#and people who don't know their heritage and who have been severed from their familial communities

[yves-and-scessernee]

I've been thinking about some things, and I wanted to clarify for some folks outside of the US:

When people in the United States talk about heritage, it's always with the implication of American nationality. Two friends in the US might chat casually about themselves and their families by saying "I'm Irish" and "I'm Polish." What they mean is "I'm Irish-American" and "I'm Polish-American" but, because the context of being in America is present, the "-American" part goes assumed.

That's why the "Where are you from?" / "Where were you born?" / "Where are your parents from?" questions exist. Between friends, those are casual ways to tell if someone is talking about X as a familial heritage or X as a nationality without saying outright "Hey, so are you a member of this American subculture or are you from another country?" It is absolutely rude to ask these questions without the context of friendship, but within a friendship people often share information about their heritage and nationality quite freely. Those two friends I mentioned above might go on to talk about how "My grandparents were born in Dublin and immigrated to the US, and my parents grew up together in Boston." "Oh, that's cool that they grew up together! My great-grandmother moved from Kraków as an infant with her family, but my dad met my mom through an exchange student program and she just finalized her dual citizenship."

Stripped of the context of "being in America", such statements can come off as presumptuous and deceptive. I understand that. Someone who has gotten used to chatting about their family while in America will likely default to keeping the "-American" part assumed on their behalf, which they shouldn't do. But an American saying "Oh! I'm Irish" to you when you know already that they are American is telling you this in the context of being American: what is actually being conveyed is "I'm Irish-American." To them, they're sharing what American subculture they belong to, rather than claiming participation in a different country.

And Irish-American culture in the US is alive and well! Irish-American cultural centers, museums dedicated to generations of Irish-American immigration, and festivals sharing what Irish-American families have brought to America are found all over the US. So it is with many other cultural communities. People care about the cultures they and their families brought over with them, and American subcultures are living entities unto themselves shaped by decades of history.

And of course some American families keep in touch with their parent cultures. As I write this, a friend is making arrangements with his family to spent next month with his grandparents in Mexico. My own parents just got back from visiting my sister in Ireland, where she's been studying veterinary sciences. Sometimes that's why Americans drop the hyphen in casual conversation: for my friend, where does Mexican culture end and the Mexican-American subculture within the greater American culture begin? A conversation with him actually got me thinking about this entire thing, because, for him, the distinction between being Mexican, having Mexican heritage, and being Mexican-American can be really blurry, particularly given the United States' history with Mexico.

Americans should stop assuming everyone knows the context of "having American nationality" when they talk about heritage. I agree. It can be easy to come onto the internet with the same assumptions you have in your everyday community, particularly if you're young. If you're American and you're reading this and you're just realizing that someone probably interpreted you as saying "I'm a member of this country" when what you meant was "I'm a member of this American subculture," I understand the embarrassment. This often isn't laid out clearly inside or outside the US.

But that's why I'm explaining it now. If what you mean is "I'm [Heritage]-American" and you're talking about your participation in an American subculture, you probably should start saying the whole phrase aloud. It's more polite to assume that someone doesn't know your nationality than that they do. It'll forestall misunderstandings and frustrations with friends and strangers alike.

[k-s-morgan]

I in no way mean to be disrespectful, I hope you and your family are doing well and I’m so sorry for the recent attacks. I’m just ignorant and want to know what would happen if Ukraine surrendered to Russia?

I hope you are safe from bombing and air raids 🙏🙏

Hi! Thank you <3 And don't worry, that's a good question.

What I'm 100% sure would happen in case of Ukraine's surrender, even under the most optimistic scenario:

We'd have to give up the entire country, not just a part of it. Russia always comes back for more. It's been following the same pattern with different countries forever. With Ukraine, it got a pretty decent chunk back in 2014. That land continued to belong to Ukraine on paper only - in reality, it was fully under Russian control, and no one really fought for it any longer. Was Russia satisfied with it? No. It kept preparing and then attacked to overtake even more land. It will never have enough, so to give up now means to acknowledge that the entire Ukraine will cease to exist as a country, whether right away or after Russia starts another war against us.

Ukrainian language, culture, and heritage would be destroyed completely in the coming years. Our history - and the history of the world children are taught - will be re-written. There is a reason why the majority of countries that were a part of USSR speak primarily Russian. Russia keeps carefully erasing other languages and culture, it's been doing it for ages. It's doing it right now on the occupied territories.

Pro-Ukrainian activists and people of note would be persecuted, kidnapped, tortured, and killed. This is also a pattern, it happens everywhere Russia invades. I know many examples personally.

We'd be gradually cut off of the outside world. Like, Russia has banned major fanfiction sites; it's trying to block YouTube and other platforms. The transformation into a semblance of North Korea would be inevitable.

Ukrainians would be treated as third-rate non-humans on their own territory. Again, it's been happening everywhere Russia barges into.

Ukraine would be used as a military base to attack other countries, and Ukrainians would be forced to become Russian soldiers.

As for the rest, it could go in several ways. Maybe Russia would want to show how 'amazing' it is, so it'd turn Kyiv into a second Moscow, creating different well-paid positions and opportunities to suck up to Kyiv residents and to prove its hypocritical benevolence.

On the other hand, it could just as well turn the entire country into a concentration and extermination camp. Russia has been torturing, raping, degrading, and murdering our people everywhere. Stealing their homes, kidnapping children, etc. and etc. I have a huge number of friends, people I know, or their friends who shared their stories, and each of them has been absolutely horrific.

My Mom's colleague, for example, used to live near Bachmut. When Russians came in, they immediately began to hunt down anyone related to the police and the military and killing them or actually demanding ransom for them. They kidnapped this colleague's friends, a married couple, kept them in a dog's kennel, pissed on them, beat them up, and raped the wife repeatedly. At that point, the colleague managed to flee the area, and she has no idea as to what happened to them afterward.

This could very well be the fate of our country in case of our surrender since the world obviously doesn't care and wouldn't bat an eye at the millions suffering and dying, kind of like it's happening now.

So surrendering is dangerous because we might cease to exist, but perhaps we are just prolonging the inevitable. A tiny country with a pathetic level of support cannot win against a giant that has a ton of everything and whose allies keep sending it even more weapons of destruction. Oh, and let's not forget how Russia keeps producing more and more weapons because the US and EU keep selling it the parts it needs for missiles and other stuff, and how Ukraine, after seemingly getting help from these US and EU, is forbidden to use it to strike Russia back.

It's all a joke to everyone but us, so I honestly don't envision a positive outcome at all. In the end, as long as our heroes are determined to defend Ukraine, we'll keep trying to hold on. The future will show what it'll lead us to.

[gouraminnow]

Do you have any head canons for yandere ace? Like is he a domestic/soft yandere who wants marriage or kids? Or like a delusional and isolating one? I’m interested in your opinion!

Oh I've got ideas :) I don't think Ace is delusional- at least not regarding you. This is a guy who already sees himself as a monster, as unworthy of love, tainted by his heritage. I think he's gonna do everything in his power to court you normally, to convince you to come with him, and if that doesn't work, it still takes something drastic for him to actually Steal a Person. He wants you to love him, he wants you to be happy here with him and his family, and if you're not... it crushes him. But not enough to let go. I think, in order to push you any further he needs to be aided by another yandere who assuages any guilt he might have.

But other than that, you've given me the chance to ramble about something I've been rolling around my brain for awhile. Namely that, with the right kind of reader, yandere Ace and the object of his affections could have the most co-dependent relationship ever.

Being relied on by someone he loves is something he'd cling to. I mean, being told he was needed by Luffy as a kid was a turning point for him. So I keep rolling around the idea of Ace rescuing someone from something horrific. Maybe at the hands of marines, maybe other pirates, but either way, you were treated horribly. You're desperate, and you don't trust anyone. And Ace happens to be the one who finds you crumpled in your cell, wide-eyed and trembling.

