#contrary thinker

[contrarythinker]

Take four minutes to read this post, its timely and critical

[aviaris]

i love that the AI art discourse has like. long ago moved past the point of any sensible material analysis leaking in between the firmly set up PRO SKUB/ANTI SKUB camps. people are out here feeling betrayed by self-declared marxists whom they had previously looked up to for their cutting critique, all because said marxists believe in organized labor as a tool for prying justice from the bourgeoisie (which comes as a shock, I guess?) instead of believing in the power of class action lawsuits that are attempting to set a precedent of copyrighted art-styles or whatever the fuck, as if THAT would be the true defense of the downtrodden animation laborer.

just imagining the world these people think they live in gives me a headache.

[ephemeral-winter]

sorry i’ve just seen a tweet calling moira donegan a terf because she idealizes some second wave feminist writing? i do not think those two things are the same and i would very much like to see receipts on the alleged terfism if they exist

[astrobydalia]

more observations (lost count)✨

Hello guys! Life's been crazy lately and I barely have time to make any of the master posts I wanted to, so you'll be getting lost of observation posts that I've been collecting in my drafts for the past months. As always, enjoy!

❗️long post

work by astrobydalia

✨ Sagittarius and Aquarius are so fucking similar. Both of them are chaotic af, love their freedom and think they're smarter than everyone else. People who have both of these in their big 6 have the most unhinged

✨ Libra is WAY more obsessed with perfection than Virgo

✨ Whenever I had Libra or Taurus ASC on my Solar return chart I was lazy AS FUCK. I had no motivation to work whatsoever during those years, all I wanted to do was vibe and enjoy life. I also felt very relaxed and stress-free, when difficulties came I just went with the flow

✨ What is up with Gemini risings and always feeling intellectually insecure all the time? Literally their #1 insecurity is feeling like they are dumb or like they’re not good enough for highly abstract and intellectual tasks/professions. They come across as someone immature who lacks wisdom or has a superficial/simplistic view of things. I feel like this is because they attract people who are a bit of know-it-alls (Sagittarius DSC) and they have a reputation for being scattered-brained (Pisces 10th house) so people tent to infantilize them a lot.

^^^But let me tell you this not true at all, Gemini risings are some of the most brilliant people I’ve met with so much potential. Their problem is that they allow overthinking to get the best of them and end up doubting themselves 24/7. These are the type of people who have amazing ideas but they never pursue any them. They really struggle making decisions for themselves, they always need to ask for opinions first which is not a bad thing but this makes them come across as incapable or as someone who lacks self-sufficiency

✨ Mercurial signs (Virgo and Gemini) like to focus on concrete things and immediate reality, they process life by connecting one thing at a time and taking info as it comes, they focus on what's going on around them cause Mercury is all about multiplicity and details. With Jupiter signs on the other hand (Sag and Pisces) one thing about them is they don't care about details as long as things make sense as a whole, they see life from a more broad and general perspective, they prefer having a birds eye view of things because Jupiter is all about expansion and therefore it likes to encompass many things at once. This is why Virgo and Gemini rule mundane life themes and immediate reality while Sag and Pisces are more about general life lessons and higher knowledge

✨ Scorpio moons/8th house moons are the definition of an energy vampire fr. They just have a really poor understanding of healthy emotional boundaries, they expect you to give your all but aren't willing to reciprocate and always turn everything into a manipulation or mind game somehow which makes it pretty exhausting to be around them in the long run. Don't get me wrong, most of the ones I’ve met were very and good people but they always end up taking my energy away and make me feel emotionally burnt out

✨ Mercury-Mars aspects have this "it is what it is" mentality and really dislike over complicating things by reading too deep into them. They tend to think things exactly as they seem. This does not mean they're simplistic, on the contrary this makes them surprisingly insightful fast thinkers and are not the type to be easily fooled

✨ I've seen people saying that hard aspects between Mercury-Pluto makes people misunderstand your words. This is not true, this happens with Neptune cause Neptune rules delusion, but Pluto is a very blunt and straightforward planet cause it's all about revealing the dark truths. Mercury-Pluto aspects makes someone very deliberate with their words and they know exactly what to say to make their message stick. You will understand their words exactly how they want you to understand them. What happens with hard aspects is that the native tends to have a more provocative approach in the things they say, they don't care if you're offended by what they say as long as what they say makes an impact. People can misunderstand their intentions because of this, but not their words

✨ The ironic thing about Aquarius placements is that they are very good when it comes to connecting with the masses, the public usually feels very drawn to them because they're very good at appealing to collective values which makes them come across as relatable to many people as a result. However, when you actually try to relate to them or connect one-on-one, you will find yourself with someone that is surprisingly elusive, distant and more distrustful than Scorpio placements which is a huge contrast from the welcoming vibe they give off to the public. I've found that the only way you will get close to an Aquarius placements is on THEIR terms lmao, if they've decided they like you, it'll be them who will approach you and/or make the effort to engage with you

✨ A reocurring thing I've seen with Virgo placements is that they really dislike big changes and prefer to stay in control. I think this is not mentioned often cause it's kinda weird to say that about a mutable sign, but Virgos being mercury+earth ruled they feel comfortable relying on facts, data, observations, etc and they use all this tangible info to navigate reality, that's why they rule daily life and routines because they invest a lot of their energy on factually understanding and categorizing their reality (earth signs in general are very attached to the tangible). Their mutable nature shows in that they easily use their knowledge to adapt, find solutions and fix what’s wrong but when they are in situations where these "categories" prove to be useless (aka Pisces themes), they get very triggered cause that means they no longer have control of their reality

✨ That being said another reoccurring thing I’ve noticed with Virgo placements is that they love to predict things. But not in a mystical sense it’s more like they enjoy understanding things in such way that they’re able to easily put a label on them and easily predict what’s going on or how something works

✨ I have not seen a single Taurus placement who didn’t have the most insanely sexy and pleasant voice ever. Doesn’t matter if they sing of not, just hearing their voice is so delightful

✨ Aquarius Mercury really believe their opinions are the most ultimate and correct opinions out there. They are certain that their judgment is always 100% objective (aka always true) so in their mind if you slightly disagree with them that means you’re mediocre, dumb or narrow-minded.

✨ There's always a duality in all mutable signs. Sagittarius can be very humorous and optimistic but also very dark and profound. Gemini can be curious and chaotic but also very analytical and logical. Virgo can be picky and perfectionistic but also very permissive and conformist. Pisces can be very compassionate and wise but also very detached and clueless

✨ Neptune does not do well in air houses/signs at all simply because air energy rules (different types of) information and connections, while Neptune is all delusion and confusion. Also air energy is purely cerebral and rational while Neptune appeals to the unconscious

✨ I have not fact-checked this but I feel like it's safe to say that Mars rules testosterone. Testosterone is a hormone associated to violence or impulsive behavior, sex drive, red blood cells (blood), masculinity, etc That's literally all mars

✨ People always talk about how Capricorn moons have had a rough life but I've noticed this is also very true for Sagittarius Moons?? Responsibilities are not imposed on them like Capricorn, in their case they have to build up wisdom about life through pure and raw experience without anyone giving them a heads up or any pointers first, that's why they grow up feeling like they're fully on their own. Things work out for them at the end but they always have most MESSY life experience it's really crazy

✨ Both domicile and afflicted Mars are ambitious and determined but the main difference is that Libra/Taurus/Cancer Mars need to find some type of enjoyment or fulfillment in their goals in order to get motivated while Capricorn/Aries/Scorpio Mars find motivation in the challenge and endure through stuff they don't find pleasant

✨ From what I've seen males with Scorpio placements are very superficial and will gaslight as a lifestyle. They are the type of people who look the other way or brush things off or never takes anything seriously and I've noticed they do this so they never have to take accountability.

✨ Neptune/Pisces energy either gives “glamorous and ethereal” vibes or “weird in an extremely cringe way” vibes, there’s no in-between

✨ A reoccurring thing I've noticed with those who have Chiron in Taurus/2nd house or Chiron-Venus is that they often have dubious morality or double standards because they don't have a solid values

✨ Every single Libra Moon/rising female I’ve met embodied the material girl stereotype. They really have this “instagram girl” vibes to them if that makes sense

✨ Those with Sagittarius in the 5th house can actually find a lot of joy and happiness in becoming parents or they have a lot of fun with children

✨ Scorpio Mars can't stand not knowing what's going on around them and at first I thought this was bc they were suspicious/paranoid but then I realized it’s because they’re just controlling as shit. They come across as very chill and care fee but they’re actually SUPER controlling dude. Even when they know for sure that they can trust you and you’re doing nothing wrong they still want to keep taps on you and won’t leave you alone. They won't bluntly violate your privacy but will still find ways to always know what you're up to

✨ The resentful and spiteful stereotype associated to Scorpio actually belongs to Leo placements imo. They can be very reactive and childish when you insult their ego and will make it very known that they won't let it go

✨ Cancer North Node people always have some sort of issue or inner conflict with of having kids. They feel drawn to the idea of becoming a parent but deep down they low-key don't? I've also seen many women with this placement who had fertility issues

I have the theory that these natives are conflicted in this topic because they see family as an achievement or a societal expectation (Capricorn south node) so in this life time they have to know what it's like to desire a family for the right reasons and not because they feel like they 'should'

✨ Capricorn risings really are hyper-aware of their public image and how others perceive them. That's why they always end up becoming very popular and respected, cause they know very well where they "stand" publicly so they know how to successfully curate their own reputation. It's not surprising to see this placement a lot in celebrities

✨ Pluto in the 12th house are genuinely unsure of who they can trust which leads to a lot of paranoia and projection. The type to ignore the most obvious red flags but then automatically doubt your loyalty cus you spoke in a suspicious tone

✨ Pisces/12th house placements 🤝 disappearing. Y’all shit on Gemini for ghosting but have you ever met a pisces/12th houser?

