#Unity Booking

[bitchyqueensblog]

It been a while .... but I love you guys 💋💋

[thesagittarianmind]

[tsfaraworld]

I hope pink is a cute color for me 💝

Dm on telegram: @Tsfarabuhh001

Reblog‼️🌈🥰

🍑🍆💦👅👅👫

[tonygregori]

I got to draw some of the classic Rick And Morty characters in the NYE Rick And Morty special, NEW YEAR NEW RICK which drops Jan 1 through Oni Press. Its a 56 page epic written by Christof Bogacs and drawn by me!

[thepersonalwords]

This is what our love is––a sacred pattern of unbroken unity sewn flawlessly invisible inside all other images, thoughts, smells, and sounds.

Aberjhani, The River of Winged Dreams

[ventsesh24]

Welcome to….

Meaningful Reads Monday

⋆˙⟡🪶.✦⊹₊ ݁.୨୧‧₊˚ 🕯️𓍯๋࣭ .𖥔 ݁ ˖ 𓍢ִ໋🦢˚ 🕰 𓍢ִ໋🀦 𓍢ִ໋☕️✧˚ ༘ ⋆

☆ Every Monday, I'll share four book recommendations to inspire personal growth, self-empowerment, and transformation. While this may not be an ongoing series, I’ll definitely be doing it for the next month.

☆These books will explore important historical topics, as well as practical skills that will be very useful moving forward. Whether you're looking to deepen your knowledge or develop new abilities, there's something here for everyone to add to their reading list!

☆Don't be deceived— most of these books are ones I'll be adding to my own reading list. Social media can be curated and fake, but I don't intend to be. So, realistically, I'll be reading one of these books a month alongside you. Don't feel any pressure to read a book a week—take it at your own pace and enjoy the journey.

[galleryofart]

Hermia and Helena

Artist: Washington Allston (American, 1779–1843)

Date: Before 1818

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Collection: Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC

Description

Washington Allston said that this painting represented "the singleness and unity of friendship." He posed the two women so that they suggest one figure, and they read from a shared book. In Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream, Helena eloquently describes her friendship with Hermia in the third act: "So we grew together, / Like to a double cherry . . . / Two lovely berries moulded on one stem."

Like many Americans of his time, Allston was educated in the classics. He painted Hermia and Helena in England when the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge was reviving Shakespeare's plays. A friend of Allston's, Coleridge felt that Shakespeare expressed human sentiment perfectly.

[shroobles]

What have you read recently?

I'm working my way through anarchy works, critique of the Gotha programme, blessed is the flame, bullshit jobs, state and rev, and conquest of bread.

My favorite text so far would have to be black anarchism by the black rose federation. I think it's a must-read for black and brown people dipping their toes into anarchism, and for anti-racist white people who want a better understanding racism from a black anarchist lens, and the plight of the black/brown american. It doesn't touch too much on female issues, but I still love it.

[lenievi]

Spock to Chapel about McCoy:

"Yes, he is a sensitive man. He's also a remarkable doctor, and the Enterprise is fortunate to have him. However, he needs occasional correction. More than that, though, I believe he derives great pleasure from insulting me and having me insult him in return. That is the only way he will allow himself to express affection to a being as alien as I."

(The Trellisane Confrontation - David Dvorkin)

very talkative aren't you, Spock?

[ancientannoyance]

the one good thing about my bus home being delayed by five hours is that i had time to reread both Thief of Time and Hogfather, and they're still two of the all-time Discworld bangers

Bonus:

[bobbole]

Playing with dolls: the Corinthian and "this dream people call Human Life" - part I

Written for The Sandman Book Club

Since at The Sandman Book Club we are re-reading The Doll's House, and since the first chapter of this story marks the entry of the Corinthian, I would like to dwell on some of the distinctive traits of this character, how he is the embodiment of one of the great symbols of American and Western pop mythology (the serial killer) and how the netflix adaptation, while excellent, has completely deprived him of precisely those elements that made him so distinctive, while enhancing other important aspects.