It takes a bit of coaxing. Soothing words, promises that he'll get you out, he won't hurt you, but you both need to hurry. Please trust him. It's almost over, he promises. You're utterly terrified, and the sounds of the fight haven't done anything to sooth your nerves- if he can't get your approval, he scoops you up anyway and flees the soon-to-be sinking ship. You cling to him as he rushes through the fray, face buried in the crook of his neck and eyes screwed shut. Everything is a blur, but he gets you to the infirmary as quick as he can. Possible that he drops you off without really thinking about it, at first.

But you think about him. How warm he was. How he's the first person in a long time to touch you gently. And when the nurses start trying to tend to you and you inevitably flinch, tense up, pull away- you ask for him. You ask for the man in the orange hat who brought you here.

It starts really innocent. He didn't expect to be asked for, but once everything is over he obliges when informed that you're terrified and you want him. A faint blush dusting his cheeks when he holds your hand, sitting with you as the nurses check you over. And he doesn't know you, but it's horrible to see you like this. He's glad that staying with you, something as simple as clinging to him helps soothe you, if only a little. Nobody makes any comments with you there, but there might be a little teasing out of your earshot.

Romance really isn't on anybody's mind, at least not at first. You've really latched onto Ace, fixating on him as a savior, as the one who will keep you safe. You're a nervous wreck, but his presence alone seems to soothe you. You're afraid of most people, to the point that further medical care can't really be done unless he's there with you. Holding your hand or rubbing your back while Marco or Deuce checks you over, talking you through the sting of disinfectant or any injections you might need. Any operations? He's there when you go under and there when you wake up. For the first few days, he has to take a bite from any food you get before you're willing to eat it- and he feels warm when a joke gets you to crack a smile, even if it was at his expense(I'm surprised he stopped at one bite. You should stop letting him do that before he eats the whole thing for you!)

The others encourage the proximity at first. They understand the severity of your condition, and figure your attachment to Ace will help acclimate you to the Moby. That through him, you'd grow used to the racket, to the presence of these other intimidating figures. And Ace agrees. He does want to help, does want you to be better. He's the only one who's seen glimpses of who you are buried under the countless layers of stress, fear, and trauma. He does want you to be yourself, wants you to make friends and join the family proper...

But he also has a hard time pulling away from you. He's become a bit of an emotional crutch, someone you fixate on, more of an idol than a person, and in turn he comes to rely on the validation that your reliance provides him. Neither of you have the awareness to really... realize that. You need him. He makes you feel safe. He needs you. You make him feel like he's good, help him stop thinking about his cursed ancestry, if only for a little while. You don't think about it much deeper than that. You cling to him, isolate from others, and Ace enables this because he doesn't really know better. You need him. You aren't ready to be on your own. You follow him like a lost duckling and he happily leads you, happy to do plenty of talking for you both. He likes how much you adore him, and thinks it would be cruel to push you away. You're just comfortable enough with a select few people that he can leave for missions without you completely shutting down, but having you run to him and throw your arms around his shoulders when he returns, holding him tight... it feels really nice.

Falling into a relationship is potentially something you don't even talk about explicitly, it just... happens. You were always touchy, holding his hand, sticking yourself to his side, hell once you were cleared to leave the infirmary, you stayed in his room. He kisses you on the forehead on impulse once, and so you return it without thinking much. He wakes up one morning, your limbs tangled together, his chin tucked against the top of your head. And it kind of dawns on him. You need him. You follow him everywhere, you trade chaste kisses, you sit on his lap any chance you get...

Are you two together? Like... together like that? He doesn't dislike the idea. It seems natural, with how attached the two of you are.

-

You wake up slowly, drifting in and out, cradled by the warmth of your savior and the soft bedding that cradles you both. Your eyes flutter, and you sigh- automatically moving to nuzzle against him. You hear his breath hitch. Brows furrowing, fear already rising to your throat, you pull away to gaze up at him in concern. "Ace..?" You mutter, sleepy voice wobbling. His eyes are wide, freckled face flushed. "What's wrong?"

His eyes flicker down to yours, then away again. "Nothin's... wrong," he says, voice a little strained. Then, looking to you again, he seems to realize something, eyes softening as his body relaxes, your tension easing in turn. Tentatively, he raises his hand from where it rests against your back to cup your face- exhaling shakily when you press against his calloused palm, eyes squinting shut. He takes in the way the strips of daylight shine through the shuddered windows, falling across your body and highlighting the stray wisps of your sleep-mussed hair. "I was just wondering..." he says, then trails off. He clears his throat. "Would it be alright if I kissed you? If I really kissed you..?"

Your eyes shoot open, and it's your turn for your breath to hitch. You see the way the flush of his face has spread to his ears, and feel the heat rising to your own. "Y-you don't need to, sorry-" he stammers. "Just forget I said anything, I-I just-" you don't respond verbally, you just thread your arms around the back of the neck, pulling him down to lock your lips with his.

He's somehow even warmer than usual, you think- he doesn't react at first, but after a couple moments of wide eyed shock he pulls you in, strong arms circling you close as he gently, carefully kisses you back. He's shy, his movements a little clumsy, but he's sweet.

-

Ace is a bit controlling, but it's always framed as a matter of safety. I don't see him isolating you or getting violent with his Nakama over you, it's not that type of deal. If anyone scares you, or gets a little too close, he might glare and pull you away. Ace cares for the crew. It wouldn't get much worse than him getting in someone's face about scaring you or being touchy. He does ultimately want you to integrate after all, he cares about you and the crew and becoming friends with others is encouraged. He just... also wants to be the one you focus on the most. Kind of aids in dismantling budding friendships by focusing on you just as heavily, whisking you away out of misguided protectiveness and likely a bit of jealousy. If you ever get stable enough to want to leave the ship when they dock somewhere, he heavily discourages it. Someone else might be able to talk him into allowing it, but he insists on gluing himself firmly to your side. You are... unlikely to have a problem with this.

Your codependance does not go unnoticed. Marco probably tries to hold some sort of intervention at some point. Carefully telling you both that it's not that you can't see each other- but their goal was your recovery. You're too obsessed with eachother, he says, you need to adjust to the crew. You need to spend some time apart, this isn't healthy for either of you. It isn't good that you're still scared of the rest of us.

Ace isn't receptive. Has the audacity to ask what he's talking about even though you're wrapped around him like a koala for the whole discussion. You two are practically sharing air.

All in all, it's a soft yandere relationship. It has the potential to get worse or better.

[bonny-kookoo]

Yoongi

𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞 [Intro]

He's come to find his way into a place where he can feel some sense of belonging. He's joined this year's Festival to reconnect with what he thought he had to live without. But what he actually finds is worth so much more.

Main Tags/Warnings: Dragon!Yoongi, strangers to lovers/mates, mentions of folklore and traditions, modern fantasy, romance, Dragon!Reader, Evocation!AU

Length: didn't count sorry haha (mid)

-> Masterlist

There is no taglist for this fic.

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You're not sure what to make of Min Yoongi yet.

But granted, you've only just met yesterday, where he'd offered you his quiet company to not make you feel so left out. You'd been thankful for that- but you also don't know if that action had any sort of meaning behind it, or if he'd been just nice to you.

Maybe dragonbloods are just like that? You're not sure. You are one, sure- but you didn't grow up with any of it. Your parents didn't really care about their own heritage very much, didn't teach you anything, and only recently, you got to connect with someone who's also a dragonblood. She works in the same department that you do, though remotely from home just like you as well, and she's pretty much your polar opposite; Bubbly, loud, and most of all- confident and proud of herself. She wears her heart literally on her sleeve, and has been taking you under her wing ever since you joined the company.

