#a movable feast

[tilbageidanmark]

[all-or-nothing-baby]

#fitzingway, #pining, #idiots in love, #100k.

okay but I did not know that there is a story about f. scott fitzgerald nervously showing ernest hemingway his penis because zelda said he couldn’t satisfy a woman with it and ernest hemingway was like “lol no dude you’re fine”

what are the modernists even

[pokretnipraznik]

[scaly-freaks]

“A mother is always a mother, since a mother is a biological fact, whilst a father is a movable feast.”

— Angela Carter

[redbatchedcumbermayned]

I have recorded different versions of my name, and the last time I was told it was Haynrix and I was like, really? Haynrix? - Interviewing Chris Tester part 3

We contiune talking about the transformative power of fanworks, a bit more about romancing Heinrix, how Heinrix is pronounced actually, what a dream come through project would be for Chris and why a stage production of Crime and Punishment was his most memorable work to date and his newly discovered interest in playing D&D.

Part 1 of the interview

Part 2 of the interview

This is the final part of the interview. Thank you so much for reading and listening! (the audio quality is not spectacular but tumblr limits uploads to 10MB). If you quote or reshare, please quote me as the original source.

F: It's very transformative. You take a game and you get your own stories after the game or with the people you interact with. It's very creative. Because Heinrix is very much an archetype, as you said, he has this duality about this very authoritative man with so much trauma underneath. There is a lot to explore, and that speaks for Olga's writing as well, because only a very well written character would draw you in like that into a story.

CT: I mean, it's a crazy balancing act, definitely. And at any time, it could close off, you shut him down, or he shuts you down. And you're like, Oh, okay.

F: And it was incredibly funny that the first romance lines straddled the line between workplace harassment and flirting. And he is so unnerved and then it doesn't like to cordon you off and say, well, you were too aggressive. Game over. 

CT: Yeah.

You can switch to this closeness path like in a real relationship, you are maybe very flirty, very teasy at the beginning, and then things get real and you get real and it changes. And that was very dynamic. I never experienced that before. BioWare writes great romances, but they are often very one note in their games.

CT: And there's still the kind of like, okay, so are we sleeping together? Yeah. Or we do not. All right. No, okay, great, fine. God, I had to go through all the different fucking options just to go like, Is this, is that, no, no, okay, fine, right, yeah. So in terms of nuance and dynamic, it's you've got your issues over there, but regardless, can I just say the right thing? Uh, or not, you know, or be pure, or whatever. Garrus was always a favourite for me.

F: Oh yeah, Garrus, Garrus is great.

CT: Yeah, yeah. I'll be honest I didn't really appreciate quite how subtly all of the pieces are put together until I played through bits of the game and watched bits of the game afterwards [this relates to Rogue Trader]. Because there are so many different moving parts, but also so much is recorded out of order, it's very difficult to get a full appreciation of the whole, and it's the credit of the directors to just be able to give you enough for you to get it in two or three takes, because we gotta move on because time is money is time. 

And so that's kind of crazy, where you've got to just act in faith in the moment and trust that the people who are listening on the other end feel as if they're getting what they need. Obviously the more you record, the more you get a sense of what the character is about and the palette and the playfulness and all of those kinds of things. But because there are such a multitude of choices anyway, no one can explain to you exactly the context of what it is because that's all such a movable feast as it is anyway.

F: That's a huge credit to voice actors to still get it right in three or four takes.

CT: Well, the aim is to give them options so that they can trial it out and be able to have a playfulness about things. It's always nice when you go like, I'm just going to try this different take on how this might traditionally be read as or something, and then you maybe hear that in the game and go like: Oh, okay, that's a little bit of whatever. 

Because quite often you'll probably be told to read a line no more than three times, and the first time that you read a line, that you read it out loud is the first time that you read the line at all. So, you don't read it in advance, and sometimes that goes in. It's normally the second or third take, I would say, but that depends very much on the voice actor. Because quite often, the whole point is to be quite good at sight reading, and sometimes there's a spontaneity in the reading of something for the very first time, which might give something a little bit unexpected, or a little bit fresher. 

And then you realise halfway through, there's a word I have no idea how to pronounce. Is it von Valancius? Von Valancius as it's written or von Valen and you're just like, the hell? Okay. And then you need to go back.

F: Or his name actually, because as a German, we have Heinrich as a first name. So is it Haynrix? Is this Hainrix? But we can say it's Low Gothic, so it doesn't matter.

CT: I have recorded different versions of my name, and the last time I was told it was Haynrix and I was like, really? Haynrix? Okay. Sure? But I've not had a definitive conversation about that, so I don’t know whether or not they change it or, or whatever.

F: I settled on, it's Low Gothic and not the German version and it's fine because that's a fantasy language. It doesn't matter. And I know from other voice actors that sometimes you don't get any directions on how something is pronounced.

CT: Quite often we're just taking an educated guess. I mean, they're very good in terms of some pronunciations, but if no other character is saying this word except you, then there's probably not a guide for it in which case you just make sure that you record it somewhere. So, it's consistent. So, if you're saying it more than once, at least you're saying it wrong consistently. So that becomes the new, right?

F: What was your most memorable work to date? Stage or voice acting?

CT: Stage or voice acting or whatever? God, I would say one was a production of Crime and Punishment. There you go. It was a three-person adaptation of the massive book really condensed into about 90 minutes, essentially. Quite a radical adaptation, but it was a beautifully written adaptation, and I think I did it probably about 2017, 2018. That was wonderful storytelling because it had so much of the original flavour in it and also this ambiguity of character. A much more ambiguous character than someone like Heinrix. Someone who is so eminently fallible and flawed, and yet trying to find a through line through it and a making of sense and the justification for the reasons why people do bad things. That is pretty iconic for me as an experience. 

I do feel lucky that a lot of the things that I'm able to explore in the video game or in the voiceover world generally are completely new and unexpected things. Whereas on stage, unless you're doing a lot of new writing, the vast majority of the time, it's a role that you're familiar with or have seen or have heard about. It's pre-existing. Whereas with some of these video games, you get to create that whole original world or character and that kind of stuff. Which is why if anybody asks me, what role do you want to play? I'm like, the role that I don't know exists yet, and Heinrix is very much one of those. Like, I had no idea and neither did I have any idea that it would develop in the way that it did. 

But the whole process itself is a lot of fun and you work with very cool people to tell a completely new and original story. But having that ambiguity, having that tension within the character, every actor has to find that for themselves anyway, just to keep creatively engaged and alive, but have that so vividly running as an undercurrent and for it to be able to go in different ways, that's such a cool kind of thing. I'm just so up for more of those kinds of opportunities. Maybe hopefully in the future, we'll see.

F: Has voicing Heinrix opened any doors? Did you notice an uptake in offers?

CT: I think it means that a few more people probably know who I am, and that's cool. A few more people. Yeah, it's definitely been referred to. Other than that, I don't know. But it certainly doesn't hurt being involved in such a high profile and well respected, well-loved game. I mean, for me as well, because I've done various different aspects of stuff in that world. That doesn't hurt. 

