#i know we're living in a post our flag means death world

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

02/06/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; New Events calendar; A Safe Space Ship Event; Watch Parties; Reminders; Cast & Crew Sightings; Clowning; OLD SPICE!; Stats!; Market Research?; Articles; Personal Update; Love Notes; Daily Darby / Tonight's Taika

== New Events Calendar from SaveOFMDCrew! ==

More events happening throughout the week! Tumblr Post

Tomorrow is Cosplay Day! Show off your cosplay and OFMD-Inspired outfits with the hashtags: #WearFineThingsWell!

= New Upcoming Event: A Safe Space Ship! =

Sunday, February 11th - Star of India in San Diego, CA! Museum Hrs: 10 am - 5 PM 1/2 Price Tickets!

== Watch Parties ==

Today's WWDITS watch party went great!

Lots of people had fun pointing out our lovely characters from the show (Mads, Taika, Rhys)

It actually went so well the SaveOFMDCrew twitter got banned! It's back though! If you can, please be sure to follow their backup account in case it happens again.

== Reminders! ==

Muppet Treasure Island - Feb 7th 2024 4PM EST, 1PM PST, 9 PM GMT

Watch Party Hashtags:

#MuppetPirates

#AdoptOurCrew

#SaveOFMD

== Cast & Crew Sightings ==

This was technically the 5th, but I don't think the excitement happened mostly today so I'm gonna throw it in! So Chaos Dad popped his head out yesterday just long enough to like Samba's BTS post on twitter and then also Samba and Rhys' little exchange.

And of course that triggered clowning since anytime Chaos Dad pops in we don our clown shoes. Thank you to @merryfinches for catching some of the discourse!

== Old Spice! ==

Well well well, we're back to polite menacing brands until they respond to us!

Looks like another Astroglide is starting up, the Crew is out there matching deodorants to characters. Thanks to @brainfugk for calling it out!

== Stats! Stats! Stats! ==

So close fam! Let's keep pushing that UK viewership if you have the time/spoons!

= Market Research Campaign about OFMD Potentially Going On? =

There's some speculation around the market research company YouGov potentially conducting research on OFMD. There's a big thread. Why is this important? Well this company works with streamers to measure viewership data, and if OFMD is in there...and someone's interested, that could be a good sign.

Some folks signed up, and if you're interested in doing so too, you can here.

== Articles ==

Some fun articles tonight, including Hard Drive again!

Joke Article: HBO Max Unveils Ominous New “Don’t Get Too Attached” Category

Our Flag Means Death and 9 Other Best TV Shows and Movies About Pirates

Our Flags Means Death fans get TV licence just to watch pirate show

== Personal Update ==

Some of you have heard, I got the COVID so I may be in and out over the next several days, I'm still trying to make sure I get to recaps though so don't worry! I'll let you know if I can't. Remember to mask up if you can and stay hydrated out there luvs!

== Love Notes ==

Alright lovelies. We've run out of Rhys videos for a few days so you're back to me being irritatingly loving at you! I saw this today on The Latest Kate's instagram and it reminded me of a few things I wanted to say. My brain is a bit covid-fogged so apologies if it's a bit wibbly wobbly.

We all struggle with so many little and big things in our lives. Whether it's mental health, self esteem, a physical ailment, love, lonliness, self-identity, family, friends, world conflicts, or anything, I could go on and on.

I know sometimes it feels like you are pushing so hard and you start making so much progress-- and then something, big or little stalls everything and you feel like you're having to start from scratch again.

I just want to send you a gentle reminder that progress isn't always linear. Just because you have lost momentum doesn't mean you've lost your progress. Every single situation is a learning opportunity and every time you run into a new hurdle, you learn from the last one.

You are wonderfully intelligent, kind, precious, complex people and no matter what you're dealing with, no matter how small or how big, you are moving forward and making headway bits at a time. Remember to be kind to yourself and don't beat yourself up for bad days.

We are so proud of you lovelies, remember that.

== Daily Darby / Tonight's Taika ==

Tonight's gifs are courtesy of the glorious, brilliant, talented, ever-enabling @celluloidbroomcloset from her post over here.

Ok, Good Afternoon, Good Evening and Goodnight all! <3

[mars-mystic]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

tagged by @crimsonicarus tyyyyy <33333

How many works do you have on ao3

23 as of today. Tomorrow, who knows? Perhaps 24. I have 5 on ff.net too :P

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 

154,239

3. What fandoms do you write for?

currently only f1. But the full list includes (but is not limited to): Critical Role, Our Flag Means Death, Star Trek, Percy Jackson, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Lord of the Rings, Macbeth, etc

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Ongoing Speculation - Critical Role

Diplomatically Inclined - Star Trek

Unspoken Love - Critical Role

Keep a Close Watch - Critical Role

Take my Hand (Take my whole life too) - Our Flag Means Death

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Always. I love yapping about my fics, and where better to do it than the comments. I'm liable to say too much in the comments, because I'll just say anything. I think it's polite to reply when someone has gone through the effort of engaging in conversation by commenting (I also fall immediately in love with you. so there's also that)

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Bold of you to suggest I've ever ended a fic. I also have... 4 fics tagged Hurt No Comfort. But I'd say The Mourning After is the angstiest. Of the complete ones. But maybe also just in general.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Perhaps Unspoken Love. It has a very cute not friends not dating but more vibe to it. Very QPR. Who doesn't love a good Wizard date not date? Aeor is for Lovers, after all.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

no hate comments but sometimes I think my readers hate me for what I put them through <3

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

nothing that ao3 knows about... yet...

what kind? ummm.... fucked up? Awful? its me, what else is new?

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

hell yes. My first fic was a crossover, gotta stay true to myself. The craziest one I've written. well. it doesn't exist on the internet. but it features Hamlet/Robert Ross (from the World War One novel The Wars) as well as Ahsoka Tano/Darth Maul/Din Djarin (The Mandalorian). That or the Formula One Hamlet AU I partially wrote (and never posted).

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

lmao, doubt it

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

nope

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

not really. but if you yap at me about a fic concept there's about a 95% chance I'll write it for you.

14. What’s your all-time favourite ship?

Shadowgast got me through the pandemmy and I adore them with my whole heart. But also. Glance Nation. I couldn't live without you. <3

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

all of them I really wanted to finish The Shadow of You, had it all planned out and everything. But then first year uni happened and I just never came back to it :/. I WILL finish my current WIPS. Manifesting for myself.

16. What are your writing strengths?

umm... angst?

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Emotional consistency. I always overcomplicate things to the nth degree and then get stuck trying to figure out what everyone is thinking. It's a disease but I won't stop doing it.

