#i celebrate christmas cuz i was raised christian

[whumpy-wyrms]

is Anton into Christmas? Does he celebrate anything else in the winter? If Anton does celebrate Christmas then when does he put his tree up?

oooh okay so Anton and Pierce were never religious so they didn’t celebrate christmas or anything else. BUT… now that you made me think about it i love the idea of Anton and Dew like setting up and decorating a christmas tree together and baking (and probably absolutely butchering) little holiday cookies and treats (Anton would make little mice cookies) that sounds soooo cutee omg… they probably will do little stuff like that for the holidays but i’m not sure about the tree hmmmm… that sounds so fun for them honestly though. like i’m pretty sure Dew used to celebrate christmas so maybe Anton gets a tree for them to decorate to make Dew feel more at home (LOL) cuz he’d definitely do that (i assume he’d get the tree probably at the beginning of december). and presents!!! and since Anton literally knows nothing about christmas he’d make the most random stuff up as he goes along trying to make it seem like he knows what he’s doing. but he doesn’t. but he’s trying!!! he’s so silly your honor

so yeah something like that :3 thanks for sending this ask because now i know what Dew and Anton are gonna get up to during the winter holidays!!!

[britcision]

So I’ve been thinking about cultural Christianity lately and how people tend to get very upset about it without really understanding what it is, so here is a primer

Cultural Christianity is not a choice you make. It does not mean you are Christian, or even that you remotely like Christianity; a lot of people who vehemently hate the religion do so because of their own cultural Christianity

It is not a shortcoming, or a moral failing, or a sin. It just means that the culture you were raised in was predominantly Christian.

Note: I did not say “majority Christian”. Christians don’t need to be a majority to have a dominant cultural influence

Cultural Christianity means you inherently understand and probably use swearwords like “damn”, “hell”, or a variation on the name “Jesus Christ”

It means when I say cultural Christianity is not a sin, you understand exactly what I mean without needing to have it explained - and you probably know the phrase “original sin” or “seven deadly sins”, even if not in full detail

It means hearing about Hades, god of the dead, wealth, and volcanoes, and assuming he’s the bad guy of Greek mythology… y’know, like Satan

(EVERYONE went to Hades when they died. The Elysian Fields, where the best heroes went, was in Hades’ underworld. The Eleusinian mysteries, a cult to Demeter and Persephone, was basically about asking them to tell Hades to give you a cool afterlife

And he would cuz he drank his “respect wife” juice if not all of his “respect women” juice. Did still kidnap her. But she is a major feature and often makes the decision herself or influences his when they’re mentioned together

Meanwhile, people try and cast Zeus as a good parent)

It means having to have a dreidel, a menorah, or a kinara explained to you at a time when you already knew about Christmas trees and Santa

(Yes, Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, major host of the Mass of Christ, is culturally Christian. Even though Coke invented his aesthetic - that’s the “cultural” part)

It’s when you go to make up a new non-religious or pan religious winter celebration… that is centred around a day with family and gifts which is obviously the 25 of December. Maybe counting down 12 days before

It’s defaulting to calling a place of worship you don’t know the name of a “church”

Cultural Christianity is not something people have a choice in; you don’t pick where you’re born, and there are so many other cultures in places like Canada, America, and Britain that are culturally Christian out the ass! But… you will catch Contact Christianity in any of these places

It’s damn near impossible to consume any American or most Western media without brushing across it; cross imagery is everywhere, Christian demons and devils sneak into media all around the world

Western (and some other) Gothic fashion leans heavily on gothic architecture and, yeah, heavily Catholic imagery

Now, brushing across the media in other parts of the world does not impart the same level of cultural Christianity as growing up in a city with four churches on a single block and a Santa Claus parade

And you can grow up heavily in an entirely different culture even in the Bible Belt (but you know what Bible Belt means); you don’t have to abandon all other culture just because Christianity has a chokehold on your home

But when December (or fucking November these days) hits and you hear Mariah Carey in 3/6 stores, yes, you probably have some cultural Christianity

You sure as hell don’t need to be able to name half the denominations (can you name more than 4?), you may never set foot in a Christian church in your life, and still have a cultural Christian influence

If your street names have “saint” in them

If there are crosses or angels on more than half the graves in a cemetery

If you know how to cross yourself but aren’t really sure when you learned; you didn’t look it up or do research to find out

Now note: none of these have an inherent moral judgement attached to them

It’s just about what the culture you live in has taught you about the world, and there’s no culture that is magically the Right One or better than the others

There’s no reason to expect even specifically Christian culture to be the same around the world; it isn’t. It has the same root, but what flowers from the soil is another matter entirely

There is nothing wrong with acknowledging that you have culturally Christian influences and biases; being human is 90% absorbing information from the world around us and half processing it at best - there’s just too much input, and intentionally filtering out Everything Christian Ever?