✨ Saturn in 5th house people had parents (namely father) who were overly critical of them and their self-expression. Doesn’t necessarily mean they were unsupportive of the native but they were quite hard on the native’s creativity

✨ I've seen a lot of bullies/mean girls have Aquarius placements. Honorable mentions: virgo, Leo, libra

✨ Neptune-ASC people are really good at making themselves invisible when they want and/or making parts of themselves go completely unnoticed even if they're bluntly obvious. I've noticed they actually get away with a lot cause they have this tendency to not be accurately seen by others if that makes sense

✨ Neurodivergent individuals usually have Mercury harshly aspecting (conjunction, square, opposition and inconjuction) Uranus and Saturn. Said Mercury is more often than not in a water house/sign/degree or in Aries. Of course not everyone with these aspects will be neurodivergent, but it's just a pattern I've seen

✨ Pluto-ASC people most of the times fail to have a lighthearted view towards life. They always want to look beyond the surface of things which doesn't really allow them to enjoy life as it is. They often get a reputation for looking too deep into everything and in turn the Pluto-asc native often sees others as superficial

✨ Virgo risings are huge conformist and won’t go after anything that’s outside their immediate boundaries. They only make an effort towards things that are accessible and will quickly lose interest in anything that has difficult availability or requires them to go way out of their comfort zone. They're overall pretty self-serving.

✨ I know several people diagnosed with OCD. All of them have Virgo AND 6th house placements, 22º in their big 3, Scorpio Mercury/Moon and Mercury dominance

work by astrobydalia

[kenjakusbraincum]

Not a request but i just wanted to share the daydreams Your sukuna fics have inspired like a clueless sourcer tries to take his pet away and sukuna let's it happen as a test of loyalty. Like he knows that this servant is suspicious. And of course being very loyal as soon as she realizes and tells sukuna that they tried to get her to leave, clinging to him, begging him to let her stay beside him 😭

He wouldn't intentionally want to test you, but now that he saw the opportunity... Where's the harm? You'll never know. Besides, he knows you wouldn't leave. He does, but hearing it from your mouth is not the same as actually seeing you make a decision to stay when faced with a choice to leave.

That servant is bold to think he doesn't know. Even bolder to believe running away is possible at all, much less with you. Okay, if it was one servant, maybe he wouldn't notice. But you? He sleeps with you almost every night. He wakes, almost in panic, when you do as little as shuffle or make a noise in your sleep. He would know you're gone.

But you are not as aware of this as he is. It starts with the little things. The servant talks to you as she washes your hair. Usually, she complains about her work, and you let her. You miss talking to people other than Sukuna, even if they're bothersome. Until one day, when she asks you what he's like when he's with you. You smirk, not immediately thinking why. Sukuna hasn't exactly trained you to be a critical thinker, on the contrary, he's dumbed you down quite a bit, to his liking. But you do still think, at least a little bit. Would he like you sharing details of your intimacy with him to others? No, hell no! You think he might just kill you. You think this is the worst way you could possibly betray him. After all, he trusts you with that vulnerability. So you tell her he treats you like he treats all of his servants. Obviously, with a little bonus of allowing you in his bed.

On another occasion, she mentions running away. Now you're conflicted. You're confident enough in your relationship with Sukuna that you know he wouldn't kill you for failing to refer that information to him. He knows of your good nature, so fundamentally different from his. He usually doesn't hold it against you. So you don't tell him, but it weighs heavy on your conscience every time you're with him. It's not the obligation, it's just that hiding things from him feels wrong. You're so used to telling him everything, all the time. Now you feel complicit. And he notices.

The situation reaches it's peak when you have a particularly bad day with Sukuna. It truly takes so little for him to hurt you, a single word is enough, much less a string of words as demeaning as the ones he spat at you that day. You cry in your room, and the servant, that vile servant! She really tried to convince you to leave now, when you're as emotionally vulnerable as you can be! She says so many things that don't ring true. That you don't deserve this, that you can be free and worry about your own needs and not someone elses...

She doesn't understand that Sukuna doesn't treat you badly. On the contrary, most of the time he treats you like royalty. And on the other hand, she doesn't understand that you wouldn't know what to do if you leave Sukuna. You're useless. Any life and survival skills you've had are long gone now that you've spent years being pampered by him every day. You're good for basically nothing, other than indulging in your little hobbies and serving, pleasuring, loving him. You would have to work, but most importantly you would be alone. Who could ever provide you with such a carefree life in the outside world? No, you don't want anyone to provide you with that life! You have it here. You don't want to leave. And every second you spend there listening to her says otherwise.

You tell her no, and when she starts insisting, you start to get up. And then she keeps going, she's following you, and you're begging her to stop because if she doesn't you'll have to tell him. And she doesn't, and now you're in tears and running from her, and barging into Sukuna's throne room unexcused. He is busy with his usual daily dose of slaughter, and he's doused in blood. But it doesn't matter because its him, and you feel safer in his arms than you would feel tucked away at the end of the world. Even if his embrace smears you in blood, and engulfs you in the scent of death.

Sukuna is usually weary of being interrupted, but he notices you're panicked, crying, and babbling nonsense. On and on about how you don't want to leave him, how you beg him to forgive you, for not having told him earlier, for not having seen it earlier. You never want to leave him, because you're the happiest when you're by his side. And then he gets it. He gets what he wanted. He picks you up so you can bury your face in his shoulder and calm down. He's not mad. ''Who upset you, my little pet?'', he asks in his softest voice, reserved only for you. ''And how shall we punish them?''

[eli0004]

I absolutely love your Levi fics you write him so good ❤️ I was hoping to request one, how do you think a jealous Levi would be like? How would he act and be comforted? Would he be possessive? Insecure?

I’d be happy to answer this! Also i love your pfp🫶🥹

Summary: How Levi Ackerman behaves when he’s jealous.

Warnings: jealousy/insecurity

It would be easy to say Levi just…doesn’t get jealous. The typical “he’s too mature for that” or something, but the truth is, jealousy is an emotion, and we all experience emotions. Whether or not we know how to recognize them as what they are- that’s a different story.

As i’ve stated before, Levi is a deeply emotional character, and he can be pretty insecure in some ways. I think if he saw you conversing happily with someone who was the complete opposite of him, it might nag at him a little more than one might think.

You could be standing to the side, talking with an acquaintance and suddenly he’s thinking “when’s the last time i made them laugh like that?”

Or if he notices you looking up at them, he wonders if you might wish he were taller sometimes.

But this is not caused by anything you’re doing. Levi trusts you with his heart and soul. But he’s an over-thinker, always worried that one day you’ll wake up and realize there are other options. He doesn’t understand why you’d want him, he doesn’t feel like he has much left of himself to give you, and in his eyes, you deserve the best life has to offer.

He won’t confront you about it, but you’ll know. When Levi is sad, he seems very off in his own world, like he’s in deep thought. It’s easy to tell, because he isn’t paying attention as diligently to what you’re saying. This is very outside the norm, he’s usually very attentive.

If you attempt to communicate with him about it, he won’t know exactly how to explain what he’s feeling, and he might come off as dismissive or avoidant.

Contrary to popular beliefs however, I don’t think he’d become distant. Levi has had his worth placed in what he can do for people his whole life, so he’ll likely linger around and try to make himself as useful to you as possible.

It all comes down to the moment you realize that he’s (even subconsciously) trying to prove his worth to you. You’ll find him checking/cleaning your gear, tidying your room, or on his hands and knees scrubbing your floors.

You’ll beckon him to come close, hug him tightly and kiss his cheek, and you’ll ask him “You know I love you, right? Even when you’re not doing all this?”

You’ll see it in his eyes first, and then you’ll hear it in his voice when he sighs softly and relaxes against you. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

[exhaled-spirals]

« Drinking coffee, when one knows the symbolic depth and meaning of this act, is the perfect ritual [...] as I see it—one which takes us away from our responsibilities and allows us to enjoy the company of other people (whether in the flesh, if we are at a café, or in books) and [...] enrich our mind sip after sip.

On the other hand, the person who drinks coffee in order to stay awake and work more (as some degenerate Enlightenment thinkers might have wanted) is forcing his nature and deserves to work for eternity.

Coffee should be sipped in a moment of pleasure and reflection, but also of conviviality. Coffee is only for the truly lazy, although society tries to make us forget it by using it to serve its frenzied interests. It is no coincidence that, at work, when you want to take a break—and you must take many in order to survive—the best excuse is to say that you're going to have a little coffee. Your bosses and colleagues think to themselves: that's good, he wants to clear his mind to work more efficiently. They don't know that, much to the contrary, you are plotting your escape. »

— Stefano Scrima, Filosofia da divano

[h0efor2ho]

Ateez ; Who's a Dom, Sub& Switch

Ateez - Whos a dom, sub, switch and what kind?