Also plain romance. I just get bored lmao. There's a reason my fluffy things are all a little weird. That or they're just crack treated seriously. I have no middle ground.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

if it's a language I speak then it's good, if I don't speak it then it's bad, hope that makes sense :)

19. First fandom you wrote for?

If we're being all the way honest it was Octonauts when I was 8 before I even knew what the concept of fanfiction was. That one is lost to time and probably also the recycling bin I'm afraid.

If we're talking fic I wrote knowing what fic is it was a most definitely Clone Wars fanfic, none of it published. The first one I published was a Clone Wars/Percy Jackson crossover. A New Camper on ff.net. Go read it if you wanna see what 13 year old me was up to :)

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

those are my children. you can't make me pick. i love them all in different ways

But Blackout my beloved... I love you so much. Kissing you on the lips. I know I've been an absent mother but I'll be back for you I swear.

wow this really turned into me writing my own expose. if you want a full tour of my ao3 you're on your own tho bc I can't remember a single thing I wrote during the pandemic. this was fun tho. a real mixed bag going on over here on my ao3

No idea who's been tagged, so if you want to: @weegreenbean @pitconfirm @autumn816 and anyone else who would like to. Tell me about your rich and varied pasts

[pastorsperspective]

Worry's Only Wasted Time

It’s Friday again! If you noticed, there was no blog post last week, I do apologize. I simply never had time within my week to accomplish it at any point and now here we are. If you missed the sermon on Sunday, you can watch it here: https://fb.watch/mvjqNfHwhY/ I was able to chat with Pastor Chad via email regarding the message and it went like this:

I wasn’t really left with a ton of questions after this message, but I have some thoughts. Obviously, things would be easier to commit to if we had some assurance that we were going to succeed at what we were trying to do. If God would show us some glimmer of the future, some shred of what's to come, that it all works out, sure, it would be so much easier to keep fighting the battles. That was the whole point though, right? We will never have that assurance? (Other than the fact that we've read the Bible and we know in the last chapter that God wins, the end.) We don't get to know all the details of how everything in our lives is going to work out, or how God is going to use our trials to better us. We are just supposed to trust that He will. Why is that SO hard though?

I think it's so hard because we want things on our terms. The human-ness of all of us wants to be in control and order all things to what we see is the best. In many ways, this is our self-idolatry or pride getting in the way of our faith. We lose sight and don't want to accept that there is a God who knows more, sees more, and is capable of more than we are. We humans (at the top of the food chain) tend to think we are the supreme beings of the land and to concede that control and order push against our human nature. Stress is a natural response to uncertainty and we want to eliminate stress by being in control of the future. The reality is we are caught up in our own perception of wants and needs that we lose sight of bigger focuses. The harsh reality is, if it were this way and there were no uncertainty we would complain and moan about the lack of spontaneity in our world. Maybe we're just unhappy people (just kidding). The trick is in seeing the beauty in the unknown, finding the excitement in the uncertainty, and growing in faith all the time.

Letting go is probably particularly difficult for women. Not to stereotype, but women are typically the keepers of schedule and order for the household, kids, etc, and carry the mental load for the family. Not knowing HOW something is going to happen is pure torture. We NEED to have the details; we NEED to plan. Or maybe that's just a me thing and I'm projecting it onto "most" women. I can't imagine having been one of the apostles trying to figure out how to feed the crowd! Let alone feeling confident in any man saying, "it'll be fine, just let me pass out these five loaves!" I mean, have you ever planned a dinner party?? I'm getting heart palpitations just thinking about it! How did the apostles know that it was going to be ok? Did they know? Do you think that even until their deaths, the apostles struggled with "believing is seeing"? 

Oh, they didn't, and most scripture points to a sneaking suspicion they all had that this may end horribly. They knew from the get-go that this was radical and different, and would most likely not be perceived well by everyone. As things went along there are hints that this thing was going to end with a bang, and not necessarily a good bang. Christ himself gave several Passion Predictions where he prepared them for the worst, and as the crucifixion took place, they began to understand that their own lives would most likely end up the same. So, all of these clues, red flags, indicators, whatever we want to call them were there, and yet they still hung in there. They never gave up, they never abandoned the call, they followed it even unto death... why? The answer is simple, the grace they found and were called to share with the world was worth dying for. Not only that, it was worth living for as it changed their very lives. The love of Jesus was so powerful in their lives that they couldn't do anything else, and they didn't. I wonder how many would sign up to be Christians today if it were the same; if this faith would cost you your life at some point? The reality is that we're going to lose our lives at some point anyhow, might as well use it doing something that matters. Life itself is fleeting, what we do with it can last forever. This again comes back to giving up control and letting our faith guide our steps, not our own comforts, dreams, plans, proclivities, etc.

Man, that’s hard. I’m sure it’s harder for some than others, just like everything else we do in this life. All people aren’t designed the same, with the same strengths and weaknesses, and that’s a good thing. It’s terrifying to admit that you don’t really have control over anything when you truly think about it. Maybe the small, mundane tasks of your everyday existence, but not much else. Admitting that can be really scary. It reminds me of a song – because all things do.  If you have some time today, check out this song:

Afraid by Tenth Avenue North

My favorite line is “worry’s only wasted time”. There’s so much truth in that statement. I wonder how much time the apostles wasted worrying about feeding the crowd before Jesus performed His miracle with the loves and fish? I wonder how afraid they were? Were they afraid that the crowd would turn on them? God says we don’t have to worry. We don’t have to fear. He is in control and all we have to do is let Him.

Until next time… If you have any thoughts or questions that you would like to share in our blog, send them to me via the church email, text message, call the office, tumblr message, or Facebook message me!

[soundsfaebutokay]

I posted 11,338 times in 2022

That's 4,355 more posts than 2021!

340 posts created (3%)

10,998 posts reblogged (97%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@hockles

@wren-of-the-woods

@felicity-smoak-is-my-goddess

@spoonietimelordy

@theamazingrin

I tagged 11,336 of my posts in 2022

#my faves - 7,483 posts

#resqueue - 5,631 posts

#the witcher - 2,353 posts

#the amazing devil - 1,997 posts

#music - 1,858 posts

#our flag means death - 1,053 posts

#joey batey - 780 posts

#leverage - 677 posts

#madeleine hyland - 634 posts

#the sandman - 551 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#this episode satisfied something in me that kept getting disappointed by recent shows and certain movie franchises *ahem* that never took th

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

The thing I go back to again and again when thinking of Hob Gadling is the word devotion. This man really just…with no hope of reciprocity, not a single bloody hint that the Stranger would ever return to him…he waited. He built an entire pub, made sure the Stranger could find the pub, and made going to that pub a part of his routine so that just in case—just in case!—the Stranger decided to ever show up, out of schedule, he would be there. He'd be waiting. For thirty-three goddamn years! Or, if you're counting how long he's held on to his stubborn loyalty after a pretty devastating rejection, add a century to that number. All this, without any assurance that the friendship he's offering would ever be accepted. All this, for a being who hasn't even told him his name. I've seen gods worshipped with less conviction. It just, it makes me insane.

