#but you’ll never lose that love or reverence for you culture and I hope that message comes across in this lil drawing ok byeee (ﾉ´ヮ��)ﾉ*: ･ﾟ

[kataracy]

Kataang Week 2024 DAY 1 // Cultural Sharing

“I’m nervous. Am I doing okay?”

“You’re doing amazing Sweetie.”

[slashesotron]

Have the picture I meant to post with his MC meme- him dressed up for a goth club!- and some bonus oc memes under the cut. (Yes, some ocs are censored. You’ll have to wait to meet them! :3c Also, his sim isn’t quite accurate bodymod-wise.)

Atlas facts! 🐞

Atlas has ‘truth’ and ‘loyalty’ tattooed on his chest and stomach in Latin. It’s there for a reason; he doesn’t lie unless telling the truth would endanger or embarrass someone, and he’s absolutely ride-or-die loyal, even if he… shouldn’t be. These aren’t traits he’s had to try at; they’re innate, and he can’t help but act in accordance to them.  

His voice is a lot lower than you’d probably expect, and he isn’t super emotive- not entirely monotone, but his vocal expression is fairly muted. He’s friendly though, and likes talking to people- even if he mostly listens.

He bluescreens / has a tendency to deer-in-the-headlights around pretty girls, and will give her the shirt off his back if she asks. Basically, you know in movies when someone sees the love of their life and they’re depicted with, like, a rosy sparkle filter over them? How Atlas Sees Every Woman. He’s just like, whoa. I’m in the same room as a goddess??

He’s entirely respectful, though; he does his best to be polite and friendly like he is to everyone else, he just… fumbles a lot. His admiration is more reverent than anything selfish. 

He’s utterly oblivious to flirting from dudes until it’s very, very overt. He just figures they’re being friendly and doesn’t tend to consider oh hey, maybe he’s into me. He’s far too humble to assume anyone is into him, tbh, until they have him pinned against a wall or something. 

Asking for what he wants is hard for him; making the first move is practically impossible. As a result, his romantic & sexual experience rates in the ‘count-on-one-hand’ category… and not the whole hand, either.

He dabbles in vulture culture, and he’s comfortable hunting and dressing/butchering a catch. He considers using as much of the animal as possible respectful, and the best way to honour the life given.

He’s a gunsmith and a brewer; it’s the family business, and he’s been training for it since he was young.

He and his remaining family (an uncle) live in a fairly remote location- a cabin that doubles as the shop in a sparsely-populated, heavily-wooded area. His uncle is away for long stretches of time for work, so Atlas spends a lot of his time alone.

He’s self-conscious about his teeth! They’re uneven and pretty crowded, and he’s got a space between his fronts. He’s got nothing to worry about tho, it looks cute.

He grows the world’s worst facial hair. Barely any, nowhere useful, and super sparse. He only needs to shave like once a week, if that. 

He’s a bit of a twink- slender, not a ton of fuzz (but he does have some), though the work he does means he’s got a bit of lean muscle. His body type is inclined toward skinny, though, and if he was removed from the exercise he usually gets (for some reason), he’d start losing that muscle fairly quickly. 

He has a secret bedside drawer where he hides his naughty stash. He hopes no one ever finds it- it would be mortifying! You won’t look in there, right?

Here’s his aesthetic board [bug/spider warning] and his kink list! 🐞

It’s low, but it’s not as low as this chart makes it look, either. My kingdom for a voice claim…

Yeah, he’s horny as fuck. He’s never gonna say it though.

This man’s #1 fantasy is having a girl ride him while pinning him down/choking him. He’s never actually bottomed before and he’s nervous about the idea.

[emblem-fire]

Black Eagle!Dedue AU

Dedue starts classes in the Blue Lions House, but he isn’t totally loyal to Dimitri like he is in the canon. In this AU, he is bitter about the Murder of Duscur and about Dimitri’s refusal to do anything in terms of reparations.

Dedue spends two moons in the blue lions and in that time, he is consistently belittled and degraded by Felix and Ingrid for his heritage. He doesn’t get this treatment from his other classmates but they seldom defend him. This refusal to take action leads to a rift between the Dedue and the rest of his class. For a while, he feels totally alone.

One day, Ingrid gets exceptionally racist in the mess hall and it draws attention. Again, none in the Blue Lions stand up for Dedue but to Dedue’s surprise, quite a few Black Eagles come to his defense immediately. This leads to a spat between the the black eagles, Petra, Dorothea and Ferdinand in particular, and Ingrid and Felix. Seteth breaks up the argument but before they leave, the Black Eagles invite Dedue to their table. Dedue thinks on it a minute before he stands with his food and he goes to join them. He starts sitting with and just generally hanging out with the Eagles from then on, but it doesn’t push him to switch classes.

From then, Dedue builds relationships with most of the Eagles.

Petra becomes friends with him first, and they bond over their mutual feelings of homesickness. They become good friends doing cool friend shit like hunting and fishing together and kicking the shit out of racist monks and students. Idk I just want them to be bros, dude.

Dorothea becomes friends with him by asking him about the arts of Duscur. He’s wary of her initially, but he eventually warms up to her and he even sings the songs he remembers for her.

Ferdinand tries to be a protector to Dedue at first but that annoyed Dedue more than anything. Dedue tries to explain that he doesn’t need a defender and that while he appreciates the thought, he would rather not have Ferdinand stick his neck out like that. Ferdinand obliges, albeit a bit confused as to why someone would refuse a noble’s protection.

 Caspar becomes friends with Dedue because of how built he is. They train together all the time, and though Caspar is a bit too rambunctious for Dedue’s tastes, he indulges him anyways and he develops a friendship with him.

What pushes Dedue to leave the Blue Lions is his paralouge. Dimitri refuses to defend the Duscur rebels. He says that there are more important matters at hand, so he turns his back on the people who just want their homes back. Desperate and enraged, Dedue turns to the eagles and begs them for their aid. Without question, Byleth and Edelgard agree to help him and together, they help the Duscari rebels fend off the battalion of Faerghus soldiers. Afterwards, Edelgard offers the rebels a haven in Enbarr, so that they may live in peace. The rebels accept her offer and they go to Enbarr as temporary refugees, but with plans to take their lands back in one way or another.

