#geese sound effect

[shalpilot]

slutting it up and its benefits

[wangxianficfinder]

Fic Finder

Oct 1st

~*~

1. Hi!!! I’ve been looking for an older fic lately and can’t seem to find it. It’s an explicit modern AU friends with benefits fic where lan zhan realizes he’s in love with wei ying and breaks up with him as a result and then pining ensues. The only specific thing I remember is that the very first scene is of lan zhan realizing he’s in love with wei ying while they are having sex. Thank you for all of your awesome work on this blog!!

FOUND? Honesty is the Best Policy (Except if You’re an Asshole)by piecrust (E, 22k, WangXian, Porn with Feelings, College/University)

~*~

2. Hi! Looking for this fic where WWX's lips got sealed/sewn shut by the cultivation community and imprisoned in Lotus Pier. I *think* JL lets him go or he has to work with LWJ and JWY on a case? TYSM!

FOUND? ❤️ whipstitch by curiositykilled (M, 131k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Dysfunctional Family, Torture, WWX Lives, but basically no one else, Case Fic, Cultivation Sect Politics, Past Abuse, WWX Whump, YLLZ WWX, JL Needs a Hug, JL Tries, Yunmeng Bro Reconciliation, Past Character Death, Body Horror, Non-Consensual Body Modification, POV Alternating, Flashbacks, Eventual Happy Ending, Heavy Angst, Suicide Attempt, PTSD, Depression, Not A Fix-It, Mouth Sewn Shut)

~*~

3. Looking for a fic. Set in cloud recesses era, lan wangji is female and I think Wei wuxian is as well. Lwj is a virgin and wwx sends a paperman up her skirt during class and ends up getting her off. @leahlisabeth

FOUND? Carte Blanche by Rionaa (E, 3k, WangXian, Smut, PWP, Dubious Consent, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, Underage Sex, Mutual Masturbation, Macro/Micro, Gender Changes, Cisswap, Female WangXian, also female JC, it's a total gender swap, all the boys are now girls because i say so, Virginity, First Time)

~*~

4. hello again! this is for fic finder. i have an image in my head of wwx going to lotus pier with lwj’s family, i think? he was given a silver and onyx guan by lwj (i think it belonged to his father) and madam yu caught him wearing it and she ripped it out of his hair, saying “so you fancy yourself a young master now?” and later i think lan qiren puts it back in his hair when wwx is with lwj and his family. i think he’s betrothed to lwj here but i’m not sure. @ieatkitcat

FOUND! The Wild Geese’s Tomb by The Feels Whale (miscellea) (T, 66k, WangXian, Time Travel AU, fixit, Temporary Character Death, all women live no women die, LWJ’s canonically intense feelings about everything all the time, WWX’s clinical depression gets treated and blamed on resentful energy, navigating gay marriage in ancient china by utiliizing class snobbery for your own ends, if you’re not sure whose fault anything going on in here is then blaming NHS is probably a good bet, WWX plays ‘summon LWJ’ it’s super effective!, the ‘unexploded cow’ approach to dealing with your enemies)

~*~

5. Please help me find this fic. Lan zhan and nie huaisang travel to past during burial mounds and weight yong create a track hundred holes curse back to who cursed them. And wei ying create yillng guide too. And lan zhan make a new identity. It is archived I think. @wangxian02

For 5, I can't find the fic, but it sounds like one where LZ and NHS became friends, and NHS sent gay porn to LZ (in crates?). The chapter where the tracking of the 100 holes curse was done was one of the last published, and JZx ended up forcefully stripping SS, causing much hilarity in the onlookers. LZ commissionned the tracker from WY in a secret identity.

~*~

6. Hello there! I'm looking for this particular fic where wangxian and juniors are out on a nighthunt and they somehow end up needing to view each other's memories? I can't remember much else except that the memories are kind of random and there's a lot of feelings!

FOUND? unhappy stories with happy endings by Last_for_Hell (M, 30k, WangXian, Memories, Memory Fic, Kinda, Hurt/Comfort, Panic Attacks, sexual content maybe, References to Torture, PTSD, Characters Watching Their Series, kinda, but not entirely, very light consensual non-consent)

~*~

7. Two things for fic finder! 🐇🖤💙

A) a threadfic on the ex-bird app where JL was poking around in Koi Tower and ended up finding WWX in a room where the only(?) access point was a grate in the ceiling. It maybe took a while but eventually they got JC involved.

B) modern AU where LXC misunderstands WWX and drives him to cancel his plans to spend Xmas(? or some holiday anyway) with LWJ. WWX gives LWJ a star lantern as a gift, which makes the Lan bros reassess the situation and LXC (rightly) feels like an ass and promptly pivots to "I have a second didi now". @linderel

7A)

FOUND! Thread fic by greenteafiend1

7B)

FOUND!🔒 in any universe, you by sundiscus (M, 12k, WangXian, multiple AUs, summary and tags specified in each chapter!) It's the first of four shorts in one collection.

~*~

8. For the next fic finder, can you help me find this fic where, after siege, wwx is apprehended and sent to the nie sect. His lips are sewn shut with a version of the lan silencing spell. Golden core reveal bc he couldn't eat and had no core to practice inedia. @akweenbitch

FOUND? ❤️ whipstitch by curiositykilled (M, 131k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Dysfunctional Family, Torture, WWX Lives, but basically no one else, Case Fic, Cultivation Sect Politics, Past Abuse, WWX Whump, YLLZ WWX, JL Needs a Hug, JL Tries, Yunmeng Bro Reconciliation, Past Character Death, Body Horror, Non-Consensual Body Modification, POV Alternating, Flashbacks,   Eventual Happy Ending, Heavy Angst, Suicide Attempt, PTSD, Depression, Not A Fix-It, Mouth Sewn Shut) the Golden Core reveal happens in chapter 8

~*~

9. Hello! I created an account on Tumblr just to ask this. I need help finding a fic. It's canon divergence, post bloodbath of Nightless City. I don't remember well the beginning but Lan Wangji rescues Wei Wuxian and they escape, at some point they find a cottage in the forest(?) and it's near a village. Wei Wuxian stays in the cottage and Lan Wangji goes out to work with the villagers and get food. There's even a scene when he brings rabbit meat for Wei Wuxian but he didn't hunt it, the villagers gave it to him. There's another scene when LWJ hadn't returned home and it was getting late, WWX decides to go out and search for him, it was raining, they meet in the middle and kiss, they end up making love in their cottage. I remember that towards the end LXC found them and WWX goes to Cloud Recesses with LWJ. Please, I'm kind of desperate because I really loved the fic but I can't find it anymore. I appreciate your help.

FOUND? Hyperprosexia by malkinmalkout (E, 192k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Sentinels & Guides, Sentinel WWX, Guide LWJ, Empath LWJ, Slow Burn, Rivals to Lovers, Fluff and Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, WWX POV, LWJ POV, Tags Contain Spoilers, Telepathy, Marriage, outsider pov, they have a kid, Telepathic Sex, Rough Sex, public exhibition, breath play, Rimming)

~*~

10. Hi! Thank you all for your hard work 💕 for the next ficfinder I am looking for a wangxian Fic, I believe modern au, wwx gets shot near the end, and I think the setting is like a tower in the forest maybe? Has a happy ending. Sorry this is so vague. @vi-sky

FOUND? ❤️ start getting real by azurewaxwing (T, 21k, wangxian, Modern with Magic, Reality TV, POV Outsider, Golden Core Reveal, (sort of), Appropriate Use of Gūsū Lán Silencing Spell, Getting Together) Did a deep dive into my read history because I had a vague recollection, came up with a possible match for #10. Checks off the boxes for "modern" and "tower in a forest" but can't remember if WWX got shot at any point.

~*~

11. Hi, for Fic Finders but also for I'm in the mood for. I'm looking for a story where Yu Ziyuan died early in the story, her maids end up working in the laundry for the sect 'cause is the only way they can remain so they can watch over Yanli and Jiang Cheng. Wei Ying is there but he's not a disciple. @monicaop21 ~snipped to an ITMF ~Mod L

FOUND! see all the colors in disguise by Stratisphyre (G, 3k, Canon Divergence, Pre-Relationship, genius WWX)

~*~

12. helloo! i remember a fic about how wwx lied to his friends about having a crush on lwj just to get them off his back, and then lwj overheard. lwj then proceeds to try woo wwx (?) i think by saying hi to him more and making him food i believe, and wwx is questioning why lwj is acting so weird + starts to actually develop a crush on him for reals. thankyou @f1sh1ng4gl0ry

FOUND? it’s just (aah) a little crush (crush!) by sweetlolixo (T, 9k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Romance, Fluff, Pining LWJ, Humor, Courting Rituals, Teen Wangxian)

~*~

13. Hello there is a fic and I remember that it was wwx and lwj as secret agents and there was a short scene where wwx faked his death (it wasn't a major part of the plot) and lwj was crying and wwx is never allowed to fake his death for a mission again

FOUND? 🧡 some life yet unspent by Fahye (E, 28k, WangXian, Background XiYao, Spy AU, Modern AU, 007 LWJ, Q WWX, Fluff and angst, Mutual pining, Injuries, Canon typical violence)

FOUND? where angels fear to tread by besanii (T, 3k, WangXian, James Bond Fusion, Spies & Secret Agents, Reconciliation, Presumed Dead, Quartermaster LWJ, Double-Oh WWX)

FOUND? a bite of a vow, a taste of the truth by occultings (microcomets) (E, 29k, WangXian, Modern with Magic, Case Fic, It's For a Case, Work partners, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Kissing, Pining While Fake Fucking, Truth Serum, Whump, Injury, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Voyeurism, Monsters, Succubi & Incubi, Getting Together, Hand Jobs, Intercrural Sex, Barebacking, Happy Ending, medically discouraged anal, Brief Subspace, impressive heights of soap opera plot) has a brief flashback to wwx faking his death on a case. It's a modern with magic AU where they're cultivation partners for work, rather than secret agents, but it might still fit?

