#dictionary does good omens

[whoify]

throws rock at hornet nest. etc

[bluberryfields]

"David is very easy to fall in love with." - Michael Sheen

Hi. How are you? Good, I hope. Okay, so can we talk about just how fucking beautiful David Tennant is? And by “we” I mean “I” and by “talk” I mean “babble incoherently into the void”? Great! I’ll attempt to impose a bit of organization on this just to satisfy my pathological need to inflict structure on words (thanks college/job/brain), but I can’t promise much. Also, there will be A LOT of pictures and gifs. (you’re welcome?)

And this isn’t just because I am deep in the bottomless well of Good Omens fandom and that Crowley is basically the most breathtaking creature that has ever existed. Well, not just because of that.

*cue Aziraphale's "good lord" from 1793*

ANYWAY, like a lot of people, I became a fan of (i.e., fell deeply and irrevocably in love with) DT during his run as the 10th Doctor. He was young and bright and full of just about everything – joy, sorrow, wit – making him incredibly watchable. His look was also so charming: big bouncy rooster comb of hair, absurdly cheeky smile, expressive-as-fuck eyes and eyebrows, and a tall, lanky form that seemed to be made of rubber and the kind of granulated sugar that could only be found in candy from the 90s that are now banned in all first- and second-world countries.

So yeah, I was super into him and his Doctor’s adventures. And I continued to watch him in other projects and still swoon (looking at you, slutty Hamlet)

even at characters where that was not the desired reaction (fuck you, Kilgrave, you delicious monster).

I would also always become a bit (a lot) weak in the knees at his voice regardless of which accent he took on, though always preferring him doing any Scottish brogue because of fucking course.

Roll that tongue, you sexy beast.

But what I want to get into today is just how incredible he looks in the year of 2023.

He’s 52 years old and I am somehow even more attracted to him. Maybe it’s because I am myself older, and my tastes have matured alongside? I certainly do enjoy gray hair way more than I did 10 years ago.

He’s aged incredibly well, probably a combination of good genes and good health, and he’s clearly not clinging to the Hollywood idea of “youth”.

(insert obligatory grumble about the double standards of men being praised for aging and women being demonized…the potentially problematic nature of the term “aging well” in general…acknowledge this with my enlightened brain but ignore this with my slutty heart…fuck the patriarchy, etc. etc.)

He’s still tall and skinny, even gangly at times, all long arms and legs that can move in impossible directions with unfathomable grace.

His face is leaner, that incredible bone structure creating sharper edges that draw the eye. Speaking of the face, he’s got these creases on his forehead and at the corners of his eyes and mouth that are evidence of time spent well: smiling, laughing, living. Makes you want to trace your fingertips along each one.

Oh god that smile? Good lord. It’s weapons grade charm that can also be quite intimidating. Sweet, humble, silly, scary…full spectrum of options here! His shark smile is the definition of “irresistible” in my Dictionary of Delicious Dudes.

I am both proud of and grossed out by my own word choice.

Continuing with that face...the hawkish nose, the dimples you want to drown in, the big eyes, those motherfucking eyebrows...

I could seriously write a whole essay about those eyebrows, but I already give my therapist enough to worry about.

Oh those eyes. “Piercing” is a term usually reserved for blue eyes, but I would argue it applies to DT’s bottomless chocolate pools in that they slice through my heart every damn time.

Honorable mention does go to those Crowley snake eyes because they could have been distracting and diminishing to his overall look, but they absolutely are not.

Such a pretty shade of yellow.

Random tangent to swoon about his hands. For whatever reason, I like checking out a man’s hands, and DT’s got a set that drives me wild. I can’t even really explain why, but I just really like the way he articulates with them. Crowley is a perfect example, what with the miracle snaps, caressing globes, and holding whisky glasses. Yum.

Delicious demon digits

Fresh tangent: How does this fucker look good clean shaven, with stubble, and a goddamn beard? How is that allowed?

He's got a face that makes me wanna take up sculpting

Further, how is his fucking neck so hot? Like, seriously, show me the math. I can’t stop staring at it. And when it’s cloaked in a turtleneck? Please, sir, may I have some more?

Fuuuuuuuck

With no segue whatsoever, I am absolutely obsessed with his hair, across all contexts. Big, bold, blood-red Crowley coifs (especially in Season 2)? Check.

Proper gentleman side part? Check.

Side shave with cartoonishy springy 14th Doctor shock? Check.

Lockdown locks with and without headband? Check!

It’s a goddamn buffet of delicious options.

Oh damn speaking of that 14th Doctor look? Good fucking Christ on a buttery Ritz cracker. The whole DT collection is on display: the hair, the eyes, the bone structure, the smile, the clothes, and even the glasses!

To quote Pam on Archer, “I swear to god, you could drown a toddler in my panties right now! I mean, not that you would.”

Now that you (I) mention the clothes, I never cease to marvel at how he can wear pretty much anything and look amazing. Stripes, patterns, wild colors, etc. He just always looks…not exactly comfortable, but sort of at ease like the clothes were created with him in mind. And this goes across the spectrum of Casual to Costume to Promotional (e.g., interviews and premieres).

They are almost illegally cute together

We all know by now how ridiculously tight those Crowley pants are and how it influenced his signature serpentine swagger (thank you, Costume department, you’re the real heroes). That said, he and those slinky hips still looks so incredibly natural in them like they came from his actual closet.

Stupid sexy snek

And he pulls off the look of more ridiculous stuff like full Shakespearean costumes or that sad gray-hoodie-black-shorts-and-Wellington-boots combo from the first season of Staged. He somehow gives off the air of “whatever, they’re just clothes, man” while also looking like a damn model.

Georgia is a very lucky woman

Final thoughts: I know DT dislikes talking about how people think he’s so attractive because I’m sure it feels a bit icky if you just want to live your life and do your job. But my guy also clearly understands that he’s not some ghoul who has succeeded on incredible personality and acting chops alone. So, that said, maybe he'll forgive me for posting such a long, rambling, ode to him?

[amagnificentobsession]

@bil-daddy not gay, can I just identify as “other” and love you anyway (platonically and sluttily?)

Slut, slutly, slutty, sluttier, sluttiest, sluttily? 🤣😘♥️

IF YOU REBLOG THIS, IT WILL TURN YOU GAY.

this is my Bildaddy art.

it's great, shush.

[notablogto]

One thing I know for sure about Good Omens S3 is that Azi will use his questionable human magic skills to absolutely eff over the 2nd Coming/Metatron/Heaven in some capacity.

Azi: Does some terrible misdirection and suddenly the Book of Life looks a lot like an old Webster's Dictionary, while the real BoL appears to have vanished into thin air?! *performative look of shock*

Magic *waves jazz hands👐*

[dailyshowchica]

Loki Cosplay Part 8

Previously on Loki Cosplay: https://www.tumblr.com/dailyshowchica/761376032329777152/loki-cosplay-part-7?source=share

So with Halloween rapidly approaching, I have been working on the detail work for Loki's trousers, tunic, and coat. I am not done yet, but I am making progress.