Dedue is thoroughly shocked that Edelgard was so ready to aid his people who have been seen as lessers for so long and he’s even more shocked when she offers the people of Duscur her protection and a temporary home in Enbarr. It is here where Edelgard confides in Dedue that when she is Emperor, she wants to create a world of equals in terms of rights and protections. It’s vague but it’s enough for him to turn his back on Dimitri all together and join the Eagles because in this one act of aid, she has done more for Duscur than Dimitri has in his entire life.

Ingrid is predictably vindictive about his choice to leave, but everyone else is amicable about it, ranging from sad to indifferent.

When the war rolls around, Dedue doesn’t think twice about siding with the empire.

Dialogue vs former classmates

Dimitri

Dimitri: Dedue!

Dedue: Your Highness.

Dimitri: I don’t understand, how could you side with her? Can you not see the destruction that she has wrought?

Dedue: With her help, Duscur can reclaim what it has lost. She offers a future for my people, whereas Faerghus sees us as little more than a remnant of the past.

Dimitri: Faithless turncoat! Very well, then. If you fight for her despotic visions, then you’ll die too!

Ingrid

Ingrid: Duscari scum! I will rid you from the world for your treachery!

Dedue: No, Ingrid. You will only die trying.

Felix

Felix: Even if you’ve left the boar, you’re still nothing more than a dog. The only thing that’s changed is your master.

Dedue: I have no words for you.

Felix: Good. Come fight me and die.

Sylvain

Sylvain: So, this new world Edelgard wants to build is one where crests are insignificant?

Dedue: Yes. If you lay down your arms, I can promise you that you’ll have a place in it too.

Sylvain: Tempting, but I’m afraid I’ve already found a cause worth fighting for.

Dedue: Your sense of duty will get you killed.

Sylvain: I have the Lance of Ruin on my side, Dedue. I’ll take my chances.

Annette

Annette: I know I should hate you for siding with her…

Dedue: …

Annette: But, I don’t. I really do understand why you did.

Dedue: We don’t need to fight, Annette. Surrender, and I will see that you are treated with fairness and dignity.

Annette: I’m sorry, but I can’t. I will not lose my father again. Prepare yourself, I won’t go easy on you.

Ashe

Ashe: I was hoping we wouldn’t have to fight.

Dedue: As was I. I don’t suppose I can convince you to lay down your bow and surrender?

Ashe: I’m sorry, but no. I have a duty to fulfill. Even if it means I’ll die fulfilling it.

Mercedes

Mercedes: Oh! It really is lovely to see you again. It’s a shame that it’s like this, isn’t it?

Dedue: I don’t want to fight you, Mercedes. Please, stand down.

Mercedes: If only it were so simple, Dedue.

Endings in Crimson Flower route

Solo Ending

After the war finally came to a halt, the people of Duscur were able to reclaim what they had lost and then some. Dedue was widely celebrated as a hero to his people and he became the first leader of Duscur. The people wanted him to rule as a king, but he proposed a more democratic rule. Even so, Dedue was never voted out of office and under his selfless leadership, Duscur was able to bloom into a wealthy nation with rich art and world famous cuisine.

Ending with Ferdinand

After the war had finally came to a halt, the people of Duscur were finally able to reclaim what they lost and then some. Dedue became a hero to his people and together with the aid of Ferdinand von Aegir, Duscur healed from the scars of it’s past and it blossomed into a vibrant nation which was rich in trade and art. Later, after both Dedue and Ferdinand had passed, letters between the two were discovered, the contents of which were described by poets and scholars as the most beautiful and intimate expressions of love and gratitude to ever be written.

Ending with Petra

After the war had come to a close, Petra was finally crowned as the Queen of Brigid. From the very start of her reign, Petra worked hard to establish strong diplomatic relations with not just Fódlan, but with Dagda, Almyra, Morfis and the newly rebuilt Duscur. Dedue, as the new leader of Duscur, would meet with Petra regularly to make sure that their two nations grew strong together, though later, these meetings would become more private affairs. Eventually, Dedue announced that he would not be running for another term and he left Duscur to be with Petra, to whom he was wed almost as soon as he arrived in Brigid. The people were initially skeptical of him but Dedue’s tireless devotion to his new subjects earned him their love and admiration. To this day, Dedue and Petra are revered in both Duscur and Brigid and the two nations enjoy a high degree of camaraderie.

Ending with Dorothea

When the war finally came to a close, Dorothea accompanied her husband, Dedue to Duscur. Together, they got to work rebuilding Duscur, though in two very different ways. Dedue became the first elected leader of Duscur and his policies made sure that the country was built strongly in terms of infrastructure and with its economy. Dorothea, on the other hand, became a patron of the arts and she oversaw the creation of a new Opera company in Duscur which took in talent from all over the world. This diversity of artists effectively revolutionized art itself, and before long, Duscur was known far and wide for it’s wide array of arts. For as busy as the couple was, however, they always made time for one another and it is said that no union was ever as happy and serene as theirs was.

Ending with Caspar

In recognition of his daring deeds during the war, Caspar was offered the position of Minister of Military Affairs, but he declined. Instead, Caspar accompanied Dedue and his people to help rebuild Duscur. Unfortunately, hatred for Duscur persisted in the north of Fódlan. This led to the creation of a military dedicated to the defense of Duscur, helmed jointly by Caspar and Dedue. Thanks to their tireless efforts, Duscur remained safe and in time, the nation was able to heal and bloom into a wondrous country of wealth and formidable military might. To this day, Dedue and Caspar are remembered as the greatest of all of Duscur’s heroes, even being called the sons of the War God by some.

Ending with Bernadetta

After the war had finally come to a close, Bernadetta was granted the Varley territory, but instead of taking over, she chose a more adept successor and relinquished all claims to the territory. From there, she became a traveling artist of great renown. She ventured far and wide, from Brigid to Sreng to Almyra, but eventually, she found herself in Duscur and she fell in love with the culture. Her paintings of Duscur and it’s denizens became beloved by the people to the point were Dedue, the new leader of Duscur, had to beg her to stay. She inevitably stayed and with her help, art museums were established in Duscur. In time, these became among the finest in the world, filled to the brim with the beautiful works of Duscur’s many artists.

This was pretty cool to write haha. If anyone is interested in me writing more endings for this AU or maybe even Dedue’s supports with the Black Eagles and the Golden Deer let me know!

