, and Soobin goes to mention he had a weird dream but then he backtracks. Obviously, he’s talking about the vision we see in Eternally, because he even says he always wakes up crying from it. In a split second, they decide to stop at the Magic Island using the method that Soobin found previously, and they go have fun there.

[Translation:

Yeonjun: Did you hear about the practice room’s mirror ghost?

Beomgyu: *sland for shivering* A ghost? Wow

Taehyun: I heard about it. There’s no ghosts, you’re just tired and saw wrong.

Soobin: I’ve had weird dreams lately *cries* Maybe it was because I’m tired...

Kai: Did you have a scary dream again?

Soobin: (deleted message) In the dream we...

Yeonjun: Ah, I shouldn’t have said anything.

Beomgyu: What’s scary about this? If there’s a real ghost let’s go and check at night *laughs*

Kai: Hyungs, stop talking about scary things please *cries*

Taehyun: Beomgyu hyung is joking about this too??

Yeonjun: Should we just go to Ttukseom?]

Naturally, things go wrong, what else were we expecting? Their antics end up setting the magic forest on fire, until they end up destroying the whole Dream World, and it leads us to the start of Eternally. One thing I believe to be very interesting is how, when they’re trapped in the storm, Soobin keeps touching his ears, Kai touches his chest like in Nap of a Star, and Beomgyu touches his shoulder. Yeonjun and Taehyun aren’t properly shown but they probably also touch the affected places.

I would argue that Can’t You See Me? is also just a reinterpretation of the conflict they’re going through, both within themselves but also as a group, because they did just destroy their secret place. This is pretty much where the current timeline ends. I’m a bit uncertain if they’re trapped in the Dream World or outside of it without being able to go back, because Taehyun does mention wanting to go back in the Port teasers, but he doesn’t specify where. I want to bet that they’re trapped in the Dream World but I do need to analyze the Chaos Chapter better to decide that.

The Practice Room Star

Yes, this is a play on words, as I fully believe that the Practice Room Ghost and the Star are both the same entity. When they were kids, they made a promise with the Star, but they’ve forgotten it with time, and now that they have reunited and found their way into the Dream World again, the Star wants them back. The Star is probably a very powerful being, since they are able to interfere with the Real World to reach to them, enough to make them confused about their own reality. Their bond seems to be stronger with Soobin, who’s even able to hear them reach out on occasion. It’s uncertain what exactly it is that they want.

The Visions (Eternally MV)

The night of the last day & Song of a Star (Soobin’s visions)

Eternally starts at the end of Magic Island, with the Dream World completely in ruins. Eternally happens before Magic Island, so this dream Soobin has at the beginning is nothing but a prophecy. In the dream, he is holding a book, which we also see Beomgyu with. I think this book is the one they got the information about the Dream World during the Magic era, since the cover is very similar to the symbols we can see in Run Away. 

I believe Song of a Star is the Star reaching out to him. He’s the first one to be able to hear the Star, as shown in Magic Island, and he also references the Star’s song in teachers. The kid he sees is probably the version of himself that first entered the Dream World as a kid (or maybe Kai lol), which might be why he wants to cry everytime he has that dream: it’s the nostalgia for a time he left behind.

Room No. 17 (Beomgyu’s vision)

While I’m not sure what the number 17 means yet, and my research on numerology yielded no results, this vision is particularly interesting to me. Through it we get to see Beomgyu’s more ‘brash’ nature as he defends the book that Soobin was seen holding previously. If that book is their key to the Dream World, then it makes a lot of sense that he’s trying to protect it. I’m not sure who the other person trying to stop him is, but it does kinda look like things didn’t go well for them after Beomgyu transformed. 

Girl of Eternity (Huening Kai’s vision)

Perhaps the strangest of names for visions, this clearly represents how the rest of the members keep moving far away from Kai and become unreachable to him. He mentions several times how he’s clueless about what’s going on and wants to understand, but the rest of them continue to keep him in the dark, so he feels a distance growing between them, which might increase in the future.

Moratorium of Rest (Taehyun’s vision)

Taehyun’s vision is perhaps the most shocking of all, as it shows us Yeonjun sitting on a chair and covered in spines and purple “paint”. Yeonjun is sitting in the middle of a field of all sorts of violets, and Taehyun tries calling him before realizing the condition Yeonjun is in.

Promise (Yeonjun’s vision)

Yeonjun shares the misfortune with Taehyun of seeing his lifeless corpse, except his vision is much less artistic about it. After finding his body, he sees a fire from the corner of his eye, and right next to it, you guessed it, the odd-eyed cat. His vision in particular finishes with the phrase “I thought it was salvation, then.” And here is where things turn south.

