#and people refusing to accept them because it is impossible to label the natural world neatly)

[catididnt]

people who (seriously) insist pluto is a planet, or who get upset when it's pointed out it isn't, are perhaps less like people angry about dinosaurs having feathers (though I would argue they are are both really doing that for the same reason - 'not my childhood definition') and more like people who insist on an antibiotic for a viral infection

the labels are human given, both for space bodies and microbial bodies, and neither viruses nor bacteria can even be seen with the naked eye, their size difference is negligible compared to to humans, and thus 'as far as anyone can tell' they are interchangeable except that a few experts insisted on changing labels

[princesssarisa]

Autism headcanon: Fantine (Les Misérables)

This is just one of many autism headcanons that are possible in Les Misérables. I could view quite a few of those characters as being on the autism spectrum. But this is one that I've never seen other people suggest before, but which rings true to me.

This is based only on Fantine's portrayal in the novel, by the way, not the musical. It would be almost impossible for an actress in the musical to convey all these things.

*By nature, Fantine is quiet, thoughtful, and a dreamer. In her first chapters in Paris, this sets her apart from the other, outgoing and playful grisettes. Even when she's at her happiest, she's more serious and earnest than they are, and Favourite tells her "You always look strange" or "You're always out of sorts," depending on the translation.

*Still, when she talks about something she passionately cares about, particularly the subject of her daughter Cosette, her quietness disappears and she can prattle on and on.

*She's more shy and modest than the other young women of her social class, and doesn't feel comfortable joining them in their bold, flirty games. In Paris, she never lets men other than Tholomyés kiss her, and she refuses to show off her legs by swinging on a swing. In 19th century France, grisettes were more-or-less expected to be coquettish and sexually free – this was how they found men to provide for them – so Fantine is clearly a "different" one.

*She never fits in with the groups of other women she temporarily belongs to. This is arguably one of the main reasons for her tragedy. In Paris, the other three grisettes (especially Favourite) think she's strange, and accuse her of "putting on airs" because she's less flirtatious than they are. They're only "friends" to her because their respective lovers are friends, and after the men leave she loses touch with them. Then, in Montreuil-sur-Mer, she makes no friends among the other factory workers, and depending on the translation, the other women think she either "has ways about her," or, yet again, "puts on airs." Of course this can be explained by the secret she's hiding, but it also mirrors her earlier relationship with Favourite, Dahlia, and Zéphine. The only friendship she ever builds by herself is with her neighbor Marguerite, an elderly woman who serves as her mentor; she never has real friends her own age. It seems that whenever she tries to belong to a group, they label her odd, mistake her reserve for pride, and either casually drift away from her or outright shun her as soon as they have an excuse to do so.

*She can be all too trusting. If she has a tragic flaw, this is it. First she gives both her heart and her virginity to a man who cares neither about her nor about their daughter. Then, even more fatally, she leaves Cosette in the hands of a couple she's only just met, just because their own daughters are happy and well cared for. Taking things too much at face value and trusting too much is a very common pitfall on the autism spectrum.

*In some ways she displays black-and-white thinking. When she's fired from the factory, at first she internalizes society's view of her as a sinner, accepts her firing as justice, and neither protests nor holds it against Monsieur Madeleine. But over the next two years, as she falls deeper and deeper into poverty, she gradually comes to hate Madeleine with all her heart and view him as a monster. So much so that when he saves her from prison, she can't comprehend it: she has to lie to herself that she misheard and that it was Javert who ordered her release just so the world will make sense again. Many of us on the spectrum can relate to that experience of tying our brains into knots to make sense of some jarring new information. Of course, Fantine is far from the only character in this novel with a black-and-white worldview that gets derailed: at least she's not the one who's driven to suicide by it.

*She often tends to be childlike, even after her all her trauma and loss of innocence. Her very name means "childlike" and it fits. For example, after she gets overexcited thinking Monsieur Madeleine has gone to fetch Cosette, and the nuns urge her to lie back down and not talk anymore, she apologizes for having been "naughty" and says that now she'll be "good." And of course there's her tendency to be naïve and too trusting, mentioned above.

*She's very emotionally sensitive, and she seems to have trouble controlling her emotions. In Paris, she comes close to tears at the sight of a horse dying from overwork, which her friends find amusing because to them it's just a fact of life. After giving Cosette to the Thénardiers, she openly cries "as if her heart would break" as she walks out of town (rather than being "seemly" and waiting until she reaches a private place), and when she works at the factory, she sometimes sheds a tear as she thinks of Cosette or Tholomyés, despite being surrounded by other workers. This is one of the "suspicious" details about her that the gossiping women notice. As much as people on the autism spectrum are stereotyped as unemotional, many of us are more sensitive and struggle more with emotional regulation than most people.

*Her attack on Bamatabois when he stuffs the snow down her back is easy to read as a meltdown. Of course anyone who had snow unexpectedly stuffed down their back would scream and probably fight back in self-defense, but Fantine's frightening rage – letting out a "roar," then leaping at Bamatabois "like a panther," beating him, kicking him, clawing at his face with her nails, howling and swearing all the while – goes far beyond self-defense. Now this might be explained as all the helpless rage that's built up inside her for several years finally reaching a breaking point. She might also be drunk – her voice is described as "roughened by brandy," though I don't know if by that Hugo meant that she's drunk in this scene, or just that her voice is roughened by how much she's been drinking in general. Still, to those of us who have had meltdowns, it looks familiar.

*She can be sadly irresponsible with money. When she first gets her job at the factory, she buys furniture on credit, thinking she'll soon earn enough to pay for it. As a result, after she's fired, she can't leave town and find work elsewhere because of her debt. For those of us on the spectrum, it can be hard to understand exactly how money and credit work, let alone mange them by ourselves.

*At the same time, she's memorized the routes between Montreuil-ser-Mer and Montfermeil where Cosette is, and she calculates the distance out loud to herself while she's delirious with fever. While any mother might presumably do this, people on the autism spectrum do tend to have a knack for calculating and memorizing things.

Now, of course, there's no possible way Victor Hugo, writing in the 19th century, could have meant for Fantine to be autistic. Most of the above can be explained by the fact that she's young, an orphan, and uneducated, that she's chronically ill throughout most of her storyline, and that her mental health is damaged by all her trauma. There's also the Doylist argument that Hugo was bad at writing women, which could also explain why she seems "off" at times.

But the realization that Fantine's misery and death are caused not only by society shunning her for her sexual "sin," but by her own tendency to be too trusting, and even more so by her failure to fit in or to play by all of society's many and sometimes contradictory rules, strikes a chord for me. It's terrible to imagine how many autistic women without support have probably suffered in the same ways Fantine does. Hopefully, the more people understand the spectrum, the more support systems there will be.

[hella1975]

give us the lowdown on the ocs so we can decide when to listen to which oc playlist please ma’am

okay i swore i wasn't going to talk about my original works on here anymore bc i've decided - after much thought - that if i ever were to publish something i'd want this blog to be COMPLETELY separate from it and thus impossible to trace from my actual serious stuff, just bc of how much bs i’ve put here <3 having said that, i literally adore these ocs and i am not strong enough to refuse an opportunity to talk about them, so you’re all just gonna be sworn to secrecy. here goes;

octavia - the character that inspired tovah. she's cold and lives for survival, but where tovah is very thorough and authentic, octavia is very much putting up an act, because ultimately she's only 18. she's alone in the world, having left everyone she loved behind, and feels she's losing herself to lies and fake identities and being on the run. they call her the mercenary

jamie - he's loud and explosive and is hardly ever seen without a grin. he never lies, not ever, and can unsettle those around him with just how unpredictable his nature is. no one knows anything about his backstory, because he never lies, and it's not a story he's ready to tell truthfully. he's the type of person who would ride around in a shopping trolley with you, shouting down the street and blasting music. utterly shameless, living every moment like it's his last

noah - this boy breaks my heart. 'good guy turned bad', except he never stops being good, it all just becomes very tragic. he is forced to make decisions that no one should be expected to make, and because of his reticent and mean exterior, people label him traitor, but he's just a boy

simon - the extroverted 'nice guy' character. ray of sunshine in human form. tomkin wouldn't be who he is if i hadn't written simon first. they are quite literally the same person im not even embarrassed about it. i only started taob to try and get out of my writer's block for this story, and that translated to me transferring a big chunk of this into taob lmao

oliver - my neurodivergent king. he's quiet and blunt but they all know and accept that he has the braincell most of the time (the rest of the time lana has it). he's kind, even if he doesn't show it the way people recognise. he paints. he loves his friends

beatrice - she's pretty and likes attention and needs constant validation and pushes superiority to hide the fact she is painfully insecure. it's not that she doesn't want to talk about the demons that plague her, but that she doesn't know how, so she instead bottles them up, becoming bitchy at times. she sometimes wonders why her friends keep her around, but they do. they always will

donna - she's actually a very flawed character, and i often make jokes about not liking donna but, truthfully, i think she's fascinating. she's the most painfully human character i've ever written. she builds her entire personality around her beliefs and we see them all individually shatter as the story unfolds, and she has to find her balance in the messy aftermath. she's a hopeless romantic and she wallows sometimes and she words things badly and she can be abrasive and selfish, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to how much she cares about people. she wants to save everyone. a lot of the time, she's making things worse

freddie - he’s shy, gentle. he scares easily. him and his friends live a risk-filled life, but he knows he isn’t courageous, isn’t meant to be a warrior. it doesn’t appeal to him anyway. he likes quiet, and can be so painfully introverted that it frustrates him at times, because he knows the words he wants to say, but he’s so scared of being seen as stupid that he locks them all up. still, he makes others feel safe, and he loves with every bit of him he has

lana - the mum of the group and the eldest. she wants her friends to eat well and be happy, and she’s there as a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, if (when) they need, but truthfully, she strives to such an impossible self-standard of perfection. she feels she has already used up her quota of imperfections in life, and must now be better, better, better. it can make her seem quite distant, untouchable, but she still has her humanities. she has a soft spot for 2000s club hits, she apologises to inanimate objects when she bumps into them, she keeps years-worth of receipts in her purse

fawn - one of the Adults. she loves the outdoors, the woodlands, the earth, because it’s in her blood. her people - the adders - are almost extinct, and they believe in peace, nature, community. despite those pillars, fawn has a temper on her, and sometimes feels so bitter because of the cruelty of the world. she fights this duality in herself, her innate personality against a way of life being slowly torn from her, and it makes her even angrier. adders are not hateful, but she is, and she’s trying to come to terms with that

wesley - the second Adult and the only one keeping the group from pure, undiluted chaos. he comes across grumpy, long-suffering, and sarcastic. like simon with tomkin, kanut wouldn’t exist without wes first. beneath his sharp exterior is, of course, someone softer. it’s his job to take care of these kids - he’s their trainer - but it hasn’t been easy. they’re handfuls, for one, and he also went through a time where he quit, refusing to take on a new group of students, after something terrible happened. this group here are his first lot since that, and each of them, in their own way, are teaching him how to open his heart up again

red and dec - identical twins, double the shenanigans. they do everything together, say the same things, think the same way - it’s all about fun for them, and making people laugh. they started the current prank war waging through the group. but they aren’t totally the same. red is much more confident in himself, and is desperate to be an individual. he even dyed his hair red, changing his name to boot, and leaves dec - the shier of the two - behind a lot. dec loves the stars, and physics, and red is just desperate to be seen as cool, suave, popular. there’s a rift growing between them, and it takes time before it’s resolved

hera - she’s the youngest and simultaneously the most powerful, because despite her young age, she has been training for a lot longer than anyone else. she’s supposed to be an antagonist, someone who has done terrible things and has the respect of even octavia emerson, but it turns out, she’s more entangled with the other’s than she ever could have feared. ‘villain reluctantly joins the good side and is forcibly adopted’ trope except she’s a ridiculously powerful pre-teen girl going through an emo phase. what could go wrong...

and that’s them! the fourteen, the freaks, the bane of the mirrored world, and its saviour

[the-psychopathist]

Kilgrave Analysis

I finally finished season 1 of Jessica Jones and I had to make an analysis of this version of the Marvel villain Kilgrave (known as The Purple Man in the comics), real name Kevin Thompson in the tv series, played by David Tennant. Without further ado let’s deep in!

Kilgrave, born Kevin Thompson, developed a severe brain malfunction at a young age and was fated to become brain dead. His parents, both scientists, tried to save him with experimental treatments. But those treatments were extremely painful and even inhumane. We are first introduced to Kilgrave’s backstory through a video of him as a child, seemingly getting abused for the sake of some cruel experiments only by his parents, which are portrayed as “mad scientists”. This revelation may have brought some sympathy to Kilgrave, thinking that he was an abused child brutalized by cruel parents, but we learned later that Kilgrave lied. His parents were actually trying to save him and didn’t abandon him right after. After the experiments cured Kilgrave and gave him his mind control power, they stayed with their child and took responsibility for their actions. Young Kilgrave abused his power on them, mind controlling his parents to satisfy every of his whims, regularly throwing tantrums at them and hurting them. He forced his mother to burn her own face with a stream iron. At some point it was too much for his parents who feared for their safety and they ran away, leaving their son to survive on his own.

But, even if Kilgrave lied about certain parts of his past, it doesn’t mean his grudge against his parents was unjustified. From his perspective as a young child, his parents were torturing him. The fact they were trying to save his life doesn’t change how painful, frightening and traumatizing the experiments done on him were. We even see him panicking when he sees the video of himself getting abused. It’s normal that he grew resentful of his parents and felt like they didn’t love him and only cared about their work. With his new power, it’s not that surprising that a grudgeful and traumatized kid would have used it to get revenge on his parents, who he viewed as his abusers. And after being actually abandoned by them (although it’s understandable from their perspective), Kilgrave’s grudge only grew stronger, as well as his feeling of not being loved. He was left to survive on his own, using his power to force people to give him shelter and feed him. Honestly, it’s not that surprising that he ended up as a remorseless and unempathetic monster growing up, given his pasts and his power to literally bend anyone to his will. No wonder he ended up as a selfish prick who thinks the world revolves around him, as it literally is from his perspective.

Kilgrave confessed that he never knows when people are just acting upon his words of if their actions are from their own free will. His power most likely isolated him from others and prevented him from creating genuine bonds with others. People are basically just tools for him to satisfy his needs so he stopped seeing them as human beings. He doesn’t care about their feelings, their needs, their pains. Only his needs and feelings matter. This made him callous and remorseless, as well as causing him a serious lack of empathy and complete disregard for human lives.

When Jessica asked him if he does have a conscience or regrets his actions, he said that he does have a conscience, but that his was “selective”. Throughout the series he never showed any consideration for anyone other than himself and at a certain degree, Jessica. So it’s not that Kilgrave is unable to feel empathy, more that he became so desensitized to others’ feelings that he can’t empathize with them anymore. But it’s not impossible for him to feel a certain amount of empathy as shown with Jessica. Though this empathy has limits and he doesn’t seem to have any issues with trying to harm or kill her if it benefits him or on a whim if she enraged him. He did seem intrigued by the idea of becoming a hero, but that was just a way for him to be closer to Jessica and for his own self-satisfaction to have people be genuinely grateful to him, which he never experienced before. It just feeds his narcissistic nature.

Another characteristic of Kilgrave is his complete inability to accept any responsibilities for his actions. He forced people to kill themselves numerous times yet refused to be called a murderer. Even if they had no other choice to obey him and end their lives, he doesn’t accept the blame. He’ll blame them for being an inconvenience to him or say that he just removed nuisances from society. He also forced Hope to kill her parents as a way to get revenge on Jessica, blaming her for their death. He was apparently totally unaware that he was a rapist. When Jessica rightfully confronted him about raping her, he was genuinely shocked. He really didn’t even consider that what he was doing was rape. He denied the accusation, saying that he brought her to nice restaurants and hotels. He refuses the label of murderer and rapist because it would be like admitting his wrongdoings and he can’t. He wants to be seen as a victim and blame others for his actions.

Kilgrave is also a big egomaniac and narcissist. He’s a selfish man who doesn’t take insults against him lightly. The first time we actually saw him, he forced a rather wealthy family to shelter him, not only ordering them to let him in and feed him, but also added that they are “delighted” to have him as a guest. When Trish insulted him on radio he sent someone to kill her and after she apologized live, he was pleased enough to let her live. As mentioned earlier, he was shocked and upset when Jessica called him a rapist, thinking that she should be grateful that he brought her to nice restaurants and hotels. To him, it’s an honour to be with him. He doesn’t accept the slightless disrespect towards him and will make sure the person who dared insulting him will pay. Upon learning about Jessica’s relationship with Luke, Kilgrave felt deeply offended that she chose Luke over him, even accusing Luke of sabotaging his relationship with Jessica.