Murderer vs. Killer, or when killing is a "work of art"

In The Dreaming, the spin-off series immediately following the canonical Sandman, there is a panel that I think is emblematic in defining what the Corinthian is, even before his being nightmare, black mirror, etc

Judging Cain like he's on Dancing with the Stars

There is a passage in which the Corinthian states that Cain is definitely a murderer, but not a very good killer. This because the word murderer here is linked to a primordial concept of homicide. Yes, Cain is the first murderer, but his act is something instinctual, part of his nature. Cain kills because he cannot do anything else and murder for him is an inevitable act, demonstrating his being part of a story from whose narrative he does not escape.

For the Corinthian, on the other hand, killing theoretically is not in his nature: he is after all a nightmare, which must terrify, unsettle, reflect the deepest fears and secrets of the human subconscious. A means to an end, not the end itself. For the Corinthian, killing is a deliberate act by which he tries to carve out a space of his own within a predetermined story.

The serial killer is a planner: in the Corinthian mind, an artist too. Even the fact that he appears on the scene not already in his nightmare function but primarily in that of being ready to kill a young man leaves no doubt about it: the Corinthian, in the way he perceives himself, is first and foremost a serial killer/artist.

This is not Vogue: comics vs show

In the netflix Sandman, episode one, the Corinthian has sensed that Dream is free. He wipes off the blood from his eyes and stands up, sensually stroking the head of his...victim? It would be better to say a model without eyes. Death here is not horror: there is something glamorous about this scene that irritates me deeply, not least because we are watching it from a spectator's pov, comfortable in our chairs. We are in a hotel room but the space is open, and the screen of the devices from which we are watching the episode gives us

1) an escape route

2) a way to dilute the horror of the scene (there is always hope if there is an escape route)

This Corinthian is elegant and sensual. He could disturbs us, if he wants, but definitely he's not scary.

Let's compare the netflix scene with the comic. First, fundamental change: the reader's pov, which coincides exactly with that of the Corinthian. We do not see the Corinthian in the panels, and we will not see him until after a long time. We look at the scene through his eyes, we read the words through his voice. From this perspective, it's as if behind the glasses, together with him, we were there, an active part of this crime.

Paradoxically, this scene should be less scary than the one in the TV show. There is no blood and the boy still has his eyes. But we perceive his terror, we see him tied up and helpless like a doll. We see his pimply face making ugly grimaces of fear (in the netflix episode the victim's face is perfect). There is no hope for this boy and while he begs for mercy in vain we brandish, together with the Corinthian, the knife that will kill him. There is no sensuality, there is no seduction, there is no sex here (better, sex and death are the same thing but I will return to the relationship between death and sexuality in the second part of this little essay). We are in a room with no escape, the scene in front of us is dirty, not at all glamorous, in which we readers are actively participating. This Corinthian is fucking scary.

The waking world: a big doll's house to play in

This title takes on a different meaning depending on the various characters involved in this Sandman story. From my point of view, I believe that the characters who most of all are linked to the concept of a doll's house are Unity and the Corinthian.

Unity appears near an old doll house, and her clothes are also similar to those of an old doll

Unity was literally a doll for most of her life: her condition was caused by an external event and external people decided about her life, including her motherhood.

The Corinthian doll and the surrealist doll of Hans Bellmer: both obscene and disturbing toys

The Corinthian, on the other hand, is a sort of doll maker and the dolls are the human beings he kills and whose physiognomy he transforms with his knife.

This last thing is perhaps one of the elements that most differentiates the netflix Corinthian from the one in the comic. The Boyd Corinthian is almost a romantic character, a bohémien eager to savor human life in every sense, moved by contrasts and ambiguities that make him decidedly more similar to the Second Corinthian of the comic than to the First. He looks at humanity with a curiosity that is sometimes almost paternalistic: ruthless, but not cruel. He embodies a type of socially well-integrated serial killer, the "unsuspected type", who knows how to contain his impulses when necessary. Most important, with him sex is not always synonymous with death.