[oliveheart-worldbuilding]

Aster, Bee Balm, Daffodil, Dahlia, Laurel, Petunia, Rose, and Violet? I'd also add Gardenia but it's impossible to escape murder cats.

Hi there! Thank you so much for the ask! Once again, I’m sorry for taking so long to answer!

Adding a read more because this one is pretty long.

Aster- Who’s your least favorite character? Why?

This one is a bit difficult for me, I read many of the books a long time ago and I’m sure if I were to read them again my opinion on a lot of characters would be very different. Going only by memory I would say that Bluestar is one of my least favorite characters but then I would have to add many female characters that I now feel were completely mistreated by the authors and whose entire arcs where thrown under the bus in the name of forbidden love or man pain. I never liked Silverstream, but nowadays I know that whom I actually hate is Graystripe. I used to not like Leafpool or Squirrelflight at all, now I don’t. What I’m trying to say is that my opinion changes constantly and a lot. I read the books a long time ago and did so with a completely different mindset (I was 16 when I read Omen of the Stars and oh man was I edgy and stupid back then), most of my opinions nowadays are based on the potential the characters have rather than the actual character. So bearing that in mind:

-Bluestar: I know, I know, a lot of you love her a lot but even after reading people’s opinions on her I just… eh I don’t like her at all. She feels incredibly detached in the first books. To me she always treated Firepaw rather coldly. I know a lot of people talk about Bluestar as if she had become Firepaw’s adoptive mother but I just don’t see it. Reading about her losing her faith was very interesting, so was her crumping mind health but, I just gotta draw the line on how terrible she was to Brightpaw. In this house we love and respect Brightpaw and Bluestar was just very nasty to her. I really didn’t like her novella at all either. Based on her relationship with Whitestorm in The Prophecies Begin I always thought that she might have played an important role in his life after Snowfur died but, it doesn’t seem that way at all? The only moment we see them interact is when she tells Whitekit, in a very distressing way may I add, that her mother is dead and never coming back. To me, she also comes in as selfish and power-hungry, she spends a huge part of the book complaining about Thistleclaw (bear in mind, back then he was only overly ambitious, not a pedophile) and his relationship with her sister, even though she herself is spending time with Oakheart, a tom from another clan. When Goosefeather tells her about the prophecy he never specifies that she must be the one becoming leader, only that Thistleclaw is not meant to become one and yet she goes out of her way to become the leader so much so that she’s willing to risk her kittens’ safety (killing one in the process) just so she can be available for the position. She could have just uuuuhmmmm told Sunstar about the prophecy? Also I’m pretty sure Sunstar assures her that Thistleclaw would not have made a good leader multiple times so… he could have chosen literally anyone else? Rosetail? Thrustpelt? Don’t get me started on the whole Tigerkit dilemma! She chooses to believe Goosefeather prophecies when they strengthen her own personal bias but when she’s told about Tigerkit’s she just goes “aw man Goosefeather sure is crazy hahaha anyway back on me becoming leader”. I don’t know, there’s more to it but this is getting pretty long. Personally she’s just not my favorite.

-Graystripe: He’s a terrible friend, he treats Fireheart like absolute garbage, he chooses a molly he has known for exactly 2 days over his best friend and his entire clan, he leaves Thunderclan to spend more time with his kittens just to abandon them 5 seconds later, and yet the son of a bitch was somehow always meant to become deputy to Firestar??? Just because they are friends??? Dude went against the warrior code, endangered his clan by refusing to fight Riverclan, was incredible close to causing an all-out war with Riverclan, abandoned his clan, refused to see what was wrong about his behavior just because he was in love… How in the f is he a good warrior??? Erins I want answers; this man is garbage. When he gets captured by the humans and comes back to the lake he gets so SO mad at Firestar for not “waiting for him”, my dude you were gone for seasons, you were deputy, you really expect the entire clan to stop working so that you can keep your friendship bracelet position? Everybody thought you were dead Graystripe!! Was everyone supposed to keep vigil forever?? He’s also a terrible father to both his litters, his reaction to being told that Feathertail’s dead is “aw man… she was so beautiful… like her mom…” that’s terribleeee. At some point in Omen of the Stars, after Briarlight broke her spine, Millie complains about Graystripe not helping her at all and then they start fighting about it, Graystripe’s only answer is something along the lines of “yeah whatever dude”. I hate him so much. I stopped reading after The Last Hope, so I can’t talk about the rest but, I’ve seen some parts of Graystripe’s Vows and let me tell I want this man gone for good. He’s lived for too long.

-Lionblaze: He’s the most flavorless character in the history of flavorless characters. What’s his arc? That’s right. He doesn’t have one. I literally have nothing to say about him. How is this character alive and in his way to become leader when Hollyleaf could have been in his place? Disgusting. Also, dreaming about killing your girlfriend and bathing in her blood? Bad. Not showing not even a bit of remorse about after waking up? Terrible. Badly hurting her mentor when you were trying harm her? Just straight up fucked up. He’s badly written, boring and kind of very misogynist at times.

I have many other opinions because I’m a very judgmental person but I’m gonna leave it at that because this is getting very long.

Bee Balm- What’s your favorite novella or super edition?

I’ve only read three! So Crockedstar’s promise I guess.

Daffodil- When did you first start reading the books?

In the summer of 6th grade, that’s when I was… 11-12 years old? I think? So in 2012-2013, I started reading them in Spanish but I read through them super-fast and the translations were super slow to come out so I just started reading the books in English. It actually helped my English level quite a bit! My first English book was The Forest of Secrets I think.

Dahlia- Has any death scene actually made you cry? What was it?

Snowfur’s (Reading about Whitekit screaming at her mother to wake up was super messed up), Yellowfang’s (I loved that old woman. I wish they hadn’t written about her in Starclan, she’s so out of character in later books) and Hollyleaf’s death (yes, first and second time, young me loved her to pieces. I still can’t believe they let her die a second time when Lionblaze’s flavorless ass was right there…).

Laurel- If you could write the books, what changes would you make?

I would contemplate the idea of just, moving forward in time? The warriors’ series feels very stagnant. Young characters die while having no personality at all and older characters from the first series are still alive and very much immortal at this point. We need new fresh blood.

