#especially considering there are some pages in all of my a level books where it’s actually damn near impossible to read the text

[she-posts-nerdy-stuff]

Flicked back through my a-level copy of Frankenstein recently - shoutout to 16 year old me for the only annotations in the entire section where Victor made the Creature being ‘plosives’ ‘imago dei’ and ‘ironic, he’s sexist’. I stand by all of those statements.

[h-sleepingirl]

Hi!

I've been participating in the hypnosis world for about a year only as a subject, with somebody's audio files I've grown to enjoy. Being relatively... intelligent? (ADHD former "gifted kid" stereotype,) I've loved the way it can be so calming to my head which often has thoughts racing left and right with no end.

Your latest post about being a wizard with tomes piqued my interest and I would love to learn more and be one myself, especially in regards to Erickson who I had no knowledge of prior to today. Where would you recommend I start...? I would love to DM you and chat if the response would otherwise be too vague and long to be a reply to anon :)

Excellent to hear! I’ll give you some recommended reading and info. (And thanks for asking in my inbox, because this may help others!)

Milton Erickson was a hypnotherapist active in the 1900s who helped shape the form of modern hypnosis. There are many mythology-type stories about him. He really pioneered non-authoritative hypnosis (like, not “You will go into trance now!”), and hypnosis where he considered each client individually in order to figure out the best hypnotic method for them (this is the most critical thing and we still need to learn from it IMO). He’s known for some distinct techniques including storytelling and indirect language, although how those work and what they are depends on who you ask. He was a major inspiration for Neuro-Linguistic Programming, which takes inspiration from him but really changes a lot.

If you are just starting to learn how to hypnotize another person, I would not recommend STARTING with Erickson’s direct works (I mean feel free to read about the guy, just don't try to fight through his writing yet) -- but I don’t think you have to wait too long, especially if you have some experience as a subject. I would highly recommend reading a VARIETY of “intro to erotic hypnosis” guides -- there are a bunch, and as you’ll see, everyone teaches them differently. That’s because there are MANY ways of looking at how to do hypnosis and what it even is. Keep that in mind as you explore. I would like to offer my own guide: https://www.learnhypnokink.com/ in which I do try to teach a more overarching perspective that should be useful for learning other perspectives, and especially useful for progressing past beginner level.

Reading is great and if you only ever want to read that is fine, but a lot comes from experience, too. I don’t have recommendations for finding people to play with -- just remember that as a hypnotist, you have boundaries too, and you do not have to let yourself be used as a “trance vending machine” by eager subjects.

In terms of Erickson, take a look at his Wikipedia page or articles about him to get the gist of his character and history -- fascinating stories about him. And then when you want to try, read “Hypnotic Realities”, by him and his student Ernst Rossi. This is THE definitive Erickson book. I would not recommend reading books ABOUT "Ericksonian hypnosis" first -- anything talking ABOUT Erickson really tends to transform the meat of what he's trying to communicate IMO. Read from the source first. “Hypnotic Realities” is the greatest book on hypnosis of all time in my opinion, but it’s dense and challenging. It’s also beautifully subtle and you should plan to reread it ever so often because you will get new things out of it at different places along your journey.

Good luck! I hope this helps you and anyone else curious!

[justsomeoneintoomanyfandoms]

What's Your Type? - Sinostra Edition

This was originally requested by Anon who asked: "What kind of personality would each of the characters be drawn into?"

I had to split it up into a few sections, separating the boys by their houses so here's the next part. The links to all the others are below. I hope you like the headcanons!

Fandom: Tokyo Debunker

Characters: Taiga Hoshibami, Romeo Lucci, Ritsu Shinjo x gn! Reader

Frostheim | Vagastrom | Jabberwock | Sinostra | Hotarubi | Obscuary | Mortkranken

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What sort of personality are the characters drawn to?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This isn’t necessarily something Taiga looks for but if you’ve caught his eye, you’ve got to be good in a crisis. A lot of things can happen unexpectedly when you’re around him, so you need to be ready for anything.

If you’re not easily flustered but anything, that will definitely draw Taiga’s attention. Having a level head and taking things in your stride is the easiest way to stand out from the rest of the crowd in his eyes.

In the same manner, being quick on your feet will also draw him in. You don’t necessarily have to be athletic or fit but if your reaction time is good, he’ll be impressed. That’s always the first step.

You’ve also got to be patient. Taiga’s got a lot going on in his head and he’s not always going to act the same way. To attract him, you’ve got to be willing to deal with his mood swings.

The first thing Romeo will do upon meeting you is try to break you down. However, if you’re firm in yourself and your beliefs, he’ll be immediately interested in you.

At the same time, you’ve got to be willing to concede some things. If you’re stubborn, a relationship with him won’t work since there are some things he’s not willing to give up, even for you.

While it’s not mandatory, I think someone with high self esteem would be a good match for Romeo. He can be harsh with his words sometimes and if you can take that in your stride, he’ll be drawn to you more.

A willingness to join him in his pursuit of beauty is also something that will attract Romeo to you. If there’s something he loves the idea of more than his own beauty, it’s standing at the side of someone equally attractive.

To draw Ritsu’s attention, you’ve got to have some degree of intelligence. Whether that’s book smarts or street smarts, it doesn’t matter but you have to have a head on your shoulders.

I think he would also be attracted to someone witty. Sarcastic comments, sass, and witty remarks all make him smile, especially coming from you.

Firm morals are a must in a relationship with Ritsu. He’s got his set of morals he stands by and he needs to know you have similar convictions (if not quite to the same extent).

You’ve also got to be willing to put up with his more out-there tendencies, like recording his conversations. He knows it can be off-putting but if you’re willing to go along with it, he’ll be more drawn to you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey, did you enjoy this? If you like my writing, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi page! This will allow me to make some money off my writing, something I enjoy doing.

ko-fi.com/justsomeoneintoomanyfandoms

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[geniarts]

BillFord is canon

This was the title of a post I made on my previous tumblr account 6 years ago (acc was banned for unknown reason and I can't see my posts). Now, with the kind help of @decaying-dimension who gave me HD scans of the Book of Bill pages, I want to make a new summary of the subject.

You know, a month ago I was really surprised to see all those BillFord posts. Like people only realized it just recently even though there were plenty of hints in the series and especially in Journal 3. Back then, when I tried to say something about Bill and Ford relations, I got only hate and accusations. So now I feel a sense of triumph as all my thoughts were correct. Now let's see why we can say BillFord is in fact a canon.

Ford's feelings. Well, this point is so obvious that I'm really amused some people still can't take it right and keep talking about abuse, manipulations, etc. Yes, Bill used Ford to achieve his goal and then broke his heart, but those two years before his betrayal were the happiest years of Ford's life.

Ever since his childhood, Ford was teased for his fingers and had such deep communication issues that he gladly moved to a secluded place in the woods. He wished to someday become famous and show all his abusers that they were wrong. He wanted to be a hero, not a freak. He needed attention, admiration, recognition, and Bill gave him just that.

Ford called himself a Cipherholic, and that he was. Just think about a guy who turned his own house into a shrine. He was so obsessed with Bill that he collected every Bill artifact he could find, and in addition, surrounded himself with glass pyramids and dozens of hand drawn portraits all around his study.

Some people said that this wasn't a romantic feeling, just a religious one, but you know what? If you don't love someone with all your heart, you wouldn't be eager to see him in your dreams, you wouldn't reflect about the complex fates that brought you and him together, you wouldn't choose him over your only loyal friend. (Speaking of fate, in the Book of Bill there's a picture of baby Ford reaching for a yellow triangle as a sign that their destinies will be tied together) My, Ford even saw Bill's image in the stars! This was the most romantic thing in the whole Journal 3.

Ford trusted Bill so much he let him into his body and mind, and this is the highest level of trust a man could ever give. Bill was his beloved Muse, his sunshine, the center of his life, and he didn't want to hear anything bad about him. Ford ignored all the warnings like some blind lover and even kicked Fiddleford because he trusted Bill more than his old friend.

So now we clearly see that Ford didn't consider Bill just some kind of deity, but his partner, his closest friend, his beloved.

I won't speculate if there was something between them during "karaoke night" as I'm sure in this case Ford wouldn't behave the same way he always did (or maybe he just forgot the ending of that night :)) but the whole picture of them drinking together and the excitement Ford felt at that moment... well I'm sure he wouldn't mind if "one thing led to another" to its peak ;)

Bill's betrayal wounded Ford very badly and I can understand why he vowed to take revenge on him. He spent 30 years seeking information about Bill and building a weapon capable of destroying him, so we can say the most part of his life was dedicated to Bill in one way or another. Even now that he's reunited with his family, he can't get rid of his thoughts about Bill, and I doubt he will ever be able to.

Bill's feelings aren't so obvious as he's a hardened liar and pretender. That's why most people saw only one side of his personality, but even 6 years ago there were some hints of his inner thoughts and motives. The Axolotl said Bill was pretending to be happy, but deep inside he missed his home that he couldn't even return to. Hirsch also said that he used the concept of Flatland (a book written by Edwin Abbott) where triangles were one of the lowest classes, so this was another reason for Bill to seek power and to show others they were wrong about him (just like Ford).

Now in the Book of Bill we clearly see him having issues after destroying his home dimension. Even though he tries to deny his guilt, these thoughts are torturing him, and "the ghosts of his family are haunting him still” (a code from TBOB). He even called himself a monster while talking to Ford! There's no way such an egomaniac would call himself that if he didn't realize he deserved this. After his break up with Ford, he went to the bar to get drunk and forget, but he couldn't. He said Ford was his pawn, but in fact, Bill needed Ford more than Ford needed him.

After losing his home Bill didn't find a place where he could be happy again. He gathered some interdimensional scum around him and tried to numb his pain by torturing and abusing inhabitants in other worlds. He spent trillions of years doing this, but he still didn't get what he wanted - to be needed, to be loved. And he got all of this from Ford.