First, the trousers. These were the easiest to do, since all I had to do was cut out a bunch of small rectangles out of metallic silver craft foam.

One of these I used E6000, and the other, I used a hot glue gun. The E6000 discolored some of the squares. Since E6000 doesn't dry right away, I covered my work with a plastic bag and weighted it down with a few large books overnight. In pulling away the plastic, I lost some silver.

I also used a lot more adhesive than I thought I would, so for the other leg, I used hot glue. That dries almost instantly, but I'm not sure it's as secure. It'll be fine for pictures, but if I were to wear this to a con, I might want to use E6000 just be to sure it stays together. It worked perfectly for my sister's dance costumes, after all.

Next up, the tunic. That is two pieces that I'll snap on, a chest piece, and a stomach/skirt piece.

I had to think for awhile about how to make the chest piece. In the end, I went with craft foam, and the gold lining fabric I had gotten for the skirt jacket. I cut out the fabric and glued it to a heavy paper template. But as you can see, the E6000 bled through. So, I made another necklet out of fabric. This was double-layered and treated like a ribbon, or waist tie, with finished edges. This fabric frays like crazy, so the edges had to be sewn. Then I sewed the all-fabric necklet in place. I lost more than I expected to in seam allowance, so it's not a perfect match. But it covers the glue stains, and looks pretty good. And Pretty Good is Good Enough. Time to move on.

This is where the scrap pieces of the black vinyl/faux leather came in handy. I looked at pictures of Loki and copied the shapes as best as I could. The vinyl doesn't fray, but I've tried to finish these edges anyway, if only for a bit more security. Plus, the skirt part of the tunic has matching trim to the coat. While the original may have metal trim, I'm just using gold ribbon in a decorative stitch at the edge.

The coat trim is the most work by volume, and work that has to be done by hand. From the Marvel Studios Visual Dictionary, I was able to see the metallic trim on the inside and outside of Loki's coat. And I luckily had SOME of that material handy- it was also thee scarf/tie Crowley used in his Heavenly disguise in Good Omens Season 2. But I don't have a lot of it. Also, this stuff can snag on other fabrics if you're not careful, so I decided it was only going on the outside. The inside trim was a gold-colored fabric remnant I found at Joann fabrics.

Using legal paper, I determined the positioning of the trim stripes. And as I was working, Ruthie cat came to supervise. She loves a good tent, and the coat, hanging on a tall chair with the skirt panels spread out, makes a pretty good tent.

I made the inner trim by cutting the strips maybe half an inch wider than needed, ironed nonwoven fusible interfacing to the back, and rolled back the edges. As I said above, this fabric frays like crazy, so I was very careful yo make sure there were no raw edges.

I have a bracelet of that same chainmail material in blue, so I used that and a scrap of the vinyl fabric to test sewing the mail in place. It works, but given how small the holes in the mail are, I have to move the needle straight up and down, which means there's going to be visible stitching on the inside. Not too big a problem, but it does mean the outer trim has to go on first. Then I can cover the stitching with the inner trim.

I also can't really pin the outer trim in place. Luckily for me, my mom worked for a magnet company for a few years, and I have lots of small, very strong magnets. Those work very well to hold the mail in place as I sew.

The gold embroidery thread was something I bought for my God of Stories costume, but it's too fine for what I had planned. So, to use it up, I'm using it to sew the inner trim in place- it's too thick/prone to snagging to be used on the outer trim.

I opted to sew in a zigzag pattern when attaching the trim. That way it's secure along the whole length and at the edges without me needing to go all the way around, as I will need to with the inner trim. But I can use invisible hem stitching on the inner hem, so it all evens out.

But then Ruthie decided I had worked long enough. But I've got the path mapped out, and sooner or later, I'll get it finished.

See ya next time!

[mediacircuspod]

Nice vs. Kind

An attempt to explain how the two concepts vastly differ and how that can be used to understand Crowley in Good Omens. (Both Seasons 1-2)

I’m going to preface this with the fact that these are not the dictionary definitions of these two words and I’m using a distinctly American/English Speaking perspective to give them context and connotations. The differences between the two words in English have been dissected and argued over by people smarter and more experienced than me in academic circles. Look into the works of Tina Malti and RT Lakoff for more understanding, but what I’ve managed to paraphrase is this….

A definition of Nice; Of an agreeable or pleasant disposition.

Ex. Using pleasantries when communicating with others. Please, Thank You, Good Morning, ect.

A definition of Kind; Sympathy to others and a willingness to do what is right, without reward.

Ex. Doing favors for friends in need, or donating to charities.

A simple distinction that makes a world of difference when applying to people, doesn’t it?

Now there is the question of how this applies to Good Omens and it’s two main characters.

Obviously mainly Crowley and Aziraphale.

And I think it relies in this interaction.

Crowley denies being “nice” quite vehemently in this interaction and he’s not exactly wrong.

Crowley isn’t nice, not really. He’s actually rather rude in most of his interactions with others, including some of his interactions with Aziraphale. It would be a stretch in every sense of the word to claim his presence as “pleasant” in general terms, no matter what Aziraphale might think.

But Crowley is kind. The demon is kind from the very beginning due to his relationship with sympathy and the selflessness he manages to pass off as a blasé fair attitude.

And we see proof of it time and time again.

Chronologically and with very few details….

With Adam, Eve, and the the garden, Crowley expresses sympathy. He states that it seems banishment as an unjust punishment for a first offense.

He expresses distaste for the mass killing of the people in Mesopotamia, specifically pointing out the loss of the children.

He refuses to watch more children die in “A Companion to Owls” and saves Job’s Children from their fate.

He expresses sympathy for Jesus and recalls his time spent with the “Son of God”

He performs favors for Aziraphale at The Globe Theater, in The Bastille, and during the Blitz.

He helps Elspeth with her journey and gives her stability in Edinburgh.

He saves the World because he cares about it. Stripped of his facades, Crowley cares very much about the earth, and not just for selfish reasons.

During none of these events, where Crowley is doing the right thing, is he “nice” in the terms defined earlier.

Aziraphale doesn’t distinguish between the two words, or words like them, and so he uses “nice” and “Good”(notice the Capital G) when it might be more accurate to use “kind” and “right”.

I think it might be telling that Crowley does distinguish between them. As he lives far more comfortably in the shades of grey than Aziraphale does.

Fin.

If you liked those thoughts I write metas about good omens sometimes!

Here are a few!

Aziraphale and perspective on Crowley’s fall.

The start of their side and their differing feelings on being separate from heaven and hell. Crowley and Forgiveness

Exactly! Entities and how they fail to communicate.

I also am an artist by trade and have a Kickstarter up that you can check out on my page, it’s enamel pins! And it’s like actually so cool check it out if you want.

Tumblr. where u can see art

Kickstarter. where you can see the project

Goodbye 👋 now!

[sophiemariepl]

Am I the only one who does not really get all those takes which read young Coriolanus Snow as an epitome of toxic masculinity and keep saying “OMFG, Lucy Gray, yes, girl, run away from him!1!!1”?

Like, I don’t mean that Coryo is not toxic. He, very obviously, is. That’s how he is meant to be.

