#SPIKE: i can help. i can contribute. i am a good normal nice part of this family

[tenderjock]

i do fully believe that while spike, especially post-soul and post-buffy and all that, has come on board with like, human rights in general and that while he remains Kind Of An Asshole he's not and hasn't been particularly a bigoted person, he doesnt really understand animal rights. he likes some animals and doesn't especially want to see them suffer and will even try to prevent their suffering. but his attitude towards even beloved pets is always like. who cares if they die you can always buy a new one. like it's an animal. there's a million more like it. it can't even talk. why are we wasting money feeding it

[lady-divine-writes]

Campaigning for Peace (Rated T)

With the fate of the world in the hands of a demon, an angel, two ex-antichrists, and a defunct computer engineer, sometimes decisions come down to the roll of a die. (1503 words)

Written for @drawlight ‘31 days of ineffables’ prompt ‘chestnuts’. All humor. Completely tongue in cheek. Don’t take anything seriously. One suggestive remark at the end.

“No.” Crowley snatches the tanned parchments from a baffled Newt and rolls them into a tight coil, eyeballing the young man with open and palpable disgust.

“What do you mean no?” Newt counters, brow furrowed, angrier and more confused than their party has ever seen him.

“I mean no.” Crowley shoves the parchments into a duffel sitting beside him and pulls out, instead, a leather-bound text. “One word, two letters, very simple concept to grasp … for most people.”

“But … you’re not even willing to try?” Newt’s voice rises sharply, his gaze darting from the demon’s inscrutable eyes to the black canvas bag by his thigh. It’s only pulled closed, the scrolled parchments nestled within out of Newt’s reach, peeking through a slim gap mockingly.

“That’s what no means, boy.” Crowley flips through the pages of the book, perusing the text with dramatic intensity to show he’s moved on from this argument. Other eyes gauge Newt’s reaction – with sympathy, with understanding, with ridicule and sly grins.

Newt knows he’s being watched, and his face burns because of it.

“You … are … infuriating!”

“So I���ve been told, and by better men than you!”

“Hey, hey, guys!” Adam intervenes in an attempt to calm soaring tempers. “Arguing helps no one but the enemy,” he reminds them, though he already has numerous times to no avail. “What if we go in a different direction and I wield the flaming sword?”

Crowley’s eyes snap his way. A fire behind them burns dangerously, his slit pupils going paper thin, telling Adam he’s overstepped his bounds. “Oi! No! That’s Aziraphale’s weapon!”

“But he’s not here!” Adam protests. “And it’s the most powerful weapon we’ve got right now!”

“Don’t matter! No one but Aziraphale touches that sword! End of discussion!”

“I think you may be projecting on that sword a bit too much,” Adam mutters under his breath, double checking to ensure Crowley didn’t hear. He doesn’t doubt the accuracy of his remark, just the timing. Crowley’s eyes have begun to turn from their usual venom yellow to a dark, fiery orange – something Adam has only seen once before.

Needless to say, things didn’t end well that day.

“I have another idea,” Newt ventures even though no one asked and no one intended on asking. “What if I seduce him?”

Crowley and Adam’s heads whip around, both demon and ex-antichrist staring at him strangely.

“What?” Adam croaks. “Why!?”

“You know … as a distraction.”

“You? Ssseduce the Lord of Hell?” Crowley nearly chokes on his bifurcated tongue. “That’sss rich! If you work your mojo the sssame way you work a computer, we’ll all be turned to flaming goo, ssswimming in our own intestinesss!”

“Cool!” Warlock pipes up from behind the screen of his 3DS. He glances up when the group goes silent, staring his way with varied expressions. “I mean … yuck,” he corrects, shaking his head in fake contrition. “Don’t want that. Nope. Not at all.”

“Excuse me,” Newt starts haughtily when he notices Crowley’s smug smile in Warlock’s direction. “What exactly is your contribution? Besides playing video games and making sarcastic remarks, that is?”

“Oh, I have no contribution,” Warlock replies without looking up.

“Then what are you doing here?”

“I was an antichrist, too, you know. Probably more of an antichrist than Adam here. Raised by an actual demon, I was. I’m waiting for you all to die so I can step over your corpses and take over. Rule the burning pile of intestinal soup.”

Adam shakes his head, but he can’t help the grin he has for his unlikely friend. Crowley’s smug smile becomes positively effervescent.