Ford's sincere adoration and devotion made Bill feel something new, something so important and necessary, but also something he didn't know how to deal with. He was scared, he never thought that he was able to make such a deep connection to another person... to a _mortal_ one. His phrase "handcuffing your happiness to a mortal is like gluing yourself to a time bomb ‘till death do us part’” is the saddest thing in the whole book. Bill tried to convince himself that their breakup was the right thing because these thoughts were really unbearable for him.

But despite all of this, he tried so hard to get Ford back. He invited him twice, and the first one was right after Ford's attempt to kill him. Moreover, it was during that moment Bill was sure he became the ruler of Earth and didn't need Ford's assistance anymore, so he asked him to join just because he wanted Ford to be with him.

What he didn't understand was that Ford hated him for all the pain he caused him and his family. For Bill it was just entertainment, so he couldn't understand why Ford was so upset. But I think there's a potential opportunity for both of them if Bill finally finds courage to admit his mistakes and to improve himself. He just has to look deeper inside himself and allow his remorse, his pain and his true wishes to take place in his soul. And I'm sure if he sincerely asks for help, Ford wouldn't turn his back on him.

[tarysande]

Hi! I’m considering becoming an editor but I’m not sure if it’s the right fit for me. If you don’t mind answering, what was your path like for becoming an editor, and what does the job mostly consist of for you?

Additionally, while I really do like helping other people’s work become better, I get too in my head to release a lot of my own work. Does editing require you to also be a writer most of the time, or could I get by mostly just editing?

Thanks!

Hi, anonymous friend!

These are really good questions for a potential editor to ask.

To (sort-of) answer your question, the amount of writing involved depends on the type of editing, honestly. So, first you have to decide what kind of editor you want to be.

Roughly, editing breaks down into three-to-four types: developmental/substantive, line/stylistic, copy editing, and proofreading. These terms are mixed up and interchanged ... often. Increasingly, line editing includes or incorporates copy editing, which is why I say "three-to-four."

Developmental is the big picture stuff, including manuscript critiques. Books of all kinds usually undergo some kind of developmental editing--by editorial agents, acquisitions editors, freelance developmental editors, etc. In my experience, this is also the kind of editing that requires the most writing and/or the most author/editor interaction.

Stylistic/line editing tends to be editing at the sentence level, looking at diction, structure, clarity, consistency, etc. Copy editing, on the other hand, is what many people think of when they think of editing--it's the mechanics of writing, like spelling, grammar, punctuation.

Proofreading is the rather specialized skill of editing proofs. They're the final eyes on a pre-published piece; they're looking for typos and errors rather than anything that will involve significant authorial changes because a proof page has already been "set" (as it were).

All of these kinds of editing can be applied to many different areas of communication, and the editors who perform them can be self-employed (like me) or work for an employer (i.e., as a more traditional employee). Employee editors might work in-house at a publisher (of books, magazines, academic journals, etc.), or they might have any number of editing-focused roles in business, government, education, etc. Self-employed editors may also end up working as contractors for other companies; this is pretty normal.

Many book publishers, including the Big Five, farm out a lot of their editing these days, by the way. Especially the copy editing and proofreading. So, those particular jobs are dwindling as in-house options. Publishers can pay freelancers less ... and avoid paying benefits. (#capitalism)

I will also say that, especially in jobs with anything to do with marketing or advertising, there's a lot of annoying scope creep where "copy editor" is often expected to be a copy writer, too. Again, it's a symptom of employers wanting to pay fewer people to do more jobs (and it's really annoying).

My path has mostly involved trying as many things as possible and slowly weeding out the ones I don't like. I've pretty much always been self-employed because the personal benefits (setting my own schedule, rates, deadlines) works better for me. That said, I'm Canadian (so I don't have to worry about employer-covered healthcare), and I have a partner whose salary is regular and whose benefits cover me, so I don't have some of the worries a freelancer in the US or a single-income household might have. I'm increasingly working on the development side of things because big-picture storytelling, including writing and editor/author interaction, is my jam. But I have also done a ton of line/copy editing on fiction, non-fiction, academic work, etc.

Without knowing what kind of editing you're looking to get into, it's harder for me to offer suggestions for next steps, but generally, I'd say it's important to get SOME training--whether through a school, a certificate program, or the various workshops and professional development offered by editing associations (Editors Canada, the CIEP, ACES, the EFA, ...there's an Australian one whose acronym has slipped my mind). Researching the flavor of editing you're interested in will probably offer up avenues for study, too. For example, most US publishers/authors use iterations of the Chicago Manual of Style. Most UK publishers/authors use Hart's Rules/Oxford. Academic journals/schools/students have different style guides (APA, AMA, MLA, Harvard, Vancouver). Law uses the Blue Book. It's good to have working knowledge of a few style guides--and then you have to keep up with the changes (Chicago's 18th edition is coming out this year, and I hear some significant changes are afoot--such as fully embracing the singular they!).

The tl;dr here is that yes, there are a lot of writer-editors. But there are also a lot of editors who aren't writers at all, or who have no interest in becoming writers, or who don't want their writing and editing to overlap, or who edit because they like helping people and they value clarity. At the end of the day, editing and writing are two very different hats, and you don't necessarily need to wear both.

...this is already a bit long, but if you have other questions or want me to get more specific about something, please ask!

[whirlwindstars]

Le Monde’s “Les Misérables” comic book review

General information

The two volumes are part of “Les Grands Classiques de la Littérature en Bande Dessineé” (The Greatest Classics of Literature in Comic Book format) by French newspaper “Le Monde”.

Adaptation by Daniel Bardet.

Drawings by Bernard Capo.

'Plus points'

The adaptation

The adaptation is very good!

Considering the entire comic book is 92 pages long, the plot points are there and are well detailed. Some lines are even word-to-word inserts from the book, such as the beginning.

The sceneries

The backgrounds are extremely faithful to the novel! There are scenes where you can see they paid attention to Hugo’s long descriptions of streets and rooms.

The panels are full of minute things to look out for if you are a book fan.

The characters

I enjoyed the way they kept some traits, both physical and psychological, of the main characters, such as Jean Valjean’s hatred for Marius or Bossuet’s appearance!

I can’t say all aesthetic choices are to be considered a success, though…

More on it later.

The covers

Paolo Martinello created two beautiful comic book covers, choosing to depict pivotal scenes from the volumes.

This point too has a downside, as you’ll soon discover.

The bonus pages

Some pages were added in both volumes with insights on Victor Hugo, his works (including more information on “Les Misérables”). They put some extracts from the Brick, too!

'Minus points'

It’s in French

Being a product for a French newspaper, it's obviously written in French. 

So, if you are not well versed in the language, it will become rather tricky if not impossible to get everything.

I could only find an Italian version of this comic, I can’t find other translations.

The style of the drawings

Of course, this point is subjective, but I’m not a big fan of the style used for the panels. It’s a bit old-school, in my opinion.

It wouldn’t be that big a problem, if it weren’t for a small detail…

The cover is clickbait

Don’t judge a book by its cover!

As I said before, the covers were made by a different artist, and the difference is striking!

And there’s more: other variants of the same volumes have different covers! Even in those cases, they were not made in the main artist’s style.

(I’m not entirely sure, but it seems to be the case in the Italian version as well).

This creates a problem, as you can’t always make sure the style is the same, especially in comic books that are sold with a newspaper.

Do I recommend it?

If you have a good level of French (or Italian) and you like the artstyle, I say you should give it a try.

It’s an abridged version, but still a good adaptation.

Bonus Info (SPOILERS!!)

The barricade is, as always, significantly cut

With only 92 pages, it was bound to happen.

I was surprised to find a character like Mabeuf included in the story, with more than a couple panels showing his death and the aftermath.

But, aside from that moment, the other scenes at the barricade are more or less what you see in the musical version.

Speaking of characters at the barricade…

Some members of ‘Les Amis de l’ABC’ have been cut, thus not appearing at the barricade.

The most notable one being Jean Prouvaire.

Moreover, the aesthetic choices for Les Amis & Marius are also… Well, a choice.

They all look way older than their age! 

I mean, people used to look older in the past, but a quick search through portraits of that time period in the Louvre website helps with getting a better idea on how a man in their 20s used to look.

And, as much as I love 19th Century sideburns, the way they’re drawn here…

Let me just show you.

THIS IS ENJOLRAS:

(You know, the guy who is supposed to look younger than his age. And quite androgynous. And resemble a Greek statue. That guy.)

You get what I mean.

And so we arrive at the end of this review. I can say I quite enjoyed preparing it, and I hope you enjoyed it as well!

[zxxyue]

I wanted to see if the Chinese and Japanese graduation albums were any different from one another + some comments under my translation. It's almost his birthday too! I'm doing his character book pages next.

Kunugigaoka Junior High, 3rd Year Class A

Asano Gakushu

The Asano Family

Father: Chairman of Kunugigaoka Academy

Mother: Housewife

Siblings: Only child

An only child.

He is very concerned about his genetics because his mother’s younger brother went bald at a young age.

With his genius-level talent, he leads Class A as the student council president.

He has outstanding grades, language skills, business acumen, is proficient in martial arts, has a commanding presence, is eloquent, and can even play the guitar. He is the leader of the "Five Virtuosos," someone who knows too much, to the point of being a bit laughable, and the student council president. He was a fierce rival in the mid-term exams, where a heated battle took place. To win, he would stop at nothing, but due to his noble character, he dislikes underhanded methods.

"I will lead! So please… continue supporting me."

A naturally condescending gaze. To him, "classmates" and "subordinates" are synonymous, and he occasionally slips up and mixes them up.

The side of Asano Gakushu that no one knows!

"And besides… With your abilities, I’m sure you’ll figure out a way, right?"

