#fufill

[mizdriverjames-blog]

3/15/2023 #universesays #bewaretheidesofmarch Be True to You. #possibilities #create #learn #fufill #potential https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp0CCa-LZSZ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[huginsmemory]

On ad astra per aspera ✨

Can we talk about the repeated use of ad astra per aspera? Cause uhhhh it shows up twice, once on the website and once in the Book of Bill, and OH BOY this has connotations, both for Bill and Ford's relation in the literal and figurative meaning on the word, and for Bill's own history:

(extra addition added 16/09/2024! 🌝 )

First, in the website (if I recall correctly) if the phrase ad astra per aspera is inputted into the computer, you get the two pages on Bill's 'funeral':

And within, in the pages, at the very end before signing there names is the phrase itself (highlighted in red) .

Secondly, a joke version of it is seen in the Book Of Bill, specifically on the night where Bill and Ford fucked 'one thing led to another':

In this one, it's clearly a joke off of aspirin used for his hangover, used again to close the entry.

Now the phrase ad astra per aspera itself means 'through suffering to the stars', which also has... wider connotations then just these two piece alone, which I'll unpack later. But first, the interesting choice of connection of these two pieces;

Both times the phrases occur, they occur closing the entry; a bit too much of a coincidence to me (and in this fandom there is no such thing as a coincidence). Considering that the 'one thing led to another' night is a night that was important to their relationship as it hints at the intimacy they had with each other, it showing up again in Ford's 'funeral' entry about Bill feels very much like an allusion to that night. Especially considering in the funeral entry Ford is very open about how much he cared about Bill, with how he at one point "considered him the centre of his life". The entry from Ford reads as someone who is moving on, and part of this is acknowledgement of the grief and sadness for the more positive part of the abusive relationship that he lost. As a result, having him acknowledge the intimacy of their relationship, it makes sense for him to tongue in cheek allude back to his first writing down of the phrase, where they were quite clearly implied to fuck be intimate.

While it alludes to their Bill and Ford's intimacy, the literal and metaphorical meaning of the phrase also rings true here; through suffering to the stars. If we talk literally, then through Ford's relationship with Bill, something that ultimately was full of suffering, he built the portal, and ended up wandering the myriad worlds out there in space; one may say out there among the stars. He literally was out there wandering the stars as a result of suffering.

Now metaphorically, the phrase means through suffering/adversity one gains beautiful/worthwhile things. Considering this entry is Ford moving on from Bill, this is very apt; again, their relationship caused Ford immense suffering, and as he is now letting that relationship and suffering go, he's instead prioritizing creating healthy relationships with Stanley, the other twins and Fiddleford (the something beautiful and worthwhile part!). In fact, the entry on Bill's funeral is half on him strengthening his relationship with Mabel, the shooting star, another layer of wordplay; case in point about the healthy relationships. He's weathered through his abusive relationship, to discover and create a loving family.

It doesn't quite end there however; although that's fairly it for specifically Ford and Bill's relationship, we also haven't talked about what the stars mean to Bill himself. Which, well; it's very clearly implied that Bill accidentally killed everyone in his dimension in an attempt to show his parents (and other people in his dimension) the stars. And on top of that, to quote; "I looked up and saw the stars. And I was ready to become one of them". Which he then in a way, becomes, considering the page in journal 3 on constellations, in which Ford remarks that one of his favourite constellations is the constellation 'William' (obviously Bill). It's a bittersweet immortalization of himself after everything that occurs around trying to see the stars for Bill.

So I find it very interesting that for Ford, a phrase about suffering and stars is something he ends up correlating to his relationship with Bill, considering that to Bill, to get to the stars is something he deeply suffered for as a result. It's also important to note that Bill's suffering was something that occurred out of love, and ultimately an attempt to be understood and create a deeper relationship with his parents where they could trust him. And then for Ford, all this while later, to look up to the stars (to see them) and to see the Bill constellation and go 'oh that's one of my favourites' is fulfillment. Because Ford during that time trusted and cared deeply for Bill, fulfilling that relationship of trust, love and understanding(at least surface level, considering the way they banter together), that Bill had yearned for when he was younger and killed his plane.