You became friends because you both coincidentally lived in the same city, and after she found out about your situation- that you kind of wanted to learn more about your own heritage but didn't know how- she took on the job, and basically paid for your entire trip here, into the mountains, saying that you'd need to reconnect with it all more than anyone- whatever she meant with that.

But now you're just so lost, and you don't want to cling to her and make her babysit you. That would just be unfair- and you can just socialize on your own, right? How hard can it be?

Very hard. Especially with all those intimidating dragons around.

So you just stay by yourself again, nod Soyoon off because she deserves to be with her friends and family for these festivities.

It all looks pretty fun already.

Even though lots of wooden structures are still being constructed, the day is mostly spent catching up for most, it seems like. So you'll just take the time to explore a little instead, maybe get an idea of the area for yourself, to find some spots where you could recharge your introverted social battery a bit.

Suddenly, you feel eyes on you. And as you turn around, the red-haired man you now know as Min Yoongi looks at you again, with his cat-like eyes and a soft, small smile.

Soyoon had told you that she actually knows him- and that you shouldn't be alarmed by his sometimes stoic face or harsh sounding words. She'd told you that he's a bit grumpy sometimes, but mostly a sweetheart with a severe case of resting-bitch-face, and that his dragonblood is just extremely strong, influencing a lot of his behavior and making him act a lot more on instincts than someone else would.

She'd also told you last night that he doesn't have a relationship currently. And that even his action of sitting next to you, and sharing some food with you, was something new, because he typically doesn't really make the first step towards anyone, rather waits until he's approached instead. It made you feel a little complimented to hear that- but at the same time, maybe he simply thought of you as pitiful.

So you turn back around after waving at him a bit awkwardly, instead deciding to watch the people constructing the wooden stages and booths. Though you can hear steps towards you only moments later, Yoongi appearing standing next to your bench with respectful distance. "Is it okay if I sit here?" He asks you, and you nod right away, scooting over a bit. "Thank you." He offers, and again, you just nod quietly.

This is awkward. He looks so good, seems so.. comfortably confident. His sweater looks awfully soft, and his posture is way more relaxed than yours.

"Soyoon told me it's your first time here." He says, not looking at you, probably not to make you any more nervous than you actually are. He seems really good at reading people, you notice. Maybe he can sense it, somehow.

"I think.. I don't know. I wanted to maybe try and re-connect with.. all of this." You shrug to yourself, looking at your feet. "I.. kind of want to belong somewhere. But it feels like I missed the chance long ago and now I can't." You sigh, watching how two people laugh together as they work.

"It can be intimidating to join a new group of people. Especially if you're not used to actively socializing." he comforts you, leaning back a little as he greets a young man with a nod. "But it's not too late at all." He tells you. "You've already made the first step by coming here. I'm sure you'll be fine." He reassures, and you nod after a moment, silence falling over the two of you for a good little while. But it's not truly uncomfortable - it's a simple company without actually needing any words.

And he doesn't seem to mind it either.

And suddenly, just as you've started to relax next to him, he speaks again. "Would you like to spend this festival with me?" He asks, now actually looking to the side at you.

Internally, you have to disagree with Soyoon on his alleged angry resting face now that you look at him; he looks nothing but kind to you, even without a clear smile on his face. He rather looks comfortable and relaxed than mad, really, so his gaze also doesn't intimidate you at all, giving you no problem with eye contact.

"Would you.. would you like to?" You ask instead, and he chuckles, corners of his lips now tilting up a little.

"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't interested." He teases a little, and you can't help but smile now as well.

"Okay." You say because of that, making his smile turn a little bit wider, eyes warm as they rest on you. "...what does that mean?" You meekly wonder, and he laughs to himself, before he shrugs towards you.

"Guess we'll have to find out, hm?" He teases again, and you can feel your cheeks heat up.

Min Yoongi truly seems to be a charming dragon, a fire burning hot under his skin-

And it's starting to heat up yours too, without any need for physical touch at all.

What have you gotten yourself into?

[heathersdesk]

Something About Me You Should Know

Have any of you seen that person on TikTok whose whole thing is finding people's birthdays based on nothing but their available social media presence?

I have all the necessary skills to do that. I'm a genetic genealogist. I use commercial DNA testing to help adoptees, donor conceived people, and people with unknown paternity in the United States document their biological heritage and find living family. I'm very good at what I do. I find people, whether they want to be found or not.

I have to exercise a great deal of self-control not to do this to the men who berate me in my comments all over the Internet. They're not worth it. They don't learn anything from the experience. It makes them twice as hateful as they were before because all it does is increase their fear, which is what motivates them to do what they do.

But that doesn't mean I haven't learned anything from it.

I did this to someone from DezNat who was harassing me, and to someone who has been harassing me since the election. Let me tell you what I learned from those experiences.

The DezNat individual was deeply concerned about being perceived as morally correct. They were also in Idaho, not far from me. When I threatened to come to their testimony meeting and reveal who they were and what they were doing, they got scared enough to contact me personally from another account. They wanted reassurance that I wouldn't actually do it. They pretended to be "a friend of that guy" and confirmed the suspicions I had from the very beginning: all of those accounts were being created and managed by a very small number of people. Their network included accounts pretending to be left-leaning, specifically so they could engage in arguments under false pretenses and increase the feelings of loneliness and alienation among left leaning people.

This second case is more recent. They chased and hounded me for three days about voting for Kamala Harris. I lost all of my patience and went to work on election night because I had the time. I learned an incredible amount about this guy—enough to know he was only pretending to be a leftist concerned about Palestine, and was actually a Trump supporter in rural Pennsylvania. I know his stepmother is an Asian Trump supporter, as are several of his half siblings. This is exactly how I know he's a Trump supporter. He doesn't care about what happens to them, and neither does his Trump loving father, who was dumb enough to put his zip code in his Instagram handle.

That guy also didn't learn anything from the situation, but I did. Once again, it's confirmation that people in leftist spaces harassing people the most, including those who appear to be on the left, are actually Trump supporters playing stupid games. Don't engage with them. Block them. Report them.

They want you to be angry and exhausted. They want to take your time and energy away from the work you're doing. They want to perpetuate the perception that the left is fractured and disorganized. They want to put you in the mindset where you attack other leftists because of what they say to you.

There's a reason I use my full name on the Internet and have for years now. I am exactly who I appear to be. You want to show up in my ward or at my house? Do it. Look me in my face and say the things you say online. Put yourself in actual space where I could show you exactly what I think of you. That guy from DezNat knew where I lived. I told him to come. Let me see his face. Let me see exactly who it is that pretends to be my brother at Church but is secretly a predator. Let me see you.

They won't because they're cowards. They're terrified of what they cannot understand. Everything they do is motivated by fear.

Don't waste a second being scared of them and what they can do. Peel off the mask and there's just a terrified mouse of a human being, scared that someone bigger and badder than them is going to come along and eat them. That's why they love Trump so much. He makes them feel strong because they're not. He makes them feel powerful because they're not. He vanishes all their deepest insecurities, which is something they desperately need.

That's why they're scared of you: because you don't need that. And if you ever figured that out for even half a second, you would destroy every illusion they have about themselves and the world with the truth.

You want to taunt a Trump supporter. Don't call them racists or fascists. They don't know what those words mean. Tell them "I know something you don't know." Because you do! You know all kinds of stuff about Trump that they don't know! You know all kinds of things about the world that they don't know. They live in a bubble of their own construction. Point out all the things they don't know because they live in their bubble.

If you're feeling sad and frustrated right now, that's okay. But don't be scared of these people. They're unworthy of your fear. Being unbothered by anything they say and do is the smartest thing you could do right now. Regroup and recommit to ruining their day. That's what they're afraid of, and it's what they deserve. Show them everything they're missing out on by staying in the bubble that was made for them.