Newt rolls his eyes. “It’s good to have goals, I guess.”

Bells jingle in the distance.

An alert! Someone else has entered the field!

But it's not a hostile, so no one pays it any mind.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Fell!”

Aziraphale, reading his newspaper at his desk a short distance away from the heated debate, looks up at the voice he’s been expecting for the better part of the afternoon. “Tracy, my dear! I’m so glad you could make it!”

“It has been a while since I could come over for tea,” she says, embracing the angel when he stands to greet her. “I’m looking forward to making up for lost time.”

“My goodness! Is it still snowing outside?” Aziraphale asks when Tracy removes the hood of her pink peacoat and a generous dusting of flakes falls to the floor.

“Just a bit, just a bit. None of it’s sticking though so that’s good news. The cold’s more a bother than anything. Brr!” She shivers out of her damp coat. Aziraphale hangs it up on the coat rack to dry. “That wind goes right through you! But it’s nice and toasty in here, isn’t it?”

“No, no, no!” Crowley roars, pointing emphatically at the book spread open in front of him. “We might as well just start launching flaming food stuffs at them then!” He chortles so loudly and with such an edge, it makes everyone, including Aziraphale, jump. “That’s what we’ll do! Take down the whole horde with flambes and hors d’oeuvres! Lump in some chestnuts while we’re at it! That’ll do just as well than your asinine idea!”

“I still think seducing him …!”

“Will you get off it, you dolt! It’s never going to happen!”

“How do you know!?”

“H---h---how do I … how do I know!?” Crowley sputters, gesturing at himself in disbelief. “Because I’m a bloody demon! I’ve lived under Satan’s rule for thousands of years and let me tell you, you’re not his type!”

Tracy listens, hands wringing out the chill, her grip tightening as the conversation continues.

“What … what’s going on?” she asks nervously. “Are they …” She swallows hard, a flashback from months prior zipping through her thoughts like a bullet train, speeding her heartbeat and rendering her momentarily breathless “… preparing for another Apocalypse?”

“Not at all, dear! Now at all! They’re playing some fool game called … uh … Prisons and Lizards, I think.”

“Dungeons and Dragons, angel,” Crowley corrects alongside a put-off, soul-wrenching sigh.

Aziraphale points at his exasperated husband. “That’s the one.”

“It looks like they’re taking it rather seriously,” Tracy says, quietly accepting Aziraphale’s offer of a seat.

“Oh, yes. They’re quite involved.”

“Do you ever join them?”

“Oh, I’m a part of their campaign, as it were,” he explains, forgoing the tea and bringing out a bottle of his best brandy. “In absentia.”

“That doesn’t sound like much fun.”

“Ha! Fun!? Let me tell you a thing about fun!” Aziraphale has to steady his hand while he laughs so not a single drop of alcohol hits the table instead of Tracy’s glass. At times such as these, it would be a sin to waste good brandy. “With the Dowlings gone away on vacation and leaving Warlock with us, and Newt having some kind of existential slump, this lot has started hanging around my bookshop 24/7, and I haven’t gotten a moment’s peace! Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy their company, but it can be a bit …” He clears a collection of less socially appropriate modifiers from his throat and goes with “… much.”

“It does seem a little crowded in here.”

“Yes, well, there’s usually more of them, so this is a refreshing change.”

“I notice Anathema isn’t here,” Tracy remarks a tad judgmentally, scanning the shop just to be sure she’s not hiding between the stacks, rifling through Aziraphale’s older tomes in the occult section.

“Exactly. With her fiancé here, she’s enjoying some much needed peace and quiet. Getting some work done. And I don’t blame her. But that means I’ve been tasked with babysitting. With the boys wrapped up in that game, this is the first chance I’ve gotten to read my newspaper cover to cover. Later on, I’m going to try my hand at actually finishing a crossword puzzle!”

“You sound excited,” Tracy teases.

“I am, dear! I am!”

“You’re ridiculous!” Newt crows, slamming a hand on the table. “All of you! Ridiculous! I don’t even know why I’m still talking to you!”

“The feeling’s mutual!” Crowley retorts, spiking Aziraphale’s brain with a perturbing sense of déjà vu.

“Acid slugs it is,” Adam declares, picking up a large, multi-sided die and offering it to Warlock.

“Nah.” Warlock dismisses the die with a shake of his head. “Still waiting on that sweet intestinal soup.”