So all in all(tldr): ad aspera per astra, (through suffering the stars), is quite the fun phrase to unpack in regards to Bill and Ford's relationship, considering the deliberate reference to the phrase on the entry about the night 'where one thing led to another' and Bill's funeral entry. The phrase is a combination of references; tongue in cheek allusion to the intimacy, but also references to the literal (space fugitive) and figurative (abusive relationship, to loving family again pipeline) hardships Ford endured as a result of the relationship. There is also irony in the way that Ford seems to correlate this phrase about suffering and stars with Bill and his relationship, considering that out of an effort to be understood and share the stars with his parents, Bill accidentally killed his whole dimension; later he also made a constellation of himself. As well, as Ford says that one of his favourite constellations is a constellation that's clearly Bill in Journal 3, it alludes to that Bill's wish to show his parents the stars and be recognized is fulfilled by Ford (pre-portal incident that is).

EDIT: extra details added on the constellation piece as of Aug 14 2024 (less than 24 hours after og posting, because I'm deranged). Big thanks to @bowl-o-nudel for the nudge :)

Edit (16/09/2024): I've had a few people say that the saying has appeared in Journal 3 multiple times, and having reread journal 3, to my delight it is indeed correct! And oh the CONTEXT they give. The two instances are those seem below; the first appearance in the title page of Journal 3, and second time is a page from when the twins graduate.

As well as all the parallels of how the phrase is applied for both Bill and Ford, as @zoizyboigy suggested, it seems to be a phrase that Ford takes as his own motto. It seems to be a highly personal motto to him; after all, they all are written around important turning moments in Ford's life; graduating, the journals which where to be his ticket to fame, fucking a triangle finding acceptance and intimacy with Bill , and lastly, moving on in his life from Bill and his destructive obsession with recognition. 

And it makes sense WHY this motto is one that is highly personal to Ford; the first time it is seen chronologically is when he's graduating, chosen when he believes he's going to be accepted into the university. It's a motto he chose because he was excited, because he thought he was already through his suffering and arriving to the stars of his fancy university, where validation and acceptance would abound; only that doesn't happen, and the suffering part within the motto is the only thing that's accurate, especially as that's when he rejects Stan. It's a motto chosen in celebration, that becomes a reminder of the failure to become someone who is accepted and important (and his prioritization of validation over relationships); it's now something he holds that reminds him of the validation he believes he deserves and he obsessively chases. 

And that's why you see it in the journal pages, because these journals are going to change his life, he's going to become finally a person of importance and be accepted with the information he's compiled in the journals. And in the same way, you see it after Bill (and interdimensional being of ancient knowledge) and him are intimate; he's become someone of importance to Bill, he's been accepted by Bill, even attractive to Bill (romance Ford seems to have terrible luck in).

And that's why you see it at the end of Ford's farewell to Bill; it's another turning point, it's Ford letting his obsession with world validation go which characterized it's meaning from the beginning, Ford letting go of his relationship with Bill, which it also came to mean, and instead celebrates his acceptance within his family and the strengthening of those bonds, and of prioritizing healthy, loving relationships.

Ps, if you enjoyed this meta post, I've also made another one, on exceptionalism!

[robinhuntr]

“Why didn’t they tell us what happened to Gambit!?! Did they just leave him in the void?!? Did he get taken by alioth?!?!”

Guys chill he is fine, here he is back home

[dunmeshistash]

Dungeon Meshi actually changed my whole relationship with food. I had already seen food as various types of nutrition (rather than “good” and “bad” food) but this story helped me realize that even stuff I dislike can be made to taste good. I used to hate onions and mushrooms, but all the good stuff about them turns into a delicious sauce when you use them in stir fry! Veggies cooked in grease aren’t robbed of their nutrition! I eat what my body craves and I’ve truly never felt better! I’ve even lost a lot of weight because of it! Many have pondered what sets humans apart from any other creature in the world and I think it’s a good meal.

One of the things that helped us evolve to where we are is indeed cooking!

Might come as a surprise that even tho I'm a Dungeon Meshi fan my nutrition wasn't really fixed by reading it (no good advice Senshis in this head of mine) I've been a picky eater for a while now cause I have texture issues but recently I started cooking more for myself, and honestly? Game changer

There's no point trying to force yourself to enjoy certain foods cause if you don't like it you wont eat it. I hate carrots cause the texture is mushy and the taste is weird and the smell is bad. Know what's not smelly mushy or weird? Carrots on fried rice

There's many ways to cook food, try out things similar to what you know you enjoy if you're someone picky like me. The important thing is to eat a variety of proper food and make it in a way you'll actually eat (Just like Senshi did for Izutsumi instead of forcing her to eat the way he wanted). A vegetable eaten with sauce is more nutritional than a vegetable you don't eat!