Be free and happy as yourself because they are not. That's the best revenge there is: to be full of the unconditional love for yourself and compassion for others they don't have.

[atopvisenyashill]

THE PACT OF ICE AND FIRE

so there's an aspect of this one i don't think has really been delved into that I think may be important when it comes to canon jonsa and I wanted to do my own lil analysis, along with maybe some tin hatting at the end here.

this is what the pact is (or what we know of it at any rate, Munkun is not exactly a good source of information):

Cregan Stark and Jacaerys Velaryon reached an accord, and signed and sealed the agreement that Grand Maester Munkun calls “the Pact of Ice and Fire” in his True Telling. Like many such pacts, it was to be sealed with a marriage. Lord Cregan’s son, Rickon, was a year old. Prince Jacaerys was as yet unmarried and childless, but it was assumed that he would sire children of his own once his mother sat the Iron Throne. Under the terms of the pact, the prince’s firstborn daughter would be sent north at the age of seven, to be fostered at Winterfell until such time as she was old enough to marry Lord Cregan’s heir.

There's two parts to this that I think are important here. Here is the first, which is the basics of the pact, and that most Jonsas are familiar with:

Jacaery's First Born Daughter Is Fostered At Winterfell -> She will marry Cregan's first born son and heir.

Obviously, this never happened for several reasons and the pact is forgotten but perhaps it will be fulfilled anyway by...

Jon, a secret Targaryen bastard, is "fostered" at Winterfell -> he will fulfill the pact by marrying a Stark Maiden aka Sansa.

Basically, it's a genderswapped version of what the pact entails. I think given George's fondness for how Tolkien was a hater of Macbeth because he thought the "no man of woman born" should have indicated a girl and not just a man born via c-section, I think the genderswap aspect fits George's style.

The second part however, has more to do with Jacaerys and Sara and I feel like it's glossed over a bit. See here:

They had spoken their vows in Winterfell’s own godswood before a heart tree, and only then had she given herself to him, wrapped in furs amidst the snows as the old gods looked on.

Jacaerys, a "secret" Targaryen bastard who gets his family name and allegiances through his mother, not his father -> Rumors of a secret marriage in front of a Weirwood with a Stark bastard, Sara

Listen. It doesn't matter whether Sara Snow is real, you believe whatever makes you happy! But what IS real and relevant is that this part was included in F&B for a reason, and is indicated to be the catalyst for the pact. Jace and Sara get secret married in front of a Weirwood, and this is what calms down Cregan so they can make their pact. And here is how (I believe) it applies to Jonsa:

Jon, a secret Targaryen bastard, but who gets his look and his allegiance not through his father but Lyanna's blood -> Jon, a Stark bastard, will marry an Heir in secret in front of a Weirwood tree.

THAT is, imo, the most important aspect of this scandalous story from Mushroom - that a secret bastard, a targaryen and a stark, secretly marry in front of a Weirwood tree just before a bloody war kicks off. People tend to make Sansa the Sara in this part, which is valid, but I think Sansa's role in this is not just to be the pretty Stark maiden, but to be the HEIR that is secretly marrying for love, like Jacaerys is, and that Jon's role will be about his status as a bastard, so that both parts kind of apply to both characters. And given that, if Jace and Sara had married, their daughter would have been a Starkgaryen with "secret" bastard heritage (from both her parents), marrying a Stark Heir, it does make sense (at least in my mind) that this may apply to Jon and Sansa's future plot. the That's something I touched on here in my "what will Jon's endgame" post.

Then there's the Vermax of it all...

Mushroom also claims that Vermax left a clutch of dragon’s eggs at Winterfell, which is equally absurd. Whilst it is true that determining the sex of a living dragon is a nigh on impossible task, no other source mentions Vermax producing so much as a single egg, so it must be assumed that he was male. Septon Barth’s speculation that the dragons change sex at need, being “as mutable as flame,” is too ludicrous to consider.)

This brought to mind the ole' Jonnel and Sansa (the first) thing - beyond the J&S similarities (Jacaerys & Sara, Jon & Sansa, Jonnel & Sansa), I think it's also important that Jonnel and Sansa never have any children, though they're married for several years. Jacaerys and Sara also never have children, yet there's the rumor Vermax laid eggs in the crypt, with some believing this may have meant Sara was pregnant (but perhaps miscarried) when Jacaerys left. I think however, the fact that both J&S couples kind of mysteriously do not have children of their own, and that their Houses descend from someone else to be important.

I've kind of briefly gone into the idea that Bran rules in a parliamentary style over (what's left of) Westeros, and while I'm not too committed one way or the other on whether he physically has children or whether they elect the ruler on the Iron Throne more often starting from Bran, the succession is significantly less of an issue because of the permanent Great Council/Parliament that will exist. Sansa (and Jon, for that matter), however, is the heiress to a long line of kings and lords and needs some sort of heir. I don't think it's out of the realm of possibililty that while in the Vale, she connects with some of Jocelyn Stark's descendants (the famous "Vale cousins" that Catelyn mentions as heirs for Robb) and makes one of them her heir, or even names the children of Arya her heir, and pulls a Queen Elizabeth, but then I thought of Vermax laying dragon eggs that are never found, and Jonnel and Sansa never having children, and George's love of threes and thought...perhaps Jon and Sansa will have an heir, but Sansa can't claim the child as hers.

In that same vein, it’s noteworthy to me as well that Serena and Edric (Sansa's younger sister and Jonnel's younger brother) have TWO sons but the line completely bypasses them. We have no idea how the Northerners felt about these marriages beyond the fact that they didn't like Lynara's sons because their rules were plagued by troubles. Is it possible that they chose to bypass Edric's sons because of the incest, and Sansa/Jon may be forced to reconcile with how the realm views him (as Ned's son) and what he actually is (Lyanna's son) when it comes to the line of succession? IE - Vermax is rumored to lay an egg in the crypts but no one ever finds out, Sansa is rumored to have have had a child with her “brother” but no one ever finds out the truth.

TO SUM UP: I think the Pact of Ice and Fire is a hint that Jon and Sansa will secretly marry in the godswood of Winterfell, and it's likely that when Sansa is named Queen in the North, her heir will be "fathered by a wolf" or a "wildling" and she and Jon won't be able to tell anyone that Jon is the father.

[mathildeaquisexta]

So, I live in Aix-en-Provence. Since two months, my city was labelled "Ville Impériale" ("Imperial city") which means that important stuff happened here during the Consulate and the Empire and it left some historical and architectural heritage (I will make several posts about them all). And today I will be talking about a mansion and a castle that used to be occupied by princess Pauline Borghèse and Joseph Fouché (not at the same time obviously, that would have been insane lol).

First, the Hôtel de Forbin.

Pauline lived here for some time in 1807 because she fell in love with Auguste de Forbin, whose family owned the place. They stayed there for some time but it was complicated to maintain their secret relationship as the hôtel particulier was literally in the middle of the city's main street, le Cour. So she pretended to be sick and said she needed the fresh air of the countryside. Later, her husband joined her and I don't know if her lover was still there. Did he know ? Was he part of this relationship ? We will never know.

As for Fouché, it was his first home in Aix after his second disgrace in september 1810. He was appointed senator of the city and the people LOVED him, like everyone was in mourning when he left for Ferrières (and keep in mind these people were very religious and nostalgic for the monarchy, they were the first in France to respawn white rosettes out of nowhere when Napoleon was in Elba island). Interesting enough, in the municipal archives’ constitutional and political acts, they called him « His Excellency monsignor Joseph, Duke of Otrante » and just chose to ignore his family name.

Here, a crazy extract from Les Rues d’Aix :

so there basically, people invited by Fouché to celebrate the new year are complaining about the cold nights and fearing the olive trees would die and some noble guy is like « who cares about the olive trees as long as the Duke is fine ! »

Then, the Mignarde castle.