~*~

14. Hi. I am looking for a wangxian fanfic on ao3 where lan zhan has a secret room in jingshi. Wei ying finds out that it is filled with various items and lan zhan confesses that throughout the years of wei ying's death he has been buying things which he thought wei ying would like. Lan zhan then thinks that wei ying would be weirded out by it. I guess they confess their love to each other after that (not sure about this part)

It is definitely less than 100k words. Thank you. @obsessingly-distracted

FOUND? rather cruelly used and rather reserved by x_los (M, 13k, wangxian, sugar daddy (slightly), case fic, domestic horror, architectural horror, gift giving, happy ending, getting together, confessions)

~*~

15. Hi, I'm searching for this fic I read a long time ago. In the fic, Wei Wuxian adopted Xue Yang and Lan Yuan. There was one specific scene where Jiang Cheng hurt Lan Yuan and Xue Yang because they bumped into him. Then Wei Wuxian tried to protect them and got hurt instead. Lan Zhan got angry and demand a duel with Jiang Cheng. During the duel, Lan Zhan gave Jiang Cheng a pill and applied some talisman on him to destroy his core. That's all I remember. Thanks in advance! @moo-oos

FOUND? Not This Time by Marinelifeclub (M, 93k, WIP, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Time Travel, Angst, Dark LWJ, Protective LWJ, YLLZ WWX, Resentful WWX, Established Relationship, POV Alternating, Sunshot Campaign, Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Smut, Minor XuanLi, not for jc fans, eventual 3zun, Kid Fic)

~*~

16. theres this fic where jiang yanli kills jin guangshan after he tries to assault her and madam jin covers it up even tho a lot of people saw her do it, and it results in jin zixuan legitimizing jin guangyao and they get closer! jin guangyao calls jin zixuan "xiongzhang" and its rlly heartwarming. but by the end of it jin guangyao ends up getting stuck in a mine and it takes the combined efforts of lxc, jc, lwj, and wwx for him to get freed. before that, the jiang sibs all take down jin zixun and yeah its a great fic but i forgot the title ;w;

FOUND! Aftermath by KouriArashi (T, 57k, JYL/JZX, wangxian, LXC/JGY, JZX & JGY, JYL & WXX, Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Everybody Lives, Romance, Developing Relationship, Family, Sibling Bonding, Light Angst, Politics, Attempted Sexual Assault, some murder on occasion, People talking about their feelings, processing their trauma, The good shit)

~*~

17. hi there! i've been struggling to find a fic that i've read a few times before. i thought i bookmarked it but i simply can't seem to locate it. it was a canon divergence where wen ning gives his golden core to jiang cheng after wen qing finds out wei wuxian is expecting. the wen clan survives in this au, too!

FOUND? 🧡 Don't Wanna Fall by nekojita (M, 111k, WangXian, Mpreg, A/B/O, Fix-it, Lots of pining, Angst with a happy ending, Canon Divergence, Child thief WN)

~*~

18. Hi! Thank you for the work you do, I’ve found some great fics through you 🙂 I’m trying to find a fic some a previous “I’m in the mood for” that I lost when the tab closed by mistake. In it, Jiang Cheng marries off Wei Wuxian to the Lans, Wangxian fuck and Wei Wuxian goes bamf by putting the Elders in their place. That’s as far as I got. Please help 🥹Thank you. @starrie-amethyst

FOUND? Practical Considerations by teawater, the_anthropologist (E, 97k, WangXian, JC & WWX, LXC & WWX, LQR & WWX, Arranged Marriage, Canon Divergence, Found Family, Spouses to Lovers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Politics, Scheming, Lán Elders are assholes, BAMF WWX, BAMF LWJ, eventually BAMF LXC, learning to make decisions, Learning Self-worth, Self-Esteem Issues, Sweet Wangxian, Domestic Fluff, Fix-It, JC is a big asshole, he improves somewhat but it’s open-ended, WWX learns to stand up for himself, Quote: Come Back to Gusu With Me, POV wwx, POV LWJ, POV JC, Golden Core Reveal, Teacher wwx, Golden Core Transfer Fix-It, Alcohol as a Coping Mechanism, Past Suicidal Thoughts, Post-Sunshot Campaign, WWX Protection Squad, Feelings Realization, WWX protector of the twin jades, Protective LWJ, Protective WWX, Protective LQR, Demonic Cultivator WWX, WWX is Loved, Married WangXian, Genius WWX, Everybody Lives)

~*~

19. Hello! Thank you for all the work you do!! For fic finder, there’s a fic I read earlier this year that I can’t find in my history. It was a case fic, I *think* modern with magic but I wouldn’t stake my life on it, where even though wwx and lwj were estranged, they accidentally end up on the same night hunt (the juniors are there, lwj is supervising them I think). They get trapped in a rundown manor by the resident spirit, who turns out to be a jilted bride, who trapped them bc it turns out that shortly before wwx’s disappearance, he and lwj slept together, and the ghost is projecting onto them, so they get shotgun married to please the ghost

FOUND! Back to Bite One by diamondbruise (E, 21k, wangxian, modern w cultivation, past sex pollen, case fic, forced marriage technically, misunderstandings, happy ending)

~*~

20. Hi! I'm looking for a transmigration fic! It starts with someone being shoved into the body of someone in a western sect, like a weird parody of SVSSS, the main character is on the scholar peak, and moonlights as a healer, but has to cross-dress for it (because healing is feminine there?). He knows the book he's in, and hates it because just like Luo Binghe, the stallion main character has so many red flags, and his little sister is like Ning YingYing, and doomed to be the little sister/first wife trope of the insane main character, and he's doomed to be killed by his older brothers (because toxic masculinity?) so that his little sister has a sad back story and reason for revenge. He takes his little sister and they run away to the East, where they decide which sect to join, and settle on Yunmeng Jiang. Their entrance exam has them fight Wei Wuxian, and Madame Yu crashes the party and fights them all, and accepts them into the sect. Then they have a chapter where they fix up a house for them and the main character freaks out about the sad library there (because humidity) and plans to go on a spree, and the Jiang are not displeased to have a scholar that wants to make their library great. It wasn't finished, I think. @constellationcorrelation

FOUND?🔒 Live (I've only been dreaming) by Araceil (M, 33k, WIP, (Onesided) OMC\OMC, WangXian, WN/OFC, LXC\OMC, Isekai, Transmigratation, Classic Tropes, subverting tropes, Past Child Abuse, PTSD, touch starvation, Touch Aversion, Depression, Anxiety, Unreliable Narrator, Violence, Gore, Undead, world building, Yandere Male Character (Not the SIOMC), Obsessive Behaviour, Canon Typical Misogyny, (that also gets called out), MDZS Canon is Derailed, Madam Yu's A+ Parenting, OMC & OFC Siblings, oblivious OMC, JYL finally gets a little sister, JYL Protection Squad, Chapter Specific Warnings Inside) It's really good, it's a shame it doesn't look like they are continuing it.

~*~

[atiny-for-life]

Ateez's Full Storyline Explained - BONUS

Masterlist

WORK

Based on the GOLDEN HOUR Intro which was released prior to the first teasers and is all about Atiny and Ateez's journey thus far, plus the lack of storyline queues in the music video itself, I believe this is one of those instances where the MV simply falls outside the storyline, much like Turbulence and The Real

I believe this time, it's because they were invited to Coachella and simply didn't have as much time to prepare for the album and get access to the sets they'd need to tell the story visually the way they wanted to which is something I talked about more here

However, let's still dive in and dig up some easter eggs and other fun little moments strewn throughout the video so we can appreciate it better!

Kicking things off is "maknae on top" Jongho buried in the dirt, playing the flute (which sounds like a clarinet) while the others stand around him, four out of seven holding spades and shovels

And it's not just that they felt justified in burying him with extra holes for his hands so he could play the flute, they also felt the need to do it right outside a motel in the middle of the desert

Giving the meaning of this album, this starting from a dirt-hole in the dessert setting could be a reference to Pirate King and Treasure which were both shot in the dessert way back when

If that's the case, it'd also make the red car more meaningful since Yunho also had one during Wave

From here, we move on to a roadside diner/shack situation where our boys are working the counter, preparing counterfeit money burgers

Inside, we can see a bunch of Ateez's awards (bragging rights), including a MAMA award, the Billboard #1 plaque and more, with TYUdeongi and Mito (the two little plushs) front and center

Next up, we've got Seonghwa rolling into town on an ostrich, carrying the flags of some of the countries they visited during last year's world tour while Yunho, San, and Yeosang are counting their money and drinking around a table outside the motel

The next clips show us Yunho reading a burning newspaper with the headline proclaiming something along the lines of "Anonymous Philanthropists Change [...]", likely referencing all the money they've been handing out at their diner

The scene is accompanied by the lyrics "Breaking News popping up no matter where I go" which is very reminiscent of 'Matz'

Wooyoung's vibing outside with a Mariachi band and Flamenco dancers (don't ask me why... I guess they're having a Latin American phase right now - let's see if they end up fluent in Spanish or Portuguese some time soon)

Up in the mountains, we've got them mining for gold far away from any visible mining shafts, and singing about geese laying golden eggs in Spanish (giving Aesop's Fable), followed by a line about building towers 24/7 in Korean (giving Billionaires' Row in Manhattan) before San eats the gold nugget he'd been holding (the effects of eating gold are not well studied, please do not attempt at home)

Next, we've got Yeosang cutting out counterfeit money with a large pair of scissors (we're already struggling with inflation, put those scissors down) while singing about being an introvert

He's in the same office Yunho was in earlier when he was reading the burning newspaper (I'm glad the place didn't burn down)

Moving on, we've got Mingi in the parking lot dressed very Willy Wonka-esque (Gene Wilder version)

He's sporting two pins on his coat - one which looks like a painter's palette and the other looking like a cross, somewhat reminiscent of the Maltese Cross (shoutout to Malta, I feel like no one ever talks about you) or the Iron Cross (popular in early 20th century Prussia)

Everyone's partying, it's raining counterfeit money, we've got car hydraulics in the back (it's been 70 years, I didn't think these were still popular) and our Flamenco dancers are back before we cut to Jongho in his hole, and back to Seonghwa on his ostrich which is now joined by some very talented, head bobbing, CGI chickens

Moving on, we find Hongjoong dancing in another parking lot, surrounded by his members and some strangers on golden bikes, all wearing sunglasses

In the lyrics, he's referencing The Real which strongly matches the vibe they're going for in this sequence, both in terms of costumes and with the general setting

Within the same rap verse, we also see Hongjoong in first parking lot where Wonka-Mingi was kicking off the party earlier

Here, he's dancing with two kids in costume (a chicken and a wrestler), while looking super delighted, just all around happy to be here, much like the guy on the bike we can see in the back (it's very wholesome)

We briefly cut away to a shot of a lone massive golden egg stranded on a deserted hill surrounded by some dry shrubs. Keep it in mind. We'll come back to it later.