I love the whole Warhammer 40k universe, at the same time I don't want to just be like, I'm a 40k actor and that's all I do because that world also probably doesn't need just another white middle-class man in it, even if that is like 70 percent of the world. Like you say, they're trying to broaden it out and diversify it and necessarily if it wants to get to a bigger audience and have a healthier ecology on so many different kinds of levels. So, I don't want to go all in on just that, even if it's a very rich world. So, it was a real pleasure. 

F: Would you want to broaden your repertoire into radio plays, because I know on your LinkedIn, you write, you're the voice when Cumberbatch is busy and listening to you, there are undertones of Benedict Cumberbatch in your voice, and Benedict before he became really popular, he did something like Cabin Pressure, which is so fun.

CT: Yeah.

F: Would you be open to doing radio plays like that?

CT: Definitely. I've just recently come from a voiceover conference in the UK and did a couple of workshops and that reminded me of what the work is that I want to actively seek out. And there's a lot of audio drama stuff floating about, a lot of that is available via social media or is operated in the U.S. as opposed to in the UK., though there are some great ones in the UK. as well, and it's tricky to know why and how to validate some of those things. So, it's something that I would love to explore doing more of as well as, you know, you can do these audio drama things, which are kind of like shorter versions of audio books, almost essentially with not so many voices. And I think those medium and short form ways of storytelling would be lovely. It would be great because I'm not right for a lot of video games. 

I don't think I'll ever be actually a very prolific video game actor if that makes sense because I'm okay at shouting and I can play some monsters and I've got a couple of accents in the bag and that kind of thing in terms of doing voices. People will say it's about the acting Chris, it's not about voices, but doing some voices and being able to nail certain things there are people that are brilliant at that. But there are people who have probably a wider palette of voices than I will ever have. 

I never started out as a voice actor. I'm very much an actor who uses the voice, and I'm trying to broaden that out a little bit more as I keep on going. But I want to open myself up to more different types of stuff to be creatively fulfilled. The prospect of going into a recording session and screaming “grenade” and “bang” is not very fulfilling. I did that for a few games, and then I'm done with that. Like the money's not good enough for me to do that. I mean, never say never. If the money does become good enough, then we can talk. But you push your voice and it's a different kind of acting, I'll put it that way.

F: So, last question. What would be a dream come true project for you?

CT: A dream come true project? Probably something entirely original that I can't imagine. I would love to be able to work on an audio project where I'm working with other actors in real time. I would love to be able to work with most of the cast in Rogue Trader, for example, but I’d love it for us to be able to have dialogues where you're actually responding to each other as opposed to insert A, B or C here, that kind of thing. Because that's the one thing I kind of miss so much from the audio side of work is you getting something unexpected from the other person and then riffing off it. You have to self-generate as a voice actor that a director will go do you want to try it like this? Or maybe like this, it's supposed to be funny. Try it dead pan, that kind of thing.

But quite often that kind of spontaneous element of discovery only comes from when someone gives you a line in a way that you really didn't expect, and maybe it makes you laugh, when it's supposed to be tragic or whatever, those kinds of things. The biggest thing I miss about stage work is when you're working with an actor at the top of your game and they raise you up to their level. It's terrifying, but in the best way. Some actors can do that effortlessly because they're so in the moment, because they don't know what they're going to do next, even though they can find their light and make sure that the audience is still seeing their brilliant acting at the same time. Clever, clever bunnies. That feeling because they don't know exactly where they're going, you're kind alive to the moment in a way that quite often you're not, and if there was a way to be able to replicate that in an audio way and a long form storytelling way, then that would be cool. 

I've just started playing a little bit of D&D and I don't know if I'll ever get good at that, especially in terms of like, so I've got to come up with words. Oh my God. Whereas I will never watch a D&D playthrough for four hours on YouTube myself, personally, life choice, I can start to understand the appeal of that because there's an element of that spontaneity and playfulness, but in a group. So, if there was a way to do that with actually scripted drama, I'd be all in on that. That would be amazing. Or some kind of hybrid. So I don't know exactly what that is, but that kind of thing would be quite cool. 

F: That's what the BBC did with Cabin Pressure. I attended one live recording and it was just amazing. You have all the other actors [apart from Benedict Cumberbatch] that are household names. And to see them act and how little takes they actually need for the lines and everything is amazing.

CT: Yeah, there's an appreciation of the craft, but it's also the fact that it's not into a void. It's not like, okay, we've done three. Is that okay? We're onto the next. I think in many ways it can make the work much easier, because you're using your imagination, but in a different way, because you're operating with a stimulus. And that's always exciting.

F: And good D&D is just like improv theatre.

CT: Yeah, exactly.

F: Really good players are spontaneous. Just very creative.

CT: That should be celebrated and I think harnessing more of those kinds of things would be fun, because in all honesty, still probably about 60, 70 percent of the work that I do is in the corporate and business sphere. That's just because of how I sound. I didn't go out to court that work particularly, but in terms of the stuff that pays the bills regularly, that's the kind of stuff that I do. Even then, you're trying to find levels of playfulness or colour so that you're not just coming over with: “in a world where you can trust a big corporation to take your money.” So, there's any kind of nuance or subtlety to that, that will be a good thing. So that's the kind of stuff that I crave as a result.

F: Thank you for your time.

CT: Oh, my pleasure.

F: It went by so fast. We went over time; I still have a lot more questions.

CT: Oh, sorry.

F: No, no, no, no, no, no. That, that's, that's absolutely fine. Thank you.

[devotee-of-aphrodite-venus]

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓲𝓻𝓽𝓱 𝓞𝓯 𝓥𝓮𝓷𝓾𝓼

What day was it she slid up from the innocent sea

Unstirred by tug of tide

Under her feet the sand.

Shifted. The waiting land Enclosed her like a shell. The stallions in the foam Remarked her and were tame; The chariot of flame stood still to see her come. All nature felt the weight of her first faltering steps.

Time shifted, and the shapes Of ordinary things Altered beneath her touch; There was no way to turn

Back. She must stay and learn the role they had assigned: To be their goddess, serve the movable feasts of love.

Birth Of Venus

- CONSTANCE URDANG

[atsadi-shenanigans]

Snnippet Sunday

Thank you for tagging me, @nyx-knox!