A/N : This is a work of fiction and is for entertainment purposes only. This does not reflect on the artists in any what shape or form.

Hoongjoong - Dom

Type : Primal Dom

He’s not part of the demon line for nothing. This man loves theatrics, and nothing gets him off more than having to hunt you. He will chase you through the house just to catch you and fuck you Into oblivion. He will pin you down to whatever surface you two are closest to and pound into you at an ungodly pace. Be ready for hair pulling and being marked to show your his. Hes not a moaner, but the grunts and growls hes going to let out will be enough to get anyone wet. 100% will call you the nastiest things that come to his mind. Aftercare consists of holding you in bed and waiting for you to come down and making sure you dont sub-drop. Contrary to his personality in the bedroom he will wait on you hand and foot after to make sure you are okay. 

“Though you could get away from me huh stupid slut. Don’t you know by now this pussy is mine you dumb whore” 

Seonghwa - Dom

Type : Mommy/Daddy Dom

He is hard yet caring. You misbehave, you’re getting scolded while being put over his knee while he gives you the spanking of a life time. He will ignore your little please for him to stop until he feels you have learned your lesson. Once hes done hell pull you into his lap wiping your tears asking if your gonna be a good girl now. You’ll get the sweetest smile out of him when you shake your head yes. He will always give you a reward after for taking your punishment so be ready to have him hold your hips while he helps you bounce on his cock. Aftercare KING! He will cuddle the shit out of you, telling you how good you were for him and how much he loves you before helping you into the shower with him and washing you up. 

“Being such a good girl for me. Taking daddies cock so well in your tight pussy. So good for me my pretty baby”

San - Switch

Type : Top/Bottom

San see’s you as an equal to him, there fore when it comes to the bedroom it’s all about the current mood both of you are in. Power play’s and roles aren’t something that interest him much. He more cares about giving you what you need in that moment whether that be being the top and pounding you into the mattress or switching It up and letting you have control of the session and toping him. But dont get it wrong he is as kinky as it gets. He has not problem paddling you or letting you tie him to the bed to use as you please. When the scene is done you go back to being equals and are sure to give each other what you need as far as aftercare goes. 

“Right there baby, that’s it.  Just like that”

Yoesang- Dom

Type : “Pleasure Dom” 

This man is a stoic quiet, thinker and very quick witted. He is constantly brainstorming new ways to be able to bring you satisfaction. Things never get old with him. Nothing turns him on more than seeing you writhing in pleasure from something that he’s thought up. He will bring you to the edge one way just to stop you from going over so he can turn around and do it again another way. He gets off getting you off. Man loves his toys and realizes they are a tool to help. He has no problem holding a vibrator to your clit while he pounds into you just to pull it off and pull out right before you climax so he can bring you back to that high again with his fingers. This man strives to make you make a mess. It’s his goal every time. After he’s going to clean up you and whatever surface you were on up before getting you your favorite snack and putting on your favorite movie to watch. 

“Oh did you think I was gonna let you cum so easily baby? But your doing so well for me.”

Yunho - Sub

Type : Service Sub

This man’s personality screams golden retriever! He’s all about pleasing you in any and every way he possibly can, and boy can he. Not just in the bedroom either, he loves doing everyday tasks for you like grabbing you coffee to doing the dishes. He takes the time to learn your body in and out. He knows exactly where to touch you and how to have you seeing stars. He will make you lose yourself over and over again. Overstim is one of his favorite things to do. You’re going to have to push his head away from your cunt in the end because he won’t stop. Hearing your praises can make him go for hours, it makes him so happy.  After you’ll get some cuddles but his active personality has him on to the next thing if you don’t tell him exactly what to do. 

“MM you taste so good, I could do this all day. Does it feel good? Am I being good for you?”

Mingi - Sub

Type : Princess Sub ( pillow princess )

This 6ft mountain of a man is the biggest princess ever. He expects to be pampered and weighted on hand and foot. He will pout and whine until he gets his way. He has slight brat-ish tendencies until he gets his what he wants and in the end he always gets his way. 9 times out of 10 thats with you riding his dick, doing all the work making him feel good. He will make you cum, not because he wants to be nice but because it feels amazing on his cock when your pussy is clenching him. He will demand you suck his cock almost every morning and throw a bit of a tantrum until you have your mouth stuffed with him and his pretty moans are filling the room. He absolutely is not above begging and often does.  Afterwords you’re going to have to codle him like there’s no tomorrow. Get him his water and a warm blanket. Come lay down so he can wrap his arms around you and use your chest as pillows. 

“Please, more.. Need more from you. Feels so good”

Jongho - Dom

Type : Sadist 

Listen man’s knows hes strong and uses it to his advantage. He loves seeing you break down for him. Nothing turns him on more then seeing your teary eyes looking at him and the beautiful marks he leaves on your body. He will man handle you all night long, and bringing you pain brings both of you pleasure. He finds nothing more beautiful then you moaning while shedding tears, his hand around your throat while he bullies your poor pussy. This man is the king of aftercare. He knows what the two of you partake in can leave not just your body but your mind exhausted, so he takes aftercare very seriously. He will first make sure mentally you are in a good space. Once that’s taken care of it’s off to a warm bath where he will wash your hair after tending to any marks that need to be. You then spend the rest of the night wrapped up in this teddy bear’s arms 🧸 

“Fuck look how pretty you look. Love marking up your pretty body, letting everyone know who’s little whore you are”

WooYong - Switch

Type : Brat Tammer/Brat

Everyone looks at Woo and see’s the brat, but let’s not forget his “bully” side. He knows how to dish it out there for he knows how to take it as well and give it right back. You want to be a brat for him, mouthing off, no problem he will put you in your place very fast. Like Hwa he has no issue throwing you over his knee and spanking you for acting out. You want to run your mouth? He will have you on your knees and using his cock to bully your throat. At the same time he will be the biggest brat, teasing and poking fun at you till you snap and just take him to get him to shut up. When it’s all said and done he will want you to cuddle him no matter what role he took on. 

“Gonna shove this cock down your throat. Doubt you can handle it though, poor little baby cant do a thing right”

[icanseethefuture333]

"Trust me, I have magical foresight" 👁

My predictions on the future of the entertainment industry based on astrology & intuitive channeling

Saturn's children: Capricorn & Aquarius

Capricorn vs Aquarius Pluto

Saturn is the planet of karma and we have seen this take full effect once Sagittarius passed the baton to Capricorn to rule over Pluto. I picture Capricorn and Aquarius' dynamic as siblings. Aquarius is the little brother who is unpredictable and goes to the beat of his own drums. While Capricorn is the older sister who is forced to be responsible and take care of business. Capricorn Pluto has exposed many scandals as a way to serve justice. It's as if Capricorn was the Elle Woods of our generation. So much has been exposed from war crimes to human trafficking and more. People have also felt the need to "restrict" others or oppress them of their human rights as well (I.E: the abortion ban). As well as the world's economic status plummeting. Capricorn deals with the material and emotional realm. Capricorn's representing animal is the sea goat. The head and torso of the goat that is seen on land, symbolizes practical thinking and being grounded. While the tail that is in the ocean represents wisdom and emotional depth. Capricorn Pluto was the definition of "not everything that you see is truly how it is". Capricorn Pluto has done the dirty work that nobody else wanted to do, so people were very shocked and uncomfortable during this time (but as the famous saying goes: "in order to be comfortable, you have to get uncomfortable first"). Once Pluto is in Aquarius, I see things being very unpredictable. I believe people will be desentized after everything that has happened during Capricorn Pluto. People will be unable to process their emotions in healthy ways because of experiencing forms of trauma back and forth. Despite the contrary belief of Aquarius being detached, it is too similar to Capricorn, being the bearer of water. Aquarius is logical with a emphatic heart. I see that there will be a rise of humanitarians or more people will wish to participate in scientific research, medicine, and technology. There is the desire to restore what has been ruined. I believe Aquarius Pluto will want to keep us on our toes. Things could be chill for a while and then all of a sudden a conspiracy theory will be debunked. Then another day a scandal breaks out but it will be even more scandalous then the ones we have seen during Capricorn Pluto. Aquarius is leaning back and putting up his feet as he eats grapes thinking: "I don't know I like a challenge 🤷‍♂️" and have a "it is what it is" mindset.

I see the generation of Aquarius Pluto will be highly intelligent and skilled in education related to STEM. People will have the desire to become activists, doctors, and other fields related to that degree. I also see that less people will be going to college and others will instead go to technical schools. Aquarius is known for being rebellious. This generation are going to be free thinkers and will not follow propaganda in the media. It is about breaking generational curses. They do not wish to do what their family wants them to do, they want to be themselves. I also see that parents of this generation are going to be non traditional or their parenting methods will be nonconforming. Parents could have better communication skills with their children and introduce their children to various forms of education that is not just limited to what the school system teaches them. Such as exposing them to books, other cultures, and having them connected with people overseas. I also see this as more people taking online classes.

The political system could be ... unorthodox to say the least. I don't have the words to properly describe it but we may have presidential leaders that are not what we have previously seen. For example, there could be younger politicians or people who have had no political backgrounds working in the government.

