#does this belong to the lying category or not

[kingofthering]

Marc Marquez, on the matter of setting up goals and the risks to take to achieve them:

“The most complicated thing is the fact that the goal you want to reach has to be realistic. To say “I want to win every race next season”, is not a goal. It’s a childish non-sense. You have to choose your goals in such a way that they are attainable thanks to energy, focus, preparation, also your knowledge, endurance, and sometimes luck. If the goal is to be a world champion, then that’s the wall to go over [earlier in the chapter, he mentions his way of seeing things as walls to go through]. In this case, there is a wall that isn’t worth going over, it’s to overtake a rival that doesn’t matter in the overall standings, at the risk of your life. For me, understanding this has been a long learning process. I’ve often been asked what was my issue when I was seeing the bike of an opponent in front of mine, and throughout the years, I’ve always said that it was the biggest issue for me. No one is allowed to go in front of my front wheel. The only answer on track has always been to attack without any compromising. And that’s exactly the reason why I’ve fallen so often. Has this state of mind been profitable overall? Absolutely. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have won so many races and I wouldn’t be an 8-times world champion. However, with the experience I’ve acquired today, I’ve come to understand that I no longer needed to win every race, on the condition that it didn’t impede on the main goal, the world championship. If the guy in front of me only has one length on me, beware, I’m going to get him ! But if he’s already a couple of seconds ahead, it’s possible that I don’t do everything in my power to catch him and that I let him be free to go. I don’t see that has a weakening coming with age, rather like a calculation, an additional quality gained with experience.”

[mufos-photo-album]

Sum Mufo lore below the cut vvv

My character playlist page for Mufo is coming along, though one big roadblock is that it needs background art! I've talked before about how I wanted to draw Mufo's home base someday, and I think just drawing a small portion of it for some background art would be a nice place to start. One thing I struggle with when it comes to backgrounds though, especially character-based ones, is making them feel lived in. Backgrounds I've drawn in the past often felt too clean to me, like no one is living there! Unfortunately I don't have the time right now to slap down some sketches to flesh out Mufo's room, but I can write about it to reference later, so here we go!

Mufo lives in the Vault of Knowledge, more specifically inside what can be thought of as a "storage closet". These storage areas resemble larger areas of the Vault, but are mainly used to store menial things like cleaning supplies, spells, and personal belongings. Mufo has part of a storage closet all to herself.

Her room is basically like an indoor tent. The "walls" are actually just pieces of cloth. It's convenient since she can enter and exit her room at any location, though at this point she has dedicated "door spots" — specific spots she decides she is allowed to walk through. Anything that isn't a door spot she treats as if its a regular wall and thus not normally walk through.

In terms of solid furniture (like, heavy stuff), Mufo might not have much. At the moment I definitely imagine she has a bed and maybe one or two bookshelves. Maybe she has a chair in there, to go with the shelves? Other furniture she has is mainly pillows and blankets, strewn across the floor so that many places in her room are comfy.

Currently debating if Mufo decorates at all. Like the stuff I listed before is mainly functional in nature. Maybe younger Mufo wouldn't have cared about decorating, but present day Mufo does since she has finally seen the outside world for herself and is insanely inspired. With that in mind, I gotta think about what Mufo decorates with. I definitely think if you showed Mufo some fairy lights it'd be OVER for her.

This might be one for the decoration category, but maybe Mufo keeps souvenirs from her journeys if she can pocket them.

Her room almost definitely has some memory lanterns and books lying around. This would have been especially true when she was younger (like the drawing above!), where such things were her only form of solitary entertainment. As she got older, she became better about returning memory lanterns and books to their rightful place in the Vault (though not all the time, hehe).

At the moment I don't imagine Piripu has a home, but if he were to crash anywhere, it'd be at Mufo's place. He probably does it often. With that in mind, Mufo's belongings probably got pushed around with Piripu becoming a pseudo-resident. Fortunately, he is a boy of few belongings... For now?

[heartfullofleeches]

Night Gallery Yans in response to a Painting "Reader" taking over Night Guard Reader's life-

I plan on doing a full fic with this, but i wanna map it out a bit by who knows right off the bat and who is throwing hands with the fake-

Fooled for a millisecond: Rosebud, The Scavenger, Soleil

Knows something is wrong with Reader off first glance, but can't put their finger on it: Anri, The Faceless Angel, Julian

"You are not my Y/n - Die.": Julian, The Lady in Red, The Painter, Rosebud's Rose

-

Rosebud

"Someone's in a chipper mood today....Are you feeling well, Rosetta?"

Initially writes off Reader's strange behavior as them coming down with a cold. Their roses, on the other hand - can smell a dirty, no good fake from miles away. Hisses at "Reader", bites them if they get too close, turns increasing agitated and violent until the real Reader returns. Their temper tantrums are quite common these days, but the rosed love reader almost as much as Rosebud.

Something must be wrong.

The Scavenger

They could potentially be in the secondary category - if it wasn't for "Reader" throwing the painting off their trail by leaving items belonging to the real Reader lying about for it to steal. The fatal error painting reader makes is by giving the Scavenger something that belongs to them instead of the Reader Scavenger knows and cherishes.

Soleil

Possibly the easiest to trick. The clock is must too busy gathering its lost dogs and bolts to notice anyway. They're so caught up making themselves perfect for Reader they barely realize they're speaking to a fake when their paths cross

Anri

"You don't look to good, Y/n. Take a break and lemme know when you feel better, alright?"

Almost seems...frightened of "Reader" Comes up with an excuse to run off or straight up flees whenever they're near. Can be found throughout the night until the real Reader is back searching for something....or someone.

The Faceless Angel

Night Guard Reader has always been kind to them, but for some reason their kindness feels.... artificial. Stalks "Reader" from the shadows for more clues. Oblivious as to why a hole grows in their chest when they see the human who once and still meant heaven and earth to them. Cries for reasons it does not understand.

Julian

Similar to the angel, Julian can tell something is off. Reader's nice sure, but they have enough of a backbone to tell the other security off when he's being a dick. It's one of the things he fines cute about them. Soon as "Reader's" true identity is revealed Julian is back to his art destroying ways. Whilst attacking "Reader" he never slashes their face which is where he strikes first with other paintings he's killed.

The Painter

"Wicked beast! Demon! How dare you steal the face of my muse - transforming their beauty into this, this- Travesty! Remove their face at once so I may strike you down like the blemish you are!

Painting Reader mistake when it comes to taking Reader's image is removing all aspects it deems imperfections. Scars, birthmarks, acne- It tries to be the perfect Reader and that's where it fails as Painter finds every part of Reader to be a masterpiece.

The Lady in Red

"That does no belong to you. Give it back."

A proper lady would be able to tell her spouse from a fake. Call it intuition or something. She only gives painting Reader a chance to speak if they plan to tell her the whereabouts of her real lover. As opposed to Julian, in slaying painting Reader Red aims solely for their face as punishment for thinking she'd ever fall for a fraud.

[youryurigoddess]

I was minding my own business and analyzing another part of the A. Z. Fell & Co. bookshop from the Radio Times footage when I noticed something interesting on Aziraphale’s desk. It looks like the angel was studying a handwritten copy of someone’s last will and testament and left in a hurry, with a bronze medal and a fountain pen on top of it. And… an attachment of a land registry plan, barely visible underneath.

Obviously that’s when my South Downs obsessed brain turned all of its alarms on and decided to read the whole thing. And look for the missing parts, since only a portion of the original document was visible on screen. Unfortunately the full text is much longer and less exciting than anticipated, and — spoiler alert — related to a different area of the country, but still relevant to the Good Omens universe. We’ll look into that in a moment.

Let’s start with the struck bronze medal — acting here as a paperweight, which makes the documents in question already stand out from the usual bumph and bric-a-brac accumulated by Aziraphale over an unknown period of time on his desk.

It’s a very interesting rendition of the mythological scene centered around Daedalus fastening the wings onto his son Icarus (little does he know that this attempt to escape imprisonment will lead to his son’s demise). Contrary to popular sentiment in the history of art, this particular version of Icarus isn’t depicted as a child or teenager, but as a warrior donning a helmet and preparing himself to battle. Which makes perfect sense after discovering that it was made for the Royal Air Force Athletic & Cross Country Association’s WAAF Athletic Championships in 1945. There’s some poetic irony in the fact that the medal was apparently given to the third place winner in a high jump category.