Insane and disgusting stuff happened here because of Pauline's whims. First she "made the frogs and the cicasias shut up" because their sound bothered her (basically she paid men with sticks and they just hit the trees and the lake until all those poor animals left of were k*lled) and then she took a donkey milk bath everyday but it was very expensive so that milk was sold to the city's market when she was done and people realized something was wrong when they poured it in their corn flakes bowl and it weidly smelled of lavender (obviously it was a huge scandal).

And what about Fouché ? Well, he lived there for some months without making scandals, just being the father of the year and walking in his garden holding the hand of his daughter Josephine. Nothing suspicious happening here.

[bitterrobin]

I loooove expanding on the al Ghuls. IDK in both canon and fanon they're always exclusively villains with little nuance to them unless its the sole focus of a story arc. Even then, its pretty much only Ras and Talia that get their (deserved) due.

*pushing up my nerd glasses* which is why I have fun writing GRAVEYARD because I can yap about my al Ghuls headcanons left and right. For example, Melisande is primarily a French name. But since Talia's mother is often described as mixed Arab/Chinese, I figured I would look for why she would have a French name (other than the writer's decision, maybe they thought it was just pretty). I came up with this: Algeria has history of French usage through its colonization, so Melisande has a French first name but an Arabic middle name (Fadhma). Since she met Ras in Woodstock, she'd have to have been a teenager/young adult by then, and thus been raised in the 1950s/60s. I figured the connotations of Woodstock, her mixed heritage, the then-current state of Algeria etc, the 1969 oil spill in the US, she would have visited America with curiosity about the counter-culture. (how? idk that's why this still in the works) In my au,

Melisande already held views on nature and environmental protection before meeting Ras. Her views were fierce, but probably a little naive compared to Ras' own views. Nonetheless, they clicked intellectually, with Melisande debating theories and politics, which eventually led to their marriage. I don't think Melisande would've liked America (and obviously neither did Ras) so they did not stay there. I considered writing Melisande having Kayble Amazigh heritage to further fuel her desire for change and revolution and because Ras is implied to have Bedouin/Berber origins, but since I don't know much about those cultures beyond some research - I figured I shouldn't include it. Also, because Melisande died when Talia was young, so I don't think she'd have the time to impart a lot of her specific culture onto her daughter, adding to Talia's isolation/loneliness. Melisande is a mother who's killed in both of her iterations, I just wanted to add more significance to her connection with Talia. Something about meeting an intellectual and then being doomed, one way or another, to be absorbed into his mythos. She's a blip in Ras's history, not even his first wife or his first lover - but she's important to Talia.

Same kinda applied to Dusan. He's only in several comics as the White Ghost because Ras needed a new body. He's albino. He's extremely devoted to his father despite not receiving the same attention, and he was born to connect Ras to some lost culture or people. Dusan, to my knowledge is not an Arab name. From research, in some areas, its a Czech/Slovak/Serbian name. This is interesting to me since, besides Nyssa, it implies he's the only other non-Arabic member of the family. Nyssa (depends on translation, is either Greek or Hebrew, which makes sense considering she is Jewish) is of Russian descent. So in my hc, Dusan is of Slovak descent, connected to some fictional peoples. Considering Ras' history, Dusan's mother was probably connected to some type of specific science or magic culture that Ras wanted his hands on. He seems detached to Talia, despite being her brother, so my hc is that he's much older than her and so they don't have a connection in the way that Nyssa created between them. Because Ras was successfully able to transfer his mind/soul to Dusan's body in Resurrection, we can glean that Dusan might've had this magical connection too. Bringing Mara into this, we don't get a lot of content surrounding what her relationship w her father was. Still, my hc is that her red hair streak is actually dyed, and she has inherited her father's albinism but has yet to show it outside of her hair. Mara is also not an Arabic name. In Hebrew it means bitter, but my hc is that she nicknamed herself Mara. Besides Nyssa, I don't think any other member of the al Ghuls are Jewish - so Mara just took the meaning as a way to symbolize her bitterness over her father. Her full name was Maram, which means "wish" or "desire" in Arabic. Whether it was Dusan or her mother that named her this, I'm not fully sure yet but I think it'd be more heartbreaking if it was Dusan. Despite spending so long attached to his father's crusade, I think it'd be sad if for a moment - he had independence and happiness w Mara. Maybe he wanted a son, just as Ras wanted a son, but he once loved her just as fiercely as Talia loves Damian. But again, the al Ghuls are Ouroboros. They cannot ever break the family curse, so in the end, Dusan was once again driven to his father's side w fervor, his lover or wife left him, and Mara was left (as many in the family) alone.

[she-posts-nerdy-stuff]

Worldbuilding

Thanks so much for the interest in this series on my previous post, I’m excited to share it with you :)

One of the strengths of the Grishaverse worldbuilding is that the different countries and cultures take clear inspiration from the real world, so the reader is able to infer a lot of the small details without having to be spoon-fed the information. For example, we don't need a long, info-dump explanation as to why surnames in Shu Han are constructed from the prefixes "yul" or "kir" based on sex and the first name of the parent (eg Kuwei Yul-Bo, son of Bo Yul-Bayurr) because we understand that the country is partially inspired by Mongolia. And even if we don't make this immediate connection, looking at characters like Tolya Yul-Batar and Tamar Kir-Batar we understand how to infer the source of the name because of it's basis from many different naming conventions in our world, such as the -son, -dottier, or -bur suffixes in Iceland. Something I think I see authors do a lot is struggle with the balance in this kind of situation, but personally I find that Leigh Bardugo does it really well. We don't need to be told the extensive information about this, even if she knows it or has some idea about it for herself, because it isn't relevant to the story. If we were told about it in great detail during the Grisha Trilogy or the SOC duology, it would feel a lot like info dumping. But by telling us what it's necessary to know about the Shu royal family in KOS/ROW and letting us fill in the gaps, we feel that we have enough information to both understand and keep the story moving forwards. All we're actually told, to my recollection, is that the Shu queens maintain the given name of the first queen of Shu Han rather than their mother's name to unify the family and to maintain the status symbol of the royals. The information we've been given from this that's immediately relevant to the story is an explanation as to why the character doesn't take her mother's name, so we're not confused or distracted by that as we read on, but we also know that Shu Ha, or at least its aristocracy, is a matriarchy, that the Shu people still feel a great respect for their first queen, implying further that there is a great respect for heritage in the country, and that the Shu monarchy feel the need to remind people of that first queen for what is probably a fear of unsettlement in their power and therefore a need to remind people that this is their 'birth right'.

In my book, there are futuristic technologies made possible by the blending of science and magic, such as a scanner that can identify several genetic markers and is connected to a national database in order to identify anyone, that is used very similarly to a passport system, as well as by the justice system. But it's not necessary to explain the set up of the database, or that the earliest generation of the scanner was developed in the 16th Century, because that doesn't move the story forwards. Instead, I focus on the impact that the technology's usage has on one of the main characters, who has to have routine police and governmental contact because she witnessed the destruction of her home and the murder of her family at age 10. The case is so famous that at the equivalent of passport control to know that her information is about to appear on that database and the person is going to know what happened to her is deeply stressful for her, but there are no alternatives because this system is considered far safer than any paper-based system that could be cheated or faked. My aim is to actually say that the scanner recognises the person and brings up their information so that I can use it to move the story forward through the emotional response of the character, whilst letting the reader infer anything else about the system. I also don't have to tell you that the technology has been around for centuries, but if I have a stranger to the technology describe it and casually mention that 'Generation 18' or something similar is written on the side, you know that it's been around for an extended period of time.

