#ancient advice for modern parents

[everythingilearned]

Do not ask your children

to strive for extraordinary lives.

Such striving may seem admirable,

but it is the way of foolishness.

Help them instead to find the wonder

and the marvel of an ordinary life.

Show them the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples and pears.

Show them how to cry when pets and people die.

Show them the infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand.

And make the ordinary come alive for them.

The extraordinary will take care of itself.

William Martin, “The Parent’s Tao Te Ching”

[twicedailyquotes]

Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives. Such striving may seem admirable, but it is a way of foolishness. Help them instead to find the wonder and the marvel of an ordinary life. Show them the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples, and pears. Show them how to cry when pets and people die. Show them the infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand; and make the ordinary come alive for them. The extraordinary will take care of itself.

William Martin

The Parent's Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents

[thepursuitofunderstanding]

Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives. Such striving may seem admirable, but it is the way of foolishness. Help them instead to find the wonder and the marvel of an ordinary life. Show them the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples and pears. Show them how to cry when pets and people die. Show them the infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand. And make the ordinary come alive for them. The extraordinary will take care of itself.

William Martin

[simvanie]

Fawzia for @thebramblewood's vampire casting call

Always thought vampires from the Victorian era were old? Or maybe Medieval vampires? Then what about an actual ancient vampire? Fawzia, or Princess Fawzia, was the daughter of one of the pharaoh's in ancient Egypt. She was second in line to become pharaoh if something would happen to her brother, who was the direct heir to the throne.

(More of her backstory under the cut).

Since Fawzia is a few thousand years old, she's had a lot of time to optimalize her vampire powers and to learn how to exist among humans as a vampire.

She has traveled a lot and has connections all over the world, especially within the higher circles of the vampire community.

Her time and experiences on earth have made her very wise and extremely charismatic. Therefore, it is common for other vampires to ask for her insight or advice if they have a problem or need help with something.

She still uses the sarcophagus she was buried in to sleep in.

There is almost nothing that catches her off guard since she has seen and experienced it all which causes her emotions to be a bit dampenend.

Fawzia is very observant and likes to sit back preferably with a glass that is filled with a drink of choice in her hand. She lets others make their own mistakes even though she already knows it will be a mistake, because she has experienced that it's an inevitable way of learning.

Fortunately for Fawzia, the way people express themselves through fashion has become increasingly individualistic in recent decades. This means she can now incorporate historical pieces from the era she grew up in into her modern look, without looking too much like an outsider.

She currently resides in Forgotten Hollow because a vampire can't live in the same place for too long. It's a relieve for her to live somewhere where the neighbours don't turn their heads when you feel like you want to walk around with red glowing eyes and your fangs on display.

She realized early on that the only person who would take care of her was herself, which made her very independent. She lives with the attitude that she lives for herself and does whatever she wants, whenever she wants. This doesn't mean that she is impulsive, on the contrary, she always has things well thought through.

She gave up on actual romantic relationships a long time ago, but this does not mean that she doesn't occasionally fulfill her need to have a night full of pleasures with a suitor of her choice.

One of the only fears she has, is to get stuck in a room she can't escape. It has happened more than once that she woke up in a panic because she had nightmares about it.

A very long (and very tragic) backstory 😁

For Fawzia's backstory, we have to go all the way back to the 18th Dynasty in Al Simhara, Egypt. She grew up in the pharaoh's palace with her parents, siblings, members of the royal court, and staff. She was a very intelligent kid and had a happy childhood without too much worries. This changed in the years leading up to her brother being crowned as the next pharaoh. There were rumors among the citizens that someone else would have more right to the throne than Fawzia's brother. As Fawzia found out later, these rumours were started by her father's close advisor, the Grand Vizier, who wanted to become ruler of Egypt himself. The unease among the citizens eventually led to a coup by the advisor and his following. Fawzia still remembres that the whole city was on fire the night it happened.

Fawzia lost track of her family in the chaos as they tried to escape the palace. She was convinced that she wouldn't make it to the morning or that she would be captured by the advisor and forced to marry him to legitimize his claim to the throne. With luck on her side, she managed to get away from the center where the uproar was happening. While she could hear the screams in the distance and her heart pounding in her ears, she quickly made her way through one of the empty personnel hallways. She was almost near the door that would lead her to a secret passage when she stopped abruptly as she came face to face with a pair of red eyes that patiently watched her from the shadows blocking her only escape.

If there is one thing about vampires, it's that they thrive during moments of chaos and bloodshed. They are cunning and smart while they operate from the shadows. No one thinks twice if another body falls to the ground in an event were dozens have already died. Fawzia had never encountered a vampire in her life, let alone that she knew of their existence. But this all changed during that dreadful night.

After the coup, the bodies of the royal family were quickly collected by the surviving members of the court, staff, and supporters of the king that had made their way to the palace. They were secretly brought to the priest who was also the royal embalmer, to be mummified before they were brought to their final resting place. As the priest began to prepare Fawzia's seemingly lifeless body for mummification, he got a strong feeling that something was wrong. The priest, who was very spiritual, decided to perform some rituals and prayers to to get answeres from the Egyptian gods in the hope to figure out what to do. Ultimately, he decided to follow his instincts and put Fawzia in her sarcophagus without mummification for the time being while he continued working on the rest of her family first.

The mummification process normally takes up a very long time, but since the safety of the bodies under the reign of the new pharaoh was not guaranteed, it was decided that it was better to get the royal family to their respective tombs as soon as possible. This was much to the dismay of the priest, because he could no longer check on Fawzia's remains to further inspect her and to see if he maybe had made a mistake in case she still needed to be mummified. Running out of time, the sarcophagi were placed in the royal tombs, which were then carefully sealed.

The stories about the tragic incident at the palace faded into the background as more time passed. Eventually, the throne was reclaimed by a relative of Fawzia a couple of decades later as the Grand Vizier had passed away and his son, who he had named as successor, was legally forced to give up the throne. Meanwhile, the everyday life in Egypt continued. Including that of some grave robbers who one day decided to see if anything of value could be found in Fawzia's tomb. As they finally made their way through the entrance of the burial chamber after a long day of digging through stones and sand, they were terrified when they realized they looked straight into the princess' red glowing eyes, filled with a look of insatiable thirst. It was the moment the grave robbers wished they had never entered her tomb.

[julesofnature]

“Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives. Such striving may seem admirable, but it is the way of foolishness. Help them instead to find the wonder and the marvel of an ordinary life. Show them the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples and pears. Show them how to cry when pets and people die. Show them the infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand. And make the ordinary come alive for them. The extraordinary will take care of itself.”

~ William Martin, The Parent's Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents

[redlilith5]

PJO X DC

WRITING PROMPT

"Sally, Paul I'm so glad you got here. Come on in we where about to start the meeting."

Bruce Wayne was known for many things. Billionaire, philanthropist, playboy, himbo, father, serial adopter, etc. What the world didn't know is that he was part of an entire different world.

No it is not the world of vigilantism and modern heroism. Rather he is part of the ancient type of heroism. More specifically Ancient Greek mythology.

Many mortals happen to be parents to the children of the gods and it can be challenging not just for the children but for the parents too.

Unlike many of the parents of said children Bruce was a special case. For one he wasn't related to any of his demigod children. All of them, including his mortal children, were adopted except for his biological son who was mortal.

As Bruce found himself thrust into the life of parenthood + Greek mythology he thought of those parents who didn't have the resources nor any sort of training whether it be combat, CPR, self defense, weapons,etc.

After doing a thorough investigation, planning and coordinating with Chiron he made a group for all parents of the demigods.

Mortal Parents Support Assembly (MPSA)

Which consisted of helping each other and keeping up with the dangers their children faced.

Supplies such as weapons, ambrosia, nectar, armour, first aid kits, drachmas and financial support were the basic starter kit along with a book with all mythology monsters.

A map with safe places one can go in an emergency and places to avoid. Lists of schools that are ADHD, Autism, Dislexia, LGBTQ+, and disability friendly. The group offered a lot and in a way it became a weird little family get together to talk about their children and find support if needed.

Some parents, mostly the single ones or polyamorus ones, would get together and share a home for safety and financial support. Step parents were accepted and welcomed.

Sometimes even the gods would show up either to help, ask for advice or just to have a good time. Though not all of them.

Even parents who are unfortunate to suffer from a curse, like May Castellan, were welcomed. Those who have lost their child, whether by the wars, quest or an unfortunate event were welcomed and offered to assist the grief support meetings.

To be a parent is to be everything your child needs to be able to provide for them. Whether to be a cook, cleaner, doctor, teacher, driver, etc.

But to be a parent to a demigod is to be a warrior, medic, protector, mentor and so much more.

Bruce Wayne was many things, but to the MPSA, he was their hero.

[writingprompt-ledgers]

Crafting a Fantasy Language: 25 Writing Prompts for World-Builders and Storytellers

Creating a unique language for your fantasy world is one of the most exciting and immersive ways to bring depth and authenticity to your world-building. It can shape how your characters interact, define their culture, and influence their history and magic systems.