Taurus Uranus: "I lost my innocence now I'm in this bitch"

Ever wondered why kids are wanting Lululemon and Sephora, while adult women wear ribbons and clothes that pertain to the coquette aesthetic? It's because 12-13 year olds have their profection year in the 1st-2nd house while young adults in their early 20s have their houses past the 7th. Now someone's profection year depends on their birthday and birth time, but there are set profection years for each age someone turns. For example, when I was 21 my Venus was in my 8th house and my aesthetic has completely changed since then. Taurus Uranus also focuses on what gives us comfort. Adults could be dressing how their inner child wanted to, while kids are wanting to dress like the influencers they idolize on social media. Young adults are nostalgic and are craving the youth that they lost due to the pandemic. While as for kids, they are forced to grow up in a era that is hyperfocused on beauty. There are several terms people use to analyze people's face now that in our youth people have never even noticed before. "Double lip line", "mewing", "facial harmony", etc. It's as if Taurus Uranus is the narcissist parent who is nitpicking at every feature and insecurity that you have out of projection. Why? For money 💰. In the words of SZA: "everybody wanna be beautiful, scared of the unusual". We are in a time period where people are literally using incel terms to feel better about themselves "mogging", "looksmaxxing", etc. It reeks of mean girl and frat boy energy around here. Parents have been stating that their children are being bullied in high school for not having macro trends such as Stanley cups, Lululemon wear, and Sephora makeup. There has also been complaints of there not being enough content for the pre-teen stage and activities available that is more suitable for children of that specific age group. This is on purpose. The more the lines were blurred on who is childlike and an actual adult, the better in the industry's eyes. It's corrupted and perverted (no I'm not exaggerating this either because why do you think kids are debuting as young as 13 and even younger are becoming influencers?). In the 2000s-2010s there was Justice, Claire's, PINK, etc. There was the something to fill the gap in between, but these kids are not caring about the stuff we liked because it is a different generation and they have other interests. I'm gonna be 100% real with you that a kid is not gonna give a fuck about Bobby Jack because they were not even born around that time unless you introduce it to them. With Taurus transitioning into Gemini, I actually see there being better opportunities for children to make friends or perhaps playing in their neighborhood again. Parents could put the effort in to do neighborhood watches or create activities that will allow their children to play outside or be in extracurricular activities. I additionally see this happening because of the criticism of parents letting their children become "IPad" kids (which come on now, as if we didn't have Nintendo DSes, PSPs, and Gameboys as kids).

The lesson of Taurus Uranus is to not fall into consumerism. Do not get plastic surgery just because you think your face is asymmetrical, do not buy 10 bottles of skincare just because you have one pimple, and do not buy from these brands that don't care about you or the environment. Stand up! If you're gonna do something, then do it for yourself. Learn how to be yourself again, not what social media is telling you who to be. Practice self love and self care. Taurus Uranus should be focused on your comfort and pleasure, not anyone else's. A lot of people will be bullied during this time and will spend money on shit that's worthless. You know how a lot of people have gotten bullied for doing things that weren't on trend and then years later it's cool? That is exactly what's gonna happen once the sign transitions from Taurus to Gemini. Everybody is gonna be talking about it. People are going to use their critical thinking skills more and will communicate their thoughts. They will realize "wow my/their behavior was really shitty". I also see this as people being multi faceted and fake though for their own personal benefit (yes I know not all Geminis are two faced, relax). Cancel culture is still very much so a thing and people have seen the repercussions of it. So people are going to learn how to think before speaking and rebrand their public image. Unfortunately that also means more podcast bros and phony celebrities trying to redeem themselves in interviews. We are already seeing this happen with Katt Williams and the celebrities he exposed. They are doubling back and shaking in their boots, their only response is "ahaaa that's crazy😂" without actually giving a answer that is of substance.

The trend with influencers today is that they focus on their family, personal assets, and wealth, how they live a "soft life". A lot of celebrities and influencers have even had children solely for the purpose of money and being deemed likeable or trustworthy. With less and less people having the desire to have children due to the economy as well as *Jaden Smith voice* the political state of the world right now. I believe videos will focus more on friendships, neighbors, people's hometown or neighborhoods instead of taking expensive trips overseas, connecting with strangers, making videos about "a day in my life at school/work", niche interests, or even educational videos becoming popular again. People are going to look at these influencers and think "well I don't have the privilege to go out and live a soft life so i'm gonna talk about my life instead". The energy will feel very "friendly" and people will try to be relatable.

I remember that someone on Tiktok said we are going backwards when it comes to feminism and @sunkissedchld made a point to me that Taurus is "traditional". That could also explain why a lot of women on Tiktok are just posting about their shitty boyfriend/husbands that don't cook, clean, or take care of their kids. Women are just going "You're so silly babe 😂😍😏" to a man with shit stained drawls. A lot of female celebrities who have proclaimed themselves as "feminists" I noticed as well are being submissive to men who are irrelevant and misogynistic towards other women. I also see a pattern of men of wanting women to be docile. (They wish to be the "provider" of the relationship. Asking women "What do you bring to the table?" or wanting to go "50/50", when the treatment is not fair). They are sticking beside them and being a ride or die for them, even though they would never do the same. Which follows into my next observation, Pisces Neptune.

Pisces Neptune: the end of our delulu era

"They're my twin flame" no they're not pookie ❤

Pisces is illusive and sensitive. People are struggling with living in reality and could be prone to derealization or maldaptive daydreaming during this time. Pisces will eventually transition into Aries and that is rough. It's not as gentle as Pisces is. Aries Neptune will be like a wake up call and people are not going to like it so their reaction could be very "bratty". We are going to be living in masculine energy soon (We currently have planets in the sign of Taurus, Capricorn, and Pisces then evenutally its going to be in Gemini, Aquarius, and Aries). It's detached, it is not focused on feelings. Although, Aries is considered the youngest of the Zodiac signs. So people could be more energetic and motivated to achieve their goals. There could be a lot of pent up aggression or people will subconsciously feel the need to compete with others. I believe Pisces Neptune was more so the era for "the believers". There was such an overload of information on manifestation, new age spirituality, reality shifting, and divine masculine/feminine energy. We see it in art, we see it in movies, we see it on social media, it's everywhere because it's our subconscious as a collective. Once the masculine energy comes in people are going to focus less on the mysteries of the universe and will want to focus on the facts. It's the mindset of "Okay, manifestation is cool and all, but its not going to put food onto the table". People will want to take action and are tired of waiting for "divine timing". Aries is brave and has a positive outlook. I suggest for people to make a wishlist now and focus on manifesting your intentions clearly because in the future it will all be about turning those desires into reality. Realistically speaking I see a lot of relationships ending as well because most people who are in relationships are only with their partners because of infatuation and not for love. It is likely people will marry for just company and financial security to survive. People might even marry their best friends or have very "non traditional" romantic relationships.

Music

Once Pluto finally settles in Aquarius. I see the quality of music changing. Music is going to go a few different ways.

1. The music will be LONGER but it will have short titles to grab people's attention. People's attention span have gotten so bad that musicians have to make songs 2 minutes or less to appeal to Tiktok trends. At best music has 2 choruses and 1 verse, no bridge and there is only a 2nd verse unless a another artist is being featured. Andre 3000 is already ahead of the game in terms of doing this. Andre is famously known as ½ member of the rap group Outkast. He is someone who is mysterious and eccentric. Andre appears in the music ever so often and fans have begged for him to release more music. So he has released an album titled "New Blue Sun", but it not a hip hop album, it's a flute, new age, spiritual jazz album. The album title is short and simple while the songs are all past 10 minutes and have long names. The first track being called: "I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A "Rap" Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time".

2. I see there being developments in music so that everyone can enjoy it. I believe that scientists will try to invent ways for people who are deaf to listen to music better, whether that is creating technology so they can feel the vibratuons or something of that nature. Artists might even start doing sign language to communicate to their fans who are deaf or include braile for fans who are blind. Artists have been making an effort in being more inclusive by hiring people with disabilities. So there could better opportunities for them to be in the spotlight as well.

3. I noticed that music has been focused more on sound and less about the words/lyrics. Drill, drum and bass, reggaeton, and afrobeat are all genres that very popular right now. A person's lyrics could be trash but most people will dismiss it as long there's a catchy beat behind it. With Gemini Uranus, people's lyricism could improve but the words and beat will have a vastly different vibe. The lyrics could be sad and the beat is uptempo, or vice versa. There will be a duality to the song. (I.E: Hey Ya! By Outkast, Pied Piper by BTS, etc). I also see this as more writers being hired for streaming artists or there will be a rise of duo artists. This reminds me of Billie Ellish and her brother Phineas, so it is possible people could make music with their sibling, friend, or a partner (one person writes, one person sings, etc). (I.E: Lion Babe, AlunaGeorge, Akdong Musician, & Marian Hill).

As for the music industry itself, it is aware of the impact of a collective boycott. They will realize how much they need us as consumers. The west and east are going to come together in terms of releasing music. South Korea has been trying to appeal to international fans for a reason. They know fans overseas put a lot of money in their pocket and without us, K-Pop would not even be this huge thing (also yes I said it and I meant it, where would K-Pop be without the influence of black culture, latin culture, Indian culture, etc? Exactly). So I potentially see I-fans get the same treatment as K-fans. There's going to be fansigns, album signings, and more. While as for the west, they see South Korea as a way to make money. Which I believe the U.S will use their media for political propaganda because they are aware of those fans that worship celebrities and will defend them to no end. I feel like there's going to be a switch between the two industries as well. Fans will get bored and overwhelmed by the amount of large K-Pop groups debuting, it is oversaturated. So companies' response to this is to debut more soloists or smaller groups of 2-3 members. As for the west, they could take over the group scene and debut larger groups with 4+ members.