1,253 notes - Posted September 17, 2022

#4

I get it now. Yennefer and Jaskier are "worst enemies" not in the sense that they hate each other more than anyone else, but in the sense that they are the worst at being enemies because you don't smile like that upon hearing your enemy's voice, you don't tell them "good riddance" with a world of tenderness in your eyes, and you certainly DO NOT RISK YOUR LIFE FOR THEM YOU RIDICULOUS FUCKING BISEXUALS THAT'S NOT HOW ENEMIES WORK

1,359 notes - Posted February 10, 2022

#3

One of the many delights of The Amazing Devil's love songs is that we feel like we're somehow getting a glimpse into real people's lives. There are such beautifully specific details. The guy from Pruning Shears wears secondhand shoes to fancy parties, the couple from Not Yet builds pillow dens. The lady in Marbles works with assholes who make annoying comments, and the guy in Fair likes to eat yoghurt while watching The Office. The couple in Ruin plays the piano together, and so on. These songs are as far away from the generic, manufactured-for-maximum-marketability hits churned out by big music studios as you can get.

The magic of it is that the specificity doesn't stop TAD's songs from being relatable. Far from it. Because even though some of the scenarios are foreign to my own life ("Everyone knows sex is better when you're unemployed." News to me, Joey.), the emotions are always deeply, unflinchingly honest. They feel authentic. These songs aren't telling you to insert yourself into a readymade fill-in-the-blanks love story. They're saying, "Hey you, sitting over there grappling with all the twists and turns of being a human who needs other humans? You are not alone."

1,361 notes - Posted March 5, 2022

#2

The absolute audacity of Mr. Joey Fucking Batey and Ms. Madeleine Probably Fae Hyland to be like, "oh, we're so surprised people responded like that to Farewell Wanderlust, we didn't expect it to be such a hit" like ???? Hello???

You beautiful bastards, did you really give us the line "I'm the hardest goodbye that you'll ever have to say" with Madeleine's voice sliding like that right in the first stanza and expect us not to go feral over it?

Also:

Madeleine listing one heartbreaking thing after another with emotion swelling in her voice

Joey and Madeleine crooning to each other in soft, seductive tones followed by a verse of insanely fire lines like "our gods have abandoned us" and "let us waltz for the dead"

Joey unraveling his own string of sorrows in a voice made of anguish and rage

Were we supposed to be normal about any of those things? When they themselves were far from normal and actually completely savage by the time they really get going in the most furious musical "fuck you" to all the unjust, spirit-crushing bullshit in the world?

I mean—

I promise you I’m not broken I promise you there’s more More to come, more to reach for, more to hurl at the door Goodbye to all my darkness, there’s nothing here but light Adieu to all the faceless things that sleep with me at night This here is not make up, it’s a porcelain tomb This here is not singing, I’m just screaming in tune

Nobody was calm at that point. And by the last no-holds-barred chorus, we were all either crying or roaring or crying and roaring. (Internally, if we had to think of the neighbors or others on the train.) It was an emotional catharsis free for all. Who could be unmoved? Not me, Mr. Joey Fucking Batey and Ms. Madeleine Probably Fae Hyland. Not me.

1,434 notes - Posted January 31, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

It's utterly magnetic when a character's rage is quiet and precise. When they don't scream and throw things but they just b r e a t h e and very very calmly aim their fury like an arrow shooting inexorably towards the target of their wrath. It captures my attention, I lean in close, I wait for the hit. It never disappoints.

37,790 notes - Posted August 28, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[archtypically-ambisextrous]

Honestly the way some of y'all have been writing about stranger things is giving me johnlock conspiracy flashbacks

[genderascendant]

✨ofmd fic rec list✨

Here it is, the list absolutely no one one of my friends all of you have been waiting for: my our flag means death fic recs!! Now, I mostly like AUs and long-ish fics and am ambivalent about smut, so that's what most of this list is; but I put a couple of very special post-canon fics at the beginning, and shorter or one-shot fics at the end. My absolute favorites are marked with 🌸. Enjoy! 💖

post-canon-ish

🌸 Chiaroscuro by @menaceanon - WIP, 22k, T - gratuitous Mary and Ed get to be buds content. Their friendship and bonding is so so sweet, and especially since Jenkins said Mary probably won't make a return...... enjoy it here!!

Uncle Ed by StormySeaWitch - WIP, 21k, T - twin narratives about Ed adopting the kiddos, and one I actually like even more: Stede and co. slowly plotting and executing a takeover of the English naval ship that rescued them:') It's great Stede competence and killing-with-kindness content

Wayfaring by @justkeeptrekkin - 35k, E - Unbelievable masterpiece where Stede and Ed have to make up on the deserted island they're stranded on. The exploration of EMOTIONS. The ROMANTICISM, the SCENES. I have no words, you just have to read it

🌸 the only proof the field existed by @nonagethimus - 22k, M - Also a masterpiece. Part 1 is a searing character study of Ed and Lucius, and part 2 is a perfect reunion. Screaming and crying and throwing up.

AUs

🌸 it's what isn't in the name by tciddaemina - 41k, M - the entire Season 1 rewritten as a daemon AU. Absolutely love the characterization here and it feels so real, i came out feeling like i had an entire extra version of the season in my brain.

it's a beautiful night, we're looking for something dumb to do by lacecat - WIP, 33k, M - Stede opens a gastropub. Ed owns the dive bar down the street. An accidental murder leads to... them getting married the day they meet so they can't be made to testify against each other. It's SO well plotted and sweet and funny that so far, it's my only reread.

🌸 Ship in a Bottle by @neverwaswise - WIP, 14k, NR - HRRRNGH i am so obsessed with this one. Lighthouse keeper Stede, literal kraken Ed. The characterization is INCREDIBLE and i absolutely LIVE and am FERAL for this Little Mermaidy version of Ed. THE SWEETNESS!!!!! Shutting up now!

Bark and Bite by @amuseoffyre - WIP, 32k, M - the vampire/werewolf AU of my DREAMS. Season 1 rewritten with vampire!ed and werewolf!stede, of course. It's incredibly silly and sweet, and I love how they work the au into the canon. An update always brightens my day!!