But it seems to me that many people don’t get that the whole point of “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” is to show how did it come to this, how Coryo became the way he is. Suzanne Collins literally makes a reference to tabula rasa - a concept in the Western Enlightenment philosophy, which, to quote the Free Dictionary, is:

This is the first. The point is to ask the reader: how much of a “clean slate” Coryo is as a person? How much does his experience and background shape him? How “free” is his will when he is continuously being shaped by everything around him?

Secondly, idk, did people realize that the characters of Coryo and Lucy Gray are constructed as personifications of the “civilization vs nature” conflict? A conflict which is, nomen omen, also common in Western philosophy in the Enlightenment era?

In short, Coryo is the personification of civilization - order, science, lack of spontaneity, etc. Meanwhile, Lucy Gray personifies nature - she is spontaneous, artistic, sensitive and trusting (even despite the fact that before being with Coryo she was in a toxic relationship). She believes in the inherent goodness in people, while Coryo clearly does not. And both of these two stances also derive from their upbringing.

Like, coming back to their background.

Lucy Gray, despite coming from an extremely underprivileged background and being in a toxic relationship prior to the plot of the book, seems to have had loving and trusting people around her. Most of the time, her background reinforced the story “you are good, worthy, and loved”. And this way she grew this attitude in her mind. She had developed a sense of self-worth, her own standing, her own “stone”, which saved her even when the odds were not on her side.

Meanwhile, Coryo came from a fallen high-class family embedded in Capitol’s politics - which in itself is not a good place for proper emotional development. In such an environment, you constantly have to prove your worth. You don’t matter on your own. If you don’t keep fighting, you are worthless. In a sense, you are what you do. And, to add fuel to the fire, Coryo had to hide the true economic standing of his family and almost constantly be on alert, because, in reality, everyone around him was a back-stabbing b*tch ready to hurt him. Wouldn’t you develop trust issues in this situation?

And yes, I know that many people here will mention Tigris, I know. But how much time does Coryo really spend with his cousin? How much time, ability, and opportunity does Tigris have on reversing the poison that is poured into her cousin’s head when he is outside of home, e.g. at school?

Idk, maybe it is just my experience (this is going to get private now lol), but when I read about Coryo, I found his person cruel, but weirdly relatable.

That mostly stems from the fact that I too have an experience of growing up in a very toxic environment that gave me trust issues. And it is not that I did not have a person like Tigris around me. I did, when I saw them for maximum 1-1.5 hour per day, because we both were overwhelmed with work and did not have time to talk and bond together and undo the toxicity that was constantly reinforced in my head when I had other stuff to do. Similarly to Coryo, I too had to stay in a constantly back-stabbing, non-empathetic environment, which constantly reinforced the fact that apart from very few people, I could not trust anybody. Because if I do - they will use that to hurt me in the end. So, I thought to myself that I have to be constantly on guard. When entering any friendships, a coping mechanism for me was to think of these people in the categories “what they can offer/do for me” instead of “who is this person for me as a person”. Because, you know, in case they stab me in the back, I still get something out of it.

This led to the fact that even when I supposedly could let my guard down - that is, I entered my first romantic relationship - letting this guard down felt unnatural, wrong. And it led to - tada! - wanting to possess the one I loved. Because no, I could not trust the fact them, that was not enough. I did not trust them enough to believe that they wanted to stay with me because they wanted to.

And damn, seeing that Coryo had similar issues was so… therapeutic. He just could not let go, give space and trust the woman of his life. And paradoxically, this is what largely contributes to her ultimately leaving him without a word.

The fact that Suzanne Collins understands this pattern (and most likely heavily researched it) makes me respect her so much more.

(Of course, I am in therapy. I don’t plan to repeat these behaviours anymore, I don’t want to end up like Coryo 😅 But I’m just saying that it’s still hard to unlearn these patterns years after leaving the original toxic environment because my brain got wired at some point to reinforce this “You should trust no one” story 24/7.)

And no, before you accuse me of “defending” Snow’s actions, I stop you here. I completely, fully acknowledge the fact that Coriolanus Snow, in the end, does evil things and is a truly evil person.

But what I am against is reading TBoSaS as just a story of a toxic romance between a guy embedded in toxic masculinity and a sensitive girl that he just wants to possess BeCAuSe hE Is ToXIc. This is just extremely shallow, and completely contradicts the point that, I believe, Suzanne Collins is trying to make here. And her point is still scary, if not more than just labelling Coryo as masculine in a toxic way.

The society also largely contributes to creating monsters. We create these monsters.

[novaauster]

HELLOOOO LETS KILL OURSELVES OVER HERINES HARASAEON. evil of you to do this when im hungover i already almost teared up literally just seeing kiva have her own character tag. like those are my babies from my silly little head and people are creating beautiful things for them!!!! insanity. let's go:

"I just needed a plot device in order to make that boy talk about his feelings bc he only does it if he's homicidal or inebriated" another horrible day fighting the hella-rin allegations

"She never touches his skin, only his scalp, only when doing his hair." fuck the hangover i need a DRINKKK

ama. my best worldbuilding addition by far but also my mortal enemy

"Rin wants to venture into the realm of the gods, find which one is responsible for time, and hold a knife to its throat. He’d force it to turn back the hourglass and eat his words. He’d get on his knees before it and tell it that time itself, and every word spoken, and every word unspoken, must bend to the queen." this whole thing is quite literally some of my favourite writing of all time this is insane this is tattooed onto every inch of my skin i preach this from street corners i spray paint it on buses i-

THE WITCH HAS SHORT HAIR? INTERESTING

they're all so formal lmaoooo. down with monarchy but my harasaeons are okay ig

DRAKO AND AKILA MENTIONED IN A FIC INCIDENT 2 DEAD ONE STILL WRITING LETTERS

"He was born as an apology and he lives the life of a paragon. He likes to be responsible." nova your days are numbered. when i catch you

YOU EQUATED KIVA'S INFLUENCE ON THE PROCEDURE TO SUNLIGHT WHAT IF I KILLED MYSELF. AND ALL THE LANGUAGE REGARDING SHADOW/DARKNESS WITH RIN. MY LAST STRAW

"Her hand brushes a strand of hair back behind his ear, and he hears, more than feels, the kiss to the top of his head. “I’ll be right outside, baby-- baby.”" worst day of my fuckass life

KIVA OBEYS. I CANT DO THIS

clean clay is such a fun addition i love that. also love how official you made the practise of witchcraft bc that's EXACTLY what i want from it like it's literally like talking to any other medical professional

"He spends his time in the sunlight of the library, Kidaro napping on the windowsill, with political treatises, historical scrolls, and the occasional epic poem spread out around him like a hurricane, a method to its madness. He enjoys it. He was always a child with his head in the clouds. He does miss music, though. The palace can get quiet" MY BABY MY BABYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

RIN IS THE OBEDIENT ONE. KIVA OBEYS. DOG MOTIF HARASAEON IS THE BULLET IN THE GUN IM HOLDING

HELPPPPPP MARY IS KINDA GAGGING HIM HERE LMFAO I LOVE HER

HE TOLD HER ABOUT LILLA????? KING PUT THE VODKA DOWNNNNNNNNNN

"Royal blood, good for nothing but animal feed." NOVA. WHEN. I. CATCH. YOU

AND HE CANNOT ASK DRAKO. THEY'RE BROTHERS THEY'RE MAATUI BUT EVEN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS WILLEM IS SOMETHING THEY CANT MAKE PEACE WITH

'would you still love me if I was a worm?' caught me SOO OFF GUARD IM CACKLING I CANT BELIEVE YOU ADDED THAT

"Rin had created a ten-step plan for the event that one of them met the same fate." HES SUCH A NERD I WOULD KILL FOR HIM

memory so bad i actually checked my kuserian dictionary bc i was like 'oooo ghost being translated to death-shadow is cool why dont i remember that' girl....