Apart from its obviously military style, this concept seems inspired by a 1885-86 medal by Auguste Patey commemorating the experimental flights at the first French wind tunnel at Chalais-Meudon, a town on the banks of the Seine near Paris. On 9 August 1884, engineers Charles Renard and Arthur Constantin Krebs made the first controllable free flight there when they piloted their airship, La France, over a course and returned to their starting point. From 9 August 1884 to 23 September 1885, La France made seven flights and was able to return to its starting point five times.

The last Will and Testament of Josiah Wedgwood

The last Will and Testament of me, Josiah Wedgwood, of Etruria, in the County of Stafford, made the second day of November, in the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three, in manner and form following (that is to say): I give and bequeath unto my dear and affectionate Wife, Sarah Wedgwood, all that messuage or dwelling-house situate at or near Etruria aforesaid, with the buildings, gardens, and appurtenances thereto belonging, late in the holding of Mr. Thomas Wedgwood; and also all that field or piece of land in which the same stands, containing eight acres or thereabouts; and also all that close, piece, or parcel of land lying contiguous to the said dwelling-house, called the Horse Pasture, containing by estimation twelve acres or thereabouts; and also all that piece or parcel of land situate at Etruria aforesaid, heretofore purchased by me from Mr. Hugh Booth; To have and to hold the said messuage or dwelling-house, pieces or parcels of land, hereditaments and premises, with their and every of their appurtenances, unto my said Wife, Sarah Wedgwood and her assigns, for and during the term of her natural life. And from and after her decease, I give and devise all and singular the said messuage or dwelling-house, pieces or parcels of land, hereditaments, and premises, with their and every of their appurtenances, unto my Son, Josiah Wedgwood, his heirs and assigns for ever. Also I give and bequeath the sum of three thousand pounds unto my said Wife, to be paid to her within twelve months next after my decease. Also I give and bequeath unto my said Wife so much and such part of my household goods and furniture as is mentioned and specified in the Schedule or Paper Writing hereunto annexed, marked with the Letter A. Also I give and bequeath the sum of ten thousand pounds unto my Executors hereinafter named, upon trust that they, my said Executors, do and shall place the said sum of ten thousand pounds out upon some good and sufficient public or private security or securitys, at interest, to be approved of nevertheless by my said Wife, and do and shall pay to, or permit and suffer my said Wife to receive and take the interest, dividends, and produce of the said sum of Ten thousand pounds, as the same shall from time to time become due to and for her own use and benefit for and during the term of her natural life.

And from and after the decease of my said Wife, I direct that the said sum of ten thousand pounds shall be applied for and towards payment and satisfaction of the several legacys or sums of money hereinafter given by me. And I do hereby direct that the provision hereinbefore made or intended for my said Wife shall be in lieu, bar, and satisfaction of dower and thirds at Common Law. Also I give and devise unto my said Executors, for the use of my said son, Josiah Wedgwood, his heirs and assigns for ever, that part of Etruria Estate which I now occupy, upon the north side of the Turnpike Road leading from Newcastle to Leek, with the house I now live in, the outbuildings belonging to the same, with the pleasure grounds and all appurtenances thereto belonging, being about sixty-five acres; and also another part of the Etruria Estate, now in the occupation of Richard Hall, being about sixty-eight acres; And also another part of the Etruria Estate, now in the occupation of Thomas Ford, being about forty-five acres; and also the Estate late a part of the White House Estate, on the south side the Turnpike Road leading from Newcastle to Leek; and likewise the land purchased from Thomas Heath, with a small meadow on the north side the said Road, and lying in the Parish of Woolstanton; and likewise a meadow lately purchased from John Mare, of Handley, — all in the holding of Richard Billington, being altogether about eighty-one acres; and also a piece of land on the south side of the same Road, now in the holding of Daniel Haywood, being about two acres; and also an Estate bought from George Taylor, and now in the holding of Jonathan Adams, being about nine acres; and also a small piece of land adjoining the land bought from Hugh Booth, together with a part of the Hough Meadow, and now in the holding of John Ryder, being about four acres; and also an estate called the Spittels, situate in Penkhull, in the Parish of Stoke upon Trent, and lately purchased from James Godwin, containing sixty-three acres or thereabouts; and also an Estate adjoining to the Spittels on one side, and to Stoke Lane on the other, situate in Penkhull aforesaid, in the Parish of Stoke upon Trent, late in the holding of Humphrey Ratcliff, containing fifteen acres or thereabouts; and also a piece of land called the Woodhills, situate in the Parish of Stoke upon Trent, lately purchased from Ralph Baddeley, and now in my own occupation, being about eleven acres; and also all buildings, tenements, houses, farmhouses, outhouses, pot works, warehouses, workshops, and other buildings, of what kind soever they may be, situate, standing, and being upon any of the land or premises above named, and not hereinbefore devised; and also all my share of the models and molds of the Manufactory in Etruria aforesaid. Also I give and bequeath the sum of thirty thousand pounds unto my son John Wedgwood. Also I give and bequeath the sum of twenty-nine thousand one hundred and ten pounds, and likewise twenty shares in the Monmouthshire Canal, unto my Son Thomas Wedgwood.

Also I give and bequeath the sum of twenty-five thousand pounds unto my daughter Susannah Wedgwood; and which said several legacys or sums of thirty thousand pounds, and twenty-nine thousand one hundred and ten pounds, and twenty shares in the Monmouthshire Canal, and twenty-five thousand pounds, so given to my said Son John Wedgwood, and to my said Son Thomas Wedgwood, and to my said Daughter Susannah Wedgwood, I do hereby direct shall be paid to them as soon as conveniently may be after my decease, together with interest for the same in the mean time, after the rate of four pounds and ten shillings per centum per annum. Also I give and bequeath the sum of twenty-five thousand pounds unto my Daughter Catharine Wedgwood, to be paid to her as soon after her age of twenty-one years, or day of marriage, which shall first happen, as conveniently may be, with interest for the same in the mean time after the rate of four pounds and ten shillings per centum per annum. Also I give and bequeath the sum of twenty-five thousand pounds unto my Daughter Sarah Wedgwood, to be paid to her as soon after her age of twenty-one years, or day of marriage, which shall first happen, as conveniently may be, with interest for the same in the mean time after the rate of four pounds and ten shillings per centum per annum. Provided always, and I do hereby direct, that in case my said Daughters Catherine Wedgwood and Sarah Wedgwood, or either of them, shall happen to die unmarried before the age of twenty-one years, then that the legacy or legacys of her or them so dying shall sink into and become part of the residue of my personal Estate, and be applied and disposed of accordingly, as shall hereinafter be mentioned. Also I do hereby declare it to be my will that all the rest, residue, and remainder of my said stock in trade, goods, wares, implements, materials, and utensils of trade, and other matters and things used by me, in or belonging to my said Manufactory, except the models or molds therein used or kept, shall, at the time of my decease, sink into and become part of the residue of my personal estate, and be applied and disposed of accordingly. Also I give and bequeath all and singular my household goods and furniture not hereinbefore given to my said Wife, together with all my books, prints, books of prints, pictures, and cabinets of Experiments, of Fossils, and of Natural History, unto my said Son Josiah Wedgwood. And I do hereby commit the Guardianship and Tuition of such of my said children as shall not at the time of my decease have attained the age of twenty-one years unto my said Wife and my said Son John Wedgwood, until such children shall attain the said age. And I do direct that the fortunes or portions of such of my said children shall in the mean time be managed by my said Wife and my said Son John Wedgwood, and a competent part of the interest and produce thereof be applied for their maintenance and education, and the residue of such interest and produce be suffered to accumulate for their benefit and advantage in such manner as my said Wife and Son John Wedgwood shall in their discretion think most meet and proper.