He also seemed to have abandonment issues. He resents his parents for abandoning him and, according to him, not loving him. This feeling seems to have worsened after meeting Jessica. After Jessica broke from his control and left him to die after being hit by a bus, Kilgrave felt abandoned by her. He grew to resent her and be obsessed with her. He meticulously planned his revenge against her, using Hope to do so and forcing her to kill her own parents to hurt Jessica. When he managed to convince Jessica to live with him in her old house, he grew extremely worried that she might leave him again. 

That brings us to Kilgrave and Jessica's relationship. When he first met her, Kilgrave was attracted to her beauty, but also mainly intrigued by her power. Just like him, she was special. “But underneath it all the power, just like me. Though not quite as good, of course” was what Kilgrave told her. It seemed that for the first time, Kilgrave might have found someone he can relate to, someone similar to him… but, he felt the need to say “not quite as good”, showing his narcissistic side and his incapacity to see someone as a genuine equal. Despite that, we can see that Kilgrave valued Jessica differently than his other victims. He kept her for months as his “lover” (sex slave) and genuinely believed himself to be the perfect gentleman with her. At some point he even didn’t give her any orders for twelve hours, to test her loyalty and if she truly loved him. For him to even consider that, he must be delusional or desperate for Jessica’s love. For someone to actually love him. And given that Jessica is similar to him, he feels like maybe she can accept him. Kilgrave remembered this event in his own twisted reality, thinking that for the 18 seconds Jessica wasn’t under his control, she was acting true to herself, therefore actually loved him. In reality, Jessica actually tried to escape but was too slow. As a punishment, Kilgrave ordered her to cut her own ears: "You never appreciate anything I do for you. If you can't listen to me you don't need ears... Cut them off”.

Right when Jessica started to cut her ear, he changed his mind and told her to stop, gently hugging her. Kilgrave never seemed to have changed his mind when he decided to mutilate someone. I wouldn’t say he had guilt, but that he does care a little bit about Jessica. In his mind, he rewrote this memory and convinced himself that Jessica stayed with him and that she loved him. Obviously, it’s important for him to feel that someone loves and stays with him willingly, as he was never able to experience that in his life due to his power.

After Jessica broke from his control he became obsessed to get her back. He felt once again abandoned and unloved. When he finally managed to meet with Jessica again, he confessed her love to her and promised he wouldn’t use his ability on her anymore. He bought back Jessica’s childhood house without forcing the current owner to leave as a sign of good faith. He then made sure that everything is the same as when Jessica was still living there, showing his deep obsession about her. Jessica agreed to go live with him in her old house, but simply to get a confession out of him for the murder of Hope’s parents. Kilgrave is completely delusionned, convinced that he can make Jessica fall in love with him and stay with him willingly with such overconfidence. He still used brainwashed people to make sure Jessica doesn’t try to leave or hurt him and became really worried when Jessica went on a walk, showing again his fear of abandonment.

But we learned later that he didn’t promise to not use his power on Jessica out of sympathy and concern for her, but because he knew his power didn’t work on her anymore. Well, maybe he wasn’t sure, but he had a doubt, and trying to use his power on her and failing would have revealed to Jessica her advantage over him. He had to keep control, so telling her he won’t use his power anymore preserves the illusion of power he has over her and makes him look more sympathetic and in good faith. Obviously, if he was sure he could use his power on her, he would have done it without a second thought.

When Jessica deceived him and kidnapped him, interrogated him, tortured him in order to get a confession, he grew resentful against her. When confronted by his parents, he snapped, telling them how much he felt abandoned. After his mother tried to kill him to stop his rampage, he ordered her to stab herself as many years she had abandoned him, killing her.

He tried to manipulate Jessica, convincing her that she loves him and stayed with him on her own free will when he didn’t use his power for twelve hours, until she revealed to him that she just didn’t have the time to escape. This broke Kilgrave's delusion that Jessica loved him all along. Feeling unloved and abandoned once again as well as having his massive ego hurt, Kilgrave became angry at Jessica and started trying to kill her. He forced her to watch her crush Luke blow himself up and mind control him to attack her, as well as using his father’s knowledge to make his power stronger in hope he can control Jessica again. He seems to keep changing his mind between killing Jessica or getting her back, showing how impulsive and unstable he can be. He did say his conscience (empathy) is selective, and Jessica seems to be the only one he cared about, and here we can see how easy it is for him to not care anymore if it benefits him. He even said that he would enjoy killing her but still hesitate if he truly wants to kill her, control her, or break her heart.

He eventually tried to use his power once again against Jessica and seemed to have succeeded. Kilgrave thought that Jessica was playing him so he controlled Trish, forced her to kiss him and claim he will make her her slave and rape her everyday to make Jessica react. Much to his surprise, Jessica didn’t move, making him believe that his power worked again on her. He is rejoiced, ordering Jessica to smile for him, which she does. He then told her to not worry and that she’ll come to love him as he loves her, somewhat trying to comfort her and again craving Jessica’s love. But turns out, Jessica wasn’t under his control, she grabbed her neck and out of irony told him to “smile” before she breaks his neck, killing him. His obsession for Jessica and desperate need for her to love him caused his undoing.

Throughout the series, Kilgrave has been referred to as a “psychopath”, a “sociopath” and “psychotic”. Do any of those terms adequately describe him? Well, medias tends to misuse mental illnesses and disorders and throw those terms for any “crazy” murderous villains. Do any of those diagnoses actually fit Kilgrave’s mental state? Quick summary, psychopaths usually refer to someone who is born that way and has a lack of empathy, fear, stress and anxiety due to a thinner amygdala. Psychopathy is considered as a neurodevelopmental disorder, a disorder that affects the development of the nervous system and leads to abnormal brain function. Nowaday it’s often referred to as “primary psychopathy”. “Sociopath” is an outdated term that doesn’t have any medical meaning anymore. It’s more of a pop culture term used for psychopaths, antisocial personality disorders, or just evil characters in general. So let’s forget about that one. I mentioned primary psychopathy, there’s also secondary psychopathy (who is also referred to as sociopathy sometimes). Secondary psychopaths aren’t born that way, they are mold and shaped by their environment, upbringing and possible trauma. While primary psychopathy is characterized by callousness, shallow affect, manipulation, and superficial charm, while secondary psychopathy is associated with impulsivity and lack of long-term goals, and is related to hostile behaviors. They don’t totally lack empathy, their empathy is more “selective” and unstable. Antisocial Personality Disorder is a personality disorder, something that is developed, not innate. ASPD doesn’t equate a violent criminal either but is characterized by a lack of remorse and disregard for others and the law. Not all primary psychopaths have ASPD but all secondary psychopaths do and is often comorbid with borderline personality disorder, which is characterized by abandonment issues and emotional impulsivity and unstability. Both primary and secondary psychopathies are in the spectrum of narcissistic personalities (without necessary being NPD), but not everyone with ASPD is also narcissistic.

Phew. Ok now that I’m done let’s go back to Kilgrave. Let’s cross out primary psychopathy. It’s obvious Kilgrave isn’t born that way and he showed multiple times fear, stress and emotional instability. He was made that way by his environment, upbringing and trauma. I talked before about how narcissistic he was and I do believe he could have NPD. He has a grandiose sense of himself, he viewed himself as special and unique and thus above others, great sense of entitlement, exploitative, lack of empathy and arrogant. He also seems to show signs of ASPD, he fails to obey laws and norms, he’s a lying, deceptive and manipulative person and do so for his own profit or self-amusement, he’s quite impulsive, irritable and aggressive and has a blatant disregard for the safety of others, he can’t take responsibility and lack remorse for his actions. I also mentioned his abandonment issues, how he fears that Jessica will abandon him and how he craves for her love. Those might be related to borderline personality disorder, which is described as: “disturbed sense of identity, frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment and extreme reactions to such, black and white thinking, impulsivity, intense or uncontrollable emotional reactions that are disproportionate to the event or situation, unstable and chaotic interpersonal relationships, distorted self-image, self-damaging behaviors, dissociation and is often accompanied by depression, anxiety, anger, substance abuse, or rage”.

I do think some of those criteria fits Kilgrave. I think he might have those three personality disorders or partially have them, all in the cluster B and comorbid. That would put him in the category of secondary psychopath. The fact his empathy can be selective and unstable regarding Jessica seems to also point to that conclusion.

I think Kilgrave is a well-written villain, his psychology and psyche is accurately portrayed in the series, even if his behaviours are explained they aren’t justified. He’s not just evil for the sake of being evil, we actually see how he became that way and can understand him. After all, evil is made, not born.

[thelastyetfabolousmidwestmadman]

Dark Side Of The Rising Sun Part 1

Yo what’s up!

After the success of my previous post, I’ve decided to bring a follow up where I talk about the many dysfunctions and issues facing Japan that I’ve learned in my research. Detective Conan often shows the criminal justice system of Japan in a positive light while in reality it has many issues due to the culture.

Now let me make this clear: Japan has many great things about itself that should never be ignored. However, these are real flaws that have or need to be addressed with many Japanese also recognizing them as problems.

Now I had to split this into parts as this is rather ungainly to put it all at once. If you have any questions please ask and I’ll do my best to answer them.

 Suicide

Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world with about 15.2 deaths per 100,000 people.

This is due to many factors such as Suicide not being considered a sin as well as historical connotations of it being a honorable way to go.

It is also considered a act of revenge, apology, and protest.

It is mostly caused today by factors such as unemployment, alienation and intense social pressure.

Japanese society is overall tolerant of Suicide but this is changing in recent times.

Another factor is the need for acceptance over individuality.

People with mental illness are often discriminated against, stopping potential help.

Internet Suicide Clubs where anonymous people make/plan suicide pacts and commit group suicide are a major issue.

If you kill yourself via Shinkansen, your family will be fined heavily. It is also the cause of half of the train delays and referred to as a human incident.

Tall buildings have mandatory suicide fences to prevent people from jumping off. When they succeed, they take off their shoes before hand.

It is common for suicidal people to take insurance policies and wait a year or two to go through with it so their families would be okay.

Ikka Shinju or family suicides are when the entire family kills themselves together due to Asian views of the family. When the parents kill their children before themselves, this is called Muri-Shinju or murder suicides.

Oyaku Shinju or parent-child suicide are where a single parent kill their children along with themselves.

Drownings, overdoses, hangings, and jumping off places are the most common form of suicide.

Judiciary

Traditionally, the judge is hated more then the lawyer is in the west as the Judge is often viewed as a symbol of the Japanese nobility judging the common man.

If you are sent to trial, you are certain to be convicted regardless of innocence due to the countries 99% conviction rate. (Really makes Eri’s work more awesome and badass doesn’t it?)

The Japanese supreme court is one of the most conservative in the world, rarely ruling against issues that are blatantly unconstitutional and anti human rights. As a result, one of the more positive proposals for amendments of the Constitution is the creation of a separate Constitutional Court.

If you are sent to death row, you will never be told in advance when you are going to die.

Culturally, once arrested the person is automatically considered guilty.

Police are often reluctant to overturn convictions as they insist that only guilty are arrested and convicted.

The law when a child is considered criminally responsible is 14.

Judges are often pressured into making convictions as their careers are negatively affected by a not guilty verdict.

Prosecutors are given the choice not to pursue a case regardless of sufficient evidence.

Prisoners in Japan, while somewhat treated better then much of the world due to it’s focus on rehabilitation instead of punishment, have to follow strict military style regulations from minor things such as being forced to fold the bed, or to wash your face to more draconian measures such being beaten if you don’t march or sit the wrong way.

In turn, many have inadequate access to medical care as they don’t have many options for their healthcare.

It can take months or years before you are tried, meaning that a right to a speedy trial is completely nonexistent.

“Periods of reflection” where inmates are forced to be handcuffed, gagged and placed in solitary, are often not recorded by the warden.

Foreigners are forced to speak and write in Japanese.

Drug Use

It is considered vastly socially unacceptable to do narcotics in Japan.

Most drug addicts are even considered to be not human.

If a celebrity is caught doing drugs, his career is automatically fucked and he is blacklisted from the industry, as well as erased from current projects.

The most commonly sold drug is methamphetamine. This started after World War II due to Meth being legal for soldiers to consume in order to stay up late on petrol as well as from occupying Americans. After the was, it became a huge epidemic for 12 years.

Marijuana use has risen among youth. Despite it having little danger as well as medicinal uses, it is widely considered evil, with the law having no tolerance.

Overall, Japan has little drug use compared to the rest of the world due to the cultural taboo and strict laws. However, there are signs that it is being vastly under counted,

Most illicit drugs are imported from Taiwan and South Korea due to it being near impossible to grow it natively but it is becoming increasingly hard to do so.

Drugs overdoses are criminally under diagnosed.

Epidemics often occur due to low periods of economic growth and recessions. (Examples include the postwar period, the 70′s, and the Lost Decade after the Bubble Economy burst in 1989)

It is common for your family or doctor to call the police once you admit there is a problem. Then you are forced to take a urine sample and if it tests positive you are immediately arrested.

A lot of doctors open pharmacies to add to their income. As a result, many oversubscribe prescription drugs.

Hypocritically, Alcoholism is completely tolerated and not treated as a addiction due to alcohol being considering purifying in Shinto, a cure, and Japan having a intense drinking culture.

Child Abuse

For the most part, physical child abuse is considered a private issue and often ignored. While things are slowly getting better, Japan still has a long way to go. (Imagine if Kogoro did what he did to Conan in the west. Child services would be on him like a fly swatter.)

Child services often return the children to their parents even if they say their abusing them as the counseling centers need the parents to admit to their abuse.

It is a complete myth that Japan’s age of consent is 13. That is only the lowest one could set it. Most prefectures are set at 16 or higher. In turn, child molestation of those under 12 is heavily punished. However while vaginal rape of children is illegal, basically just about everything else as long as it’s statutory is basically alright.

Enjo Kosai or compensated dating is the practice of Teenage Girls to go on dates with older men in exchange for money and gifts. While not necessarily always leading to prostitution is treated as such and the girls are often blamed if they are hurt in the process.

Child sex trafficking of migrants is a serious issue and they are often treated as criminals and sent home without counseling.

Adoption of children is rare and frowned upon so many of them have to gro up in centers.

Children of unmarried couples are discriminated against due to the violation of the traditional Ie system and do not have the same protections or privileges of married couples because of its Koseki system.

Men are not obligated to pay child support and it’s near impossible to get them to legally as they can simply hide their finances by not telling them. Plus only one person can be named on the custody sheet.

Child Pornography was effectively decriminalized until 2014. No seriously.

Sexual Harassment/Assault

Domestic violence victims are disabused from coming forward due to the idea of bringing shame to their family.

Stalking cases are rarely taken seriously by the police

OH THERE”S WAY MORE BUT THIS LIST IS DARK ENOUGH SO LET”S SAVE THIS FOR A LATER DATE.

Working Conditions

Idols are heavily exploited and forced to follow strict rules such as having no social life, banned from having a boyfriend, etc. This is because they are supposed to sell a image of innocence and be there exclusively for their fans.

Anime creators are often forced to work long hours with little pay. This has resulted in a slump in the industry with very few new hires so they are forced to rely on the older animators whose health may fail sooner rather then later.

Funds are rarely given to films with artistic intent or that are political in nature, resulting the film industry suffering compared to the more internationally regarded South Korea.

Police Corruption

Until recently, Japanese police would work with organized crime to lower crime. The only reason they stopped was not out of concern for the everyday citizen but because they were embarrassed by the Yakuza when they began to show up more publically.

The media is often laughably compliant to the police, with they rarely offering a critical lens.

Police have undue influence on the Pachiko industry, with many retired officers being hired as muscle and for advice.

It is quite common for officers to embezzle from their slush funds.

In a effort to cover up crime, police often refuse to investigate mysterious or suspicious deaths, preferring to label them as accidents or suicide.

Police are often anti migrant and sexist to a fault.

It is neigh impossible to get a wiretap going due to rigid privacy laws.

Even the police can’t fire weapons as you need approval to even loose your gun so many officers have never fired a bullet.

Government Incompetence/Corruption

Voter Apathy is super high, with many elections having hilariously low turnout.

Many politicians have Yakuza connections, with the gang members serving as bodyguards and canvassing for votes.

Votes in the countryside are worth two compared to urban ones.

A lot of politicians are completely out of touch and constantly have to resign for gaffes (racism, sexism, historical revisionism, etc.)

Political acts are based on group consensus so it can take a long time to get meaningful reform done.

Criticism and debate is ironically frowned upon, with open criticism within a party being effectively banned.

Cronyism is common. While for the most part Japanese politics is based on expertise, many politicians are awarded ministries based on their support for the leader.