After going through several intense battles, he has developed a comrade-like relationship with Class E… I guess this could be considered a sign of him becoming more well-rounded.

Messages written for Asano Gakushu:

"After entering high school, I’m always ready for a challenge from you, Asano-kun. Please look after me~" (Akabane)

“I believe that by competing with Asano and the A-class, we can all grow. Thank you. (Isogai)

"We’re not just subordinates, but comrades as well. Don’t hesitate to rely on us sometimes, leader!" (Seo)

Subordinates… The other members of the Five Virtuosos:

Koyama Natsuhiko

The crazy character of the Five Virtuosos. Despite his appearance, perhaps due to his confidence, he is rather flirtatious with girls.

Seo Tomoya

The arrogant character of the Five Virtuosos. He often boasts about being a returnee from overseas and has a quick temper.

Araki Teppei

The "explainer" character of the Five Virtuosos. He excels in social studies. He also takes on the role of MC during school events.

Sakakibara Ren

The ladies’ man of the Five Virtuosos. He’s very skilled at attracting women and even once tried to pursue Kanzaki.

PERSONAL HISTORY

Private Kunugigaoka Junior High School

Private Kunugigaoka Senior High School

Private Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) ※ Acquired qualifications necessary for entrepreneurship, including an MBA.

Founded a business in Silicon Valley

Starting from his first year of high school, he began establishing his own system of control, with Karma being the only one who refused to submit to him. The two graduated in a state of constant tension and rivalry. After graduation, he went on to execute his perfect dominance at MIT. By leveraging his connections worldwide to recruit top talent, he became a leading figure in Silicon Valley.

Notes from yours truly

In the original Japanese, Gakushu’s name is written as 学秀 with the simplified kanji 学, while his father Gakuho’s name uses the traditional 學, which is probably a subtle reflection of a generational difference.

However, in the Chinese version, Gakushu’s name is localized as 淺野學秀. Chinese publications, especially in regions like Taiwan or Hong Kong, use traditional characters as the default, so his name would naturally be localized with 學 instead of 学.

I've seen people on Tiktok posting about Gakushu having an absent mother in 2024. The misinformation around this boy is pitiful!

Male pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia) can be passed down through genetics, and there is some scientific basis for the concern Gakushu has about going bald, especially in relation to his mother’s side of the family.

The key factor in the inheritance of male pattern baldness is related to the X chromosome. Men inherit their X chromosome from their mother, so the gene that influences baldness is often passed down from the mother’s side.

The gene in question is related to the androgen receptor, which regulates the body’s response to male hormones (androgens) like testosterone. If someone inherits a particular variant of this gene, they may be more susceptible to hair loss. It’s a fun detail since Gakushu has this whole Genetic General thing running haha

The choice of words for the archetypical roles of the four other Virtuosos are

Natsuhiko: 瘋狂 (mad/insane)

Seo: 自傲 (self-pride/arrogance)

Teppei: 解說 (explanation/commentary. as a role*)

Ren: 把妹 (picking up girls/flirting)

Beyond the obvious qualifications (like top grades and an impressive application), I believe Gakushu’s ability to pitch his vision was crucial. He wouldn’t have just been accepted into MIT for being academically brilliant but for his ability to prove that he's an ambitious visionary. That, and he's extremely charistmatic and knows how to act infront of people.

Given the tech-driven nature of Silicon Valley, Gakushu likely obtained qualifications related to technology and innovation. He might have pursued computer science or engineering coursework, or certifications in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, or blockchain. These qualifications would allow him to understand the technical side of the business, especially if his startup involved tech-driven innovation.

My guess is that Gakushu’s business could be centered around developing and controlling advanced technologies, such as quantum computing/AI/neurotechnology, to establish dominance over human society.

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

Every week I will post various reviews I've written so far in 2024. You can check out my Goodreads for more up-to-date reviews HERE. You can friend me on Goodreads here.

Have you read any of these? What were your thoughts?

___

281. Next to You by Hannah Bonam-Young--⭐️⭐️⭐️

I wanted to love this, BUT I'm sure I'll really enjoy book 1 and 3! I did like the love interest, he was a darn sweetheart.

I think what I didn't really care for in this book (and why my rating wasn't as high as I would have liked) was that I couldn't really connect with the MC and her decisions. But a three star isn't a bad rating, it is a "I enjoyed this but it could have gone better for me".

I really liked the mental health rep and how detrimental it can be when it has you in its grip. I think that was one of the things I loved most about this book. I liked that Bonam-Young didn't shy away from this aspect of the MC's life.

But the story itself, while having some very fun and cute moments, felt like it lacked something that would have fully grabbed me. I don't know if the pacing was off, or if the relationship felt a little too surface level--something about it held me back from fully loving it. I don't know if it was that the bus was fixed a little too much behind the scenes or too quickly, or that there was a third act break up.

The love interest was really sweet and I really liked him. I kind of wish we'd had a dual POV story, just to both make things feel more rounded and to get more bus-fixing scenes.

I am definitely going to pick up the other two books because I'm excited by their descriptions. I will say that I'm happy that I read this one first because it's only up from here!

___

282. The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm not a novel-in-verse girly, but I loved the hell out of this audiobook. This book was beautiful. Such a wonderful exploration of a young person learning who he is and who he wants to be.

I highly recommend listening to this as an audiobook because it flowed so well and was just a great experience!

Dean Atta has created a great character with a strong personality and relatability for readers of all ages, especially teens trying to figure out who they are. I connected with the MC over his mixed-raced upbringing and how society might view that part of him. We get to see him experiencing these moments of racism and identity-confusion.

I loved that Atta touched on the confusing feelings teenagers might experience when they are discovering who they are and how even though you're certain of one thing, your mind will always ask you to consider other ideas (like him knowing he is gay, but still contemplating potential romantic feelings for his female best friend.)

Another surprising aspect of this book that I was really enjoying was how the book spans over several years of the MC's life. We get to see him be completely confused about who he is until the last page where he is fully sure and finding that confidence he had always wanted when he was younger.

Overall, I highly recommend this. And if you're not a novel in verse person like me, listen to the audiobook! It's worth it!

___

283. The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I didn't even know this existed until last month. LOVED. Such a great sequel/finale!

When I saw that THE GIRL IN QUESTION was a sequel to a book I loved last year (or the year before?), I KNEW I wanted to read it. And from the very beginning, I was hooked--even if it took me a second to remember who each character was.

One of the things I immediately liked about this one was the setting. I don't know how many times I've mentioned it in past reviews, but I LOVE survival stories and Sharpe's newest novel is set in the woods! Immediately got me. And then from there, it was twist after twist. The characters were badasses in their attempts to survive and it was constant action. There were no slow moments.

I also liked that the story jumped from perspective to perspective because it made the novel feel more cinematic and rounded. It felt like I could see the whole thing taking form in my head. It especially helped when we started to get more background information about the one MC's past.

The ending was great and was a nice way of ending the story. I will be surprised if there is another one in this series, but I won't be angry with it.

If you love a good YA queer suspense novel, then I really think you should add the first book, THE GIRLS I'VE BEEN, to your TBR!

___

284. Swift & Saddled by Lyla Sage--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lyla Sage's series is just such a sweet and pure fun time. I like that the series feels like a low-drama, low-stakes type of romance series and I'm 100% here for it.

SWIFT AND SADDLED was no exception to the cute romance factor that I'm really enjoying from this author. We get some fun chemistry between the two MCs and the build up of sexual tension. Loved the idea that she was the perfect fit for him, even though she just stopped by the town for her new job.

The MMC was a sweetheart who is used to putting everyone first, so it was nice seeing him get some character growth throughout the story.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this one too was that the characters had to work for their relationship. It might have been an insta-attraction story, but it took a bit before they both official fell for each other. We got to know them and the way they are together before anything truly sexual happened. Yes, the tension was there but I liked the boundaries set.

If you're looking for a romance that is just an easy and quick read, you might love this one. It's the kind of romance that will make you feel giddy and will keep you hoping that these two characters give in to their mutual attraction.

___

285. The Titan's Bride Vol. 4 by ITKZ--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh, loving the reveal of the major storyline that has been hinted since volume 1! I feel like the next volume is going to be more action filled!

There was some mystery in this and of course, some spicy times. But I like that we're getting more insight into the MC and his love interests' relationship and connection. I'm excited to see what comes next as the mystery unfolds because this volume left me on a cliffhanger.

___

286. Earthlings by Sayaka Murata--⭐️⭐️⭐️

What the hell did I just read?

I feel like this book was an interesting and deeply disturbing take on trauma and how it can cause some serious damage. While EARTHLINGS took things to an explosive conclusion, I think it's important to keep note on the traumatic experiences that acted as the base for the destruction of the MC's mental health.

This book is very much not for everyone. Hell, I kind of wish I hadn't read it. Massive trigger warning for readers who can't do books with SA, especially when the survivor is a child and the assault is descriptive. I remember having to pause the audiobook because it was so disturbing and horrific--more than the final acts of the book.

But it wasn't just the traumatic SA of the MC as a child, but it was the verbal and physical abuse from the family, the gaslighting from the sister, the trauma bonding with the cousin that led to an inappropriate relationship, and then the control that was put over the MC even as she gets older.

There is a moment in this book where the MC loses the taste of food in her mouth due to her abuse and the way she gains that sense of taste back was, admittedly, chef's kiss. It was in moments like that where I saw the author's genius. But the rest of the book was a study in "How much can be written to showcase how horrible this MC's childhood was?"

I want to read more by Murata and I probably will, but man, what a hell of a book to start with. EARTHLINGS is a study in trauma and holy hell is it traumatic. Please be incredibly wary before you start reading! Don't go in blind like I did, especially if you have triggers you try to avoid.

___

287. Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This felt like PRINCESS DIARIES if there was an abundance of swearing and sex positivity.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but it wasn't a sassy teen girl who spoke her mind in such a refreshingly honest way. I wish I had read this as a teenager because I think I would have related a lot to this MC.