Also I givo and bequeath one annuity or yearly sum of twenty pounds unto my Brother in Law, Philip Clark, for and during the term of his natural life. Also I give and bequeath one annuity or yearly sum of Twenty pounds unto my Niece, Sarah Taylor, for and during the term of her natural life. Also I give and bequeath one annuity or yearly sum of twenty pounds unto Mr. Alexander Chisholm, for and during the term of his natural life; recommending it to my Son Josiah Wedgwood to give him any further assistance that he may stand in need of, to make the remainder of his life easy and comfortable. And I do hereby direct that the said several and respective annuitys of twenty pounds, twenty pounds, and twenty pounds shall be paid and payable quarterly, at the four most usual feasts or days of payment in the year, (that is to say) on every twenty-fifth day of March, twenty-fourth day of June, twenty-ninth day of September, and twenty-fifth day of December, by even and equal portions, free and clear of and from all taxes, charges, and deductions whatsoever; the first payment thereof to begin and be made on such of the said days as shall first and next happen after my decease. Also I give and bequeath the sum of ten guineas unto the said Alexander Chisholm, as a testimony of my regard for him. Also I give and bequeath the sum of two hundred pounds apiece unto all and every the children of my Nephew Thomas Byerley, who shall be living at the time of my decease, to be paid to them at their respective ages of twenty-one years: Provided always, and in case any one or more of the said children shall happen to die without issue before he, she, or they shall attain the said age, then I direct that the legacy or legacys to him, her, or them so dying shall go and be paid unto and amongst the survivors or survivor of them equally, share and share alike, in case there shall be more than one, at such time and in such manner as is hereinbefore directed and expressed of and concerning the said original legacys or sums of two hundred pounds: Provided also, and in case all the said children shall happen to die without issue before they shall attain the said age, then I direct that all the said legacies or sums of Two hundred pounds so given to them as aforesaid shall sink into and become part of the residue of my personal estate, and be applied and disposed of accordingly. And I do hereby expressly direct and declare that no interest shall be allowed or paid upon the said respective legacys or sums of two hundred pounds in the mean time from my decease to the time that the same shall become payable by virtue of this my Will; such legacys or sums of two hundred pounds being given by me in lieu of legacys or sums of one hundred pounds, which it was originally my intention to have directed to be placed out at interest, and to have accumulated for such children of the said Thomas Byerley as aforesaid until they should attain the age of twenty-one years. Also I give and bequeath unto each of my Nephews Thomas and John Wedgwood, Sons of my late Nephew Thomas Wedgwood, of the Upper House in Burslem, the sum of two hundred pounds each, to be paid to them at their respective ages of twenty-one years: Provided always, and in case they shall either or both of them die before they arrive at the age of twenty-one years, I direct that the legacy or legacys of the party or parties so dying, of two hundred pounds so given to them as aforesaid, shall sink into and become part of the residue of my personal estate, and be applied and disposed of accordingly.

Also I give to my Servant George Jones the sum of twenty guineas, as a token of my remembrance of his faithful services to me. Also I give and bequeath to the several persons whose names shall be mentioned and comprised in the Schedule or List hereto annexed, signed with my name, and marked with the letter "B," the mourning Rings or other small legacys or sums of money which shall be therein specified and expressed. Also I give and bequeath unto James Caldwell, Esq., of Newcastle under Lyme, in the County of Stafford, the sum of one hundred pounds, which I desire he will accept as a testimony of my friendship and esteem for him. And I do hereby direct and appoint that my said Nephew Thomas Byerley shall, under the direction of my Executors, settle my accounts and manage and conduct the collection of my debts and other matters relating to the settlement of my concerns in business; and that a Salary of one hundred pounds per annum be allowed and paid to him for such particular service, so long as he shall be employed therein, over and above all charges and expenses attending the same. And it is also my Will that an estate at Burslem, late in the occupation of Joseph Wedgwood, consisting of a newly erected dwelling house, a set of pot works, with other buildings, and a field called the Cross Hill, containing altogether about two acres; and likewise an estate in the Parish of Astbury, in the County of Chester, called Spengreen, and now in the holding of Thomas Johnson, containing about seventy-five acres or thereabouts; and also a piece of land on the east side of the Bridge in Congleton, in the said County of Chester, being about two rods; and also all the rest, residue, and remainder, messages, lands, tenements, hereditaments, and real estate, money, securities for money, debts due and owing, personal Estate and Effects of what nature or kind soever or wheresoever, not hereinbefore particularly devised or disposed of, together with such or so much of the several sums of money hereinbefore mentioned and bequeathed as shall, by means of the contingencies and directions hereinbefore expressed, shall all of them sink into and become parts of the said residue of my personal Estate. And I do hereby give, devise, and bequeath the same unto my said Executors, for the payment of the legacys and annuities hereinbefore mentioned; and provided there should be a residue after the above mentioned payments, then I direct that such residue shall go and be divided unto and amongst my said children, John Wedgwood, Thomas Wedgwood, Susannah Wedgwood, Catherine Wedgwood, and Sarah Wedgwood, their heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, equally, share and share alike, as tenants in common, and not as joint tenants; and if there should be any deficiency of real or personal estates for paying the said legacys and annuitys, such deficiency shall in that case be born equally amongst and made up by those my said children above named, (that is to say) John Wedgwood, Thomas Wedgwood, Susannah Wedgwood, Catherine Wedgwood, and Sarah Wedgwood, share and share alike, in proportion to the amount of the legacys to them herein left and bequeathed. And I do hereby nominate, constitute, and appoint my said Wife, my said Son John Wedgwood, and the said James Caldwell, Esq., Executrix and Executors of this my Will. And lastly, I do hereby revoke all former or other Will or Wills by me at any time heretofore made, and do declare this only to be my last Will and Testament.

In witness whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament, contained in six sheets of paper, and have to each of the first five sheets thereof set my hand, and to the sixth and last sheet thereof my hand and seal the day and year first before written. — Jos. Wedgwood (L.S.)

Signed, sealed, published, and declared by the said Josiah Wedgwood, as and for his last Will and Testament, in the presence of us, who in his presence, and in the presence of each other, have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses thereto; the several following words being first interlined: money—my—happen—said. — Alexr. Chisholm, Thomas Mitchell, Joseph Mitchell, Joseph Rutland

John Wedgwood, of Etruria, in the County of Stafford, Esquire, maketh oath, and saith that he has searched among the papers and writings of his late Father, Josiah Wedgwood, late of Etruria aforesaid, Esquire, deceased, in order to find certain Schedules or Paper Writings referred to in the last Will and Testament of the said Josiah Wedgwood, and therein mentioned to be annexed thereto, and respectively marked A and B. And this Deponent further saith that he has not been able to find such Schedules or Paper Writings, or either of them; and this Deponent further saith that he has never heard or been informed, nor does he believe that the said Josiah Wedgwood ever wrote or made out, or caused to be written or made out, such Schedules or Paper Writings, or either of them. — John Wedgwood

Sworn at Newcastle under Lyme, in the County of Stafford, the 29th day of June, 1795, Before me, John Lloyd, a Commissioner.

Proved at London, 2nd July, 1795, before the Judge, by the Oath of John Wedgwood, the Son, one of the Executors, to whom Administration was granted, having been first sworn by Commission duly to administer. Power reserved of making the like grant to Sarah Wedgwood, Widow, the Relict, and James Caldwell, the other Executors, when they shall apply for the same.

That was… certainly a lot of words. Let’s see if they mean anything! Turns out that this isn’t another John Gibson, rural postman and shoemaker from New Cumnock, Scotland, but a prominent historical figure with close familial connections to someone whose name you definitely know.

Josiah Wedgwood (12 July 1730 – 3 January 1795) was an English potter, entrepreneur and abolitionist. Founding the Wedgwood company in 1759, he developed improved pottery bodies by systematic experimentation, and was the leader in the industrialisation of the manufacture of European pottery. He is credited as a pioneer of modern marketing, specifically direct mail, money back guarantees, travelling salesmen, carrying pattern boxes for display, self-service, free delivery, buy one get one free, and illustrated catalogues.

As well as pretty, decorative vases and crockery with aesthetics and technology rooted in antiquity, Wedgwood put his designs to a more radical use. He was elected onto the Committee of the Abolition of the Slave Trade and designed an anti-slavery medallion which became the most famous image of a black person in all of 18th-century art. Covering the costs of distribution and production himself, Wedgwood ensured that it became a powerful symbol of public support.

Josiah was also a founder of the famous Darwin–Wedgwood family and the grandfather of Charles and Emma Darwin. It was the considerable inheritance Josiah left to his son, Josiah II, that enabled young Darwin’s survey voyage aboard HMS Beagle and, consequently, the development of his theory of evolution.

Okay, but what links the “Prince of Potters” to Aziraphale and his bookshop?

In 1774 Josiah Wedgwood and his longtime business partner, Thomas Bentley, opened a new warehouse, enamelling rooms and most handsome showrooms at 12-13 Greek Street, Soho. In 1795, after Josiah’s death, the Wedgwood studio moved to 8 St. James’s Square and the buildings were later occupied by coachmakers, writers and other artists.

Now, through Word of God we already know that Aziraphale spent the 1600s using his personal savings to gradually buy out portions of the neighboring land in order to build the original bookshop “on Greek Street just off Old Compton”, which finally opened in its current form in 1800.

This means that for the time Josiah’s company operated in Soho, they were at least neighbors.

[wickedapostate]

Dragon Age OC Ask Meme

I've tried everything I can to make these as applicable as possible to all sorts of characters. Ones that are class/lineage/etc specific have been put in their own categories. Please specify which oc you're asking about if a blog has more than one.