Back in the office, Yeosang's happy with his robot chicken (Brian) which seems to be capable of laying golden eggs, going by the tall stack of them presented on his desk

While Yeosang's hogging the office, Yunho's off in some basement, taking the term "money laundering" far too literally as he pulls a stack of bills from a washing machine

Seonghwa, once again on his ostrich, now enters a gas station where Wooyoung fills up the bird by inputting a fuel pump in its side. We can now definitively confirm that this alternate universe is weird as hell.

Moving on to a miniature city, we've got our two main rappers attacking a money-monster with some ray guns ( because, on this ship, we're anti-capitalism)

They're wearing fur coats to match the lyrics, which may also be a throwback to Say My Name

Returning to the diner, we've got Jongho building a money burger abomination with some added CDs because, clearly, that's his favorite breakfast

And over in the kitchen, we've got head chef Hongjoong cooking up some hellfire concoction which is literally on fire but he doesn't care - he's still just making a noot-noot face and giving us a straightforward reference to Bouncy by cutting in some more green chili peppers

Honorable mention to Mingi's GTA reference

From there, we get some shots of Ateez gathered around the camera (Don't Stop End Credits style), a short scene of Seonghwa in the hydraulic car, many people's favorite clip of half-topless San twisting a valve or something near some desert oil rigs, and more, before we finally move on to Jongho in front of a food truck

The truck seems to go hand-in-hand with Ateez's roadside dinner since it also offers their famed money burgers

Next, we've got Yunho and Yeosang carefully watching an extra large golden egg in their office

After a few more super quick scenes flash by, it begins to crack before we return to the lone massive golden egg in the desert we saw earlier which now busts open and out pops Seonghwa

There are some Korean folktales about men being born from eggs, all of them rulers which were used to keep the myth alive that kings were picked by a higher power, not born the conventional way - I assume that's what's being referenced here

[tumblingdownthefoxden]

"The Assistant and The Star"

Chapter 4: The Solstice Ceremony

Three times did the trumpet sound. Everyone within Rosas were gathering at the castle. Before the raised platform, stood two rows of soldiers surrounding a large sum of people. Every soldier held up a shield and faced the outside crowd. Ahead of that row was Dario. Next to him stood the youngest and shortest recruit for the army. Short brown hair and holding a small shield, he had a shovel in hand. Before them both was an angry old woman.

“Come on, boy! I only gave a wish last month! Can’t I give him another wish today?!” The old woman demanded. Dario shook his head. She wasn’t on his list and he didn’t know her name but he recognised her face. She did give a wish last month, so she completed her yearly tax. “That was the only wish you can give. You can only make a new wish next year.” He signed. The lady scoffed. “This is ridiculous! I used to make a wish to the King every month 15 years ago! We all could!" She spread out her arms, registering everyone coming down to the castle. "Can’t he make an exception? What if I told you that I knew his assistant.” She cooned.

“No, you don't.” The recruit named Gabo chipped in. He took three steps towards her. “Listen. I don’t know why the King is taking less wishes. It’s not my job to know. I don't care enough to know. You’re welcome to stay to watch the Ceremony but wait until next year to make another wish.”

The old woman crossed her arms and sighed. “Okay.” She said while she turned around. She took a few steps away before taking a running start back and leaped over Gabo to the lineup. Dario was quick and snatched her midair. He placed over his shoulder and walked away even as she thrashed. “Put me down, you giant brute! I will-”

*BONK*

“OW!” She cried, placing a hand on the spot of her head where Gabo’s shovel was. He pointed it to her. ”Next year. New Wish." He told her sternly. Gabo then smiled, “Enjoy the Ceremony.”

Dario gently put the woman down on her feet and returned to Gabo's side. She was stunned. Mouth agape at their “audacity”, but left nonetheless.

“Is this what you have to deal with every month?” Gabo said. Dario sadly nodded.

“Well why didn’t you tell me sooner? I'll try to convince my aunt to let me out here monthly.”

Gabo’s aunt, Martha Weber, is an officer for the royal guard and in charge of positioning guards to surround those giving their first wish of the year. To protect the line from scavengers that will try to sneak in to make another wish. Gabo has been a recruit for 2 years but he is 15 years old, too young to be a guard or be given a real sword. He’s not even supposed to be out with the guard tonight. 

Dario asked Gabo a week prior to help him handle aggravated locals. After a good 3 days of persuasion, Weber allowed her nephew to help guard at the Ceremony, but only for today. He still wasn’t allowed a steel sword but there were no rules against steel shovels. 

As those two worked on, another pair slowly made their way to the castle. Sakina and Sabino. "Saba? Are you alright?" Sakina asked Sabino, who dragged his feet behind her. Utterly exhausted. It was a long and disappointing day for Sabino. He was out in the city all day with his lute. He played loud, he played slow, he played fast, he played as he danced! All his best efforts to attract attention to his music, but no one stayed. No one stood by to hear the entirety of a song or cared to consider what it meant. Only ones that came and stayed were a few stray cats and geese, all of whom who walked away well roused.

His songs had their desired effect but no human had enough patience to let them work.

"It's a tale as old as time, Sakina." He sighed.

"Saba. You should rest yourself and your mandolin for a while." Sabino nodded to that. There was another suggestion Sakina needed to make but how could she phrase that it might be considerable but not ruin his mood further."

"And, dare I say it, would you like to sit back and let Magnifico take over the reins on your wish? And play your music for yourself?"

"No." Saba said with no hesitation.

"Listen, I know this is important to you but, you've been doing it for so long. Maybe focuse on playing for yourself without public attention."

"Sakira!" Sabino looked at her with wide eyes. "You might as well tell a baker to not to care that no one ate their large cake!" He held up his mandolin case. "I didn't spend my 40s learning the mandolin to not share music with others."

"Yes. I understand that but... the public eyes are dull. They have the same with the dancers. Unless it has to due with the King or a wish, you have their attention for 5 seconds. They light up for as long as the Magnifico or Asha is around."

"And it is because of their apathy that I do what I do. The years I spent learning my craft were some of my best, and I want others to live that luxury. I'm happy to let Magnifico help me but I don't want to sit by and do... nothing with my power." He looked up into the sky. Still too bright for stars to show. "I had this wish since Tomás was a boy and took me to see the stars. And it breaks my heart to think that matter how many times I write it down or how long I work on it, I might not live to see it come true." Sabino looked to the castle. "Must it take the death of a man for people to re embrace the growth of artistry?"

"And you still work to revive Rosas, even if you only reach one person?"

He held his mandolin case tighter as he turned to her. "No one deserves to live and die without a chance to attempt to make dreams come true." He smiled at her.

Sakina became quiet at his words. She looked at him with uncertainty. Sabino simply looked back with determination. She placed a soft kiss on his cheek. They stood in silence in the light of the sunset before continuing on to castle.

-  - -

At the side, behind the stage, Queen Amaya and Assistant Asha were seated in two elegant chairs. In Asha's lap was the ceremonial chest. In her hands, her favorite sketchbook. She showed the Queen a sketch of a boy with a giant robot.

"That is a neat concept. Are they friends?"

"Best friends. The boy reads the giant stories. I got idea from Talos."

"The bronze giant? Built by the god, Hephaestus?"

"Yeah, that one! Though this one would be iron."

"Then that boy is the luckiest kid!" Amaya chuckled. "Also, I read the book you recommended. Treasure Island. And it gave me an idea."

"Oh." Amaya cocked an eyebrow as Asha flipped through her sketches and showed her a picture of a boy on a flying sail boat over a village.

"You made him so cute!" Amaya admired.

"Thank you. The book saved me from my creative slump last month." She closed the sketchbook and placed it in her bag. "It's a shame so few people know about it."

Amaya sighed as she crossed her arms and leaned back into her chair. "Too many great stories were lost to time because no one in charge of spreading its word had faith that it would spawn great profits."

Suddenly, a ray of light blasted from the stage. The people were stunned and silent. From the light, countless little phantoms erupted up and swept down, just above the crowd. People shrieked and ducked! Most only flew about, crying like the wind. Some phantoms landed on heads. Ruffling hair and tossing hats. Everyone was bewildered but stayed in place as the phantoms went about.

While the people were distracted, Asha stood up. She nodded goodbye to the Queen and headed to the back of the stage behind the beaming light. Out of view, she pulled a large, folded bag from her work sachel.

The light still beamed and two yellow dots began to show. They grew larger and larger and then two winged Serpents emerged. The light disappeared as the serpents conducted their bit. Slow as a summer's breeze, one swallowed the phantoms midair like a whale swallowed plantain. The other went down and gently plucked naughty phantoms from people's heads before eating them. People awed at the glowing serpents. Some took the chance to pet their fluffy coats.

All phantoms erased, the low serpent flew up to meet the other. They flew around each other in a circular motion that you could say was a dance. They glowed brighter, coming together in a soft embrace, the two serpents fused into a yellow orb that shined like the sun. The orb rose higher and shoned horizontally and bursted into a wide ranged spray of sparkles. The people cheered and grabbed at the magic glitter raining down on them. 

As the people focused on the glitter, the beacon of light vanished, revealing Magnifico with Asha behind him. The little chest on the floor. He raised his staff and banged it down the platform, making a deafening sound that pulled the people's attention to him. "Good evening, Rosas! It is pleasure to see you all today." His voice rang throughout the gathering. The crowd went wild at the voice of their wish granting king. He smiled and spread out his arms as they praised his title. Some tossing flowers onto the stage.