Well unless you started at 2 years old, odds are pretty good it’s not really a personal choice kinda thing

And you cannot compensate for these influences unless you acknowledge that they exist, that you did not choose to form them, and that you do get to choose how they affect your actions going forward

Christmas stuffed a bunch of other religious traditions into a single package to make itself popular, but if you learned them as Christmas traditions first… do I even need to say it?

[xxchthonicreaturexx]

Matchup Trade

Hey hey! This is our Twisted Wonderland & Tokyo Revengers matchup @babulejka

Twisted Wonderland

Malleus Draconia

You thought Id match you with Vil, didn't you? PSYCHE (I was-) BUT I decided on someone much more fitting. A FUTURE KING-

OKAY SO firstly and lastly Malleus is an amazing lover. Maybe a little ignorant on modernization, and sometimes he's not around when it comes to duties but OMG he's gonna treat you like a damn QUEEN (i mean cuz you're gonna be-)

He thinks you look exceptionally good in purple and green and he compares you to Sleeping Beauty a lot with your pretty golden hair and graceful body. Only he's not gonna curse you-

Well...maybe at times he wants to lock you in a tower, but that's just because he gets nervous about his human companions. He feels an intense need to protect them since they die so easily smh-

Would love to see you perform dances, but would also love to just relax and listen to your music. He himself may even ask if he could sing while you play an instrument.

He's a fae. Of course he knows all about herbs and all kinds of creatures. You wanna go explore? He'll take you to some fae lands if you promise to stay by his side. You wanna grow some plants with him? He knows a few secret tricks to make them grow 10x better. And I bet he has this talent where he can just automatically tell you all species of insects and woodland critters you come across. May even get you a chance to pet a deer if you're quiet enough.

Omg please make a doll or puppet with his horns on it. He'd be so awestruck like "Oh- you made a fae doll? For me?" now it's being put up on a shelf and very well maintained for thousands of years. While your match down below is more a physical attraction, Malleus very much is attracted to your soul. Your curiosity and wonder and your light-hearted tone.

Overall hes a 9/10. Very loving, very attentive, but also he's gonna outlive you. Plus he can be a bit melodramatic about things- hes so emo-...

Runnerups- Azul Ashengrotto, Vil Schoenheit

Tokyo Revengers

Taiju Shiba

Hear me out- hear me out hear me out hear me out

Listen I know he's not the best...I like to think of myself as the No.1 Taiju Hater. BUT I could see how you guys would be a cute couple.

Okay okay soooo let's start this.

Taiju is a very religious man. This meaning, I believe he would like feminine women. He'd probably meet you at a show where you were performing ballet or something of the sort and when mingling after the show, you two had began talking. (Dont you dare ask my why he'd be there. To appreciate the dance? Idk maybe Yuzuha secretly does ballet-)

But your sweet and polite personality further deepened his attraction. Despite how cruel of a man he can be, he is fully capable of being polite right back. Especially to someone he personally sees as a perfect woman. As toxic as that is-

Once you get to know each other better, its safe to say he'll raise a brow at some things, but a part of me really wants him to at least become a little less shitty of a person after the whole Christmas fiasco-

Omg so Christmas is a holiday made to celebrate the birth of Jesus HOWEVER Jesus was born near late summer. Christmas was made so Christians could cover up what was originally a Pagan holiday and to help convert Pagans to Christianity. Im not sure if you know that fact if youve researched Pagans (Not assuming your religion just that Pagans are associates with Witches/Wiccans ei. Wicca is a type of Paganism to my knowledge) BUT ANYWAYS if you were to talk about witch culture or somehow dropped or came across that fact and TOLD HIM- omg.

Bro has a cross tattooed on his back, he would be like- questioning everything because no way Christmas is a lie??? (Or maybe he knows and just doesnt give a fuck?) He heavily side eyes any other religion but his own. But, if you wanted to educate him on mythology, witchcraft , astrology, any of those other spiritual beliefs he will at least listen so he can know more. (To hate them better <3)

Okay now that ive rambled-

Old Hollywood type beauty? He's taking you to all kinds of restaurants and clubs. Best believe he's getting you all these dresses too. Elegant and modest ones that are still flattering and sexy. Only the best for his woman of course.

As much as i dont like him he would be a very good lover. Like, can be a little controlling, but he is attentive and devoted. He admires your beauty, your grace, your work ethic...but he also wants to work for you. Hes old fashioned, he believes its his job as a man to provide for you.

All in all? Uh

id say 6.5/10. Hes really tall and strong and independent but also...beat his siblings and things hes a king or something idk- But like IN HIS DEFENSE being the oldest is very hard, especially with no parental figures.