HAMMARIIIIIIIII. the way even her name made my stomach flip. what if i cried

got too immersed in the procedure and forgot to live react oops

"he would do anything if it meant he was doing it right" "It’s just that a firstborn is a war. A firstborn is a hurricane with a thousand buzzing wings. It is an omen seared into the back of all their necks, it is once-in-a-generation, it is a gift from the gods. And Rin is not one."

DID YOU. DID YO UFCKNING PUT EPIC OF GILGAMESH IN THIS. DIIIIID YOU FUCKING DO THAHFT. HOW LONG IS THE EYE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE SUN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING NOTHING AT ALL HAS LASTED HE'S BEEN DEAD SINCE THE BEGINNING IN THE STORY OF GODS AND KINGS YOU WERE DEAD BEFORE THE INK DRIED

drako's first thought only being to ask 'will you be okay'. frankly i cant take much more. is this how you guys feel when i talk about them because this is AWFUL

"There were myths, in the burnt edges of the kingdom, that said that there were only ever two Harasaeons. The queen and the heiress, switching places in a cycle like night and day. Hammari and Kiva, two stages of the same life, the snake’s egg and the hummingbird. And then, their reincarnations, Lugalia and-- who? The queen is dead. Long live the queen. It is a form of immortality. Rin shattered it." STOP STOP MAKE IT STOP

the philisophical conversation. is love a form of magic. the chasm of his birth. im going to GET YOU

"Please, Ama. You don’t have to love me anymore. Just remember how it felt when you did." THROWING UP BLOOD

that was. im a changed person i need 3-5 business days to think about this i need to call my mum i need to get drunk i need a fantasy witch to cut my tits off

omg hi!!! so true herines harasaeon group suicide girls night <3 and kiva has made her ao3 debut! she's girlbossing she's literally a debutante she is the queen of all time. yeah

-the witch does have short hair! she's from the east (where the monsters are) and yknow I figure that her powers are used for medicine, but if she didn't have all the safety things put in place (no sunlight, careful runes and careful chants) and just went hogwild on a monster she could basically Shigaraki that thing. monster hunting is her side hustle tbh

-the formal speech was fun for me idk. watched too much BBC Victoria with my mom and now I gasp like a gossiping old lady when I write the phrase "You have my permission to withdraw" bc it's SUCH a power-play it's so good.

-my days might be numbered but so are Rin's

-sunlight and shadow motif with nuance is always sm fun. me when characters are bright and carcinogenic. me when characters are invisible, shadows dogging their own steps, silent and beaten-down and elegant all the same. yeah

-“I’ll be right outside, baby-- baby.”" worst day of my fuckass life too tbh, that's the line that really clicked the whole fic in place for me. kiva loves him but not enough to change him. baby boy good luck taking care of yourself. etc

-dog motif harasaeons you will always be famous

-clean clay and also the oldest sigils Mary paints on Rin are cuneiform if that wasn't clear. mesopotamian aesthetic goes hard

-Mary DOES kinda gag Rin lmao. she's literally so Kanut-coded I can't stand her. she's like 'i won't throw hands with a child but i will permanently invert his worldview with some moderately harsh words and also disrespect the queen if it means showing him that there's someone who supports his evolution wholeheartedly'

-he cannot ask drako!!! grief is something the harasaeons can't stand i think. kiva ignores rin like an open would because she grieves him and lilla. willem is given the same treatment

-"would you still love me if i was a worm" is a tonal shift I wasn't sure about but I think it works. something about siblings defaulting to poking fun at each other when they can't stand the truth. their love must go either unspoken or mocked. they can only survive it with a little humor and a little grace

-rin is the nerd of all time and i love him for it

-i'm gonna be so real death-shadow meaning ghost is something i stole wholesale from Mando'a. like the language for star wars mandalorians. but yknow what the concept fucks hard and george lucas doesn't own the literal mistranslations of his peripheral conlangs

-"It’s just that a firstborn is a war." harasaeons when they have to decide between an insane warmongering eldest daughter and literally anyone else

-yes i did put the epic of gilgamesh in there. yes i was browsing Amazon Goodreads for good quotes in the middle of my economics class. dw about it

-drako asking 'will you be okay' IS how we feel when you drop the saddest lore of all time on us unprompted, yeah x

-Lugalia and-- who? The queen is dead. Long live the queen. It is a form of immortality. Rin shattered it." me when Rin ending the cycle could have been construed as a positive ending to the cycle of generational trauma and violence but instead it is a betrayal to his heritage

-"is love a form of magic" is also one of the central lines of the piece. i wanted to show the deep childlike core of Rin's pain. Tell me a story about how it ends where you're still the good guy I'll make pretend cause I hate this story where happiness ends and dies with you I thought good guys get to be happy I'm not happy. etc. you know how it is

tysm!!!!

[dionysia-does-stories]

Love Letters and Big Words

Cringetober 2023, Day 21: 50 Cent Words

On AO3

Rating T - 438 words - Good Omens - Aziraphale/Crowley

Summary: Aziraphale finds Muriel and Gabriel searching dictionaries to find words to use when writing a love letter on his behalf to Crowley. And while Aziraphale doesn't want "to get into a big word contest with newly earthly corporeal angels," he does want to make them stop

Story:

Aziraphale followed mad giggling to the back of his book shop.

“Quixotically,” Jim (Gabriel)’s deep register was lowered by amusement.

There was a slew of giggles.

Then Muriel’s ringing voice said, “Lubricious.”

“OooooOOOoooo, that’s a lascivious word.”

“Positively licentious,” Muriel agreed.

“A slanderous description!”

“Defamatory.”

“Libelous”

‘Those aren’t quite synonyms,’ Aziraphale thought to himself. The jump from ‘licentious’ to ‘slanderous’ was conspicuously lacking in congruity. But he wasn’t about to get into a big word contest with newly earthly corporeal angels. He had nothing to prove after all.

Aziraphale followed the giggling to a corner of the shop. Muriel and Jim had set up a small encampment. They were surrounded by stacks of dictionaries and thesauruses. Each held a cup of tea gone tepid from the entropy of thermodynamic heat loss inevitable when one drinks a hot beverage in a cold room.

They were passing a piece of paper covered in hand written notes between them.

“What exactly are you doing?” Aziraphale asked.

Muriel grinned. “We’re writing a love letter!”

“For whom?”