Aziraphale raises his glass. “It may not be quiet, but it is peace.”

“Or something like it.”

“Cheers.” Aziraphale bobs his glass Tracy’s way in a meager toast, closes his eyes, and indulges in a longer than normal first sip. When he opens his eyes again, Tracy is grinning at him like a mad cat. Aziraphale frowns self-consciously. “What?”

“So, if you’re babysitting, that makes you something of a father figure. Yes?”

“I suppose so,” Aziraphale admits with a heavy sigh.

Tracy leans in. “Does that mean Crowley gets to call you daddy?”

Aziraphale’s eyes pop. Seconds later, he snorts into his brandy. “Hush you!”

[gg-astrology]

Sagittarius sun with a Gemini moon? What are your thoughts on how they would be?

Hey there! 💕Here ya go I did my best 💕 I hope you didn’t wait too long ksdjnsk im so sorry ;; 💕💕 im working from bottoms up and only just got to urs 💕

[Below Cut: Sagittarius Sun - Gemini Moon  🧞‍♂️ ]

Clever and lucky...what a good combination to have

I nearly had half the mind to put a clover leaf for this combination because they somehow always seem to get by -- being playful and autonomous, detached and friendly without compromising themselves/binding themselves down completely to anything (belonging to everything).

But i feel like the genie is better-- it talks about the wandering spirit Sagittarius/Gemini has. They touch and go, learn and grow, but without anyone around them who’s consistent/stead-fast throughout their entire life.

These people have the ability to come across as someone who’s incredibly anxious skdjngskn but that in itself is a survival skill, they skrrrt so fast when someone tries to make them stay/figure them out deeper than what they’re willing to show, there’s a fear of vulnerabilities/intimacy that comes with the territory. Because they feel like if they ‘open’ that up--- it’s a whole can of worms that could potentially turn into upsetting their moods, and they are always defined by what mood they’re in.  

They also don’t like it when they themselves are held accountable for their own words/action. Because sometimes they 1) ‘cant remember what they said/thats too specific/detailed/technical’ 

Or 2) did something that they said they weren’t going to do bc they already ‘grew past what they said/that phrase in their life’ even tho it was like-- 15 minutes ago.

Can’t hold them accountable for themselves?? Lack a lil self-discipline which y know, might be endearing to a certain age/expected of the environment -- but in the long-run, the thought of ‘oh god am i going to get anywhere/manifest anything in 10 years’ freaks them out sometimes (causes anxiety to spike) so -- they don’t like to think too hard about these things (selective, with what they’re thinking about/spend their time thinking about. Watch for this)

Which--also directly contributes to why they have a problem with self-discipline. They’d rather wait for these ‘periods’ of anxiety to rise again and again and then subdue them again and again. 

Than --- y know, actually putting it into action/doing something about it realistically (through effort) and help their own future instead.

They’re easily discouraged by set backs too, especially the financial/circumstantial kinds. Any kinds of upsets/mishaps or challenges that comes from those areas makes them spiral directly into despair. That’s why they lack self-discipline somewhat--bc they themselves can’t ‘hold up’ their moods against slight disappointment/challenges made against them.

(A way to help is to learn perseverance, consistency. Look towards Taurus/Earth signs for help. Since they can be dedicated/stead-fast, but lets you have your own autonomy if ONLY you learn how to actually open up and ask them for help without feeling ‘shitty/guilty’ about doing it)  

Another thing they do is just kinda, try to relieve the pressure/tension so they ‘lighten’ it up. One of these coping mechanism can be making it into a joke/divert it away from the severity of the situation 

(It’s not that severe you’ll get along fine with how you are, it’s just-- you’re always going to be stuck in your own ways and always anxious if you don’t gain any stable grounds for yourself too yknow?)

They can sometimes just think of ‘taking action/actually committing to something’ as being personal attacks, and anyone who tries to suggest/teach them to do this is lashed out against bc it ‘restricts their luck/optimism’ (again, their self-preservation and first priority is always their freedom/autonomy and that comes in the territory of ‘mood’ as well. Unable to take any other ‘mood’ other than light and airy, sometimes thinking of things as ‘learning how to cope/accept different moods for yourself and be ok with working on it’ can help) 

Sagittarius/Gemini person have plenty of extroverted/playful persona, someone knows Whats up with people bc they aren’t afraid to dive into it/ask about it. 