McCafferty touched on a lot of the things that teen girls might experience--like friends who might not really be friends, feeling left out even though you're still in the crowd, crushes, feeling the pressure from expectations from those around you (especially parental), having people assume they know who you are, and finally starting to accept yourself and who you are.

I was so surprised by the swearing and laughed my butt off at various points. I was so entertained by this book and how it didn't sugarcoat any of the realities of teenhood. This was a lot of fun and while I don't know if I'll be reading the rest of the series, I recommend SLOPPY FIRSTS (especially if you're a fan of the teenhood-ness of PRINCESS DIARIES)!

___

288. Business Casual by B.K. Borison--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

A story without miscommunication and the dreaded third act break up? YES. I was so happy by the time I finished this one! Best one in the series, 100%!

One of my issues that I've had with this series in the past was how the couples ALWAYS had a third act break up, usually led by the miscommunication trope. Every time I picked up one of the earlier books in this series, I did so warily because I knew there would be that break up trope waiting for me. So, of course, I went into BUSINESS CASUAL with that wariness but I was so surprised and I'm so happy that I actually gave this book a shot.

BUSINESS CASUAL was the kind of romance I've been wanting from this series. The couple have great communication, great character growth, a romance that builds up over time, and hilarious moments that had me giggling.

I liked that beyond the romance, there were also complex relationships that the FMC and the MMC had to navigate throughout the book. They each had their own internal battles and I liked that they tackled them alongside their growing romance. The expectations of being a younger sibling and the stresses of being the son of a man who is constantly belittling who you are as a person.

This was just such a breath of fresh air and I enjoyed the heck out of it. I wish I could live in a small town like this one!

___

Happy reading!

[monstersandmagicians]

Anyways, cheered when I checked my inbox this morning. Been waiting months for this announcement.

So, thoughts:

-Avallon Hotel and Spa: obvious Arthurian connection here. Healing springs. Will be fascinated to see the level of significance here - I think Maggie typically names with easter eggs in mind whereas I try to dig as deep as possible when analysing these choices, so we'll see.

-WONDER: so, Stiefvater said that she is trying to writing Wonder as opposed to Horror. The synopses, especially the QBD one, are written as if for a gothic-ish sort of novel, the sort that leaves you feeling claustrophobic. Considering the effect Sinner had on me, I do trust Stiefvater to achieve what she is setting out to do.

-Synopsis: again, the sort of synopsis I would read, think has the good bones for a story, but know it will make me depressed so I'd skip. Again, I have faith.

-"class conflict, an ensemble cast, about four different kinds of love": from the email. Book's set in the Appalachian mountains in the 1942, so the class stuff will be good. Willing to bet on some good sibling content, even though we only have two named characters. Obviously, this will be an adult novel, but I feel its going to sit comfortably next to The Scorpio Races in my head.

-Cars: nothing has mentioned cars, even the bits that have talked about it being a Stiefvater novel. Still, I expect cars, in loving details.

-June Hudson: Okay, so June Hennessy was my first thought on seeing the name, then the fact the book is coming out in June. Hudson? All I've got is the Hudson River folks. From the synopsis I don't think I can make an assumption about which way Stiefvater's taking her character, but I'm assuming she's a Responsible, Practical one. Is described as enigmatic

-Tucker Minnick, FBI Agent: Love the name, again, look forward to finding out where the components were plucked from. Despite working for the FBI, the main synopsis* suggests he hails from the Appalachian. Class conflict bound up in one man?

-Cover: so, a cover had been included. It's white and purple with a house on. Generic and I don't see people pitching a fit over it, but it includes a "sticker" saying "Cover to Be Revealed". That makes sense, we're ages out from the release. Still, feels like the publisher creating problems for Stiefvater there. Looking forward to the real cover and I hope it feels more Stiefvater-y, even if others aren't fond of it.

-The Listeners: while I'm stomping on hornets' nests, the title. Simplistic, but evocative. Would love to know what is listening to who and how many ways this title can be applied.

-Betrayal: the QBD synopsis uses the word betrayal. Could mean anything, tbh.

-The Nazi Thing: has the potential to be really interesting and insightful, if Stiefvater hands it well. Considering her experiences with fandom, I imagine she has proceeded with more caution than others (*cough*Chibnal*cough).

-Length and Date: According to QBD, the paperback is 416 pages (a very satisfying number). Penguin has the hardback at 384. This suggests longer than MI, shorter than CDTH. Penguin has release date at June 3rd, while QBD (Australian Bookstore) has the 10th. The email just says June, so I would say, expect early June.

-Bears: I would rather approach a bear than the TRC fandom, tbh.

*(QBD synopsis differs from the one Stiefvater released; doesn't include Minnick at all)

[thegamingcatmom]

I just got back in my twilight phase and discovered your blog, so I was wondering if MC ever got transformed into a vampire in the sisters universe, who would be the one transforming her? I feel like the obvious choice would be tanya, but a part of me thinks that irina trying to kill MC, but accidently turning her would fit the level of unhinged they are. But also if turned into a vampire, how do you think the sisters would react to MC being stronger AND possibly hotter?

In that case:

Welcome to my blog! :3

Right off the bat: Irina cannot be trusted alone with MC at this point in time, that´s true. But it´s not gonna stay like that forever. She´ll come around sooner or later (more later though), so the chances of MC getting turned because Irina actually tried to finish the job are pretty slim. But I can see where you´re coming from and I love that yall´s minds are coming up with possible scenarios for the Unholy Trinity and their, uh...chosen one. 🤭

With that said-

It´s difficult to say who´s gonna turn her, as it depends on everything that leads up to that moment. And it´s gonna be a while yet before we even get to that moment. I don´t plan anything I write beforehand. I simply go with what feels right, so I´ll know who´s gonna turn MC when it gets to that. 😅

However, I´ve been working on a lil something for a bit now (yes, the something that´s supposed to make yall suffer), sort of like an alternate ending to The Sisters. Like, yknow how some games have multiple endings? There´s the good ending, the hidden one, and the bad one.

Well, consider my WIP the bad one. 😅

BUT: It might shine some light into everyone´s motives, especially when it comes to the whole turning thing.

.

As for the sisters´ reactions to vampire!MC?

...I mean-

So, not rly any different from now. LMAO.

It´s true though: They might not realize it yet (well, except for Tanya lol) but, to them, MC´s already-

I´m actually gonna take a page out of Edward´s (well, SM´s lol) book here:

MC´s always gonna be their MC, just a lot less fragile. ;3

Like yknow, I don´t think there´s all that much that would change for them. Ofc it´s gonna be nice when they won´t have to worry about accidently crushing MC when hugging her anymore (Kate´s bear hugs can be rather suffocating, it has to be said), but when it comes to attraction? I don´t think they could possibly be any more smitten with MC. Or else they might actually eat her up, lmao.

So, it´s not gonna be an overly sexual first reaction, if that´s what you´re asking. It´s more like they´re completely in awe of what they´re seeing, almost like they´re not quite sure what they´re seeing is even real. Because, at that point, all of them have been through a lot, right? All those months (perhaps even years, I haven´t decided yet) of madness and longing and arguments and more longing and fighting and some more madness and then longing again and-

By the end of The Sisters, it will have been one hell of a ride for everyone involved. So, seeing everything finally come full circle when their chosen one joins them in their shared forever? I don't think words could truly capture their feelings, tbh.

However, something I find quite funny to think about:

I reckon it´s gonna be MC who turns into the horndog this time, lmao. As a newborn, there´s only gonna be two things on her mind when she first opens her eyes to this new world:

blood

sex

That´s gonna be all she cares about. And, somehow, I think she´s gonna try and go for the latter first because duh, look at that gorgeous wom-

Wait, there´s another-

And another-

Jesus, can you imagine?? Poor MC, completely driven by her instincts. Instincts she just doesn´t know how to deal with yet. Her brain´s gonna melt. She´s gonna melt. This is too much, she is but a newborn-

And the sisters? They couldn´t be more delighted at that display. For them, it´s like watching a baby take its first step. I mean, they´re literally ancient. And MC´s so young, she´s a baby. YKNOW WHAT I´M SAYING??

Sugar Momma mode activated.

KSBJFKASKBFASKF

Honestly though, that´s kinda how I envision it. The sisters are beyond mature, and MC just can´t cope with any of it. She´ll need the sisters to guide her, show her how it´s done. She´ll also need them to soothe that inner beast of hers that keeps telling her stuff that totally contradicts with what she´s actually thinking-

And then MC goes about actually jumping their bones, only for them to-

.

Tanya: "Ah, ah...first we must get that thirst of yours under control, my love."

Kate: "I hate myself for this but, for once, I gotta agree with the spoilsport. One craving now, the other craving later. But God, you´re so sexy when you´re-"

Irina: "As Tanya said...we wouldn´t want you losing your pretty head halfway through and risk half of Alaska´s population being drained by noon, would we, maličký?"

MC, who hasn´t understood a word after "thirst": 🩸👁️👄👁️🩸

.

YKNOW???

But I also kinda HC that, in the world of vampires, with age comes status. All vampires have this inner beast that´s responsible for their more primal behavior and instinctive reactions in certain situations. Such as coming face to face with an elder. And MC´s got three of them.

Lord have mercy on that poor girl. We all wanna be her, let´s face it.

.

.

.

Thanks a lot for your ask! 💋

[pomegrnteseed]

raspberries

He wasn't sure when he first noticed it, but now it was unmissable.

Hermione Granger was not alright.

Draco had found her habits endearing initially; the lopsided piles of books on her desk, the mountains of paper piling up around her, the three quills stuck in her hair as she frantically patted down her pockets searching for something to write with.

The way she always took notes, handwriting spilling off the page in near-illegible scribbles as her brain failed to keep up with the thoughts running a mile a minute in her mind.