🌸 this tired world could change by @sassygwaine - 95k, E - FERAL I SAY. Stede is a depressed office worker at his dad's company, Ed is a mechanic and ex-enforcer for the mob. The way their relationship is written and grows is.......... so, so beautiful, I can't even. There's a sequel coming!!

We were the winds -writing our names in the sky- by sapphos_gh0st - WIP, 37k, T - What if Ed and Stede met as teenagers? Impossibly sweet and fluffy, literally soothes my soul. Boys finding the love and sweetness and care they DESERVE *clenches fist*

🌸 Once Upon a Summer in San Francisco by samwise - WIP, 95k, M - This fic has me in a fucking chokehold. I am rabid about it, obsessed. 1970s AU, Ed is a drug dealer with a record store front, and meets Stede at a music festival. Their lives and their world feel so real and lived-in, which makes their love story that much more compelling. Excellent and often HYSTERICAL prose, especially from Lucius, and I want to live in Stede's gay commune-house with the crew SO badly.

Our Flag Means Rock by @captain-athos - 22k, M - This one has really taken up residence in my brain! 1960s pirate radio AU, and the author really knows and cares about music history. Made me go listen to the Beach Boys!

This Could Be Love by @zombee - 16k, E - Ed is an ex-professional skier who meets Stede at a hotel conference... and fake dating AND only-one-bed ensue! I particularly love their take on DESPERATELY horny Ed

shorter AUs and whatnot

you'll marry a music man by @soft-october-night - 7k, T - "Poor man's Elton John" Stede covers one of Ed's songs! Soooo sweet and funny

in the margins by @weatheredlaw - 3k, T - Ed and Stede find each other over and over, in every life. This one is so healing, kind of ties the whole idea of reading AUs together, and is especially nice after watching Everything Everywhere All At Once

a small adventure by @sassygwaine - 4k, T - Dungeons and Dragons podcasting AU! Their exchange about tabaxis is probably going to stick in my head forever!!

Dealt a Soft Hand by @mintly - 12k, M - ACCIDENTAL DRUNKEN VEGAS WEDDING, and also Ed is a professional gambler. Funny and sweet

🌸 Washington Square Park Dog Run for Larger Dogs by @fortinbrasftw - 6k, T - Ed and Stede meet at the dog park, and later, Izzy and James Flint meet at the dog park. Hilarious, perfect characterization. I've never seen Black Sails and it did not impact my IMMENSE enjoyment of these fics at all.

that's all for now! got recommendations? reblog or reply! 💖

[candied-cae]

I've Rambled About Our Flag Means Death Once or Twice

This is going to be an ongoing masterlist for all the OFMD stuff my brain does - it's somewhat organized by its subject/style with little descriptions! But if you wanna check out my fics or drabbles... Click Here!

Art: Ed has a big Kraken Tattoo on his back Fanart + Mitski's A Burning Hill

Stede diving into dangerous waters to save Ed from the Kraken Fanart + Mitski's Pearl Diver

Edits: Lovers? Partners in Crime? - a BlackBonnet edit of scenes from Eps. 8 & 9 to FINNEAS’ Partners in Crime

Clips: Look at Roach being the cutest crewmate ever, please

Wee John Playing the Piano - god I love him so fucking much

Proper Thoughts:

Their Flag Means Death, Because They May Begin Again - a short comparison between the title of the show and Lucius's line in ep 10 and what they mean thematically for The Revenge operating as a safe haven

Ed and Stede didn't believe they were really allowed to love until it happened

How Ed and Stede learned about Love - long post analyzing how Ed/Stede's lives affected their perceptions of love and how they realized they loved each other

How Ed and Stede Mask themselves - long post analyzing how Ed/Stede's lives have shaped how they walk through the world. Ed learned to mask through his personality to survive while Stede learned to mask through his actions to survive.

Stede was so Traumatized, can we not bully him please? - I know Stede leaving Ed hurt, and I hope we're all just being silly, but bestie went through a lot over the course of the show.

Why Stede believes he breaks beautiful things - short summary of all the bad things Stede blames himself for in Ed's life, aka why Chancey was so easily able to convince him to stay away even after he died

What if Stede told his crew he was worried he was cursed in S2? - Frenchie and Buttons are going to assure him it's not as silly as it seems. It's very serious.

Mary's Painting and Stede's Model Ship - a comparison on the gifts they gave each other on their anniversary and what they meant

I think Stede got dressed to leave a long time before he left - a smaller analysis on all the building stresses in Stede's life that led him to wear his day clothes under his pajamas (which I believe he did for many nights before) the night he left.

Who is Stede as a Father? - an analysis on how Stede behaves with his bio children in contrast to his crew children

Stede Bonnet is Bound by Duty - analysis + headcanons of Stede's relationship with responsibility and how it lead to him and Mary having Alma and Louis despite their lack of affection

What would happen if Ed tried to call Stede his "baby"?

Ed mentioned dying to a jungle cat, and maybe he'll hear about Stede and worry it was his fault he died like that

Let's not compare Ed to an Abusive Ex, thanks - a response to someone saying Ed becoming Blackbeard post-Stede/Izzy was like an Abusive Ex, they also compared OFMD to GO which- no

If only Ed had asked Buttons for Advice before Izzy broke him

Why Ed thought he had to kill Lucius

Izzy Hands was what really broke Ed - Stede leaving Ed really hurt him, but among his crew he was actually healing, until Izzy threatened him. That's when he spiraled.

Izzy Hands and why he's willing to break Edward to secure his hold on Power - a long analysis specifically comparing the interactions Izzy has with Ed in Episode 4 vs. 10 and why he does the most detestable things in the finale

Ed x Mitski's Francis Forever and Remember My Name - a messy analysis of Ed's character rollercoaster compared to two beautiful Mitski songs

I want Ed to have a "You're a Bad Friend" Moment with Izzy

Izzy called him "Ed" as a power move, Stede calls him "Ed" because he loves him

Izzy doesn't love Blackbeard, he loves controlling him - long analysis about how I see all the different scenes between Ed and Izzy, and it looks more and more like Izzy barely even cares about him and is just trying to gather as much control as possible.

Anyone else notice Izzy being racist in Ep 9?

Silly Stuff: Voltron Rhys Darby is why I started OFMD

What are Ed's Tattoos?! I NEED TO KNOW!

I thought Ed was gonna fuck Lucius in that one scene tbh

Black Pete's going to go from Blackbeard #1 fan to his biggest hater when S2 drops and I'm so excited

The Crew of The Revenge has called Stede "Mom", you can't convince me otherwise

Rhys and Method acting for Stede Bonnet? Fucking Never.