She’s bleeding. Of that he’s certain. But if it’s not an injury… When it finally dawns, he feels an utter oaf. Dearest leader is a human. And he knows she’s got a cunt (he felt it that night in the woods) and humans have a moon blood. And then he realizes she has a moon blood and almost trips over his own feet. Gods. She’s not the first he’s come across in such a condition. Living in the crush of a city means being overwhelmed by the scent and, frankly, stink of thousands of other people. Some of them bleed regularly. He’s always wondered what that would be like. What it would taste like. Dalyria, Aurelia, and Violet—as undead creatures like himself—no longer bled, and all of them were forbidden from drinking from thinking creatures. But that didn’t stop them speculating. Dal in particular had theories. As did Petras, but that man was an idiot and no one gave his ramblings much weight at all. But never has Astarion been in such close proximity to someone on their cycle and been off the leash, so to speak. And he cannot ask for one, little taste, because she’s angry at him, and he with her, and gods. Humans bleed for days, don’t they? He’s going to have to plod along behind her, pretending he doesn’t smell that feast. Pretending he doesn’t know that she hates him. He wishes he’d had the fortune to have landed next to the wizard.

TFW it's the first feast day but your movable feast is mad at you so it's actually Lent.

Tagging: @britonell @britosia @sasseffects @shewhowas39 @mutualcombat and @lyzelky

[hyohaehyuk]

tvinsider - ‘Interview With the Vampire’ Stars Break Down That Bloody Finale

Jacob, in Daniel’s final monologue, he says Louis has a messed up idea of love. What is Louis’s idea of love to you?

Jacob Anderson: I think it’s a constantly moving, movable feast. I think it evolves in different ways, and I think we’ll continue to explore what his idea of love is. We know he wants it desperately. He wants to be accepted and to be understood. And I think that’s a big part of what love means to me. It’s about somebody else accepting you and you accepting them in all of their multitudes.

Maybe Louis didn’t exactly find that in Lestat, but that’s also kind of the premise upon which he first fell for him. This person said, “I see you.” And I think that’s a really important thing for Louis is being seen and understood. But I don’t know if he has particularly healthy ideas about love. As evidenced in the show and in the story. [Laughs]

Sam, same question for Lestat, who I imagine has a very different perspective on it.

Sam Reid: Look, Lestat, one of his whole M.O.s as a character is he falls in love first, and then deals with the repercussions of being a sociopathic monster. How do you interpret love through that lens? And this is the thing, particularly with Louis and Lestat and why they’re similar in a way (and Claudia and all the vampires, really) is that they have to exist in a human society to survive. And they deal with it in different ways.

They have to survive in a world where human convention needs to be followed to some degree, because they survive off eating human beings. Or they can follow an Armand path — you’ll find a bit more about his class of vampires in the books, which don’t necessarily integrate with society.

Louis, Claudia, and Lestat tried to integrate with society in that capacity, and therefore when you’re looking at yourself and “am I a lovable thing,” you’re actually always reflecting yourself against human beings, which are much less monstrous and psychotic. And so how can I ever be a lovable thing? I’m so terrifying. I think the issue they all sort of feel is that “I don’t feel worthy of love. I don’t feel like I can be properly loved for the monster that I am.” That’s the kind of question that particularly Lestat is always dealing with, and the way that he behaves is always a reaction against that. He knows he’s bad, he’s really good at being bad, he’s really good at being and playing a bad, evil vampire. But he wants to be loved, and he loves back. But sometimes if you’re not gonna get love, you may as well take the hate, because they’re pretty close.

The season is bookended by these epic bloody scenes where you go full operatic vampire mode. How fun was the Mardi Gras ball massacre to film, and what vampire traits did you have to figure out how to express for it?

Bailey Bass: I had to figure out was how Claudia acts when she’s in this frenzy and really, really wants to drink someone’s blood. I grew up being obsessed with Twilight. In the third movie, Bella cuts her arm, and then [the vampires] turn and look at her. I remember loving that scene as a kid, and it kind of inspired Claudia’s frenzy.

But then more than that, I don’t think people realize how technical it was. All those kills were in different sets throughout the house and on different places of the stage and it all needed to be blocked out. And on top of that, we’re feeling raging emotions. Frenzy is, for at least me playing Claudia, was similar to playing varied depression or playing anger or playing extreme joy. So it was very elevated.

Jacob Anderson: I wasn’t there for a lot of it. We started doing Dubai around the same time, so I actually missed a lot of that.

Sam Reid: It was broken up into lots of pieces, that whole sequence, so it was a weird thing to shoot. We shot it over a couple of weeks, and we’d shoot one little piece of each death and one murder. You finish drinking the blood at this point, then you walk up the stairs at a different point, or Louis jumps across the table at this point. It was sporadic and spread out, which kind of felt like we were always covered in blood.

For weeks I would go to work and I would just be covered in blood, sitting around drenched in the f***ing sh**. [Laughs] I became so attached to that costume, I took it home with me. We both have those bloody shirts that I die in.

Oh my gosh, I love that. Just have it framed on your wall.

Sam Reid: Well unfortunately, ’cause it’s all mouth blood, it doesn’t dry, so it’s just this constantly sticky garment.

The response to this show has been overwhelmingly positive. How does it feel to be part of one of the most beloved new shows of the year?

Bailey Bass: It’s really exciting. I think I’m overwhelmed by how accepting people were of Claudia, even though we had some changes — you never know how the fans are gonna feel. I’m so happy that the Anne Rice essence of Claudia that was in the books is in the show. A fan made an edit of Claudia throughout the entire season, and I’ve watched it like eight times. I was tearing up because I’m so happy that they love her as much as I do.

Jacob Anderson: I was saying to Sam yesterday that it’s so amazing. You want to be a part of something that people feel strongly about, whatever those feelings are. Whether they’re feelings of disappointment in the characters or they’re just feelings of, I love these characters so much, whatever it is. Just some provoking, strong feeling is, for me anyway, what I want to be a part of in my life. We all love the show so much. We love working on it, and we are fans of the writing and the craft that goes into it outside of ourselves that it’s so great to see that people agree.

Sam Reid: Yeah, ’cause we really didn’t know what we were making. It was such a bizarre shooting experience. It was like we went into this bubble, this cocoon world, and it only feels like we just finished shooting it, really. Then we went straight into Comic-Con, then bits and pieces of it coming out online, and then the show coming out. It feels a little bit like we’re still very much there. It’s been amazing to put it out there and let it exist outside of us as well and just go like, “OK, well, here you go. It’s yours now.” And it’s nice that people like it.

[stevetonyweekly]

Cap-Ironman Rec Week - Family Fic - Friday

It’s Family Friday for @cap-ironman rec week. And that works out nicely, because my beloved @meidui asked me to do a kid fic rec list a few weeks ago so--enjoy these, my favorite kid fic! 

~

Counterpart by sara_holmes

coun•ter•part [koun-ter-pahrt] [noun] 1. a person or thing closely resembling another, especially in function. 2. a copy; duplicate. 3. one of two parts that fit, complete, or complement one another.

Just because Hydra used the DNA of a Captain America from another dimension to create a lab-grown, six-year-old super-soldier, it doesn't mean that said six-year old super-soldier is biologically Steve's, right?

(Where Steve wants to ban Clint from bringing things home from alternative dimensions, until he doesn't.)

A Movable Feast by copperbadge, scifigrl47 

The epic road trip of food truck hipster Steve Rogers, chef Tony Stark, and self-propelled trouble magnet DJ Fujikawa.