The NHK (Japanese version of the BBC) is largely neutral and free but the current Japanese government can dictate what it is to focus on temporarily.

Press Clubs are often given exclusive access to interviews and information from the government, so they get biased preferential treatment.

Okay I guess the point of this list is to bring attention to these issues and expand the opportunities of where to go when it comes to dark DC fanfiction. Don’t worry, here’s a cute Conan to make you smile!

[springbudeyes]

Placing Mianite’s Gods on an Ideological Spectrum (but not taking it too seriously)

It sucks to be dead center on an an ideological spectrum. Opinions pull at you from both sides. Politically and religiously, I’m – well, I wouldn’t say I’m a fence sitter because that implies hesitation – but I’m grounded between camps. I’ve been Christian, I’ve been conservative, I’ve been liberal, and now I’m realizing that none of the labels fit me. But I know what does. I like being able to wrap my head around as many viewpoints as possible. I like bringing conflicting ideas together and helping people find common ground. Sure, I voted Democrat this election (and please tell me you did, too). No, I don’t believe in the Christian God. But if you’re a Trump supporter, we can have lunch. If you’re an old friend from church, I miss you and would like to catch up. It struck me today that I might be an Ianitee irl. This is all on a whim, of course. I’m not trying to “sort” myself into her “house” or assign anyone else a Mianite god, for that matter. My point is not to assign a label, but to explore an idea.

The goddess of balance walks a tightrope. She holds a scale. She is both light and dark in a photograph—and therefore, she can also be grey. She’s an impartial judge. Her job, although far grander in scope than mine, isn’t totally unlike what I do for my tiny group of friends on the internet. Her followers might be people who struggle to navigate the warring dualities of their worlds. This makes Prince Andor a bit of a chaotic Ianitee if you think about it. It comes naturally, of course. If the balance leans toward Mianite, then Dianite must bleed into Ianite for the brothers to equalize. The goddess of balance wields both order and chaos. If Mianite reigns, the neutral sister stands with Dianite in bringing chaotic revolution to the doorstep of tyrannical order. Likewise, if Dianite has plunged the world into darkness and fire, Ianite joins with Mianite in building armies and sanctuaries. “We are not pacifists, nor are we vindicators,” Andor said. “We are nature. We are whatever balance demands. We are void and we are hurricane. We are the healer. We are the warrior.” If Dianite had ravaged Ruxomar and Mianite had lay dormant for ten years, a blade in his chest, both Helgrind and Andor may have preached quite different yet still conflicting ideas. As a psychological note, an Ianitee will have a hard time if they’re conflict-avoidant, but they’ll go through Hell if they’re ill-tempered. The magic word is temperance. (See the Temperance arcana in Tarot.) I suppose I might as well go ahead and draw the comparison between an Ianitee and a centrist, a term which may hold some emotional charge for you if you follow politics. Put simply, a centrist holds moderate political views. I don’t identify as a centrist, but the term does describe me, and my refusal to accept the label might serve only to exacerbate the problems a centrist already has. My problem – which a certain type of Ianitee might share – is a lack of belonging. Few people consider you their ally because few have the time or interest to let you engage in the long, convoluted process of proving your character and earning their trust. On the surface you might seem – as I said before – like a fence sitter or even an enemy simply because you refuse to accept a proposed solution. Most people wish even their enemies some amount of good, but when it comes to choosing between friends and enemies, most will choose friends. You might not want to make that choice. You might want to save everyone. If you can’t, you won’t. Your stance may sound sensible once you’ve had time to parse it out, but it’s far smoother on paper than in practice, and it’s nigh impossible to preach “love thy enemy” to a wounded wolf. On the other hand, maybe you are a fence sitter. Maybe you genuinely don’t know right from wrong. Maybe you’re a bit of a nihilist. “Is all this conflict really worth it? Return it all to nothing. Void.” (In your local RP group, ever thought of playing an Ianitee who wants to “End It All?”) But hopefully, you’re more of an existentialist. You see meaning vested in people and their accomplishments. You want to help them find the best meaning for them and you don’t think they’ll do it by veering blindly toward every impulse. Extended streams of impulse gratification can lead to extreme ideological thinking, such as totalitarianism. You don’t want a world full of people who all think the same thing. Again, the magic word is temperance. There’s real importance in having two sides to a system. Take, for instance, the political structure of the United States. Democrats and republicans are ever at war, but what are they really doing under the surface? What are they intended to do? Well, that’s up for debate (some might say “kill each other”), but if we take a broad look at history, a pattern emerges. One party – the party of order, you could say – establishes hierarchy. It defines who is who and who gets what. It puts competent people in positions befitting them and treats the less competent with compassion. That’s if all goes well, but the party of order isn’t impervious to corruption. People who tout themselves as servants of God and the State turn out to be monsters who ravage the environment, the economy, the rule of law, and each other. That’s when – take this with a grain of salt – the party of chaos steps in. At first it calls for change. It articulates and expresses visions for a better order. It doesn’t seem so chaotic now, but as the corruption spreads, unhearing and unyielding, moderates and liberals become radicals. Calm discussions become battles for sweeping change. The rebels rage for equality and take it by massive persuasion or by force. They break up the calcified structure of the old order and drag it back down into the primal, bloody sea from which new order springs. (I’m dipping into Mesopotamian mythology here, and if you’re familiar with the Enuma Elish, you’ll know the significance of what I’m about to say.) Order will return, but it must be guided. Someone must ensure that the reborn world is more just and peaceful than the dead one. We need order within chaos—Yang within Yin—white dot within black swath.  I’ve just tried – and perhaps failed – to describe the eternal cycle of order and chaos in terms of real-world society. Now let me place it in a simplistic Mianite shell. Mianite builds hierarchy, Dianite tears it down, and Ianite stands in the middle, bearing two communicating vessels, ensuring that neither too much nor too little blood is spilled in the process of transformation from old to new. 

[cheshiregrimmjow]

Why everyone needs to stop what they’re doing right now and watch Gargoyles...

1994 blessed us with a rare gem of television: Gargoyles. It had the perfect blend of good story telling, character development, cultural representation, mythology, fantasy, action, romance, and timeless themes. It has stood the test of time. At the very heart of the story is a message that I feel everyone in today’s cultural climate needs to hear and remember...

Forgiveness and compassion are the only way forward to peace and change. 

For those of you who aren’t at all familiar with the story, I shall attempt to summarize the intricate plot. In 994 AD, a clan of gargoyles, stone by day and living beings by night, protect a castle in Scotland. When the castle and the gargoyles are betrayed and many of them killed, a spell is put on the survivors that puts them in an eternal sleep (broken only if their castle rises above the clouds).

Fast forward 1000 years. A wealthy owner of a multi-national organization hears of the legend and moves the castle and gargoyles stone by stone to the top of his Manhattan skyscraper. Come night, they revive for the first time in a millennia, finding themselves in a world much changed. Humans no longer believe that gargoyles ever lived, and they find themselves alone and disoriented.

The leader of the gargoyles, Goliath, soon meets an NYPD detective, by the name of Elisa Maza. Like all modern humans, her initial instinct upon seeing the monstrous creature is one of fear. She recoils from him, accidentally falling off the battlements of the castle. Naturally, he swoops down and saves her, then climbs back to the top with her clinging to his back (because gargoyles can’t fly, only glide). He tells her to trust him. She listens to his story and decides to befriend him, immediately resolving to teach him and his kind how to live in this modern world. Thus begins a wonderful relationship.

Gargoyles have one primary purpose in life - to protect their demesne from enemies by night. Goliath and the Manhattan protectorate soon learn that those who threaten the peace are not in the form of foreign invaders, but the very citizens of the city who refuse to abide by human law. They partner with Elisa to help control the crime in the city (ranging from scaring off would-be purse snatchers, to busting up protection rackets, and of course, battling the super villains who want nothing more than for all of humanity to be destroyed). 

But everywhere they go, the people of the city treat them with fear and hatred - even the ones they help. With few exceptions, the gargoyles are viewed as monsters. Granted, the gargoyles have to keep a low profile due to their vulnerability during the day - so the humans don’t really know much about them. Even so, the ones who do get a chance to meet them tend to view them as nothing more than tools to be used or beasts that deserve eradication. 

Goliath knows that humans fear what they do not understand. He acknowledges it and accepts it, but he never stops hoping and striving for a world where his race can live in harmony with humanity - as equals. No matter how many times he and his kind are betrayed, shunned, and mistreated, he forgives them and moves forward. Though occasionally tempted to vengeance when his family and loved ones are killed or attacked, reason always prevails over hatred. He never stops protecting them. He never stops valuing them. And because of his respect and eventual love for Elisa, he knows that humans are capable of understanding and accepting one such as he.

Elisa, for her part, is the ideal person to befriend a justice oriented race of beings. She is a cop, after all. She takes her oath “to serve and protect” very seriously. When she sees injustice, she won’t stop until it’s dealt with. She works within the confines of the law (but also tolerates the gargoyles bringing a heavy hand on criminals caught in the act). 

Elisa is also uniquely able to see through to the heart of her strange friends because of her own background. Elisa’s mother is Nigerian and her father is a Native American. Her father was also a police sergeant. They forged a strong marriage, despite many ethnic and cultural differences, and raised their three children to see past appearances and stereotypes. When their son ends up having a drastic appearance change (thanks to the reckless experiments of a mad scientist), they quickly overcome their shock and accept him as he is.

Similarly, Elisa begins to fall in love with Goliath, despite the difference in their race. Just like many people on the show, some viewers see this relationship as problematic because it condones “bestiality” or “monster-f***ing”. If you can watch Gargoyles to the end and believe this - congratulations, you missed the point of the whole show (and you might struggle with racism). One, Goliath is not an animal, so bestiality is not an accurate descriptor. If Elisa had fallen in love with lovable gargoyle/dog Bronx - that would have been bestiality. Furthermore, Goliath is not a monster. He is an intelligence, deep-thinking, compassionate, forgiving, and honorable person. His outside appearance and unique culture is the only thing that separates him from other humans. Elisa sees that and accepts it, though she struggles with her feelings for him for a long time. She eventually decides that the obstacles to their relationship cannot stand up to the depth of their love, respect, devotion, and trust in each other. 

Goliath has fewer reservations than she does, but I appreciate that the show made a point to reveal to us that Goliath did not find her attractive from the beginning. Her human form was not appealing to him and it wasn’t until she was temporarily transformed into a gargoyle that he noticed her beauty. In the same way that she saw past his looks to the heart of him, he also saw past her appearance to the heart of her. It was their love of people, their insatiable desire to protect, and their strong sense of justice that made them so compatible. Though both have their flaws, like all of us - they face their demons, take ownership of their failures, and extend grace to each other and their enemies.

I look around me today and listen to the words that people are saying to each other (particularly on this very website), and I wish that more people could be like these two. Instead of looking at the color of a person’s skin or the uniform they wear and making assumptions about their thoughts, beliefs, or character, we should all attempt to get to know people as individuals. I wish we would stop clinging to our self-assigned clan labels, whatever those may be (white, black, cop, civilian, privileged, minority, etc.). I wish we would realize that we are the same in all the ways that truly matter. 

I wish we would look at the injustice around us and unite to stand against it - instead of creating more injustice by responding to crime with more crime, hate with more hate, racism with more racism, bigotry with more bigotry. I wish we would look at humanity and recognize that while racism and bigotry will always exist in the hearts of some, most people are eager to look past our differences and bond over what we have in common, if given half a chance. I wish we would learn to forgive the faults of others and acknowledge our own. I wish we would take more chances on people. 

Violence, protests, vengeance, and anger will not move us to a place of unity. They have their place. Injustice should incite righteous anger. But we can’t dwell in a place of hatred and hurt. At some point, we must forgive and extend a hand to the people across from us. Relationships are the only way forward to peace and unity. 

Many “white” people don’t understand the “black” community and vice versa. Many civilians don’t understand the police community. It’s so easy to look at evil people from both groups and extrapolate stereotypes to everyone in those groups. And that WILL NOT END until we stop generalizing and trying to dehumanize each other. Get to know some people who look different from you or live in another neighborhood as you. Get to know some of the men and women who took an oath to serve and protect everyone in their communities (like Elisa Maza) and decide if denying them their calling is the answer to our problems. 

In Gargoyles, there are three races: Fey, humans, and gargoyles. Humanity is treated as one race. I think it’s high time we started thinking that way ourselves. Though humanity has great ethnic and cultural diversity, we are the same in all the ways that truly matter. 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Goliath: I still don't understand how Dracon could ever believe that you would turn to a life of crime.

Elisa Maza: I guess the corrupted are the first to believe that somebody else can be corrupted. And it's not impossible. None of us are perfect, that's why we need protection, even from ourselves sometimes.

Goliath: Then I will protect you, you will protect me, and together we will protect this city.

[themanicnami]

Fog in Witchcraft

Fog is often a forgotten aspect of weather that seems to get passed over when it comes to witchcraft despite it having some powerful and noble uses as well as a history in the craft. Though not all areas get fog commonly, many do, almost every morning depending on the time of year. Allow this small post to perhaps be some help to those who have interest in harnessing fog into their craft.

History and Fiction

As stated above, in many literary sources witches of both historical senses and fiction harness fog as a powerful towel. In popular lore, witches were said to summon fogs to roll across the lands to protect fleeing mothers and children during wars to hide from invading soldiers, though this lore is hard to pin point down, it is often said to come from Celtic and Gaelic origins.

In other tales witches would summon fog to protect traveling royalty or heroes who are on a quest to reach lands that may be unfriendly to their arrival. At some other times fog was related to almost like the “witching hour” it meant it was a time that the supernatural were out and witches were casting their spells.

Fog as a Liminal Space

What is a liminal space? To put it simply it means a “transforming space” or a place that the Veil or energies are thinner and overcross one another. Often they are associated with spirit work, energy work, astral work and over all witchcraft. Some call these places or areas “places where one area and time stop and another begins”.

In many cases, places that are covered by fog often are said to be liminal spaces during this time, due to the surrealism and energy fog brings with it. It turns something mundane looking to mysterious, confusing and even to some creepy. Its concealing nature brings the feeling of the unknown and the unseen.

Traditionally and theatrically fog is often used to represent the Veil between worlds and afterlife, often used in settings of literature and movies by covering graveyards before something supernatural happens or by filling the streets at night when magick is about to begin. Often when many people who don’t practice the craft think of supernatural energies and the Veil they imagine a foggy night or a wall of fog, this imagery is for a reason.

Often, fog is seen as an important tool for spirit work both fictionally and modernly due to its relations of being a liminal space and therefore seen as easier to contact spirits with the barriers weaker when it arrives.

Correpsondences and Uses of Fog

Generally Fog Corresponds with - The Veil, Spirits/Spirit Work, The Hidden, The Unseen, Invisibility, Protection, Obstruction, Curses/Hexes, Warding, Meditation, Astral Work, Fear, Patience, Calmness, Serenity, Peace and Travel

Often times, fog is useful to one when they wish to cast or enchant items for invisibility and protection during travel, often necklaces or items enchanted while out in the fog. Others will take the opportunity of using fog for spiritual communication, past life work and astral projection, taking advantage of the weakened barriers and Veil for these purposes.

Associations

Crystals - Clear Quartz, Smokey Quartz, Thunder Egg

Herbs/Plants - Cotton, Broom, Saffron, Thistle/Thicket, Wheat, Pansy

Colors - Gray, Silver, Black, Blue

Other Tools - Steam, Incense/Smoke, Wands, Besoms, Branches, Storm Water/Rain Water, Ash, Dust, Mirrors and Gray Candles

Fog Summoning

There are many ways said to summon fog. A few of those ways will be listed below

Method 1: Using storm water boiling it until it has thick amounts of steam rising from it, carefully move it outside or to a window (if one is not already outside) and offer it to the sky. Many will chant or call to the weather or winds to bring them fog much like the steam of the pot.

Method 2: In water on a burner add storm or sea salt and a sigil on paper for fog. Close the lid to it and wait until it is boiling. Remove the lid and allow the steam to rise. Here chant if desired for fog or let the water boil until it is nearly gone.

Method 3: With a besom go outside if it is a private space and much like wind summoning call to the fog to come to you, using your tool as an extension of yourself and your energy. Remember to ask it to come rather than demand for it.

Method 4: Using storm water or rain water, ash and a jar fill it with these ingredients and shake it thoroughly to summon fog. Be sure to center yourself and focus on your energy to put into this fog summoning jar. Leave it outside or in a window afterwards for further effects.

Fog Water

Fog water is a tool that can be used for witchcraft when fog is not rightfully available or in place of rain water/storm water in fog summoning. To capture fog water is pretty easy though you must be able to accept small amounts.