But where do you start?

Below are 25 writing prompts to help you build a prosperous, culturally embedded language that feels as alive as the world you create.

Root Words and Origins

Start by developing core root words. For example, words like “life,” “death,” or “magic” are central to the culture. How do these root words evolve into other terms? Are they tied to mythology or historical events?

Phonetic Rules

What does your language sound like? Decide on familiar sounds and patterns. Do certain phonetic combinations carry spiritual or cultural significance? For instance, soft sounds are for peace, and harsh sounds are for power.

Honorifics and Titles

Design a system for titles and respect. Is there a specific way to address elders, warriors, or magical beings? Do different regions or classes use distinct honorifics?

Grammar Rules

Create unique grammar rules. How does your language handle sentence structure, tense, or gender? Is time expressed differently, or does your language have an untranslatable concept?

Cultural Influence on Language

How does culture shape the language? Does it have specific words for rituals, nature, or emotions that don’t translate directly into our languages? How do spiritual beliefs influence everyday speech?

Language Evolution Over Time

Write a brief history of how the language evolved. Did it splinter into dialects or undergo drastic changes? How does the ancient version of the language differ from the modern one?

Idioms and Metaphors

Create idioms reflecting the culture’s beliefs. What do they say to describe someone wise, foolish, or lucky? How do natural elements like mountains or storms influence these expressions?

Magical Incantations

Develop a system of magical language. Are there special words or sounds that must be used for spell-casting? How does the culture perceive these words—sacred or dangerous?

Formal vs. Informal Speech

Establish formal and informal registers in your language. How do characters speak to authority figures versus friends? Is formal speech more flowery or simply more rigid?

Writing System

Does your language use runes, symbols, or an alphabet? Is writing reserved for the elite or magical classes? The activation of certain words might require inscribing them on stone or parchment.

Emotion in Language

Examine how the language conveys emotions. Does it have words for nuanced feelings, like a specific term for unrequited love or a parent’s pride?

Sound Symbolism

Consider how the sound of a word reflects its meaning. For example, long vowel sounds might be used for beauty or calm, while short, sharp sounds are reserved for urgency or anger.

Names and Naming Conventions

Create naming traditions. Are names passed down or chosen based on events or personality traits? Does a name hold magical power, shaping one’s destiny?

Dialect and Regional Variations

Imagine how different regions or social groups speak. Does one region speak in a formal tone while another uses a clipped, more casual dialect? How do these differences cause misunderstandings?

Proverbs and Wisdom

Develop proverbs or sayings that reflect cultural wisdom. What does the culture say about offering advice or warning against danger? How are these proverbs tied to religion or folklore?

Cursing and Insults

Craft curse words or insults. What offends people in this culture? Are insults based on personal bravery, family honor, or physical appearance?

Historical or Dead Language

Create a dead language that was once widely spoken but only used in rituals. How does it influence the current language? Is it studied by scholars or magicians?

Gestures and Body Language

Does the culture rely on body language alongside speech? What gestures complement or emphasize words? Are there specific hand movements or bows tied to certain phrases?

Language and Religion

Explore the relationship between language and religion. Are there sacred words only spoken by priests or during rituals? Does the language invoke gods or magical forces?

Borrowed Words

Create words the language has borrowed from neighboring cultures. How have they been adapted, and what tensions exist between the borrowing and original cultures?

Linguistic Taboo

Are there forbidden words or phrases? How is breaking this taboo viewed—does it bring misfortune or divine wrath? Are these taboos tied to ancient magic or politics?

Wordplay and Riddles

Develop a tradition of wordplay or riddles. How do these reflect cultural values? Is wordplay used for humor, or does it hold deeper, more philosophical meaning?

Poetry and Song

Write a poem or song in your fantasy language. How does the structure of the language shape its poetic forms? Are certain sounds or words reserved for religious or ceremonial songs?

Powerful Words

In some cultures, words are believed to hold power. Write a scene where a character uses a single word to summon magic or change someone’s fate. What makes this word so powerful?

Silent Communication

Create a silent form of communication—hand signs or gestures used for secrecy, combat, or ritual. Who uses it, and why was it developed? How does it interact with spoken language?

Building a fantasy language isn’t just about creating a cool set of sounds or words—it’s about breathing life into your world. Every phrase, idiom, and root word carries cultural, historical, and magical weight, giving depth to your world’s characters and lore. Use these prompts to develop a language that feels alive and connected to the people who speak it.

Have you crafted a unique language for your world? Reply and tell me about the most exciting aspect of your creation.

[sidecharactersdomatter]

Thoughts I had during TGCF S2 Ep 6

Previously on TGCF…

This is gonna be epic!!!

Cw: Past homicide

-That’s Yong’An in its heyday 

-Sparrows

-Fang Xin

-It’s Qianqiu’s assistant from Eps 1-2!

-Young Qianqiu is literally me in my Freshman year of High School during the first semester

-His butterfly shaped mask

-Writing the Laozi 10 times has the energy of making a kid stay in class and write a sentence over and over on the chalkboard till they’ve learned their lesson (Literally every Simpsons opening)

-He doubled it

-Imagine if Piandao talked to Sokka like that when beginning his sword training

-Man wonder who voices Young!Qianqiu?

-I mean the move could also get you hurt if you’re careless

-This is the Ancient Chinese version of the trolley problem, same analogy though

-I like to think this advice was taught to Zuko and Sokka when they were learning swordsmanship

-See, trolley problem esque

-Good advice to not intervene

-More dead bodies

-Oh no and that was his Dad

-That’s when the survivor’s guilt set in

-I can see why Xie Lian and Hua Cheng are perfect for each other, they both have a freaking high kill count

-Just like when Bruce Wayne lost his parents

-What did he say?

-He’s not a monster

-That was during his second ascenscion

-That’s gonna be a bad outcome

-“I wish to be stripped of my divinity” Literally every fangirl’s brain drifted to something else when he said that.  Just look at Kictor and Stitch

-Doesn’t seem like he earned it at all

-He just wants to get out of the drama

-If there was a modern AU, you know Shi Qingxuan would make an awesome and wealthy defense attorney

-There’s the Amongus quote

-Dang no answer

-There’s Prosecutor Pei Ming, that’s a good nickname.

-He made a solid point

-That’s the result of the Fang Xin trial with XL on house arrest and a restraining order from Taihua

-He made another enemy

-Aaaa pickle jar, better believe it Qingxuan

-How is she going to get air???

-That upset Qingxuan, Feng Xin, and Mu Qing

-The interior looks hollow in Xie Lian’s palace

-That’s coming out of Qingxuan’s pockets

-He deserves the apology hun

-He’s doing it, he’s doing the iconic old time Put your head between your arms against a flat surface like a Disney Princess!

-He still has the dice

-It’s snake eyes!

-Hi Mu Qing

-Stick it to Jun Wu, Mu Qing

-I know right, it did NOT seem like a healing spell at all

-Wonder if I can conceptualize a similar healing potion for TOH MTC…?

-You just had to ask him that didn’t you?

-Hi Feng Xin

-A guest who invited himself inside

-Welp he really was honest

-Seriously, Mu Qing you couldn’t have felt bad for his house arrest

-Xie Lian’s trying to mediate again

-Mu Qing’s response had bite to it

-One Punch!!!

-Fist Fight!  Fist Fight!

-“You’re a hypocrite, you’ve always looked down on me, but you’re not better than I am!!!”  Oh my gods, Lucien Dodge freaking delivered!!!

-“Enough…” Oh man, Xie Lian’s emotions

-The Junior Officials witnessing the Generals fisticuffs:

Feng Xin!  Feng Xin!  Feng Xin!

Mu Qing!  Mu Qing!  Mu Qing!

-“Did it really have to come to violence?” Yeah it pretty much did. - Iroh, dragon of the West, the Waterbending scroll

-Mu Qing: Fine I’ll break your face

Feng Xin: Not if I break yours first!  It’s too late to beg for mercy!  

That’s what I translated to the best of my skills during Xie Lian’s internal monologue

-He’s like a parent that’s disappointed with his two kids constantly at odd

-Don’t worry, hon what’s really gonna help them is Couples’ therapy, and I’d hate to be that therapist

-A dramatic sound effect!

-I can’t wait to write the Gaang’s reaction to the Wraith Butterflies

-That was a cool shield spell

-I love how the butterflies are easily dodging Xie Lian, but are charging toward Mu Qing and Feng Xin to scare the sh*t outta them

-He’s gonna hold one of the butterflies, he’s holding one of the butterflies, yeah too late man AND HE’S NUZZLING THE WINGTIPS WITH HIS NOSE Cue keyboard smash! WAE TESDHGFYFJ. RYGJ GUFTDRSSDFAEGRRESVGTGTRS DFGSTRWG EIEEEIIIIIIIEEEEEE!!! I always love this joke, no matter how old it’s gonna get in my reaction posts.