General

Where is your OC from? How does the local culture effect them?

What's their favorite food? Do they have any memories attached to the dish?

When on the road, what role do they play at camp? For example: organization, cooking, setting up and tearing down structures

Have they had any notable losses? Who?

Who taught them their primary skill(s)? What was their teacher like?

Is your OC close to their family? What is their family like?

Does your OC have any ties to any factions? How do they feel about these factions?

Are there any real world cultures that are inspiration for your OC?

What made your OC pick their specialization??

Does your OC want or have children? How do they feel about kids?

How much has your OC traveled? Do they have a favorite region outside of their home one?

What animal do you associate with your OC? Why?

What was their childhood like? What has carried through into their adult life?

Are they disabled in any way? How does it effect them?

Do they have any vices?

What's the low point in their life? Are they out of the fallout yet?

What's the high point of their life? Do you think it's going to get any better for them?

What's their standard drink order?

Do they hope to be remembered or create a legacy?

Have they had any notable encounters with spirits or demons? What happened?

How good are they at lying? How much do they lie?

Mages

Have they ever been in a circle? Which one if so?

Do they practice any forms of magic not available in game?

How do they feel about blood magic? Would they ever consider doing it, if they haven't already?

Elves

City or Dalish? Or something else entirely?

How much Elvish do they know? Do they make any effort to learn more?

For those with vallaslin, who was their vallaslin dedicated to? How come?

Knowing the truth of the vallaslin, what would they want to do, if anything?

Dwarfs

What caste are they/would have been? How does it effect their life?

Have they ever been to the surface? How do they feel about it?

What are their thoughts on the Merchants' Guild? Do they have any involvement?

What are their thoughts on the Carta? Do they have any involvement?

Qunari/Tal-Vashoth/Vashoth

How do they feel about the Qun? Have they considered joining, if they haven't already?

What is/would be their job in the Qun?

How do they feel about the Tal-Vashoth? Have they considered joining, if they haven't already?

Other

For wardens, have they prepared any loved ones they may have for when they start hearing their calling?

For (ex-)templars, are they currently taking Lyrium? If so, do they want to quit?

For vints, what social class does your OC belong to in Tevinter?

For (ex-)tranquil, how did they end up tranquil?

For protagonists, had they killed before the start of their game? Why or why not?

[pickled-armchair]

I’ve been going insane so here’s a list (compiled by yours truly) of Gravity Falls characters and what The Magnus Archives entity’s they belong to!

Also these are my opinions so if you disagree please be kind about it!

Spoilers for TMA ahead (probably).

Starting off simple, Ford and Dipper are two of the most Eye coded people on the planet. Dipper’s obsession with trying to find out who wrote the journals, Fords search knowledge no matter the matter the cost. Pretty Eye coded

Next is Mabel. She has me a bit stumped in all honestly because she doesn’t really have any fear that really reminds me of her, but I think the most accurate is probably The Spiral if only just for all of the colors.

Stan has so many things that go with different entities but from the moment he was kicked out of his house at 17 he has been weaving a huge web of lies (intentionally or not). He’s so good at lying he’s been able to pass as his brother for 30 years without anyone batting an eye (was that partly because his brother was a recluse? Yes. But don’t discredit him!) He’s also got a bit of Slaughter in him considering his plan B if lying doesn’t work out is punching till something does.

Now for probably the most controversial on this list, Bill! He aligns with so many of the fears it’s genuinely so hard to even try and place him in one category, he’s very Desolation coded in the whole trying to destroy everything senselessly for fun thing, but The Web accounts for the manipulation, and I mean The Eye is right there, I mean c’mon that’s literally his thing. Except I think there’s one fear that encompasses most of Bill (I mean it’s obviously not gonna be all of him, one fear can exist without the others for a reason). In my personal opinion that fear is The Spiral! Fear of madness, fear of the world lying to you, not being able to trust your sense? If that isn’t Bill Cipher then I don’t know what is.

I do have more thoughts on other characters and their fears so if anyone wants to know I’d be willing to share.

TLDR:

Ford and Dipper: Eye

Mabel and Bill: Spiral

Stan: Web (but a bit of slaughter in there if you squint a bit)

[depravitymoon]

Yandere Bucci Gang by Mental Instability

Mental instability: How normal do they look to society?

1 is you'd think they're normal.

5 is having moments of insanity slip through.

10 is everyone sees a walking red flag.

Trish 1/10

Giorno 2/10

Bruno 4/10

Narancia 5/10

Mista 6/10

Fugo 7/10

Abbacchio 7/10

Explanations below

Acts normal

Trish - Trish is just a normal girl, so she does know how to act in public. Yandere Trish, I imagine as a prima donna. She wants you and she wants to be the center of your world. If it means ruining your life to make that happen, she will. Don't worry, she'll be there to comfort you. However, she'll sabotage your life by ruining your reputation, so I imagine she does need to act as normal as possible.

Giorno - Canonically, most stable because he rarely acts out in public unless there's a dire situation. With Yan!GioGio, I imagine he tries to keep a normal demeanor. As Don, he might have a power trip, but I doubt that would last. He's able to charm people out their belongings, he can totally charm you into believing he's not crazy.

Has their moments

Bruno - Charming guy, but honestly, he is not stable considering his backstory and how he licks people to tell if they're lying. Canonically, he beats people in public and is very nonchalant when his crew was beating on an obvious civilian, even allowing them to stuff the mam with potentially poisonous food. Also, the blurted out that he and his crew was trying to find Diavolo in broad daylight where the enemy can easily spot them. If it wasn't for the fact Bruno is canonically loved by the locals, I would deem him too mentally unstable to be normal in society. Yandere Bruno might not act differently in terms of his private and public antics.

Narancia - Canon Nara is okay. Yeah, he burnt down street and explode cars, but it was in a dire situation. He also freaked out when he realized he was beating on a civilian. With Yandere!Nara, I imagine he's too childish to keep a stable demeanor if you reject his clinginess. He will pout, he will shout, he will lash out. He might also stab. Being delusional does not help.

Mista - Homeboy was randomly stealing people's money outside of theaters, willing to almost die to do so, and boldly stood up against a bunch of armed men. Also, in Trish's body, he was willing to touch private parts in public and blurt out very private information about Trish. Definitely not stable. Yandere Mista is delusional, so he will rationalize his actions of committing violence in broad daylight. He's only in this category because he seems laidback enough to not have people be constantly cautious of him.

Walking Red flags

Fugo - His outbursts are a problem and in the anime backstory, he warned that his temper gets so bad that it might kill Bruno. Also, Abbacchio had to keep Fugo from going off the deep end with his emotions twice in the anime. Most importantly, we're introduced to him violently beating up his own best friend over being a little shit about math. Then casually apologized as if he and Narancia weren't about to fight to the death. Yandere Fugo still has outbursts.

Abbacchio - Willing to pee in teapots in public, viciously beat a man in public and when he found out the man was an innocent civilian, forced fed the man food to see if it's poisoned. Gonna be honest, Abbacchio does not strike me as stable. Yandere Abbacchio would be plagued with depression and paranoia that you'll be abandon him like so many others have, either through death or being disappointed in him.

I rated both Fugo and Abacchio a 7, but I think Abbacchio's slightly worse. Fugo attempts to be better. Abbacchio actively seeks to act unhinged.

[lonelywretchjervistetch]

The State Bird Initiative: New Jersey (#3) - Results

Another week, another poll! And this one...this one had the results in super fast. So, we're gonna get right into it, as well as the personal choices by the SBI. But OK, which species does Tumblr think should be the State Bird of New Jersey?

Which of the following should be the state bird of New Jersey, the Garden State?

Look...I'd be lying if I said I didn't vote for that one, too.

SBI Elected State Bird of New Jersey: Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)

The American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) has been replaced by popular vote by the Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) in the latest polls! And there's a part of me that wonders if this is for the meme...and there's a part of me that thinks this actually makes sense.

Read the original post here if you want my rationale, but...yeah, I stand by this being a good choice. NJ is a coastal state with a long coastline and a strong beach culture, to the point where "the Shore" is a recognized area in the state with an international reputation. And yes, while other shorebirds could be associated with the state, the Laughing Gull is essentially the only one whose breeding population heavily depends on its Jersey population. Plus, it's a recognizable and iconic bird with a known presence, and could easily be associated with the state it's been selected for. I can dig it. Just sayin'. And yeah, this is the bird chosen as a personal choice by the SBI as well. If you'd like to see the other personal choices from the SBI, stick around after the jump! And if this is all you were waiting for, then no worries! Check out Georgia's entry and give it a vote while you can!