First you will need either very fine fabric or mesh or screen similar to what can be found in windows or for fishing nets. Tight it taunt onto something to hold it up like rods or sticks. Make sure it is held up at least a couple feet above the ground and somewhere the fog will roll through it. Base it off of how high the fog in your area tends to be, if you have low rolling fogs it may work better lower to the ground. After or during a time of fog you should be able to see droplets of water forming on it, you may use a jar tied below a corner of it to capture these drops or you can collect it yourself during/after they have formed. You can build much larger versions of this for potable water gathering and tutorials on this can be found easily online if that may interest you.

Store your fog water in glass containers and in the fridge, be sure to date and label to ensure you are using fresh water. Do not drink this water unless you set up the proper potable filtration systems.

Diffusing Fog

Often witches will find themselves tasked with fog being a hindrance rather than helpful. Its a dangerous weather condition especially for those on the road or at sea. 

Historically, sea witches would be asked to disperse fog for the safe return and port of sea vessels and the men upon them. Though it is difficult to find exact spells from these times, often broom or heather is used by facing the sea with it in hand and waving at the fog, putting energy into it and telling the fog to disperse. Other times it is said using a broom/besom to summon winds to remove the fog was a preferred way.

Other options for witches is to sing a fog removal song and often dance accompanied with it and with either a besom or wand in hand, direct the fog to travel away from you and somewhere else. Other witches have found success in praying and working with weather deities to move the fog back to the sky or to lead it away.

Omens, Superstitions and Dreams

In omens it is said fog represents blindness. It blocks our ability to see clearly and makes normal directions seem impossible to follow. It can go hand in hand with confusion and the feelings of anxiety. When fog appears in visions it is to be seen often as a warning that things are about to get just that - foggy.

Though it is also related to shrouding oneself, it may be a sign that it is time for you to create a fog about yourself and to build up those wards.

Superstition wise it was believed fog would steal people, often due to people getting lost in it and vanishing, because of this fog is seen as a warning of loss to come. Some cultures even associate it directly with death.

In dreams fog holds many meanings. If the fog is throughout the whole dream then it is a warning of deception. Someone is deceiving you and deep down you know it to be true. If you dream of being wrapped in fog and it is too thick to see through or escape it is often related to feeling that someone has stolen something from you. Dreaming of wandering in a foggy environment is a warning of dangers to come, keep on your toes. If you escape fog it means you are avoiding danger or theft.

If one dreams of fog just being around their head, eyes or following above them like a halo/hat, then it is an indication that you are lying to yourself. You are refusing to let yourself see the truth. It can also be a play of the saying “its all in your head” meaning you are overthinking a problem.

If you dream of fog and snow together, it is often said to be a dream related to sickness soon to come. Others say its a sign that illness of the mind and emotions is going to creep its way in.

If one dreams of their home, bedroom or apartment being filled with fog it is often taken as a bad omen and sign that a large family drama is soon to come.

Seeing a figure in fog in dreams can have different meanings. If it is someone that you know it means they may be hiding things from you or that you are going to have a fight with them in the near future. It can also indicate if you are in the fog and you see them outside of the fog, that you are guilty about something you did to them. Seeing a stranger in the fog or a shadow you do not recognize is often due to anxiety or fear in one’s waking life. They represent the unknown and the future to come, which you are currently stressed over. Animals in the fog can represent both anxieties and fears looming about you but also can represent that you a repressing your own desires and natural wants.

If you see fog rolling in from the distance of a dream it means something is looming in your waking life. If fog starts descending down on you in a dream from the sky to the ground, many take this as a bad omen for travel especially by air or sea. Historically it is said a foggy sea in your dreams means a shipwreck in your future. Though fog over a lake or river means dream-like wonder and is said that young women who dream of this can expect a mysterious stranger in their future.

Fog and Different Types of Witchcraft

Sea Witchcraft - Fog is often seen as more of a hindrance in ocean magick, especially historically when fog at sea or port could be rather hazardous and bring tragedy to many. Due to this, fog in sea magick is often used for more negative tasks like cursing.

Storm Magick - Fog is often seen more in the light of a less harsh type of weather compared to storms or rain but still one that can be used to harness energy. The energy of foggy weather is much more mysterious, calm and hazy than that of storm or wind. It can be used for such purposes.

Death Magick - Fog is often related to the barriers of the other-side as some may say, so many death witches will take advantage of fog to use it to communicate and commune with the dead. Many report that it can make using tools of communication like Ouija boards and pendulums easier.

Divination - Often fog can be seen as a hindrance for divination though it is often deeply routed with self discovery and past life work. Many will take the opportunity of foggy weather to explore their past lives and the history of themselves and others. 

[fantastic-rambles]

Alive

Fandom: Psycho-Pass

Characters: Makishima Shougo

Warnings: None?

Word Count: <1k

Summary: As Makishima waits for Kougami at the top of the NONA Tower, he muses on everything that has led him to this moment. A short character study.

This world should be destroyed. It was impossible to pinpoint the first time the idea had occurred to him, or when it had grown into a conviction, the driving force behind his every action. But even from a young age, he'd never really recognized the system that refused to acknowledge him. And as he watched his peers simply continue onto the rails that had been laid out for them by a machine, without question or hesitation, that feeling had only grown stronger.

To have faith not in themselves, but in some impersonal algorithm, to merely acquiesce to the path of least resistance was something that Makishima could never understand. For the elites who were promised every luxury in exchange for their unquestioning obedience: how could they accept the crushing of their individuality for the sake of comfort? For the average citizens who were forced into simple drudgery: how could they be satisfied and unwilling to strive for more? And above all of that, the overarching fear for their mental state, of being labeled a latent criminal and pulled down into the darkness, with every right stripped from them, no matter who they had been before or how much they had achieved… did their souls not cry out against that indignity, beating their wings against the bars of the golden cage? At first, when his vague feelings had condensed into those thoughts, he'd hesitated, checking his Hue like any good citizen, thinking that he would be caught and forced into a medicated regimen that would erase his identity, or simply locked away for the rest of his life. But every time, it registered as clear as a cloudless sky. And thus, he had come to realize two possibilities: that Sybil either could not see who he really was, or that his way of thinking was simply correct. Not necessarily in terms of the thoughts themselves, seeing as many citizens were arrested for far less, but in his confidence in his beliefs that precluded any feelings of guilt or shame. Whichever was the case, the result was the same: he could move outside the purview of the system to pursue his goals. And that's exactly what he did, delving into the books that few read anymore while searching for like-minded comrades. Books from a time when the writers could speak more freely and reflect upon the imperfect but enthralling nature of humanity. People who could help him highlight the inherent flaws of the system and just how twisted their world had become. In both, he found the true distillation of the human spirit that Sybil sought to eliminate, ever striving and struggling for their own ends. Japan had become not a utopia, but a dystopia, fueled by its citizens' complacency, so the only way to wake them up was to destroy everything from the roots up, no matter the cost. In the end, he had decided that the fastest way to do that was to immerse them in the mire, to show them that their oh-so-vaunted Sybil had not really changed anything or made them safer. As discontent--or as it was called now, "stress levels"--increased, it would be the catalyst for change. Of course, if he could get close enough to simply destroy Sybil altogether, that was the ideal situation, but he knew it wouldn't be easy. So he and his collaborators gnawed at its foundations from the edges, until they had finally reached this pivotal moment. The sounds of combat pulled him from his thoughts and the sight of unrest in the city. Of course, he knew exactly who was pursuing him: it was why he had come here while sending Choe Gu-sung to fulfill the most critical role in their plans. If it was anyone else, he might have gone himself instead, but Gu-sung was no disposable pawn, unlike many of the others he had used to get here. He might even be the only one Makishima truly trusted, now that Touma was gone. But the man who waited for him now was much different, and yet, perhaps the closest to his spirit. He'd been impressed by Kougami ever since Oso Academy: even though they stood diametrically opposed to each other, Makishima was certain that they understood each other intimately. It was unfortunate that the Enforcer showed no interest in joining them, though it was understandable. Even so, when he finally came face to face with the man for the first time, Makishima felt a thrill that blew away his world-weariness. It seemed only fitting that at the end of it all, one of them would perish at the hands of the other. He even thought that he wouldn't mind if he were to be the one on the ground, with his life trickling away, because the decision to kill him would be Kougami's own will: not Sybil's, not the Bureau's, but the man's own deep, dark desires. Yes, only with Kougami did he ever really feel alive. It truly was a pity that he'd have to kill him.

[feather-dancer]

Now Ghosts he left behind Chapter 3 has been out nearly a couple of weeks suppose now is an acceptable amount of time to go on about ~*themes*~ that have been cropping up in the fic so far that aren’t at all plot relevant but are still important things I want to do justice to: LGBT+ rep and mental health particularly centred around anxiety. Understandably the following will contain spoilers I can’t avoid it, sorry!

~~~

Mental health

It probably doesn’t come as too big a surprise on the latter front, after all in the second chapter of the Strickler fic I tagged for unhealthy coping mechanisms which are loosely based on my own which also happened to have a reference at the end of the second chapter in Ghost!AU showing how far he’d come since then. Now I’ve read some excellent fics on the PTSD front, a few on dysphoria regarding the change from human to half troll but in regards to anxiety many seem to fall into the trap of thinking somebody is a bit more skittish or that it just gives you a more nervous nature. As somebody who has generalised anxiety myself, I really wish it was that simple.

In this fic’s case the anxiety is being heavily tangled in the dysphoria of the change where he’s left alone to process everything while being hit with reminders of what he no longer is thus putting more fuel on the pyre as a result. In a stressful situation (Sometimes not even then!) it can get stuck in a loop of self-created belief such as here Merlin kept him away deliberately though we know this isn’t the case and will warp reality/memories to fit like how he misremembers that Merlin also said his visions are imperfect if there’s nothing to snap you out of it then those spirals often lead to panic attacks or worse a full breakdown. Here his brain is trying to make sense of the impossible, jumping to the most logical conclusion it can come up with and through bad luck has this very wrong thought process that he’s a threat to everyone else. Having been on one or two of these they really do suck! Quite often dissociation goes hand in hand whether you’re aware of it happening or not and thus far he’s had a couple bouts that he’s dubbing blackouts currently. There is also the classic ‘background’ noise variant where for no real reason your fight / flight reflex is jammed on when it feels like it though Jim as shown by the CBD techniques at the start of chapter 3 is doing his best to keep a handle on those spiking too far and Claire mentions he taught her a few to help out to show that his friends know and he is able to talk about it without feeling the need to hide in plain sight every waking moment. If you’re forced to stealth you get frighteningly good about hiding full blown panic attacks and it’s not a healthy situation to be in.

On Toby’s end he mentions a specific situation where anxiety was likely involved before Jim was diagnosed. In it when confronted with a situation option a was bad, option b was worse and there was no good outcomes because his brain got stuck on those. He also mentions being moral support helping get Jim into a position that he would be able to go home but refused to leave him alone until he was sure he was okay. It’s worth pointing out he figured the reason everything kicked off was the ‘problem’ of coming out to Barbara and her not reacting well (Which was an understandable conclusion!) and only later realised anxiety was what made the entire thing even worse and he unintentionally did the right thing to help. Barbara also mentions Jim being on medication for it, the original ones to mysteriously stop working which are implied to be while Toby was pretending to be Jim then moved onto another treatment which was brought up via Strickler’s concern about going cold turkey. As much as anxiety freaking sucks I felt it was important to show that nothing in relation to it is treated as abnormal, it is simply life with having your brain being a bit on the funky side and that sometimes makes you think illogically. It’s not your fault when it happens.

~~~

LGBT+

When I began writing this fic one thing I wanted from the get go is that characters who are LGBT+ are not forced into a scenario created by the plot to out them to the reader/someone else nor signposted in a cheap way to score points because even when you’re with friends who know you’re not saying it every two seconds and even more so when in a stressful circumstance where your son/best friend is currently missing. With this thought in mind, Jim has always been written as Trans but prior to Chapter 3 I simply had no way to bring it up because right now he’s too busy freaking out about being a half troll to notice if anything is different and on this same coin, Claire is Bi while Toby is Pan with a bonus order of trying to figure himself out. There’s others too! Sadly much like confirming Jim is also Bi I’ve not had a way to naturally bring it up as yet if I will at all but they are being written with it in mind.

Jim was a trickier one to bring up because he’s not about to vouch for himself so it was a much easier route to instead hint drop and hope one if not all of them clicked with a reader who he is without any of them being done in a way that could come across as dickish. Barbara got the first two with mentioning Jim should know better about using a given name in regards to Not!Enrique and a second one in regards to another form of medication he’s taking but because she didn’t know if Strickler knew (Incidentally he does) thus she deliberately phrased it vaguely and was ready for the possibility of upset without outing her son because she’s a good parent!! Toby is who gets the rest through a roundabout way mentioning how bad his pre-medicated anxiety could be when he came out as mentioned in the previous section and a second time where he says he didn’t care what he looked like because Jim is always Jim to him. The final important note was how he specifically said that he would not second party exactly what happened because it’s Jim’s choice if he tells her or not. We love and support good friends in this house.

Then there was the inclusion of the river troll Trisantona who is marked as non-binary by calling themselves the child of and the kids think absolutely nothing of it and are more annoyed with their attitude than anything else. Personally I see many trolls and changelings particularly very eh about gender and wanted a little implication they are far from the first troll they’ve encountered who doesn’t fit a human binary so it doesn’t even register as unusual. 

In Claire’s case she had two hints, the first bring a straight joke because it might be low hanging fruit but it’s hilarious I can’t help it while the second was her commentary on Toby’s reactions to name drops because she couldn’t resist teasing him. Small but both very deliberate.

Toby in the meanwhile has been having hint drops since chapter 2 which has only continued in how he keeps comparing reactions Claire is causing to what Jim does to him then you get him openly telling Claire about how it feels like his heart is a bunch of apartments and can the world stop having so many good-looking people in it. That ties in with the two mentions of doing research for a word he hasn’t quite got yet but he’s mostly been sidetracked by everything going on right now.

Homophobia, biphobia and particularly transphobia is rife and only increasing in this country where it feels like every week it’s only getting worse. While in the grand scheme of things it’s probably inconsequential it is important to be the change you want to see in the world. Mine? Even in this mess of an angst fic I want to showcase LGBT+ peeps who are treated as they should be with love and support by friends, family and strangers alike. Being Trans, Bi or whichever label that particular character uses it is simply part of who they are and not a character trait slapped on afterwards for easy points plus if I see one more fic where a Trans character gets outted to others without their consent because the author figured that’s the only way you can do it I’ll go feral.

In a completely unrelated note Douxie is non-binary Panromatic Ace in everything I write and anybody who doesn’t like that can suck it.

[ourrightside]

10 Reasons Why Carrie Bradshaw Wasn’t THAT Bad...

Sex and the City is the most elite series I’ve ever watched - and I was so excited to purchase the first season when I turned 18.

I would listen to my mom and my sister gossip about the show when I was younger and feel so left out. But, my mom would refuse to let me watch it until I became an adult. Thank god.

Being an avid fan now, I sometimes scan through Sex and the City articles on the net, and can’t help but notice dozens of articles filled with ‘Carrie’ slander - which kind of makes me nervous.

Although it was true that years ago girls were labeling themselves as the ‘Carrie’, ‘Samantha’ and ‘Charlotte’ of the group - the serious and less glamorous friend got stuck with being a ‘Miranda’; it is kind of an insult now to be deemed as a Carrie. 

As we all matured, we realized that being a Miranda is amazing and we should all strive to be just as successful - but Carrie Bradshaw is still a valid character and I’m here to prove why the “sexual anthropologist” is not all that bad. 

Now before I dive into why I totally get Carrie Bradshaw, I would just like to point out before hand that I am aware that she is just a fictional character and hopefully you are too. If you are not informed, then I apologize for this harsh revelation. However, let’s continue. 

1. She was average looking

While we can all agree that her physique only gets stronger and leaner throughout the series, she was still not exactly perfect looking. Despite her fit body, she was not model like or necessarily tall. She did not have a perfect nose. She did not have the biggest ‘lady parts’. She did not have the plumiest lips. She did not have perfect facial symmetry.

But, she was okay with it. And has mentioned that by the age of 30, she was over being uncomfortable with her looks and decided to move on.

Despite constantly bumping into models and having to accept that men can be total “modelizers” - especially in the capital of the world aka manhattan, she chose to embrace her natural beauty, which in turn has allowed her to walk the runway in her underwear.

2. She was selfish 

Yes, the new trend is to be selfish and say no - because that is ‘self love’.

If that truly is the case, then there was no denying then that Carrie was selfish throughout the series.

As human beings, we are selfish by nature. But since we now identify ourselves in societies with expected norms and values, being selfish disqualifies you sometimes from your environment. To avoid being lonely, we try to let go of being selfish or at least hide our selfish traits.