Her stomach always rumbled in staff meetings because she never ate breakfast, often worked through lunch, and pressed the beginnings of a dehydration headache from her temples as Robards rumbled on.

She was a meticulous researcher, loved the intricacies of laws and precedent, past cases she could help the aurors and magibarristers with. No one could crack her filing systems, but the evidence was always solid, always compelling. She was a talented woman, despite the barely contained and near-tangible chaotic energy that fizzed around her.

But three months ago, Draco noticed a shift.

Her blunt responses to McLaggen's idiotic requests in meetings were replaced with a chewed lip and silent bob of her head in acknowledgement. The stacks of papers and books now overwhelmed her small office, the door couldn't be fully opened when he popped his head in to see if she was ready for the briefing with Potter and Thomas at 3 o'clock.

He'd found her crunched in a ball in her seat, right leg bouncing, as she squirmed in the chair, completely engrossed in the notes she was writing. Two puddles of ink had been left to coagulate on her parchment, the fabric turning to mulch and slowly tearing a large hole in her work.

He coughed, but she didn't respond. Eventually, he called her name and she jumped with surprise.

"Malfoy, sorry, I was- doesn't matter. Is it that time already? Merlin, let me find-"

Her volume petered off as she mumbled to herself, hurriedly searching for the relevant documents, before growing frantic.

"M- my wand isn't- Malfoy I can't find- what a stupid woman, so careless, so lazy!"

To his horror, tears welled in her eyes as she tore through her desk, the wand in question nowhere to be found.

She gripped her thighs tight, nails digging into the material of her trousers, face red and torso rocking as she tried to calm her breath.

"Granger- Hermione, I need you to breathe."

She whimpered and Draco finally managed to curl his way round the door, finding a space to fit his feet between boxes and books and files.

He crouched, meeting her at her level, a tentative hand reaching out but slowly receding when she flinched.

"Hermione? I'm going to reschedule the meeting with Thomas and Potter. They're free tomorrow at the same time. Let me send a note to them. And then we'll figure out where your wand has rolled to."

She's chewing on her lip and he's sure it must be bleeding, but her small nod is all the permission he needs to rip a corner of parchment and send the note to Potter, who he urges to give her space til the following day. The man is infuriatingly protective of this witch, and the room really doesn't have space to fit another body among the file boxes and tomes. Especially with his tendency towards the dramatic.

Note sent, he surveys the woman before him. Her hands are now in fists, arms tight at her sides, and her shoulders are rounded. He senses shame in her and doesn't understand.

"Before we begin, have you eaten today? Do you need some water?"

She peers up at him, questioning gaze as she nods, tentative and skittish. He smiles gently.

"Go and grab yourself something from the tea cart in Meeting Room 3, it's empty but there's plenty leftovers. And then nip to the bathroom. I'll draw up a search plan."

She considers his words, eyes back on the floor as she weighs up her options, and acquiesces. As she slips out the door, he tells her there were definitely cheese and tomato sandwiches left. She nods in acknowledgement but carries on out the room.

He surveys the damage of her frantic searching, righting precarious leaning towers of books, replacing stationary, tucking her glasses away in their case. He brightens the light in the room a little, cracks open the window to let a little air in, and tries to determine a way forward, since his own Accio Granger's Wand was unsuccessful. Not that he was questioning her wandless casting or her ability to cast wandlessly under emotional strain. Draco Malfoy learned long ago not to underestimate this woman.

She returns with her food and water bottles for them both, stopping suddenly and frowning at the room.

"You brightened the light."

He nods.

"I thought it would help us search better with more light in the room."

"I don't- not that I'm ungrateful, but I can't have the light this bright. It hurts."

She trips over her words and apologies for inconveniencing him, tries to explain she can push through but he's already fixed his tampering. He goes to the window and closes it too, her wry, self-deprecating smile telling him his instincts were right.

"The noise," she explains with an apologetic shrug, "it gets too much sometimes. But the fresh air helps. I always forget to air the place out."

"Before we disrupt your filing system and double your workload in fixing my poor attempts to follow it, can I ask when you last remember using your wand?"

She closes her eyes, corners of her mouth pulled down.

"I can't remember."

He hums.

"Take me through your morning."  

She does, and her eyes shoot open as she explains she'd made a second trip to the archives for this afternoon's meeting.

"I hadn't factored in the time, you see, so I was rushing. Was worried because the meeting was in 3 hours so I needed to get down and back so I could try and get lunch, but the lift was slow and there was a Disposal team at the Department of Mysteries again, so I had to take the long way round. There weren't any cheese sandwiches left, so I took the stairs but it made me even later so then-"

Draco nods along, following her out the door as they retrace her steps, her chattering all the while.

"Did you know the last time the Lestrange manor was raided, Burke's grubby little assistant stole Harry's glasses? I read it in his report. Absolute nuisance that girl-"

She stops suddenly, blushing and apologising.

"I don't realise I do it, you know. Talk, that is. I mean, obviously I know I'm talking but I don't realise I'm /still/ talking until suddenly I'm aware and I'm very embarrassed. Please do tell me to shut up. And if I don't listen, remind me I asked you to intervene."

Draco takes in this woman, her shining eyes trained on her fingers as she picks at the skin of her right thumb repeatedly. He gently reaches and she lets him pull her hands apart, watches him soothe her raw skin slowly with his cooler hands on her clammy ones. Her breath catches.

"Why are you being so nice?"

He laughs, but stops immediately when she frowns, turning to him before the Archives door.

"I'm serious. Why?"

Draco sighs.

"You take your tea with one sugar. You never have more than two cups a day. Your notes are embarrassingly messy, but you know exactly what you mean. You wear the same outfits, but sometimes you have on different socks and I /know/ those days are hard on you because you kick your shoes off and grumble about the carpet. You are remarkably talented and you have never let us down, but you are clearly exhausting yourself and are wholly unsupported in your role. I'm completely bewitched by you, Hermione Granger, your quirks and your inability to ever return a book to the library, even when it's not useful because One Day It Might Be. You forget to eat sometimes, and it's okay to ask for help. But I want to help even when you don't ask, or don't realise you need the reminder."

He lets out a huff.

"You stopped being snarky to McLaggen, and honestly that was the final straw. You always have a good comeback for him."

She's slackjawed.

"He told me I was weird. But his face was so twisted when he did it. It felt like school again. I've tried so hard to fit in. To do well. And mostly I think I'm good. But that day I'd missed a memo from Robards and I cried because it felt like failure and Cormac laughed. It hurt. And I got so flustered I couldn't speak. My jaw just wouldn't open. I never let people see me like that. But that night, I crawled onto my bed and the twist of his mouth played over and over. And everything slowly started slipping after that. Like I'd dropped one marble and the rest rolled out the bag, dropping to the floor."

Draco watches her, the sagging of her shoulders. He doesn't understand her perception of failure, but it clearly weighs her down.

"It's pasta night tonight, yes?"

She nods, baffled by the change of conversational direction.

"I happen to make a great tomato sauce. And homemade garlic bread. Will you join me for dinner? If not tonight, maybe next week?"

She twists her fingers, weighs up her options. He waits patiently.

"Tonight works. If you don't mind me going for a twenty minute walk after."  

"20 minutes is enough time for me to prepare the fruits for dessert. No raspberries, naturally."

"They pop wrong!"

He laughs, recollecting her diatribe on the insult to her tongue the meek raspberry posed. Then he nodded to the Archives door.

"You'll likely find your wand in the last box you searched. Since you summoned it to the sorting table."

The o-shape of surprise her mouth makes is utterly tempting, but he wants to do this right.

"You're not a failure, Hermione Granger. You're remarkable. And you're human. And I think you're the most intriguing woman I've ever met. The way your brain works, the connections you make - I will never replicate, but I could watch you work for hours and still be bewildered the following day. Have dinner with me. Let me learn what helps you feel safe and comfortable and capable. Let me get to know you beyond the Ministry. I think you're something special. It would be an honour to learn you, as best I can."

She hasn't looked him in the eye so long before. He knows because he counts the seconds each time, falling into the depths of her caramel irises.

Her smile is slow to build but when it reaches full grin Draco finds himself unsteady on his feet. She's radiant.

"You really do see me, don't you?" she asks him, glowing at his confident nod.

"Yes Draco Malfoy, you can cook me pasta for dinner. And I'll try your raspberries."

- - -

I was inspired by Ivie over on twitter to explore neurodivergence in this fandom, and used my own recent discoveries about myself. I have no dx so I don't label anything here. I just wanted to explore soft Draco being gentle with overly hard on herself Hermione because it was cathartic for me on a bad day to imagine what that kindness and patience could look like.