I hope this made sense and was somewhat helpful, I thought I wouldn't go into too much detail and instead split this into multiple posts. Thanks for reading, and if there's anything in particular about worldbuilding you'd like me to talk about let me know and I can give it a try :)

[lazyyogi]

Hi Lazy Yogi, I've followed you for many years. but I changed accounts so it looks like I'm new. For the first time ever, I have a question.

For context, I live in Israel. You may have heard about this place on the news, we're insanely small but somehow get a lot of attention on the world stage. If you have negative feelings towards us I totally understand, we tend to be portrayed badly by mainstream media. I won't go into defending any side here because everyone is at fault. But the main background for my question is that in October, unprovoked, thousands of terrorists forced their way into our homes to murder, rape, and kill thousands of innocent men, women, and children. And kidnapped hundreds more. For months now we have been at war with these terrorists.

Now, I've casually followed Buddhist texts and ideologies for over a decade and very much relate to the spirituality. However, I'm struggling to understand or find support in Buddhism for such extreme times and sufferings. How does Buddhism look at war? What if sometimes it's necessary? How do you process that? What do you do in times of such extreme societal trauma? Where do you even begin?

Anyways, I don't expect you to have the answers, but if you do happen to have any suggestions for readings, quotes, or anything at all to help, it would be much appreciated.

Wishing for peace,

Spiritually-caffeinated

There are many different buddhist traditions and they each may say something different on these matters.

Overall, war is bad. Violence is bad. It should be avoided in all its forms, as it causes harm and spreads ignorance. That said, war is not always avoidable.

There are contexts in which you see Buddhism and the martial arts blended together. Whether we are talking about Shaolin kung fu or Buddhist samurai, the martial arts were regarded as a way to deepen our self-discipline and bring our minds and bodies into harmony. In terms of combat, there were elements of self-defense, overwhelming offensive attacks, and engaging in warfare.

It is difficult, however, to draw direct parallels from those examples to the present day. The form that warfare has taken is drastically different. From terrorists embedding themselves in civilian infrastructure to military use of drones, weapons of mass destruction, and cyberwarfare.

You ask where to begin when living in such times of extreme societal trauma. I would say you begin with yourself. Seek out the violence within your own mind and heart. Resolve to free yourself from it. And then do the work to do so. Daily meditation and mindfulness practice is a good way to start.

The vow to "Free all beings," begins with freeing them from you.

With regard to the current bloodshed around Gaza, the spread of violence has gone far beyond the battlefield. It is in the minds and attitudes of the people who identify with either side. The spread of division is the spread of ignorance.

Generally the spiritual approach to the disputes of humanity is this:

"You cannot solve a problem with the same level of thinking that created the problem."

That said, I certainly have no solutions for any of this.

I am from a Jewish family, was raised Jewish, and I've been to Israel a few times, although I do not practice Judaism. It is because of my Jewish heritage and upbringing that I was taught to be especially mindful of those who are enslaved, oppressed, discriminated against, and made victim of genocide. Because I know the stories and histories in which the Jewish people were subject to all of that.

And its for those reasons that I cannot rationalize the dramatic loss of civilian lives due to Israel's military strikes in Gaza. The numbers are staggering and the conditions are gruesome.

At the same time, Gaza's government is a literal terrorist organization that, as you've stated, conducted a raid in which thousands of Israeli civilians were raped and murdered, while several hundred were kidnapped. It is an action that would have seen intense military response by any capable nation. I don't know what Hamas expected their horrific raid to accomplish and I am surprised that I don't see more condemnation of Hamas from those who support Palestine.

It is this terrorist organization that should be eradicated and yet due to the way terrorist groups embed themselves in civilian populations, it is nearly impossible to do so without incurring substantial losses to civilians. We have seen this time and again in varying circumstances all over the world.

I pray for a safe and peaceful Gaza living alongside a safe a peaceful Israel. How do we get from here to there? I don't know. But I can tell you it won't come from more civilian deaths, more hate, and more division.

A book I have always found helpful for meeting the most challenging aspects of human life is The Places That Scare You by Pema Chodron. Give it a read; I hope it helps you, my friend.

May all beings be free.

LY

[mymistakewriting]

Howard 'Chimney' Han headcanons & thoughts

Let me start this post out with a heads up because I'm sure something I say here is going to upset someone. I've seen how divided some of this fandom is on Chimney. NOTHING I SAY HERE SHOULD BE TAKEN AS ME BASHING A CHARACTER. I have several opinions on Chimney. My opinions and feelings on Chimney are VERY complicated and I'll do my best to explain them all.

And now, let me begin with the question posed to me by @happilylovingchaos

Heritage: Because he lost his mother so young and he stayed in the United States instead of returning with his father back to South Korea after her passing, his exposure to his heritage was limited (and rather tainted) despite another family taking him in. Because of this, I'm very sure his feelings towards his heritage is complicated - he's proud of where he comes from, he'll happily answer questions or discuss it if people want to hear it.

I do fully believe he intends to make sure Jee-Yun is aware of and connected with that portion of her heritage, he does still hold it close even if he doesn't feel as connected with it himself. Additionally, I think he uses the language pretty fluidly, kind of like how Eddie occasionally slips in a Spanish word, Chimney slips in a Korean word or phrase when he thinks it matches what he wants to say more. That said, I don't think it's something he uses often.

Other: For all that the show frames Chimney as the funny guy who takes nothing seriously, ESPECIALLY when paired against Hen, I don't think he is. He's not the comic relief, he's not the guy that's always joking around. And I see that misconception a lot in the fandom as well. He definitely uses humor as a coping mechanism, don't get me wrong, but he's usually the one balancing Hen's more wild ideas. He acts as her balance - her savior complex versus his need to stay well within the bounds he's been given because he knows and has seen what can happen if he oversteps those bounds for even a moment. Better read as her savior complex versus his survivor's guilt.

He's not fit to be a full time captain. He did passably well as interim captain in the show, however he has the tendency to focus on the wrong things and he tends to freeze when he's under pressure and asked to make the calls. If he worked on that, he'd make an amazing captain. Personally, I think he should be paramedic in charge for a-shift at some point. He'd thrive in that position. However, to do so would mean he would have to take a step back from the rescue (firefighter) portion of his job to focus more on the medical side and I just can't see him doing that.

He does owe Buck an apology for punching him during the situation with Maddie. But not because it was uncalled for. Yes, he shouldn't have hit Buck because frankly, I'm half sure at the time Buck didn't know where the hell Maddie was, it was just another time that she'd up and ran away like she always did when he was little. However, in the situation? I understand why he did. He shouldn't apologize because oh he hurt Buck and Buck's everyone's favorite - he should apologize because it was a moment of high emotion and they both should have communicated better. He isn't a terrible person for reacting as a worried partner who wasn't being told the truth. It was just a shitty situation. For everyone.

This one is just fun. He's the reason Buck trained Ravi the way he did. Chimney certainly didn't give Buck an easy time during his probationary year, and Buck took that to heart. He's tough enough to handle the job because of how Chimney helped train him in his mind, so of course he paid it forward. I'm pretty sure Chimney got a laugh out of the stories when Hen told him.

Chimney handles being the partner of a domestic abuse victim beautifully. He knows that sometimes, things are going to happen that trigger a memory or reaction that don't make a whole lot of sense. The fact that he's been shown to roll with the punches and let Maddie make the calls on how fast they do something? Beautiful. I adore their relationship SOLELY for Chimney's side of it and how considerate he is of the fact that he hasn't been there, he doesn't understand everything she's been through. But he still tries to make sure she knows she's safe and loved and valued. He is exactly the kind of partner she needed after what she lived through with Doug.