I would just set up a completely new series: maybe the stories of Firestar and his family have been immortalized, maybe they are now revered as gods or something, I would create an actual religion system, one based in nature, the death and rebirth of all things and the need to remember those who have fallen. I would change their entire culture so that elders are more important; medicine cats are not regarded as useless (I’m looking at every character that forced in this position instead of choosing it themselves) and the warrior code actually makes sense.

The setting of this new series would be the lake territories but a long time has passed since the time of Firestar and things have changed a lot. A kittypet joins the clans and through their perspective we see how they work and act, what makes every single one of them different, their culture and laws, etc. It would be a nod to the first series while being completely new. It would also allow to add new characters from the start so they all have personalities and relationships with each other.

I would also contemplate creating one last series set up in the time of the original clans where everything just goes to hell. You guys remember rabies? I want that + Starclan going crazy. A full out massacre of old characters that ends in only a few surviving ones. I want blood, and I want it to be scary. If children can read about Tigerclaw’s horrible death, then they can read what in my opinion would be a zombie/ghost apocalypse. And then I would start anew with this completely new series set up in the future.

I mean, I would rewrite a looooooot of things, but that’s a talk for another day.

Petunia- Which arc is your favorite? Which is your last favorite?

My favorite is The Prophecies Begin when it comes to the plot and the Power of Three when it comes to characters. My least favorite is the New Prophecy.

Rose- Do you prefer traditional naming or creative naming?

Traditional all the way! I like when things have meaning and each name having its own really helps the feeling of there being a pre-established culture! Creative naming just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me in this context but that’s just my personal taste.

Violet- What do you think is the worst trope in the series?

Already answered!

Gardenia- Do you think you’ll ever leave the fandom?

Probs not, I’m in too deep, warriors is always at the back of my mind...

[animeride-blog]

Kagami Uchiha's Importance In Naruto Series https://animeride.com/blogs/6688/kagami-uchihas-importance-in-naruto-series/ #Hashirama, #Izuma, #KagamiUchiha, #Madara, #Naori, #SenjuClan, #Uchiha

New Post has been published on https://animeride.com/blogs/6688/kagami-uchihas-importance-in-naruto-series/

Kagami Uchiha's Importance In Naruto Series

Today we’ll be discussing my favorite Uchiha out of the bunch

Kagami Uchiha

I know the unfamiliar name may already have many of you Googling just who this character was. When thinking of all the Uchiha’s, the list goes something like this: Sasuke, Itachi, Madara, Obito, Shisui, Sarada, and some people tack on Izumi, Fugaku, and Mikoto if they really like the Uchiha enough to remember those last three.

However, there are few Uchiha that people would do good to remember that are of utmost importance to the plot of the Naruto series: Izuna, Kagami, and Naori, all respectively.

And if you don’t remember any of them? That’s perfectly alright! Combined, the three of them hardly have more than five minutes of screen time. Unless you felt the need to explore the characters thoroughly, or have an interest in the Warring States Era, you should hardly have recalled who they were.

This is beside the point though – my main focus is of Kagami and his analysis, though I will often be deferring to Izuna and Naori as examples, along with Tobirama Senju, Danzo Shimura, and Hiruzen Sarutobi as character buffs due to their relation with Kagami.

So, where to start? Let’s have a brief rundown of Kagami’s backstory pertaining to the story: this is what you probably know of Kagami at first glance if you remember him.

Kagami Uchiha was on Tobirama Senju’s task force and was a close body guard of the second Hokage, especially during the First Shinobi World War. Multiple times throughout the series, Hiruzen and Danzo both revere Kagami as having been an incredible fighter, and sometime before the age of twenty five, he had a child and died at that young age. I’m total, he has about less than a minute of screen time, and the most notable screencap he is in, is the one in which Tobirama named Hiruzen as his successor.

After that brief synopsis, you must be confused as to how I could go into any more detail about such a minor character. However, for someone who never spoke a single line in the series – Kagami himself speaks volumes about the Will of Fire and events leading up to the Uchiha Massacre.

Kagami’s main purpose in the series is to be the first Uchiha who willing revokes his status from the clan to follow the Will of Fire that Tobirama had hoped to instill across the village.

Now, it may never be stated that he had done something as harsh as remove himself from the clan, but I would like to turn our attention to the Naruto universe’s real life counterpart: Japan. More specifically in the Warring States Era of the series, Feudal Japan.

If you ever decide to pick up a history book or two about East Asia, you’ll be surprised to discover just how extensive loyalty to your own family went. Westerners hardly realize that last names were something that held more significance than sometimes even religious deities in the East Asian cultures. It was perhaps preferable to lose limbs rather than lose your family name – your loyalty was to your own blood, and those who controlled the government were afraid of that. Family was your law, your government, loyalty to your own blood was your society. In certain parts of Asian history, surnames were even banned in the hopes of severing the familial loyalty civilians clung to.

And from this I see people always ask: Why were the Uchiha so against integrating into Konoha like every other clan? And I give you that as an answer. The Uchiha were fire and passion – to lose their tradition, to meld within other clans was against their ways. They were selfish for the need to maintain status and power, keeping their sharingan closely guarded from those who are not to be blood related, enough to intermarry.

Might I remind you of the instance of Izumi Uchiha? Due to her father not also being of Uchiha decent, her mother and her were shunned by the rest of the Uchiha, labeled as outcasts.

And here I am to turn back to Kagami. For someone raised in a lifestyle, taught nothing but to see the clan as the only thing to pledge loyalty to, how could he ever revoke his status and turn his back on the clan?

And I tell you this:

Kagami was a dreamer.

Growing up quite possibly during the Warring States Era, or at least the bare end of it, Kagami must have seen nothing but endless deaths after deaths. Children his own age, his friends, his uncles, sent out to fight and never return. And for what? To maintain the clan’s pride and foothold in the world.

Imagine you’re in Kagami’s shoes. Unlike those around you, you don’t understand why you must die for the clan – all the meaningless, senseless deaths. It must have been an abhorrent childhood enough to give anyone series mental illnesses.

But as he grew, Konoha was formed, and although the Uchiha were still loyal only to themselves, Kagami found stance in Tobirama’s belief: The Will of Fire.

Unlike his clansmen, Kagami must have found purpose in Tobirama’s belief for peace through absolute loyalty to only the village. Time and time again he proved himself, not just to Tobirama, but the Uchiha themselves that they lost a major playing card within Kagami.