The U.S and South Korea think they pretty much got it in the bag as for being the most dominant countries for the music industry but when I tell you they're gonna be shook... I strongly believe that countries in Africa, especially South Africa, will be strong competitors soon for the music industry. We are seeing this with Jam Republic, Amaarae, Tems, Tyla, & Burna Boy. Their music/stage presence has longevity. It's the fact that season 2 of Street Woman Fighter ended last year and still people are talking about Jam Republic. It's how "Angels In Tibet" and "Water" has had people in a chokehold for the past few months. In South Africa's solar return chart for 2024, their ascendant will be in Leo, meaning they are going to be attracting a lot of attention. Which means their Aquarius will be in the 7th house and people will be attracted to their culture because they will see it as unique and interesting. I genuinely see Tyla paving the way for other South African artists in the future, she has an Aquarius stellium and she will be turning 22 on January 30th. Her profection year depends on her birth time which isn't available yet but it is presumed to be that her 11th house will be activated for the rest of the year. So she will be a hot topic for social media. Her level of fame could depend on what musical direction she decides to take in the future, but for now Tyla has great potential. She is able to appeal to the Taurus Uranus beauty standards because her beauty is familiar. It has been said quite often that Tyla reminds people of artists from the 2000's (Christina Milian specifically), it is nostalgic, while keeping it modern and fresh. Tyla's inclusion of her culture when it comes to her music and choreography for her performances makes her stand out. People will grow tired of Tyla's current concept though if she keeps up with the "pop" element to her music, so if she wants to be a big artist in the future, she will have to turn to her roots for musical success. I believe other artists will try to replicate "Angels In Tibet" by Amaarae because the production of the song is so technically perfect it's amazing and I'm not even exaggerating. This song is the definition of a cultural blend. You can hear Arabic scales, Brazilian funk, afrobeats, and probably even more all in one song and it works! People are going to want to hear more of that. So artists are going to follow that trend of the creation of musically, culturally blended songs.

I also see that there is going to be only a select few of new people who will get to be famous celebrities, while others will agree to be more of a "filler celebrity". Which is weird to say but there will be people who are going to be used as props or to fill in the gaps. People who are just apart of the "simulation".

The devil/demon musical concepts in the industry will die down because I see most people will turn atheist or become agnostic. People are desentized to it and it's nothing they have not seen before. I see people reacting like "Why would I be worried about the illuminati when we should be focused on the economy?". They are not gonna care for it and celebrities will have to come up with something new for shock value. So people could start promoting aspects of Christianity such as "heaven", "biblical angels", and other forms of religious propaganda. Lil Nas X is an example of this and I wouldn't be surprised if other artists do it next.

I feel there is going to be another wave of rock bands becoming a trend again as well, Green Day has released an ep recently, and they are well known for being political with their music. Stray Kids are also known for being a multi genre K-Pop group and their recent album was rock themed. So artists exploring alternative concepts or artists doing music for charity, should be a common theme for the next few years.

Beauty

With Aries Neptune, I could see people doing intricate things to their faces such as getting facial piercings, wearing makeup thats more bold, and getting face tattoos. People could bring back the trend of Nelly's cheek bandaid. There is a desire to accessorize the face. The beauty trends during Taurus Uranus was focused on hyper femininity, almost a blend of Korean and American beauty standards. Straight eyebrows, delicate facial features, manga lashes, and porcelain-like skin. The beauty was more doll-like but natural, very feminine (I don't want this beauty trend to die ngl, I love the pink dolly look 💔😭). As for Gemini Uranus, the beauty standards will be more androgynous or gender neutral. I also interpert this as people looking ethereal and youthful, almost like a fairy. I am reminded of Aya Takano's art, the characters are gender neutral and there is hardly any indications of their sex. So I'm seeing thick eyebrows, whimsical makeup (messy glitters or makeup looking half done), exaggeration of the eyes, drunken rosy cheeks, tinted lips that almost look bruised, undereye liner as opposed to eyeliner above the lash line, eye makeup that has two different colors or asymmetrical, and freckles (naturally or faux will be popular). I could also see people having two different makeup looks on one face (Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad). Could see people with Heterochromia eyes suddenly being seen more in the media. Models' facial expression could be cheeky, as if they're trying to appear "tough". It's not as fierce, it will be more playful. There could be a rise of people of the LGBTQ+ community in modeling industry as well.

Fashion

I already predicted some trends in fashion, one being for the Victoria Secret fashion show which I recommend you go and read that was pretty accurate. Since we are entering a period that has masculine energy, I see people will have an androgynous style. People have went from skinny jeans to flared pants and baggy clothes. People are wearing sneakers more often and dressing casually as well. I don't see feminine clothing being erased entirely because Gemini has a duality of course. So people could combine elements of femininity and masculinity. Two pieces, asymmetrical cut dresses, and skorts in particular. I am reminded of how Acubi fashion and late 2000s wear is trending again. Headphones, hoodies, windbreakers, straight legs jeans, etc. I could see people being interested in sports wear with Aries Neptune as well. There will be an athlete that will be very popular when it comes to fashion, like Michael Jordan. Sneaker culture could be more of a prominent thing. I honestly don't think people will dress as formally for occasions or in the workplace. They could look chic and cool, but not as prestigious. I see people being less nostalgic about the Y2K era so people could start moving on to something similar. I have a feeling that we will continue to see fashion trends from the 80s/90s/00s. I keep getting a visual of the manga "Slam Dunk". Which is a 90s anime about a team of basketball players. So jeans, sneakers, overalls, snapbacks, and things of that such. Aquarius Pluto could also mean a generation of people being rebellious and carefree in terms of style, so people could just dress to their own personal tastes instead of what's trending as well.

[mrfartpowered]

you don’t hate Howard, you hate fatphobic tropes

Here at Mr Fart Powered Dot Com, I’m a long-time hater of the “fat best friend” trope and a long-time lover of jerkass characters, so I think I’m uniquely qualified to comment on this LOL

The biggest critiques I see of Howard are as follows: he’s gross, he’s stupid, he’s selfish, he’s lazy. Below the cut, I deconstruct each of these four criticisms not as faults of Howard, but faults of the writing, largely as a result of fatphobia.

These are all traits associated with the fat idiot trope, popularized by Homer Simpson and Peter Griffin. Think about any other character who possess all of the above characteristics. Far more often than not, they’re a fat character. Plenty of non-fat characters possess any of those traits individually — selfishness, stupidity, laziness, and grossness are not exclusive to fat characters. Nor do they inherently make a character 'bad,' irredeemable, or otherwise unlikeable! But all too often, especially in dated media, we see this flimsy, weak writing apply to the fat villain...or the fat comic relief...or the fat best friend.

Howard falls victim to these ugly, annoying 'fat guy' tropes whenever the writing is in need of a cheap laugh, or when they need to make Randy look extra good. Howard does have unique, interesting traits, but they are painfully underutilized in exchange for role fulfillment as the comic relief.

Stupidity

Contrary to what the show wants us to believe, Howard is not a complete idiot. His intelligence may not be of the academic variety (and even this is debatable), but I would argue he is more clever than Randy. Of the two of them, Howard's got more common sense. Randy misinterprets almost every lesson the Nomicon gives him, while H quickly understands each riddle he gets the chance to know about. (See “a ninja’s choice must be chosen by his own choosing,” “don’t go in someone else’s house,” “when facing an unfamiliar foe, seek an unlikely ally.”)

You could argue against this point in Shloomp! There It Is, where he literally gets to see the lesson as it is presented in the nomicon and doesn’t get it. But I’d argue that this was  purposeful mischaracterization in order to further the plot, a point which will unfortunately recur in this essay. The writers care more about Howard as a tool than as a character, but instead of using the capabilities they build within him, they default to stereotypes.

Where conventional academics are concerned, we have one concrete example of his abilities: Howard is incredible at chess. It’s the iconic nerd game; it requires strategy, careful thinking, and the ability to predict your opponent’s moves. Who cares that he doesn't know the pieces' names? Who cares that he doesn’t abide by typical strategies? He can kick artificially-intelligent ass at the game, not to mention follow someone else's plays the way most people follow a football game.

And he's got street smarts that save Randy's ass on multiple occasions. He's more sociable, a better liar, and a quick thinker in stressful situations. Much of this particular point is pulled from @cunningweiner ‘s brain, who pointed out that Howard is really well-received by crowds (Heidi’s MeCast, the talent show, the Tummynator). Another interesting instance of this is Howard’s time as the Ninja — both the fake monster drill ninja, and the actual Ninja. He may not have accomplished his duties as a hero, but the onlookers Absolutely Ate Up his crowd work. He’s not the most physically willing guy around, but he knows how to appeal to an audience. His major flaw in remaining a well-liked public figure is that his ego gets real damn big, real damn fast. But he’s 15! If you blame a teenager for having empathy and esteem issues, I don’t know what to tell you.