Unfruitfully so, our selfish instincts at times fail us - exposing our true colors. And whenever that happens, people aren’t too afraid of pointing out what you did wrong. It doesn’t make us necessarily evil, just makes us human.

To avoid being Freudian in this post, let’s just sum up that Carrie is harmlessly selfish at times - that includes being late to every event, asking her friend Susan Sharon if she could trade in her cashmere sweater birthday gift for cash, accepting a pair of 600$ shoes from her other super rich friend, and cutting off Charlotte’s possible infertility problem discussion to talk about her Manolos.

The list goes on, I mean - this is just classic Bradshaw behavior. However, this character cannot be deemed as bad. She was just under the spotlight, and if we were under it too, we would find out that we do have these moments as well without realizing it. We are not perfect. However, Carrie does reflect on her mistakes often, which is something we should be doing more. 

Sometimes, her selfish tendencies can really get out of hand. 

It was not okay when she got angry at Charlotte who did not offer to lend her money after she blew it all off on Manolo Blahnik shoes instead of rent. It was not okay when she threw away Aiden down the drain. It was not okay when she slept with a married man, even if it was ‘Mr. Big’.

We cannot shame her though because we all have hidden skeletons in our closets...it’s up to you however to peak in and see which faults make it or break it for you. 

3. She was a working woman 

No offense to chastity ball princess Charlotte, who wanted to be a housewife to any rich man who crossed path with her, Carrie Bradshaw was by all means an ‘all star’ business woman. Despite being unconventional unlike Samantha Jones (PR executive) and Miranda Hobbes (Harvard-graduate Lawyer), Carrie Bradshaw was a restless woman that worked in multiple fields all at once despite being so undermined.

She had so many tasks to tackle all at once while juggling multiple projects. She ran around between the fields of Journalism, Content Marketing and Public Relations. She was able to get invited into all the ‘fabulous’ events and meetings because of the hard work she invested in all by herself as a freelancer who lived in a huge place like New York. Carrie finally reached her goal at the age of 40, which was working at Vogue. She even wrote multiple books as well.

4. She was unconventional

Despite the show running in the early 90s, Carrie Bradshaw decided to be a sex columnist. She never gave up on her weird unconventional job and was proud of her career despite the looks or comments people would make. She had a weird exterior in addition to how upfront she was about the physical makings of life.

In addition, Carrie did not believe in marriage until she became a fiancée at the age of 40. She traded in a ring for a pair of shoes and a walk-in closet, unlike most women, who would rather get married in their mid 20 to early 30s with a huge rock on their finger. 

5. She was struggling at adulting

Carrie Bradshaw had a deluded concept of adulting that at least most of us had or still struggle with. She was not a healthy adult with financial stability and a well thought out regime. However, she still managed to be fabulous.

She had poor dieting habits, which made her sometimes skip dinner to buy Vogue instead. She believed that shopping and gossiping were the best types of cardio. She was not the cleanest and had a messy apartment at most times. She did not care about the way her living space looked like, which she later on freaked out about in fear of being judged as an imperfect adult according to Mr Big. She paid so much on shoes that she could no longer afford her rent. She believed that investments must be seen in her closet. She drank at least six dollars worth of coffee per day. She would smoke and drink way too much for a thirty year old woman.

6. She was a good friend

Carrie Bradshaw had so many friends that it almost put her PR bestie Samantha to shame. To be honest, Carrie may have not been a perfect friend, but she was as good as it gets realistically.

What made her so realistic in her friendships was her ability to be there for most of her friends’ hardships. She had her ups and downs with her empowered female group because sometimes they would feel like she was too problematic and vice versa. For the most part, it is impossible to be as passionate to your friends as you once were the first time you guys met. But what makes a friend a good one is that they never voluntarily try to find excuses to leave you behind.

Carrie’s love towards her friends in her good and bad times showed that she valued them like family. 

7. She was lost

Carrie was probably more lost than she would have liked to be. She had a tendency to dwell on what should have been and could have been. We all have regrets and sometimes she voiced hers out more than other characters within the show. She would sometimes yearn over the years that passed by her. She even went to extremes such as dating a college boy just to remember what it was like to ‘just kiss’. Rookie Mistake, Carrie.

Just like Carrie, as time goes by at any age, we look back at the spur of events that created our timeline and take note sometimes of which events we deem as either life-changing, traumatizing or both.

8. She was experimental 

She may not have been as promiscuous as her friend Samantha, but she was unarguably adventurous in all aspects of her life. Although the most obvious aspect may have been her outfits, her wild colors and funny textural accessories were just a preview on how eccentric Carrie Bradshaw truly was. She mentioned that her younger years were a genuine pursuit of fun in every shape or form, which most twenty-something-year-olds cannot deny.

She emphasized that she fears living life as a cautious person because of the hurt she has endured. However, she truly defined throughout the show what it means to be eccentric, empowering the ones who fail the experiments of life to get back on their feet. 

9. She was flawed

Carrie Bradshaw believed in the glass half full rather than half empty throughout the series. Despite being unbearably flawed to the point where her friends no longer wanted to listen to her problems, she decided to see a shrink which is something that would have been especially socially-unacceptable in the 90s. Carrie still overcame her mental issues and found other remedies which in turn has led her into accepting the way things played out. 

As we grow up, we, like Carrie, need a little bit of help in order to realize that temporary issues will fade away into lessons and the permanent ones that are out of our control can be accessorized into our lives accordingly to the way that we want it to look like.

10. She was in love

Her love towards Mr Big was illogical - almost completely insane. But what made her character so special was the fact that she never continued her relationship with Aiden because she knew deep down that it was Mr Big all along and never gave up on it; despite all the signs that kept telling her that he was bad for her. He was at the time indeed bad news, which made her feelings towards him fluctuate between love and hate.

Now, the psychology behind her and Mr Big does not justify why you should call your ex right now so put your phone down, but it is something to think about. 

Carrie took the road not taken for most women, especially during the 90s where gender roles in love where still a bit rigid. While it is true that it is always easier to date lovers who make the effort to chase you rather than pursuing it yourself, the easiness does not create the ‘fairytale love’ that most of us strive for.

Carrie once described her love towards him as a crash rather than a crush. But if something deep down is telling you that someone is your person, shouldn’t that account for something? Shouldn’t we all just go for ‘ ridiculous, inconvenient, time-consuming can’t-live-without-each-other love’, and get it right just like she did?

- Nina xx (yasminasayyid)

[alchemist-shizun]

I saw you in a dream. (Then it came to an end.)

Read on Ao3!

Happy belated birthday to one of the best people in the world: @lance-alt! I promised I’d do something for you on Monday, but of course I have to make people wait for the juicy stuff. (read: the juicy stuff will be your tears after this, probably.) Love you bro!

General taglist: @whizzie72 @sapphire-knight @burningpersonflapsuitcase @softanxiouspatton @royallyanxious @kim-argent-moon @lance-alt (tell me if you want to be added or removed)

Taglist: @unsocialchapeau

Word Count: 2,626

Characters: mainly Remus, Logan, Deceit, Roman, (mentioned Virgil)

Pairing(s): onesided!Intrulogical, implied Loceit

Warning(s): Angst. So much angst. Also unresolved angst. Yelling, Swearing. Might be a bit ooc cause I can’t write Remus the way I’d like.

Summary: What do we not do for a loved one? What do we not do for the sake of a friendship? What do we not do to make sure we destroy ourselves in favor of others? And how exactly did Remus think he was going to be perfectly fine?

A/N: I am not sorry. This is a human AU btw. Enjoy! :3

❝Though I am bruised

Face of contusions

Know I’ll keep moving❞

Remus would have never blamed D.

It was middle school, and middle schoolers were widely known for their passion of brushing off specific people who didn’t appear quite as appropriate for themselves in their eyes.

He had always been a devastating tornado according to those around him, unable to be tamed unless given space to burst until not even a gentle breeze was left to tickle his skin.

D, on the other hand, knew how to be cool and poised, but that didn’t mean his nature was the one of an innocent puppy.

No, better yet, he was more like a domesticated beast.

That truly gave the teachers a hard time, because once combined they became inseparable and never really ceased to meddle with them.

And yet … students were most definitely inclined to avoid Remus at best, while when it came to D only curious and interested glances were given.

Remus would have never blamed him though, D didn’t even realize how far better they were treating him compared to his friend. He only focused on how close-minded people still were in there.

Who was he not to join in his complaining?

Everything would have been fine with him for as long as their friendship stayed that way. A messy supportive two-participants family.

It felt like a welcoming and roaring fire at the same time, the chaos they brought just with their understanding looks and smirks.

They knew they were going to end up with a long lasting friendship and they were proud to remind those around them by never losing sight of each other at school.

And it was okay that way, with only just D accepting him the way he was, he didn’t really need much else.

Until that cursed afternoon.

There was an extracurricular sort of contest their school held right after lessons every year, but Remus could barely remember what it even was about

All he remembered was that damned marvellous thoughtful and focused expression when he looked a bit to his left to the boy sitting next to him.

Oh, the irony.

It had been right then that it had hit him. That maybe … maybe there was already something else. A something that transformed into something more with every little bit of interaction they shared.

Roman knew him, they were in the same class, and he had to complain at least once a day about how unnerving the guy was, always challenging him do debates Roman was so inclined to win that it took a third party member, Virgil, to separate them.

How the three of them were still close friends after three years was still a mystery to many.

So that was when he first heard about Logan.

But his brother and him weren’t exactly known for having the safest household in the world, so inviting friends over was a hard no. Then, the actual first time Remus had seen him was when he entered middle school that year.

At first he hadn’t obviously realized his crush, but after he had spent the minimal amount of time with Logan, it was so blatant that even he couldn’t deny it to himself.

He could have also labelled it as the first time someone other than his brother and D had recognized him as another human other than a weird poltergeist to avoid. There was a way he spoke with that low tone and thoughtful arguments that would have probably made him melt right on the spot. Or maybe it was his sharp features, or the way he thought he had looked at him that one time.

Remus was deep down the river at the base of the cliff, the tip of his hair barely managing to be untouched by the water.

Damn Roman. Damn Roman and his storytelling, and how Remus had always rooted for Logan in their discussions, how he had already taken a liking into him and had already doomed himself.

It was break, fifteen minutes of pure relaxation, and Remus and D had already spent the first five minutes together, trying to get away from the stress of the ending of the first term.

D’s eyes lit up as they turned a corner, Remus followed his gaze as he spoke.

« Hey! Why is this the first time I see you since school started? » a toothy smile displayed on his lips. It was almost as bright as the one he reserved to him.

« Your cousin is impossible to move from his seat. » Logan’s crystalline voice cleared. « So Roman and I mostly stay in class with him. »

« Ugh, » D rolled his eyes. « I apologize on his behalf. » he didn’t hide the fond tone when he talked, though.

« No, it’s quite alright by us. » had he ever not turned to Remus, maybe he wouldn’t have regretted meeting Logan in the long run. « Oh, I didn’t even introduce myself properly the other day. » he stretched out his hand. « I am Logan. »

« I know. »

Panic.

Fuck. Fuck what did you just say, why. Now he’ll think you’re creepy, too.

D put an arm around his shoulders. « Yeah, he’s Roman’s brother. » perhaps a saviour? « And sometimes he’s just as dense as him. »

Remus scoffed. « Lies. I’m a better idiot than him. »

That got a chuckle out of both. He felt delighted.

As he saw Logan about to withdraw his hand, Remus took it almost instantly.

Oh my god what the fuck are you doing?

« I’m Remus. » the bell rang and maybe his ears were too.

« My pleasure. » Logan conceded before letting go and starting to backtrack to his class. « I’ll see you two around. »

And as fast as he arrived, he was gone.

Like a blurry hallucination or those spots you see when you get up too fast from the couch.

The rest of the day-

Well, he didn’t remember much anymore.

Maybe the fact that he and Logan did actually have something in common.

When there was a group of three, there would always be the two that shared the stronger chemistry. And if Logan didn’t feel as close to Roman and Virgil, Remus sure as heck knew if anyone interacted with D and him, he would have felt like something was off most of the times.

There were flashes of memories that crossed his mind ever since Logan had left middle school to start his first year of high-school.

Most were all the meet ups they had with D during break, the glances he caught and buried deep down in his heart, the laughter of all three of them, how their dynamics colliding were actually definitely working well together.

What he remembered mostly were the furtive tears that were shed on their last day.

He never told D about that.

It was when he went home that he couldn’t have hidden it from Roman any longer. His brother had affirmed that he had been crying even more than himself, which was saying a lot.

So the words came out like a destructive flood, deleting with a burning strength all the hopeful thoughts.

« Rem, listen here. » Roman, thankfully, had spoken up before his mind would have travelled down risky paths. « Not seeing each other almost everyday doesn’t mean you won’t be friends any longer. »

He had only looked up from the pavement. Were he to look back at this memory years after he’d have thought himself to be pathetic.

« And you can definitely meet after school whenever you want. If our parents won’t let you, I’ll come with. »

And that they did, slowly trying to gain their parents’ trust to let them go out by themselves until they were both attending high-school.

Another three years would have passed before the lethal “last day” would come again, but the trio made sure to imprint the best memories together while they had the time.

Only that the most unexpected things happen at the worst times.

Remus and D were both in the third year; things seemed to be going smoothly as ever, between all the tests and mental breakdowns for said tests, Remus would have never thought to cross the threshold of his school and be met with loud yelling not too further away from his class.

Normally he wouldn’t have really cared much.

Unless the two subjects were Logan and D. Which they were. Which had also made him pale with a horrible feeling in his guts.

He couldn’t make out what they were saying as the screaming in his thoughts didn’t leave him alone.

« MIT, Logan. Seriously! You’re insane! »

« I had my reasons! »

D scoffed and put his face in his hands for a beat. « Refusing because of your friendships is not a valid reason! »

Remus was confused. He really didn’t want to be there at all.

« It is when you don’t want to lose them. »

« You wouldn’t have, you idiot! »

« Guys what’s- »

« There is a reason if we’re friends! »

« -going …? » he could see the profound rage in D’s caramel irises. One glance and you’re dead.

« You didn’t trust us to maintain our friendship, did you? Is that why you refused the international internship? »

« That’s absurd, that’s not what I mean! »

« It sounds a lot like it’s exactly what you mean! »

Remus connected the dots.

Friendship. MIT. International internship. Logan had refused to be an intern abroad only because of them. He had been too afraid to loose them as friends if he were to be away too long.

And, of course, D was mad about his lost opportunity. He would have never admit it at that moment, but he felt guilty, too.

« You sure talk a lot and pretend you’re smart but, really, you’re just as stupid sometimes. »

The look in Logan’s eyes changed.

Oh no. Oh no no no no.

« Fine then. I’ll keep on being stupid on my own. » he walked away in a instant, steps long and furious, opposing the low tone of his voice, but matching the seething fire in his chest.

« D- »

« Please, don’t. » D looked at him with broken eyes. « I’m fine. We’re fine. I’ll see you during break, okay? »

Remus only nodded and headed to his own class. He pretended he didn’t feel awful as he walked by the door to Logan’s own class.

It was as D said. Fine.

Everything was going to be okay.

Except it wasn’t, because that was the last time both of them talked with Logan.

The two wouldn’t even look at each other and Remus couldn’t help but side with D. That meant he wouldn’t have interacted with the older boy either.

And so time passed … months. Avoiding each other when all you ever wanted was to share at least a single word.

It wasn’t okay. It wasn’t fine at all, it hurt so much and Remus didn’t know how longer he would have been able to handle it.

Yet, he was too afraid to do anything. He wouldn’t have wanted to loose D’s friendship too because of a reckless action. And he did lots of them. So, for once, he stayed put and let the Fates do their work.

Which ended into the fight remaining unresolved, Logan graduating from high-school and both of them never meeting him again.

Roman had tried to bring up the argument multiple times, but Remus had decided to bury everything deep down and avoid ever bringing it up.

Like a ghost, Logan appeared to exist only in his mind. A mind that he didn’t seem to want to leave. Even despite all that had been going down his ridiculously tough teenage life.

Remus and D had no idea how they made it through the final exams.

They also had no clue how they almost completely lost contact after the beginning of university.

Maybe it wasn’t loneliness he felt after that. Maybe it was more disappointment.

It wasn’t like it was anyone’s fault, though. Their lessons never matched, so during the week it was almost impossible to meet, sometimes they had jobs in the weekend to pay for apartments nearby their universities.

Texts became a burden they both forgot to remember to answer, it was as if anything was a priority to socializing and it was driving them insane.

Even sad.

Then one day, out of the blue, D had texted him in a way he hadn’t done in too long. He sounded greatly excited and he had told Remus he needed to meet him as soon as possible.