But just what is so important about Kagami joining Tobirama instead of the Uchiha? What did they lose?

In the many references Hiruzen and Danzo had stated of Kagami, they mentioned that he was incredibly powerful, and Shisui himself had admitted in that Kagami was much stronger than he ever was. And the most interesting part? It’s hinted that Kagami never obtained the Mangekyou Sharingan. His strength didn’t rely solely upon his bloodline.

Kagami’s influence of his passion for the Will of Fire was most obviously passed down to Shisui. This, of course, then influenced Itachi and soon the series spiralled from there.

But what else is there to examine? Surely, Kagami didn’t join Tobirama just for some silly belief in peace? Let’s look at Tobirama’s actions for a brief moment.

Contrary to popular belief, Tobirama himself didn’t hate the Uchiha. In fact, he was perfectly accepting of Kagami, as seen to why the other was placed as his body guard.

So why do so many accuse Tobirama of hating the clan so much? Like previously said, Tobirama firmly believed in the Will of Fire, and the Uchiha were against it. However, many may take Tobirama’s action of killing Izuna Uchiha, Madara’s brother, as a sign of his hatred.

I am here to say Tobirama’s actions were anything but pure hatred – it was for his loyalty and devotion to his brother. He had thought eliminating Izuna would keep his clan, and his brother, safe from harm. He followed in what he thought best for his brother. Nevertheless, such an action was a backhand to Hashirama’s dreams, as Tobirama soon discovered.

This is what had Tobirama so devoted to the Will of Fire. He wanted to keep his brother’s dream alive after he almost shattered it with his own selfish actions.

And I am sure the Uchiha talked about Izuna’s murder at the hands of Tobirama during his reign as Hokage. It was most likely their quipped used the most as to justify just how much Tobirama hated them – but Kagami must have seen the other side of Tobirama’s actions, analyzed them to see Tobirama’s true devotion and attempts to make the Uchiha remove themselves from selfish thoughts.

And there I said it again – the Uchiha are selfish. They are infected with the Curse of Hatred, which lead to many negative connotations as far as to many being power hungry.

However, Kagami, Shisui, Itachi, and Naori were the few who never were infected with such a curse – the first three due to their devotion for the Will of Fire. But what of Naori? Does she play a hand in discovering Kagami’s true analysis?

Naori, despite seeing horrors that unlocked her Mangekyou, was a kind soul who sought to stop others from falling into the Curse of Hatred. They sought power, and she sought the need to quell their macabre intentions. Her Uchiha passion wasn’t for hatred – it was for love.

And that’s the last key to Kagami’s personality – he was an Uchiha, yes, but his passion was not for revenge, hatred, power, or any other of the common Uchiha traits. No, his passion was for his devotion to his friends and Tobirama’s beliefs. He considered Hiruzen and Danzo as his great friends, and maybe that was the exact reason he had died so young, protecting his loyalty to those he had bonded with. He chose to bind himself to those he wished, not those he was born into.

All in all, Kagami’s decision and personality had greatly effected the series as a whole – not just with understanding the Will of Fire, but also his lineage within Shisui and by extent, Itachi.

For such a minor character to play such a large role within the series, it’s hard to imagine. But who knows? Maybe Kishimoto had meant to do this, to leave subtle hints in discovering the true reason behind actions within the Uchiha and prove the Curse of Hatred can be dispelled. Maybe it was an excuse as to why Shisui was never infected? At this point, we may never know. However, Kagami as a whole, for a character who hardly existed, had layers of subtext to him that makes him a special gem out of all the minor characters of the Naruto series.

I hope you all enjoyed me never shutting up about such a small character. I may do some other of my favorites in the future, but I just had to talk about Kagami because he’s so overlooked, but such in interesting character.

[fdcpk2020]

Sam Allberry - Singleness in God’s family; day 2

Session 2

• Struggles of singleness - feeling lack of decency, Loneliness and isolation, sexual temptations, trying to stay holy • Invest in friendships while you’re single! (Or you’ll regret not doing so) • Choice between marriage and singleness shouldn’t be between marriage and loneliness • Biblical view of Intimacy • In our skewed world, Can’t view depth of friendships without thinking of sex/same sex relationships • You can have lots of sex without experiencing any intimacy • David felt more intimacy in friendship with Jonathan than with his many wives and concubines • Sex cannot create intimacy • Can have lots of intimacy without sex • Friendships • Modern view changed definition of friendship (Facebook anniversary of sharing access to profiles) • LOTR has lots of plot about friendship • You can’t be wise in Gods world without friends • Proverbs is like a twitter feed and each verse a tweet lol • Proverbs 18:24 • Distinguish friendship from companionship • Companion is a familiar acquaintance that comes and goes • Depth of friendships — Hopes, fears, dreams, anxieties (not just dumb stories) • Acquaintanceship • Friendship is for the rest of your life • Friendship is different than a family relationship • Friendship is voluntary and family is obligation • Friendship is Not merely people you hang out with or obligated to through blood • Proverbs is wisdom for real life • In any day, you need a little bits of wisdom for things you encounter in a day (not just dump all one topic per day...) • Proverbs 17:17 • Feature of family is constancy. Showing up in crisis • Friendship loves at all times, not just when there is emergency but In all seasons of life, downs and ups • Friends see the most rounded version of you since they see you at all times • Proverbs 19:4 • The real friend is there for you when you lost everything else • There are lots of fake friends around when you do really well • When you lose everything, the people that stick around are your real friends • Real friendship is not transactional (not just being friends because they see something of value from being friends with you) • Proverbs 27:9 • Sweetness of friend is from earnest counsel • Counsel of his soul, not just superficial advice, but talks to you about things from their heart and counsel you from depths of who they are, even if challenging you and correcting you • Soul to soul relationship • Knows your soul and deeply cares for it • Friend is one you trust secrets with • Proverbs view: • Friendship is someone that really does know what’s going on in your life and sticks around (intimacy) • Intimacy — deeply known and deeply loved at the same time • John 15:15 • Servant is Not the primary category that he places us • Jesus calls us as his friends for: letting someone in on what’s really going on. He’s shared everything he’s learned from father to us • He invited us in and the whole way and told us everything goin on — so that’s what make us friends with him • Who knows you well enough to know how you really are? ** • They don’t need to talk to you to have a sense how to pray for you because already knows what’s going on.... knows your soul that way... what keeps you up at night, what gets you out of bed, knows your worst sins • Married people need friends too (not just single people) • If you don’t have friends, your marriage will implode —> Trying to meet every emotional need they had with just the two of people... • there is depth of intimacy that unmarried won’t know • But as single of person there is breadth of intimacy that can experience and enjoy that married can’t (capacity, time, freedom to invest in those) • Range of friendships that can invest in (wide range of age, different life stages, etc) • Jesus is the ultimate friend • We are meant in local churches to be a intimate family • Word family — what we are meant to be to each other within fellowship of churches • Mark 10: 28-30 • Jesus is assuming people will leave things to follow him • Turning to Jesus means turning from other things (costly time follow him) • Most costly things to leave will be familial and relational • There are people that The moment they follow Christ, they lose their communities and families ((my great grandpa) • Jesus said that following him, Even in this life, it will be worth it, and will receive in this life a hundredfold • The blessings that Jesus promises — abundance of spiritual family • Psalm 68 • God sets the lowly in families • Those that when become disciples left their families, will be Grafted into a new people • We are meant to be fathers mothers sisters and brothers and lands to others — this is our Responsibility • Because then making Jesus out to be a liar if don’t... • Who outside your family has your house key, who calls your house home because of goodness of Jesus to them • Who are you linking arms with and doing life with? • There are “catch up with friends” vs “do life with friends” • We need to do life with friends... don’t need to catch up because already on track with each other • Who are you being spiritual son or daughter to? — be an encouragement to them and learn from them • Family — not just honorary, but real • Blood Jesus is thicker than blood of biology • Having more family as a single person than married person in Christ... if not true then church is making Jesus to be a liar • It can be okay if someone wants to be alone because personality difference, but No one should be lonely • Relationships with unbelievers draw people out of church community • How much of that drawing out is on us? Did we give that person an alternative to leaving the church? (Our responsibility when people leave the church/faith) • If only apparent options are no intimacy or intimacy through unbiblical form of relationship, then more likely to take illicit intimacy to no intimacy • Open homes and lives to one another • Share lives and draw people into your homes • Hospitality is opening lives to other people, not just entertaining **