I'm no nutritionist but yeah, you'd be surprised at the variety of things you're actually willing to eat when cooked the right way. And congrats on feeling better!

Just adding my usual disclaimer that weight loss/gain isn't an indicator of health in itself, prioritizing eating well and acquiring healthy habits rather than focusing on a certain physical result is key in my experience. Let's all strive to feel good and care for our bodies!

[racingghost]

S: "I was promised a makeout with tongue if we won, Kimi, so give me some!" K: "Bwoah!"

---

Well I'm super tired, but I can now put this poll behind me! Thank you to everyone who voted Simi 💪 We got into it never really intending to win, but rather to shove Simi all over your faces... but we ended up with the best prize: Simi ressurgence and a bunch of new shippers!

[faunandfloraas]

[selfryed]

I FEAR I ATE YALL.... (ill let u be the judge) (ALSO LETS PRETEND HIS GLASSES R JUST FLOATING)

[cogmented]

peecorridor

[qekouu]

Old tears

[radiance1]

Sam has died, she lived a good, long life and died with no regrets. Which means she wouldn't have manifested inside the zone.

She reincarnates.

As a tree.

But not just any tree, it's a magical tree! She basically just has nature magic, thus that she can empower whatever crops are around her and cause them to grow healthy and strong.

Where is her tree planced?

On the Kent Farm.

Specifically, when Johnathan Kent was just a child, and would take his childhood friend Martha, over to Sam's body as their own little spot.

Also, Johnathan and Martha were the ones who took care of her from a sapling all the way until she gained awareness and such, could classify as her 'father'.

Sam watched the two grow from childhood friends to teenagers to adults, from childhood sweethearts to Husband and Wife. There wasn't any grand wedding or anything like that, but Johnathan led his wife towards Sam's tree body, asked her if she remembered this place- to which Martha said she could never forget- and they got married right then and there.

It was also the time that Sam gained the ability to 'show' herself, and did so. It was probably baffling to have a teenage (at least in looks) looking girl with leaves for hair and green skin to just appear from the tree, floating over them and saying that she'll bless their marriage to be successful and standing the tests of time.

But she thinks they got used to it when they realized that technically, since she came from the tree, they both cultivated from a sapling that she would be their daughter without blood.

They spent a few years like that, a family of two normal humans their tree spirit daughter. Funnily enough, nobody asked questions about where they got a teenage daughter from after only just coming out as married.

Then came along a child from the stars, one that John and Martha immediately took to as their own.

Clark Kent.

[angelbitezzz]

They're novel, those Aster twins. It's not often that humans are adopted by monsters, after all

[spark-circuit]

I'm so so happy Dav Pilkey is still writing deep messages into his books. Maybe the kids reading it won't get it at the time, but Petey's whole arc of moving past his problems with his dad and remembering his mum is so nice to read as an older reader.

[probablyaparadox]

hey so like- how did Germa 66 avoid talking about sanji??? Did they never get questioned on their numbering scheme? How did they cover it up??? We've got number 0, 1, 2, and 4 and they expect nobody is going to wonder what happened to 3? I'm just imagining that they go out and someone asks "hey where's number 3?" there are so many great responses to that; "We don't talk about number 3" "he hasn't been the same since... THE ACCIDENT" "what's 3" "he's on vacation right now" "he's off doing his own thing" "We're not on speaking terms" "he's not invited to family reunions anymore" all of these are correct responses and completely true and I think we need to acknowledge that.

[scrunckled-idiot]

my TF2 head cannons 5#

when medic first started crushing on heavy, he looked at his doves for help.

so you'd see medic randomly sit next to heavy and lean on him. maybe bob his head at him. puff out his chest...

...bite him or somethin'

[sainz100]

Sunday at the 2024 Singapore GP

[eluminium]

watched the imp and skizz pod for today

who's gonna make a "Flower Shop/Tattoo Shop" type AU but it's Pizza Baker and Car Mechanic because clearly the potential is there