That’s like-- the ‘smooth’ persona they use to get by y know? it’s their extroverted persona instead of-- actually doing something for themselves that binds/balance both sides together and actually help lesson their anxiety at it’s core fear. Which is what they kinda have to realize (that it’s all interconnected) 

In a way they can just--- fear not being optimistic and actually having to be ‘down’ about something because the ‘reality’ of their fear is just that. 

Part of them might just be afraid of how others sees them, if they aren’t going to be ‘good’ to themselves/others anymore bc they’re less optimistic than before.

Bounded by the same rules as others (societal expectations/longevity of life). They’d rather ‘represent’ something else-- hope, optimism, but y know. Same problem anyways. The anxiety and ‘diversion’ from the norm will only make them feel like they can’t ever....actually face their problems/starting at ground 0 again (feels like it’s too late to start, which is-- a part of their fear again) 

I think--- hmm, the thing that might help Sagittarius/Gemini is to just take it simply. They’re the type of person who likes to taste, to explore a large variety of experience, themes, hobbies, life. But they’re unaware that they’re pretty constrained in their-- well, emotional health? Their moods?

They take what they want, preach but doesn’t learn as much as they think they do. They’re selective in what they want to learn about, what they’re ‘ready’ for. And sometimes-- the hardest lesson in life is learning the things that are ‘truthful’ and ‘helpful’ which might not be-- all fun and nice all the times.

By learning the values in hard lessons, in accepting the sober and uncomfortable ‘moods’-- they’ll be much better adapted at handling/dealing with their anxious energy as well. 

Ok that’s-- that’s very heavy, let’s move onto some other stuff!

These people are Chatty, but like...has so much going on they need some time away too skdnfksn

Sagittarius/Gemini sometimes feel like their mouth/brain moves faster than what they can control (causes restlessness/frustration)...so if they leave themselves to like, socialize for more than 24 hrs at a time they’re going to come back going ‘oh god why did i say that/what have i done’

Frustration at themselves for oversharing/hit-the-wall feeling of having nothing left to share??? Mutable energy has so much energy that it often makes their strongest ‘frustration’ letting themselves ‘go’ too much 

(Because if they have ‘nothing left to share’ then that only means they’ll have to be repetitive and god they hate that. It’s not new/fresh and it’s not-- it’s not contributing to anything)

Thus why they seek to sometimes hide themselves away, be away from people in order to y know-- gather resources/energy to NOT be too much/expend their energy too much on the outside (and also lowkey to not Make a Fool also)

This is from an outsider’s perspective but also like....I’m always conscious thinking about Gemini as the Twin and it’s not just one side to them y know

I think we tend to think Gemini as being extroverted all the time when it’s not usually like that. They’re the twin...it’s a cycle... there’s two sides to the coin that needs to be processed

Their energy works in a cycle, continuous and moving, the twin isn’t just speaking out-loud/alone, it’s speaking/looping between two people. 

If they don’t spend enough time thinking/gaining resource/fuel they over-share because they over-exert themselves....when they spend too much time internalizing/adding things onto their resources they get frustrated, restless, antsy and wants to ‘explode’ this onto social realm

So it’s like....they gotta be in a ‘Moment’ where they can both gain resources/information and process/drop the information in a continuous cycle -- quicker, constant, faster y know (Mercurial sign) 

Instead of ‘stopping’ the motion and ‘pacing’ themselves-- the Sagittarius/Gemini is all about working at a faster pace than the one the world moves at....the one that if ‘man-made’ or controlled, would be detrimental to them

It’s a mixture of Sagittarius fire impulses, ‘doing’ things making them feel productive (and so not depriving them of those gratification by dropping them slower than normal) and then Gemini being naturally fast moving already-- being able to gather large (jupiter) information and then process them/cycling them through (release- mercury) is how they gain gratification/work perfectly in balance with themselves

Thing is-- they work --- super fast, faster than most people operate so it can be hard for others to keep up and keep them stimulated all the time

That’s ok, since Sagittarius/Gemini wouldn’t mind talking to just -- like, anyone. When they need to anyways. With great communicative ability, eloquence and friendliness/open-ness to them, they make others feel welcomed to talk. Even when they’re normally quiet/with-drawn mostly bc the Sagittarius/Gemini keeps the conversation going for them.