Despite his emotional immaturity, Howard is wise beyond his years as a businessman. Before we move forward, I need to tell you: look at this section purely from a business standpoint. You have to forget morals, you have to forget standards, this is Disney XD meta and we are analyzing a man named Weiner, okay?

Okay. Howard embarks on a total of three business endeavors throughout this show, and each one is highly successful. Ninja Agent, weapon reseller, and McFist-o-plex manager. He embodied “work smarter, not harder” every time. Being an agent takes social skill and smooth talking, and clearly he appealed to a wide range of clients (not to mention earned their trust! What would you say if someone called you up and said “yeah, I manage Superman. Want him to appear in a commercial for you?”). Being a manager requires delegation skills and good memory. Reselling Ninja weapons is honestly just genius and I can’t believe he’s the first guy to do it.

Everyone around Howard, and Big H himself, views him as a dumbass. But time and time again, the episodes show us his mental capabilities! Imagine how much fun the writers could’ve had if they’d leaned on a lazy genius trope instead of a fat idiot.

Grossness

I don’t know about you guys, but I can’t think of a single thin character who relies on gross-out humor. Take, for example, Total Drama, a franchise with a bodily diverse cast and a heavy emphasis on gross-out humor. I mean, there’s an entire episode in the original season where every single character pukes onscreen. TD overall utilizes irreverent humor, but while grossness is a major player, it is not the only source of comedy.

And then you’ve got Owen, the only fat character in the original cast. His whole shtick is being fat, greedy, and nasty. Other characters will fart and burp and overeat — all things that Owen does frequently — but they also have other gags. Maybe they’re bitchy, or they’re geeky, or they’re a literal convict. Owen does not enjoy the luxury of character depth. He is only good for grossing out the audience. (Side tangent: Owen has notably made me laugh out loud a handful of times over the course of the four seasons he featured in. But guess what! Every single one of those laughs was begotten from a rare moment when, instead of farting or burping or eating something he shouldn’t, the writers stepped outside the ‘Owen zone’ and gave him a joke unrelated to his fatness. Fatphobic humor is truly a plague.)

I know I’m being a bit heavy-handed, but I want to emphasize how similar that is to RC9GN! Randy does schnasty shit too sometimes, but he gets to be funny in other ways. Grossness is Howard’s primary mode of comedy. During my first watch-through of the show, I remember being outraged at Howard’s tendency to eat Randy’s food, which, of course, was followed by digestion noises or farts. I was too angry to write down which episodes, but I counted four separate instances where they used that exact convention specifically to get Randy angry at Howard, thus catalyzing the episode’s storyline. (At some point I will have to go back and fact-check that, but we’re 900 words deep at this point and this has been in my drafts for over a month, so we move forward for now okay!!)

 We do get to see flashes of other humor from Howard, especially into Season 2! His cleverness and apathy make for hilarious setups. But even these instances are undercut by something foul. An example that comes to mind is Fear Factor, a perfectly fine episode — one that I love quite a lot — except for the very last gag. Really? Howard gets to be normal-funny the entire episode, until the last minute? The idea that his biggest fear is running out of food literally only works because he is fat. Had this joke been given to any other character, it probably wouldn’t have even made it to storyboards. Even worse, if Howard had not been fat, this joke would never have been conceptualized in the first place. It is almost as if the writers are trying to hit a quota of gross-out jokes for Howard. At a certain point, my anger morphed to pure disappointment. That’s how disheartening it is to see.

Selfishness

Okay, Howard Weinerman is selfish. I'll give you that. But just because he's self-centered does not make him a bad person. May I bring to mind Gumball Watterson, Marcy Wu, Louise Belcher? All are textbook examples of selfish characters, and frequently act in their own best interest, but are ultimately good people. I mention them as proof that characters can have negative defining traits without sacrificing the audience’s sympathy. 

Here's where I really get frustrated with RC9GN’s writing... They want to portray Howard as a jerk with a heart of gold — such as in Debbie Meddle — but they always undercut his few selfless moments with a gross-out gag, or a rude offhand comment, usually directed at Randy. Sometimes, Randy will reciprocate, in which case I give it a pass. There, the grossness or general assholery showcases their friendship, instead of putting Howard down for a stale laugh. 

But like I said, that’s the ‘sometimes.’ The ‘often’ is every time we see him almost embody the ‘heart of gold’ part of his attempted archetype, only to be thrown out the window for a lame gag. A specific example is in “Bro Money Bro Problems,” where Howard has cash to spare for once. He immediately opts to spend it on Randy!….until Randy shloomps into the nomicon, then comes out to find that Howard spent everything he had on the Food Hole’s dinner menu. Sure, this was used to set the rest of the episode in motion. They run out of money, but they need more, so they go out and sell ninja weapons. But here’s the thing: for the rest of the episode, Howard spends his money on both him and Randy, rather than just himself, effectively making that dinner menu joke inconsistent with his characterization.

“Well how else would they set the episode in motion?” They could spend it all on arcade games. Or they spend it all at the boardwalk both times. OR, they are just excitable teenagers who realize, hey, this shit is lucrative! Let’s go get rich! Boom. Fixed your episode, fixed your Howard, fixed your fatphobia.

Laziness

Over and over again, the show tries to tell us that Howard is a lazy piece of shit. Other characters regard him as such, and honestly, so does Howard himself. But I would argue that he is no lazier than your average teenager — not to mention, no lazier than Randy! The difference is that for Howard, the writers intertwine his laziness with his alleged stupidity. They try to convince the audience that Howard is too stupid to care what’s going on.

However, this trait is unique from the other three, because I think this one manages to give him depth. Or at least, in my heart of hearts, it has the potential to do so. This characteristic lends to Howard’s most clever jokes, I think, because ultimately:

Howard is capable, but apathetic.

From the earliest episodes, it is established that he aims for minimum effort, maximum benefit. There’s the bit where Randy asks Howard to come up with the plan for once, and they both laugh at the idea of Howard doing the heavy lifting. Or even all the way into “Mort-al Kombat,” he says people are ‘really handing him the answers today’ when Randy puts in the work to get Howard ungrounded.

But just because Howard prefers not to do any work, doesn’t mean he won’t! And when he does put in effort, the results show that he is damn good at what he does. His time as Le Beret more than proves this point: from his ability to work under the radar, to the plans he forms, to the knowledge he has about Mort’s job & McFist Industries that allows him to get all the cool equipment he uses. We also see his skills and capability in “Debbie Meddle” (the ninja dummy), “Viva El Nomicon” (learning Spanish quickly), “Secret Stache” (commitment to the bit), “The Ninja Identity/Supremacy,” and more.

He very much operates under the mindset of ‘work smarter, not harder.’ He’ll get the job done if he has to. He’ll excel at the job if it benefits him. This is a really interesting character mechanic that would have been so much fun to explore. Like I said so many times above, though, the writers most often choose to undercut his abilities in favor of comedic expense.

Conclusion

Howard, in comparison to Randy, is obviously a lot harder to root for. Overall, Randy is a more conventional character with conventional flaws. Like most duos in media, the sidekick juxtaposes the hero — I would even argue that Howard, in some ways, is Randy in reverse. Randy is highly moral, but still has a lot of learning to do skill-wise; Howard is already extremely capable, but also very amoral. Because of this, the narrative places Randy at a higher value than Howard — which, yknow, fair enough! He is the protag, and that’s a great setup for a protagonist. But simply by virtue of being fat, Howard is not treated with the same level of respect as other sidekick/best friend characters.

For all his quirks and flaws, Howard is not a supremely unique character. His basic core aligns with so many other characters. But because the writers lean on his fatness, instead of leaning into his potential and his complexities, it is much harder to root for him — and it strips him of originality. I love this show with all my heart, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t mind the way it treated Howard. He had so much potential, even as the show was airing, and I will forever be upset that the crew squandered it on fatphobic tropes.

[letmeoutofthebasementt]

Lee Know Jealousy

SKZ Jealousy series pt. 2: (when they're in a serious relationship do they get jealous at all? What makes them jealous if they get jealous? How do they act in a relationship? What's their response/behavior when jealous? How do they handle it?)

If anyone has ever told you he’s not jealous they’re a liar. Fibber. Deceiver. Storyteller, even. Believe nothing they’ve ever said after that. Lee Know and Jealousy are two peas in a grenade.

First off, when he’s jealous you’ll know. He’s not the type of person who won’t show it out of fear for what will happen if he does. He’s just not. He stands his ground and isn’t about to let some weirdo flirt with his partner right in front of him. That’s not how he operates.

He fights for what’s his. And that includes whoever he’s with. If he DOESNT get jealous…He simply doesn’t care. Doesn’t want you anymore. Because his jealousy is part of him fighting for his partner and their relationship because he WANTS it and doesn’t want any threats to it.

He wants a stable relationship. Anything that would stoke jealousy is a threat to the relationship’s stability, plain and simple. And he won’t be satisfied until that thing is over and done with. Out of the picture and out of his life. For good.

He has a very restless mind. He overthinks, and over analyzes. He can’t help the thoughts that come up that’re jealous when his partner is a little too friendly with another guy. Because he’s a thinker. And once someone stokes that jealousy in him it will keep bubbling up. It will linger in the back of his mind.

He holds onto things a lot. So I WOULD NOT recommend getting him jealous on purpose. He will remember. And trust me, it will stack up against you. That’s how he is.