He had a surprise!

Remus was radiant that day, finally getting the chance he deserved to recover their friendship.

It was a Friday afternoon, he was walking down the street towards the place they had agreed on to meet.

D was right in front of him. But enough meters away so that he couldn’t recognize yet the person walking alongside him. Remus narrowed his eyes, almost squeezing them shut at some point. Did the sun have to be so bright right above them that day?

He put a hand on his forehead to shield his vision.

He wished he didn’t.

Not because the guy next to D was Logan.

Not because his heart made three somersaults before twisting one last time as though he fell in love all over again at once, hitting his chest like a violent wind in a snowstorm.

Not because he was smiling so wide his face would have fallen off any second.

But because, as his eyes focused and examined their figures, he noticed the details.

Like their joined hands, fingers intertwined the way he would have wanted to but had never been brave enough to do.

How they looked lovingly at each other before turning back to him.

His own smile faltering for a second and then going back as it was before. Normal, sure, but fake. Fake, but not blatant enough to be discovered.

He couldn’t do this to them.

And sure he was going to be happy for them right? They had been friends. He was going to survive by internalizing everything in himself, right? He was going to forget about all his feelings in favour of his closest friends. That was the right thing to do.

It happened to everyone.

It did.

He could survive.

Hurting in the process, but he could.

The day went by in an instant, a terrible, calamitous and painstakingly long instant in which he hoped he had been hallucinating all along.

Remus had wiped everything he had seen while on his way home. He forcefully removed any kind of thought in his head so he could bask in the numbness until the silent chaos of the world around him stopped making sense.

He threw the door to his home open.

Except that it wasn’t his home and that he had somehow gotten to Roman’s own apartment, red eyes adorning his face in a brutally doleful expression.

His brother was immediately at his side, arms wrapped around his chest, with an understanding look in his eyes and anticipation for the tears to come.

He had known about Logan and D getting together before Remus, so he had seen something like that coming.

Yet Roman didn’t know it would’ve hit him hard too, seeing his brother so broken.

So he let Remus cry his soul out, while nothing else could have been done.

Dreaming, perhaps.

That was all he had left.

[spinnerofrubies]

Being is your most important task right now – there is no doing involved!  Being is to accept yourselves in this moment . . . and this moment . . . and this moment, without judgment or negative self-assessment of any kind.

The vast majority of humans have learned during their formative years that they must do or not do certain things in order to be accepted and loved by their parents, siblings, families, and teachers or caregivers.  Just being is discouraged because it appears that there is so much that needs to be done, and that hard work is an essential aspect of a successful life, while doing nothing is seen as a waste of time, as laziness.

To a certain extent this is a valid concept.  However, and for vast numbers of people, work has become life’s purpose – even though they may often dream of being free, of having holidays away from the stress of normal daily living – thus separating them from the fullness of their being!  Being is who you are, and if you do not allow yourselves to spend plenty of time just being – and most of humanity does not – you cannot know yourselves.

When you were born into human life, the life of form, your memory of who you really are was lost to you.  This is because of that long ago choice to experience separation from Source.  If you retained your memory you would not experience separation.  However, Source knows that not only is separation impossible, and that therefore the experience of separation is harmless, She also knows that that experience is something you would – eventually – choose to terminate, and so your collective awakening process was established at the precise instant that you chose to experience separation, in order that it would be there for you to avail of as soon as you chose to do so.

Now vast numbers of you are making the choice to terminate the experience of separation, and in that choice you are finding or uncovering within yourselves the awakening process.

It has always been there.

God did not choose to have you spend millennia incarnating and incarnating and incarnating as you sought the way Home.  He placed it within you, clearly marked and labeled, so that when you chose to awaken the means was there.

Because you had chosen the separation experience that too was there for you, and although it presented you with a multitude of lessons to learn which seemed to insist that you undergo many incarnations to complete the learning process, there was and is no requirement for you to do so.

Over the eons humanity became addicted to the distractions and excitements of the separation experience – duality, right versus wrong, good versus evil, love versus fear – that being in form made possible, and you came to believe that one life in form was all that you would get, so you had better make the most of it.

Yes, many cultures established myths and religions that spoke of an afterlife, and of the karmic necessity for many reincarnations, but those too were distractions.

You are, each and every one of you – in every moment of your existence – One with Source, Love, Mother/Father/God in your own unique and individual way, and so you will each find or uncover your own unique way Home to that state of eternal knowing.

The myths and religions were helpful at times, they were like incompleted maps which offered some directions, but which needed to be individualized as each of you was on a different spot on that map.  But over time many of them they became power structures, which some used to control others with judgments of what was right and wrong, and with severe punishments imposed by the ‘authorities’ on this who refused to conform.

Now, as you move along through the awakening process toward Home, you are rediscovering your God-given sovereignty, your divine right to choose your own unique path.  Only your path will work for you.  

People are, therefore, breaking away from the bonds and restrictions of organized religions, with their idea of one path for all, and the judgments they have established to validate the truth of that, and of what is right or wrong.  They are coming to the realization that, yes, there is only Love, and that the only rule is to be loving at all times.

As you have been told so often, Love never judges or condemns, Love always accepts.  Those who live lovingly never intentionally harm or seek to harm or offend anyone.

When someone judges you or offers you uncalled for advice or guidance they are not offering you Love.  However, when someone listens to you compassionately without offering advice or guidance, she allows you to find yourself within yourself, if you choose to listen to yourself, hear yourself, understand what you have said, and then truly look within.

Looking within is the key to finding your awakening process, but many have been so traumatized, and have buried so much pain and suffering deep within themselves, that they are constantly seeking distraction from that insistent but very quiet call to go within.

They are terrified of what they will find there.  Yes, they will uncover shame, blame, unworthiness, and memories of unloving behaviors that have hurt them badly and with which they have harmed or hurt others.  But then, with the loving assistance of their individual support teams in the spiritual realms, they will be able to come to an understanding of why all this occurred, and through that understanding will be able to see the invalidity of those negative self-judgments, allowing them to forgive themselves, and any others who have harmed or shamed them.  The knowing that they are God’s beloved children will arise and confirm itself, and then they will be able to release their hold on the buried guilt and shame that they have been carrying for so long.

By releasing these burdens they allow and invite Love to embrace them, which It does instantly, and the result is an intense sense of inner peace, self-acceptance, and love for all.  It is the dropping or discarding of an enormously heavy and energy-draining burden or load, that serves neither them nor anyone else, and a marvelous experience of lightness and peace replaces it, as all the shoulds and musts, or shouldn’ts or mustn’ts just fall away, and, often for the very first time, the person feels FREE, ALIVE and filled with joy for life.

This is your natural state as a human, but it has been hidden, buried, unavailable because of all those invalid negative beliefs about yourselves that the various traumas you have undergone have ingrained deep within you.  Self-acceptance is essential, it is your path Home, and it is also, of course, the wonderful realization that Mother/Father/God, Source, Love is your nature, that you are One with That, and that THAT is YOU!

Humanity is awakening, and the realization of that ONENESS is dawning every day on more and more of you.  The evidence of this is available for all to see because of the ability that each has to cruise the world-wide-web and meet others who, like themselves, are enthusiastically choosing to awaken.

Do not engage with the ongoing dramas with which the mainstream and social media flood the airwaves in order to distract you.

Choose not to spend inordinate amounts of time checking phones, emails, and your favorite news sources, because doing so is extremely addictive.  Instead set a precise and very brief time period no more than twice daily – morning and evening, perhaps – to learn what you feel you need to know about local or world affairs, and then get on with LIFE.

The miracle that is life reveals itself to you in every moment if you pay attention by being mindful, instead of engaging with the negative thought patterns that flow automatically and uninvited through your minds whenever you let your awareness stop being aware.

You are awakening, it is the divine Will that you do so, and the divine Will is always perfectly achieved.

Therefore let go of or release your tight and fearful grip on doubts and ‘what if’ thoughts that do not serve you, and allow the Love, that you and every conscious entity truly is, to embrace you, inspiring and uplifting you as you go about your daily lives in form.

Your loving brother, Jesus.

[yoakkemae-moved]

                         BEN GUILLORY’S NATAL CHART. 

Sun in Scorpio. 

Scorpios are known for their intensity. They are determined folk who positively throw themselves into whatever they do — but getting them to commit to something is rarely an easy task. In fact, it’s better not to even try to "get them" to do anything. Solar Scorpios undoubtedly have their own mind. And, their primary motivation is unlikely to be prestige (like their Capricorn friends), or even authority (Leos can have that, too)–it's real power. Their power can absolutely be of the “behind the scenes” variety, just as long as they have it!

As a Sun sign Scorpio, you are intense and have a powerful memory. You feel things deeply, and you retain your emotional memories longer than many. Scorpio is a Water sign, and you are unusually empathetic and perceptive, picking up on the tiniest of cues on emotional levels. You're able to read a person quickly and thoroughly. Scorpio is also from the Fixed family, and this endows you with endurance, tenacity, and loyalty.

To others, Scorpios seem to have plenty of willpower. They probably do. Scorpios do know what they want, and they won't go out and grab it at the wrong moment. They simply sit back, watch (quite expertly), and then get it only when the moment is just right. This apparent patience is, in fact, their powerful strategic skills at work.

Scorpio isn't afraid of getting their hands (their bodies, their minds) dirty. The darker side of life intrigues them, and they're always ready to investigate. With Scorpio as your Sun sign, you are "all in" when you choose to do something. You're there for people you love, and you are unafraid of the darker, deeper side of things.

Scorpios rarely give up. They have tremendous staying power. As a Scorpio, you are not in the slightest intimidated by anybody or anything -- at least that's how you come across.

Confrontations are not a problem. In fact, talk to any Scorpio about their lives, and you'll probably be in awe about all they've experienced. Upheaval, change, and intensity of experience may seem to follow them wherever they go. When a Scorpio is optimistic or learns optimism, instead of expecting the worst, they'll find that they possess amazing regenerative powers — the power to heal, create, and transform.

As a Scorpio, you are not a person who takes things (or people, relationships) lightly, and for you to be on board, you need to find personal meaning in whatever you do. You may discover that there are people who are intimidated by you since you tend to exude a particular intensity that may have some wondering and worrying how you feel about them. Once they get to know you, however, they realize that although you have strong feelings and opinions, you are exceedingly understanding.

Scorpio is known as a vengeful sign, probably due to that long memory and passionate nature mentioned above, but on the other side of the coin, they love deeply and don't give up on those they love without very good reason. Of course, learning to let go doesn't come easily to this sign, but it's far from impossible. In fact, the sign of Scorpio rules rebirth and transformation.

You are amazingly resilient, undeniably perceptive, and highly intelligent. You can be very shrewd when you need to be, and you love to draw up plans and strategies. You are extremely creative and enterprising, as well as daring and brave. Rarely pretentious, Scorpio is a sign that places tremendous value on authenticity.

Ascendant in Aquarius.

How unique and original you come across! With your Aquarius Ascendant, you are an unconventional individual and you won't let others forget that fact. Often turned to for advice, you possess intellectual poise and savvy. You are super curious about and quite learned in both science and metaphysics--anything that involves advancement of the human race holds much appeal.

Your personality is unusual and notable -- people notice you! You are interested in a wide range of issues and can interact without affectation with anyone from all walks of life. You are a natural leader and have a nonchalant look and manner. Because you may seem indifferent, impassionate, or intellectual, people may not immediately notice your loyalty.

It's hard to shock you! You've seen it all, or at least you want others to think you have. In fact, you often enjoy shocking people. Not that you are necessarily flamboyant by nature, but you do like to get a rise out of others, even if it's in a quiet way. Some people born with your Ascendant sign can be quietly provocative and irreverent.

Most people with an Aquarius Ascendant are quite friendly and likable. Your personality quirks generally go over quite well with others. You usually allow others quite a bit of freedom--accepting, as a rule, people from all walks of life as equals. And, your somewhat cool and detached curiosity about all that goes on around you appeals to most people.

You won't follow others blindly. While you are attracted to many different and unusual ideas, you need to experiment for yourself before coming to conclusions. You are highly resistant to being told what to do, think, or be.

Curiously, people like yourself who have Aquarius rising can be a little standoffish while also coming across as humanitarian and kind. Even if Aquarius isn't your Sun sign, people might, on first impression, see you as a person with Aquarian personality traits.

It's quite likely that you were labeled as the independent and original child, and you feel a little "different" or "special" throughout your life. You could often feel like you are on the outside looking in, and your ability to observe and deduce is often uncanny. You're also adept at getting things to work, even when the parts that make up the whole seem like a puzzle with unusual pieces--especially when it comes to groups of people. This sets you apart as a friend, manager, or team leader.

You believe in individual freedom and independence, and you refuse to conform just because people expect you to. Although you have progressive and often nontraditional viewpoints, you can also be quite stubborn and decided with your opinions.

If you are often considered the objective, unemotional one, then you can have some difficulty getting help when you need it most. Try not to overidentify with your image.

The Ascendant often reveals physical mannerisms and even choice of dress, as it shows how people present themselves to the world. With Aquarius here, you can have a certain quirkiness to your manner, and you might dress in a slightly offbeat manner--not enough to make you stand out like a sore thumb, but just enough to express your original temperament.

Sensitive parts of the body are the shins and ankles, and circulation, the nervous system, or eyesight can need attention.

Because you seem so open to new ideas, it may surprise others when they encounter your decidedly stubborn streak. Aquarius is a fixed sign, after all. The ascendant sign shows how individuals react to new situations, and with Aquarius rising, there can be a resistance to change that seems to belie your generally progressive nature. There's a distinct inflexibility with Aquarian rising people, and, sometimes, a tendency to want to force their opinions on others.

With your eye to the future of mankind as a whole, you might sometimes overlook the more personal needs of the people closest to you. You are often attracted to partners who possess self-confidence and ardor.

Moon in Sagittarius.

More than anything, you need personal freedom and space. You are extraordinarily happy and easygoing as long as you don't feel caged in or cooped up.

With your Moon in the sign of Sagittarius, you have a simultaneous need for activity. Meeting new people, going out in the world, and travel are all essential to your sense of well-being. You love open spaces, and, in your home, a roomy, light, and bright environment.

There's a bit of a teacher in you, and definitely a helpful spirit. You quickly forget appointments and the like, and some with this Moon position are even considered irresponsible. However, it's hard to stay angry at a Lunar Sagittarian! You are extraordinarily cheerful and upbeat, and your optimism is catchy.

Many people with this position are outdoorsy types. At the very least, you have a great love for changes of scenery and some disdain for the regular routine. You also enjoy friendly competition. You want to feel that you can grow and improve on an emotional level, and if you feel stifled in this respect, you're sure to get very antsy. You seek out knowledge, that's true, but also experience. There's a big world outside, and you're always aware of this fact.

When the going gets tough, you have a great need to run away! It's not that you're scared. In fact, you're a courageous person. However, you don't like to be caught up in routine for too long, and you simply need to escape situations that confine you. You'll be back when you feel refreshed and your spirit is renewed!

You also tend to skim the surface when it comes to feelings. You may prefer to avoid emotional intensity if it seems to drag you down. You're capable of becoming all fired up about ideas and situations, but you're disinclined to dwell on or genuinely explore the depth of your feelings or others' complicated emotions (unless your Moon is connected solidly to the eighth house or Pluto).

There's a blind faith in Lunar Sagittarians that is admirable. You simply believe that everything will work out. You may feel you have a guardian angel or powerful intuition that guides you. Not much for making detailed plans, you prefer to wing it. This can, at times, be disconcerting to those who are not as free-spirited as you and who'd prefer a bit of a head's up.

You are very adaptable and generally on the go. You're also hungry for knowledge, new experiences, and mind-expanding ideas. You are a great lover of the truth, and you'd make a wonderful, inspiring teacher. You're warm and spontaneous, and you're quick to jump in when others are still thinking about it!

Mercury in Sagittarius.

With Mercury in Sagittarius, you seek freedom. You communicate in an optimistic, forward-looking manner. Your ideas are often very big, but you're not always concerned about details. You have vision and mean well. In fact, you may want to change the world, and you're very excited about sharing your viewpoint.

Not always thrilled about taking care of routine matters, you prefer to expand your mental horizons through thinking and reading about larger subjects, like philosophy. Your thirst for knowledge is insatiable, but you have little patience for dry academics or cold, hard facts. Yours is a restless intellect. You learn best when you're allowed the freedom to think and discover for yourself, when you're genuinely interested in the topic at hand, and when the things you're learning are fun or meaningful.

Even though your definition of justice might bewilder some, you defend truth and freedom religiously. You're principled, and you love to share your views. Your optimism is both your strength and weakness. Your conversations are stimulating and invigorating, and you make life a little better for your positive, optimistic outlook. Sometimes, though, your optimism can be a bit blind to reality.