In Trouble Deep by FestiveFerret, SirSapling

"Whoever did this has a reason, and Stark needs to be with someone who can protect him. He won’t exactly be able to protect himself like this.” Fury looked at the baby consideringly. “No, it’s you, Steve. Besides, he likes you. Suck it up, soldier, you’re stuck with him.”

Rockabye by BladeoftheNebula

Cute alphas didn’t appear out of nowhere to help ruined omegas. That was a widely accepted fact.

Tony Stark had always known his life wouldn’t be easy as a genius omega in an alpha’s world. But not even he predicted getting knocked up and forced to move to a small town in the middle of nowhere.

The Billionaire and the Army Captain by Neverever

Facing finanical ruin and needing to care for his sick daughter, Steve Rogers agrees to marry Tony Stark, who needs to get married by his 30th birthday to inherit. It's just a job for Steve until he starts to fall for the enigmatic billionaire.

along came the spiders by Areiton for earliebirb 

Tony meets Peter first.

OR:

Tony adopts three spiderlings.

[frogaroundandfindout]

“Yeah, I did have a place just like that. But mine has always been a movable feast. And solitude was not an option.”

Clark tells dick about Nightwing, the hero that inspired him to take this route in life. Dick says that he doesn’t know what to do and Clark talks about why he has the fortress of solitude. It’s the piece of home he can come back to after the fighting is over. He then asks dick if he has a place like that, and dick heads over to the circus. (Nightwing Vol.2 #102)

[kandisheek]

FIC REC WEEK 27 – NO POWERS

SERIES: The Foodieverse by copperbadge, scifigrl47

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 164,406 Tags: Chef AU, Food Truck, Hipsters

Summary: It's an AU where everyone works in the food industry. That makes total sense and is definitely not wildly irrational on any axis.

Reasons why I love it: This AU is chicken noodle soup for the soul. It's funny, fluffy, makes me hungry and happy, and generally is something that I consider a cornerstone of this fandom. If you haven't read it yet, do yourself a favor and get right on it, because it's amazing! There are 22 fics and podfics in this series, so while I'm not going to list all of them here, I'm going to rec some of my favorites. But really, you should read all of them front to back, because they're fantastic and deserve all the love.

This series consists of:

Feed The Body, Nourish The Soul

Pairing: Gen Rating: T Words: 6,542 Tags: Hipster Steve, Humor, Cook-Off

Summary: Steve Rogers just wanted to sell good, nourishing, cheap food from his food truck. Now the crazy fusion chefs from TOBRU are calling him a hipster, the avant garde restaurant "Shield" across the street has declared war on chains, and...well, then there's Thor, who thinks Steve's habit of licking food is weird.

Reasons why I love it: The one that started it all. I love all of the different restaurants and the choices of who runs them, it feels very in character. Also, the dialogue is hilarious, and I really, really want to try one of Thor's crunchy crab thingies and Steve's rhubarb-pie-on-a-stick, but alas, I guess some things must remain in the realm of fantasy. Also, Steve the Hot Foodie going viral is the best thing ever. Definitely check this one out, it's great!

Hot Potato

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: G Words: 2,251 Tags: Food Trucks, Cooking Show, Potatoes

Summary: Potato Rescue is the hottest new food truck nobody knows about. Steve is determined to make Sam Wilson king of all potatoes.

Reasons why I love it: Yaaaas, bring in some Sam! I love the hints of Winterfalcon here, and Steve pretty much becoming the leader of the Sam Wilson fanclub after eating his food once is my favorite thing ever. I adore this fic, it's so much fun!

TRUCKBRU

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: G Words: 2,245 Tags: Comic-Con, partly RPF, Humor

Summary: Tony's idea of a food truck is...interesting.

Reasons why I love it: I would pay good money to see Chris Evans in that Hetalia cosplay. I love how Tony can't help but go completely overboard in everything he does, and how everyone has become a little culinary family. This fic is super funny and sweet, as is this whole series, and I really hope you check it out!

A Movable Feast

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 74,388 Tags: Road Trips, Kidfic, AU Crossover

Summary: The epic road trip of food truck hipster Steve Rogers, chef Tony Stark, and self-propelled trouble magnet DJ Fujikawa.

Reasons why I love it: Alright, so, if you're a fan of scifigrl47's OCs, specifically DJ Stark, then you'll probably be like me and squeal with joy when you realize that this fic is a fucking Foodieverse and Tales of the Bots CROSSOVER, oh my god, this is the best thing ever!! I'm so goddamn happy this exists, and even if you haven't read TotB, you'll definitely still enjoy this fic, so I really hope you give it a shot!

A Taste of Home

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 24,066 Tags: Domestic Fluff, Comfort Food, Sick Tony

Summary: Tony Stark runs one of the most celebrated molecular gastronomy restaurants in the country. Steve Rogers parks his food truck on the curb outside, with food that's no less brilliant and well made, but possibly more filling. They end up at Tony's place almost every night, and while he's not objecting, Tony's starting to wonder just why that is.

Reasons why I love it: This fic is just fantastic. The food porn is food porning, the humor is superb, and the hint of angst is like a little cherry on top. I love the entire part where Tony is sick, Steve is adorable and Isaiah and Eli have my entire heart. Plus, Bucky is a menace, as usual. I love everything about this and the whole series in general, and I really hope that you go and check it out for yourself, if you haven't already!

[talonabraxas]

The Spiritual Meaning of the Easter Season

“Regardless of what traditions you follow, the spiritual meaning of Easter is a new light after sacrifice or tribulation.”

As we move into the early spring season and start seeing chocolate eggs and pastel colors in store windows, we know Easter must be on the way. Whether or not we are practicing Christians, Easter is a big holiday. But what is the spiritual meaning of Easter, exactly?

From a Christian perspective, Easter Monday is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ after he died on the cross and then rose again three days later. It comes after the somewhat more somber observance of Good Friday, the day Jesus died on the cross for his people’s sins.

This holiday weekend is actually embedded in a much longer Christian mythology. The rituals start on Shrove Tuesday in March, also known as Pancake Tuesday. This is traditionally the day to eat up all the sugar and butter in your house in advance of Lent, a 40-day period of sacrifice meant to commemorate the 40 days Jesus spent wandering in the desert. The long journey through Lent ends in Easter, which is usually celebrated with food and family.

Like many Christian holidays, however, this one is connected to older mythologies still. You can tell this by the fact that Easter is a movable feast: The date changes each year because it is the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring equinox. Easter is also the holiday of the pagan Germanic goddess Eostre, the goddess of the dawn. She is celebrated at springtime, when the light begins to return in the Northern Hemisphere to warm up the earth, bringing with it food, flowers, and the promise of a new season. The eggs and bunnies so often seen around Easter are actually symbols of the Goddess’ fertility.