Generally he’s content and comfortable with his jealousy. It’s part of him. He doesn’t hide or deny it. Hell, he’d tell you he’s a jealous person if you asked. He’s always been that way. And he has a wealth of it to give out.

Jealousy builds and builds and builds with him. And it will stay until he’s 100% sure what started it will not be an issue again.

But even then he probably would throw it back in your face during arguments if it’s still lingering in his mind.

He’s content in his jealousy. But that doesn’t mean it’s not draining. If you constantly flare it up, he will feel like he can’t trust you. And trust is the most important thing to him in relationships.

Make him too jealous and he’ll be exhausted. Helpless. It’ll affect his self esteem slowly but surely, make him wonder why his partner keeps doing these things that make him jealous when they have him. It’ll make him doubt the relationship and his partner’s love for him, point blank period. And he may lose focus or interest in the relationship.

But he also doesn’t mind a jealous partner. Im getting a balance and equality there.

He wants to work past whatever it is that made him jealous. Because if he’s with you and caring and trying he loves you. And he doesn’t like losing those he loves, contrary to popular belief. And conversely he wants to know if the actions caused by his jealousy hurt. He’s like that with most things. He can say and do hurtful things but he won’t know they are unless he’s told. And he wants to be told. He doesn’t care if he is at any point as long as he is.

He will act like it’s fine after all is said and done but it’s not. It lingers. It causes a lot of turbulence in him. He’ll probably be on edge and the jealousy will be quick to flare back up. He’ll constantly be looking out for something.

The type to go through his partner’s phone without them knowing.

He may keep it a secret if it lingers too long because he doesn’t want to start rocking the boat for something that’s passed.

But he will throw it in your face in an argument.

Just a lot of emphasis on VII of Swords specifically here.

He likes it when he can get over these things. Or when he feels he doesn’t have to hide it and can safely express its still bothering him with his partner. It makes him feel grateful for them. Grateful that they’re understanding of it. Like he’s lucky.

It makes him all the more content and emotionally satisfied in that relationship/situation.

This can start a lot of arguments though. Jealousy. And he’s not the kindest in arguments because his priority is protecting himself and his own peace.

He can be aggressive and say very hurtful things with no real compassion. He may possibly feel guilty or ashamed after the fact if he realizes it hurts you and he…Well, cares, but he’ll very rarely offer an apology unless you express how much it hurt after.

[haggishlyhagging]

I am 100% against censorship. I don’t want books to be burned. I don’t want treatises to be hidden away. I don’t want anyone, ever, to be able to say, “That never happened”, simply because all evidence to the contrary has been covered up.

I don’t see the point in pretending well-known feminist authors haven’t said or done vile things. I don’t see the point, for me personally, in choosing not to read a woman’s words because she “did a bad, bad thing.”

Do the renowned “thinkers” of today give a good goddamn that the majority of the “most important” male minds of our culture are promoted as literary/philosophical/political geniuses despite their documented personal histories of rape, murder, abuse, violation, etc.? Do they think we should stop reading these geniuses because of what are perceived as unfortunate personal foibles? They do not.

Do I think women should be forced to read feminist authors they disagree with? I don’t think women should be forced to do a damn thing they don’t want to do.

But I also believe we’re at a crossroads here, and purity spirals are something that men taught us. And women, as they are wont to do with everything created—good, bad, and indifferent—have perfected the art.

[kaelio]

Marius: "Lestat was no thinker. Marius realized that if this moment were to yield a true transformation, Marius himself had to crystallize his belief in some sort of document to which all vampires could appeal not only in a court of vampire justice but in the court of his own heart. And he realized something else too. This document, this declaration, could not be specific to blood drinkers. On the contrary—to be effect[ive?] to be long lasting, to be transcendent, it had to be a declaration for all creatures, calling into question the idea of any exclusion, any outsider, any soul. In sum it had to be a Declaration of Value for all conscious & sentient beings—be they human, vampire, ghost, or alien from another world."

okay so. I'm aware most people don't like Marius the way I like Marius (that is to say, extraordinarily, but in a way with a lot of Dimensions). however. this is hysterical. to me.

can. you. imagine. the ramifications of being brought in front of a nigh-definitionally kafkaesque court of the Undead over some sort of crime you weren't aware was a thing, BUT some dude out there somewhere wrote some stuff about in a manic episode of truly undeserved self-importance. i love you marius never change

(Anne Rice journals - Tulane University)

[profounddefendorcrusade-blog]

More on Clover's personality/mbti

this one's shorter don't worry

So, I mentioned before how Clover's creative when it comes to a lot of stuff (more than they are grounded), but there's also the fact they can sing (that's how they spare Insomnitot), dance (not as much into it as Bailador, but they CAN dance), make puns (Gun-hat and how they wanted to make puns in the stable in Wild East; idk the exact line) are into drawing (in Axis' office, you'll get a text saying "You wish you could draw that well..."), video games (with Mew Mew) and they even know how to play the harmonica (from the teaser trailer), plus tend to zone out ↓

They constantly kept choosing kindness over what's right.

Those are PERSONAL values they have, that these monsters deserve forgiveness. I really think the inferior Te clashes with dominant Fi in their case. Clover wants to do what's objectively right and just, but at same time their heart is just too pure. They were able to empathise with everyone and get in everyone's shoes (also affectionate but that's a bonus) ↓

there's no change in their kindness from the beginning to end

Like if they were actually in court I don't think they'd act like a "typical" judge and deliver 100% fair consequences. No, that Fi kindness would ALWAYS win, like it did with Star and Ceroba.

Clover's Fi was always there, but differentiates depending on the route. In pacifist, they decided that everyone, in spite of what they objectively did wrong, should be forgiven and understood. In neutral, they decide whose actions were moral enough to get spared, and whose weren't. In geno, instead of killing five monsters, they wipe out anyone THEY think is in their way.

If they were Ti dominant they'd naturally be a lot more rigid and have/show a lot less empathy, imo. The Te inferior is present in geno bc they think they are dealing with the events in the outside world objectively, but the Fi is still there, that's why they don't stop killing: THEY are the one who thinks it should be this way. Clover wants to influence/control the outer world (Te; they don't spend a lot of time dwelling on their actions, unlike Ti users, Clover's a lot more forceful) based on how they subjectively think things should be (still that Fi except that it manifests differently than in pacifist). Clover as a thinker would naturally be more detached from emotions, but they're... they're not. Even in the beginning.

Inferior Te present their Fi opinions like they are objective Te facts - I found this line and it instantly reminded me of geno Clover. "Yeah, I'm right for killing everyone, even though I'm really not"

Clover becomes like a "manager of justice" when in their dark side. You step outta line, you're dead - that's kinda the "structure" I think we're talking about here. Still values over how logically to assess a situation, though. Ceroba calls them naive.

This means that Clover WANTS.... no, ALWAYS WANTED to approach the "missing children" situation like they're in control, but in reality, they were without a clear plan of what to do and how to do it. That's inferior Te.

On the contrary, in the vengance route, they step into their inferior function and take control... but at what cost.

As for their Si, we have the fact Clover remembers their past home life, remembers cramped living conditions, their responsibilities at home, the TV channel they "watched"...

All this stuff from the past contributed to them leaving for the Underground (aka affected their future). I really really don't think Clover has auxiliary Se. That would mean they're usually present-focused. But no, this kid's thought process feels more complex to me. As explained, Se mostly focuses on what's in front of them; Clover, while in the present, can think of the past (their home life), which then influences their future (jumping down Mt. Ebott). And when in the present, they can think of the far future (dying during their mission and therefore never coming back home or becoming an adult, and in the end the potential freedom of monsterkind) and recall the past vividly (all those things their friends told them throughout their journey)

They don't suspect Flowey's malicious, either. And even if some part of them didnt trust Ceroba, Clover never showed it or said anything out loud (not that i remember), and even if they did, they still chose to spare Axis since he is the only thing left of Chujin. That's naive, maybe. But Clover's REALLY REALLY REALLY sweet.

Speaking of Flowey... remember how he would often encourage Clover and tell them to have more confidence and that they "don't have to be scared" and "lean on him for emotional support" and that they should "have some faith in themselves too"? Yeah, that's the aspect of their personality that they had to work on; becoming the leader they were always meant to be.

Their arc feels like going from a scared kid to a great hero. Aka stepping into that inferior Te... the right way.

[vaultof-thoughts]

DOUBTS, INSERCURITY AND ANXIETY

The title is blood red, why? because when I used to have doubts, and still didn't really understand non-dualism at all, my brain would set off alarms with flickering fiery red lights. As if they were forbidden , as if I was committing some crime and conducting treason. Many of us find it difficult to deal with doubts, anxiety, insecurity because it just feels so bad, so ickish... so painful an it instantly sends us into a spiral- "Oh No! I'm not supposed to be thinking this, I'm supposed to be Zen and indifferent all the time!" "NO!!! All my progress has gone to waste.." (spoiler alert: there is no progress to be made) or just endless interaction with the (seeming) thought and just piling on to the insecurity and discomfort. Trust me, we've ALL been there, and it's COMPLETELY and ABSOLOUTELY normal and OKAY. Because guess what? This will blow your mind: IT IS IRRELEVENT. I'm serious. You could think the most gruesome, ugly, thoughts about yourself and your dream but it doesn't affect " " at all. SO, what does this mean? It means these thoughts aren't yours!! You aren't the thinker!! CELEBRATE that for a moment! bask in freedom of that realization. These thoughts are from of the ego, or character or WHATEVER. Thing is, this ego is an illusion.