The State Birds Initiative Personal Pick - New Jersey (#3)

State Game Bird of New Jersey (SBI): Brant (Branta bernicla)

Wait...WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? I never brought this bird up as a contender for State Bird? So, what is it doing here? Well, I never brought this guy up for State Bird because they don't breed in New Jersey, and honestly couldn't come up with a solid argument for it to be in that position. However, it was always a contender for State Game Bird, because New Jersey is home to the largest population of this goose, the Brant (Branta bernicla), on the eastern coast, with other concentrations being in Virginia and Rhode Island. But they'll get different birds for this category.

Now, time to talk further about what a State Game Bird is. Game birds are not a single taxonomic classification; rather, they're a sociological one. These are birds prioritized for hunting, usually for culinary purposes, if not just for sport. While they come from a few taxa, the vast majority of game birds belong to orders Galliformes (chickens, pheasants, quail, etc.) and Anseriformes (ducks and geese). The Brant represents our first member of the latter in this category! New jersey is known for its Brant hunting, and the state has major regulations during its Brant hunting season for conservation purposes. I could've put the Snow Goose (Cher caerulenscens) here as well, since New Jersey actually prioritizes hunting of this overpopulated bird...but the purpose of this is to promote birds of conservation interest that have a significant role in the state, and the Brant fits this a lot better than the Snow Goose. With that, let's move on!

State Raptor of New Jersey (SBI): Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonicus)

The Gray Ghost wins the category of State Raptor of New Jersey! This one, of course, I put in the original post and poll, and it unfortunately didn't get far at all. Not sure why, since it's the logo for the New Jersey Audubon Society, it represents a major ecosystem in the state, and it's generally a pretty cool bird. But, hey, that's the price of democracy. Either way, the Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonicus) is a charismatic raptor of conservation concern, and a generally pretty neat bird all around. Check out the original post for more details on this guy, but for now, we'll move on!

SBI's Big Fifty - New Jersey: Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta)

So, in my original post, I mentioned that the Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta) wasn't a great fit for State Bird due to its similarity to other sparrows, and that would be difficult for the average citizen to parse out. A sparrow is a sparrow is a sparrow, right? Well, not to birders it ain't! This is a pretty big bird for any birder's life list, mine included, making it an important focus for that community. So, in order to give the sparrow its day in court, the Saltmarsh Sparrow wins the prize for New Jersey's representative in SBI's Big Fifty, adding it to the countrywide scavenger hunt that this list represents. Sorry, Massachusetts, I know you could've had this one, too. I'll give you a neat one, I promise.

State Conservation Focus of New Jersey (SBI): Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus)

OK, so, the Conservation Focus of New Jersey is sort of disingenuous in this entry, since the bird is far less of a focus than its habitat, but I'll use it as the symbol of the habitat. The Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus) is an accessible symbol for the average person to see when going to the ecologically significant (and always in danger) New Jersey Pine Barrens, also representing a larger community of birds with which it tends to be geographically associated. But more than that, the real symbol of the Pine Barrens isn't quite as accessible. For that reason, there really should be two focuses for the Pine Barrens, one for bird people, and one for ecologists. And if you know anything about the New Jersey Pine Barrens, I think you know what the other symbol is.

Now, to be fair, the Pine Barrens Tree Frog (Dryophytes andersonii) is, despite the name, not endemic to the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Instead, it can be found in the Carolinas and the Florida Panhandle, all in isolated areas and...well, pine barrens. But, its populations are decreasing in size, with the Georgia population already extirpated, and is a species of conservation concern. Frogs are, of course, less easy to spot than birds, especially nocturnal ones like the tree frog. So, it's not a great public symbol of the forests as a result, but is still an important inhabitant of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. So, consider this another conservation focus endorsed by SBI. And for the record, it's actually the state frog of North Carolina, so it hasn't been completely shafted!

And with that, we've reached the end of the personal choices by the SBI for ornithological state representatives! Be sure to check out the Georgia poll currently running; still a day or two for votes to be counted!

See you next time, and happy birding!

[kattahj]

The weight of Mae’s two murders

Thinking of Mae's two murders, the weight of them, and why it's significant that it's her, both times.

A lot of people die in 3WBF, but up until Leo, they have fallen into three categories (unless I'm missing someone):

1. People who may not have had it coming, but certainly played with fire. 2. People who were accidentally caught in the crossfire. 3. Offscreen. (It's implied that Ter kills the mother and child at the motel, but it's not actually seen.)

But Leo's is a premeditated murder, onscreen, and he has done nothing wrong.

Furthermore, Mae knows that.

Ter doesn't care. Ter would kill a dog for cutting him off. Everyone in the show has some kind of rationalization when they kill: They had it coming. I didn't mean to. It's the price of business.

Mae has none. Mae knows what a life is worth, she knows exactly what she has done, and she carries the weight of that, as much as she carries Phon, and later Ter.

I struggle to quite put into words her role in the show. It's not quite a scapegoat, and not a Christ figure, but it is someone who carries the pain of others. Perhaps witness is the best word. She asked to be shown Phon's world, she gets to see it, and she realizes that it has to stop.

She tries to stop it by getting Ter out, as she tried to get Phon out, but that doesn't work. It takes a lot more.

Which is also why she has to be the one to kill Thana, even though both Neo and Shin tried before.

Neo can't be allowed to do it, because Neo is spiralling at that point. When Ter told Leo that Neo was a murderer, a kidnapper and a whore, Leo said "You're lying." Unlike what Ter thought, this wasn't him idealizing Neo. On the contrary, Leo knew his brother. He knew that two out of three of those were just not who Neo was.

Except Neo towards the end is a kidnapper, and a would-be murderer.

Neo can't stop the cycle of violence. All he can do is drown in it.

Shin can't be allowed to do it, because Shin is his father's heir, and his one primary desire is to not become his father. If he murders his father and then takes over his business, that's too close to the edge. Not to mention what would likely follow – covering up the murder, maybe bribing the police, convince Thana's allies not to go after him.

Shin is Luke Skywalker; he needs to step away from the dark side. But once he's done that, Luke Skywalker can't save himself. He needs either Darth Vader's self-sacrifice, or The Millennium Falcon sweeping in.

Thana isn't the type to sacrifice himself. On the contrary, it's his cunning selfishness that spares Shin from becoming a murderer. And then the Millennium Falcon does sweep in, in the shape of Mae.

Without having to say so out loud, Mae places the weight of all those murders where they belong: with Thana. Ter, Phon, Leo, and all the others. The death she caused, the ones she witnessed, and even the ones Phon never told her about.

I see her then as someone who has followed the red thread of death all the way back to its source, and now cuts it off.

And then she walks away. Out of the cycle of violence. Out of the show.

We don't see her again. I don't think she gets a nice place at the beach. Whatever's ahead, it's likely to be difficult. I feel sad for her – but one thing I don't feel is worried. Mae won't be caught up in the cycle of violence again, as murderer or victim.

Mae will be okay.

[empty-blog-for-lurking]

If youre ok w sharing then i would love to hear your thoughts on lotor........ Hes such a weird guy. Dissecting him like a frog

If i get hate for this, i am blaming you/j but in all honesty i apologize if this kinda messy, as i have said it has beem awhile since i saw any of the episodes about him. Most of it is my personal interpretation and opinions of his character-

First of all i personally hate both "L0tor is evil rapist imperialist who did not have a single redeemable quality" and "L0tor is uwu poor baby who did nothing wrong", because yeah he had good intentions and he seemed to genuinely love Alura and care for Alteans but also he very much did do a lot of things Wrong. I am pretty sure a lot of his actions fall into category of Very Wrong

Lot0r to me is an absolute control freak, he has to be 10 steps ahead of everyone, he needs to be control of the situation no matter what. Whether it be through a silver tongue or by his blade (see N@rti's death, him vs White Lion). This is as much as a ruthless strategy as it is a trauma response. Being raised under Z@rkon, a father who only saw him as inferior half-bred, he had to learn survivor tactics. He will do anything to survive whether it be beg, lie, manipulate, and kill. He is a survivor of some genuinely godawful abuse he suffered for 10,000 years, combined with racism he suffered for being half altean

However this need to be in control extends to his allies and people he cares about. I am sure Lotor may have loved Alura, it doesnt change the fact that he very much abused her trust. Their entire relationship was based on a lie. He knew Alteans were still alive and not only did he not tell Alura about it he leaned into the "last survivors of Altea" for their relationship, which is why it was doomed since the beginning. And if it had not been this, then it would have been something else. Cause lying and manipulation are very much core of his character, that is how we are introduced to him