[alanshee-keeper-of-realms]

In honor of Disability Awareness Month here are some Cyrus Borg headcannons of mine

He's Transgender FtM deadname Cerise is close to his current name as he wanted to honor his parents who supported him throughout his transition

His full name is Cyrus Hassan Borg and he was born on October 13th 1975

He has a prosthetic and is an ambulatory wheelchair user having been born with a severe case of spina bifida

The closest to our real life heritages that would compare to his village and family is Pakistani

My guy has legitimately been clocked in at going 10 mph in his wheelchair. It is now a goal of all employees to see if they can ever catch him going faster then this.

He's the quiet imp in the corner the one you don't assume is up for causing trouble but oh boy you ask him and he can and will leap on it

Legitimately made 16 versions of Pixal because ADHD hyperfixation wouldn't leave him alone about perfecting the program

Was accidentally inspired by a legend that came out of Birchwood Forest about Zane

All 16 of his Nindroid kids are still currently online and running around, he is a very proud dad and takes every opportunity to show them off to whoever will listen

His children give him flack for this haha

Skylor once tried to give him a meal on the house as a thank you for bringing the community back together he instead slipped $100 bill into her tip jar she still makes jokes towards him as a result to this day over it. Pixal lost it laughing when Skylar told her

The reason he did this he is very very charitable maybe a billionaire but even he is confused how he has so much money since he's donated so much back to the community through various charities

Cyrus is also he reason Kryptarian constantly has upgrades and the right equipment. The prisoners have a certain level of respect for him as a result of this.

He lives in Borg Industries publicly it is not known that there are five levels above his office these are personal Apartments but to throw people and would be kidnappers off he does own several vacation places nearby that he frequents to make it look like he lives there

He is a very sneaky mother fucker Pixal found out this the hard way when she told him no coffee and he got a co-worker to smuggle it into him

The community absolutely loves Cyrus like he gets so much fan mail and fan art from the public that they have their own designated spot and room to sort it all out

He actually does have a weapon of choice throwing daggers he picked this up after season 7

The reason Pixal is so good at dodging things being thrown is because Cyrus in his anger and fury will sometimes let loose any tool in his hands that he has

whether this be screwdrivers, one time it was his shoe, another time it was a pen. It's never really anything that can actually cause harm it's more so him just letting them know he's absolutely Furious

Which brings me to my second point it is very very hard to get him absolutely angry at you if he is throwing things at you that means you have definitely crossed the line somewhere

His wheelchairs are all custom made by himself but he is known if a worker comes to him and requests he will make their own Mobility aids or repair them

Borg Industries is a Forefront leader of workers rights there is literally a plaque on the door that reads

Borg Industries is a Safe Haven for anyone that Society deems a minority, if a worker is caught discriminating against any of these groups they will be immediately be dragged upstairs in front of the CEO, footage reviewed to make sure they are seeing what they were and you will be personally handed a pink slip and fired.

Cyrus also has made it well known that the company will not work with anybody who does not also uphold this there have been many companies made bankrupt by borg Industries stepping out after they were caught discriminating or cheating people out of their well-earned income.

Although it doesn't appear so the stairs outside actually on one side collapse in on themselves and a elevator switches into place lifting the person up to the level of the doors

Cyrus and Pixal visit Children's Hospitals around Ninjago at random, they will also randomly pop into universities and teach a class on Nindroid technology Pixal showing her tech. Zane occasionally joins as well,

[nebulabasket]

It's Indigenous People's Day, y'all! This is going to be a long post.

We have the privilege of being bodily white. Definitely take more from the Scandinavian and British parts than the Indigenous part on that front. And, unfortunately, we weren't really raised near the rest of the tribe. Even then, we were still raised by a line of proud Choctaw and instilled with their values. Still some of my my fondest memories with my nana, who passed 3 years ago as of last week, are of her proudly showing us the culture and art of out tribe and telling us stories of her experiences with her family and fellow Choctaw.

What's always irritating is that, beyond no one believing that we're Choctaw, so many people don't even believe that the Choctaw tribe exists at all. We've constantly been accused of making it all up to seem special or something. We were even called racist and insensitive over claiming to be Choctaw. The majority of attempts made to open up about our heritage were immediately shut down. And the issue of people not believing that Choctaw exist at all has been issue since as least as far back as 4 generations. It's beyond irritating. We are most certainly real.

We've always wanted to visit the Choctaw Nation and participate in cultural practices first-hand, but we've never had the opportunity to, and, quite frankly, it's not a very safe place to travel to as an openly nonbinary indigenous person at the moment due to the state surrounding it. There's been a lot of violence towards both trans and indigenous people even in our home state and a severe lack of justice. It's extremely saddening.

We thought it would be interesting to share a little bit about the Choctaw Nation, I suppose to bring a little more awareness to our existence. Like, did you know that only 16 years after the Choctaw began their journey down the trail of tears, Choctaw people made donations equivalent to thousands of dollars in today's money to aid Irish people during the Irish Potato Famine? Even today, relations are still strong between the Choctaw Nation and Ireland, and, in 2020, the Irish paid it forward by aiding the Indigenous tribes who were hit hardest by covid. And here's a cool necklace my great grandpa gifted to my mom:

I wish I knew more about this necklace, but Choctaw people do a lot of beautiful beadwork. I've always wanted to find a way to incorporate it into my usual clothing. I wish I had better memory so I could tell you more at the moment or that my nana were still around to share her stories, but this is at least something. We deserve to be recognized.

Anyway, Columbus sucks butt and Happy Indigenous People's Day!

[lgbtawarenessproject]

[Image ID: A black man sitting comfortably on a greenish-white couch with his arms sprawled across the top. He is wearing a black durag with white stripes and a BLM shirt. He has an afro-textured beard. Above him is the Black American Heritage flag, which is three diagonal stripes of red, black, and red, where the center lies a yellow reaf surrounding a sword. The texted captions read throughout the video, "Juneteenth: Educational Purposes," "The Slaves Freed on Juneteenth were NOT African, they were black", "In Reality: African Slaves went extinct after generations of interacial breeding & indoctrination of Christianity", "The Slaves released & Modern Day Black Ppl today are the successful product of said brainwashing & deterioration of thr African in America!" and "Black American Heritage Flag created 1967." End ID]

[Caption: The man says, "Public service announcement in regards to Juneteenth: As we know, the holiday is less than a week away, and we also know, greedy ass corporations are going to try and capitalize and get a dollar in anyway, shape, or form. Which leads me to this announcement, or should be better clarified as advisory. If you step foot, in any store, and you see Juneteenth related products with nothing but the African flag or African flag colors, do not by that shit. This is in no way disrespectful to our melanated neighbors from the mother land. Because, if it's one thing, that the black community has been able to piece together with the context clues of history shared museums and novels. To map out what all happened during that time period, that history books would not tell us in school. It's the simple fact that the slaves that were finally being freed after the Civil War were not African. They were black. Please allow me to explain Juneteenth in that statement I just made. Slavery was officially abolished on January 1st of 1863, when Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Unfortunately, a portion of traitor sore losers- excuse me, I mean slave owners, decided not to relay that information to their slaves for another 2 and half years. Leading to another, smaller batch of slaves to finally found out they were on June 19th of the year 1865. And, honestly, Juneteenth is just the tip of the fucked up iceberg, as to what slave owners were capable of, when they did not want to give up their slaves. Because there were still slave plantations being discovered and shut down past the year of 1865. Killona Slave Plantation in Louisiana was the last recorded discovered in America, and shut down. And that was in the 1970s. The only reason those plantations lasted so long, was because of how isolated they were, in deep forests, and the constructions of roads, and highways, was what lead to their exposure. But in that century of slaves finally being free, there were several factors that they all had in common. They spoke fluid English with no African Language, they were all Christians with no practice of African religion, nor did they know what African tribe they were a part of. Within the first 100 out of 400 years of slavery, Africans were seperated from their tribes, their bloodlines, told to forget their names, and then forced to forget their African religions and learn Christianity, and forced to mix with other races. I have a friend who just discovered he was part Latino, and he does not look Latino at all. Hell, thanks to the best of my family's ability, I know I have African, Native, French, White, and Asian blood running through my veins, and I still don't know what tribes I am connected to. But, that is why I choose to have this flag on my wall, because this flag right here, represents all people of color, who either lost, or do not know their history prior to being naked and chained up on a boat. End ID]

Video ID by discord member

[purple-haired-faerie]

Anna and Ari adoption HC

They weren't planning on adopting a child when they were in India meeting Aris family there, and initially they had only planned on adopting one child.