The thing is, Sagittarius/Gemini may rarely keep anyone around. Or rather, they sometimes ‘forget’ about people sometimes bc they move along so quickly and boldly-- and they judge others based on the interactions they’ve had, whether they’ve ‘stuck’ around in their mind or not. So it’s--- it can be kind of hard to think these people would belong anywhere, find anyone they truly stay ‘stuck’ with unless the person would be able to listen to them/keep up with them mentally a lot of the time.

Also these people aren’t afraid to be eccentric, they have good judgement. It might be a lil quirky or different, but Jupiter/Mercury never find joy in the TOTALLY conventional anyways.

And if they like something, they just-- keep doing it, keep pursuing it because it gives them stimuli (hobbies/interest) although they can have a large array of interests--as long as they’re ‘doing’ something physically with it they can keep themselves engaged/make it into a quantifiable project (see the results: the multitude of their craft/project at the end and look back on themselves like ‘wow i did this all in this year’) 

That’s the thing isn’t it? They like seeing quantifiable ‘proof’ that they did something productive (fire moon-physical proof) -- they like to see that, although they are careless and forgetful sometimes. They did amount to something in the end.

It all comes down to-- y know, learning lessons. self-discipline. because you can’t keep closing your eyes, blinding painting random swatches and hoping it’ll turn out into something manifestable/painting that’s ‘oh thats better than expected!’ all the time y know. (you can’t keep seeing disasterous results as ‘aw thats ok :(( maybe next time’ when you’re just?? depending on luck?? to get by???)

Anyways, I hope I didn’t go in too hard ;;  💕💕💕Hope you gain some insights from this! 💕💕

[buffster]

Something Blue (BTVS 4.09)

This is part of my ongoing Buffyverse Project, where I write notes/meta for every episode in an attempt to better understand the characters and themes of the shows. You can find the BTVS list here and the ATS list here. Gifs are not mine.

I loved that Something Blue allowed us to sympathize with both sides of the Willow vs. Scoobies conflict. I’m annoyed when Willow snaps at everyone and interrupts Buffy and Riley’s date, which forces me to recognize truth when Willow says no one wants to deal with her heartbreak anymore. The episode was also really funny.

We discover in the first scene that Willow has been going to Oz’s place alone. She’s clinging to the relationship and fully expects him to return. This is also when Riley and Buffy really get going, which has to be a painful reminder for Willow. I had forgotten about Willow and Buffy’s conversation in the graveyard and in hindsight find it pretty sad. Some of Buffy’s issues with Riley were already present but she basically never dealt with them. I don’t believe the implosion of their relationship was all on Riley. I think he sensed some real issues but just handled it all wrong. 

Buffy: Riley seems so solid. Like he's not the type to give a girl grief.

Willow: Get out. Get out while there's still time.

Buffy: I know. I gotta get over the whole bad boy thing. There's no good there. Seeing Angel in L.A. - even for five minutes - hello to the pain.

Willow: The pain is not a friend.

Buffy: But then I can't help thinking, isn't that where the fire comes from? Can a nice, safe relationship be that intense? It's nuts, but part of me believes that real love and passion have to go hand in hand with lots of pain and fighting-

I’ve never gotten the bad boy thing. It’s all cool on television but in real life it’s dealing with a serial cheater at best and visiting a jail at worst. No, thanks. Anyway Buffy definitely has a thing with it which, if I wanted to get analytical, would say goes back to her father and her fear of healthy relationships. Riley could have been forever and committing to that is scary. But when you know Angel or Spike can’t last you don’t really have to commit or face your fears of ending up like your mother. I think Buffy has a lot of issues with Hank (made worse by her first relationship being a nightmare) that go unresolved. I’m not saying Riley and Buffy would have lasted forever, but I don’t think she ever really gave that idea a chance. 

Buffy: That's it. The invalid amnesiac routine is over. Kitchens closed 'til you tell me something useful about the commandos.

Spike: I'm trying to remember. It was very traumatic.

Buffy: How long are you going to pull this crap?

Spike: How long am I gonna live once I tell you?