Q&A

• Friendships that can be completely transparent • 1 John 1:7 if we walk in the light as he is in the light (spiritually honest with each other and confess sins to one another... not just have a cup of coffee with another... not just being superficial) • Friendships — Helping one another to receive grace • Wisdom issue - the particular people you sense it will be good to be open and honest with them • Try to be to others the kind of friendship that we are seeking from others • We need to take into stove ourselves and to serve other people and ask how they are doing • Two attitudes when walk into room “here i am, notice me and come to me” be “there you are, I’m here to serve you” • What makes you an interesting person = Be interested in other people • At church you have choice between being impressive and being known ** (can’t be both) • Being impressive — creating culture that makes others hard to confess sins (facade - culture where ok to be sinners) or be vulnerable • It is toxic for churches if never honest about what is going on in your lives ** • Church — relief and exhale that can be honest • Older and still single — How to protect self from bitterness • Singleness looks different in different stages of life • Needs and experience of those who never married vs have been married (divorced, bereavement, single parent) • Mucking — getting involved • Key = listen to people of what life is like for them • What’s it like being you and what can we do to be a blessing to you • New challenge and new joy in your late life stage • Whatever decade you’re in now, you’re not as dumb as you were in previous decade... (so don’t want to go back to that stage in life) • Culture wants us to resent age • Bible tells us to revere and seek wisdom • What matters most? fading beauty or getting wiser • How does one not give into sexual appetites? • Proverbs 5– don’t learn the hard way what it costs you to fall into sexual sin • Learn through obedience not through disobedience... if you learn from disobedience you’ll regret it • There are people who long term grieve (consequences and fall outs) even decades into the future • Sin feels attractive because of fleeting pleasures • Put off old self of sex ways by putting on new self of something more powerful • Find Christ more beautiful than sin • Best way to say no is to say yes • The explosive power of the new affection — Puritan sermon • Reading bible and praying not just to fulfill righteousness but because went to behold the beauty of God • And if eyes captivated by beauty of Christ, won’t be as tempted • OJ tastes like OJ except after brushing teeth • Your palate has changed • More we behold beauty and grace of Jesus, it changes our palate • Won’t be as good the more we get to know Jesus • Need to hear vividly promises and gospel of Jesus —- there is no condemnation if we come to Christ and repentant of our sins • There are still temporal consequences, but god doesn’t use that against us • As far as East from west removed transgressions from us • If God is looking at our sins then not looking to us... if looking at us then not our sins • East and west is infinite in distance • God begins to change your moral taste buds... and gods grace helps us to pursue holiness • Biblical friendship is not covenantal.. there is commitment but covenant is different • Covenantal exclusive, not sexual but kind of romantic kind of friendship —- mixing categories that are different (dangerous) • CS Lewis - friendship is glad to add another person; it’s not mutually exclusive • Marriage must be exclusive • Same not true in friendship • Friendship not deigned to be exclusive... nature of it is to be opened out and more people folded on • We get more out of friendship when it’s not exclusive (not running into sunset with just that best friend) • Unstable compound if try to make friendship covenantal • When others have different view of friendship, how to press into pursue intimacy in that friendship? • Galatians 3:28 - “no male and female” • Those categories don’t make a difference.. we are justified by faith alone... not the categories that we sort ourselves into in society • What person you are tempted to look down —- that distinction makes no difference in Gods sight (not that it’s not real or affects how we relate to each other) • “Have real intimate friendships spend time with once a week, but still feel lonely every night when go to sleep...” • loneliness — • Need friends to visit me as well, not just me visiting others • If they never come into my house and life... you’re a special guest in their house that day, but they’re not interested in stepping into my world... • Home feels like an isolation chamber... a place where you’re always alone • Home doesn’t feel lonely if there are people in it or fresh memories of people in it • Real relational traffic in your home • How can church more adequately minister to singles when majority of people in church are married? • Understand and listen to single people in the church, and spend time with them • Having a singles ministry can be isolating and make separation worse • Singles need to be integrated into the church family