He lowered and limbs and took on a stoic pose. "Now, first line of action." He pointed his staff to the first pair of people in the line between the guards. "Care to come forward?" They stood still, looking up at him with anxiety. This is their first wish ceremony. They have a wish to give but how will he take it? Does he need a coin? Do they have to whisper it? Does he need a hair?

Magnifico sensed their unfamiliarity and moved his staff behind him to let Asha hold it. He needed both hands for this operation. "It's alright, there is no cost. I'll explain how this works."

Slowly, they walked the stairs up onto the platform. They bowed once they were before him. "What are your names?" He asked.

"Helena Sanderson, your grace." One said.

"Esteban Aetos, your majesty." Said the other.

"Helena and Esteban. Lovely to make your acquaintance. And you both wish to live in this kingdom?" 

"Yes, your grace." Helena said, Esteban nodded.

"Alright. Give me hands please." The pair laid out their crossed hands and Magnifico laid his hand in each of theirs. "Now close your eyes and make a wish. Reap it from the depths of your heart." He whispered. The two followed suite, lowering their heads. One deep breathe in, and their chests glowed as the wish began to manifest. Magnifico's fingers slowly curled as he gently pulled a yellow mist from their chests and had it spiral within his palm. Once released, the mist was encased inside a gray bubble. He watched the wishes and both bubbles turned blue. He smiled, for their hearts were well intentioned.

The new citizens were less confident in their circumstance. They felt different. What was expected to be a weight lifted from their shoulders felt like a piece of themselves had gone missing. A vital piece. A piece that they no longer remembered. They looked back at the King for answers. "I understand that you're worried, but I can assure you. You will be safe here. Your wishes will be safe as well." They turned around and faced the crowd. Everybody cheered for the new citizens but they were still befuddled. Magnifico's words didn't bring comfort to their feeling but at least they got to stay? Before the cheering crowd, all they could do was to awkwardly wave before descending the platform.

Asha watched them from the middle of the stage, holding the staff and bag. The familiar pang of sadness in her heart. It was the same reaction for every new comer giving up their first wish. The newfound emptyness. The hunger to follow. Anything and everything done to fulfill it. The deepest wish, a window to the soul that Magnifico needed to see if the people here were well-intentioned and were gentle the next year. This was best for the kingdom, right?

Magnifico turned to her with the wishes in hand and she opened up the bag. He sent the bubbles floated into the sack. He turned back around to see one more person on the stage. He asked for their name, then manifested their wish. Asha stood by and kept the bag open for each wish to be collected. There were many people in line up today. Fortunately, she had more sacks.

The line got shorter and Asha's third sack continued to fill. Newcomers left the stage disheartened, old residents left the stage tired. The last person left with a wobble in their step. With Magnifico holding the staff and the chest still on the floor, Asha tied up the last sack and carried two of them back inside the castle. They weren't heavy but they were big. They were up to her neck in height. The last one hidden away, that concluded the first part of the Ceremony. Now was time for the raffle.

Asha took up the chest and opened the lid wide. "Now! Who's wish shall be granted at this hour?" He called out to the people as Asha lifted the wishes into the air. The crowd hollered at the sight of them. Praying that it was their wish on display. "First wish of the day. Graceful and vibrant as a butterfly. Sania Osman!" He called out. Everyone clapped as a woman near the side shrieked aloud. "It's me! IT'S ME! HE CALLED ME! Oh, great Heavens!" She shouted, squeezing her to the staircase. Once on stage, she vibrated like a bee! It was five months ago that she gave up her wish, and now she was having it publicly granted. "Next, with the heart and will of a bull! Agni Pal!" A man nearly collapsed upon the announcement and people applauding him. Agni Pal, dressed in deep brown, came onto the platform. "And last but not least. With a love for the arts." Within the crowd, Sakina and Sabino looked up at the king. Was he looking at them? "One with a great love for their occupation and needs to maintain their craft for the hope of the people." Magnifico was indeed, looking at them. Sabino cling onto Sakina's arm harder, excited. Was it actually today? Could he still be the influence that people needed?

"Sakina Astrada!" He held out his hand in her direction. Sakina face lit up before turning shocked. She looked at Saba. His a face bleak with newfound disappointment. "...Oh, Saba." She said, caressing his back. Sabino laid his hand on her shoulder and gave her a warm smile. "It's alright, mi lily. Go on and get your wish. I'll have it another day."

She gave Sabino a hug before going.

Sakina smiled to Asha once she was on the platform. King Magnifico observed the three people in front of him. He took one wish from the chest. "Sania Osman." He turned to her. She started fanning herself as he took her wish from the chest and held it in front of her. "As the summer lavender blooms for the bees, it is my pleasure to grant your heart's desire." As he said this, the wish glowed yellow. The bubble faded to reveal a yellow silk moth inside. It took flight and went above Sania's head. Moving in a circle, the moth emitted a silk like stream from its wings. The moth flew down with the silk floating behind it. Sania rose her hands to try and catch it, but it zoomed around her arms, binding them in silk. Sania peeped at the tingling sensation in her arms as the moth sat on her enclosed knuckles, waiting for the rest of the silk to fall, cutting off it's end of the silk. Once the first end of the silk fell past her knees, the moth zipped to that end and glided up. The silk split and vanished where the moth passed, as though it were cut by scissors. Smooth as water, the moth glided back up, cutting Sania's arms free. Stretching its body midair, it took a new form. Before the audience, Sania reached out as the moth transformed into a pair of golden scissors that gently fell into her hands. Her wish, to be the greatest dressmaker in her family. Sania couldn't hold back her tears. This was the greatest day of her life. Agni and Sakina clapped for the lucky lady. The audience applauded.

Magnifico pulled out another wish. "Agni Pal. As the Sun shines his longest day, it is my honor to grant your deepest passion." Agni and the others watched as the wish revealed a yellow flame moth. It took flight and begun flying in circles. Agni was confused. Why was his doing that? Before he could say anything, the moth started emitting sparks. It circled faster, casting more sparks when-

~FLOOUSH

The moth combusted. Engulfed in flames but intact. Agni shrieked and shielded himself as the flaming moth came at him. It zoomed and landed on his head. Then, Agni was engulfed in flames. Everyone screamed at the visual. Everyone but Magnifico and Amaya. Agni held up his arms. Just like the moth, he wasn't burning. He looked around the panicked masses. He looked at Sania and Sakina. "Does it... hurt?" Asked Sakina. He shook his head. He felt itchy. Only a mild discomfort as his muscle memory was reconstructed much more drastically than Sania. He felt his hair and removed the moth. He held the upturned moth in his palms like one would hold a bird when the fire on his body retreated from the feet up and transformed in different areas. Fire converged on his front, turning into a long, black apron. The remaining fire receded to his arms, shaping into thick, black gloves. The moth stretched out his wings and glowed like molten glass. It grew and morphed into a blob before splitting into two parts in each hand. The forms stopped glowing as they completed their transformations. A hammer and tongs. Speechless but extatic, Agni raised his tools and crossed them above his head. The crowd cheered and the other two clapped. His wish, to be an expert blacksmith.

Now for the last wish of the evening. "Sakina Astrada. At the hour of dusk, I witness your integrity and grace. It is with great pride and humility, that I fulfill your heart's will." Her wish unfolded around another yellow silk moth. It crawled onto the tips of Magnifico's fingers. It sat there for a good minute, looking at Sakina with curiosity before flying. It flew up around her body, examining her, and Sakina placed out her hands. She stared amazed as the moth landed in her cup hands. Her wish looked back at her with warmth before snuggling in her palms. Overwhelmed by the warmth and gentleness of the wish, Sakina leaned in and placed a little kiss on top of the moth's head. From where it promptly fell asleep. Agni and Sania stared at the wish, promptly confused. No sparks? No silk? No flashy colors? Any dramatic transformation? What was her wish doing? Surely, it wasn't just sleeping in her hands. Sakina showed the moth to Asha with a proud look on her face. This was her first wish to be ceremonially granted! "It's beautiful." Asha signed. It became too quiet for anyone to consider speaking. She turned and showed the moth to the audience. They were also confused. The silence was broken in a series of whispers. "Is this a joke?" Someone went. "Is it broken, what is it doing?" Somebody else went. "Poor lady. Her wish might be a buzzkill."

Sabino looked around. Slightly angry at everyone whispering down on her wish. He clapped loudly! "Yaaaaaay. It's amazing!" He cheered. The people stared at him like he was mad but Sakina smiled at his support. The moth awakened and stretched its body. The moth took to the air where it suddenly turned into an orb that begun growing. The crowd went silent, it was happening. Sakina stepped back as the orb grew larger and larger. When it finally stopped, it was as large as Sakina's body. Slowly, she reached out and touched it. And then the orb popped. In it's place was a spinning wheel. The people looked at each other and back at the spinning wheel, slightly agitated. A spinning wheel? They knew Sakina was a good seamstress but, she didn't wish to be the greatest seamstress? For golden cotton? A golden spinning wheel? It wasn't even a sort of metal, the moth did the least and most for a wooden spinning wheel.

Sakina step forward and passed her hand over the wheel. Smooth, dark oak. She gently gripped and turned the wheel. It spun without any creek or rattle. And last, with a single finger, she tapped the spindle of the wheel. It was pointed but the was rounded, and it didn't splinter. Sakina could cry. It was perfect! A spitting image of her old one. The applause of Agni and Sania was soft and unconfident. Still upended by her wish. How and why would Magnifico grant such a simple wish? Was it Sakina's relationship with his assistant?

She turned to Magnifico and bowed down. "Thank you so much your majesty." Magnifico smiled at the appreciation. "The pleasure is mine." Magnifico addressed the crowd. "People of Rosas! The wishes of the Summer Solstice!" The kingdom erupted in cheers and praises for the King and the prizemen.

Asha looked on as the people applauded those on stage. There was variety of people thrilled by the visuals and disappointed that they weren't selected. Agni and Sania made their way off the platform. Sakina picked up the spinning wheel and gave Asha a wink before following suit. "Rosas!" Magnifico called out to the audience. "May this Summer bring us warmth and prosperity! Vitality and transformation! Go forth and indulge in the festivities of this night and the next." With his blessings said, fireworks fired off. Explosions off red, orange, blue and white lit up the darkening sky. The Ceremony has concluded.