I love Stede making sure Bridgetown leaves Ned alone after his fuckery

[danwhobrowses]

One Piece Chapter 1023 - Initial Thoughts

15 Minutes is on the clock

Onigashima reaches the mainland and the fights continue on. Including the Wings of the King vs the Disasters of the Beast

Without further ado, let's get into it

Spoilers for Chapter 1023, Support the Official Release too

Vivi cover page is nice, proper Disney Princess action with Karoo being jealous birb again, but now I have worries because last we heard something went down with Alabasta...all those post-Reverie questions

Back to where we left off with the boys being back in town

Miyagi can you not ominously foreshadow Zoro's future pain please?

Kawamatsu's here to save Zoro from interference, and Hyou's telling the Yakuza not to get in the way of this fight

Marco though is a pensive Pineapple, taking a good long look at King as he recalls Whitebeard telling him about King's race living on the Red Line before the world nobles, Void Century and before stuff

Mention of Gods does fuel one of my old post fan theories, but also fuels that the WG kicked King's race out of the Red Line

Izo though out here saving Marco from being an easy target, tbh Marineford did show he was prone to a surprise attack

Asking Izo if they believe in God though in a raid that may lead to their deaths is kinda irreverent right now though huh?

Queen back to hyping themselves up though

Hm? Is there a limitation to Sanji's raid suit? Sanji's saying he feels weird

Zoro wasting no time to banter with it though, saving Sanji from King as Sanji returns the favour with Queen

Queen does make a valid point though, as much as Sanji expresses that he is unenhanced by Germa he can also set himself on fire, I do wonder if it is just part of that enhancement in there that he expresses as his 'fiery hot passion'

Lunarian though, that must be King's species' name: moon people again I bet which feeds my fan theories

Also since we mentioned Germa again what happened to them? Jimbei made it out after all and I wanna see me some alive and well Baeju

I would issue doubt on Queen's claim that their enhancements are beyond Vegapunk's, given how little we know of Vegapunk after all

King's got a special sword too, it can change its edge to be teethy which he used to ensnare Zoro's swords

Wado saves Zoro's face from eating King's spiked fist though

King does make a fair point though, traditional weapons are romanticized but a fight's about getting every advantage you can, Zoro at least respects that since King never claimed to be a Swordsman, while also reminding King that he could be a feral bastard too

Kinda gave me mini Mr. 1 fight vibes there

Oh here we go, potential Zoro lineage time

Kawamatsu and Hyou muse over how Zoro was like Ushimaru when he was young, even down to his style (though that could be more Shimotsuki Koushiro's doing since he's Zoro's master)

Also Ushimaru was Ryuma's direct descendant, which means that 1. Ryuma banged, 2. Swordsmanship runs in the blood and 3. Ryuma banged

Also Ryuma also had the one eye, and it does seem pretty mythical that a swordsman of similar skill and stature returns Shusui back to Wano (even though this should mean that Shusui would be Zoro's birthright and he was kinda forced into relinquishing it)

Also worth reminding that Kozaburo was Kuina's grandpa so there may only be loose relations if Zoro is a Shimotsuki too, we don't exactly know how Kozaburo and Ushimaru are related if it's by blood or clan, plus I still wonder about Tashigi

Over to Jack vs Inu though, and Jack's hybrid form is just...weird

I did not need to see an Elephant head with abs you know Oda!

Both are pretty tired, as Jack mocks Inu saying he has forgiven Zou for the Raizo stuff, since he already destroyed most of it

Inu though with the shoulder toss, reminding Jack that they had to make these sacrifices to get to here

But we're getting the epic speech, and the hole in the roof caused by Ashura's sacrifice is changing Inu back into Su Long

Same thing is happening with Neko, turning Su Long in front of Carrot and Wanda (who I guess are covering from the moon) as he stares down Perospero

And I'm glad Neko's pointing out that Pedro's sacrifice is valid. I truthfully always felt a bit iffy about people saying that Carrot's desire to avenge Pedro was ill-found because 'Pedro killed himself'. Had Pedro not sacrificed himself then Brook and Chopper would've been dead by candy and Big Mom would've obliterated the rest on the ship

Raizo and Megaforehead though prelude with the mention of maturity, that everyone - even the Akazaya - needed time to mature into who they wanted to be

Down to the surface though and the Heart Pirates are on high alert/panic, they think Kaido's here

But it's Momo, and he looks magnificent

Shinobu's aged him up to 28, the age he'd be had he not been leapt through time, but now she's upset he looks like Kaido

There's new fire in Momo's eyes though, the return ascent begins!

Can you feel that? It feels like the last stretch before the ultimate battle of Wano

Sanji and Zoro vs King and Queen hopefully will remain a tag bout, but I am curious as to King's abilities and what's affecting Sanji in terms of the raid suit. It's not bad to have a limitation but this is the first we've heard of it after seeing him use it 4 times. I don't hate Zoro being a Shimotsuki, though I do feel like we could've built to this, plus we're still lacking in the how.

One wonders what role Marco will now play, and whether Tiny Tiny Chopper is due to recover. We haven't heard from the others for a bit, nor CP0 nor Yamato. Our Pineapple does have unfinished business with Edward Weevil tbf so he could make it out, Izo may be a variable in that, they've yet to learn of Kiku's fate.

Also we never did see who that mystery person was did we? Still could be Hiyori

Marco's musing about gods does feel like we're gonna get more about King, and more lore of the world that Robin will love to soak up like a sponge, Oda have been leaving these seeds since Skypeia, and where there are Gods, there are Devils.

We are however getting major death flags from the minks, one last turn to Su Long to enable their efforts. I like how Ashura's sacrifice is not in vain because of this though, it makes me wonder if there's a slither of hope for Kin and Kiku. If anything though the minks will die from exhaustion rather than being defeated, Su Long eats away at you after all, it's probably gonna be traumatizing for Carrot a little but I hope we see some resolve out of her more like when she was in Zou and WCI, I still want her for Nakama.

And then the final coup de grace, giant dragon Momo, it's one hell of a panel and it means we're bringing Luffy back into the fight. But the extent of Momo's ripening is only in body remember, in mind he's still young. But now we have the setup for the final fight between Luffy and Kaido, I'll expect in that time we'll have to try and finish off everything else with the Akazaya, reconvening the Straw Hats, King, Queen, Big Mom, Kid, Law, Killer, Hawkins, Apoo and Drake.

Act's not over yet, less than 15 minutes until Onigashima Falls.