-Yeah he’s just going

-The real reason this episode took so long to air last year was that the animators had to get the waist snatch scene past censorship to spite their censor companies for not having Xie Lian fall into Hua Cheng’s lap in Eps 4-5.

-Xie Lian: Hello Again, Literally me: HAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! (This is the same noise Eleanor Shellstrop made when she was gifted a Shrimp Dispenser in The Good Place)

-They’re just backing up

-You two had one job!  Looking at you Feng Xin and Mu Qing!  I see ya

-He’s just tugging his sleeve as they’re walking

-Man, it’s like Hua Cheng took Little John’s advice from Robin Hood 1973 to “Climb the palace walls.  *Tosses out Gross Carrot* Sweep him off his feet, carry him off in style.” - Little John, Disney Robin Hood (1973) (Best Disney film hands down, freaking fight me if you dare)

-That must’ve hurt his ears

-Y’all had one job

-Feng Xin is just worried

-*Hua Cheng has entered the chat*  Like a goat!

-The subtle eye contact and expression he shared with Xie Lian!

-Some of the 33 gods he defeated are also in the chat

-That shook the veils

-Won’t that be pain in his mind?

-Looks like he saved you yeah

-A flashback from Ep 5!

-Touchstarved!  Touchstarved!  (Try prying this headcanon from my cold dead grip!)

-And here you’re about to see Howard Wang’s best performance in the series so far

-Best apology I’ve ever heard in media

-It healed that fast

-Petition to have James Cheek voice an iconic lead character in a Shakespeare play?

-Aw, they were actually both at fault for what happened

-You can actually feel Hua Cheng’s Shame

-E Ming: Noooo…. You hurt him!  I hurt him!  We hurt him! AAAHHH!  *sobs*

Season 2 has fed us once more!  I’m still busy with writing the Scrap Immortal and the Avatar.  For writing inspiration, I’ll be busy rewatching Avatar:  The Last Airbender

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

Mature Rated Fics Masterlist (33)

Part 1-Part 25 / Part 26 / Part 27 / Part 28 / Part 29 / Part 30 / Part 31 / Part 32 /

Created: March 14th, 2024

Last Checked:------

Hometown Blues-appleblossomgirl (ao3)  Summary: After fleeing her hometown in the wake of a family tragedy, Katniss returns from years on the road to face her past, her memories, and the blue-eyed boy she'd never been able to forget. I am...we are-angylinni (ao3)  Summary: We have grown back together slowly, one step at a time. It’s different now, without the constant threat of our lives hanging in the balance. We laugh, we cry, we touch…we love. For all that I thought I loved her before, what we have now is so much more. I Don't Wanna Live Forever....-chele20035 (ao3)  Summary: After a rough break-up, neither Katniss or Peeta expected to see one another again. One night, everything changes. After so much time apart, can they find their happily ever afters? If I Have You-annieoakley1 (ao3) Summary: Everlark, months after their divorce. In all the ways that matter-Angylinni (ao3)  Summary: Katniss Everdeen doesn't do small talk and the myriad other things that college aged females do, but she can't ignore Peeta Mellark, a member of her presentation team, despite all her trying. Indestructible-HGfanonezillion (ao3)  Summary: Mockingjay and Nightingale work hard to keep their city safe. But when Snow Industries introduces a new threat, can they keep the ones they love most safe? And will teaming up with Gaia and Electrode be a help or a hindrance? I Need You Now-HGfanonezillion (ao3)  Summary: Gale and Prim's secret relationship hits an unexpected bump. Inevitable-annieoakley1 (ao3) Summary: This would have happened anyway. But it is always their choice, never just destiny. A series of snapshots as Peeta and Katniss find each other at certain points throughout history. First up- Katniss as an army nurse in England following the invasion of Normandy. In Sheep's Clothing-Alliswell (ao3)  Summary: I never was one with time to dwell on imaginary worlds. My life always revolve around the tangible, what I could see with my eyes and grasp with my fists. But, I found myself in a bedtime horror story, blindsided, skeptical and doubtful. How I ended up where I am, is not truly a mystery, it's same ancient story of the stubborn girl, who heed not her Mother's advice, and ignored every instinct left in her... In my defense... His pull was too strong for me to resist, and in a world where I thought myself, lonely... He was something I craved. Into the Wild-Court81981 (ao3)  Summary: Modern AU: "I know this place," she whispers. Katniss Everdeen escaped to New York after the death of her parents. Now, on the brink of her big break as an actress, her old classmate, Peeta Mellark, will remind her that it's always possible to go home again."

[vacantgodling]

Character Cuddle Scale

thank you for the tag @ceph-the-ghost-writer! i'm still obsessed with btaf atm so i'm gonna do it for those losers :))

How-to: Rate your OCs based on how they handle cuddling/being cuddled.

Based on a scale of 0 (cuddly as a cactus) to 10 (could be paid to cuddle professionally):

Sjaak -> 6/10. tbh he would need a reason to want to hold someone; and because he's so up biscella's ass he probably wouldn't want to hug you if you're not her (or azelie but that's kind of a different story that he's extremely in denial about). if you aren't biscella, then he's probably going to be the little spoon; and you're going to have to hold him, whilst he curls into a ball about something or other that's stressing him out. because he's a wolf he radiates heat though so. he's proabbly a good heater if you're a cold person.

Biscella -> 8/10. oh she's one of the best cuddlers on this list. she's very open and caring and no matter what the circumstance she's always down to hold someone and cuddle with them to forget about life's woes. she gets some points knocked off just bc if you cuddled her during her pregnancy, she very quickly enters 'walking corpse' territory and would be too bony and emaciated to give a proper cuddle. she's a huge proponent of running fingers thorugh hair though and will sing you soothing lullabies to help you sleep.

Azelie -> 5/10. she wants to cuddle, but she doesn't quite grasp the whole affection and intimacy thing that isn't just straight fucking. it's something modern times (and sjaak being a crybaby) would kind of help with. but in general she's stiff, but means well. she's much better at giving advice and mental comfort than physical affection. she'd also rather just fuck than try to understand what's to be gained by holding onto each other for long periods of time. also, because she's a human-born-vampire, she's cold. so like. if you're into that ig lol.

Dalal -> 2/10. don't touch her, fr. she's not touch avoidant per se, and if someone was like. having a breakdown she may awkwardly let them cry on her, but she's really not about that touchy-feely life.

Eduard -> 9/10. despite everything, he's a very good romantic and cuddling is under his wing as something he is quite good at. his strength means his arm will never get tired when he puts it under you to hold you or be a pillow for your head, his composition (having 2 vampiric parents) makes him run much warmer than those like azelie or silvano, and he's got a deep rumbling voice that's very soothing to listen to.

Rosita -> 0/10. not because she couldn't be a good cuddler (i GUESS) but like why would you want that for yourself? literally love yourself and don't even talk to her. unless you're eduard she wants nada to do with anyone touching her in any capacity and she'd probably try to strangle you in your sleep. ig 1/10 if you're into that tho lmao;;;; with eduard she'd be a 10/10 cuddler but he doesn't want shit to do with her rip.

Silvano -> -1/10. he's a creep don't let that man touch you. i could provide more context but like. i don't want to lmao. he's weird (derogatory). also similarly to rosita, he'd probably try to cuddle you to get close enough to kill you and while rosita would end your life quickly... he wouldn't. by the time he was done with you, you'd wish you were dead. so like would not recommend.

Maritxell -> 6/10. surprising everyone maritxell can be very motherly. to rosita and eduard she was very loving and open, and is more likely to see anyone who cuddles her as a child and not a romantic partner. helps that she's a super ancient vampire milf. she definitely wouldn't have the same compassion if you aren't a vampire tho so like 0/10 for humans, but if you were a vampire she'd be very loving towards you. though after a certain point she'd tell you to get off lol.

Luis -> 3/10. like. he has the makings of being a good cuddler, and similarly to maritxell, if you were a vampire he might consider it. but he's also one of those... stoic toxic masculinity kind of guys so i wouldn't really expect much from him if i were you. also he's a creep. derogatory.

Florissa -> 9/10. not only is florissa a good cuddler, she deserves hugs almost more than everyone on this list. she smells good, her skin is soft and supple, and she's a gentle person so like honestly go hug her after everything she's been through she deserves to have some friendly companionship and you'll thank me later for it.

Gust -> 7/10. i will admit, he's hot. he's tall, hairy, musky, radiates heat like a mf, and knows how to toe the line between romantic and sexual enough to make a sensual cuddle turn into a spicy cuddle if you're catching my drift. he's definitely questionable as a person, but like, if you have no morals or enjoy morally grey wolfmen then he's definitely your guy. you probably wouldn't just be cuddling with him for long frfr.

i'll tag @multi-lefaiye @void-botanist @jezifster @kk7-rbs @kudzucataclysm

@ink-flavored @galactic-mystics-writes & anyone else who'd like to do this :)

[cyndaquillt]

please give the rant bestie 🤲

Sorry it took me a while to get to this cause I was turning the rant into a mildly coherent essay. (This is very long, I'm sorry :/)

TL;DR : India is a modern nation state that will face the challenge of falling apart if each indigenous group is indeed given sovereignity over their land, culture, and language so its easier to instead perpetrate the myth of an ethnically united Indian people with common language(s), religion, culture, etc to if the priority is to maintain a united, big country regardless of your political stance.