Yeonjun’s promise and the Odd-Eye Cat

I have a very strong reason to believe that Yeonjun is in danger of dying an awful death, and it’s only partially because of the visions. Since Nap of a Star, Yeonjun has been followed by the vigilant eyes of the Odd-Eye Cat almost religiously, and it usually never brings good situations with it. It’s bad enough that the neck cut in Nap of a Star is replicated in Taehyun’s vision, that Soobin sees Yeonjun all bloody in Eternally, and that both Yeonjun and Taehyun see the former dead, but there might be some external clues that hint towards Yeonjun’s upcoming demise.

In the official BigHit website for TxT’s discography, where we found out that Soobin researched and figured out the way to go into the Dream World, we can find a picture of Yeonjun reading a book. In English, this book is called The Alchemaster’s Apprentice. This book narrates the story of a black cat who sells its soul to a sort of wizard in exchange for food, since he’s starving to death. The wizard agrees to fatten the cat for a month, after which it will kill it and use its fat for magical purposes.

The cat in this book doesn’t have heterochromia, however I found out some pagan groups in Eastern Europe believe that a different colored eye was a witch’s eye, meaning that the eye has literally been swapped out with a witch’s. I fully believe that Yeonjun made a deal he shouldn’t have, and the Odd-Eye Cat has been sent by whoever made the deal with him to check on him. It might just be that Yeonjun’s time is going to run out very soon, and the visions are trying to warn everyone of that.

Conclusion

Magic exists and TxT might have bitten more than they can chew because they wanted to run away from the problems of real life (relatable). Now, the Star that they made a promise with is trying to reach them, and maybe warn them about something that’s coming. The fact is that they’re not safe, especially Yeonjun, and things might turn south very quickly very soon.

I’ll try to come back soon with the Minisode 1 + Chaos Chapter Theory update, but for now, if you liked this, please interact with the post and check out my other theories here!

[writingwithcolor]

Cultural Christianity, Christian Appropriation, and Derailment

Periodically, I discuss the concept of cultural Christianity, the dangers of authors mucking with folklore that is not theirs, and what you have to guard against when you’re a part of a culturally Christian society.

And every time I do, like clockwork, Christians come in and say “but what about [non-Christian nation appropriating Christianity], hmmmmm????? That’s just as bad!”

So let’s talk about all of it.

Cultural Christianity

For starters: What is cultural Christianity?

Cultural Christianity is the fact the Western calendar is primarily built around two things: farming, and Christianity

Our dedicated time off that is mostly guaranteed to all workers are Christian holidays. Easter, Christmas, Good Friday. The time between Christmas and New Year is also prone to being off and this also in some dominions has Christian events.

And yes, I know that most of these holidays actually have pagan roots. Christianity co-opted them and thoroughly Christianized them, to the point their re-paganization only really started in the 1800s… by people who were also culturally Christian, and often wrote whole books on Christianity on top of their neo-pagan beliefs.

It’s how Christmas is considered a “neutral, secular” holiday, when it’s celebrating the birth of Christ. It’s how the concept of “other religions” exist, let alone the fact they have to ask for time off for their own holidays that count against their personal vacation time, when Christians often don’t have to do that. It’s how you see more churches than mosques or synagogues in the West by a very large factor.

There are very few places in the West that are not, on some level, culturally Christian. Some very insular communities might be able to escape a lot of the trappings of Christianity, but still. The government mandated days off are mostly Christian things. 

Cultural Christianity means everyone who was raised in a culturally Christian society has a Christian lens. They are aware of Christianity, its holidays, its general story, its values. 

This translates to them having to unlearn all of this and learn a whole new framework when they begin researching other folklore (Native religions, in my case, but this also applies to other religions such as Judaism and Islam) cause other folklore/religions do not have the same holidays, values, or even relationship to the deity in question.

Christian Appropriation

So in a non-Christian society, it is possible to appropriate Christianity. Because the same factors that have Christians appropriate everything else in the West are at play with a different dominant religion.

This mostly shows up in Japanese media. Japan has Shinto/Buddhism as a dominant religion, and you’ll often hear anime or manga artists say they simply picked Christian imagery because it looks cool.

And I agree this is disrespectful! It is really not fun to watch sacred imagery of your beliefs be used because “it looks cool” and I would love it if all appropriation of others’ beliefs ended.

But that often isn’t the focus of the posts getting these comments.

Derailment

This is twofold.

1- Very few places where Christianity isn’t the dominant religion exist.

Because Christian nations colonized most of the planet, there are a lot more culturally Christian places than you probably want to admit, if you’re the kind of person who pulls “but what about the appropriation.”. This includes a lot of Africa, a lot of Southeast Asia, a lot of Oceania, a lot of South America, basically all of North America, and basically all of Europe. 

You might disagree with how they practice Christianity, but they are still Christian. This means they are culturally Christian. Just not your culturally Christian.

But, as I mentioned in the previous section, appropriation can happen. It just doesn’t happen much in the English speaking world, and I am speaking to the English speaking world. Specifically, the Western English speaking world, which is very much culturally Christian.

The places where Christianity isn’t the dominant religion, however, is mostly composed of non-white people, specifically Arab, South Asian, and East Asian. So these “but what about where Christianity is appropriated” often end up sounding like “why aren’t you persecuting people of colour”, which sounds like trying to justify racism against people over there to me.