Easter also tends to coincide pretty closely with the Jewish Passover celebration, which is also a movable feast defined by the lunar calendar. Like Lent, Passover takes place over a number of days and involves some restriction—specifically that leavened bread must not be eaten. This holiday commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt, including the miraculous moment when God parted the red seas to allow his people to cross. On the other side, the Hebrews wandered for 40 years in the desert before finding their ancestral home, now known as Israel.

The number 40 comes up often in the Bible, and is also a common amount of time used in yoga and other spiritual traditions. You’ll often see 40-day challenges for yoga practices or meditations, and it’s also common time window for healing after childbirth in many cultures. It is also about the amount of time it takes to learn a new habit, heal from an intense experience, or make a change in our lives.

Regardless of what traditions you follow, the spiritual meaning of Easter is a new light after sacrifice or tribulation. We might not be quite through the suffering yet, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

So perhaps this is a time to share food and stories with friends and family (in person or online!), and it might also be a time to go outside and bask in the early spring sunlight (or snow, or rain, or whatever is available at the time), light a candle, write in your journal, or take a bath with floral scented soaps. Paint an egg for the goddess. Take a bite of a chocolate bunny. However you choose to do it, now is the time to honor the spiritual meaning of the season by welcoming the light and hope that come with the spring.

[nekohime19]

Heart behind the lie # 34 : Second trial

Let's goo, the monkeys have serious talk about their relationship

Sun Wukong wasn't used to mortal inventions, especially one as innovative as what he was gazing at. It reminded him of his phone, but it was notably larger, and with a more bluish light. The screen embedded in the table's heart suddenly lit up, the map until now displayed by the screen was given life. The trees stood proudly, interwoven with each other, forming a dense sea of green leaves. The desert spread like starved beasts feasting, lands of sun-burned sands. The valleys stretched like a drop of water falling in the ground and bursting out, brutally and elegantly. The sage gazed at the miniaturized world in front of him with wonder, it was almost disturbing to see those lands breathe as if they were alive, and not some intricate illusions created by the screen underneath it. He wondered if his claws would pierce the illusions, unable to seize it like the cloud littering the sky, if he ever dared to touch it. 

He noticed three armies, each standing in one of the three clearly divided territories. In front of him stood the desert, on it were stationed three dozen soldiers, each clothed differently depending on their function, but all sand colored. There was an infantry of fifteen (each with a number etched on their back, going from 1 to 15), ten archers (with also a number on their back, going from 16 to 25) and five mages (going from 26 to 30). The sage glanced at the other armies, quickly noticing the differences with his own. The huli jing's was stationed on the valleys, it was bigger (with ten more soldiers), the armors seemingly heavier, mageless but with a threatening cavalry. The red-masked person's was smaller than his (at least from what he was able to see, the trees hid most of it), but greatly more movable, with leather cladded soldiers and mages each more or less saddled with a bow (some bows smaller than others). 

The rules were simple, the only thing said was : “To win, the other two armies have to be crushed. You will be able to control your own army with your voice. You have five minutes of observation before the start.” Sun Wukong worked on the assumption that everything unsaid by the rules was possible. The condition to be victorious was for the other two armies to be crushed, it was in itself quite a vague statement. It didn't force him to be the cause of the other two downfall, in fact, it even allowed him to play behind the scenes and watch the chaos unfold. The fact that your own army had to be controlled with your voice was also quite advantageous, the sage was already thinking of a hundredth of ways to fool his two adversaries, for example by casting a spell on his mouth that would fool the other two ears with created orders he never truly said, or even recreating their voices to murder their own armies. Sun Wukong was a trickster by nature, if the game allowed him some leverage, he would manipulate and fool without mercy. Now, the sage had some inquiries about how the game worked, he wondered if the soldiers could communicate with him, or if they were just mindless puppets awaiting his orders, depending on the answer his strategy would be completely different. 

The King spent the rest of his given time observing the grounds. Sun Wukong had lived long enough to sharpen his eyes to the whims of nature, he was intimate with the intricate yet fascinating ways nature lived. With one glance, he was able to spot, in his own territory, the quicksands hidden underneath the sun-kissed lands, but also the thrill of the sands and the beasts crawling within it. The desert was a deadly place for those who knew nothing of it, it was the tomb of the impatients. The sage looked forward to use the murderous ways of his territory to ensnare his enemies

The valleys looked harmless at first, but the fact that it was completely exposed and therefore gave no hidden places was threatening, especially since the army stationed there was on the heavier side and seemingly the only one with a cavalry. It would be suicidal to step a foot in this place without a proper plan. The forest was, in the sage opinion, the trickiest of the three. The trees completely veiled the lands, hiding everything from the three players; it would be difficult to navigate their own soldiers in full blindness, without even talking about the beasts hidden in the woods ready to tear their fleshes open. All in all, the three territories each offered some gracious advantages, but also great flaws, like the armies stationed there. The victor would be the one able to exploit man and nature to the fullest, but also the one able to deceive his two adversaries. 

The five promised minutes passed quickly, the game began with the reasoning sound of a gong, one held by the eagle. Immediately the sage straightened himself and opened his mouth : 

“Soldiers 1 to 3 advance to the borders of the desert.” He was quite amused to see his lil soldiers diligently following his orders. At the same time he coated the pad of his fingers in magic and discreetly smeared it on his lips with a quick swipe, he waited until the huli jing made her fist order (like him, she decided to advance some of her infantry at the front of her territory) to whisper in her voice “murder yourself”. Her soldiers did not react, unbothered by what he just did. At least he tried, it would have been a surefire way to win this. He licked the tip of his lips to erase any traces of magic as the red-masked person ordered four of her mages to dress a barrier around the forest. 

There were no turns in a war, no need to wait for your adversary. Sun Wukong ordered his three lil soldiers to walk towards the forest without paying any mind to the huli jing's orders (she was re-arranging her cavalry, straightening them in a threatening line at the front of her army). His soldiers were quite fast, they reached the forest in less than two minutes, Sun Wukong ordered them to attack the barrier once they stood at the foot of it. While swords were clashing with the protective golden glow veiling the forest, effectively distracting both of his adversaries, Sun Wukong pulled out one of his hair and created a tiny clone of himself, he put the clone beside the board, hidden behind his. He lightly pressed the tiny clone in his hand with the tip of his thumb, a way to communicate without words he developed long ago, the clone pressed back. Sun Wukong couldn't say anything too complicated with this silent method, but he could say enough for his clone to understand. The clone ordered in a quiet whisper “26, 27 change clothes with 16, 17”. The soldiers obeyed him readily, two of his mages took the appearance of two of his archers and vice versa. 

His three soldiers battling with the barrier were killed by piercing arrows, they went through the barrier without shattering it and struck his mans after a few shots. It was a good strategy in itself, protecting yourself and killing anyone approaching while being hidden by the trees, but Sun Wukong wouldn't be defeated by this sort of simple-minded game. The King glanced at the huli jing and noticed she wasn't doing anything, only watching them, her cavalry perfectly aligned, waiting like a panther in the high grasses. 

“What's the matter, sweetheart? You want my help? I might land you a hand if you beg for it~” Chuckled the mercenary when she noticed the sage's gaze. Sun Wukong decided to not answer, he turned away and focused once more on his battefiel. “Aw, no answer. But this stoic appearance of you is still charming.”

“4 to 8, 16, 17 and 26 to 29, advance towards the forest.” Ordered the King, discreetly pressing the clone in his hand to give some instructions. Once his soldiers reached the barrier, the sage demanded : “Mages, take down the barrier. 4 and 5 protect the mages, the others attack the barrier." At the same time the clone spoke, his whisper drowned under the sage's thundering voice, but still heard by the soldiers : “26, 27 do not attack like the others, create magic arrows shot from real bows. 16, 17, do not attack like the other, imitate 28 and 29.”

Sun Wukong knew from experience what sort of barrier was around the forest, it was one of the simplest ones to exist, easily taken down with a spell from mages or any magical attack, brute strength could also weaken it enough to be shattered, but it took more time. His strategy was one of the simplest, old as rivers, yet it could work very well in this situation. Taking a barrier down required mages (except if you were willing to wait a good while for brute strength to shatter it), as such, people creating barriers always targeted mages before anyone else. And mages were usually sitting ducks while they tried to take down a barrier, especially ones as simple and mindless as those lil soldiers. As such, it was always expected to have hidden mages somewhere if you wanted to take down a barrier. By making two of his mages wear archers clothes, and by making two of his archers wear mages clothes, he could hide his mages while also attacking the barrier, especially since magic could take many forms, and as such be easily disguised as a physical attack. Like anyone with common sense, the red-masked person focused her attacks on the mages, the two soldiers protecting the group of mages held for a bit before being defeated, letting the only true mages here (28 and 29), and the two archers disguised as mages, be slaughtered. In the meantime, the magic arrows, shot by the two disguised mages, coupled with the swords of the infantry broke the barrier around the forest. The red-masked person was greatly surprised by this, not understanding why their barrier broke (it shouldn't have shattered this fast with only brute strength, not that she knew the sage disguised two of his mages as archers). The King used this lapse of judgment from the red-masked person and the few seconds of bewilderment coming from them to order his two disguised mages to cast fire spells on the forest. 

Sun Wukong knew from experience that trees tended to burn fast. The red-masked person panicked, probably not used to war, and ordered their own mages to extinguish the fire with water spells, yet the damage was already done. The part of the forest where they hid their soldiers was entirely burned, leaving their men exposed. The huli jing didn't wait, she ordered her cavalry to attack. Horses rushed in the burned land, slaughtering the uncovered soldiers of the red-masked person. Sun Wukong ordered his remaining soldiers to aid the huli jing while also pressing the clone hidden underneath his palm. His clone nodded and discreetly whispered : “Those who can, change clothes with the dead cavalry and follow the huli jing orders as the one you replaced till I say give up.” 

Three of his soldiers managed to infiltrate the huli jing ranks by taking the clothes of three dead riders (changing under the tree shades to hide from any wandering eyes) the other two played dead in the forest on his clone orders. The red-masked person army was quickly crushed under their common onslaught. The huli jing immediately headed to his desert once the red-masked person was defeated, quite the wise choice considering she had 35 soldiers, while he only had 10 known soldiers (15 if we count the ones hidden within her ranks and the two playing dead in the forest). She sent 24 after him (two of which were spies), and left the other 11 in her territory. Now it was a game of chase, Sun Wukong fled, his soldiers faster than hers due to their clothes specially made for the desert. He led her to quicksands and scorpion nests, like that she lost 10 soldiers (none were his spies). 

When they faced each other, she had 14 soldiers (12 without the spies) in front of him and 5 on the way. 

“It was fun while it lasted, handsome, but this is my victory.” Purred the huli jing while the two armies face together on the edge of the dunes. 

“I'm not one to give up this easily.” Snorted the sage. 

“If you take it like that, attack!”

“Attack.” Copied the King. The two armies clashed together, the spies revealed themselves and used the surprise to kill a good portion of her soldiers before kneeling. 

“What the…” Mumbled the huli jing, surprised by the spies’ existence. 

“I told you I will not give up.” Smiled the sage, eyes curled in glee. The numbers weren't quite reversed, but with the surprise, he managed to slaughter the 12 soldiers in front of him without too much loss. 

He now had 10 soldiers (13 with the hidden one) while she had 11 (10 without the spy), 5 on their way in the desert. The huli jing chose to retreat the 5 soldiers that ventured in the desert, but before she could even utter one word Sun Wukong ordered his army to go after her's, this time he was the one chasing. He managed to kill three out of the five, while she only killed two of his. There were now even odds, 8 against 8, at least without the sage's hidden soldiers. Reassured by this false number, the huli jing let their two armies crash against each other (once her two retreating soldiers returned to her territory). In the midst of the battle, the sage's clone called the two soldiers hidden in the forest and ordered them to come closer, while Sun Wukong revealed his spy. The spy coupled with the surprising soldiers were enough to overpower the huli jing and slaughter her men. 

“How did you even… did you cheat?” Mumbled the huli jing, dumbfounded by the results. 

“I'm the Monkey King, what did you expect?” Snorted the sage, he turned towards her and decided to be a little intimidating, perhaps she would stop trying to seduce him if he scared her. He rose from his chair and put one hand on the table, claws out, rattling the wood. He smiled, fangs pressing against his lips, glinting in the sunlight, and narrowed his eyes. “Now, don't ever underestimate me again.” He expected her to pale and back away, but instead she flushed and startled. Sun Wukong immediately leaned back, surprised, but also very confused. He thought her blush yesterday was because she felt humiliated, but perhaps that wasn't it. The sage decided to not engage with her anymore and turned away, he won so he didn't need to stay anymore. As he walked away from the table, he briefly saw the red-masked person imitate him and regain their beloved side.

When he tried to squeeze the tiny clone in his hand to poof him, he realized the clone wasn't there anymore. Confused, the sage looked around, but he caught no sign of his miniaturized self. Did the rascal run away? Where did he even go? This was a sand-ground with no hideouts, people would surely notice a mini-sage running around. The huli jing caught up with him while he was sweeping off the ground with his narrowed gaze in search of his mini-self. 

“You're gonna leave so soon?” Asked the mercenary as she approached him, slightly leaning forward. Her scent washed over him, something overly flowery, strong enough to get people drunk. Sun Wukong took a step back, eyebrows furrowed. 

“Why would I stay, the trial is over.” Sighed the King, still searching for his clone out of the corner of his eye. 

“Why won't you? I'm sure there is something here that can interest you.” Purred the mercenary as she took a step closer, she extended one arm, perhaps to hold him back and prevent him from leaving the ground. Sun Wukong was ready to push her away, but something appeared between the two of them before he could even slap her hand away.

Macaque stepped out of the shadows in all his glory, the mini-clone on his right shoulder. 

“I'm sorry but we need to leave.” Argued the warrior, a growl in his voice. The huli jing's eyes raked over him with a glint Sun Wukong didn't appreciate. Macaque took the sage's hand before the mercenary could open her mouth and dragged him out of the grounds, Sun Wukong let him do as he pleased, more focused on the hand holding his than the scene they were causing. 

“Can you explain why you have my mini-clone?” Asked the King once they reunited with Cheng at the arena's border, he narrowed his eyes at the pest pressed against the warrior's cheek. 

“He was waving at me.” Shrugged Macaque, as if it was enough to explain everything. The warrior scratched the clone ‘s chin with the tip of his claw, the shameless lil thing followed after his finger with a wagging tail. “I didn't know you could make them so little, it's cute.” Sun Wukong's eyebrows twitched angrily at that, he took the clone from Macaque's shoulder and made him disappear with a flick of wrist. He wanted to grumble about how being tiny-size wasn't a cute thing, but he was interrupted by Cheng. 

“You didn't murder the mercenary, did you?” Asked the lord, a desperate edge in his voice. 

“No, she's fine.” Replied Macaque with something akin to disappointment. 

“Good, I think murder would disqualify us. I heard of your victory, brother. Congratulations! Tonight we'll have a feast for this joyous occasion!!” Laughed the peacock, he turned around and left the arena with a joyous skip in his step. 

They all left the arena after a bit, eager to come home and celebrate the sage's victory. Sun Wukong looked forward to boasting about his strategies, but he (and Macaque) decided to see Sandy before they could lose themselves in the grand feast thrown by the peacock. The tea-lover was, without surprise, elated to be able to help them. They went to the airship, for more privacy, while Pigsy and Tang were occupied in the kitchen, organizing the feast, and the kids lost in the palace corridors doing who knew what. Sun Wukong took Sock from his clone's doting hands the second he caught sight of her, drowning her in loving coos, and they all sat in the lounging area. The King shooed his clones away with a narrowed gaze and sighed when he noticed three identical birds perched on the windowsill seconds later after the three rascals stumbled out of the room, but he guessed it didn't matter if they eavesdropped, they would have learned of it eventually. 

“So you said you wanted my advice with something?” Gently asked the tea-lover as he, like usual, served them tea.

“Y-yeah, hm, we have… issues with something.” Awkwardly chuckled the warrior, visibly struggling to put words on their ambiguous relationship. Sun Wukong couldn't fault him for that, he also wasn’t sure how to describe what was going on. We are kissing but we're not in a relationship, but we still get jealous over each other?, it sounded weird now that he thought of it. 

“We… might have noticed that we held some feelings for each other… but agreed that… if we wanted to be in a relationship, it was better to wait until Macaque was healed and didn't depend on me anymore.” Explained the sage, trying to convey what happened to the best of his ability. 

“It is a wise choice.” Carefully replied the tea-lover, something in the sage fluttered at that, he was proud to be told of his wisdom. The old him would have rushed into the relationship without even considering Macaque's situation. 

“Well… we might also… k-kiss sometimes, because… it’s nice?” Added the warrior with flushed cheeks. “But… we also get jealous over each other… and, maybe, the ambiguity of what we are is stressing us.”

Sandy processed the information like he always did, with serenity and no sign of troubles, like the surface of an unbothered lake. He finally put his cup of tea down and looked up at them with a soft glint in his eyes. 

“First of all, I am happy you both want to take your relationship a step further. You made a lot of progress in a very short amount of time, it is something to be proud of. I can understand why you wouldn't want to begin any relationship right now, and I think it is a wise choice. You both have a lot going on right now, and Mister Maquawke is very dependent on Mister King's magic. In this situation, any fights you two might have while in a romantic relationship could be… disastrous. I am a demon myself, but I am not as old as the both of you. If I'm correct, I think demons don't have casual romantic relationships?”

“Not really, when you mate with someone it's usually for life. And if someone is not your mate, they’re either friend, family, enemy or stranger, nothing more.” Explained the sage while he sipped on his cup. 

“I see, I can understand why this might be confusing for the both of you then.” Nodded the tea-lover. “I think you both can try and establish boundaries with each other, it will clarify the ambiguity and you will be able to understand what the other wants better. Talk about what you both allow, and what you do not in this relationship. What is the limit? What do you want from it? What do you wish for? I don't know if you’re both interested, but there are many types of relationships in the mortal world, one of them is casual dating. It is a form of romantic relationship without any commitment involved.”

“That's interesting…” Muttered the sage, he promised himself to search about mortal relationships on his phone later on. “As for our boundaries… I don't really know. I mean kissing is obviously okay with me, same with physical touches.”

“Kissing is okay with me too. I guess I'm not against physical touches… b-but I don't think I'm ready for any intercourse.” Stuttered the macaque with flushed cheeks, Sun Wukong fur fluffed up and his tail nervously thumped against the couch. 

“Y-yeah, I was thinking about hugging and grooming? N-not that I'm against any… (his eyes dived on Macaque's body for a second before turning away with flaming cheeks)... maybe not now, yeah.”

“And… I don't mind jealousy. You can… I guess you can interrupt when someone is too insistent with me.”

“Yeah, I don't mind it either. You can steer someone away from me if you're uncomfortable with how they are with me. I… I’m not against dates? Sounds fun.”

“I'm not against it either. I'm… also not against sleeping together, in the same bed I mean. It was nice when I fell asleep on you after the Ghibli movie. I-if you're up to it, of course…”

“O-oh I, I definitely don't mind that…. I don't really know what else though…”

“It is okay to take it slow. Your boundaries may also change with your desires. The most important thing is to think about it and communicate with each other. You can take a time within your day to talk with the other and see if you thought of any more boundaries you want to add, or if you want to change some. You also don't need to label your relationship, you can simply be with each other and see what you both prefer for now.”

“Thanks, Sandy.” Mumbled the warrior with a soft smile on the edge of his lips. 

“Yeah, I… we kinda want to keep it low-key for now though, until we figure it out better…”

“My lips are sealed.” Replied the tea-lover as he threw an imaginary key to the wind. 

Both monkey were greatly satisfied by the talk, they returned to the palace (after giving Sock to the three cackling birds on the windowsill, Sun Wukong gave them a narrowed gaze but didn't have the heart to scold them when they were so happy for him and Macaque) and enjoyed the feast prepared by Pigsy. Sun Wukong spent the night boasting about his win, indulging sometimes in one sip or two of alcohol, without excess, of course. When night fell, after stealing one lovely kiss from Macaque, he retreated to his room in the airship. 

He spent a good portion of the night researching and discussing mortal relationships with his clones. There were a lot of things he wasn't even aware existed, demons were a lot more stricter when it came to romantic relationships. He fell asleep on his phone, curled around Sock. His clones tucked him in bed (he even felt one of them kiss his forehead), and left quietly. They spend the rest of the night gossiping about Macaque and the good old days on the docks, under the sea of stars. 

Ch1 / Previous /Next

[pokretnipraznik]

[beardedmrbean]

Easter, or the Resurrection of Christ, stands as the most significant and vibrant holiday in the Orthodox Christian calendar. Rooted in the celebration of Jesus Christ's return to life after crucifixion, Easter embodies both spiritual renewal and the triumph of spring over winter.

In Bulgaria, as in many Orthodox countries, Easter is a movable feast, falling on the Sunday of Holy Week, marked by the first spring full moon. This auspicious day heralds the culmination of Holy Week, a period of reflection and preparation preceding Easter Sunday.

The observance of Easter in Bulgaria is rich with ancient customs and traditions, blending elements of pagan rituals with Christian symbolism. Holy Week begins with the cleaning of homes, symbolizing a spiritual purification in anticipation of the holiday. Each day of Holy Week, from Great Monday to Good Friday, holds significance, leading up to the joyous celebration of Easter.

One of the most cherished traditions is the dyeing of Easter eggs, typically done on Maundy Thursday. The first egg, dyed red to symbolize the blood of Christ and his resurrection, holds special significance. It is customary for the eldest woman in the family to dye this egg, imparting blessings for health and prosperity to her loved ones.

Throughout Holy Week, special ritual breads are prepared, adorned with red or white eggs and intricately braided designs. These breads, known by various names across Bulgaria, serve as symbols of renewal and abundance, shared among family and friends during Easter festivities.

Good Friday, a day of solemn reflection and fasting, culminates in the veneration of the shroud symbolizing Christ's burial. Believers gather in churches to pass under the shroud, seeking spiritual purification and renewal.

Holy Saturday, known as Soulful Saturday, is a time for honoring the departed. At midnight, the joyous celebration of Easter begins, as churches resound with the triumphant proclamation, "Christ is Risen!"

Easter is celebrated for three days. On Sunday morning (or during the night), Bulgarians go to church for the solemn Easter liturgy, after which it is the turn of the festive table, around which the whole family gathers. On it, the ritual bread is first broken by the eldest in the house into as many pieces as there are people in the family, leaving a piece of bread for God as well.

On Easter Sunday, everyone wears new clothes. The first dance after Sirni Zagovezni is also played. It is exuberant and cheerful and is an expression of people's joy at the resurrection of nature for a new life, of faith in the victory of good over evil.

One of the most beloved Easter customs is the egg cracking game, where participants compete to see whose egg will remain uncracked. It is believed that the winner will enjoy good health and fortune in the coming year.

Easter Monday, also known as Bright Sunday or Scattered Monday, is a day of playful traditions, including the "swings" custom where young people gather to swing for health and protection.

In Bulgaria, Easter is not only a time of spiritual reflection but also a celebration of community and tradition, where ancient customs are cherished and passed down through generations.

[mariacallous]

When people ask what I’m doing for Christmas this year, I’ve been replying, with not a little bit of glee, that we are “going nowhere and entertaining nobody”. The almost universal reaction is one of wistfulness, if not envy.

Taking the pressure off the festive season and choosing to please only yourselves is something many people fantasise about. Some people feel so hamstrung by responsibility to others (and dare I say it, perhaps are so used to that well-established feeling of Christmas martyrdom) that they never get the Christmas they secretly want.

Thankfully, my husband and I have no such qualms, and for our son’s third Christmas, we’ve decided to do what makes him happy and have it just the three of us. For his first, we hosted my mum, and his second was spent in my husband’s home town at a huge gathering of grandparents, aunties and cousins. Both were lovely, if not entirely stress-free. During the first Christmas, no one was sleeping; during the second, which included a potluck for which I made two massive nut roasts for more than 25 people, only my son was: outside in the pram, being pushed by me, while the food was being served. My sister-in-law took a photo of me through the window: I am standing in the rain, parka over my nice dress, holding a flute of champagne. “I know it’s not funny now, but you’ll laugh at this one day,” she said, and she was right, I did. Eventually.

Despite the challenges of parenting a small child, I have wonderful memories from these Christmases, and we are still seeing loved ones over the festive period, just not all in one go. In a way, this makes it easier. I know some people are heavily invested in everything being on the 25 December, but it’s never been that way in my family, and there’s something about a movable feast that makes everything a bit looser and more relaxed. My son got to see his paternal grandparents earlier in December, thus skipping the hell of train travel over the Christmas period (I’m still haunted by our return journey via Coventry last year, which was spent in a vestibule), and celebrated with his nonna on the solstice. This spreads out the relatives and makes it less overwhelming for our toddler.

I know not everyone’s family are as understanding as ours, who have been happy with this arrangement. My dad, in particular, was almost insistent that we do our own thing and see him, my stepmum and my brothers at a quieter time – perhaps remembering his own days parenting young children, and the tug-of-war between the grandparents, which would have involved driving to opposite ends of the country. Like me, he thinks it’s important to create your own traditions within your smaller family unit, and over the past few years we have started to do that. That 2020 Covid Christmas, while incredibly sad at times, in a funny way gave us – and I imagine many others – the breathing space we needed to think about how we wanted to celebrate on our own terms: such as what we ate and drank, what the day’s timings would be, and what we most wanted to get out of it.

Our traditions have evolved quite organically, and are mostly to do with food. On Christmas Eve, we have a huge glazed ham alongside a range of salads. My husband will make Diana Henry’s winter panzanella, alongside something like a halloumi, orange and green bean salad and Ottolenghi’s squash recipe from Jerusalem.

On Christmas Day, after my not-entirely-sane husband plunges himself into freezing cold water, we will eat a bird that isn’t turkey, usually duck breast, and often far later than planned. The next day, we chop up the ham and use it to make our Boxing Day carbonara, an invention of my mother’s that has become a mainstay. In between we drink martinis, listen to carols, watch telly and dance to the Ella & Louis Christmas album, which, incidentally, includes the best version of Baby, It’s Cold Outside (far from being a sexual harassment anthem, it’s really a 1940s in-joke about how much two people want to shag each other, as the audience laughter and knowing ad-libs make abundantly clear). Dancing with my son and seeing his sheer, uncontrollable excitement at the sight of the Christmas tree has already got me in the spirit.

There is, of course, a part of me that will miss what I have come to think of as the “Euston sprint” from concourse to platform, stumbling through a morass of harassed northerners, blue Ikea bags overflowing with presents, and small children. But not that much. Hardest of all will be not having a G&T with my mum during Nine Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve. Whether we are together or apart, I always raise a glass to her, and I’ll cherish it all the more the next time we spend it together.

This time of year can be stressful, and so often we find ourselves staggering towards the day exhausted and overwhelmed. However you’re spending it, and even if you have obligations that are harder to negotiate than ours, I hope you find a moment this festive season to do something for yourself. It’s wonderful giving joy to others, but never at the complete expense of your own sanity.