Runnerups- Mitsuya Takashi, Tetta Kisaki

[a-d-nox]

Hello !

My initial-y.s

Emoji - ⌛️

Deck - good karma tarot and the game option I choose is snowflake ❄️.

I expect to see myself having tremendous overall change in me likely a new self and I hope to see more games from you in future . I'm excited to do my best in studies 🤗 😌 ☺️ 🙌 😊 🤪

I really don't celebrate Christmas cuz I'm not a Christian but I expect the raise of humanity in the world mixed with love and compassion as a gift to have and give . I don't like having expectations I just give in :) .

And the question I have is

Will I be able to top in my school in 2025 ?

Thanks

gift no. 13

guys, i want to make something clear: i don't want a random emoji - i want whatever emoji correlates to the game option; the emoji is SNOWFLAKE. not a hourglass. you are getting a tarot reading. snowflake means tarot. TAROT MEANS WHATEVER DECK I OWN. i will NOT be going out to buy "good karma tarot" for your reading - you are getting a reading using kim krans' wild unknown tarot.

we shall see about games depending on what time i have in the future. while i do enjoy the games, i am struggling with keeping up with the demand; i am 14 readings behind.

this game is not about christmas, nor is about what you expect to receive. the holiday season is about good will and receiving from the heart.

2 of pentacles rx: i sense a bit of tension in your life from now til 2025 that might cause you to become distracted from your school work. you might find yourself feeling out of balance - be as responsible as possible during this period. keep up with you money, and make sure you pay your school on time. these challenges are likely momentarily, so long as you identify where you may be off track, all will be well.

chariot rx: try to have confidence that you are / will be top of the class in order to become top of the class by 2025. stay focused on your studies and your goals, so that you can achieve this high honor. you need a study plan to keep momentum - impulse control will also be needed as well. make sure when testing that you take your time - being the top of the class doesn't mean being the first to finish a test because it is "easy" - make sure you read everything before for reacting on impulse.

two of swords: inaction is your enemy - do not be indecisive. fear of making the wrong choices will paralyze you and make you stuck long term. don't be afraid to reach out for help when studying or to get advice from teachers/professors. never be afraid of trusting your intuition as well.

shufflemancy: "red nose" by sage the gemini

-a.d.

[2percentmilkman]

it's really weird to have everyone just kinda assume that you know everything about christianity. like lemme start off by saying imma white guy from the midwest who was raised culturally christian, what i mean is my parents are atheists but my extended family isn't and we still celebrate easter and christmas, just without the explicit religious aspect. so cuz i'm white and from this area, everyone just expects that i know what christianity entails but i have no fucking idea, for any of it. not rly goin anywhere with this it's just weird lmao

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #178

“for such a little thing, you sure are in your own way.”