2- You are trying to say you are as much of a victim as us, when you are not

If you live in the West, you are culturally Christian unless you have grown up very deeply entrenched in a non-Christian community.

You have grown up with a wide, wide, wide variety of Christian stories, Christian based stories, Christian values/worldviews-as-default told to you your whole life. Some of it has been terrible, some of it you disagree with, but by and large, every story has some infusion of Christianity to it. Some of the most popular fictional texts are deeply religious things, like the Chronicles of Narnia.

You have not had your religion forbidden from being practiced, to you personally.

You have only seen true appropriation in very recent times, because of the influx of non-Western media being imported.

You have not had your sacred places constantly, consistently infringed upon and destroyed for reasons like “an observatory” or “a pipeline” or “a dam” or “a mine”.

You may have dealt with misunderstandings and miscommunications but you have rarely had somebody fundamentally misunderstand what Christianity is (Jesus as lord and saviour, died for our sins, we should try to live a more godly life and a good life to get into Heaven and get eternal happiness).

Native people have not had any of those luxuries, and it has mostly been culturally Christian people who have taken what is ours and turned it into what they wanted it to be. 

We have Christian pagans (paganism was founded and codified in the Victorian era, so no, it’s not “ancient wisdom” but more Victorians—who were definitely culturally Christian—interpreting everything to prove Christianity as more universal than it was*) peddle dream catchers and calling themselves medicine people and burning sage to the point it’s endangered, all trying to claim they’re “following Native practices” when they’re not.

So when I’m speaking to somebody in the Western world, 95% of the time I will be speaking to somebody culturally Christian. 

*When you start to track the “studied ancient mysteries” things, you either find types like the Theosophical Society that wildly appropriated Hinduism and Buddhism to fit their own ends and often put in messiah figures into them to show how there’s a Christ everywhere on the planet, or you start to dive into people who took Christianized recordings of folklore who may or may not have sipped some “older religions are better for noble savages reason” juice.

It’s very often racist and pulling from records written down by missionaries who had a vested interest in modifying the folklore in question, or from people who’d already been Christianized, so its validity is questionable.

Beginning to Unlearn

If you want to learn more about cultural Christianity and how to be more respectful of non-Christian belief systems, take a look at the this post and the folklore tag in general. Those are great starting places for you to do deeper research into whatever marginalized belief you’re looking to use.

I’d also suggest earnestly learning about other belief structures’ customs, challenging your assumptions of what is neutral and universal and the proper way of doing things. You might find a lot of surprising things that you weren’t expecting, even just looking at Abrahamic religions.

In the end

When I’m speaking to somebody who wants to use Native folklore, I’m going to assume they’re culturally Christian and educate them accordingly.

I am having a conversation to Christians about the appropriation of Native culture and how not to do that.

I am not going to suddenly change topics to make Christians comfortable by proving that I’m a champion for them, because frankly, they shouldn’t be dangling respecting Natives if only they interrupt themselves to prove they’re properly educated on Christian issues. Because that demand is once again centring Christianity above Native people.

I am talking about Native issues, not Christian issues.

I do not accept derailments that are thinly veiled racism or persecution complexes based off “what if”s that have not actually happened in the West. I acknowledge they happen elsewhere, and that’s tragic. I am not the person to talk about those details. I’d rather pass the mic to Christians in the area and let them speak. They are not Western Christians’ shields to use as they will. They have a voice, as well.

I am not going to coddle people who feel that Christian values are diminishing from society because we need room for more than just Christian values and Christianity does not have a monopoly on being a good person.

I am talking about Christians appropriating Native American beliefs.

And if that makes you uncomfortable, to hear Western Christians have protection, insert their own dogma into too much, and have unlearning to do—without being able to tack on a story about how no, really, you’re a victim in the West—then you have more unlearning to do. I’ve given places to start learning above.

We are talking about Native issues right now.

And I will not stop calling Christians out for their religious-based colonialism.

~ Lesya

[pagebypagereviews]