Many people have wondered why Buffy didn’t stake Spike in season four and consider it a plot hole. I don’t doubt wanting to keep James Marsters around was a contributing factor, but I think we can also find signs Buffy had something for Spike in this episode. I don’t think it was love--just a weird sense of companionship mixed with physical attraction. They’d been rivals for so long they were practically pals (and his affection for Drusilla had always made him seem pathetic and more human to everyone). When they take him prisoner Giles is content to ignore Spike but Buffy sits by the side of the bathtub and teases him. They’re already developing that classic trope of the two people who fight so much you just figure they’ll eventually screw. Giles even notes that if they don’t kill each other soon he might lend a hand. 

Willow’s solution to the Spike problem is a truth spell. In season six her going straight for a magical solution would have raised eyebrows but now everyone thinks it’s brilliant. It was probably frustrating for Willow that her magical help abruptly became an issue. 

Giles: Willow may have had a helpful idea. She seems to be coping better with Oz' departure, don't you think?

Buffy: She's still got a way to go, but yeah -I think she's dealing.

Spike: What are you people, blind? She's hanging on by a thread. Any ninny can see that.

There’s an interesting irony in Spike being so good at reading people he doesn’t care about in the slightest. He’s proven right when Willow returns to Oz’s room and finds his things gone. She’s devastated and returns to moping around until she finally decides to get drunk. Xander and Buffy don’t approve. 

Xander: We’ve all got pain, Will--

Willow: Like what? Poor me, I live in a basement? Oh, yeah-that’s dire!

Buffy: I’m taking you home now.

Willow: I don’t want to--

Buffy: You’ll thank me when you still have a friend in the morning.

That made me so sad, especially given Xander’s usual attempts to cheer his friends up even when he’s feeling bad. It highlights a typical Xander issue--human problems tend to go unnoticed in all the supernatural chaos. Xander isn’t going to have a spell go awry and cause mass chaos when he’s upset so people just leave him to deal. 

Willow: Isn’t there some way I can make it go away? Just ‘cause I say so? Can’t I make it go poof?

This quote points us to a major underlying issue of Willow’s: she doesn’t like to fix things the hard right way. She loves magic because (aside from the power) it allows her to take short cuts. She doesn’t want to take the long, hard, and human path to healing and (later) forgiveness. This episode is one where you can really see Willow slowly going down the rabbit hole with magic and no one realizes what’s going on. 

Giles: A spell? I don't think it's wise for you to be doing that alone right now. Your energy is too unfocused. 

Willow: That's not true. I said I was off. Not incompetent.

Giles: I only meant that you're grieving, and it might be best if you took a break from doing spells without supervision.

Willow: So I get punished 'cause I'm in pain.

Giles misses the main things Willow is saying here: one, she does not like to be thought of as incompetent and two, she considers taking a break from magic a punishment. Willow craves approval and is already too reliant on magic. She is also deeply insecure and seeks to use magic to fix that (”if I had any real power I could have made Oz stay with me”). Buffy starts to tell her that she doesn’t want Oz to stay because she forced him but gets distracted. We avoided an important question--does Willow have a problem with enslaving Oz?

Buffy: One more word out of you and I swear--

Spike: Swear what? You're not going to do anything to me. You don't have the stones.

Buffy: Oh, I've got the stones. I've got a whole...bunch of stones.

Spike: I get this spell reversed, they'll be finding your body for weeks.

Buffy: Make a move. Please. I'm dying for good slay.

The sexual tension is pretty blatant in this scene. They’re leaning towards each other and you half expect them to kiss. Buffy is clearly attracted to Spike but too proud and disgusted to ever do anything with him (and that’s if she ever even admitted it to herself). 

We revisit the idea that our heroes are “doomed” when it comes to love. Willow calls Xander a demon magnet and causes him to literally attract demons because of her spell. Giles becomes blind, which was interesting because he does see things but often willfully ignores them. Buffy and Spike think they’re in love and getting married. 

Buffy: My wedding! I'm getting married! Can you believe it?

Riley: I don't think "no" is a strong enough word.

Possibly my favorite scene was when Riley runs into Buffy and believes she’s getting married. I laugh every time. She manages to save face when the spell is over by claiming she was teasing him over his panic when he saw her looking at wedding dresses. 

Xander: Something about Willow and her grief-y poor-me mood swings. So, so tired of it.

Anya: You mean I don't have to be nice to her anymore?

Buffy: We're all tired of it, but what's it have to do with what's going on?

I saw a post mentioning it’s pretty obvious Anya is autistic, which was like--lightbulb! I find her character annoying at times but one thing I identify with is her being a bit stumped by certain emotions and social appropriateness. Anyway, one big neon warning sign the Scoobies miss is Willow being offered vengeance demon status. Heartbreak is one thing, but being recognized as a possible force for never-ending vengeance is a whole other level that clearly points to some deeper issues. It doesn’t surprise me that Anya doesn’t think much of it; she probably thinks her similar capabilities are a normal way to feel. But the hatred and drive for that kind of thing isn’t something every human is capable of. After all, Cordelia was not given the offer after the Wishverse. But Willow turns down the offer and bakes everyone cookies and all is forgiven.

Other Best Quotes:

Buffy: Honey, we have to talk about invitations. Do you want to be "William the Bloody" or, like just "Spike"? 'Cause either way it's gonna look majorly weird.

Spike: Whereas the name "Buffy" gives it that touch of classic elegance.

Giles: Stop whatever you're doing. You smell like fruit roll-ups.

Spike: This is the crack team that foils my every plan? I am deeply shamed.

Character Notes:

Riley Finn: Buffy catches him helping hang a sign about the meeting of the UC Sunnydale Lesbian Alliance, telling us he’s a good, community-involved guy. He loves to cruise. 

Anya Jenkins: When she sees Willow is sad she says she’d burn Oz’s entrails if she still had her powers. Xander says that’s sweet. Anya is able to help when a demon attacks. She was turned 1120 years ago.

Amy Madison: Willow’s spell briefly turns her back into a human, but she’s back in rat form before anyone sees.

Buffy Summers: Buffy still doesn’t know how to drive. When under the spell she asks Giles to give her away at her wedding rather than her father and wants ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’ for the first dance.

Rupert Giles: He’s touched Buffy wants him to give her away. Despite his reluctance when Willow was in high school Giles now depends on her help when it comes to magic.

[kennethmullins]

Oh What A Lovely Pony

On Tue, Jun 20, 2017 at 8:17 PM, Catherine Park wrote: Hello There,

I am a business content writer and I chanced upon popehat.com. I must appreciate that the content of your website is par excellence and exceptionally useful.

I’ve been a blogger for about 10 years, with special interests in small, medium enterprise/business and outsourcing topics. Today I am a recognized expert in the subject, and over the years, have consistently contributed articles and blogs to top business related sites.

I am looking forward to attaching myself as a guest blogger to your site by contributing an article to popehat.com. I assure that the article will be highly informative and educative to your audience. While I am not looking at any monetary benefits, instead we could consider the possibility mentioning my site/resource just once within the article.

Do let me know if this sounds good and works for you – please review some of my recent work samples so you can analyse my writing skills, and once you confirm I can initiate writing an article for you right away. h tp://www.marketingsolved.com/4-hard-truths-about-becoming-an-entrepreneur/ h tp://www.outsourcingportal.eu/en/blog/catherine-park/outsourcing-and-streamlining-projects-to-gain-a-better-efficiency h tp://www.neyox.com/how-a-virtual-assistant-can-help-you-with-digital-marketing/ h tps://www.urcadservices.com/single-post/2017/03/21/4-Outsourcing-Tips-to-Help-You-Hire-a-Good-CAD-Drafting-Service h tps://unemploymentdata.com/small-business/outsourcing-small-business/most-outsourced-jobs/ h tps://www.vardot.com/blog/how-avoid-security-flaws-similar-panama-papers-836

Please review them and let me know your thoughts.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Regards, Catherine Park, Content Writer & Editor.

On Thu, Jul 27, 2017 at 11:20 AM, Catherine Park wrote: Hello There,

I was wondering if you had a chance to read my previous email.

It’s about the request to consider me as guest blogger for popehat.com. The prospective article that would add immense value to your site and benefit the visitors on your website. I am sure you are aware that guest posting is a common practice for professional writers.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Regards, Catherine Park, Content Writer & Editor.

On Tue, Aug 1, 2017 at 11:28 PM, Catherine Park wrote: Hello There,

Hope you are doing well!

Guess my emails aren't reaching you. This is a gentle follow-up to check if you’d be interested in a relevant and prospective article for popehat.com that would add immense value and benefit your website visitors.

This is a guest post request, a common practice for professional writers. As I am well recognized and accepted guest blogger in business related topics, I can ensure that both you and your visitors will benefit from it.

Looking forward to hear back from you!