[happyk44]

Re: my tags on that last post (basically saying that I'm pretty sure Rick made up the whole Romans feared Neptune thing, because there isn't any proof of that I can find), it doesn't really make sense to have done that because there's no real split in the books between the romans and the greeks. not to mention we don't actually have a child of neptune to use as a reference point in the books of neptune's behaviour. we just have a vague anecdote about a kid 100 years before that caused an earthquake.

cool. so like. none of the other demigods have ever caused a major problem. just that one kid? alright.

the thing is: greek gods and roman gods are different. yes, they're conflated, but a lot of gods are conflated with one another. that's how hermanubis came into being. that's how neptune became the god of the sea - initially he was just the god of fresh water, then he got kind of merged with poseidon, and wound up in charge of the salty sea and probably came out of that deal, like what the fuck, i can't drink this??

also if you look at any greek god's wikipedia page or other informational website, you will see something like "their norse equivalent was X, their indo-european equivalent was Y, their etruscan equivalent was Z) and so on. i'm pretty sure this is common on the pages of some members of other pantheons, i just don't feel like checking right now.

everyone steals and shares. it's kind of just what happens.

but back to greco-roman and pjo nonsense. greek and roman gods are different gods. but in the books, they're considered to be the same, just different fonts, where the greeks are more easygoing solo artists, and the romans are war-faring teammates, fancy cursive versus clear print. part of the series insists that the two are somehow different, but there's very little split in tone when it comes to characterization. part of this is because we do not see children of the same god paired against one another. the exception to this is hazel and nico, and briefly thalia and jason.

there's little to no difference between hazel and nico. other than hazel being better at money, and nico being better at dead people. hazel does not come off as more militaristic compared to nico. if anything, nico seems more strict and stringent than she does. you could argue that's because of trauma, but then arguably, they should be the same on that level.

if you wanted to label a difference between "oh this is clearly a child of pluto and this is clearly a child of hades", then hazel's curse shouldn't have been a thing. it should've been "all children of pluto can do this, but children of hades cannot/have a harder time with it" (which is what i headcanon anyway). additionally hazel could've been the one capable of doing geokinesis, not nico, but unfortuantely we'd already seem do it a bunch in the prior series, so that never would've worked out.

there's no real difference between thalia and jason either. we never get an internal monologue from thalia, so we can't see how her thoughts might differ from jason. but they are both children of zeus/jupiter who were pushed into leadership positions (thalia as head of the hunters, jason as leader of the fifth cohort). they both utilize lightning powers, they both are good fighters (but considered less good than percy). thalia fights with a spear, one of ivlvis's forms was a lance (which is a type of spear). i mean fucking hell, part of jason's training under the wolf house is making the journey from the house to camp jupiter on his own and frigging thalia had to do that too.

i've also already talked about the different explorations of zeus/jupiter's abilities as a god of law and order - so like if you wanted to show contrast between romans and greeks - enough to prove that they were ACTUALLY having issues maintaining a specific identity - then there could've been more emphasis on jason as a figure of law and order, especially due to rome's very high placement of jupiter (and juno).

conceptually, however, there is no difference between the two of them, just as there isn't much difference between hazel and nico, aside from personality. and we are never exposed to any other other demigods at either camp enough to see how they differ from their counterparts.

percy wasn't even at camp jupiter long enough for the whole "children of neptune are a threat because romans fear the sea" thing to be worth anything useful. and like?? did it ever come up again in any of the other books? did it ever have a fucking point?

i would've understood it more if he had actually pulled it from real history. but the romans did, in fact, have a navy and utilized it as part of building their empire. there's legit a wikipedia article labeled "roman navy". so this narrative that they despise neptune because they hated the ocean and didn't sail is really odd! like yeah, the navy wasn't as important to them as the army, but it's not like it was written off entirely! it couldn't have been. part of the roman empire was in the frigging mediterrean.

and to stop from going on about that, part of my takeaway from the books was that the camps ended up understanding that there was no real difference between the two of them, finally joining together in peace and harmony and blah blah blah

(which, then, why the two camps just didn't fucking merge after that, i will never understand, like i definitely thought that's where the series was headed, sort of like a hey, if you're living on the west coast come here and if you live on the east coast come here and if you're in the middle then, fucking i dunno, eat some grass)

but!! if rick wanted the "neptune is greatly feared" thing to have an effect, it would've a) made more sense had he actually shown neptune in the books and made us understand WHY the romans feared him, b) given us a child of neptune to round out the other two and provide a contrast to Percy, and c) actually given us some decent contrast between the two camps/gods! i mean even with ares and mars arguing, there was little between the dialogue to indicate "these are people with different priorities". it was just blood, murder, kill everyone! like, come on,

now - if the series had been written in mind with the two pantheons being written as completely separate entities - and the romans' dislike of the greeks was due to the modern day conflation of "oh roman gods are just greek gods, there's nothing special about them" that would've been pretty interesting as a dilemma. it also would've been cool because rather than roman vs greek battle being written like the same entity technically trying to fight itself, it would've been a historical throwback of "hey remember when ancient rome took over ancient greece"

anyway i am done rambling, back to my thoughts about that daughter of neptune i definitely do not want to write a fic about

(also re the gods having issues trying to keep a single identity down: why the hell was frank the one who had gods arguing in his head? i know i've complained about this before, but frank wasn't having identity issues - jason was. if anyone should've had the greek vs roman versions of their parent fighting in their head, it should've been him)

[mareenavee]

⭐️ mages and literacy

Director's Cut -- Mages and Literacy in The World on our Shoulders

FRICKEN FANTASTIC. Thank you so much for asking about this specifically.

Actually, on a side note, my mom and I were talking about how strangely well read the people of Tamriel are considering the setting. I really love it even though it's relatively odd. We only ever meet a few authors in game, and never anyone who transcribes professionally. Certainly no printing presses. Maybe there are and we just don't know it.

On a more serious note, since literacy seems very common in the setting, generally speaking -- obviously like everywhere there will be exceptions to the rules, I'd like to talk just a bit about arcane text specifically. I'd mentioned before that becoming a mage, or at least becoming more skilled at the use of magic requires time, effort and study. Some people are naturally more inclined to do so, and some are not. There could be a myriad reasons, culturally or biologically or what have you.

I have a scene in chapter 2 where Hadvar gives a spell tome to Nyenna that he'd taken out of the keep in Helgen. The scene starts after she quickly understands and memorizes the words for the flames spell:

“How curious… I had no idea this could be so simple,” she said. “My mother never saw sense in trying to teach me. My purpose was to unite houses, and that’s it. At least according to her. It was a miracle I learned even the tiniest alchemic recipes in all the time I’d had to observe her work.” Hadvar looked at her, again with his eyebrows knit, making his broad face seem even wider than it was. She returned the confused stare. “Wait, is it not simple?”

“Magic definitely isn’t simple, no, I can assure you. I can’t make any sense of those scribblings no matter how many hours I stare at them. I know they’re written in Common but they start to swim around on the page like they’re not meant for eyes like mine,” Hadvar said, reading over her shoulder.

We're not exactly sure what language magic is written in, or if it exists in all languages, or is something else entirely. We're not sure if it's a manifestation of the blessings of Magnus or Julianos on Nirn, even. In my hc, sometimes the text is very difficult to read. Some people can't read it at all, though it's possible they could learn the spells if the words were ever spoken to them. Some people, especially considering the social attitude toward magic in Skyrim in this case, accept that arcane texts are more trouble than they're worth -- as Hadvar might in this scene. Or maybe there's more to it that we can't know.

I like to think the arcane texts are themselves magic of a sort, that spells and the intentions behind them are found in the shape of this language -- even if it's actually written in Tamrielic/Common. It's possible, for some, it's simply not something they're willing to put the effort in to comprehend.

Even if many people in Skyrim/Tamriel own and read many more books than would normally seem possible in such settings, arcane texts are probably on a different level. I would imagine that's probably why there's not very many spell tomes sitting around on peoples' bookshelves in their houses or anything like that. Usually one must go to where the mages are to borrow their copies.

There's probably a lot more we can extrapolate on this question, but there's surprisingly little lore about the mechanics of why spell tomes work. (Or really, why they get destroyed in game when you're done with them.) In the end, I think there's a lot of factors that influence why someone might become a mage, and perhaps a lot more as to why someone else might not, and some of that reason could be the difficulty of the craft and the amount of study and work that probably has to go into it under most circumstances. Less literacy, and more cultural and aptitude based.

(I like to think it's like any art in real life. Some people have natural affinities to do creative work, some don't. Anyone who wants to improve their skill in said art will need to put in the work, no matter how easily or not it comes to each specific artist.)

Thanks! This was fun to mull over :D

[lumiereandcogsworth]

sometimes my brain sends me asks, because i truly love nothing more than to answer special interest questions, and today on the walk home from work i thought “who reads more, adam or belle?” so now i’m gonna answer this question in great detail, after pondering it the entire walk.

when they were children, i think adam was reading a bit more, only because he had more books to read. but in terms of time spent reading? it was probably pretty even. adam was hyperlexic, reading way above his reading level, and belle just didn’t really have much else to do. once she learned how to read, it became her favorite activity ever. and of course, they were both drawn to reading for the same reason: escape. they had very different worlds to want to escape from, but at the end of the day they were just lonely little kids hoping there was more out there.

adam especially started reading more when he went off to boarding school (ages 10-12), then university (13-15). he LOVED studying literature, even as his mental health declined from losing his mother, books were really all he had left. belle was still reading a LOT at this age though, so once again, adam probably only had her beat in terms of number of books. but belle probably won in terms of hours read, considering adam was starting to get into… well, other vices.

in the teen/young adult years, belle definitely read more. adam was really losing sight of himself, especially upon the death of his father just before he turned 16. reading wasn’t fun or interesting to any of his “friends” so he masked that part of himself pretty quickly, having much more a need to be liked and accepted, rather than being “true to himself.” meanwhile, belle was still reading so much! she still hardly had any books to read, but she somehow managed to find every possible book tucked away in that village and she read the HECK out of it. she was of course growing up and getting more involved in both her inventor aspirations as well as helping maurice with the farming. (which, i’m sure she’s helped him since she was little, but obviously as a teen she could Actually help.)

during the curse, adam wasn’t reading at all. i can see him trying to, once. some point early in the curse, he’s incredibly depressed and his mind wanders to childhood, to his mother, to those brief shining moments where he knew what real joy felt like. he’s drawn to the library. he finds a book that he remembers loving. but he’s still not entirely used to his claws, so he accidentally rips a chunk of pages. suddenly enraged, he rips the entire book in half. he probably starts pulling books off the shelf in anger, making a huge mess and ripping a few more in half before growling and leaving, back to hide away from the world. after that, he doesn’t bother to try reading again. honestly i feel like he spent most of his time under the curse just sleeping and not taking care of himself. just… very depressed and angry. the staff tried to keep up routines, always making meals for him, but i think he struggled to eat (and has for many years) - which is why maurice’s finds that unattended feast when he visits the castle.