25 Books to Open Your Mind Books have the profound ability to transport us to different worlds, introduce us to new ideas, and challenge our perceptions. In a world brimming with information, selecting books that genuinely open our minds and expand our understanding can be daunting. This curated list of 25 books spans various genres and topics, each promising to enlighten, challenge, and inspire readers. From timeless classics to contemporary masterpieces, these books are more than just stories or facts; they are gateways to new ways of thinking. Philosophy and Self-Reflection Embarking on a journey of self-discovery and philosophical inquiry can profoundly impact how we view the world and our place within it. These books offer insights into life's big questions, encouraging readers to think deeply about their beliefs and values. "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius - A timeless collection of personal writings by the Roman Emperor, offering wisdom on stoicism and the art of living. "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor E. Frankl - A psychiatrist's memoir of survival in Nazi concentration camps, exploring the importance of finding purpose in life. "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho - A magical story about following one's dreams, emphasizing the importance of listening to our hearts. "Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse - A spiritual novel that follows a young man's journey during the time of the Buddha, exploring themes of enlightenment and self-discovery. Science and Innovation Understanding the universe and the groundbreaking discoveries that shape our world can profoundly change our perspective. These books demystify complex scientific concepts and celebrate human ingenuity. "A Brief History of Time" by Stephen Hawking - An accessible exploration of cosmology, from the Big Bang to black holes. "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari - An examination of the history of our species, from the emergence of Homo sapiens in Africa to the present. "The Selfish Gene" by Richard Dawkins - A revolutionary look at evolution from the viewpoint of genes, introducing the concept of the "meme." "The Innovators" by Walter Isaacson - A history of the digital revolution and the people who made it happen. Social Sciences and Culture Exploring the fabric of human societies and cultures can help us understand the complexities of the world around us. These books delve into sociology, psychology, and cultural studies, offering fresh perspectives on human behavior and social norms. "Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell - An investigation into what makes high-achievers different, emphasizing the role of culture, community, and luck. "Guns, Germs, and Steel" by Jared Diamond - A look at how environmental factors have shaped the modern world and human societies. "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman - An exploration of the two systems that drive the way we think and make decisions. "The Power of Myth" by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers - A discussion on how myths influence our lives, beliefs, and cultures. Literature and Fiction Fiction has the unique ability to convey truths about the human condition through storytelling. These literary works challenge readers to empathize with characters from diverse backgrounds and experiences, broadening our understanding of the world. "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee - A powerful tale of racial injustice in the American South, seen through the eyes of a child. "1984" by George Orwell - A dystopian novel that explores the dangers of totalitarianism and surveillance. "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger - A novel about teenage rebellion and alienation, capturing the essence of youthful disillusionment. "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel García Márquez - A masterpiece of magical realism, telling the multi-generational story of the Buendía family. Personal Development and Success Personal growth and achieving success are common goals, but the path to them is often fraught with challenges.

These books provide strategies and insights to help navigate the journey of self-improvement and professional achievement. "Atomic Habits" by James Clear - A guide to building good habits and breaking bad ones, emphasizing small changes that lead to remarkable results. "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie - Timeless advice on effective communication and interpersonal skills. "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" by Carol S. Dweck - An exploration of the growth mindset and its impact on various aspects of life, including education, work, and relationships. "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey - A holistic approach to personal and professional effectiveness, offering a principle-centered method for solving personal and professional problems. Conclusion Each book on this list offers a unique lens through which to view the world, challenging preconceptions and encouraging growth. Whether you're interested in exploring the mysteries of the universe, understanding the complexities of human society, or seeking personal or professional development, these books promise to open your mind and expand your horizons. By delving into these works, readers can embark on a journey of lifelong learning and self-discovery, gaining new insights and perspectives along the way. So, choose a book that resonates with you, dive in, and prepare to see the world in a new light.

[fromthehellmouth]

One for Sorrow, Two for Mirth

Word Count: 2.6k

A/N: Maledictus! Femme! Gryffindor! oc. Regrettably, there is so much angst... Part One!

Maledictus prompt requested by @hyacinthsandbooks I had so much fun creating this character, thanks for the prompt! Feedback is greatly appreciated! 

Drawing by me and inspired by scenes from the story. I hope you enjoy!

Overview: 

Tom Riddle befriends an unlikely victim of a powerful blood curse

I had increasingly found myself in a perpetual state of insomnia and dread. There was almost nothing I could occupy my mind with that would take it from my lingering anxiety and melancholia surrounding my condition. My nights were long and restless, and I had to become endlessly creative in order to find ways that would keep me out of trouble as well as keeping me occupied during the long dark nights in the Gryffindor common room alone past curfew. Often, it would result in me exploring the castle grounds in my other form, or writing down my thoughts to pass the time. Perhaps it was the concept of literature that I would gravitate to because of its mysterious qualities of immortality. It was chilling but also somewhat comforting to know that my works would remain with me far after I had irreversibly changed. It was not something I liked to dwell on, but it was something that I knew I could not escape from--it was always there, nagging, prodding, looming over my decisions, my psyche--it was a horribly cruel curse. 

Over a century ago my family had gotten involved with a group of vengeful wizards who were known for their adaptations of some of the darkest corners of the dark arts. They fled the country but the curse went with them. Once a curse of that strength had penetrated its way into your bloodline, it would permanently dwell there, feeding off you, like a tumor, like a degenerative disease, like a leech, essentially, it declared its power with its name; it was a blood curse. It was only a matter of years before there would be nothing more I could do, and I would have to accept my change and my fate with it. At least there was no need to study for N.E.W.Ts. My parents had begged me for years not to accept such a pessimistic attitude, to care about my studies, my dreams, and my aspirations. Over the past few months, through our owl correspondence, I felt they had lost the motivation to keep pestering me about a life that had been taken from me the moment my grandmother told me what I was: a maledictus. 