“For you.” Muriel became uncertain. “Weren’t you talking about writing Mr. Crowley a love letter but not knowing what to say?”

“NO!” Aziraphale exclaimed so adamantly that he rocked on to pointed toes for a second. “I was going to write a letter for the ladies that were the subject of the love miracle.”

“Ah,” Muriel said with dawning comprehension. “I didn’t—“ she took a quick glance at the dictionary she held, “disseminate that information meticulously.”

“Those words aren’t even next to each other in alphabetical order.”

“I’ve been taking notes,” Muriel proudly announced.

Aziraphale let that go. “Any way no need for you two to write a letter. I just thought it might help things along.”

“Shouldn’t the miracle do that?” asked Jim.

Aziraphale grit his teeth. “Human love is complicated and happens slowly over time.”

Jim nodded. “But you definitely should write a love letter to your Crowley instead. If human love is slow. It’s best to get started immediately.”

Muriel nodded to this sage wisdom. “Superb logic.”

Aziraphale pasted on his brightest smile. “Muriel? Why don’t you show my shop assistant, Jim, what a real life human police constable does. And Jim you can tell Muriel about what a real life human assistant book seller does.”

“But I don’t know myself,” said Gabriel.

“Great!” Aziraphale helped them both to their feet. “Then you can talk about your shared benightedness.”

“That’s a good word,” Murial commended him. “What does it mean?”

“Ignorance,” said Aziraphale as he shoved them out the door.

He missed when there was never anyone in his shop but Crowley.

[hope-is-yellow]

Aziraphale Isn't a Hedonist

A lot of Good Omens fans, in comments sections and essays and other venues, claim that Aziraphale is a hedonist, usually when mentioning the pleasure he takes in food. But the dictionary definition of a hedonist is a person who practices hedonism, the doctrine or belief that pleasure is the most important thing in life. A true hedonist would organize their life around seeking pleasure (usually the word is connoted to mean physical or bodily pleasures) the way a religious devotee would place worship and prayer at the center of their life.

Aziraphale deeply enjoys food; there are several scenes in which, verbally or nonverbally, he indicates his savoring of the sensations that food offers. But I think that calling him a hedonist goes too far and is not a legitimate label to apply to Aziraphale. It overstates things, and I think that the fact that many American (and possibly other) fans describe Aziraphale this way gives an interesting window into how my culture views and thinks about (or shrinks from) the concept of pleasure.

Aziraphale doesn’t organize his life around food or other pleasures. He expresses what can and should be just a normal thing: he takes great pleasure in food (and books, and music), but not an inordinate amount. They are important to him, and pleasant when he can get them, but they aren’t the central motivation of his life and actions it seems to me. These things don’t override other priorities for him. From what we’re shown in the series and book, he seeks out opportunities to eat and drink, but he doesn’t obsess over food or other pleasures. Pleasures don’t get in the way of Aziraphale’s work as an angel, or his dedication to protecting humans (from heaven if necessary), or his love for Crowley.

Unfortunately, “hedonism” has mostly negative associations in the mouth and mind of most Americans. And pleasure itself is looked at with deep suspicion and distrust, frequently (if unconsciously). Even in my own thoughts, when I repeat the word “hedonist” to myself, I’m aware of a deep-seated reaction of disapproval and judgmentalism. Now, why? No one ever told me in so many words that actively looking for pleasure—prioritizing feeling good, enjoyment, delight—was wrong. But somehow it got into my skin and my lizard brain and my heart—all the hidden parts of myself—that pleasure is kind of selfish, a bit naughty and dirty and scurrilous and nearing sordid, that it needed some justification; it might be all right as a lowly and secretive side effect but it's not really okay for its sake. I imbibed somehow, without quite realizing it, that pleasure needs to be hidden behind tight walls and kept on tight leashes, that pleasure is to be looked at askance and not to be trusted.

And I don’t think I’m that different than a lot of my fellow countrymen and women. A great number of the white people who invaded this continent and enforced the United States on the societies already living here were religious zealots, extremists, literal Puritans (among others) who frowned on music and dancing and vivid colors in clothing and women laughing and children who asked questions. And holiday displays and banquets and wine and song.

Pleasures. Shameful. Selfish. Dirty. Exciting, but dangerous.

And while the country now encompasses—wonderfully and thankfully! —people from all over the world, these attitudes have seeped into the cultural consciousness of how we educate and advertise and govern and employ and recreate ourselves.

By the way, don’t worry, I’m coming back around to Aziraphale. I promise. But just to examine a little further how our U.S. culture often sees pleasure:

Take sex. Look how we write about and react to stories about “porn stars.” Rarely does the media (or dirty jokes, or social media posts) just call them models or actors or performers or even sex workers, it’s always “porn stars”, so people know exactly what kind of performer they’re reading about and how to feel about them. They’re that kind of person. Stories about porn stars having a fling with the president, or getting run out of their post-porn jobs because of their past work, or the abuses they suffer in the industry—the use of the term invites naughty giggles, titillation, fascination with comforting undercurrent of moral disgust.

Our culture fetishizes sex, but abominates it at the same time. We’re hyperfixated on it—to the point that predators seek it out from the most vulnerable in our society, who should be protected—but we also consider it, deep down, to be shameful and dangerous, especially the sexual drives of marginalized people. Their libidos need to be controlled and dampened.

And then there’s Americans’ ugly, suspicious attitude toward food—which spreads out and intensifies into almost an obsession with weight and body shape, our own and other people’s. Food is advertised in incredibly visceral ways in our media. We even call pictures and videos of appetizing food “food porn.” Yet eating itself and—god forbid enjoying what we eat, taking pleasure in it—the way Aziraphale does—we treat almost as a vice (hence, hedonism). We treat loss like a virtue and celebrate it like a heroic achievement. It speaks to that person’s character, their resolve and fortitude. Conversely, those who are the wrong body shape we judge, shame, bully, anathematize, and push aside. We feel quite free to make assumptions about their health, habits, history, flaws, sins, and lives in general. I’ve had strangers yell things at me about my size as walk and drive by, make remarks about what I have in my grocery cart, and walk up to me in restaurants and give me diet advice. I’ve had family members tell me to my face that they don’t feel comfortable with fat people.