Panel discussion

• Unsaid hierarchy in church and our own hearts • Thinking your life stage is more important than that of others • Church being primary family unit instead of nuclear family • Sharing weight of responsibilities of a family when living together of singles and married couples w/wo kids • Are you imposing into sacred spaces as single in married families? • Life doesn’t begin when you’re married... life is a gift even for singles • Loneliness is something of the heart and not of your marital status • Can be a lonely single person that can be a lonely married person • It is in the mundane things that real life happens • Enter into real life (with all the mess) and not instagram version of lives (highly filtered highlights) • Marriage is pointing to the thing that points us to Christ (because of disappointments that you find in marriage) • Beautiful picture of Jesus — actively seeking for someone to serve and how to do good for someone else (even when don’t deserve it) —- that’s friendship! • Mephiboshet in bible who was handicapped but welcomed into the family • Shared mission and understanding to be disciples of Christ to serve • Partnerships in biblical friendship and other staff and members (different type of partnership vs marriage) • Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends • Posture of — sit back and wait for others to meet me in my terms if singleness vs go out and meeting others where they are • What can I do for others vs what they will do for me • Intergenerational friendship • Deeper intimacy with people not just naturally inclined to and similar age... • Church life will naturally introduce us to one another • Don’t separate people out into groups because then not encountering and getting to know each other • Points of contact to become natural • Everyone always wants to be with people around their life stage (always the bigger community groups) • If only interact with people only in your bound demographic, then complain about things from being only in that life stage • Be a collection of blended parts and not just thumbs • Being with older — wiser and who can speak into you... or you can do that for others younger • Community means sacrifice • (sacrifices of giving up some extra curricular to spend more time in church community) • Children need church family more than they need music lessons.... • Identity issue — being only around self identified primary identity things vs primary identity being in Christ and being family with others • More in common with other believers of different age/life stage/demographics than unbeliever of same demographics • Experiencing sin, disappointment and rejection when trying to be counter cultural and develop biblical friendships • Many people see singleness as a curse... • Hebrews 12 - cast aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely... see the joy set before you • Isaiah 26:3 — have perfect peace when hearts stayed on him • In those groans and unmet desires, the Lord can be using that • Reminder that We are not meant for this world and there is promise of restoration and reconciliation that is going to come that is going to be beautiful— but we’re not there yet • Continue to pray for it even though it’s not in front of you • Trust that the boundaries that God set is good • 2 Corinthians 4:11 • 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 • Luke 9:23-24 • Have to see ourselves as losing ourselves for the sake of Christ • When feel lonely and the burden and weight • Start most days with a psalm • Be honest and don’t be disillusioned • Cry out to God with the honesty of the pain and anxieties and suffering • Pour out the disillusionment out to God and remind self of truth of God • Philippians 4:11 - being content in all circumstances (not asking God to change your circumstances) • God is with you and for you regardless of your circumstances 

[nancydhooper]

Randazza: Trying to make sense of Bourdain

By Marc J. Randazza

I did not know Anthony Bourdain. But, he was a good friend to a good friend. I'm upset about his death for a few reasons. First, and foremost, a good friend lost a good friend. Selfishly, I always had it as a given that I would have drinks with him one day. Any time I wanted, really. I just had to ask. It never occurred to me that he would be gone before I made the time.

And now that he is gone, the post-mortems are oozing like honey out of baklava. Messy, sweet, and getting on everything. Almost all of them are flattering, as they should be. Yeah, there's always one douche with something awful to say, but lets not focus on those few bitter nothings. Every account of him that I've ever heard was a man who had plenty of time for everyone. He may have had his faults, but he spread respect, understanding, and curiosity. The world was better because we had Bourdain in it.

Most everyone thought so, even before he died.

After a celebrity takes his own life, the questions are predictable, and fair. This was no tragic accident. This was no cancer-took-him-too-soon. This was a bright bright neon light that turned itself off. How does someone with the best job in the world, at the top of his game, with seemingly everything, "throw it all away?"

If I could really answer that question, I would get a Nobel Prize, I imagine.

I can't. But I'll try. I hope in trying, I do no harm. Regular readers will agree that I am really good at irreverence, but have little demonstrated experience with reverence. May this piece only pop corks on bottles of compassion. To the extent it has a shred of douchetasm in it, I hope my reader understands that at worst, any harm I inflict is negligent. And nothing in this piece should be interpreted as me saying that I know a goddamn thing except this: "Why would he throw it all away?" isn't the right question. And if you're asking that question, you might be asking someone you know the wrong questions.

So do I get it? The fuck I know. Can I try? I'll try.

Lets look at who Bourdain was – at least to me. To me, he was "one of us." By that I mean those of us who were misfits who succeeded in spite of ourselves. Bourdain was very open about his prior drug use – not shy at all about it, in fact. He regularly dropped references to his prior heroin habit. I loved that about him. "Yeah, I used to shoot smack, and look at me now." He was not a "say no to drugs" guy. He was a keep-on-raging guy, even if he did gain a high degree of responsibility in his older age. He let that flag fly, and in doing so, he sent signals to some of us who understood him on that level.

Bourdain was not the kind of guy to get an honorary degree and then give a speech extolling the virtues of studying hard and working hard. Bourdain was a pirate. I can think of no higher praise than to call him that.

After he died, a wise man wrote: "Very successful people often become successful because they are unhappy." And that makes sense when you look at Bourdain. Nobody shoots heroin because they are happy. A demon chases you into that place. That demon talks to you. He lies to you. He tells you to go ahead and jam that needle into your arm, because you are different. It won't hurt you because you're different – and that difference makes you alone, and that heroin makes you forget about being alone. Not the "alone" like being in the house all by yourself. The "alone" someone feels while they are the center of attention in a huge crowd. That alone. That cold-alone that is more alone and cold than you'd be if you were strapped to Voyager One like a freezing dark hood ornament. That alone that isn't even black – because at least you can lose yourself in blackness. Blackness and darkness at least has quiet and tranquility. That evil aloneness is grainy. T.V.-static-alone. That alone of "did I just hear something?" And you didn't hear anything. You wanted to. You wanted to hear something so badly that your ears start creating sounds that make sense in the static. The noise. Just. One. Fucking. Sound. That. Makes. Sense. Please. God. Fucking. Dammit. Or at least, some quiet. And the quiet won't come. And the sounds won't organize into voices that speak to you. And you just want to hide.