when belle comes, everything changes, of course. belle rekindles that love of reading within adam, the same way she rekindles his entire being. slowly but surely, he remembers how much he loved it, how much it cleansed his soul and filled his heart every time. it’s similar to what he says to her after they dance: “i haven’t danced in years. i’d almost forgotten the feeling.” he still worries about ripping the pages, but he’s more patient with himself now, as belle’s presence calms him so much. and for a while, they’re both reading all the time! especially together. they take turns reading aloud to each other. i think, even years and years down the road, this is still how they signal to the other that they need comfort. “will you read to me?” and even after the curse when they’re still courting, they just read and read. i mean you KNOW belle just wants to DEVOUR that library !!!!

when they’re first married, they’re traveling quite a bit. adam is so excited to show her everything and take her everywhere and BELLE IS SO EXCITED TO DO THAT!!!!!!!!! so they travel a lot. and are still, of course, reading on their travels. but it’s definitely less than usual. and i think belle was writing more than reading, because she really tries to keep a log of every place they go.

once they’re back settled at home though, doing their king and queen thing, i think they DO still read a lot, but for belle it’s harder because she just DIVES into all her queen ideas and plans. she’s SOOOOO !!!!! AMBITIOUS!!!! so she’s really busy. and she still reads a ridiculous amount, leaving adam baffled. like WHERE does she find the time?!? but she’s not just reading for fun now!! she’s also studying at the university of paris. they’re not always IN paris, so i guess you could say she was the first zoom university student?? she’s like always in correspondence with the headmaster as well as other professors of the university, just always Studyingggg gosh she loves it so much. she CRAVES learning.

after hearing about adam’s silly little literature degree, she obviously knew she needed to get her hands on that. AND MORE!!! she also definitely gets like multiple degrees over the course of her life. probably gets another in mathematics and another in like, biological/natural science or something. “just for fun.” (again, adam is baffled by her. but also very in love!!!!!! he loves his girlboss wife!!!!!!!) she probably qualifies for masters degrees but at that point in time, you really didn’t get a masters unless you were becoming a professor. which she was like 👀 about but then her husband had to remind her that she is already The Queen and does QUITE ENOUGH during the day. whatever 🙄 she DOES do a lot within the education system though, that’s always her biggest job as queen, her entire reign. reforming and expanding !!!!!!!!!!! it’s what she cares about The Most 🤧🤧 so she may as well be honorary headmaster of EVERYTHING, thank you very much.

and during this time, adam reads very regularly. i think he and belle also like to read books “together” in the sense that they both have a copy of a book and they basically have a tiny little book club with each other. just having to read some chapters and then discuss it after a week, or whatever. they’re so very nerdy, you guys. i can’t make this up. anyway, my point here is that i think during this period early in their marriage, adam is a lot better about staying on top of their book club plans. just because belle is doing a thousand million things at all times and she has adhd so it’s nearly impossible for anything to stay on track. meanwhile adam like, simply does what is required of him as king, and then goes and does hobby stuff (belle helps him find hobbies!!!! so proud) and one of those things will be reading some of their book.

so ANYWAY, it happens pretty regularly where adam will say to belle, “good morning! are you ready to discuss chapters 10-20 this evening?” and she’s like OGHDKFJS YES OF COURSE???? I DIDNT FORGET?????????? WHATS THAT!!! (and then she runs away when he turns around). but she’s thankful for those morning reminders because 9 times out of 10 she finds the pocket of time to speed read the chapters. so they still have their cute little discussion in the evening <3

and lastly, of course, comes the children!!! a lot of this stuff i’ve been saying (belle studying at university, adam & belle having their little book club) still happens when they have kiddos, but of COURSE an added bonus is STORY TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! which is a sacred practice in the beaumont family. like pretty much every night, the children gather in the master chambers (often cozy in the big bed!!!!!) and either belle or adam (they take turns) reads a story to them. of course, life sometimes gets in the way, and as the kids are varying in age, different bedtimes and such, so they don’t do this EVERY night. but they do it a lot. this family is alwaaayyss reading. adam and belle get SO excited when each of them learn how to read (especially belle getting to see her DAUGHTERS learn how to read, of course!!!)

reading is just truly one of THE love languages of this family, and sometimes it makes me weep thinking about how it all started with two lonely children who never should have met, both finding themselves with their noses stuck in books, longing for the adventures and other worlds that the pages contained. and now they get to share all those adventures with the ones they love the most… it truly is the most beautiful of tales 🥹

[krisluxxeeempress]

FULL MOON IN GEMINI (13) 9TH HOUSE DECEMBER 27TH, 2023 | 6:57 AM | PREDICTIVE VEDIC ASTROLOGY

FULL MOON IN GEMINI (13) 9TH HOUSE DECEMBER 27TH, 2023 | PREDICTIONS

DATE: DECEMBER 27TH, 2023 | VEDIC ASTRO | PLACIDUS | 6:57

FULL VIDEO REPORT AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE & PATREON...

AS A GEMINI NATIVE, THIS FULL MOON HAS CERTAINTLY GIVEN ME A HEADACHE. FULL MOON SIGNIFY A TIME WHERE NOT ONLY IS THE ENERGY MAXIMIZED BUT SO MUCH SO, IT FORCES ONE TO RELEASE AND LET GO OF ANYTHING THAT ADDS TO THE OVERLOAD. THINK OF A COMPUTER, NEW MOONS ARE A TIME WHEN YOU ARE DOWNLOADING NEW SOFTWARE OR PLUG INS FOR OPTIMUM USAGE. HOWEVER, FULL MOONS IS WHEN YOU MAY NEED TO RELEASE SOME OUTDATED SOFTWARE OR PLUG-INS THAT ARE TAKING TOO MUCH SPACE OR ISN’T NEEDED AND THREATENS THE EFFICIENCY OF YOUR SYSTEM. LIKE OVEREATING , FULL MOONS CAN BE A PAINFUL TIME IF YOU CHOSE TO CONTINUE ADDING MORE TO AN ALREADY FULL BELLY WITHOUT GIVING YOUR BODY TIME TO DIGEST AND RELEASE, IF YOU CATCH MY DRIFT.

WITH MUCH CONSIDERATION TO THIS BEING THE LAST FULL MOON ON 2023, AND IN THE SIGN OF SOCIAL GEMINI, THIS IS THE LAST CALL TO RELEASE ALL SURFACE LEVEL FORMS OF COMMUNICATION FOR ONE. WHAT THIS MEANS IS, FOR SOME YOU MAY START TO LOSE INTEREST, IF NOT COMPLETELY, BY PEOPLE, PLACES, THINGS AND SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS THAT ONLY OFFER THE BARE MINIMUM. SURFACE LEVEL INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION IS JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE ANYMORE. MEDIOCRACY IS JUST NOT TOLERABLE ANYMORE. SMALL TALK, SHORT RESPONSES LACKING DEPTH WILL CERTAINTLY BE CHALLENGED AT THE TIME. THE FULL MOON WILL ENCOURAGE THOSE IN ENERGETIC ALIGNMENT TO SEEK HIGHER KNOWLEDGE IN TRUTH REGARDING SPIRITUALITY, RELIGION, EDUCATION, LAWS, LEGALITIES, TABOOS, THE OCCULT, FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AND ANCESTRY. YOU MAY START TO BE DRAWN TO CONTRIBUTE  OR LEARN ABOUT INFORMATION THAT IS HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD. EXAMPLE, JUST THE OTHER DAY I CAME ACROSS A TIKTOK PAGE AND I WAS MADE AWARE ABOUT THE INJUSTICES THAT HAVE BEEN ONGOING IN THE CONGO. I TOOK AN ANCESTRY DNA TEST SOME YEARS AGO AND FOUND OUT I AM A DESCENDANT OF THE CONGO! WHEN I SAW THE VIDEO, I FELT ANGER AND SADNESS WHICH THEN PROMPTED ME TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN HIDDEN AND NOT COVERED ON THE NEWS. I HAVE COMPLETELY STOPPED WATCHING YOUTUBE IN THE SAME MANNER AS BEFORE, CHOSING TO DO MY OWN IN-DEPTH RESEARCH THAT I AM FULLY CAPABLE OF CARRYING OUT. YOU MAY NOTICE THAT YOU ARE MORE INCLINED TO READ OR WRITE DURING THIS TIME AS WELL, LEADING INTO THE NEW YEAR. THIS FULL MOON IS ASSISTING WITH BEING ABLE TO DIFFERITIATE BETWEEN WHAT REALLY MATTERS, FAKE NEWS VS. REAL NEWS.  DETERMINING WHAT MATTERS AND WHAT DOESN’T  WILL ALWAYS PLAY OUT DIFFERENTLY FOR EVERYONE WITH CONSIDERATION TO OUR NATAL, PROGRESSIVE AND SOLAR RETURN ASTROLOGY CHARTS. WE ARE ALL PRESENTED WITH THE SAME ENERGY BUT WILL CERTAINTLY REACT TO  IT DIFFERENTLY. FOR ME, I AM NO LONGER INTERESTED IN SMALL TALK OR SWEET NOTHINGS- I SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE NOW. WHEREAS, FOR OTHERS THEY WILL EXPAND UPON INFORMATION, TALK , NEWS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE A LOT TO SAY BUT NOTHING TO OFFER. THIS IS ALL ABOUT MENTAL EXPANSION AND TO SOME DEGREE, PREPARING YOU FOR MATURITY. PERSONALLY, I USED TO GET CARRIED AWAY BY SOCIAL MEDIA, THE LIKES AND THE ATTENTION BUT NOW, NONE OF THAT MATTERS IF I AM NOT EARNING MONETARY GAIN ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING I AM OPERATING A BUSINESS. I USED TO ALLOW MYSELF TO GET DISTRACTED WITH CELEBRITY NEWS, GOSSIP AND OR DRAMA AND NOW, NONE OF THAT MATTERS IN COMPARISON TO COUNTRIES AT WAR, THE DECLINE OF THE ECONOMY, AND QUITE FRANKLY A DECLINE IN MY FINANCES. NOT ONLY DO I FIND MYSELF “DISTRACTED” BY BOOKS WITH THE INTENT TO CHALLENGE AND EXPAND MY MENTAL BUT ALSO, UTILIZING ANY SPIRTIUAL GIFTS I HAVE THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE BIGGER PICTURE. THE QUOTE “ DON’T WATCH ME, WATCH TV” COMES TO MIND.