Organization, too, is not a forte of Mercury in Sagittarius. Who has the time for organizing anyhow? When the clutter around you becomes too unbearable, you're given to trashing or piling things instead of putting them in their rightful places. You do appreciate lots of room, or at least the illusion of space, when you're working, studying, or thinking. So, your office might look alright at first glance. Open up a drawer or a closet, however, and it may be bursting its seams!

Your discussions are always interesting. Others can't help but admire your enthusiasm. At your worst, you take to preaching instead of conversing. This may not be intentional and can get you into all kinds of trouble nonetheless. A good debate is hard for you to pass up. You think you're open-minded--and you are in many ways--but you can come across as quite moralistic at times, too. You'll be the first to spot bias or prejudice in everyone else's communications, but you can be a little blind to your own. You're not always the best listener, either, and not adept at picking up the subtleties in others' conversation as you enthusiastically communicate your viewpoint.

Bluntness of speech is a trademark of Mercury in Sagittarius. You become impatient with indirectness and beating around the bush. It baffles you, in fact! It may even piss you off for a while. A sure-fire way to get under your skin is by playing mind games with you.

When you're not fired up about some issue or another, you're fun-loving. You love to laugh, and it's usually pretty easy to get you giggling. You're forever curious, a bit prophetic, and you enjoy a hearty debate.

Venus in Libra.

With your Venus in the Cardinal Air sign, Libra, you impress others with your kindness, evenhandedness, and willingness to compromise -- you're ready to make your relationships work! You have a polished manner in love, which at times can give off the appearance of being insincere or superficial, but your interest in your relationships is genuine.

You are a gentle lover who hates to offend or be offended! You're bothered by bad manners or overly direct and abrasive expressions of feelings. You not only prefer to take the middle road, you seek the middle ground in your relationships. Your partners can expect to be treated fairly, and they're likely to fully appreciate your willingness to concede and adjust your life to fully accommodate them.

You may very well have an idealized image of your relationships, even to the point where said relationships become bigger than life, taking on a life of their own. You can become quietly resentful if you feel that you're being taken advantage of, and it may be all too easy for more aggressive types to bully you around because you're so fair. However, you won't take this kind of thing for too long--you simply believe in giving others chances and will do so up to a point.

Pleasing you involves treating you kindly. You love to share everything with a partner, and a person who makes you feel comfortable enough to do so is ideal. Foreplay for you can be mental -- you love to communicate with a partner about the relationship. In fact, sharing itself turns you on, and tactless or uncouth behavior is a turn-off.

Although you may seem to put up with a lot, it's vital that a partner remain fair with you. Over time, imbalance in your relationship is sure to hit you hard and make you gravely unhappy. You might even try to even the score in subtle, roundabout ways as you instinctively seek balance before you seek an "out." A partner would be wise not to let it come to that, and if they help you keep the scales balanced, you'll reward them with a partner who always puts themselves in their shoes and treats them exactly how they would like to be treated.

My Personal Ad Bio: "I'm just a nice person -- some say I'm too nice. I'm romantic and love good conversations. I will please you. All I ask for is fairness."

Venus in Libra people turn first to charm and last (if at all) to aggressive behavior to get what they want. While relationships are huge to you, there can be an air of cool detachment to your demeanor. You're very obliging with others--almost always ready and willing to negotiate and compromise--and this makes you one of the most gracious people around.

You can be especially idealistic about love. In fact, you prefer things be done the "right" way, and you're turned off by coarse or rude behavior. On the shadow side of this position are dependency, inconsistency, and superficiality. In an attempt to avoid unpleasant situations, people with this placement can easily gloss over deeper issues at play in their relationships. As such, it's probably good practice to avoid the trap of acquiescing to your partners but privately resenting the fact or thinking yourself a martyr for doing so, as these things can happen to the best of us but never amount to positive situations.

This is one of the more artistically-inclined of the Venus placements. You seek balance in your personal environment, and you can be quite picky or choosy when it comes to aesthetics--balanced, harmonious, classical art is preferred. You abhor gaudy, tacky, or overly "noisy" art, clothing, furnishings, and music. You can be a little picky when it comes to mood and atmosphere (Virgo is all too often assigned this trait).

You take special and extra care to please someone you love. You can be provocative in a quiet way. Your need for balance and perfection in your relationships may manifest itself at all the wrong moments, though. You may be pushed around for longer than most, perhaps only because it's hard for you to believe that others can be unfair and it takes a while for you to recognize that it's happening, but it will catch up to you in due time. If you're happy and treated right, you are an amazing partner -- you seem to be made for partnership, in fact. You think carefully about your loved one's needs, and you're supremely thoughtful and considerate. You can charm the birds out of the trees if you so please!

You should watch for focusing too much on the superficial signs of balance, harmony, and agreement. As well, watch for conforming just to avoid a confrontation, as this can lead to serious misunderstandings over time. You're most offended by abruptness and rudeness.

You're wonderfully approachable. It can be challenging to make up your mind since you can see the opposite side to whatever you're considering. You love the good things in life! Beautiful scents, sensations, and views are all very important to you. Your gentleness is a gift and quite magical for someone who truly deserves you.

Mars in Capricorn.

With fiery Mars in the more orderly sign of Capricorn, you have a subdued and controlled style of approaching life. You may not come across as particularly enthusiastic; rather, yours is a low-key but determined energy.

Mars in Capricorn natives like yourself tend to prefer to be on top of things. You are generally the goal-oriented and focused type who is not afraid of hard work. You can be an achiever by nature who possesses well-defined ambitions--well-defined to yourself more than anything. You're not a particularly flashy person, but your drive to succeed and to make your life secure is strong, even if it's not right out there for the world to see.

You express anger in a rather cool, level-headed way with this position of Mars. Your self-control is strong when it comes to handling anger, drive, energy, and sexuality. Capricorn is a sign that generally wants to avoid disorderliness and "letting go." You're likely to have an unmistakably guarded streak in you.

This is not to say that you are cold in any sense of the word. Your desires are strong, but they are often centered around the physical and material world--all that can be seen and held. With Mars in an Earth sign, your sensuality is expressed in an earthy way. However, you are not overly self-indulgent by nature. You are usually quite disciplined. Capricorn possesses the ability to plan for the future--something that many other signs find challenging.

Mars in Capricorn natives like yourself are working toward realistic and attainable goals. You are a productive person who is most motivated when you can expect to see tangible results from your efforts.

Many people with this natal chart placement are a little hard on themselves, and sometimes others. You usually can be relied upon because you have an innate sense of responsibility to both yourself and your loved ones. You may be very hard-working, and one of your strategies for anger management is to throw yourself even more energetically into your work!

You instinctively understand that effort is necessary to achieve your goals, and you can be quite hard-working when inspired. You prefer having a solid, defined, realizable goal in mind--this finds you at your best. Your responsible streak is notable. You’re also extraordinarily tenacious, and you have the rare and desirable quality of self-motivation.

You also work best in an orderly fashion. You can be very precise, and this may be why you are not always inclined to work at top speed. You prefer to produce something superior than to race to the finish line. In some cases, Mars in Capricorn relates to a somewhat strict childhood, but even if your early life was relatively free, you tend to feel most comfortable and confident with some structure and organization.

You could frequently feel that you’re left with more than your share of work or duties, perhaps because you’re often cleaning up after others in some manner. Mind you, you do want to be in control of certain situations since you are self-reliant and prefer your own usually more sensible and practical methods. This seems preferable to leaving things up to others who may be less reliable.

You understand the need for order, rules, and structure more than most, and thus you can be quicker than others to accept these things. You quickly become frustrated with people if they’re disorderly or undisciplined. A haphazard or spontaneous approach to the world feels chaotic rather than enlightened. It is essential to you that others treat you with respect.

Your ability to conserve is second to none. You’re not happy with waste, and as such, you typically find the most efficient path to your goals. Even in an outgoing or bold chart, this Mars position suggests a cautious streak.

Jupiter in Aries.

With Jupiter in Aries, you believe in the power of positivity--that life is what you make of it. You love competition or doing things independently. You value instant results!

Jupiter in Aries individuals like yourself attract the most "good fortune" when they take the lead, initiate, inspire others, and demonstrate enthusiasm and courage. Prosperous areas for you are ones that allow you to head and lead, and to innovate.

As a Fire sign Jupiter, you identify strongly with your opinions, beliefs, and perceptions, and you may take it quite personally if others disagree with them! You make your own opportunities, and you are at your best when you are thinking in big terms, taking calculated risks, and displaying confidence.

Saturn in Taurus.

Saturn in our charts shows us where we limit ourselves due to fear or insecurity. With Saturn in Taurus, your fear of not having what you need, of loss, or of being dependent on others may be more developed than most, and these things may end up limiting your opportunities if left unattended. Part of you could feel very guilty when you indulge yourself, and this can lead to problems, such as binging-purging cycles. You might also have a hard time asking for help. When you feel insecure or vulnerable, you tend to cling tightly to what you have and know. Sensitive areas of the body may be Taurus-ruled areas, including the neck and throat.

Some of your life lessons include: allowing yourself to enjoy your "winnings" from time to time without feeling guilty or somehow wrong -- in moderation, of course; building the courage to ask for help when you need it without feeling you've failed; going without or giving away something you have, since this helps you teach yourself, in small steps, that you'll be just fine without, and perhaps even stronger; and questioning your loyalty to the familiar if it is no longer serving you well.

Uranus in Aquarius.

You're most interested in making changes, innovating, and updating traditions related to technology, friendship, community, liberty, individuality, kinship, and fraternity. You seek more freedom in or through these areas, and you don't feel the need to conform--you're ready to rebel if need be. You can feel compelled to break through some of the inhibitions or taboos related to cooperating, connecting, and interacting. Despite the need for progress, you can be very stubborn and set in your ways in these areas. You believe in openness to new ideas and free thought.

Neptune in Aquarius.

Your vision of an ideal world may center around humanitarianism, celebrating individuality, freedom, and impartiality. You’re invested in humanitarian ideals, and you have a keen interest in electronics, psychology, and social science. When it comes down to it, you prefer to put your faith in humanity, and you’re generally open-minded regarding different philosophical or religious beliefs. Most important to you is for each person to stand out as uniquely individual. This Neptune sign position is more idealistic and theoretical than most others.

Pluto in Sagittarius.

You take your beliefs and philosophy of life very seriously, more than most. You believe deeply in personal freedom, tolerance, and bringing cultures together. Uncovering the truth can be a mission. You tend to question beliefs and ideologies in place if you consider them limiting, and your quest to distinguish yourself through--or bring reform to--beliefs is so intense or pressured that you may rarely feel satisfied with your efforts in this area. You may want to watch for a tendency to move from one cause to the next or one project to another, perhaps as a result of this dissatisfaction or from inhuman expectations. However, your faith in humanity is strong, and you are moved and motivated by your positive vision of a better world.

Chiron in Sagittarius.

You have an intense craving for meaning and belief in something greater than yourself, and you champion free thinkers and encourage others to find their own personal philosophies. You believe in the power of positive thinking and manifestation. You help others to find their truths, to follow their inner guide, and to gain life experience. Still, you can often feel somewhat lost on these levels, and while you likely have many brilliant and original ideas about life's meaning and purpose, you might also hold a sense of disconnection with your ideas and beliefs, feeling some insecurity about them. Learning to trust in your unique vision of the world is empowering.

Black Moon Lilith in Sagittarius.

You may have felt ashamed for your curiosity, questions, restlessness, the need to challenge and question life/facts/beliefs, or the need to get away, expand, and seek meaning. You could feel uncomfortable around people who are expressing these Sagittarian traits, not quite trusting them. Learning to accept these very natural, human needs can be empowering.

North Node in Leo.

With your True North Node of the Moon in Leo, your South Node is in Aquarius.

A tendency to rely too much on others who may let you down, to come across as impersonal or distant in your dealings with others, to be fearful of being the center of attention and standing out as an individual, to fear taking risks, and to fall back on peers and community at the expense of your own individuality are some of the issues this position suggests. With this influence, you should watch for falling into the easy trap of worrying too much about what others think about you. Instead, you need to strike out along your own individual and creative path. You'd be wise to make a conscious effort to deal with others in a more personal, involved, and loving manner, rather than falling back on reason and intellect which detaches you from your feelings. You might unintentionally alienate others when you over-emphasize equality to the point that we won't acknowledge individuals' uniqueness. You may too often be the audience and not the performer in your life! You may too easily lose touch with your own heart by rationalizing your feelings, and you might become overly involved with other people's problems at the expense of your inner needs for attention. Learning to take personal risks, which requires a certain amount of self-confidence, will help you to achieve inner balance and happiness.

                                   Planets and Points in The Houses.

Sun in Eighth House.

The Sun's house position modifies and refines its position by zodiac sign. With the Sun in the eighth house of your natal chart, you may feel compelled to go farther or deeper into life every step of the way. You want to experience more, and your desires are both powerful and intense. It may be hard for you to find satisfaction in common experiences, and you have magnetic power if you choose to use it wisely. You are fascinated with what lies under the surface, and at some point in your life, self-improvement is a big interest. You are attracted to unexplored or taboo areas of life, and you avoid all things superficial.

You project an aura of strength and others may not immediately know how deep your emotions run. You value time for yourself more than many, and you're excellent at research, in-depth study, and investigations. You are great at bringing out the best in others and managing people's money, talents, and resources. You're incredibly observant and perceptive.

Moon in Ninth House.

This is a position that can indicate a deep longing for stimulation above and beyond the everyday, mundane routine. With the Moon in your ninth house, you may be a philosophical sort, interested in and curious about the world, other people, and perhaps different cultures. You can be extraordinarily restless and discontented if you don't have a definite goal in mind.

You might find yourself longing to be somewhere else when you are unhappy, imagining that if you were to move or travel, you would be much more satisfied. However, this attitude may keep you from enjoying and improving upon the situation you are now in, only serving to make you feel more unhappy in the present and with your current circumstances. Trying to avoid the attitude that "the grass is greener on the other side" will be important in your life, while attending to your needs to get away from time to time will help scratch the seemingly incurable itch for something more! Many people with this position feel they thrive best away from the early neighborhood or in places where they can break free of the bonds of childhood conditioning.

The desire to start fresh, change the scenery, and enjoy a break from routine is often very strong! On an emotional level, you are somewhat of a vagabond or wanderer, and you can make yourself at home in almost any setting. You are always seeking to grow, learn, improve, and gain perspective, and this may be the reason behind the frequent desire to be on the move or to break free of habits or routines. You have a distinctly spiritual side to your nature that is vastly important to you and your sense of security, and you may embrace the idea of a guide, mentor, or guardian angel. Your understanding of the world and human nature is intuitive and natural.

Mercury in Ninth House.

With Mercury in the ninth house, you are eternally curious, and you hunger for knowledge. You enjoy studying and learning, not because you have to, but because you want to. You enjoy exchanging ideas and personal philosophies with others. You are exceptionally buoyant, enthusiastic, and even inspiring in your communications. While you may not pay enough attention to details at times, you are skilled at finding a quick solution to problems. You readily see the bigger picture and enjoy sharing your opinions and ideas. You get off on how information affects people's lives, and you take great pleasure in learning that something you have shared or taught has inspired others to take action, experience something new, or make changes in their lives. A potential flaw when Mercury is challenged here is to be too quick to offer advice that might be lacking in thoroughness and practicality, or that you yourself don't follow. Or, your enthusiasm can lead you to make quick statements before you've had time to check the facts, saying "yes" before you truly know that it's a go.

You may be especially interested in learning about different cultures and lands. You are intuitive in your thinking, believing strongly that you'll get to the truth through instincts and visions faster and more accurately than you would if you used a more structured approach. You are a lively conversationalist.

Venus in Seventh House.

With Venus in the seventh house of your natal chart, partnerships and companionship tend to be a bigger deal for you than others. In fact, it may be hard for you to think about being alone. Harmony is most important to you, so that you can spend a lot of time in your life finding ways to negotiate and compromise. You're very good at being a partner! It's unlikely you will attempt to dominate a partner, favoring equality. You are a peacemaker, sometimes going to great lengths to achieve a balanced, harmonious relationship. Be careful not to bend over backwards just to keep the peace–you may be taken advantage of.

You tend to attract partners or significant others who are especially attractive, charming, or well off. You are extremely attractive, agreeable, and charming yourself, drawing others to you magnetically. You need an unusual amount of contact and exchange with a partner, and might find that you feel completely lost without one. Some of you might quickly enter into partnerships, perhaps too quickly and neither equipped nor prepared for the responsibilities that a long-term relationship demands. In some cases with this position, there can be a shallow or materialistic interest in partners. Many with this house position enter into partnership early in life. Your hips and lower back can be in focus with this position. You can also be quite good with people and in your dealings with the public. People tend to like you and your approach!