"Asha." Magnifico came to face her. "As I have mentioned before, I have someone in the throne room who can assist you on your outing later. Come this way." He said before walking away. Before she could follow, a strange feeling stopped Asha in her tracks. A feeling of someone burning holes in the back of her head.

'Don'tturnaround. Don'tturnaround. Don'tturnaround. Don'tturn-'

"Asha?" At her side, Queen Amaya came up from behind her with warm and concerned eyes. "Are you alright?" It wasn't from her. Magnifico had stopped walking to look back at her. "Oh, I'm alright." Asha said. "Just a little tired." Amaya nodded and led her with Magnifico.

Little to their knowledge, somebody in the crowd south from them was actually watching them intently. A woman with long, blonde sausage curls stared at Asha but not like the other stares that she received. Some stared at her with excitement, want, and sometimes envy. But the stare of this woman, was of hostility.

Inside the castle, Magnifico opened the door to the throne room with a wave of his hand and let the two women enter first. "Do you have an extra guard?" Asked Asha. The room was dimly lit by the remaining sunlight from the large windows. "Kind of. Someone smaller but well fit." Magnifico remarked. "And adorable." Amaya added with a chuckle. Magnifico blew a whistle with his fingers. There was no response. Magnifico frowned and blew his fingers again. Again no response. "Charo! Will you please come out here. I have a job for you." There was a growl from across the room. From behind the Queen's throne, a pair of green eyes showed within the shadows. An Iberian Lynx slowly made his way to the monarchs. Dropping a pig's bone from its mouth. "Asha. This is Charo. Charo, this is Asha." Charo sat down at the Queen's feet and yowled. "You... have a pet lynx?" Asha asked. "Yes. He's shy and doesn't like being out in the city so most don't know about him. He's our little guardian lynx. He helps me travel through the city." Amaya bent down and picked up the 30 pound cat. "Charo. Could you escort Asha home and ward off anyone that makes her uncomfortable?" Charo looked between Amaya and Asha and gave an affirmative yowl. Asha was wide-eyed and shook her head. "Your majesties, I am grateful for the offer but I don't think I can take him. It's rather extensive to take a large animal with me. I shouldn't take such a prized creature to go home." She retorted. 'Especially after offending the King'. Asha thought.

"This is a gift, Asha." Magnifico emphasized, concerned. "I said that I knew someone who could get you home and I am a man of my word. He can make his way back to us after. My duty is to protect the people of Rosas. And that includes you." Amaya placed Charo down on his paws. He walked over to Asha, sniffing her body and then rubbed his side against her legs. "I insist Asha. Please. Don't endanger yourself to try and convenience us." Asha stood still as the lynx took in her scent, she smiled at his gentleness and nodded to the monarchs. "Then it is settled." He scratched Charo behind his ear. "Protect her with your life, Charo. Have a great and safe evening, Asha." Magnifico said. With the doors still open, Charo was the first to walk out. The King and Queen bid Asha goodnight before she left. With the doors shut behind her, Asha went to see Charo against the wall near the doors. "Hello." She said to him. " Oh, shoot! I forgot to mention. I have a baby goat with me. Do you eat goats?" Charo looked at her as though she just asked what bread was. "Right, wrong question. Sorry." She put her hands on her hips as she thought of a different question. "Are you hungry right now?" He licked his paw and blinked at her. No. He won't be for a while. Alright. They're all set to leave.

A/N:

This took longer than expected but I cut it shorter than intended but I want to write a wholesome chapter.

I finally got to conduct my moth Ceremony! I wish the movie told us what Sakina's wish was so I made her up a mild one that would test the ideals of the people and hint to her own values. All the while, present the correlation of loved ones of the King's assistant having their wishes granted sooner.

@annymation @signed-sapphire @mythartist21 @wings-of-sapphire @chillwildwave @rascalentertainments @oh-shtars @uva124 @kstarsarts @hopeyarts @spectator-zee

[radley-writes]

Different anon here. Been suffering a pretty significant depression slump that magnified tenfold after a pretty devastating breakup.. my main WIPs were romances but now the idea of romantic love makes me want to puke from the anxiety. It's been almost half a year now, and I feel like I'm in a constant state of mourning, a ghost of myself. Will I ever be able to write again..?

Oh, nonnie. You've really been through it. Come walk with me to the river, okay?

[image description: a sunlit field, lined with trees, and a pale blue winter sky above]

It's a lovely sunny (if FREEZING) day, so you'll need a coat and a sunhat!

Here we go...

You've been through something horrible, which has tarnished your love for your favourite genre. I'm so sorry that the breakdown of your relationship took writing romance from you. That sounds incredibly difficult, and to grieve that loss is understandable.

Let's head down through the farmland, along the muddy tracks pitted with the hoof prints of wild deer...

[ID: a dirt road leading between two thin lines of trees, with green fields on either side]

As far as I see it, three options lie before you.

1) push through the anxiety and force yourself back into writing what you used to love, risking making yourself hate it even more and causing yourself psychological damage in the process.

2) abandon the idea of writing romance entirely and focus on something new - which means letting go of something you still care deeply for, and many memories you cherish.

3) wait to heal and hope time will resolve your lingering trauma around romance - but you don’t know how long this will take, or even if it will work at all.

.... We're gonna have to take a detour because the rich city slicker bastards are out shooting birds for 'sport' again 🙃. Scuse me...

[ID: A copse of spindly birch trees, leafless in winter. ]

[ID: A fallow field with a green field behind it. The green field is dotted with numerous white fabric flags.]

Back onto a new path! And look at all the flags on that one field.... Fuck any geese who land THERE in particular, huh?

Any one of those options might work for different people! However, I suspect you’re aware of these choices, and for whatever reason, they aren’t working for you.

I can't give you a perfect answer. I can't even promise that you will write romance again. But if you’re ready, I can give you a few ideas that invoke elements of Option 1, 2 and 3, which might help with the healing process.

[ID: A path along the edge of a field, leading into a group of trees. A river is visible beyond it.]

Sometimes, we start to resent ourselves when we can no longer do something from which we used to extract joy - be this for any reason, trauma, physical disability, end of a hyperfixation, etc. If this is the case, holding tightly onto the past may not be in your best interest.

If the mere idea of writing romance brings you no joy and satisfaction, only repulsion and misery... If you are clinging on to your desire to write romance out of a need to prove that you are the same person you were before you went through this, and that what you suffered did not effect you... it might be best for you to cut that desire loose.

There are so many creative outlets out there. Something else will call to you. You could try to - very slowly and gently - broaden your reading horizons, and write something completely devoid of romance. You could dabble in different hobbies and turn your focus to alternate means of creativity, from dance to cooking to pottery.

And if you sample many different dishes and none of them appeal... There's a fair chance that, by the time you reach that point, you might have put enough time and distance between yourself and the disintegration of this relationship, that writing romance no longer feels like stabbing yourself repeatedly in the chest.

It might still hurt, but it’ll be more like grasping a thorn. A small, sharp pain, but one that isn't going to tear you all the way open.

We're almost there!

[ID: A muddy path through leafless, ivy-wrapped winter trees. A river is just visible between them]

It’s alright to change. It’s alright to let trauma and loss shape us, so long as we don’t let it ruin our lives and the lives of people around us.

We're here! Let's sit down for a bit.

[ID: Half of a simple wooden bench, on a grassy bank, pointing away from the camera.]

I want you to sit quietly for a while. Think about what I’ve said, and ask yourself, truly, if pursuing becoming a romance writer again is the best course for you.

If it is - or if you are unsure, but still want to try - let's focus on trying to help you reclaim that part of yourself that you used to love.

Does reading romance also give you panic attacks? How about novels that include romance, but focus their plot in a different direction? Sit down with a fantasy book that has a minor background romance - I can give you some reccs, if you want! See how you feel.

Is there a show you really love, and some characters whose relationship you're invested in? Do those characters feel sufficiently distant from your situation? If so, could you write a few short snippets of fanfic. You don't have to publish them - but if I'm in a slump, writing fanfic often feels far less personal than writing about my own OCs. That might help you rediscover your affection for the romance genre, without cutting out your own heart and slapping it on the page.

Alternatively, could you write a platonic romance? By which I mean, for writing practice, try to incorporate all the 'beats' of a romance book, but focus on a different type of love - that between friends, or siblings, or even a parent and a child. Again, this might help you access the emotional ups and lows of a romance novel and help you hone your writing skills, while avoiding the core issue of a romantic relationship.

[ID: a river meanders over a flat countryside, reflecting the blue cloudy sky]

Here's our river, winding away. I hope that no matter what you choose to do, you take good care of yourself.

You will find creative joy again, somewhere, even if it's not in the same way you're used to. Of that much, I'm certain. X

[tilbageidanmark]

Movies I watched this week (#172):

"May I watch you eat?"

The taste of things is the latest French 'Food-porn' movie, following the recipe of so many before it, and paying homage especially to 'Babette's Feast', with Juliette Binoche playing the simple cook Stéphane Audran in a similar style. They knew what they were doing, romanticizing the 'olde thyme' vision of culinary bliss, making it like a summertime Renoir tableaux [but without any of the dozens of assistants needed to chop the wood, peel the potatoes, pluck the geese, and do the dishes]. Food as love.

I saw it on the same day I read this article about 'The Hottest Restaurant in France', which got me in the mood.

🍿

"I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Please forgive me..."

Samsara is not Ron Flicke's film of the same name (him of the The Qatsi Trilogy). But this 2023 film too is a meditative, spiritual essay about life, death and change. It specifically tells about the Buddhist idea of re-incarnation.

Like the Italian poem 'Le quattro volte' it transforms the philosophical concept of 'Bardo' into a visual story about a bed-ridden old Laotian woman who turns into a new-born goat in Africa after her death. And like Philip Gröning's patient 'Into Great Silence', it follows the simple life in a monastery, quietly and poetically. (Photo Above).