Like i see people going "Oh Lot0r could have been good if he had therapy and a hug", and i am not really not sure about it, cause like would he? Would he choose to be vulnerable and actually let his feelings out and be truthful in a an unbiased reliable way that will neither serve him in any way nor make him look better nor is a part of some machivilian scheme he cooked up because he doesnt trust the therapist he is paying? No

And thing is he does desire connection. He looks for connection in people who are similar to him. Half galran, altean survivors, Alura these are the people who he chose to get close to. He looks for similarities, people he can relate to, people who he sees as like him, people who he thinks can give him a sense of belonging. He is deeply lonely. However his desperation for control, absolute mistrust in anyone and everyone, and his inability to be actually honest dooms any relationship he'll ever have

Also this is probably just me, but for someone who is this morally complex character he has tendency to see things in black and white? Like it is His dad and empire= bad, alteans=good. He idolizes Altea to the point of seeing it as an Utopia, and this ideal was more important to him than any Alteans who are alive and with him. I also cant remember him ever caring about someone outside of the Dichotomy. Like at most i remember is after he became the emperor Lance pointing out how other planets need to be freed and he just brushed it off

Overall he gives me the "smart people dont always make good decisions, but they are good at justifying their bad ones" vibes. We dont know exactly why he decided to use alteans as batteries but i am choosing to go with my interpretation- "Lottor saw something fucked up in that future showing space whale thingy, decided the only way to solve was altean batteries except in true self fulfilling prophecy greek tragedy way it only made things worse and started a series of event that will cause the thing he saw causing real trouble a few years after his death.

Another thing! I think it should have been him being the focus of Evil Altean episode instead of A//ura. I hate that episode and everything it stands for but like if there Had to be an evil alteans episode then it should be around someone who is you know? Obsessed with Altean culture? Is big on control and manipulation? Is more geared towards big picture and "greater good" over individual? Is worried about turning into just like his galran father and so desperately wants to connect to his idealized version of his altean mother? Yeah

[dribs-and-drabbles]

as someone who's not well-versed in media color theory, what exactly does being blue/red/yellow/etc. coded mean?

Hi Anon! Thanks for this question. I'll preface this answer by saying that I'm in no way an expert in this topic but I can give you my understanding of the matter (and others can chip in too if they want).

tvtropes.org offers a simple explanation to colour use in media:

Vision is the one sense we humans rely on the most. We usually identify things by sight rather than sound or smell. It is for this reason that creators of visual media will make sure that things look different enough for the audience to easily recognize and tell apart. It can also be a form of visual shorthand for characterization, so that the audience can tell certain things about a character or setting without having to be told. One way to do this is to use color as an indicator that two things are different (when using different colours) or two things belong to the same category (when using the same colors). Color can indicate who is the good guy and who is the bad guy, they can indicate personality type, they can say things about gameplay elements in a video game, which organization or group the person belongs to, et cetera.

In different cultures, people have generally come to an agreement about what colours might represent in terms of emotions or personalities etc. These interpretations usually come from nature. For example, blue 'things' like the ocean or the sky bring to mind feelings of calm and stability, whereas red 'things' like fire or blood can evoke sensations of danger or love. Greens and browns are closely related to nature, thus can be relaxing or 'down to earth'.

Wikipedia lists some common associations...but this can vary across different cultures (and can change over time - for example, blue used to be a feminine colour whereas red/pink used to be masculine, now it is the opposite). In tv shows, characters are commonly colour-coded to not only set them apart from the other characters but to also help indicate their personality type. See @respectthepetty's own listing of what colours can mean with examples of characters from ql media.

With the romance genre, using colour-coded characters gives us the added visual representation of them accepting their feelings/becoming a couple etc when they exchange their colours.

Blue Talay in Puen's Pink/red (and vice versa) in Vice Versa. Red Pran lying on Blue Pat's colours (and vv) in Bad Buddy. Black/Blue Bi King in Uea's red (and vv) in Bed Friend. And Orange/Yellow Ink in Pa's lime green (and vv) in Bad Buddy.

Also, this is another great post in which @respectthepetty offers examples of the common colour choices used in ql media in Thailand, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. And here's one which goes into more detail about The Eclipse and colours in Thailand and how they connect to tradition and other object symbolism such as the sun/moon/days of the week etc.

I hope this has gone some way to answering your question anon. I'll just add that, although there is a kind of universal understanding of the meanings of colour, they're not absolute truths. You can also make them mean what you want to. So if you see a character who quite often wears the colour blue, they might be stable and loyal...but they also might be passionate and loud, or a happy ball of sunshine...because more often than not people aren't just one thing, we contain a multitude of emotions and the labels we attribute to ourselves (or others) can change all the time. The use of the single colour, however, is just a helpful visual way of identifying and highlighting a character's persona.

Pat Napat Jindapat, a loyal and stable Blue Boy who also has a fiery passion and a sunshine core. And is one of the greenest flags to ever walk.

[eldritchmochi]

talking about the cishet man i, a visibly gnc trans person, am courting and how he explicitly reciprocates my interest, to queers at large at a pride event the other day has given me a new appreciation of how god damned annoying the general habit people have of insisting someone's identity is actually [insert something other than what they explicitly id as here] because whatever reason like

im absolutely also guilty of this. i am guilty of this with this particular person even! i try not to because if i am allowed to use whatever hodgepodge of labels i want for myself, everyone else can too, what does it matter? and i certainly feel that my boy is not "just" your run of the mill straight dude, as he keeps insisting, i get big demi vibes from him, but i dont know if i doubt his interests lying pretty exclusively towards femmes, a category i most certainly belong in

i just. dont get why its so weird that a straight dude has interest in me. plenty of straight dudes are attracted to plenty of trans and gnc people of all presentations, why is my boy suddenly definitely queer because hes not an asshole about it? why is he definitely queer because he tells his straight dude friends their queerphobic jokes arent funny? dont we want straight dudes who do that?

why can we not accept that sometimes there are cishet men who truly are good and respectful of queerness without actually being closet cases? why can we not encourage and reward straight dudes who are truly queer allies with the same respect of identity they afford us? whats so hard about accepting a straight dude who is comfortable having incidental interest in someone outside of standard gender norms as still straight?

i stg i am gonna start spraying people like naughty cats when they argue that my boy is totally not straight. hes my straight boyfriend, not urs, u don't get a vote on his straightness

[coffeeheartaddict2]

What could ever go wrong?

Book: Open Heart (pre series)

Characters: Ethan Ramsey, Tobias Carrick, F!OC Estelle Campion

Word count: 1134

Warnings: language

Rating: PG

Category: fluff

Summary: It is their second year of medical school and Tobias tries to get things happening between Ethan and Estelle but it does not go to plan.

Disclaimer: most characters belong to Pixelberry.

Authors note: it’s Halloween. Not a huge deal here but it is gaining popularity so not a spooky one as that would have been too cliche but you Ethan scared of ruining friendships is real so kinda worked and worked with the prompt from this list. It appears in bold.

🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

It was Halloween and a cold change had swept through Baltimore. Despite the cold it did not dampen the plans of one Tobias Theodore Carrick.

He and Ethan had become quite good friends with a fellow colleague, Estelle. Both men found Estelle very attractive and Tobias would not be lying if he has thought about asking her out, especially in the beginning but as time went on he could see that she only had eyes for Ethan but for whatever reason both seemed to be in denial and were not acting on what they clearly wanted and it was frustrating Tobias.

The day of the annual Medical students Halloween party arrived. Ethan was not amused and had decided that he was going to stay home and study. Tobias however was not taking no for an answer. Even stating that they could dress as famous doctors for the event, or in Ethan’s case go as Dr McDreamy from Grey’s Anatomy. This caused Ethan to do his now famous derisive eye roll.

“It will be fun. A few drinks, fun hi jinks and hey finally get some. You have been far too uptight lately.”

Ethan sighed in frustration. He had to admit it had been awhile but there was someone whom he liked enough to actually want too but he did not want to destroy their friendship.

“Fine” Ethan says, with a note of frustration, “but I am not dressing up.”

Tobias rolled his eyes but accepted that his buddy was at least coming. Tobias decided to dress up and go as a secret agent as he was on a mission.

Party day came and Tobias and Ethan made their way to the party. They were greeted by Estelle whom was dressed as Cleopatra.

“Now, Ethan coming as himself, why am I not surprised?” Says Estelle with a chuckle.