We fetishize certain “fit” body types yet we tolerate and allow food manufacturers to put sugar and other additives in almost every processed food we eat—additives that deliberately stimulate and manipulate our appetites and cravings (I am not a conspiracy theorist; there is clear evidence readily available for this deliberate engineering of food to physically cause cravings for salt, sugar, and fat. Food executives and scientists readily admit it. See here https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/12/16/459981099/how-the-food-industry-helps-engineer-our-cravings)

When giving advice (often unsolicited, a form of policing and also of shaming) to people with unacceptable bodies, healthcare practitioners, the media and ordinary people continue to espouse the use of health indicators science has proven are inaccurate and misleading (https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/is-bmi-accurate?op=1 https://theconversation.com/body-mass-index-may-not-be-the-best-indicator-of-our-health-how-can-we-improve-it-143155) and regimens that studies have shown time and again do not work long term to make people healthy (https://www.eatingwell.com/article/8019040/eat-less-move-more-doesnt-work-for-weight-loss-new-study/ https://time.com/2809007/eat-less-exercise-more-isnt-the-answer-for-weight-loss/ https://slate.com/technology/2015/03/diets-do-not-work-the-thin-evidence-that-losing-weight-makes-you-healthier.html

In fact, stigmatizing and shaming people whose bodies society deems unacceptable leads to much worse health outcomes for them, including and especially in the area of weight (which is what the dominant US culture tends to deem most important about a person’s body). See here https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6092785/, here https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6565398/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/weight-shaming-frequently-backfiresso-why-are-doctors-and-family-doing-it When I know strangers and family members feel free to criticize and comment on and shame me for my body, I am much less inclined to leave the house to walk (or shop, or go to a museum or a concert or a friend’s house) and more inclined to stay home and isolate. Increased shame leads to increased anxiety and irritability and self-loathing, and I find it harder to stay away from unhealthy behaviors (such as overeating) to soothe myself.

When Gabriel tells Aziraphale to “lose the gut”, he’s making it easier for Aziraphale to gain weight, not lose it. He’s also making it more likely that Aziraphale will hate himself, find it hard to form relationships with others (because of self-loathing and shame), deliberately hurt himself, and (if he weren’t immortal) kill himself.

I’m glad that Good Omens shows us a character with a curvy, chubby corporation who takes pleasure in food. It’s a strike back at the heavy, deadly forces of shame at around us. But he isn’t a glutton or a hedonist. He just loves food. And that should be all right and no big deal.

[tayfabe75]

Any ideas concerning the new bonus track unveiled to day The Albatross. ? Some are saying it’s related to The Albatross hotel fire that was next to the Bowery building back in 1903 , others are thinking it’s that problem that does not allow to you to complete something ie an albatross around my neck . The titles of the tracks are interesting so far The manuscript. The Bolter . The Albatross. lots of The….

Oh, boy! All I really knew about albatrosses before all this was how cute they were lol Annoyingly, by the time I woke up - the internet had already done hours of homework before I even knew what songs were played or what announcement was made!

That said, I'm just going to compile everything I've seen or come across since 'The Albatross' announcement:

The albatross can fly for years without landing

I saw people making the connection that albatrosses fly for specifically six years straight without landing. I'm… not very impressed with this takeaway. Well, I'm SUPER impressed if they can perform those incredible physical feats, but I don't personally think Taylor would single out that animal fact and use it to shade a past relationship. So, what else? I saw a fact that "while albatrosses are socially monogamous, the truth is that they get around when no one else is watching". (heh!)

The albatross symbolizes guilt, anxiety, & hindrance

Merriam-webster describes an albatross as "something that causes persistent deep concern or anxiety". Dictionary.com describes an albatross as "a seemingly inescapable moral or emotional burden, as of guilt or responsibility".

I also saw a definition of an albatross as a "continuing problem that makes it difficult or impossible to do or achieve something." If you want to see something quite eerie, check out the Britannica Dictionary's examples of 'albatross' in this context:

Fame has become an albatross that prevents her from leading a normal and happy life. Fame has become an albatross around her neck.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

The above definitions stem from the expression "albatross around the neck", which originates from a poem called 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, "in which the narrator kills an albatross - a large white bird deemed an omen of good fortune. This act is thought to curse his ship, so he must then wear the albatross around his neck."

And wouldn't you know it? This poem was adapted into a film starring Clara Bow! (I believe credit goes to gaylorgremlin on Twitter). The film is presumed lost, which is a nice segue into...

The Albatross Hotel on Coney Island

Turns out Taylor might've given us a clue by singing Coney Island after announcing The Albatross (I believe credit goes to Taylor Throwbacks on Twitter):

(You can read more about this here!)

L'Albatros & Poètes Maudits

Of course, as a 'Tatty', I was happy to stumble across the Charles Baudelaire connection: L'Albatros (I believe credit goes to midnightmete0rs on Twitter):

The user goes on to quote Matty's lyric from 'Part of the Band':

"I was Rimbaud and he was Paul Verlaine"

The translation of the poem is interesting, I'm seeing some recurrent "Tatty" themes, here:

The poet is like this prince of the clouds Who haunts the storm and mocks the archer But exiled on earth surrounded by jeers His giant wings make him helpless to walk

Oh, and "poètes maudits" translates to "cursed poets"… Cursed, of course, being a synonym of Tortured! And also gives Dear Reader vibes, eh? I've also taken note of the recurrent "the's"...

Lastly, and this one is a little more silly, but… Taylor's Grammys dress sort of looked like an albatross, lol!

Thanks so much for the ask! I'm happy to have a place to compile this mess for reference later 🤍🖤

[trixcuomo]

Hogger Day 3, Flawless Logic There

Wrathion: Had it never occurred to any of you that Anduin might like to come back as a sexier version of himself, that is also completely smitten with me? He's been so unhappy lately.

Trixany: *looks around, afraid to say*

Sharpen: *winces sheepishly*

Matthias Shaw: *crosses his arms* Well, fine. I'll be the one to say it. He's got a good point there.

Stockade Guards: *shrugs and agreeable muttering*

Wrathion: Excellent! We're all allies in the matter, as I knew you would be. You made the right choice. *he bows elegantly* And, Trixany! You shall see. This was not a bad omen you beheld, whilst suspending belief for your audience, but a very good omen.

Trixany: I thought all omens were bad.

Wrathion: Read a dictionary. Now, then! Let's all head down into the prison depths! Hogger awaits us. *tips his top hat, struts down the stairs*

Trixany: *whispers to Sharpen* I was so sure this was a bad thing.

Sharpen: If it doesn't work out, I get to help tackle Wrathion. If it does, I get to watch him make out with Anduin shirtless, covered in tatts. So, I'll be fine at least.

Trixany: Does no one in Stormwind even care that we're still maybe being tricked by a Black dragon??!

Sharpen: *hops down from his transmog mount, now with a Gilnean top hat* Yay!! I LOVE Hogger Day!

[issela-santina]

depending on the dictionary “holily” is a word but like why does this work? who uses holy as an adverb apart from that gothic ginger in Good Omens, if I may ask?

[vidavalor]

Hiiiii, @kimberleyjean 😍😍😍 Very, very fun & smart post. *bounces with joy at wordplay post* Thanks for hailing me in the comments-- I was grinning reading this. 💕 I have to jump in here because I can't help it-- you're one of the first people I've seen who is also recognizing the wordplay in the figurative language and connecting it together like this and I'm twitching with the need to share what I've found, which is that you are also teaching yourself Crowley & Aziraphale's cant vocabulary in doing so.

Good Omens' is a quite literally queer-coded novel, in the sense that there's an actual code to it. It's based around the same love of etymology and wordplay that is present in Pratchett's other writing. In Discworld, Pratchett also used a love of etymology and wordplay to inform his choices of what he used for figurative language. It adds a lot of humor and additional layers of meaning to his work. When he went to write Good Omens, it was the late 1980s and so it would have had to be queer-coded more than overtly queer and, while the story reads as plenty queer on the surface, it's a whole lot more so when you look at what's going on with the words the way that you are doing.