But that was before they met Saanvi and Prisha. They are sisters, Saanvi is 6 and Prisha is 3, and inseparable. It's one of the reasons they haven't been adopted.

The other is that, as a result of seeing her parents being murdered, Prisha became a self mute, and has really bad separation anxiety. Saanvi won't leave her little sister

They don't even really discuss it. These girls are coming home with them. And no one is going to talk them out of it.

They let everyone know, but ask that they don't come to Percy Street unless invited. These girls have been through enough and their friends and family can be a lot on a good day.

Flora is the first to come round. She brings them both a plushie Teddie and some story books Ari had liked when she was young. She's becomes the grandma that turns up randomly because she saw something in a shop she thought one of the girls might like.

Then Cecily, Gabriel and Alexander come round. Alex is thrilled to have someone his own age with to have as a playmate. Gabriel literally can't stop having an crisis he's "too young to be a grandfather". Cecily bless her heart is literally the only sane one offering actual practical advice "as long as your children are happy and healthy then everything else falls into place". She should know having raised Anna and Christopher

Gideon, Sophie and Eugenia come to visit. Gideon looks baffled on seeing the girls (despite having been told several times by Sophie) and Eugenia gushes at them. Again Sophie being the gem she is, having heard about what they have been through slips Anna a list of people who might be able to help them deal with their trauma. The list is a God's send and really helps both of them.

Will and Tessa invite them to the institute, so they can get used to the place. Saanvi asks loads of questions which Will answers and Tessa let's Prisha take her time and makes her feel safe.

Then the girls are subjected to introduced to their parents friends. James and Lucie bombard them with books, Mathew comes arms with clothes, Alistair and Thomas are just their for cuddles (Alistair will deny the fact), as does Cordelia. Jesse just let's Lucie ask a million and one questions. Grace comes for a short visit and on leaving simply says "let them know how much you love them"

And these girls really are loved. Anna and Ari don't force anything on them. Their expectations are reasonable; have manners but don't take fools lightly. Don't let anyone dull your light but that doesn't mean it has to be about you all the time.

In time, they both deal from their trauma. Prisha begins to talk again and doesn't have a meltdown and being separated. Saanvi was better at hiding her problems but she's ok

Plus they might not be related to Anna and Ari by blood but there is no doubt who they were raised by. Both are really accepting of anyone and everyone, and will stick up for the underdog.

Saanvi takes after Anna in the sense she's such a social gathering organiser and hoist. Parties, picnics, inventive games Saanvi is your girl. Whereas Prisha inherits Anna's listing ear. You need some to help you process something? Prisha is your girl. Both leant about healing from Ari.

But they are also their own people. Saanvi is an artist. She mostly sketches and paints watercolors. She also occasionally plays the piano with Ari.

Prisha however is a Gardener. She is particularly keen on growing plants that are native to India to keep that part of her heritage alive. She also enjoys cooking and baking a lot of Indian food as well for that very same reason.

[butts-bouncing-on-the-beltway]

"We know that these self-identified Jews aren't actually Jewish because their Haggadah is different than ours and I don't like it"

AKA

"Reform and Reconstructionist Jews aren't real Jews, and no real Jew has ever altered the Haggadah via a Jewish lens of modernization....what do you mean Jewish feminists did exactly that and a huge chunk of progressive Jews actively incorporated those changes into their regular Haggadah material, what could women possibly have to contribute to the Haggadah that The Original Jewish Patriarchs didn't???"

I have absolutely pissed myself laughing at these fucking xenophobic shitheads and their alternate reality, but man, eventually the threshhold for "blood is leaking from my eyes" gets reached.

Anyway, here's a bunch of links to different Haggadah booklets so you can all see for yourselves how many different translations, iterations, and adaptations ACTUAL FUCKING SYNAGOGUES AND THEIR JEWISH MEMBERS have been making over the last few centuries.

A shortened Haggadah for "first timers, people with short attention spans, and hungry families with noisy kids":

A more standard length Haggadah emdorsed by the Jewish Federation of North America's Rabbinic Cabinet

One version of a Reconstructionist Haggadah

Another Reconstructionist Haggadah based on the work of several Reconstructionist Rabbis

A Reconstructionist synagogue's supplemental material to the first Reconstructionist Haggadah chosen to incorporate more work and writing from Jews of color from several significant JoC communities

One of the most well known Feminist Haggadahs

The National Council of Jewish Women's supplemental Haggadah material

The overarching Reform Judaism leadership's main page FULL of different haggadot

A "Haggadah for everyone!"

Chabad's take on the Haggadah

I'm out of space to add more Haggadot, but please understand that even if you try to seek out a "traditional" "orthodox" haggadah, you will still be directed to A BUNCH of different translations, transliterations, content structure, and messaging. Literally, there IS no such thing as "what the Haggadah is supposed to say" and deciding that someone isn't Jewish because *they're just using different Haggadot than you* is some of the most hateful kind of intracommunal erasure I can fucking imagine. It would be like Israel having a history of saying that the Jewish people (and their descendants) who renounced their faith under duress during the Holocaust need to convert to Judaism officially in order to be considered eligible for Israeli Jewish citizenship, or that only converts to *specific* sects of Judaism "counted" legally as Jews

Oh wait....

https://elibrary.law.psu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1329&context=psilr

Truly, I love being a Jew in a deeply antisemitic country where neonazis have more rights to free speech than Jews criticising holocaust deniers do lmao. Truly, it is a pleasure and a delight to be denied my history and my heritage by people who insist that accepting and endorsing war crimes is the price I have to pay for "safety". I have never been happier to revel in the beauty of my faith than now as I watch the world justify crimes against humanity in our name when literally two years ago, all those same people were insisting there were "good people on all sides" in Charlottesville. What a lucky little traitor I must be to my people, my faith, my G-d, and my family if I dare to think that we Jews have the right to evolve and grow culturally in line with halacha, even when that means rejecting established tradition in favor of modern halachic and Talmudic conversations about equality, justice, and compassion. How silly must I be not to realize the necessity of denying our own people their existances because they dared to disagree with you, oh great speaker for Hashem itself!

May your names be buried in the muck you sling, and may you receive all that you wish upon others.

And to anyone who decides NOT to be rabidly antisemetic in my notes, I hope you have fun looking through a bunch of Haggadah formats because truly? Pesach has always held a special place in my heart. It's the religious holiday I have always most loved and treasured. Like yeah, Purim's fun, yeah Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are important (don't tell my rabbi, but she talks sooooooo long on Yom Kippur and it's hard to sneak out to keep my blood sugar from harming me without disrupting my loved ones in their practice, so between RH/YK and the erevs, everything is usually just a fuckin blur for me by the end of it. My rabbi's dad, our former rabbi, does a great story hour tho). But pesach is about grief and love and meaning making, and the memories we treasure, and I could spend a lifetime talking with my aunties and my adopted mom and her friends all talking and sharing stories and singing in the kitchen.

There are SO many different interpretations of the haggadot, and I don't think I've ever used the same one two years in a row, but I've almost always loved the one chosen. Jewish introspection at Pesach speaks to me in my so, and I hope it makes yours sing too.