Fortunately, at this point in my development, my transformations were still voluntary. When I was very young, I remember having frequent visits to the Ministry of Magic with my parents. They would have me seen by famous dark wizard catchers, legendary curse-breakers, healers, and talented seers. From the beginning we knew there was no known cure for this type of blood curse, but I think the little security the aurors offered was necessary for my parents to hold onto. They needed expert opinions, that unfortunately would continue to tell them there was nothing to be done. Of course, my childhood self had virtually no knowledge of the severity of my condition, and thought it was simply enchanting to see mommy and daddy’s workplace.

Since my first year at Hogwarts, I had told no one about my condition except headmaster Dippet, professor Stump—my head of house, and professor Merrythought who was an expert in the dark arts because after all, she was the DADA teacher. I liked professor Merrythought quite a bit. She was an older woman with grey-blonde hair pinned back in a loose braided bun which she always had hairs escaping from. She was one of the few people who did not immediately resort to pity and fear when I told her what my bloodline had been cursed with. She was calm and interested, she told me how special I was and got me involved into studying more about blood disorders involving dark magic. Unfortunately, there had been rumors of her leaving Hogwarts and retiring—yet another thing I would be attempting to repress. My mind had become an expert at most coping mechanisms, my methods of choice being denial, repression, and sublimation--primarily writing. 

In a sense, knowing my future was carved into stone was somewhat freeing. It allowed me to live fully and completely in the moment, and not have to plan or study for my future. In another sense, the looming dread was very real, and seemed to be working its way into the grooves of my personality--settling in the fine lines of my psyche. My dull despair had become a part of me. I never doubted my purposelessness until I met Tom Riddle. 

***

It was nearly 1:45am when I noticed his figure contrasted against the shamrock-green hills. In a defeated attempt to become more comfortable with my animal form, I had begun to fly over the castle grounds more recently during the night when I felt my insomnia had become too much for me to ignore by lounging in the Gryffindor common room long after the other students had taken leave. I was never in the mind of being rebellious or secretive, and I was almost positive that if I had told professor Merrythought, she would have kept the sensitivity of my travels safe. Spotting a dark-clothed figure, I circled closer, still keeping my distance. Edging in tiny fractions closer to the tops of the forbidden forest’s trees, I made my way closer to the figure. I was presently slightly concerned for encountering the kind of person who would be coming from the forbidden forest at nearly 2 o’clock in the morning, but my growing curiosity controlled me, and I eyed the figure from above, still slowly cruising lower and lower. When I had reached the grass, the figure had entered the covered corridor leading to the clock tower, and I decided to present myself to the figure who couldn’t have been more than 6 feet away from me. It was always fun to play out a little scare. I let out a shrill, stuttering call. The figure froze, spinning swiftly with a hand to his mouth. I could see his shoulders quivering as he stared at me. 

“...it’s just a magpie, Tom...” he whispered to himself as if he needed convincing. As he turned to face me, I immediately recognized him as a popular Slytherin boy from... history of magic...? divination...?

“Unless...” 

Defense against the dark arts. That was it. 

“Are you... an animagus?” 

I froze. How could he have known? There was no way he could have known... Silently and immediately I flew back outside the covered corridor back into the open air, and faster than I had ever flew before, I found my way back to the Gryffindor tower, perching on the windowsill I had left open, dropping inside, and in the darkness transforming back into a student and swiftly slipping under the thick covers, I fell asleep suprisingly effortlessly. 

***

In the morning I awoke earlier than usual. It was as if my mind knew I had been gifted with a long sleep and didn’t want me to get comfortable. I had become accustomed to falling asleep late and waking up early—both situations leaving me awake while the rest of the castle lay unconscious. I put on my uniform and brushed out my hair. I found that the more I transformed, the silkier my hair had become, it was as if the strands were becoming more feather-like, and tended to reflect the light more. I had gotten nearly a dozen requests for the enchantment I had used, always leaving me with an awkward and less than satisfactory “it must just be oily.” I descended the stairs to the common room where I read the clock.

5:30.

Defeatedly, I gathered all my schoolbooks and began to review the material for my first class of the day. Herbology.

***

I decided to take a walk to the kitchens to pick up a cup of tea before breakfast, which begun at 9am each morning. I still had a few hours before breakfast, so after I made myself a cup I circled back to the clock tower courtyard near where I had departed from the boy I had followed last night. I sat on the ledge of the fountain and began to re-read the textbook required for this upcoming unit in herbology on uses and cautions of aquatic plants. We would be taking a guided field trip to the Black Lake for research, which I was quite excited for. While my eyes danced across the finely-scripted writing in the yellowing book, my mind wandered to last night. I found myself retracing my steps, and visualizing the boy’s face above me, shocked and intrigued. What did he know?