THIS FULL MOON IS INFLUENCING ME TO STOP WATCHING AND DO MORE ACTION, TEACHING, WRITING, STUDYING, RESEARCHING AND TRAVELING EVEN IF ON THE COMPUTER TO OTHERS COUNTRIES AND REALITITES. FOR OTHERS NOT ALIGNED, THIS WILL SIMPLY BE A TIME WHERE THEY OVEREAT, OVER CONSUME ON GOSSIP, DRAMA, AND STAY SMALL MINDED. THIS IS NOT TO SHADE OR JUDGE ANYONE BUT THIS IS THE FACTS! SOME WILL CONTINUE TO BE APART OF THE PROBLEM WHILE CRITIZING OTHERS, MEANWHILE, THERE WILL BE THOSE WHO TRY TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE BALANCE EVERYTHING. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE HIGHER AND LOWER VIBRATIONS OF THE SAME ENERGY PRESENTED. ANOTHER THING TO NOTE, GEMINI IS KNOWN TO BE TWO FACED. THIS FULL MOON CAN ALSO BRING FORTH SOME HIGHER PERSPECTIVES ON FAMILY DYNAMICS AND CONNECTIONS AS WELL. KEEP IN MIND, WE CONSIDER FRIENDS AS FAMILY AND IN TRUE GEMINI FASHION, WE MAY EVEN CALL AN AQUAINTANCE “ A BRO, OR SIS” JOKINGLY. EXPAND YOUR MIND, THE MOON DOES NOT ONLY MEAN YOUR IMMEDIATE OR ANCESTRAL FAMILY CONNECTIONS. I CONSIDER MY DOGS, MY CHILDREN- FAMILY. PERSONALLY, I FINALLY CUT THE CORD WITH MY FAMILY BECAUSE I RECEIVED THE LAST PIECE OF INFORMATION, I NEEDED TO JUSTIFY MY DESCION. THE SMALL TALK AND SURFACE LEVEL GESTURES THAT I TOLERATED AND ALLOWED TO BLIND ME FROM THE PICTURE, JUST COULDN’T BE IGNORED ANYMORE. THE MOON NURUTURES, IT FEEDS- AND THESE CONNECTIONS, PEOPLE, PLACES, THINGS AND SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS, DO NOT PROVIDE NOURISHMENT BUT INSTEAD JUNK FOOD. MORAL OF THE FULL MOON IN GEMINI, IS FINALLY RELEASING ALL THE JUNK. 

I WENT THE GROCERY STORE YESTERDAY AND THERE WAS THIS WOMAN BUYING HER DOG THOSE LITTLE CEASAR PACKETS AND I KEPT THINKING HOW THAT WAS THE WORST THING TO FEED YOUR DOG BECAUSE IT’S JUNK. THIS FULL MOON MAY INFLUENCE THOSE IN ENERGETIC ALIGNMENT TO FINALLY GET RID OF FAST FOOD, JUNK FOOD, SUGARY DRINKS, AND GETTING MORE ACTIVE IN THE GYM. WHY? BECAUSE THE BIGGER PICTURE IS KNOWING HEALTH IS WEALTH. AGAIN, THIS WILL NOT RESONATE FOR SOME PEOPLE AS THEY WILL CHOSE TO EXPAND ON ALL THINGS THAT CATER TO THE MOMENT AND PROVIDE INSTANT GRATIFICATION. TO ME, THIS IS A VERY POWERFUL FULL MOON BECAUSE BEING IN GEMINI, RULED BY MERCURY, COMPLETELY DOMINATES THIS REALM AND OTHERS. COMMUNICATION, INTELLIGENCE , IDEAS AND INTELLECT IS ALL THERE IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE. IT’S NEVER ENDING, LIKE THIS INTERPREATION! THE FULL MOON IN GEMINI, AT 13 DEGREES IS WITHIN THE 2ND DECAN RULED BY VENUS. THIS MEANS THERE IS CREATIVE AND ARTISTIC ABILITIES PRESENT IF ONLY EXPANDED UPON. THE DANGER LIES IN LAZINESS THAT THE 2ND DECAN OF VENUS CAN PRESENT AS WELL. IT’S EASIER TO BE SMALL MINDED, PLAY IT SMALL AND TO DO THE BARE MIMIMUM IN WHICH MOST WILL CONTINUE TO DO. AS FOR OTHERS, THIS IS PRIMETIME TO CAPITALIZE OFF LEARNING MORE, TEACHING, CREATING, AND ULTIMATELY CHALLENGING YOURSELF MENTALLY TO GROW. YOU ARE WHAT YOU ATTRACT, AND KNOWLEDGE HAS ALWAYS BEEN POWER! MOST WILL CONTINUE TO GIVE UP AND WEAKEN THEIR POWER TO CARE ABOUT GOSSIP, CELEBRITY NEWS, SMALL TALK AND SURFACE LEVEL UNDERSTANDINGS WHEREAS, OTHERS WILL BE GAINING MORE OR ESTABLISHING POWER AT THIS TIME.

GEMINI ENERGY IS ABOUT THE DETAILS, AND THE 9TH HOUSE IS WHERE ALL THOSE DETAILS ADD UP. EXAMPLE, I AM A WRITER. THE MORE I READ BOOKS, THE BETTER MY WRITING AND MY ARTICULATION OF SPEECH GETS. READING IS THE GEMINI ENERGY, AND GETTING BETTER IN OTHER AREAS LIKE SPEAKING AND WRITING IS 9TH HOUSE ENERGY. READING SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS DOESN’T ASSIST ME IN ANYWAY EXCEPT DISTRACT ME AND INFLUENCES SLANG AND CURSING THAT DOESN’T HELP ME GET ANYWHERE. IN CONCLUSION, THIS FULL MOON IN GEMINI AT 13 DEGREES IN THE 9TH HOUSE IS ALL ABOUT PRACTICE MAKING PERFECT AND REACHING FOR HIGHER HEIGHTS. THIS FULL MOON IN GEMINI IS ABOUT “ KNOWING BETTER AND DOING BETTER”.

THANK YOU FOR READING! TIPS ARE WELCOMED.

FOLLOW MY TIKTOK:

[polysprachig]

Pardon me as I prepare to intrude my thoughts on language learning upon the public (again).

I’m working on taking myself less seriously and getting over what I like to call *nonsensical, self-inflicted recording stress*. Hence the one-take and post method I’m trying to experiment with on tumblr dot com in which I read and comment on my ***polyglot journal***.

WIP, unbeta’d, off-the-cuff. 🧿💙  

Transcript below (Orange = Speaking/commentary, Blue = Written commentary, White = Reading)

In the spring of 2020 I decided to write a detailed book on all of the language learning activities that I was doing. As I look here at page 27 of the book itself—it's pretty long; there are still blank pages—I can see several things. The one is a general overview, together with my own commentary about what I did wrong right from the off. 

[Reads] In which I accidentally bite off far more than I can chew, determine to do too much, establish a routine check in system and throw organization to the wind. Includes: Irish, Greek, German and Middle English; the Merlin project in its infancy, plus voca; a note on colour-coded translation exercise; a start to translating authors whose work I know; and the initial return to reading historical verse, which means, generally speaking, [whispers] Chaucer. The overwhelming theme is to consider what core vocabulary and skills I will need to accomplish the activities described, with special emphasis on trying the first ... to first rely on my own language skills in a—in an in almost Test -Teach slash Test-Check manner.

Now let's see how it starts. 

During the summer season I have decided to focus my language learning efforts on my productive skills, those being speaking, writing, translation and the creation of new materials. At the center of this decision burns the desire to spread the seeds of my knowledge of different languages to others and espouse the personality of fire to keep my learning active, invigorating, and all consuming. This trimester of learning���Yes, I can count, I just really like the word trimester (it's technically a semester) from May through to the end of August, is meant to prevent me from becoming too lethargic in my study habits. I shall focus predominantly on Irish, with approximately three lessons per week scheduled with various teachers—hilarious— in the hopes of levelling up within 3-6 or even 8 months—this timeline is still up to debate depending on various factors such as finances, travel, quarantine status and miscellaneous slash other. My secondary main languages are Greek, German and Middle English—[Laughs] Sorry, reading it now is hilarious to me because I already know what happens, and now I know where I am in my studies and we're ... we're basically back at this point, but in a better way. Okay, let's not jump ahead of ourselves—So, my secondary main languages are Greek, German and Middle English. In these languages I aim to create one to two significant works of translation—wow—and/or auditory material. My main goal is to drastically avoid using the Internet—best of luck with that—and other electronic digital tools to aid me, with the exception of the online Greek-English Dictionary (until I have purchased my own dictionary in Greek)—I should add a footnote here: I have got my grandfather’s print dictionary and Greek and it is from the 1920s and I need a ... updated one. Anyways—and the Middle English corpus as necessary. Moreover, I should hope to complete some written exercises and short writings in Hebrew, Italian and possibly even French.

Correct me if I'm wrong: too much is going on in this section, and as we'll see, it just gets worse. 

Stay tuned next time to find out the mistakes I made, but also the benefits I experienced in trying to learn multiple languages at the same time and, especially, improving those levels at multiple times (???) without having the firm foundation necessary to actually complete that type of an activity. Ohh so many things to go over. I'm very excited. See you next time!

-polysprachig