Mars in Eleventh House.

With Mars in the 11th house of your natal chart, you like to organize events and activities, and sometimes take the lead a little too often! However, for the most part, you're an engaging, helpful friend who is ready to jump in and take action when need be, and this is a wonderful, rare quality. Your mind needs to be engaged in order for you to be at your most passionate, and for this reason, you can seem a little detached or impersonal in close personal relationships. You're not afraid to be different or to march to the beat of a different drummer. You're likely to enjoy working towards an important cause, and you can be quite a crusader! You may be attracted to intense, passionate, or energetic people, and your friendships can be quite colorful and possibly strife-ridden at times.

Jupiter in Second House.

With Jupiter in your second house, you are extremely resourceful. Others might think you are lucky with money, gifts, or personal possessions. You take great pleasure in comfort and the world of the five senses. Sometimes this position points to over-indulgence in these things. A strong self-image or feelings of self-worth contribute to success. When it comes to new situations, whatever your first reaction, you then adopt a can-do, positive attitude.

Neptune in Twelfth House.

You possess exceptional intuition, and you draw upon tremendous inner strength and faith when in a pinch, which might surprise others because of your easygoing manner. You may be exceptionally sensitive but not always able to express your compassion and concern in direct ways, which can give rise to feelings of guilt. If you deny the spiritual side of your nature, you run the risk of chronic discontent, and you may feel very vulnerable to regular changes in life, fearing that you may not be able to handle them. In truth, your faith runs deep and surfaces when you need it most, so this fear is ungrounded. You need to learn to believe in yourself, or you might resort to escapist behavior and avoid problems when they do crop up. Some with this position only discover their deep spiritual inclinations later in life, or they are aware of them but have troubles expressing them until they have built a stronger identity.

Pluto in Ninth House.

You are extremely attached to your opinions and belief system. Due to this attachment, debates might easily turn into arguments if you are not careful. At your best, you are persuasive and intelligent with a probing and incisive mind. Your opinions are strong and well-researched. You are able to back up your arguments, and enjoy doing so! At your worst, you can be obsessed with "converting" others to your beliefs. You are suspicious of new ideas until you've given them deeper thought. You may have a disdain for blind followers of belief systems as well as for hypocrisy. You may be considered "deep" or "profound" and you are likely to come up with some unusual and unique ideas that impress others. Your sense of adventure runs deep and can lead you to unique experiences. You are likely to make an involved, captivating, and inspiring teacher, speaker, or lecturer. While you may not share your ideas frivolously, when you do express yourself, you do so creatively and persuasively. Some of your most intense and life-changing experiences may come through travel or in connection with other cultures.

North Node in Sixth House.

With your North Node in the sixth house, your South Node is naturally in the twelfth house.

You can often feel stuck in the past, and your path is to be present more often - to take charge of your daily affairs rather than fall back on disorder or escape. Aim to be more procedural in your approach rather than emotional from time to time, and you will be happier and more fulfilled. Pay more attention to details and routines, even if these feel uncomfortable at first.

[prynne-and-prejudice]

Anarchy, Isolation, and the Path to Redemption in The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter may be set in Puritan Massachusetts in the 1600s, but it deals with topics that are prevalent in modern society and throughout history: sin and redemption. These theology-based concepts have provided reasoning for the persecution of unique thought throughout history, especially when the source of that thought is women or other minorities. Those who refuse to conform to the standard way of thought are often labeled heretics and are alienated or persecuted for expression of their ideas. Hawthorne shows that ostracization and its effect on the human psyche is a serious moral consequence of sin and redemption in the eyes of an ordered society is achievable only through the sacrifice of the individual’s livelihood and conformity to the rules of society.

Throughout the novel, Hawthorne emphasizes that a key aspect of basic human nature is an innate desire for an ordered society and the need to fit into this order. Humans are social creatures whose instincts compel them to seek acceptance from others to better their chances of survival. The best way to maintain order and receive acceptance is by forming a structured government and set of laws that all people must abide by to keep the peace. When an individual rejects society by breaking a rule, he or she threatens that existing order and inspires anarchy. If one person can break the rules for individual gain, why must others abide by the law? The only way to deter others from committing similar acts is by isolating the individual, whether socially or physically. After she commits adultery, the Boston magistrates alienate Hester Prynne from the other townspeople by forcing her to wear the scarlet letter, which serves as a constant reminder of her sin to both herself and those she interacts with. Hawthorne describes the effect of the letter as “more intolerable to a woman’s heart than that which branded the brow of Cain” (Hawthorne 130). Other townspeople view Hester as spiritually impure and make a point to give Hester a wide berth and avoid any interaction with her. Hawthorne shows this by mentioning that, while at a public event, “wherever Hester stood, a small, vacant area- a sort of magic circle -had formed itself about her” (Hawthorne 370). It almost seems that the townspeople believe sin is contagious and panic at Hester’s mere presence.

The panic that results from an individual’s rejection of the law is also a factor in Reverend Dimmesdale’s decision not to confess to his involvement in the affair with Hester Prynne. The townspeople base their moral codes on strict Puritan values and consider some sins irredeemable, which consigns the sinner to a life of alienation. In a conversation with Roger Chillingworth, Dimmesdale expounds upon the consequences of confessing one’s sins, saying, “no good can be achieved by them [sinners]; no evil of the past be redeemed by better service” (Hawthorne 206). Dimmesdale believes that, had he chosen to confess his sin, he would be unable to act for good in the world due to his isolation from society. In Puritan society, where church and state were so closely intertwined, a religious violation or sin would lead not only to rejection by religious groups, but to rejection by society as a whole.

Alienation from society can be detrimental to the individual and studies have found that “loneliness is associated with more depressive symptoms, hostility, and perceived stress” (Cacioppo et al.). Hester must deal with these consequences of loneliness when she is isolated from the town. She is isolated both socially and physically by moving to a cottage hidden on the outskirts of town, with only her daughter for company. She makes no attempts to fight for her reentry into society and even rejects a late offer by the magistrates to remove the scarlet letter because she feels that this ostracization is her way of condoning for her sins. Hester stays in her remote cottage fashioning clothes for the poor and Hawthorne speculates that “it is probable that there was an idea of penance in this mode of occupation” (Hawthorne 130). Through being isolated from the rest of the town, Hester becomes more self-sufficient and grows stronger in the face of adversity. She uses her position as an outcast to tend to others who need assistance, but are often considered inferior, such as the poor or dying, but she is still unable to shed the stigma of sin through her righteous actions. Dimmesdale grows weaker during this time due to the weight of his actions on his conscience. The minister knows that he should face the same isolation and scorn from the town, but is too cowardly to confess. Dimmesdale uses self-inflicted torture to separate himself from the “righteous” townspeople because he knows that he should be isolated from society as punishment for his sin like Hester is. He even experiences visions in which Hester “points her forefinger first at the scarlet letter on her bosom, and then at the clergyman’s own breast”, which shows that he feels he should be condemned for his part in their shared sin (Hawthorne 228).

Hester reaches redemption in the eyes of the townspeople because she “had no selfish ends, nor lived in any measure for her own profit and enjoyment” (Hawthorne 416). Hester sacrifices her individuality and desires in order to regain her place in society, which socially redeems her. By proving that she acts for the good of society as a whole rather than acting against the law out of selfish desires, Hester settles the panic that results from a break in the world’s order. Dimmesdale is never redeemed on Earth not because he experienced no punishment for his sin, but because he was never alienated in the first place. When Hester asks Dimmesdale if his soul has been redeemed through his good works, he replies, “What can a ruined soul, like mine, effect towards the redemption of other souls?” (Hawthorne 302). He cannot be redeemed because, through his cowardice, he never faced the full extent of his penance in the form of rejection by the people.

The social nature of humans, combined with their desire for ordered society and a need to belong, is what makes ostracization a major moral consequence of sin. While Hester experiences this ostracization from society by wearing the scarlet letter, Dimmesdale faces no such punishment because he does not confess, for fear of losing his position in society. The alienation from society that Hester experiences saddens her, but also allows her to grow stronger and more independent. Dimmesdale’s guilt resulting from his avoidance of Hester’s punishment weakens him both mentally and physically over time. Hester is able to be redeemed because she sacrifices her desires for the good of the town as a whole. Dimmesdale was never truly condemned in the eyes of his parishioners, who venerate him, so it is impossible for him to be redeemed by them. Hawthorne uses Hester and Dimmesdale’s parallel journey through atoning for their sins to establish how an individual’s reaction to sin’s moral consequences can affect its results. One serious moral consequence of sin is ostracization from society and the only path to redemption is the well-trodden road of conformity. Only by sacrificing one’s individual livelihood for the good of society can one truly be redeemed and regain their place in society.

Works Cited

Cacioppo, John T, et al. “Loneliness as a Specific Risk Factor for Depressive Symptoms: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analyses.” Psychology and Aging, U.S. National Library Medicine, Mar. 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16594799. Accessed 1 Oct. 2019.

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Spark Publishing, 2009. Print.

[nosferatyou]

I was tagged by @lazingonsunday and @shes-outta-sight to do one of the long tag, get to know them, type of things. Which I absolutely love by the way. I don’t talk about myself much.

What was the last thing you read?

Well I was editing the latest chapter of my fic of that counts? If not some random josh one shot a couple hours ago lol.

Favorite Movie?

Man it’s ever revolving. It was Django Unchained for a long ass time, but now I think it’s Baby Driver.

Favorite Book?

Misery by Stephen King. I read it years ago and I have a lot of good memories tied to it. Me and my friend became closer through his works and this was the first one I read. It’ll stay close in my heart.

Dream Date?

It’s one I’ve been on before but just Vinyl Shopping. It’s simple and easy but music in a relationship is important to me. I gotta make sure they have good picks. But there is something so soft about it all.

Do you have a crush?

Sadly no. But I’m fully in Joshes lane rn if that means anything?

What are your hobbies?

Oof okay. I mostly draw like all hours of the day. But I very actively keep up with guitar and bass. I write as well. I make videos for my friends. I collect old and beat up vinyls. Lot of art stuff

Favorite time of day?

Night time. Like from hours 10-3. That’s my true alone time and it’s something I cherish and look forward to everyday.

If you could look like anything, what would you like to look like?

I don’t wish to change anything about my body. I think I’d be silly to. But man I wish I could actually afford clothes I’d like to wear. Real bellbottoms you know? I want that vintage shit.

Are you romantic?

In a secure relationship yes. I show too much emotion too fast in the beginning. But boy oh boy when I get romantic. I get very touchy feely. Man date ideas. Lot of carefully curated playlists.

Favorite type of weather?

That time in like August/September when I can wear jeans and maybe a light jacket. But it’s still warm, you know?

What do you like talking about?

Music. I talk about it all day long. The foundation behind it. The artist. I could discuss guitars and instruments with people all damn day. I just. I love everything about it. But also GVF is my hyperfixation rn and my friend is ready to shoot my head off if I speak another word about Jakes guitar playing.

What are your turn ons?

Ngl I’m akin to a boy with long hair. It’s my vice. I’ve only dated long haired musicians. But I just want someone who radiates some kind of light you know? I’ve seen too much darkness. I want someone genuine and real. Is it too much to ask for a positive person?

What are your turn offs?

I’ve dealt with a lot in my past. Basically anything that’s negative. Ignorance mostly. I don’t want someone who refuses to learn. It’s stupid. I just want honesty and someone with an open mind. Anything else is a no go.

If you got a tattoo what would it be and where would you get it?

Okay so. I really want tattoos. I designed something about a year ago I want really badly but it’s so expensive. Thinking rationally. Right now I’d really like some line art of bust. Idk what tho.

Do you have any pets?

3! 2 dogs, Ruby and Nellie, both too six year old mutts. Nellie is the weirdest god damn dog I’ve ever had. And ruby is basically a fox dog. And then there is Friday my cat. He can be a bitch boy but he’s a sweet boy who’s just being a cat. (I also have ten plants but most people don’t consider them pets)

Dream Job?

I’m still searching for that. Recently my heads been floating towards playing live shows as a guitar or bass player. But I’m no where near the point of even considering. I’m pretty shitty. But how Cool would it be to play that violin bow with my guitar on stage?

Dream place to live?

Not considering any potential jobs. I just want to live in a big log cabin somewhere on the outskirts of a town. Out in the wilderness and free to just live.

Dream vacation?

I’ve never been to Europe. I’d love to just road trip around in a van honestly. But before that visit my great grandfather grave in Scotland. He was a kings hand and did a lot back in the day. I’d be cool to see. But then I’d fuck around in Europe.

Do you have any piercings?

I’ve got my nose and ears pierced. I’m pretty happy with that

If you had kids what would you name them?

Man I don’t even want to think about that.

What are your best traits?

I’m a great listener. I’m extremely compassionate. Will do anything to help friends. And I feel like my music taste isn’t half bad.

Worst traits?

The compassionate thing tends to bite me in the ass. I’ve got a lot of emotions. I also have 20 things I want to do all at once all the time. I loose sleep because of it. There is more but I’d go on too long.

Worst fear?

Weirdly enough any type of natural disaster. When I was way too young I watched “The Impossible” and then shortly after learned about techtonic plates and I never forgotten about it or where they are.

What do you want to eat right now?

Brownies. And a fucking burrito.

Best vacation you’ve been on?

I went on a road trip to Chicago recently and I just makes so many good memories. I saw ninja sex party’s 10th anniversary, which was fantastic. But I got to visit a friend all weekend. But my favorite part was the ride back. The whole time we just talked but also sang to old 50s songs and just had this moment of unity. I still think about it

Favorite City?

I haven’t been to too many places yet so I’m gonna go with my hometown, Nashville. If you look past all the tourists. It’s got a very rich musical history and in certain places you just feel it. I loved living there and it made me who I was.

Favorite social media platform?

Tumblr. It’s really the only one I ever check anymore. Plus I’ve made some great friends on here.

Favorite article of clothing?

My fucking bellbottoms. I wear them whenever I can. They give me so much confidence.

Do you play any sports?

Fuck no. I have no coordination whatsoever.

Favorite meal of the day?

Lunch. You have a lot more options. Plus I just like the vibe

What are you excited for?

Starting the tenth I have a lot of good things coming my way. In that week I get to finally end this semester, the new Harry styles album releases, I get a new bass, and I get to see fucking Greta Van Fleet. None of you know how excited I am for that. Pit tickets. Jesus it’ll be good.

Not excited for?

Finals. And an um.. upcoming funeral.

When was the last time you cried?

I honestly can’t remeber and that really scares me.

Dream house?

I basically answered this earlier but gimme that big ass log cabin.

Something you hate about this world?

Don’t get my started. I hate that everyone hates themselves all the time when they have no reason to. I hate that 8 people have most of the worlds money and are doing nothing to help global warming. I hate the man that’s in power and what he’s helped cause. I hate everyone who refuses to accept literally any fact. I hate that my future is bleak because of some old ass white men.

Something you love about this world?

I love the light that radiates off of certain people. I love that our generation has hope and that some people are actually trying to make change. I love the raw creativity I see in others and I love that we are bringing back the resurgence of peace and love.

What scents do you like?

Old records and books. Its the simple pleasures.

What kind of sleeper are you?

Typically heavy but sometimes I Sleep so little it feels like I got nothing at all.

Cat or dog person?

Don’t make me pick! I grew up with both, and very partial to both.

How long would you survive in a zombie Apocolypse?

I wish I could tell you. I’d like to think I’d live awhile but I would probably be the ones who look like they have hope and then accidentally get taken out.

Are you trusting?

I used to be. I realized recently how thick my walls really are.

What fictional character do you identify with?

Sorry to be boring but nothing is coming to mind. But then again I never felt akin to anyone really?

What labels do you commonly get?

In high school I was called “the quiet one” if that tells you anything.

What song would be your life anthem?

Sunshine on my shoulders by John Denver is the only one coming to mind. I think I just want the feeling it gives me to be what I feel all the time.

What issues are you dealing with right now?

Two friends in the last month Um. Took their own lives. One being an old friend. I’ve never dealt with death. My brain doesn’t know how to handle it. I also think I might have ADD. But. That’s the tip of the iceberg rn

How can someone win you over?

Typically I’m drawn to people who are the loudest in the room. I like that their confident and can speak their minds but what wins me over about them is when they really open up. When I learn about the real then rather than the face that they put on. Most of the time it goes that way.

What’s something people don’t know about you?

I’m making a short film with some friends who go to Columbia. Should be out soonish.

I tag

@pvre-mourning @peacelovekiszka @fretavangleet @aint-no-denying @sosozoso