[bbq-hawks-wings]

On Hawks' Injuries

Alright, let's get this out of the way.

"His back... It's... gone!"

I may like to act like an intellectual, but no amount of analysing the color of the curtains changes the fact that I'm a married, mother of two, in her mid-twenties fixated on a fictional character from a series aimed at teenagers about superhero high school. The innuendo from Dark Shadow, the implications of what this means for Hawks on a personal and professional level - that shit stings and I might actually cry when this dumpster fire ends up in the anime in a few years.

We won't know about the extent of his injuries until he's been examined by a doctor, but considering how quickly his wings went up (this all happens in seconds which means those flames are extremely hot)...

...We're looking easily at huge patches of third degree burns with first and second scattered across his body. The area most affected is in the center of his back which does not have a lot of soft tissue to insulate before you're getting to very important nerves and organs, and the scar tissue that will likely form in the muscles and skin after healing may leave his movement heavily restricted.

Depending on how gruesome Horikoshi wants to be, Hawks not only will never get his wings back, but he could be looking at significant permanent disability for the rest of his life. This isn't even taking into consideration the acute complications he may face on the road to recovery including fighting off bacterial infections, fluid loss, and his immediate increased risk of hypothermia. Left improperly treated, someone with this level of burn injury faces an agonizing death (though, a quick one after passing out without treatment), and proper treatment would likely require huge amounts of pain medication to make the long road to recovery even bearable. This doesn't even take into account any additional injury he may have sustained when he hit his head after Dark Shadow dropped them off the balcony.

Remembering for a minute that this is a battle Shonen we're talking about, this is an absolute worst case scenario, and this post goes over how it likely won't end up this bad in the narrative, but that doesn't minimize the sheer brutality of the beating he just took. The fact that he only passed out after hitting his head is pretty miraculous in and of itself, but I'll force myself to suspend my amazement a little bit given the nature of the source material.

Let's assume at the very least his wings aren't coming back, and he'll need at least a week with good medical attention and healing quirks to just be able to get out of bed again. What then?

It should always be obvious when I predict the future that it's all speculation because I'm not actually clairvoyant, but you know disclaimer or whatever.

We have some nasty red flags staring us down in regards to where this fight is going right now. Shigaraki is awake. Dabi's words after Tokoyami escapes with Hawks insinuates there's an alternate plan than the MLA had, Gigantomachia is moving, and the tides are quickly turning for the heroes without even all of that. This fight looks like it's about to go south real fast.

If the heroes lose with significant losses - with any amount of death or injury - and with the added knowledge they at least partially relied on young, inexperienced kids to help bolster their numbers in the hopes to end this quickly, by the time Hawks wakes up he'll not only be staring down his own personal loss in the wake but the weight of the guilt of what he'll perceive as his own failure will crush him. I also sincerely believe that worst detail at the end of it will be him knowing he personally killed a good man for nothing to even come of it in the end.

Remembering also that the Hero Public Safety Commission is the one who tasked him with this mission in secret and the fact, again, that they pulled children into this failed fight - I do not believe they will take responsibility. This doesn't even take into account the fact he'll be useless as a hero and that they don't even know the extent of his knowledge of their inner workings which makes him a dangerous potential leak.

What's more, news of Hawks' betrayal of the MLA will spread through the ranks and file into the public consciousness. On every single side Hawks will be the scapegoat while he is fighting for his life from a hospital bed. He'll be in more danger without the fierce protection of trusted friends than he was while deep in enemy territory. If he doesn't have a tribe he can trust to keep him safe, maybe even going as far as to clandestinely steal him away where he can't be found, attempts on his life are not out of the question.

Hawks will have a choice to make - rise up and make some real god-damned change while we're already up to our necks or roll over and let the world come crashing down around him as he sinks into despair. He can either settle for being a symbol of failure or he can take the chance to rebirth himself.

Could Hawks' wings ever come back?

This injury is insinuated to be permanently damaging. Whatever mechanism grafted Hawks' wings to his back and allowed him to control them is implied to be damaged beyond recovery, if not completely gone.

However, given Eri's mere existence it's absolutely possible to rewind that injury. Before the battle began it was insinuated Eri will end up using her power again, perhaps even out of necessity. It's an absolutely broken quirk, to be sure; but running with the idea that at some point her power will be offered to Hawks to let him have his wings back - perhaps it's even her idea - I posit two scenarios:

Hawks accepts and he's given a second chance to be whatever he wants to be. His freedom completely restored to him physically and figuratively, he begins life anew with a zeal and solemn appreciation for life and the people in it because the opportunity to make a full return like this is a one in a million chance he's lucky to have.

Hawks turns her down, at least uncomfortable with the idea of using a child's quirk for his own benefit given his own history, even if she offers it freely with no additional obligation to herself. He takes a moral stand in the moment to say, "It's not your job to fix my mistakes and shortcomings" and lives as an example of accountability and living with the hard choices you've made in life and learning how to be happy despite the loss.

I would personally be happy with either if Horikoshi intends to take either route. It's more than possible neither will happen, but with the Eri angle, I hope the possibility is at least touched upon. Maybe it's a one-shot thing and he chooses to let her restore someone like Mirio instead. Maybe it'll get completely broken and bring back every hero - Hawks, Mirio, Mirko, etc. - perhaps even triggered by her own determination to help in any way she can. We'll have to see. The story can take any number of directions after this, and it's not so much where we're going that has me antsy as much as the wait it'll take to get there.

[roboraindrop]

Hey, so seeing as it's the day of selfship positivity, i thought I'd make a post for the friends I've made in this community! This by no means is everyone I've enjoyed interacting with, but these people are ones who have brought some form of joy and light through talking with me!

@0-055 Where do i start? You're so incredibly sweet, and on days when I've felt down, getting an encouraging and real message from you always makes me smile! Thank you for being so good to me, I appreciate you!!

@starbound-solivagant You have been amazingly kind to me in so many ways, and i appreciate it endlessly! You're a great friend to me, and you deserve all of the good things in the world! You're so strong and sweet, I hope you know how great you are!

@selfinserts Your ships are all wonderful and valid!! You're such a nice person, and all of your selfies have me 😍😍 I absolutely love seeing you on my dash!

@maxinas-selfships You and Roadhog are total otp!! You are an amazing friend and person, and i can't wait to see more of your ships!!!

@millizines You were the first person in the community to reach out to me, and I'm so glad that you did! You and Earnest are a lovely couple, and every post I see about you two makes my heart happy!

@robotarmjokes D, you are so strong! You've been through a lot, but you're doing great, and I'm so hella proud of you! I know that Rhys is, too 💕💕 Keep doing your best!!