Ethan blushes. “I am here under duress,Stelle.”

Estelle raised an eye brow at Tobias.

“What can I say, he needs to cut loose.” Said Tobias with a smirk before heading into the party.

“Shall we?” Says Estelle as she offers her hand to Ethan. Ethan does not accept but they walk in together. Tobias was there to have fun but he kept looking in the direction of Ethan and Estelle. As the party went on he kept spying to where Estelle and Ethan were. After a couple of drinks it looked liked that Ethan was starting to have some fun and as the evening wore on he could see some of the interactions were starting to border on flirting.

“About bloody time” he mutters to himself.

Ethan did have to admit that the party was enjoyable, even though it was mainly due to the company that he was keeping. Estelle looked a vision he had to admit in her costume but now the familiar emotions he started to feel around her were starting to come to the fore and he was determined to not give in. He liked her he knew that much but they worked together and more importantly their friendship was another friendship he had not gone seeking but enjoyed having. They mainly sat and talked, offering various commentary on other’s outfits.

“What is with Tobias in the sharp suit?” Asked Estelle.

“He said something about being on a mission and thus dressed as a secret agent.” Said Ethan. “His main reason for dragging me out was to get me laid…I would have preferred to stay home but I only came out to shut him up.”

Estelle grabs his hand and Ethan pauses. What he wants to do with Estelle coming to the forefront of his mind then the fear kicks in. He jumps up with a start, says his apologies and leaves. Estelle sits there shocked, she had long suspected that Ethan felt more for her. She knew his history, understood in part the reluctance, but she was frustrated and did start to wonder if she was indeed imagining things.

Tobias saw Ethan leave and a shell shocked Estelle.

“Fuck Ethan.” He said then follows his friend. He arrived outside in time to see Ethan slip in an ice patch.

“Buddy, are you okay?” Calls Tobias.

“Fuck, no, my ankle.”

“Ok, let’s go to the medical centre and get you checked out.”

Tobias gets a sore and embarrassed Ethan to the medical centre. It is not too busy yet but they still have to wait.

“I didn’t intend for this to happen, Really! You have to believe me. It was an accident” says Ethan, clearly in discomfort.

“Yeah she should be at worse back at that party or better still at our unit or Estelle’s fucking each others brains out.” Says Tobias.

Ethan winces, Tobias is not sure if it is because of the pain he is in or the knowledge that he is right about him and Estelle.

“I do like her…”

“I know buddy but you are not your mother nor is Stelle. Clearly she likes you too.”

“I do not want to fuck around with what we have…”

“Yeah and the more you deny yourself the more than likely this could hurt your friendship too.” Said Tobias.

Ethan did not want to admit that Tobias was right so he apologised to him for ruining his evening.

“It’s ok buddy.”

Ethan’s ankle was only sprained and there was some slight bruising but no damage to his buttocks for which Ethan was relieved. The next day came and there was a knock at the door. Ethan answered and he was surprised to see Estelle. He invited her in and started to make their coffee.

“I am sorry about last night, E..”

“No Stelle, it is is me that is sorry. I am the one who freaked out and acted like a jerk…”

“Are you ok? I noticed you limping.”

“Yeah sprained ankle and a sore bottom, damned ice patch. I knew I should have stayed in.” Said Ethan with a chuckle. At that point Tobias entered the kitchen.

“Good morning Tobias” says Estelle.

“Good morning” Tobias says yawning. Ethan excuses himself to go to the bathroom.

“I know your patience is not infinite Stelle but he did admit to me he does like you, fear of relationships aside there is the fear that he will fuck up what you have.” Said Tobias quickly and quietly.

Estelle thought on Tobias’s words, she too did not want to ruin their friendship either, however she had hoped that the friendship would be a solid foundation for a relationship.

“Thank you Tobias” she says.

Ethan appears from the bathroom and starts discussing with Estelle their research project. Estelle left later that day safe in the knowledge that Ethan did have feelings and she hoped that both of them would be brave enough to take that leap.

——-

Authors note: for those who have not read my Med school series, Ethan and Estelle get together between Christmas and New Year. The break up the following June. They did not have a good future chat and Estelle left thinking they split and she runs into Tobias and that was the beginning of the end.

Tagging: @jerzwriter @jamespotterthefirst @genevievemd @cariantha @potionsprefect @liaromancewriter @tessa-liam @angelasscribbles @socalwriterbee @trappedinfanfiction @alj4890 @bex-la-get @a-crepusculo @crazy-loca-blog @trappedinfanfiction @schnitzelbutterfingers @binny1985 @lucy-268

@openheartfanfics @choicesficwriterscreations

[henrysglock]

I'd Like To Talk A Bit About Patty's Anti-Social Behavior

This serves as a continuation of my original "Henry is not, clinically speaking, a 'psychopath'" post, as well as a tangential continuation of my recent thesis on TFS.

Specifically, I'd like to expand on a comparison I drew between Patty and Kit (Badlands). That comparison was drawn in regards to Kit's increasing anti-social behavior as he and Holly drew further away from society/the in-group vs out-group distinction increased (including but not limited to murder, theft, and statutory rape in Kit's case).

I figured now would be a good time to bring back the handy-dandy infographic and list of behaviors/traits I utilized in my previous post:

GM: Grandiose-Manipulative, DI: Daring-Impulsive, CU: Callous-Unemotional Source

Conduct disorder: Generally characterized by aggression towards others/destruction of property, lying, theft, and limited prosocial emotions. GM: Superficial charm, glibness, suave behavior. Megalomania and narcissism. Lying. DI: Fearlessness, impulsivity, recklessness, lack of responsibility. Risk taking behaviors. CU: Lack of remorse, empathy, sympathy, or compassion. Shallow emotional affect.

Let's tally Patty up.

Patty isn't your typical thief, nor does she destroy the property of others. She doesn't lie in obvious ways, either. She is aggressive towards others—often in her own defense, but also in more covert ways (such as guilt-tripping and/or assertiveness when confronted with others' fear or reluctance to comply with her desires). Patty also displays a distinct lack of remorse/guilt and empathy/compassion.

As I outlined in my larger thesis, Patty is grabby with Henry's belongings right from the beginning. She snatches his journal away and tries to read it, only to find that she can't because he's developed a unique cipher to keep his mother from doing exactly that: invading his privacy. To be clear, Henry very openly wants his diary back/is distressed by Patty taking it from him, and he only settles when Patty compliments the cipher. She displays no remorse for having openly attempted to snoop, or even for snatching Henry's journal away from him without asking, despite his open and clear discomfort. That falls under Callous-Unemotional behavior, and almost (dare I say) falls under the category of theft/disregard for personal property/disregard for privacy. Patty smoothing the situation over with compliments rather than recognition of her overstepping rings in tones of Grandiose-Manipulative.

Patty also ignores Henry's pleas in the DOTM rehearsal scene, and she kisses him because it suits her, even though he very clearly says no, tries multiple times to escape the situation, and freezes/is physically unresponsive while she kisses him. She uses a romantic declaration to try and bridge across Henry's fearful behavior. She is not remorseful for her behavior. She doesn't even ask if Henry, visibly shaken/distraught, is okay. She just (quite literally) drags him to Melvald's and, for lack of better phrasing, rizzes Henry up (at this point she is fully aware of his abilities, this is not her pursuing Henry solely because she "likes" him).

Sexual harassment/sexual assault and a lack of concern for the well-being of others (of a supposed love interest and friend, no less) will always fall under Callous-Unemotional behavior. Using romantic or pro-social declarations to achieve goals falls under Grandiose-Manipulative...especially in the context of the next paragraph.

Later, she corners Henry into using his powers on her behalf regardless of Henry's own open fear of the situation and pleas to not have him use his powers (because he fears for Patty's safety re: the Mindflayer). Patty pushes forward anyway with no apparent regard for Henry's discomfort/fear, and she straight up refuses to allow him to back out of the situation...because the potential positive outcome of the situation benefits her. This falls under Daring-Impulsive. Patty does not fear the situation despite Henry fearing the situation. Given that Henry is the one familiar with his own powers, his fear and reluctance should have been a warning sign. Patty either ignores it or is unaware of it entirely in pursuit of her own goals.

When the plan inevitably falls through, Patty does display a decent amount of fear. That fear is specifically about her own physical safety, not about other repercussions. It also retroactively supports the insincerity of her rehearsal scene behavior with Henry. She is not as genuinely committed to him as she indicated she was when he was her figurative cash cow re: finding her mother.