OK SO!

To preface this discussion, I want to point out that settler colonialism in South Asia predates the global modern perception of colonialism which comes largely from a European colonial lens. The subcontinent itself being a victim of modern European colonialism means a South Asian's default understanding of colonialism through lived experiences comes largely from a situation where we are the victims of colonization, not the perpetrators. This means there are deep rooted nuances and systemic privileges that the average Indian gets, that are easy to miss entirely if one is not actively looking for dogwhistles or watching out for propaganda, especially because the way Indians get introduced to colonialism is through the independence movement where there is a clear foreign entity that hasn't clearly assimilated into South Asian societies and whose parent country still exists. Then things get more complicated when the interplay between conquest and colonization comes in because the timeline of South Asian settler colonialism has heavy overlap with conquests where, for better or worse, stable monarchies were established with kingdoms where rulers that generally assimilated with the populace and were even well received by the people they were ruling over. Also note that I am going to be writing this from an Indian lens. There may be bias when I make general sweeping statements applicable to all of South Asia, because I am Indian and know Indian society best (at least macroscopically).

South Asian settler colonialism goes wayy wayy back, to the establishment of a Brahmanical Aryan society and benefits to being an upper caste Aryans over everyone else is very evident even in Ancient India. Let's take the Arthashastra as an example. In his 1987 translation of Kautilya's Arthashastra, political economist L. N. Rangarajan notes that not only being an Aryan had benefits in a Kautilyan society, but falsely posing as an Aryan to avail those benefits had grave consequences. You can find this translation in its entirety here. In the introductory section titled 'Kautilyan State and Society', the translator compiles points on not only the treatment of Non-Aryans, but details the consequences for interactions between Aryans and Non-aryans and even the difference in treatment each demographic gets. Eg: An Aryan man in a relationship with a Svapaka (dog-breeder, non-aryan) woman was branded and exiled, whereas a Svapaka man in a relationship with an Aryan woman was to be executed. Banished, an aryan man still lives. But if you cross the same line as a non-aryan man, you die.

The translation also has details on how to settle a 'virgin land' in Part IV of the text. While the general advice is to leave native 'jungle tribes' alone, the reason for this isn't granting territorial sovereignty, but to avoid being attacked by them. Granting indigenous groups territorial sovereignty is also bad for monarchic control so instead, non-aryans are given tasks and a place in the society as guards, labourers, slaves, etc (note that Arthashastra is very clear that aryans cannot be enslaved and slave labour must come from outside of Aryan social structure/outside of the Varna system).

The reason I bring up the Arthashastra here is due to a couple reasons. Arthashastra, to my knowledge, is one of the earliest known complete socio-economic treaty, dated either 4th Century BCE or 2nd Century BCE (contingent on if Kautilya is indeed Chanakya). It is exceptionally thorough and while it is uncertain whether what's detailed in the Arthashastra was reality or simply an ideal kingdom according to Kautilya, it does address and often disagrees with its contemporary or preceding socio-economic schools of thoughts, providing a multidimensional and ideologically diverse image of politics of the times, something revisionist history born out of nationalism wants to ignore. The other major reason I chose to bring up Arthashastra here is also to point out the revision of the perception and image of Kautilya to fit post-colonial, nationalist idea of the earliest historical entity to kickstart the subcontinent's unification, as opposed what it actually must have been, which is simply establishing a nation state through tactful conquest and settlement of lands. (Mauryan settler politics is also a separate rant btw, hmu if you want that too but that would be a digression here).

Settler colonialism of people present in the land before Aryan migration into the subcontinent of course, predates Arthashatra and Mauryan rule. But we are going to move forward in time instead and talk a bit about the medieval times. By the time European colonialism reached South Asia, our lands were hosting a myriad of communities, ethnicities, religious beliefs, etc. Foreign perception of 'the land beyond the Indus', the Greek 'India' or the Arabic 'Hind' and its people the uniform 'Hindu' is convenient for a west centric perspective trying to build a colony or a nation state out of South Asia. But the reality was not that homogenous and ethnic divides were rife in the subcontinent. Eg : Shivaji's rivalry against Aurangzeb was not a religious issue, it was born out of the sovereign claim of Marathas and Shivaji over Bijapur (source). While religious divide is most certainly present in the medieval India around the same time (eg: Guru Gobind Singh's establishment of the Khalsa and resistance against Aurangzeb), I believe ethnic divide was equally important.

The reason I bring up the dichotomy of religious and ethnic divides is because I believe division in terms of religion benefitted British control of India a lot more than ethnic division did. To that end, the British fanned the flames of the religious divide to break up ethnic solidarity. A good portion of South Asian kingdom split was by ethnicities (Marathas once again a good example of it). If ethnicities unite, they can come together to claim an independent nation state. But religious unity with multiple ethnicities doesn't work as a good model for a rebellion because ethnic divide is so dominant and not to mention, even a single South Asian religion was never that united to begin with, especially the blanket religion of Hinduism with its caste heirarchy, untouchability, non-aryan tribal politics, etc, etc. A religious divide would aide British control. A united Bengali front could ask back for an independent nation state of Bengal but a divided Bengal based on religion is a good way to cultivate infighting so that we may never unite against the oppressor.

200 years of fanning the religious divide flame required as strong of a uniting front if the British were to be thrown out and the freedom movement, especially the one born out of Gandhian efforts provided just that. Caste, ethnic, and religious unity were always a front for Gandhian politics and they served their purpose well against a common eenemy. But what after the common enemy is gone? Modern South Asian society then ended up with the same old ethnic and religious tensions, though at this point in time, religious divide is far stronger than it has ever been. Though no division of a multireligious ethnicity could be clean, and considering that ethnic unity has been a glue far stronger than religious unity before now, the Indo-Pak partition that broke that glue of ethnic unity and was so bloody that our scars from then bleed to this day.

However, in my experience, the modern Indian who has never seen a time where ethnic unity overpowered religious unity or isn't part of an indigenous community whose land has been taken by the modern nation state, finds religious claim to the land ideologically easier to comprehend than indigenous claim to the land. The Kashmir issue is a great example of this. Azad Kashmir has its own self governing body with its own PM and President, albeit being under the administration of Pakistan. I am not Kashmiri, do not live in Azad Kashmir, and have no direct experience of the Kashmir conflict but from what I know, on paper Azad Kashmir is a sovereign piece of land inhabited by various ethnic groups from Punjab, Jammu, Kashmir valley and the Pothohar plateau. However, as an Indian, this region was introduced to me as Pakistan occupied Kashmir and the map of India I was taught includes this as a 'rightful' part of India. A third option of an independent Kashmir is never introduced to us by formal channels. The only two options we get are either Indian or Pakistani control and if you are Indian, there is a supposed right answer that is very wrong on multiple levels. J&K's handover to India was messy because the land was sold to Gulab Singh by the British when the British had no indigenous claim to the land. Kashmir issue is an issue of indigenous sovereignty spun around as an issue of religious divide. The Kashmir Valley didn't get independence with India because its authority went from European colonizers to a vassal princely state to a newly formed nation state, making the said newly formed nation state of India its new settler colonizer. Just like Tibet did not get independence when Nehru ceded it to China when he had no right to. Kashmir didn't become a part of India like Goa did either, where the Indian army fought a second war of independence against the Portuguese, though it is unclear to me if this was/is a move the native populace was okay with (did we make Goa India's Hawaii? Something I need to read up more on). At the very least, in case of Goa, it seems the colonial rule was overthrown in line with the native Goan Liberation Movement's sentiments (source but it is a govt website), though the Indian army fully intended to annex Goa regardless of local resistance. But the Kashmir Valley was ceded to India by someone who had no right to do so. This would have been wrong regardless of the majority religion in the Kashmir Valley, but because religious extremism and violence did happen in the valley and the post-independence territorial India/Pakistan issue was indeed a religious one, the Kashmir issue is best understood by the average Indian as an issue of religious divide and not an issue of indigenous sovereignty when it very much is so. This also means any nationwide Kashmiri liberation movement does not get any traction and the small pockets it exists in can be relabeled as militancy or terrorism.

Modern nation state of India discredits any indigenous movement by flipping it into an issue of religious divide, when it can. It's even more evident post-2014 when religious polarization has been consistently used as a tool to deflect from various policies and national issues that the government should be held accountable for. Changing Gurgaon to Gurugram along with a wave of name changes like Allahabad -> Prayagraj or Mughalsarai -> Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Nagar as a statement of 'reclamation' and decolonization like Bombay -> Mumbai or Calcutta -> Kolkata were, is an example of this. If we are to even admit that all Islamic rule in South Asia was foreign colonialism and ignore the fact that Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay had no claim to the land of Mughalsarai before it was named Mughalsarai, the switch from Gurgaon to Gurugram in 2016 was blatantly discrediting indigenous languages spoken in the region in an attempt to make its Sanskritic and Vedic associations more accessible to those not native to the region.