***

After herbology class, which had been held at the Black Lake, I followed the mass of students back to the main castle grounds. My days at school were mostly spent alone either studying or hopelessly wandering in my mind to places where I no longer had to abandon my future. I recognized very few people as friends, and I stood out from my fun-loving, reckless, and colorful housemates. It was as if my natural personality I remembered glimpses of from childhood had been veiled with a layer of plaque, tarnished and dusty. I didn't mind the aloneness. I often felt most secure when I didn’t need to reveal my secret to anyone, and was able to choose my schedule the way I saw fit. Back in the castle, I followed my normal crowd of Gryffindors who I shared my first two classes with. These were the students who I sat with at meals, went to study parties with, sat in the common room after hours with, but never ended up knowing very well. It was a polite relationship. They asked me what I thought about our next class’ lesson. 

“Can’t say I’m excited.” I rolled my eyes, my hands rested deep in the pockets of my skirt. 

“Don’t want people to know what you’re scared of?” 

“Must be it.” 

Defense against the dark arts with professor Merrythought was next, and the notorious lesson on boggarts had been expected by most students for months. Undoubtedly there was excitement for exposure to mysterious and dark creatures as well as teasing material for students with childish fears. I couldn’t help think of the boy I had encountered by the clock tower who I would inevitably see again this upcoming class. I hoped my nervous habits would not give me away as suspicious. For some reason, I felt the need to be wary of him.

***

The classroom had been completely rearranged for the upcoming lesson, with the chairs and desks pushed to either side of the long room, and professor Merrythought’s figure standing in the back near a large ornate chest. As the students trickled in, the rumblings of the crowd grew louder as giggles and anticipation filled the cold air. My hands wrapped around my arms as I attempted to retain my warmth. 

Am I the only one who notices that draft?

Merrythought calmed us down and begun her lecture on the history of the discovery and initial magical responses to the boggart. It takes the image of what you most fear... Its true form has never been seen... It withers at the sound of laughter... The students got called up one at a time as she showed us the counter-curse Riddikulus! which would obstruct the boggart’s form and intercept its visual manipulation. Riddikulus! the steep chasm of a split cliff lets out a nasty fart and the room explodes in laughter. Riddikulus! a swarm of wasps turn into winged lemons and drop to the floor, rolling around and colliding with each other, and the class cackles. 

Godric, would she just close that bloody window?!

“Lucia!” the room’s roaring died down and I felt my face turn red hot. My stomach twisted and contorted within me and my walk was feeble as I approached the large chest. 

“And when the boggart is released, remember the incantation!” I swallowed hard and in a second, the lid of the chest flew open and a swirling silvery mass flew toward me and shifted into a bird, its head, beak, and breast were black mimicking a raven, but its belly was white and the under-feathers of the wings and long elegant tail that caught the light shimmered hints of deep phthalo green and royal Prussian blue. The bird began to lunge toward me and in a panic I shouted the incantation much louder than I expected. 

“Riddikulus!!” The bird’s feathers erupt in every direction, leaving the creature completely bald and resembling an uncooked chicken, struggling to stay suspended in the air. The class giggled and Merrythought propelled the creature back into the chest and called forward the next student as I slipped back into the crowd. 

“Tom!” The boy approached the chest in a single fluid moment. He wore his school robes to every class unlike the majority of students who only wore the required minimum of a blouse, sweater and trousers or skirt. He stood out not only because of his height but because his ebony-black hair glistened under the  lantern-lit room. His robes seemed to be an extension of his broad square shoulders, and as he readied his wand I felt the room muffle in an unnatural stillness. The boggart shifted into the body of a young boy, with the same black hair as Tom, the same pale skin and full, pink lips, but the boy’s eyes were closed, his face was hollowed and gaunt, and he was lying on the floor, seemingly lifeless. The class seemed to collectively hold its breath as the dead body of a young boy nearly identical to the older Tom lay before us. Tom lifted his wand and smoothly uttered, 

“Riddikulus.” The black robes along with the body of the boy melted into a thick black bubbling slime that seemed to shake and bounce slightly. This time there was no laughter. There was no reaction. Professor Merrythought quickly swooped up the transformed boggart with her wand and tossed it with a graceful flick back into the large chest. 

“Well done class! Quite the show. That’s the end of the lesson for today, we’ll continue where we left off tomorrow!” The students murmured with the abrupt dismissal and I couldn’t help myself from straying my gaze to look at Tom. To my instant shock his piercing aquamarine eyes shot right back at me and I almost let out an audible gasp at the sudden intensity of his stare. I felt my heart-rate race and I nearly ran from the classroom. 

*** 

Later that night my mind was racing, I had to know what he knew, why he had stared at me back in class, did he know I was the bird who had followed him last night? I sat by the crackling fireplace of the Gryffindor common room. The clock read “12:10,” and there was only one girl left in my company. She sat at the other corner of the room and I could hear the shuffling of books which meant I would soon be alone and she would be going to sleep. I caught myself staring into the flames, the fire dancing and glittering into smoke and stray glowing embers. 

“Goodnight!” the girl called out as she ascended the stairs to the dorms. 