@evilwives I know we don't talk all that much, but I'm waving the you/Moira flag hard as hell!!! You're such a cool person, and if I wasn't a shy weenie I'd definitely talk more with you!!

@quackwerks Your art, your ships, and your attitude are all great! I love hearing about your characters and seeing the art you make for them!! I appreciate you so much!

@myrainydayloves You were one of my first friends in the community, and you and Sho are still one of the best couples out there imo!! Live your life with your boy, he loves the hell out of you!!

@snagg-ships Again, I'm a bit of a social weenie, but i love talking with you! And Junkrat totally belongs with you! You two are so adorable together!

@maxships We've only recently started talking, but your ships are all so pure, they make me so happy to hear about! Aside from that, you're absolutely beautiful, and getting to know you has been a pleasure! I'm excited to talk more with you!

Now onto some longer ones....

@benobiships Ben, what can I say about you?? I was nervous as h e c k to talk to you at first, but now I'm more than glad that we started talking! You're among my close friends, and seeing your ships always makes me smile! You make the best jokes, the best memes, and love the nastiest boys 👀 You're awesome in every possible way!!

@nym-ships Hoooo boy, where do i begin?? Nym, the gratitude and sheer love that i have for you can't easily be put to words. When we first met I was a shy and nervous wreck, but getting to know you has been one the greatest pleasures of my life. You've been through a hell of a lot and yet you're still here, you still keep going, and thst inspires me. From the bottom of my heart I really and honestly mean it when I say that I'm so glad we're friends. I know I can talk to you about anything, and I hope you know the same is true for you! And don't even get me started on how much your boys fuckin love you. To them, there's nothing better than holding you tight and reassuring you that you're safe, you're loved, and you're important. You mean the world to me and I will beat someone to death with a rolled up calander for you.

And finally, @hakeyshomemadeships I didn't meet you through the community, obviously, but I'm glad that we can share this part od our lives together. You're my best friend beyond compare, I don't love anybody in the world quite like I love you. We have the stupidest jokes, the most tearfilled nights, everything in between, and more together. I can go to you with anything in the world and you can come to me, too. I can't imagine my life without you, or really remember what it was before you. A decade of friendships and counting! How have you put up with me for this long? I love you, 100%

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

For Matthew

One of our dear crewmates, Stephanie, lost her son back in 2022. They both watched S1 together, and tragically he passed away not long after. Stephanie has been an active member of our crew for years now, and she reached out to Rhys and he made a lovely Cameo for her.

Some of you may have already seen it as she's been kind enough to share it with us previously, but after talking with Stephanie and hearing about who Matthew was, I wanted to put together a small dedication to him, and share Stephanie's words with you with her permission. 

-- Dedication --

Matthew was 39 years old when he passed away, one of the original OFMD crewmates. He was a quirky, deaf, funny, and talented man who gave the world kindness despite the struggles he went through. He loved theatre, movies, video games, local art, and independent restaurants, and made a positive impact on everyone he met.

Matthew made his debut as a professional backyard wrestler in 2002 in the Phoenix New Times, and he worked on many well known video games in the industry doing development and quality assurance. He was truly a child a learning, and a true pilar of support in the community, and spent a great deal of time laughing and bringing light and joy to the world.

With his last wish, he donated his body to science, continuing on his loving and supportive legacy. Matthew was a wonderful man that was lost far too soon and his mother Stephanie, as well as anyone who knew him miss him so very much. Below is his obituary if you'd like to learn more about this wonderful crewmate of ours. 

We salute you Matthew. You are the embodiment of all the kindness, acceptance, support, and loving things that embody Our Flag Means Death as well, and we're honored to have you amongst us in spirit. You are greatly missed, but never forgotten. 

--- Stephanie ---

"...I wanted to share something with the fandom about my journey with OFMD and wondered if any of you have experienced some personal growth right along with Ed and Stede (and of course many others in the crew).

My 39-year old son told me there was a show we had to watch that just dropped. He says "you'll love it because Taika's in it and we love pirates.” I laughed and said, “I’m in.”

I had no idea what it was about, but he and I had watched Black Sails together and he’s right—we love pirates. Within minutes of the pilot, I was completely won over and enjoying every moment of piracy on the Revenge. “What we’re about to do will be perilous . . . . “. From that moment on, I was in deep. We binged the first 3 episodes, rewinding to replay scenes and went mental when we realized that we had to wait a full week for 2 more episodes. My son and I would text about it non-stop and we both started quoting lines and getting even more invested. He was sending me meme's and screenshots and we started living our best pirate life.

By the end of the season, we had laughed, cried, and thoroughly discussed every aspect of Ed and Stede's growing relationship. We felt the pain of the cliffhanger and became “mentally devastated by what [we’ve] witnessed” and we certainly didn’t bottle it up.

We talked non-stop about the show. It became a daily thing. Articles, interviews, pictures and joining in the quest for renewal. Once it got renewed (PRIDE month), we were on the lookout for any posts or information about signs of filming, etc. We couldn't wait for the second season and were counting down the months after we knew filming wrapped.

Then the unthinkable happened. My son went into the hospital after having a slow recovery to multiple surgeries. Cliff Notes version: He was admitted and within 24 hours, he was in ICU on life support. My son had an extensive medical history beginning when he was an infant. 42+ surgeries and many air-evacs to Children’s Hospital so it was kind of the norm to go in and be out within a few days or week and be on the road to recovery again.

If you met him, you wouldn’t even know he had all the medical issues he had because he worked full time and carried himself like a stand-up comedian--always laughing and telling stories. He was a video gamer who had worked in the industry for 7 years until he had to take a leave to handle his medical issues and have a job that didn’t exceed 40 hours.. He was really a character and had a lot of funny mannerisms. 

This time was different. He didn’t rally and 10 days later he tragically died from a fungal infection that they couldn’t identify until it was too late to treat.

He died in June, 2022, and the grief has been unrelenting and unbearable. I have literally shut down and spent the months grieving and in so much pain that I can barely leave the house and see anyone. It has broken me. When I saw the actual date that S2 would drop, my emotions were so intense because I didn't know how I could possibly watch it without him. I finally went on and rewatched Season 1 to prepare for Season 2 and found myself crying through the entire 10 episodes every time I thought of his witty banter during the season.

I wasn’t sure I could handle Season 2 without him. I talked about it a lot in Grief therapy and decided I would watch it with him and for him. I would try the first episode and see if I could do it. I would imagine all the conversations we would have had.