Crowley and Aziraphale are spies from opposites sides of a conflict and they're queer, which is already lending itself to hints towards coded language, as those are two of the biggest groups, historically, to use hidden speech. They've also been on Earth since the beginning, though, so what they have in common is that they are walking, talking etymological dictionaries. They are characters who have lived through the word history the reader/viewer might uncover when and if they realize the existence of the coded speech and start to do some digging. But you don't even have to do etymological research to get the main idea of what's going on because the book is helping the reader decode the cant vocabulary of the characters by the way it uses figurative language.

The words used there are significant in their choice and in their repetition. The types of wordplay used-- things like homophony and frequently-confused words/phrases, like you've uncovered by looking at exercised/exorcised above-- are also clues for things to listen for when you hear Crowley and Aziraphale speaking. How the show is using wordplay in its overall language-- even when Crowley and Aziraphale are nowhere to be found in the story-- are examples of how Crowley and Aziraphale use it in their hidden language.

While a bit of this toast stuff was added for the series, it was because it exists to highlight language that did already exist in the novel, as well as also exists in the series. Toast is supporting the uses of bread and alcohol in figurative language and cant vocabulary. Keep going with it and you'll see it in more places:

Toasts-- as in, clinking glasses. Rome, 1941, and...

Shax's toast/toste in 2.06, mirroring a blend of Hastur & Ligur's toast stuff you pointed out from S1 and also Hastur's ciao/chow homophonic confusion in 1.01:

When Shax misspells toast as toste, she's actually spelling a different word that does exist-- toste, which is a musical term, and also means soon, hastily and quickly. Toasting is also a term for speaking over a beat, so it relates to language as well. So, now, we've just connected bread, alcohol, an element of death/an end, and music/language through just the use of the word toast. I'm fairly sure that's why the tv series uses this word nine hundred times-- it's meant for us to notice it and go why won't this show stop talking about toast?! lol and then start playing with it. Look at where thinking about those things goes...

If you think of bread, for instance, your mind might start to do this: Mrs. Sandwich?!... And the brioche... Four *different kinds* of sourdough... Don't feed them bread, you idiots!... The Russian Cultural Attache's black bread was particularly sought after by the more discerning duck...

If you start to think about alcohol, now you're thinking about: lovely bottles of joy-- eighty percent proof... large Talisker, please, and a sherry for Lady Bracknell... I picked up a dozen cases [of Chateauneuf-de-Pape] in 1921-- for *special occasions*... An extremely alcoholic breakfast at The Ritz...

...and the most important one...

If you start to think about endings/finishing/forms of death, then you start to realize pretty quickly that one of the several things for which Armageddon-- "the end of the world"-- is analogous for in Good Omens is an orgasm. Stars crashing down and what are they putting in bananas these days?! Whole seas bubbling-- everyone turning into bouill--bouille--bouille--baby--fish stew, anyway! Kraken! Great biggggg bugger! Supposed to come up-- right up-- to the surface. When the sea boils.

That weird way that God speaks in the series that is made up of strangely-worded passages from the book? Those are those things Aziraphale references in S2-- la plume de ma tantes. They're oddly-phrased for the purpose of teaching us the cant vocabulary. One of them, in particular, is especially relevant to the fact that you are looking at the figurative language:

He probably wins prizes for his tropical fish.

At first glance, this sentence is quite the wtf??, even as it's amusing. The one thing this world doesn't exactly have is a thriving competitive scene for pet tropical fish, right? Am I sure that The Surplus Baby grew up to have some stellar tropical fish as pets because there is a literal element existing alongside the figurative here? Of course. But that's not what this sentence is doing.

In the sentences prior to it, the words fairly and contented are used to suggest that we'd be headed in the correct direction if we looked also at those tropical fish more figuratively than literally. People win prizes at fairs, right? Often, for their sweethearts? So, if The Surplus Baby grows up to be a fairly contented adult who probably wins prizes for his tropical fish? His tropical fish is his lover, not his pet. The story just used fish as figurative language to describe a person's romantic partner, in line with Crowley and Aziraphale's recurring use of fish to refer to sex.

The funny part is that, if you then take the word tropical and you come at it etymologically, as direction in the story elsewhere leads the reader/viewer to do, you'll find that tropical roots back to the word trope. While we usually use that word nowadays to mean a recurring thing in tv or film, we do so because the word trope is originally a literary term that described the use of recurring figurative language in a work of fiction.

Sushi. Bouillabaisse. Pickled herring. Carp. I hear he does remarkable things to *oysters*... No more gravlax in dill sauce... Mmhmm..

'He probably wins prizes for his tropical fish' is a sentence reinforcing the idea of using the figurative language of Good Omens to understand what it's saying. That sentence, in particular, suggests you start with the story's obsession with fish and the sea to get what's up with Crowley and Aziraphale and doing so definitely yields results but it's not the only thing being used figuratively in this way. Imho, you're following one of Pratchett's guidelines to cracking Ineffable Husbands Speak in looking at the words this way.

You're looking at the same stuff that I'm using to write word posts so thank you for making me feel very seen. 😍

Other keys I've noticed aside from toast, if you like this and want to fuck around with it some more? Nightingales; the opening words on the tv in 1.01; God's monologue is always relevant but especially Her intro to Crowley & Aziraphale at the start of the St. James' Park scene; Demon's Guide to Angelic Beings (start with the top section above Aziraphale's entry, as it's the wordplay directions); and Aziraphale's magic words, which are all the parameters of the cant in a single sentence. Once you see it, you see it everywhere, and it's not too hard to pick it up.

Good Omens S1 Parallels - 1/?

Saturday Morning Funtime is a particularly interesting episode for me, because it suggests something about the structure of parallels Season One. Also, it's easier to start with a single episode than trying to cover the whole show at once. I'm going to show you six different scenes from Saturday Morning Funtime and how they link together.

Let's start with the pun pointed out by Danny Motta in his video (link here to relevant timestamp if you haven't seen it). Danny made the link between this scene near the start of E4, where Aziraphale gets exercise:

And this scene at the end, where Aziraphale was exorcised (according to Shadwell, at least):

Cool, seems like a funny pun. But there's no way to know it was intentional right? Well, I think I can argue it was. Let's look at another scene.

We have this scene where Hastur destroys 3 Erics on the plains of Megiddo. Since each demon has a corresponding animal, I'm going to go ahead and place bets on the Eric's being rabbits, and Hastur destroys 2/3 of them.

And then later we have this scene where Hastur again destroys 2/3 rabbits, but this time they're cartoon bunnies - the first one he beheads like a costume, the second he rips out it's throat.

Ok, but again, why am I linking these two scenes? No deep character insights, or thematic elements are being displayed here... Except that's a key reason I'm pointing them out - they're seemingly pretty pointless, so why bother to make them? Well, maybe the sum is bigger than the parts. One more example and then I'll show you how this comes together.