What’s your favorite type of bird? Barn owls are actual deities. What was on the last sandwich you ate? Pb & j. What sort of music did you listen to when you were in high school? Same stuff I listen to now, although I had a mild screamo-ish phase. Have you ever gotten back together with an ex? No. How far away is the closest store to your house and what is it? Some cheap dollar store in the town, dunno names. What is your favorite Thai dish? Haven't tried any. When was the last time you made out with somebody? Over a month back. What month of the year was your mother born? August. Are there any candles in your bedroom, and what scent are they? No. What TV show(s) have you been watching currently? None. How many apps do you have on your phone? Six. My phone has so, so little storage ugh. Have you ever dated a smoker? If not, would you? No to both. Are there any movies you’ve seen so many times? Yeah, sure. Of course a lot as a kid, Finding Nemo and The Lion King 1 & 2 especially, then I've watched both Blair Witch Project movies a lot, Jim Carrey's How the Grinch Stole Christmas... How would you describe your sense of humor? Sarcastic. What’s your favorite type of bread? Pumpernickel. Do you share a middle name with any of your siblings? Yeah. Have there ever been any brushfires/wildfires in your area? Yeah. What did you have to eat for dinner last night? Nothing (Thanksgiving was lunch). Do you have separate emails for personal and business? No. Have you ever missed a flight? Yes. Do you know your significant other’s passwords? No, I have no reason to. Would you like to study abroad one day? No. Does someone have a crush on you but you don’t feel the same way? Idk. Who do you feel most beautiful around? Sara. /v\ What’s one makeup item you cannot live without? I could easily live without any. Is there one thing all of your ex’s had in common? All guys. Did you french kiss before you were 16? No. Imagine your spouse just died; would you get re-married? I don't know if I would. Like... I'd never stop loving her, so "moving on" to someone else just because she's no longer physically here would feel disloyal. What’s your favorite thing about life? New, fun experiences and creating strong bonds with people like you. Who pays for the first date? Idrc, but probably whoever proposed the date? Or split the bill? Have you ever had a friend that got a bf/gf, and then completely ignored you? Yeah. Do you play any computer games, if so, what ones? Not currently 'cuz my gaming laptop has to be fixed. :| When it is and I have my own income, I might return to WoW, but I'm not sure. I think the subscription is kinda high, and I have more important things to handle. What is the funniest movie you’ve ever seen? Idk why I find White Chicks so goddamn funny. What lyric means the most to you? Off the very top of my head, "A bloody war behind my eyes; I'll come all right on the other side" from "Free" by Mother Mother. Really makes me think of all I've been through but how I keep coming out stronger. Who is the smartest person you know? Girt. What’s the next movie you will see in theaters? Idk. Are you adopted? No. What band do you like that most people hate? You canNOT look me in the face and say you don't like at least one Nickelback song. I don't get the hate. Any new bands that you actually enjoy? Oh idk. What is your escape from reality? RPing. Do you have any self-inflicted scars on your arms? You can only just barely see them. Do you like “scene” hair? YEAH AND I ALWAYS FUCKING WANTED IT BUT I COULD NEVER POSE IT CORRECTLY 'CUZ MY HAIR WAS TOO THICK AND HEAVY. Have your parents ever been to jail? No. If your friend asked you to hold their drugs, would you? Definitely not. Does it scare you when a relationship moves too fast? Y E A H Would you ever consider hitchhiking? I don't know if I would even in a desperate situation... I don't trust people. Have you ever hitchhiked? No. Have you ever been to a music festival? No. What color car do you want to have? Burnt orange. Would you rather hike a mountain or explore a cave? Explore a cave!!! Would you rather wear a flower crown or veil? Probably a veil? Do you believe peace on earth is attainable? I honestly don't believe so. What type of tattoo do you want? s o  m a n y What is your favorite insect? Butterflies. Would you ever live in the desert? Nooooo. Fuck the heat. Is your town beautiful? I don't really live in one, but the closest town isn't. Which season do you want to get married in? Autumn. Are totem poles cool? YEAH! Favorite art forms? Conceptual photography. What kind of music do you enjoy? Plenty sorts of metal, rock, and alternative. Do you have any gay friends? Yeah. Where is your favorite place to go? The zoo, even though I have mixed feelings about them... Do you know your dad? Yeah. How often do you get on Facebook? At least once a day. Are you related to anyone who’s in prison? Don't think so?? What concerts are you attending in the near future? Y'ALL I MIGHT FUCKING SEE OZZY IN JANUARY. He and Megadeth are coming to Charlotte and the tickets aren't too bad. :') It's a loooong drive but Mom was like "hell yeah" when I told her and wants to buy tickets after she gets her tax return AH. Metallica is a possibility too, but Mom doesn't think she can afford it. If you were kicked out of your house, where would you go first? Dad's. What are you currently looking forward to? Sara's b-day, Christmas, hopefully getting my laptop fixed, aforementioned concerts, and school. What was the reason you got grounded for last? Idk, that was a long time ago. But most likely for "talking back" to Mom. The last two people you kissed, are they virgins? Yes; probably not. Is there a guy that knows everything or mostly everything about you? Yeah. Do you sleep on a certain side of the bed? A bit to the left. If you could have anything delivered to your doorstep each morning, what would it be? Um,,, money?????? What is one vacation destination that many people think is just fabulous but which you personally have no desire to visit (or revisit)? New York City. Heard from my sister it's a shithole with the craziest and rudest people known to Planet Earth. I'm not big on cities, anyway. Which animated character is your all-time favorite? Uhhhhhh... Dory, maybe? If you could own a home on the shore of any body of water in the world, which waterfront would you choose? I WANT THE PINK BEACHES OF THE BAHAMAS. But I'm scared of the Bermuda Triangle so will probably never see them. :'''''') What serves as the greatest motivation for you in your daily life? MY RECOVERY. If I got through what I have, I can't ever give up and roll back down that hill. I'm focusing to always improve. If you could have any round object in the world, what spherical item would you want? t h e  g a m e s p h e r e ,  l a d s If you were left alone for one hour with nothing more than a pen and a notepad, what would you be inclined to draw or write during those 60 minutes? Practice eyes or start a poem. If you could witness anything at all in super-slow motion, what would you want to see? Hmmm... OH, maybe a big cat's tongue licking meat. See how it actually shears tiny bits off. Cats' tongues are cool. What do you forget to do more often than anything else? Take my anxiety med at the right time. If you could teach everyone in the world one skill, what would it be? Compassion. You’ve been offered the chance to paint a billboard along a highway with any message you choose, as long as it’s only 10 words long. What is your message? Oh jeez, I'd have to think too hard on this. Who’s the last guy to give you roses? Tyler. Did your parents do drugs when they were younger? Not to my knowledge, and I doubt they would've. Do you have any relatives who live on a different continent than you? I don't believe so. What are your religious beliefs? Were you raised with those beliefs, or did you develop them on your own? I'm a theist, entailing I believe in a creator, but I know nothing about him/her/it. I personally picture them as a peaceful and sage deity that allows life to go on without it intervening anywhere, letting the world evolve on its own and see how we adapt to our unique settings and handle life. In the end, I believe we are either given some form of paradise or a type of damnation depending on how you wrote your story. I like to imagine the good go to their personal vision of "Heaven," and I wonder if the paranormal activity some experience in life are the acts of the damned, apparently confined to remain on Earth or something. Anyway, I wasn't raised with such beliefs; they were developed. I was brought up Catholic, then I turned to just simple Christianity as I didn't agree with a lot of Catholic ideas, and most recently I abruptly turned away from that in favor of theism. How did you and your significant other celebrate your last anniversary? We went out for breakfast. What has been your favorite house/apartment/etc you’ve ever lived in? My last house for location, as a house itself, my childhood one. What’s something in your house that currently needs to be cleaned? I need to vacuum my room. Do you still remember any of the dreams or nightmares you had as a child? Yup. What’s the most bizarre conspiracy theory you’ve ever heard of? The world is donut-shaped. Yeah. Do you have a good sense of direction? Not. At. All. Who was your first crush? Did you ever actually date them? Dylan, and no. What’s the weirdest, rudest, or most ridiculous thing a guest has ever done in your home? Who knows. Has anyone ever told you you’re manipulative? I don't think so. Do you know anyone who owns their own business? No. When was the last time you weren’t 100% sober? Uhhh maybe that movie night with Colleen and Chelsea. Is obtaining a college degree something that is important to you? Well, for my possible career future. Have you ever eaten at a vegan restaurant? No. Do you view substance abuse as a disease or a choice? I have... mixed feelings here. Starting something, that is indisputably a choice. Becoming addicted though, I'm not sure. Some people have addictive personalities so have a bigger inclination to become addicted, but isn't that just a personal trait/weakness you can fight?? I dunno. I know it's labelled as a disease by people way more informed than me though, so. What does the last text you sent say? Don't feel like checking. Does it bother you when people call you ‘ma'am’ or ‘sir?’ No. I live in the South, that's polite. Have you ever been obsessed with a television character? Does Dory count for movies? ha ha Do you ever wish you had powers of invisibility? Not really. What was the last thing that changed your life completely? Recovery. Do you have any step siblings? One. Have you ever been questioned by the police? No. In which state/country were you born? NC, U.S.A. Have you ever been to an amusement park out of state? Disney World. What do you normally drink when eating at a fast food restaurant? Coke or Mountain Dew. Have the police ever been looking for you? Not because I did something wrong; I've told the beach story a few times. If you chew gum, which kind is your favorite? I love the watermelon Hubba Bubba one asjfawoeu Have you ever kissed someone of the same sex? Yeah. What was the last liquid that you choked on? Water, just this morning when I was taking my meds ah. How many times did you wake up today before actually getting up? Well, I woke up once in the middle of the night like usual, then I woke up at like, 6-something and went back to sleep. Who did you celebrate your last birthday with? Mom, sises, Ash's husband and kids, and Dad stopped by. Was your last kiss initiated by you or the other person? I think it was kinda a simultaneous thing. We were saying bye. Do you buy a ton of things at the store at once or just for that day? Mom does the shopping, but it depends on how much time she has and what's at the house. When getting dressed do you put your pants or shirt on first? Pants. When you kiss a person where do your hands usually go? I actually don't know if it's a consistent thing for me??? I don't kiss anyone regularly so I don't recognize a pattern. What is one song you listen to that you’re sure not many people do? "False Flags," probs. Massive Attack is so neglected of the attention they deserve. Do you use a handrail on stairs if there is one? Yes, I'm scared of tripping. What was the last thing you saw that made you smile? Teddy came right up into my face wanting attention. What is your favorite drinking game? Never played any. Do you have any tattoos that you don’t like anymore? I think I've mentioned why I don't love my "ohana" one now. I'm getting it covered at some point. My "perfectly flawed" one is probably getting covered by a much bigger piece; I picked a bad location for it to want a sleeve. I'd just maybe redesign it, put if somewhere else. Do you have a shower curtain or door? Curtain. Who was the last person from your high school graduating class you saw? Probs Colleen? Who was the last non-relative you hung out with? Sara. Are you listening to anything right now? I'm way too obsessed with "Black Wedding" by In This Moment (feat. Rob Halford). Rob makes it, and the chorus is awesome. How many keys are on your keychain? One. Who was the last person you took a photograph with? Ryder, my nephew. Are you left handed? No. What were you most scared of when you were little? Losing my mom/being separated from her. Are you biracial? No. When was the last time you painted your nails? What color(s)? I couldn't even guess. Has a stranger ever offered to buy you a drink? Thank fuck no. Have you ever overflown a bathtub? Don't think so. What’s at the top of your to-do list in life? Stay positive, never stop aiming to improve. What was the last thing you shared? Well, Thanksgiving food. Where are you most ticklish? Feet. Do not- Which cartoon character do you want to keep as a pet? Uhhhh how 'bout an Espeon. I imagine them to be calm and silently affectionate like cats and very intelligent. Have you ever considered a career in music/acting? No. When was the last time you felt seriously embarrassed? Getting food yesterday. Per usual, let things die down, but I still ended up crammed in a corner, unable to go in any direction while someone was trying to get past me. I was headed for an anxiety attack and felt like a total nuisance. I'm pretty sure it showed in how I was whipping my head around, shuffling in various directions, clearly wanting the fuck out. Have you ever liked a song, looked up the lyrics to it, then hated it? No, lyrics can't ruin a song I like the sound of. What would be the icing on the cake for you this Christmas? A PS4, omg. I have to get my laptop fixed and a new camera, so I highly doubt I'm getting that or a tablet considering cost. I want to play the Spyro Reignited trilogy beyond words, like I refuse to even watch a let's play because I want to experience it all first-hand, but. Yeah, unlikely anytime soon. If you had the opportunity to live forever, would you take it? Noooooo. Do you like quesadillas? Only chicken and/or cheese ones. Did you like the show Invader Zim? I surprisingly never saw it. What’s the greatest/most influential song you’ve ever heard? "Life Won't Wait" by Ozzy always makes me wanna get off my ass and do something. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen in a grocery store? A HUGE BOX OF ANIMAL HEADS IN THE MIDDLE OF WAL-MART, BECKONING THE FURRIES INTO ITS DEPTHS. Have you ever bought yourself a present on Christmas? No. Well, I've used money I've been given on Christmas, if that counts. Have you ever been on a mechanical bull? No. Do you need a key card to get into the building you live in? No. Have you ever stepped in chewing gum? Yes. Name all the people you know that you’ve seen today. Just Mom.

[lightningmckillme]

personally i celebrate christmas cuz i was raised up as catholic christian so merry fuckin christmas from me and my cats!!

[aloneeedra]

Dance Academy (2010) S1

Where to watch it: Free on Tubi. Just look up Dance Academy on Google and it should give you the option.

Seasons: there are 3 seasons. I’m going to do something different this time and only focus on one season at a time. So this post will focus on season one of dance academy, which has 26 episodes.

Summary (spoilers): There are six main characters you need to know. 

Tara: the main character, cries a lot, wants to fly, comes from a farm. 

Kat: her best friend and a rebel; she has a ballerina as a mother and a choreographer as a father and is unhappy at the academy. 

Sammy: friends with both of them, has weak ankles, is Jewish, the best character, honestly. 

Abigail: Mean, strong-will, hard working, the best dancer, a very good, complex, character.

Christian: Has the best character background tbh, robbed some place so now he is on probation, goes to the school as a punishment, a skater boy.

Ethan: Kat’s older half-brother, basic white rich boy, he like never actually dances, want to be a choreographer like his dad.

So, I will be explaining the season through the characters, rather than episode, because it’s much easier, okay? Lets start with Tara. 

Tara comes from a farm, her parents are cool, and she was behind everyone else, whatever the means, so it’s like a miracle that she got into the school. This season for her focuses on two things: her becoming a better dancer and her love life. Let’s start with the dancing. She is the worst dancer and then slowly becomes the best one, being casted as the lead by the end of the season. She has to do a lot of private lessons and breaks her leg at one point, does rehab and ends up becoming stronger. There was also an episode where she was going to go back home because her parents couldn’t afford it but lucky her, she got a scholarship she didn’t even apply for. And then towards the end, she got half a scholarship for the next semester. Okay, now that that’s done, her love life. First, she has a crush on Ethan and then starts dating him. Then she cheats on him with Christian, Ethan breaks up with her, she gets bullied for it, then Christian confesses, she rejects him, then they kiss on a beach, her leg breaks, they date for an episode then they break up. She invites him over to the farm during the holiday and hints that she wants to get back together again, but Christian rejects her. Ethan helps her with rehab, then Ethan helps her get the lead part, then he invites her to stay the holiday with him so they can ~date again~ and she’s like sure. Then Christian says yes to going to the farm during the holidays and we don’t know what she’s going to do ~oooo~.

Okay, next is Kat. Not much happens to her this season. She rebels a lot, misses a lot of class. She ends up having to volunteer at community dance center, lets them down and then helps one of the little girls from that center get into a dancing program. She had a boyfriend who was a total scrum bag and tries to take advantage of her during her own birthday party. She kind of had a crush on Christian, but never says it out loud, kisses him once but then says it was a mistake. She ruined any chance that the hip hop classes remained apart of the academy. She dates a celebrity guy who is like way older then her for an episode and then he comes back towards the end of the season and she tries to run away with him. 

Sammy. Yesss. Okay, at the start of the season, Sammy is seen to be weak, but he gets better, not by much, but better. His dance partner is Abigail who he starts having a crush on pretty quickly. They secret date, then date, then almost do the deed, but he said it didn’t feel right so they didn’t do anything. Then he starts acting weird, breaks up with her, hangs out a lot with Christian, invites him over for the holidays, realizes he likes Christian, tries to avoid Christian, tells Christian, Christian is like ‘nothing to be ashamed of’, they have a touching bro moment in a lake, then become friends again. He also has a second plot going on for him, where his dad wants him to be a doctor and disproves of his dancing. So, by the end of the first season, his dad pulls out his financial support and Sammy says he’s going to the dance academy no matter how many jobs he needs to get. Funny how a scholarship he never applied for didn’t suddenly appear on the bulletin board.

Next, Abigail. So, Abigail takes ballet very seriously. She wants to get the scholarship (yes, the one that Tara got magically the first time around, and then she ends up getting half of the scholarship the second time). She’s the best dancer at the start of the show. She has trouble with shoplifting, does not like her body, is seen as the main villain. She’s the one that post Tara’s con and pro list of Ethan. She’s the one that send Kat the photo of Christian and Tara kissing. So, basically, we should be thanking her since she is the only reason Tara even gets a plot. At one point, she passes out. She has to see a therapist for a while, goes back to dancing and gets to be Tara understudy. She dates Sammy for a little bit, but then he breaks up with her. Her parents are getting a divorce. By the end of the season, she is watching Tara perform her solo from backstage and is happy for her, though in my opinion, she got robbed.

Christian. His mom is dead and now he has no one. He gets in trouble for robbing a place and lives at the academy instead of juvie. He’s a skater boy all the way. He’s a bit close off at the beginning. Has brother issues, trust issues, friends issues, and steals Ethan’s wallet early on. So, he’s Tara’s dance partner, calls her training bra cuz ~cute~, but, the first friend he really makes is Ethan. They bond over hip-hop and fighting. They compete over everything too, like running and parts and then later on Tara. He seemed to like Tara from the beginning. He tries to kiss her but she yeets herself out of that situation, then kisses him like one episode later. Then he confesses and she’s like nah. Then he goes to court for the robbery thing and gets off with like a suspension or something, but his childhood friend goes to jail. Then he kisses Tara again at the beach. Then he was running with Tara when she broke her leg by falling down a couple of stairs. And I mean a couple, like four. Very dramatic. He carries her. They date. He gets all butt hurt about her not talking about her knee to him, while she’s willing to talk to Ethan about it. They break up and he very dramatically walks out on her during a dance with fake snow falling upon them. Then that whole thing happens with Sammy. Tara invites him to the farm. He says no and then yes in the last few minutes of the show.

Lastly, Ethan. He’s three years older than everyone and is a player apparently, or at least that’s what everyone keeps saying. Everyone also keeps saying he’s a dancer, but like, I don’t think I have ever seen him dance, like not even once. I pretty sure the actor doesn’t know how to dance and gets paid just to look pretty. Abigail posts the con and pro list that Tara makes of him, where she says he smells like Christmas. He’s weirded out by it, as he should be, cuz that be weird. Tara’s a bit obsessives and it’s not cute. He, however, falls for her after, i don’t know, seeing her dance or something. They date. Tara cheats on him. They don’t date. He gets an offer from the company, but turns it down to follow his dreams of being a choreographer like his dad (but also, cuz, like, he never dances). He invites Tara to stay during the holidays while holding her hands, which I guess means he likes her again.

Rating: 5.7/10

Best Part: I really liked Sammy’s arch and I think Christian’s and Abigail characters are very complex and well written.

Worst Part: I don’t like Tara. Or Ethan. But mainly Tara. She’s just so whine and annoying and like I get that she’s the main character or whatever, but she’s also boring. Like, you would think since she has two guys pinning over her, there must be something amazing about her, but I didn’t pick up on it. Like, the most interesting thing about her is that she likes to dance, but so does everyone else (except maybe Ethan). Sometimes, she says things that, like, you know are suppose to be very inspiring because the music sounds inspiring, but what comes out of her mouth is just not good. She always puts herself in bad situations, which is good, like that’s how you get a character to grow and change, by having them learn from their mistakes, but then an easy solution falls onto her lap, out of nowhere, and it fixes everything for her. She doesn’t change at all. It all just works out for her, each and every single time. For example, her parents can’t afford to keep her in school, so she decides to go back home. Okay. Life's not always fair. She understands that. That’s very mature of her to do. Maybe she’ll go back home and raise some money and- oh, no, wait, she got a scholarship she didn’t even apply for. Wow. Or how about the time when she allows rumors to spread that she’s dating someone that’s in the company and that ruins his career and she faces no punishment at all? Or how about that time when she forgets Kat’s birthday, acts like a horrible friends then later on, when they fight, everything goes back to normal? Or how about the time she cheats on Ethan with Christian? She gets bully, the photos of their kiss is everywhere in school, Kat is mad, Ethan is mad. What she did is awful and she understands that she betrayed someone’s trust and that that’s not okay, oh, but wait, she doesn’t understand and actually she and Kat fight and then they make up and she gets all her friends back and then dates Christian later down the line even though she rejected him and then Ethan starts to care for her too. No harm done. Or how about the time that she gets to be the lead because Ethan fought for her to get it, and does a pretty bad job at it, and kind of doesn’t deserve it, but then she puts on a dress, feels all good inside, then becomes more confidents about herself and does fine without it when it goes missing? Or how about the fact that Abigail works her ass off, more than Tara, I would say, and yet Tara still somehow gets the lead? It’s just so obvious that the writer of the show favor Tara. She gets like no consequences and never changes.

I also didn’t like all these age gaps, they were weird and gross. Ethan is 18 and Tara is 15 when they are dating, which is not too bad, but still gross. Kat is 15 and Miles, the celebrity she tries to run away with, has to be at least in his early 20′s. Like what the hell? No one seemed to find it weird.

Last thing; not really a con. I don’t know much about dancing, so I don’t know if the dancing is actually as good as they make it out to seem or not. Sometimes, I’ll be watching and feel second hand embarrassment for the characters and I just need to know if I just don’t understand dancing, or if it really is bad dancing. The ballet looks okay. The hip-hop makes me cringe.

Should you watch it? Yeah, I mean, it’s pretty fun to watch. You’ll never get bored since so many things happened. Seriously, there where three separate times when I thought I was watching the last episode, because everything was concluded, but then I saw there was still more to go. It’s very long, but entertaining. Dramatic. It was exactly what I remembered whenever I watched it as a teenager. Lots of angst. Lots of relationships that aren’t given enough time to grow. Watch it for Sammy. 

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(2/2) it's really easy to get involved with, and it seems like community is what you're looking for and I'd feel comfortable in saying the Quaker community is one of the most inviting and inclusive Christian religions. Just be wary of the meetings that have pastors who give sermons, because those are usually less tolerant and are really Quaker in name only

Ur first message got lost !and I've thought abt it and there are appealing things about quakers in terms of seeing the potential of everyone to have contact with god and also historically opposing war but like idk it doesn't get me super fired up as a prospect Christian thought only gets me so far cuz I'm with it through "God came to earth in human form" and "miracles happen" and I love Christian writers who write about god being present in nature and creation and I like the interpretations of the Bible that talk about how the bodily is holy /how physical illness doesn't imply sin . I like the stories where Jesus comes to someone and says when they refuse a beggar bread they refuse Jesus bread because they're the same. but I get lost at the sin stuff and at the salvation stuff and at the God was born in the personage of one singular man stuff . if I sort of go into a zen state of "by god being born into the person of Jesus Christ they mean the perpetual incarnation of godly actions in human bodies" it makes complete sense to me but that isn't what many christians mean. I wasn't really raised Christian tho my family celebrated Christmas and I can't get into the spirit of it quite bc I don't understand the concepts ? my mom took me to a Unitarian Universalist church when I was a kid and I learned about owls and soup kitchens in Sunday school which is perfectly reasonable but didn't give me an idea of religious practice as most people think of it also I'm looking into reading more and seeing if it is possible for me to convert to Judaism. most of the theology and religious discussions that I see that make me feel big things or that I feel make sense come from Jewish writers and religious leaders . Knowing that there is a covenant with the creator but not knowing if the thing you are practicing is the thing you are meant to, and arguing with others if it is the right path, and sensing the presence of g-d everywhere and also feeling the absence of g-d when evil things happen and Doing Things Materially In The World as a form of prayer+to try to make g-d's will real and being required to do those things in the world makes sense to me. it's something I've thought about for a good two years now and I haven't done anything bc I don't feel I have a real right to it since I'm not deeply connected to Jewish culture and am not ethnically Jewish but I think reform congregations could at least help me learn more about what it actually means to practice Judaism , which would benefit me no matter what, and help me get involved in community stuff benefiting others . it's one of the things I'm gonna work on in the next few months