“Goodnight.” I replied, my voice was tired but my mind was wide awake. My eyes lazily flew over the spread of books before me. 

There was no way I would be able to study with Tom on my mind. 

I couldn’t stop thinking about the way his bright eyes flashed in that cold room. It was as if the only thing my head could focus on were those piercing eyes and the image of that magpie lunging right toward me.

If you’d like to read Part Two, click here

Tags: @tmr-simp-pride

[the-vorgothian-writer]

I had the absolute pleasure of meeting @author.bernicefischer today at the #randshow2022 while visiting family. We had an amazing chat that inspired me to break my slump and finish chapter two! Her fantasy series is currently at three books - fourth one in progress, and as you can see, I've already got the first one! I haven't started reading it yet, but from the synopsis at the back I'm super intrigued in the concept of the "Dream Catcher" idea she brought forth in this series. I'll definitely have some updates about this book in my next posts, but for now happy reading! . . . . . #books #book #booklover #reading #bookstagrammer #bookworm #bookish #readersofinstagram #bookaddict #booknerd #bookreview #bookrecommendations #booksofinstagram #bibliophile #author #read #booksbooksbooks #bookshelf #instabook #bookcommunity #bookblogger #bookphotography #bookaholic #reader #booklove #southafricanauthor #booklovers #indieauthor https://www.instagram.com/p/CcYST2srBUE/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[agerefandom]

Okay, this is just a silly over-sharing personal post about my experience of kinning and how that feels for me! If I’m going to talk about it on here, I figure I should introduce my… unique experience of it. 

Note: this is a vulnerable post for me, so please don’t make fun of me for my experiences or fandoms! Asking questions is totally okay, and corrections are welcome, but please be patient and give me the benefit of the doubt that I’m doing my best! Also, content warning for passing mentions of depression, insomnia, hallucinations, and flashbacks. The whole thing is a bit of a mental trip, so if you’re prone to unreality problems, I don’t recommend reading this! 

Right! So, what is kinning, or being otherkin or fictionkin?

That’s a really complicated question! The community has expanded a lot in the last few years, and to be honest, the words have kinda lost their meaning. (Some people from the old communities are mad about that, and honestly... I get it.)

I’m not otherkin, so I’m not going to talk about it too much, but it’s the longer-established community (although I’m pretty sure that people have been kinning characters, people, animals, and concepts since the beginning of humans, hit me up for historical examples if you’d like).

Basically, being otherkin is when you identify as something other than human! People have lots of explanations for why this happens: reincarnation, spiritual connections. Others see it as connected to their neurodivergence, and others don’t feel the need to justify their identity as otherkin!

Being fictionkin is really blowing up on the internet right now, and it’s when you identify as a fictional character (ie. Sherlock Holmes). It’s a nebulous concept, and some people are now using ‘kinning’ as a way to say that they just relate to a character, or they find a part of themself expressed in a character. Others identify fully with the character, or have memories from what they believe is a past life or alternate universe where they were that character.

I’m not gonna say that one definition of ‘kinning’ is right and others are wrong, because language is made to evolve, and my own experience is so complicated that I hardly know which side my own experiences fall on! But it’s important to know that both communities exist, and it’s currently hard to tell what a person means by having a character on their ‘kinlist’ (list of characters/things they kin).

My story with kinning, under the ‘read more’. 

When I was a kid, it took me a long time to figure out that other people don’t experience media the same way that I do. They don’t feel sharp pain in their leg when someone on-screen hurts a leg, for example.  

I have over-active empathy: I can tell when someone on the train is feeling anxious, because I start feeling my heart racing. I share this quirk with my mother, who’s a lot better at regulating it. It might be an autism thing, it might be a spiritual thing, lots of people have given theories. But it’s a thing that I experience, and that’s all that matters for the moment.

As one consequence of this hyperempathy, ever since I was a child, I have a tendency to ‘pick up’ characters: the lines between myself and them blur while I watch a movie or read a book, and then I can’t quite unblur those lines when I’m done.

(I jumped off the garage roof when I was six, insisting I was Peter Parker. I sprained an ankle and was banned from Spider-Man content until I was eleven.)

I don’t pick up characters as often anymore: I can go anywhere from four months to two years without the lines of my selfhood getting blurry. When I was a young teen, though, it felt like my head was just full of people who wanted different things, and I couldn’t tell which of them were me, which of them were my parents, and which of them were fictional.

Thank god high school is over.

Anyways, ‘picking up’ characters has always been a struggle for me. It challenges my fashion choices, my favourite activities, my gender identity, and sometimes even my taste in food. It lasts for two weeks to six months, and then I subside back into my ‘natural’ state (which was rapidly changing in my teen years, adding to my confusion).

It made me feel really crazy, because none of my friends had this experience, and I’d never heard anyone else talking about it!