Here's a scene which I think is pretty good foreshadowing of something that will happen later in the episode - Hastur and Ligur talking about the dripping pipes down in Hell. Hastur has a little bucket he's collecting water in, which he uses in a toast:

And later, we have this particularly gruesome scene of Ligur becoming toast at the hands of a bucket full of (holy)water:

Ok, so six scenes, three sets of parallels... now's where the magic happens... I take E4 as a whole... loop it over on itself like a piece of trick rope from Goldstein's magic shop and....

Tada! Here's the episode laid out in 2 minute increments.

Some pretty interesting places to have parallels, no? That two minute block at the start is a lead in before the opening credits, so the Exercise and Exorcism scenes are coming directly before and directly after the open and close sequence (shown above in blue).

I'd be lying if I said it didn't remind me of the overall chiastic structure that some people have worked on, such as this one by @drconstellation, just on a smaller scale.

It's also interesting to note that each of these parallel pairs relates to someone getting discorporated - Eric, Ligur and then Aziraphale.

What's the point?

So, I promised that I would share a little on why this might be important. In my opinion? It appears like there is some detailed structure to Good Omens, at least in S1.

It should also be noted that these scenes were added only for the show in order to produce this effect - Aziraphale exercising with Gabriel, Hastur and Ligur talking about the pipes, the three cartoon rabbits in the theatre - they were all newly created for the show.

Why go to the bother of creating these little parallel moments at corresponding points along a mirrored structure? Especially when these don't necessarily have ramifications for characters or plot? Is it just good story telling or is it something more? These are all questions worth asking in my opinion. I think it relates to how this show treats words and language in a very Pratchetty fashion. The whole show is a dedication to Terry, after all.

Of course, if things were so simple, I think we would have figured it all out long ago. Parallels, puns, wordplay... they're all quite slippery things. There are things I would consider to be parallels which don't line up with this same structure. For example, the scene from earlier with Gabriel and Aziraphale exercising? The "lose the gut" gut-punch foreshadows this other gut punch scene in E4 too:

Despite examples to the contrary, the presence of parallels and wordplay that do line up along a mirrored structure makes me want to explore this further. If you're also interested in this and want to collaborate, please let me know.

This will be a continuing series, as and when time allows, because parallels seem to be absolutely everywhere. Future posts will look at parallels at different levels (within scenes, across episodes, and across seasons).

Let me know if you spot any others - I'd love to hear about them. They might be hidden in the visuals, wordplay, puns and more...

----------------------

With thanks to all the detectives for keeping me clue hunting @embracing-the-ineffable, @theastrophysicistnextdoor, @noneorother, @somehow-a-human, @komorezuki, @maufungi, @lookingatacupoftea, @havemyheartaziraphale, @251-dmr, @dunkthebiscuit, and @ghstptats <3

[writerroom]

Intro to Symbolism

Symbolism is my favorite literary device, as it can be fun to write, and it can be a lot of fun for readers to pick up on. In all honesty, I could make many posts talking about symbolism, but for now, I’m making this “intro to symbolism” post, just to go over the basics.

First things first, what is symbolism? Let’s go over a basic definition.

Symbolism: an artistic and poetic movement or style using symbolic images and indirect suggestion to express mystical ideas, emotions, and states of mind. (Taken from the Oxford Dictionary)

What does this mean?

Everything you write onto a page has meaning. Sometimes the meaning is straightforward, sometimes it is written for writers to ponder the meaning. Other times, things have double meanings. A lot of times authors add certain things that seem meaningless, or don’t seem as important in the grand scheme of things, but when you contemplate the meaning of these symbols, they actually represent greater emotions taking place in the story.

Are you with me?

Don’t worry, it’ll make sense soon.

Common Objects Used to Create Symbolism Include:

Colors

Animals

Character Names

Plants

Different colors represent emotions. Red represents anger. Blue represents sadness. Yellow represents happiness. Pink represents love. Colors can also represents behaviors and circumstances.

Gold, for example, can represent wealth. Purple represents magic & power. Green represents peace. Also, depending on the different shades of certain colors, can also change the meaning. Color is probably the most popular use of symbolism, and honestly, most authors I can think of use colors.

Animals are also a common use of symbolism, as each animal can represent different things. A good example is The Raven, which is a poem written by Edgar Allen Poe. Ravens can be used to represent death & ill omen, which is how it is used to represent grief in this poem.

Another use of symbolism is character names & plants, and the best example of this, is the Hunger Games. This has been talked a lot in Hunter Games spaces, but nearly every single name draws symbolism to themes that each character represents. The plant Katniss is named after literally means “arrowhead”, and the importance the katniss can play in survival can also represent Katniss’s important role in the revolution.

That being said, another meaningful use of symbolism, is not necessarily using symbols that already have meaning attached to them, but using symbols in a way that only makes sense in the context of the story.

For example, if a character has a favorite plant, or a favorite food, this could be used to represent the character. For example, a character goes missing and wants to leave hints that they are still alive. Their favorite flower is a pink rose, so they may leave a pink rose to hint at this.

That being said, there is a lot more I can do with symbolism, so I will be making more posts about this.

[wishesmsg]

Dreaming of seeing a skull, what does it mean?

What is the meaning of dreaming about seeing a skull? How is dreaming about a skull interpreted? You can find all dream interpretations related to seeing a skull here.

The Meaning and Interpretation of Dreaming About a Skull

The meaning of dreaming about seeing a skull is generally interpreted as a sign of good fortune. It indicates that the dreamer will achieve abundance and blessings, and their health will improve. Some dream dictionary authors interpret this dream similarly, suggesting that the dreamer's life will become better and they will find relaxation. In dream interpretations, the meaning of dreaming about seeing a skull is also expressed in the following ways:

Dreaming About Seeing a Skull Bone

It signifies that the dreamer's life will fall into place. Dreaming of seeing a skull indicates that the dreamer pays great attention to their health. It suggests that the dreamer maintains a healthy diet, exercises regularly, and values the beauty of their skin.

Dreaming About a Skull Breaking

Dreaming of a skull breaking is interpreted as bad luck and ill omen. It suggests that the dreamer will experience certain events that will cause sadness and unhappiness in their life.

Dreaming About Opening a Skull

It signifies that the dreamer is honest and straightforward. It means that the dreamer will have a happy and harmonious relationship with their family.

Dreaming About a Head

Dreaming of a head is interpreted in a very auspicious manner. The dream interpretation of seeing a head suggests that the dreamer will become an educated, successful, and wealthy individual. It also indicates that the dreamer's achievements and projects will be appreciated by everyone.

Dreaming About a Skull Skeleton

If someone dreams of a skull skeleton, it means they will be highly regarded in society due to their behavior. It implies that the dreamer will be loved and respected by everyone.

Dreaming About a Skull Being Pierced

It indicates that the dreamer will face difficulties and troubles in their professional life. It suggests that the dreamer will not be pleased with this situation.

Dreaming About a Skull in a Cemetery

Dreaming of seeing a skull in a cemetery suggests that the dreamer has low self-confidence and lacks self-belief. It indicates that their opportunities are limited due to this reason.

Dreaming About Seeing Inside the Skull

Dreaming of seeing inside the skull signifies that the dreamer will consume forbidden sustenance. It suggests that the dreamer will engage in prohibited activities knowingly. Read the full article