It tells two separate stories: A young boy reads from 'The Tibetan book of the Dead' to a dying woman in a village in Laos. And exactly at midpoint, there's an unexplained, abstract 2001 "Star Gate" light show, where the (Spanish) director asks the audience to close their eyes, and get lost in the vortex with her for about 15 minutes. Long stretch of strobe lights and strange dead sounds, as her soul travels though the afterlife into new birth. Then her spirit transmutes into an another form, as a pet goat for a young Muslim girl in Zanzibar. It's a fragile, silent and unfocused vision about the circle of life.

🍿

Thoroughbreds, my second unsettling thriller by Cory Finley (after 'Bad Education'), his accomplished debut feature. It tells of two rich, psychopathic Connecticut girls who scheme to murder, a-la Raskolnikov, the mean father of the richer one. Terrific direction choices and well-made execution, but I can't stand the young, unlikable actresses (and actors!), and their emotionally-stunted upper-class coldness left me cold too.

I loved JunePictures's lovely animated logo at the beginning!

🍿

Invention for Destruction, a Jules Verne steampunk'ish adventure fable. It was made by Karel Zeman, the "Czech Méliès", in 1958, and is considered "the most successful film in the history of Czech cinema". It's a fantasy sci-fi story that includes rollerskating camels, underwater biking pirates, a giant man-eating octopus, submarines with duck-foot paddles, Etc. It mixes real-life acting with special effect Victorian engravings and animation, including traditional, cut-out, and stop-motion, along with miniature effects and matte paintings. 4/10.

🍿

2 by French feminist Germaine Dulac:

🍿 Dulac was a radical, impressionist, avant-garde film-maker who had made ground-breaking surrealist silent films even before Buñuel and Dalí made 'The Andalusian Dog'.

The Smiling Madame Beudet (1923) is a strong feminist story of an intelligent woman unhappily married who's dreaming of killing her boorish husband. It includes a literal Chekhov's gun. [*Female Director*].

🍿 The Seashell and the Clergyman is based on an experimental story by avant-garde artist Antonin Artaud. A year before 'Un Chien Andalou', it's just as opaque & untamed. Anybody interested in early Buñuel, should visit her films. It's about the "erotic hallucinations of a priest lusting after the wife of a general." Distorted images, bizarre fantasies, impolite subversions... [*Female Director*].

🍿

Another silent era classic, made by a towering pioneer, Alice Guy Blaché's 1906 The Life of Christ. [On IMDb, Alice Guy is credited with directing 464 (!) films, producing 32 and writing 18!]. Composed of 25 individual tableaux, telling of mostly his last days, and noted for her focus on his mostly women followers. The poor baby who had to play Jesus in the manger!... [*Female Director*].

🍿

Crack-up, a confusing 1946 Film Noir, made by a second-rated director, with a terrible script and bad acting all around, including the miscast Pat O'Brien. A stolen art piece, not up to 'The Maltese Falcon' levels. 2/10.

🍿

"I was drugged and left for dead in Mexico, and all I got was this stupid T shirt."

A single re-watch this week: the sophisticated mystery The Game, again♻️. Still my favorite David Fincher film, even more than 'The social Network'. With the magnificent Memory montage opening, which was also copied successfully by the show 'Succession'. Chasing a "White Rabbit", a birthday present to remember...

🍿

2 more selections from the US National Film Registry:

🍿 I am somebody is a 1970 documentary about a strike by 400 black hospital employees (all but 12 women) for better pay in Charleston, South Carolina. Racist discrimination against poor blacks in Amerika is so appalling and so deep, it's hard to watch. The fight for equality and civil rights never ended. 9/10. [*Female Director*].

🍿 Jammin' the Blues is a 1944 Warner Bros. jazz short featuring Lester Young and (new to me) singer Marie Bryant. Oscar nominated in 1944. 'Smokin'!

🍿

I used to really like British magician Darren Brown, and saw many of his shows. Pushed to the edge (2016) is a disturbing experiment in social compliance, a-la Stanley Milgram, taken to the extreme. With dubious morality, he manipulates an unsuspecting guy to push another man from the roof of a building. But the more elaborate the set up, the more uncomfortable it is to watch it.

🍿

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, a lame, loud, shallow music mockumentary by The Lonely Island. It had only one good number, "Fucked Bin Ladin" (which came at 46:00, exactly one hour before the end, so they did follow some script writing rules after all..) and about one million celebrity cameos, including Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney. 2/10.

🍿  

In They're Made Out Of Meat (2005) two aliens meet in a night Diner. One of them tell the other, dressed in St. Pepper-type uniform that he discovers that all people on this planet are "made out of meat". It's a cute concept, but that's the whole thing, and there's not more to it.

RIP, Terry Bisson!

🍿  

Semiotics of the Kitchen was an angry installation piece by artist Martha Rosler, at the heights of the second wave feminism years (1975). A parody of a cooking show, where the host gets more and more agitated. [*Female Director*].

🍿

(My complete movie list is here)

[quillyfied]

Things I’m noticing on this rewatch, which I’m hoping to take slow and ponder on but we will see how it goes, PART TWO (obviously major Good Omens season 2 spoilers throughout, specifically for S2E2)

- Immediately the first thing I notice and love is the old-timey grainy way the Job storyline was shot with. Aziraphale’s holy background thing is so fun and dynamic, omg. There’s something very Terry Gilliam about the visuals.

- Also want to point out that the different shades of red of Crowley’s hair is a CHOICE, because he’s back to s1 color in this flashback. Also noticed last episode, but the new hair seems to have much darker roots or lowlights visible in some shots. Deliberate?

- Crowley can just summon a small sun. Nbd.

- The idea of a permit. The continuing hysteria of inserting modern parlance into the past. This is why I love this show.

- THE PERMIT IS SO LONG WHY IS THAT LOONEY TUNES LEVEL HUMOR STILL SO FUNNY

- Thing I notice now: the crows flying away after the goats are struck by fireballs. Originally unnoticed ambiance. Now incredibly funny.

- “You know, geese? Big, cross ducks?” I LOVE MURIEL.

- Hello, Jerkface McGee Gabriel.

- My brain, when Gabriel talked about witnessing the first human birth: oh, he was there for Cain? Weird, but—oh. Oh he meant Eve. Oh NO. Aziraphale your superiors are incompetent.

- The marks of irritation the archangels have with Aziraphale…phew. Eye rolling, huffing, the whole shebang. Poor guy.

- The fact that Jim is trying to be helpful and makes the bookshop less comprehensible delights me, actually. As does his hideous sweater.

- The fact that there are edges to Jimbriel’s memory, that he has snatches of himself but can’t encompass the whole…weird. Why won’t his whole self fit back inside of his amnesiac mind? What’s taking up the room? Unless all the room is stored with the rest of his memories? This is a silly train of thought and I’m getting a bit too deep

- Wondering how Hell’s miraculous tracking system works tbh.

- Another note about the opening: last season, we got to the crowd actively falling off the edge of their cliff path and the good ones going up, the bad ones going down. This time…credits end before they reach that summit. And they’re climbing towards something brightly lit. Interesting.

- I love that the seemingly throwaway line of all albums turning to Queen Best Hits when left in a car for too long turns into more of an actual plot point with the jukebox and Buddy Holly. Almost feels taboo.

- The needing an invitation to get in thing is so subtly done, too.

- Keen?? KEEN???

- Yeah the attempt to kill the fly does sort of overly dampen the reveal later. Better foreshadowing would have been to him trying to catch it tbh.

- CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW AZIRAPHALE CAN DRAW

- Dirty Donkey pub. Something about that is tickling my brain. No idea why. Like I know its utility as an elevator in s2 but I feel like there’s something important about it I’m forgetting? Or missing?

- Jane Austen as master spy and novelist is the exact flavor I’m looking for, thank you. XD

- Ehm. Aziraphale. The ball part isn’t where the love realizations happened, from my memory. They’re highly charged events, but they’re for feeding chemistry, not realizations. Idk man.

- Aziraphale almost closes the shop door on him. Noticed it the first time. Noticing it now. Mistake? Or meant?

- Pride and Prejudice is what is zoomed in on. Nice.

- Feels like Crowley is possibly probing Jim’s mind at this stage. Miraculously? There’s a partial little hissing chime when he starts doing it but I can’t tell if that’s a tension builder or an actual miraculous signifier.

- Note to self: go back to first episode and see if any sound effect played during the dual miracle. Result: yes, normal miracle chime.

- Going back to e2, not a full miracle chime but definitely a hiss of something. Don’t think Crowley is rooting around in his head but unsure how Crowley can evoke these episodes in Jimbriel but Aziraphale can’t. Hmm.

- Wondering if there’s a female voice layered under Gabriel’s, or if it’s his own pitched up.

- The fact that Jimbriel has some awareness of himself though!! He KNOWS whatever he can’t quite remember is too big for him right now, but he doesn’t know what it is and goes back to being a happy sieve in no time. Weird!!!

- Aha. Subtitles are wrong, Aziraphale does still call him Crawly in the Job minisode.

- “Technically you can—“ “oh, then technically I will” I SEE YOU, JOHN FINNEMORE. REUSING VERY GOOD LINES.

- GOSH the ACTING I am in a SWOON

- THAT SMUG LITTLE ANGELIC GRIN

- okay but: very important conversation about sides and desires and knowing (gosh that sounds dirty), unfortunate side effect of validating to Aziraphale that the angel he knew as Crowley Before is still in there and still reachable, the demon no different but just more stubborn for some reason. Massive flaw in his cognition to work through in s3, the universe willing.

- The kids being brats feels so…appropriate, somehow. All but the youngest. Who is adorable.

- Aziraphale showing faith in Crowley, though, and being proven correct. My tender heart.

- Crowley being obliging and turning Jemimah into a blue lizard. I cry.

- Aziraphale having a gag reaction to wine is hysterical actually

- The sensuality of the tempting Aziraphale to eat though.

- I…really can’t tell God’s tone or intent in talking to Job? Might just be telling him off. I think that’s what They’re doing. Job and I are on the same page at least.

- Gabriel’s game show host way of announcing this poor middle aged woman can have seven more kids. The Supreme Archangel, folks.

- Crowley stepping up at the nick of time to stop Sitis from committing blasphemy in front of the most powerful angels of Heaven: incredible power move. Only to be topped by his subsequent act of “midwifery”

- The “yes, and”ing of this scene. I’m agog.