Adding Sanskrit as the second the state language of Uttarakhand after Hindi in 2010 by its then CM is another such move. Note that this is pre-2014 but the CM of the time who made the addition, Ramesh Pokhriyal, is a member of the BJP. Also note that there are no Sanskrit speakers in the region. Though, Kumaoni and Garhwali, the most spoken regional languages as per the 2011 census are not currently one of the 22 languages recognized in the constitution and there is an ongoing motion for both to be included in the constitution as one of the 38 additional languages. A genuine push to preserve indigeneity of the ethnic groups in Uttarakhand in 2010 shouldn't have been making Sanskrit its official language but for inclusion of Kumaoni and Garhwali in the constitution and giving them the status of official languages of the state that they so rightfully deserve.

Undermining local languages and bestowing superiority to a blanket language isn't a rare tactic when it comes to colonialism of any kind. Both Hindi and Urdu serve this purpose in modern South Asia and Sanskrit serves the same purpose in revisionist history in hopes of peddling the front of a united nation state with credible historicity. The myth of 'we are one people and always have been' is propagated so that it can be used to bind a nation state that was fundamentally never together. While the imposition of language as a way of control is more evident in the South, especially with anti-Hindi sentiments coalescing into full fledged movements, even the idea of 'The Hindi Belt' and a uniform North India are a result of this. The Gangetic plains where the Hindi Belt is supposed to be, isn't linguistically uniform. But barely any language from the region is recognized in the constitution. Take Bihar for instance. A state with some of the most underprivileged population in the country often victim of nationwide elitism and classism, it is very conveniently drafted into the Hindi belt and any recognition of linguistic diversity it gets is derogatory, be it mocking Bihari Hindi or mocking Bhojpuri. However, despite Bihar's national image of a supposedly Bhojpuri speaking state, Bhojpuri isn't one of the languages recognized in the constitution. What's even more interesting is that the Bhojpur region is split between Bihar and UP and is by no means the only language native to the state. There are multiple linguistic spheres in the state and there is active dispute and infighting on what's a language and what's a dialect. Take this map for instance (English added by me) -

If you can read Hindi, notice that Chhapariya and Bhojpuri are labeled as dialects of Hindi. But are they though? Hindi/Urdu or Hindustani/Urdu were born out of a need for a lingua franca in the Delhi region and include vocabulary from northern languages that broke out of Shauraseni Prakrit (like Awadhi, Brij Bhasha, Khariboli) as well as Persian, Arabic, and Chagatai. Meanwhile, languages of Bihar broke out of Magadhi Prakrit, an entirely different dialect than Shauraseni Prakrit with its own quirks and features. Bhojpuri's split from Magadhi Prakrit likely started happening in the 7th Century CE, independent and in parallel to formation of Hindustani as a language (7th to 13th century CE). How can a language be a dialect of another language if their histories, linguistic progression, and demographics are all different? Well, if you never acknowledge that it was dialects of Prakrit that Indic languages come from and not Sanskrit, then you may be more successful in enforcing cultural homogeneity instead of retention of indigenous diversity. One could argue that this map may be an isolated case of the issue but the fact that linguistic diversity of culturally northern states is erased when speaking about establishment of an ideal national identity modelled after the strawman people of the Ganges-Yamuna region (The 'Hindi Belt') is a mark of settler erasure to ensure a united front for the nation state of India.

Homogeneity is easy to control/unite. A religious ethnostate is one way to get that homogeneity but sovereign governance for indigenous groups isn't something the center or the left is keen on either, and it won't ever be on the national agenda because it shakes the very foundation of a united Indian nation state. Indian nationalist propaganda relabels and creates a strawman/ideal 'Indian' identity (uniformity in religion, language, looks, etc). Language in particular is an interesting case of this and even the so called 'Hindi belt' is not homogenous and the languages in the said Hindi belt are barely even recognized in the constitution. No recognition of official languages means there will be no official records or means of propagating the language beyond informal familial and community structure which eventually erodes linguistic diversity, a phenomena that has already started happening in cities in particularly upper and upper middle class urban families, who are leading this change by either only teaching their children English in the name of 'progression' or only Hindi for assimilation. The elite, classist left will not suddenly abandon English and the right wing will take up Sanskrit or Hindi as opposed to their ethnicities' native languages. Mockery, microaggression, exoticism of different ethnicities and indigenous groups is also going to stay and any movement for claims of landback will be subject to allegations of dwindling patriotism at best and militancy at worst. Even if a Hindu nationalist sentiment is eradicated, settler colonialism will continue in India for the foreseeable future.

I hope this was somewhat coherent and apologies again for it being so long....

[abwatt]

Diviners: what are you reading

Fortune tellers, diviners, tarotists, astrologers, geomancers, bones-throwers, rune-readers... what are you reading??

I’ve heard tell, recently, of someone who got a reading from a Tarot card reader. The client came in with questions about their business.... and the Tarot card reader answered with advice about the gods and spirits, and connecting with the ancestors.  They talked in numbers of disks and singular swords, and emperors and Devils.

Umm.

My friend was bewildered. And angry to be out $45.  And lacked advice — actionable advice — about how to manage a deteriorating relationship with a business partner.

OK, I get it — I myself have shelves that are bending and sloping under the weight of tarot card decks and books about astrology.  I have piles of workbooks and guides to being a better astrologer. And I’m certainly interested in gods and myths and legends of spirits, and how to do magic to make them help you get what you want.  If you’re anything like me, THAT’s on your bookshelves, too.

BUT.

I read eight to ten books about business — about sales, about administration, about marketing and advertising, about business design — every year.  I read two or three biographies of historical persons (partly to pick them apart for astrological purposes, partly because real people are interesting).  I read five to six books about magic, because you have to keep your skills and techniques up-to-date, and know whether or not you’re doing stuff right.  I read three or four books about history (ancient and modern) to have examples to draw on in consultations with clients.  I read four or five how-to books (and devour YouTube educational content) on sewing, embroidery, woodworking, and more, every year.  As my parents (and I) age, I’m reading more books about health and medicine, too.

And because I’m cis-, and white, and straight, and male, I read books by and about and for women, queer people, women of color, men of color.  I read books by non-Americans, too, and try to get a sense of the world beyond my state and nation: geopolitics, the economics of South America, the logistics routes that make T-shirts and jeans in the US possible.  

In ancient times, the laws of the city of Delphi, home of the most famous oracle in the Mediterranean, simply required that only a woman could sit on the tripod in the adyton and prophesy.  By the Classical era, it was required that she be a married woman with children, in her fourth decade — someone who knew something of the world, and knew its pitfalls and challenges, as well as its opportunities. 

Please don’t get me wrong — if you’re nineteen, or fifteen, and starting to learn a form of fortune-telling or divination, that’s fine.  You don’t have to be married and in your forties to start.  You don’t even have to wait for someone to give you a tarot deck or a pack of runes.  

But PLEASE —widen the horizon of what’s valuable knowledge for a diviner. It’s not just the official meanings of the cards in the little white book.  It’s ALL the other reading and information you’re carrying around in your brain: the things you learned in summer camp about making Friendship Bracelets and the class about computer programming; the obsessive binge-watching of every documentary about China you could find; the map you drew in your journal in math class of who was kissing whom; the lemonade stand you ran with your cousin during the family reunion; the book you borrowed from the library about how to write a novel.   Fortune-telling, divination, is a weird method for deciding what information you carry around in your head is relevant to a given conversation with a client or a friend.  But feed that head.  Locked up inside that head is a treasure-house of experiences, and the more you put in there, the more that you will be able to unfold to a client in the course of a consultation.

[livums]

a writeblr intro!

oops i’m posting it again... tumblr decided i wasn’t cool enough to actually show up in the tags, alas.

🌹 Liv/Olivia | she/he/they | 23 🌹

Hello 🎉! My name is Olivia (feel free to call me Liv)! I am a Black fantasy & romance author who focuses on themes of queer love & longing, sapphic intimacy, generational wounds & complicated familial relationships.

I also spend quite a bit of time creating digital art! A lot of it revolves around my WIPs these days, lol. You will certainly see art on this blog of my characters. Feel free to check out my art blog @lurrkingly​, or my art twitter here.

I am always looking for more authors/writing advice blogs to follow! Fellow writers please feel free to interact! I follow, like, and reply from my main/personal blog, @girlfriend-champion​​ :)

I am always open to ask and tag games!

I am tentatively open to critique partners–if we’re mutuals and we have similar reading/writing interests, please feel free to ask! <3

🌹 about my work 🌹

My writing tends to skew towards adult/emerging adult. I LOVE various flavors of fantasy (high, low, urban, action-adventure, Gothic). I like to spend time crafting intricate worlds (lore bibles are some of my favorite things to write) and magic systems.