The Corinthian of comics, on contrary, never escapes this binomial: in him, sex and death are always intrinsically linked because they are the same thing. He is always cruel and brutal, seeing humans as meat to be cut. Humanity is nothing but fresh clay in his artist's hands: shaped dolls to play with in his new dark stories.

[tomixslefttoe]

The Hero: I’m going to need everyone to be straight with each other from now on. No more games. This isn’t just for Vaal, either. All of us.

Tomix: I’m always straight.

Izaac: Oh, man, that’s the biggest lie you’ve ever told.

[linuxgamenews]

Discover the All-New HOUSE OF LIGHT DLC for BOOK OF HOURS

BOOK OF HOURS DLC launches into HOUSE OF LIGHT combat-free crafting RPG game for Linux, Mac, and Windows PC. All thanks to the creative minds at Weather Factory. Available on both Steam and GOG with 91% Very Positive reviews. The new DLC for BOOK OF HOURS backs one of 2023's unexpected indie gems. It’s a quirky, quiet game where you manage an occult library, and despite its unusual theme, it made quite an impact, selling over 44,000 copies in its first month on Steam. Now, it has crossed 100,000 copies sold and boasts a solid 92% positive rating. Pretty impressive for a two-person indie team! But they’re not done yet – they’re back with a huge update called HOUSE OF LIGHT, packed with tons of fresh content for Linux players to dive into.

BOOK OF HOURS launch trailer (before HOUSE OF LIGHT DLC)

What’s HOUSE OF LIGHT all about? It’s Europe, 1937. A war is brewing, and not just the kind we know – there’s something darker on the horizon, something called the War in the Sun. As tensions rise, the shadowy figures of the occult world are searching for new allies, new power, and new plans. And who better to help them than the Librarian of Hush House? In this DLC, you’ll get to explore visitors’ stories in more depth in BOOK OF HOURS. Who throw lavish feasts, host fancy soirées, and help shape the beginnings of the Lighthouse Institute. The crafting RPG is all about making your mark in this mystical world.

So, what’s new in the update?

Cooking Up a Storm: Get creative in the kitchen with nearly 100 new dishes. You’ll be combining ingredients, sustenance, and kitchen tools across three different workstations to whip up these unique meals.

A New Writing-Case: In this DLC you can now keep track of the visitors you’ve helped by saving their calling cards in BOOK OF HOURS. Write to them, invite them back, and build stronger connections with those who pass through Hush House.

Salons: Ready to throw a party? Set up food and drinks in one of the six salon rooms, ring the bell, and start a Salon. If you do it right, you’ll get treated to great conversations and useful Lessons.

Writing Manuscripts: With some paper, ink, and a skill, you can now create Manuscripts. These will come in handy when visitors need specific knowledge, and the Lessons from your Salons will help sharpen your skills for even better writing.

The Lighthouse Institute: Once your visitors are ready, guide them to the lighthouse. There, they can help establish the true heirs to the Curia of the Isle.

Pricing and deals The BOOK OF HOURS HOUSE OF LIGHT DLC is priced at $13.49 USD / £11.69 / 12,59€ with the 10% off launch discount for the first week. Available on on both Steam and GOG. If you already own the Perpetual Edition, you’ll get it for free. And to sweeten the deal, the crafting RPG is 30% off on Steam Daily Deal, its biggest discount yet, the same on GOG. The sale runs from 26th September at 10AM PDT to 3rd October. If you're new to the game, you can also grab the Anthology Edition bundle, which gives you 15% off BOOK OF HOURS, HOUSE OF LIGHT, and the soundtrack. Available on Linux, Mac, and Windows PC.

[sweet-like-cinnamon-5]

Sandman Audible Appreciation Post - The Doll's House

So I read this page and I said to myself- cool- Lucien is walking around the Dreaming and taking the census.

But no!