Matthew understood being different. He was Deaf and spent so much time in and out of hospitals and was bullied and teased his whole childhood. Even with all of that, he grew up to be loving, kind, accepting of all, and a VERY FUNNY guy.

On the day I started S2, I remembered that Matthew enjoyed being on the groups on Reddit for OFMD. Having never done Reddit, I was nervous, but decided I would see if the online community would be something that would give me the thing I missed so much . . . his commentary.

I couldn't believe how it opened my world up. Everyone was so nice and open to discussion about OFMD. The banter, information and excitement has been so restorative for me. It has given me a lot of healing to say the least. 

I binged the first 3 episodes for S2 and went through it with all of you watching Blackbeard fall into the worst version of the Kraken that he had been and felt every emotion during the s2e3 Merman scene. Laughing and crying, laughing and crying, I waited for each week craving their reunion would finally happen and celebrated on-line with the entire fandom as we shared our analysis and thoughts.

Having a show that means so much to me has truly made me so happy. I loved that Ed and Stede are a middle aged couple and that they both had to grow so much to get to the point where they could be together in life as a beautiful and loving couple. I appreciated the writing so much because DJ and crew did really give us what he said he would, but in a far better way than I could have ever imagined.

I still need a s3 because I want to see Ed and Stede mature even more as a couple--no more leaving each other! I also want to see them meet up with their found family.

I want to see the new Revenge adventures, Spanish Jackie and Swede, Izzy legacy moments, Zheng, Oluwande, Wee John, Jim, Archie, Fang, Frenchie, Black Pete, Lucius, Buttons the sea gull, the perfect music and emotional parallels to past episodes and, of course, revenge for Minor Prince Ricky, Is that asking too much? I'm sure I left out so much else I want to see, but you all get it because you are stuck in this vortex right along side of me.

I dream of HBO/Max renewing this sooner rather than later so I can start thinking of when they will be filming and following all the hints that unfold. This show means so much to me and I am grateful that it exists. 

I feel like I can be a better version of an ally to the community I love so much by immersing myself within all the representation in this treasure trove of storytelling. I learn so much by seeing these relationships develop into deep and committed love and have such respect for all of us who just want to see these relationships normalized everywhere in society. We all benefit from inclusion and I am very very grateful for this show. It means more to me than I could ever explain.

I'm sorry I rambled, but I am just so appreciative of all the people in this group who just share and talk and roll around in all our in-depth chatter.

I celebrate this series and everyone that worked so hard to provide this beautiful story. I feel my son's presence every moment I watch it (on repeat) and discuss it every single day.

Izzy's (Con's) death scene touched me deeply . . . thinking about losing my son and how that felt and how I held onto him for as long as I could so I wouldn’t forget how it felt to hold him. Taika's commitment to the pain of losing Izzy felt like it paralleled all my feelings since the loss. Izzy's deathbed voice and words have lived in my heart ever since.

Con and Taika were top tier and seeing all the crew's emotions as they watched what was happening felt so raw and touching. I also felt so much from s2e3 when Ed is dead and Stede is begging him to live . . . I lived that as well, convinced that my son would somehow prove them all wrong and open his eyes. I said it over and over and when Ed opened his eyes, I just felt every single emotional hurdle.

Yes, I was a bucket of tears through it all, but I also felt a lot of healing. I’d love to hear from any of you who have had some kind of evolution or growth from this gift of a show."

----

You can reach out to Stephanie here on twitter if you'd like to discuss some of your experiences as well.  SRC: Stephanie's words per her permission. If someone doesn't have access to tumblr, they can read about Matthew on the Repo:

Cameo: Rhys Darby - For Matthew

[ritaglawrence-blog]

Things are not how they appear to be.

The above quote caught my eye when I was visiting the British Library in London. The person who wrote is was the victim of murder by his wife's lover who had been their chauffeur. We think we are safe in our mundane lives but we perhaps don't tune into our intuition when others make us uncomfortable. This missing the red flag can be as minor as making us uncomfortable and not changing the situation which will play out according to how we handle it once we're onto what's going on. It can be lethal as in this wealthy gentleman's case. He probable noticed some red flags and warning signs and choose to ignore them letting his rational thinking dissuade him from pursuing his own investigation or hiring someone to investigate his wife for him.

Coming into any organization from the outside immediately means that you are under some level of suspicion and scrutiny. For me this relates to spiritual groups that belong to a bigger organization as most do. You can belong to a local church that abides by certain principles that are reinforced and overseen by an authoritative body. No matter how people view your work for me this means writing which I started to do publicly at the behest of my first Spiritual teacher who encouraged everyone to start websites and do outreach on their own knowing that we had been studying and living spiritual (dharma) lives.

It gets a little old as I'm aging too and have been engaged in learning a particular Indian teachings that came to the US in the early seventies. Feathers get ruffled if you write about your experiences. Nobody knows your relationship with God like you do. While it is important in Eastern traditions to have initiation through an authorized Master I know of one person who was exempt. George Harrison was a steadfast devotee of Krishna and I am told that he was not initiated yet everything about him tells me that he was well connected with Krishna.

He used his talents to reach people and his song "My Sweet Lord" is known by young people who I meet today. He also made videos in which he expressed his own spiritual journey and how important it was to get prepared for his ultimate death. George was obviously wealthy and didn't mind any negative views about his choice of Religion. Inside the organization he was established because he was famous and his role as a public icon was accepted.

My first Spiritual Master was a woman which I liked very much because she empowered us and men had to learn to accept a woman in charge of a world wide organization. I was in California at an Intensive (weekend retreat) when she spoke to us about sharing our spiritual knowledge. She empowered us to take our experiences and teaching out into the world because she knew that we could reach others who may not learn about God in the way He is taught through books like the Bhagavad Gita as well as through the philosophies of Kashmir Shavism the Upanishads and Vedantas.

The mission of any spiritual path should be to spread the teachings to uplift lives and to encourage followers to spread the word. If there are questions in a movement the person should be asked because that builds trust. When an organization is rightly adapting to the Western Culture and identifying with people who are unfamiliar with Eastern Philosophy and culture I tend to be upfront because if you lack transparency you create a mystique instead of healthy interest.

I appreciate those who have followed me on the various social media pages where I now post namely Facebook (Spiritual Life) Instagram and Twitter (Langata145). The latter account is more a reflection of my political and current affairs interest. Please share my posts with your friends because you are able to reach a far greater audience. I hope to inspire people to live a full and happy life and to find the right spiritual path to follow and do the inner work that George Harrison encouraged everyone to do in preparation for the time that we depart this life.

My very best wishes are with you as you go deeper into your beliefs and follow your chosen path.