My favorite works (to write and to read) all include some form of romance. I write romantic love and attraction between all genders, but ladies craving each other carnally is like music to me. LOL. So, some of my work features sexuality/intimacy, but this certainly varies widely from project to project (and I certainly will not be sharing this sort of content on tumblr, for reasons that should be obvious.lol).

I love to include elements of complex relationships in my writing–romantic, platonic, or familial. Human relationships are complicated and messy and awesome and frequently painful–and it’s important to me that my work reflects that.

I try particularly to explore in my work the lives and relationships of queer women of color (particularly Black & biracial women). I am always open to fantasy, romance, and sci-fi recs written by Black authors :)

🌹 my WIPs + tags 🌹

[More below the cut]

(Including pure writing projects AND art + writing projects)

General tag: #my WIPs

Character art tag: #character art

Weyward Blood (working title – characters & excerpt coming soon!)

Adult, novel, alternate history, Gothic, romance, low fantasy, supernatural, WLW, erotica

In an alternate history set in early modern south-central Europe, three estranged vampire-hunting sisters return to their hometown to attend the funeral of their father–the greatest hunter who ever lived. The sisters must reveal the truth of their father’s death and reckon with the resurrected remains of bygone love… before their city succumbs to the stalking evils.

Currently: [Drafting…]

Tag: #{sanguis in monte}

Taglist:

Sister Hollow (characters & excerpt coming soon!)

New adult, novel, WLW, low fantasy, action-adventure  

In a world wherein the psychic theocracy maintains strict harmony by cleansing the masses of negativity and grief, a particularly angry young  woman discovers psychic abilities of her own. When her ex-girlfriend steals away a dangerous memory, she must submit to the church’s training in order to reclaim what’s hers, and, along the way, learn what it   really means to feel her feelings. For she has much more in common with the ancient and almighty Holy Mother than she could have ever imagined.

Currently: [Drafting - HIATUS]  

Tag: #{the rival daughter}  

Taglist:  

Under the Sun

YA/New adult, short story, LGBT, romance, speculative fiction, eco-fiction

A  (tentatively) short story set in the speculative future of a certain metropolis in the American Midwest. After their parents are disappeared by the authorities for eco-sabotage, a teen endeavors to keep their head down and study their way into a better life for their little siblings. They meet a girl with a taste for uncivil disobedience, and the plan goes radically awry.

Currently: [Outlining…]

Tag: #{the daisy and the daylily}

Taglist:

BW (really working title)

New adult, webcomic (?), LGBT, romance, high fantasy, action-adventure, magic

A plucky fire mage loses her elemental abilities when her horns snap in a traumatic accident. She enlists in an empire-wide magic competition anyways.  She’s got to win her girlfriend back, after all, before she’s married off to the reclusive prince. And if, along the way, she  happens to utterly charm five other competing girls… well. That works, too.

Currently: [Drawing and daydreaming - HIATUS]

Tag: #{matrimonium}

Taglist:

🌹 about me - miscellaneous 🌹

Fun Facts?

I play too much League of Legends

I’m a licensed marriage and family therapist

If left perfectly alone, I will naturally shift to a nocturnal sleep schedule. This not as cool as it sounds.

I like D&D!

Currently reading:

Kushiel’s Legacy - Jacqueline Carey

The Parable of the Sower - Octavia E. Butler

The Ask and the Answer - Patrick Ness (REREAD)

Come as You Are - Dr. Emily Nagoski, PhD (REREAD)

I look forward to getting cozy on writeblr! Feel free to ask me whatever, or interact if you’re looking for new author mutuals! <3

[domesticatedanimal]

Who will they take advice from, no matter what it is? Who won’t they take advice from, no matter what it is?

Oh Gods, i really should have thought of some answers before I reblogged that, huh?

Of the canon characters that she regularly interacts with, Sif will always listen to Alisaie. She won't always follow that advice, and often doesn't, but Alisaie has a pragmatic and action-oriented perspective that the other folks in Sif's life do not have. At the same time, she has fairly clear ethical lines that she will not cross, and that is immensely helpful for someone like Sif that can easily default to "just get it done no matter the cost."

She staunchly refuses to listen to anything the Ancients have to say. Not a one of them. The time spent in Elpis was enough to confirm for her that these people are too self important and disconnected to have any real opinion of worth. Their world is gone and it isn't coming back. They are like parents - they did the best they could, and then died so we could pick up the pieces. Emet Selch is the closest she got to respecting one of them, and that was only after he had spent enough time in the modern world to have some understanding of it.

When those force ghosts show up to provide a pat on the back and trite wisdom, she keeps walking. She's now seen the world they loved, and destroyed, and she now knows how limited their infinite knowledge really is.

Thanks for the ask! This one was a thinker, but i feel like it helped me put a few pieces together.

[after-witch]

Bright Lights [Chapter 3] [Small Spaces Sequel]

Title: Bright Lights [Chapter 3] [Small Spaces Sequel]

Synopsis: Sam goes home after school to have a serious, life-changing sit-down conversation with her mom about going to the circus, only to find the Battersby's car is in the driveway... on a Thursday. Unexpectedly.

notes: This chapter is about 4000 words so oof almost 4x longer than the previous chapters. Still trying to figure out the sweet spot for chapter length with these.

CHAPTER A03 LINK

I’m going to get home just in time for dinner, Sam thought. 

The streets were lined with autumn-tinged trees, all golds, oranges and reds, mingled with the lingering green of summer. The street-lights weren’t on, and the sidewalks held scattered signs of life. Parents taking a walk with fussy children in strollers; an old man with his dog that looked just as ancient as he did. 

And a teenager, walking home from school, hands stuffed in her pockets and worries settled deep in her gut. 

It wasn’t dark out yet, but that would start to change in a few weeks. And it was usually around that time that her mom insisted on picking Sam up from school on days she stayed late; because of the weather, or so she said. 

But for now, she could walk home, and it was better this way. Especially after this morning–and especially because of what she wanted to ask when she got home. 

She usually stayed after school in the fall to help out with prep for the upcoming school play. This year, they were doing a modern retelling of Alice in Wonderland. Sam thought it was too bad that Owen was too shy to audition; he would’ve made a great Mad Hatter.

But right now, Sam was thinking less about Owen’s stage fright and more about what she was going to say to her mom. She rounded the last corner to her street, and didn’t have much more time to think about it.

What was she going to say? It was hard to come up with a plan when she’d spent the last few years being given stricter rules. While her friends were getting later curfews and more freedom, Sam’s mom was treating her like a little kid.

Don’t go out after dark in the fall. You could get lost.

You can’t go to a bonfire party in the summer. Something could happen. 

If you’re not skiing at the Battersby’s, you’re not skiing anywhere. 

No, I don’t care that your friend’s houseboat has life jackets. If there aren’t parents and there isn’t a curfew, it’s not happening.

It was totally nonsensical. It wasn’t like Sam was a bad kid. She never got detention, did her homework. She wasn’t even sneaking out and drinking like some kids her age.. Well–Owen had let her and Elisa taste some whiskey that his dad left in an unlocked cabinet once, but it tasted nasty and she had no desire to try it again)

So what on Earth could she say to her mom that might change her mind? 

The gray clouds blanketing the sky didn’t help with her increasingly gloomy thoughts; if anything, it felt like the world was reflecting her mood. Sour. Frustrated. And above all, anxious.

Because she was going to take Owen up on his advice. She was going to go home, sit down with her mom, and plead her case for the circus field trip. 

Did she know what she was going to say? No. Was she confident that it would work? Also no.

But if she could just convince her mom to let her go on the trip, maybe she could convince her mom to loosen the reins in other ways. She could stay out later, do fun things with friends that didn’t require exchanging parental contact information and a million check-ins.

And maybe she’d start to feel like a real teenager and not some picture perfect wallflower; someone who acted more like a goody-two-shoes little kid than a teen who was going to be an adult in a few years.

One step at a time, Sam, one step at a time.

Speaking of one step–Sam stopped just before the steps leading up to the Egg. Parked behind her mom’s shiny SUV and her grandpa’s beat-up car that he didn’t drive anymore was a familiar blue van. On the back of it were bumper stickers in varying shades of disrepair, including a prominent sticker that said I’D RATHER BE PLAYING CHESS.

Sam’s stomach felt like it was getting pulled in a million directions.

Aunt Coco and uncle Brian were visiting for dinner. On a weekday. Unexpectedly. 

Would that help or hurt her case? Could she even try to sit down with her mom with them here? Maybe she should just give up on the plan, accept she wasn’t going to the circus next week, and get on with her life.

What life? You never get to do anything.

The thought came almost unbidden to Sam’s mind. 

But the thought was on the right track. If she didn’t at least try to convince her mom, she’d probably be mad at herself forever. 