Here is the Audible narration:

The palace of the lord of Dreams is no longer the ruin it was when he first returned from captivity, not that the sleeping Rose Walker is aware of its history. She dreams of elegant towers and walls studded with jewels and gems, covering not so much acres, as what seems like square miles. Lucien, reading from his ledger, walks up a driveway to a huge gateway, guarded, to Rose's alarm, by three huge mythological beasts: a wyvern, a hippogryph, and a griffin. They allow him to pass through the great outer doorway.

The palace of Dream contains many rooms. As befits a dream, and Rose's dream in particular, none of them appear to have any logical connection to each other. The hallway is lined with suits of armor. Lucien bustles through, lost in his calculations. In the next room, the suits of armor give way to storefront mannequins, unclothed, lining a huge swimming pool. The only way to walk across is by means of a long, unsteady plank. Lucien pays it little heed.

Each room presents new inconsistencies. Rose's dream seems almost random in its variety, yet Lucien is a constant factor, refusing to be distracted. The room through which subway trains pass is of no consequence to him either.

Lucien isn't walking around different parts of the Dreaming- he's walking through the palace, one long path taking him to Dream in the throne room, and as he walks from room to room, his surroundings are changing around him in that classic dream logic "I'm walking on a hallway oh now in the next room it's a swimming pool oh now in this room the wall has a face oh now it's a train track, huh ok that's cool" kind of way.

I just think that's so cool, and I literally didn't get that from just looking at the page. It wasn't until I heard the audiobook that I looked back at this page and I was like- ohhhh, panel 2 is the gatekeepers and the palace door, and then Lucien is walking through the palace. I needed the description to make that click for me. (I may just be dumb though lol)

Similarly, at the beginning, with the description of the Threshold of Desire:

The threshold is larger than you can easily imagine

Ok

perhaps a thousand feet high

Oh!! So like- the height of the Eiffel Tower? Ok yeah that's way way taller than i was picturing

And this is my appreciation post for reading the comic and listening to the Audible at the same time, because the combination in magic <3

Small Changes

Comic Miranda: "Free holidays in England don't grow on trees!" / Audible Miranda: "Free vacations in England don't grow on trees!"

When Unity first tells Miranda she's her mother:

Comic Miranda: "You're mad!" / Audible Miranda: "You're wrong!"

Two tiny tiny changes to make Miranda's dialogue more American, I am guessing ;)

Dream Line Readings

James McAvoy is relatively calm in this episode!

Morpheus only appears on 5 pages (and only 3 of them are speaking pages- the other 2 he is just hilariously lurking in the dollhouse), and James McAvoy is excellent, as always, but he doesn't do any yelling that sends me into hysterics this time around.

I would like to share this, possibly one of my most favorite pages of the entire comic:

It is gorgeous

Look how good The Dreaming looks! Look at him rebuilding!

I just really really like to think of Dream being like- oh I hear Lucien about to come in, time to ✨strike a pose✨

I really like this issue overall. We meet Desire and Despair! We see a gallery and the sigils for the first time. We meet Rose and Miranda and learn how they're related to Unity! (Rose and Miranda are shocked to acquire a parent/grandparent- and little do they know that the reader has also just met their other parent/grandparent- but the reader doesn't know it yet either mwahaha!) We see The Dreaming in its renewed splendor, see Dream and Lucien going about their work, meet the Corinthian and hear about Brute/Glob/Fiddler's Green, learn about the concept of a dream vortex for the first time. We start to learn more about how the Endless relate to and interact with mortals, and with each other, and with the world around them. Good stuff is to come. In general I am a big fan of this arc.

[nyenyerle]

something that’s really cute in lotr i that every time it says “and sam thought words were useless here” that’s actually tolkien realising he needs to put on his big boy pants and find words anyway. and the words he finds then catapult you into the 5th dimension

[dazzleluminosity]

This may be too much an intersection of my disparate interests for anyone else to get it, but: Unity's last week was basically point-for-point Eletra from Barish-Estranza trying to hold hostage the people who just gave her the supplies to repair her ship.