- “Reach into his robes—higher, higher” THE LOOK ON JOB’S FACE

- Okay but the very neat forcing of Aziraphale to directly lie to his superiors, to take an active role of disobedience for the actual greater good. Mmm. Tasty for his character.

- THE WAY AZIRAPHALE’S HEAD JUST POPS OUT FROM BEHIND THE BENTLEY. Also had a little miracle chime to it so he definitely just. Popped up. Good grief.

- OUR car. Passed his test 90 years ago. Just like it’s technically my shop but we both get plenty of use out of it. MARRIED. BICKERING.

- GOOD OMENS THE BOOK INSIDE OF GOOD OMENS THE SHOW. I SQUEAL. I GIGGLE. I KICK MY FEET.

- The whole conversation at the end about falling and being lonely…SO many emotions. So many layers. Such setup. I just want to pop it in my mouth and gum on it for hours. This is the second time Aziraphale has lied to his bosses, but he wasn’t near as torn up about lying to God as he was about lying to Gabriel and the rest. Possibly because he had no proof that God DIDNT want him to give the sword to Adam to protect themselves with, and in this case he DID have more substantial proof that God wanted those kids dead. Or, Gabriel and Michael did, at least.

- Once again setting up to Aziraphale that Crowley is a good demon, that trusting him is a good idea, and pitting that against his ingrained trust in Heaven. Difficult dichotomy, difficult situation. Still hasn’t fully untangled that one in the present day. Obviously.

- “I’m a demon. I lied.” The absolute POWER.

Okay that’s it for tonight. More later!

[werewolftransjenderism]

This is going to sound weird at first, but stick with me. My best advice to anyone struggling to take care of themselves due to depression, low self-worth, etc. is to think: "Would you treat an animal this way?"

If you found out someone was keeping their pet in a tiny enclosure with no enrichment and generally neglecting them, you would be horrified right? So why would you do that to yourself?

Its really easy for people to forget that humans are animals too, and our environment and physical well-being have massive effects on our mental well-being. I know depression is a bitch and it can be hard to convince yourself that you deserve care, so as a first step, just think of your body as an animal. Get up, give it some food and water, take it outside, whatever. Get silly with it even! Been rotting in your room all day? Well, its time to take that ol dog for a walk! Do whatever you need to, because at the end of the day, its really hard to get better if you don't meet your own basic needs. To quote Wild Geese by Mary Oliver:

"You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves."

[hummingbirdsinjune]

The multiverse of cuteness INDEED

Our Skyy 2 MSP time you silly geese

- Silly music club Tiw? Perfect

- Man I hope Por is the scheming one because Por managing to land his bff a boyfriend and himself one when Tiw couldn't? Comedy.

- I'm going to choke laughing at the silliness of this

- 😂😂 I absolutely cannot with the group roar

- I can't even make it through the first part because of laughing at Tinn's sound effects which I'm 100% confident are just Gemini's day to day sound effects. He sounds like a muppet.

- look y'all Tinn is rocking harder than Gun ever did

- absolutely living for their moms keeping their personalities (and the fourth wall break "I'm not that kind of mom in this series!")

- letting Por remain a dumb dumb bestie means a lot to me

- so does poking fun at random English use

- oh god hallucination Tinn is coming

- Gemini naturally looking like this emoji 😈 only makes it funnier

- Tiw lmao. Mark is playing him like Tiw KNOWS this is the wrong universe and he woke up in these silly shenanigans and doesn't know how to get back to his own universe

- Tinn "my friends are stupid" 😂😂 bro

- Pouting about SoundWin losing their very important scene, just to have them take a TinnGun scene >>>

- They have Winny looking a little too good in this episode. I know he's aesthetic swapped with Sound but looord

- TiwPor is touching 🚨

- Gemini's demon laugh gets me EVERY time I don't even think he acting at this point. Tinn is just playing himself.

- seeing more of Tinn's menace side is very important, spiritually

- oh so that's what their mixed up name tags on IG were about 😂

- (wheezing)

- Ford, back on the mic

- Tinn's crooked bowtie returns

- This is double, maybe triple the musical numbers. It's unhinged.

- Ford is a maximum level cutie

- the amount of times Tinn and co make their own group coos is amazing

- in this universe Yo is blind

- every time Tiw shows up around a corner I lose my mind.

- YAAAAS BABIES 😂😂

CONFIRMED. A WIN FOR ALL.

[gnothi-seayton]

Another of his astonishingly silly comments needs to be examined: I mean that wise saying of his, to the effect that, "We who are alive and persevere shall not precede those who are asleep when the Lord comes; for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel; and the trumpet of God shall sound, and those who have died in Christ shall rise first; then we who are alive shall be caught up together with them in a cloud to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall be forever with the Lord."

Indeed—there is something here that reaches up to heaven: the magnitude of this lie. When told to dumb bears, to silly frogs and geese—they bellow or croak or quack with delight to hear of the bodies of men flying through the air like birds or being carried about on clouds. This belief is quackery of the first rank: that the weight of our mortal flesh should behave as· though it were of the nature of winged birds and could navigate the winds as easily as ships cross the sea, using clouds for a chariot! Even if such a thing could happen, it would be a violation of nature and hence completely unfitting.

For the nature which is begotten in all things from the beginning also assigns to those things a certain station and rank in the order of the universe the sea for creatures that thrive in water; the land for creatures who thrive on ground; the air for the creatures who have wings; the reaches of the heavens for the celestial bodies. Move one creature from its appointed place to another sphere and it will die away in its strange abode. "You can't take a fish out of water," for it will surely die on the dry land. Just the same, you can't hope to make land animals creatures of the sea: they will drown. A bird will die if it is deprived of its habitat in the air, and you cannot make a heavenly body an earthly one.

The divine and active logos [word] of God has never tampered with the nature of things and no god ever shall, even though the power of God can affect the fortunes of created things. God does 'not work contrary to nature: he does not flaunt his ability but heeds the suitability of things [to their environment, in order to] preserve the natural order. Even if he could do so, God would not cause ships to sail across the continents or cause farmers to cultivate the sea. By the same token, he does not use his power to make evildoing an act of goodness nor turn an act of charity into an evil deed. He does not turn our arms into wings and he does not place the earth above the stars. Therefore, a reasonable man can only conclude that it is idiotic to say that "Men will. be caught up ... in the air."

And there is more to Paul's lying: He very clearly says, "We who are alive." For it is now three hundred years since he said this and nobody—not Paul and not anyone else—has been caught up in the air. It is high time to let Paul's confusions rest in peace.

— Porphyry, Against the Christians

[hiccanna-tidbits]

AKGHBKUEFYDGJ when I tell you I just BARELY got all my submissions from last year's Hiccanna month in in time for this year's Hiccanna month--

Truly I have levels of procrastination inside me that most college students can only dream of.

So anyways, here's a moodboard for a fic I wrote a full-ass year ago. A moodboard that I made...last week XD Better late than never, I guess?

The fic is We're at the movie scene where everyone drowns, and it's also posted both on my AO3 Infrared_Ultraviolet and my ff.net Infrared-Ultraviolet! Go check it out :3 Hopefully I'll have the time and energy to write more full-length one-shots for Hiccanna month this year, but we will have to see! I'm a working woman now earning the big bank so I can continue to pay my internet bills and maintain the fandom lifestyle XD

Anna gets to have terrible insomnia because she is my beloved projection blorbo and she gets to deal will all of my issues for me <3 But hey, it's not like it doesn't have canon basis! We see that she does in fact have trouble getting up in the morning (enough to make it a running gag!) and is pretty bleary and out-of-it when she does, which could easily be the result of not running on much sleep and (unwillingly) staying up late. We can also see pretty consistently that she's not what would be considered a "morning person" (although I have my doubts such a thing even exists in real life). Anna's pretty heavily ADHD-coded, which often has insomnia as a side effect because your brain will not turn off ever, least of all when you need to sleep. Things like time blindness when you get super into doing something right before bed or existing anxiety and/or paranoia that's exacerbated by the ADHD really do not help, either.

Anyways, I'm here to tell you that the fear of forgetting your sleep meds when you're going on a short trip/crashing at a friend's house is very, very real. Especially since you often don't realize it until everyone else is already dozing off and no one wants to take you to the pharmacy to buy more XD At that point, your options are a) start taking shots in hopes the alcohol drowsiness will put you to sleep or b) lie awake and get bored and angry and hate your life and also have no one else to talk to because everyone else went to sleep in under 5 minutes. Yes, it really is that bad.

The one upside is that there IS the possibility you will get to watch your crush sleep in a non-creepy way (like you didn't seek them out like a stalker--you just can't go the fuck to sleep and they happen to be 5 feet away!) and fawn over how cute they look doing it XD Which is the only thing that gets Anna through the night, I'm pretty sure!

Although being alone with the stars and the creature noises doesn't sound half bad, if you HAVE to stay awake XD Better than staring at the wall of your room, anyways! Still praying for Anna to get that Starbucks the next morning, tho ^^;

Man, I really wish my college campus had had a duck pond with amusing but occasionally aggressive geese. We had some pretty insane squirrels, but staring down a squirrel is just not the same as being chased by a hissing goose. This is something that I think should happen to everyone at some point, to keep humanity humble. Also being followed around by hungry honking geese while you try to evade them and go to class sounds like the exact kind of college shenanigans I needed in my life! Instead of the depression-laden mess it actually was ajnsdlkuhkuedgh

I love the idea of Anna kinda inadvertently memorizing Hiccup's freckle patterns and finding little designs in them, like constellations <3 She pays WAY too close attention to him, and it shows XD I remember back in college I was gone af for this one guy, and I noticed he had this freckle pattern on his cheek that kind of looked like a baseball diamond. And I adored the fuck out of it ;____; If anyone replaced him with a clone who didn't have that little baseball diamond, I would catch on SO DAMN FAST. I imagine Anna would do the same thing with Hiccup XD Ain't nobody swaps Hiccup for a doppelganger without Anna being ON THE FUCK TOP OF IT.