Patty shows a clear disregard for Henry's safety in Act II when she visits him (mentally) in HNL. Henry is still very much flayed. The Mindflayer is right there. Patty's not afraid, though. In fact, she assures Henry she can help him more than anyone in the lab can. All he has to do is leave the lab and come with her to...find her mother. Again, Patty being focused on her own goals over Henry's well-being.

When it becomes clear Henry is resisting her, she begins to cry, unprompted, about how lonely she is. It works like a charm. Henry agrees to leave the lab and run away with her, despite still being FULLY FLAYED. As soon as he agrees, Patty is back to her cheery self and immediately departs from Henry's mind despite his pleas that she not leave him by himself.

I'm not sure I need to outline how all of that fits into Daring-Impulsive, Callous-Unemotional, and Grandiose-Manipulative.

In short:

Patty is consistently, repetitively transgressing on Henry's privacy, consent, and autonomy (bodily or otherwise). She ignores his boundaries and his comfort, primarily in pursuit of her own goals. She is reckless, and she takes unnecessary risks despite clear and obvious/logical warning signs. She, maliciously or not, uses her status as Henry's only friend/"normal" love interest to get her way...and she does it all with no sign of remorse while smoothing it over with insincere platitudes so Henry doesn't kick up a fuss.

Patty is not a good friend to Henry, nor would she be a good girlfriend were they to have ended the play as an item. Her behavior is toxic, and it falls repeatedly under a number of concerning categories (albeit in non-stereotypical ways).

As I said about Henry in his version of this post, Patty is far too young to be "diagnosed" with anything. However, I can say without a doubt that she engages in a concerning number of anti-social behaviors.

Unfortunately, all that ^^ makes Patty far closer to a classical "psychopath" than Henry...or even Brenner, for that matter.

This is, of course, setting aside Patty's numerous connections to the Mindflayer. With those in mind, we begin to highlight a deeper, more violent disregard for non-Henry individuals/anyone who threatens Henry's connection to her or the hive (as well as a deepening disregard for Henry's consent and autonomy). I did, however, cover all of this in the bigger thesis.

[little-peril-stories]

Happy STS, Kate!

Let’s talk about beginnings today :) 

How do you feel about writing the first chapters of your WIP? Do you usually know where to start your story, or is this a work in process that changes as you get farther in? Or do you skip the beginning entirely and start at a certain scene, then make your way backwards? 

On that note, what kind of beginnings do you like to write? Ones with a lot of background info, ones that show some of life before, or do you like to jump right into the action?

Happy STS, Anna! Thank you for the ask!

How do you feel about writing the first chapters of your WIP? Do you usually know where to start your story, or is this a work in process that changes as you get farther in? Or do you skip the beginning entirely and start at a certain scene, then make your way backwards? 

I usually know where to start it, yeah. That's not to say it couldn't change the further I get into a wip. but my recent history is completely redoing endings, not beginnings.

Wait. That's not true. I rewrote TPOT's beginning entirely. So I'm a liar. 😅 And if you'll indulge a ramble...

...I'm going to babble about why it was important to me to redo TPOT's opening. First, the ancient-history Whumptober version started with Bree's arrest. Fun, but not right for a story called The Prince of Thieves. Then, the Tumblr/ao3 version started with Jamie's big flashback to when he got kicked out of the Cooper household. Important for later plot stuff, but.........

But. Kate. Girlfriend. Kate. Kate. You made Will the main character, told everyone he was a thief, AND THEN WROTE 129K WORDS WHERE HE NEVER FUCKING STEALS ANYTHING.

(except our hearts.)

what the ACTUAL fuck.

New beginning: de-centre Jamie. Position Will as the protag. Give him an opportunity to be his pre-prison self - silly, sweet, goofy, mouthy, and yes, a fucking criminal. Oh, and a flirt, too, because why the hell not?! Establish his terrible lying skills and his immaturity. Showcase his place in the IA family and his desire to make them proud. Show how caring and loving he is, even when he's being an asshole. Show him happy.

Show him happy, so that it hurts so much more when it all goes wrong.

What kind of beginnings do you like to write? Ones with a lot of background info, ones that show some of life before, or do you like to jump right into the action?

Uh, I don't know. Let's take stock.

TPOT - Will does some IA stuff and agrees to go to Jamie's meeting. Largely establishing his character. Definitely belongs in the 'Life before' category.

TQOL - Bree witnesses Will's flogging. Introduces us to the MCs and the two antagonists, Baden and Curt. (warning: mini ramble.) It was actually so important to me that TQOL started here. And not just because I love a good flogging. Well, okay, that too. But I knew Bree couldn't just feel compelled to help Will based on nothing, or just on pure pity. Like, she's a rich married woman. Literally why on earth should she care about him? No reason, that's why. But flog him. Have his blood on Baden's face. Have her faint and steal away Gysborne's attention that could have been given to Will immediately if not for her. And now we're throwing sympathy, curiosity, and guilt into the mix, and that becomes to fertile ground for her to try to see him again. Also in the 'Life before’ category.

angsty heist wip - [X] thinks about the secret they're keeping from everyone and then immediately gets kidnapped. Introduces the conflict, tension, and 2/? antagonists. I ain't gonna say no more. I think this falls more into the 'Jump into the action’ category with a smidgeon of ‘Life before.’

Thanks for this awesome question. I spent way too much time thinking about it. <3

[biblicallyaccuratepigeons]

Angels/demons vs humans let's go

((For clarity: I've referred to them as angels and demons because those are the names we commonly call them. It's important to note that "angel" means "messenger," and the idea of angels and demons that we're most familiar with is Platonic. In the Bible, our spiritual enemy is called "the satan," which means "the adversary." We know that the satan is not just one, but many demons, who hate humanity and try to keep us away from God; and that they used to be with God in the way that the creatures we call "angels" are, because they're the same kind of creature, which is "elohim." Therefore, I've put them into one category for the sake of this "Venn diagram," and will henceforth refer to them under the collective name "spiritual beings.")) (please keep in mind that I am simplifying things quite a bit, because 1. I'm not an expert, and 2. I have work in four hours.)

Ok first let's talk about our similarities:

- made in God's image (aka we're God's kids)

- have the ability to influence others on a spiritual level (truth vs lie, gentleness vs wrath, etc.)

- can be sent from God for an angelic purpose (according to the above-mentioned definition)

- have the capacity for good or evil

- are spiritual beings with form

- are involved in the spiritual war (by virtue of choosing good or evil)

- were made to glorify God

- are called gods and have authority over things on Earth; also have hierarchies amongst ourselves

- cannot easily exist in the physical world without a body to inhabit (2Cor 5:6-8; Mark 5:1-13)

The ways in which humans are unique:

- were given physical bodies and live in the physical world. These bodies are us, and belong solely to us, but also function as houses which we can share with other spirits (note: God has appeared to us in visions in the same form as He's given us, though far more radiant, and became a human to save us)

- can accept co-heirship with Christ, who is above all spiritual beings; though that does include us, it appears to mean that we'll also be over the other spiritual beings (and in fact, we can exercise this authority as an ambassador would even while our bodies are alive, as long as our spirits are) (also this seems to mirror the way Jacob was Isaac's heir instead of Esau, though that's just my brain braining; I'm not sure how much correlation there actually is)

- while our bodies are alive, can still choose whether or not we follow God; this choice appears to be much more flexible than it is for spiritual beings, though it does become irreversible once our bodies die or Jesus returns to bring the new creation

- start our lives spiritually dead because of the Curse (our intended state is fully alive, but we have to choose life)

The ways in which spiritual beings are unique:

- can come in many forms (meaning their specialties appear to have direct correlation with their visual forms: seraphim being healers and fiery snakes with wings; cherubim being throne-carriers and worshippers, with many wings, eyes, and faces, and whose souls are kept within intersecting wheels; demons being described as darkness; etc.)

- in the vein of above, can change forms (taking human shape in multiple recorded places, including other mythologies; a spirit in 1Kings and 2Chron "going out and being a lying spirit," implying that they were not one all the time; etc.)

- are all submitted to God's authority (meaning that though they do have the ability to choose whether they want to continue to be His children, they all fear God.

- In the vein of all above, this choice fundamentally changes them in a way that appears irreversible (this choice to become separate from God contrasts with our choice to become alive from death)

My conclusion: humans are just another kind of elohim, sitting in our own place in the hierarchy and with our own role in this big spiritual war

Ok, that's all I can think of right now. If anyone has any questions or additions, please feel free! Again, I'm not an expert, and I haven't read Enoch, but any opportunity to research is welcome <3

@toytanks my friend, is this what you wanted? Are you happy with the thing you asked for? I give it freely. Eat and be merry.