It turns out there is a term for this, it’s called ‘fictionflickers.’ It’s a term for a wide range of experiences, but one of the things it covers is briefly switching to the viewpoint of a fictional character, or a temporary ‘taking on’ of a character. Exactly what I experience! It’s temporary, and kin-adjacent, but it doesn’t technically fall under the umbrella of being fictionkin or otherkin, which are more fixed identities (although some people would argue that).

I am so happy to have a word for this. It makes me feel validated, and like I can actually talk to people about it. And it helps me to deal with it without fear, knowing that I’m not alone in the experience.

But then there’s another category of characters, which only showed up when I read a series called All For The Game (or The Foxhole Court) at age 18.

There’s a character in this series named Andrew Minyard. Immediately, I knew he was ‘mine’ (in a way I often connect to characters that become fictionflickers). His name leapt out at me from the page, I could feel his actions in my body more strongly than the other characters, it almost felt like I could predict his actions.

Anyways, bad things happen to that character. Well, bad things happen to most characters in that series. But Andrew’s plotline hit me hard, twisting my empathy into one big bundle of terribleness. I had nightmares for months, always in his body, and all throughout it, there was this terrible feeling that I was forgetting something.

I put it down to being a really bad fictionflicker (although I didn’t have the term yet, I called it ‘picking up characters,’ and I knew it was a reoccurring experience). But it was weird: there was no real shift in my personality or tastes, aside from a severe drop in mood because of the nightmares and insomnia. It wasn’t like a fictionflicker at all, aside from the fact that I couldn’t get this character out of my head.

Eventually, the nightmares started bleeding over into my days in the form of vivid flashbacks and… I stopped fighting what I’d been too scared to admit to myself. They were memories. They weren’t my memories, they were Andrew’s memories, but they were in my head, and I was dealing with the consequences.

Everything got easier when I recognized that. It felt right to process them as memories, rather than hallucinations, which I had been thinking of them as. This change in thinking made a huge difference, although I couldn’t tell you why, and the nightmares finally stopped.

But still, what were someone else’s memories doing in my head? Surely that was weirder than hallucinations?

And that’s when I found the kin community, and threw myself in headfirst.

Memories are one of the key differences between ‘I relate to a character’ kinning and ‘I am this character’ kinning. There are tons of other people with character-memories!!! I’ve quizzed dozens of (very patient and kind) people who share this experience, and heard dozens of theories about why it happens.

I don’t really have a personal theory, to be honest. It’s weird, and it’s happening, and I’m still not quite sure what to do about it, if anything. Mostly, I just try and be more open about it, when I can be. It’s still such a strange and unusual experience, and I get nervous explaining it to people, but it helps to talk about it. Especially when memories or new characters are bothering me, and I need help to separate myself from them.

Sometimes the line between ‘fictionflicker’ and ‘kinning’ is hard for me to find. The vivid thoughts and cravings that come with my fictionflickers occasionally cross into memories, and it’s really only time that will tell whether a character is a permanent part of me, or a temporary identification.

Anyways, here’s a list of my permanent kins, and my more recent or significant fictionflickers! I would never tell anyone about these without all the context you just read, but I think you can understand me well enough not to judge them too harshly now. 

Here’s the picrew I used to make most of the images! 

--

Kins (and memories)

Andrew Minyard (Foxhole Court: mainly childhood memories: no memories of the book era, some pre-novel Palmetto memories)

Dirk Strider (Homestuck: non-game universe: caregiver splinter in a mess of a headspace with lots of folks around)

Holden Caulfield (Catcher In The Rye: hospital memories, and not much else)

Spiral (Magnus Archives: pre-Michael era, blurry memories, how it felt to be a labyrinth)

--

Fictionflickers (age 16-22, not in chronological order)

Bill Cipher (Gravity Falls: two months: had some very confusing times thinking I had one eye. Enjoyed the music taste.)

Wade Wilson (Marvel: twelve months: helped me get all the voices in line when I was a teen. Also, made me feel better about the eczema that used to cover my face and shoulders. A reoccurring fictionflicker every few years.)

Mae Borowski (Night In The Woods: one month: on the line of kin and fictionflicker. I miss her mother terribly. Doesn’t mix well with my fear of heights, since I want to climb everything. I get weird dreams as Mae, but I often get weird dreams.)

Alexander Hamilton (Hamilton: six months: worst fictionflicker ever, I didn’t sleep a solid night for months but I did get straight As and met the Prime Minister. Long story.)

Rick Sanchez (Rick and Morty: two months: absolutely terrible person to have in your head. I wrote some songs, stayed up late, and dressed defensively feminine. I usually refuse to admit that I have memories from a version of him, because I’m not putting that name on my proper kinlist.)

Kevin (Welcome To Night Vale: ?one month?: another kin/fictionflicker blurry line. He makes my mouth hurt when I listen to his episodes. He was bringing up my Spiral memories before The Magnus Archives ever came out.)

Courfeyrac (Les Miserables: four months: brilliant era. Had so much energy. Joined a political group on campus, made donuts for people, and generally had a good time. Dated too many of my friends, though.)