Regards, Catherine Park, Content Writer & Editor.

On Aug 2, 2017 – 8:30PM, Ken At Popehat wrote:

Dear Catherine,

Thank you for your inquiry, and for not giving up on us. In a perfect world we could respond to every kind offer immediately, and your guest post would already be in the home stretch towards publication. Regrettably we have many issues that consume our time — but now we are champing at the bit to hear what you can offer.

It appears that you write about business issues such as outsourcing. Do you think you could write about how to outsource a small business' response to a very specific but very formidable problem?

Very truly yours,

Ken popehat.com

Catherine Park via linux-mum-outbound.webhostbox.net 12:23 AM (7 hours ago)

to me Hi Ken,

Thanks for your reply.

Yes sure I can write about the topic you suggested. I will try to submit it as soon as possible.

Regards, Catherine

Ken At Popehat 7:26 AM (1 minute ago)

to Catherine Catherine:

We have a miscommunication! I haven't provided the exact subject yet! I wouldn't want you to write some sort of generic post. That's the sort of thing bogus SEO spammers do. And you're no spammer. You're the renowned author of "4 Hard Truths of Becoming An Entrepreneur!"

As I said, the topic we require is small business outsourcing of a specific problem. That problem . . . is ponies.

I apologize for raising such an earthy and unpleasant topic so early in our acquaintance, Catherine. It seems uncouth. And yet this is not a normal time. War strips away languorous decorum and thrusts people together quickly and violently and in an not entirely sanitary fashion. My grandparents met and were engaged within mere weeks and then my grandfather was off to fight in the Pacific before my grandmother could even fully grasp his intense hatred of pajamas or incomprehensible Boston accent. Civilizational struggles bid us cut straight to the heart of the matter.

And we are at war, Catherine. We do struggle for our very existence and the future ungrateful and perpetually whiny existence of our children. We are on a precipice between rosy prosperity and the sort of post-apocalyptic scenario that would make that zombie show look like a Disneyland parade only with worse plotting. The question is this ancient one: how is it moral to fight that war? Must every American small-business owner pick up a nail-studded board or a recoilless rifle or an unusually sharp fidget spinner themselves, or may they outsource — to be blunt, hire mercenaries?

By posing the question, Catherine, I do not mean to cast doubt on the patriotism or ethics of those mercenaries. Being a solider for hire is an honorable trade, whether in Dungeons & Dragons (except 4th edition) or in the modern geopolitical environment. Many of us thrive upon the smoke and heat of battle, the heedless shrieks of the wounded and dying, the stench of exposed bowel, nice uniforms, discipline, men of higher rank inspecting our trousers approvingly, and free access to explosives. The various liberal arts departments of modern universities are churning out graduates perfectly suited to be stomped to death in exchange for health benefits and a basket of free Keurig cups in the kitchen.

No, Catherine, the ethics in question are those of the business-owners. Do they have a moral obligation to fight their own wars against the ponies? Should they be able to vote, to participate in representative democracy, to deny parking spaces to part-time employees without personally serving in the Pony War? When we see the severed head of a pony on a spike outside our local sundries store — its eyes reflecting foreknowledge of its doom at the hands of a superior species, yet still somehow shining with defiance, colored with the peril we have not fully grasped — should we shop there comfortable that this small business owner has done her part? Or should we ask, "who took down this beast? Was it you, or someone of your hire? Did you fight, or did you pay? Where are your scars? Do you still carry that chocolate-covered bacon? What kind of sundries store threatens a restraining order? Why should I lower my voice?"

This concept — that full civil participation requires personal combat service — is not just for Heinlein books or anime subreddits any more. Every entrepreneur must face the existential quandary. Who am I? What is my essence? Do I provide goods and services, or do I hold the door against the dark, against the hooves and manes and they eyes, the dark dead pitiless eyes? Or do I try both? Can I have it all? Is there an app for dividing time between customer service and resisting ponies? Would it allow any "me" time? Can I even contemplate "me" time if I don't stand against the ponies, or would my "me" time be reduced to sitting alone with my shame, keening and dreaming of redeeming myself in some dire stable?

That, Catherine, is your brief. It is not an easy task. But these are not easy times. Fight the ponies with your pen, Catherine. When you lift it, you lift up all of us.

Very truly yours,

Ken www.popehat.com

Copyright 2017 by the named Popehat author.