Heroin is an awesome place for someone like that to hide. Those of us who have been there, with lost weeks, months, even years, know that quest for tranquility and how heroin can get you there. For a while.

Of course, Bourdain quit heroin – as you must to in order to achieve anything except knowing where to buy heroin. For most junkies, heroin is a disease. For them, it is usually easy. Step one: Quit heroin. Step two: Get better.

For people like Bourdain, heroin is a symptom. The steps defy logic. Quit heroin, problem remains. Seek new cure. Fail. Rinse. Lather. Repeat.

I can picture Bourdain now, the smart junkie, with everything as sanitized as possible. The candle burning. The spoon over the flame. The water. The powder. The little tiny bit of cotton to filter out the impurities. Apply heat. Watch just the edges of the water boil. The powder vanishes like magic and there's just a clear shot of liquid in the spoon. Push the cotton into the middle of the water, and draw it all into the syringe. The strap around the arm digs in and makes that vein bulge out – creating a target for the stinger. As it pierces the skin, it settles into place, and *puff* … a little red flower blooms inside the syringe as the blood pressure pushes just a kiss of blood into the clear watery mixture. The thumb goes down, and …. whoosh…. his pupils pull tight into little pinholes. His head gets lighter than hydrogen. Every pleasure center in his brain is switched on. And he floats. In tranquility. For a while.

The T.V. Static loneliness turns to black. The good kind. The calming kind. The static is squelched.

It wears off and the noise comes back. Maybe that night he hits it a few more times. Maybe he takes the day off the next day. Maybe a week. Maybe not. But, in general, days run into weeks, into months, and every time that flower blooms, it is a little less beautiful. Every time that lightness lasts just a little less time. The blackness doesn't ever go to that pure pure black that it was the first time. And, eventually, Bourdain figured out "this is not going to save me anymore."

Figuring that out about heroin is easy. Everyone knows heroin is bad. You want to quit heroin? You find lots of friends. Everyone wants to help you. Friends will babysit you. You'll get excused for puking at inopportune times. "He's drying out from junk." Hell, you can almost act any way you want when people know you're kicking a junk habit. For Bourdain, a famous curmudgeon, the kicking-the-habit time must have been mentally satisfying, even if physically grueling.

When he came out of that sicknness, finally, it didn't likely feel like he crossed a finish line. The junk habit goes away slowly. It is as if the sickness has a half-life, and every day it gets a little less sickening and painful – until finally, he couldn't remember what the sickness really felt like. He was in the clear.

But then that demon that put the stinger in his arm starts talking to him again. The T.V. static loneliness starts to creep in again. The noise. It hurts. There must be a cure.

For a lot of people, that means going right back to the old bad habit. For others, especially intelligent ones, there is a recognition that you don't want to go down that path again. That was a dead end, so they try something else. Religion. Family. Gardening. Compulsive masturbation. Whatever the fuck. But, something needs to get laid over the crackling hiss of loneliness and alienation. For some, the cure is called "success." And people like Anthony Bourdain chase it the same way that a junkie chases that feeling he had the first time he shot up.

Success is a wonder drug for people like Bourdain. Strapped to the rack of his own insecurities and unhappiness, he mainlined success. He dragged a lot of people along with him too — my friend Mike, for example. Bourdain shared his success with him, promoting his book and doing whatever he could to contribute to his success. Bourdain was a curmudgeon, but not an asshole. He kept climbing that mountain of success – from his first column in The New Yorker to his acclaimed show to his ascendancy as a cultural icon. Bourdain was not just a celebrity chef, but an ambassador. Bourdain was Bourdain.

Bourdain being Bourdain was a man climbing a mountain to conquer that solitude that heroin couldn't crush. Every step he took on that climb toward the summit put him in more rarified air. As he looked up, and it seemed that the summit was in reach, the air got thinner and thinner, making each step exponentially harder than the one before it. Like climbing a smoking volcano, where it gets colder, and the air more sparse, and each step is not not just on rocks that might slip and tumble beneath his boots – but now into crusted snow. And the air gets thinner and thinner. He looks back at those who couldn't get there with him, who turned around, or who were satisfied at where they reached. All the while, that smoke coming out of the volcano – noxious gas – is under nobody's control. One shift of the breeze and sulphur dioxide can come streaming toward his face.

And now you, dear reader, start to ask yourself: Am I reading about rising up to the greatest heights? Or am I reading about a dangerous agonizing climb toward not a summit, but a crater?

The answer is "yes."

From our comfortable chairs down at the base-camp of life, it looked like he was a legend. How fortunate he was to see things from that height. How strong he was to climb that volcano. How could he "throw that away?"

He didn't "throw it away."

Bourdain climbed that volcano – racing away from the loneliness to try and find the summit. But, every step up was toward more alienation. Every success was another shot that just temporarily made the pain go away and brought a bit of calm, but that pushed him toward disaster. And, unlike heroin, the drug of success and achievement wasn't something he could just tell his friends "I gotta dry out," and find a shower of support. The climb was a trap. Not just an addiction, but an addiction for which there is no treatment – and for which each shot put him further away from a cure.

He lost who Bourdain was. He lost that, because (in part) of us. Bourdain wasn't "Anthony" anymore. He became "Bourdain." Quit success? How could he do that? Why would he do that? The eyes were on him. The drug was in him. But he did not "rise." He climbed. Climbed toward the sun, trying to find that quiet. Climbed to run away from that voice and noise. The pressure on him to keep climbing, because that's what you do when you're a success. His seemingly positive pattern of self-medication through triumph pushing him up higher and higher.

Until that day in that hotel room where he just couldn't climb anymore.

We all lost Bourdain, when he just decided to finally, once again be Anthony.

Lonely, confused, Anthony. Just wanting the static and the noise and the hurt to go away.

Anthony couldn't carry Bourdain up that mountain anymore. So Anthony sat down in the snow and waited for the wind to shift that sulphur dioxide toward him, and breathed in its searing heat to just make it all stop.

Do I know? The fuck I know anything.

Copyright 2017 by the named Popehat author. from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8247012 https://www.popehat.com/2018/06/10/randazza-trying-to-make-sense-of-bourdain/ via http://www.rssmix.com/