Pretty pleased with how this one came out! I kind of wanted to do a juxtaposition of dark pics with well-lit pics, and I think the end result turned out pretty decent! Also ended up with a green, orange/brown, purple, and black color scheme, which all go together surprisingly well :O

Any modern AU Anna would also definitely own that exact greenish-blue sweater. Just sayin!

As always, pic credits available upon request!

[moonlitcomet]

fun facts about the torch-heads [cabeça-de-tochas]:

They are genuinely really smart but that comes at a price for the people dealing with them. Yes this means they can be tamed, but it also means they know how to use basic tools like sticks and rocks, and how to solve pretty complex puzzles. And they also know how to set things on fire. And they love to set things on fire.

They like their food cooked and will go out of their way to cook it on open fire or even lava/volcanic stone if they find any.

Despite being like five times heavier than a human they are pretty easily spooked and can be chased off by geese or other livestock guardians.

Their favorite foods are pheasants and medium-sized birds, and chickens and ducks are included in this. Since they're native to Raitera, they also quite like tropical fruits and nuts as a treat. Cocoa [chocolate] is included in this.

Dragon farmers in Canavera Town have tamed cabeça-de-tochas as livestock guardians of their own, since they will not target larger livestock like swine or cows. They will not eat anything they cannot swallow whole unless it is already dead.

They have a short breeding season in the winter where males will grow brilliant golden feathers on their heads to impress females. This is partially where they got their name.

Cabeça-de-tochas have excellent color vision but poor night vision. Their black heads actually help divert intense sunlight away from their eyes.

They have sometimes been found hovering over thick intense smoke and intentionally rolling in it or breathing it in. It's suspected this has a "high" effect on them like catnip on cats.

They are pretty solitary as a species, and only group up during the breeding season. Their territories can get enormous, some reaching over 100 square miles. However, even if they meet each other in each other's territory, they try not to fight and instead intimidate challengers away by making the loudest sound they can. The sound of a dueling duo of cabeça-de-tocha shakes the ground for miles from how deep their calls can get.

Curiously, when in captivity, they seem to have less animosity towards each other and will be willing to group up and even work together. This is suspected to be due to a higher source of both food and enrichment provided by their caretakers.

They're decent parents and lay eggs in clutches of up to four. The mother is the sole caretaker of the babies, and usually only one makes it to adulthood due to predation or sickness or other danger. The mother will share her territory with her babies until they are three years old, and they reach adulthood and sexual maturity at eight years.

They have lifespans of up to 30 years in the wild and 80 years in captivity.

[em0sket]

more people should walk down the street scatting just walking and clicking being like sha ba bad doo ba and making trumpet sounds constantly bent down at a 45 degree angle for most effective clicking and fedora wearing because i want a flock of them to scare people like geese

[charlesandmartine]

Saturday 1st July 2023

Happy Canada Day

This day recalls 156 years since in 1867 when the US beneath them appeared to be gaining in influence, three great chunks of administrations decided to come together under one all embracing banner, Canada instead of BNA (British North America). Until 1982 it was called Dominion Day, but I guess that might mean different things to different people so it was changed again. Originally it was Anniversary of Confederation Day. Well that sounds exceedingly Victorian and stuffy. Legislation, passed by the British Parliament, created Canada as a new, domestically self-governing federation, consisting of the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec, on July 1, 1867, although it looks like BC didn't chip in their tuppence ha'pence until 1871. Further to this, a royal decree in 1868 requests all Her Majesty's Canadian subjects should celebrate on 1st July. It all seems very complicated and how Queen Vic kept up with it from thousands of miles away in London, goodness only knows. Well anyway from what we have seen so far is that Canadians are intending a right knees up and joining in with the spirit of the thing. Flags are up, schools are off and all the RVs (recreational vehicles) are on the road heading for the lakes and coast.

Now Lonely Planet does not brim over with excitement vis-a-vis Salmon Arm. It struggles to find any preoccupation for a tourist who has strayed this far off the beaten and has probably little sympathy if he did.

As the day progressed and expectations were high, the picture that comes to mind is rather that of a damp squib. There was a small hiatus along the main road in downtown Salmon Arm. A group of enthusiastic Canadian citizens were agitated about something. Canada maple leaf flags were abundant and there were placards regarding rights either to be in the LGBT community or possibly not to be as such. Honk if you agree. Hmm, not actually being exactly clear on the subject we deferred.

That being the only incident involving flags etc we proceeded down to the wharf on Sushwap Lake for a little Canada Day preamble. Well be careful who you talk to. We met an elderly Canadian and his elderly oriental wife on the jetty who surprisingly appeared a little anti Canadian and did somewhat confirm the Lonely Planet guide's summation of Salmon Arm; there's not much here. On reflection he came up with a couple of suggestions for us to occupy our time here with. Go to Herald Provincial Park he said. Also you might walk alongside the lake in the other direction. With no other suggestions we did just that. Sadly, all the other revellers went as well. In the middle of nowhere this place was too! We ate our sandwiches, looked forlornly around for somewhere to get a drink, gave up and drove 20km back to Salmon Arm to do number two on the long list of two. This was entirely agreeable. We strolled in the searing sun along the lakeside path which weaved around what was in effect breeding grounds for birds and waterfowl. We saw Red Winged Blackbirds, Clark's Grebe and Western Grebe among others. Loads of Canada Geese of course (in their correct home locality). It was like being in Slimbridge. Following the course of the lake was the main line railway. Amazing freight trains that I calculated to be 1.5km in length rumbled by!

On returning to town we went to search for the celebrations commemorating such an important day. Well, perhaps there'll be more tomorrow? The town was dead, no parties where we are staying, couldn't even find a pub for a beer, nothing....

We had our own celebration; bottle of Canadian SB and sausage egg fried rice.

ps It is said that one should drink a Caesar and eat chicken wings to celebrate Canada Day. We couldn't find anywhere open to even try this aspect of support for the event!

pps This is a stunningly beautiful country. The danger is not to be blinded by repetition of seeing too many lakes, mountains and waterfalls.

ppps Tomorrow we are on the road again, further into the mountains to a place called Golden. Lonely Planet seems a little undecided about this, but we are very optimistic.

[lifechanyuan]

Always Remain in the Zero State (Advanced Cultivation)

Xuefeng

(Translation edited by Qinyou)

Today, after reading Feelings of the Middle Way by Qiankun Celestial, I experienced a sudden clarity, as if a new window had opened within my heart, offering a view of the boundless universe. Feelings of the Middle Way further expands upon Laozi’s principle of “effortless action that accomplishes everything” and Buddha’s thought on “formlessness.”

Laozi’s “effortless action,” Buddha’s “formlessness,” and Qiankun Yuanchu’s “Middle Way” all point to the Zero State.

What is the "Zero State"? It is a state of “emptiness, spirit, and grace.” All useful things exist in this "Zero State."

For instance, all kinds of scales used to measure weight are set to "0," and gauges measuring voltage or current are at “0.” Only when these instruments are at “0” can they accurately measure the true essence of what they gauge. If not set to “0”—say, set at “80” or some other value—then the readings they show cannot reflect the true nature of what is measured.

Only when a scale is at “0”—in a state of “effortless action” and “formlessness”—can it “accomplish everything,” reveal the “True Nature,” and accurately weigh any object placed upon it. As Qiankun Celestial has said, “Buddha nature is tasteless; the Greatest Creator is soundless. Lack of perception is the greatest perception. The feeling of the Middle Way is to be without feeling; to lack perception is to experience all perception.”

“Effortless action that accomplishes everything,” “All sages and saints make distinctions through the principle of effortless action,” and “Lack of perception enables one to experience all perception”—all of these bring Laozi, Buddha, and Qiankun Yuanchu onto the same plane of wisdom.

A building, only when it exists in the Zero State, can provide a space of true value to people.

A computer, only when it is in the Zero State, can function effectively for people.

An ox, only when it is in the Zero State, can serve farmers.

A Buddha, only in the Zero State, can embody the true Buddha-nature and guide others across the river of life.

Only when a person is in the Zero State can they truly understand the Great Way, achieve enlightenment, and attain the qualities of a celestial being or Buddha.

A drinking cup, only when in the Zero State, truly functions as a drinking cup; if filled with something else, it ceases to fulfill its purpose.

Idling vehicles and machinery are also in a kind of Zero State. The Earth, existing in the Zero State, nurtures all forms of plant life.

The state of energy differentials is likewise a form of Zero State, ready to unleash immense power in an instant.

People often say, “My mind feels completely empty, like a blank slate,” which is also a form of Zero State—a highly positive state.

“As the wind passes through sparse bamboo, the bamboo retains no sound; as geese fly over a cold pond, the pond leaves no reflection.” This reflects the Zero State of the bamboo and the pond.

Keeping oneself in a Zero State is a form of advanced cultivation.

The highest level of swordsmanship is the absence of a sword; the ultimate mental practice is to be without a mind; the most profound Buddha Dharma is to be without Buddha; and the greatest self is the absence of self.

Striving to reach the Zero State is moving toward Buddha, toward celestial beings, toward the Tathagata.

To cling to any specific matter, thing, theory, religion, political party, nation, family, or person is to deviate from the Tao, to distance oneself from the Zero State.

The Zero State is not emptiness but, as Qiankun Celestial says, “the root of LIFE.” The Zero State holds the mysteries of heaven and earth, immense power, endless transformations, and countless phenomena.

The Zero State is an attribute of the Tao; it is the state of the Greatest Creator. The Zero State is nothing, yet it contains everything.

To reside in the Zero State is to reach the state of “unity between Heaven and Humanity,” to dwell in the eternity of LIFE.

The most exquisite experience in life is the awareness felt when consciousness resides in the Zero State, for it is then that one can perceive everything.

From the Zero State, viewing humanity’s many values and morals reveals them to be mistaken.

From the Zero State, seeing humanity’s suffering shows it all to be man-made, a result of straying from the Zero State.

The Zero State is also “the gateway to all wonders”—mysterious, graceful, resplendent, and magnificent! Everything arises from it!

I hope you will frequently keep yourself in the Zero State.

[cocoonsys]

Not nearly enough people talk about Terra Nil. The sound effects in that game make our brain so happy and sleepy + you get to repair ecosystems and there is geese and bears and frogs and. It’s the perfect game for winding down, just saying.