Thoughts, feelings, sensations, DESIRES = Ego

Ego = "the ego doesn’t exist. It’s not a person nor an entity or anything like that. It’s just a longtime held onto perception. It’s just a pile of ideas, concepts, states of mind, thoughts and feelings that we’re clung to and built upon like a castle of cards. It was never you. It was never truly real. It seemed to be because you were it. It cannot exist without you knowing yourself as it." - @crystaldust

Conclusion is, whatever you are going through right now, you are not actually going through. (sounded better in my head) Instead, there is only " " observing a ILLUSIONARY life with a nice lil character and basically in different forms. So everything is " " (the character, the life, other people, the dirty clothes on your floor you're not gonna clean up, etc) are all just different forms of " " so basically just " " observing " " which also mean that nothing is REALLY happening. Like yes I just failed my chemistry test but is there really anything happening here?? without labels, words and meaning what is there? no thing. So even the doubtful, fearful, anxious and insecure thoughts are nothing, you are assigning illusionary meaning to them and on top of that taking them to be you. Like? And what is absoloutellyyy hilarioussss is that " " put this dream or play on itself, and on purpose for fun, and you're acting like it's the end of the world.

On a more serious note though, I know how hard it can be to see negative thoughts for what they really are! and to stop taking the illusion so seriously. There's death, murder, poverty, starvation and many things to react to. I know it can be hard. I know trust me, but in all honesty, guys, you are the observer! not the person. And again, I will repeat this until your ears bleed. It is ALL COMPLETELY Illusionary. This does not mean you're not allowed to bawl your eyes out or react to anything at all- infact, I mean the contrary. Do WHAT YOU WANT. It doesn't matter, there is no "process" to mess up on here. Just come back and notice " " It's always there anyway even observing right now. And remember not to be harsh on yourself and take good care of yourself :) and most importantly have fun.

(im super sorry this post is very long and chaotic im going to try to add some pretty colors and pictures and stuff in later so that people actually read it but bye and ily)

[pedrito-friskito]

Kay!

Can I just say, I love your sundae idea! It's adorable, and now I really want a sundae 🤤

Could I please request #3 from the fluff prompts with Javier Peña pretty please? ♥️

midge! I hope you got your sundae 🤍

I kinda of tweaked the prompt a lil bit here but I hope you like it, and you know I had to go back to the ranch for this too…

burning questions - the ranch - javier peña x fem!reader

word count: 1.4k

warnings: none! tooth-rotting fluff, javi is an over-thinker

Javi’s been thinking about it.

Well, more than thinking about it.

To be quite honest, the thing’s been burning a hole in his pocket since he picked it up. More than a week now. It’d be a lie to say this was an impulsive decision — on the contrary, he’s never felt more sure about anything else before — but now he has to figure out the how, and he didn’t think it would be this hard.

The biggest problem, he’s realizing, is that when you’re both home, you’re never far away from each other. Always within arm’s reach, close enough to know what the other is doing. It’s not an overbearing presence by any stretch, but it just means it’s going to take a bit more tact and planning to get things how he wants them.

But then his brain starts going…is that what you want?

Javier has always been an over-thinker. When it came to his career, it worked in his favour more often than not, but this wouldn’t be the first time he’s shot something to hell in his personal life because he can’t get his brain to shut down.

Steve, shockingly, is little help.

“You’re gonna do it!” his old partner hoots into the phone. “Javier Peña, you old dog! I knew she was the one for you, brother.”

Javi rubs his hand across his brow. You’re in the living room, your nose in a book, and he purposely left the TV a little louder than normal, in hopes it would drown out his phone call. “Yeah, yeah, you’re a savant, Steve, honestly. But listen, I need…how did you propose to Connie?”

“What?”

“When you proposed to Connie, how’d you do it?”

“Javi, are you asking me how to ask a woman to marry you?” His friend pauses. “Wait, haven’t you done this before?”

“Yes,” he whisper-sighs into the phone. “But with Lorraine, it was different. It was…obligation. It wasn’t special.” He glances toward the living room, just able to see the top of your head from where he’s stood in the kitchen. “She has no idea, Steve. At least, I hope she doesn’t, and I just…I need to make it special, you know?”

“Brother, it’s gonna be special no matter what you do, you realize that, right? You two love each other. It’s simple as that.”

“But—”

“I carried around Connie’s ring in my pocket for months, trying to do exactly what you’re trying to do right now. I was waiting for the right moment, the perfect moment, but here’s the thing, Jav: that moment doesn’t exist. If you keep waiting for it to feel perfect, you’ll be waiting a long time.”

“You’re right,” Javi admits, scrubbing his hand over his chin. “Wait, so how’d you do it?”

Steve chuckles lowly. “Middle of the grocery store. Connie asked if I wanted chocolate or vanilla ice cream and I got down on one knee right there in the freezer aisle.”

Javi laughs back. “You fuckin’ cheeseball.”

“Takes one to know one,” his partner shoots back. “Go, Jav. Whatever you do, it’ll be great.”

The line disconnects, and Javier sets the phone back in it’s cradle. From the living room, he sees you perk up on the couch, turning to look at him. “Baby, would you bring me a glass of water?”

Baby, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?

He nearly says it right then. The ring’s sitting in the chest pocket of his shirt. His eyes linger on you a moment, the easy smile on your face and the bright in your eyes. He’s lost for that second, caught up in the way he’s looking at you, the way you’re looking back. How beautiful you’d look walking down an aisle toward him, that same brightness in your gaze…

“Javi?”

“Yeah,” he replies, snapping out of his reverie. “Water, yeah, be right there.”

The rest of the night passes, and between commercials on the TV, Javi thinks it over. Over-thinks it, over and over and over. Steve’s words play on repeat in his mind, and the ring in his pocket feels white-hot. At one point, you adjust yourself on the couch, angling your body back against his chest, and panic rises in him. Can you feel the little round outline, the way it’s burning a hole in his skin?

Around midnight, you declare yourself suitably tired, turning to give him a soft kiss before pushing off the couch, carrying your book and your half-empty glass of water out of the living room. Javi listens to the quiet pad of your feet up the stairs, hears the creak of the bedroom door.

Silently, he fishes the ring from his pocket, turns it over in the dim lamplight. He recalls his father’s face when he told Chucho his intentions, that he was sure you were the one, that he wanted to ask you to be his wife. It was a far cry from the conversation they’d had when Javi proposed to Lorraine all those years ago, and the old man had stared Javier down with wet eyes. “I knew she was the one, Jav. Right from the first time I met her. She makes you so happy, mijo, and it makes me so happy to see it.”

It’s been a while now since his mother had been able to wear her wedding rings; the medications she took made her hands puffy, and while she usually wore them on a chain around her neck, when he went to the nursing home to talk to his dad, she unclasped the chain and slid the engagement ring from it. Simple gold, a singular diamond flanked by two sapphires. She’d pressed the ring into his palm and leaned in and kissed her son’s cheek.

“Be happy, mijo. Always.”

Now, he stares at the ring, pinched between his fingers, the diamond glittering in the light, throwing sparkles back at him. He presses his lips together, his mind going a million miles a minute.

Whatever you do, it’ll be great.

Javi flicks off the television, turns off the lights, and checks that the front door is locked before heading upstairs. You’ve left the light on, and soft orange light pours from the bedroom into the hall. He stops in the bathroom, brushes his teeth, runs a damp hand through his hair. When he steps inside the bedroom, he sees it’s the light on his nightstand that you’ve left on, and you’re asleep, sprawled on your side with your arm reaching across his side of the bed, your eyes softly closed, lips gently parted.

Smiling to himself, Javi walks over and sets the ring on his nightstand. He crosses to the closet, strips down to his boxers and puts his clothes in the laundry.

You stir slightly as he gets under the blankets with you, automatically shifting closer as he lays on his back and tugs your arm over his bare middle. Your nails dig in slightly and it makes him shiver.

It’s a moment before he realizes it’s your left hand slung across his waist, and the plan hatches quickly. He executes it before his mind can get the better of him.

Javi reaches for the ring, careful not to jostle or rouse you best he can. Then he takes your hand, rubbing his thumb across your knuckles before sliding the diamond onto your ring finger.

It’s a perfect fit.

He brings your hand to his lips, peppering kisses along your fingertips, rubbing his thumb over the ring. He doesn’t mind if he wakes you now, and sure enough, after a few moments, your eyes flutter open.

“Javi,” you mumble sleepily, squinting against the soft light. “Wha—” Your words stop short when your eyes land on your own hand, the ring now sitting on your finger. “Javier Peña.”

The corner of his mouth quirks up. He kisses the pad of your thumb. “I cannot fathom my life without you in it,” he murmurs, adjusting slightly so he can look at you fully. “You get that, right? There’s no one else for me, and there never will be. You’re it, querida. You always have been.”

“Javi,” you say again, pulling your hand out of his grip to cup his cheek in your palm, swiping your thumb along his cheekbone. “You…”

“Marry me, baby,” he whispers, turning to press a kiss to the palm of your hand. “Please.”

There are tears in your eyes, clumping your lashes together.

“Yes.”