And maybe aunt Coco and uncle Brian would stick up for her. They weren’t as strict as her mom with their kids, and the twins were way younger than Sam. And her mom was a lot more likely to let Sam do things if Coco and Brian were involved; she seemed to trust them more than anyone else. 

Their appearance at dinner could be a good thing, after all. At least, Sam hoped it would be. 

Taking a breath, she gripped the straps of her backpack, shifted its weight on her shoulders, and walked inside the house–

Where she was immediately tackle-hugged by her two highly energetic cousins, excitedly chanting her name on repeat. They always acted like they hadn’t seen her for ages, even though she saw them at least once a week at Sunday family dinners. 

James and Charlotte Battersby were 8 years old. If you were to ask them, they would say that they loved being twins, but hated being the same. Which is probably why their parents never forced them into matching outfits and even let them have birthday parties on different days. James liked painting and had an entire wall dedicated to his growing murals. Charlotte was, despite her young age, a rather terrifying force during elementary school field hockey matches.

“Hey, hey,” said Sam, smiling as she gave the twins a squeeze. “Don’t knock me over. I’m so tired from school that I might not get back up again.” She put her hand on her forehead and pretended to feel faint. 

The twins backed up and gave Sam some space. But before she could leave the entryway to drop her backpack off in front of the stairs, the twins planted their feet firmly in front of her. They didn’t move, even when Sam tried to sidestep them.

“Excuse me,” she said with a laugh in her voice. “I’d like to get into my own house now. Preferably sometime before spring.”

But James and Charlotte only looked at one another in the special way they sometimes did. Coco once told Sam that she thought they might actually be able to talk telepathically, but Sam couldn’t tell if she was joking or not. 

“Are you in trouble?” asked Charlotte after a moment. She was studying Sam’s face too seriously for her age. 

Sam’s heartbeat skidded inside her chest.

“Um, no.” She swallowed hard. “I mean, I don’t think so. Why would you say that?”

The twins looked at one another again, and then Charlotte nodded at her brother. He cleared his throat and leaned in, whispering. 

“I heard your mom call our mom, and your mom asked if my mom and dad would come over for dinner tonight even though it’s not the weekend, because she was worried about you.” James frowned. “Or did she say she was worried about something happening to you?” He sighed, and his eyebrows furrowed together.. “And she said something about a man…” He looked at Charlotte. “I can’t remember the rest. It was super weird though, right?” 

Charlotte shrugged, but Sam thought inexplicably that maybe Charlotte did remember what her mom said on the phone and just didn’t want to say. What did James mean, “a man”? 

Was her mom talking to Coco and Brian about her dad? Was this about the divorce? Or–was there something else? Something her mom wasn’t telling her, and Coco and Brian knew about it? It wouldn’t be the first time she felt like they were keeping secrets. Most adults did. 

Then she shook her head, feeling stupid. What a strange thing to think. Her mom had probably called aunt Coco because she and Sam had really been butting heads lately. The circus field trip stunt this morning was just the last straw.  

“Sammers!” 

Despite the knot in her stomach, Sam couldn’t help but grin when she turned to face the doorway leading into the dining room and kitchen. Even though she saw them at least once a week, her uncle Brian and aunt Coco always had that effect on her. Especially Coco. Heck, Coco had that effect on most people. She was like a ray of sunshine personified. If you weren’t feeling great, you could always count on Coco to make you feel better. 

Ollie hovered behind the pair as they gave Sam warm hugs and herded her and the twins into the dining room, where dinner was being dished out by grandpa Roger. Sam was glad to see him up and about. He had a stroke a few years ago, before they moved back to Evansburg. That was why they lived with him now. He’d come a long way since then, but there were still days where he had trouble walking or remembering things. Small things, usually. But sometimes big ones, too. 

Today, though, he was all grins as heaped spaghetti into everyone’s bowls and set down plates of bread. Sam took a sniff. It was fresh bread–warm, inviting. It smelled like the Egg ought to smell, she thought. He’d been in the kitchen that afternoon, for sure. Probably insisted on baking it once he heard Coco, Brian and the twins were coming over. 

No one wasted time digging in–his food was simply that good. 

“I wanted to make a roast,” Roger said suddenly. “But I didn’t have time to defrost one with such short notice. What’s the special occasion, anyway?”

He looked at Ollie, but she didn’t answer. 

Coco quickly twirled spaghetti around her fork and took a grateful bite. 

“That’s okay, dad, your spaghetti is my favorite. It was mom’s favorite, too.” 

Roger got a soft look on his face all of the sudden, looking at Coco with an expression Sam couldn’t quite place. Then he wiped his eyes, and Sam’s heart clenched. 

Sam didn’t remember much about Coco’s mom–Sam’s grandma Zelda. She died when Sam was only 5. But she remembered how much her grandpa loved her. Loves her still–and loves Ollie, and Brian, and his grandkids. Sometimes she wondered if he still loved her dad, but it wasn’t something she really wanted to ask him. 

The conversation around dinner was pleasant, but Sam felt like there was a conversation waiting in the wings, stretched tighter and tighter as the meal went on. Everyone here knew something was up–even the twins. It was just a matter of waiting for the thin ice to break. 

“So,” Coco suddenly said in a clear voice, turning towards Sam. “Your mom tells me you want to go to a circus?”

Brian choked on his drink, and the twins looked at one another with a knowing glance. Ollie finally looked up from her spaghetti–first at Coco, and then at Sam. 

Sam tucked a loose curl that had escaped her ponytail behind her ear, and nodded.

“Um.” She twirled spaghetti around her fork, but didn’t take a bite. “Yeah. It’s a field trip next week. We even get extra credit for it.” She paused. “But I honestly don’t care about the extra credit. I just think it’d be neat to go for once, you know?.” 

She shoved her fork in her mouth, and talked through her bite. Though had the quick decency to cover her mouth with her hand, but only because Coco gave her a familiar look that meant “I’m trying to teach my feral twins tableside manners, please don’t blow it.” 

“It’s called Mr. Elim’s circus, and they’ve got like, everything. Acrobats and animals and fire breathers. It says so on the poster.” 

“Can we see the poster?” asked Brian.

Sam’s heart soared. “Of course!” She dashed away from the table–sorry, aunt Coco, table manners have to be set aside sometimes–and came back with the slightly crinkled advertisement. 

Brian took it and held it out for Coco and Ollie to see. They studied it for what felt like forever. Even the twins leaned up in their seats to get a look at it. 

“Animals,” James mouthed, while Charlotte stared at the figure of the ringmaster.

Finally, Brian set the poster down and nodded at Coco, who smiled kindly in a way that made Sam’s shoulders start to relax. 

“Can I ask you a few questions about the field trip?”

Sam nodded. This was a good start, she thought. A rational discussion. Not spur-of-the-moment rejection.

“Where’s it being held?” 

“The old fairgrounds.” 

Both Coco and Brian glanced at Ollie, who suddenly had a strange, pinched expression on her face. 

“You don’t like carnivals, Ollie-pop,” said Roger, quietly. 

Olile looked at her dad with an almost startled expression, which she quickly smoothed over into a tight smile. 

“Nah, not anymore. I’m so old the tilt-a-whirl just makes me puke, you know?”

Charlotte and James simultaneously said ewww but Sam only thought, strangely but strongly, that her mom wasn’t telling the truth. 

But she didn’t dwell on it long, because Coco looked back at Sam, and continued her line of questioning.

“Do you know how your school heard about it?”

What a weird question, Sam thought. But at least her aunt was listening to her, not dismissing her outright like her mom usually did when it came to things like this. 

“The school got a flier or something like that,” she answered. “My teacher said one of our rival high schools went to the same circus last year, but this circus hasn't been to Evansburg in a while.” 

“Do they have a website?” Ollie asked suddenly, with a quiet and almost serious urgency. It made Sam’s stomach start to feel queasy again, which was especially unfortunate, given that grandpa Roger had made one of her favorite dishes.

“No,” Sam said slowly, after a moment. She wished that they did have a website. She looked it up earlier, hoping to gain some intel that she could use in her conversation with her mom. But they didn’t even have a Facebook page, much less a real website or any other social media. 

“But,” she said, seeing the way her answer made her mom’s frown pinch tighter, “My teacher said it was a really old-school circus that mainly goes to small towns. They probably don’t have to bother with websites since they’re not some big fancy company.”

The answer didn’t seem to satisfy her mom, but Coco smiled at Sam, which made the pit in her stomach recede again. 

“That would make sense, if they tend to stick to small towns. How long would you be at the circus? Is it an all-day thing?”

Sam shook her head. “Nope, just until the afternoon. We’d be getting on the bus in the morning, going to see the morning show, then coming back in time for lunch at school.” 

Coco nodded. Sam wished she knew what answers her aunt–or rather, her mom–wanted. Instead, there was a feeling like she was in limbo, wondering if she was going to end up in the red or green with each answer she gave. 

“And will there be a teacher or chaperone with you the whole time? Or are they letting you sit by yourselves?”

“We’re all staying together–” 

“That doesn’t matter,” Ollie interrupted. “You know that doesn’t matter, Coco.” 

Coco pressed her lips together and, for a moment, looked uncharacteristically serious. Like she was remembering something unpleasant. 

“True. But it’s better than wandering on their own, don’t you think? Just a little safer?”

Ollie sighed, while Coco just leaned back a little in her chair. 

“So,” she said, using a voice that Sam liked to call her teacher voice, “let’s sum up. The field trip is to a circus that sticks to small towns. You’ll be leaving in the morning and coming back by lunch. Everyone is staying with the teacher the whole time.” 

Sam shoved a nervous bite of spaghetti into her mouth. The taste was good but overpowered by her rattled nerves. She nodded, and mumbled mm-hmm as she chewed the noodles. 

“Well…” Coco turned towards Sam’s mom, and her expression went from prim teacher to soft and concerned. “What do you think, Ollie?” 

Ollie sighed and put her face in her hand for a few long moments. Even the twins had stopped their side-chatter with grandpa Roger, who started to reach out towards Ollie, but stopped when she looked up and leaned over to stare again at the poster.

“I know you want to go to the circus, Sam,” she said, and Sam knew what answer was coming before Ollie even said it. How many times had she heard her mom talk in that tone of voice?

“But you won’t let me,” Sam finished for her. 

Ollie swallowed, and reached her hand out across the table towards Sam’s own. Sam didn’t move to meet her mother’s touch. 

“It’s not that simple,” Ollie said. “I know you’re disappointed.”

Anger began to bubble inside Sam’s gut. Her shoulders tensed until they actually hurt. 

“What’s not simple? It’s a circus. What could happen at a circus?”

Ollie, Brian and Coco looked at each other at the same time, and Sam felt like she wanted to shout. There it was again, some unspoken bond between them, something they didn’t share with Sam or anyone else. 

Coco reached out and touched Ollie’s arm, and Ollie’s expression changed.

“There are… reasons I can’t let you go,” Ollie said softly.

“What reasons?” Sam and the twins all said at the same time. Sam, frustrated. The twins, curious and curiouser. 

Ollie gave Coco a look and Coco gave Brian a look and Brian gave the twins a look. They grabbed their half-finished plates of spaghetti and headed into what had once been a fancy parlor, but was now a sort of playroom-spareroom. Roger told the twins to wait for him, and they scampered back to help him up. 

“Remember,” he said, slowly but steadily making his way with the twins out of the dining room, “We don’t go to bed angry in this house, okay?”

“I know, dad,” Ollie said, her voice and face softer as she watched her dad carefully make his way out of the dining room.

“What reasons?” Sam repeated. The anger was gone now, replaced by the tired injustice she’d been feeling all day. 

Coco opened her mouth, and then shut it. She looked at Ollie, but Ollie only stared ahead at Sam. She looked so tired, Sam thought. She knew her mom was tired. Weren’t all moms tired? Even the ones who weren’t raising teens in their childhood towns and taking care of their dads and working at a job they weren’t eager to do. 

Ollie kept her hand in the middle of the table. It looked silly, Sam thought. She was probably wanting to see if Sam would take her hand. Stubbornness kept her hands pressed down in her lap.

“I…” Ollie began. But she shook her head. “I can’t tell you. Not now. Maybe when you’re older. Just know that they’re good reasons. I’m not trying to be some crazy strict mom, Sam. Really.”

Sam’s fingers dug into her thigh. “You’re not trying very hard,” she mumbled.

“Sam,” Brian said. Sam got the impression that Brian would throw himself in front of a car if one were barreling right for her mom. Or her aunt Coco. And they’d do the same for each other. 

Sam was used to her mom rebuking her, but not her uncle Brian. Her cheeks got heated and she stared down at her partially eaten dinner plate.

“I never get to do anything. I never get to go anywhere.”  She didn’t care that she sounded whiny. It was justified whining, in her opinion. More than justified. 

“You went to the movies with your friends last week,” her mom said. 

“Yeah,” Sam replied. “Because I wasn’t allowed to go to the campout that Elisa’s sister was throwing and they felt bad. And my friends got dropped off at Elisa’s house after, while I had to go home right away.”

Ollie’s back straightened up defensively. “There weren’t going to be any adults at the campout. You know my rule on that.”

Sam slapped her hands on the table. It sounded less dramatic than she hoped it would.

“It was just camping behind her house.”

“Way behind her house. In the woods,” said Ollie.

“Hey,” Brian interrupted. “Why don’t we focus on the field trip–”

“I’m just trying to explain myself.” Ollie said. 

And that’s what broke the bubble that had been building in Sam’s gut all day, whether she knew it or not. Later, she would blush at the memory of snapping at her mom in front of her aunt and uncle, sounding like a whiny little kid. But in the moment, all she felt was righteously angry.

“You’re not explaining anything! Why are you so paranoid all the time? Why can’t you let me do stupid things like go on field trips/? Guess what, mom, everyone still remembers the most embarrassing day of my life! Aka, when you freaked out about Misty Valley Farm.” 

Her mom’s face seemed to drain of something essential. So did Coco and Brian’s. They looked like they’d seen a ghost. 

That was what alarmed Sam the most. She’d never seen them look like that, except maybe when they first showed up at the hospital after grandpa’s stroke. 

A million questions wanted to fly out of Sam’s mouth. Mom, what’s wrong? Did something bad happen? Is that why you act so weird sometimes? But she couldn’t ask them. They were stuck, like a a warty toad in her throat. 

Something stubborn and awful kept her from reaching her hand out towards her mother’s and squeezing, even though she knew she could; knew she should.

“Is everything okay?” Roger called out from the spare room. The sound of the twins scampering halted for the moment. The Egg was quiet; a rare circumstance. In this case, not a pleasant one. 

It was Coco who broke the spell.

“Yeah, dad. Just taking a moment to think about things!” 

Sam’s fingers fidgeted with her shirt and wound around a stray bit of hair. She watched her mom regain her senses, watched Coco and Brian rub her mom’s back and glance at Sam. Waiting for her to say something. Or do something.

But Ollie spoke before Sam could think of what that ought to be.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “There are things I have to do as a parent to keep you safe, even when you don’t like it. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Sam’s lips quivered. Her heart lurched. 

“You don’t want me to live my life,” she muttered, taking a step away from the dinner table. “I’m going to do my homework and go to bed. Goodnight.” She didn’t look up, didn’t respond to all three adults saying her name. She didn’t even say anything when she heard the twins' thudding feet run back into the dining room or when they asked why she was going to bed early. 

But guilt is a heavy thing. When she reached the staircase, she paused. 

“Goodnight!” She didn’t turn around, unable to hide the way her jaw shook or the tears that started to come down. “Love you aunt Coco, love you uncle Brian. Love you James and Charlotte. See you guys Sunday. Love you grandpa.”

Even though she didn’t turn around, Sam felt she knew that her mom was still sitting there with her hand in the middle of the table, reaching out for the Sam who was no longer there.

She didn’t say anything more.

Instead, she grabbed her backpack and bounded up the stairs, then went straight into her room. She flipped on the overhead light and sat at her desk. She knew what she was going to do. Maybe she’d made the decision earlier in the day and just didn’t realize it.

Sam Alder pulled out the wrinkly permission slip, set it on her desk, and forged her mom’s familiar scrawling signature. 

She stared at the paper for a while. It seemed like such a silly thing to be anxious about. Lots of kids forged their parent’s signature, right? She was just one of them now. Just a normal teenager, doing normal teenage things. 

When she pulled out her phone, her face was briefly reflected in the black screen. Tears made her cheeks look all shiny. Her hair was a mess. Her eyes were puffy. 

And she was going to that damn circus.

She quickly snapped a photo of the permission slip before she shoved it deep into the safety of her backpack. Her mom didn’t dig through her things–that she knew of–and besides, all she had to do was get it to school tomorrow and there was no chance of her mom finding it. 

Sam’s breath was shaky when she stood up and threw herself on the bed, grabbing her favorite pillow with a vintage floral pillowcase that aunt Coco had given her a few years ago. She grabbed her phone and brought up the group text with Owen and Elisa.

Her fingers tapped the letters quickly, as her shaking jaw calmed, as a nervous smile began to creep onto her face.

She sent the photo of the permission slip, and then the text: You guys still up for the circus thing?

A few moments, and then, Owen: um yes

Elisa was next: YES!! 

YES!

YESSSSS

Sam’s heartbeat felt so loud that she swore it drowned out the sound of everything else. There was no going back now, was there? 

She wiped at the remnants of her tears, and sent another text: Then let’s do it!

[julesofnature]

“Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives. Such striving may seem admirable, but it is the way of foolishness. Help them instead to find the wonder and the marvel of an ordinary life. Show them the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples and pears. Show them how to cry when pets and people die. Show them the infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand. And make the ordinary come alive for them. The extraordinary will take care of itself.” ~ William Martin, The Parent's Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents